[Riley]

"Les just go and look at the damn things." I gritted into the mouthpiece of my headphones as my annoyance hit an all-time high. 

To say that I was a good friend is an understatement. I was a damn good friend; one who literally sat on the other end of the phone, listening closely as I struggled to bite my tongue and not speak up for the last hour. Initially I had no problem lending an ear, mostly because I was focused on trying to grab a few groceries out of the supermarket and prior to that, search for at least three outfits suitable for this evening. Now that I was back at my complex, struggling to grip every bag handle and close the trunk of my car, this rant and emotional roller coaster Leslie was riding on was far from ideal.

"Leslie..."

"Stop rushing and give me a minute!" she shouted into my ear, causing brows to furrow as my face screwed up. Here I was giving her my services for free in return, rather than an 'I'm sorry for talking your precious ears off, thank you Riley.', I get attitude.

"Um, excuse me, bitch." I sassed back, trying to squeeze between the tight spaces and yellow solid lines on the pavement. "I've given you sixty. It's time you've done us both a favor by shutting up and taking a look at them for goodness sake!"

"First of all, watch your mouth or else you'll get this hand work next time I see you. Second of all, fine." Now the line was finally quiet alike to me earlier and that alone left me awaiting the second Leslie backtracked as she had repeatedly done every fifteen minutes or so.

I guess I somewhat understood why she was so wired right now, but at the same time all the bragging she had been doing about the amount of effort her and her husband were putting in these days for this particular moment to happen, I figured she would be a bit more excited. Leslie was tough. She was also that bolt of energy everyone looked forward to and never had a 'down' phase in her life, but right now she was...she was me. And quite honestly, I wasn't sure how to handle it. Leslie was easily allowing what her doctor told her weeks, almost a month ago to scare her shitless.

"Sooo, what do they say?"

"I-I don't kno—"

"Know what, Leslie?" I questioned as I reached the door of the parking garage and stumbled inside to begin my hike up two flights of stairs. "There are four expensive pregnancy tests sitting around your sink and there is no way those bad boys are wrong. They're all waiting for you to determine whether or not they were a waste of money. On them reads your destiny, so go. Now!"

"Okay, okay." she muttered.

In the background all I could hear were the heels of her shoes knocking against the floor as she trailed back into her bathroom, right before a pause of silence stretched along the line yet again. Because she didn't immediately utter one word or shriek as I hoped she would, but instead released an exhale that was laced in nothing but exhaustion, I knew what the results were. I could sense it, and just as my heart dropped I could feel her chest clench as the brim of her eyes burned from the tears threatening them just as mine were. I envisioned her dropping her head down in defeat just as I shook my own.

This feeling was all too familiar.

I knew what it was like to keep pushing, to keep trying for something only to come up short every time. I knew that during the long and tedious process you begin to feel useless and as if something is wrong with you as a whole. You also lose faith and you become tired. I knew that this was the same case for Leslie. Until this day we were both very optimistic. We were both sure that the third, maybe even fourth time would be the charm, but yet we met another dead end. Now we both were overwhelmed with this fear that maybe, just maybe this wasn't meant to be, but a single solid line or the word negative was.

"I'm so sorry, Les. I really am." I breathed out sincerely. "Look at it this way, it's only been five months. Your doctor even said that the amount of time varies for every woman. Your body may be one that takes longer to readjust to not being on the pill."

"It's been five and a half, just about six." she corrected. "And maybe I'm just infertile."

"You're not. Aside from birth control what other reason would you have to believe that?"

"Six months is the mark for most couples."

"Okay, maybe you're month seven." Leslie sucked her teeth and I'm sure she rolled her eyes to her head before continuing hopefully a more coherent and briefer form of the rant from earlier.

"You know, I would love to agree with you here but I'm not. Riley, almost every person I know was conceived when their mother stopped taking oral contraceptives. Hell, I was conceived when my mama stopped taking them!" Though she was being serious we both found ourselves laughing at the accuracy of her statement. "Let's not forget that we both know how reckless I am when it comes to taking those pills, and prior to actually trying to get pregnant I had just as much sex as I do now. I didn't miss my period then and I'm not now. So that's actually like two years' worth of proof that I'm infertile. My doctor lied to make me feel better."

