Page 103 of Body Language
His lips found the side of my neck, and his hands smoothed over my hips, his reflection in the mirror catching the way I smirked.
“You look perfect,” he said, brushing his fingers along the strap of my dress. “Purple looks good on you. Looks good with me.”
And even though I’d never admit it out loud, the way we matched, the way it felt to be standing there with him before something so important…
It made me feel like I belonged in his world in a way I didn’t even know I wanted.
His lips stayed at my neck, slow and warm. I could feel his smirk against my skin when I tilted my head just a little, letting him in without even meaning to.
“You keep looking at me like that, we’re not gonna make it to this party,” I teased, watching our reflection in the mirror.
“Maybe I don’t want to,” he said low, his voice in that tone that always messed with my head. His hands slid lower, catching the fabric of my dress and inching it up my thighs just enough to make my heart kick up.
I tried to stay steady, but my breathing was already changing. “Kendrix…”
He met my eyes in the mirror, that hooded look that said he was already thinking about how to ruin my makeup. “I’ve been in your space, with the kids, watching you, breathing you in… for three weeks straight. You really think I can stand this close and not touch you?”
I put the lipstick down before I ended up with a streak across my face. “And you really think I can be late to your mama’s party because you don’t know how to keep your hands to yourself?”
His grin deepened, the kind that meant he was two seconds from ignoring every word I just said. His fingers traced a slow path from my knee to my hip, his other hand locking around my waist. “One kiss. That’s all I need.”
That was a lie. And we both knew it.
He turned me around, caging me in against the vanity, and kissed me like the whole night didn’t matter—just me and him. My hands ended up in his hair before I could think, pulling him closer, his tongue brushing mine in that way that made my knees weaken every time.
It would’ve been so easy to let him take it further. To let him strip that dress off and make us both late on purpose.
But the buzz of my phone from the vanity broke us apart just enough for reality to sneak back in.
“Kendrix,” I said against his lips, breathing heavier than I wanted him to know. “We have to go.”
He searched my face for a second, then stepped back with that cocky grin that told me this wasn’t over. “Fine. But you’re not getting away from me tonight.”
I smirked, fixing my lipstick and grabbing my clutch. “I never said I wanted to.”
When he held his hand out, I took it without hesitation.
The second we stepped out of the car, I knew Kendrix hadn’t been exaggerating. The venue was damn near glowing under chandeliers that looked like they belonged in a movie. Long tables were draped in white linen with centerpieces so big you couldn’t see the person across from you without doing that little side-to-side lean. Everything smelled faintly like roses and money, two of my favorite scents.
It was still early, so most of the seats were empty, but the setup alone was enough to make you stop for a second just to appreciate it. The kind of event that made you double-check your lipstick in your phone camera, even though you just did it in the car.
Security stood at the front like they were guarding a bank vault. As soon as we got to the front of the line, one of them gave me that polite-but-serious look before motioning for my bag. I handed it over without fuss, but my eyes followed every move. When they pulled my gun out like it was a rogue chapstick, I smirked.
“Ma’am, I’ll have to take this to the car for you,” one of Kendrix’s men said.
I tilted my head toward Kendrix. “I hate going places unstrapped. My hands work just fine, but you never know.”
He looped his arm through mine, smirking. “You’re good. It’s for safety. We’ve got a lot of my parents’ friends here tonight. People in high positions, so no weapons inside.”
I smiled sweetly. “It’s okay. I keep someone strapped to my thigh.”
He laughed because he knew I wasn’t bluffing. I never went anywhere without my knife.
We stepped past the checkpoint and into the main hall, and for a second, I forgot to walk. It was like stepping into a dream you’d never had, but if you had, it would’ve been exactly that. The lighting was warm and flattering, like it knew its job was to make every Black woman in the building look ten shades richer. Gold accents caught the light just right, and the music floating through the air was soft enough not to drown conversation but smooth enough to make you sway when you walked.
We made our way to the front table where his brothers were already posted up. Kross had his arm draped over Rivah’s chair, and Kairo was halfway through clowning Khloe about something she said. It was the kind of loud, easy laughter that made you feel welcome before you even sat down. Kendrix pulled my chair out for me, and the second I sat, Khloe leaned in and whispered, “Girl, you clean up nice. Purple’s dangerous on you.”
Before I could respond, Mama G walked in.
