Page 35 of Sweetest Temptation
“For one, you’re here with me now. You could’ve left with your girl. And you let me hit. Twice. So…” I shrugged my shoulders, letting the confidence in my voice hang heavy in the air.
She opened her mouth like she wanted to cuss me out but couldn’t find the words. Then, she just laughed and shook her head again. “Whatever, Samir.”
“Nah, don’twhateverme. You know I’m right.”
“I know youthinkyou're right,” she said, rolling her eyes.
I chuckled. “That’s the same thing.”
“Whatever. Past me that blunt? It’s not laced, is it?” She reached her hand out.
I passed her the weed. “I only fuck with the herb.”
“I had to ask. People nowadays are lacing their weed with all types of drugs.” I watched as she inhaled the smoke deeply, and I could tell she immediately regretted it. She started coughing uncontrollably, so I popped the top on the bottle of water and passed it to her.
“That’s not that cheap shit you used to smoke in college, lightweight.” I boasted, taking the blunt back with a grin.
“Oh my God!” she finally croaked out, her voice a little hoarse before she burst out laughing for no reason. Her head tilted back, and that uncontrollable cackle came out, pure and unfiltered. I couldn’t help but laugh with her. I knew the weed was kicking in that fast.
“Look at you… Can’t handle the real stuff.”
“Shut up,” she said between giggles, waving her hand in my face. “Let me try again. I took it down too fast.”
“Uh-huh, sure.” I teased, but I still passed it back to her.
About ten minutes later, the blunt was nothing but ash. The both of us were slumped back, eyes low, and faces relaxed as laughter lingered in the air. For a while, neither of us said anything. Then, out of nowhere, she spoke up.
“I’m recently divorced.”
“Oh, yeah?”
She nodded, eyes on the floor. “Yeah. It's been tough. Guess I’m still trying to figure out what life looks like now that I’m single.”
I didn’t say anything right away. Just watching her, and the way her fingers fidgeted with the lighter, to how she avoided my gaze like she was afraid of what I’d see.
“Damn,” I finally said. “That explains a lot.”
She looked up, half-smiling. “Like what?”
“Like, even though you smile and laugh, I can see some hurt in your eyes. It’s almost like you tryna forget something.”
Her smile faded into something softer. “My husband… He had a baby on me. I found out the night we met at the bar. It was our anniversary.”
She whispered the last part, but I heard her. I didn’t respond at first—just stared at her while she fumbled with the lighter in her hands, flicking it open and closed like the tiny flame could burn away the memory.
“Damn. That’s fucked up, baby.”
She nodded, her lips pressing together. “Ten years. I stood by him through everything for ten years. And then he went and gave another woman what I prayed for.” Her voice cracked a little at the end, and she tried to play it off by taking a deep breath and forcing out a laugh. “I thought we were solid, you know. I thought I was enough.”
“Ain’t nothin’ wrong with you. It’s that nigga’s lost. Some people just don’t recognize when they got something real.”
She gave me this small, tired smile, eyes low. “You sound like you’ve been there before.”
“Maybe I have,” I said, thinking about my ex-wife. “Or maybe… I just know what it looks like when somebody’s been through too much to be playin’ games anymore.”
She stared at me for a beat longer, then leaned back against my shoulder, exhaling like the weight of her confession finally left her chest.
“I hate to admit this… But it still hurts.”
