You can’t move. Your feet are literally frozen to the floor and your voice has decided to hibernate. Bruno looks just as uncomfortable as you do. He quickly looks down at his Chucks. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he shuffles his feet. You can hear Philip walking up behind you so you struggle to get your shit together. Before you are successful, Philip places a comforting hand on your shoulder and says, “Hey B! What’s good?!”. Bruno looks up cautiously. He smiles a little. He brushes by you and gives Philip some dap and a shoulder bump. “I’m good man”, he says glancing at you. “You ready to work?”. You take that as your cue to leave. Before Phil can answer, you say, “Well, Baby, I’ll see you later”. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow, right?”. You step out onto the steps. “This is my long work week remember? I’m doing 7 straight 12’s”. Philip looks surprised and steps out of the house closing the door behind him. “Wait! Hold up! I know you said you was gonna be working but DAMN Nikki! When are we gonna spend time together?” You sigh, “Philip, I told you this week was gonna be crazy. I’m off for a week after this. We can make up time then”. Philip wraps his arms around you. His head jerks back suddenly as he processes what you just said. “So wait…I’m not gonna see you for 7 days?”. You don’t respond. “Nah Baby Girl. No way! I need to be with you”. “Philip, we’ll talk later. I have to go and besides, Bruno is waiting for you”. You start to walk away but Philip pulls you close. Stroking your hair he leans in close to you and whispers, “You are my life, Bruno can wait”. Kissing the top of your head he continues, “How about you take that pretty brown round of yours home, pack up some stuff and stay with me for the week”. You can see the hope behind his eyes anxiously jumping up and down like a little boy on Christmas morning. You are silent for a moment as you look down. You know how crucial it is right now for you to be with him and re-cement the cracks in your relationship. And a week away from him WOULD feel like an eternity. You would be one grumpy ass nurse if you weren’t able to be with Philip for 7 days. You glance up at Philip, who has a HUGE smile on his face anticipating your agreement to his proposal. You whisper, “Ok”. He bends down and cups his ear as if he didn’t hear you, “What was that?”. You sigh and repeat yourself, a little louder this time, “Ok”. Phil hugs you tight and kisses you, “That’s my girl”. You smile, “Alright. I’ll be back a little later”. You walk away. Philip continues to smile as he walks back into the house.
You enter your condo and just sit on the couch. You are still a little shaken up from your short interaction with Bruno. I mean, he did LOOK ok. You just regret freezing up like a school girl with her first crush. You begin to feel foolish. ‘We were together, exclusively, for months. Of course I’d be shaken up seeing him the first time after our break up’, you try to convince yourself. You sigh deeply. You’re glad Bruno is well. You are also thankful Philip came to your rescue or the two of you might STILL be frozen at the door. Your thoughts quickly switch to Philip. You smile to yourself thinking about your week long sleepover with Mr. Philip ‘Panty Droppa’ Lawrence. You two have come a long way since DC.
“Hello”. You freeze. “Hello. Hello?” You know you have to say something…”Uh...hello?”. You can almost hear him smile on the other end, “Hello beautiful. I didn’t think you were going to call.” Your eyes are as big as 20” rims. You try not to sound as terrified as you are by saying, “Why wouldn’t I?” He laughs and asks if you are still in the arena. “No. I just got into my car. Why?” Again you can hear him smile on the other end of the phone. “I was hoping we could hang out and...talk.” Heat shoots through your body like a lightening bolt. “Ok...what do you wanna talk about?”. He just laughs. You feel a little foolish because you knew what he meant but you didn’t want to be too obvious. “Just tell me where you are and I’ll swing by and pick you up. We can get a bite to eat.” Am I dreaming? Yes, I have to be dreaming because shit like this doesn’t happen in real life, not to me anyway. You decide to go for it. I mean it’s Philip Lawrence, Mr. Panty Droppa himself. As you wait for him to pick you up, you primp in the mirror and give yourself the pep talk needed to do what you know is coming. (Oh My God That Was Great - July 2013)
You head to your room and pack a small suitcase. You make sure to slide in some of Philip’s favorite lingerie. You don’t usually wear earrings to work but you decide to pack a few pairs of post earrings for the week away. Sorting through your jewelry box you stumble upon the heart necklace that Philip gave you. It’s one of only two gifts you have accepted from him since you’ve been together. Holding it in your hand, you remember how surprised you were when you woke up with it around your neck.
You open your eyes and stare at the ceiling remembering last night. Smiling, you sit up in bed and pull the sheet to cover you when you notice a diamond heart suspended from a necklace hanging from your neck. You look up and Phil is standing at the foot of the bed with breakfast. “Do you like it?” he asks with hope dripping from his voice. “I love it Phil! It’s the gorgeous but…” You are cut off as he interjects, “Hush. You’re leaving me tomorrow. I want you to have something to remind you of me”. You smile understanding. “Thank you. I love the necklace...”. “No. It’s not the necklace that you have Nikki, it’s my heart.” (That Feeling - July 2013)
You smile as you lay it carefully back in your jewelry box. As you do so, you can’t help but notice your latest gift from Philip. You love your ring and never take it off. You can’t contain your smile.
“Baby Girl, I never had the chance to give you your birthday gift”. You shake your head as he reaches into his pocket. “Philip, I appreciate the thought but it’s not necessary”. He’s gotten very good at ignoring you as he places a small Tiffany blue box on the table. “It’s not much but I wanted to get something for you”. You don't move as you look from him to the box. He smiles and decides to help you out by untying and opening the box for you. Phil opens the box revealing a band ring in platinum with diamonds. You look at him in shock. He places it on the ring finger of your right hand. “It’s not what you think”, he starts. You finally exhale. “This circle of diamonds represents my love for you. Diamonds are forever and a circle has no beginning and no end”. (To Be Continued… - July 2014)
You turn the ring around and around on your finger. Smiling to yourself, you zip your suitcase and head back to be with the love of your life.
You pull up to Philip’s place and notice Bruno’s car is still there. ‘Damn it!’, you think to yourself. You sigh and consider driving back home for a while. You sit in your car listening to your radio while you decide what to do. After about 15 minutes, your text alarms. It’s Philip. ‘U comin N?’. ‘Ughhhhh’, you think to yourself. Now you HAVE to go inside. You open your car door and slowly make your way inside the house with your suitcase. You hope Bruno is on his way out because you aren’t sure you can deal with seeing him again right now. The door is unlocked so you slowly walk in. Philip is waiting for you, leaning against the couch with his arms folded. Bruno is nowhere to be seen. “So, you were just gonna sit in the car until he left?”, Philip asks bluntly. You are caught off guard by his question and just end up sounding stupid, “Ummm, I was…uh…I mean…well…”. Philip smiles and embraces you. He steps back and takes your suitcase, “I was kidding Nikki”. He chuckles to himself and shakes his head as he takes your suitcase upstairs. You stand there for moment, just looking around. You’re sort of scared to move. You don’t wanna run into Bruno. You assume he’s in the basement working on some new song, so you decide to step out onto the deck for some fresh air. You open the french doors and walk out into the night air. You walk to the end of the deck, lean against the wall and take a deep breath. You gaze up at the stars and begin to relax…until you smell cigarette smoke. You can’t help but mouth the word, “FUCK!”. You slowly turn your head to the right and see Bruno sitting on the edge of the table. He puts out the cigarette and walks slowly past you. “I’ll leave”, he whispers walking by. You close your eyes tight. You feel like you should say something. Turning to him, you blurt out, “Bruno wait! You were here first. I’ll go”. You begin to walk past him toward the door. He steps in front of you, “No, it’s fine. I’ll go”. You step to his right side as you try to go around him, “No, it’s fine. I don’t mind”. Bruno stands in front of you and holds up his hands, “Wait. You know what?! This is ridiculous. What are we doing?”. He chuckles a little as you step back. You look at him but don’t know how to respond. “We are both adults here. We should both be able to stand out here and feel comfortable, right? I mean this deck is more than big enough for two people”. You give him half of a smile. You both stand awkwardly looking everywhere but at each other. You can’t take much more of this tension so, you walk back over to the wall. You stand nervously rubbing your arms which are full of goosebumps. You’re not sure if it’s because of the chill in the night air or because you can feel Bruno’s eyes on you.
