Page 23 of Sun Kissed Moments

“With the babysitter while his parents celebrate.”

I cracked up as he removed the cover from my dish.

“Oh, wow,” I gushed. A fried chicken breast rested on top of fluffy, thick waffles. Fresh fruit and powdered sugar decorated the dish. On the side was a bowl of cheese grits, fried potatoes, and scrambled eggs.

“I got you,” Dane said. He poured a light coat of syrup over my chicken and waffles, sliced a corner off, then offered it to me. Too quickly, I ate from his fork. As we began eating, the song switched. Dane was on his R&B trip again today, and I loved it.

“When were you going to tell me that you are such a Loverboy?” I asked.

He chuckled. “What gave me away?”

“The music… You love to kiss me, touch me… You pay attention.”

His head tilted. “You pay attention too.”

I laughed. “Of course, I do. Can’t have you playing me.”

“Never that,” he replied.

I smiled and said, “I notice you never buy me flowers. Why is that?”

“Why would I buy you something you don’t fuck with?” He thought for a second and added, “It was in that one song of yours… Petals. Done with the flowers…I’m numb to the smell…Give me a reason to fall… I wanna fall like petals.”

Caught in the way he closed his eyes to recite my lines, I missed when his fingers reached out to touch my face.

“I think I’m doin’ a good job of makin’ you fall,” he uttered.

I shied away from his touch and said, “Why would you want me to feel that way about you, Dane?”

“It’s not obvious?” His fingers gripped my chin and brought my gaze back to his. “You playin’ catch up, baby.”

Stunned, I gaped at Dane. He chuckled, kissed the tips of his fingers, then touched my cheek.

“You gon’ catch up with me?” he asked softly.

I was speechless, though.

“Those lyrics did something to me, Justina,” he confessed.

“What do you mean?” I whispered.

“I don’t think you’re numb to the smell of flowers. You were numb to the person who presented them to you. I learned that the moment you twirled ya pretty ass around in my mama’s garden.”

Again, I sat here staring at Dane, wondering where the hell this man came from. There was no way he was this perfect.

“Finish eating so you can get back to opening the rest of ya gifts,” he ordered smoothly. The grin on his face melted my skin.

Minutes later, his phone rang. It was Angelo.

“You can answer it,” I said. “I don’t mind.”

He swiped up the phone and answered Angelo’s call. For a minute, he said nothing, but his eyes found mine and held. Instinctively, I knew he was about to dip. Although I was a little bummed, I didn’t let it show and even assured him it was okay.

He stood from the table, rounded it, then kissed me.

“Gimme a minute, aight,” he requested.

“Of course.” I wasn’t about to pout because he had to leave. However, as soon as he walked out the door, I sighed. I was definitely in the mood to give Dane every piece of me. Hopefully, he returned soon.