Page 43 of Trust Issues
“You? Swearing off men? Yeah right, Kyle. That’s like you and Max calling a truce. Not gonna happen.”
“Max? Why are we mentioning Max? I didn’t say a word about him,” I stammered, suddenly fixated on what my precious dog was doing. Naima eyed me suspiciously then continued talking.
“What are you so confused about?”
“I don’t know if I actually like him or if I was using him as a dick to ride on.”
“I’m confused too because you sent me a text telling me what a flaming piece of trash Austin was and here you are with choke marks and hickeys on your neck after you’ve screwed him. What am I missing?”
“So much. I don’t know what to do. I’m supposed to hate him.” I realized I was openly talking about Max but Naima had no idea. The thought tickled me.
“Maybe you just needed to get some, Kyle. It happens. It doesn’t have to be anything beyond that. If it was only sex, then let it go.”
“It should be that easy right? Only, I’m going to see him all the time and it’s going to be awkward and the sex was so fucking good, Naima. You don’t understand. It felt like I finally met my match in the bedroom and that’s coming from me being drunk off my ass. You can imagine how the sex would be sober.” I hugged myself a little and nibbled on my bottom lip at the thought of it.
“Damn, he gave it to you like that? Are you sure we’re talking about Austin or is this some other guy?”
“Why would you say that?” I quizzed, honing my gaze in on Barkley.
“Because the way you’re talking about the person who gave you that lovely necklace of bruises around your neck is totally different from the way you were talking about Austin. Kyla Bradshaw, who did you fuck?”
“Nobody!” I squeaked.
“Oh, so now all of a sudden, Miss I-always-tell-the-truth-even-when-it-hurts is lying her ass off? Interesting. Did you have a one night stand with some random guy?” Naima took a step closer and folded her arms.
“Clearly it was a one night stand, Naima. Haven’t you been paying attention?”
“I have. That’s why I know you’re full of shit. You did not fuck Austin. You would never. I’m going to find out who it is though because whoever he is, he has you confused and bruised and I’m here for it.” She snapped her fingers and laughed, tipping her head back. I glowered at her and called Barkley over so we could go. I didn’t have to take that shit. All I needed was my best friend’s shoulder to cry on. I ended up with detective Naima on my ass though.
When we reached the lobby of the building, Max strolled around the corner on long, muscular legs wearing a pair of basketball shorts and a t-shirt that clung to him just enough for me to remember all the beautiful chiseled onyx beneath that cotton.
I cleared my throat when I saw him. The bruises on my neck sang the longer I stared. Naima ran into the back of me because I came to such an abrupt halt.
“Um, everything okay?” She walked around me and smiled at Max.
“Hey, Max. How’d things go with Sadie last night? You were supposed to finally bed her,” she said dramatically. The fine hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I fantasized about clawing Sadie’s eyes out.
“It didn’t work out,” he said, staring at me instead of Naima. I only knew he was staring at me because I was staring at him too.
Why was he so tall and so fine? I needed explanations. He was so damn fine I wanted to pull up on his mama and ask her what was in the water when she got pregnant with him because…Jesus.
That’s it.
It had to have been Jesus water.
Before I slept with Max, I was able to ignore him. I knew how fine he was but I looked past it because his ego always blocked his looks from view. Now though? Now, I knew what he was working with. Now I knew that he had demon dick sent straight from the pits of hell or whatever department is in charge of bad decision making.
Naima looked from me to Max and walked between us, breaking our intense eye-fuck session. “You two have been around each other for five minutes and you haven’t insulted each other once. Everything okay?”
“Yup, everything is fine,” I chirped. Max flashed a smile and nodded.
“Everything is fine,” he echoed. I turned away from him and looked down at Barkley who was begging for Max’s attention.
Me too, Barks. Me too.
“Something is off,” Naima said. She aimed her finger at me then tapped the side of her face. “Max, did you notice anything different about Kyle?” I knew she was leading him right to the bruises he so kindly left on my neck.
“No. Can’t say that I have,” he replied with a shrug. Did he have to look at me like that? It was making me incredibly hot. I wished that I could poof everyone in the lobby away so I could have a repeat of last night.
