Carl Weber - Baby Momma Drama

She stepped between her friends and looked up and down my six-foot-three-inch frame. “I doubt it, baby. I don’t even know you. And don’t think you could handle me if I did.” She swung her head toward her friends, gesturing for them to follow her to the club.

“Hey, why don’t you let me buy you a drink so we can get to know each other and find out?” She turned back to me with this confused look. She was probably trying to figure out where the hell I was coming up with these corny-ass lines. I was so embarrassed I wanted to smack myself.

“You buying them a drink, too?” She looked at her friends, who were now battling for Matt’s attention.

“Only if you want me to,” I said sincerely.

“Fuck ‘em. Let ’em buy their own drinks.” She smiled at me. I have to admit I was in shock. I couldn’t believe that stupid-ass line worked. Those were some of the corniest lines I’d ever used and she actually went for it. I put my arm around her and guided her toward the club. This might actually be a happy birthday after all.

Two hours and damn near a sixty-dollar bar tab later, Stephanie was sitting next to me with her arms around my neck. She was drunk. I was even drunker. Her two friends had found some other playmates for the night and Matt had left. He took his marriage vows pretty seriously, so when the so-so sisters offered to do a two-on-one he decided to grab a cab back to base before he did something stupid. I didn’t go with him, but I wasn’t expecting to get laid anymore, either. I was just hoping to get Stephanie’s phone number and possibly take her out to dinner later in the week. She wasn’t as ghetto as I first thought, though she was rough around the edges. From what I could tell from our conversation, she was the kind of woman I wanted to get to know long-term. She was a woman with real dreams, and unlike some of the sisters I’d met, she actually had a plan to achieve them. I liked that.

“What’s up with that ride?” she asked.

“baby, I like you, but I’m not in any shape to drive. That’s a brand-new truck out there, and I don’t plan on crashing it.” Matt was the designated driver, and before he would leave I had to promise to catch a cab back to base if I didn’t get lucky. And that definitely didn’t seem to be in the cards. I’d tried to kiss Stephanie on the dance floor a few times but she just pushed me away. I was sure she liked me, but she wasn’t gonna make it easy. I was probably in for quite a few cold showers before she would give me some.

Stephanie looked at me with a grin. “You sure you can’t drive? I only live about four blocks from here. Don’t you want your birthday present?”

“Huh?” I raised an eyebrow in confusion. “What birthday present?”

“Damn, they don’t let you out much in the army, do they?” She laughed.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I slurred

“If you don’t take me home, you can’t get no ass. That’s what it means.” She kissed me gently on the lips.

Suddenly, I felt like I was sober. I hadn’t had any in over six months, and on the first night this fine woman was offering to give me some. I had to control myself from leaping out of my seat.

“lets go. I can drive.” I grabbed her hand and she almost fell on the floor as I tried a little too eagerly to help her from her seat.

“Okay, but maybe we should walk. We’re both a lot drunker than I thought.” She tried to regain her footing. I didn’t argue with her, but the truth is, new truck or not, I would have driven to hell and back to get some from her. I don’t know why, but it just felt right.

When we got outside the club, the night air felt good for February. It was more like an early spring night. Stephanie wrapped her arm around my waist and I did the same to her, massaging her beautiful hips as we walked in silence. It only took about five minutes to walk to her apartment. When we arrived at her door she kissed me. I kissed her back, slow and passionate.

“Travis,” she whispered, still holding onto my waist.

“Yeah,” I whispered back.

“You don’t do this very often, do you?”

“Do what?” I leaned back so I could see her face.

“Go to clubs and pick up girls.”

“No, I don’t. How’d you know?” My voice was low, and I was afraid she would hear my embarrassment.

“The way you kissed me. Like I was your girl or somethin’.” I looked at her and smiled. She was right. That’s exactly how I was trying to make her feel. That’s just the kind of guy I was. I wanted her to feel safe and comfortable, even if this was just a one-night stand.

“Did you like it?” I smiled. She smiled back.

“Yeah, but it scared me. Only one man’s ever kissed me like that before. My daughter’s father.”

“You’ve got a daughter?” I raise my eyebrows. She hadn’t mentioned a kid all night.

“Yeah, she’s nine months old. She’s at my mom’s for the weekend.” Nine months old? Damn, she just had the baby. Where the hell was the father?

I watched her walk into the apartment and throw her jacket on the sofa. I hesitated at the front door, looking inside. Lord, please don’t let this girl’s baby have some crazy, deranged father. ’Cause the last thing I wanted was to get caught doing the nasty with some other brother’s woman.

“What are you doing out there? Come on inside,” she ordered when she realized I hadn’t come in. I obeyed but entered tentatively. I was seriously thinking about backing out. I wanted some from her real bad, especially after she bent over to pick up something off the floor and gave me a full view of that beautiful backside. But I wasn’t sure if it was worth the stress. She lived in the projects, had a kid, and probably had a baby’s father somewhere close.

“You ain’t got no man, do you? I mean, where’s your daughter’s father?” I asked warily.

“No, I ain’t got no man. I don’t want no man. I just wanna have a good time. And my daughter’s sorry-ass father ain’t been around since she’s been born. He’s up in D.C. tryin’ to be a rap star. You ever heard of a group called KRN? It’s short for Kill’a Richmond Niggas”

“Nope, never heard of them.”

“Neither has anyone else. But they’ve been opening for a go-go group in D.C. called Top Side. Would you believe that nigga left me right when my baby was born?”

I shook my head. I’m not sure if it was because I was horny or what, but I believed her and calmed down. I wrapped my arms around her.

“Kiss me like you did before.” She smiled.

I did what she asked, this time kissing her even more passionately.

“Wow, a girl could get used to that.” She led me up the stairs and before we entered the bedroom I kissed her again.

“I’m not looking for a man,” she repeated. “Just a good time.”

I hesitated. I’d never had a real one-night stand before. Any time I’d ever slept with someone it ended up becoming a long-term relationship. Since I was fifteen years old this was the longest gap I’d had between serious girlfriends. The truth was, I wanted a woman in my life. But at that moment, I’d take what I could get. After all, it was my birthday and we could talk about tomorrow when the sun came up.

She said it again, this time a little more serious. “I’m not looking for a man.”

I exhaled. “That’s good. I’m not looking for a woman. It’s my birthday. I’m just looking to have a good time, too.”

I massaged her ass, trying to reassure her it was all about the sex. She looked up at me with a smile. I think she knew I was fronting. She knew I wanted more.

“Why don’t we pretend I’m your woman just for tonight, okay?”

I nodded and she led me into her room. It was small and needed to be painted. The only furniture she had in it was a dresser, a full-size bed, and a small crib. I sat on the edge of the bed and kicked off my shoes. There were condoms on the dresser, so I guess she had planned on bringing home company. I watched her pull down the shades to the two tiny windows. Then she spun around and unbuttoned her blouse in one swift motion.