Page 48 of Caught off Guard

“So those limp-dick bastards are coming for Zora—plain and simple.” Lena crossed her arms and drank from her water bottle.

“Unfortunately.” Cairo reached behind his shoulder and guided me back to my seat.

I placed my hands on the table.

“Tell me about that public decorum agreement. How do they determine what’s decent?” he asked.

“Before I was hired, they harped about scandalous behavior and dress. Marice’s wife took me shopping and even bought me a two-piece suit from TJ Maxx that she thought would be appropriate for me to wear in public. It was the ugliest monstrosity I’d ever seen, but I put it on to keep the peace.”

“I told you not to take that job. Nothing about it sounded right. They’re tacky and cheap.” Lena rolled her eyes.

“I knew I was pushing the boundaries when I wore that outfit to the Torch game, but I was trying to impress a certain somebody.” I smiled at Cairo, who returned it, to my delight.

“Let that certain somebody say that he appreciated the gesture very, very, very much.” Cairo leaned over and kissed me on the lips on his last ‘very.’

Lena clapped her hands like a seal at a traveling circus.

“That’s what I’m talking about. My sissy deserves all that and more.”

“I agree,” Cairo said as he placed his hand on my thigh under the table.

I held his hand firm and squeezed his fingers.

“What are we going to do about this though? Can we cut it off before things get worse?” Lena asked.

For the first time since we began, Lena’s face registered concern.

“As a single woman, no. In the eyes of the board, I was loose, displaying my goodies in front of the world at the Torch game.”

“What if you had a man?” Cairo asked.

I stared him down with a frown.

“What kind of man?”

“One who wants his woman to put on makeup and represent him in a modern, low-key sexy way. She would be an extension of his public brand, letting people know he takes care of her and isn’t intimidated by her brains or beauty.”

My heart fluttered as I tried to process everything he said.

“Oh…you’re saying what exactly?” I placed my hand over my heart.

“My girlfriend wasn’t doing anything wrong.”

Lena jumped up and screamed.

“She accepts.”

“Lena! Please give Cairo and me a minute. Dang.” I pointed my finger at my sister before rising and pulling Cairo into Lena’s living room.

I peeked around the corner to make sure Lena wasn’t eavesdropping, then held his hands in mine.

“I don’t need you to save me. Again.” I shook my head, thinking about Cairo’s generous gift last week.

He placed his fingers under my chin and lifted my head.

“What if I told you you’re saving me?”

“I’d think you were lying.”

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