Page 22 of Beauden & Yelena

“Indeed.” I caress her pretty face and she grabs my hand, interlinking her fingers with mine then twisting our locked hands. Her eyes roam my hand then she twists it again. “What’s up?”

“Looking for a ring.”

It’s too late to look for a wedding band. She should have checked for that before this. I did. On day one, I glanced at her hand. I’ve also noticed how the others in her group are coupled up and she’s alone. I did my due diligence but since she didn’t, I decide to goad her.

“I don’t wear jewelry on the ranch. I would lose my ring and piss—” As I speak, her eyes widen and her face scrunches. She’s pissed. Before I can finish my lie, her little slim thick ass tries to bolt off of me. My grip on her waist stops her from going anywhere though.

“Let me go!” she demands and I chuckle. “Ain’t shit funny. Move your hands!”

My grip tightens. “Calm your pretty ass down. It’s a joke. I’m not married or in any relationship.” She stops moving but her facial expression hasn’t changed. I place my hand on her chin and pinch it. “Don’t you think you should have asked me that before my face was between your legs? It’s too late now.”

After pursing her lips, she rolls her eyes. “It’s not too late. Negro, if you are married, after I slap your ass, you will be out of here and so would I,” she says with major attitude. “I’m not that girl and no man will turn me into that either.”

“Good to know,” I say then pinch her chin again. “Now, stop looking at me like that.”

“That wasn’t funny. Not at all.”

“Yeah. It was,” I say then pull her lips to mine.

ChapterNine

“Ididn’t think you would answer,” Eddie says.

“I’m just in the room, getting ready for dinner. I answered because I figured it must be important.”

“Well, it’s not.” He titters. “I called to be nosy and messy. Things at the office are fine. As usual, ain’t nobody doing shit. It’s almost quitting time and nothing’s been done. When y’all go on this retreat, it’s a vacation for us. Honey, everybody’s on a break all day long. Of course…” He pauses for effect. “Not me though. I’m hard at work.” He laughs at his own lie.

“As long as my client files are sorted, I’m good.”

“Done. I worked on them all day yesterday. Today and Wednesday are light for me. I’ve been busy looking at restaurants in Houston. I’m so ready for this flight. I’m going to get fat and full.”

“I thought Damon’s family was cooking.”

“They are, on Christmas. I need to eat every day and according to TikTok, there’s some good ass food in H-town.”

“You and TikTok,” I scoff. I swear he learns everything from there. He’s always bringing in some dish he prepared because he saw it on TikTok. I can’t lie though, some of the recipes are good as hell and I often try to make them too.

“Says the woman that busted them salmon croquettes down,” he snaps.

“They were aight.”

“Girl, what the fuck ever,” he whispers into the phone. “You got me cursing in here with that lie. You tore them things up.”

“I may have a little,” I concede.

“So, what’s going on there though? Has Monalisa pissed everyone off yet?”

“On day one and I feel so bad for her husband. Todd looks miserable all the damn time.”

“All the time but you know what I think anyway.”

“That man is not gay.”

“I’m telling you. He’s only with her for the coinage because he clearly doesn’t like fish.”

“I can’t with you.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be milking a cow or something?”

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