Page 62 of A Little Kissing Between Friends

Closing my eyes, I blew out a breath through my nose. When I cracked open my lids, I watched as she raised a hand and brushed some of my braids off of my shoulder, her fingers lightly grazing my cheek just before she tugged on my earlobe with the tip of her thumb and the side of her index finger. The always innocent move that she’d made probably thousands of times at this point left the entire right side of my face—and the juncture of my thighs—blazing hot.

How the fuck had I never noticed how damn erotic it was for her to touch me there?

Jerking my head to the left, I lifted my shoulder to block her access to the space. Hurt flashed across her face as she snatched her hand back, and I steeled myself against the urge to wrap my arms around her neck and offer her comfort. These were the consequences of her actions. She did this to us.

“Sorry, baby girl,” she said, her voice low. “It’s a habit.”

My lips twisted to the side. “Habits are meant to be broken.”

An annoyingly sexy smirk played at the corner of her lips.

“I thought that was rules.”

Quirking an eyebrow at her, I pushed off of the sofa and stood to my feet.

“I need to go.”

She sucked in a breath, and I understood because I was never short with her. But I was not sorry.

“Juc—”

Shaking my head, I started toward the door. “Never mind. Forget I said anything.”

“C’mon, man. You know that’s not possible.”

My back still to her, I shrugged. “I don’t really know much of anything anymore. Not when it comes to you.” I was pissed at myself for sounding so damn dramatic, but it’s exactly how I felt. What felt like forever ago, I was confident that I knew Cyndi Thomas like the back of my hand, and now, I was wracking my brain, trying to figure out how I’d missed something so crucial.

I’d made it to the door, but Poppa grabbed my hand and tugged me around to face her before I could let myself out of Nana Cherry’s suite.

“Juleesa, wait!”

My eyes were closed again. I couldn’t look at her. I was only here because I’d been trying to eliminate her presence from my life, but drinking that hooch Nana Cherry pulled from her secret stash while I cursed Poppa out in my head only led to her being in my dreams. Now, with her standing in front of me, I was so turned on that it would probably only take a couple circles rubbed on my clit for me to cum. But that was bad because I was still so mad at her.

Not to mention disappointed.

And feeling all of those things for this one woman at the same time had my mind in a tailspin.

“What?” I croaked, hoping that she thought it was because of the drinking and not because I was warring with myself over her.

“You...” The sound of her clearing her throat made my eyes pop open.

There was this look on her face. Something like wonder mixed with hope. I didn’t know what to make of it. Didn’t know what it meant.

I was so damn confused.

“What?” I repeated, my tone less harsh.

“The way you’re looking at me...”

Dammit.

Air whooshed through my lungs, up my esophagus, and out of my mouth. She’d seen it. Seen me imagining my thighs locked on either side of her head while she sucked on my clit like it was a straw.

Double dammit.

Shaking my head, I dropped my gaze to the carpet and mentally scolded myself. Then, I looked up and offered her an apologetic smile. Hopefully, it didn’t look as fake as it felt.

“My bad. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”