“There’s no need for a test.”
“I don’t know why there isn’t. I’m the only one who can do a test with her unless you were dealing with someone else, and that’s your business, but I need to know if she's mine. At least let me see her. You haven’t even let me look at her. What would that hurt?”
“Nothing, I guess.”
I twisted my lip to the side as I reached for my phone.
My hands were shaking a little because, honestly, I was a little nervous. I pulled up a picture of her on my phone and then handed it to him.
“This is her. One of my favorite pictures.”
He took the phone carefully, holding it with a gentleness that didn’t match the rest of him, and when he looked at the screen, something in his expression softened. “Damn, she’s beautiful,” he said quietly. “But who am I kidding. I knew she would be.”
He stared at the picture long enough that I had to say something.
“You're staring like you are trying to memorize it.”
“Oh, I am,” he admitted without hesitation. “I don’t know when I’ll see you again, or her, since you are being so difficult.”
“I’m not being difficult; you just don’t get it. Some people are looking for a reason to hate me because of Josiah.”
“And you shouldn’t worry about them. Fuck them.”
“That’s easier said than done, Proctor.”
“Yeah, well, get it done by all means, baby girl. Do what you want to do.”
He leaned back and stretched his long legs out before wrapping his arm around me. That sudden closeness made my body stiffen, and my heart started racing something serious.
Staring at Proctor was one thing, and smelling him was another, but now I see I am really too weak to touch him.
“I have to go,”
I tried to stand up, but he held my arm tight enough to pull me back down.
“Why are you always so jittery around me, Ari? I’m not going to hurt you, and especially not with you being the mother of that pretty baby girl you just showed me.”
“I know you won’t, Proctor,” I said softly, looking into his eyes.
“At least, I hope you won’t.”
I don’t even know how it happened, but the next thing I knew, he leaned in towards my lips, and instead of pulling away, I leaned in too. The kiss wasn’t soft or slow; it was heated, mouths pressing, tongues sliding, his hand tightening slightly at my waist like he was testing whether I’d stop him. Every second felt like a fight between my mind and my body, and even though I knew I wasn’t supposed to want him, but my body reacted as if it had already chosen to have him.
“Proctor, I have to go.” I finally pulled back.
“Alright, I guess I will let you,” he said calmly, like he hadn’t just set my nerves on fire.
“I won’t hold you hostage, baby, but tell me you're coming out tonight. I’m thinking about going to the club for some business slash fun, and I would love to see you.”
“I don’t know, Cyn needs us there with her.”
“She’ll be fine, and I’ll make sure of that, especially while my son is still in that hospital. Come out tonight and let your hair down. I know you need it just as much as I do.”
He stood up in front of me, towering over me, looking down into my eyes in a way that made it hard to breathe.
“Do you need a ride back to their place?”
“No, I’ll catch an Uber. It’s probably best.”