Unbeknownst to you and Bruno, Philip is watching the two of you from the upstairs window. His heart is racing hoping you can keep your promise. He repeats your promise to himself softly, “I will always be yours and only yours”. He holds his breath and says a little prayer.
Bruno is still standing in the same spot with his hands shoved in his pockets. He’s looking around trying not to look at you but ultimately, his eyes find you. He’s staring. He realizes it but can’t help himself. You can feel his eyes on your back. It’s making you uncomfortable and wish he’d just leave. Bruno sighs deeply, turns and heads toward the french doors. You hear him walking away and breathe a sigh of relief. You can’t help but remember the last time you two were on this deck.
“Oh, Phil, man can I talk to you about something,” Bruno says walking away and gesturing for Phil to follow him. You are left alone with Jessica. ‘I’m going to kill them both. What the hell do I say to this chick?’. Before you can start any pleasantries, she blurts, “They can’t hear us. We don’t have to pretend to like each other”. If you weren’t 4 shots of Vodka in, you’d probably be surprised by her bluntness but right now, your filter is completely gone and you just don’t give a fuck. “Good, cuz I’m tired of pretending to like your snobby ass”. You sit on the arm of the chair just as she pops up. “Snobby?! Bitch who you calling snobby?” You have to laugh. ‘Ok. I know this skinny little bitch don’t want none’. You get up. “I’ma need you to just sit down and shut the fuck up before I smack you”. She laughs. “Bitch, I dare you.” Her eyes narrow, “I know you and Bruno have something going on. I can tell when he looks at you”. You try to ignore her but your temper is rising. “Stay away from my man!”, she says pushing you. You push her back. She falls. “Bitch, don’t put your hands on me. And if you were fucking him right he wouldn’t be coming for me!”. Jessica jumps up and grabs for your hair. You bitch slap her just as Bruno grabs you and Phil grabs her. “What the hell is going on?”, Phil asks. Neither of you say a word as you stare each other down. “Phil can you keep Jess out here? I’ma take Nikki in the house”. “A’ight. I’ma try to figure out what happened”, Phil replies.
Bruno manhandles you into the house. Pushing you though the doors, he keeps hold of your left arm. He turns you around and pulls you close. Never relinquishing the tight grip he has on your arm, he kisses you HARD. You smile. (Choices - October 2013)
Bruno places his hand on the doorknob and pauses. ‘Say something dummy!’, his heart screams. You don’t hear the door open so you turn around. Bruno is at the door with his hand on the knob, staring directly at you. A huge lump immediately forms in your throat and you can’t swallow. Bruno takes a deep breath and walks back over to you with his head down. ‘Shit! Shit! Shit!’, you think to yourself. Your stomach is in knots and your heart is racing. You take a deep breath as he approaches and looks up at you with those gorgeous brown eyes. “So, um…how you been?”, he asks with his hands back in his pockets. You try to swallow the lump and respond, “Uh…I’m good”. “Oh, that’s good”, he says not looking up. Dead silence falls between you.
Philip has a BIG smile on his face as he watches Bruno walk toward the door. “Thank you”, he whispers looking up. His smile quickly fades as he watches Bruno walk back toward you. He knows how his little brother feels about you. He has an all too vivid memory etched in his mind that he can NEVER forget.
Bruno grabs you and bends you over to finish the job. He grinds deep, REAL deep. You can’t speak. The blows are stealing your breath. Phil just watches, smiling, as his best friend fucks the love of his life. “UGH…FUCK!”, Bruno moans spray-painting your love. You collapse in the floor from exhausting pleasure. Bruno picks you up and kisses you. Phil puffs another blunt while he watches Bruno holding you in his arms. You walk over to Phil and kiss those perfect lips as you sit on his lap. Bruno is stumbling while Phil laughs and holds you tight. Standing next to you, Bruno strokes your face. “I love her”, he admits to himself aloud. (Caught - January 2014)
Philip sighs deeply as he let’s his body fall against the wall. He just stares helplessly out the window at the situation unfolding below.
“You look well”, you admit to Bruno - trying to make ‘nice’ conversation. He smiles a bit, “Yeah, I’m doing ok”. He looks up at you. Stepping closer, he very gently strokes your face, “You look beautiful…as always”. You blush but step back. “Thanks”, you respond looking out across the backyard. “You seem very happy with…ahem…him”, Bruno states. You turn to face him and confidently reply, “That’s because I am. VERY happy”, you add for emphasis. Bruno’s face changes immediately. You’re not sure what he’s feeling but you can sense a definite change in his mood. He nods silently. You begin to feel sadness emanating from him. You sigh, “Bruno…”. Stepping closer to him, you stroke his face. He smiles and leans into your hand. You remove your hand from his face slowly. “I’m really sorry for the way things ended”. He looks up at you and gives you a ‘yeah right’ kind of smirk. “I lied to you and I feel terrible about hurting you like that”. He scoffs and walks away, “I should’ve known you’d go back to him”. He stops and turns to face you, “You always do”. You can’t help but let a smile slip as you turn to stare back out across the yard. Bruno’s emotions are boiling over. He just can’t walk away. He walks back toward you hastily, “But why?!”. You are startled by his outburst and turn around. “Bruno, I…”, he cuts you off. “I”M the one you like to ride. I”M the one that makes you scream”. You feel your face flush instantly because you know he’s speaking the truth. Caressing your face he searches your eyes for an explanation. With none to offer, you look down. He lifts your chin and kisses you softly.
Philip’s temper is about to explode. He can’t tolerate much more of his “brother” pursuing the only woman he’s ever really loved. He’s put up with a lot and he’s at his breaking point.
He presses you against the wall with your back to him. He holds your hands hostage above your head, pinned to the wall. He wastes no time pulling up your skirt and pushing your thongs aside. He unzips his pants and pushes that carrot deep into your desire. He is thrusting hard and fast as he whispers, “I...missed...my...pussy”. All you can do is moan and gasp from the pleasure. His grip tightens on your hands and he leans in closer kissing your neck and back. You feel your desire tighten just as he explodes inside of you. “Fuck!” he moans in your ear. He lets your hands go and you turn to face him. “You are gonna be the death of me!” he laughs as he grabs your waist, pulls you close and kisses you. You look up to find Phil watching the two of you. Guilt runs like ice through your veins as you push B away. “Hey baby”, you say as you walk up to Phil and kiss his left cheek. He turns away from you, “Don’t”, he whispers. Guilt is stuck in your throat and you can’t speak. Bruno walks up and asks, “So you enjoying yourself tonight man?”. “Clearly not as much as you,” Phil snaps with a hard scowl. (The Break Up - August 2013)
You push Bruno away and step to the side. He looks shocked and disappointed all at once. You take a VERY deep breath, “We have AMAZING sex B but that’s it, just sex. Sex isn’t love. I want more than that”. He looks hurt as he replies, "You act like I don't love you. Like it's ONLY about sex. I've NEVER loved a woman the way I love you". Your heart aches because you know he's telling the truth. You close your eyes, take a deep breath and say, “Bruno, I love you more than you know but I’m passionately in love with Philip. I always have been and always will be. I won’t apologize for that”. As much as it hurts, you turn your back on the best sex you’ve EVER had and walk confidently into the house of the man you want to spend the rest of your life with.
“I will always be yours and only yours Philip, I promise”, immediately flashes across Phil’s mind like a breaking news banner on CNN when he sees you push Bruno away and walk into the house. “She does love me”, he whispers to himself. He hurries out of the room into the hallway. He slowly walks down the stairs and finds you watching TV comfortably on the couch as if nothing happened. You hear the steps creak and turn around. Philip is all smiles walking down the steps. You’ve seen that smile before.
Before you leave the stage, Phil grabs your right hand and gives you a smile. That wetness between your legs is back as he gives you a huge bear hug. You close your eyes and just TAKE IT ALL IN. ‘God he smells good...but wait...did he just feel my ass?? Oh my God!!’. He let’s you go and smiles. It was something about that smile that made you think he had a dirty little secret he wasn’t sharing. (Oh My God That Was Great - July 2013)
Philip looks like the cat that swallowed the canary. He plops down on the couch next to you and pulls you close to him. Holding you close to his chest, he kisses the top of your head. You turn back and smile kissing those perfect lips. You have a feeling he knows something and isn’t sharing but you let it go. You are too happy to care right now. You lean back on Philip’s chest as he wraps his arms around your body and continue watching TV. After a little while, you see Bruno come in from the corner of your eye but don’t acknowledge him. Philip turns and says, “Oh! Hey man! I forgot you were here. Why don’t you sit and hangout with us for a while?”. Bruno gives Philip a half a smile and looks at you as he replies, “Nah. Thanks though man. I’m beat. I’ma head home”. Philip smirks to himself and squeezes you tight. “Well…ok but you are more than welcome to stay”. Bruno walks by the two of you slowly. He sees how happy you seem in Philip’s arms.
