Chapter 19
“Russsssssssssssssssssssssss,” I moaned his name, lifting my hips from the bed as my body quivered in ecstasy.
My thick thighs clamped around his handsome face, and I grabbed at the pillow as I rode the wave. His arms held me in place as I squirmed.
Gasping, I pushed his head, unable to take anymore. His beard tickled my skin. His tongue slid all over me, cleaning me up.
“Shit,” I swore loudly.
I felt his lips curl into a smile against my inner thigh before he looked up at me.
“You had me in a vise grip,” he said proudly, pushing himself off the bed.
I giggled as he kissed his way over my belly, between my breasts, until he planted a sweet kiss on my lips.
“I love that shit,” he whispered before kissing me again.
With my eyes closed, I sighed giddily. “You’re not going to be able to wake up for work if you don’t get some sleep. Why are you out of bed?” I opened my eyes and noticed his muscular bare chest, his sculpted abs, and the bulge in the front of his dress pants. “And already halfway dressed?”
“I have to get to the office,” he told me, heading across the room and picking up a light blue shirt.
“This early? It’s like four o’clock in the morning.” I rose up on my elbows and reached for my phone. “Oh my God!”
“It’s seven o’clock,” he told me. “I have a meeting at eight, so I’m going to head out.”
“Oh shit, I can get ready—”
He shook his head. “No,” he interrupted, walking over to me as he fastened every button and tucked his shirt in. “There’s no rush. You can stay as long as you’d like.”
“I’m not going to stay here without you. Why didn’t you wake me?”
“I tried before my shower. You didn’t even kind of wake up until I kissed you and asked if you needed anything. You spread your legs and said you wanted me to eat you. And you know I can’t resist you, so I did.”
I burst out laughing. “I thought I dreamed that!” I pushed myself up into a sitting position. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to make you late for work.”
“It’s really not a problem. I got some stuff for you in the bathroom and”—he pointed to the nightstand—“I left the extra key for you.”
I’d noticed the key next to my cell phone, but I didn’t realize what it was. I glanced at it again and my stomach fluttered.
He grabbed his wallet and put it in his pocket. “You can leave when you get ready. I can set the alarm from my phone.”
“I appreciate that.” I shook my head, still debating if I was going to stay or go. “We went to bed less than three hours ago. How are you up?”
Leaning down, he kissed me long and hard. When he pulled away, he adjusted himself. “I got you, so I’m always going to be up.”
I rolled my eyes even though I was grinning up at him. “Goodbye!”
“I’ll see you tonight.”
“Yes.” I paused. “Russ, are you sure?”
“Of course. Just let me know when you leave and I’ll set the alarm.” He grabbed his blue jacket and draped it over his arm as he headed to the door. Checking his watch, he shook his head. “I have to get going.”
“I won’t be here too much longer.”
He turned to look at me from the doorway. He eyed me silently, a small smile playing on his lips. “I like this.”
“Having me naked and in your bed?”
“Having you.”
My cheeks heated as he disappeared down the hall.
Falling back against the plush pillows, I looked around the room.
From the dark brown wood grain headboard that rhythmically knocked against the white wall throughout the night to the plush sand-colored carpet, Russ’s bedroom looked like it was straight out of a catalog.
There was no art or decorations on the wall.
While blue was his favorite color, outside of the blue comforter that matched the blue curtains, there were no personal touches that made it stand out as his.
I closed my eyes for what felt like two seconds and woke up an hour later.
“Oh shit,” I grumbled groggily as I pushed myself out of his bed.
Stumbling to the bathroom, I gasped when I entered. There was an entire basket full of toiletries waiting for me. Soaps, bodywash, lotion, sponges, exfoliating nets, deodorant, facial scrub, toothpaste, and an electric toothbrush were sitting on the sink with a note attached.
“Nina’s essentials,” I read aloud.
I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and took a long hot shower. When I emerged, a feeling washed over me. I looked over at the items on the counter and then I noticed my reflection. The smile on my face was big and bright. It was almost embarrassing.
Not me grinning to myself.
Nina: I just got out of the shower. When did you have time to put together this gift basket? I didn’t see it last night.
Russ: You had me distracted last night and I didn’t even think about it until this morning. Did it have everything you needed?
Nina: Every single thing. And it’s the right brands and everything. How did you know?
Russ: I pay attention.
