The Fight Within (18 page)

“So yeah.” He took a sip of his water as the guy turned and walked away. “I mean, let’s just get this shit out of the way.”

“Do you always curse like that?” she asked with a raised brow.

“Like what?”

“So frequently?”

“Oh trust me, this is the downgraded version.”

“You know they say people that curse a lot do it because they don’t have much to say.” She crossed her arms and smirked, as if she’d said something particularly thought provoking, poignant.

“Oh, I got
plenty
to say.” He leaned over the table, staring her up and down, making her redden under his seedy glare. “I do people a favor by biting my tongue every now and again. I just believe in tellin’ the truth. If more people told the truth, everyone would be happier in the long run.”

“Oh really? So, tell me the truth, Sean.” The sexy siren leaned a bit forward herself, exposing her damn cleavage. His eyes drifted right down to the brown globes, loving them, and he hadn’t even got the chance to run his tongue and fingers along the soft flesh.

…Those sons of bitches look good enough to eat. Will she slap me if I ask to suck her tits? Probably. I guess I better not.

“What do you want to know, Treasure?”

Silence grew between them like a web, spinning, turning, morphing into a beautiful thing, soft and cottony, but catching every nuance in its midst…and something dangerous sat in the middle, ready to devour the intended prey.

“I don’t know, I’m not exactly sure.” She leaned back and tapped her lower lip with her index finger, as if trying to decipher and navigate the recesses of his declarations, the kinky ones pouring out of him making her search him like a maze. “I find you curious.”

“I’m just a guy… If you find me funny, that’s just a bonus. If you find me entertaining, that’s fine, but don’t take me as a joke, because I’m not.”

Her eyes narrowed, and her face changed. Perhaps she wasn’t certain whether to be offended by his affirmations, or grateful for his candor. Regardless, he wasn’t sure how to behave any differently, though it was obvious from the wrinkles that spread across her forehead that she was in deep thought.

“You said on the phone you like older women…oh, thank you.” The waiter brought her another glass of wine, and for him, a bottle of Heineken. “Have you always been that way, or is this a new development?”

He liked how she spoke, like they were in some business meeting. He gathered she didn’t always talk that way and bet his bottom dollar she was a squealer in bed and screamed dirty words in the throes of passion, not so refined and well-put together…

He took a swig of his beer, leaned far back in his seat, and spread his legs wide, loosening the bunched denim on one pant leg. He let his eyes wonder again to her cleavage, that wonderful, perfectly rounded cleavage daring him to reach out and touch the damn things…

But instead, he simply replied, “I’ve always been this way…”

She smirked and took a sip of her white wine, her lips pursed ever so slightly. “What is it you like about older women?”

“Well, older women usually know what they want. I don’t have to skirt around stuff. I don’t have to put all this energy into molding you, making you feel secure. You don’t need a man to take care of you financially and call all mornin’, noon and night to prove he loves you. You know how to love, how to kiss, to hold, to show appreciation. Your bodies are fine tuned…” He traveled his gaze down from her lips to her stomach, and back up again. He couldn’t help but notice the woman blush, an act that warmed the cool tones of her darkened skin.

Jesus, she’s fucking gorgeous…

“Like you, for instance. I can tell you got some knowledge in your head. You’re smart, got some experience under your belt. And I’m usually more sexually compatible with women older than me.”

Although she hid her eyes from him again, he didn’t miss the small smile on her face and the tense way she toyed with her napkin.

“And, unlike some guys my age, I actually like kids. They don’t have to be biologically mine. I can have that with an older woman in some cases. Kids don’t intimidate me, either.”

“I see…” She cleared her throat and looked him in the eye. Judgment floated in her glare, but he wasn’t certain what it was for exactly.

“Have you ever dated a younger man before?”

“No, I haven’t.” She stared down at her lap and shook her head, ever so slowly as if falling under some old, tattered remembrances from yesteryear.

“How long were you with your ex-husband?”

“I’d known him a couple of years before we dated but the total time from the start of our friendship to the day of our divorce—for seventeen years. We met in college. He went to Morehouse and I attended and graduated Spellman.”

