“I mean, half the Tinder first dates we know end in sex. How would that be any different?”
“Because he’s different, and I have a feeling it won’t be just sex.” My shoulders slump with the truth, under the weight of that statement. “That with him, it could never be.”
“I know that feeling well,” Neevah says on a contented sigh. “You don’t ignore that, even if it feels fast or impossible. If it’s real, you find a way, but you’ll never know if you don’t try.”
“But Cliff—”
“Is a grown-ass man,” Neevah snaps with uncharacteristic sharpness. “You know I feel for all he’s gone through. Who flew with you to Houston when he OD’d?”
“You did.”
“And I would again in a heartbeat. You know there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. You’re closer to me than my own sister.”
“Girl, that Terry is a low bar,” I chuff out an exasperated breath because I wanted to throw hands more than once with that sister of hers.
“No lies detected there, but she’s getting better and working on herself. My point is, your happiness means as much to me as my own, and I’ll fight anybody standing in the way of you being happy. Even your own brother, especially when his disapproval of Naz is so twisted. That boy needs therapy, not enabling.”
“You’re right.” I nod. “Janice and I have both been trying to get him to talk to someone. He’s an addict. He has a sponsor, but that’s not enough. There’s a lot he needs to work through.”
“And I don’t want you leaving something special on the table because Cliff hasn’t worked through his shit yet. Don’t hold back these two weeks. See if this could be anything and deal with Cliff later. Your very own fairy tale.”
“A modern one. Boy meets girl. Girl gets flown out. Girl gets spoiled and bent over.”
“Oh, we are here for Black girls getting spoiled and bent over.”
“And do!” I let my laughter rise and fall before going on softly. “Thank you, Neeve. I love you, girl.”
“Neevah.” I hear Canon’s deep rumbling voice through the phone. “Baby, we’re late.”
“And we know how obsessive your man is about time,” I say dryly. “Tell him I said hey.”
“Takira says hey,” she purrs, a smile in her voice I only hear when Canon is around.
“Hey, Takira,” he calls. “You’re making us late.”
“You know how he gets.” Neevah laughs. “I better go.”
“Girl, bye.”
“Keep me posted,” she says before we hang up.
I perch on the edge of the bed for a moment, absorbing the almost undetectable motion of gentle waves lapping at the sides of the yacht. I steep in the cool opulence of this cabin. My stomach growls at the promise of the world-class menu the chef detailed when we first boarded.
Girl gets flown out. Girl gets spoilt. Girl gets bent over.
“In that order,” I murmur, crossing to the closet to rub the silky material of the dress between my fingers. Naz really laid the gauntlet down.
Don’t take off these panties. You don’t get to come.
He thinks he can keep me riled up all night?
I strip out of the dress I traveled in and carefully slip the panties off, setting them to the side to study myself in the mirror propped up against the wall. I work out on the regular, so I’m fit, but not skinny by any means. I don’t want to lose my thickness. My body is a conduit for pleasure, so I love it. One breast slightly bigger than the other. Fine lines at my hips. Little jiggle to my jam and a touch of dimples on my thighs. I’ll take it all exactly as it is, and I take care of it. I glance at the juncture of my thighs, freshly waxed and ready.
“You think you got me caught up, Naz?” I wrinkle my nose at my mischievous expression in the mirror. “I got a few tricks for you.”