“Mmm.” She moaned and then pulled away. “Wait. Let me get dinner on?—”
“Nah, I’m cooking tonight.”
“If you’re trying to pursue a romantic relationship with me, then you’re going to have to relinquish your duties as my manny.”
“If you think I’m going to stop taking care of you or the kids if we pursue this, then you’re out of your mind.”
“Oh, goodness,” she said, shaking her head.
“Yeah, I’m on yo’ ass, Cream. You shouldn’t have let me taste you.”
“Cream?”
“Yup, peaches and cream. That’s what I tasted.”
She turned her head so I wouldn’t see her blush. “I just don’t want to jump so quickly into something right now while I’m still going through this divorce. I’d love to be your friend, but we can’t put a title on anything until this is over.”
“And when will it be over? What’s the hold up anyway? His bitch-ass trying to get you back?” I fired questions at her. If he was holding this shit up, I was going to pay his ass a visit.
“We have a hearing on Monday to settle everything. He’s trying to make me split everything in my accounts, but I’m nothaving that shit. The man is losing his mind, and I’m sure it’s by his mother’s influence.”
“Humph. You didn’t answer my last question though.”
She smirked. “He has not shown me any sign that he wants me back, Basil. And even if he did, it’s a dead issue. I’ll never get back with him again.”
I winked at her. “My girl.” My eyes roved her frame, noting that she was dressed in a black two-piece skirt set that had a long slit up her thigh. She rocked black Ferragamo heels with gold accessories. I hadn’t noticed her attire earlier, because I was too busy focusing on my favorite thing on her face.
But now that I focused on her attire, she looked even more fucking edible.
“Going out?” I asked.
“My cousin got tied up at work this morning, so we’re heading out to the spa.”
“Noted,” I replied, taking my phone out of my pocket, going to my Zelle, and dropping a cool three stacks into her account.
“Who’s watching the kids?”
“My mom,” she answered while looking down at her phone after it pinged. “Basil, you didn’t have to?—”
“It’s Baye,” I corrected. “So, you were really determined to keep avoiding me?” I smiled at her.
“I had to, Basil. What you did to me in Florida, . . . I knew I couldn’t let it happen again. You deserve for me to not still be tied to someone else before you try to pursue me. I want to be single, and I want to be courted before we take things further. I want to be your friend.”
“With benefits?”
She chuckled. “No benefits until my divorce is final.”
I scratched my chin. “I don’t like that,” I said honestly.
“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you. Those are my terms. Since my children are drawing pictures with you in them, makingplans to go fishing with you, and turning against their own mother when they set their sights on you, I clearly have no dog in this fight. But I have to implement some type of control. As much as I’d love for you to pleasure me, I have to get things squared away properly on my end so you can have a fair chance.”
“I respect that. It’s gon’ be hard though,” I admitted, pulling her to me and wrapping my arms around her waist. “Call my bestie and tell her I got the kids.”
“Oh, now she’s your bestie?”
“Hell yeah. Anybody who speaks life into us being together is automatically inducted into the best friend zone.”
She laughed. “Oh my goodness. What am I going to do with you?”
