Page 6 of Caught Stealing Your Heart
“Damn. He’s even finer in person.” Willow whistled with her head cocked to the side. “And why haven’t we ever watched baseball?”
Her mom, Aunt Ellie, replied, “I don’t know, but I’m about to be a season pass holder after seeing that man. Who is he?”
“Banks Callahan, but everyone calls him Boss. He’s one of the best MLB players in the league. How have y’all never heard of him?” my dad asked with a shake of his head. “I wonder what he’s doing here.”
“Well, Daddy. If you must know, he’s here to buy your daughter’s painting.” Mamie gushed, gripping my arms and shaking me.
Daddy whipped his bald head back with his round, brown eyes bigger than normal. “Are you serious? He’s here to buy something from you, Lei?”
“Yes, he is. He reached out to me earlier this week about one I did on live. His sister adores my work, so I think he’s buying it for her,” I answered, swatting Mamie away, only for Daddy to come over and take her place.
“That’s amazing, baby girl. To have a man of his caliber buy your art speaks volumes. You’ve been blessed with this gift, and I’m proud to see you finally getting the recognition you deserve. It’s only up from here.”
Daddy kissed my temple and engulfed me in his burly frame. I melted into him, exhaling as my mind relaxed. My father was my comforter and safe place. Whenever I was at war within myself, he found a way to bring the peace without even knowing.
I laid my head on his chest with my arms wrapped around his torso. For a moment, I forgot about the chaos of emotions swirling in my body like a tornado. Nothing else mattered except knowing I could make my father’s heart swell with pride.
“He’s headed this way,” Mamie informed us, and all eyes went to Boss.
I grabbed a paper to fan myself, but it didn’t provide the coolness my body yearned for. All the talk about Boss and him being only a few feet away had me sweating like a whore in church. His presence was affecting me in ways I couldn’t explain, especially not for a total stranger.
His sister was leading the way with the brightest smile etched on her face. Boss may have had sunglasses on, but I could feel his eyes boring through me, heating me up like a wildfire.
Willow whispered in my ear. “Get it together. I can see the lust all over your damn face, girl.”
All I could do was nod and swallow. I couldn’t form an audible sentence from trying to inhale Boss’s intoxicating aromalike it was the air I needed. Something about it paired well with him. I wasn’t sure if it was the notes of amber that complemented his skin or the strong earthy tone that matched his demeanor, but it was divine. My eyes were locked in on him, and I didn’t notice his sister in front of me until Willow nudge me.
My attention went to her, and I couldn’t believe how much she and Boss favored. It was almost as if I was staring at the younger, female version of him. Nervously, she stepped closer with one hand out and used the other to tuck her long, knotless braids behind her ear.
“I can’t believe I’m finally meeting you,” she spoke, lips spreading into a smile. “I’m Paisley, PaiDai7 on FameVsYou. I absolutely love your work, Leilani. Seeing you on live, painting and listening to your music is always a vibe.”
I took her hand in mine, gently pulled her into me for a quick hug, then held onto her hands. “Thank you so much, Paisley. I truly appreciate your support. You’ve always shown me love, and words can’t express how much I appreciate you. You stand up for me and everything.”
“Because people love trying to come for you and compare you to Willow.” Paisley paused and turned toward Willow and continued. “I think you’re dope as hell, too, but I can’t stand when they try to come for Leilani.”
“Girl, neither of us can,” Willow responded, snickering. “I don’t take any offense to what you’re saying. I know my cousin and I are different. So, are you going to introduce us to your brother?”
Leave it to Willow to speak on Boss.
Paisley looked back and forth between Willow and Boss with the corner of her lips curving up. The swirling in the pit of my stomach was evoked by the green emotion poking at me. I lowered my head and dragged my tongue across my top row ofteeth to keep myself in check. I had absolutely no reason to feel the way I did, so why did I? It wasn’t the first time an attractive man had stolen the attention of my cousin.
As Paisley introduced them, a few more people walked up to my station. I transferred my attention to them, brushing off the unwanted, negative vibes and remembering what I was here for. I took a few pictures and showcased some of my art. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop myself from peering over at Boss every so often. He and Willow were engaged in a conversation, but it was evident his eyes were on me.
Their conversation didn’t last long before Willow was skipping over to me with Boss in tow. I didn’t have time to prepare myself. It seemed as if Boss only took two strides, and he was invading my space. He stood directly in front of me with his hands resting in front of him. My tongue wanted to follow his across his bottom lip as it slowly glided over it.
Why was he so damn fine?
“Leilani, this is Boss. He wanted to come over and personally thank you for saving the picture for Paisley,” Willow explained, then scurried away without another word.
Silence engulfed us. Boss removed his sunglasses, giving my eyes access to his full face. My pussy suddenly grew a heartbeat. The throbbing between my legs was sinful for how badly I was lusting after this man. When those suckable lips curved into a smirk, I wanted to drop my panties for him right then.
I was sure every woman he encountered felt the same.
“You’re beautiful, you know that, right?” were the first words to leave his mouth, and I was positive he could see the steam flowing off my body from how heated he made me.
“Th—” I cleared my throat to find the rights words. “Thank you, Boss. You’re not so bad yourself, but I’m sure you hear that all the time.”
He stepped in close to me. “Call me Banks. And yes, I do. Shit. It hits different coming from you. You got me feeling some unexplainable things, Leilani. Why is that?”
