Page 46 of Standing In The Sun

Lunar walked in, his eyes zeroing in on her stretch marks. He bit into his lip, showing off those deep dimples of his.

Ahvi froze, caught offguard, and felt a slither of insecurity.

“What you lookin’ at? My tiger stripes? That’s what you ‘bout to say cause you heard some nigga say it and bitches act like it’s the sweetest thing?

Lunar stared at the side of her face. Then his eyes traveled to hertiger stripesbefore his tongue swiped across his lips. “Nah…them sexy muthafuckas are more than that… they’re rows…like the ones made for planting.” He palmed her hips, pulling her to him. “This some mother earth shit…they show the world you are the creator. Ain’t no me if God ain’t give women these.”

Ahvi swallowed her attitude, feeling dumb and a bit embarrassed. But she had no rebuttal this time and she was usually quick witted.

“Yea, you ain’t got shit to say no more, huh?” Lunar challenged. “I’m not one of them…I’m him.” And with that, he smirked again before telling her to bring her ass on.

Her bare feet padded down the stairs behind him, admiring the way his body moved in his jeans. The tank top he had on showed the intricate ink covering his back and arms. She swallowed, wishing she could taste them.

“Ahvi!” Butta squealed, rushing into her arms when her foot hit the last step.

Ahvi hugged her tight, squeezing her because Butta held a special place in her heart. “When did you get here?”

“Not that long ago…I was about to come up there and get you but Lunar told me not too. He so fine,” she whispered the last part making Ahvi snicker. “But his brother…” she fanned herself.

“Brother?” Ahvi muttered, her eyes looking around for a boy that look like Lunar.

Butta whispered in her ear. “The tall boy with the locs…he’s real tall,” she giggled.

“Y’all gon’ whisper all night?” Lunar interrupted their intimate sister moment with his deep voice making them jump, then burst into laughter, hoping he didn’t hear what they said.

They giggled again, leaning more into each other. “Your fake baby daddy still standing there waiting...looking all good.”

“Hoe, shut up!” Ahvi slapped Butta’s arm.

Slowly, she turned and cracked up when Lunar gave her a death stare. Ahvi gave him a cheeky grin before trekking through the house like she knew where she was going. It didn’t take long before she ran into Javen.

Javen was tall, brown skin, and low hair cut now that he cut his braids. Without having to inhale too much, she smelled his expensive cologne and ogled at the diamond chain on his neck.

Javen smirked. “Nice to meet you, Ahvi.” His voice was deep with that southern twang she loved about Lunar’s voice too.

Seeing Javen up close in person, Ahvi was in utter shock. Then her memory took her to the old videos between him and Big Lunar. The man before her looked nothing like the boy in those videos. Slowly, her eyes cut around the kitchen.

Ahvi wouldn’t never have thought she’d be in a room with so many elite black people. Ish had always told her people were just people, but standing in that room at that moment with those people, she’d beg to differ.

“Hey,” she waved bashfully.

“Let me see, Kamari’s bad ass mama,” Solar joked, making her way towards Ahvi looking like they were the same age.

When it came to black not cracking, Solar could’ve been the poster child. Her tawny skin was flawless and her pixie cut didn’t have a hair out of place. She was stunning. Solar was shorter than Ahvi but her aura was big and youthful like she didn’t play the radio. It made sense since getting to know Aku over the past thirsty thirty days, Aku was just as big in person as she was over the phone. Now Ahvi could tell Aku definitely got it from her mama.

“My baby ain’t that bad.” Ahvi cocked her neck, pursing her lips.

Solar hugged her tight, something about Ahvi felt so familiar to her. It felt like she was hugging her younger self.

“Shiiiitttttt!” Butta laughed, dragging out the word.

“You’re a pretty, girl,” Solar circled Ahvi, examining her. Ahvi blushed because a compliment from a stunning woman like Solar was top tier. That and everyone knew a man would gas you up but compliments from other women were nothing but the truth.

“Lunar got good taste,” Luna added, walking in and wrapping her tiny arms around Javen’s waist.

Tiny smacked her lips. “They just friends.”

Ahvi looked confused by Tiny’s little comment. She thought they were cool but made a mental note not to get too comfortable with Lunar’s family. They seemed cool but maybe they didn’t like the idea of him liking her at all.

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