Here Comes Trouble (Nothing Special #3)(71)
The room was silent and Curtis could feel his face heating.
“Meaning I heard you’re extremely smart. A highly-awarded honor student,” Genesis added.
“I do okay,” Curtis said, struggling to maintain eye contact. He couldn’t lower his eyes, he wanted to be respected. His dad – Ruxs, told him to always look any man in his eye; otherwise that man will easily dismiss you. However, it was intimidating looking at the man that he’d seen barrel through three-hundred-pound linebackers on National television.
“Oh, he does better than okay. He has his pick of any school in the country, full scholarship.” Vickie chimed in, breaking his and Genesis’ eye contact.
“Impressive,” Genesis commented, picking up a leftover piece of ham from his mom’s plate. She slapped his hand.
“Genny get a napkin. Eating like a caveman,” she said sternly, trying to hide her shy smile.
“Manners, Genny,” Curtis said, his voice dropping a couple octaves. What the heck? Why had he said that? Called the man by the nickname his mother called him. Oh god, let me die here and now.
Genesis looked at him with shock and amusement. “Very funny. Come on. You gonna sit here with the ladies all afternoon sipping tea and discussing pecan pie recipes or do you want to toss the ball with me?”
Genesis didn’t have to say it twice. Curtis was pushing his plate back and standing before the mothers could protest. The man in front of him might be an NFL pro one day, and Curtis would get to say, “Hey, I played catch with him. He’s a cool dude and I know his mom calls him Genny. But on Sports Center he was known as The G-Man”.
“Curtis honey, don’t think you have to jump and do something you don’t want to. If you’re not up to being around the guys, it’s okay. You’ve had a lot on you these past few days,” his grandmother said, clamped onto his arm.
“It’s okay grandma. I’m fine really.” He gently took her hand off, patting it a couple times. He gave her a soft kiss on her cheek and quickly fled the room.
Genesis walked behind him. Curtis was on his way to the back door when Genesis clamped his massive hand on his shoulder, stopping him. Curtis looked back and up. Genesis was so much taller than him it was almost comical.
“Leo. I’m gonna get something for Curtis to wear, he’s coming out too,” Genesis yelled through the screen over Curtis’ head.
Genesis steered him towards the living room and up the stairs. Curtis’ heart was beating wildly in his chest. He walked down the hallway to God and Day’s room. Of course he knew where it was. He’d had to pick up their dry cleaning many times. He just didn’t know how he felt about being in their room with Genesis.
“You know I can’t fit Day’s clothes,” Curtis said, standing in the center of the floor while Genesis rummaged through one of Day’s dressers.
“You can fit a pair of basketball shorts with a drawstring. Then all you need is a white tee. You know Leo wears all his shit two sizes too tight anyway. His jeans are so tight you can see Lincoln smiling on the penny in his pocket,” Genesis drawled, looking back and winking at him. Curtis laughed so hard his eyes watered. It felt real good to do that.
“Take off that monkey suit.”
Curtis choked. “W-what?”
“You’re gonna change aren’t you?” Genesis closed the dresser and walked over to him. Curtis refused to take a step back even after Genesis was practically standing on top of him. He hated to do it but he looked up into those mesmerizing green eyes and lost himself. Before he knew what he was doing, he’d reached up and lightly ghosted his fingertips over the long brown eyelashes that shaded the greenest eyes he’d ever seen. Even greener than his big brother.
Genesis caught his hand and laced their fingers together, staring intriguingly at him.
“Oh shoot. I-I’m so sorry.” Curtis jumped back. He could feel the flames streaking up his neck and onto his pale face. He had to be the color of a beet right now, which made things ten times worse. What was he thinking? He was fondling a grown man, probably making him very uncomfortable in the process. Curtis was still a minor. Last thing Genesis Godfrey would need is some type of scandal. Curtis bolted for the door but Genesis’ long legs got ahead of him before he could reach it.
“Hey. Where are you going beautiful?” Genesis said on a breathy whisper.
“I got to get out of here. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
Genesis’ look was serious as he stared down at him, his large body blocking his exit. “I didn’t say I was uncomfortable.”
“You probably think I’m acting like this because my mom passed. But I really am okay. I’ve just always liked you.” Curtis shook his head quickly. “Not like, like you. I mean liked you as you know. Um. Sports. I really like sports.” Damn. He’d never felt more stupid in his life. Now he was talking like he was a groupie. He could only imagine how many women and men threw themselves at Genesis on a daily basis.
“I think you have the wrong impression about me,” Genesis drawled, running his thumb down the side of Curtis’ face. “You don’t make me uncomfortable. You know what makes me uncomfortable? People who act like they can’t talk to me or touch me; like I’m some kind of untouchable God.”
Curtis leaned in to Genesis’ touch. It was amazing, and surprisingly tender for his size. It’d been way to long since he’d had any affection reciprocated. Because of his social status at school, he didn’t have much experience with dating. He’d had a few crushes, one wonderful relationship that ended in a devastating heartbreak, his first. But that was the extent of it. Genesis was in an entirely different league. “Do you know I’m seventeen?”