Chapter 15
Before he can say anything, Jamal leans down and covers Bill’s mouth with a heady, soulful kiss.
* * * *
Jamal and Bill met over the summer when Jamal held down a sales job at Jimmy Jazz, a clothing store in the mall catering to a hip-hop crowd. Everyone at Jimmy’s usually finds their way down to Da Hot Spot sooner or later, customers and associates alike. The moment Jamal entered the music store, Bill noticed him immediately—well-dressed in his work clothes, slightly older than the rest of the kids who hung out at the mall during the summer, and God, so damn sexy. Trying to be discreet and failing miserably, Bill began restocking any display near Jamal every time the guy came into the music store. He spent a few days checking Jamal out of the corner of his eye before, one day, he looked over and saw Jamal staring back. He ducked his head, shuffled a pile of CDs, and looked again.
Jamal watched him, a bemused smirk tugging at his mouth. “You got somethin’ to say to me?”
“No, I…” The CDs tumbled from Bill’s hands to clatter on the floor and he disappeared behind the display, cheeks burning with embarrassment as he stooped to pick them up. Under his breath, he muttered, “God, no.”
But Jamal stepped around the display and squatted beside Bill. As they restacked the CDs together, Jamal’s large, warm hands covered Bill’s, holding them a long moment until Bill finally dared to look up at him. The smirk was gone, replaced by an almost shy grin. “I work ‘til closing. You want to hang out after that?”
One night turned into a week, then two. They both worked nights, so they met after the mall closed and spent their evenings driving around town or parking in empty lots until after midnight. They ran with different crowds—Bill has a good six years on Jamal, easy, though neither ever admitted his age to the other. They never saw each other during the day, either, but when they managed to get together after dark, they couldn’t keep their hands to themselves.
Romance sizzled between them for three months, but in August Jamal had to leave for his senior year at Cornell in New York. Four hundred miles separated them, but they kept in touch through email and texts, and weekly phone calls that ran so long, Bill had to switch cell phone plans to avoid paying for long distance. Then Jamal said he’d be down to visit his family for winter break and did Bill want to get together again?
Hell, yeah. Bill could hardly wait
* * * *
Pushing aside the mess on the countertop, Bill clears a spot to sit. He’s been on his feet all day, and the moment his weight rests on the counter, his feet tingle with relief. With a tug on Jamal’s jacket to keep them together, Bill unzips the bulky coat and eases his arms inside, around Jamal’s waist, clasping his hands behind Jamal’s back. Resting his head on Jamal’s chest, Bill hugs him tight. “Jesus, it’s good to see you again.”
Jamal’s hands play through Bill’s short chestnut hair. “You knew I was coming.”
“Not yet, I hope,” Bill teases, dropping his hands to squeeze Jamal’s ass. He arches his head back and sets his chin in the center of the Adidas logo on the sweatshirt Jamal wears. “Kiss me again.”
Jamal obliges, cupping Bill’s face with his large hands. He smells wonderful, a heady mix of sweat and cologne, a scent Bill hasn’t realized he missed until it wafts around him. Spreading his legs, he pulls Jamal into the space between them and holds him close. The store and its employees, the customers, everything beyond this small room has disappeared. The only thing remaining is Jamal.
JamalWho nibbles gently on Bill’s lips, prolonging their kiss for a moment before setting his forehead against Bill’s. This close, Bill can see the sparks of gold flashing in Jamal’s honey-colored eyes and he stares into them hungrily. He wants another kiss, and another, and so much more.
But when he puckers his mouth to touch Jamal’s, the sexy black man laughs. “You a horny fucker.”
“Damn right. I’ve missed you.” Bill presses forward and claims that kiss anyway. “When’d you get back in town?”
Jamal frowns. “Din’t you get my text?”
Squeezing his knees against Jamal’s thighs, Bill says, “Last night, the one that said you’d found a ride off campus. I didn’t know you were leaving today.”
A wide grin spreads across Jamal’s face. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“I’m surprised,” Bill admits with a laugh. “I didn’t even know you were here until Angie said she thought you were shoplifting.”
“What’s that all about?” Jamal wants to know.