Page 39 of Harboring Shantae

They were already well into their second bottle and Shantae felt herself loosening up the more she drank.

"But things aren't going as you hoped they would, either."

"Yesssssss."

She knew Trista would understand her.

"Let me ask you this, and no, I won't make you betray Panther, but it's clear as day he's had some trauma in the past. Is it bad enough that maybe the answer is he just needs time?"

She let a very heavy and audible sigh slip through her lips.

"Maybe. I mean, is his trauma bad? Yeah, but on the same note, it's misguided. He doesn't deserve to be held down by it. I just don't know how to help him see that."

She wanted to believe that if she continued to let things go as they were going now between them, then eventually his feelings might evolve into something more. But she knew Camron, maybe better than anyone else. He could stay in his comfort zone forever and just let himself continue believing he didn't deserve the whole package.

"Maybe it's not about helping him see that, but just being there for him while he works through it."

"Damn, and here I thought you would be the one telling me to pull him out of it by any means necessary."

Trista snorted out a laugh. "That's always an option. Sometimes a good romping in the sheets can fix just about anything. But I think, in this case, Panther needs more. I could be completely wrong. In that case, then yes, you should absolutely ride that man like a horse."

She spat the wine that was in her mouth halfway across the table. This was why she chose Trista to spend time with. She would not only call it like she saw it, but would provide entertainment as well.

"Isn't it save the horse and ride the cowboy?"

Country music wasn't her favorite, but she was sure that's how it went. It was one of those songs that were always played at weddings or parties because it had a decent beat.

"True." Trista dragged the word out a bit. "That actually sounds better anyway, because what person wants a man hung like a horse? Ohhh." Trista snapped her finger. "Did you see that video on the clock app about the woman using the tape measure to describe the acceptable length of a man's cock? Now that was a woman who knows what she was talking about. The whole skipping my next life is what got me."

They were both laughing and gasping for air now. She had seen that video and the accuracy had nearly toppled her over she laughed so hard at the time. It probably would have if she hadn't been at work. Getting caught watching such a video would've been scandalous in her father's eyes.

"So, how would you rate Falcon?"

"Almost too big for sure. I showed him the video, and he didn't even argue. My man is confident in what he has. Especially since he knows exactly how to use it."

That was hot as hell. Shantae wanted a confident man, but one who also took care of her needs. Falcon seemed like the type of man who always took care of Trista. Unlike the guys she had been with in her past. There was a reason her vibrator and dildo got a lot of action. She was sick of the men she met. The ones who were too shy and didn't know how to use what God gave them. Or even worse, the ones who thought they were the shit but only cared about what they needed to get off. She lost count of the number of times she was left unsatisfied.

Camron wouldn't be like that, though. She knew without a doubt he was of the same mindset as Falcon. He would make sure she was taken care of.

For the next hour, they kept things light. They talked about her job at the daycare and how nice everyone was. Trista made sure to bust on Wes, which seemed to be the norm for everyone. She liked that, as a boss, Wes was relatable to his people. The man was a millionaire and could hide away while others worked, but that wasn't what he did. He was at the barn every day, working just as hard as his teams.

By the time Trista reached out to Falcon, they were finishing up their third bottle of wine. She was feeling the effects of it and there was no denying she would be sporting one hell of a headache in the morning. It would be worth it though, because she had a plan. She would continue to be patient and show Camron he was worthy of someone's affection.

Chapter 19

"Youcheated,"Falcongrumbled.

"How exactly does one cheat in War? I just flipped the next card over on the pile."

Since Trista and Shantae demanded they needed some female alone time at her house, Falcon was forced to spend the evening with Panther. Neither of them was big on sports, so instead they broke out an old deck of cards and opted for one of the simplest card games known to man.

"I saw you mix those cards up when you thought I wasn't looking."

"You're just mad I keep beating you, but you only have yourself to blame. You're the one who dealt the cards out."

"Or you're cheating," Falcon mumbled for the second time.

He certainly wasn't. That role belonged to Giggles who always felt the need to win. But Falcon could be a bit of a sore loser. Especially after losing three hands in a row.