Thy Neighbor

Chapter Eleven

"What can I help you find, Sir...?" The shopkeeper at the most expensive wine cellar in the city saunters up to Trevante, laboring with every step. "The lucky lady loves Riesling?"

Trevante lets out an hesitant laugh. Especially since neither him or Ciara got lucky.

Trevante and Ciara slept in their own beds that night after their date. After he asked her to come in, Ciara told him no. She even stuck out her tongue after she said it. Playfully cute but slightly annoying.

He began to think it was all a game, that she was in the business of toying with every man that came her way. There was no way to deny their sexual tension and no way to deny that he heard her on the other side of his bedroom wall, releasing the boatland of tension she had inside of her. She had a complete disregard for noise too and he couldn't understand why she'd do all of that when the real thing was right next door. Celibacy was all a front.

He wanted to text her that he heard her but let it go. Trevante already played the scenarios inside of his head of how it would be if he and Ciara had sex with each other, the whens and wheres. Crossfit girl and gym manager girl ran too much. He just knew Ciara could take all of it.

After the coldest shower he could take, Alissa, the Crossfit girl, texted him to apologize for storming off the other day. He texted her back to prove it. She sent an attachment in return. It did enough of a job. He quickly forgot about what he didn't get from Ciara that night. Alissa followed through.

"How did you know I was shopping for a lady?"

"Just a hunch, that's all. You know her favorite?"

"No, Sir. She just likes Riesling, that's all I know. It's a gift."

"I have the best over here..."

Trevante follows the man to the back of the cellar, the smell of the oak slightly overpowering him as he goes. Scott, his boss, and Yahya, his friend, both recommend this place, their go-to when they need to buy something to make up with misses. Despite no setbacks of that sort, Trevante wants to thank Ciara for helping him land the Proverbs contract. On that she followed through.

"Vinothek. Austria. 1997. Best." And the most expensive. As Trevantes tries to pop his eyes back into his head, he receives a text from Y'lan. After agreeing to work with Proverbs, Y'lan and Trevante struck up a conversation, talking about football and life. Since moving back to Philadelphia, Y'lan struggled to find friends, wanting to separate his play from work, controlling his surroundings enough that he wouldn't find himself waist deep in some women. So Trevante invited Y'lan out to his Friday night get togethers at Ngosi with Yahya and Michael.

Trevante, just following up. I sent all of the paperwork over to your email. Also I won't be able to hang out Friday. Last minute event at Proverbs."

No worries, man. Just let me know.

No doubt. Thanks, man. Do you have the contact from Protestant Placements?

Yep. I'll text you her name and contact. Just let me reach out to her first so she knows you'll be reaching out. Her name is Ciara.

Y'lan drops the phone onto his desk. Of course, God, of course. But maybe it's another Ciara, he thinks. He avoided her like she was the plague but knew he'd have to see her eventually. Deep down he wants to see her, no way to deny his heart. But did she want to see him? And would there be a way he didn't have to deal with her at all. He doesn't have to use Protestant Placements.

Sounds good. Thanks, man.

It wasn't good.

Ciara wasn't doing too good herself. As she sits on her living room floor, flipping through a PowerPoint, she can't stop thinking about Trevante. She hasn't heard from him all day, which feels weird. Ciara begins to think that he felt a way about her turning him down, confirming her thoughts that he just did what he had to do to get in bed with her. But then she felt like she gave herself too much credit. It isn't that deep, she kept reminding herself. Get out of your head.

Her head keeps her thinking about how it would have been better for Trevante to get her off that night and not herself. But she fears that having sex with him would introduce expectations and Ciara is prone to run. She wants to run... and for Trevante to tell her to stop.

She starts to tug on her cotton shorts, shifting her whole self down to the floor. She couldn't help it. Thinking about Trevante had her on edge. As her right hand creeps between her thighs, she hears a knock at the door. Fuck.

"Trevante. Hey!"

He could tell that he interrupted something important. As for what, he keeps it clean.

"My bad for not texting you..."

"No, it's okay. Come in..."

Ciara watches him walk into her apartment. His suit fits him like a glove. She wants to rip him out of it.

"I got the placement. Just wanted to say thank you. Here." Trevante hands Ciara the bottle. She can't help herself, failing to stop the smile gracing her face. He didn't have to do all of this, she thinks. There are other things he could do. She quickly brings herself back into reality.

"1997? Well, shit. Thank you, Sir."

"The least I could do, you know."

I know.

"You want to pop this thing open?" Ciara says as she walks into her kitchen, Trevante watching her in the most reserved yet intense way.

"I would love to but I have to get to the gym."

Ciara feels dismissed. Understanding but still hurt. "But I spoke to my connection at Proverbs and they're super interested in working with your organization for staff."

"Oh? Yeah, cool. Give them my contact info." Ciara eyes shift from gratitude to desolation. She didn't want Tre to leave. But in her mind, he used her for what she had, nothing more or less.

"Cool. I think he said that they have an event this Friday."

"Nice. I'll check them out. Thanks."

Ciara starts to shift Trevante's body toward the door which feels awkward to him. He feels like she wants him to leave, like there is no need for him anymore. Even in that space, he feels like she is letting go. He hates it.

"Cool, cool. Uh, I'll get going but what about dinner when I get back from the gym. My place. Bring your bottle if you don't dust it first."

"First of all..." Ciara laughing through the glee finally coursing through her veins "...I got some restraint."

"You do. I learned." Ciara's head shoots back, slightly bewildered. She knows a shot when it hit her. Trevante has a smart-ass mouth and she's likes it.

"Bye, Trevante. I'll see you later."

Trevante walks out of her apartment and Ciara walks straight into her bedroom. She bought some new batteries for a reason.