10. Public Figure #2
After the game, Lena and I descended to the lower-level tunnel in the arena where many of the players’ wives and families waited for their loved ones.
When we showed our credentials, we were escorted to a private lounge where everyone huddled in their cliques.
About an hour later, Cairo texted that he was on the way out.
We hung out in the tunnel again and watched the players as they left the locker room.
“Hey, sexy.” He said those words directly in my ear after he descended onto the ramp.
He wore a long button-down, along with some fitted jeans, a gold chain, and a custom-made Cairo Kinney ball cap. Signature, white Cairo Kinney sneakers that matched the hat adorned his feet. Urban wear never looked so good on a man.
I tried not to smile too hard as Lena beamed like a beauty pageant mother at the two of us.
“Cairo, this is my sister, Lena. Lena, meet Cairo Kinney.”
Cairo extended his hand to Lena.
“Zo has told me so much about you. Thanks for taking such good care of us tonight and of her.”
Unlike a normal person, Lena rushed into Cairo’s arms for a hug.
To my delight, he offered Lena a semi-professional smile and tilted his body back, giving her a loose side hug that reminded me of the guarded ones men at my grandparents’ church gave when they didn’t want their bodies to touch women’s breasts during an embrace.
“She’s easy to care for,” Cairo grinned.
After that comment, Cairo and I made goo-goo eyes at each other. I hadn’t blushed so much in years. Like a photographer with an eye for shots, Lena reached into her Dolce & Gabbana clutch and pulled out her camera, taking several informal, candid photos of Cairo and me before making us pose.
“Put your arm around her, Cairo. Mama and Daddy are going to love this. Their firstborn angel is all hugged up with a famous basketball player. Say ‘somebody’s getting laid tonight’ on three.” One. Two. Three.”
Cairo played along and said the stupid phrase.
Instead of doing what Lena asked, I placed my hand discreetly at my waist and shot her a low-key bird.
For dramatic effect, I stuck out my tongue as she took another picture.
I finally lowered my hand, and she took several of Cairo and me holding each other.
“Perfect. Dr. Zora, I’m sending your explicit one to Whitney so all the donors can see who their president really is.” Lena snickered and put her phone back in her crossbody purse.
Cairo tapped on his phone and texted before placing it in his jeans’ pocket. He pointed to an exit several feet in front of us.
“Are y’all ready? Luther is waiting for us at the exit. Wayne is pulling the car into the tunnel. He’ll drive from the underground entrance so the fans and paparazzi don’t bother us.”
We nodded and followed Cairo. Once we were in the car, the three of us laughed like old friends.
As always, Lena was the clown and star of the party.
I remained stoic, discreetly stealing glances at Cairo, who smelled so heavenly that I wanted to sit in his lap and lick him up.
He grinned at me as if he could read my nasty thoughts.
“You good, sweetheart?” Cairo reached for my hand and kissed my inner wrist lightly.
That touch and his term of endearment cut through the sudden silence of the car like a knife. I was embarrassed that he spoke so lovingly to me in front of Lena, who would most likely analyze our exchange the minute she and I were alone.
“I’m good, Cairo. Thank you.” I squeezed his hand and directed my eyes out the window so I would not lean over and kiss him on the lips.
I had to focus on anything else since something like electricity darted from his eyes.
“When we get to your house, I’m going to dash. Thanks for hosting us. The suite was everything.” Lena smiled at Cairo and gave me her ‘Sis, I’m going to let you handle all that’ look.
In this moment, I was thankful I didn’t have to say out loud what I felt about Cairo. His erotic energy had my panties sweating. The last thing I needed was for a third person to rat me out to him.
“You’re welcome. Although we haven’t had a chance to connect much, I hope this won’t be the last time we engage.” Cairo’s gentlemanly voice had me beaming.
When Lena raised her eyebrows mischievously and gave me a crooked smile, I tightened my butt cheeks, preparing myself for some mess to pop off.
“It definitely won’t be. What I want is for you to get to know my sister well first—intimately well.” She winked at Cairo like the goofball she was.
He gave her a soft smile that didn’t show me fully how he interpreted Lena’s words.
“It’s time for you to go home.” I didn’t even try to hide my disgust.
When Lena chuckled, Cairo did too. We rode the remainder of the short ride to Cairo’s house without speaking, listening to smooth jazz tunes on the way.
