Page 67 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

“The yacht is huge, and everything is top tier.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Boat nice. Got it, but what about him?How is he?”

“Dangerous.” I flop down onto the bed and stare up at theceiling. “He kisses like a god and finger-fucks me like I’m his whore.”

“Love that for you. I think the way to your heart willultimately run straight through that pussy.” Neevahcackles. “But why is that dangerous?”

“I told you how my brother is about him. Cliff just gotbetter. I can’t do that to him. Or at least, he can’t find out what I’m doing.I’m giving in to this for two weeks, and then it’s over. It’s a fling.”

“What if Naz doesn’t want it to stop at the end of twoweeks? What if you don’t? Do you just sacrificeyour happiness because of your brother’s misplaced bitterness?”

“No.” I close my eyes and release a troubled sigh. “I’llfigure it out. I just want… I need this, Neeve.”

In the silence between us, all the disappointments I’veexperienced over the years convene.

“You know the hell dating has been for me.” I toy with abraid that slipped from my top knot. “Tinder disasters, blind dates,unsatisfying hook-ups, wannabe sugar daddies.”

“Whew, chile. If one more old mantries to pay your rent.”

“One day I’mma take it. Just lemme get tired of paying my own way. RIP to my feminism,”I chuckle.

“Remember that last one offered you his ‘vintage classic,’as he called it?”

“But why was it a Cutlass Supreme?” I pull my knees up to mychest and roll to my side, shaking with laughter.

There’s nobody I’d rather laugh with than Neevah. We’ve been together a long time. Roommates in NewYork when we were both scraping and scratching to make it. We’ve supported eachother through every tiny break and vowed that when the big one came, we’d bringthe other up, too.

And that’s exactly what Neevah didwhen she was cast in Dessi Blue. It changed both ourlives. There’s no one I trust more.

“Neeve, I’ve never wanted anyonelike this,” I whisper, the confession slipping out before I can stop it. “Ihadn’t been on the ship an hour and this man was knuckle-deep in me.” I sit upstraight for emphasis, even though she cannot see me. “Inside me, Neeve, and hecould’ve gotten it. Day one.”

“I mean, half the Tinder first dates we know end in sex. Howwould that be any different?”

“Because he’s different, and I have afeeling it won’t be just sex.” My shoulders slump with the truth, under theweight of that statement. “That with him, it could never be.”

“I know that feeling well,” Neevahsays on a contented sigh. “You don’t ignore that, even if it feels fast orimpossible. If it’s real, you find a way, but you’ll never know if you don’ttry.”

“But Cliff—”

“Is a grown-ass man,” Neevah snapswith uncharacteristic sharpness. “You know I feel for all he’s gone through.Who flew with you to Houston when he OD’d?”

“You did.”

“And I would again in a heartbeat. You know there’s nothingI wouldn’t do for you. You’re closer to me than my own sister.”

“Girl, that Terry is a low bar,” I chuffout an exasperated breath because I wanted to throw hands more than once withthat sister of hers.

“No lies detected there, but she’s getting better andworking on herself. My point is, your happiness means as much to me as my own,and I’ll fight anybody standing in the way of you being happy. Even your ownbrother, especially when his disapproval of Naz is so twisted. That boy needstherapy, not enabling.”

“You’re right.” I nod. “Janice and I have both been tryingto get him to talk to someone. He’s an addict. He has a sponsor, but that’s notenough. There’s a lot he needs to work through.”

“And I don’t want you leaving something special on the tablebecause Cliff hasn’t worked through his shit yet.Don’t hold back these two weeks. See if this could be anything and deal withCliff later. Your very own fairy tale.”

“A modern one. Boy meets girl. Girl gets flown out. Girlgets spoiled and bent over.”

“Oh, we are here for Black girls getting spoiled and bentover.”

“And do!” I let my laughter rise and fall before going onsoftly. “Thank you, Neeve. I love you, girl.”