Page 16 of Played
Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure Kyle is a nice guy. I mean, my mother loves me, so she wouldn’t try to fix me up with a douche. But every man she has invited to a family dinner just isn’t my type. I can’t even identify what my type is, but it’s not the parade of guys she’s wined, dined, and off-loaded on me.
You don’t know your type, huh?
The bitchy voice in my head pipes up.
Andwithoutmy permission, my gaze slides over to Solomon. Today, he’s traded a T-shirt for a black sweater and those joggers for black jeans and a pair of black-and-red retro Jordans. Swirls of black, gray, and blue ink peek above his collar, and I find myself staring hard, tracing each line, trying to decipher what the tattoos are.
Arousal throbs low in my belly, thumps in my sex.
“Dina.” Ma elbows me in the side, and I mouthouchto her.
Damn. I swear she has knives tucked under that shirt. She squints at me, nodding toward Kyle. Right. The flowers.
As I take them, Kyle smiles bright, and his regard dips down, lingering on my breasts, hips, and thighs.
Okay, no.
I can’t. I justcan’t.
“Thank you, Kyle.” I beam at him, and though Kyle’s smile brightens, Solomon stares hard at me, green eyes narrowed. Taking the flowers, I sidle over to Solomon until I’m standing next to him. He stiffens, but I don’t let that stop me from switching the bags over to the same one grasping the flowers and sliding my now free arm through Solomon’s. “But I think my boyfriend might have an issue with another man giving me flowers.”
“The fuck?” he hisses, but at the same time I laugh loud and brightly to drown him out. Unfortunately, it emerges sounding like I’m either drunk orreally, really happy.
When Ma glances at the plastic bag with the necks of the wine bottles poking out, I can guess which option she’s going with.
“Boyfriend?” Ma slowly repeats, her skeptical gaze roaming Solomon from the loose wavy curls on his head all the way to his large sneakered feet. “And why is this the first time I’ve heard about him?”
Because it’s been a whole two minutes.
“Because it’s new.”
The suspicion doesn’t fade from her eyes. “Is that right? How new?”
“Almost a month.” Not a lie. Two weeks is almost a month. “But I thought it was time for Solomon to meet all of you guys. And what better time than our family dinner. Isn’t that right, baby?” I tilt my head back, staring up at Solomon. Silently pleading with him to go along with this charade. At least for tonight.
And that beautiful face reveals nothing.
My stomach bottoms out, and nerves flood in. I widen my eyes, and honestly, I don’t know if I’m begging or threatening him at this point.
His green eyes sharpen, narrowing.
Shit.
“That’s right,” he murmurs, and relief washes through me so strong I get a little lightheaded. “I’m happy to meet Adina’s family.”
“Hmm.” The suspicion doesn’t clear up from Ma’s eyes, but I’m too relieved that I can deflect her matchmaking for the evening. As far as how I’m going to explain where my “boyfriend” went after this dinner? I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. “Well, not only is it nice to meet you, Solomon, but welcome to our home. Everyone, come on in. The food is ready.”
She turns and heads back up the walk and climbs the front steps. Clearing his throat and with discomfort obvious on his face, Kyle follows, momentarily leaving me and Solomon by ourselves.
“Don’t even say it,” I mutter.
“That’s ungrateful as hell. And here I could’ve blown up your spot. Shit, I still can ...” He starts to turn, but I squeeze his arm into my side boob, stopping him from moving.
His gaze drops down to where his forearm is pressed to my flesh, and my nipples draw to almost painful points under my shirt and bra. God, they’re doing the most. Thank goodness this bra is padded.
“Sorry, sorry. You’re right. And I am grateful. I just ... I wish I didn’t have to need you,” I admit, looking away from that bright, too-seeing gaze. “I came here this evening hoping for an easy, laid-backdinner with the family, and here my mom is, on her matchmaking bullshit again.”
“Again?”
