Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
YOU’RE A TERRIBLE LIAR.
Sorinah
Sorinah sat alone outside in her sister Nakinah’s garden. There was a gathering going on, but she was taking a moment. Several, in fact. After spending the past two weeks celebrating Nakinah’s wedding, she would leave Trinidad the next day.
“Here,” Aldrich interrupted the silence as he handed Sorinah a glass.
“Thank you, what is it?” she asked, inspecting the glass. A light brown liquid covered one large square ice cube.
“It’s ginger beer,” he explained, taking a seat beside her on the wicker sofa.
Of course, he hadn’t asked. At least he brought her a drink.
“Um, thanks.” She saluted him with the glass before taking a sip. “Ahh,” she sputtered, then coughed. The drink burned a little, both from the spice of the ginger and what she guessed was rum.
When she looked at him, he was smirking at her. “You’re welcome. You don’t have to finish the drink if you can’t handle it.”
Great, now she had to finish it. It wasn’t too bad; it tasted good, but it was strong.
She didn’t know what it was about him, but she couldn’t seem to resist the urge to rise to any challenge he threw her way.
The worst part was she knew he knew it. Which was why Aldrich was constantly goading her into shit.
Until this point, it had resulted in really amazing orgasms, but how far would she allow him to push her?
They sat in silence for a few moments. After a while, he spoke. “You’ve been out here a while.”
“I had a business call.” It wasn’t a complete lie; she had come outside to take a call.
“That was over an hour ago, and you aren’t on the phone anymore. You don’t want to get back in there?” he asked, looking over his shoulder.
He was right; she wouldn’t admit it to him. The call had only lasted ten minutes, but she hadn’t been able to bring herself to go back inside. Although Sorinah was fine the entire trip, the reality of her life change hit her earlier.
Now that they were married, Nakinah was officially moving to Trinidad. Yes, they said they would spend time in Toronto. This island would be her sister’s permanent residence. She rubbed a spot on her chest. It ached.
Sorinah was thrilled her sister had found her person, but the thought of her leaving left a bittersweet ache in her chest. Nakinah was more than a sister—she was like a mother and a best friend, always there, cheering her on through every challenge.
If it hadn’t been for Nakinah, Sorinah wasn’t sure she would have made it through her formative years, much less navigated the struggles of being a single teenage mom.
Yet, with her sister’s unwavering support, she had not only survived but thrived, going on to earn both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Now, Nakinah would be an ocean away. The magnitude of it hit Sorinah hard, a wave of emotion washing over her. She blinked back tears, her throat tightening as she imagined the distance stretching between them.
“So, what’s got you so blue?”
“I’m not blue.” She tried to sound glib.
“Tsk, tsk. You’re a terrible liar.”
Sorinah didn’t want to have this conversation. Especially not with him. Aldrich was just an island distraction. They’d indulged in each other the night of her sister’s wedding and one other time. She wasn’t about to pour her heart out to him about her feelings about losing Nakinah.
“I should go back in,” she announced with a sigh.
“There isn’t any rush. They are playing All Fours. It’s getting very heated in there. Talk to me.” He placed his hand on her knee.
The warmth of his hand was strangely comforting. It made her feel safe to open up, so she did.
“I’m just going to miss having my sister around.” She gulped down the rest of the drink, instantly regretting it. She forgot about the damn burn. With effort, she managed not to cough.
Sorinah fully expected him to say something smart, but he showed empathy.
“You two are very close,” he mused.
“We are. All three of us are, but Kinah and I have a special bond. She’s always had my back.”
“I know it won’t be the same as having her a few blocks away, but she is only a phone call or a flight away.”
He sounded so thoughtful, dare she say sweet. It was time for a change of topic.
“Are you and your brother close?”
“Nah.” He shook his head. “Not as close as we should be.”
“Your family seems close, though.”
“We are, but my brother has lived a more carefree life than I have. It’s kept us from experiencing the bond you and your sister share.” There was a sadness in his tone. He looked down at his glass before finishing his drink.
“It’s never too late,” she offered, nudging him with her shoulder.
“Yeah, well, time will tell.”
The pensive expression he wore disappeared and was replaced by the cocky, teasing one she had become accustomed to. “Wanna sneak away?” He wriggled his eyebrows.
