"If at first you don't succeed
Dust yourself off, and try again
You can dust it off and try again, try again
Cause if at first you don't succeed
Dust yourself off, and try again
You can dust it off and try again, dust yourself off and try again, try again

I'm into you, you into me? But I can't let it go, so easily.
Not 'till I see, where this could be, could be eternally, or just week.
You know our chemistry, it's off the chain.
It's perfect now, but will it change?
This ain't a yes, this ain't a no.
Just do your thang, and we'll see how it goes…"

Aaliyah - "Try Again"

"I'm soooo sorry!" Maria wailed as Giselle held back her hair as she continued to wretch into the bathroom toilet once they were secure in their shared domain. Eventually, Giselle was able to get Maria cleaned up and into her own room.

Erik made an anonymous phone call to the complex manager to let them know there were chunks floating in the jacuzzi and that the entire area needed to be drained and disinfected. He showered and brushed his teeth in the bathroom and threw their swimsuits into the apartment washer to be cleaned. He scrubbed the toilet and sink with Lysol. Twice.

"Erik was just trying to help me not be a virgin, and then I just threw up—"

"That's not what was happening," Erik stressed to Giselle when he went back to check on them. Maria's head was bent over a wastebasket on the side of her bed. She held a small clear trash bag in her hand. There were several laid out next to her on the bed.

"I wanted to kiss Holden, but I've never kissed anyone before, and Erik was showing me how to not be nervous about kissing, and then I…bwwerppp—"

Erik had to leave Maria's bedroom once her vomiting came back full force. After an hour passed, Maria was well enough to brush her teeth again and throw away all the trash bags she had used. Erik sat in the living room wondering what Giselle was thinking.

"I put her to bed with several more trash bags near her head in case she can't reach the bathroom. You might want to check on her to make sure she doesn't vomit in her sleep. You look a hot mess too," Giselle said.

"I wasn't trying to be her first. All I did was give her a peck on the lips to help her—"

Giselle held up a hand.

"I got the entire story."

Erik let out a heavy sigh of relief. Giselle plopped down next to him on the couch.

"What a night," she said.

"Tell me about it."

"Did you really have to punch Wesley?"

Erik's face turned hard.

"He came at me wrong."

"He only did that to get a rise out of you and you fell right into his trap. You have to act a lot more mature if you're going to do well here, Erik."

His age.

That's what was turning her off from him. And damn if he didn't act like a young knucklehead in front of her by knocking the shit out of Wesley. Right out of his chanclas. The giggle fits started again and he couldn't help himself.

"What is so funny?"

Her expression was so perplexed that he knew he had no chance with her. And that made him laugh more.

"I knocked that nigga straight outta his flip flops!"

They could hear Maria from her bedroom laughing loudly with him again.

"Both of you need to sleep this off," Giselle said standing up and heading for the front door.

Erik grabbed his cell and stuffed it in the back pocket of his jeans.

"Hold up, I'll walk you back to your apartment," he said stepping into his slides once more.

"I made it over here on my own. I can make it back by myself."

"I'm coming with you anyway," he said.

She didn't speak to him as he walked with her. The cool air cleared his head and he resigned himself to being a non-entity with Giselle. She wasn't vibing with him at all and it was just as well since she thought he was immature. And probably horny too after catching him kiss Maria.

Giselle's apartment was far away from his own and that was just another sign.

"Why did you come back over?" he asked.

His question caught her off guard. They stood in front of her apartment door. She lived in a first- floor unit. Her eyes avoided his face.

"You're not going to answer my question?"

Giselle finally looked him in the eye.

"I just came back to see if you were okay. You and Maria were drinking a lot, and still in the jacuzzi when everyone left."

"You were worried about me."

Erik smiled and moved a little closer to her, trying to get his flirt on. She stepped back from him.

"It's not a good look to be the sloppy drunk at a mixer."

"We weren't the only ones—"

"But you're not white. You stand out. Everyone is already watching your every move because of what Mr. Stark said at the first orientation. Be smart about your shit, Erik."

"Maybe I should hang around people like Roland," he said with a bit of sarcasm tinged in his voice.

"Maybe you should."

"I was trying to hang with you but you kept ignoring me."

"I wasn't ignoring you—"

"Yes, you were. Every time I walked over to you, you left me hanging like I had the plague. I thought we were cool—"

"We are cool—"

"Nah, you weren't feeling me at all. You even left with Roland."

"I went to make sure Wesley was okay and that you wouldn't get into any trouble. You could've really hurt him, Erik. Killed him—"

"I swear y'all act more worried about these assholes—"

Erik tried to catch himself before he really went off. He could feel his quick anger rising in his chest.

"Then don't act like an ass yourself—"

"Oh…so I'm the ass for checking a lil bitch coming at me for no reason? Fuck outta here—"

"Why do you get worked up so fast? Chill, nigga," she said.

"I'm not getting worked up!" he shouted, irritated that she was talking to him like he was some random hood boy.

"I know you not tryna get loud with me because we can go there!"