"Leslie, you're exaggerating."

"I am not. There is this wrenching feeling in my gut that's telling me that I am. On top of that my last two periods were almost two weeks long, meaning I'm not ovulating normally."

"I was the same way when we were younger which is why I st—"

"Started taking birth control." she cut in, completing my sentence. "Either way it comes back to those damn things. What did I do so fucked up in my past that God is currently punishing me for? Was it because I stole condoms back in college from the campus health center? Or is it because I've been boning since sixteen?"

"I'm positive that it's the boning since sixteen." I snickered, planting my feet firmly against the carpet tile of the second floor, then walked down to my apartment door. "Actually, he's probably getting you back for stealing those thongs from Victoria's Secret our freshmen year in college. That was a gem."

"I'm serious, Riley! I asked him to forgive my sins. Why is this happening to me?"

"Your concern mixed with work is obviously stressing you out and making it harder for you to not only conceive, but think clearly." I reasoned and not a second later Leslie shot me down only to argue against me - and I let her. Every word slowly became fuzzy and distant as I purposely toned her out and twisted the key into the lock. Before I could turn the nob to stroll inside, the door was being opened for me, allowing a gust of cold air infused with the scent of seasoned steak to strike me.

There stood Lamarr to the side with his hand reaching out to remove the bags weighing my wrists, while his other held a large plastic spoon smothered in Spanish rice. Him alone was one of the reasons I was so relieved to be home right now. The others being I was sweaty from whipping and running in the mild heat outside and because I was starving, and he promised he'd have a simple entrée waiting on the table for me. That last part was somewhat still the case.

"Riley, are you even listening to me anymore?"

"Yes I am." I blew out and followed Lamarr down the short hall and into the kitchen after he closed the door behind me. "But my sentiments remain the same. Just let this all happen when it's supposed to. Stop worrying, Leslie. You'll be fine."

"I hope you're right."

"I am, and when it all comes to fruition we'll sit on the phone and share with each other cute baby names that we have in mind. Just as long as I'm the god mother. I mean, I better be." I said biting back a smirk as I leaned against my kitchen counter, my tone far from stern as I was trying to give off.

"You already know you are, skank. Anyways, I guess I'll let you go now since you have to get ready. Tell Damon I said congratulations. I bought his album Friday and it was well worth the wait."

"I'll be sure to spread the word. Later girl."

After Leslie said bye and the line went dead, I placed my phone onto the table top as my eyes swept over to the stove and identified the sources of the spicy aroma that now had my undivided attention. There was a saucepan bubbling and a skillet fresh off the eye while another sizzled in a little PAM. My nose was tingling, my stomach was growling and yet I still had a few minutes to numb it all and for my taste buds to be pleased. Lamarr on the other hand was busy hauling the groceries one by one from every bag, searching high and low for what he really wanted.

"They're in the bag with the almond milk." I said while shuffling around him to open the fridge and put the food away. "Tell me how exactly did you forget shells and sour cream of all things?"

"I was rushing and I was on the phone. Thank you though for picking them up for me."

"Well I had to stop by Vons anyways so it was no big deal. I hope these things are as good as you claim they are and as delicious as they smell. No one has time for you to screw up some tacos."

"Says the woman who burns toast." Lamarr snickered as his lie of a joke made me screw up my eyes to peer at him around the door of the fridge. "My bad, it was cheese toast. Yo, how difficult is it to set the timer on a toaster and watch it at that? I swear you did that like three times."

"Negro, it was once. And it happened because I got distracted and by you, if I remember correctly."

"Is that what you believe, Ms. Coleman?" His voice was trickling in sarcasm as his back remained facing me, body swiftly moving from the stove to the two plates placed on the empty space aside it. "It doesn't really matter though because they will be tasty since this is my mama's recipe. She uses a lot of lime and other seasoning that I don't know the names of off top. All I know is that these bad boys hit the spot. If you trust her cooking then you can trust mine. Shit, if you trust your own you can trust mine."

