Chapter 10 Kaeden
Sending Kyelle back outside without me was necessary, or all my teammates would be privy to seeing my dick attempting to break free.
It took me ten minutes, a pep talk, and a visual of two dogs stuck together to get my dick to go back to normal.
Now I’m sitting at this table trying to pretend like Kyelle hasn’t been distant since leaving the kitchen.
“What the hell are you doing, bro? You just fucking reneged,” my teammate Junior shouts, instantly shifting my assessing eyes from Kyelle to the table where I’m supposed to be engaging in a game of spades.
“Why are you yelling? I didn’t renege.” My voice lacks confidence or confirmation as my focus has been solely on Kyelle engaging with some of the team’s WAGS in attendance.
Kyelle hasn’t looked in my direction once, and her fake laughing isn’t reaching her eyes. I’m unsure what’s wrong with Kyelle, but the urge to find out overcomes me.
“Aye, who wants to take my hand?” Looking around the perimeter, I wait for someone to volunteer.
“Oh, now you want somebody to take over for you. If your ass wasn’t serious about playing, you should have never sat down. Now you’re gonna cost us this hand,” Jr. rants with tight eyes and a frown.
“I got you, C man. I can see your interest is elsewhere,” my other teammate Braxton says, giving me the out I’m seeking.
Without another word, I stand and hand Braxton my cards before heading toward Kyelle with my mind racing.
“If another one of you sappy mothafuckas jump the broom before I do, I’m gonna—” someone says behind me, but I don’t turn to acknowledge who’s talking when Kyelle’s eyes connect with mine.
My chest tightens and releases the longer our eyes meet, and the urge to erase the worry in Kyelle’s eyes increases my steps.
“Excuse me, ladies. I’m gonna borrow Kyelle for a minute,” I say, cutting into the conversation happening around Kyelle.
“Bring her back. We’re bonding,” one of the girlfriends tells me, smiling.
Giving her the hand gesture for okay, I assist Kyelle out of her seat before leading her further away from the group. Oddly, my heart rate increases, and my temple vein pulses wildly with every step we take away from the attendees.
“Is something wrong?” Kyelle asks, and her brows hike while she peers intently into my eyes after we stop walking a short distance away from where everyone else is.
“That’s what I’m trying to find out. Why have you been avoiding me, Ms. Ky?” Puckering my lips, I give her my best pouty face, or the one I’ve stolen from Mica who uses it against me anytime she doesn’t get her way.
“I wasn’t trying to, but the snickers and whispers from your friends once I returned out here had me feeling like we needed some separation so they could cool down. I’ve never seen so many grown men gossiping and acting like schoolgirls, so it took me back.”
A low chuckle escapes my mouth at the eye roll Kyelle does after talking about my boys. I can only imagine how they looked because some of them are notorious gossipers.
“My bad. I didn’t plan on—”
“I’m not sorry about kissing you. In fact, I can’t wait to do it again. But I didn’t expect men with women of their own to be giving me cheesy grins and making googly eyes once I walked back outside.”
“Ignore those neanderthals.”
“Trust me. Bonding with their women meant hearing some interesting stories about the culprits I can’t wait to use in retaliation one day.” The sinister grin Kyelle gives has me taking a casual step back while staring at her.
“Uh, is there something I need to be worried about, Ms. Ky?”
“Eventually. For now, let’s get back to the festivities. We’ve given your friends enough to talk about.”
With that, Kyelle steps away from me, leaving me to watch the sway of her hips as she returns to the group of women.
When she sits down and leans in whispering, causing the women to laugh, I shake my head and head toward the cooler to grab another beer.
As long as there isn’t any beef between Kyelle and me, I don’t care what she does as payback for my boys.
Light conversation and laughter are floating around the yard as the couples sit beside their respective partners on loungers fit for two around the firepit.
This afternoon's humid air has become a cool breeze, making the fire the perfect backdrop.
Thankfully, when Stefan suggested this setup, he also provided blankets for each couple.
Kyelle is snuggling against my side as my hand unconsciously runs up and down her arm.
“Are you still cold?” I ask lowly so only Kyelle can hear.
“I’m fine.”
When Kyelle’s dark eyes stare into mine, my world shifts, and warmth flows through me like a spring. The conversations and people around me fade, as I only see Kyelle.
“With all that this evening was, would you hang with my teammates again like this?”
Kyelle chuckles before glancing around the area, yet my gaze doesn’t shift from her. “I mean, this is my first time attending something like this. Everybody for the most part has been welcoming and accommodating.”
“Yeah. They’re a great group of guys despite their childish behavior on occasion.”
Kyelle laughs, a soft, easy sound that makes me relax deeper into the lounger once she returns to my side.
“Yeah, it’s been informative watching you with your guys. You all act like you’re still in high school.”
Deep and stomach rumbling laughter escapes my mouth, and Rickey’s voice penetrates my ears before I can reply.
“Man, I have never heard this man do so much keekeeing. Maybe ole Kyelle is gonna be good for his sappy soul.”
My thumb strokes small circles up and down Kyelle’s arm as my eyes communicate what my lips verbalize. “Let them talk. For you, I’ll proudly wear whatever moniker they assign to me.”