Erik's neck tilted to the side. The Baltimore was coming out of her when she clapped her hands at him like she was ready to throw down. That cultivated and polite intern she displayed earlier had switched up real quick. He liked this version of Giselle. This one right here was making his dick chub up. There was something about a woman who didn't back down from him that got him excited fast.

"Let's go there then!"

He came at her full-throated and took up all the space between them, nudging her back against her apartment door.

"You wanna be a mouthy bitch, then be about it!" he demanded.

His eyes narrowed and he felt his nostrils flare. His dick was hard as granite and pressing deep into his jeans, aiming right at her. His hormones were all over the place just being next to her. She breathed heavily aware that she couldn't move past him with her body blocked by his. He was taller too, and his face was right down next to hers. He was ready to fuck or fight this woman.

"All I wanted to do was talk to you all night," he whispered to her.

She didn't push him away when he let his body brush against hers. His erection touched her hip and her eyes dropped down to look at the hard bulge in his pants. She closed her eyes and let her head tilt back until it was touching the door.

"I'm not here for this, Erik."

"I think you came back to see me for this. But then you saw me kiss Maria. Tell me I'm right about that. That's why you left. You thought I was hooking up with her and got mad."

Giselle's eyes looked away from his once more and he smiled.

"Running around in that bikini knowing I was watching you. You were tryin' to get my dick hard for you. Admit it."

"A lot of people were wearing bikinis, Erik. I wasn't wearing it to show off just for you. Be serious."

She still wouldn't look at him, but he felt her hip grinding against his stiffness.

"We can handle this right now," he said allowing his hands to drop down and grip her waist.

Her mouth parted slightly and he could only think about kissing those lips that he had been pining away for all week. Every time she spoke to him about the most mundane things at the Stark offices, he could only daydream about being alone with her. She had no idea how badly he wanted to hold her…touch her all over…let his lips drift over hers and down her body. It was torture for him to watch her stick to Roland's side, her soft skin pressed next to the dull flesh of a man unworthy of her brains and beauty. It irked the shit out of him that she wouldn't even sit next to him in the jacuzzi for a few minutes but was willing to swim with Roland for over an hour. But here she was now, almost panting with him so close to her. He could see she was mentally fighting her attraction to him, doing her best to keep from looking at his eyes directly. His unfiltered desire was reflected there.

"Take me to your room," he urged, letting his head dip down to her neck. He kissed her there, his soft lips lingering, waiting for her to consent to whatever she would allow him to do for her. He would eat her pussy, suck her toes, lick her ass cheeks…whatever she wanted he was down for. Maybe she would let him pull her braids while he hit it hard and deep from the back…

"Let's just keep our relationship professional," she finally whispered back to him.

He closed his eyes with disappointment. His Baltimore babe was curving him. He was going to have to walk back to his apartment with a nine-inch boner cutting into the denim of his pants.

"Fuck," he said. He didn't mean to say it out loud in front of her, but he was upset. She had him worked up and would have him worked up all summer more than likely. Maybe she was saving herself for that boring white boy Roland.

"You should go back and look in on Maria."

You should play with my dick.

He wanted to say that to her. He wasn't above begging at that point. He dreaded walking back carrying all that hard weight between his legs.

"Can I use your restroom at least?" he asked.

Her eyes looked suspicious of his motives.

"Lemme take a piss and get this shit down. You want me walking in on Maria like this?"

Giselle laughed and opened her apartment door. The layout was the same as his and he went straight to the bathroom.

He lifted up the toilet seat and gripped his shit, aiming it for the center. His nutsack was tight, and urinating wasn't helping to relieve his problem. He had to step back and tilt his hips and penis to keep from peeing on the seat and the floor. Taking a piss was always tough with a hard-on and he had difficulty voiding his bladder with his urethra pinched tight from all the blood engorged down there.

Flushing the toilet, he scrubbed his hands clean with her scented mango liquid soap.

"Who are you roommates with?" he called out when he heard her in the living room.

"I don't have one yet," she said.

"Yet? How did that happen?"

"My roommate is coming later next week. Late arrival to the internship."

"Lucky," he muttered.

He adjusted his dick, but his erection wouldn't go away.

"You okay in there?" she called to him.

"Give me a minute…damn. You got my shit standing at attention. It doesn't just go away like that."

He was annoyed with her now. He heard her turn on the tv. Waiting patiently for his penis to relax, he tried thinking of things that would deflate the problem. All his thoughts were of Giselle's warm frame against his.

He was going to have to work it out the only way he knew how.

He unfastened his jeans and let them fall to his knees. Pulling down his boxer briefs he released his erection and watched the turgid deep brown flesh bob in front of the bathroom sink. Three small pearls of pre-cum seeped from his slit and he used his fingers to slide it around his tip until it glistened with more that dripped out of him.

His left hand held onto the sink as his right hand gripped the underside of his fat mushroom cap. Veins were already swelling on the top and underside of his rigid manhood. The tension of the night needed an immediate release. And if he had to nut in Giselle's sink to reach equilibrium, that's what the fuck he was going to do.

