CHAPTER FOURTEEN
For the first time since I'd been staying with Jokah, I left work and didn't have to think about where I was going afterward.
I went home.
His home, technically, but more of my things were starting to show up there every day. I had clothes in his closet, products in his bathroom, and enough shoes sitting beside his that anybody walking in would know a woman lived there.
It still felt a little crazy when I thought about how fast everything had happened.
A week ago, Kyrie and I were living together.
Now I was punching the code into the door of Jokah's penthouse after work.
I dropped my purse on the counter, kicked off my shoes and headed straight for the bedroom.
After being on my feet all day, the only thing I wanted was a hot shower.
By the time I got out, I felt refreshed. I threw on a sexy lingerie piece he picked out, tied my hair up and went into the kitchen. Jokah had done so much for me since we met. Tonight, I wanted him to come home and not have to worry about anything.
I opened the refrigerator and started pulling out what I needed for dinner. He came home while I was standing over the stove.
"Kaior."
"In here, baby."
A few seconds later, he appeared in the kitchen.
His eyes landed on me and slowly traveled down my body before coming back to my face.
"Well, damn."
I smiled.
"What?"
"That's what we cooking in now?"
I looked down at the lingerie.
"You don't like it?"
"You know damn well I like it."
His eyes dropped again.
"I picked that out."
"I know."
"And you decided to cook dinner in it?"
"Mhm."
Jokah shook his head as he walked toward me.
"You trying to feed me or distract me?"
"Both."
"Fuckin’ right."
I laughed when he stepped behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.
His lips brushed against the side of my neck.
"You look good, baby."
"Thank you."
"My Lil’ Fine Shyt."
I smiled and leaned back against him.
"Behave. I'm trying to cook."
"I'm behaving."
"No, you're not."
"I ain't did nothing."
"Yet."
He grinned against my neck before kissing it again. "What are you cooking?"
"Dinner."
"I can see that."
"Then why you asking?"
"Because I came home to my woman half naked in my kitchen cooking for me. I'm trying to figure out what I did right."
I laughed and turned around in his arms.
"Maybe I just wanted to do something nice for you."
"For me?"
"Mhm."
That grin slowly spread across his face.
"I could get used to this."
"Don't."
"Too late."
I wrapped my arms around his neck.
"Hey, baby."
"What's up?"
I leaned in and kissed him.
"How was your day?"
"It was a’ight."
"You tired?"
"Nah."
"Good."
"Why?"
"Because I'm hungry, and you're helping me clean this kitchen when we're done."
He smiled.
"I knew all this sweetness came with some bullshit."
I pushed his chest.
"Go sit down."
"Yes, ma'am. But before I do that, I need to shower first."
“I’ll be waiting.”
I watched him walk away before turning back toward the stove.
I appreciated everything Jokah did for me.
The yacht, the horses, the expensive surprises, all of it.
But this was what I loved the most. Coming home after work, cooking dinner for him and feeling happy when I heard him walk through the door.
I didn't care about his money or what he could buy me.
It was the way he treated me. The way he took care of me without making me feel like I owe him something in return.
With Jokah, I felt appreciated, protected and wanted.
He made me feel like a woman in ways I didn't even realize I'd been missing.
And somehow, doing regular shit together felt just as special as everything else, he'd done.
I didn't know when I'd started looking forward to things this simple. I just knew I did.
A little while later, Jokah walked back into the kitchen freshly showered, wearing a pair of gray sweatpants and a white T-shirt. The smell of his cologne reached me before he did. I looked over my shoulder and smiled.
"Feel better?"
"Yeah."
My eyes dropped from his tattooed arms to the way the white T-shirt hugged his chest, then lower to the print showing through his gray sweats. Lord have mercy. This man was fine for no damn reason.
When I looked back up, Jokah was already watching me with a grin.
"You lose something?"
"Nope."
"Then why you searching?"
I smiled. "Just admiring the view."
"That's what I thought."
He walked over as I finished fixing our plates and looked down at the garlic butter salmon, asparagus, and honey-glazed sweet potatoes
"Shit smells good."
"It tastes good too."
"I’m finna find out."
We ate and talked about our day. I told him about Jasmine and everybody at work being in my business. He told me about the shop, including some woman who apparently couldn't take a hint.
I narrowed my eyes.
"Was she pretty?"
Jokah looked at me.
"I don't know."
"How you don't know?"
"Wasn't looking at her like that."
I smiled and went back to eating. I didn't even have a comeback for that. When we finished, I reached for his plate, but Jokah grabbed mine first.
"I got it."
"I can help."
"You cooked."
"So?"
"So, sit down."
I followed him into the kitchen anyway. He looked over. "Didn't I tell you to sit down?"
"I don't listen."
"I know."
I smiled and started helping him load the dishwasher.
