Chapter 4
FOUR
It doesn’t take much for me when it comes to Kyrah.
While I was chilling at Deuce’s, she texted.
Then she called and told me she was drunk and couldn’t drive home.
Say less. I was out of the booth, in my ride, and on the highway.
In less than ninety minutes, I arrived at this big ass house, knocking on the double glass door.
I had no idea she was still with her girls and clearly, they had no idea I was coming.
“And she told you what?” Alex asks while laughing.
“That she was too drunk to go home,” I answer.
“Where did she say she was?” she asks.
“She didn’t really. She just sent her location.”
“Yeah, she’s drunk. Reya’s getting her,” Alex says, then heads up the stairs.
Kyrah’s other homegirl Giselle comes from behind the staircase and smiles when she sees me. “She really called you to come get her,” she says while shaking her head. “Mireya’s getting her. I know it’s a drive. You want something to drink?”
“Nah. I’m straight but ’preciate it.”
“You can wait upstairs for her.”
“Oh nah. I’m good right here,” I say, then hear my name.
“Shi…ro,” Kyrah purrs and I spot her thick, fine ass at the top of the staircase.
As always, she looks pretty as hell. Even with her braids hanging all over her face, I see it, I see her.
Even when she’s trying hard to be composed and in control, I see the real her.
Kyrah has a pure heart and I’m crazy about that part of her most. “I called you?” she yells and my sis-in-law Mireya laughs.
“Stop yelling,” Sis says.
When I see Sis trying to help Kyrah down the stairs, I stop her. “Ay. Stay. I got her.” Two at a time, I sprint up the stairs. “You want me to carry you?”
“Boy, no. I can walk,” Kyrah slurs while laughing. Then she throws her arms over my shoulders.
God, she’s pretty and drunk.
“You’re really lit,” I say, amused as hell ’cause I’ve never seen her like this.
“Gone,” Sis says. “I didn’t even know she called you.”
“She called and texted, so I came, but I ain’t know she was still here,” I say.
“I’m here waiting on you,” Kyrah utters.
“And I came, baby,” I tell her.
“Let me go get her stuff so you can take her home,” Mireya says.
“He got me, Reya. Don’t you?” Kyrah asks, sounding extra sweet and I can’t help but smile.
Yeah, I like her like this.
“You know I got you.” She slumps into me and I wrap my arms around her soft body to keep her close and steady.
“Good,” she gushes with a big, pretty smile. Then she lays her head on my chest. I love the way she fits perfectly. I’m a tall ass man, six-six, and I like my lady a little tall and a lot thick. Kyrah’s just right at five-ten and thick as fuck in all the right places. “Take me home,” she whispers.
“That’s what I’m about to do,” I tell her, then kiss the top of her head.
Sis returns with Kyrah’s two bags and I relieve her of both. Then she pats Kyrah’s back and looks up at me. “Take care of her and I’m not just talking about tonight,” she says.
“It’s already done. Trust, I got her,” I assure her before leading my drunk baby down the stairs. Giselle meets us at the bottom with a bag. “There’s some leftover sushi in here,” she says as she hands me the bag.
“Thanks and I’ll get her car tomorrow.”
“It’s fine here. Whenever you get it is okay. Just take care of our girl. She had a long week.”
“I see it’s been long but I got her.”
Giselle opens her glass door and I lead Kyrah out to my truck.
She’s really gone because she’s practically sleepwalking.
When I reach my truck, I just scoop her up and place her on the passenger side.
The minute I’m inside, I buckle her seatbelt then mine.
She’s definitely knocked out and stays asleep as I drive to her house.
Luckily, Kyrah lives out here in Chandler Heights too.
That’s how I was able to get past the security gate so easily.
Her house is only about five or six miles from Giselle’s but the twenty-five miles per hour speed limit makes it seem further.
When my truck stops, she finally moves. Her head turns toward me and she slowly opens her eyes. A smile creeps across her face then she closes her eyes again. She’s fucked off fo’ sure.
“Baby, we’re at your crib,” I say and she nods.
“My purse,” she utters.
“I got it. I’ll get all your stuff. You know your codes?” I ask about her door and alarm to get inside.
“My divorce,” she says.
My hand grazes the side of her face then I tilt her head up by her chin. “What, baby? I’m talking about your codes to get into the house. You remember them?” I ask clearer.
“My divorce,” she says, almost crying. “Zero, nine, two, three.”
“Zero, nine, two, three for the door?”
“Both,” she says while slowly bobbing her head.
“A’ight. Let me get in then I’ll be right back for you,” I say before leaning over and kissing her forehead.
