Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 109178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
At last, they both stopped pumping their legs, and the swing slowed until it was barely moving. The wind kept sweeping through their hair, and soft kisses were bestowed on them from the setting sun.
Their free hands intertwined, and as if on cue, they leaned close and pressed their lips together, tasting each other in an oral embrace. The kiss was searing, passionate, hungry. Romantic. Lust-fueled. Obsessive. Emotional. She could barely catch her breath because it got more demanding with each second. They sat there, feet dragging against the ground, lips locked until they slowly pulled away from one another at the same time… but their hands remained linked.
“We’ve been away from each other, but some small part of us never separated,” she said softly, moisture forming in her eyes.
He kissed her nose, then stood and helped her off the swing. Hand in hand, they walked back to his truck. Once she was situated inside, the sun had vanished and the sky looked down on them in shades of dark blue. He was soon steering the vehicle again to the sounds of Khamari’s, ‘These Four Walls.’ He reached for her hand, kissed it, then intertwined their fingers. Her insides turned to jelly. She felt like a girl falling for her first love. Like a child with her first crush. Like old friends coming together and exploding like a supernova in attraction and lust. In love.
“…One more stop.” His deep voice broke through her thoughts.
She nodded, but kept quiet. Her emotions wrapped around her mind and heart like a weighted blanket. He pulled up to the Gerald D Hines waterpark. It was dark out, but there was still a fairly good amount of people milling about. He kissed her again, tasting like her best dream with a side of comfort and epicurean ice cream for dessert.
The sound of the rushing water from the man-made waterfall was loud, yet it still didn’t drown out her pulsing heartbeat. He broke their kiss gently, then turned her to face the waterfall. Lennox stood behind her, his arms wrapped protectively around her body, and rested his face against the top of her head.
“What do you see?” he shouted over the rush of water.
“A horse-shoe-shaped waterfall. People like to come here ‘cause it’s pretty. At night, the lights are on. Never been here after sunset.”
“Yeah? Well, that’s just the thing, Nadia. You’ve been here at night, just in a different type of way. You don’t like storms.” Her muscles clenched as she stared straight ahead while he spoke close to her ear. “All this water pouring down is pretty. Some find it relaxing. Since it’s not fallin’ on you and it’s contained, you feel safe. But when you’re pushed under, it triggers you. Your storms in life came before the first drop of rain ever hit you. They started with your mother and father, and continued with you bein’ attacked by someone who had no idea that he was a mouse tryna take down a lion.” She smiled sadly at his words. “Storms in our lives aren’t meant to beat us down, baby. They’re meant to make us stronger, so when the next one comes, we’re better prepared.
“Storms are teachers. Trainers. Enforcers.” She nodded in agreement, and wrapped her hand around his forearm, squeezing. “I want you to know though, there ain’t a storm comin’ your way that you have to face alone ever again. “I’ll be your umbrella. Your shelter. The roof over your head and heart. You’ve got me now.”
She quickly spun around and looked him in the eye.
“…And you have me.” She placed her hand against his cheek, looking deeply into his eyes.
“Nadia, I’m attracted to daring women. Strong women, beautiful on the inside and outside. I’m attracted to you because you are all of those things and more. I was your friend before I was anything else.” He took her hands into his, folding them between his palms as though holding them in prayer. “I’m always gonna be your friend, for as long as you do me right.”
“I plan to do you, all right.”
They both burst out laughing. He deposited a gentle kiss on her lips.
“Let’s get outta here.”
Hand in hand, they walked towards the lot where the truck was parked. Soon, they were cruising, the lights of Houston all aglow.
“I hate that the night is going to end.” She yawned. “I had a great time.”
“Me too,” he said, his eyes keenly on the road.
“What are you about to do?”
“Well, I don’t have to work security at the club tonight, so I will probably go home and play a little Xbox or PlayStation, depending on my mood.”
“Oh, really? You got that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla?”
The man literally gasped, and he snuck a shocked glance her way. She laughed.
“What in the hell did you just say? What do you know about Assassin’s Creed?!”