Page 124 of Tarek

My dream is simple: to lay my head in the lap of my best friend and have my husband laugh with us like we used to when we were young. It’s a beautiful image, isn’t it?

But there is a missing piece in that picture. And he is sitting in front of me having a burger fries and milkshake at a diner, like he doesn’t have a care in the world.

Jermaine is a handsome 6’2" man with glowing dark skin, hazel eyes, and broad shoulders. His smile is brilliant and white. His teeth clean and he smells…oh god he smells like heaven. I understand why Miranda chose him to be her husband. I also understand why I am choosing him to be mine. He doesn’t know my connection to Miranda. Not yet.

Right now he is caressing my hands talking about how lovely my eyes are. And I let him. I want to tell him of course they are lovely I am beautiful.

But I stay silent and sit, pretending to blush at his words. Letting him think that he is the one in control. Knowing that in an hour, I will have him on his back, and he will think that he did this.

Jermaine is a minor cog in the grand scheme of things. He is a tool, beautiful but a tool, nonetheless. Maybe just maybe he will see what my father and Dereck refuses to see that I am enough. More than Miranda could ever be.

“What do you think about that beautiful?” he asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

Shit, he’s been talking, but I wasn’t paying attention.

I smile, pretending to blush, I giggle lightly and murmur. “Ask me again and I will tell you.”

Bingo, he fell for it, hook, line and sinker.

Jermaine touches my face, his hazel eyes are fixed on me. “When can we do lunch again?”

I uncross my legs under the table, letting my high heel drag up his leg until the sole presses against his crotch. His posture stiffens and well other large parts of him stiffens too.

“This is our second lunch date,” I purr, my voice is sultry soft. “I think it’s time for dessert Mr. Jermaine, don’t you?”

I pluck the cherry from the top of the milkshake and push the whole thing in my mouth with a moan. His nostril flares.

“I do like dessert after a meal,” he says darkly.

I work the stem in my tongue, feeling his gaze on me. When I finally pull the stem from my mouth, it’s knotted perfectly in the center. I rest it on the table like a trophy and Jermaine’s eyes widen.

“It will be the best dessert you ever had.” I press my foot against his large erection. Hell, it would be dessert for me too. I have had sex with different men, other than Dereck none has pleased me. Maybe Jermaine will be different.

“Will it keep me coming back for more?” Jermaine teases.

I look around the diner, and I’m thankful that it’s empty. Only the old waitress and the cook are talking. I grab Jermaine’s big hand and guide his middle finger into the milkshake. I wrap my red lips around it, moaning softly as I swirl my tongue around him. When I pull back, there’s a soft teasing pop.

“For more,” I whisper, licking the underside of his finger.

“And more,” I say pulling the finger back into my mouth. Letting my tongue twist under his finger, teasing it. Leaving little doubt in his mind what I can do with more than his hand. When I release him, a thin string of saliva connects us. I wipe the side of my mouth demurely.

“And fucking more,” I add.

I pull my foot away from his erection and take a sip of my milkshake like nothing happened. But something did and more was about to.

“Well shit,” Jermaine mutters. He drags his hand down his face. “Check please.” Look at him in a hurry to leave. In a hurry to be with me. My plan is going to work. I don’t see how it can fail. Soon I will have everything I want. And we will all be a big happy family.

* * *

TAREK

“Why are you crying Pen?” I tilt her face up gently, looking at her teary gaze. Her arms are wrapped around me tightly like she was afraid to let me go.

I brush her tears away with my thumbs. Bringing them up to my lips to taste them. The two of us are standing at the edge of her driveway in the early hours of the morning. I spent all of last night and this morning making love, sleeping, eating, showering and making love again.

I never understood the difference between fucking and making love. This morning, I get it. Making love is raw, honest, and vulnerable.

Her soft sniffle pulls me away from my thoughts. “I will miss you that is all.”

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