It was a tempting offer. She was certain that if she took him up on it, they would do more than talk.
“While it would be fun, it’s not a good idea. My kid is around here somewhere.”
“He’s playing chess with my Dad.”
That tracked. Her son and his father had taken a liking to each other. They sat and talked and played chess.
“Tempting, but no.” She shook her head.
“Fair enough. I’ll take a rain check.”
This man! “DH, I didn’t offer you one.”
“I’m correcting your error in judgement.” He winked at her.
“What makes you think I want a rain check?”
“No, the question is, why wouldn’t you want to hook up again? Because we are very compatible. So, we should connect when we can.”
The hand that had been on her knee was no longer there to comfort her.
Instead, it moved upwards, his thumb drawing slow, sensual circles on the inside of her thigh.
The touch sent a shiver through her, heat pooling low in her belly.
For a moment, she forgot he had asked a question, her mind fogging with the sensation of his fingertips grazing her skin.
The man knew how to get her turned on with the simplest of touches, his movements teasing.
Still, what was it he was proposing? Her thoughts were hazy, her focus pulled between the warmth of his hand and the weight of his unspoken question hanging in the air.
“There is an entire list of reasons we shouldn’t get together,” she protested.
“I’m listening.”
Sorinah really didn’t feel like doing this with him, but since he insisted...
“One I don’t do relationships.” She had promised herself while she was raising her son, she wouldn’t date anyone. Over the last fifteen years she had a few hookups, but they were discreet encounters she kept far from her child. The moment her partner wanted more, she ended things.
He was silent for a moment. “Good, neither do I.”
She didn’t know if she believed him. He gave off a committed, monogamous vibe. “You were engaged before.”
“Yes, which is why I no longer do relationships.”
Oh, there was a story there; she wanted to hear more about it, but this wasn’t the time.
“What else you got?” he taunted.
“Don’t you think our situation is a little too close for comfort? Our siblings are married. We will run into each other.”
“I dunno. I think it will make things more interesting. We can be friends who enjoy hooking up from time to time.”
Snapping her fingers, she said, “Well, that brings me to my other point. We live on different continents.”
“I travel all the time, and it is my understanding. So do you. So that isn’t an issue. I think the space would be great for our arrangement. We won’t be in each other’s face long enough to want to kill each other.”
What the hell! He was effortlessly dismissing all her objections. She didn’t want to give in.
“What you are describing is essentially friends with benefits.”
“Eh,” he interrupted.
“See, we don’t even get along.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. We get along great. I’m particularly a fan of the way you moan when I’m fucking you from behind.”
Shit! Her body immediately responded… her nipples pebbled, and she was most certainly wet. Great! This wasn’t a good sign. How was she supposed to make a rational decision?
“Look, Dick Hole?—”
“Nope,” he interrupted, shaking his head. “You are processing a lot with your sister officially moving here. Don’t decide now. I’ll be in your neck of the woods in five days. We’ll meet for drinks. You will put up your flimsy objections, and I’ll shoot them down. Want to know what I suggest?”
“What?” she squeaked, her voice cracking.
“Think of rules and non-negotiables that will work for you.”
“I haven’t said yes.”
“But you will.” Aldrich grabbed her nape and kissed her, his tongue dominating hers in a way that made her forget where she was. He broke off the kiss, took her glass, and walked away.
Fuck! How was she gonna resist being his fuck buddy?
Often, the things that seem so important can be pushed aside until they don’t even register in your mind anymore. Sorinah had plenty to occupy her mind.
Leaving Trinidad and her sister behind had been difficult, but in true Nakinah fashion, her big sister had reassured her she was only ever just a phone call away.
After two weeks of vacation, Sorinah was back at the helm of her luxury fashion buyer company, The Curated Row.
Imogen, her assistant, and the other buyers had done a great job in her absence, but there were things which required her attention.
She had to approve the budgets for the portfolios.
It was her least favourite part of the job, but thankfully she had a brilliant head for numbers.
The real challenge came with Mars’ decision to learn to drive.
“I changed my mind. I decided I should get my license,” he informed her when they returned.
To prepare for his sixteenth birthday, she searched for driving schools. She was all too happy to aid him in his independence. Mars’ request for her to give a few lessons before he started school was not on her bucket list.