"I'm about five seconds away from kicking your scrawny ass out my home." Lamarr ignored my threat as I grabbed a bottle of Perrier then closed the fridge shut. As I cracked it opened and took a few sips I could see him waving me over from the corner of my eye, and only because I could no longer wait to eat anything at this point is why I quickly sauntered over to him and lifted myself onto the counter top.

For a man who would grab a deli sandwich over microwave heating anything on any day and ordered take out just as much as I did, I was rather shocked that what he had prepared actually looked edible. 

You see, Lamarr was all talk when it came to cooking. He claimed on several occasions that he could easily out cook me, but yet he never showed proof. All this time I assumed he was no better than I was, maybe even actually worse. Now there was a chance, though one meal wasn't enough to completely prove it, that he might have been telling the truth all along. If so, I'd applaud him and will forever let him be my personal chef.

"Okay, open." Lamarr instructed as my brow arched up while I watched him grip a shell stuffed with a load of toppings together between his fingertips. "Come on, open that mouth wide, baby girl."

"You're disgusting, and don't spill this on my shirt." I warned as he smirked and moved closer, easing his body between my thighs and the taco between my lips.

The tang of the fresh pico de gallo, cilantro and onion lingered on my tongue as I took one bite that then crept into another one, and another one. I was impressed. The skirt steak was marinated just right, far from dry just how I like it and the mojo sauce he concocted from scratch mixed with a dash of sour cream was touching my soul. Following a few bites was a spoon full of rice. I couldn't tell if it was homemade or from a box since whatever extra, and might I add, spicy flavoring he sprinkled in gave it a bit of oomph, but I honestly didn't care. It was all just so damn good.

"Oh my god." My words slurred as I dragged my tongue from one corner of my mouth to the other and opened my lids. I honestly didn't know when I even closed them, confirmation that I was satisfied. "You win."

"Do I now?"

"Yes." I nodded then titled my head as I smiled at Lamarr sweetly, waiting patiently for him feed me the last bit on my plate. "Tell Mama Kay I said thank you for knowing how to whip up a meal and teaching her baby boy how to do the same. I deserve a man who will feed me. I deserve a man with dreads, that raps and plays basketball who will feed me. What are the freaking odds?"

"Ten out of ten, perfect match." Lamarr rattled off and placed the last piece to my lips, his gaze over me intense as he then fixed his hands on my thighs and began to gradually stroke them. "And you should've said an educated black man with dreads that has an extensive and versatile vocabulary, plays ball, treats you good and that will also feed you. I deserve that. I mean you enjoyed my culinary skills so much that you got sour cream all on your mouth. I really deserve, Ry."

"What? Where?" I rambled with wide eyes. "I'm sitting up here looking like a pig and you're just letting me? Give me a piece of paper towel or something!"

"That's because it's not a big deal." he muttered with a faint chuckle as he shadowed my frantic movement, hands and eyes roaming around the limited space I was confined to for something to erase my embarrassment. It's been months, even years and I still shrivel up in silly moments as this one. "Chill out, I've seen worse."

"Oh that makes me feel so much better. Can you at least wipe it off?"

"Nope, but I can lick it off." My scrunched my face up in disgust as I shook my head.

"That's just nasty."

"That's just love." he shot back and leaned down, inching his face closer to mine in the perfect angle for our lips to brush before he pressed them together to kiss me.

Lamarr rubbed his hands up my thighs one last time and slowly eased them to my hips where he wrinkled up the ends of my flimsy tank top and palmed the small of my back. The delicate motion forced our lips apart and a gasp from my mouth as I felt his cold fingertips graze my skin, shooting a chill up my spine. My body stiffened against his chest and only a few seconds passed of Lamarr staring down at my moist mouth before the gentleness of our previous interaction had officially died and our lips locked again. They moved in conjunction with the other, each tug quickly becoming fiercer with the command to drive the deepest of moans from the pit of my stomach to the walls of my throat.