Taking a long drag on his cigarette he stares back out into the distance and says, “No matter what happens Nikki, just remember that I love you and I just want you to be happy”. (Letting Go - August 2014)
You always seem so much happier in Philip’s arms. As much as it hurts him, he sees that you and Philip belong together. He sighs. Smiling at the two of you locked in a lovers embrace, he says, “Goodnight”, with a broken heart and walks out of the door.
It’s been a struggle getting to the half-way point in your long work week but you must admit, coming home to Philip has definitely helped. You walk in and smell a heavenly aroma emanating from the kitchen. Hearing you walk in, Philip comes running out in his ‘Kiss the Cook’ apron, drying his hands. “Hey babe! Dinner’s almost done”, he smiles kissing you quick. You can’t help but smile. “How was your day?”, he asks taking your things. “Ok. I’m just exhausted”. Philip pouts and reaches for you, “Awe, come here Baby Girl”. You jump back as you smack his hands away. “Philip no! You know I’m filthy”. He rolls his eyes, “Fine. Head up, shower and change then come back down and I’ll rub your feet”. You smile, stroke his face and head upstairs.
You feel a little better after your shower but you are still tired as hell. You come down the stairs to find Philip waiting for you on the couch. Dinner is on the coffee table. You plop down on the couch and collapse into Philip’s strong arms. He strokes your hair and whispers, “You work too much. I hate seeing you like this”. You pretend you don't hear him. He continues to stroke your hair as he murmurs, “Move back in with me. You can sell your condo and let me take care of you”. You roll your eyes as you sit up, “UGH!! Philip, please not tonight”. He’s been adamant about you moving in with him. He’s been relentless about it lately and you’re sick of hearing about it. You reach for your plate but Philip quickly smacks your hand away. “What do you think you’re doing?! Relax and let me feed you”. You chuckle and decide to play along, “Yes Daddy”. Philip raises his left eyebrow, “Keep calling me Daddy and we’ll skip right to dessert!!”. You laugh. Philip begins to feed you some quinoa and lemon pepper chicken. It’s delicious! Your man is no scrub in the kitchen. As you are chewing, he revisits the topic at hand. “Was it really that bad living with me?”. You throw your hands up in frustration. “Philip, I’m done talking about this. PLEASE just let it go!”, you plead. “Fine”, he grumbles. “But do you know how many women would LOVE their man to say that to them?”. You cut your eyes at him, “Fine Philip. Go find one of those women so you can be happy and leave me alone about it”. He calls your bluff, “Ok. Fine. I will!”. He stands up and walks toward the door. You ignore Sir Jokes-a-Lot, pick up your plate and fork and continue eating. You are stuffing your face when Philip states, “Ok…I’ll be going now”. “Bye”, you mumble with a mouth full of food. “Don’t try to convince me to stay”. You swallow, “Don’t worry, I won’t”. He stops short and stares at you playfully. “You know what?!…”, he starts, running toward you. He tackles you on the couch and pins you down. You don’t put up a fight as you are laughing hysterically. “I’m just about tired of you woman!”, he pretends to scowl as he wraps his arms tightly around you. He’s so adorable you have to kiss him. You grab his face and plant a big, wet, juicy kiss on his lips. He feigns disgust and pops up off the couch. Wiping his lips he exclaims, “How DARE you?!” and walks away. You giggle and jump up to follow him. “Awe. Come here Baby”, you playfully chide. He quickens his pace, “NO! Stay away from me”. Smiling you run and grab him. Philip stops and dramatically throws his hands in the air, “OH MY GOD! HELP!!”. You smile devilishly as you drop to your knees and unbuckle his jeans. He half-heartedly smacks your hands away, “Oh my God! What are you doing? STOP!”. You smile and continue until you free that python which gives you its FULL attention. You delicately caress the base and swallow the shaft DEEP. Philip throws his head back and moans. You pause. “Oh wait! I forgot, you wanted me to stop”, you say smirking. Philip looks down and smiles as he pushes your face back onto his growing manhood.You oblige him by letting that massive piece of chocolate stimulate your gag reflex. Philip’s knees begin to shake and you taste a little venom escape from the mouth of that python. He stands you up and gives you a deliciously devilish smile as he whispers, “Oh that ass is MINE tonight”. You smirk and rub that python. It’s stiff and ready to play. You beckon him to you as you start to back up against the couch. He smiles and follows like a dog chasing his bone. (Pun intended) He stands in front of you as you slowly remove your top. He licks his lips. You continue removing your shorts and surprise, surprise - no panties. Philip refuses to wait any longer. Snatching off his shirt and dropping his pants he steps close to you kissing you passionately. Your tongues dance like clumsy teenagers as he places you on top of the couch. Stepping into you, he enters you so hard you gasp. “Ah”, you wince. Philip doesn’t care, grabbing your ass his thrusts are DEEP. Every thrust hits the back of your walls. The pain is so pleasureful you can barely speak. All you do is cry out, “Ah…ah…”, as you dig your nails into his back. You wrap your legs around him and lay back as he begins to circle in your love. “Mmmmmm”, you moan as he lightly bites and pulls at your hardened nipples. You can feel Philip tremble so you tighten your walls around his python, holding it tight. “Uggghhhh”, he mumbles unable to intelligently verbalize. You smile and proceed to grind on that python until it spills its venom inside you. Philip pulls you close to his hot, sweaty chest. You are both breathing HARD. He kisses your nose then presses his forehead on yours. He whispers with his eyes closed, “Move back in with me Baby Girl”. You sigh but don’t respond.
You wake up early so you can hit Starbucks on your way in to work. “Vente caramel macchiato, no foam, whip please”, you request. The struggle is real this morning after your lovers session with your papí last night. You smile to yourself as you feel the dull ache in between your thighs. You wait at the end of the counter for your coffee when you hear a familiar groan. “Where the fuck IS the update?!”. You look over to see Bruno staring at his phone like he’s about to throw it. At that same moment, your coffee is ready. You make your way over to the bar to mix it up the way you like. While you stir, you think of every reason to NOT stop by Bruno’s table. ‘Well, he didn’t see me’, ‘I don’t wanna be late for work’, ‘What would we talk about?’. You place the top back on your coffee and take a sip. He looks so sad. You decide, against your better judgement, to head over. “Hey”, you manage to say as you stand nervously at his table. Bruno looks up surprised. “Oh, hey…”. You stand there awkwardly not knowing what to do or say next. Bruno puts you out of your misery, “You, uh…wanna sit?”. You look down at your watch. You’ve got about 15 minutes to kill. “Um…sure”, you say pulling out the chair and sitting. As he continues to fiddle with his phone, he asks plainly, “So, how are things?”. You smile to yourself and respond, “Good actually. Things are good”. Bruno slams his phone down on the table. “Stupid ass phone”, he mumbles. You aren't sure if he's pissed at the phone or you. You attempt to continue the conversation quietly, “How are you?”. He hits his phone, “I’d be better if I could get this damn update to work!”. You look at him and see that familiar frustration with technology look on his face. You slowly pick up his phone. You notice his wallpaper is the selfie you sent him a few months ago. You glance at him and you both smile awkwardly as you download the update for him. There is an uncomfortable silence between you. The type of silence that used to be filled with mind-blowing sex. Bruno sips his coffee and tries to avoid eye contact as you continue to load his new iOS. “You don’t have to do that. I’ll just have Ryan look at it later”. You shoot him a friendly smile, “I don’t mind. It’s almost finished”. Bruno taps his fingers on the table top. You ask, “Is everything ok?”. He scoffs a little but doesn’t answer. “Bruno? What’s wrong?”. He finally looks up at you. “You want my honest answer?”. “Of course”, you respond truthfully. “Well...honestly, it hurts to know you're happy. I know it’s wrong but it hurts that you've moved on. Every time somebody mentions your name, it hurts. I use to see you every day and now I never see you. I don’t know, I feel like…like what we had…never happened. I mean, was our relationship just a lie? Was it just a dream? And if what we had was real, how could you be good? Cause REALLY, I’m not good at all”. He takes another sip from his coffee and looks away. His honesty hits you like a ton of bricks. You don’t know what to say. “B, I don’t know how to respond to that”. He twitches his face and continues to look in the opposite direction. You look down at your watch, you really should be going. “Bruno, I’m sorry. I really wish things had ended differently between us…”, he cuts you off. “But you don’t regret that they ended.” Your cheeks sting from the truth. “Well, you know what I wish?”. You’re afraid to answer. “I wish that I could forget everything that happened between us. Especially all those stupid little things. Like making love to you and kissing you. Or stroking your hair. Or how you felt in my arms and how I loved waking up next to you. I have a million fucking memories I can’t escape BUT you’re good so that’s all that matters”. He grabs his phone which is fully updated and working fine. “Thanks for fixing my phone”, he states frankly as he walks out the door. Tears mist in your eyes as you slowly stand and head off to work.
