Page 39 of Church Girl
Jesus, what if she’d run in here seconds earlier? I’d been so consumed by Aaliyah, I wouldn’t have heard her. It was arrogance at its highest to think I had a handle on this.Shit.
“In a minute. Food’s almost done. Go wash your hands, okay?”
“Okay.” She spins around, but before she can leave the room, Aaliyah steps forward.
“Hey, sweetie, I’m about to leave. I’ll see you on Monday, okay?”
Saturdays are my busiest days, but I don’t make her work on the weekends. Aaliyah already stays late several nights of the week; she is young and needs a life. Gia stays almost every weekend with Sheree, and when she doesn’t, my sister, Leslie, watches her for me.
Never have I been so grateful for a Saturday.
And even as I think it, I feel like a bitch. But after that kiss—a kiss branded on my mouth and dick—I need space. We both do.
“Why?” Gia whines, her shoulders slumping. My baby girl can be dramatic, but her disappointment is real. “You said you were staying for dinner.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I really am. But I have to get home. Something...” She pauses and my whole body stiffens. “Something came up, and I need to go, but I will be back bright and early Monday. And your dad has my number, so if you want to talk to me, you can always call, okay?”
I could stop her from leaving. Play off that kiss like it was no big deal and pretend nothing’s happened. But I don’t have it in me. Lust still runs through me like bad alcohol. Making me sweat. Got my body aching.
So I stay quiet.
“Okay,” Gia says, voice low, soft. She bows her head.
That’s when Aaliyah finally glances at me, and before she quickly shifts her attention back to Gia, I glimpse the confusion and...fear there.
Fear?
My head jerks back, and acid seeps into my stomach. What the fuck put that in her eyes? Did I do something? Was I too rough? Did she say no at some point and I...?
I shake my head. Hell no.Fuckno. If she’d, at any point, told me to stop, told me no, I would’ve backed up. My mama raised me to respect women, not hurt them. Not take advantage of them. Aaliyah had been as into that kiss as I’d been. Still feeling the sweet and sexy suck of her tongue on mine, I’m a hundred percent certain of it.
So what...?
I take a mental and physical step back. She’s a complication, a puzzle and a distraction I didn’t ask for and don’t want. I should’ve never put my mouth on her.
And the thing about me? I don’t need to burn my muthafucking hand on the stove twice to learn a lesson. Nah, it only takes once for me to back the fuck up.
Aaliyah kneels in front of Gia and cups her cheek.
“Hey, none of that. You’ve had a rough day, but your dad is right here with you, and I’m only a phone call away. And since you’ll be home three days next week, you can come withmeto school, how about that?”
Shit. I squeeze the back of my neck. I nearly forgot Aaliyah went to class while Gia was in school. We would have to figure out how to work around that because it isn’t fair for Aaliyah to take Gia with her. I might have to take her with me to the shop until Aaliyah is finished.
We could figure that out later.
“Okay,” Gia says, and this time, she sounds a little happier. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Can’t wait.” Aaliyah stands but not before planting a kiss on top of Gia’s head. “I gotta go, so give me a hug. You know I can’t leave without one.”
Gia throws her arms around Aaliyah’s waist, and she bends down to return the hug. Moments later, she gathers her jacket and bag and heads toward the door.
“Be careful on the way home.” I couldn’t resist calling the warning out to her even though Aaliyah doesn’t turn around to look at me.
She’s still new to the city, and it’s getting darker out earlier. And no matter how much I need her to get up out of here, there’s something inside me that wants to make sure she’s safe.
Aaliyah waves a hand but doesn’t glance in my direction. Even after the front door closes behind her, I don’t move. Not until Gia comes running back into the kitchen, reminding me that she’s still hungry. Turning my attention back to my daughter, I focus on her and getting food on the table.
But evicting my nanny from my head?
