Divine

IX

Pulling up to the nondescript  building in the roughest neighborhood in North Little Rock was not the first thing that came to Eric's mind when he decided to take part in this adventure. Elle chuckles to herself at the weary look on his face, simply directing him on where to park.

Once their feet touch the pavement they're approached by a darker hued male with a long mane of free form locks. His dress was professional but the smile on his face is warm and inviting.  After patting each of them down he escorts them through the low hanging door. They are immediately assaulted by the smell of burning herbs and the humming of a songstress draped in a silken gown the color of the setting sun. She seemed to cut through the crowd with her beautiful rendition of a Whitney Houston classic.

The room was just wide enough to fit the crowd snugly but no one seemed to mind, they were too busy enjoying themselves. Eric gripped Elle's hand as they weaved through the tables to the brightly lit bar in the back. She orders them both a glass of cognac. She downs hers in one smooth move, leaving Eric turned on by the way she handles her liquor. They look up as the song ends, the crowd giving the singer a well deserved standing ovation.

"Who'd have though that somebody as stuffy as you would have brought me to a spot like this." Elle chuckles looking at him for the first time under the club lights. His dark blue button down cling to his already perfectly sculpted body. His dreads in two strand twist hung well past his chiseled chest. Eric found it funny that she wasn't even trying to hide the fact that she checking him out. As if her eyes hadn't seen him in all his naked glory.

"You have this thought in your head that if a women doesn't immediately throw herself at you that she's a prude. Not everyone has sex as frivolously as you. Don't act as if your name and dick isn't well know on the streets." He cleared his thought uncomfortable in the direction that the conversation was headed. He knew he'd wilded out a bit after the bitter break up with his child's mother, sex being the only therapy that sooth the bruise that she'd left on his ego. He never really thought of his actions as hoish, but he was never contemplating a relationship with any of the women that he penetrated either.

"Well I can only hope they spoke positively of me." He beckons for a refill.

"Don't you want more than a woman to dump all your insecurities in? More than a meaningless nut and a blurry face to add to the countless ones you've had before? Do men even believe in love anymore or has it become a obscure ideal like chivalry or honesty?"

"Why do women seem to think that all men can speak for each other? I can only speak myself, yes I used to believe in all those things. But just like a woman can be hurt so can a man. We're different sexes not species." At that moment Elle saw the heartbreak in his eyes, the hitch when he said the word hurt like he couldn't bare the word being synonymous with him.

At that moment she understood him completely.

"So this is what you do when my sister is pregnant?" Both of there heads swivel to the agitated brown-skin woman. Elle looked at Eric who seemed just as confused by the drama that was unfolding before him.

"Kandi don't start with that bullshit. You know  me and your sister have been done for months now." She crossed her arms, Chanel bag tuck in the crook of her elbow. She straight faced him tossing her mass of curls to the left as she swung her neck. She looked him in his eyes as if he was the only one confused about his relationship status.

"I think it's time for us to go." Elle grabbed the curve of his elbow, striding purposefully to the door. By the stairs was a very beautiful and obviously pregnant woman waited for them. They skid to a hold as she looks at the clearly agitated couple.