Chapter 19 A Week Later
A Week Later
I w a s t i r e d , but to be back in my lash studio after months of trusting my staff to hold it down felt good as shit.
Truth was, I wasn’t even supposed to be in the studio, but when one of my lash girls decided not to show up two days in a row, and another was out sick, I had to step in. Thankfully, Knuck understood as well.
The schedules had been swamped since the social media buzz picked up, and I loved it, but goddamn, I was tired. My ponytail was sweated out like I’d been on a treadmill for the last three hours instead of doing lashes, and the caramel iced coffee I had didn’t help.
“Okay, so when is the shipment actually arriving?” I asked, trying to stay calm while holding the phone between my cheek and shoulder, clicking through the online booking dashboard with one hand and flipping through the physical appointment notebook with the other.
“Because I paid for two-day express, and it’s been five.
I can’t keep telling clients we’re out of remover pads and serum. ”
The vendor rep was giving me the runaround. The lash tech assistant, Sarina, stood in the doorway of my office, still waiting for an answer about a walk-in client asking about same-day services. This was her first day taking clients all on her own.
I shot her a frustrated look and pointed toward the consultation station. “Squeeze her in. I’ll be out in a second.”
The rep finally gave me a vague estimate and a wack ass apology, and I ended the call before I said something unprofessional. After I hung up, I leaned against the back counter with my eyes closed and let out a long, steady breath. Lately, I’d been running on E, tying up loose ends for the wedding.
We officially had a caterer and a DJ, and we completed our written vows.
Knuck said he’d handle the groomsmen’s tuxes, but I didn’t know if that meant he already had or if it was sitting at the bottom of a to-do list he hadn’t even touched yet.
Planning a wedding in five and a half weeks was fucking crazy, but hey… so was our love.
My phone buzzed on my desk, and I peeked at it to see my lock screen lighting up with a text.
I hadn’t heard from him since this morning when Keema came over to watch Kassim. He gave her the longest, most gangsta speech that basically said, “Don’t fuck up.” Yawning, I text him back.
I stared at the screen for a minute, then laughed a little. I grabbed my keys off the counter and poked my head into the main room. “Don’t accept walk-ins anymore. I’m stepping out for a few, but I’ll be…”
“Girl, go home,” Tina said, pressing a reassuring hand to my shoulder.
“We have two hours left in the day and just one more client. Sarina will handle it, and I’ll make sure the studio runs smoothly.
” Tina couldn’t do lashes, but always kept the studio in order.
Her words made me feel like everything would be handled.
"Thank you, T." I waved at Sarina, focused on the walk-in client. "Call me if anything."
???
T h i r t y - f i v e m i n u t e s later, I parked by Knuck’s second dealership, next to his truck. I squinted in the sun and walked to the front. He stood in the center, a truck hidden under a black curtain.
“What the hell is this?” I chuckled, folding my arms.
He just smirked knowingly and I knew right then he was up to something. Then, he yanked back the curtain.
My mouth fell open, and for a second, my heart stopped as I stared at the pretty ass purple G-Wagon. “Keon…”
He walked over slowly, pulling me into his arms and letting his lips brush my ear. “Weddin’ gift,” he said. “Ain’t gon’ let you keep ridin’ ‘round wit’ a car seat in the back of that lil’ Mercedes. You gon’ look good as fuck in this.”
My voice caught in my throat. “You… really bought me a G-Wagon?”
“I got you the G-Wagon you mentioned you wanted as a push gift, but the muthafucka wouldn’ta been ready in time. So….” Knuck leaned back, looking down at me, and placing a key fob in my hand. “Go look inside.”
As he led me over, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. I opened the driver’s door, and damn near fainted. The interior was a lighter purple with chrome trim and monogrammed stitching on the headrests that read Mrs. Jones.
I covered my mouth with one hand, sliding into the driver’s seat. “You did not.”
“Custom everything,” he said, climbing into the passenger side.
I sat in the seat and touched the wheel, trying to take it all in. “I love it, babe.”
“And I love you,” he said, leaning over to kiss my cheek.
“I love you too,” I replied, turning to face him. “Truth, though? I’m scared as hell.”
“What you mean?”
