Page 24 of Senior

“Baby, you don’t know Pops like I do. That’s a charming ass muthafucka and I just know he’s trying to charm the panties off my mama.”

Salima huffed. “You wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t charmed the panties off her the first time. Just so you know, your mama is grown with free will and your daddy can’t do anything to her that she isn’t a willing participant in.”

There was a bout of silence.

“That don’t make the shit no better,” Deuce finally said.

“Stanley, bring your black ass back in this backyard, right now. You are not about to ruin our good time by worrying about what two overly grown ass people have going on. Let’s go.”

I could hear her angry footsteps and the sound of her sandals flapping against the pavement. Deuce muttered a curse, but soon his footsteps followed. Steph and I looked at each other and stifled a laugh.

She reached up and cupped my face. “For the record,” she said, stroking my cheek. “I appreciate your restraint because I fear I might have folded long ago if you had none.”

My brows furrowed. “Oh, really?”

She nodded. “Thank you for being what I needed when I needed it most.”

Standing on her toes, she pecked my lips a few times before kissing me deeply. I was ready to bend her over in this maze and give her these good, long strokes.

“Come on,” she said, wiping my lips when she pulled away. “Let’s go back before your son has a fucking conniption, and I have to choke his ass.”

I chuckled. “Fuck Deuce.”

We shared a laugh as we walked hand in hand to the entrance of the maze. I felt the void of her as soon as we stepped out and she dropped my hand. She walked ahead of me and my eyes lingered on her as she did.

Something told me, that even though we shared a passion igniting kiss, this wasn’t going to be an easy way back in. That was cool with me. Easy was overrated. If shit was easy to obtain, it was even easier to lose. I never minded a little challenge. It made the reward that much sweeter.

THEN

“My love!”

I paused in my strolling past the office upon hearing Aaron call my name.

“Yes?”

“Can you look over this?”

I wandered into the office and behind the desk where he sat. He pulled me down onto his lap and kissed my neck while giving my ass a rub.

“Sir, I didn’t come in here for you to be fresh,” I jested.

He chuckled. “You know I love rubbing on your booty.” He kissed my shoulder and pointed at the screen. “Look over this for me and tell me if you think it’s fair.”

I looked at the computer and my eyes widened. “Your will? Aaron, is there something you aren’t telling me? Are you sick or something?”

“No, my love. I just realized I’m getting older, and I didn’t have one. I won’t always be here, so I want to cover the basics, just in case I die unexpectedly. Grief ain’t the time for family to be fighting or trying to figure out how to bury a loved one.”

He went into the bottom drawer of the desk and pulled out the familiar lock box.

“Remember, all of my important documents are in here. A copy of my last will and testament will be in here too.”

I nodded slowly as I turned back to the screen and started reading. I wasn’t surprised to see he left sentimental things to his siblings. Monetary things were left to his nieces and nephews. To our grandbabies, he left trust funds that would be available to them at twenty-one. He left me his home and other assets including rental properties, stocks, bonds, and his retirement fund. I was most surprised that he left my son something too.

“You’re leaving Deuce the property management company?”

The property management company was actually how we met. I was looking for a new company to manage some properties I owned, and I came across his. We set up a meeting and from the first interaction, I could tell it wouldn’t be long before I was smitten with this man.

And it wasn’t.