Page 33 of Reserved for Him
Her silence made me even more nervous. I had already prepared myself for her to say no, but I waited patiently for her answer.
“I’m not going to lie; it is kind of soon. But I really like you. I’m ready to take it to the next level.”
“Are you sure?” I looked over at her because I needed to look her in the eyes when she responded.
She grabbed my hand and held it. “Yes, Franklin. This past month has shown me a lot about you. It also has shown me that I deserve to be treated with care, and that’s what you do. When I’m around you, I feel comfortable enough to let my guard down. I know that you won’t let anything happen to me, and you won’t do anything to hurt me. So, if you want me to be your girlfriend, then the answer is yes.” She looked at me with such a big smile covering her face, and my heart melted.
I wasn’t ready to tell her I loved her, but I knew in my heart that was what I felt. The time for that would probably come sooner than I expected, but I wouldn’t fight it when it did. Initially, I didn’t want a relationship, and I didn’t think we would be in one so soon, but it felt right.
Junicia liked me for me, and she didn’t put pressure on me to be anything other than Franklin. She even started drinking tea with me, but I couldn’t get her to sit outside in the cold. Maybe she would when the weather was warmer. I wanted her to see how peaceful it was.
We came up to a red light, so I leaned over the console and kissed her. “Thank you,” I said against her lips. She smiled at me as her eyes sparkled.
“Thank you. Just promise me you’ll protect my heart as well as my body.”
“I’m going to protect your pretty ass from head to toe.”
When the light turned, I pulled off and turned the radio back up. Junicia sang as we held hands the rest of the way to her cousin’s house.
Once we arrived, I got out and opened the door for Junicia. I grabbed her hand as we walked up the short walkway to the front door.
I stood to the side as Junicia rang the doorbell. A few seconds later, a woman who resembled Junicia opened the door.
Her face lit up when she saw us. “Hey, cousin. Y’all come in.” She stepped back so we could enter the house.
I helped Junicia take her coat off before taking mine off and handing them to her cousin. After she put them on the coat rack, she turned back toward us. We followed her into the living room. Nobody was there, so I guessed her dude hadn’t arrived yet.
The house was warm and cozy. It smelled like vanilla and whatever she cooked.
“Cousin, this is Franklin, my boyfriend. Franklin, this is my favorite cousin, Lauren.”
The smile on both of their faces made me smile too. I puffed my chest out a little when she called me her boyfriend.
“Hi, Franklin. I didn’t know you got upgraded to boyfriend.” She smirked.
I stretched my hand out to shake hers. “I did on the way here.”
“Well, y’all both look happy, and as long as she’s happy, I’m good.”
Junicia squeezed my arm. “I am happy.”
I smiled down at her and kissed her cheek.
“Aww. Y’all want something to drink? My friend should be here soon, so we’ll eat when he gets here.”
“We’re good for now,” Junicia told her.
“Okay,” Lauren said and went to sit down, but before she did, the doorbell rang. “I’ll be right back.”
I hoped her dude wouldn’t be on no bullshit, but as long as he didn’t say anything out of the way to Junie, we were good.
“What did you say your cousin’s name was?” I heard a familiar voice ask as Lauren and the dude walked to the living room.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I heard him say when his eyes landed on me.
We both laughed as I stood.
Lauren and Junie looked at us like we were crazy.
