Page 19 of Without You
Terrence laughed. “I forgot about that. Not in my house,” he said, wagging a finger and mimicking Grandma Esther’s voice.
“Then you had to go and say, ‘But Grandma, we’re outside.’” Charisse giggled and took another puff. “She almost knocked your head off with that pot.”
“Who you telling? Hell, I can still hear her threatening me, talking ’bout, ‘You ain’t too grown for me to whoop your ass.’”
They both laughed then, and when they stopped, Terrence blinked back the tears that sprang to his eyes. Charisse handed him back the blunt and they sat in silence for a while.
“Thanks for staying with me,” he said.
“Where else would I be, Terrence?”
“You could have left when the kids went back.”
She shook her head. “I couldn’t do that. I loved her too much. I want to make sure her house is packed up neatly.”
“You saying I can’t do that?” he asked teasingly.
“I’m saying you need my help.”
She smiled at him, the way she used to, with affection in her eyes—before he blew up about her new man.
He rubbed away the pain in his chest. “Yeah, I do need you. Thanks, sweetheart.”
* * *
Charisse slippedthe nightshirt over her head and then stepped over to the bathroom mirror. A refreshing shower had been what she needed after a long day packing and lugging boxes. Plus, she’d wanted to eliminate the pungent scent of weed smoke out of her skin.
There was only one bathroom in the little house, so while Terrence took a shower earlier, she put away the leftovers from dinner. He hadn’t eaten much the past couple of days—at least not the way she knew he could eat. Hopefully, he’d regain his appetite soon.
She smoothed moisturizer into her face and tightened a silk scarf over her braided hair. She picked up her discarded clothes and opened the door, and almost bumped into Terrence.
“Hey.” He grabbed her arms.
She inhaled sharply and tensed but resisted the urge to withdraw from his touch. She became very conscious of her skimpy clothes. The thin nightshirt came to mid-thigh, and she wasn’t wearing a bra. “Hey.”
He was shirtless, and she clearly saw the tattoos on his chest and arms that were normally hidden under his clothes. Her gaze focused on the one on his left pec.Charisse.
After she confronted him about one of his women, he’d gotten it to prove her importance to him. She couldn’t remember why she confronted him that time. Could have been because of a photo she saw online or rumors whispered throughout the music community.
Right over my heart, he’d said. A tribute to her. It was strange seeing the tattoo still there. She wondered why he never removed it or redesigned it into something else.
He dropped his hands. “Thought you were already in bed. I’m about to go to the kitchen and tear into that chicken you put away earlier.”
“Got the munchies?” she teased.
“A little bit.” He hesitated, as if he wanted to say something else. Then he shook his head. “Good night.”
“Good night.” She watched him walk away before going to the end of the hall. He’d given her his grandmother’s bedroom, the largest in the house. She tossed the dirty clothes on top of the suitcase and climbed into bed. She didn’t know how much sleep she’d get tonight. A restlessness filled her.
She must have dozed off at some point because she suddenly sensed she wasn’t alone. Her eyes fluttered open in the dark, and she rolled onto her back. Terrence’s dark figure hovered in the doorway.
“Terrence, what’s wrong?”
“Mind if I come in and lay down with you for a minute? My mind won’t let me rest.”
She wanted to say no. The bed was small, only a full-size. But how could she refuse him in his time of need? “Of course not.”
She turned on the bedside lamp and scooted over. He climbed onto the bed and lay on his back on the light comforter instead of sliding under the covers with her. He stared up at the ceiling, and she kept her gaze on him, noting his strong profile and the powerful display of his bare, muscled arms.
