She Ain’t the One Page 16

  “Jay, listen. I understand that after every relationship there’s a cooling-down period. I know you and Ashlee will probably even screw a time or two before things are completely dissolved. But what I understand the most is a good relationship is not built on sex alone. It’s about having each other’s back. And one thing you should’ve learned about me is that I’ve got you. I’m not worried about Ashlee. You’ll be right here…with me. The only thing I wanna know is, do you still love me?”

  “Yeah, I love you. I never stopped loving you.”

  Tracy had definitely grown up since we last dated. We sat kissing while loud claps of thunder attempted to distract our intimate moment. Tracy wasn’t giving in and neither was I. Once I’d tasted enough of her cherry lip gloss, I allowed her to breathe. She seized the opportunity to reask her question.

  “So, Jay Crawford, you gonna marry me or what?”

  I kissed her lips, then answered, “Yes. Yes, Tracy. I’ll marry you.”

  She grabbed my face and sucked my lips some more. I didn’t want her to stop, but she did. Then she stood over me as I sat on the couch. She opened her coat, causing me to have a sudden déjà vu. Tracy stood before me in her birthday suit, which still possessed the same sleek, tender frame that used to drive me crazy. She dropped her coat to the floor, and my dick sprang to attention.

  “Remember this?” she asked, standing seductively.

  “I sure do,” I responded.

  I stood, then picked her up. I proceeded to carry her to the love nest—my bed.

  CHAPTER 22

  Ashlee

  If you do this, you know you’re going to piss him off.

  Why should I give a damn about making Jay upset? We’d been back from Jamaica for ten days and he hadn’t so much as called me once. Pacing in my newly furnished D.C. apartment, I cried, reminiscing on the demise—the day we’d returned from Jamaica to the States—of our relationship.

  Spying from my apartment, I watched that bitch Tracy stand there waiting for Jay to open the car door. The hairs on the nape of my neck curled. “Whatever! He doesn’t love you the way he loves me!” Jay was using Tracy to try and forget about me. Tracy was no more than a doormat for Jay to wipe his feet on. Bet she didn’t have a key like me. Bet she didn’t tell him her little secrets.

  I sat at the window wondering, how could Tracy have known the exact moment Jay planned to propose to me? Her timing couldn’t have been that great. That bitch had used roots or voodoo on him Now the comment about his boys made sense. But why? Why take me all the way to Jamaica to embarrass me, to use me, to sex me crazy, then emotionally abandon me?

  I’d had no intention of going to Dallas when Jay and I returned from Jamaica, but Jay insisted we take a break from one another for a while. No time period like a week or two or three. Just a break. That seemed too permanent for me and I wasn’t having it. Undeniably I was the best thing that’d happened to Jay. He just didn’t know it.

  The day our plane landed at La Guardia, Jay headed to the gate for his connecting flight to Reagan National Airport in D.C. Jay was so upset he didn’t hug or kiss me good-bye. A wave from a distance was all I got while I watched Jay walk away with my engagement ring stuffed in his pocket. I deserved better treatment. I knew he was testing me to see if I would chill out. So far, so good, but my patience was thinning.

  Peeping through the blinds, I watched Jay place Jason in the backseat, fasten Jason’s seat belt, then get into his BMW and drive off.

  I sat in a chair by the window, continuing my thoughts. After we’d parted at La Guardia, I pretended I was going to my gate to go home, then detoured to ticketing and purchased a one-way ticket to Baltimore Washington International Airport. The last thing I wanted was to run into Jay at Reagan National. I’d made arrangements to have my luggage rerouted back to BWI, and then I boarded my flight to Baltimore with my toiletries in my tote.

  I picked up a rental car at BWI. With no destination in mind, no reservation for a place to spend the night, somehow I drove to Jay’s house. Why I couldn’t control my obsession to be with Jay, I don’t know. Next thing I knew, that day, I was standing in front of Jay’s doorbell.

  I convinced myself, Give him a day or two, then come back.

