18. Sunnie
I’m the queen of glam. Give me a date, time, theme, and I promise I’m showing up looking like Jesus himself beat my face. However, tonight I switched it up. Barely touched my makeup bag outside of mascara, eyebrow pencil, and lip gloss. Barefaced. A new for me but a look I’ve grown to love too.
Naked.
No filters.
Ezekiel and I were going on our first date tonight as a couple. Feels like I’ve waited my whole life for this moment. Knowing Zeek, he’d pull out all the romantic gestures. Expensive flowers, car service, and rented out restaurant. Tonight I wanted something different. I didn’t want the expensive wine and dining I knew his deep pockets could afford. I wanted something authentic.
Out of all the men I’ve dated, all the excursions I’ve ventured on, never had I found myself in a place where I could simply be. Just me and my beloved, cocooned from the world. Every moment before had been staged for social media acclaim, each snapshot curated for likes. My compact Chanel clutch carried the essentials—a few money cards, a tube of gloss, gum, and some spare change. Anything that didn’t fit, including my phone, was deliberately left behind. I desired to sever ties with the outside world and immerse myself wholly in the presence of my man.
My love.
I loved how that sounded.
My man.
Ezekiel Donovan is my man.
“How many times are you going to pick out your hair? If you keep on teasing it, it will puff up into a fro and not a nice twist out.” I called my mom early this morning to share my news. Her baby girl was officially off the market. No, we weren’t married, but it felt like it.
It took some time before my parents were ready to talk to me. I hurt them with my lies and accusations. A week after that horrendous brunch, I stopped by their house for Sunday dinner only to leave an hour after arriving when usually my visits lasted for hours. Daddy greeted me with a long hug and kiss to my cheek, but he sat in the living room spaced out, looking at the TV. Mama tried her best to talk to me, but that too felt forced. We sat down and no one said a word. Mama’s food tasted good as always, but it had added spices of sadness that blued my soul.
“It’s my nerves, mama. No man has ever made me feel how Zeek does. This date feels… different. Feels real.” Expressing my feelings and emotions for the larger-than-life man always made me emotional.
“How’s the situation with him and his child’s mother? Has her heart softened towards him?” When she and I got over our weird phase, our relationship hit play and we were back being the best of friends. A girl’s day out of shopping turned into me catching her up on everything and I mean everything.
Crystal, bless her heart, refused to have a change of heart concerning Ezekiel’s involvement with the baby. All communication went through me. I created a group chat once with all three of us and she ignored it and continued speaking to me directly. Petty to a certain degree but justified when you heard the full story.
I call it like I see it - Zeek intentionally ignoring Crystal for months was beyond trifling and if I were in her shoes I’d be the most ruthless baby mama he’s ever had. Hall of Fame level of evil. The Lord knew me. He’s protected every man I’ve slept with over the years cause He knows I can go tit for tat and there ain’t no going high when they go low. I’m taking you to hell.
“Nope.” I popped my P as hard as Crystal’s heels remained firm on her decision.
Her sigh echoed mine. “Poor girl. That baby didn’t ask to be here, and I hope you’ve thought deeply about the role you’re going to play once it is born. Loving Ezekiel means loving all extensions of him, a lifelong responsibility. Don’t commit and change your mind, Sunnie. That baby doesn’t deserve a revolving door. Either you’re in it for the long hall or stay away. Not just with the child but with Ezekiel.” Her points were made but at the wrong time.
I’m getting ready to go out with my man, the last thing I wanted to ponder on was my man’s mother to his child.
“You’re right. Anyhow, let me finish getting ready. I’ll call you later.”
“Okay, baby. Have fun and tell Ezekiel I said hi. Love you.”
“Love you too.” After hanging up with her, I cleaned off my camera lens and repositioned my phone on my tripod to capture my entire body. I might not be actively posting but the urge to vlog never left.
“How do I look y’all?” Slowly spinning, I giggled, feeling my stomach raid with a host of butterflies. “Not as extravagant as you’re used to seeing me, but I love this look. Very chic and sexy. Casual enough to still turn heads.” Leopard print six-inch wedge heels to turn my all-black ribbed swoop neck sleeveless maxi dress into a fashion stable. A thick gold rope necklace with different sized hoops going along the curve of my ear. I planned on wearing a long-sleeved jean jacket to add a nice fashion piece.
“I think I’m going to change my lip. Gloss will forever be my top pick, but this hair is giving main character and I need the main character energy to be all around. Here is ‘buy me diamonds’, my new red matte lipstick dropping next month. It’s buttery smooth and long lasting. You can kiss all the frogs and it won’t smudge. See, look at how…”
“Prove it.” Goodness, why did this man shift my entire equilibrium?
There’s a different kind of electricity in the air, all because he’s right there, kicking back, watching me with eyes full of something real warm and genuine. It’s like he’s got this way of looking at me that sends a whole squad of butterflies rioting in my stomach, making me feel all kinds of special and giddy, like we’re back at square one, vibing for the first time.
Catching his glance in the mirror, this heat rushes up to my cheeks, creating a natural glow no highlighter could ever match. It’s kinda wild, how just him standing there in the doorway, giving me that look, can have me feeling so deeply seen, like I’m the main character in his story, the vibe he’s been searching for.