When we arrived at Cairo’s, Lena took several more prom-like pictures of Cairo and me outside his house, then left us alone inside his mansion.
He and I lingered in the foyer, engaged in an informal dance of standing and staring at each other as if we didn’t want the night to end. At least I didn’t want it to.
Because of Lena’s outlandish words, I felt the need to explain her actions or even apologize on her behalf.
“Although Lena plays a lot, I echo her sentiments about tonight. I enjoyed the game and appreciate your never-ending generosity. She can be over-the-top, but her heart is in a good place.” I hoped Cairo wouldn’t put me in a tight box if Lena offended him.
Cairo took off his cap and placed it on the side table before lifting my chin with his fingers.
My breath caught as my eyes landed on his parted lips.
They looked so soft and plump. His moisturized skin had me wanting to caress his cheeks, but instead, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders.
He enveloped me in a warm hug and kissed my cheek.
“Don’t ever apologize when people are being real, especially your family. I’m jealous that Lena consistently sees a side of you that I don’t. I know you’re holding back. But you don’t have to. I promise I won’t judge you for being yourself.” He rubbed my back in circles.
That warm, jittery feeling that happened every time I was near him washed over me again. When Cairo encouraged me to be my true self, I yearned to do it. But something in me couldn’t break free from the formality I’d become so accustomed to displaying.
It wasn’t that Cairo wasn’t a nice man. I was just stiff around him. I hoped he didn’t stop pouring his positivity and encouragement into me. The last thing I wanted to do was turn him off like I probably did last night.
“Let me get you settled in your room before bed. It’s the least I can do as your host.” He kissed my other cheek and reached for my hand, which I gave him without hesitation.
Physical touch must have been Cairo’s love language because he adored placing his hands on me. Although it had never been mine, it was becoming a favorite.
I wasn’t sure what getting settled in meant, but it sounded suggestive. My mind went to the gutter as I anticipated how intimate we might get. Would he kiss me with such passion that I would pass out like one of his romance novels?
With anticipation, I followed him up the stairs, sneaking glances at how good his butt looked in those dark jeans.
When we entered my bedroom, he closed the door.
His eyes never left my body as I tried to look sexy but barely could with Lena’s killer heels on my feet.
I gingerly tipped toward my suitcase perched on a large chest at the foot of the bed.
My heart raced as I kicked off my shoes, then unzipped my luggage.
Did he plan to spend the night with me? Why was he standing and staring at me like that?
“Remember what I told you when I FaceTimed you on my way to the game?”
I blushed as I sat and rubbed my tired feet.
“Which part? You said a lot of things.”
“That I wanted to take your clothes off and seduce you.” He closed the distance between us and pulled me to my feet, tracing his fingers down the front of my see-through blouse.
“Look at all that pretty brown skin. I know it tastes delicious.” He brushed my hair back and kissed, then licked the side of my neck.
His tender lips felt like heaven on earth as he rolled his tongue over small patches of my skin then sucked those spots as he was extracting precious juice from a lemon.
I braced myself for the intensity of his roving mouth by holding onto his shoulders.
When we separated a couple of minutes later, I clutched my chest and shook my head at him in disbelief.
Cairo’s larger-than-life presence continued to overtake me.
“Sir, how do you have so much energy after playing an entire professional basketball game?”
He moved his lips up my jawline and to the corner of my mouth. In a low voice, he spoke directly into my ear.
“I’m a professional for a reason, sweetheart. I’m conditioned to run up and down a court for miles without getting tired. That level of action energizes me.” He raised his head and licked his moist lips.
“Good to know.” I gently slid past Cairo’s back and gestured to my small hobo bag, signaling that I needed to get by him to get to it.
He moved aside with his eyes on my face the entire time.
I pulled out a roller ball of essential oils and concentrated as I rolled it over my wrists.
When I was done, I placed the ball back in my bag.
In my avoidance of Cairo’s eyes, my eyes landed on an unwrapped, rectangular jewelry box next to a white noise machine at the base of the brass lamp near my bed.
“That wasn’t here when I left.” I offered questioning eyes to Cairo before walking across the room, picking it up, and examining it.
He shrugged as if he had no idea what I was talking about.
“Open it,” he said.