Page 4 of A Trial of the Heart
Though he’d said okay, Rashad failed to release my hand. I pulled back.
“Enjoy your night.” I turned quickly, ambling away from Rashad. Though I didn’t look over my shoulder, I knew Rashad was eyeing me. I could feel it.
“Damn, girl, took you long enough, I thought you were rea…” her words trailed off, and she looked at me strangely before looking past me. “Girl, are you okay?”
I looked over my shoulder toward the bathroom, hoping to spot the mystery guy, but even if he had still been there, it wasn’t enough light to see.
“Yeah. I’m okay.”
“Okay…”
“I just met my husband.”
LeeAnn looked at me with a skeptical expression before cackling loudly. “You’re crazy.”
I didn’t speak. Instead, I stood there trying to find the humor in what I’d said.
Her laughter slowed before it was just a smile, and soon, that faded. “Wait. You can’t be serious?”
Was I serious?I looked over my shoulder again before looking back her way. I wasn’t positive, but one thing for sureand two things for certain, whoever that guy was had altered something in me. I had to lay eyes on him again, even if only for a moment.
Chapter
Three
Rashad:
I stood off in the room’s corner, my eyes glued to where the dark-skinned beauty had ambled off to. She had all of my attention. My brother was getting married in a few short months, so I and the rest of his groomsmen planned this trip a short time after he proposed. We felt this was the right way to send him off. Well, they did. I was such a homebody that I felt the local Friday’s the night before he wed would be enough. Not wanting to seem like the oddball, I agreed to come. Not to mention, it was for my brother. I was his best man, so it wasn’t something I would miss.
It was the first night of the cruise. Originally, I had stayed in my suite, but Kameron, my brother, wasn’t with that. I’d popped out for a minute and was going back to my room, but I detoured to the bathroom first. Running into Shiloh’s fine ass had me forgetting I had to pee, while making me not want to leave. From the look in her eyes, I knew I had gotten her attention just as she had mine.
As Shiloh talked to her friend, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her. Her beautiful dark skin was blemish free. Shiloh’s features were comprised of perfect brown, almond-shaped eyes that satabove her slender, dainty nose. High cheek bones paired with her full, kissable lips made her look like a model. She was beautiful, and her thick, perfectly stacked curves completed her look.
I chuckled as I watched the many times Shiloh looked over shoulder; it wasn’t a guarantee, but I was certain she was checking for me. Wanting to still be in her presence, I watched her walk to the bar to take a seat. I ambled her way.
“Seat taken?” I was already sliding on the barstool before she looked my way.
“Seems like it’s yours.” Shiloh’s voice was so sultry, almost like she was singing.
I waved the bartender our way; I noticed Shiloh didn’t have a drink in front of her, and that needed to change.
“How you doing? What can I get you tonight?” The bartender asked in a rushed tone.
“What are you drinking, beautiful?”
Though Shiloh’s full lips never curled into a smile, the twinkle in her eyes led me to believe she enjoyed me in her presence.
“White Russian, please.”
“White Russian and an Irish Car Bomb.” I said, my eyes never wavering from Shiloh’s.
Her eyes did a thing I couldn’t explain.
“On the cruise for a special occasion?” I had to make conversation so she wouldn’t lose interest or think I was a creep of some sort.
Shiloh’s face seemed to light up before my eyes. “My birthday.”
“Ahh shit. How old?”
