Page 22 of Bayou Sunset

“Before ya say something else equally as stupid, let me sum it up. Ya no come home ’cause of ya feelings for me, and me brother happened ta be ya best friend.”

With a sense of caution about the direction things were heading, Romeo nodded in acknowledgment.

“Did ya ever once think of how I might feel?”

Merde.He’d thought of nothing but the night before he’d left, but he’d felt she didn’t mean it or know what she’d been offering. But, had Pierre been correct? Despite her anger, had he actually detected a hint of sexual tension from her? His radar seemed off, making him wonder if he had imagined it.

Overwhelmed with diminutiveness, Romeo hunched his shoulders like a young boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar and let out a quiet, barely audible murmur. “Non.” This was out of character, but he acknowledged his mistake and struggled to accept it.

“Merde.”

Romeo felt the warmth of Daisy Mae’s presence as she drew near, and he lifted his gaze to meet her eyes—brilliant, sparkling orbs filled with excitement. “And,” Romeo cleared his throat, “what would ya have said?”Let her sayoui. He didn’t fully grasp what was transpiring with Daisy Mae, but he longed for her to desire him as much as he desired her.

“Let me show ya,” she whispered as she gently raised her hand, pulled his head towards her, and closed her eyes as she pressed her lips against his.

Merde.His heart raced with excitement as he fervently wrapped her in his arms, pulling her close as he deepened the kiss. Finally holding Daisy Mae in his arms, he felt a sense of completeness, as if everything was falling into place just as he had anticipated. That corny line of “You complete me” buzzed through his mind, and he knew it was true.

In an instant, as if time had stopped, he found his cock hardened by her presence. Feeling an overwhelming need to express his deep yearning for Daisy Mae, Romeo savored the sensation of their bodies uniting in perfect harmony.

As their tongues danced, she moaned into his mouth. The blood in his body rushed south, leaving him lightheaded with desire. Romeo was at a crossroads, knowing he needed to halt his actions or risk taking her immediately. The uncertainty of her desires lingered in the air. She had shown enough interest in kissing him, but what more did she want?

Navigating relationships with women always left him feeling perplexed. He was never in a long-term relationship because of his fear of making the wrong move and his tendency to rush through the bases to ensure the woman was pleased. He pondered the possibility of savoring every moment with Daisy Mae, truly understanding her preferences at each stage of their relationship.

Leaning his forehead against hers, he rasped, “So, ya reallymeant it that night?”

Daisy Mae pushed on his chest to put room between them. She narrowed her eyes at Romeo. “Ya fool. I offered meself to ya. How could ya not tell?”

All he could manage to utter was a simple “Oh.”

Daisy Mae gently withdrew from his embrace, creating distance as she instinctively folded her arms in a protective stance across her chest. “Ya took Shelly to prom when I had hinted and hinted, even buying a dress ’cause I was sure ya’d invite me.”

What an ass he had been to her. Romeo had taken Shelly to the prom because he knew Daisy Mae’s brothers would not have allowed him to go with her. However, he also knew that by taking Shelly, there was a good chance that Daisy Mae would be present at the prom since the two women were best friends. In his teenage mind, this seemed like a logical solution to his predicament. He realized it was not the most rational decision, but at seventeen, he was willing to try anything to navigate the complexities of teenage social dynamics.

Romeo reached out with a gentle but firm grip, drawing her back into the warmth of his embrace. As he held her tightly, their two bodies melted into one, finding solace in each other’s presence. “I be sorry, Daisy Mae.” Not that he still could have done anything about Daisy Mae's feelings back then—except to break her heart.

At this moment, he finally felt a sense of relief, knowing that he no longer had to fret about Daisy Mae’s brothers. With no best friend among them, Daisy Mae now had the freedom to make her own choices as she was old enough to do so.

Merde.Romeo spent years pining for Daisy Mae, wishing he hadn’t wasted so much time when they could have been together. But, as much as he wanted her in bed right now, he needed to show her how he felt about her, not just sexually.

As Daisy Mae’s arms unfolded and enveloped his back, Romeo sensed the dampness of her tears seeping through his shirt. Despite her silence, her embrace conveyed the depth of her sorrow.

“Oh,chère,” he whispered as he settled his head on her. “I be sorry.”

“Ya be a big fool,” she said through sniffles.

He knew, deep down, that he had acted foolishly before. After tenderly kissing her forehead, he quietly admitted, “Oui, I be.”

Her voice was soft as she lay against his chest, asking, “Are ya going ta ask me on a date or what?”

Romeo’s lips curled into a smile as he mulled it over. He admired Daisy Mae’s directness and cherished that quality in her. “I be considering it,” he admitted with a grin.

Daisy Mae tilted her head back and squinted, her eyes narrowing as she spoke sharply, “Think faster.”

Chuckling, Romeo rubbed his hands up and down her small back. “Chère, would ya like to go on a date with me?”

She nodded. “Mais oui.” Then she stood on tiptoes and kissed him again. This time, her mouth left his before he could respond, but that didn't diminish the heat that flowed through their brief connection.

“Why did ya stop?”

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