Page 5 of Rekindled

That was until Kai.

That man entered my world and set it ablaze. He set fire to all my previous beliefs about love and relationships. Made me do the one thing I swore I wouldn't do - fall in love - because the last thing I'd want before him - you know, after coming to my senses - was for the topic of commitment to enter the conversation. But Kai changed all that. He made me reconsider what I believed to be impossible for a short while. Marriage, children, family vacations to kid-friendly places like Disney World and Dorney Park. I wanted forever with that man the moment I hooked up with him on our first date in a private bathroom. Thought it was because for the first time in my life, I found myself dickmatized. But it turned out, I had really fallen head over heels in love with that man.

"Can I be honest with you?" Vincent continued, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"I wouldn't ask you to be anything besides honest."

"I wanted you to hear my new talent's material, that part is true. We've begun production on her album, and your writing style would complement her vocals and the overall vibe of the project. Our goal is a Grammy with her debut and my team believes with your pen, she'll get it. Congrats on winning another one earlier this year."

I tried to bite back my smile but eventually gave in. "Thank you."

"But truthfully," he added, moving in even closer. "Word on the street is you're a single woman again and... I just—"

I held up a hand to stop him. "Vince, you're right, I did just get out of a relationship and hopping into anything similar wouldn't be my smartest move. Not right now, at least."

He dropped his head for a moment, then looked up at me with soft eyes. "What if it were just to keep each other company tonight? You're in Cali for another few hours, right?"

He was pleading for a yes. As smooth and fine as Vincent Chamberlain portrayed himself to be, he didn't need to plead. Not like this.

I licked my lips slowly as I considered it.

I'd been sleeping alone for far longer than I was used to. Between my legs hadn't felt the touch of a man in a year. This was so unlike me. Granted, I'd committed three years to my relationship with Kai. Three years of bedding the same man and never getting bored with him. A shock to me and my system. That was probably why I fell so in lust and in love with the man. Before him, I was over a guy in two weeks, four weeks tops. I changed them out as frequently as the seasons switched if not as regularly as the months fell off the calendar. But these days, I couldn't conjure up the will to get back in my groove.

Kai broke me.

"As hard as it is to do," I said to Vincent. "I'm going to have to decline."

He hung his head again.

"And it's not because of you. Any time in the past, this conversation would not have lasted this long because we would've been out of this club and in either your or my rental headed to a hotel. But it's just too soon for me. You understand?"

"I completely understand." Vincent reached behind me and handed me my dirty martini. "But if you change your mind, I'm around and I'm willing to take things as slow as you like."

He winked at me right before he walked off.

I sipped my drink as I watched what would've been great dick swagger away. A second later, I tossed my dirty martini back and swallowed the liquor in two gulps.