I turned before he could answer because I knew we both needed something else. His eyes told me exactly what he needed, and he knew I wanted the same thing.
Walking out of his office felt harder than walking away all those years ago. And as the door clicked shut behind me, the only thing I could think was, how the hell was I supposed to stay away from the man who still lived in my body like a ghost…when every part of me wanted to go back in there and let him haunt me again?
My phone buzzed before I even made it to the elevator.
Rob:
You free tonight?
I exhaled through my nose.
Rob was easy. Predictable. Good-looking. Successful. And yes—he had good dick. Reliable, attentive, knew how to listen when a woman told him what she liked.
But not good enough to make me forget my name. Not good enough to rearrange my breathing and my guts. Not good enough to make me feel claimed.
Me:
Busy.
Three dots appeared immediately.
Rob:
You said that last time. I’m starting to think you don’t like me anymore.
I didn’t bother answering, because the truth was, I didn’t want him touching me. Not tonight. Not after seeing Tariq standing there in that office looking like six years hadn’t dulled a single edge between us.
I slipped my phone into my purse and drove home in silence.
My condo greetedme the way it always did—quiet, curated, controlled. A space I’d built piece by piece after everything fell apart. Every object intentional. Every surface chosen. Nothing accidental.
I walked straight to the bathroom.
If I didn’t get this feeling out of me, it was going to sit there all night.
The tub filled while I undressed slowly, peeling off fabric like it annoyed me. My blouse. My skirt. My bra. My panties. I left them in a trail across the marble floor.
Steam began to curl into the air as the bath salts dissolved, releasing that expensive, grounding scent I told myself helped me relax.
But my body wasn’t tense. It was restless.
I slid into the water, heat wrapping around me, and leaned back against the smooth stone. My skin tingled as the salts softened it. My thighs parted without me thinking about it, because now there was no pretending.
The moment I closed my eyes, he was there.
Standing too close. Looking at me like he remembered exactly how I felt underneath him. Like he knew how easily I used to come apart.
My hand drifted down between my legs, fingertips just grazing first. Testing. Teasing.
I inhaled sharply.
Even that light touch felt different tonight because I wasn’t imagining some faceless man. I was imagining him.
His voice low in my ear.
His hand pushing my thighs wider.
The weight of him settling between them.