I felt my entire body flush with his response. Giddily, I dried myself off and pulled on a pair of his sweatpants and my shirt from the night before. I made his bed and then grabbed my bag and headed downstairs. I left his place a little before nine o’clock.
Nina: I’m leaving now. I locked the door and turned off all the lights.
After sending the text, I immediately went to my group chat with Aaliyah and Jazmyn.
Nina: Is anyone available?!
Jazz: I’m packing and then getting on the road. I can call you when I start driving.
Nina: Oh yeah, I forgot you had to pack a whole summer’s worth of stuff. You focus on getting back here safely and we’ll talk when you’re free.
Aaliyah: Call you soon!
I stopped by Charlotte’s Webb to pick up my dress for Aaliyah’s party. I was just saying goodbye to Charlotte when I received the text from Russ.
Russ: Thank you. Alarm is on. Keep the key. It’s yours.
By the time I got home, I knew I was going to drive myself mad if I didn’t talk to someone.
I needed to have some different perspectives regarding the situation I found myself in, and with lovestruck Aaliyah and jaded Jazmyn, I knew I’d be able to figure out a way forward.
Their differing perspectives would help me make sense of things.
But since they weren’t available, I had no choice but to call the one person I knew was going to have the exact same reaction as me about the whole thing.
“Hello?” my mom answered in a singsong tone.
“Hey, Mom. Do you have a minute?”
“Of course.” Her voice became serious. “What’s wrong? What’s on your mind?”
“Nothing is wrong, per se.” I started pacing the living room as I spoke. “But there’s been some changes.”
“Since earlier this week? You’re not changing your dress for Aaliyah’s party, are you? I was looking forward to seeing you in that.”
“No, it’s not that. I actually just picked it up from Charlotte’s shop.”
“Did you decide who you were going with?”
I cleared my throat. “I did.”
“It’s The Fun One, isn’t it?” she guessed.
I stopped in my tracks. “How—why do you think that?”
“You always sound different with that one. You seem more excited about dates with him. So, it would make sense he would be the one you would take around your friends. Is it him? Or is it someone else?”
I resumed my pacing, slightly faster than before. “No, it’s him.”
My mom’s musical laugh erupted from her. “Do I know my daughter, or do I know my daughter?”
I smiled slightly. “Yeah, you do. Which is why I wanted to talk to you about what’s going on.”
“What’s going on?” She paused for only a second. “Nina!”
My mouth was open, and I was about to speak before she yelled my name. Her urgency made me laugh slightly. “Mom, I’m trying to tell you.”
“You’re taking too long!”
I plopped down on my couch and sighed loudly. “I’m going to the party with Russ—The Fun One. But things have been different for the last couple of weeks with him and I think… I know I want something… more.”
“Something more like…?” Confusion stretched the question out. “A boyfriend?”
“Yeah,” I admitted quietly.
“I thought you didn’t want to settle down?”
“I know.”
“I thought you wanted to wait until you found a man who gives you everything you’ve ever wanted and needed before you settled down?”
“I know.”
“So, what does this mean?”
“I’m settling in.”
“Oh my God!” she exclaimed. “Are you sure? What does this mean?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“I don’t know!”
After a solid minute of us both hysterically talking at once, we stopped and burst out laughing.
I dropped my head into my free hand and held the phone to my ear with the other. “The situation is complicated,” I complained.
“Does he feel the same about you?”
“Yes,” I answered with complete certainty.
“Does he know what you do for work? And more importantly, is he supportive of it?”
“Yeah. He is.”
“Then what’s complicated?”
“You know how I got that modeling deal? The Fun One, Russ, is the CEO of the company. So that’s how it’s complicated. Because if it comes out that we are together, that could ruin this opportunity for me.”
Mom let a long exhale. “Oh, Nina.”
“I know.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I have no idea.”
“This is tough.”
I shook my head in amusement. “I know.”
“Well, how much do you like this man? Because I already know how much the modeling contract means to you. How much does this man mean to you? And is it worth the contract? Is it worth everything you worked hard to do?”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “That’s why I was calling you! I need clarity.”
“Well, sweetheart, you’re only going to get that from within.”
“I know,” I wailed, knowing she was right.
“Mm, mm, mm.”
We sat in silence for a minute.
“If he’s the man you’re meant to be with, it’s going to work out,” she assured me.
“When I met your father, I wasn’t looking for a husband.
But I found him. It doesn’t matter what you plan for when God’s already got your plan in motion.
So, the job and the man will both work themselves out. I know it.”
“Thanks, Mom.”