Page 38 of Impacted by Love

"I'm okay. Feeling a little guilty about tempting us into falling short of God's goodness, though," I bashfully utter.

My conscience has been tormenting me since arriving to work about showing up at Asaiah's house and falling into bed with him.

"No need. We all fall short of God's mercy. I don't regret anything. However, I need to fix something I've neglected."

"What?" I whisper, looking around the empty office I'm occupying.

"You're not random, and neither is what's between us. Therefore, I need to know if you will be my woman. I want to pursue something significant and long-term with you. Are you up for being mine, sweet baby?"

"What's the dazed and silly expression about, Onesti?" Necia's question snaps me out of the memory and back to the present conversation.

"We're official," I dreamily announce before something tugs at my senses, causing my eyes to roam around the room.

Asaiah?

My brows wrinkle, and the smile previously taking up residence on my lips falls at the sight of Asaiah and a mystery woman being led to a table not far from ours. A frown forms upon seeing Asaiah standing behind one of the available chairs before pushing it closer to the table once the woman sits down.

What the hell? Who is that bitch?

My conscience screams with a sister-girl flare, sounding like ole girl fromFridayafter Felicia approached her car. When Asaiah sits while displaying a beaming smile, my frown deepens, and my mood sours.

"Ut-unh. What's causing your face to grimace like this?" Jarielle questions, forcing me to disconnect my gaze from Asaiah.

Pain pinches my chest, and my lip trembles while my leg bounces under the table as I attempt to keep it together in front of my girls.

Fake it till you make it, girl. You can't draw attention to Asaiah after damn near singing his praises. Fix your face and be cool.

"Girl, an image of a man with a hickey on his manhood I saw at work this week has picked the wrong time to invade my thoughts. My bad. What were we talking about?"

It takes Herculean strength to keep my eyes from returning to Asaiah and the woman who looks nothing like me. The woman is fair-skinned with big, curly black hair that has bangs. She's smaller than I am, but it doesn't take away from her beauty. The short maroon dress covering her body contours her shape without apology. However, it's shorter than anything I would wear, stopping at the top of her thighs, and a black belt rests around her slim waist. The thigh-high boots on her feet highlight her exposed thighs, making me wish I had a blanket to wrap around her body to hide from Asaiah's eyes.

Oh, you saw a lot for someone pretending to see nothing.

Sadly, I had memorized the woman's appearance, much to my chagrin. Jarielle and Necia's voices fade into the background, and I lift my fork, deciding to drown my sorrows in my meal's buttery, savory yet cheesy goodness. Not even five minutes into my unknown forkful, a tingle hits my core, inciting a need to visit the restroom. Sighing, I place my fork down before addressing the table.

"I'll be back. My bladder is rudely interrupting my food-gasm." Pushing back from the table, I prepare to walk away when my eyes return to the man who's supposed to be mine and mine alone.

Don't go over there acting out of character, Onesti Michelle Jeffries.

Tuh. Go flip the table over and show that ninja why playing in your face isn't safe. Who does he think he's playing with?

Don't do it, Onesti. Don't do it. It ain't worth it. I promise you, it ain't worth it.

The internal battle of my inner thoughts increases my heart rate, and I fight the laughter in the pit of my stomach when a rocking, emotional Oprah's voice sounds off. Subconsciously, my steps lead toward Asaiah's table with my heart pounding in my chest, the closer I get to reaching him. Staring intently at Asaiah, my heart stammers when his eyes connect with mine when I'm a hair's throw away. Plastering a smile that doesn't reach my eyes, I nod subtly and continue toward the bathroom.

The moisturein my mouth evaporates, and my heart palpitates upon seeing Onesti, which is wild because I'm not doing anything to cause such a reaction to seeing her. Onesti's flowery perfume wraps around me like a warm blanket which makes my dick jump.

"Do you know that woman?" Danielle asks.

The thickness in my throat and tingling in my chest prevent me from responding immediately. I'm silent while processing Onesti's avoidance because I'm unsure what she's thinking.

Why did I let her walk past me and assume things were as they seemed?

"Asaiah?" Danielle's voice calling my name has my eyes returning to her. Concern and questions shine within her eyes, reminding me of her initial question.

"Knowing her would be an understatement. That's my woman, and I think being here with you instead of her is a mistake," I admit before running my hand down my face.

My accepting Danielle's invitation to catch up this morning was without thought after dealing with Andre and Valerie. I ran into Danielle on my way out of their apartment building, and my head was on the conundrum of my parents continuing to make my life hell. With Danielle and me having history, I allowed that to clog my judgment, desperate for someone to talk to in the moment. I didn't expect to see Onesti, and now I'm sitting here contemplating catching her by the restrooms to clear things up.

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