“You guys were real young,” He worked the numbers over in his mind. “Historical Black Colleges…hmmmm. You ever date anyone
before
him?”

“Yes.”

Ever fuck a white guy, Treasure?

“Was your husband and all the other guys before him black?”

“Sean,
really
?!” Her face scrunched up as if he’d said the worst thing ever. He acted nonchalant, uncertain what her objection was.

“Here we go again. Is it tea time around here? Is the Queen of England at the table? Geeze Louise! What’s wrong
now
?”

“Why are you making jokes? Never mind… Does that really matter? The race of my ex and everyone else is not imperative to this conversation.” She sucked her teeth.

“I wanna know what I have to deal with, okay?”

“What do you mean what you have to
deal
with?”

“That’s the only drawback of dealin’ with older women. You all are set in your ways. Now look, I asked because I’m tryin’ to understand if our differences are going to be a problem, a hindrance. You act like you’re uncomfortable with our age difference, so hell.” He shrugged. “Maybe me bein’ a white guy is a problem, too. Nothin’ wrong with what I asked. I’m not apologizing for it.”

“Don’t you think you’re moving a bit fast? Pace is important, Sean. All of these personal questions at once? You’re like some firing squad.”

“No, like I told you, this is the time to ask.” He huffed. “Just answer my questions, and we can move on with our lives.”

She rolled her eyes and roughly set her glass down.

“I am promising you right here, right now, that there
won’t
be a second date.” Her eyes narrowed on him as if he were public enemy number one.

“And I’m promising you that before we part ways, you’ll choke on those words…”

She glared at him long and hard as he folded his hands on his lap.

“Fine, what questions do you have?” Her face balled up like a used tissue while she leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms over her generous bosom.

“I want you to answer fast. Don’t spend a lot of time thinking it through. I just want the truth.”

“Had I known I was going to be interrogated, I would have asked for a police escort, two credible witnesses, a notary, and an attorney.”

He smirked, but kept on going. “Ever date a white man?’

“Yes.”

“When?”

“Twice in high school, several times after my divorce.”

“Did your ex-husband cheat with a white woman?”

She visibly gulped. That beautiful neck of hers grew tight, the trapezius rising under the flesh.

“I never saw any cheating with my own eyes, Sean,” she said calmly, but the tone had a bitter bite to it.

“You didn’t have to…”

“True.” She sighed. “Yes, his girlfriend is white.”

“Are you angry at white women now?”

“What the hell is your deal? I’m not answering any more of your questions about this, do you understand me?” She pointed in his direction as she laid down the law. “I shouldn’t have entertained it in the first place.” She snatched her napkin off her lap and tossed it on the table with a ’tude…but he was far from done with her.

“Are you angry at white women now?” he repeated a bit more sternly. “You told me this was it for us, so you may as well humor me. According to you, you’ll never see me again after tonight.”

She hesitated, then softened a bit before deciding to answer. “You’re right. This is it for us. In regards your question, the answer is…No.”

“That’s a lie.”

“Why’d you ask me in the first damn place if you think you have the answer already? I hate that, you know that?!” Her eyes grew small; narrow, morphing into mere dark lines. “It is one of my biggest pet peeves. Don’t
tell
me how I feel. You’re a stranger, okay? You don’t
know
me.” Her brows bunched in anger, and her tone dropped several octaves.

“Someone’s got to tell the fuckin’ truth around here!” He chuckled. “Look, I asked to see if you’d be honest with me as well as yourself. Now, answer the question. For real this time…”

She said nothing.

“Please?” And he meant to beg…

“Yes.”

“Why do some black women feel that way?” This wasn’t planned in advance. He had no concern with asking her such questions, but hell, it just sorta happened so here they stood in the middle of the quicksand, giving each other either a lifeline or a hard push lower into the thick muck, experimenting with one another’s resolve.

“Because it is hard for us to find good black men sometimes, Sean.”

