She gently cupped my beard that I’d finally been able to let grow in past one-fourth of an inch since exiting the Navy. “No matter how old you get, you’ll always be my baby. I’m so happy you’re back home!”
“I’m happy to be home.”
“Come say hi to all your guests,” she encouraged, linking her arm in mine and resting her head of salt-and-pepper curls next to my shoulder.
As pissed as I wanted to be, I couldn’t pretend like I hadn’t immediately spotted Lex in the crowd staring up at me among the sea of nameless faces. I hadn’t seen her since she was eighteen—since I took her virginity and left for the military soon after. Growing up, I tried the college route, but after spending two years out of state, I realized it wasn’t for me and dropped out. After school didn’t pan out, I had to choose between getting swallowed up by the streets or joining the military, so I chose the latter to make my family proud.
But I couldn’t stop stealing glances at her amid all the smiling, picture taking, and handshaking I was doing. It might have been years since I’d seen her in person, but saying she’d remained buried in the back of my mind couldn’t have been farther from the truth. My heart somersaulted in my chest every time I glanced her way. I found myself spacing out in mid-conversation, too busy cataloging everything about her existence. So much had changed about her, yet everything I loved about her was still the same—from her bright, charming smile to her dreamy brown eyes that the universe seemed toreflect in. I studied the soft ringlets of chestnut-brown hair framing her face, set apart from the sexy, messy bun piled atop her head, the long, wispy lashes fanning across her almond-shaped eyes, a dainty button nose at the center of her heart-shaped face, and full lips with a sheen of gloss.
From the vintage crop top that stopped just above her belly button to the leggings that hugged her curves in all the right places, I could tell she hadn’t dressed for a welcome home party, but still somehow managed to look like a million bucks to me. After a few seconds, I finally managed to tear my gaze away before my staring created a tent in my pants that would’ve been hard as fuck to explain, given the number of family members that surrounded me. Now that I no longer had the luxury of being a sea apart from Lex, I was going to have a hard time keeping my mind and my hands off her, not to mention keeping my heart in check.
Fuck.Why the hell does he still look so damn good?
Ever since the moment we all yelledsurprise, I couldn’t stop my eyes from finding Oak through the sea of people, soaking him in a little more each time. I found comfort in knowing my curious eyes weren’t alone. After all, it was his welcome home party. Everyone in attendance was there to see him—the man of the hour.
I gently sank my teeth into my bottom lip, watching him cradle a glass beer bottle in his large hand. His tattoo-inked skin was as dark and smooth as Godiva chocolate—even from across the Gray’s massive backyard, it looked as smooth as silk. His royal blue and white V-neck tee clung to his muscles as if it had been left in the dryer a little too long. The tattoos etched intohis skin from his forearms all the way to his hands were on full display. Matching royal blue joggers, the white, royal blue, and black Air Jordan 1s with the high-top cut, and a sparkling gold chain around his neck completed his look.
The minute his eyes landed on mine through the crowd, everything stopped. No music. No chatter.Nothing.The inside of my head was quiet enough to hear a gnat’s ass cheeks clapping. Everything about him—his militant posture, the disciplined look in his eyes, and even the way he walked—commanded respect. Even the bounds of reality seemed to bend the knee to his will, at least in my head they did.
Why the fuck did he have to come home right before my wedding?
Pat and I had become the epitome of couple goals since he’d come into my life. Well, for the most part. He took care of me and allowed me to follow my dream as an entrepreneur, running my freelance graphic design business from home, and I brought balance and peace to his fast-paced life—fitting the aesthetic of the picture-perfect wifey-to-be. Oak was nothing but an unnecessary distraction.
Liv walked up to me and bumped her hip against mine, jarring me out of my daydream. “Is there a reason you don’t have a drink in your hand?”
I swung my head. “Nope. No reason at all. I think I am kinda mad at you, though.”
“Get in line behind Oak.”
“Why’s he mad at you?” I quizzed, delaying my personal feelings.
“For telling him this was more of a small dinner than a full-blown shindig.”
I scoffed. “Which is the exact reason I’m mad at your lyin’ ass too. I mean, look at me. I could’ve dressed better for the occasion had I known what the actual occasion was.”
“I’m sorry, but I knew if I told you what Mama and I were planning, you’d give me shit about not coming, and I needed you here.”
I rolled my eyes. “Mm-hmm. Sure you did. I know you can’t breathe without me.”
Liv snickered. “Shut up. Look at him over there getting his head talked off by my godfather. I should go save him, huh?”
“Yeah. I’m going to run inside and go to the bathroom.”
“Okay, we’ll be cutting his cake soon and making him give a speech, and I need you to record it, so don’t miss it.”
“Okay. I won’t,” I said over my shoulder as I headed inside.
I made my way into the house and to the bathroom to take care of business. With a wet and crumbled piece of paper towel clutched in my hand, I made my way out of the basement bathroom and headed toward the sliding glass door to go back outside to rejoin the party. The instant my hand reached out for the handle, the door slid open, landing me face to face with the guest of honor—the only person at the party Ididn’twant to be alone with.
He flashed his knee-weakening smile at me. “Alexis, wassup?”
My lashes beat softly as my gaze aligned with his. Air whizzed over my teeth. “Oh, um, hey, Oak.”
“It’s been a minute. Can a nigga at least get a welcome home church hug or somethin’?” he asked before outstretching his arms.
I couldn’t help but giggle, relieved that he’d managed to break the awkward ice between us within seconds. I stepped into his hard body and wrapped my arms around his waist. He instantly lifted me off my feet. The scent of smoky vanilla and a hint of musk on his skin and clothing wafted past my nose as he gently spun my five-foot-three frame around in a quick, 360-degree turn. I held him tighter as my eyes squinted with laughter before my feet kissed the ground again.
“Congrats, by the way,” I sputtered out in a rattled breath as I tried to ease away.
