Page 46 of Senior

I swallowed hard. “No.”

“Oh really? Cause you been M.I.A for four days. I almost sent the calvary after you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Stanley, please.”

I tried to push him away, but he pinned me between him and the door.

“Why are you running from me already?”

“I’m not.”

His hand dropped to my neck as he backed me up against the door.

“Bullshit, baby. Tell me why you’re running and make it good.”

I couldn’t form a sentence as he dropped kisses on my neck and collarbone while his free hand roamed my body. He bunched up my sundress until it was over my ass. His hand then slid up under it and his thumb grazed the seat of my panties. My body shuddered as he pressed against my clit.

“Senior… please.”

“I’m waiting on an answer.”

His hand dropped from my neck, to the breast part of my dress. I wasn’t wearing a bra, so when he pulled the front down, my breasts popped free, one then the other. He moaned as he sucked the right one while pinching the left one, all while stroking my clit through my panties.

“Why you wanna run from my love, Steph?” he asked, as he moved to the left nipple.

“D-Deuce. I don’t wanna fight with him about this.”

He peered down at me. “I don’t give a fuck what he has to say. I’ve spent too many years of my life not having you and watching another man love you. You deserved that, Steph. I wanted you to experience a great love, even if it didn’t come from me. I said that and I meant it. I also meant it when I said I’m coming for what’s mine.” He cupped my chin. “You’re what’s mine. Deuce be damned.”

He kissed me again with so much passion that it had my legs trembling.

“Stanley…”

“What’s my name to you, Steph?”

“Oooo…” I moaned as he circled my clit with his thumb. “Mpendwa.”

I called him beloved in Swahili. It started when we were younger, and he was just teaching me the language. I was so in love with this man that I thought he was my everything. He taught me the word, and I loved it so much that it stuck.

“That’s right. Mpendwa. You called me that and think you can run from me?” He moved my panties to the side and slid two fingers into me. “No more fucking running. Every time you get scared or start having doubts, you run from me. We ain’t even finna start that shit again. You understand me?”

I nodded.

“Used your words, baby,” he said, stroking my center.

“I understand… I understand. Stanley… shit!”

He lifted my leg, allowing his fingers to sink deeper. Right there against my front door, this man made me come undone. When he pulled his hand away, he sucked my juices from his fingers before shoving his tongue in my mouth. He kissed me roughly with so much want and need that I was ready for him to pull it out and give it to me right them. I stood there panting heavily when he pulled away.

“Come on here and let me run you a bath. You can tell me where you be hiding. I almost got Jaeda to track your ass down.”

I rolled my eyes. “Shut up, Stanley.”

He laughed as he grabbed my bags and led me to my bedroom. While I undressed, he did as he said and ran me a nice, hot, bubble bath. As I slid into the tub, he disappeared from the bathroom, returning shortly with a glass of wine and a lit blunt. He handed the glass to me and sat on the toilet.

As I soaked, I told him about my impromptu vacation. I’d booked a last-minute flight to Miami. The only thing I did the entire four days was eat, sleep, and relax on the beach. I turned off my phone and just basked in my alone time. Since Aaron died, I’d been doing that a lot. I’d lived so much of life with that man.

We were always doing something whether it was going away for a weekend, taking a day trip, or finding something to do around town. There were never any dull moments with him. Sitting here with Senior made me realize we hadn’t had any dull moments either. While life had been a little chaotic with him at times, I still enjoyed most moments I spent with him.