****
Xavier
Goddamn.Those were the only coherent thoughts my brain could form when Chanel stepped out onto the pool deck. She wore a one-piece African print bathing suit. The purple and gold colors highlighted her dark chocolate skin to perfection, and the cutouts on the sides showed just enough skin to make my mouth water. Her toned legs glistened with whatever moisturizer she’d put on. My eyes trailed up to her rounded ass that sat up high and led to the dip in her lower back. My entire body reacted to the way she glowed in the Miami sun.
“Xavier, you still there?” I heard through on my cell phone that I held to my ear. I’d forgotten I was even on the damn phone. My reason for coming outside in the first place.
“Yeah, Quincy, what were you saying?” Quincy was the P.I. I’d hired to help track down Chanel’s ex. He’d called earlier that morning, and I had to step outside to take his call while Chanel got dressed for our excursion to the beach. At that moment, I was reconsidering whether or not I even want to share her with the public or keep her here all to myself.
“I said, I’m pretty sure Ethan has returned to the States. Prior to that, he was down in Panama.”
My face hardened. “What the fuck was he doing in Panama?”
“Honestly, it looks like he was just hanging out. Doing little odd jobs here and there to earn extra cash, but he spent a lot of time alone.”
“The fuck?” I wondered out loud. This shit didn’t make sense.
“We last tracked him back to D.C., but he was only there for a few days. My last source says he was in Florida.”
“Florida?”
“Yeah, Orlando, but that was two weeks ago.”
I growled. “And you haven’t seen or heard anything since?”
“No, he’s been laying low.”
There was silence as I contemplated my options. Quincy was based in Savannah, Georgia and had been traveling for his own business, while also tracking down Ethan. The problem was the dude kept moving from one place to another. I wondered if he was doing it to try and keep an eye on Chanel. I still didn’t trust that his popping back up after five years was to apologize. And he still had an ass whooping coming his way. Chanel might be done with his ass, but I still had a score to settle.
“All right, just keep me posted on his whereabouts.”
“And what are you going to do when you finally meet up with him?” Quincy asked.
“I’m gonna beat the shit out of him,” I answered without hesitation.
Quincy sighed. “You know I can’t condone violence—”
“I don’t give a fu—”
“But,” he cut me off. “As my father taught me, all bets are off when a man puts his hands on a woman, especially when it’s the woman you’re in love with. I’ll keep you posted,” he said before abruptly hanging up.
I didn’t take his departure personally. That was Quincy’s style. He was often a man of few words, but he wasn’t short on action, if his reputation was anything to go by. I didn’t need the further encouragement from him about how to handle Ethan, but it did feel satisfying to hear.
I felt a shadow cover me as I stared down at my phone.
“Done with your conversation?”
I didn’t immediately answer, instead choosing to ogle her, from the pretty white toenails, up her glistening legs. My eyes paused at the apex of her thighs, which was covered by the bathing suit. Just knowing the paradise her suit covered made me grin mischievously.
“How about we stay inside for the rest of the day?” I suggested, reaching to pull her into me. I squinted in frustration when she stepped back, swatting my hands away.
“Oh, no. I did not bring this beautiful bathing suit all the way to Miami just for it to rest on our hotel floor. This baby needs to be shown off.” She spun around and wiggled her hips as if modeling her suit.
“I’ve already seen it. Who else you need to show it off to? Bring it over here for a second,” I encouraged, reaching out again. Once again, she stepped back, giggling.
“No! We’re going to the damn beach, and I am getting wet—”
“You damn sure are going to get wet.”
