Chapter 20
Canaan
After an exhilarating day at the track, where I was able to taper my anxiety to earn my best time, though I hadn’t yet beaten Gabriel, I strode through the bright villa searching for Kensie, something I found myself doing every night. I had to see her and tell her about my day. Malcolm grudgingly approved the idea and agreed with Kensie that a viewing audience simulating the race experience would improve my time. Gabriel had been excited about having an audience watch us race. I also couldn’t wait to tell her I used her ASMR playlist, and the sound of paper crinkling placed me in the zone. My heart pounded, anticipating the smugly satisfied expression on her face from my news. Kensie loved nothing more than being right, an annoying, yet endearing flaw of hers.
So, when I spotted her in the living area talking on the phone, facing the ocean, beautiful and strong, my stomach lurched, almost painfully. She’d removed the braids and now rocked a wild, black, wavy ponytail cascading down to the middle of her back. The bluish, green shimmery dress she wore skimmed her shapely bottom and stopped right above her knees. When she turned around and smiled, I clapped in approval.
Kensie blushed as she ended the call. “Thank you. Didn’t expect you back for another half hour.”
I picked up her hand and twirled her around. “Green has to be your favorite color. If it’s not, I think you should reconsider.”
“I thought you said yellow was my color?” She entwined and swung our hands between us.
“Maybe every color of the rainbow is your favorite color.”
She grinned wider, her slanted eyes almost closing. “You look happy.”
“I have every reason to be happy. I’m living a dream I never knew I had. Money will never be an issue. I’m in good health and come home every night to the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” I pulled her into my arms and lowered my head to kiss her.
She moved her head before my lips touched hers and let out a shuddering breath. “Canaan, if you kiss me right now, I’m never going to want you to stop.”
I frowned. “And the problem would be?”
She tilted back slightly. “You and I are impossible.”
“We don’t have to be,” my voice lowered an octave.
Kensie rubbed her stomach as if it ached, then pulled up her phone. “Ready?”
I stared at her in disbelief that she would interrupt this intimate moment for her damn phone. Kensie pleaded with her eyes and caressed my cheek, and I whistled my frustration as she held the phone to her face and tapped the red button.
“Hey, it’s us.” She moved the camera back to show me still wearing my black racing jumpsuit. I saluted the phone with a slight smile. “Hey, Katie . . . Shonda . . . Paulie, everything is good. TLak85 . . . I see you . . . listen . . . listen . . . We have a major announcement that we know you’re going to love. I know it’s crazy short notice, but if you can make it to Miami next Saturday, we have some villas that sleep six comfortably, arranged for only a hundred dollars a night. A flight to Miami this time of year is really cheap. So, take an adventure and see history in the making. I’m telling you that seeing Canaan in action in person is pure magic, and he needs our undying support,” Kensie exclaimed as I took the phone.
“Forget paying for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Be the first ten people to message Kensie’s favorite color right now... You and a guest will travel here on me,” I offered like I was sharing a pack of gum with people. I smiled at an astonished Kensie. “Actually, I can do better than that. The firstfiftypeople listening right now need to send her favorite color. Just one guess per person.”
Kensie jumped up and down in high heels as I held her phone up to capture us. I laughed at her excitement. “We might just break the internet. A free trip for you and a friend to steamy Miami for Saturday, April 4th.”
She hugged my neck and started waving at her phone. “I’ll announce the winners on IG later this week. Now, we have to go because brother man owes me a date.” She giggled at some of the comments. “Yep, I am lucky, and he can’t keep his eyes off me.”
“I really can’t. We need to go.” I grinned and clicked off her cell.
Kensie looked up at me in wonder. “I can’t believe you just did that. So many of us never get the chance to travel. If it weren’t for you, I could never afford to stay in a place like this.”
“I would do anything to see you smile.” I wrapped my arms around her, pressing her body flat to mine. “If I’d known you cleaned up like this, we would have had a date every night since we’ve been here.” Her glittery green and gold eyeshadow complemented the bronzed brown of her skin, and nude lip gloss invited my kiss. “Sorry, I had to try to see if your lips taste as good as they look.”
Kensie rubbed the gloss off my lips with her thumb. “Well, do they?”
“I don’t know. Think I need to try again.” I kissed her again, and she caressed the soft waves in the back of my head, deepening our connection.
Ms. Murielle grunted behind us, breaking our kiss. “Umm... You really have to go get changed, Canaan. You have plenty of time for all that later.”
We snickered at being caught like naughty teenagers, and I released Kensie and jogged to the door. I gave a loud smacking kiss on Ms. Murielle’s cheek when I passed her. “Doesn’t my future wife look beautiful tonight?”
Ms. Murielle winked at Kensie. “She really does.”
Showered and dressed in a navy blue fitted shirt and heather gray slacks, showing off the benefits of my strict exercise and diet regime, now Kensie couldn’t stop gawking as we walked out of the house.
“Where are we going?” she asked as I dragged her behind me. “I do have on heels.”
