Page 15 of Beautiful Harmonies

I took a deep breath and made my way over. When I sat, he kissed my head. “I need you close to me. You are keeping me calm. Whenever I see her cry, I want to go all the way to London and find that muthafucka.”

I frowned slightly. I didn’t know who he was speaking of, but clearly, Mi’Junae remembered who she’d had sex with. The media was connecting her to FAAFO, but it was onlyspeculations since they’d been seen together in the past. No one knew for sure who the man in the video was.

I relaxed against him for a moment then lifted my head to kiss his lips. He was a protector. While he said I was keeping him calm, I knew my tears moved him just like Mi’Junae’s did. I knew my brother, although younger, would be the same way if something like this had happened to me. He would leave NYU with the quickness to come see about me.

Mi’Junae lifted her head and kissed Deontray’s cheek then stood from the couch. “I’m gonna go take a nap. I need to try to sleep.”

He nodded then stood to help her. I couldn’t help but see just how much he loved her. Before they could fully walk away, Mi turned back to me and asked, “Can we talk after my nap?”

I gave her a slight smile. “Of course.”

She gave me a tight-lipped smile in response and continued to her bedroom. I looked around the suite and marveled at how much it looked like a luxurious apartment. I never got anything this fancy. I supposed it was the country in me. Although my career was huge and had only gotten bigger since theCowboy Carteralbum, I didn’t live that way. I saved most of my money. These types of luxuries meant nothing to me. I didn’t care what people thought about me either.

I drove a Mercedes, and I owned a three-thousand-square-feet house. It was just me. I only needed enough space for myself, my brother, and my parents if they came to visit. I was rarely there anyway. Most times, I was in Lafayette at their house. Whenever people asked where I lived, I would say Lafayette. My house in Houston was vacant.

It was fully furnished, and it was beautiful, but I hated being away from my family. I let Tiana pump me up into moving to Houston. She always wanted to go to Houston to turn up when we first turned twenty-one and felt since we were there a lot, Ishould buy a house there. She thought I loved the party scene as much as she did back then. I only went because she wanted to go. I hated it.

She finally realized it when she overheard me talking to Mulan about it. I wasn’t downing her. I was only saying that I hated it. She barged in on us and hugged me so tightly, I nearly suffocated. I appreciated her for taking my feelings into account though. She told me to never do shit I didn’t want to do simply to please someone else, even if it was her.

It wasn’t like I was funding the turnups. She had her own money and so did Mulan. Tiana worked as a realtor, and Mulan was a nurse. Tiana was also an amazing make-up artist. When she was able to attend any of my many events, I hired her to do my makeup instead of the other folks, just like I had my mama as my beautician.

When Deontray returned to the couch, before he could sit, I asked, “Do you want to take a nap too?”

“Only if you’re coming with me. I’m not pressuring you or anything, but I want to be near you.”

I smiled and patted the couch next to me. There was no way I was going to get in bed with Deontray. I would allow him to fuck my world up right about now. It was definitely too soon for that type of carrying on, no matter how sensitive I was feeling.

He sat at the end of the couch then laid his head on my lap. As he stared up at me, I smiled. The man was so damn gorgeous. I traced his eyebrows then slid my finger down the bridge of his nose to his slightly tinted lips. He kissed my finger as I brought it to his chin hair. “You’re a gorgeous man, Deontray.”

“You’re a beautiful woman, Kamari.”

He turned to his side and wrapped his arms around my waist like I would somehow get away from him. I gently stroked his cheek with my thumb as my fingers rested on his neck. He licked his lips then closed his eyes. I couldn’t look away. Seeing him sovulnerable, clinging to me for solace had me feeling strong but weak at the same time. I felt strong because my presence was healing him in a way. I felt weak knowing that he even needed me in this capacity.

I would be what he needed me to be though. His vulnerability only drew me closer to him. Him feeling comfortable enough to show me just how weak and vulnerable he was gave me courage to trust that this would be the real thing. I would be his woman, and the next time he asked me, he would be pleasantly surprised by my answer.

When I woke up,Kamari was in the kitchen, humming and cooking. I wasn’t sure what she was making, but her humming had my heart open. I didn’t know how she got away from me without waking me up. I thought I had her wrapped up good enough to prevent that. I sat up on the couch, and she immediately came to me.

“I’m sorry. Did my humming wake you up?”

“Naw. You not being on this couch with me woke me up.”

She shifted her weight and gave me a half smile. “Sorry. I ordered some stuff to make cheese dip. What time does your flight leave in the morning?”

“Six.”

“Okay. Well, it’s nearly five in the evening. Are you ready to eat?”

“I am.”

I stood from the couch and followed her into the kitchen. The microwave was going, and she was plating chips for us. I slid my arms around her from behind and kissed her neck. She giggled and tilted her head to get me away from her neck. I took that to mean she was ticklish. That only propelled me forward, causing her to scream.

“Deontray! You’re gonna make me wake up Mi!”

I chuckled as I released her then kissed her cheek. I was beyond grateful she was here. I was still in disbelief that she’d flown all the way back. That told me she was feeling me way more than she was letting on. She was going to be mine before we even left from here. I had to shoot my shot again.

“Thank you, Kamari. I know I’ve said it already, but you being here means everything to me… to Mi’Junae too. She really looks up to you. Before we even met you, she used to talk about how beautiful you were and how together you seemed to have it. She said she could tell that you were really a good girl and not just playing the part.”

I smiled for a moment, because all I had been imagining was how much of a bad girl she could be until now. My thoughts were consumed with how wet she probably got and how filthy her mouth would get. Now… I realized Mi was right. She was an angel. I could tell she wasn’t experienced. God had kept her pure in the midst of snakes, not allowing them to sink their venom into her.

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