Page 211 of Lovers' Dance

“But I don’t know which key—” He broke off when I nudged him forward, but it was too late. We were about to be Patsified.

“I don’t believe it,” she gushed, wrapping her thick arms around me and cutting off my air supply as she smothered my face in her enormous and cloyingly sweet-smelling boobs. “Your aunt said you were coming home, but I told her you would probably be too busy and not to get her hopes up. Sherice was so upset Dante couldn’t come home. That boy is breaking his momma’s heart. Let me look at you.”

I gasped air in as she released me from the embrace and gripped my cheeks between her hands, twisting my face side to side. Goshdarnit. My face wouldn’t have changed. Did she have to squeeze so hard? I caught a glimpse of Matt as my head was forcibly swivelled side to side. He was wearing his aloof mask, one that clearly said: stay back. The Hulk was hovering not too far from us.

“Ms Patsy—” I tried to speak, but she was squishing my cheeks. I jerked my head back. Freedom. “Hi, Ms Patsy. How are you?”

“I’m good, girl,” she said, excited gaze locked on Matt and moving towards him. “Is this the boyfriend, Madison? I’ve been reading about you two on the Internet. He’s bigger than what I expected.”

My knight looked alarmed, probably envisioning his head smothered between her boobs and not looking forward to the prospect. Ms Patsy liked to hug, a lot. Before she absorbed his handsome face into her boobs, the Hulk took a quick step, strategically placing himself right next to Matt. Ms Patsy’s gaze swung to him. Her almost black eyes widened. Ryan was a couple of inches taller than Matt, and he was beefed up, practically bursting the seams of his suit.

Matt shot him a hard glance and Hulk slunk back, giving us space.

“Hello.” Matt held a hand out. “Matthew Bradley and, yes, I am the boyfriend.”

I stepped back with a pitying shake of my head at Matt. He would regret making Hulk back off soon enough.

Ms Patsy looked at his hand before pushing it away. “Oh, I love your accent. Come here you. No need to be formal. Madison’s like family to me, so that makes you family.” Her arms were currently around Matt’s neck as she squeezed him tightly.

I bet he was regretting Hulk not wrestling Ms Patsy to the ground.

“So big and strong,” she cooed, hands sliding down his back. Matt gave me a look over her shoulder. A ‘get her off me’ look. I folded my arms and grinned.

“Ah, yes,” he said coolly, as he politely tried to extricate himself from her hold. His eyebrows flew up, and I grinned wider. His ass had been patted by Ms Patsy. Not only was she always in everyone else’s business, but she liked big men and wasn’t afraid to show her appreciation in a physical manner. Errol Holmes, her husband wasn’t big or strong.

Matt managed to ease away from my neighbour’s grip and he stepped closer to me. He looked dazed; he’d been Patsified.

The Escalade pulled up to the curb behind the limo. I groaned internally, noting Ms Patsy’s alert eyes as she observed the beefy men inside the vehicle getting ready to exit.

Matt looked over and barely shook his head in their direction. It was enough though. The men did not exit the SUV.

Ms Patsy saw it all.

“Well,” I said loudly to get her attention. “We should head inside, Ms Patsy. We’re exhausted. It was a long flight. I’ll see you soon. And tell Mr Holmes I said hi. Bye now.”

I hung my hand bag over one shoulder, grabbed Matt’s arm and marched him up the path to the front door. Ms Patsy stood at the bottom of the drive, excitedly watching the chauffeur carrying my bags behind us.

“Great,” I muttered under my breath, slipping the key in. “She’ll be texting everyone in a minute, including Aunt Cleo.”

Matt slid his hand over my waist. “Is that a problem, poppet? Your aunt knew we were arriving this morning.”

I turned the key and looked up at him. “Yes, but Ms Patsy will gloat that she’s the first person to meet you and—let’s get inside. I need to pee.”

I pushed the door open and stopped, eyes whipping around. I was back. Everything was exactly as I remembered from my last visit. Fresh flowers in vases around the front room. Uncle David’s stack of car magazines on the shelf under the coffee table. The plump cushions placed neatly across the long sofa and matching armchair. Jamal’s PS4 slotted in the glass cabinet next to the DVD player. The fifty inch TV I had bought for Uncle David on my last visit had been moved to the corner of the living room. Aunt Cleo hated it being centre, said it was a distraction. And everything looked spotless as usual. There was not a speck of dust hiding around the numerous pictures on the mantelpiece.

“Poppet.” Matt’s deep voice came from behind me. “You’re blocking the entrance.”

“Sorry.” I walked inside, holding the door open for him.

Matt took my cases off the chauffeur and waved him away, before easing my hand off the door knob and shutting it. He looked around, then at my smiling face.

“This looks nice.”

“Yes?”

“Very nice, it looks spotless. How come your terrace isn’t as—”

My hand landing in the middle of his chest shut him up. Matt laughed and pulled me up against him.

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