Page 16 of The Impossible

I laughed. “I’ve gotten the spiel too many times to count. For Alora, this marriage is one step closer to them.”

“And what is it for you?” Her voice had me looking in her direction not a second later.

“The same thing it should be for you. Some type of proof that people like us get forever.”

“How do you even know you want forever with me, Hondo? How do you know you want anything with me?”

“Because I’ve known it since we were kids and you have too. Probably just downplayed it as some crush, but you knew just like I did. Even now you know, you’re just doing that shit you women do when y’all overthink and under process.”

She crossed her arms, that stubborn expression plaguing her features. “And how many women have been in your life to under process and overthink?”

I shrugged. “I wasn’t trying to keep count.”

“Why not?”

“Because none of that shit was my problem.”

“But mine is?”

“You damn right.”

“And yours is mine?” she asked.

“If that’s what you want to consider it. I rarely overthink and und⁠—”

“Yet you did tonight, showing up at my dinner and threatening to kill a man if I didn’t put my ring back on.”

I laughed hard as fuck because she had definitely clocked my shit.

“Maybe but had you DMed him and been wearing your ring, I wouldn’t have. For that reaction and situation, you should be blaming yourself.”

Now it was her turn to laugh. “Um no, I haven’t seen you in a week, how did I know I’d see you tonight?”

“Easy, baby, you gave another nigga your time.”

“But it doesn’t take away from the fact that I haven’t seen you in a week."

“I was giving you your space. Now stop bringing that shit up and tell me you missed me, so we can get on to other shit.”

She grinned. “What is there to miss?”

“A whole fucking lot apparently.”

“I don’t know about that. You’re gonna definitely have to show me.”

“I got you, now come over here,” I demanded, not liking that she was so far away.

She shocked me when she didn’t give me lip. She scooted into my space easily.

“What? No lip, you good?” I asked, just to fuck with her.

“Yes, I’m fine. I just had some time to think. If this with you is for the rest of my life, I don’t want to spend it miserable. I wanna be happy… with you.”

CHAPTER 5

Patience

The way he looked at me after I said what I said had me hot all over. I was so hot that I felt like I needed to be touched, like I needed his hand around my neck and his lips against mine. When he didn’t move, I leaned forward, my eyes going from his lips to his eyes until I was too close to think. At this point, it had to be all action. That massive, tattooed hand was around my neck and I literally tried to suck his lips off his face.