Chapter 20
“I’m surprised you returned my message, but I’m glad you did. I enjoyed our time together, and I’m tryna see what you’re about,” Zoe declared.
When Nova called me and told me Zoe was trying to get in touch with me, I was surprised. She and Shada were still in contact and he had been pressing them for my number. I was flattered that he still wanted to get to know me, so I decided to get to know him.
Those club lights did him no justice because he was even finer in the daylight. I couldn’t contain my laughter, smiling so hard my cheeks were sore.
“I didn’t want you to think I was off-limits because of who my children’s father is. We’re both grown and single, and I don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to get to know you better.”
Zoe and I had been talking for two weeks, but it seemed longer.
Since day one, he applied pressure, making sure to reach out to me daily, letting me know I was on his mind.
He sent food to my job as well as flowers, which I appreciated.
It was nice being courted by someone who made sure to let you know they were interested in you.
“I didn’t make any plans after dinner, but if you want to have a nightcap, there are a couple of places we could go,” Zoe suggested.
To be honest, the only place I wanted to take him to was my bedroom.
My hookup with Keynauri seemed to have activated my sex drive, and I needed a release.
It wasn’t common for me to sleep with multiple men, but I guess I was trying to see if Zoe could distract me from my pain.
“I have the house to myself for one more night, so maybe we could have our nightcap there,” I suggested. I tried not to come off too thirsty, and I could tell by the grin on his face that it was well received.
“As long as you’re comfortable, I’m good with it.
” Zoe paid for the bill, and I couldn’t help but admire his physique.
His muscles were thick and prominent even as he sat there wearing a dress shirt and slacks.
When he stood up to use the bathroom, my eyes zeroed in on the noticeable bulge in front of his pants.
I tried not to stare, but it was impossible to miss.
Once we made it to his car, I slid down into his warm leather seats. The weather shifted so often, I could barely keep up. It was on the cool side, so I made sure to bring a jacket.
My phone rang for the third time, and I declined the call and responded via text.
Me: Is there something wrong with the kids?
Twin’s Pappy: Where tf you at? Why you keep playin’ with me?
Me: If you have anything to discuss regarding Kiaya and Keyaire, you can text me. I’m busy at the moment and unavailable to talk on the phone.
Twin’s Pappy: I see you want to play. I always loved a good game, shorty. See you soon.
My pussy thumped in response to his message. I got ready to put my phone back in my pocket when I got another message. A part of me was hesitant to open it, but I decided to check it and then turn it off for the rest of the night.
Twin’s Pappy: Attachment sent
When she thinks you’re somebody to play with.
I rolled my eyes when I saw the meme of the Joker smiling. It made no sense for him to act the way he did when he was the one walking around with a supermodel girlfriend.
Zoe talked most of the ride to my place, and I enjoyed his company. He was handsome, had a good career, and could hold a conversation that wasn’t centered around sex.
“You can park right in my driveway, right there,” I directed him. My nerves began to kick in, but I reminded myself how much I needed to let my hair down. It wasn’t even about Keynauri but about the way I put myself on the back burner. It was time for me to do something for myself.
Zoe opened my door and held my hand as we walked into my house. Thank goodness, I finally decided to fold my laundry and move it out of the living room, or I would have been embarrassed.
“I don’t keep much liquor in my house, but I do have some wine, if you would like a glass,” I offered, kicking my heels off by the door.
“A glass of wine would be fine. Do you need my help?”
I smiled at how polite and well put together he was.
I could tell there were layers to him, and it made me more excited to get to know him.
Retrieving the wine glasses from the cupboard, I rinsed them out and poured us both a glass.
I handed Zoe his glass, then took a seat next to him.
My feet were tucked underneath me as we continued to talk.
“Tell me something, Ms. Naiari. What are you looking for? Are you just casually dating, or are you searching for something more long-term?”
I took a sip from my glass as I thought on his question. It was one not many men bothered to ask.
“I recently got out of a relationship and I’m not sure what I’m looking for. I guess you could say I’m testing the waters to see what dating looks like for me. I’m open to getting to know people.”
“Are you interested in getting married?”
