Chapter 15
It had been a week since I last saw Samir, and I was missing him more than I cared to admit. He’d gone out of town for a business trip, and even though we talked every day, the phone calls weren’t enough. His voice could make me smile, but it didn’t fill the quiet like when he was actually here.
My condo felt different without him popping up on me.
We would just chill, watch movies, and talk about everything under the sun.
It wasn’t just about sex between us, although I wasn’t complaining about that because that man’s sex game was stupendous!
It was the way he made the space feel alive, like his energy lingered even after he left.
The couch felt too big, the silence too heavy, in his absence.
I’d catch myself glancing at the door around the same time he’d usually show up, half expecting that familiar knock and that teasing grin on his handsome face when I opened it.
I missed the way he’d kick off his shoes like he owned the place and pull me into his arms like he missed me as much as I did him.
What are we doing? I asked myself that question so many times over the past week, and every time, I came up empty.
But when I asked Samir, his cocky ass would just smirk and say, “We doing us, baby. Stop overthinking shit.”
Like it was that simple. Like feelings weren’t involved.
Samir had this way of brushing things off, making everything sound easy when it was anything but. I’d roll my eyes, tell him I wasn’t built for confusion, and he’d laugh that deep, warm laugh that somehow made me forget what I was even thinking about.
But when the laughter faded, I was right back in my head, replaying everything.
The great sex, the late-night talks, the way he looked at me like I was the most beautiful woman in the world—I was psychoanalyzing my life.
The things he said when he thought I was asleep didn’t help.
We didn’t feel casual. We didn’t feel temporary. There was no pressure.
So why did it scare me so damn much?
He got back in town this morning and had to meet his family to help decorate for his niece's birthday party today. We only talked for a brief moment, but that wasn’t enough. Hearing his voice after a week apart just made me want to see him even more.
And that proved I needed clarity. Going with the flow wasn’t working for me.
I planned on having a real conversation with him.
There would be no flirting, no dodging, and no sweet-talking me out of understanding what was occurring between us.
I was more than just feeling Samir; I was falling, and the scary part was that I didn’t know if he was falling with me.
Before my heart got all tangled up in something I couldn’t untangle later, I needed to know what we were doing.
If I were just something to fill his time, I needed to know now before it was too late to pull back.
I turned down Maple Avenue, heading toward the new shop to check on the construction. The electrician had called that morning, promising he’d be there finishing the wiring, so I expected to walk into chaos—tools everywhere, dust in the air, and maybe a few guys still dragging their feet.
But when I pulled up, I felt something was off.
I parked and climbed out of the car, squinting through the glass window, and froze.
I quickly pulled out my keys to unlock the door.
I pushed it open slowly, and the faint chime of a bell I didn’t install rang through the air as I stepped inside.
My heels clicked against the newly tiled floors that were clean and polished to perfection.
My eyes went wide as I took in everything.
The glass display cases, positioned perfectly, shone under the soft glow of new pendant lights in the ceiling.
Tables and chairs were arranged neatly along the front windows, and the walls were painted the exact shade of blush cream Samir helped me pick out a week ago.
Even the scent was different. It smelled sweet and warm like sugar and vanilla had already claimed the place as home.
My heart jumped at how perfect the bakery looked. I spun slowly, taking everything in.
“What in the world…” I whispered, my voice barely audible. The space was exactly how I imagined it, but I hadn’t signed off on half this stuff yet. “How?” I asked myself.
Just then, the door behind me opened again, the soft ding of the bell breaking through my shock. I turned, and Samir stepped through the doorway, casual as ever with that familiar grin tugging at his lips.
“Surprise, Nova baby,” he said, voice low and smooth.
For a second, I couldn’t even move. My mouth parted, but nothing came out. “Samir…” I finally inhaled. “What… How did you—?”
“What I look like seeing my woman stress about something, and I don’t fix it?” He leaned against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, eyes glinting with that mix of pride and mischief that always got to me.
Hearing him call me his woman made my heart flutter. My stomach did that stupid flip, and I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks before I even had the chance to play it cool.
“Your woman?” I asked, arching a brow, needing clarification. I was also a little afraid of what his answer would be.
He pushed off the doorframe and started walking toward me with that smooth swagger that always made my pulse skip. “Yeah,” he said simply, eyes never leaving mine. “You heard me. My woman. Unless you tryna tell me differently.”
“I just didn’t know we were putting labels on it,” I lied. I wanted to know—I needed to know. The quiet relief I felt was an answered prayer.
“Zanova, I don’t need to put a label on something I already know. You been mine since the first time I met you in that bar. We just needed… time to get our heads together.” He pulled me into his chest, his cologne creeping up my nose. “So, Ms. Zanova Pierce… Will you be my girlfriend?”
For a second, I forgot how to breathe. Hearing him ask, and not tease or assume was different. I tilted my head back to look up at him, his dark eyes searching mine like he already knew the answer but still needed to hear it.
“Are you serious right now?” I asked softly, trying to keep my voice steady, even though my heart was racing.
“Dead serious. You think I’m about to let somebody else slide in that good pussy after I don’ felt it raw? Hell nah, baby. I’m tryna build with you, love you, and eventually marry you.”
“What if I say no?” I pursed my lips.
“You don’t have a choice, love. I ain’t going nowhere. And neither are you. Don’t think all I can do is get up to your condo without being announced. Keep playing. I’ll break in your spot while you sleep and hide under your bed every night. Don’t play with me. I’m certified in real life.”