  Returning to the car, I sat staring at Jay’s house. Looking across the street, I noticed a FOR RENT sign in the window. The lower unit of the fourplex had a phone number listed. Immediately I dialed the number, started up my engine, then parked on the opposite side of the street. The manager, who lived upstairs, greeted me at the vacant unit.

  “Yes, hello,” I said, flashing my best smile. “I’m new to this area, and well, this seems like a good quiet neighborhood.”

  “Quiet it is. Nothing ever happens around here. The postman leaves packages on your doorstep. Occasionally kids rip and run in the street, so you have to keep an eye out for ’em. Other than that, no worries.”

  “You mind if I see the apartment?”

  “Not at all,” he said, opening the door. “Everything was done up nicely. New drapes, carpet, refrig, stove. Just put the sign in the window today.”

  Peeping through the horizontal blinds, I saw I had a perfect view of Jay’s place. “I’ll take it.”

  “Well, I’ll need you to fill out an application, and make a deposit,” he said, sniffing the air around him.

  Yeah, you smell like weed, Mr. Manager, I thought. This was going to be easy. Since I hadn’t spent much money in Jamaica, I pulled out two grand in cash. “How much?” One thing Darius taught me was that anything and everyone had a price.

  The manager’s eyes lit up. “Um, five hundred deposit and one thousand for the first month’s rent.”

  I handed him the whole two thousand. “When can I move in?”

  Handing me the keys, he said, “Welcome to the neighborhood. Your parking garage is number two right below your unit. I’ll slide the application under your door.”

  I’d been living across the street from Jay ever since.

  Waiting for Jay and Tracy to leave, I dashed across the street, used my key, and entered Jay’s apartment. The aroma of cinnamon candles and warm vanilla lingered in the air. I walked into Jay’s bedroom. The bed was neatly made. Everything was neat and clean.

  Bitch. She couldn’t wait to take my place. That’s all right, I’ve got something for her ass. Glancing on the nightstand, I noticed the ring box.

  “That’s my damn ring,” I said, opening the box. What the hell? The box was empty.

  Oh, I wanted to call Jay and curse his ass out. Instead I left, went home, and waited for them to return.

  Sooner than I thought, Jay parked in front of his house. Quickly I dressed into my baggy jeans and long T-shirt, hid my hair underneath my baseball cap, slid on my glasses, and followed them all the way to the D.C. zoo.

  I parked about eight spaces from Jay, waited for him to get out of his car, then trailed them at a distance.

  Unexpectedly my cell phone rang. It was Darius. I debated taking his call, fearing I’d lose track of Jay.

  Walking over to the monkeys, I answered, “What?”

  “What? What do you mean, what?”

  “I’m busy. What is it?”

  “Your son, that’s what. We’re going to be in Dallas tomorrow.”

  “And?” I said, moving toward the pandas. “I’m in D.C.”

  “You are truly a piece of work. We’ll be in D.C. next week to play the Wizards. I’ll have my agent send you two courtside tickets. If we see ya we see ya. Bye.”

  Damn! Darius made me lose track of Jay. That was okay. I returned to the parking lot, removed an ice pick from my trunk, and knelt beside Jay’s car. In between people passing by, I punctured all four of Jay’s tires on the sides multiple times. I guess I got carried away and started stabbing Jay’s doors, his hood, his wind-shield.

  “I hate you, Jay! I hate you!” I yelled with each strike.

  “Hey, man! What the fuck are you doing!” Jay yelled, running toward me.

 
; Dropping the pick, I raced to my rental car, fired up the engine, and ripped out of the parking lot. I’d have at least two hours to go back to Jay’s house and plot my next move while going through all his shit.

  That’ll teach you to fuck with me.

  CHAPTER 23

  Jay

  There should be a rule written somewhere that prohibits exes from pestering each other after a breakup because Ashlee was about to drive me crazy. I’d never in my wildest dreams ever thought this woman could be so obsessed, but I was wrong. I hated to admit it but Kyle was right. She wasn’t obsessed, that girl was nuts. One day she’d literally sent six dozen roses to the job, with the sweetest notes I’d ever read. I almost felt bad about how things had ended until the next day when she sent me a set of Ginsu knives with a note that read pick one of these so I can cut your balls off. After reading that I was starting to think she might have been the one who messed up my car. Thank God I got rid of her before a wedding occurred, or even worse, she got pregnant. Oh, and the crazy gifts were just the tip of the iceberg.

