Page 31 of Capacity
“Of course. It’s making my man-brain hurt seeing it sitting there like that. I’ll come over after work tomorrow and mount it for you.” I slid back in my seat and rested my ankle on my knee.
“Were you asking me or assuming you could come over tomorrow and do it?” I caught the hint of teasing in her voice.
“I’m coming over tomorrow to do it because you can’t get enough of me making you smile.” I winked at her and if I wasn’t mistaken, I saw her breath stutter. The fleeting sight made my heart thump harder against my chest.
“Whatever, Knight,” she laughed. “You wanna watch The Nanny?”
“That’ll work. Nanny Fine was fine as hell.” I shrugged my shoulders and sipped the glass of iced tea in my hand. I would’ve killed for bourbon. At least both drinks were brown. That counted for something, right?
Lumi grabbed a pillow from beneath her arm and whacked me with it. “You want to watch it to see Fran Drescher prance around in cute outfits.”
“I’m a simple man,” I offered with a full grin that spread from cheek to cheek. When Lumi shoved me to the side, I put my glass down on the coffee table and shoved her back. “I’m allowed to watch TV for attractive women.”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t. I was just pointing out how shallow you are. That’s all.”
“I’m not shallow,” I frowned at her. She tipped her head to the side and a river of wavy black hair fell over her shoulder. It was so fucking thick and glossy. “I love your hair,” I blurted. She paused in her laughter to regard me.
“You do?” She touched her hair then tossed it behind her shoulder. “It’s so long I always keep it tied up at work.”
“You should wear it down more.” I reached up and tucked a few errant locks behind her ear but I couldn’t stop there. Desire mounted in my chest as I pushed my fingers through her hair just to feel it slip against my skin.
“It’s not professional.” Her words were soft while my fingers fell through her waves. “It should be off my collar.”
“I like it down.”
“Am I wearing my hair the way you like it or the way it was specified in the dress code?” She quipped. I knew she was trying to hold on to our friendship…our boss-employee relationship, and so was I but I was failing quickly.
“You can wear it the way you want to. I was just mentioning how beautiful you look with it down.”
“Beautiful, huh Mr. Cunningham?” I snatched my hand out of her hair upon hearing my last name. It snapped me right back to where I should’ve never left. I was her friend. I was also her boss. The fact that I was sitting on her couch after dinner blurred the lines we’d purposefully put down.
“I’m sorry, Lumi.” I stood to my feet because clearly, I needed to put some distance between us. I was quickly losing sight of boundaries and I never wanted to make her feel uncomfortable.
“Knight, you don’t have to leave,” she said, standing along with me. Waist-length hair swept across her lower back dusting the top of her round ass.
“I do. I think I’ve called you beautiful one too many times.” Even then, while I was trying to pull away from her intoxicating presence, I couldn’t stop myself from touching her. I reached out and slid my hand down her arm until our fingers brushed against each other.
“I was joking around I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad.”
“I know. I don’t feel bad. I only feel bad when I tell a lie and telling you how beautiful you are is the furthest thing from a lie.” A small smile lifted my lips.
“Stay. Please.” When she looked at me like that, how was I supposed to say no? Lumi linked our fingers, her satin skin brushing against mine subtly. Whispering possibilities. I was all-ears even though I shouldn’t have been. I wasn’t good enough to entertain possibilities with a woman like her. I was smudged and dented. I was a recovering addict. I didn’t have the capacity to let her in the way she deserved.
I didn’t even know if I was healed enough from losing Hazel to embark on any possibilities. If I were though…it would be with Lumi. She was the woman I’d try again with.
“Are you sure?” I quizzed, skeptically.
“I’m sure. Who else am I going to watch The Nanny with?” Her throat dipped and more desire blossomed in my chest. I wanted to put my mouth right there. I wanted to feel how smooth and warm the space at the base of her throat was. I wanted to taste how sweet it was.
“Stay,” she said. That time with more confidence. She sat down on the couch again and my eyes fought to stay on her face when they really wanted to devour the way her breasts bounced beneath her shirt.
“Okay,” I sighed, sitting beside her.
“It’s strange to hear anyone call me beautiful,” she admitted quietly while she focused on her hands.
“Why? I’d think you hear it every day.”
“My ex,” she began, heaving a sigh. “He went full-blown Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde before he disappeared. It wasn’t a good time in my life. He’d tell me no other man would want me because…look at me.” She tossed her hands up as if it were an explanation. A confused laugh tumbled from my mouth as I shook my head.
