Chapter 5 #2
“Mr. Stone, it’s an honor to serve you again. You’ll be having the usual, I suppose—steak and eggs? And you, Miss?”
“Sibley, no, miss. How about the Banana Foster Pancakes?”
“Excellent choice. I’ll be back shortly. In the meantime, enjoy these grapefruit mimosas.”
“Actually, I’ll just stick with water if that’s okay?”
“Certainly.”
The Chef stepped away as I took a sip of water, and I smiled. “You wanna let me know why you’ve been staring at me?”
“You said you don’t want me going all out for you. I’m an all-out kind of nigga, Sibley, so that ain’t gon work. Who gave you the bare minimum and got you thinking that shit cool?”
I blinked, completely caught off guard by how straightforward he was. “You really don’t have a filter.” I repositioned myself, trying to decide if I liked how direct he was or not.
“Don’t avoid the question.”
“You’re a millionaire, Kier. Of course, you have money and resources that a regular person can’t access.”
“What does that have to do with you accepting the bare minimum?”
“Everything.”
“It’s not about money and resources. You said you don’t want me going all out for you—as if somebody giving you everything they have is too much for you. “If a nigga got $10, you shouldn’t be willing to take $1 when he’s trying to give you $9.”
“What if I don’t need the $9 though? I take very good care of myself, Kier. I’m a marketing manager, easily getting a bag.”
“You still missing it. It’s not about what you need, it’s about what I’m choosing to do. And you not about to fight me on that. Relax Sibley, kick it with me. This doesn’t have to be difficult or scary.”
“Kick it with you huh, and what do you want in return?”
“You.”
“Sex?” I asked.
“I’ve thought about you, Sibley. I’m a man, I won’t sit here and act like I haven’t. But we are not there yet. I respect that. Not on no bragging shit, I can have sex with whoever I want, but that’s not what I’m after. I want you around me and everything that comes with it.”
Slowly, my chest heaved up and down at his declaration. Kier appeared honest, and so upfront. I respected it. And although I was hesitant, he pulled me in.
“Okay, Kier.”
“Say it.”
“You won’t get pushback from me.”
“Cheers.” He added, nodding for me to pick up my water and toast, solidifying our agreement.
The chef brought our late-night breakfast a bit later.
Kier teased me, stating I couldn’t eat all those pancakes, so I had no choice but to prove him wrong.
And when I snagged a piece of his steak, he complimented me on my appetite.
He said most women were afraid to eat. I assured him that as a bona fide foodie, I wouldn’t be turning down anything food-related.
Which is why I stayed in the gym to make sure none of it caught up with me.
Kier was all about class. We lost track of time just talking, staying in that restaurant long after we’d finished eating. When it was finally time to head back to the room, he didn’t even try to make a move. He just kissed my hand and said goodnight.
The rest of our Vegas trip was a mix of wild pool parties and some laid-back tourist stuff.
Honestly, the party scene got a little exhausting for me, so I was happy when we shifted gears.
The girls and I hit up the Wax Museum, the Mob Museum, and zipped down Fremont Street.
Tara ended up leaving out early, so it was just Treasure and me soaking up the city vibe without her.
I’ve learned the hard way that the higher the high, the harder the fall, and Vegas was one long high.
Kier made it easy to get comfortable, a little too easy.
And I wasn’t the same girl who ignored her instincts.
If I was going to spend the summer with him, I needed to make sure I wasn’t abandoning pieces of myself in the process.
I woke up before the alarm sounded. Sleep was practically nonexistent, considering I tossed and turned all night.
The conversation I was thinking about with Kier plagued me because I didn’t want him to get the wrong idea.
I knew it was early, because it was eerily quiet.
Vegas was quieter in the mornings, but I was sure that by 11 am, the bass from the pool parties would start pounding.
For the moment, I enjoyed the quiet whisper of the air systems and the sweet chime of the alarm.
Treasure was still asleep in the other bed, with one arm flung over her face. Our makeup bags were open, there were champagne glasses on the counter, and the dress I wore was draped over the back of a chair. I scrolled through my phone for a minute.
Three emails from work, one reminder about a campaign proposal, and a picture of my sister Naomi eating a waffle cone ice cream.
Most would have thought it was cute, but I knew it was Naomi reminding me that I sacrificed our sister date for a ‘stranger’.
She knew sending me that picture would make me feel away.
I mean goodness gracious! I couldn’t remember the last time I had a real vacation. She could have given me this.
I slid out of bed, showered, and pulled on something simple. I wore high-waisted shorts, oversized button-down, and some Air Max. Treasure stirred as I grabbed my bag.
“Where are you going?” She mumbled.
“Upstairs.”
She cracked one eye open. “Mm. Tell Mr. Producer good morning for me.”
“Get up, Treasure. Remember our flights are leaving at 4 pm.”
“You’re a party pooper, Sibley. The man said we could stay forever.”
“Get up, bestie.” I smiled as I rolled my eyes and left.
I made it to his suite but hesitated outside his door for a second before knocking. I didn’t like walking into spaces unannounced, and I didn’t like invading his privacy. Yes, he was entertaining me, but there could have very well been another woman in there.
“You gon knock or what?” He asked, opening the door. Kier stood there in gray sweats, shirtless, with his locs in a ponytail pinned back.
“How did you know I was standing here?” He gestured to the camera in the corner. “Oh, well, good morning.”
“Morning, come in.” He added, stepping aside to let me in. I heard the door close and lock behind me. His suite was cleaner and quieter than ours. There was no evidence of chaos and the way the place was set up, even the sunlight felt more welcoming.
“You’re dressed,” he added, taking me in.
“I’ve been up for a while.”
He nodded once and walked toward the kitchen area, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge and tossing one to me.
“So,” he said, leaning against the counter. “You enjoy your time here? Are you ready to find out where we are going next?”
My heart thudded in my chest as I gathered my next words. I unscrewed the cap slowly and took a sip of water. Kier stared at me, awaiting my response.
“I need to leave,” I said, hyper fixated on my water bottle.
“So, you didn’t enjoy yourself?” He quipped.
“No, that’s not it. I just need to go home for a bit.”
“What’s up with that, beautiful? I thought you planned on spending the whole summer with me?”
“I do.” I met his eyes. “I just need to get some things.”
One corner of his mouth lifted. “Aaight, I’ll gas up the jet. It’ll have you there and back within 48 hours.”
I shook my head, a small laugh slipping out. “Kier, does it always move this fast with you? I need more than 48 hours,” I continued. “I need to tie up some stuff and get items for work. That way I don’t have to keep going back and forth all summer.”
He walked closer, stopping just within reach. I felt him there before he touched me. He tilted my chin up. “You coming back?” He asked.
“Yes.”
“Promise me.”
“Kier,” I sighed, turning my head.
“No, Sibley, don’t look away. Look at me.” Kier turned my chin back towards him. Promise me you’ll be back.”
“Why do I have to look at you, Kier?” I asked as my heart raced from the intensity of his expression.
“Because the eyes don’t lie. Say it.”
“I promise, Kier, I’ll be back.”
He brushed his thumb tenderly along my jaw. “Don’t take too long.”
“I won’t.”