Page 10 of Stay Awhile
I lounged in one of the cabanas wearing a hat and shorts—tourist gear I’d picked up to blend in with the beach crowd. Stretching out on the chair, I watched the waves roll onto the shore, forcing myself to relax. Then I heard it—her nervous giggle, followed by that forced, polite laugh women use when uncomfortable. The sound awakened my usual protective instinct, but this time it was different. Mixed with something else, something that made my pulse quicken in a way no target or mission ever had.
“No, thank you, sir. I don’t need a hand.” Her voice was polite but firm as she addressed the guy trailing behind her.
“You seem to be all alone. I just want to give you company.” He moved closer. “If you want, my friends and I will be having a party off the property. You’re more than welcome to come along.”
I sat up from my lounging position and turned toward them. The frown on her face and rigid posture told me everything—she wanted this guy gone. I stood and stretched, making my way over to them. When I reached their spot, I towered over them both, and the guy’s eyes widened as he took in my size.
“Damn, I was wondering what was taking you so long. Thanks for getting her here safely,” I told the unnerved guy.
“I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t realize she was meeting some—someone,” he stuttered.
“Yeah, and oh, she gone pass on whatever you got going on tonight. We got plans,” I said, then wrapped my arms around her shoulders.
She followed suit and wrapped her arms around my waist with a smile. He nodded and practically tripped trying to get away from us. Once he was out of sight, I released my arm from around her shoulder, then walked back to where I had come from. Once I took a seat, she sat beside me on the open chair.
“Thank you so much for doing that. He was not understanding no,” she said.
I finally looked over at her for what seemed like the first time. She wore a hat and a pair of shorts that hugged her hips and thighs. I noticed her right thigh was covered in a large tattoo that appeared to be a panther surrounded by flowers. I smiled, then pointed down at the tattoo.
“I like it. What made you get that?” I asked.
She ran her hand over the tattoo with a smile, then leaned forward.
“Can I tell you a secret?” she asked. I nodded and clasped my hands in front of me. “I honestly got it as a symbol of freedom.You know Panthers are solitary cats. I never imagined it would still match my way of life today,” she responded.
A sense of sadness passed through her eyes, so overwhelming I had to look away. Being alone had never bothered me—it was my normal, my comfort zone. I usually found it strange to spend more time with someone than necessary, but seeing this woman’s pain stirred something in me. I wanted to hunt down whoever had put that heavy burden in her heart. I couldn’t understand how anyone would choose not to be around her.
“You know there’s some benefits of being on your own, right?” I asked as I continued to watch the water rush the shore.
“What’s that besides the obvious?”
I finally turned to face her. “Security, peace, and reliability.”
“Security, peace, and reliability.”
I heard him loud and clear. Although those things were nice, I missed being able to rely on someone other than myself for a moment. Chyna was there, and so was my family, but Jim was right. I couldn’t require so much from her or them. I had to find that peace within or put myself out there to find some damn body to.
I nodded, then craned my head to the side as I admired him. He was the finest man I had come across in a long time. He gave me the vibes that he liked to blend in, but nothing about him saidblend in. When he bumped into me, I was pissed until I had to crane my head back to take all of him in.
He had dark beautiful skin that looked as if he had never experienced a single blemish in his life. Not to mention, his beard appeared as if he spent hours keeping up with it. Same with his low cut fade. I loved a man who had waves and kepthis hair nice and short. A heavy black watch sat on his wrist—the kind military men wore —built for function over fashion. He checked it periodically with an unconscious movement that seemed more habit than actual time-keeping. I could tell he worked out on the daily by the way his body was built. He was not slim built either. He was all solid man, and that was the way I liked them. I just knew he could lift my thick ass without a single drop of sweat.
The thought of our first meeting made my shoulders shiver slightly.
“You cold?” he asked.
I looked back in his direction. I hadn’t realized he was looking back at me, but clearly he was. I smiled and brushed my hair from the front of my face.
“Oh no, just a slight shiver, but I have to ask. You told that man we had plans tonight. Now I know you said it to help me out, but what if I see him again tonight and you aren’t there?” I asked.
I knew I was just pushing to be in his space a little longer, but I didn’t give a damn. This man was so intriguing to me. There was something about him that made me want another hit. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was exactly, but I had every intention of figuring it out, whether he liked it or not.
He chuckled and then looked back out at the water. “Meet me in the lobby in three hours, and I’ll show you a good time.”
I wanted to dance, but I held my composure. I was a grown ass woman, and I was not about to show this man how deep he had me going. I smiled back at him and stood on the side of him, then held my hand out for him to shake. He turned to look at my hand with a lift of his brow and a smirk, then back up at me.
I watched him sit up in his seat and engulf my hand with his own. I couldn’t help but to show all thirty-two of my teeth.
“Deal,” I said shaking his hand.