The more his eyes penetrated my soul, the more I understood what was transpiring.
A naked moment.
It’s clear that tonight isn’t just about me getting dolled up; it’s about him peeling back my layers without even saying a word, his eyes telling me I’m his everything. This isn’t just about wanting; it’s deeper, it’s craving, it’s real. Feeling wanted, desired, craved in such a raw way, it’s heady, forevermore grounding me in our truth where love is spelled out in these quiet, shared moments as much as in the big declarations.
With Ezekiel, not a moment goes by that don’t I feel truly seen, not for the makeup or the masks I’m used to wearing, but for the real, unfiltered version of me. The reflection permeated from his eyes. I’m not just beautiful; I’m essential, the realest part of his world.
Ignoring my hands starting to shake, he swaggered his way behind me, all in the camera view, and kissed my exposed shoulders and neck until I turned into a giggling mess. “Test it on me, Sunnie Mae.” And there goes my knees knocking.
Camera recording and lips freshly painted, I kissed my man. Oh, I kissed him something good, too. Swooping spit and tongue wrestling.
Just filthy, but erotic.
“Damn, Sunnie Mae. Fuck.” His hands were giving my glutes the massage they deserved. “You taste so damn good.” Nastily, he sucked on my tongue, giving my camera more than it needed to see. Sometimes I forget that he loves camera play. He turns into a straight savage when he knows he’s being recorded. “I know your pus…”
“Zeek.” Hands over his mouth, I nervously giggled afraid his filthy mouth had been caught on camera.
“My bad, baby. You look good. You smell good, and you taste good.” He pecked my lips. “Not one smudged and I devoured them juicy ass lips. Post it so I know it’s real.” I heard the double meaning, was he serious?
This went beyond advertising my product.
Posting this was making a loud as hell statement.
“Posting you as my special friend or my man?”
Those bedroom eyes were going to be my downfall. “As your man.”
So, I did.
I posted the cute Get Ready with Me video on my TikTok adding Muni Long’s song Made For Me. No editing or nothing. And cut it off right after.
The blogs were going to have a field day.
“Now, are you ready to spend a night with your man?”
“I’m ready, love.”
All night long, I felt like I was dreaming. Living in the clouds floating through heaven. Zeek carefully crafted a symphony, each moment a note played to perfection, harmonizing into a melody of love and tenderness. He had orchestrated the night with an attentiveness that spoke volumes of his feelings, every gesture a verse in the poem of our growing affection.
Down to his selection of music playing in the car. Each song had been intentionally selected, creating a backdrop to the romance that was blooming as beautifully as the bouquet of red roses he had waiting for me on the passenger seat. Their petals as lush and vibrant as the emotions swirling between us.
The bouquet was not just a cluster of flowers; it was a symbol of his deep affection for me, large and overwhelming, yet tender in its offering. My heart grew in love for him with each gesture. Something simple as him holding the door for me, his gaze lingering, an unspoken dialogue of admiration and anticipation. Then the elevator ride up to the rooftop restaurant became a canvas, our reflection captured in a selfie that he proudly set as his phone’s wallpaper—a testament to the moment we were sharing.
All night long he kept the wood of my yearning and swooning over him burning. His hand on my thigh was a gentle claim, a comforting presence that spoke of protection and intimacy.
After dinner, we drove through downtown Fort Lauderdale. The red lights of the city watched over us as we ventured to a new spot, a bakery that was introducing itself to the world. It was an unveiling, not just of culinary delights. My eyes threatened to expel tears of overwhelming love from the thoughtfulness Zeek continued to display all night.
Knowing all of my failed attempts to balance my love for sweets with a healthier nondairy lifestyle, he found a bakery that offered a tapestry of desserts, each paired with a wine that sang to my soul, from nondairy ice cream that whispered of forbidden pleasures to cakes that told tales of indulgence and restraint. It was an experience unlike any other, a shared adventure that allowed us to sit in a back booth cocooned in our own world, heads touching and lips moving.
In the soft glow of the bakery, amidst the aroma of sweet ingredients and the intimate setting, he asked me about my dreams, my vision for the future, our future.
My answer surprised me.
It spoke of nothing but the revelation of the change he’s evoked in me since I’ve been in his space for the past few months.
I wanted a life filled with love, growth, and a deepening bond with each other and our faith. There was no doubt that I saw a future with Zeek at its center, a testament to the depth of my love and the certainty of my commitment.
When it was his turn to answer, he was slow to speak. Doubt and uncertainty trying to root themselves where there was no soil. His past had been a shadow, a specter that haunted his hopes, but I was adamant and determined to make sure the words I spoke over and to him produced life.
I prayed that my words were a beacon, guiding him toward forgiveness and redemption for himself.
The night ended at the park across from his condo. Tonight, a local jazz band was serenading the neighbors. A perfect ending for a casual but memorable night. Talking and freely loving each other was the best date I ever had. No expectations other than being our true authentic selves. As we danced under a canopy of stars, I got so lost in his eyes. Enchanted by his true reflection, not marred by past mistakes but shining with the potential of what we could build together. My belief in him, my vision of our future, was a gift greater than any material offering.
Naked.
Freely exposed.
Then, a kiss to end the perfect date was under the starlit sky. A silent promise of eternal love and a wild and crazy journey together.