Daddy Long Stroke

I open the box. Inside is a sterling silver Gucci key ring wit’ a set of keys, and a small white card wit’ four numbers written on it. They look like house keys, and the code to her alarm. I grin. “Yo, are these to the crib?” She nods. “Why?”

“Because I want you to be able to come and go anytime you want.”

I wanna shake my head and tell this fuckin’ broad she’s nuts for giving a muhfucka she barely knows the keys to her spot. That she’s askin’ to get dragged. “Uh, listen. Givin’ me a key is not gonna make me ya man, you dig? Is that what you tryna do, put claims on me?”

“No, no, not at all. I don’t wanna have claims on you. I only want a part of you. I know you have other women in your life. And I’m okay with that. I only ask that you make time for me, too. And that you never disrespect my place by bringing another woman into my home while I’m at work. Can you do that?”

“Nah, I wouldn’t ever disrespect ya spot and bring another chick here.” But I’ll fuck one who’s already here.

“You promise?”

The way she tilts her head and looks at me, it almost makes her look pitiful. And…sound desperate. I sigh. Decide to nip this shit in the bud before it gets outta hand. I place the keys back in the box. “Listen,” I say, handin’ the box back to her, “I can’t take these.”

She looks at me surprised, confused. And on some real shit, I’m shocked my damn self that I’m givin’ her her house keys back. That I’m not gonna drag her. That I’m actually feelin’ sorry for her retarded ass. “Why?” she asks, sittin’ next to me.

Bitch, ’cause you a muthafuckin’ lost cause! “’Cause you don’t know me, and I don’t think havin’ a key is a good idea; not now, anyway.”

She pushes the box back at me. “I know enough. And I know what I feel in my heart. And giving you a set of keys to my home is what feels right for me. Whether you use them or not is entirely up to you. So take them… please.”

I take the box back, place it on the table. “C’mere,” I say, leanin’ into her. I peck her on the lips. “You’re really sweet, baby, I…” The front door swings open, and Naomi stumbles in. The bitch is clearly lit the fuck up.

“Oh, shit! Ya’ll almost scared the shit out of me. Happy New Year to both of you.”

“Yeah, same to you,” I say.

“Happy New Year to you, too,” Vita says, gettin’ up outta her seat. She walks over and gives her peeps a hug. Naomi leans down and hugs Vita, lookin’ over at me. I wink at her. She flicks her tongue at me. “Girl, it’s only one o’clock. What are you doing back so early?”

She keeps her eyes locked on me. “I got bored.” Vita looks out the window, asks her how she got back to her spot. “I had one of my sorors drop me off. I’ll get my car in the mornin’.” The minute Vita turns her back, she mouths, “I want you.” Then walks toward the stairs. “Ya’ll two lovebirds enjoy the rest of the night. I’m goin’ to bed.”

“Good night,” Vita says, sittin’ back next to me.

“Yeah, you have a good night,” I say, eyein’ her. “Sleep well.”

“Oh, I intend to. Trust me.”

Yeah, I bet you do. Before she gets her hot ass up the stairs good, I already decide that I’m gonna dick Vita down, then slip into her room and rock her box, again. I lean in, kiss Vita on the lips, then look her in the eyes. I pull in my bottom lip. “C’mon, baby, let’s go upstairs. I’m ready to get up in them hips and twist up them walls.”

“Ooooh, daddy,” she coos, “let’s.” She gets up off the sofa, turnin’ off the TV. As soon as she walks up on me, I scoop her up in my arms and carry her up the stairs. She giggles, squeezin’ my biceps. “I love havin’ a big, strong, strappin’ man here. You’re spoilin’ me.”

“I do what I can,” I say, layin’ her on the bed. I watch her as she takes off her clothes, then tell her to lie back and spread open her legs. I dive between her thighs and start lickin’ ’n kissin’ her wet spot. She moans. I lick her clit, then suck on it.

“Ooooh…oh, yes…I love it when you do me like this.”

I lift my head, grinnin’. “You like that?”

“Oh, yes…your tongue feels so good on my pussy.”

“I’ma fuck you to sleep, baby…”

She moans, again.

And then I’ma be fuckin’ the shit outta ya slutty-ass cousin.

38

Just as the BET Honors Awards show comes on, my cell rings. I start to ignore the shit, but I wanna get my dick wet. And I already know it’s a ho in need of some dick before I even reach over to grab it offa the end table. I glance at the number. It’s a private caller. “Yeah?”

Silence, then breathin’.

“Yo ,who the fuck is on the other end?” No one says shit. I end the call. My cell rings, again. This time it’s Cherry.

“I got your plane ticket,” she tells me. “You’re leaving out on Wednesday night, and coming back the following Monday.”

“Cool. I can’t wait,” I tell her. And I say that shit truthfully. It’s cold as fuck here! And, although I was just out there, a muhfucka could use some sunshine, and some more of that Cherry pie. Yo, on some real shit, a nigga’s really feelin’ her. She’s so unbothered by shit; doesn’t sweat the small stuff. And she’s always eager to please me. Hol’ up now, that still doesn’t mean she’s someone I’d wanna wife. But I gotta admit, Cherry holds a nigga down in and outta the bedroom. And she’s definitely who I’m considerin’ to bump up to the number one cock-ridin’ slot. The ho who gets this dick on demand—first, no questions asked.

“Me either. Are you all ready for your All-Star trip?”

“Yeah, I guess,” I say, takin’ a deep pull from my blunt. I exhale. She asks when I’m leavin’. “Next Thursday.”

“How many boxes of condoms are you bringing with you?”

“Two,” I tell her.

She laughs. “I should have known.”

“You know how I do, baby. Gotta keep my man wrapped.”

“I know that’s right,” she says, gigglin’. “Speaking of which, do you use them all the time?”

“No doubt. I don’t play that naked dick shit. You should know that by now. Wrap it up, and tap it up; that’s how I do mine, baby.”

“That’s good to know. But wouldn’t it be nice to be able to go raw in someone?”

I think, try to remember the last time I gave a ho this dick naked. My mind drifts back to the days down in my boy Red’s basement and all the bitches we fucked raw and how good that shit was. Then LaTonya’s nasty, skank- ass flashes in my head and a nigga frowns. She was the last bitch to get it naked, and the first—and last—bitch to give me an STD. “Nah, I’m good,” I say. “Broads can’t be trusted; when that pussy gets hot, they’ll get straight nasty wit’ it to make that thing pop.”

“That’s not true. All women aren’t like that. At least I’m not.”

“Well, okay, most of ’em, then.”

“Don’t you ever think about being with one woman?”

I sigh. Didn’t we already go over this the last time I was out there? What the fuck?! See. This is the shit I don’t like ’bout bitches. They wanna ask a muhfucka the same muthafuckin’ questions they done already asked, like the fuckin’ answer’s gonna change. “Nah, I don’t. Why?”

“I’m curious; that’s all. I asked you before, but you never gave me a straight answer.”

“I didn’t give you a straight answer ’bout what?”

“About how many women you’re sleeping with.”

I roll my eyes, shakin’ my head. “I thought I did.”