Page 9 of Thiago
India trailed her fingers through his soft hair. “You can make it up to me in two weeks,” she said, hoping her voice and expression suggested playfulness, instead of the disappointment lying heavy in her chest.
“I will.” He plucked her bottom lip between his teeth for a gentle tug before kissing her lips again. “Good night.”
“Good night.”
India closed the door and used the monitor in the entryway to watch him. He glanced up at the camera with a faint smile before striding down the hallway with his broad shoulders and purposeful gait. When he disappeared from view, she turned and faced the stillness of her apartment, in stark contrast to the energy he brought whenever he walked through the door.
Thiago always filled any space he entered, and though he was no longer there, his scent lingered in her nostrils. A scent she had no business missing.
A sharp, unwelcome thought flicked through her mind.
He didn’t invite me.
He was going to his sister’s engagement party and had mentioned the event so casually and, just as casually, let her know he wouldn’t see her next week.
Did he at any point think to invite her?
Of course not, she thought with quiet disgust. They didn’t have that kind of arrangement. What they had was no promises. No expectations. Only Friday nights, quiet dinners, and the invisible wall between them.
Still, disappointment curled hot and bitter in her throat. Which didn’t make sense. She appreciated this arrangement. It was casual. Detached. Safe. She was just off tonight. Not only tonight, if she were being honest. Lately.
She had become soft. She used to be “that bitch” in her relationships, but now… now she only ordered the honeycomb-scented soap from Europe that he liked, bought sexy lingerie inthe style and colors he preferred, and made sure he had a meal to eat whenever he came by.
“India, girl, what is wrong with you?” she muttered.
She collected the glasses from the living room and placed them in the dishwasher. Then she poured herself a glass of water, turned out the light, and padded down the hall to her bedroom, where she opened the drawer of her dresser to take out one of several prescription bottles. She tapped a pill into her palm and swallowed it down with the water.
She changed into her nightgown and went into the bathroom. She washed her face, moisturized, and then turned out the light. In the dark, the apartment seemed even more quiet.
Climbing under the covers, bergamot and leather once again teased her nose, filling her mind with images of her and Thiago in sexual poses, each one passionate and demanding. Up against the wall. Bent over the arm of the sofa. They most frequently made love in the bedroom but had christened every room in her apartment to satisfy their boundless desire for each other.
India restlessly shifted positions. She should get up and change the sheets but was too lazy at the moment. She’d leave a note for the housekeeper who came in on the weekends and ask her to do it.
She wouldn’t be able to handle another night of Thiago’s scent clinging to her bed, which was a sobering reminder of his absence.
Chapter Five
“All done.” Mikah, India’s barber, turned the chair around so she could see the finished product.
She turned her head to examine her profile as she smoothed a hand down the newly trimmed sides of her fade. “Perfect, as usual.”
“You know I got you,” Mikah said, passing her a hand mirror.
She checked the back, which looked as good as the front and sides.
“What would I do without you? Don’t go anywhere,” India said.
He laughed as he untied the cape from around her neck.
She was joking but serious. After her last barber closed up shop, it had taken her months to find Mikah. She had visited three separate barbers in the process, none of whom had done a good enough job and had left her so frustrated she had contemplated learning to cut her own hair.
“I’ll see you next month,” India said, handing over cash.
“Have a good one,” Mikah called as she walked away.
As she strolled out of the shop, the eyes of several of the men followed her. Oddly enough, she seemed to get the most attention when she was dressed down like she was today,in burgundy joggers, tennis shoes, and a sweatshirt withNot Adulting Todayon the front. The shirt had been a gift from her best friend, Kiara, as a reminder to slow down and do nothing sometimes. India had ended up purchasing two more in different colors.
Despite the shirt, she had a little adulting to do today. It was Saturday, so she was on her way to the grocery store. She climbed into her Audi A7 and drove to Whole Foods. After parking, she walked into the store, mentally going through the short list of items she needed.