You are barely moving when you pull up to Philip’s place. Your feet are screaming, ‘ABUSE’, as you shuffle into the house. When you open the door, a fragrant, floral scent hits you. The lights are dim but you can feel something under your feet…pink and red rose petals. You smile knowing your lover is up to something. Feeling a short burst of energy, you drop your bags, slip off your shoes and follow the trail of roses. As you pass the hall table, there is a single red rose next to a glass of red wine. You take a sip and smile, “Mmmmm, malbec”. Your lover knows you so well. You continue following the petals to the stairs. You see your kimono and a sign that reads, ‘Stop. Strip and put on your kimono…or don’t”, signed with a devilish smiley face. You giggle and do what the sign requests. Proceeding up the stairs wrapped in your kimono with wine in hand, you begin to de-stress. Reaching the top of the stairs, you follow the petals all the way to Philip’s bedroom door. You open the door and walk into candlelight. Rose petals litter the entire bedroom. Philip is laying on the bed displaying EVERY inch of his toned, mocha body. A bouquet of stargazer lilies hide (well…try to hide) his milk chocolate manhood. He’s wearing nothing but a smile. You lick your lips, put down your wine and move closer. You love to look but touching is soooooo much more fun. “Welcome home Baby Girl”, he says in that deep, sexy voice that makes your thighs quiver. He sits up and reaches for you. “You did it! Seven days straight. I’m so very proud of you”, he whispers in your ear holding you tight. You open your kimono so you can feel his warm body next to yours - skin to skin. He holds your body closer to his and moans, “Mmmmm, I love this”. You smile because you love it too - especially how his hands caress the small of your back. Laying in his arms, you remember the first time he celebrated one of your long work weeks.
You literally skip up the stairs to your apartment, open the door and gasp. “OH...MY...GOD!! What is all this?!” you ask as you stand in awe at the door. Your entire apartment is lit by hundreds of tiny candles and covered in Stargazer Lilies as Phil stands smiling amidst it all, holding a glass of red wine. “Yay!!!! You’re finished!!” he says playfully. He kisses your forehead as you walk toward him. “I’m so proud of you baby. I know it was hard BUT you made it!”. (That Feeling - July 2013)
Kissing you, he whispers, “I know you’re probably gonna say you need a shower so, come with me”. You are horny AS FUCK being skin to skin with your lover. You could care LESS about a damn shower right now but you drop your kimono, take his hand and follow him anyway. Truth be told, you would follow him anywhere. ‘Woah! That was a deep realization’, you think to yourself. Shaking it off you realize you’ve stopped at the master bathroom door. Philip pulls out a bandana and your love jumps. ‘HELL YES! TIE MY ASS UP!!!’, you wanna scream. “Do you trust me?”, Philip asks smiling. You look confused, “Of course I trust you”. He attempts to blindfold you. That’s not what you were expecting so you back up, “Wait”. You push him away, “What are you doing?”. He steps close to you again and covers your eyes with the bandana. “Trust me”, he whispers in your right ear. You take a deep breath and reach out in blinded darkness for his hands. As soon as you find them you instantly feel safe. You realize you do trust him. You’d trust him with your life. ‘Damn! These thoughts are too deep right now’, you think trying to ignore your feelings. You hear the door open and Philip begins to guide you inside. “Walk straight 2 steps then stop”. You do as you are told. You can feel heat from what you guess are candles near your feet. Philip pulls you to the right. “Ok, now take 5 steps and stop”. Again you do as you are told. “Take 2 steps to the right and stop”. You do and immediately smell a bubble bath and smile. “Ok now DON’T move”. Suddenly, Philip scoops you up in his arms and you hear water splash. He begins to sit and eventually warm, fragrant bath water hits your skin. Holding you on his lap, he kisses you. “So, you DO trust me, huh?”, he says happily. You smile but don’t respond. Philip begins to sponge your body with warm water. It feels sooooooooooo good. You reach up to remove the bandana and he smacks your hand away. “Nah. I’m in control tonight, Baby Girl”. ‘Oh shit!’, you say to yourself as a slight chill runs through you. You smell your milk and honey body wash then feel Philip rubbing your chest, back and arms with the soapy sponge. He takes his time circling your nipples with the sponge until they are hard enough to cut steel. You feel a light lick on your left nipple that causes your legs to quiver under the warm water. He cups some water in his hands and lets it run down your body rinsing off the soap. He moves down and begins to wash your legs and thighs. The sponge hits your love and you can’t help but let a small moan escape. Philip kisses your neck and you feel his thumb on your clit. “Ahhhh…”, you whisper as he slowly rubs you to the verge of orgasm. He licks and bites your left ear just as you feel two fingers enter you. “Oh…my…God…”, you moan in ecstasy as he releases your orgasm. His fingers continue to move in and out of your love as your walls spasm over and over. His left hand caresses your breasts and you feel his manhood pressed HARD against your back. You lick your lips. You can hear him smile as he immediately asks, “So, you want it?”. He presses you closer against that rock hard python. You lick your lips once again and moan, “Mmmmmm. Yes Baby”. He slides that snake into your garden and you begin to rock, slowly on his manhood. His python is buried DEEP in your garden and he is loving it. “FUCK!”, he whispers. “Yes, yes, yes”, you murmur loving every glorious bite that python gives. Your body is hypersensitive being deprived of sight and you love it. “Oh my God, Philip”, you moan jumping up and down on his hardness. You feel yet another fire burning in your love below. You lean forward and Philip places his hands on the small of your back as you grind circles on that ‘D’. “Jesus Christ woman”, he whispers grabbing your hips. You can feel him jerking inside you. You twerk softly on that python and hear him groan. “Awwwww shit Baby Girl”. Before you know it, he leans you against the wall of the bathtub kneeling behind you and proceeds to grind deeply into your love. “FUCK!”, you scream as you pound your fist on the tub. Philip’s thrusts are becoming more rapid and forceful. He pulls your hair and kisses your neck as he murmurs, “Can I beat it up?”. You murmur back in response, “It’s yours papí. Hit it”. Being an obedient lover, he does as he is told and pounds his pussy releasing your screaming orgasm. You feel his body tremble at the same time you feel his warmth run down your thigh. He unties your blindfold and turns you to face him. He smiles at you as he runs his fingers through your hair and gazes into your eyes. “Marry me”, he whispers stroking your face. You laugh, “Damn! Was my shit THAT good?!”. “I do say it’s the shit, if I do say so myself”, he replies with his best Jay-Z impression. You both laugh but then, his face gets serious. Holding you closer he strokes your hair and says, “Seriously, everything I have is yours whether you say yes or not”. You smile at him and stroke his face, “Baby I love you but I refuse to accept a proposal post coidal”. He chuckles, “Ok fair enough”. He looks into your eyes, “Move back in with me Baby Girl”. He smooths the hair from your face, “Please”. You look away. It’s the ‘please’ that gets you. You lay your head on his chest listening to his heartbeat as you begin to consider calling your realtor.
