Page 117 of Buy Back My Love

I looked up. “That sound terrible.”

“It’s not terrible. I go out, have a good time. If it doesn’t turn into anything, it doesn’t.”

“What would make it turn into something?”

Van looked at me.

“What?” I asked because he was staring at me hard.

“You ask a lot of questions.”

“That’s literally what we doing.”

“I know.” A little smile crept on his face. “I’m not complaining.”

“Then answer me.”

He thought about it before answering. “Somebody I actually like being around. Somebody I can talk to, laugh with. Build something with.”

“That’s it?”

“What else do I need?”

“I don’t know. You the divorced one.”

He pointed a fry at me. “See? Now you’re getting smart.”

“I been smart.”

Van smiled, and I smiled back. Only neither one of us looked away this time. The joking faded somewhere in the middle of us staring at each other. Our chairs were already close, his knee almost touching mine, and when his eyes dropped to my mouth, I knew exactly what was about to happen. I could’ve moved, but I didn’t.

Van leaned toward me slow enough that I had plenty of time to stop him. When I stayed where I was, his hand came up against the side of my face and he kissed me.

The first thing I noticed was how soft his lips were. I had never kissed another man before, so for a second, sitting there with Van’s mouth on mine felt strange just because it was different. Then it didn’t.

He pulled back just enough to look at me, giving me the chance to decide what happened next, and this time I leaned in first.

Van’s hand slid around the back of my neck as I moved closer. The second kiss went deeper, still slow, but there wasn’t nothing friendly about it. I liked the way he smelled, the feel of his hand against my neck, the way kissing him felt nothing like anything I was used to.

Then JB crossed my mind, followed immediately by the baby. I jerked back so fast my chair scraped against the floor, and Van immediately let me go.

“What’s wrong?”

I stood and put some space between us. “I can’t.”

“Aight.”

“No, it’s not…” I rubbed my forehead. “Shit.”

“Lee, you good?”

I looked at him and knew I couldn’t keep letting him get closer while leaving something this big out.

“I’m pregnant.”

Van went still, and for a second neither one of us said anything. I had finally said it out loud to him.

“I just found out Thanksgiving night.” I swallowed. “It’s JB’s.”