He started pumping his fist, pissed that he was rutting into his own hand instead of Giselle's. He hadn't had pussy since he left D.C. He thought for sure he would get some after visiting his Grandpop in Oakland before flying down to Los Angeles, but that trip had been filled with visits to extended family and friends and he had no time to roam his old stomping grounds. Even his favorite babe Sauda, who he had been fucking in the East Bay since he was sixteen, was out of town. He needed to get his dick wet, or sucked, or jerked off. And he wanted Giselle to do it.

The spank bank in his mind thought of her in that red crochet bikini, small titties sitting high, slender hips unable to hide the mini donk she slung on that back. She had a deceiving figure, lean and athletic looking from the front, but the moment she turned around…all bets were off. Visions of her sliding in and out of the heated pool flitted through his brain. Water rolling off of her skin made her glisten like the perfect wet dream. He could see himself untying that bikini top, freeing her breasts for his tongue and pliant lips. He could also see himself wrapping those strong legs of hers around his hips while he fucked her in the water, yanking on those dark ropes of hair that dripped down her back. He would serve her that good dick, let that B-more pussy get stretched out wide by some Oaktown pipe.

"Oh…shit…" he mumbled, curling his lips to try and keep noise to a minimum. He touched the base of his dick and could feel the pulse of his entire body rooted down there. His fingers slid back up and circled his frenulum, twisting the sensitive flesh until he could feel his toes bunching up in his slides.

"Are you okay-?"

Giselle stepped into the bathroom and watched him beat off over her sink. The lustful heat in his eyes sought out relief in hers. He was turned on, even more, staring at her in the mirror as he worked his thick shaft.

"Got me in here doing this," he hissed at her, no shame in his stroke game as he fisted himself harder, his dick swelling between his slick fingers. A long clear string of pre-cum oozed down onto her sink and he groaned.

Giselle rested her chin on his shoulder and watched his face as his jaw went lax. Her left hand snaked around his waist and lifted up his t-shirt so she could see the muscles in his chest and abs. Her thumb and index finger pulled his nipple and his breath hitched. Her right hand reached around and gripped his dick for him. He released it and let her jerk him off.

"Fuck…Erik…you're so thick…so hot to the touch," she gasped.

Her fingers and palm squeezed and twisted his dick, molding themselves around him like they were supposed to be there all the time. He squeezed his balls and her eyes stared down at the heft he held there for her. She pressed her midsection into him and he reached back to hold onto her ass.

"You gon' make me bust," he huffed, "go a little faster, baby…yeah…faster…make me cum girl."

She pinched his nipple hard and they both watched his dick shoot out thick streams of semen all over her sink.

"Keep going…I got more…I got more!"

She fisted him harder and his thick ejaculate fell in loud plops onto the lip of the sink.

"Erik…"

"Fuck!" he yelled when a final spurt shot out and coated a glass cup that held a brand-new toothbrush.

Giselle's hand was drenched with his cum. She squeezed her arms around his waist not even caring about the mess he had made all over her bathroom. There was even semen on the floor.

Erik took a deep shuddery breath and then ran water in the sink to clean his hands. Giselle handed him a clean washcloth and helped him clean up her bathroom. When things were back in order and pristine once more, she finally looked him in the eye. He could tell she was turned on by him. What he wouldn't give to slip his fingers into her panties and pluck at the bud that had to be tingling between her thighs. He wanted to drop to his knees and pull down her shorts. Plant his face and tongue in her folds.

"I thought maybe you had gotten sick," she said.

"Sure you did," he said with a smirk on his face.

"Seriously, I did—"

"So that was keeping our relationship professional?"

"I still want that."

"You can have that, and a little bit more," he said. He stepped in to kiss her and she closed the distance, her lips crashing into his. His age meant nothing to her now because she eagerly suckled his tongue. He dropped the fingers of his right hand down to brush across her mound hidden behind her thin polyester shorts. She was warm down there, the heat from between her legs causing his dick to jump again. He pressed his fingers into the material knowing he was hitting her clit with the gentle circles he gave her there.

"You real wet right now, huh?" he asked.

Her glassy-eyed stare told him she was dripping. He was going to enjoy teasing her until she was begging for his dick. The way she was squirming on his hand, he knew it wouldn't take long. He pushed into her clit harder making his circular motions more intense. She was moaning and widening her thighs for him. He was ready to play all in her pussy but he felt his cell vibrate in his pocket.

"Maria?" Giselle asked as she reached for his chest.

"Shit," he muttered as he looked at the screen. He brushed her hands away. Walking out of her bathroom he answered his phone.

"It has become apparent that you need adult supervision, Stevens."

Giselle could hear Tony's aggravated voice from his phone.

"I just got a call from Congressman Bretts in Washington, in the middle of the goddamn night yelling at me that his son was assaulted under my watch. Are you really trying to sabotage your career before you even have one?"

"That was all on him—"

"I want to see you in my office first thing in the morning. Eight sharp. We need to discuss if you can handle being here…or not."

The call ended abruptly.

Giselle heard every single word.

"Blowback," Erik whispered to her.

He left Giselle's apartment ready to pack up and head back to Oakland.

Fuck Wesley.

Fuck his daddy too.

And fuck Stark Industries.