“Maybe if you just worried about finding a good
man
, regardless of his race, you wouldn’t feel that way…”

“Easy for you to say. You don’t have a shortage of white women.” She took an indignant swallow of her wine.

He nodded.

“That’s a damn good point, Treasure…damn good. But, my words still hold true.”

“Fine. My turn.”

“I thought you said you were done with me after this date.”

“I am.”

“Then why would you want to ask me any questions?”

“Because I’m already here.” She threw up her hands and crossed one long leg over the other. “And you deserve to be treated
exactly
how you’ve treated me this evening.”

“Shoot.”

“I can be like you, right? Drill out my invasive questions?” she clarified, as if his answer would impede her either way.

“Ask me whatever the hell you want.”

“Do you only date black women?”

“Nope. I’ve dated all kinds of women, all races, all nationalities. I don’t have a preference based on nationality or race. I just like what I like and I know it when I see it.”

…And I like fucking, too. Can I fuck you, Treasure?

“Do you date older women because you believe we will take care of you?”

“Sexually? Yes. Financially, no.”

She paused for a moment, seemingly taking his words in like much needed elixir.

“Why are you so rude, a little strange and aggressive? It’s outlandish to be that way with someone you proclaim to want to date, especially initially.”

“Not really and I don’t think I’m strange, at least not in the way you mean. I’m saying and doing what everyone else wishes they could but I think I know when to put a cork in it.”

She shot him a disagreeable glance, then turned away.

“I can be rude at times, but what you’re calling rudeness is just honesty. I don’t like wasting time. Aggressive? Well, yeah, I am. That’s how you get shit done. I’ve wasted too much time in the past, Treasure, therefore, I am now playing catch up. And if I’m considered impolite because I want what I want when I want it and do what I need to do to get it, then so fucking be it.” He offered a disenchanted glance. “Now, you said I’ve blown my chances of a second date.”

She smirked, but offered no additional words.

“I think I like you, Treasure, so I’d like a chance to make a better impression if this first one sucks.”

“It does.”

“I’m not tryna make you uncomfortable. I just want you to see me for me, and understand that this is who I am. You’d not have to wonder about secrets and shit like that with me. I don’t roll like that and I think…I think you deserve better than a bunch of lies and games.” He didn’t miss the smile that slowly formed on her beautiful face. “I’ll try to watch my style of delivery should you wish to change your mind, but I will always drop off the goods.”

Their food arrived then. A cluster of beautiful, fragrant things soon lined the table in neat order.

“Thank you,” Sean offered to the waiter before the man sauntered away. He turned his plate in various directions, surveying it to ensure it met his expectation, then picked up his fork.

“This looks really good.” Treasure sunk her fork into the meat filled bun and took a bite. “Mmmmm, this
is
good.” She dabbed her mouth with the side of her handkerchief.

“Told you.” He smiled widely. “I think you deserve only the best… There isn’t no price tag on that.”

“This is the best on the menu?” She took another bite, raising the fork just so to her succulent lips.

Run those fucking sexy lips down my chest then my stomach until you reach my dick…and then keep going.

“Not necessarily. But I know I’m a good guy, and you seem like a good woman, so that makes us the best. Maybe we could be the best for one
another
…” He took a quick bite of his food and swallowed. “If I get that second chance, it might be worth your while.” He winked at her, then focused back on his plate. After a few moments of silence, her soothing, sexy voice broke through once more.

“Sean, I’ll admit when I’m wrong.”

He looked around the place, picked up his beer bottle, and tilted it to his lips, taking a sip.

“What were you wrong about?”

“I’m enjoying this date now. I appreciate how you explained yourself. It was real, and you seem like a pretty good guy actually, despite your flawed sales pitch.” She nodded, as if still trying to convince herself of the words she uttered as well. “I think I’ll give you another shot. You are one
very
intriguing person.” She smiled ever so slightly as she took another bite of her food.

“That’s good.” He picked up his bottle, waved it a bit in her direction to initiate a toast. Catching the hint, she quickly placed her fork down, gulped a mouthful of food and raised her wine glass in the air.