You wake up the next morning to the smell of bacon, eggs and coffee. You throw on one of Philip’s tee shirts and skip down the stairs. “Good morning beautiful”, Philip smiles as you walk into the kitchen. “Good morning handsome”, you reply kissing his lips. “Breakfast is nearly finished”, he states returning to the stove. You nod and begin to set the island for breakfast. Suddenly your mind flashes back…
Before you can get into the kitchen door, Bruno grabs your arm and pulls you close. You put your wine glass on the counter and decide to give into your guilty pleasure. He whispers in your ear, “I want you so bad I can taste it. We got about 10 minutes”. You look up at him and smile. He unzips his shorts and lifts you onto the countertop. Moving your panties aside, that stiff carrot enters you. You moan as you squeeze those butterpecanrican biceps. He places his hand over your mouth, “Shhh!”. You both smile. B is thrusting hard and fast. You grab his chest, gripping those pecs that you noticed have been growing larger. It doesn’t take long before you feel him tense up. He slows his pace. You wrap your legs around him and grind your hips like you know he likes. You can feel that carrot hitting the back of your walls. You throw your head back enjoying the pleasure. You ride that carrot until you begin to feel your love tremble. Your entire body is quivering. You’re not sure if it’s from an impending orgasm or from the rush of possibly getting caught fucking your man’s best friend in his kitchen. Your adrenaline is causing your muscles to tighten. You are about to come. Bruno see’s you trying to hold back. A devilish grin emerges from his lips and he pulls out slowly. You shoot him a killer look. “What the fuck…” “Shhhh”, he responds placing his finger on your lips. Removing it he kisses them. Your tongues meet just as his two thick fingers enter you. You tremble, body ablaze. “Ahhhh!!!”, you gasp trying to keep quiet. He smiles and kisses your neck as his fingers hit the walls of your love. You are about to burst when his thumb finds your clit and begins to rub it gently. This sends you over the edge and you spray your love all over his hands while your body shakes violently from orgasm. He licks his fingers and smirks as he looks up at you slowly coming down from heaven. Your love is still quivering when he re-enters you. Your energy is suddenly renewed and you rock back and forth on that carrot on a mission. Before long, Bruno’s legs are shaking. He’s moaning and can no longer hold back. He grabs your waist and thrusts with so much passion you come a second time as he delivers his hot liquid love inside you. Hot and sweaty, you lay your head on his left shoulder. Bruno helps you down from the counter. You get yourself together while he sits on the stool at the island trying to get himself together. You walk over to the stove and fix his plate. He is watching your every move like a hawk. You bring him his plate. He smiles, grabs you close and kisses you firmly on your lips. “Dessert was delicious! Can’t wait to taste dinner.” Winking, he grabs his plate and heads out the kitchen door. You lean against the island smiling as his warmth begins to run down your thigh. (In the End - November 2013)
That memory creates moisture between your legs as you smile to yourself. Philip walks up, hugs you from behind and kisses your cheek. “What are you smiling about?”. You think back to just how good sex was with Bruno. But this? This feeling right here is a thousand times better...right? You turn to face him. Kissing those sweet, brown sugar lips you reply, “You”. He playfully smacks your ass, “You’d better be”. You smile and sit down to eat across from your lover who is rocking his blue M&M ‘melt in your mouth’ boxers without a shirt. He looks so hot. You cross your legs and try to distract yourself. Breakfast is delicious as always however, Philip is unusually quiet. “What’s wrong Baby?”, you ask. “Nothing”, he responds a little too quickly. You smirk, “Now you and I both know that’s a lie”. He looks down at his plate, stabs at his eggs and says, “You’re leaving today and I don’t want you to go”. Your heart drops. “Well Philip, I haven’t been home all week”. He looks directly at you, “You are home”. You look down knowing it’s true but you’d never admit it. “Look, can we not talk about this at the breakfast table?”. He gets up and places his plate in the sink. “You NEVER wanna talk about it”. You stand and walk toward him. “This week was perfect Nikki. I mean I’ve been happy as hell everyday and it’s because I knew you were here”. You caress his face, “I know. I couldn’t have gotten through this week without you”. He pushes your hands away. “So you’ll move back in then?”. You lower your head and pause for a long moment...a really long moment. “I’ll...consider it”, you whisper. He smiles big and kisses you. “YES!!”. You can't help but smile. Philip’s phone rings but he doesn’t wanna let you go. “UGHHHHH”, he grumbles. He reluctantly let’s you go and picks up it up, “Hey man what up?!”. You have a feeling you know who it is. “Uh, nothing that I know of. Why what’s going on tonight?”. ‘No, no, no’, you say over and over to yourself. “Yeah sure. Count us in”. You cringe. “Aight bruh. See you tonight”. You stand there just waiting to hear Philip tell you what you have already guessed. “So, Bruno’s having a little thing at his place tonight. Thought we could swing by”. You are smiling on the outside but cringing on the inside. Are you gonna be able to resist him after you both have been drinking? “Oh, that sounds like fun”, you state plainly. Philip grabs you and whispers, “I’ma head up to shower. You coming?”. You smile, “Of course, just give me a few minutes to finish this delicious breakfast my man made me”. He kisses you and smiles as he heads out the door. “Ok, don’t be long though”. You hear him start up the stairs so you grab your phone. “Hey Marvina, how are you? No, no everything is fine. I…uh…wanna sell my condo”.
You don’t realize it but Philip has pulled up to Bruno’s place and you’re still lost in your thoughts. You just can't get Bruno off of your mind. He parks the car and turns off the engine. He sees you are in deep thought. You can’t stop thinking about what Bruno told you the last time you saw him, ‘It hurt’s to know you’re happy’, ‘I’m not good at all’. Philip can almost read your mind and squeezes your left hand gently. You snap out of it and look nervously at him. He caresses your face and kisses you. Stroking your cheek he whispers reassuringly, “It’s gonna be fun”. You both walk toward the house and enter. There are quite a few people inside. Everyone is enjoying themselves. Bruno sees you both and walks up, glass of tequila in hand. “Yo!! Phil, Nikki, so glad y'all came”. Bruno winks at you and you smile nervously. “You know we wouldn’t miss it bruh”, Philip playfully replies giving Bruno some dap. You head down to chat with Jam on the couch leaving Bruno and Philip talk. Before long, Philip joins you on the couch just as a game of spades begins to form. “Let me show y'all how this is done. Deal me in!”, Philip gloats. You were never good at card games so you decide to grab a beer and be Phil’s cheering section. You kiss him and hop up, “I’ma go get a beer honey, you want one?”. “Nah, I’m good. Thanks Baby”. You walk into the kitchen and open the fridge. “Damn!”, you exclaim finding nothing but beer, tequila, rum, vodka and bottles and bottles of champagne. You hear the kitchen door open as you are searching for a Bud Light. You know it’s Bruno. “Hello Bruno”, you say without looking. “Bottom right drawer in the back. I hid some Bud Light’s just for you”, he responds. You find them exactly where he said they’d be. You grab one and close the fridge door. Bruno is leaning against the kitchen counter with his glass of tequila. His curls are unruly held back with a red bandana. His shirt is buttoned half-way showing that butterpecanrican skin and a few gold chains. He’s sexy as hell and your body warms in response. You open the bottle and take a long swig trying to cool off. You can’t help but remember that this kitchen has seen some serious heat between you two.
