Page 119 of Love, Rekindled

“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.”

CHAPTER TEN

~NAZ~

“Where’sthis new girlfriend of yours?” my agent Banner asks, nibbling on a piece of skewered grilled chicken.

“She’s not my girlfriend.” I take a long draw of the whiskey I’ve been nursing off and on ever since I left Takira’s cabin.

“Hmmmmph.” Banner settles into the overstuffed cushions of the couch built into the wall and lining the room. A massive, beautifully set table sparkling with crystal and silverware holds court at the center of the dining room. The first to arrive, Banner and I are grazing on gourmet appetizers and sipping from the insanely well-stocked cellar’s offerings. Jared had a last-minute call, but he should be joining us soon. In the meantime, I assume Banner will grill me.

“You know what I call you behind your back?” Banner asks, skirting up one dark brow.

“Won’t telling me defeat the purpose of it being behind my back?” I lean into the cushions beside her.

“I’ll find something else to keep from you.” Her pretty face lights with a secret smile. Tonight, her abundance of dark hair spills around her shoulders. “I call you Kenan 2.0.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You should, but the reason I call you that is because, like Kenan, you’re disciplined, calculating, careful.”

“Sounds boring.”

“Until you’re not,” she says, wagging a finger. “On the rare occasion you do something completely out of character and unexpected, I like to know why. This girl you had Lotus invite?—”

“Takira.”

“She’s unexpected. Takira Mosely. Does makeup and hair for a living. Originally from Houston. Went to cosmetology school after graduating from high school. Lived in Atlanta briefly before relocating to New York. Recently moved with her best friend Neevah Saint to work on Canon Holt’s new biopic,Dessi Blue. Member of The Make-Up Artists and Hairstylist Guild since?—”

“Banner,” I interrupt, my tone shaded with a small warning. “What do you want to know?”

“I’ve checked her Tinder profile.” Banner pulls out her phone. “LinkedIn. IMDb.”

“Banner.”

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