“All of this. You. The wedding. The way you go so hard for me. I’m scared I’m gonna fuck it up.
” He didn’t rush to respond. He just let it breathe for a minute, like he always did when I got in my own head.
“I’m scared I’m gonna need you too much,” I said finally.
“Like… what if I start depending on you in ways I never wanted to depend on a man? What if that makes me weak? I’m not a weak bitch, Keon. ”
He pulled me closer, placing a kiss on the side of my head. “First of all, calm the hell down,” he said, “You one of the strongest women I know. And second… ain’t nothin’ wrong wit’ leanin’ on a nigga that’s gon’ hold up. Crazy or not, you know I gotchu for life.”
I looked up at him. His jaw was tight like it always was when he was trying not to say too much too fast.
“I love you wit’ every fuckin’ breath in me, Nyomi. If I gotta remind your ass every day ‘til the day I drop, I’ll do that shit.”
A tear slipped down my cheek, and he caught it with his thumb.
I didn’t even get to catch my breath. One second, I was sitting there blinking at him, and the next, this man had my damn cropped hoodie unzipped and his lips on my neck.
His big ass hands slid up my shirt like we weren’t sitting outside his dealership, cameras still rolling.
“Knuck… what about…?” I breathed, grasping the back of his head when he started sucking that spot under my ear.
“Mmm,” he hummed, dark and low. “Ain’t no cameras back here. Nobody but me and you, baby. I’m tryna eat some pussy.”
He didn’t even wait. He got me in the backseat so fast and my leggings down that I barely had time to exhale before he buried his whole face in my pussy. Tongue first, nose pressed, breathing deep like he really needed his fix.
“Shit…” I cried out, throwing my head back against the seat. “Babeee…”
He didn’t say anything. He just kept slurping and licking on my pussy, all messy and nasty. Circling my clit, blowing on it, and sucking until my whole body locked up. I came hard as fuck, seeing stars in the backseat.
“Oh, my… fuuckkk..!!!”
I couldn’t even think straight, and then he slipped two fingers into my pussy, curling them just right like always. Knuck had my clit liplocked with his fingers, hitting that spot, making me whimper and squirm.
“Shiiitttt…” I gasped, trying to close my legs, but he gripped my thighs with both hands and pulled me open wider.
“Stop,” he demanded, nibbling on the inside of my thigh. His tongue moved like he knew my body better than I did, switching between slow circles and firm strokes on my clit that had my fingers digging into the seat and my back arching without permission. “I don’t need you to be strong all the time.
“Babeeeee… pleaseeee…”
“Please what?” he asked calmly, dragging his tongue up my pussy, slowly giving my clit kisses.
“Please don’t stop… Goddd… don’t stop loving me…”
“I won’t, baby,” he said immediately. “I fuckin’ promise you that.”
His mouth worked me with purpose, and I needed it all. “Fuckfuckfuck…” I moaned loudly, gripping the back of his head, legs trembling while his tongue stayed locked on my clit.
“You mine,” he said between sucks and slurps, tongue dragging to my ass, curling and coming back to my pussy. “My forever. Ain’t nobody ever gon’ love you like I do.”
“Fuuuck, Keonnnn!”
“That’s it, baby,” he encouraged, his voice rough now. “Let it go. Let me taste that good shit.”
I tried to hold it. I really did. I didn’t want to make a mess of my new truck, but the pressure built too fast, too heavy.
I shattered and cried out his name as my whole body trembled with waves of pleasure ripping through me so hard my vision went white.
I was still trembling when Knuck slowed his mouth, easing me down instead of abandoning me in it.
“Damn, babe… what… the fuck?” I panted, looking down at him as I caressed the back of his head.
He kissed my inner thighs, my stomach, my chest, and then my lips. “Don’t trip ‘bout the leather, baby. I’ll handle it.”
This man was reading my mind. I chuckled, nodding weakly. “I’m not even here right now.”
Knuck smirked. “Good. Let’s get you home so I can clean you up.” Kissing my lips again, all I could do was nod my head. He pulled me into his arms afterward, holding me close, my face tucked into his neck.
“I love you so much,” I whispered.
“You better,” he whispered back. “‘Cause I ain’t comin’ up off you. Ever.”