Page 51 of Dare You to See Me
Wesley, on the other hand, is anything but amused. He glares at me and I can only imagine he’s hoping I will self-implode.
“Sorry, Wesley. My, uh, boyfriend,” Soleil flashes her eyes to me quickly and nervously. “And I had plans.”
I shove my hands into my pockets and pinch my leg to stop from shoutingin your face, douchebag.
“I didn’t realize you had a boyfriend.” He crosses his arms over his chest and arches a questioning brow.
“It’s pretty new,” she explains.
“Is he that fellow I met at the beach when I ran into you and Dahlia?” My smug smile stretches.
Through gritted teeth and a tight smile she mumbles, “Mhmm.”
“Huh. Seemed like a nice guy. Friendly. Good looking, if I do say so myself.”
Her jaw twitches as she fights back a laugh and I love it.
“Well. I guess another time, then.” Wesley eyes me, then turns his attention to Soleil as he rakes his gaze up and down her body.
It’s obvious and lewd and if we weren’t in the presence of children, I’d shove my fist right through his mouth.
“Have a good day, Mr. Collier,” I say, effectively dismissing him and ending his gawking.
The sneer he gives me is a deadly one but I am left standing next to the beauty we both admire as he walks away.
When he’s out of sight, I lean into Soleil and whisper in her ear, “So you have a boyfriend, huh?”
An elbow flies back and jabs me in the stomach and I oompf.
“I can’t believe you said that. I can’t believeIsaid that. He’s just so annoying and persistent.”
“And it seems he doesn’t quite get the hint. Hopefully he does now.” She shakes her head with a soft laugh and our eyes hold. “Does what you said mean you’re going to give me a chance?”
“It means, I’m leaning more decidedly in your favor. But I need a bit more time.”
“I’ll take it.” It’s as close to a yes that I’ll get right now and I see that as a win.
The bell rings before I can say anymore and Soleil startles.
“I better go. Have a good day, Mr. Dare.”
“Have a good day, Sunny.” She freezes and I immediately recognize my mistake.
But in order to save the moment, I don’t make a move or break my face. I stay steadfast and make no indication about my flub. She studies me for a moment then waves and walks away. I breathe relief when she doesn’t put it together and remind myself to be more cautious.
I’ll make sure to check on her tonight. Message her as King, asking for something indecent, then as Malik, telling her how beautiful she looked today. That should put an end to any connection.
I watch her laugh as she talks on the phone. I don’t know who sits on the other end, but the person makes her feel light and carefree. Her legs are tucked underneath her in the plush chair and her lean legs grab my attention. She shivers and wraps the blue cardigan tighter around her.
The temperature is starting to drop in the evenings as we get closer to the official start of fall. With the way the weather spins here in the south, you could be sweating while dressed in shorts during the day but by nine pm, you’re reaching for sweatpants and your favorite slippers.
She stands from her seat and ends the conversation. When she walks closer to the front window, I duck down further into the hedge and wait for her to turn off the lamp. The lights darken as she moves through the house, turning them off to what I assume is going to bed.
I creep through the front yard, staying low and hidden, to the side of the house and around the back where I know her bedroom is. I wait for the light to flip on then slowly rise to peek inside. She does her usual change routing of changing into a nightgown, washing her face and brushing her teeth, then slides under her crisp white sheets.
Her bed looks cozy and heavenly, but maybe that’s because she’s lying in it. I envision falling asleep with her in my arms, feeling the warmth of her body, and waking up to fucking her. Breakfast as a family, laughing with Dahlia and kissing my girl when we head off to school. But my favorite dream is the one of her lying on her back in the bright sun, trees swaying and birds singing, as I smooth circles over her extended belly that carries our child.
It’s a wish I want more than life. I want Dahlia to call me dad, and I want to be the one to walk her down the aisle one day. I want to wipe away my tears when she walks across that big stage on her graduation day. And one day, far into the future, I want to sit next to my love, watching our grandchildren play and thinking about what a wonderful life we have.
