Page 63 of What I Needed

“Here are your menus. Your server will be here shortly to take your order.”

“Thank you,” we chimed as the host walked away.

“Before you ask, I’ve never been here. How are their mocktails?”

“Mocktails? You don’t drink?”

“I probably consumed enough alcohol for the first five years after my parents died to last a lifetime. So, no, I don’t drink. Plus, alcohol doesn’t mix well with my antidepressants.”

I nodded. “I respect that. I guess we’ll both have mocktails. Let’s see what they got.”

About twenty minutes later, our food had been ordered, and we were sipping on virgin mango strawberry pina coladas. It was the first virgin drink I’d ever had, and I felt like I was drinking dessert.

“Your mother thinks we’re a thing,” she blurted out, and her expression said she almost regretted it.

“A thing? What kind of thing?”

“She thinks we’re together or, at the very least, that we should be.”

“What do you think?”

“I don’t know what to think, but I noticed you didn’t wrap up again last night.”

“You’re right.”

“And I can’t find the Plan B I bought.”

When I woke up this morning, the first thing I thought about was the Plan B. I looked everywhere for it, including River’s bedroom and bathroom, and came up empty. I tried to get another one without Rylee seeing me while we were out, but she was stuck to me like glue, so it was impossible. I wanted to have another conversation with River about using condoms from here on out if we were going to continue having sex.

“About that,” he said.

“Yeah, about that.”

“It’s in my gym bag.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not sure if I want you to take it.”

“It’s not your decision.”

“I know, but can we talk about it?”

“River, I’m not trying to trap you, but I’m also not trying to be trapped.”

“You think I’m trying to trap you?”

“You don’t?”

He chuckled. “I guess it does seem that way.”

“Because that’s exactly what you’re doing. Look, I’m not the kind of woman who believes in fairy tales. I haven’t spent the past thirty years dreaming about Prince Charming coming to whisk me off my feet. Marriage has never been high on my list of priorities, but if I have a child, I at least want to have it with a man who takes fatherhood seriously. I’ve seen how committed you are to Riverlynn, so if I am pregnant and this ends up being just a fling, it wouldn’t be the end of the world, because I know you’d make sure your child is taken care of.”

He didn’t respond quickly, and I waited patiently to hear what he would say.

“Listen, baby. The moment I tasted your pussy and felt it wrapped around my dick, I knew things would be different between us. When I’m drowning in it, whether it’s my face or my dick, there’s no question who you belong to, because I’ll be damned if I let another nigga experience you. Low-key, if I could find a way to dead all the niggas you’ve been with, I’d do it in a heartbeat because I don’t want another breathing soul to know how good your pussy is. I haven’t kissed a woman the way I kiss you in over a decade, and I crave the precious lips on your face just as much as I crave the ones between your legs.”

His words made me hot, and I fanned myself with the menu, focusing on keeping my composure.