Breakfast

Carrie could smell breakfast. Bacon, eggs, pancakes. Her stomach growled ominously. She hadn't had a proper meal since she was in New Mexico. She put on the black shirt, matching jacket and pants Jerome bought her and went to the kitchen. Jerome was making breakfast himself. He flipped the pancake in the skillet, grooving to the R&B playing in the background. Carrie smiled despite herself.a deep breath.

"Good morning," Carrie said. Jerome jumped, startled.

"Morning, I'm sorry, I didn't get your name last night."

"I'm Carrie, Carrie Hall."

"Jerome Washington." He leaned forward to shake Carrie's hand. He had big hands.

"This is a really nice house, Jerome. I saw your deal toys, you've built a nice life for yourself. I'm envious, I'm working on my MBA right now." JerCRRome looked troubled.

"I was going to say ... you don't fit the mold. Normally, John's girls are strung out strippers. What is your story? How did a MBA stu dent end up being given away?" Carrie took a deep breath. She couldn't expect candor in others if she didn't give it herself. The truth, then.

***

They finished breakfast, and seconds, with Carrie talking and Jerome listening. They discussed you, John, all of it.

"So you gave Junior a promise, he essentially pawned you to John, and John sold the promise to me." Carrie nodded.

"But I don't think anyone has asked you... what do you want, Carrie?" Carrie's eyes gleamed.

"A man worth his salt. A strong man who will keep me, cherish me, make me his. One who won't give me away like I'm chattel." Jerome studied her and nodded.

"I'm not interested in a temporary thing. I'm not a side bull. I'd want to be the primary man in your life. But you can keep your cuck as a toy." Carrie squirmed. Maybe the promise was finally working in her favor

"I would like that. He isn't a loser, but he wants to lose me. He wants to see me in a relationship, to see what he had be taken from him." Jerome nodded.

"Can you stay an extra day? This has promise, but we started in such a fucked up place. Spend the day, I'll get you a swimsuit and we'll replace your phone, and then we can make dinner and see if this chemistry is real."

"I'd love that, Jerome."