Page 37 of Dear Mr. Vampire

I briefly forgot that she was sitting next to me. I only looked at her without giving her any confirmation about her question.

The waiting room was getting colder and colder as we sat and waited for news. I rubbed my arms slowly, trying to erase the goose bumps as they flooded my skin. My intuition said the prognosis wouldn’t be good. I wondered if I was the only one that felt this way. There was no way I would ask anyone with Craig’s parents and his sister right here with us.

I scanned the room in search of something to take my mind off the frigid temps. I studied the carpet, the light fixtures, the windows, and the coffeemaker.

Morgan stared out into space as I replayed the words she relayed to me. Road rage, highly unlikely. It was too farfetched to think that this had anything to do with Lonzo. He’d met Morgan once or twice in passing, but he didn’t have any information on her. As far as I knew, he only knew her first name. I knew for a fact I never mentioned anything personal about her and definitely never mentioned her boyfriend’s name.

In my heart, I knew this had to be a random accident. It was the only thing that made sense. It was a car accident, not a shooting.

Thirty minutes later, everything was a blur. The worse news came barreling down on all of us. Craig had died. His mothered sank into the floor sobbing uncontrollably while Craig’s sister wailed in agony. I hated I couldn’t remember Craig’s sister’s name— Phyllis, Felicia, Alicia, Erica. What was her name? Focusing on that made it easier for me to contain my grief. I knew Craig. He was a really good brother. I was holding on to Morgan and trying to console her while she whispered no over and over again. Mitchell was rubbing his sister’s back and wipingtears from his eyes. Donna had wrapped her arms around the both of us. This was tragic. I wanted answers for my friend. But with car accidents sometimes there wasn’t a resolution.

This was not what I expected when I drove back here. I expected broken bones and a few weeks’ recovery, time off work, and shopping for a new car. That wasn’t this. This was the end. Craig was dead. My best friend had lost her boyfriend, and I didn’t know how to comfort her. She’d always been the one to comfort me. Morgan was the strong one. I was the weak one. I was the one who got involved with the criminal. But Morgan always had her head on straight. She picked a good guy. Craig was one of the good educated Black men. I hate that it had to end this way for him. He didn’t deserve this.

I didn’t have to wait long for Zand to arrive at the hospital to pick me up. Mitchell waited with me. Morgan left the hospital with Craig’s parents. I could understand that. I’m sure they wanted to be close to her. She was an important connection to their son.

Zand pulled into the no-parking zone and I dashed out the door after giving my play brother a hug. I can finally breathe again. This entire ordeal had my heart beating so fast. I really didn’t think it was going to go this way, and maybe that was naïve of me.

The hotel was only a few miles from the hospital. I was happy about the distance because I wasn’t in the mood to sit in a car for a long time after driving from Chicago.

Zand had taken my luggage into the room when he checked in. All I had to do was drag my tired behind and my purse into the elevator and up to the sixth floor. Zand took charge. He opened the hotel room door and let me in to the room. I was immensely grateful. He probably would never know just how grateful I was.

“How are you feeling?”

“Tired. I didn’t think this would happen. I mean, people have car accidents every day that rarely ever turn into a fatality. I justnever thought we would drive here and get this bad news.” I was rambling. “I need to take a hot shower. I feel yucky.”

“You need a relaxing bath. I’ll run you some water. Unwind, take off your clothes.”

I stood idle as Zand walked from the room and into the bathroom. In seconds, I heard him turn on the tub’s faucet water.

I slowly peeled out of my clothes, only leaving my bra and panties on. I sat on the edge of the bed and replayed the tragic events of the day. I needed to decompress. He was right; a bath would work better than a shower. Zand could read my needs and me, and I’d never had that before.

Moments later, Zand had my hand and was leading me into the bathroom. His touch was warm and soothing. Just being with him was relaxing.

I removed my panties as Zand watched me. Before I could remove my bra, I felt his hands unclasping my bra. He pulled the straps off my shoulders at the same time. He removed my bra for me. My breast freely hung down and released the pressure I felt on my chest. My nipples hardened as soon as I felt the hotel air graze my skin.

“I know you like the water hot. Test it out.”

It took me a moment to realize what he was talking about. Oh, the bathwater. His touch made me space out. I was going to hate when this was over. He was just what I needed at this time in my life. He was what I didn’t know I wanted. A man like Zand could have all of me. I wish the honeymoon stage of whatever this was would last for a long time. He was all the man that I needed and he arrived at the perfect time in my life.

I went to dip my foot in the water and Zand meandered his arm around my waist to aid me. The water was hot, but not too hot for me. I gradually lowered my entire left foot into the water. Zand quickly took my hand to help me all the way into the tub. Once both of my feet were submerged, I slowly lowered my body down into the tub while still holding onto his hand.

When I was sitting, something inside me wouldn’t release his hand. I held it. I held it tightly and deliberately. I couldn’t let go. Looking down at me, his eyes searched mine. Those honey brown orbs of his were hypnotic. Could he read my mind?

“Move up. I’m getting in.” He ordered, while kicking out of his size twelve shoes.

Those were the words I needed to hear to release his hand from my grip. I watched him remove his black t-shirt, and I scooted up toward the bathroom spout to make room for him. I bent my knees to my chest as the water splashed around the tub. I cradled my legs in my arms and rested my face on my knees while he undressed from the waist down. I shut my eyelids.

I could hear him enter the water behind me. I could feel his legs brush against my body as he descended into the water.

I was able to relax when I felt his arms wrap around my body and pull me backward. Releasing my legs and straightening them, I leaned back into his bare chest. He embraced me wholly, and I exhaled deeply. I was so comfortable in his arms, and it scared me. But it was also exactly where I wanted to be. The water soothed me in all the ways I needed. Zand’s hands gliding up and down my thigh calmed me.

His other hand held one of my breasts. “I love your tits.”

I turned to face him. I had to get on my knees in between his legs. I sat back on my legs and took his hard dick in my hands.

I slid my wet hand over the head of his dick. I rubbed my palm in tiny circles over the tip of his thickness. I watched his head fall back against the wall tiles and smiled to myself.

I leaned over his throbbing erection and opened my mouth. I lowered my wanton mouth over the head of him. I let my lips engulf him before relaxing my jaw and coasting down over his thickness. My mouth watered as I slid up and down his juicy package. I was going to take as much of him as I could.

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