Page 52 of Craving a King

Capture

Kofi

Before I can say more, Ella is in my arms.

She holds onto me like she is afraid I will disappear if she lets go. Her hug is mixed with relief and desperation. Both reactions are unacceptable and tell me she actually thought it possible to lose me. She has no idea how far under her spell I am and have been since the day she cursed me for attempting to bring her to my home without her knowledge. Though it’s only been five weeks since that tense car ride, I feel like an entire era has passed since then. My life is now seen as before Ella and after Ella. I’m so sure. Yet, she still doubts how much I am in love with her. That’s why I am here, to relieve her of that foolish uncertainty. The only things I ever want her to feel for me are pure desire and expectation.

I give her a quick squeeze and kiss her forehead before pulling back. I do not release her arms as I step back. I crossed oceans to touch her, and I can’t let go. She’s magnificent. Her bronzed hair is swept up in a mass of curls atop her head, highlighting her strong cheekbones and the hazel in her eyes. Her lips are begging to be kissed.Don’t worry, I’m coming.First, I need to get her inside the house. My entourage is nosy, especially Senya. He will never let me live down making out with my girlfriend in public. I hate that I had to bring him at all. However, I knew it was futile to fight him on the matter. He helped me move heaven and earth to ensure the press did not get wind. He surprised me with the team of 20 guards once I arrived. Only he and I flew on my jet.

I look at her. “May we go in?”

She shakes out of the enchantment my arrival has brought. “Yes, of course. Let me just find my keys.”

She walks to the door and attempts to unlock her front door. She fumbles with the lock for a minute before I take the keys from her. She’s clearly rattled. “I got you.”

I manage to open her door. An open and clean space greets me. It looks like a page ripped fromArchitectural Digest. I only know this because Akua collects the magazine. She has for over 30 years. It’s the only periodical I allow in Bonbiri, mostly because it’s one I can guarantee I will not be scandalized in. However, Ella’s home leaves me speechless. Everything oozes serenity and quiet. The muted grays and blues remind me of calming waters; no wonder she chose the river room at Bonbiri. It reminds her of her oasis here. I turn and watch her watching me. I grab her hand and lead us to a large gray sectional in the center of her family room. I sit down and place her on my lap. Tears start to fall.

I wipe her face with concern. “What are these for? I can’t have my queen crying. Tell me who did it and I will fight them.”

She gives me a faint smile.That’s better.“You did it. Showing up without any warning, I’m overwhelmed.”

I give a hesitant nod. “Is it OK that I’m here? When I called to check, Adom said you would be glad to have me come. I’ll put him back on my shit list if he steered me wrong.”

She laughs. “No, he is right. I am very glad to see you. But why didn’t you call me? Why Adom?”

That’s a good question. The best answer is because I’m a coward. I was scared she already moved on from me and my crown. I knew with distance, she migh realize the demands royal life would put on her, makes me not worth it after all. I was concerned she wasn’t in as much pain as I was while we were apart. I figured Adom would be a reluctant emissary to ask on my behalf. He refused. He stated anything I had to say to Ella I must say in person, or I’m not worth her time. If he weren’t my cousin, I would have let him know exactly where he could stick his opinion. However, if he weren’t right, I would not be here at all. I’m grateful Ella has friends like Maya and Adom in her life. I decide to tell her some of that, but not all.

“Well, you were so disappointed when you left and, frankly, I think a little mad. I didn’t know if you would want me. I couldn’t bear coming here and you not letting me in. That would be tragic.”

She nods. “Yes, I guess it would. I’m so sorry, Kofi.” She looks at me. I don’t avert my gaze. I cock my head to the side and let out a slow breath before responding.

“I know. You were scared. I also know that I was not doing enough to alleviate your fears. You never signed up for all of this. You came to Ghana to do your job and leave. You didn’t plan to fall for an imperious king that rules halfway around the world. Knowing and understanding these things, I want you to understand that your apology is not necessary. You did what you thought was best for you at the time. I will never be mad at you for choosing to take care of you first. That’s the only way you will be able to properly love me. The same is true for me. We can never be afraid to be who we are and answer the call of our lives as fully as we possibly can.”

She breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank you. You’re so right; I was fearful, and that was not a good place to support you from. I honestly don’t know if there’s anything you could say or do to alleviate the fear I had when I left Ghana. The fear wasn’t about you. It was about me and whether or not I was willing to risk my heart again.”

I nod. “I’m sure falling in love with a king that lives on an entirely different continent does not help your anxiety. But I want you to know I will close any distance between us to make this work. If we have to be bicoastal, so be it. I just can’t lose you, and I don’t want you nervous about anything. I want you happy.”

Looking at her, I want to touch her and reassure her that no reign, position, or woman will ever be able to take her place as the most important thing in my life. She is the priority. Instead, it is she that positions her body to be closer to me.

She begins to speak. “Your position and geography were a smokescreen for the fear.” She grabs my hands and starts to rub them again. Her eyes scream,make love to me. I’m ready.

“But Kofi, I’m not scared anymore. I know that I belong with you in Bonbiri. No matter what the Ashanti council might say about who I am or what I do, if you tell me I’m who you want by your side, I will fight to be there.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

Perfection

Ella

Kofi slips one hand away from my grasp and presses it against my right cheek.

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted to hear you say to me since the moment I saw you stomp across that TED Talk stage telling the audience, ‘We have cut out the tongues and closed the minds of half the world’s youth through intentional miseducation, and we must now fight illiteracy like it is the last front in the War on Terror.’”

I laugh at my words. It sounds exactly like something I would say. “And then you glaredat your audience and bit your bottom lip to pause for effect.” He takes his other hand and presses it to my left cheek. “It was in that moment that I knew I needed a queen like that. One who would not mince words. A queen that will inspire even the most reserved man to act! The Ashanti children need you, and so do I.”

To punctuate his last word, he leans into my mouth for a kiss. It’s nothing like the many kisses we shared over the past five weeks. It’s not hot and steamy. It is gentle and lingering. It doesn’t command me. It influences me. I start to undress.

“Come with me,” I say as I break from his hold and stand. I take my shirt off and let him see my pink and black silk push-up bra. Then I turn knowing he’s following me. As we walk down the hallway to my bedroom, I let my hair down and unzip my jeans, knowing he has a full view of my ass in the matching silk thong he picked weeks ago. Once we are in my bedroom, I turn around and face him. I slowly remove the bra and use my finger to motion for him to come to me. “I want you to remove my thong…with your teeth.” His eyes go wide with lust. He starts to take his shirt off, but I stop him. “No, I want you dressed for this.”

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