Page 83 of The Need to Know

“Mmm.” Paisley moaned, clutching at her chest. “He was sucking on my toes while he was strokin’ it nice and slow, and I haven’t had it like that in a long time.”

“Damn,” I let out.

“Right? You can’t fuck someone that good and deep and then act casual. That’s foul and demonic.” Paisley was like I’d never seen her, almost hysterical and unfastened. She hadn’t been kidding when she’d said Sloan was the one man who could subdue her.

I jabbed my hand out, palm up. “I need picture proof.”

Paisley rolled her eyes as she gathered her phone and scrolled through it. She actually didn’t scroll for long, because she was soon holding her phone out with an intimate image of a man topless in bed on the screen, facing her with a cheeky gleam in his eye.

Shit.

Sloan was gorgeous. Smooth caramel skin, hazel eyes, and an easy crooked smile that told me all that I needed to know about his word game.

“Now what?” I wanted to know, fully prepared to support whichever way she was taking this.

“Now he wants to go out for dinner and to catch up further,” Paisley said.

“And pretend the past never happened?”

“Oh no, he owns what we went through and the choice he made.”

Wow. Paisley was the unforgiving type, hence her not believing in second chances via my relationship with Corey. I was leaning in that direction now myself, but at the same time, Sloan was older now and he wasn’t afraid to own up to his mistakes.

“Does it make me a total sap and romantic to think you should go for it? You’re twenty-six, you’ve changed from when you were twenty. There’s no telling if he’s evolved as well,” I offered. “I mean, was it a ‘Let’s hook up for old time’s sake,’ type of energy, or were there real words exchanged?”

“He just wanted to come by to see how I was doing after seeing me home from the club. Nas, his nearness was just too much. He was talking about a tour of my apartment, and I swear, we weren’t in the door a full minute before he was picking me up and removing my panties.

“He just touched me once, and I swear, fuckin’ Niagara. It wasn’t just sex, though. He kept telling me how much he missed me, and I could tell he wasn’t just talking about intimacy. After, we laid there and talked until the sun came up.”

“And then your fake ass called off on me,” I added.

Paisley frowned. “I did. I needed time to marinate on that.”

“So…?”

“We’re going out. He’s single, no hang-ups, I’m single, no hang-ups, and we both want it back, I can tell.” She was vulnerable as she fiddled with her hands. “I think this is the only man I’ve ever loved and I’m scared to dive in again, but I love how it felt to be with him. I’ve dated other men and I’ve never felt as comfortable as I do with Sloan.”

I reached out, patting her hand, feeling my eyes getting misty. “Go for it. I’m here no matter what.”

She sniffled and we hugged, and I hoped this worked out for her because Paisley deserved a good guy.

She snapped out of her emotions as she wiped at her eyes and sat up. “Okay, enough about me. I also meant to tell you I met someone who would be great for you.”

That came out of nowhere.

“What?”

Paisley chuckled. “He’s filling in at the station. Real good dude. Single. Childless. Polite⁠—”

“But…Ezekiel?” I stumbled to say.

Paisley perked a brow. “Isn’t looking for a relationship. That’s a waste of time, and you know it. Gray is a nice guy. Serious, too.”

It was odd how I wanted to defend Ezekiel. He was all those things and more.

And also not looking for a serious relationship.

“It’s just an idea,” Paisley said gently. “It’s good to have him in your back pocket. You’re not dating Ezekiel. You’re allowed to see other men, per your weird little arrangement.”