  It was the constant phone calls that really drove me crazy. That girl was blowing up my phones twenty-four-seven. I swear to God, she would call my phone a minimum of a hundred times a day. As it was I’d changed her ring tone on my cell phone to the robot’s voice from Lost in Space. So now whenever she called, my phone would chime, “Warning! Warning! Will Robinson!” over and over again. My son Jason thought it was funny, while Tracy and I thought it was scary shit.

  Monday morning began with even more aggravation from Ashlee before I could make it to work. She’d called my cell phone at least fifty times before I left the house. She was probably mad because I called the phone company and changed my home number. My home phone rang so many times last night I had to switch it to SILENCE in order to get any sleep. When I saw her number on the caller ID at work, I asked Steve Jamison, a coworker, to take the call and tell her I was out of the office for the day. As far as I was concerned, Ashlee and I were through…finished…a done deal. The only problem was she just couldn’t get it through that thick skull of hers. She ended up cursing Steve out and calling him a liar.

  On the drive home, I thought about Tracy and Jason a lot. They’d left to go out of town on Friday, something to do with Pop Star, and they weren’t due back until sometime late tonight. We were all supposed to hook up in the morning at Jason’s day care. They were having some type of program. I couldn’t wait, I really missed them.

  I had a few errands to make, including getting a new cell phone number. Maybe now that she couldn’t get in touch with me Ashlee would get the big picture. When I got out the rental car, I made a mental note to call the auto body place about my car. There was almost ten thousand dollars’ worth of damage and a promise from my insurance company that my rates were going to go up. Man, if I ever found out who messed up my car, there was going to be a funeral. My immediate thoughts went to Ashlee, but then I dismissed it because she was in Dallas. She wouldn’t do that. Would she?

  The second I walked up to my door, my nose was met with a tantalizing aroma. I could hear water running in the kitchen sink and dishes clacking. Somebody was in my house, and Tracy was halfway across the country in California. Oh, hell no. Please, God, no, I thought as I opened the door. I put my keys and jacket on the couch and headed into the kitchen. When I turned the corner and saw Ashlee, my temples started throbbing. I wanted to run up and choke the life out of her. What the fuck was she doing here? She had no right to enter my home without my permission. I was pissed, and she was about to find out just how much.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” I yelled. I could tell I had startled her because she jumped and nearly dropped a plate when she turned around.

  “Oh, Jay. There you are, baby. I’ve been trying to reach you all day. Did you know your number was disconnected? And then I called your job and they said you weren’t at work. Did you play hooky today? Because if you did, well, I jumped on the first plane. I’ve been worried sick about you,” she stated with concern. Believe it or not, she had tears in her eyes as she walked toward me with her arms wide. “I’ve missed you.”

  I knocked the first arm coming toward me down to her side, causing the plate she’d been holding to crash on the floor. “Look what you’ve done,” she screamed, pointing at the broken pieces. “That was real china. I purchased it earlier today. It was part of your surprise with dinner tonight.”

  “Surprise?” I questioned angrily. “Don’t you mean more like a disturbance? I broke up with you, Ashlee. Now why the fuck are you in my home, and how did you get in here?”

  At first she looked stunned at my reaction, but then she took a deep breath and smiled. “We didn’t break up. You said we needed some time apart. Well, we’ve had time apart, Jay. I don’t wanna be apart anymore.”

  Suddenly I could feel a migraine coming on. “How the hell did you get into my house?” I couldn’t control my voice.

  “I used my key, sweetheart. How else would I have gotten in?” she responded, then walked away.

