Page 23 of Body Language (Mind, Body, & Soul #2)

I locked eyes with Niv. Her arms dropped, just a little, like she was caught between disbelief and wanting to cuss me out herself.

I leaned back, phone to my mouth.

“It’s Niveah’s club now.”

Arlette lost it on the other end. She was cursing, screaming, and threatening.

I didn’t even blink.

“If you pull up there again,” I said, still staring at Niv, “I’ll have you arrested before your heels can step out and hit the ground. Don’t test me.”

Click.

The silence was thick, heavy. I slid the phone into my pocket and stepped up on her porch, close enough to smell the faint coconut oil in her hair.

Her eyes were wide, lips parted. Shock written all over her face.

I tilted my head, voice dropping.

“You said I don’t set myself apart. That I’m just another nigga who ‘likes’ you.

But tell me, how many men you know gone drop racks and cut off dead weight just to show you where you stand?

GivGold? That’s my shit. I built and created it.

I just knew if I put my face on it, half the city’s greed and jealousy would’ve tried to tear it down.

So I made it look like it was woman-owned.

Let Arlette play the role. Because no man disrespects a woman’s business the way they’d come for mine. ”

She blinked, but her mouth stayed shut.

Good.

“You wanted proof that I’m not like the rest?” My chest brushed hers now. “There you go, Pretty.”

Her laugh came out sharp, sarcastic.

“Oh, so now you think doing that just made you special? Kendrix, it doesn’t”

I smirked. “Then why you shaking right now?”

She scoffed, but her arms folded tighter across her chest, defensive. Her body was telling me what her mouth wouldn’t.

I leaned down, whispering just enough for her to feel my breath on her neck.

“I know you want me just as bad as I want you, Pretty.”

For a second, she didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. Then she tilted her head back, met my eyes with that same fire she always had, and smirked.

“Cute speech,” she said, dragging the words out slow, sarcastic as hell. “But you gon’ have to try harder, Mr. Givelle.”

She reached for her door, ready to end the little porch performance, but before her hand could pull the knob, my palm slapped flat against the glass screen door, pushing it shut.

“Kendrix—”

My chest pressed to her back, my breath hot against my ear. “Stop playing like you don’t like it, Pretty,” I whispered. “You already tore my guard down. Its time to drop yours.”

Then my lips found her neck.

She gasped. “Kendrix, stop—”

But the way it slipped out, half-moan, half-plea, betrayed the hell out of her

“Mm. What happens if I don’t stop?”

She turned, grabbed my face, and kissed me like she’d been starving for it. She walked us backward into the house, giving me that look like, follow me if you bold . And I was bold as fuck.

By the time we hit her bedroom, we weren’t thinking about shit but each other. Her clothes were off, my shirt half unbuttoned. My hands roamed, learning every curve I’d been imagining since the first night I saw her.

I kissed down her chest, sucked her nipple into my mouth, flicking it with my tongue until she moaned loud enough to make my dick ache. My hand teased the other, fingers pinching, pulling.

The second her lips crashed against mine, I knew that night wasn’t ending like all the others.

I’d tasted her before. Had her grinding on my face, moaning my name, damn near breaking me with nothing but her body and that slick ass mouth. But I hadn’t been inside her yet. And the way she was looking at me, I knew her body was begging, even though her mouth would never admit it.

She pulled me toward her bed.

“You sure you ready for this?” she whispered, smirking like she was daring me.

I laughed, pressing her back into the mattress. “Pretty, I’ve been ready since the night you walked into that club.”

I kissed down her neck, slow but hungry. She spread her legs without even thinking, and I groaned when I saw how wet she was.

“Damn,” I said, touching her. “You ready for me, huh?”

She bit her lip, lifting her hips into my hand. “Nigga, shut up and fuck me.”

I stroked myself, letting the tip tease her entrance.

“You gonna let me in, Pretty?” I whispered, rubbing circles on her clit with my thumb. “Or you still pretending you don’t want me?”

She moaned, rolling her hips. I pushed in. Slow, deep, steady. Her gasp hit my chest, and I damn near lost it right then.

“Fuck,” I growled, burying myself in her tight, wet pussy. “You feel like heaven, Pretty. Wrapped around me like you’re mine already.”

Her nails dug into my back as she whimpered, “Kendrix… oh my God…”

I pulled out almost all the way, then slammed back in, hard enough to make the headboard shake. She cried out, legs locking around me.

“Yeah, that’s it,” I groaned, driving deep. “Take this dick. Don’t run from me.”

She tried to smirk through her moans. “Who said I was running?”

“Oh, you not?” I flipped her onto her stomach, yanking her ass up. “We gone test that.”

I slid back in from behind, gripping her hair to pull her head back. The sound she made went straight to my dick.

“Say my name,” I demanded, thrusting slow and deep.

“Kendrix—fuck!”

“Louder.”

“KENDRIX!”