…Bruno smiles heading toward the kitchen. You follow him. You pat his ass as he opens the cabinet and reaches for the tequila. Turning around he opens the bottle and commands, “Open your mouth”. That is the hottest fucking thing he’s EVER said to you so you open…WIDE. He pours a double shot into your mouth then seals it with a kiss. You swallow and instantly feel the warmth spread through your body like sunshine on a summer day. He takes the bottle straight to the head as well. You decide to quench your thirst while he’s quenching his. Dropping to your knees you take that carrot deep into your mouth. Bruno damn near chokes as he moans, “FUCK”. You want that creamy center and you are determined to get it. You hold that carrot stick and start to lick up and down that shaft as Bruno’s legs buckle. His knees are shaking so he grabs hold of the counter. You feel him jerk as you swallow it deep. “Mmmmmm”, he murmurs. “GOD DAMN Baby…SHIT”. You know he’s close and you are so ready to taste him. You look up at him and smile. He drops down to his knees and kisses you. “I…LOVE…YOUR…LIPS”, he smirks. You laugh. He kisses your lips, your neck, chest, breasts and stomach. Laying you on the kitchen floor he kisses each thigh, taking his time to kiss EVERY INCH. Bruno parts your legs and smirks. Grabbing the bottle of tequila he pours the cool liquid down your right thigh until it hits your love. His tongue follows the trail of tequila from your thigh to your love. You are moaning continuously as your body trembles with each flick of his tongue. “Bruuuuunoooo…”, slips from your lips as he sucks your clit. Your eyes roll back in your head from the unspeakable pleasure. You are panting as he hums on your love causing your juices to squirt as you climax. "Baby, open up for me", Bruno requests again and you obey. He pours you way more than a double shot of tequila this time. As you swallow, Bruno lays that warm butter pecanrican body on top of yours. Kissing your lips he enters you with authority. "Mmmmm, yesssss", you murmur in his left ear as you both grind to a lovers beat that only the two of you can hear. You feel like you are floating again. It seems as though Bruno has 100 hands because they are all over your body, rubbing, squeezing and caressing every part of you. You have NEVER felt like this. Your walls are in full spasm. You can't control your orgasms. In fact you are having multiple orgasms back to back without rest. Your body is bucking wildly as Bruno hits your love from every possible angle. "That's right...come for me Baby”, me moans. You can feel him tighten up. "Oh fuck", he murmurs. "Where do you want it?", he asks. Tequila always fucks you up so your head is spinning. You can barely form a coherent sentence. "On me", you murmur gripping his firm little ass. Bruno throws his head back as his pace quickens. You are so numb from multiple orgasms you can't move. All you can do is groan as Bruno pulls out and sprays his love all over your lower abdomen. "FUCK", he groans as he collapses on top of you. Wrapping his arms around your body he lays his head on your chest. After a few minutes, he murmurs, "I love listening to your heartbeat". Laughing you respond, "I say the same thing to Phil". You are far too drunk to know what you are saying. Bruno chuckles too. “Yeah, I know, he told me”. Bruno’s arms tighten around you. “I know you’ll never love me the way you love him but I swear to God I can make you just as happy as he can”. Running your fingers through his hair (which is starting to curl up from his sweat) you reply, “I know B, I know”. Within minutes the two of you are asleep entangled in each others arms. (Blurred Lines - February 2014)
Bruno walks up to you. Your body is on fire as he strokes your face, “Hey”. “Hey”, you say voice trembling. You step back and take another sip of your beer to try and extinguish the embers sparking between your legs. He tilts his head to the right and licks his lips. ‘Sweet Lord please give me strength’, you pray silently. Bruno steps closer and caresses your face. His lips are inches away from yours as he whispers, “I miss us”. You breath in the tequila from his mouth and want nothing more than to taste his lips. You close your eyes, swallow hard and step back. “Bruno, I should go”, you tell him trying to walk away. He stops you and lifts your chin to meet his gaze. He backs you against the wall and your love begins to leak. You’re trying to control your breathing. He places his glass down and does the same with your bottle. Running his hands through your hair he kisses the top of your head. He begins to trace your thigh with his index finger and your body trembles noticeably. He smiles and you cringe. ‘NICOLE! GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER!’, your heart screams angrily. Bruno leans in yet again caressing your face and pressing that carrot against your stomach. His lips graze yours and your heart takes over. “Stop!”, you command pushing Bruno back and stepping away from him. “I’m NOT yours”. You grab your beer, turn your back and walk away. Bruno grabs his glass and smirks while he watches your ass as you leave, “Keep telling yourself that”. You head back out to the living room and sit close to Philip on the couch. You kiss his cheek. Philip senses something’s wrong. Looking over he asks, “You ok?”. You smile and kiss those perfect lips, “I am now”.
A few days later, your phone rings waking you up. You sit up and immediately notice Philip isn’t there. You grab for your phone. “Hello?”, you say greeting the caller with your raspy morning voice. “Good morning Nicole! Good news!!”, your relator says excitedly. “Ok”, you say rubbing your eyes. “Someone brought your condo!”. You are still half asleep and can’t be sure you heard her correctly. “Wait, what did you say Marvina?”. She repeats herself, “Someone brought your condo!”. You blink repeatedly in shock. “Wow! That was fast. I…I…uh…wasn’t expecting it to sell that fast”. “Well it did! You never did say where you were moving to. Are you gonna have enough time to find a new place? I have some places in mind if you need some help”. You smile wide anticipating Philip’s response when you tell him. “Yeah, actually, I’m…uh…moving in with my boyfriend”. “Oh! Well congratulations! I’ll call you with closing details once I receive them”. You hang up and sit on the edge of the bed smiling from ear to ear. You grab your laptop. “Philip is going to be ecstatic”, you say to yourself.
You are skipping down the stairs in your panties and his tee-shirt carrying a piece of paper printed special for the love of your life. Coming down the stairs, you hear him in the kitchen. You open the kitchen door with a big smile, “Good morning Baby”. Philip and Bruno both turn to you and smile. You blush instantly and try to pull his tee shirt down over your ass. You didn’t know Bruno was here...again. Bruno and Philip have been trying really hard to mend their friendship. He's been over here just about everyday. “I didn’t know we had company”, you whisper walking over to Philip. He holds you and kisses you softly, “Good morning Baby Girl”. You glance over at Bruno while Philip still holds you tight. “B came over this morning to hang out. You don’t mind, do you?”. “Of course not”, you say trying to hide the paper. Philip notices, “What’s that?”. You smile, “Oh nothing. It can wait”. You glance over at Bruno. “Awe! I love gifts, you know that”, Philip wines. Bruno stands and walks over to the both of you, “I can go. It’s cool”. He turns to leave allowing his hand to lightly graze the side of your thigh as he does so. Your body trembles from Bruno’s light touch. “Oh Baby Girl, are you cold? Come here”, Philip murmurs as he holds you closer. Bruno collects his plate and starts to leave. “Nah, bruh, it’s cool. Finish eating”, Philip insists. “I’ll take it out to the deck. I don’t mind. Y’all two love birds do ya thang”. Bruno winks at you as he walks out of the kitchen door. You roll your eyes at him. You HATE just how much power he still has over your body. You take a deep breath and focus on what you came to do. You look up at Philip, hold the paper out with pride and say, “I have a surprise for you”. He giggles like a school girl, “Oh my God! I love surprises!”. He takes the paper from your hand and finds the listing for your condo with the word SOLD written over it in black marker. He smiles and places the paper down on the table. That’s NOT the reaction you were looking for. He doesn’t seem surprised nor is he ecstatic. ‘Maybe he doesn’t get it’, you think to yourself. “Philip, I sold my condo!”, you exclaim. He pushes his glasses up on his nose and smiles slightly. You are beginning to get a little annoyed. I mean, isn’t this what he wanted? You stand with your hands on your hips, “Philip?”. He chuckles seeing your frustration. Grabbing your wrists and kissing the top of your head he admits, “I know you sold your condo Baby Girl”. You look confused, “Huh? How did you know? I didn’t even tell you that I was putting it on the market”. “Well…”, he starts walking away from you with his head down. “I knew I was wearing you down soooooooo, I watched the listings for your condo to pop up”. You shake your head, “Sad”, you whisper. Philip continues, “Then, I uh…kinda bought it”. Your brain takes a minute to process what he just said. “Yeah, ok….WAIT! WHAT?!” He turns toward you and smiles. “YOU BOUGHT MY CONDO PHILIP? OH MY GOD!”. You are completely stunned and begin to get angry. “Why? Why? Why would you do that?” He continues to smile as he holds you. Staring into your eyes, he explains, “Because for SOME strange reason, I love you and I will do whatever I can to be with you…”. You cut him off, “Yeah but Philip I JUST put it on the market. You didn’t even give it a chance to…”. He places his index finger on your lips, “You didn’t let me finish”. He clears his throat and continues, “I’ll do whatever I can to be with you for the rest of my life”. You tear up instantly. You realize this man truly loves you. Your first instinct was to be pissed but you know he only wanted to help. You decide to let it go. You smile at him. He caresses your face, “You don’t have to yes right now but promise me, you will be my wife…at some point”. You smile and nod slightly as a tear falls freely from your eye. Wiping your face, he kisses your forehead.
