everything off for everyone else. I knew she was right, but I still found it hard to pursue something new when I had a successful business with my brother.
My dream of owning my own diner or café was something I’d put on the backburner so I could help Toni, so the gym could be successful, and so Cade could finish school. Monique was the only person, other than my mother, who knew what I truly wanted. And just like my mother, she tended to push the issue and piss me off.
Tonight she was at my house, pushing the issue, but she also pushed her personal agenda. She wanted me to look at storefronts, but she wanted to get laid too.
“What’s goin’ on with you lately, Jake?” she asked sweetly, cuddling into my side as she slid her hand up my leg and to my abdomen. Her small breasts and tight stomach pressed into my arm.
I had no idea what she was talking about. We made no promises to one another, however we did typically have a standing ‘date’ night every week. For the past several weeks, we hadn’t seen each other and I hadn’t been with anyone other than the blonde for more than a month.
“Nothin’s goin’ on. Just workin’. What’s goin’ on with you?”
“Well, you’ve cancelled our date night for the past month. You haven’t called or anything.” She seemed almost sad. I hoped she wasn’t expecting more from this situation suddenly, I’d hate to lose her over misunderstandings and miscommunications.
“I’ve just been busy, and so have you. What are you actually wantin’ to know?” I narrowed my eyes and tried to read her facial expression. I needed to know now if she was looking for more than our friends-with-benefits arrangement.
She slid her manicured fingers across my bare stomach and down toward the waistband of my shorts. My body loved her hands on me. My muscles jumped and hummed with each slide of her hand, my skin came alive at her touch, but my head just wasn’t into it. I considered what I needed to get accomplished at the gym this week. I reflected on what, or more specifically who, made me flee to Viva Lounge and drove me to drink too much and sleep with the blonde.
As if she could read my mind, Monique stopped her movements. She pressed her hand into my chest, leaned up, and looked me dead in the eye. “Look, don’t get your panties in a twist, Jake. I ain’t lookin’ for more than hangin’ out, but we’re friends and I’ve barely talked to you lately. I don’t care about anything else, but I’d like to know if there’s a problem.”
Pulling my arm from between us, I wrapped it around her, hugging her tight. “There ain’t a problem, Monique. I’ve just been feelin’ disconnected lately. You know I love you. I haven’t called because I haven’t been myself. I wouldn’t use you that way, you know that, right?”
She nodded, looked up, and gave me a small smile. Then her expression changed, as if she just figured something out. “It’s Mia, ain’t it?” she asked, shocking me.
“What? No. It has nothin’ to do with Mia.”
“Bull-shit. You’re different since she moved here. You’re distracted. If she’s who you want, I’m happy for you.”
Monique was one of the kindest women I’d ever met. When she said she wanted me to be happy, she meant it. She didn’t care with whom I found happiness, she just wanted her friends to have everything they ever wanted. Hence the storefront brochures currently sitting on my coffee table.
“You don’t have to worry about me,” I said with a smile. “You and Toni are the only women I want in my
My dream of owning my own diner or café was something I’d put on the backburner so I could help Toni, so the gym could be successful, and so Cade could finish school. Monique was the only person, other than my mother, who knew what I truly wanted. And just like my mother, she tended to push the issue and piss me off.
Tonight she was at my house, pushing the issue, but she also pushed her personal agenda. She wanted me to look at storefronts, but she wanted to get laid too.
“What’s goin’ on with you lately, Jake?” she asked sweetly, cuddling into my side as she slid her hand up my leg and to my abdomen. Her small breasts and tight stomach pressed into my arm.
I had no idea what she was talking about. We made no promises to one another, however we did typically have a standing ‘date’ night every week. For the past several weeks, we hadn’t seen each other and I hadn’t been with anyone other than the blonde for more than a month.
“Nothin’s goin’ on. Just workin’. What’s goin’ on with you?”
“Well, you’ve cancelled our date night for the past month. You haven’t called or anything.” She seemed almost sad. I hoped she wasn’t expecting more from this situation suddenly, I’d hate to lose her over misunderstandings and miscommunications.
“I’ve just been busy, and so have you. What are you actually wantin’ to know?” I narrowed my eyes and tried to read her facial expression. I needed to know now if she was looking for more than our friends-with-benefits arrangement.
She slid her manicured fingers across my bare stomach and down toward the waistband of my shorts. My body loved her hands on me. My muscles jumped and hummed with each slide of her hand, my skin came alive at her touch, but my head just wasn’t into it. I considered what I needed to get accomplished at the gym this week. I reflected on what, or more specifically who, made me flee to Viva Lounge and drove me to drink too much and sleep with the blonde.
As if she could read my mind, Monique stopped her movements. She pressed her hand into my chest, leaned up, and looked me dead in the eye. “Look, don’t get your panties in a twist, Jake. I ain’t lookin’ for more than hangin’ out, but we’re friends and I’ve barely talked to you lately. I don’t care about anything else, but I’d like to know if there’s a problem.”
Pulling my arm from between us, I wrapped it around her, hugging her tight. “There ain’t a problem, Monique. I’ve just been feelin’ disconnected lately. You know I love you. I haven’t called because I haven’t been myself. I wouldn’t use you that way, you know that, right?”
She nodded, looked up, and gave me a small smile. Then her expression changed, as if she just figured something out. “It’s Mia, ain’t it?” she asked, shocking me.
“What? No. It has nothin’ to do with Mia.”
“Bull-shit. You’re different since she moved here. You’re distracted. If she’s who you want, I’m happy for you.”
Monique was one of the kindest women I’d ever met. When she said she wanted me to be happy, she meant it. She didn’t care with whom I found happiness, she just wanted her friends to have everything they ever wanted. Hence the storefront brochures currently sitting on my coffee table.
“You don’t have to worry about me,” I said with a smile. “You and Toni are the only women I want in my
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