He stiffened.
The arm that had been a warm, secure weight around me instantly dropped.
“Go to sleep, Daee.” Shad’s tone was flat; all the sleepiness was gone. It was a warning.
I knew I should have listened. I should have closed my eyes and left it alone. I had to know, though. I know we weren’t nothing and that when this was all said and done…when the snow melted, and I was able to go home, that this would be all in the past. But right now, I had to know what happened between the two that had him about to spaz out on me.
“She did something. You did something.Somethinghappened between you and her to cause you to back me into the wall…over a picture,” I whispered. I swallowed.
Shad was quiet for a long time, so I thought he was just going to ignore me. He finally let out a long, annoyed sigh. His grip tightened again around me.
“That was my bi—girl. We were together since our sophomore year in high school.” He snorted. “A long ass time. I was in the streets, thuggin’, getting to the pape. Wasn’t spending much time wit’ her and she fucked my day one.”
My eyes ballooned, thankfully he couldn’t see me with my back turned to him. I understood now.
“Why do you keep her picture in the closet?” I asked, running my fingers along his arm. I think that shocked both of us. I moved my fingers quickly.
Shad cleared his throat. “I don’t know. I loved her.”
“You still do.”
“Not like I did.”
“That’s why you just fuck females and don’t get close to anyone anymore. You’re not trying to love again,” I said, more to myself.
Shad grew quiet once again. I shifted my body, turning to him. We were face-to-face, not caring what our breaths smelled like. I reached up and gripped his chin hair. I loved his beard.
“It’s okay to love again, Shad. You know that, right?” I said, meekly.
“Nah, I’on want that shit,” he mumbled. He slapped my hand down, then circled his arms around me, grabbing a handful of ass in each hand. Shad pulled me into him, and his dick poked my stomach. “But I wanna fuck. You got that…that damn snapper.” He snickered before leaning in and biting my neck. “Lemme eat it, Daee.”
My eyes fluttered closed, and my stomach clenched.
“Lemme eat that shit by the fireplace.”
“By the…”
Before I could finish getting my words out, Shad was moving. Once he was on his feet, he picked me up, along with the covers. Shad carried me the few feet to the fireplace and laid me down gently.
My brain was screaming at me.Don’t do this, Daee. He’s just hurting and using you to not feel.But my body was the traitor. It was anticipating thehurt.My skin tingled, and my core…my core was already throbbing and wet.
Squatting in front of me, Shad just stared at me. I couldn’t read his expression, but if I could guess, he was questioning himself. He licked his lips and tucked the bottom one in. Holding his stare, I hooked my thumbs into the waistband of the boxer-briefs and slowly slid them down my legs. Shad closed his eyes for a quick second and inhaled deeply.
“Shit,” he growled out. “Your scent do some’n to me, Daee.”
“Holidaee,” I said softly.
“Hmm?” Shad asked, brows bunched.
“My name is Holidaee.”
A smirk spread on his dark lips.
“Is that why you like the holidays?”
I snorted. “No, I love the scent of pine, the cheerfulness, the shopping, the gifts and giving…” I explained as Shad pulled the underwear all the way down and slipped them off my legs.
Shad pushed my legs apart, and his eyes fell between them. I wanted to cover my face with my hands, but the pleasant expression on his face was actually a sight to see. A slow, appreciative smile flickered across his face, his eyes darkening with a hunger that was almost creepy.
