I was fine, at least I felt that way. When Stenton was done, he pulled me into his arms and I, at some point, drifted off, blissfully depleted.
I felt the mattress lift. Cracking a lid, I saw Stenton leave the bed for the bathroom. As he ambled there, I saw him carrying the condom. I was glad he was being responsible and protecting me. When he returned, he lifted me from the bed and lowered me into the Jacuzzi, only this time he joined me. Stenton’s touch was just as reverential as it was earlier, it was also more evaluative as he inspected my wrists and ankles. Once again, we found ourselves depleted and in need of food.
I slowly made my way to the kitchen with Stenton just behind me, and we worked together on dinner. Alton joined us, bringing his obtuse sense of humor.
“So now Nisha be on that ‘don’t forget your diet’ shit!” Alton complained animatedly. I can’t eat dairy, sugar, red meat, pink meat—shit, I was like can I eat *?”
I cupped my mouth at that one, then threw Stenton an inquisitive and alarming glare. Like me, unable to control his laughter, Stenton shrugged his shoulders.
“I bet if that was restricted, Nisha’s ass wouldn’t be playing diet cop!” Alton took to his plate and forked a piece of chicken breast before continuing with his tirade.
This was one event that Stenton nor I minded. You could tell in the glances he threw me the entire meal that he was on the same cloud of love that I’d been savoring.
Alton left close to midnight. Apparently that was his curfew. When Tynisha began blowing up his phone and Stenton’s, even I feared her wrath. Alton may have mumbled a few invectives, but he drug his butt out of there wearing a long moue. Stenton and I turned in ourselves. It felt good to be expected to sleep with him in his bed and not having to sneak in like the pesky little sister.
The next day, Stenton worked out first thing in the morning as usual. He had a long conference call that went well into the afternoon. While he was preoccupied, I finally took the liberty of exploring his expansive home. I couldn’t believe the opulence—high cathedral walls and ceilings, marble floors and the overall beautiful architectural layout. The place was larger than any of the homes my mother cleaned. That thought led me to call and check in on her and my dad.
When I was done with the call, I found Stenton still in his office, on the computer. I thought he would have come to find me after his call was over. To say that we spent the night together, he seemed so distant. He didn’t touch me or talk much. I didn’t know how to read his mood. I spent most of the morning pondering just that.
~~~~~~~~~~
~Stenton~
I was watching the game in the theater room, not really paying Zoey much attention. She wandered out, mumbling about getting something from the kitchen some time ago. She’d been sulking all damn day. She wasn’t alone, and ironically, not just for the same reason. I’d been feeling fucked up the entire day, almost to the point of a tension headache. I couldn’t believe the sick thoughts that derived from my brain.
What the fuck was I doing with this sweet young girl?