Page 89 of Ashes
“Hi,” they said simultaneously before fixing their gazes on Jamal.
His front brushed against my back as his hand rested on my waist and pressed a kiss against my wet hair. “Quit staring,” he directed at them.
“We’re not,” Kai said, amused. “We’ve just been waiting for your famous Sunday feast.”
Jamal shook his head and walked over to grab two mugs from the cupboard. He filled them with coffee before returning to me and placing one in front of me.
“Thank you,” I murmured, giving him a small smile before he left my side and reached for the fridge to grab a variety of ingredients.
I braced my arms on the island, warm cup in my hands as I stood opposite to where Kai and Valentina were also standing. My attention snagged on Jamal as he carefully rolled up his sleeves before washing his hands.
God, he looked good.
I watched him cut vegetables and the simple gesture of his biceps straining against the fabric of his shirt, his deft fingers holding the ingredient, sent warmth blooming into my core, memories of his hands all over my body flooding my brain.
A few seconds passed by when I realized I was forgetting something. I blinked, coming out of my thoughts. “Wait, did you say Sunday?” I asked no one in particular.
I didn’t have work today since it was my weekend off nor was it a race day. So what was I forgetting? I wasn’t a forgetful person, but the sex definitely jumbled my mind a little.
“He did, why?” Jamal replied, arching a brow.
Fuck.
My eyes flickered to the clock on the stove and I let out a long sigh. I was supposed to meet Esra for brunch today. And I was late.
I straightened up. “I have to leave.”
Jamal stopped whisking and turned to me, a bowl in hand. “Why?”
“I just remembered I have a brunch date with Esra.”
His brows creased at the news and he looked… sad. Guilt of leaving him right after what transpired between us overtook me, but I couldn’t bail on Esra.
I walked over to the sink and dumped the remaining coffee in the sink, then quickly rinsed out my mug before putting it in the dishwasher. I placed a hand on his lower back as I brushed past him and muttered a sorry on my way out of the kitchen.
I mumbled a goodbye to Kai and Valentina and rushed upstairs. In a hurry, I quickly changed into a pair of sage green straight-leg cargos, an oversized white T-shirt, and threw on a large hoodie that was a few shades darker than my pants.
I then brushed my wet hair into a slicked back low bun and slung my purse over my shoulder, then threw in my wallet and my phone after shooting Esra a quick text that I was on my way.
Not really, but she didn’t have to know that.
I walked out of the house in a hurry, only to stand still in the middle of our driveway.
“Dammit!”
I stepped back into the house. All three of them were still in the kitchen, talking and laughing, but they immediately directed their gazes at me when the front door closed behind me.
Jamal was already halfway to me before I even said a word. “What’s wrong?” he asked, drawing closer.
“Umm, I forgot my car’s still out of commission,” I said, smiling tightly.
“You can take mine,” he proposed, but there was no way I was drivingthat.
“You’d let me drive your car? That thing costs too much for me to drive it.” There’s a reason why I always kept mine.
“First off, it’s not athing. Besides, it’s just a car. Let me get you the keys.”
I shook my head and placed a hand on his forearm, stopping him. “It’s okay. I’ll just call a taxi.” It was sweet that he trusted me with his car, but I wouldn’t even know how to drive it. And too much risk of crashing it.