Kyelle smiles proudly and leans into me even more as her temple rests against my shoulder, causing me to internally boast. Feeling heat on my face, I look to see several of the guys watching us before giving me quick nods, approval shining in their eyes.
Raising my chin once, I quickly return my focus to Kyelle.
“Despite all the jokes and engagement, this moment is the best part of the night,” I whisper for Kyelle’s ears.
“For me too. Even with the behavior of adult men, my favorite part of the night was when your pillowy soft lips touched mine. For a man of your size and stature, I didn’t expect your lips to be that soft.” My dick twitches and my hand stills upon hearing the sultry seduction in Kyelle’s words.
Looking down at Kyelle, I lower my head with my eyes locked on hers.
The flames from the fire paint Kyelle’s face in gold causing my breath to hitch slightly.
For a minute, neither of us moves as the background fades into a blur.
I can only see Kyelle, and the steady look in her eyes and the way her mouth curves, like she knows what I want, has me moving until our lips connect again.
A low moan escapes Kyelle’s mouth, hardening my dick.
“Mm.”
The kiss is unhurried and cautious, but it’s the kind of kiss that has me forgetting my teammates or their significant others gather around the pit.
The various cracking of jokes, the music playing in the background, none of it matters as Kyelle’s hand slides to my chest. She grips my shirt as I pull her closer while allowing my tongue to enter our oral dance.
For countless minutes, I savor the residue of strawberry lemonade on Kyelle’s tongue, and my chest leaps.
Too soon for my liking, Kyelle disconnects our lips while blinking excessively like she’s awakening from a dream.
The laughter, the firelight, and the drifting scent of barbecue rush back to my psyche as Kyelle speaks.
“You know they’re all staring.” Her lips brush against mine as I work to regulate the rapid beating in my chest.
“Let them.” My eyes stare into hers, and nothing else matters but the swell in Kyelle’s lips has an urge to reconnect our lips forming rapidly.
“I can’t believe we kissed with everyone surrounding us. I bet they think—”
“I don’t give a fuck what they think. I’ll knock every one of their asses out if they say anything remotely offensive about you.”
Kyelle and I are on the phone after leaving Stefan’s house, and I’m already missing her presence. It took everything in me not to ask her to come spend the night with me just so I could feel her against me again.
“Ooh, I’d love to see you go all caveman over me,” Kyelle teases, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Let me find out you like aggressive men,” I taunt.
“Not really. I love a man who doesn’t play about me. One who has no problem with showing versus telling. One who has a thick beard, strong arms, tattoos that play peak-a-boo on his biceps, one who—”
“I'm about to send you my address so you can meet the one you’re referring to at his crib. Talk dirty to me, Ms. Ky.”
Laughter echoes around my vehicle's interior, causing a smirk to upturn my lips as I continue driving toward my house.
“That’s funny to you.”
“Yes. That was nowhere near dirty talk, Kaeden.”
The light-hearted tone of Kyelle’s words has my cheeks stretching with the reaction to the banter between us.
Things with me and Kyelle have been so easy that I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed shooting the breeze with a woman.
Even with Mica’s mother, we rarely joked or spent time enjoying a random phone conversation.
I should have known Meshay was only after my future when she only worried about the money I would make and the things I could buy her.
My face contorts, and my chest tightens at the thought of Meshay walking out on Mica and me.
Although I’m over her, it’s hard not to get pissed about her betrayal or selfishness.
“Kaeden. What are you thinking about that has you quiet?” Kyelle’s humor-filled voice forces me to shake off thoughts of Meshay and return to my conversation with Kyelle.
Like apples and oranges, the two women are drastically different, and thinking about Meshay while talking to Kyelle is the last thing I should be doing.
“I was waiting for you to find your dirty and give me a reason to sleep well tonight.”
More laughter pierces my vehicle's interior, restoring my body's warmth and melting the slush beginning to freeze at the thought of my ex. Our conversation returns to lighthearted banter eating up the miles it takes us to reach our destinations.
“I’m home, and while I don’t want to end our communication, the need to shower and get in bed is forcing me to let you go,” Kyelle says, like it’s the last thing she wants to do.
“It’s alright. There will be many days like this in our future. Handle your business, and I’ll touch base with you tomorrow.”
“Sounds good. Good night, Kaeden.” The sultriness in Kyelle’s words that contradict her tone from a second ago has me squeezing my dick through my pants.
Silence pierces the air as I mentally coach my dick to cooperate now that I’m walking through my house toward Mica’s room.
“Kaeden.”
“I’m here. Rest easy, Ms. Ky. I’ll be dreaming of you tonight.” I disconnected the call since I’ve reached Mica’s semi-open door.
Lightly pushing the door open, I cover my mouth to contain the laugh fighting to slip out at seeing Mica’s left leg hanging from the side of the bed.
Her silk bonnet covers her eyes, and her blanket is on the floor.
Walking into the room, I gently put her body on the bed and cover her with the blanket.
My baby is the wildest sleeper I know, so she won’t stay this way all night, but at least she’ll be comfortable for a few minutes.
“I love you, Cupcake,” I whisper, kissing her forehead lightly before exiting her room.