Page 40 of The One He Desires

“How soundproof are your walls?”

A chuckle slips from my mouth, and I cut my humor to assess Journee as her eyes peer into me with salacious intent. While I would love nothing more than to have her head down and ass up in my bed, I’m not sure that sex will do anything but add to the turmoil within her.

“What made Brian brave enough to put his hands on you?”

Journee sips from her tumbler, and her eyes lose the spark from a moment ago.

“I told you that he was back and how he dismissed Milan and me. He now has had a change of heart and thinks that no matter what he said, her DNA makes him eligible to be in her life.”

She pauses for a second to take another sip of her drink as I sit up so I can make sure I’m hearing everything clearly. From what she’s told me before, I’m confused as to why Brian thinks he deserves the privilege of knowing my Sweet Face.

“My child is three, and I haven’t heard from BN or any of his family members. For all he knew, I had an abortion. Hell, I’m kicking my own ass for not having Milan in my office that day. Had he not seen her, I might have been able to blow off his advances about wanting me back.”

Wait, what? Get her back? Not in this lifetime.

My brain tries to latch onto the wayward thoughts Journee’s words incite, but thankfully, she keeps talking, which forces me to stay focused.

“Audacity must have been given in spades because BN has some nerve. I refuse to let him breathe my baby’s air, so I decided to just dodge him and hope he would go away. But he’s been sending me nasty messages on social media. As if that wasn’t enough, he popped up at my boutique with demands for my compliance. I cussed him out and refused to agree, which caused him to become violent. He choked me hard enough to make me believe my life was about to end.”

By the end of her words, my anger returns when her eyes become misty as she unconsciously rubs her throat. I’m not sure which part of her story pisses me off more, but my ability to be diplomatic and conscious of my need to be law-abiding shifts.

“Down that drink and let’s get ready for that bath I promised.” I follow my own instructions as I turn my tumbler up and drain the glass.

The burn is no longer prevalent as I watch Journee do the same before she eases her feet from my lap. It’s my cue as I stand and hold my hand out for the glass in her hand.

“I’m gonna take this to the kitchen. Go up to my room. I’ll be up in a minute to set things up.”

I walk away because I need a minute to get myself together. Sex isn’t on my agenda, but my dick twitches at the thought of Journee naked and in my bedroom as well as in my tub. Never have I ever taken a bath in there, but this moment is something I pictured doing when I had it added to the room. But I have to stay focused on the task at hand because Journee doesn’t need another man who cares more about himself than her. No matter how much my dick wants to ease Journee’s pain, I have to stay the course, so my arousal will have to take a back seat for now.

A sigh of contentment slips from my mouth as I relax into the water. I’m not sure how he’s able to do it, but Sincere’s flaccid dick is nestled cozy against my butt as I lean into his muscular frame. I want to wiggle my cheeks to see if it shows some signs of attraction. But I’m struggling to replay what happened earlier. It unsettles me that BN can pop up at my residence. Sincere’s demand that I pack bags gave me an out and slightly eased my boiling turmoil.

Now that I’ve had time to think and a drink, I want to test the sturdiness of this contraption. But the truth is, this moment is one I should enjoy for as long as I’m able to. With an active three-year-old, I rarely allow myself the enjoyment of taking a bath. But as my back rests on Sincere’s chest and his arms envelope me in a comforting hold, I realize I need to do this more. Hell, if I can do it in this clawfoot tub, built and crafted with bubble baths or soaking in mind, that would be the bees’ knees. My eyes flutter as exhaustion crawls up my spine and the sandman whispers sweet nothings in my ear.

“From a legal standpoint, what do you want me to do? I’ve already told you that my services belong to Sweet Face and you. But somewhere between me making you mine and today, doubt caused you to run from me.”

My eyes pop open at the sound of Sincere’s low and gentle voice as he speaks into the otherwise quiet room. While I had read Sincere’s declaration, it didn’t seem to resonate with me in the height of this storm. My focus was on not jeopardizing Sincere’s career by pulling him into my mess. I see now that Sincere wasn’t just talking, but he showed me that his word truly is his bond.

“We’re new, and I didn’t want to risk you getting in any trouble.”

A humorless chuckle vibrates from Sincere, causing my body to shake slightly.

“Hm. Our title is new, but we have been building this for a little while now. I also have feelings for you that go beyond the title I verbally spoke. So, I’ll ask again: How do you want me to handle this?”

I take a moment to think as my thoughts ebb and flow through multiple options. Sincere is the first man I’ve dated post-BN, so I’m unsure what to suggest.

“Let me ask you this. How deep do your feelings go for Brian?”

Water splashes over the tub as I twist my body faster than I physically should, tightness pulling in my waist from my action. My nose twists, my eyes pinch, and a deep frown forms as I respond sassily.

“Who said I had feelings for him?”

Merriment dances in Sincere’s eyes, and his mouth twists into a devastatingly alluring smile that causes my pussy to thump.

“Not to boast or anything, but in addition to being mine, you’ve had my dick in you, so I’m not talking about like that. But some women always have love for the person they created life with.”

I push back slightly, which causes Sincere’s eyes to pinch as his arms drop from my body. Once I’m free, I stand and turn to face him completely before I straddle his lap. This is a discussion we need to have while staring into each other’s eyes. Nobody has been bold enough to ask me if BN still holds any weight in my heart. I know Sincere doesn’t know, but I’m still offended.

“Now, let’s get an understanding right quick,” I say with a roll of my eyes.