I offered to watch CJ after school on Wednesday until Carter got off. Leon picked CJ up from school because it was his day off, and then we all hung out at the house. CJ sat down to concentrate on his homework with Leon, after preparing and consuming a snack of lettuce wraps with me.
I watched as CJ grew more upset about his arithmetic homework. He had to learn his up-to-ten-digit addition values. Leon timed him so he couldn't count on his fingers and would have to remember the answers. Leon concluded his teaching after roughly half an hour.
CJ immediately rushed to me. "Can I play on your phone again?"
"I have a better idea. Let's play a board game," I suggested.
He made a face. "I don't like those dumb, childish games."
"Me neither. That's why I was thinking of Monopoly," I said, unplugging the game from the entertainment console in the den.
"I don't know how to play," CJ replied, looking at the game curiously.
"I will teach you, then you're on your own, pal," I assured him, putting the game together on the breakfast nook table. Leon came to play with us.
To speed up the game, I dealt with all the properties at the beginning. Every time CJ remembered the sum of the dice added together to determine how many places he could go, Leon and I grinned at each other. But the game had come to a complete halt. No one had a monopoly because CJ refused to sell his property to either Leon or me. When Carter arrived to pick up CJ, that is how he discovered us.
"Why don't you trade with Uncle Leon or Katy?" Carter asked him after Leon explained our dilemma.
"Because they're mine," CJ answered simply.
"You know if you have all the same colored properties, you can build on them. Then, you get more money when someone lands on them," Carter explained.
"Yeah, but they want more of my money too," CJ reasoned correctly.
"That's why you have to make sure you get the better deal," Carter told CJ in a loud whisper. "Let's start with Katy."
"Why Katy?" CJ asked.
Carter looked at me and smirked. "She's super competitive, so I know she's eager to do business." I blushed, remembering why he said I was so competitive.
*****
-Flashback: March 10, 2013-
"C'mon, one more game!" Carter grins as he hears my pleas. I reached for the game card to use in the basketball shooting game.
Bottle Ground has recently shut its doors. While the lead bartender was about to dismiss me, I had already finished closing out my register. Carter arrived to socialize with a coworker. Carter's colleague had already left, so now he is waiting to escort me to my car. He had already defeated me twice in basketball, but I believed that after warming up, I could defeat him.
"You realize I played basketball in college, right?" Carter said to me.
"You realize I'm going to beat you this time, right?" I taunted back.
"Set it up."
"We need to raise the stakes…" I commented.
"How much do you want to bet?"
"I can't take money from you. It's like taking away from CJ."
He smiled. "So what are you thinking then?"
"I don't know. I need a goal to work towards."
"Okay then. How about three favors?"
"Perfect!" I grinned at him.
We then started the game. I turned to look at Carter's score halfway through. He was impinging on me. Again. I smacked the ball out of his hands out of frustration.
He collapsed in laughter as it soared across the room. I made an effort to benefit from this and surpass his score, but I was unable to do so in time. He was looking at me with a smile after the game was over. When I shot him a dirty look, he burst out laughing once more.
"I swear," he said between laughs, "I knew certain players who were vying for the draft who were less competitive than you."
I walked away disgruntled after retrieving the ball. When I came back, he grabbed my arm.
"Don't be like that…" he told me, a teasing smile still on his handsome face. "Will you be a nice sport and congratulate me on winning?"
"Is that one of your favors?" I pouted, sticking out my lips.
"Yes," he said, smiling wider.
"Congratulations!" I huffed. I began turning away from him. I didn't have time to be concerned or even realize what was happening.
All I knew was that something was growing on my lip, to which my soul swore. At its moment of arrival, I was no longer angry or feeling defeated, instead, happiness was what was pursuing me. I didn't give him permission to steal my sacred joy as he dissolved into mine.
His lips crushed into mine. They were soft, but demanding, as he moved into me. I felt my lips and eyes burning with a blazing mouth loosed upon me, as he renewed my body with the fury of youthful caresses. The fire was all over my breasts, arms, and stomach… all the places our bodies were touching.
I didn't reject it. I hugged him as if we had done so for years. My hands traced his chocolate-brown face and rubbed his chestnut body waves as we caved into each other, as we made tunes next to a singing sea.
Barely able to hold my stance, he held me close as my feet danced to death. Like a shooting star dropping abruptly into the water. He finally pulled back, holding me in his arms while blowing hot air on my scorching cheeks.
"Thank you," Carter finally said to me. I uncomfortably shrank from his embrace and stepped back to simply sob from the connection, wanting more of his flame. "I'm guessing that was one of my favors," he whispered for me. I stared into his daring, burning eyes that sank into mine forever.
I nodded in response, still too stunned to speak.
"I'm going to use the last one to-" he started. Before he could finish, Cat called toward us.
"We're locking up now! So C'mon!"
I scurried away to go clock out and retrieve my bag. He took me to my car without saying anything else, not even about the kiss, but later that night I received a text.
Carter: Don't forget. You still owe me one more favor.
I remember laying in bed staring at the ceiling, feeling my body burning. Heat and flame were about to scorch the body of the victim, who was me. Abruptly hotter than any volcano.
I placed my fingers tips on my lips. It felt wrong, but I wasn't sorry. I wanted that fire, give me the fire, I need it. A cannon blast volcano, oh yeah, firing inches across every corner of my body, melting so deliciously. I knew I was on fire and it burns, a healthy burn, keep burning.
*****
-Present-
"Good game CJ," I congratulated him as Carter and I put up the board. I couldn't help but remember our first kiss while sneaking glances at Carter. I noticed Carter, who grinned.
"Can we play again next time?" CJ asked, putting on his shoes. He and Carter beat us. As Roxanna returned home, Leon basically bankrupted himself since he was worn out from playing. When CJ got all of Leon's stuff to settle his obligation, I had no chance.
"Of course," I said, smiling at him. "Maybe I can teach you some other games too."
"Okay, but I want to play Monopoly with Daddy and Roxanna. Uncle Leon and Roxanna can be a team since he lost."
Roxanna snickered at Leon.
"Hey, Katy lost too!" Leon protested.
"Not as bad as you," I pointed out, putting the lid on the game.
CJ exclaimed, "Dad and Katy can be a team since I won."
"Maybe. Come on bud. Lets us head home," Carter responded.
I made an effort to maintain my composure and control my stupid grin at the possibility of being paired with Carter. It's just a game, really, I thought.
I gave CJ a hug on the way out. He then ran out to Carter's truck.
"Good game; surprised to see you lose to a kid so graciously," Carter stopped to tell me.
"Eh, beginners luck. I'll get him next time," I shrugged, looking up at him.
"That's too bad for me…" Carter trailed off.
"Why? You would be on my team remember?"
"Yeah, it's just more fun watching you lose," he replied, flashing a seductive grin, before hopping in the car with CJ.
After Carter drove off, I remained standing there, grinning to myself. It seemed strange that, despite the fact that our relationship had changed significantly, I still had feelings for him. Despite all that had transpired between us, small moments like these gave me great hope that we would be able to patch things up again.