Chapter 15 #2
Vega assumed her ex was into some shit. Their condos were identical and cost a lot of money. She worked, but her job didn’t pay her enough to afford that nor the G-Wagon she drove, but that didn’t mean she wanted another man whose money was stacked illegally.
“I’m okay with you, and that means who you are. That’s good enough for now.”
Nodding, Vega accepted her answer and chose to let it be enough.
“I’ll rock with that.”
“So, can you tell me what’s in the bag? I kind of thought maybe you brought me to your secret hideout to get rid of me.”
Nyelle flashed him a smile and Vega chuckled. “I like you around too much to get rid of you. This is dinner.”
He held the bag up, and she frowned, expressing her disappointment. Nyelle hadn’t envisioned dinner from a duffle bag when Vega mentioned he had plans for them.
“Dinner?”
“Yeah, if you’re okay with it. I didn’t want to share you tonight. I know my time is limited, so I wanted to be the center of your attention while I have you. I damn sure don’t cook, so my sister-in-law hooked us up. I have no idea what it is, but she can burn, so I know it’s good.”
“It better be. I’m starving.”
“It will be, trust me.”
So, where are we eating? There’s nothing in here.”
“There’s an office in back. I furnished it with a few things. We can eat in there.”
“You furnished an office in an empty ass building?” Nyelle delivered an indecisive glare. This was feeling a little off, but she trusted Vega.
“Yeah, man. What’s wrong with that?”
Nyelle smirked. “Nothing. Lead the way.”
When the two reached the office, Nyelle’s mouth dropped open. There was a huge desk, leather chair, plus a matching leather sofa and chaise. She glanced over at Vega, who was setting the bag down on his desk and shook her head.
“A few things? This place is fully furnished.”
He only winked at Nyelle and began removing food containers. What he found was fried chicken, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and biscuits he knew were homemade. There were also four slices of strawberry cake in another container.
“Damn, sis. I really have to hook you up for this. You came through,” Vega mumbled to himself as his stomach growled.
Nyelle was now at his side, thinking the same as him. She lifted the two portable plates from the bag and removed a bottle of wine also.
“You told her it was a date?” She grinned, holding up the wine and a candle positioned next to it.
“Hell yeah. I didn’t want her throwing together turkey sandwiches. I told her this was a date with my future. I see she went all out.”
Nyelle blushed at his cheesy grin and explanation but didn’t respond.
Instead, she began to load up their plates while Vega opened the wine and filled the plastic tumblers he found.
When they were done, the two settled on the sofa side by side, enjoying their food and moaning seductively through the meal because it was so good.
Once they both had their fill, and the wine was gone, the two snuggled up together with Nyelle tucked under Vega’s arm and cradled against his side.
She loved the way he smelled and the comfort of the protective hold he had on her.
“Thank you for this. It’s much better than a stuffy restaurant.”
“You think so?”
He kissed the top of Nyelle’s head, loving the smell of her hair. It always smelled like fruit. He also appreciated that she didn’t have a weave. They were cool, but he wanted to have access to all of her, and women were funny about their hair with weaves.
“Yeah, I do. It was intimate. Special.” Nyelle tilted her head back to see him. “Do all your women get this treatment?”
Vega smirked and shook his head. “You’re my only woman, Pretty Ny, and the women I used to fuck with wouldn’t appreciate this. They want the flashy stuff that makes them feel like they’re with a baller. I’m too old for that shit.”
“Are you a baller?”
“I’m a man with means.” He winked at her and she rolled her eyes. “But real shit. I’m trying something new. I don’t want the type who sees what I can do more than who I am. I want a woman who can appreciate a home-cooked meal. I mean, I can’t cook for shit, but I hope she can.”
Vega kept his focus on Nyelle as he waited and she easily caught the hint. “I can do a little something.”
“Bet. You’ll have to show me soon.”
“We’ll see. Are you close to your family? Your brother’s wife cooked food for you and your date, so I assume you are.”
Vega chuckled at how she said date, like it was random and could have been anyone. “Yeah, we’re close. It’s just my brother and me. He’s been married to Paris for over half my life, so she’s family. It doesn’t get any closer than that.”
“I don’t really have family. It’s just my mom and me. She loves me, though, so I appreciate her. She helps a lot with Nick.”
“What about your pops?” Vega loved his, but they weren’t close.
Noel Orr bailed on him when he handed over the business to Ace and basically said fuck family.
Their mom had passed and Noel had moved on with a twenty-something who wanted to travel the world and not raise a teenage son.
