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I nodded again. Where the hell were my words? You'd think I'd never seen a fine nigga before. Hell, I'd fucked a couple. But neither of them made me feel like Targen did with the most innocent of touches. He grabbed my hand and pulled gently. I moved until I stood in front of him, and he clasped my other hand. My breath was suspended as I waited for him to pull me against his hard body. Instead, he just looked at me. My dress was simple, a cream shade with a strapless bodice that featured a cut-out that highlighted my breasts. The skirt was a short A-line that swished around my thighs. Targen looked for so long that I almost felt self-conscious. I reached to pull on one of my coils, a nervous habit, then remembered that Hyacinth had styled my hair into a cute little updo.
"Fuck, Theory," he finally said. "You look so good to a nigga."
I felt my face warm, and a smile tugged at my lips.
"Thank you."
He dropped one of my hands to twirl me around by the other. He stepped closer, until I felt him directly behind me. I sucked in another breath, just reveling in the scent and heat of him. He leaned forward, bringing his mouth close to my ear.
"Can I?" he whispered, his breath warm against my skin.
"Targen," I murmured. "You're supposed to be saying, 'May I.'"
I don't know why I said that random shit. This man had my usually impressive vocabulary MIA. He just laughed, a low rumble that tickled my ear.
"Okay, Theory... May I?"
Of course, I nodded. A second later, I felt the soft brush of his lips against my nape. My knees almost gave out. How did he know that was my spot? The tingling sensation I'd felt intensified as my pussy thumped in an erratic rhythm.
"Your lips feel soooo good."
Oh, God! I said that out loud. It had been so long and I just—damn,Theory, get it together!The embarrassment had me trying to step away, head into the house. A solid arm encircled me, and Targen finally brought the front of his body flush against the back of mine. Lord! He felt so good... too good. And then he gave me another butterfly kiss. I was glad he was there to hold me up.
"I'm glad you like the way they feel. You gon’ like the way they feel everywhere," he growled.
I couldn’t stop the little gasp that escaped me, but then I shook my head.
“Targen… we… this…” I struggled for the right words as his lips grazed my shoulder.
“What,milaya?”
I froze and whirled on his ass. He might be a big mothafucka, but he wouldnotdisrespect me.
“Uh-uh! Did you just call me another bitch’s name?” I demanded, trying to move away from the arms that encircled me.
He smiled down at me. “Nah, baby. Ain’t no other women now, Theory.”
I opened my mouth then closed it. That happened a few times as I dealt with the shock of his words and the heated sincerity in his gray eyes. Finally, I shook my head.
“No. It doesn’t make sense. We just met. We don’t even know each other.”
I strung together syllables, trying to deny what was happening, trying to dismiss the power of what I was feeling. This wasn’t some simple attraction. It didn’t feel like anything I’d ever experienced before. Being here with him felt like… felt like finally beinghome. No matter where I had run afterthe incidentthat changed my life, nowhere had felt like home anymore. Not even Emancipation. Not until now.
“We’re going to get to know each other, baby. Very well,” he promised, his voice rough. “All that you saying… tell me what youfeeling. I know you feel this, Theory. I know it’s not just me. Tell me.”
Speechless, I shook my head. It was too soon. Too soon after we met. Too soon after what I’d been through. Too soon for my heart. I buried my face against him, not ready to tell the truth.
“This can't be real," I insisted. "I?—"
"How is it not real when we both feel this shit?"
He brushed his lips against my temple. My hands clenched in his t-shirt, and I sucked in a shaky breath. Touching his upper body’s solid, ripped planes had goosebumps dotting my skin.
"Feel what?" I whispered.
He laughed, low and soft. "You know, Theory."
"What do I know, Targen?"