Leaving my ride running, I grab her bags from my backseat then walk onto the paved walkway toward her front door. The code she gave me opens the front door and disarms the alarm. After placing the food bag in the fridge, I jog her bags upstairs into her bedroom then head back out.
I kill the engine to my car then scoop her out.
She doesn’t move until I place her arms over my shoulders.
Without opening her eyes, she wraps her legs around my waist. Holding her ass, I close the door and carry her inside.
After closing the front door with my foot, I take her upstairs and try to lay her on the bed.
“Lay with me,” she whines, sounding too cute.
“I will, after I set your alarm. Let me put you down, baby, and I’ll be right back,” I say and she nods. “Well, let me take your shoes off.”
“I got ’em,” she sighs, then kicks her slides off.
“Let’s go to bed.” I swear I can’t tell her pretty ass no, especially not now.
All of her inhibitions and walls she tries to keep up are down and she’s not Kyrah the dean or Kyrah who only wants a friend right now.
She’s just my lady who wants to go to bed with me. “Please,” she adds.
“We can most definitely do that.”
I run back downstairs and set her alarm.
When I’m back upstairs, I kick out of my Ones, inch us back in the bed, then lay back on the stack of pillows.
She keeps one leg draped around me and lets the other fall to my side before snuggling into me.
When she’s comfortable, I brush her braids from the side of her face then kiss her cheek.
“Goodnight, baby,” I say.
“That’s why I love you,” she utters and my entire fucking body freezes at her admission.
She loves me.
To make sure I’m not tripping, I ask, “And why do you love me?”
“You always call me your baby.”
“’Cause you are my baby. You’ve been that. Since the first time you let me bless this body right here in this bed you were my baby. You just been fighting it.”
“I’m not fighting; I just love you,” she says, then turns her head.
I can’t even hide my smile. It’s no doubt bigger than it should be for a nigga my size but I can’t help it.
I real shit have loved Kyrah almost from the moment we met.
She insisted on just being friends, and because I wanted her, I went with it.
Hell, I would have agreed to any fucking thing after that first night.
When a man knows, he knows. One look at Kyrah that night at the winery and all I heard in my head was she’s mine.
I felt that shit with everything in me, and when she smiled and said my name, I was locked the fuck in.
She might not remember this shit or her words in the morning, but I will and I’ll know she meant it. One thing alcohol will do is have a person speaking the truth and she has told me hers. Twice.
She loves me and I love the hell out of her.
“I love you too, baby,” I say, then wrap my arms around her.
Within seconds she’s asleep and soft snoring fills my ears. She’s definitely intoxicated because this is the first time I’ve heard this. I don’t care though. I love every part of the beautiful ass woman laying on me. She can snore as loudly as she wants.
I don’t fall asleep as easily; I never do.
So as gently as I can, I pull my cell out of my pocket, put it on silent, then text Tre.
That nigga stays up late like me. It’s already after one.
There’s no way I’m going to make it back to Diamond Falls to open in the morning.
I would legit have to leave here in four hours.
Me: I need a huge favor.
Tre: This late?
Me: No. In the morning. Can’t open.
Tre: This ain’t about Matika, is it?
Me: Fuck no. Kyrah needed me. Had to come to CF. Not going to make it. Choppa can come in to help with the vehicles. I’ll hit him.
Tre: Bet. I got it but you’re opening the next two Mondays.
While shaking my head, I text:
Me: No prob. Thanks.
Tre: I’ll hit Choppa. Take care of your girl.
After placing my cell on her bedside table, I ease down to get more comfortable and close my eyes. Within minutes, I’m knocked out with her. I don’t get up until I feel her move and say my name.
“Shiro. Shiro.”
“Yeah, baby,” I finally answer.
“What are you doing here?” she asks and I open my eyes. Her pretty but confused gaze settles on me.
“You told me you needed me, so I came.”
“I was at Giselle’s.” Her eyebrows tent then she shakes her head and asks, “And I called you?”
“Yeah, baby. You called and texted, so I came. I’ll always come for you.”
She’s smiling but her head is still shaking. After sighing heavily as hell, she says, “Slice H2O. That shit is strong.”
“You drank that cheap shit? My nephews fuck with that. What y’all doing drinking them shits?”
“Long day and I needed something new,” she says and I notice her eyes drop then her head bows.
“Ay. What’s that about?”
“Life… Bullshit… The past.” She sighs then starts to move but my arm around her stops her.
“Ay. Come on. You can’t just say some shit like that and move. What’s going on with you? Why’d you need Slice H2O?” I insist.
“I need a hot shower and some tea. My head is killing me.”