Page 28 of Lyric Squared

“Call me in the morning?” Ever asked.

“Yeah. I’ll call you in the morning.”

“I love you, and I know you’ve got this.”

“I love you, too. Kiss the babies for me.”

I cleaned my hands and made my exit. Collin was standing in the hallway waiting patiently for me. When he noticed me approaching, his lips curled into a smile.

“You ready?”

“Yes,” I answered, taking him by the hand and leading the way again.

When we arrived at the table, our food and drinks had come.

“That was quick,” Collin praised, obviously impressed.

“Would you like for me to open your bottle,” the waitress asked. The bucket of ice sat in front of her and next to Collin.

“Please,” he insisted.

It was always between pasta and wings for me. On a decent, chill night I would’ve chosen the hot wings over the pasta, but tonight was supposed to be date night. Oat + Olive’s pasta had been on my mind all day long. Without hesitation, I dug into my helping.

I wasn’tsure if I was on beat and neither did I care. The liquor was flowing through my system, and I was having the time of my life. Collin stood closely behind me as I grinded my bottom into his slacks. I couldn’t miss the knot that hardened as the songs continued to play and my ass continued grinding into him.

We’d traded our seats at the table with the three musketeers for two seats at the bar so that we could be alone. Between Laike’s lack of couth and Ken’s unwavering gaze, I couldn’t catch a break. Though I didn’t want to leave altogether, I had to put some distance between us all. The second I finished my serving of pasta, I demanded Collin and I relocate.

“You’re barking up the wrong tree,” Collin leaned over and whispered in my ear.

Turning around and wrapping my arms around his neck, I teased. “Am I?”

“Umm hmmm,” he responded with a nod, pushing a few strands of hair from my face that had stuck to my clear gloss.

“I don’t think that’s such a bad thing.”

I couldn’t hide the smirk on my face even if I wanted to. Collin was everything one’s mother prayed their daughter would find in a man. He was handsome. He was paid. He was nice. He was confident. He was ambitious. And he was thoughtful. So, I couldn’t understand why my thoughts were consumed with the man that was a few feet behind us, eyes trained and unmoving.

“Not so much,” he admitted.

“I like you,” I confessed, “a lot.”

“The feelings are mutual,” he responded, pulling me in for a hug.

Unable to refrain from following the trail that led back to our table, my line of vision ended where Ken’s began. His gapping eyes penetrated me as Collin tightened his arms around my body, lowering his hands until they caressed my butt.

Sometimes when your gaze lingers on me, I wonder if I’m imagining it or if you might actually feel the same way that I feel. Or anything even remotely close. How do you feel, Keanu? I’m desperate to know.

Closing my eyes, I tried ridding myself of the thoughts surrounding the message I’d sent months ago. To my dismay, Keanu’s chocolate skin appeared behind my lids. The thong that was situated between both of my ass cheeks was instantly saturated with my creaminess.

“Ummmmmmm.”

Forcing my eyes open, I stifled the moan that I’d imagined. Unfortunately, it had surfaced and now I was feeling slightly embarrassed because my body wouldn’t let me believe that it was anyone but Ken’s hands caressing me.

“You should spend the night with me,” Collin suggested as I peered at an unmoving Keanu wishing I could solve the mystery behind those eyes of his.

The cup of brown liquid in his hand that was cooled with a few cubes of ice approached his lips before he took a sip. With his eyes, he unclothed me, skinned me, and then carefully cut through the surface of my bones to get to the core of me. Bare and unable to hide, I allowed him a view of my tarnished soul, the one that I would’ve offered him on a platter if I thought he’d accept it.

Feeling the stinging of my orbs, I tore away from his paralyzing peer. Oxygen filled my lungs as I inhaled deeply before exhaling. The feelings that I’d tucked away came rushingback at once. Willing myself to remain strong, I fought the chest-caving whimpers that threatened me with embarrassment and shame.