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“I don’t expect you to have one for a while, but that’s not what I asked.”
My eyes rolled as I smiled. “No, Hosea. I haven’t eaten.”
“Okay. We’ll stop by the gym fresh bar and get you some fruit juice or a smoothie to put something on your stomach.”
Nodding in agreement, I followed him through the massive tower, admiring how almost everyone he seemed to pass took the time to greet him. I loved a man who commanded respect naturally, and that had always been Hosea’s vibe.
As we entered his suite, I took in my surroundings. It felt like forever since I’d been here. I was curious to see if everything still looked the same. The living room, dining room, and kitchen still did. They all had dark gray walls and furniture with light oak accents and plants. His suite had three bedrooms, one of which he used as a guest bedroom.
I’d never seen the other one because he always kept it locked. Hosea’s room was still the same—big and dark. It had the same gray and oak theme with plants. The one I would occupy had dark green walls with a gray bedroom suite. I liked how the dark walls gave balance to the light that came in from the floor to ceiling windows that were in the bedrooms and main rooms. I had to give it to Hosea, he and his crew had come up with an immaculate design for this entire building.
“I’ll… let you get settled,” he offered, leaning against the doorframe. “If you need anything, just let me know.”
With a nod, I plopped down in the light oak chair behind the small writing desk. “Thank you, Hosea. I’m going to try and stay out of your way while I’m here, and I don’t expect that to be long.”
“Stay for as long as you need, Tink. I mean that.”
Tink.
I smiled, and my head lowered briefly at the sound of that nickname. The first day we met, he said I looked like a fairy, which led to him calling me Tinkerbell. Over the years, he shortened it to Tink. Hosea had never tried to pursue a romantic relationship with me, so I never thought he was sexually attracted to me, but he never shied away from letting me know he liked the way I looked.
“Are you… dating anyone that would have a problem with me staying for a while?”
Hosea gave me his signature smile and finally removed his sunglasses so I could see his beautiful eyes. I wasn’t sure why he covered them as much as he did, but sunglasses only added to his sex appeal. Hosea was grown-man fine. He was tall and buff, just like I liked. He had pecan brown skin that was covered in tattoos. Every season, he changed the cut of his hair. Right now, there was a small patch of hair at the top while the sides and back were shaved low. His classic ducktail beard was glistening as always, and two big ass diamond studs were in his pierced ears.
“Have you been gone for so long that you’ve forgotten who I am?” Though he paused, I knew it was to give me time to process that, not to actually respond. “Even if I was in a relationship, you would still be my priority.”
“Why?”
Hosea shrugged. “That’s what I should be asking you. Why did you choose me?”
God.
I was hoping he wouldn’t ask me that.
I didn’t want to get all sappy and emotional, but I had to tell him the truth.
Scratching the back of my ear, I stood and smiled as I walked over to him. My head came just under his armpits, so I didn’t have to crane my neck too much to look up at him.
“You remember when we all went to that day party and got tipsy and decided to go to the zoo?” We both shared a laugh as Hosea nodded. “I remember when I was about to step off the tour bus, I almost fell, and you caught me.”
His smile softened. “You remember that?”
“Of course! After that, you stuck close and made sure I was straight. It wasn’t me being tipsy, I was just careless and not paying attention. But after that, you always stuck by me or kept eyes on me. No matter where we were or who we were with, outside of my brother, I always knew I was safe as long as you were there. So…” I shrugged and twisted my mouth to the side as he looked away for a moment. “I knew I would feel safest and most cared for here. With you.”
His fingers slid into my hair, and his thumbs pushed the hair that was on the edges of my eyes away. Hosea tilted my head, giving me a tender kiss to the nose that made me shiver. He pulled away, staring deeply into my eyes as he said, “I’m glad you know that. You willalwaysbe safe with me.”
I nodded, not quite sure why my body was reacting to him in this manner. My nipples were hardening and chill bumps coated my arms. Hosea was fine as hell, but I’d never been attracted to him sexually. Well, I didn’t allow myself to consider the possibility of anything sexual happening between us.
So why in the hell was I feeling this way?
I tried to justify it and say I was going from one emotional extreme to the next, but I wasn’t quite sure that was the case.
Either way, I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until he walked away, and I released it. Clutching my chest with my left hand, I slipped my fingers through my hair with the right.
What the hell have I gotten myself into?
Eight