It’s the middle of the night and you are awakened by a noise downstairs. You sit up and listen, hoping you were dreaming. You hear it again. It sounds like someone is downstairs. “Philip! Philip!”, you say in a loud whisper as you shake him. He just rolls over and continues snoring. “Shit!”, you say to yourself putting on your kimono and slippers. You open the bedroom door and head downstairs saying a quick prayer, “Dear Heavenly Father, please protect me from all hurt, harm and danger”. You tip-toe quietly downstairs and notice the living room light is on. There is also light coming from the kitchen. You hear a pan hit the floor. “Damn it!”, a familiar voice swears. You open the kitchen door and find Bruno and a mess in the kitchen. “What the hell are you doing here?!”, you ask pissed that your sleep was disturbed for this shit. You startled Bruno. “Oh shit!”, he says in a loud whisper as he grabs his chest. “Baby, you scared me. I wasn’t expecting anyone to be up”. You roll your eyes, “Well it’s 2am Bruno. Normally I WOULD be sleep but I thought someone was breaking into our home”. He raises his eyebrow when you mention ‘our home’. “Sorry about that. I decided I didn’t wanna head home so, I thought I'd stay here tonight. I do it all the time. Phil don’t care”. You roll your eyes, “Bruno, Phil isn’t the only one living here now…and I’m not your Baby”. He looks directly at you, “Oh, really?” You smirk and cross your arms. “So, you decided to move back in huh?”, he asks picking up the pots and pans he dropped from the cabinet. You stoop down and decide to help him, “Yes”. Bruno’s hand touches yours as you both reach for the same pan. He looks up at you and smiles. You snatch your hand away and stand. Tying your kimono tighter, you cross your ams in front you and ask annoyed, “Bruno what exactly are you trying to do down here?”. “I was hungry. I was trying to fix a sandwich”. You look over and see the bread, mustard and spam patiently waiting on the counter. You chuckle and shake your head. He holds up a small pan and asks, “Wanna join me?”. You smile. Why the hell not? You’re already wide awake. “Sure”. Bruno heats the pan for the spam and you begin toasting the bread. You are both standing next to each other preparing the sandwiches. Bruno glances at you frequently. You notice but do your best to ignore him. Bruno plates up the sandwiches while you grab 2 bottles of water from the fridge. You both sit at the island eating in silence. You lock eyes occasionally and quickly look away. “Mmmm”, you say quietly loving that salty, warm taste coupled with the tartness of the mustard. “Good right?!”, Bruno says smiling. “People be sleeping on spam and I don’t know why. Spam is the shit!”. You giggle. It’s nice being able to talk and hang out with Bruno like this. Maybe y'all can be friends after all. You get up to take the plates to the sink. Bruno watches you walk back and forth with a familiar devilish smirk. You continue to ignore him. Walking by him on your way out of the kitchen you attempt to say goodnight. “Well, thanks for the sandwich. I’m gonna head back up…”, Bruno stands in front of you. Caressing your face he whispers, “I thought maybe you could keep me company for a little while”. You try to step back but he places his arms around your waist and pulls you close. You try to push him away, “Bruno, stop. I’m going upstairs”. His index finger traces your jawline as his lips find yours. His lips are warm and so is your love. You feel that carrot growing against your abdomen. Bruno’s hand slips through your kimono and into your panties. Those thick fingers rub your clit and your love begins to rain. Your knees buckle and you can’t help but moan lightly. Holding you close, he murmurs in your right ear, “I love how wet you get for me Baby”. You suddenly snap out of that Mars Sars trance that frequently holds you hostage. You push him away with more force this time. “No Bruno!”. He licks your moisture from his fingers and smiles. “Philip’s a sound sleeper. It’s fine”. You roll your eyes and push past him. “I’m not yours Bruno. I don’t belong to you”. He grabs your waist. Staring into your eyes he whispers, “You maybe his but that pussy belongs to me and you know it”. You smack him across his face. He smiles rubbing his cheek, “Ok, ok. I understand you’re trying to make things right with him. That’s fine. But when you’re ready, I’ll be here”. You turn your back and leave out of the kitchen. You head upstairs to Philip’s room trying not to think about the truth in Bruno’s statement. You stand at the door to Philip’s bedroom…well yours and Philip’s bedroom. You are trying to keep Bruno out of your mind. You will NOT go back down those stairs no matter how good his fingers felt on your clit. You take a deep breath and open the bedroom door. Philip is sound asleep just like you left him. You take off your kimono and slippers and curl up with him. He’s so perfect. You could watch him sleep all night. You kiss his forehead, nose and lips. He stirs and pulls you close. He’s still half asleep but he kisses your forehead before drifting back to sleep. You smile, close your eyes and join him.
It’s been two months of pure bliss with Philip. Things are wonderful! The trust is coming back (slowly but surely) and the sex is AMAZING!! As a means of compromise, you have scaled back to working 2 days a week. You are happy, truly happy and Philip has been down right giddy. You open your eyes and find that Philip is still sleeping. You love to watch him sleep. His mocha brown skin looks like perfection in the sunlight. His cute little nose is calling for your kisses. And those soft perfect lips are begging to be licked. You stroke his head tenderly. You love when it’s freshly shaven. You cock your head to the right and smile as you gaze at this man that has completely changed your life…for the better. You decide to let him sleep for once. You need some 'me' time anyway. You decide to take a nice long, quiet bath. You slide out of bed quietly and head to the main guest bedroom. (The one Bruno normally occupies). You walk into the bathroom and start the bath. You smile as you pour the eucalyptus bubble bath into the tub. You slip your body into the hot water and slide all the way down until your chin settles into the bubbles. You inhale the relaxing scent and close your eyes. You are so rested you don’t realize you’ve dozed off until you hear a noise coming from the bedroom. You are still in that place between sleep and wake when Bruno busts through the bathroom door rushing to the toilet unzipping his pants. You jolt upright and draw your legs up to your chest, reaching desperately for bubbles to cover you. “Oh damn!”, Bruno exclaims. “Nikki, I didn’t know you were in here”, he turns trying not to look at you as he re-zips his fly. You are blushing beet red as you stifle a smile. “Uh…it’s fine”. He stands uncomfortably, shifting back and forth on his feet. You look up at him nervously, “Um…look, if you gotta go…just go ahead”. Bruno looks over at you. “I mean, it’s not like I haven’t seen it before”. He smiles. “You sure?”, he whispers inching toward the toilet. You can tell he REALLY has to go. “I’m sure”, you smile as you turn away. He steps up and you hear his zipper. Soon you hear the toilet flush and Bruno begins to wash his hands. You turn back and watch. You both smile at each other through the mirror. “Thanks”, he says drying his hands. “I really had to go”. He turns to leave then appears to change his mind. He walks over to the commode, closes the lid and sits. You can’t help but be a little happy inside. He leans on his thighs and smiles at you flashing those beautiful browns, “So, how you been?”. You blush and look down. “I’m good. You?”. He scoots to the edge of the seat, “I’m good”. He pushes your hair behind your ear and whispers, “I do miss you though”. The sensation of his hand on your skin causes you to tremble. You lean back and re-submerge your body under the warm water. He sits on the edge of the tub and splashes in the water. “Oh! Nice and warm. Can I get in?”, he smirks revealing those perfect imperfections pressed into his cheeks. He has no idea just how close your are to saying yes. You don’t respond. He traces your jawline and kisses the top of your head. “Later Baby”, he whispers. “I hope so”, you murmur and immediately regret it. “Huh?”, he inquires. You clear your throat, “Uh…I said, see you later”. “Oh”, he says looking a little disappointed. “Yeah. See you later”. Bruno leaves and you exhale deeply squeezing your legs together trying to cool that fire he sparked. “Damn”, is all you can say as you completely submerge your ENTIRE body under the water.
