Page 19

I huffed out a breath, a cloud of cool air bursting out in front of me. The weather in Desmore Bay was dropping, and the chill in the air made me shiver.

I tugged Paris toward my car and unlocked the doors. Once we were inside, I turned the heat on and tried to calm my chaotic nerves.

Finally, the words bubbled up my throat and past my lips, and I blurted it out. “I kissed Gino yesterday.”

I felt Paris’s gaze trained on me, but I kept my eyes aimed out the windshield. Shame swarmed me, and my cheeks burned.

It was silent for what felt like several long minutes, but it had to only have been seconds before Paris clapped her hands loudly. “I know you fucking lying! Say swear!”

I chanced a glance at her. “I swear, Paris, and the worst part about it is we did it right there in that damn building.” I pointed toward our workplace.

Paris shrieked with laughter and kicked her feet. “It’s about damn time! The way that man looks at you . . . I told your ass, didn’t I? I fucking told you. And you weren’t fooling anyone, either, little miss. I knew you liked Gino the first time I saw you two in the same space. Tell me about it, Yara, and don’t leave anything out.”

I gaped at her. “Paris, . . . I could lose my job!” In the back of my head, I knew that wouldn’t happen. I trusted Gino when he said my job was safe, but the thought of what Aniya might do to me if she found out . . . It wasn’t that I couldn’t fight. I could handle my own, but I hated to do it. I didn’t like getting out of character like that. It didn’t really seem like Aniya was a fighter at all, to be honest, but she had the means to make my life a living hell. I sighed deeply. “Maybe I should start looking for another job.”

“For what?” Paris’s face scrunched up like she smelled shit.

“Aniya,” I explained incredulously. I didn’t understand why both Paris and Gino seemed to think Aniya wasn’t a factor here. What was I missing?

Paris waved me off. “Girl, fuck her. I hope she do find out about you and her husband hunching⁠—”

“We aren’t having sex,” I corrected, but the thought of Gino on top of me, making love to me . . . My pussy clenched, and I squeezed my legs together. I wanted that man badly, and it was harder and harder to justify staying away from him.

“Maybe then she’ll fall off her high horse, and I can kick her a few times while she’s down.” Paris finished her rambling like I hadn’t even spoken. It was quiet for a moment before Paris spoke again. “Can you finally admit it?”

“Admit what?”

“That you like that man.”

“It’s hard to admit to liking a married man, Paris.”

Paris reached over and grabbed my hand. “My parents got divorced five years ago. I saw the signs long before they announced it, though. Trust me when I say that marriage ain’t gonna last much longer, and when he’s divorced, what excuse are you gonna use?”

I thought about it. The answer was none. Without Aniya in the way, I knew my attraction to Gino would be unstoppable.

“The point still is that I kissed a married man, and I’m not proud of it, even if I do like him a lot. That’s nothing to brag about.”

“Maybe not, but look, Ya . . . If it was me, I woulda been fucked that man, if for nothing else than to get back at Aniya’s evil ass.” We both giggled at that because we knew Paris was dead serious right now. “But since this is you, all I’ll say is that there’s no harm in getting to know the man.” I opened my mouth to object, but Paris held her hand up. “Let me finish. Just because you get to know him doesn’t mean you have to fuck him. Hell, you don’t even have to kiss him if you aren’t comfortable with it, but stop trying to run from your feelings, friend.

“The heart doesn’t care who you fall in love with. It only recognizes when it happens, not the circumstances surrounding it. You’re only doing yourself a disservice by not following your heart. Don’t ask me how, but I can just feel that things are going to work out between you and Gino. I felt it from the start. It’s time you feel it, too, but to make yourself comfortable, why not straight up ask him what’s going on with him and that bitch of a wife of his?”

I giggled. The Aniya hate was so real.

“He’s actually taking me to dinner tonight to tell me everything.”

Paris’s eyes widened. “I know that’s fuckin’ right. Look at that. He’s already anticipating your needs before you can even process them. He must realize how hard it is for you to lean into him without the full truth.”

“But how do I know if he’s going to tell the truth?” The question was bullshit. I guess I just wanted confirmation, because I knew Gino wouldn’t lie to me. How I knew, I couldn’t say. I just knew.

Paris rolled her eyes and smacked her lips. “I would trust his side of the story over Aniya’s any damn day.”

“True.”

Silence filled the space between us once again before Paris spoke again. “I know this is scary, but don’t block your blessings because of Aniya, of all people. She is Satan’s spawn. I just know Jesus is looking down at you, urging you to fraternize with her husband to teach her a lesson.”

I laughed. “You are wild. No way is God rooting adultery on.”

Paris shrugged before she grabbed the car door handle. “I disagree, but I’m going to let you go get ready for your date—sorry, your dinner with Gino. Call me after and let me know all about it.” She winked at me.