Page 37 of For the Lover in You
Tremaine is my boss. I shouldn't have fallen into temptation. I needed to control my emotions. Clearly, I was vulnerable and got wrapped up in him. This couldn't happen again. Tremaine was here to help me, not to please my body. He went to touch me again, but I stepped out of his way.
"I'm good. Sorry about all of that."
"Mila—"
"Where is the kitchen? I'm a little thirsty," I interrupted him.
He scanned me up and down, but I avoided eye contact. My guard needed to be up and to remain up.
"Mr. Houston, can I have a drink, please?"
He let out a deep breath and turned toward the door. "Follow me."
As instructed, I followed Tremaine down the stairs. The smell of food hit my nose, causing my stomach to growl. We made it to the kitchen, where Ms. Shonte stood by the stove,placing food on a plate. She looked at us when she heard our footsteps.
"Grab a seat at the table, baby. I'll bring you a plate."
Tremaine looked back at me. "Pick a seat."
I slowly did as instructed. I watched as she and Tremaine moved around the open kitchen. It had beautiful appliances and decor on the walls. Seconds later, she placed a glass plate in front of me.
"It's rice casserole. It has chicken, broccoli, and cheese inside it. I hope you're not allergic to any of that."
I shook my head. "No, ma'am. Thank you."
"Enjoy." She smiled and walked away.
Tremaine returned with a glass of water and a Gatorade. He sat down beside me while his mother placed his plate in front of him. She finally sat down and looked at us.
"Bow your heads."
It was currently midnight, and I couldn't believe I was sitting at a table with Tremaine and his mama, eating a casserole. We bowed our heads and prepared for prayer. She prayed over the food and ended with an amen. The only thing heard was our forks hitting the glass plates. The food was so good, and I was trying my hardest not to dig in, but I couldn't help it.
"Is it good, Ms. Mila?" Ms. Shonte asked.
I looked and noticed her and Tremaine staring at me.
I nodded. "It is very good. Sorry if I'm devouring the food. I didn't realize how hungry I was."
"It's okay, baby. I love to see people enjoying my food. Make sure you take some home with you."
"You sure?" I asked.
She nodded. "I'm positive. Matter of fact, I'll fix you a Tupperware worth."
"I'll appreciate that."
We went back to eating, and before I knew it, my plate was empty, and my stomach was satisfied.
"Are you done?" Tremaine asked.
"Yeah, I'm done, and I think I need to be getting home. I'm sure Trina and Chas are concerned about me."
He nodded. "They were, but I had Vance and Owen update them on what was going on.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Just give me a few minutes. Let me get your clothes out of the dryer. I'll leave them in the room upstairs."
