Page 36 of Kandi's Crush: A BWWM Sweet Billionaire Romance

I made sure Kandace was safely tucked inside of the car, placing the small, black duffel bag in the trunk before I bounded to the driver’s side. Once inside, the signature scent of a new car along with Kandace’s perfume tickled my nostrils.

I snuck a few glances at my companion who was sitting quietly in the passenger seat and tugging at her fingers. She avoided eye contact by focusing on the passing scenery. Was she nervous?

I sure as hell was. I would fuck her, a woman I’d known her entire life, and so many things could go wrong. She could be a cold fish in bed. I’m strong, and not small by any means. I could hurt her. Or we could lack any sexual chemistry . . . Well, judging by her reaction in the banquet room, I doubted that.

“Hey. Are you okay?” I asked softly, pulling her out of her thoughts.

“Yeah. ?Just thinking.”

“Care to share?”

She closed her eyes and shook her head, and I knew it was better to drop the issue.

When we arrived at my loft, I led her to the sectional. She tucked the red gown beneath her before she sat. I pulled out my iPhone and flipped through the playlist in search of the most romantic song in my arsenal. With a few taps on my phone, Maxwell’s silky rhythms glided through the wireless speaker system. I went to the kitchen and returned with two cocktail glasses of Brandy and milk.

“A nightcap for the lady and one for me.” I handed her the glass, and she appeared thankful before she took a long sip of the drink.

I studied her silhouette. The sleek line of her perfect nose sloped to her full, lush mouth. I stared at her lips as my thumb stroked the skin at the base of her neck, her body trembled at the unexpected touch.

“The dress is perfect.” She let out a nervous scoff at the compliment. “Stop it. Accept this compliment.” I playfully pouted as I continued, “You hurt my feelings when you didn’t dance with me at the nightclub. And you didn’t dance with me at the ball tonight either. I ended up rotating between Mrs. Landry and Sandra.” I stood and took her by the hand. “Dance with me.”

I pulled her from the sofa and embraced her, leading us into a slow back and forth sway. She began to stroke my back in a rhythmic motion. The drink, music, and the dancing loosened Kandace’s mood. She melted into me as we slowly rocked with each other.

“I spent all night fantasizing about holding you like this. I wondered what your reaction would be if I ran my thumb along your spine.” She let out a slow hiss in reaction to my thumb moving along each vertebra.

There were so many places I wanted to kiss her, and I intended to explore them all. But at that moment, I favored the spot just beneath her ear. I nuzzled her there and left a sweet little kiss.

“Why are you here with me?” I murmured.

“Because I wanted to be here with you. Why did you invite me?” she moaned.

“Because I want to make you mine.”

I cradled her face in my hands and bent until our lips touched. Her right arm wrapped around my neck as her left hand pulled me closer. I walked her back to the sectional until her knees bent. Worry marred her pretty face as she flopped onto the seat cushion and stared at me.

“Kandace, I’m already yours. I’m just waiting for you to claim me.”

Heaving a sigh, she buried her face in her hands. Okay, not the reaction I expected.

“I need to make a confession.”

Oh shit!?I took the seat on the cushion next to her. With her hand in mine, I searched her face as I attempted to understand her feelings. Maybe it was too soon to bring her back to my place. I shouldn’t have jeopardized our friendship over my selfish wants and needs. Yet, if she walked away, I was afraid my life would never be the same.

She stared at the wall before taking a deep breath. My thumb stroked her knuckles, and the small gesture encouraged her to continue.

“I’ve never had sex. I’m a virgin.” The words came out so fast it took me a moment to register what she’d said.

I’m a virgin.

The words echoed in my head. I wasn’t sure of the appropriate response because I had never been in that position before.

“Wow. Why?” I didn’t mean to sound rude. But why on earth would anyone deny themselves the pleasure of making love? Sex was like breathing. If you don’t breathe, you don’t live.

She avoided my gaze and answered, “My mother was eighteen when she became pregnant. She was a college freshman, and my father was a senior. They met during a campus tour and were together for five months. Once she learned she was pregnant, she finished out the semester and returned to New Orleans. My father continued to go to school and eventually graduated. Meanwhile, my mother had to sacrifice her dreams of becoming a pediatric nurse to raise me. She eventually returned to college and achieved a bachelor’s degree, but her number one priority was to provide for me.”

“I didn’t know about your father.” It seemed idiotic now, but in the twenty-one years of knowing Kandace, I had never given a moment’s thought to her father.

“Yeah. He reached out to me when I turned fifteen. He lives in Birmingham. He’s a chief technology officer at a tech company. It was so weird at first, and I’m still adjusting to his presence in my life. We’re still working on our relationship.” She paused. “Throughout my life, my mother has been brutally honest about being a teen mother. It was like Scared Straight. I was afraid of pregnancy, so I abstained.”

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