The sun is hot and beaming on you as you lay out on the beach with Philip watching Bruno swim in the ocean. The warmth feels so good on your skin but Philip is sweating like a stuck pig. “Bae, you ok?”, you ask sitting up to wipe the sweat from his head. “Yeah”, he responds trying to smile. He knows how much you LOVE laying in the sun on the beach. He’s doing his best to hang in there. "Baby, why don't you head out in the ocean with B and cool down some?". "Nah, I'm ok". You kiss the top of his head and smile. You know he's lying and you love him for it. Eventually, the heat gets the best of him and he dozes off. I mean he’s KNOCKED OUT. Bruno emerges from the ocean and laughs as he notices Philip. He shakes his head as he grabs a towel to dry off. “He can never handle the sun on the beach. It’s just too much for him”, he chuckles. You just smile and continue to read. Bruno stands directly in front of you, blocking the sun. He wants your attention. You look up and he nods, beckoning you to walk with him. You look over at Philip then back to Bruno. He looks delicious. His hair is soaked and tightly curled from the ocean. He’s shirtless and you notice the faint outline of a 6-pack beginning. ‘He’s been working out’, you smirk to yourself. You know you shouldn’t but you slowly rise and stand next to Bruno. You both begin to walk along the shore of the beach. Every so often, he glances at you and smiles. “I really didn’t think you were going to come”. You smile, “I didn’t either”. You both continue walking awhile. You realize you’ve gone pretty far and decide to stop and sit in the sand. Bruno joins you. You finger shells and cigarette butts in the sand to avoid eye contact and conversation. Bruno however, has other plans. Placing his hand on your left thigh, he says, “Nikki, I think we should talk”. You stop playing in the sand but don’t look at him. You’re afraid of what you might see in his eyes or worse what HE might see in yours. Bruno wants your full attention. He crouches in front of you and turns your head to met his gaze. “Nikki”, he repeats. You finally look at him and reply, “Yes?”. His index finger never leaves your chin. You look down. Bruno leans in and kisses you firmly on your lips. They taste like heaven dipped in sugar. You open your eyes and find him staring at you. "My God you're beautiful". You blush instantly and look way. "You keep saying you're not mine but if you were...ooohhhhh, Baby if you were, I'd lay you on this sand right now and slide my hands up your thighs while I climbed on top of you". Your body temperature rises 10 degrees and your respirations quickly increase. "I'd kiss your lips...", he smirks as his hand grazes your love. "...and then, I'd kiss your lips", he winks kissing you softly. Your body is on fire as you bury your hands in the sand in an effort to keep them off of his body. Bruno smiles and begins to apologize, "I'm sorry. Sometimes when I'm with you, I just can't help myself". You exhale deeply and try to collect yourself . “Nikki, I really just want you to know something”. You are so confused right now, “What?”. “I just want you to know that…well…it’s ok that…you didn’t choose me”. Your heart sighs. “I know you love him and I know he loves you. Y'all belong together. You’re both so happy together. I see that”. You smile a little. He places his hands under your hair and draws your face millimeters away from his. “Don’t get me wrong, I love you but I’m ok with you choosing him”. He slowly kisses your forehead and nose. He stares into your eyes as his left thumb strokes your right cheek. “I’ll never stop loving you, Baby”, he whispers as he kisses you passionately for what maybe the last time. You open your eyes and his dimples greet you along with his smile. “Come on. Let’s head back”. You don’t want to but know that you should. Philip could wake up any minute wondering where you two are. Bruno pulls you to your feet. Your knees are a little wobbly from that kiss but you manage. You two begin walking back in silence. You reach Philip, still laid out on the blanket…snoring. Bruno giggles, “Every damn time”. You kiss the top of Philip's sweaty head and whisper in his ear, “Wake up Baby. Let’s go home”. He stirs. “Huh? What?!”. “Baby, you’re hot and sweaty. Let’s go home”. “You sure?”, he asks. “I mean I can stay if you wanna hang longer”. You giggle, “No, it’s fine. Let’s go”. “Ok. If you say so”. Philip stretches and the three of you begin to pack up. Bruno looks over at you as you fold the blanket and smiles. You turn away and walk toward Philip who is heading to the car.
The guys have been in the basement for hours. ‘They must be starving’, you think to yourself. You decide to fry some chicken, mash up some potatoes and steam some string beans to feed your two favorite men. By the time you’re finished, you smile as you reminisce. The kitchen smells like your grandmother’s house on a Sunday afternoon, back in the day. You set the table for three (assuming Bruno is staying for dinner…again) and head down the basement to announce dinner. You open the basement door and Bruno’s voice hits you, “Every day I wake up next to an angel. More beautiful than words could say”. You stop and smile. You take a few steps down and Philip’s voice kisses your ears, “They said it wouldn’t work but what did they know? Cuz years have passed and we’re still here today”. You’ve heard this melody before. It’s very familiar. You continue down the stairs and they both smile when they see you as they continue to sing. You don’t wanna disturb their harmony so you sit on the couch quietly. “Never in my dreams, did I think that this would happen to me…”. You listen intently to these two musical geniuses and smile happily. It’s like watching Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel. Philip walks over to you, “As I stand here before my woman, I can’t fight back the tears in my eyes”. He caresses your hand and continues, “Oh, how could I be so lucky? I must have done something right”. You are blushing as he drops to one knee and finishes, “and I promise to love her for the rest of my life”. Now you are fighting back tears. Philip kisses your hand, looks into your eyes and asks, “Do you like it?”. You wipe a few rouge tears from your eyes and sniff, “It’s beautiful”. He smiles. You notice his eyes are wet as well. “It’s for you. Well…us…if you’ll have me”. A bolt of ice shoots down your spine and you sit straight up in your seat. “Wha…”, you start but can’t finish. “Baby Girl, sometimes I just watch you as you go about your day and the lyrics for this song just popped into my head”. You are struck dumb and just sit staring at Philip speechless. “Bruno came up with the melody”. You look over at Bruno who looks somewhere between uncomfortable and irritated. “We finally finished it. Now all I want to see is you walking toward me down the aisle as this song plays when you become my…”. A loud ‘BANG’ interrupts Philip mid-sentence. You both look up and see a speaker on the floor next to Bruno. “Sorry. It must’ve fell”, he apologizes plainly. “It’s cool”, Philip says heading over to help him pick it up. “I keep meaning to move these over against the wall”, Philip states. You look at Bruno who hasn’t taken his eyes off of you and wonder just how accidental that incident was. “Well guys, I came down to tell you that I made dinner”. Philip licks his lips, “Great, I’m starving! Do I smell fried chicken?”. You nod as you stand quickly. You wanna leave this conversation before it gets too deep. As you head back up the stairs, both Bruno and Philip follow behind you. Once you reach the top of the stairs, you turn to Bruno and say, “B, I set a place for you. Please join us. There’s plenty”. He seems put off by something and declines, “Thanks Nikki but I really should be going. I uh…have something I need to do”. “Aight man. Hit me up later. I’ma go fix me a plate”, Philip says heading into the kitchen. “Well, ok B but at least let me fix you a plate to take with you”. He walks toward the door, “No thanks. I really have to go”. He opens the door and leaves before you can even say goodbye. ‘That was weird’, you think to yourself. Heading into the kitchen, you expect to see Philip knee deep in a piece of fried chicken but instead, he's standing in the center of the kitchen holding a familiar 2 carat princess cut diamond ring. You stop in your tracks. “Philip, what are you doing?”. “I never finished what I had to say”, he explains. He walks slowly toward you and drops to one knee. Taking your left hand he continues where he left off. “I want that song to play when you walk down the aisle and become my wife". You take a deep breath. "Nikki, I want you to wear your ring again. I want the world to know that you are mine. I want you to marry me”. The cat has stolen your tongue and you just stare at Philip. He places your engagement ring back onto your left ring finger. Kissing your left hand, he stands and holds you tight. You hold him just as tight but don’t say a word. You aren’t sure what you feel but it’s definitely NOT that giddy “Oh my God I’m so happy he proposed" feeling. Philip kisses the top of your head and whispers, “Not today, not tomorrow, not next month or even next year but promise me you will”. You feel uneasy. All you can think about is Bruno’s face downstairs for some reason. Philip is looking a little anxious as he awaits your confirmation. You give him a half smile. His face lights up and he holds you tight as he takes that as acceptance of his proposal. “Ok, know let’s eat!”, he says smiling. Philip heads over to make the plates just as your text alarms. It’s Bruno. You open your messenger app to read the text. You assume he left something here as usual. You damn near drop your phone as you read, ‘I take it back. It’s not ok…’. You stand perfectly still as your heart leaps for joy inside your chest. You look over your shoulder at Philip who is humming happily as he plates up dinner. You turn back to your phone and respond, ‘What’s that suppose to mean?’. As soon as you hit send, Bruno replies, ‘Choose me’. You stare at Bruno’s text and smile to yourself. You place your phone inside your pocket and slowly walk over to Philip. He looks up at you and smiles. You take the engagement ring off of your finger. Taking a deep breath you hand it back to him as you say, “Philip, we have to talk”…
The End…?