  I had forgotten about the spare I’d given her. I could’ve shot my own self at that moment for not remembering to take back my key. Ashlee opened the oven to check on the food. I couldn’t see around her to tell what it was, but the smell was heavenly. I desperately wanted to throw her ass out, then eat up her food in solitude. She pranced about the kitchen and began repeatedly singing a line from one of Diana Ross’s ole school songs.

  “It’s my house, and I live here…It’s my house, and I live here…It’s my house and I live here,” she sang.

  “Ashlee,” I yelled. “Do you not see me standing here?”

  She smiled again. “Of course I do, dear. I’m sorry. I was just making sure the lasagna was ready,” she said, pulling the pan out of the oven. She took a long sniff. “Mmm. I can tell this is going to be sooo goood.” She placed the pan on top of the stove, picked up a serving spoon, and then turned to look at me. “Sweetheart, you shouldn’t be just standing there. You should go get out of those clothes and tidy up for dinner because everything is almost done.”

  I blew a fuse. “I’m standing here because I want you to get the fuck out,” I screamed. “Get out…get out…O-U-T…get your ass out!”

  She dropped the crooked smile she’d worn since I walked in, then set the serving spoon on the stove. “You really want me to leave?” she asked, trying to sound pitiful.

  “If I could say it in another language to help you better understand it I would, but I don’t speak anything except English.”

  She folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the counter. “Hmph. Well, that’s too bad because I’m not going anywhere. And you’re going to behave yourself and sit down for dinner.”

  Enough was enough. I darted toward her, then tussled to grab her around her waist. I tried unsuccessfully to pull her out of the kitchen. She put up a good struggle and won after I became tired trying to restrain her without physically hurting her. I backed against the refrigerator, panting and ogling her. She held herself up on the counter, trying to catch her breath while staring back and apparently awaiting my next move. I was too disgusted to fight any longer.

  “Ashlee, if I have to call the police, I will,” I stated.

  She didn’t say a word. She slowly staggered toward me, then kissed me. Her lips were soft and moist. Her breath was sweet. I wanted to kiss her back, but I knew I’d be sending mixed signals. I stood with my eyes open and watched as she continued to place slow kisses on my face and neck. By the time she made it back to my lips she was crying.

  “I still love you, Jay,” she cried. “Please kiss me back.”

  “Ashlee, you need to lea—” I started.

  “I’m sorry I fucked up. I still love you, Jay,” she whispered.

  She began stroking my dick. I tried to grab her hand to stop her, but she put up resistance. Ashlee knew the right things to say and do to me. She knew it would be tough to refuse her sex.

  “I need you, J
ay,” she said, caressing me through my pants. “Just let me taste him. I promise you’ll like it. “She slid to her knees. I wanted to pull my dick out and feed it to her, but I stayed strong. I knew I couldn’t have sex with her. If I did, I’d mess up everything with Tracy.

  “Ashlee, get up,” I said, helping her off the floor. “We’re just not right for each other.”

  “Yes, we are,” she said. She tried to kiss me and this time I resisted.

  “No, we’re not.” I pushed her away.

  “Jay, don’t do this. Please, I need you.” She grabbed me, pulling me in close. “I was going to wait until our wedding night for this, but I want you to make love to me anally. I want you to fuck me in the ass like those guys do in the pornos we used to watch together. Come on, baby, don’t you wanna fuck me in the ass?”

  I raised both eyebrows, a little surprised by her offer. Anal sex was the only thing Ashlee and I hadn’t done. It wasn’t high on my agenda of things to do, and we never even talked about it when we were together, but the freakish way she offered it to me somehow managed to excite me and get me hard—Ashlee’s cue to keep up her attempt of seducing me.

  “Come on, baby, fuck me in my ass. Please, baby, you know you want to.” She kept repeating those words as she continued to play with me through my pants. I’m ashamed to admit it but a few seconds later my fly was down and my dick was fully erect, standing at attention. Ashlee stood up, pulled down her skirt and panties, then turned her ass toward me. Beyonce didn’t have shit on her. Her ass was just as plump and as inviting as could be. She slapped one cheek, then the other, leaving two red handprints on her ass. My dick jumped a half inch longer.