often. Are you ready to go? It’s almost two in the morning.”
“No, not really. But I guess I should be getting home,” Daisy said reluctantly.
“Not home, Daisy. I’m not letting you go there tonight. And I know you won’t be comfortable at my place either. Not yet, anyway. So pick a hotel, because you need time to yourself.”
Daisy hesitated, considering. “Well, if the offer still stands, I’m coming to your place. I don’t want to be alone.”
Adonis emerged from the balcony doors with two glasses and a towel. He sank down in the wicker chair across from Daisy. “Here,” he said with a smile, handing her a glass. “I thought you’d like something to drink.”
“Thanks.” Daisy held the cold drink to her head before taking a sip.
Adonis’s eyes sparkled in the moonlight. “Ming Li shared a secret of yours with me.”
Daisy almost spat out her drink. “She did what? ”
“She told me you’ve always wanted me. Do you?”
Heat filled Daisy’s body. She was going to kill Ming Li. “I don’t know if want is the right word…”
Adonis laughed and kissed her hand. “No need to be bashful. You won’t know what you’re capable of getting unless you go after it.”
Thank you, Jesus! She leaned her head on his arm.
Adonis rubbed her shoulder, then pulled her close and hugged her. She felt as if he were squeezing away all of her pain. He released her, swept her hair out of her eyes, and kissed her gently on the cheek. It took everything she had not to grab his face and guide his mouth to hers.
“Come on, baby, let’s get you settled.” Adonis took her hand and led her into the apartment.
Her face lit up when she noticed the large portrait of Adonis’s mother sitting on the limestone fireplace mantel. You know what they say about a man who loves his mother. Daisy scanned the room. Adonis had taste. In front of the fireplace were two matching high-backed chairs separated by a chess table. The game wasn’t finished yet, and she wondered who his opponent was. The original art adorning the walls drew her in. Africa…she remembered Africa.
Back in college, they’d all taken a trip to the motherland for spring break. Adonis had joined them, even though he was in grad school. They’d longed for a piece of their identity, but Daisy had discovered more than culture on that trip; she’d discovered her lust for Adonis.
Daisy rose from the sofa and felt herself glide to the wall as the memories returned, running deep. Unsettled sand had drifted on the dry, bittersweet air, attaching itself to any exposed bare flesh. It had come to rest on her feet, becoming her sandals. Intense heat had chaperoned their nights and days, and the sun had deemed itself mother, warming and lighting the way for her children.
“Remember that one?”
Daisy jumped, her hand flying to her chest.
“I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“That’s okay. Yes, I remember that one, and I’m taking it home—”
“No, no, no,” Adonis scolded, wagging a finger. “You gave that to me, remember? Right after I saved you—”
“Saved me? Oh, Adonis, please. You didn’t save me.”
“Yes, I did. Remember, I was your husband for one night?”
Yes, Daisy thought, he had been her husband. And she should’ve kept him. But in those days, Adonis wasn’t meant to be kept. He had been a football star, a wide receiver, popular on the field and widely received by the ladies.
She crossed her arms. “Yeah, you were my husband all right, only because you didn’t like the attention I was getting. But why, Adonis? We didn’t have anything between us, except mutual friends…and Gigi. I never asked you to claim me as your wife.”
Adonis flashed his killer smile. “You didn’t have to. I was jealous and I didn’t want anyone else to have you. I’ve wanted you for years, even back then. But you were too wholesome, too vulnerable. Gigi would’ve killed me if I hurt you. You weren’t the type of girl…excuse me, woman,
“No, not really. But I guess I should be getting home,” Daisy said reluctantly.
“Not home, Daisy. I’m not letting you go there tonight. And I know you won’t be comfortable at my place either. Not yet, anyway. So pick a hotel, because you need time to yourself.”
Daisy hesitated, considering. “Well, if the offer still stands, I’m coming to your place. I don’t want to be alone.”
Adonis emerged from the balcony doors with two glasses and a towel. He sank down in the wicker chair across from Daisy. “Here,” he said with a smile, handing her a glass. “I thought you’d like something to drink.”
“Thanks.” Daisy held the cold drink to her head before taking a sip.
Adonis’s eyes sparkled in the moonlight. “Ming Li shared a secret of yours with me.”
Daisy almost spat out her drink. “She did what? ”
“She told me you’ve always wanted me. Do you?”
Heat filled Daisy’s body. She was going to kill Ming Li. “I don’t know if want is the right word…”
Adonis laughed and kissed her hand. “No need to be bashful. You won’t know what you’re capable of getting unless you go after it.”
Thank you, Jesus! She leaned her head on his arm.
Adonis rubbed her shoulder, then pulled her close and hugged her. She felt as if he were squeezing away all of her pain. He released her, swept her hair out of her eyes, and kissed her gently on the cheek. It took everything she had not to grab his face and guide his mouth to hers.
“Come on, baby, let’s get you settled.” Adonis took her hand and led her into the apartment.
Her face lit up when she noticed the large portrait of Adonis’s mother sitting on the limestone fireplace mantel. You know what they say about a man who loves his mother. Daisy scanned the room. Adonis had taste. In front of the fireplace were two matching high-backed chairs separated by a chess table. The game wasn’t finished yet, and she wondered who his opponent was. The original art adorning the walls drew her in. Africa…she remembered Africa.
Back in college, they’d all taken a trip to the motherland for spring break. Adonis had joined them, even though he was in grad school. They’d longed for a piece of their identity, but Daisy had discovered more than culture on that trip; she’d discovered her lust for Adonis.
Daisy rose from the sofa and felt herself glide to the wall as the memories returned, running deep. Unsettled sand had drifted on the dry, bittersweet air, attaching itself to any exposed bare flesh. It had come to rest on her feet, becoming her sandals. Intense heat had chaperoned their nights and days, and the sun had deemed itself mother, warming and lighting the way for her children.
“Remember that one?”
Daisy jumped, her hand flying to her chest.
“I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“That’s okay. Yes, I remember that one, and I’m taking it home—”
“No, no, no,” Adonis scolded, wagging a finger. “You gave that to me, remember? Right after I saved you—”
“Saved me? Oh, Adonis, please. You didn’t save me.”
“Yes, I did. Remember, I was your husband for one night?”
Yes, Daisy thought, he had been her husband. And she should’ve kept him. But in those days, Adonis wasn’t meant to be kept. He had been a football star, a wide receiver, popular on the field and widely received by the ladies.
She crossed her arms. “Yeah, you were my husband all right, only because you didn’t like the attention I was getting. But why, Adonis? We didn’t have anything between us, except mutual friends…and Gigi. I never asked you to claim me as your wife.”
Adonis flashed his killer smile. “You didn’t have to. I was jealous and I didn’t want anyone else to have you. I’ve wanted you for years, even back then. But you were too wholesome, too vulnerable. Gigi would’ve killed me if I hurt you. You weren’t the type of girl…excuse me, woman,
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