“When I was younger, I dreamed of falling in love, getting married, and having a big family. Life has a way of reshaping your values and desires, you know? I want to meet someone who makes me happy and protects my heart as if it’s his.
I want to know what it’s like to have a healthy relationship where I feel safe.
If marriage became an option, then I would absolutely do it with the right person. ”
There was a small part of me that was afraid of commitment because I had never seen it before. I had no visual representation of what happy marriages looked like.
“I’ve been married before, and while it didn’t go as planned, I’m open to it in the future.”
“Why did your marriage end, if you don’t mind me asking?”
Zoe was thirty, which was older than me, so I wasn’t surprised his life experiences reflected it.
“We got married fresh out of high school. Neither of us knew what it meant to be a spouse, and we bumped heads a lot. I spent several years in the Navy, and she wasn’t happy about it. When I came home one day, I found out she was pregnant with one of my former best friends’ children, and I left.”
“Oh, my goodness. I’m sorry you went through something so painful.” I wasn’t expecting his answer, but it helped me to understand him a little better.
“It’s all good. We got closure when we were a little older, and both agreed that we only got married to please our parents.
Neither of us was in love with one another, and unfortunately, things went downhill.
Those experiences can either make you or break you.
I’m grateful it served as a lesson learned. ”
I nodded in understanding, admiring how mature he sounded while speaking about his past. Most men weren’t as open to talking about what hurt them.
We talked for what seemed like hours until we finished the bottle of wine.
For some reason, it went straight to my coochie, so I wasn’t even surprised when he kissed me, and things got carried away.
Zoe unbuttoned my blouse, exposing my black laced bra.
The twins blessed me with some nice titties, and I appreciated the change.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” He moaned against my lips, pushing my body onto the couch as he lay on top of me.
“Let’s go to my room,” I suggested. My kids loved to watch TV and take naps on the couch, so I wasn’t comfortable having sex on it.
I held his hand, leading him down the hall to my room.
The moment we stepped through the threshold, Zoe’s hands were all over me.
I’d admit there was a small part of me that felt guilty about being with Zoe.
It almost felt like I was cheating on Keynauri, but I had to remind myself I was single, and his ass wasn’t.
I pushed Zoe onto the bed, then stood in front of him as I removed my blouse, dropping it to the floor.
I slid my skirt down my hips, standing before him, clad in only my bra and panties.
His eyes were filled with lust as he licked his lips.
It felt good to be desired by a man, even though he wasn’t the one I wanted. Damn, that sounded bad even in my head.
When I stepped in between his legs, his hands freely roamed my body.
Our tongues fought for control as we kissed, and I could feel my nipples hardening.
In the midst of kissing, I smelled something strong and exotic.
It smelled like a unique strand of weed, but I hadn’t noticed the scent until we got into my room.
I hadn’t smoked since before the twins, so it confused me.
When I glanced up, I thought I saw a trail of smoke above my head, making me pause for a moment.
“Do you smell that?” I asked, taking a step back.
“Yeah, it smells like some Kush. I didn’t know you smoked.”
“I don’t.” I heard a clicking sound that stopped me in my tracks. Zoe was completely unaware as I began to panic. When another cloud of smoke wafted through the air, I realized it wasn’t my imagination. Someone was in the room with us.
“Something isn’t rig—”
“Don’t stop on my account, baby momma. The least you can do is give him a good time before he takes his last breath.” His voice sounded cold and menacing, and I was afraid to move.
“Whoa, Keyz. I don’t know what’s going on, but there seems to be a misunderstanding.”
“Naw, it ain’t a misunderstanding. Didn’t I tell you to stay away from my bitch? What made you think I was playing, huh?”
Zoe stood up with his hands in the air, and when I turned around, I realized why. Standing in the doorway of my closet was Keynauri with a blunt in one hand and a gun in the other. Shame crept over me as I found myself turned on by his presence when I should have been terrified.
“Keynauri, what are you doing here?” I asked, shifting my attention from his gun to his handsome face. My nipples were still erect, but it had nothing to do with Zoe anymore. This man was a danger to my heart and my pussy.