Page 20 of Call Me Mrs. Taylor

I grab a plate from the cabinet and place Ace’s sandwich on it, carrying it back to the bedroom with a smile. When I step inside, he’s sitting up against the headboard, shirtless, scrolling his phone. His head lifts the second I enter.

I set the plate on his lap, watching for a reaction.

“Here you go, king. I hope you love it.”

He stares at it, then up at me, something warm flickering across his face.

“You tryna make me fall in love with you, huh?”

I tilt my head, smiling sweetly.

“This is just who I am,” I purr. “I like to see my man happy.”

I watch him closely, noting the way his face twitches when he hearsmy man. It’s fine, though. It was just a test, but it will be true soon enough.

8

Ace

I wonder what Raya’s doing.

My focus should be on the project updates in front of me, but my mind keeps circling back to her—those big brown eyes staring up at me in the parking lot of the job she stalked me at, daring me to tell her to leave.

Crazy.

But also?

Lowkey flattering.

I lean back in my chair, rubbing my jaw as my phone vibrates against my desk.

Raya

Good morning, king. I hope your day is as amazing as you are

I fight against the corners of my mouth. I can’t be sitting here in my office smiling at text messages like a little princess.

Raya’s applying pressure.

I tell myself it’s just words. Any woman can send you some bullshit when she enjoyed the dick the night before. But a lot of women don’t. Most, I’d say. And very few women show up to your job when you don’t call her after two days.

I mean, I’m usually the one tipping out on these hoes, but there’s a part of me, deep down in there, that feels like shit when they let me leave. It doesn’t make a lick of sense, because I leave for a reason, but it stings when they don’t fight for me.

As toxic as it was, that shit with Shayenne made me feel wanted. Yeah, I played it like I was pissed. I didn’t think anybody would understand it if I told them otherwise. But that shit was validating, just like seeing Raya posted up in the parking lot outside my building.

My brain went straight to war when I saw her, oscillating betweenthis bitch is insaneandthis woman is really feeling me.

Women will never understand how we feel, because men are sex-starved and thirsty as fuck. We’re always the ones pursuing. Shit feels biological most of the time.

All that rah rah shit we be talkin’ is just pride and ego. Truth is, even the best of us rarely feel like a woman truly wants us enough to cut through all the guessing games and bullshit and pursue us right back.

I appreciate that, princess. Work is beating my ass but you just put a smile on my face

Good. I’d love to come over later and put some food in your stomach

I shift in my seat as my dick swells.

I would love that too. 7?

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