Page 16 of Kandi's Crush: A BWWM Sweet Billionaire Romance

“I must say this,” Keely spoke up. “I read an article stating larger size penises are the outliers. Finding a man with a cucumber in his pants is the equivalent of finding a unicorn. There aren’t that many. Also, it isn’t about size but the love you share.” The quietest member of our group was always the voice of reason. Even in the most inopportune moments. We all groaned in unison.

“Why, thank you for bringing a dose of reality to girl talk,” Simone responded dryly.

“Simone. No more drinks for you. You’re cut off,” I told her. She waved me off with a smile.

“I’m good. I’m good. Is Chadwick aware you’re saving yourself for marriage?”

“Kandace’s virginity shouldn’t come up in any polite conversation.” Natasha said, rising up in her seat. “I’m sure Kandi looks at Chadwick as a brother type and not as a casual sex partner.”

I nodded in agreement as I manufactured a picture-perfect response to Simone’s question. The goal was to put any thoughts of sex with Chadwick to rest. I’d wanted to appear composed and unaffected, instead, my words came out in a rush with a tone that was more emotional than I’d intended.

“The thought of having sex with Chadwick makes me want to vomit,” I spat.

I avoided eye contact with the three people who knew me best. I felt them evaluating my facial expression and knew they were biting back their opinions. They weren’t stupid, they could see through me.

I lied to my friends and to myself. The thought of fucking Chadwick ended with an uncomfortable and persistent throbbing in my lower regions.

I exhaled the breath that I had been holding, and I looked around at my friends. As expected, my protestations hadn’t convinced my them. Natasha and Keely were too polite and kind to call me out. Instead, they both offered comforting smiles. Simone wasn’t polite and didn’t know the meaning of the word. She smirked at me and nodded.

“Okay, Kandi. Whatever you say.”

Chadwick

I paced around the cocktail table with my phone tightly against my ear and a crumpled report from the city building inspector’s office in the other hand. I strained to hear the voice on the other end.

“Please tell me this isn’t what I think it is. We didn’t pass inspection?”

The general contractor for the loft project, Leo, practically screamed over the sound of construction noise. He stumbled and stuttered through what should have been a simple ‘yes or no’ answer.

“Chad, it’s simple electrical work. The inspector found issues with the junction boxes, the GFI in the bathroom, and the ventilation system. When I learned we had a new inspector, I reached out to the Chief. His hands are tied. There’s not much more we can do.”

A rapid expulsion of air pushed from my lips as I prepared myself to hand over my wallet and possibly my firstborn child. At this rate, my kid will enter college before this project completes.

“How much?”

“Time? About three weeks to fix and pass inspection. Money? It shouldn’t be that much. I don’t expect an invoice for the remediation, but we may need to make it worth their while to come back quicker.”

“Of course.”

“Sometimes, things pop up. This is one of those things. We took a chance with the new electricians. Next time, let’s go with our usual contractors.”

Resolving the electrical issues would put my timeline in jeopardy. The downstream tasks, like installing drywall and finishing, would fall behind schedule. I’d lose money each day we were late. We should have passed inspection, but this failure didn’t fall on Leo’s shoulders.

“I know. I took a risk by giving the smaller company a chance.” My shoulders fell in resignation that I may have to pay unbudgeted dollars toward this fix. “Thanks. Talk with you soon.”

I pressed the red button on my iPhone and fell back onto the sectional. Out the corner of my eye, I saw Kandace prance around the dining area while swiping a lambswool feather duster over all the hard surfaces. Her ever-present AirPods were in her ears. I leaned back against the cushions and draped my arms over the back of the sofa, watching as she flitted from room to room—oblivious to the fact that my eyes followed her every move.

This girl did not understand what she did to me.

Since the night she’d landed on my doorstep, I’d wanted nothing more than to gather her in my arms, place my lips on hers, and learn if she was as sweet as her name.

“Kandace! Kan-dace!” I called over and added a little wave.

She was engrossed in her music or whatever she was listening to. I suspected it was a suspenseful romance novel or a podcast. She enjoyed listening to those and enjoyed talking about them even more. Arising from the sofa, I walked to the dining area and stood in front of her.

“Kandace?” God. When I’m awake, her name rolls off my tongue, yet in my dreams, I exhale it against her lips.

Fuck. Now I’m acting like a sap.

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