“Zo, Stent’s coming through the back door,” Angela notified with discretion. “Finish up this order so I can let him and Rob in through the back.”
I couldn’t move. Was Stenton outside when we were texting? He had to have been to be at the door in less than five minutes.
“Zo!” Angela bit out, that quickly bothered. “Come on. They can’t be back there that long,” she grounded out forcefully.
I was somehow able to move one foot in front of the other, arriving to the register. As I gave my parting greeting to the customer on his way out the door, I felt his big hands circle my waist. Heat ignited in my core and quickly diffused to my extremities. My breath caught and before I could speak, his open mouth was at my neck, lighting my skin afire.
“I know. I’m intruding, but I missed you,” Stenton’s deep baritone rolled into my neck.
My eyes closed as my body shivered from his scent and warm peppermint breath hitting my skin. The tip of his nose skimmed my shoulder, up to the back of my neck. I’d hoped I was able to successfully stifle the moan desperate to escape the back of my throat.
“I...uh...just know how you are about...ummm...” I swallowed. “...your privacy.”
It had been over twenty-four hours of constant touching and carnal exploration, and still my body was pulsating with need.
“Damn, y’all really got it in and you haven’t shared a detail. Makes me wonder which other conquests you’ve kept to yourself,” Angela jeered from the side of her mouth, or did she? I felt Stenton go rigid behind me and I was sure it was at the mention of me possibly sleeping with someone else. He didn’t need that reminder. She quickly and genuinely followed up with, “But that can’t be possible; I’ve never seen you glow like this.”
I took a deep breath, needing to calm my body from Stenton’s unexpected visit and the trouble that Angela was inadvertently—or purposely—stirring. She stood there with her weight on one hip, almost as if she was awaiting an explanation as she held her bags in the crooks of her arms. It was a good thing her phone rang, because I was preparing to level her.
“Hang on,” she held up her finger as a Cheshire smile crested upon her almond face. “I gotta take this.” She headed back to my office for the call.
My eyes traveled over to Stenton. His face was tight, but his eyes soft.
“You’re a surprise,” I murmured honestly. I didn’t know the protocol for one-day-stands. That’s all Stenton and I were supposed to be.
His expression remained when he cupped the sides of my face in his hands and quickly returned, “Pleasant, I hope.”
“Of course,” I managed a smile.
He dropped his hands and shoulders simultaneously, suddenly frustrated. “Zo, I know I’m tripping the fuck out here. I know this isn’t something we’ve planned or agreed on, but I’m not ready to go back to just co-parenting yet.” He brushed his mouth with his hand. “I mean, I would never go back if…” He sighed and held the back of his head. “Look, I don’t know how to explain what I feel. I just know I don’t want to let go just yet.”
I pouted my lips high, to the point of almost reaching my nose and furrowed my brows, gesturing my confusion. “So, what do you want?”
“I want to go away. Just a few days…until you say when, but alone.” Stenton’s face fell into a grimace and he chewed on his bottom lip anxiously.
I blew out a long chain of air as I combed my fingers through my bushy hair that I let air dry after showering this morning before church. “Stenton, I have work and…to prepare for the upcoming semester. I-I…”