I slapped her ass, watching it jiggle. “Good girl. Keep that same energy.”

She pushed back against me, throwing it back so good I had to close my eyes and catch myself. She looked back with that wicked smile.

I flipped her back over, hooking her legs over my shoulders, going so deep her eyes rolled back.

“That’s it,” I groaned, sweat dripping. “Clench around me like that again and Ima lose my shit.”

Her body tightened, and she gasped, “Then lose it. Give it to me, Kendrix.”

I growled low, fucking her harder, faster, while kissing her like I couldn’t get enough. She came first, legs shaking, pussy gripping me so tight, I had to bite her shoulder to keep from cussing too loud.

“That’s my Pretty,” I whispered against her skin. “Everything about you. So perfect.”

I pulled out just enough to watch her take every inch again, her body trembling as I gave her everything I had. And when I finally came, it was with her screaming my name, holding me like she didn’t ever wanna let go.

We collapsed together, sweaty, breathless, hearts racing in sync. I kissed her forehead, still inside her, refusing to move.

“Told you,” I whispered with a smirk. “Don’t play with me.”

She rolled off me, bonnet hanging on for dear life. I kissed her shoulder and was about to crack another joke when she smirked and said, “Boy, please.”

“Oh shit!! The kids.”

She put her hand flat on my chest before I could even sit up, looking at me like I was slow.

“You really think I woulda let this happen with them here? Hell no.”

I relaxed.

“My brother’s at a tournament. One of the team moms is bringing him home. My sister is at a playdate with her classmate. Rita wanted to take her so I could get some rest.”

I smirked, brushing her thigh. “You call this rest?”

She laughed, biting her lip. “I’ve done everything but rest.”

We both cracked up but when it finally died down, she turned to me.

“Why me, Kendrix?”

I frowned. “What you mean?”

“Why make me the face of GivGold? Why let me meet your family so early? You barely know me.”

I laid back, staring at her for a second, deciding how real I wanted to get. Then I reached over, cupping her cheek so she had to look at me.

“When I know, I know,” I said simply. “It doesn’t always make sense, but it doesn’t have to. Not with you. The first time I saw you dance, I wasn’t just looking at a body. I was watching how you moved a room without saying a damn word. That’s rare. That’s power.”

Her lips parted, but she didn’t say anything.

“Pretty, I’ve been around this game my whole life.

Money. Businesses. Women who wanted the status more than me.

But you… you walk in with nothing but confidence and presence, and the whole place shifts.

You don’t need a man to carry anything for you, but I want to.

I want you on my team. Business-wise, romantically… both. We’d be unstoppable.”

She raised an eyebrow, half skeptical, half amused. “Unstoppable, huh?”

“Hell yeah,” I said, leaning closer, voice low. “You got the brains, the beauty, and the hustle. I got the resources, the reach, and the drive. Together? Ain’t nobody touching us.”

She smirked, rolling onto her back, staring at the ceiling. “You sound real sure of yourself.”

“That’s ‘cause I am,” I said, tracing circles on her thigh. “But it ain’t just business for me. I like you, Pretty. Like, really like you. More than I’ve wanted to like anyone.”

She stayed quiet, but I saw the way her chest rose, like I’d just knocked the wind out of her. Then she finally turned her head and looked at me, eyes glinting.

“You talk good, Kendrix. I might like you too.”

That was all I needed. I kissed her and my hand slid up her thigh, ready to pull her back under me when her phone started on the ringing nightstand.

She pulled back. “Hold on. This might be Rita or Huxley.”

I sat up, licking my lips, watching her grab it. The second she saw the screen, her whole expression shifted.

“Zejah…” she said out loud, already answering.

The second the line clicked, I could hear screaming, crying, and chaos bleeding through the speaker.

“Zejah, calm down,” Niv said, voice sharp but trembling. “Baby, slow down. Tell me what’s wrong.”

But the girl was talking too fast, hiccupping through sobs. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good.

“Breathe,” Niv demanded. “What happened?”

More muffled crying, and I saw Niv’s face pale.

“Fuck.” She pressed her hand to her forehead. “I’m on my way!” she shouted into the phone before hanging up.

She jumped out the bed so fast. She was already yanking on her sweats, grabbing her bag.

“I don’t know what’s going on. I have to go see check on my mom.”

I was already on my feet, pulling on my jeans. “Ima take you.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but nothing came out. She just nodded, eyes glossy, and headed for the door.

I followed her out the house, heart pounding for reasons I couldn’t even name. She jumped in the passenger seat, breathing hard. I slid behind the wheel, started the engine, and glanced at her.

Her leg was bouncing, hand gripping the phone like she was waiting for it to ring again. I reached over, resting a hand on her knee.

“Pretty,” I said low, steady. “Whatever it is, we’ll handle it.”

She turned her head, eyes full of fear but still hard as steel. “You don’t even know what you just signed up for.”

I squeezed her knee once. “I don’t have to. I signed up for you.”