Page 21 of Sweetest Temptation
He chuckled, leaned his elbows on the counter, his face turning serious as he looked me dead in the eye. “But listen to me. Don’t let Jerome sniff his way back into your life. That man already showed you who he is. Don’t you dare let him convince you he’s changed when you know better.”
I swallowed hard, fiddling with the edge of my bottle. “I know.”
“Don’t waste your time entertaining old demons. Men like Jerome don’t change; they just get smarter at hiding their bullshit. And you deserve better than having to play detective in your own damn relationship.”
I let out a shaky laugh, blinking fast so the tears wouldn’t fall. “Dang, Dad. You didn’t have to read me like that.”
He reached over and squeezed my hand, his rough palm grounding me. “I’d rather read you now than watch you break later, Pumpkin.”
I nodded, letting his words settle deep inside of me. No matter how much my heart tried to cling to the familiar, I knew he was right. Jerome was my past, and everything about this moment was proof that I was stepping into something better.
After putting away the last box of clothes, I decided to wash the day off of me. A quick shower later, steam curled around me as I stepped out, wrapping myself in a plush robe. My skin was still warm, damp from the water, when I entered my bedroom.
Vibrating against the wood, my phone caught my attention. “Unknown number” shown on the screen as I let the phone continue to vibrate. My stomach dipped thinking it was Jerome. Ever since I blocked his number, he’d been trying to find new ways to reach me. I rolled my eyes and hit the red circle, shaking my head. I wasn’t giving him that satisfaction. Just as I turned toward my closet, the phone rang again.
Same number. Persistent.
I hesitated, chewing my bottom lip. Something in me said to ignore it, but curiosity—or maybe even irritation—got the better of me. With a huff, I snatched the phone from the nightstand and swiped to answer.
“Hello?” My tone was sharp, ready for war. What I wasn’t prepared for was the low, deep voice that sliced through the line, and me.
“Good evening, Ms. Pierce. Is that how you answer your phone?”
The sound alone made my knees lock. My breath caught in my throat as recognition hit me. Samir. For a moment, I thought I’d imagined it. My chest tightened, heat creeping up my neck as his voice coated my ear like velvet over steel. I swallowed, clutching the phone tighter.
“How did you get my number?” I snapped, snappier than I meant to, but it was the only way to steady myself.
He chuckled lowly. “If I want something, I’ll find a way to get it.”
My lips parted, then pressed into a thin line. “Well, whatever you think you want from me, you can forget it. And stop calling my phone. Good day.”
I went to hang up, but his voice stopped me cold when he stated smoothly, “You sound different today. Softer. Must be the wine.”
My heart jumped. “Excuse me?”
“You’ve got that little lilt in your voice,” he continued, casual like he wasn’t undressing me with every word. “Relaxed. Comfortable. I can picture you right now… robe tied loosely around that sexy body, skin still warm from a shower with that XXL wine you females like to drink.” He paused. “Am I wrong?”
My fingers tightened around the phone. “You’re bold. You know that?”
“Bold? Nah. Just honest. I don’t like wasting time with lies.”
I sucked my teeth, trying to ignore the shiver working its way down my spine. “Then let’s be honest. What do you want, Samir? Because clearly, it's something.”
Silence stretched, but not the uncomfortable kind. I could practically hear him smiling through the line.
“What I want, beautiful, is exactly what I told you the other night. To know you—the woman behind the sharp tongue and the dangerous smile. The one who thinks she can blow me off like I’m not used to getting what I want.”
My chest rose and fell harder than I wanted, and I was happy he wasn’t in front of me to see the effect he was having on me. I forced out a laugh after containing my breathing pace. “Youalso said… you wanted to fuck me again. So whatever little game you’re trying to play, save it for someone else. What happened between us was only a one-time thing. You should have savored it.”
“Are you sure about that?” he asked in a deeper tone.
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. The silence on my end told on me, and he knew it.
“I’m hanging up, Samir.”
He chuckled, and even that sounded deep. Just as I was about to hang up on his ass, my other line beeped. Moving the phone from my ear, I saw that it was the security company that I use for my bakery. With my heart speeding up, I quickly switched over, praying my shop was okay.
“Hello?”
