Close Quarters: A Novel (Zane Presents) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Shamara Ray
enjoying his own joke.
“Mel, I’m kidding,” he called down the hallway.
I went into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. I had to rush to get ready and didn’t have time for Malik with his silly taunts. I showered, dried off and smoothed on my lotion. Male conversation greeted me as I emerged from the bathroom. Great. Ellis had arrived already and was waiting on me. His two least favorite things.
Ellis disliked coming to Brooklyn. He always complained about the traffic, the noise, the parking; you name it. And he despised waiting. If you weren’t on his time, then your clock must be wrong.
I shouted from my bedroom door. “I’ll be right out.”
Ellis and Malik both responded. “Okay.”
Malik was trying to get a rise out of Ellis and, as usual, Ellis took the bait.
Fast only hinted at how long it took to pack my bag. I threw on my black jeans with a black-fitted turtleneck and a black belt. My high-heel boots made the outfit complete. I pulled my hair back into a tight bun and dotted my lips with a bit of gloss. My summer tan had long faded and the freckles across my nose were prominent against my sugar cookie brown skin. I sprayed on my scent du jour and hurried into the living room.
Ellis and Malik sat across from one another, debating about whether the republicans in Congress were doing a good job or not. Malik was a democrat and Ellis, a staunch republican. They would never see eye to eye and neither could be swayed, yet they insisted on arguing over politics.
I cleared my throat. “Babe, my bag, please.”
Ellis stood up, still bantering with Malik. He took my bag from me. I went to the closet to get my light-blue, cropped leather jacket.
“You look nice, Mel,” Malik said.
“Her name is Lina. I can’t fathom why you insist on referring to her as if she is one of your homeboys,” Ellis responded.
“Mel . . .Lina . . .it doesn’t matter.” I moved between them. “Thank you, Malik,” I said, warning my roommate with my eyes. “Let’s go, Ellis.”
“Take care, homeboy ,” Ellis said.
Malik smirked. “Later, brother .”
CHAPTER FIVE
MELINA
T he rain had subsided and the late-day sun peeked through the thick, gray clouds. I was strapped into the passenger seat of Ellis’s Porsche, listening to him rant about how ignorant he found Malik. I reached over and turned on the satellite radio. It was tuned to smooth jazz. George Benson was singing about being lost in a masquerade. I started to sing along. Ellis stopped his tirade.
“Am I boring you, Lina?”
“Relax, Ellis. Every time you see Malik, you get upset. The two of you don’t share the same viewpoints. Why do you persist in trying to engage him in these political or philosophical debates and then get angry when he disagrees with you?”
“I’m not angry,” he said, nostrils flaring.
“You’re not? You have been going on about this for the last fifteen minutes. You haven’t asked me how I’m doing, about my day, nothing.”
Ellis sighed. “I’m sorry.” He finally saw me for the first time that day. His eyes traveled from my head to my toes. “You are absolutely beautiful.”
I leaned over and kissed him on the lips. “Thank you.”
Ellis could be a real pain when he wanted to be, but I loved him. He possessed a raw honesty that I respected, even when I didn’tnecessarily agree with him. At that moment, staring at his rugged profile, I realized that I wanted to spend my life with him. I got lost in the graceful movement of his long lashes every time he blinked. Thought about the way his strong jaw felt against my cheek when he held me close to him. Pictured his burnished brown skin against my own. I licked my lips, savoring the taste and the memory his full mouth left behind.
He saw me admiring him and touched my cheek. “I missed you last week.”
“I couldn’t tell.”
“Your departure was so abrupt yesterday afternoon, I didn’t have a chance to tell you.”
My anger flared slightly
“Mel, I’m kidding,” he called down the hallway.
I went into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. I had to rush to get ready and didn’t have time for Malik with his silly taunts. I showered, dried off and smoothed on my lotion. Male conversation greeted me as I emerged from the bathroom. Great. Ellis had arrived already and was waiting on me. His two least favorite things.
Ellis disliked coming to Brooklyn. He always complained about the traffic, the noise, the parking; you name it. And he despised waiting. If you weren’t on his time, then your clock must be wrong.
I shouted from my bedroom door. “I’ll be right out.”
Ellis and Malik both responded. “Okay.”
Malik was trying to get a rise out of Ellis and, as usual, Ellis took the bait.
Fast only hinted at how long it took to pack my bag. I threw on my black jeans with a black-fitted turtleneck and a black belt. My high-heel boots made the outfit complete. I pulled my hair back into a tight bun and dotted my lips with a bit of gloss. My summer tan had long faded and the freckles across my nose were prominent against my sugar cookie brown skin. I sprayed on my scent du jour and hurried into the living room.
Ellis and Malik sat across from one another, debating about whether the republicans in Congress were doing a good job or not. Malik was a democrat and Ellis, a staunch republican. They would never see eye to eye and neither could be swayed, yet they insisted on arguing over politics.
I cleared my throat. “Babe, my bag, please.”
Ellis stood up, still bantering with Malik. He took my bag from me. I went to the closet to get my light-blue, cropped leather jacket.
“You look nice, Mel,” Malik said.
“Her name is Lina. I can’t fathom why you insist on referring to her as if she is one of your homeboys,” Ellis responded.
“Mel . . .Lina . . .it doesn’t matter.” I moved between them. “Thank you, Malik,” I said, warning my roommate with my eyes. “Let’s go, Ellis.”
“Take care, homeboy ,” Ellis said.
Malik smirked. “Later, brother .”
CHAPTER FIVE
MELINA
T he rain had subsided and the late-day sun peeked through the thick, gray clouds. I was strapped into the passenger seat of Ellis’s Porsche, listening to him rant about how ignorant he found Malik. I reached over and turned on the satellite radio. It was tuned to smooth jazz. George Benson was singing about being lost in a masquerade. I started to sing along. Ellis stopped his tirade.
“Am I boring you, Lina?”
“Relax, Ellis. Every time you see Malik, you get upset. The two of you don’t share the same viewpoints. Why do you persist in trying to engage him in these political or philosophical debates and then get angry when he disagrees with you?”
“I’m not angry,” he said, nostrils flaring.
“You’re not? You have been going on about this for the last fifteen minutes. You haven’t asked me how I’m doing, about my day, nothing.”
Ellis sighed. “I’m sorry.” He finally saw me for the first time that day. His eyes traveled from my head to my toes. “You are absolutely beautiful.”
I leaned over and kissed him on the lips. “Thank you.”
Ellis could be a real pain when he wanted to be, but I loved him. He possessed a raw honesty that I respected, even when I didn’tnecessarily agree with him. At that moment, staring at his rugged profile, I realized that I wanted to spend my life with him. I got lost in the graceful movement of his long lashes every time he blinked. Thought about the way his strong jaw felt against my cheek when he held me close to him. Pictured his burnished brown skin against my own. I licked my lips, savoring the taste and the memory his full mouth left behind.
He saw me admiring him and touched my cheek. “I missed you last week.”
“I couldn’t tell.”
“Your departure was so abrupt yesterday afternoon, I didn’t have a chance to tell you.”
My anger flared slightly