Chapter 42 Ocean
OCEAN
I parked in front of the donut shop, the engine rumbling as I waited for Shade to answer the phone.
I ran a hand down the back of my head, glancing into the shop window.
Chocolate glazed donuts. Skye had been craving them, and this place had the best in the city.
Finally, he answered. “What’s good?”
“Man, some crazy shit happened yesterday with Skye’s sister’s husband, and I need to talk to somebody about it.”
“What’s going on?”
I took a deep breath, then forced myself to get the words out, filling my brother in on all the crazy details.
Shade went quiet for a second, then said, “Damn, man, that’s wild as hell. How’s Skye’s sister?”
“Shit, hurt, and I don’t blame her. That’s some fucked up shit to find out. The crazy thing is...that nigga never gave me those kind of vibes. Yeah, I took him as a bitch, but—”
“Look, in this industry, anything is possible. I don’t even get surprised by shit anymore.”
“I feel you on that. But on another note, I’ve been meaning to ask you if Nyx is going to make it to the reopening tonight.”
“Nah. She’s still a little hesitant about being there after everything that happened.”
I nodded. “I get that.”
“But I’ll be there for sure.”
“Shit, you better be.”
He laughed lightly. “Man, whatever. See you tonight.”
“Yeah,” I said, ending the call.
Inside the donut shop, the smell of fresh sugar and glaze hit me, and I could already hear Skye’s voice in my head, imagining her grin when I walked in with the box. I grabbed a dozen chocolate-glazed donuts, extra fresh and still warm, just like she liked them.
Back in the car, I placed the box in the passenger’s seat, then drove the rest of the way to my condo.
Sliding the key in, I felt that familiar pull in my chest. Skye was sitting at the kitchen island when I walked in, in a white tank top that didn’t have a bra underneath and tiny shorts that left nothing to the imagination.
My chest tightened, and I had to fight the urge to throw her against the counter right then and there.
“Look what I got,” I said, dropping the box in front of her with a grin.
Her eyes lit up immediately, and she leaned over to grab one, taking a small bite.
I didn’t resist the pull any longer. I stepped closer, tilting my head down to press a kiss to her mouth. She hummed against me, pulling me in tighter, and I let my hands roam, sliding across her back and down to her hips.
“Damn, you taste good,” I mumbled, breaking away just enough to look into her eyes.
She smirked, biting her lip. “You taste better.”
I chuckled low, letting my forehead rest against hers. “You talk to your sister today?”
Her smile faded just a little. “Briefly. She’s still not doing good. Mom’s staying a while longer to be there for her and help her with KJ.”
I nodded. “You don’t have to go to the reopening tonight. You can go be with her if you want.”
She shook her head firmly. “No. I’m going to go. I want to support you. I need to be there for you.”
Gratitude washed over me. “I appreciate that.”
She leaned against me, her arms slipping around my neck. “But we do need to talk about something,” she said softly, eyes serious. “About you not telling me sooner about your conversation with Enzo.”
I exhaled, leaning back to look at her. “Yeah…I know. That was my bad, for sure.”
She nodded, running her hand down the back of my head. “Yeah, it was. But I’m not going to hold it against you forever. I just don’t want there to be any secrets between us. I want us to do this thing right.”
I smiled, brushing my thumb across her cheek. “Fair. I promise not to make the same mistake twice.”
Her shoulders relaxed, and she smiled faintly. “Good. Thank you.”
I pulled her into a hug, arms tightening around her as if I could shield her from every bad thing in the world. She melted into me, lips finding mine in a soft, lingering kiss that spoke more than words ever could.
“You’re good to me,” she whispered against my mouth.
“Always.”
We stood there for a while, holding onto each other. I could feel her warmth, smell her scent, and I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was exactly where I wanted to be.
Eventually, I pulled back just enough to look at her, my hands still on her hips. “You sure you’re ready to go tonight? I don’t want you stressed.”
She grinned, tugging me down for another kiss. “I’m ready. I got you, and you got me.”
I laughed low, feeling a surge of pride and affection. “Damn right. Alright then…donuts first?”
“Of course,” she said, grabbing another one and handing me one. I bit into it, savoring the sugar and chocolate, but really savoring her beside me, the laughter we shared, the comfort of it all.
We spent a few minutes just like that, enjoying donuts and soaking up the quiet peace before the night. Then she leaned back against the island, stretching, eyes sparkling mischievously.
“Plaid pajamas next time,” she teased, and I groaned, shaking my head with a laugh. “Don’t even start with that.”
“You secretly liked it.” She smirked.
“Nah…” I replied, rolling my eyes but smiling.
Her smile softened, and she leaned up to kiss me again, this one slower, more tender. “I love you, Ocean,” she whispered.
I wrapped her in my arms again, holding her like I meant it. “I love you too, baby.”