Page 18 of Book Bae

“Thirty-three books by amazing Black women.”

“There are a lot of amazing Black authors out here today.”

“Yeah, there’s a male author here, too, but I believe he writes mystery, and I’m not a fan of the genre. I think it’s because I’m scary or whatever. So, I haven’t met him or attended any of the events he’s been involved with, but if I were to run into him, I’d pay him the respect he’s due, but I won’t lie—I won’t be reading his books,” I stated, laughing.

“I’m sure he’ll be just fine.” He chuckled and smoothed a hand down my cheek and tipped my mouth open to pop a chocolate truffle inside. I moaned at the pleasurable taste and closed my eyes before I continued telling him how I had met some new book friends and won a raffle basket.

“Look at you. Yesterday, you were a bag of emotions. You gotta call today a win. What did you get?”

“Uhm, three hardback autographed books, a designer handbag, a two-hundred-dollar spa certificate, and a bottle of wine.”

“That’s wassup.”

“Yeah, I can’t complain. It was a beautiful day overall. How was your day?”

“Same ole, same ole with these events. I navigated crowds, focused on peace, kept calm, and made sure everybody had what they needed.”

I looked around at the setting tonight, and I couldn’t help but ask, “Micaiah, is all of this about you giving me what I need?”

His eyelids grew heavy, and he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth.

“Oh, girl. You’re a handful. What am I gonna do about you?” he asked, tracing my lips.

“Please me.”

“Come here.”

I moved toward him, and he lifted me onto his lap, sitting sideways, with my arm pressed against his chest. I turned my face toward him and stared into his warm, brown, magnetic eyes, and he gripped my chin and stared into mine.

“Are you sure that this is what you want?” he asked.

“I’m sure. I’ve thought about it all day, Micaiah, and I’ve looked forward to it even longer than that.”

“Beautiful, you don’t even know me.”

“I feel like I’ve known you for a lifetime.”

“So, it’s not just me?”

“No. It isn’t. I know what you make me feel. I know that you’ve been attentive to me in ways no one ever has been. I watched you struggling with your own anxieties, but you pushed them aside to help me through a difficult time. You stayed by my side until I was comfortably ready to return to my room.”

He tipped my chin and kissed me sweetly. His lips were full and soft. When he pressed into them, I opened my mouth to him, and he drank from my sweetness. His tongue was cool and sweet like the champagne he drank.

When he pulled back, I spoke up as I pulled my phone from my pocket. “I want to use protection tonight, but I also wanted to show you my test results.”

He nodded his head and looked at the lab results on the medical app that I logged into. After I finished, he reached for his phone on the table in front of us and did the same.

Micaiah stared into my eyes and asked, “But what happens after tonight?”

“I will walk away with the most beautiful memory of a wonderful weekend that was as close to a fairytale romance that I will ever have.”

“Are you sure that you’re good with only that?”

“I’m sure. No expectations and no stress.”

Micaiah searched my face for a moment before he kissed me again. He gripped the back of my neck and held me in place to deepen the kiss, which was more intoxicating and sensual than the previous kiss. I placed my arms around his neck and moaned.

He pulled back again, and resting his forehead against mine, he stared into my eyes and made a vow. “I promise to be gentle with you and make this a pleasurable experience. All I ask is that you trust me to take care of you tonight.”