Page 86 of The Sweetest Return

Later, after I cleaned up and came back with a warm cloth, she looked at it.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I know.”

I took care of her anyway.

When I climbed back into bed, she curled against me like she had been sleeping there forever, one leg over mine and her head against my chest. I pulled the blanket over us and rubbed my palm along her back.

“You sore?”

“A little.”

I frowned.

“Dre, I’m okay.”

“I could’ve gone slower.”

“You went slow.”

“Could’ve stopped.”

“I didn’t want you to.” She flattened her palm over my chest. “I wanted you.”

I kissed the top of her head.

After a while, she said, “That was a lot.”

I smiled into her hair. “Good a lot?”

She lifted her head and looked at me. “You know it was.”

“Wanted to hear you say it.”

“You are so irritating.”

“And you love me.”

Her face softened. “I do.”

She settled against me again, and I lay there at twenty-one wanting more nights exactly like that. More of her everywhere. At games. In my apartment. Sitting beside me while I studied. Building whatever big life she kept talking about while I tried to figure out what mine would become.

I didn’t know shit yet about how hard loving somebody could get once real life started asking questions.

I only knew I wanted her in mine.

CHAPTER TEN

PRESENT DAY

Hot water hit the back of my neck.

I stayed under it longer than I needed to, both hands braced against the tile, trying to wash off the gala, the applause, the room full of people calling my name, and the feel of Imani’s fingers at the side of my neck while we danced.

The shower did nothing.

The cold water I switched to after my dick started getting ideas did even less.