1. Roll the Die


    Date: 8/17/2016, Categories: Love Stories, Author: Delphi, Rating: 7, Source: LushStories

    month.” Her long, pink nails dragged over his hand. Slid over the tiles as she backed down. The booth sighed under her. “You did notice.” “Yeah.” His lips quirked. “Were you telling me this for my benefit or hers?” “Shit, both.” She rolled her eyes and took another pull from the straw. “You know everything between her and her husband?” “It isn’t my place.” Her face tilted to one side, her wide eyes blinking. “Whatchu mean, it’s not your place? She’s sitting here, talking to you every time you come in, making you think she’s interested, and it ain’t your business? I’d want to know everything about the guy hitting on me.” Jesse forced his smile downward. “It’s up to her how much she wants to tell me.” “No. See, that’s how you get fucked up. You need to know this shit,” she tapped her finger against her temple, “to understand what’s really going on. Work smart, not hard. Don’t get surprised.” Roxanne had been nothing but a surprise. Sweeping tattoos sleeved her willowy arms. Feminine muscles gracing her skin. Capable, but fragile. Knowing and not, but wanting to. Wanting to know everything. It was unnerving, but attracted him all the same. He’d found a random die in his classroom and rolled it to make a seemingly meaningless decision. But it had led to her. Changed his entire meaningless existence. “What you should be asking yourself is why ain’t she here.” “Shouldn’t I ask you?” Her lips parted slightly and she looked down, fingers sliding through the condensation of the pint ...
    glass of water. “Probably shouldn’t tell you she pressing charges against her husband. Divorcing his ass too.” “Why? What charges?” “He use ta hit her. You know, they been together since they in high school. People kids then. They don’t grow up together; they jus’ grow apart.” Jesse took a deep breath. Swallowed. His skin felt numb, his brain like nothing but white space. Hit her. She met his gaze again. “Don’t hurt her, Teach. She’s kinda... she got some problems. Don’t go there, that’s my advice.” With another quick sip of water, the bartender left his table. He stared at the tile under the cup, its colors melting together. Don’t go there . Probably good advice. **** “What’d you tell him?” Roxie cornered Aisha next to the dumpster in the back of the restaurant the next day. “You shoulda told him the truth.” “What’d you say?” Aisha flicked her cigarette. “Nothin’. Just told him you divorcing yo’ husband. That he hurt you. Maybe I said he should leave you alone.” “Why?” “He old enough to be your father. That shit don’t fly.” Roxie jammed her hands into her coat. “You had no right to say anything to him. I wouldn’t say anything personal about you to Peanut if he walked in.” “Oh, Peanut know he got a crazy bitch. That crazy motherfucker. But he knows this bitch gets down.” Her friend bent over and bounced her ass up and down, watching her over her shoulder. “Know what I’m sayin’? Know what I’m sayin?” “Fuck, Aisha. Shut up.” Laughter sprang from Roxie’s body, echoing around the ...