We moved around each other easily, passing plates and putting things away. At one point, Jokah bumped me out of his way with his hip. I bumped him back. He looked at me.
"Don't start."
I smiled.
"Finish the dishes."
He shook his head, but I caught the smile before he turned away. This felt good too.
When the kitchen was clean, we headed toward the bedroom. I barely made it through the door before Jokah caught my waist and pulled me against him, making me laugh.
"What?"
"Come here."
"I am here."
He kissed me.
My arms went around his neck as his hands settled against my waist.
"Missed me?" I whispered.
"A little bit."
I pulled away.
"A little bit?"
Jokah grinned.
"Come here."
"No."
He caught me before I could get away, and I laughed as he pulled me back against him.
"Now you wanna run."
"Because you don't know how to answer questions correctly."
"I answered it."
"Wrong."
He kissed me again, and whatever argument I was pretending to have disappeared. His hands moved slowly along my back as mine rested against his chest. He kissed my cheek, then my jaw, before his mouth moved toward my neck.
I closed my eyes and leaned into him. Then his phone rang. Jokah ignored it.
"Baby, your phone."
"I hear it."
He kissed me again. It stopped. Then immediately started ringing again. Jokah pulled away.
"Somebody better be dying."
I laughed as he reached for it. He looked at the screen. The smile disappeared from his face.
"Hulk."
He answered.
"What's up?"
I watched his expression change as he listened.
"Where?"
There was a pause.
"You sure?"
He sat on the edge of the bed.
"A’ight."
There was another pause.
"Don't do shit until I get there."
Whatever Hulk said made Jokah's jaw tighten.
"I said wait for me."
He ended the call just as I sat up.
"What happened?"
"Something I gotta handle."
"Right now?"
"Yeah."
He stood and headed toward the closet. I watched him closely.
"Baby."
He looked back.
"You just gone leave me like this?"
The pout on my face made him grin.
"I won't be long."
"You better not."
"I'll be back in time to put you to sleep."
I smiled.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Okay."
He disappeared into the closet. I fell back against the pillows and waited. I wasn't happy about him leaving, but if he said he'd be back, I believed him. A minute later, he walked out dressed completely in black. That wasn't what made me sit up. It was the vest in his hands.
"What is that?"
He slipped it over his head and started adjusting it.
"Jokah."
"What?"
"Baby, is that a bulletproof vest?"
"Kevlar."
I stared at him.
"Why do you need that?"
"Precaution."
"For what?"
"Business."
My stomach tightened.
"What kind of business?"
He looked at me.
"The kind where I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it."
I didn't like that answer. Not because I thought he was lying to me. Because suddenly, I was worried.
"What happened?"
"Some inventory came up missing."
"And you're going to get it?"
"Something like that."
"With Hulk?"
"Yeah."
I looked at the vest again.
"Is it dangerous?"
"Nah."
He answered too quickly.
"Jokah."
"I'm good, baby."
"That's not what I asked."
He walked over and stood between my legs.
"Ain't nothing gonna happen to me."
"You don't know that."
"I know what I'm doing."
I rested my hands against his sides, still looking at the vest. Everything about it made me uncomfortable.
"Then why can't Hulk handle it?"
"Because it's mine to handle."
I looked up at him, fighting back the tears threatening to fill my eyes. He saw them before I could hide them, so I turned my head.
"Hey."
Jokah gently turned my face back toward him.
"Don't do that."
"I just don't want anything to happen to you."
"Ain't nothing happening to me, baby. I'm coming back."
I searched his face, wanting to believe him. There was something in his eyes that told me I wasn't getting any more answers tonight.
"Okay," I sighed.
Jokah lifted my chin. "Stop worrying."
"I can't help it."
That grin disappeared. For a second, he just looked at me. Then he leaned down and kissed my forehead.
"I'll be back."
"You promise?"
"I already promised."
I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him. "Then be careful."
His hand moved over my back. "Always."
I held him for another second before letting go.
Jokah leaned down and kissed me.
"Don't let nobody up here."
"I won't."
"I'm serious, Kaior."
"I said I won't, baby."
He kissed my forehead one more time before heading toward the bedroom door.
"Jokah."
He stopped and looked back.
"I'll be waiting on you."
His expression softened.
"I know."
Then he left. I sat there listening until I heard the elevator door close.
A few minutes ago, we had been eating dinner, loading the dishwasher and kissing like neither one of us had anywhere else to be.
Now my man had walked out of the house wearing a damn bulletproof vest like he was going to war.
I knew Jokah wasn't some regular businessman. I wasn't stupid. I knew enough about who he was and the way people treated him to know there were parts of his life I hadn't seen yet.
Before tonight, I hadn't felt the need to question them. Now I did, but not because I suddenly thought he was somebody different. I was starting to care about him too much not to wonder what he was walking into when he left me behind.