Tearing his gaze from mine, he locked onto Leila and asked, “Who is this, Leila? You and Al just had your situation.”
“You mean he just abandoned his family,” I corrected.
“Kiyan,” Leila said softly, wrapping her had around my bicep.
“I’m good, love, trust me.” I smiled down at her for assurance then returned my focus to the loser in front of us. “I would have respected you more had you approached her with concern about how she and her daughter were doing considering that you’re herex-husband’sfriendand you know the magnitude of their situation.”
“You didn’t even give me a chance to get to that…”
“You had your chance when you walked over here unsolicited. Instead, you came over here worried about how shelooked and who I was.” I shook my head. “I guess the saying about birds of a feather flocking together is true.”
“Bruh, you don’t know me or their situation.”
“My man, I haven’t made it to the point that I have in my life because my discernment wasn’t intact.” Chris was pulling up in his F-150, so I began to lead Leila toward the truck. Buddy obviously couldn’t read the room because for whatever reason, he followed us the short distance, so I turned to him after helping her into the back and said, “Just in case us walking away wasn’t indication enough for you, this conversation is over.”
Giving him my back again, I climbed into the passenger’s seat of the truck and left him standing there when we pulled away from the curb. I assured my cousin and Chris that everything was cool, and we rode the rest of the way back to my crib in silence. I kind of felt a way, not because Leila had done anything wrong, but from witnessing the slight narcissistic behavior that she’d probably been subjected to for years.
Dude didn’t have a care in the world about how Leila or Ava were doing but had the audacity to approach her talking sideways. It wasn’t her fault that she wasn’t home, and it wasn’t her fault that he was somewhat clueless why she was out with someone else. The answers he was searching for could be found with the man that he called himself standing in for.
After we all got out of the car and entered the house, Miranda and Chris retired to their respective room while I walked Leila up to hers since the downstairs was clear. Ava was already cuddled in bed, fast asleep.
Once we were inside, Leila turned to face me. I took each of her hands into mine while I stared down into her beautiful face.
“I had a really good time with you and your family tonight,” she started, “I can’t even remember the last time I went out and just had fun.”
“I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed yourself, and I apologize for how it ended and if I overstepped. Dude’s energy was just off to me from the beginning.”
She shook her head. “You don’t have anything to apologize for. Honestly, I should be thanking you because Zach is and always has been an asshole, whether Aldrick was around or not. It felt good to have someone step in and up for me if I’m being totally honest—it’s a foreign concept.”
She’d dropped her gaze when she made the last statement, so my index finger slipped under her chin so that I could lift her head and make her look at me.
“I didn’t step in because I had to. I did it because you deserve to have someone in your corner. Your ex is a clown, and it’s clear that anyone affiliated with him is too, so don’t thank me for doing what a real man would do or one lucky enough to be in your presence should.”
The way her eyes started to dance around mine and her brows furrowed let me know that she was about to question what I said, or what we were both probably feeling in that moment, so to prevent that, I leaned down and pressed my lips into hers.
The kiss was only meant to be something quick and reassuring, but it quickly turned into something more. The force that I was continuously trying to avoid had consumed me and had us bound together so tightly that it would have been impossible for me to pull back.
My tongue slipped into her mouth just as my other hand reached her face, holding her steady as she leaned her body into me. The feeling of her lips on mine was surreal. It was as if I was experiencing my first kiss for the first time all over again, only this time with the woman of my dreams.
I was so enthralled in the kiss that I didn’t even realize I’d gotten carried away and handsy until she pulled back.
“My bad,” I said lowly.
She reached up to wipe the remnants of her lip gloss from my lips while she smiled at me.
“Nothing to be sorry about. Just bad timing.” She nodded her head back toward the bed.
“Damn, my fault.” I chuckled, not even remembering that we were in the room with Ava. I captured one of her hands again then said, “I’ll let you get ready for bed, but maybe I can take you and Ava to breakfast tomorrow.”
“I think that’s a great idea.”
I brought her body into a hug, making sure to get a nice grip on her ass.
I had to.
It had been too tempting all night in the pants that might as well have been painted on.
“Goodnight, beautiful.”
