Page 57 of The Aries Alliance
“I am kind, but . . . I already knew I was going to feed you this dick tonight. I just brought food so you’d have the strength to take it like a big girl.”
I chuckled, delighted that War never hid his desire for me.
Despite our flirty words and quick smiles, however, my stomach quivered about what would happen between us. We already had sex, so I didn’t have a problem stripping and jumping War’s bones. It was our newfound tenderness that had me on edge. He obviously cared about meoutsidethe bedroom, further blurring the lines between us. As much as I wanted to surrender to War, work taught me to be cautious with my heart and my feelings. I wasn’t sure what to do with that. To shake myself from being anxious, I met his energy head-on.
“Remind me to give you a big tip then.”
War reached for my hand and kissed it.
“No, ma’am. I’m the one who’s giving you the biggest of tips.” He bit his lip and then licked his full lips.
I fanned my face with my hand again.
“You’re so nasty, and I can’t wait.”
Better
When we finished our meal,Scarlett and I stored the leftovers in her refrigerator and washed dishes like we were an old married couple. I grinned inwardly as she raked her eyes over my body for the umpteenth time. Because she seemed to be fascinated with my chest, I faced her as often as I could, sometimes making her pause when she had something to say. When she tried to gather herself, I took my time to check her out too.
She finally invited me into her living room to debrief about work. Although she eventually pulled her wrap tightly over her body and tied it at the waist, the outline of her nipples pokedthrough her wrap. I licked my lips, remembering how sweet they were when I sucked them. When she lifted her knee on the couch, I caught a peek at her barely-there black panties.
My discipline was unmatched tonight. Although everything in me wanted to hoist Scarlett onto my lap, pry her legs open, and pound her senseless, I extended my hand to her. I was serious about following her lead. She was vulnerable, so I wouldn’t take advantage of her, no matter how tempting she was. She intertwined her fingers with mine as we settled into the cushion of her comfortable couch. Soft instrumental jazz set a serene mood as syncopated rhythms floated through her home speakers.
“Who told them about me?” Scarlett scrunched her face like she smelled a skunk.
“They wouldn’t tell me, but we need to move quickly. These fools don’t play fair.”
“They’re evil too,” she added, releasing my hand.
When she shot up, I moved to the edge of the couch and placed my hands on my knees. My eyes followed Scarlett as she paced back and forth across the hardwood floor of her family room several times. She bit the nail on her index finger before stopping abruptly in front of me.
“They’re coming for me with racism allegations.”
“What do you know?” I asked, gauging if she understood fully the magnitude of the attacks against her.
Unlike the first day we met in my office, I paid even more attention to Scarlett’s mannerisms. She was nervous and coming unraveled before my eyes. When she rested her hands on my shoulders to steady herself, I reached for her thighs so she would stay still.
Her lip quivered slightly before she took a big breath and slowly rehashed her meeting with her supervisor, that hateful woman, and my colleague, Lance. Scarlett’s voice escalated andsometimes cracked as she explained how she had to set them straight about Blackness. Although she shared her truth, her eyes dulled. She rested her hand on her stomach as if she were protecting herself from each of the blows and careless words that had been hurled her way.
“You being pro-Black doesn’t warrant their ganging up on you like that. Send a follow-up email in the morning, replaying the meeting so you have it for your records. Remember”—I tapped her thighs with my fingers—“remain professional, and state the facts.”
She put her hands on her hips and rolled her neck at me.
“Whatchu trying to say?”
I squeezed Scarlett’s thigh so hard she winced.
“I’m nottryingto say anything, Boomquesha . . .” I mocked Scarlett’s actions by rolling my neck. “You’re kinda proving my point though.”
She rolled her eyes.
“I swear you’re a damn sellout,” she mumbled, trying to hide her cute little smile.
“Sellout or not, I need you to stay focused. The president may not have a lick of sense, but he’s smart enough to work with a team to build a case against you.”
Scarlett’s eyes nearly bucked out of her head.
“What do you know exactly?”