My arms were secured around his neck, but slowly slithered down to roam Lamarr's back as he pulled my body closer; our pelvises touching as he snaked his tongue into my mouth and abused my own. The overwhelming fever rising inside me from it all made me squeeze my thighs tighter around his waist and seal my eyes shut as another unexplainable feeling began to rumble within. I didn't know if I was still hungry or just flat out horny, but the constant grinding against me and slick rubbing of our clothed bodies tangled with the assault of circles his tongue now rolled into the center of my neck aroused me more than it ever had. Everything was becoming tender. I felt like we needed to slow down, though it felt too good to do so, because if we didn't we'd be having sex next to a fresh batch of food. The part of feeling him slide inside me sounded heavenly, but next to food I still wanted to eventually eat more of didn't.

"Lamarr..." I whimpered out as his breath tickled my skin, making my body shiver. "C-can we... slow down. I-..."

My words were trapped. My eyes were rolling back just as his mouth sucked away and his solid girth poked against me. That flash of heat coasted through me again, followed by another tremble, growl or whatever was taking over my body. All I could think was that I couldn't be. It was odd, but very possible since he continued fondling both my sensitive spots with all the pressure in the world. Now all those words and sounds lodged in my throat rose higher and higher then dissolved into thin air once they were released. That was when both our bodies froze and Lamarr pulled away from my neck with his brows crumpled up in confusion.

"Did you just...?"

"No." I spoke up softly, even more mortified than I was about the sour cream that started it all. "Yes, and in my defense it was a foodgasm."

"I bet," he teased back as my eyes flickered open and met his as I bit my lip timidly. Lamarr shook his head and glanced over at the bright green numbers stretched across the top of the stove as I watched his smirk grow bigger. "We got a good hour and fifteen minutes before you have to leave. I only need like twenty."

Lamarr's arms were still wrapped around me, making it no surprise that he took advantage of that and hoisted my body up from the counter after his declaration, only to lead us both down to my bedroom. With two kicks his Nike slide-on sandals were off and my body was being lowered onto the comforter where I was tempted to let this continue knowing I shouldn't. This time around his teeth were the culprit keeping me restrained, each nibbling at my ear lobe briefly charted by a flick or more of his wet tongue. As much as I wanted him to do just that but below the belt, the hour and fifteen minutes that just turned into fourteen heavy on mind just wasn't enough. They weren't allowing it.

"I still need to choose something to wear, Lamarr."

"And let me guess, you want me to help you?" he quizzed and traced my jawline with sweet pecks, ceasing them on my lips.

"N-no." I stammered out. "But I need extra time after I get dressed to try them on again with my hair and makeup done. That way I can choose which is more appealing."

"Mhm." Lamarr slid from off of me and laid his body down onto the bed. "Well at least with that I can still see you kinda naked, but just know, when you get back home that ass is mine."

"You know, we could just kill two birds with one stone if you got in the shower with me."

"Was that an invite?"

I shrugged and got up from the bed, finishing his mission of removing my tank top as he desired to do in the kitchen, and tossed it onto the floor as Lamarr sat up on his arms and traced my body with his eyes as I continued to undress. If it wasn't seeing me in my panties and bra that made him get the hint it was seeing me out of them that did, and no longer than a minute after I stepped inside the shower and lifted the lever up for warm water to spurt out did Lamarr tail behind me. He said twenty minutes, but we only needed ten which left me enough time to get everything else I needed done, done.

For the night I kept it simple and chose the taupe off the shoulder dress that stopped just above the knees and fit perfectly to my curves, compared to a backless dress and haltered top one. I then topped it off with a new hairstyle, well it wasn't exactly new but it was a change from my natural curls I rocked every day. I shocked myself and Lamarr with the choice to get my hair straightened again, especially when I vowed I wouldn't put the heat of a wand of flatiron on it for at least a good year. But these days I was looking for something different, but not too extreme and unexpected from Riley. So darkening out my streaks and trimming a bit off on Friday while curling it into a side style today was as far as I'd go.

Now I was sliding into my heels and adding a few rings for accessories as Lamarr sat on my bed and observed me, just as he had this