Chapter 15 Skye
SKYE
It was well after midnight, and the thunder echoing through the night made it impossible to sleep. I’d never been good with storms. They always left me uneasy. Normally, I’d reach for my earbuds and drown everything out, but they were nowhere to be found.
Knowing I’d never fall asleep on my own, I pushed my pride aside and tiptoed my way to Ocean’s bedroom.
Hopefully, he wasn’t asleep yet.
“How long are you going to stand out there?” Ocean called out from the other side of the closed door.
“How did you know I was out here?”
“It’s thundering and lightning. I knew it was only a matter of time before you showed up.”
“But how did you know I was out here at this very moment?”
“Because I heard your little feet tiptoeing down the hall.”
I pushed the door open. “Are you saying that I wasn’t being as quiet as I thought I was?”
“Let’s just say, I was hoping to hear you.”
Heat settled in my cheeks, and my body started to tingle. It was so hard to have zero emotions when it came to this man. He always knew the right thing to say, and it tugged at the weakest parts of me.
I stepped inside, my toes sinking into the plush gray rug beneath my feet.
The room was surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, making the rain impossible to miss as the storm carried on outside.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked.
I paused, unsure if he was really ready to hear my response.
After leaving his aunt’s house, we’d agreed to call it a night and table our much needed conversation until morning. But I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about everything his aunt said.
“Nothing,” I lied, snuggling in next to him. I scooted my back against his chest, and he tightened his arm around me, hugging me like he never wanted me to leave his bed.
“You know I don’t believe that, right?”
“Yeah, I know.”
“So what’s up? Tell me what’s got you up?”
I stared out of the windows, watching every raindrop fall and mesh into the next. “Sounds like I should be asking you. Clearly, I’m not the only one with something on my mind.”
“You’re right. But, ladies first.”
“Wow.” I giggled. “You really pulled that card, huh?”
“Just trying to be a gentleman.”
“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes. “I just...I can’t stop thinking about what happened earlier.”
“Skye, I told you everything’s cool. My aunt’s not tripping, and neither am I.”
“That’s not the only thing that I’m referring to, Ocean.”
“Oh. You’re talking about what my aunt said.”
“Yeah. She made it sound like she could see that you had real feelings for me—”
“That’s because I do.”
My breath caught in my throat. I almost turned around, but I was too scared I’d made the words up in my head.
“Ocean—”
“I do, Skye. I don’t know how to explain it. I don’t know why. I mean, I know why. You’re sweet, kind, funny, beautiful...shit the list goes on and on. But I feel like I’ve said all this to you before.”
“You have. But I’ve also heard a lot of these things before. Niggas love making it sound like I’m the only woman that matters to them, but their actions always portray something different.”
“Yeah, but that’s not me. I say what I mean, and I mean everything I say.”
I turned just enough to look into his eyes. “But this is different. This isn’t about you threatening to kill someone. This is about being with and caring for one woman. Aside from your own blood, have you ever done that before?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“That’s what I thought,” I whispered, turning away from him.
He tugged at my body, forcing me to turn and look at him. “But I want to.”
“Ocean, don’t—”
“I’m serious, Skye. Like I told you before, there’s a lot of things I can’t explain when it comes to you.
All I know is the shit won’t go away, and I’m not even trying to make it go away.
I want to feel every bit of it, which scares the hell out of me.
But I’m cool with that because I don’t want to miss out on something I know is good. ”
“You know?” I asked.
“Hell yeah. You’re a good woman. Unfortunately, you’ve been mistreated by too many. But I’m not going to mistreat you, Skye. I got every inch of you.”
“Ocean, how can you say that when you’ve just admitted to never having a real relationship with a woman before?”
“Because I feel it in my gut, and that feeling hasn’t gone away since I met you. Also, my aunt is usually right about everything, and her confirmation told me all I needed to know.”
I lowered my gaze.
Everything Ocean said sounded good. But could I trust it? Could I trust that he would actually be good to me?
He slipped his finger beneath my chin. “I’m not going to make you look stupid, Skye. I promise you that. I’m a man of my word.”
My heart pounded in my chest. I wanted to say yes. But the fear was overwhelming.
“We can take it as slow as you want,” he reassured.
“You promise?”
“I promise.” His lips melted against mine, and my heart doubled in speed.
My mouth opened, desperate to be invaded by his tongue.
Our first night together, the one thing that got my full attention was the way he kissed me. He took his time and made sure I felt the passion between my lips.
“Ocean, I don’t know if I can do this,” I whispered between breaths. “I’m afraid of falling in love with you.”
“I already know I’m going to.”
My eyes met his, and for the first time, I felt like I was truly seeing a man’s truth.
Ocean’s transparency was something I’d never thought I’d experience. I’d heard enough about him to know that he wasn’t shy about what was on his mind. But when it came to women, there wasn’t much to go deep into.
I had no idea what I’d unlocked in him, but I loved knowing I had that kind of power.
“You’re not afraid?” I asked.
He chuckled. “Baby, I’m scared as shit, which is why I’m coming so hard. I don’t like being scared, and I only know one thing to do when I am.”
“What’s that?”
“Face the shit head on. I can’t run from it...I can’t run from you.”
“But what if I can’t see past all of the hurt? My wounds are still fresh.”
“Which is why we’re going to take it slow.”
“What does that even mean?”
“I don’t know, but we’re going to figure it out as we go.”
I took a deep breath. “Okay.”
“And we can start with the subject of you entertaining other niggas. That’s a wrap.”
I laughed. “Where did that even come from? We weren’t even talking about that.”
“Yeah, but I wanted to get that out the way, so there’s not any confusion.”
“Hmm, okay,” I replied, still laughing. “Noted.”
“Good.”
His hand rotated slowly, massaging my ass.
This man could give a booty rub like no other.
I pushed my body further into him. “So, if I’m not entertaining other niggas, that means you’re not entertaining other bitches. I suggest you get that roster you got under control. Especially at the club.”
“Say no more.”
“You make it sound easy.”
“Because it is.”
“Yeah, you say that now, but—”
“Do me a favor.”
“What?”
“Shutdown any sentence that’s filled with doubt when it comes to me. I may not have been all in with a woman before, but I damn sure know when I want to be. My mind ain’t changing. So, stop trying to find ways to change it.”
“Sorry.”
“No need to apologize. Just don’t do it again.”
“Damn, are you checking me?” I scooted out of his embrace and pushed him on his back. “Because I feel like you were just checking me.”
I made my way on top of him, my legs straddling his waist.
“Just trying to be clear about a few things.”
“Hmm, okay.” I lifted my shirt above my head. “Well, I want to be clear about a few things as well.”
“Oh yeah? And what’s that?”
“Everything you’re saying and doing is making me horny as fuck. So, if you’re going to talk all that shit, you better be able to back it up...preferably with your dick.”
He smirked, his bottom lip slipping between his teeth. “You already know how I’m coming, baby.”
“Yeah, but I want to be the one cumming. If you’re not about to make that happen, then—”
He flipped me over on my back.
“Oh, I’m about to make a lot of shit happen. You have no fucking idea.”