Page 18 of Beyond the Cage

“Heishandsome, isn’t he?”

“Makes me wish I was fifty years younger,” Grace chimes in.

“Mm hmm…quite the stud,” Delilah agrees.

If only he knew that three pairs of elderly eyes were undressing him right now. This is too funny. Cameron turns to me with a curious stare when I lose the battle to contain my laughter. I wave him off and turn back to the game.

By the time we’re supposed to leave, he has everyone eating out of the palm of his hand. He’s flexing his huge arms for the women, putting on quite a show as they squeeze his biceps. There are “oohs”, “aahs”, and girlish giggles.Wow.You’d think they were a bunch of teenagers.

“Okay, guys, see you on Friday,” I say as I head for the door. “Come on, stud.”

He waves to everyone as they bid us goodbye, a bright smile firmly in place. Once we’re outside, he grabs my hand and pulls me against him.

“You liked it, didn’t you?”

He nods without hesitation.

“I told you.”

He kisses my forehead before we climb on his bike and head for home.

“Are you coming up?” I ask when we pull into the parking lot. He answers with a dip of his head.

“Did you see the way the women were looking at you?”

Spreading his arms wide, he looks down at me with a smirk.

“Yeah, yeah…I know. You’re hot.” I roll my eyes.

Moving behind me, he wraps his arms around my shoulders, nuzzling my neck. It tickles, and I start giggling as we waddle toward my apartment. I stop short when I notice someone sitting on the floor by the door. Cameron releases me and steps forward protectively, but I place my hand on his arm to stop him.

“Jamal?”What the hell ishedoing here?

“Hey, Jas,” he says as he hops to his feet.

“What are you doing here?”

“I was hoping I could talk to you.”

“About what?”

He glances nervously at Cameron. I don’t know what he wants, but I don’t want to put Cameron in an awkward position. I open the door and turn to him. “Why don’t you wait for me inside? Just give me a minute.”

He narrows his eyes and clenches his jaw, but doesn’t make a scene. After he steps inside, I close the door behind him.

“Well?” I turn back to Jamal, tapping my foot in impatience.

“How you been?”

“Cut the crap. What do you want, Jamal?”

“Jas, I’m sorry about how things ended between us. I made a mistake.”

“And?”

“And…Simone and I broke up.”

Oh. Now I get it. “That’s too bad.”