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“That’s because you always come so late.” I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah right.”

“So, is that a yes or no?”

“We can go out there. I need to let my phone dry out any way. I jumped in the damn pool with it in my pocket,” Liam said, shaking his head.

“Liam!”

“I had to get to you the quickest way possible.”

Ten

Liam

While Divine grabbed towels and whatever else she thought we needed while we were in the pool, I leaned against the counter. I was in my head like a muthafucka about the situation I had inadvertently put Divine in.

This whole thing was my fault. I couldn’t have the woman I loved. Not only that, but I had to watch her be with another man because of something I did. This shit was crazy. Maybe Ididn’tdeserve her. Watching her ass jiggle as she pranced toward the back of her house kept my thoughts quiet enough to keep me in the moment.

“You’re too quiet. What’s wrong? Talk to me.” Hearing her voice brought me back to reality.

“We’re not doing this anymore,” I said, shaking my head.

“Why, Liam? Don’t do this. I thought we already got past that.”

“Well, we didn’t. Contrary to what you might think, you can’t have everything you want. You can’t play with people like they’re pieces on a game board. I’m not something you can have at willthen toss to the side when you decide you want something else. I’m not a toy that you can just take out when you wanna play.”

“I know you’re not, and that’s not what I’m trying to do.”

“Well, stop fucking playing with me. You almost made me kill a nigga in front of a crowd of people, Cookie.”

“Lee Lee, I don’t know how many times I have to say I’m sorry. I really wasn’t thinking.”

“I can’t have you playing games with me. I can’t handle that shit.”

“I won’t. I swear.”

“I kept telling myself I can’t blame anybody for looking at you when I couldn’t take my eyes off you myself.”

Divine looked over her shoulder at me, and her smile melted my anxiety like wax. “You have every right to watch me.”

“These niggas don’t know that yet. So until we make that shit loud and fucking clear, I need you to behave yourself.”

“Yes, sir,” Divine cooed, causing my dick to brick up instantly.

“You know I like that shit.”

“Is that right?”

“You know what I like.” I grinned.

“You ever skinny dipped?” she asked, changing the subject.

“I can’t say that I have, but it sounds good.”

“Good.” Divine simpered.

As she stepped outside, she reached behind her back and loosened her bathing suit top. She didn’t miss a step as she tossed it and continued to the pool. A smile stretched across my face as I followed her and tore my shirt over my head. Divine dived in the pool then made her way back to the edge. She looked edible emerging from the water with her butter brown skin dripping wet. I swallowed, imagining her tight nipples in my mouth.