“You’re the back up. Makai has fifteen kids. Nigga ain’t never free no more, so yo–”
“Just as busy,” Milo finished.
Milo was a physician and had two children of his own. He didn’t have time for Lawe, but he made time. Makai, on the other hand, didn’t care much about Lawe’s complaints.
“Goodnight, Milo.”
“Goodnight, Royce.”
“Goodnight, Lawe. Laike.”
“Be careful,” Laike murmured as he passed me by.
“Call me if motherfuckers want to jump stupid. I’m laying everything down,” Lawe yelled out as he made his way to the car.
“Goodnight.”
One final goodnight floated in their direction before I locked myself inside. I pressed my back against the door, trying to recall if Laike had been that glorious the first time I’d met him. I wasn’t sure what Baisleigh was feeding him besides pussy, but it had him swollen and scrumptious. I couldn’t help but consider how much Luca had changed since I’d last saw him.
I shook them both from my thoughts and stepped away from the door. I spritzed Oak across my body, doubling down on the gorgeous scent. As I recapped it, the door bell chimed again. I tapped the screen of the alarm system.
My lips turned upward.
There he is.
I didn’t need another once over. Neither did I need to visit the bathroom again.
Behind the door was a bouquet of red roses. The hate I housed for flowers faded as they touched the skin of my nose.
“You’re pretty, my baby.”
Hearing his compliments while nose deep in the bouquet helped plead their case.
“And you—handsome.”
I straightened my spine.
Ishmael stepped inside. His invitation hadn’t come but I doubted he cared. He walked past me, headed for the kitchen as if he’d studied the blueprints of Mercer’s place. Like I’d done his.
I turned, admiring his backside as much as I did the front. He was dressed in his signature color.Black. It was designed with him in mind. I would confidently bet my last dollar on it.
I didn’t deepen my presence. I remained near the door with the Chanel clutch in front of me, both hands on the handle. Within two minutes, Ishmael rounded the corner, quenching my thirst.
Soothing my soul.
Settling my kitty.
Calming my heart.
His hands flattened against my cheeks. I was casted into the darkness. Naturally, I aimed to savor every moment of us. My body’s response to another human was slowly altering my brain chemistry.
Nothing made sense. Yet, everything made perfect sense.
He tasted like the mint still on his tongue. I stole it from his mouth as I tried extracting the flavor from his buds. My nipples pebbled. Butterflies invited an entire exhibit of gentle creatures for a night out with us.
Ishmael. Your perfection is perplexing.
Not until I allowed it did he pull back. A thumb slid across his lip, cleaning the gloss I’d left behind. I rotated the mint on my tongue. The smirk on my face matched the one on his.