I threw my head and laughed at his crazy ass. But I believed him. I wrapped my arms around Samir’s neck, and his hands gripped my ass in response.
I smiled up at him, my hands curling into his shirt. “Yeah… I’ll be your girlfriend, Mr. Carter.”
His grin widened before he pressed his lips to mine. He began to kiss me as if he’d been waiting to claim this moment just as long as I had.
“Thank you for this. This is one less stressor that I have to worry about. Now all I have to fuss about is getting my dress for the grand opening. Are you coming?”
“You really got to ask me that?”
“I’m just making sure. I don’t want to take you away from anything.”
“Busy, yeah. But not too busy for you. You think I’d miss seeing my woman shine on her big day? Not a chance. Matter of fact, I’m going to call my stylist so she can hook us up. I want to match my woman. Let’s roll.”
Grabbing his hand as he guided me from my finished second location, I beamed.
I had a man now officially! The thought made me smile, but it also sent a wave of nerves through me.
Samir had a way of making me feel safe, but deep down, a small part of me still wondered if I was walking into something I couldn’t handle.
Because this time, my heart couldn’t afford to be wrong.
Today was the Fuego Azul photo shoot, and I’d let Jamila rope me into doing it.
One, it was good promotion for Zanova’s Tasty Treats.
Two, I couldn’t lie that the idea of being in front of the camera with him intentionally had me both nervous and excited.
Samir had that natural kind of charisma that drew people in.
His presence made you forget the camera was even there.
I was just hoping I didn’t look like an awkward mess standing next to him.
The shoot was supposed to highlight our collaboration, my desserts paired with Fuego Azul’s latest flavor, but I knew the photographers were going to focus on more than just the product. And they did.
The moment the cameras started flashing, it stopped being about cupcakes and tequila.
It was about us—Samir and me. The way his eyes found mine between every take, the subtle smirk tugging at his lips when he thought no one was watching, the way our bodies naturally leaned toward each other like we couldn’t help it.
Every shot seemed to tell on us: the chemistry, the tension, the unspoken something that hung in the air.
Anyone looking at those photos would feel it instantly.
A few shots in, the shoot wasn’t just business anymore.
It was a spark the cameras couldn’t help but catch.
“Okay. Let’s switch it up. Zanova, I want you to feed Samir some of the tart. Have fun with it.”
“Yeah, feed me like you're feeding me that pussy,” he whispered so only I could hear him. Or so I thought.
“Hellooo!” Jamila yelled out. “It’s other people here, y’all know.”
Cackling, I shook my head. “Boy, you are so nasty.”
“I can’t help it, baby. I ain’t taste or been inside you in a minute.”
“Samir…” I giggled.
Samir and I hadn’t had sex in a week. Not because I didn’t want to, but our schedules have been full and busy.
If I wasn’t working at the bakery, I was home sleeping.
My body felt tired all the time. Between trying to keep up with the demands of the new tarts, and getting ready for my grand opening, my body was starting to take a hit.
“I got you later, baby.” Pulling one of his moves, I winked at him.
I turned and grabbed one of the tarts from the display.
I held it out toward Samir with a teasing grin.
He leaned in, eyes locked on mine, and took a small, slow bite like he was tasting more than just dessert.
The flash of the camera went off, but I barely noticed.
A bit of whipped cream clung to my fingertip, and before I could wipe it away, he caught my hand.
His gaze dipped from my eyes to my finger, then back up again.
He drew my finger toward his mouth and licked the cream off slowly and way too intentional.
My breath caught, and the room suddenly felt warm.
The photographers kept clicking, murmuring something about “chemistry” and “connection,” but I couldn’t hear a word. All I could focus on was the way his tongue brushed against my skin, and the way he smiled afterward like he knew exactly what he was doing.
“Guess we’re selling more than just tarts,” he stated in a shushed volume.
We took a few more shots before the photographer finally called it a wrap. By the time the lights dimmed and the crew started packing up, I was exhausted. The shoot had gone better than I expected, though part of that had everything to do with the man standing beside me.
Samir picked me up for the shoot because he said he wanted to take me out after.
I had a taste for some strawberry ice cream, so we stopped by a little parlor before hitting the road.
Now, we were cruising down the highway, windows cracked, soft music playing through the speakers, and the moon pouring through the windshield.
“I really enjoyed the photo shoot,” I said, glancing over at him. “I’m thinking about doing one for my shop. Something fun and creative to show off what I’ve built.”
“You should. Just let me know when, and I’ll set it up.”
“Aw! Thanks, babe.” I leaned over the console and kissed his cheek.
“Anything for you, Nova baby.”
I giggled. “Oh, I got it like that?”
He chuckled, that deep, smug sound rumbling in his chest. “You damn right you do,” he said, glancing at me with a slow, lazy smile.
“You stay trying to smooth talk me.” I laughed, shaking my head.
“Because I’m that nigga, love. And it works.”
I reached over and smacked his arm lightly. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Maybe. But you like it.”
“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” I tried to fight the grin tugging at my lips, but it was useless.
“You help me sleep at night. Going to sleep with the scent of your pussy in my beard has me sleeping like a baby.” He glanced at me and winked his eye.
“Samir!” I gasped, bursting into laughter.
He smirked wider, clearly feeding off my reaction. “What? I’m just speaking facts.”
“Boy, you’re a mess,” I said, still smiling.
“Oh, I’m a mess? Do your parents know their sweet little girl is really a whole freak behind closed doors?”
My jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”
“Don’t worry. I love that shit tho’, baby.”
“I bet you do. But the best is yet to come, baby.” I threw a wink his way.