Vega resented his father’s decision when he was younger but appreciated the freedom.
The older he got, the angrier he became about his father’s absence, but he learned to deal and didn’t try to change it.
“My parents didn’t work. My dad and I are okay but not really close. He’s remarried, and his wife hates the fact that I exist, so he lives by happy wife, happy life, and stays away from me.”
“Damn.”
“Yeah, damn is right. But it’s cool. I’m good without him. Are you close to your parents?”
“Was with my mom, but she passed. Shit with my pops is complicated.” He looked down at Nyelle, hoping she would leave it alone, and she did.
“But you’re close to Ace?”
“Yeah, him more than anybody, but that’s complicated too.” Vega grinned at Nyelle, knowing his life was a complicated mess of secrets and lies.
“Everything about you is complicated, I see.”
Vega nodded in agreement before his eyes met hers. “Everything but this. This…” He paused and tilted her chin so that he could kiss her. “Feels easy.”
“So, you’re calling me easy?” Nyelle was well aware that he wasn’t, but she couldn’t resist.
“Being with you is easy. The other version of that doesn’t fit you at all.”
But I let you between my legs.
Before the thought could fully process, Vega responded like he read Nyelle’s mind. “Doing what you feel is not being easy. Besides, you were dreaming. I simply made it happen for you.”
“I wasn’t thinking about that.”
He chuckled and looked down at Nyelle, calling her out on her lie.
“I wasn’t.” Her voice hiked slightly while accompanied by a grin.
“It’s all I can think about. If I concentrate hard enough, I can still taste you on my tongue.”
Nyelle’s clit pulsed at the thought. She had her own memories as a reminder.
“I’m not going to entertain that. Instead, I’m going to move on to another topic.” Her delivery was strained because she was struggling with the idea of his head between her legs and his lips on her…
“So, ask me something, then.” Vega smiled, well aware that she was just as affected by the memory. He was damn good at working his tongue, so there was no possible way she wasn’t.
“What’s wrong with you?” Nyelle pulled away from his side and sat up, tucking her feet under her butt after she lifted onto her knees, pressing her fists into the sofa.
Vega admired the way her breasts pushed together, offering a little more exposure due to the deep V cut of her shirt.
“A lot is wrong with me. I’m a man, baby. Not a typical man, but still a man. I’m sure there is a list of shit that you would have an issue with.” He waited while Nyelle rolled her eyes.
“Do you cheat?”
“I have, but I won’t when I have you.”
“Yeah, right.”
“It’s the truth. The only pussy I’ve had access to is yours, and only with my mouth, so that says a lot. I’m no longer interested in wasting my time on something I’m not trying to invest in.”
“You have all the answers, don’t you?”
“Not even close. I told you, when it’s the truth, it comes easy. I’m not gonna lie.”
Nyelle gave it a minute to process before moving to her next question. “Have you been in love before?”
Vega pondered the thought then shrugged. “I’ve loved women or rather things about them, but I can’t say I’ve ever been in love with one.”
Nyelle side eyed Vega and he laughed. “Why the fuck do you keep asking me shit if you’re not going to trust my answers?”
“Who says I don’t trust your answers?” She grinned and he lifted a hand and moved his thumb down her cheek.
“Those stormy, skeptical eyes of yours say you don’t trust my answers.”
“I’m just considering all possibilities.”
“Aight then, consider this.” Vega snatched Nyelle up with ease and pulled her onto his lap. She adjusted, placing her legs outside of his, but not missing the thick, firm mass beneath her.
“I want you. I’m gonna have you, and you can’t do a damn thing about it except let me have you.” Vega kissed Nyelle after gripping the back of her neck to have a little more control. “But… when the time is right.”
Nyelle pulled back and tucked her lip between her teeth. “How will we know when the time is right?”
“Because you won’t be able to keep me from you and you won’t want to.”
Vega delivered his answer with ease because it was his mission and his promise. Nyelle would just have to deal with it. She was his goal and he wasn’t going to stop until he accomplished it… or rather, her.
Ny should be here in a few. You still want to see me?
Hell yeah. At the shop finishing up some paperwork and inventory. I can meet you at your place since it’s close.
Joi read East’s text twice with the same twisted look on her face. It was almost two in the morning. There was no way in hell he was at his shop doing inventory. It hadn’t been twenty-four hours and East was already doing shit that felt suspect.
She bit her lip and started typing, stopping after every word then deleting before she settled on what she wanted to say.