Ashari became parched.She resisted the urge to lick her lips out of fear that her tongue would meet his skin.
She didn’t want to kiss him.
It’d possibly cure the growing thirstthat nightgave her, and it’d be too wrong.
So, so wrong.
She whimpered as Jediah’s lips finally met her skin.He trailed his lips down her neck until he reached her chest.He paused to release one of her hands so he could push the hem of her shirt upward.It gathered beneath her neck while his eyes ravished her.“So beautiful,” he rasped before his head disappeared between the valley of her breasts, kissing and sucking her flesh.
Ashari writhed, her hands finding his head.Her nails dragged across his fade.“Jed…” she moaned, hating how her body desired this criminal.Between her thighs was becoming moist, a leaking mess fueling the wish that he’d kiss further… further… and further down.Until he was buriedrightwhere she wanted him.
“Ash?”he asked, his voice deeper.He stopped above her navel, lifting his head to meet her eyes as they fluttered open.
“I—”
“You?”he asked, a small smirk on his lips while desire pooled with the amusement in his eyes.
She looked toward the ceiling.“Me can go to my apartment?”
The room went quiet.
She looked from the ceiling to him.
“Why?”
“If you a go keep me here, you can make me have things weh make it easier for me to settle in.”
Amusement and desire drained from Jediah’s face.His expression was unreadable for longer than Ashari would’ve liked.What did Jediah’s silence mean?Ashari racked her brain, digging through years of paperwork until she came up empty.
Finally, he nodded and pulled back.Ashari scooted toward the farthest side of the bed.Jediah sat on the edge of it.He pulled his phone out, diverting all his attention to it as if the tent in his pants was nonexistent.
Ashari bit her lip so as not to gasp at its size, then sprinted toward the bathroom.She slammed the door shut and stared at herself in the mirror.“Focus,” Ashari chanted, trying to steady her racing heart.
“Ashari… Hurry up before mi change mi mind,” Jediah said, and Ashari scowled before exiting.
They went to the car and he drove to the apartment.Now, he sat on her bed, keeping a close eye on her as she packed a few clothes and packs of braiding hair into a small travel bag.
As she slipped her earrings in, Jediah asked, “Why are you afraid of water?”
“W-what?”Ashari stuttered, meeting his gaze in the mirror.
“Yu don’ see how yu nasty?”he asked, snickering.When Ashari’s face blanked, he quieted.Jediah straightened himself.“Why yu ’fraid of water, Ashari?”he asked again, this time in a no-nonsense tone.
She didn’t want to get ahead of herself, but… he didn’t sound angry at her.This trace of anger seemed to be directed toward something else, but she didn’t know what.
Ashari looked away and secured her last earring.She continued packing.“I almost drowned when I was a kid.”
“I almost drowned as a kid, too.”
Ashari faced him.“But was it in a locked car in a river?”
“W-what?”he stuttered, his eyes widening.
“Not all of us are fearless like you, Jediah.I was only five when it happened, and for the longest, I couldn’t remember why I was so scared of water, but it’s been coming back to me.I’m not nasty, Jediah.And I know your entire life.You’ve never had to experience anything like that.You don’t have the right to call me nasty…” she trailed off as her throat tightened.
Jediah stood and stepped toward her.“I didn’t know, Ash…”
She scoffed and grabbed her bag, anger bubbling inside her.“You don’t know everything, and it’s time you stop acting like it.”She stepped out of the room, froze, then spun around.She almost bumped into Jediah.He grabbed her arm to keep her steady.She looked at where he held her, her eyes trailing upward until she met his eyes.Ashari released a long breath, both from nerves and disbelief.