“Mars Baby, I think we should leave the lessons to the professionals.”
“But Mom, I don’t want to go into my first class blind. Come on, give me a couple of lessons first. Please.” He folded his hands together and gave her his best puppy-dog look.
Sorinah remembered the horror story of her learning to drive.
Nakinah, who normally was super patient with her, had none when it came to her being behind the wheel.
The entire experience was a nightmare. Sorinah’s driving lessons were filled with anxiety and frustration.
There were tears, harsh words exchanged, and accidents.
Nakinah’s constant corrections and impatience made her feel inadequate, turning every session into a tense ordeal.
Despite the challenges, Sorinah persevered, determined to overcome her fear and master the skill, even if it meant enduring her sister’s harsh criticism.
Sorinah had vowed never to teach her children to drive.
Mars was very disappointed with her decision, and now she had a sullen teenager walking around her house.
She wasn’t used to this version of her son.
She missed the days when he would eagerly share his thoughts, and laughter filled their home.
Now, silence and indifference seemed to dominate their interactions.
Although it was uncomfortable, it wasn’t enough for her to change her mind. She was tempted though.
Sorinah and her son usually spent the last weekend of every third month enjoying classic films. Their choices consisted of movies released in the eighties.
They ordered takeout and just chilled. This classic movie weekend would include a Martin Short marathon, and they were planning to try the new submarine place.
She looked forward to the weekend and their time together. On Friday afternoon, when she picked Mars up from summer camp, he dropped a bomb on her.
“Hey Mom, since I’ve been away for two weeks, would it be okay if I went to Ernie’s this weekend?”
Ernie was Mars’ best friend. The boys were opposites, but Sorinah was grateful Ernie could bring Mars out of his shell.
“But this weekend is classic movie weekend, Kiddo.” She tried to keep her tone light. It took some doing to keep the hurt out of her voice.
He must have picked up on it anyway because he broke eye contact with her.
“Can’t we postpone for another weekend?” His voice sounded sad.
She knew he hated to let her down. Her baby was a sensitive child. He had four inches on her, but when he put on the expression he wore now, her heart went out to him.
Part of her wanted to tell him hell no and demand he take part in their special weekend. What would be the point? Maybe the space would be a good reset.
“Yeah, go ahead and spend time with Ernie. Maybe we can reschedule for next weekend?”
He lifted his head, and she didn’t miss the relief there. “Sure, Mom.”
Well, now her weekend was free. Following Mars’ drop-off, Sorinah sighed and resisted the temptation to be petty and go to the submarine restaurant alone. Instead, she opted to order a pizza with pineapple. Her son would be horrified if she did it when he was around.
Deciding she wasn’t going anywhere for the night, she showered, then changed into her favourite pyjamas. She was about to place her order. The cellphone almost slipped from her hand when she viewed the message waiting for her.
DH
I’m in your neck of the woods.
Oh shit! Although he said he would message her, a part of her quietly hoped he wouldn’t.
Hoped? No, she willed him not to, trying to convince herself she didn’t care.
But now that his text had lit up her screen, a rush of excitement coursed through her, leaving her torn.
She wanted to ignore him, to prove she wasn’t so easily swayed, and yet the thrill of his attention pulled at her like a magnet.
With a heavy sigh, she placed her phone down and began to pace, her mind racing as she debated what to do.
Each step felt weighted with the push and pull of desire and hesitation, her emotions a tangled mess she couldn’t quite unravel.
Get a grip! You aren’t some teenager! DH is too complicated. And we don’t do complicated.
The other part of her, the one tired of BOBS and adequate bedmates, thought complicated was well worth it. Yeah, but the dick was good. So very good.
A vision of him sucking her breast as he stroked into her sent heat coursing through her.
She imagined his lips on her, teasing her nipples, his hands roaming her body, and the intensity of his gaze as he moved within her.
The thought of his touch, his desire, and the way he made her feel sent shivers down her spine.
Ahh, fuck it. The dick was too good to ignore.
Good for you.
DH
And for you too, Kitten. Any free time this weekend?
Hm, Mars was away for the weekend.
Where are you?
DH
I will take that as a yes. Tonight?
Sure
DH
I’ll send a car for you. How much time do you need?
Was she really going to meet up with him? Why not? She deserved some fun. First, she needed time to pull herself together.