Chapter 5
I blinked up at the projector screen and tried to look alive, nodding once like I was fully tapped in.
Shonica had called me a simp this morning when I told her I’d gotten a wax and was preparing to get a fresh set of acrylics and new lingerie.
In her words, “all of that just for a man you only spent one night with.” I told her she was a hater, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little embarrassed about how hard I was mentally riding this man.
There were just things about Ahmad like his swag, his confident demeanor, his sexy voice, and that pressure. Now that Valentine’s Day was approaching, I was scrambling to get my shit together like it was a damn red carpet event.
“Taelyn,” my boss said sharply, pulling me out of my own head.
I blinked. “Hm?”
“Are we… boring you?”
I cleared my throat and sat up straighter, brushing imaginary lint off my blazer. “Not at all. Just mentally connecting what we’re reviewing now with the internal ad tier projections I was finalizing earlier.”
She looked at me like she wanted to call bullshit, but couldn’t prove it. “Right. Well… what are your thoughts on the influencer tier revisions?”
I clicked my pen, crossed my legs, and delivered a 45-second summary that was so clean, concise, and laced with marketing lingo, even I almost believed I’d been paying attention the whole time.
She gave a tight nod and moved on. Forty minutes later, the meeting was over.
I made a beeline for the elevator and dipped out fast. I had a hair appointment in thirty minutes, and my stylist didn’t play about her time.
By the time I walked into Blow’d by Renee, the salon was vibrating with laughter and hip Gospel music blasting on the Bluetooth speaker. There were some kids in the corner doing TikToks, and the smell of pressing oil, deep conditioner, and shea butter filled the air.
“Tae-Tae!” Renee yelled from her station, cape already in her hand. “C’mon, girl. You five minutes late and seconds away from getting skipped.”
I laughed, hugging her before slipping into the chair. “Not you threatening me. This is supposed to be a safe space.”
“Mostly,” she responded, parting my hair like she had beef with it. “So, what’s the occasion? Who you tryna get cute for? Or is this just your quarterly maintenance check-in?”
I smirked. “Valentine’s Day.”
“Oop!”
Three women turned around in their chairs. Somebody said, “Ohhh okay,” like they knew what was up. A girl under the dryer pointed at me with a nail and said, “It’s giving grown woman coochie prep.”
Renee cackled. “You still messing with what’s his name?”
“Girl, no,” I turned my nose up. “Had to let that go finally… and with good reason.”
She fanned herself. “Mmhmm. Get you something new.”
“Of course. Got me out here getting even finer. Hair, nails, feet, and a wax.” I chuckled.
“Not the full combo,” she said, parting another section. “He must got good dick.”
“And do.”
I got a couple of claps, a “well damn,” and a “girl, enjoy that!” from around the salon. One older woman in the back said, “Just don’t lose your mind behind no penis.”
After Renee slayed my silk press and curled the ends with enough body to make someone fall in love at first sight, I headed two blocks down to Nail Luxe for my appointment. It was packed with low R&B humming low through the speakers. The smell of acrylic and acetone was heavy in the air.
The receptionist looked up and smiled. “Taelyn, right?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said, sliding my jacket off.
My nail tech, Tiff, was already setting up. “You getting the nude almond like last time?” she asked.
“French tip and coffin. Long.”
“Oh, you tryna keep it classy this time.”
“You know it.”
She grinned. “Say less.”
While she worked, we gossiped about Valentine’s drama, watched two women side-eye each other from across the room like they were messing with the same man, and laughed when the girl next to me said she was faking a yeast infection to get out of a dinner date tomorrow.
“Don’t judge me,” she said.
“Hey, do you,” I replied as Tiff started on my pedicure. Soon, my toes were dipped in French, looking pretty as hell.
By the time I hit the little boutique up the street, I was tired but determined.
I found a sexy red lace set with garters and a sheer robe that tied at the back like a damn gift wrap.
You couldn’t tell me I wasn’t about to ruin this man tomorrow.
I grabbed some Thai takeout on the way home, tossed it in the passenger seat, and pulled off feeling dangerous.
At a red light, I reached for my phone to switch a song on my playlist when it rang. I bit my lip as Ahmad’s picture popped up on my screen.
As I answered on the third ring, I tried not to sound too thirsty. “Hey.”
His voice came through smooth and low. “What’s good, mamas?”
The sound alone made my shoulders drop. “Just finishing up my day,” I said, driving off. “Long week, but a good one. You?”
“Just dropped my bus at the lot,” he said, and I could tell he was blowing out smoke from his mouth. “Ran a full route this morning and afternoon and only wanted to cuss out two kids. That’s growth.”
I snorted. “Not you being proud about only two.”
“Listen. These lil’ bad ass kids be wildin’, but they cool. Their parents even cooler. It ain’t bad. I’m stackin’ for this house, so it’ll do.”
“Wait… a house?”
“Hell yeah,” he said, like it wasn’t a big deal. “Been savin’ for a minute. Lookin’ to buy before summer.”
“That’s… really impressive,” I said, genuinely surprised. “A man with a plan?”
He chuckled. “I mean, I ain’t just fine wit’ good dick. I’m grown too.”
Whew.
I turned onto my street just as snow flurries started to come down. “So what are you about to get into?”
“Couple errands then parlay at my boy’s crib for a few before I turn on the QuickieDrop app,” Ahmad said, and then paused. “But honestly… I wanted to hear yo’ voice first.” My stomach flipped. “I been thinkin’ ‘bout you all damn day.”
My throat went dry as I parked my car and cut the engine off. “Yeah?”
“You know that,” he said. “You was thinkin’ ‘bout me too?”
I paused. Then whispered, “…Maybe.”
He chuckled, low and full of heat. “What part of me was on yo’ mind, Tae?”
I let the silence hang for a second too long. “All of you,” I mumbled. “I was thinking about you at work in the middle of my meeting. Then again, when I was at the salon.”
“Damn,” he said, voice low. “That bad, huh?”
“That good, actually.”
He exhaled like he felt that shit. “You got me thinkin’ ‘bout that night. I can’t wait to feel that pretty pussy creamin’ on my dick. Oh, my God.”
Oh my God is right. “Ahmad,” I panted, clenching my thighs together.
“I’ll let you go,” he said, voice all teasing now. “Before I say somethin’ that make yo’ ass do somethin’.”
“You already did,” I said under my breath.
He chuckled. “Nah, don’t play wit’ me. You made a whole damn pact.”
I whined, dramatically. “I knowww… and I hate myself.”
“Nah, don’t hate yourself. Just… hold out. One more night, mamas.”
“Easy for you to say. You’re not the one with a crazy sexual appetite and a heavy toy collection.”
He laughed. “Aight, I’m gone. Text me if you feel weak.”
“I’m already weak.”
“I’ll make it worth it. I gotchu.”
Click.
Closing my eyes, I rested my head against the headrest and exhaled. My pussy was thumping so damn hard, and my heart was skipping beats. “One more day, Tae. Just hold on for one more day. Don’t give in.”
After my little pep talk, I gathered my things and headed inside my apartment. Because I knew if I stayed in my car any longer, I was going to slide my hand between my thighs, fuck around, and fail the whole damn celibacy pact.