Shani
I laughed even though I didn't want to. I was a sucker for a good movie reference. "You're not funny." I said in between giggles.
"Never said I was." He admitted in between giggles of his own closing in the gap between us. I softly placed the palm of my hand against his chest. Afraid that if he got any closer I'd lose my reserve once more. Just then a bright flash blinded me from my right side. I blinked wildly before searching for the source. One of the party photographers had just snapped a picture of us. And I was confused as to why. "You wanna take a walk?" He whispered.
I turned my attention to his face. His eyes roamed over the crowd. And my gaze followed. And to my surprise I kept noticing people gazing over in our direction. "Sure." I whispered extending my hand for him to help me off the bar stool. To my surprise he wrapped it around his neck before placing his strong hands around my waist and slowly lifting me into the air before gently placing me on my feet. The way my body slid gracefully down his chest had me wanting to retire these panties for the night. They were soaked.
I moved a fallen curl behind my ear. My face only centimeters from his chest. I mowed over his physique. And I wondered how he found time for anything else. Because he clearly spent a lot of time in the gym. "You okay?" He quizzed placing his index finger and thumb to my chin. Before softly lifting my head to make eye contact. I nodded my head yes unable to verbalize the word. Every touch he placed was slowly breaking away at my hard exterior.
He took my hand and led me to a pathway not too far away. It led to the beach and far away from the crowded party. I gazed off into the ocean as waves slowly splashed against the shore. "So you never told me what brought you to L.A.?" He asked again. I however was still focused on the ocean.
"What?" I quizzed missing part of his question. He chuckled to himself pulling his fist up to his mouth.
"You look like you about ready to jump in." He stated tugging at my hand which up until then I hadn't relieved was still tucked tightly in his.
"Oh no! Never that!" I admitted shaking my head from side to side.
"Why not?" He asked with an raised brow.
"Well for one I can't swim. And for two look at it." I said gesturing my free hand over it. "Look at it all black and mysterious. Who knows what the fucks in it." I shook my head. Embarrassed that I had just admitted to him that not only was I definitely not from L.A. But I couldn't swim. And had this weird relationship with the ocean. I loved everything it represented but you to couldn't pay me to step into it.
"You can't swim?" He asked baffled to say the least.
"Nope." I whispered shaking my head from side to side as the curls atop my head bounced.
"Well it's time you learned." He boosted catching me completely off guard. Before I knew what happened he had thrown me over his shoulder and was running full speed towards the water. I kicked and punched him in the back but to no avail. Before I knew it we were waist deep in the freezing water. He dropped me into the water and I panicked as the water surrounded my head. Before quickly standing to my feet.
I groaned in frustration realizing that my hair had gotten wet. The curls atop my head began to shrivel up and I seriously considered swinging on him. Instead I took my hand and splashed as much water as I could into his handsome face. He flinched before wading over to me. I pushed him away as I continued to make strides toward the shore. "Why you mad? You didn't drown. Nothing ate you." He said just a few strides away from me.
Upon reaching the shore I tugged at my curls stomping back in the direction of the party. "Don't tell me you're mad about your hair?" He said pulling at my hands. He finally got ahold of one and swiftly turned me around. "You look beautiful." He admitted just above a whisper. I was too embarrassed about how pissed I was that I couldn't bare to look him in the face. Instead I allowed my eyes to glaze over his chest and how his now wet v neck t-shirt clung to it. It hung to every ab. Every bicep. Every pec. I shook my head clear as impure thoughts began to consume it.
Not too long after did I began to wonder about my own attire. I quickly looked down and wrapped my arms over my chest. Hoping my nipples weren't visible. He laughed before stepping closer into me. "Don't worry I already checked." He said pulling my arms apart. I looked down and realized the romper was just dark enough to mask them.
I sighed in relief. Before he grabbed my hand and began to lead me away from the party once more. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders as I quivered lightly. We walked in silence for a moment or two. Just enjoying each others presence and warmth. Until the smell of a charcoal grill filled my nose. I looked off into the distance and saw a backyard full of melanin. My heart raced. I still wasn't above a good ole party crash.
"C'mon." I said excitedly in between clenched teeth attempting to pull him in the direction I had my eyes fixated on.
"He stiffened. "Do you know those people?" He asked.
"Nope. But How else will we get to know them?" I quizzed continuing to tug at his six foot bulky frame.
He rolled his eyes eventually loosening up and letting me drag him up to the strangers backyard. We ran through the sand and up their pathway lightly. We both slowly made our way into the party. "What if someone notices us?" He whispered into my ear as I drug him further into the party.
"Just tell them you're a cousin." I chuckled heading towards the buffet. "Like this. Cousin. What's up cousin." I joked mimicking Tupac in Poetic Justice. He laughed to himself even though he didn't really mean to.
I had my big brown eyes set on a burned hot dog. And I could smell them. I was so Midwest, Regardless of where I went. And I couldn't help it. I picked up a plate and a bun a quickly got in line letting his hand go for a moment. I watched as he took in his surrounding. Smiling to myself because as quickly as I had found myself out of my comfort zone so had he.
The server placed the blackened hot dog on my plate and I jumped for joy on the inside. I briefly imagined this was what my parties would look like once I made it big. I scanned the crowed as I made my way back over to him. And noticed we were crashing a wedding reception. Everyone was dressed in white or off white. As were we.
I walked up to him taking a huge bite from my hot dog. I placed it up to his face as I enjoyed the familiar taste. He turned his nose up at it before softly pushing my hand away. " That shit will give you cancer." He said passively.
"Well there goes your black card." I laughed taking another huge bite. "You almost had it." I whined wiping barbeque sauce from the sides of my lip.
He surprisingly grabbed the hot dog from my hands. " So you're telling me all I've got to do to get a black card from you is eat this shit?" He quizzed squeezing the bun. He winced as oil from the hot dog and barbeque sauce spilled over his hand. "Damn why does being black come with so many rules?" H e quizzed with a raised brow. I simply nodded my head towards the hot dog. He quickly inhaled the rest of it with two bites. I clapped as he struggled to get it down.
"There." He pronounced. "I did it!" He grinned from ear to ear. "I'm black!" He yelled causing me to burst into laughter. While causing others around us to raise a brow. "Where's my black card?" He asked picking at his teeth.
Just then Cameo - Candy filled the speakers. And everyone. The young and the old took to the dance floor. I began to dance as the beat filled my ears. A simple two step. I pulled him from where he had been standing onto the dance floor. He grinned before we took our place. Four steps to the right. Four steps to the left. And then four back. A step back and then forward. I giggled as he took his place behind me. And we repeated the steps. And we all danced together.
He slowly began to find his own rhythm and I watched over my shoulder with a smile from ear to ear. As the strangers we had imposed upon became family.
