Page 42 of Kobalt

“Return to you?” EJ asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Hell yeah.” I told them the story about our past, leaving out the tidbit about the miscarriage. They didn’t need to know that, and if she wasn’t ready for the world to know, then I wasn’t telling it.

Revere whistled. “That’s one strong woman. Can’t be mad at her that she stands her ground. Makes me think of Niagara. She’s the same way I like my coffee, black with cream and no sugar.”

“Dayum,” EJ muttered with a low whistle.

“Nigga, that’s my sister you’re talking about,” I grumbled.

“And I meant no disrespect. The same way you’re coming for his sister, I’m coming for yours. I’m putting my cards on the table, Kobalt. I want that woman, and I won’t rest until I have her.”

Everyone’s gaze was on me for the second time tonight. “You hurt her, and I’ll fuck you up,” I vowed.

“Duly noted. If I hurt her, I’d fuck me up,” Revere promised.

I wasn’t about the shits, but at the moment, I had more important things to think about—like getting back on my woman’s good side.

3RD WEEK OF OCTOBER - SATURDAY

“I’m gonna have to do yoga morning, noon, and night to get these pounds off me, Kobe. It’s so good.” I moaned and talked around a mouthful of food.

He had done the one thing that he knew I loved the most: taken me to a fall festival. Niagara and I used to hop on the bus when we were teens and go all the time. Sometimes, he would hang with us, but usually Kobalt would get lost in the crowd, trying to pick up girls.

I’d already tasted the hot dogs with sauerkraut, visited three separate chili stations, and now I was eating a BBQ pulled pork sandwich. When we first arrived, I downed a small bag of kettle corn.

“You think you’re gonna have any room for the funnel cake or pumpkin spiced churros?” he asked, lifting the two paper bags in his hand. The warm scent of pumpkin, cinnamon, and sugar wafted from the bags, creating a burst of saliva in my mouth as I yearned to taste them.

I giggled, swallowed my food, and replied, “Nope. It’s okay, though. That’s why you got them in the to-go bags. By the time we finish walking all over this place, I will have burned some calories, so when we get home, I’ll have room to wolf them down.”

“A’ight. Don’t be complaining to me in the morning when you’re talking about your stomach hurts. And don’t be waking me up through the night making noise in the bathroom because you’re holding onto the edge of the toilet and the wall with bubble guts.”

I smacked his arm. “Kobe, that’s nasty.”

“You gon’ be nasty if you don’t chill out on all this food you’re taking down.”

I moaned. “Baby, I know. It’s just that it’s sooo good. You know how much I love autumn foods, especially at these festivals.”

“I also remember how you used to blow up our hallway bathroom in the middle of the night while you were crying because you’d bust your guts.”

He laughed and jumped back when I swatted at him again. “I can’t stand you. That’s so embarrassing.”

Kobalt reached out and pulled me underneath his arm. He nuzzled the top of my head and then kissed my forehead. “Aww, baby, it’s okay. I still thought you were cute anyway. Stinky, but cute.”

“Yeah, I really can’t stand you.”

“You love me.”

“I do. I absolutely do love you, babe.” I giggled.

“Come on. Let’s grab a pumpkin spice latte for you, and a mulled hot apple cider for me.” He led me to the stands where vendors were serving fall drinks. After we finished our food and drinks, we walked toward the roped off area where a local deejay had been playing music. But now Solemn, Sienna, and Chris Perry were performing on stage.

I danced against Kobalt, rubbing my ass against the thickness in his jeans—teasing him and turning him on. “You gon’ get what you asking for if you keep playing these games. I’ma stick a stiff one right up there. We’ll see how much you’re laughing then—bet ya’ li’l ass be crying.”

“You don’t think I can handle it, sir?”

“Baby, I know that you can handle it. I just don’t wanna hear the crying.”

I turned around to face him and wrapped my arms around his neck. We danced to the fast-paced, drum heavy rhythm of Solemn and Chris Perry’s duet “Gotcha Now.” Kobalt’s hands dropped to my hips, and he worked them side to side before I shook them hard enough to almost shake his hands loose.