Page 326 of Kentrell

My cheeks went up in flames. I covered my face, giggling like I’d lost all my home training, but he wasn’t letting me hide.

“Nah… don’t do that,” he said, pulling my hands down with ease. “Let ‘em see how your ass be frontin’ and shit.”

I giggled harder, squirming in his lap as he held me tighter, making me feel both exposed and completely safe at the same time.

“Y’all got matching chains on?” Ayesha chimed in next, eyes sparkling with new discovery.

I turned toward her, grinning wide, nodding.

“That’s raw… I ain’t gon’ lie,” she said, beaming like she was genuinely happy for me.

“And my name is right here too,” I added proudly, leaning back just enough so both of them could get a clear view of Kentrell’s chest.

“Zoe LaShay Caldwell,” Mars read off slow, twisting her lips like she was letting the name marinate. Then she nodded, fully approving. “That gotta lil’ ring to it… I like it.”

“Thank you,” Kentrell chimed in, voice low and satisfied, his smile breaking wide as he kissed my shoulder like I was already his wife.

Ayesha clapped her hands like this was a daytime talk show reveal. “Okay, Mrs. Caldwell-in-the-making! I see you!”

Mars wasn’t far behind with the dramatics. “So what we doing? Summer wedding? Fall? You gon’ let us pick bridesmaid dresses or what?”

“Oooh… if it’s pink, do a blush or maybe salmon,” Ayesha chimed in, already sliding straight into bridesmaid-planning mode like she’d been waiting her whole life for this moment. “And you know we gotta have?—”

“White tulips and ranunculus,” Mars and Ayesha said in perfect unison, both of them pointing at me like I was on trial for having predictable taste.

I laughed, cheeks burning again, but this time I didn’t even try to hide it.

“Slow down!” I held up both hands, still sitting sideways on Kentrell’s lap, trying to regain at least a little control of the conversation. “I haven’t even picked a date.”

“That’s ‘cause you just got the ring last night,” Kentrell added, smirking as he rubbed slow, lazy circles over my thigh like this whole conversation was entertaining to him.

“And got her back blown out right after,” Mars added under her breath, making Ayesha choke on her coffee.

“Mars!” I gasped, but she just grinned and shrugged unapologetically.

“Girl, please. I’m shocked I didn’t get a noise complaint.”

I shook my head, laughing as I curled deeper into Kentrell’s chest.

“Well… when you do pick a date…” Ayesha’s voice softened just a little, “…we got you. Dresses, flowers, planning… whatever you need.”

That made me smile even more. My girls were already ten steps ahead like always.

I felt Kentrell shift underneath me again, both arms wrapping tighter around my waist, and then he kissed my temple.

“Speaking of dates,” he said, low and close to my ear, “we need to get movin’.”

I turned my head to look at him, blinking. “Moving for what?”

He tilted his head like the answer should’ve been obvious.

“Finna take you home.”

My heart flipped at the way he said it.

Home.

And not just back to my brownstone.

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