Page 50 of Loyalty, Lust, Love
“I’ve missed you,” Lynx admitted.
She cleared her throat and stepped to the side to move from between him and the door. “What are you doing here?”
Her lack of response to his admission didn’t go unnoticed, but he figured he deserved it. “I’m leaving tomorrow and thought we should talk before I left.”
“Okay, let’s go sit down.”
She led him to the couch, sitting on one end, trying to stay a reasonable distance away from him, while he sat in the middle, doing the exact opposite. While she waited for him to speak, he admired her beauty.
It may have taken the boys they went to school with a long time to notice her good looks, but Lynx noticed them right away.He may not have felt comfortable expressing it back then, but as he got older, it became easier.
Her skin was a shade darker than his and was always smooth, even during the years they went through puberty. His favorite thing about her face was her full lips, and the thought of kissing her made his dick hard. Her eyes were light brown, and it felt like they pierced his soul every time she looked at him.
“You said you wanted to talk. I’m listening, but you’re not saying anything,” she said.
“When was the last time we went four days without talking to each other?”
There was only one time since they’d become friends that they’d gone days without communicating, and it was largely part of the reason for the lack of communication now.
“Are you sure you want to talk about the last time we didn’t talk for days?” she asked.
“I think we should. We’ve avoided it for too long.”
“Okay. You go first.”
“I was shocked when you told me, and I didn’t know how to respond. You sounded understandably worried and frantic, and I didn’t want to say the wrong thing. We were so many miles away, and getting to you wouldn’t be easy. I honestly felt helpless. I tried to imagine how you felt and put myself in your shoes. You had so much going for you, and I knew having a baby would affect your future in ways it might not affect mine.”
“Did you want me to keep our baby?” She spoke slowly with a hint of nervousness in her voice.
Lynx could have answered before she finished her question, but he took a few deep breaths before responding. “I did.”
Tears fell from Fateema’s eyes quicker than she could wipe them away. Without hesitation, Lynx moved closer to her and pulled her into his arms. Despite her outburst a few days ago,Lynx was her safe place. He let her release the tears she’d been holding for ten years and released a few of his own.
“I wanted our baby too. I wouldn't have thought twice if you’d told me you wanted me to have our baby.”
“I thought letting you make the final decision was the right thing to do. You had goals and?—”
“All this time, I didn’t think you wanted our baby.”
“Shit, Bunny. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I actually thought you didn’t want our baby, and I didn’t think I had a right to make you have it.”
“I just realized a few days ago how much I’ve resented you all these years. I love you so much and couldn’t imagine my life without you, but… it’s so hard to explain.”
“You don’t have to explain because our feelings mirror each other’s. I didn’t realize it until you said something, but I resented you for the same reasons.”
“How did we get here?”
“Lack of communication and being young, I guess.”
“We used to be so in sync. Most of the time, we knew what each other was thinking before it was said. How did we miss this?”
Chapter 17
Flashback – End of Freshman Year
Lynx and Fateema’s bond strengthened during their summer of lust. The first time they were back in Chicago together was winter break. It was evident how much they missed each other, but it was also as if they’d never parted ways. They spent time catching up and doing what best friends do, but if the opportunity to have sex presented itself, it was on and popping.
Everyone close to them suspected something might have transpired between them, but since no one asked, they didn’t confirm. It was their little secret, and they liked it that way because there was no pressure from the outside to define what they were or move at a certain pace.
