Page 2 of Overdue Feelings

Twelve Years Later

We were going to be late for the first day of school.

“Zae,” I moaned, gripping the edge of the kitchen counter, my night gown raised up as he pounded inside me from the back. One slow, deliberate stroke after another. “I have morning drop off duty?—”

“So do I. They’ll manage without us.” His hand slid over my curves before giving me a slow tap across my backside. “I’m just making sure we have a good day.” He quickened his pace inside me. “You want to have a good day, baby?”

“Yes!”

“That’s what I like to hear,” he whispered, his voice deep as his hand slid down my spine. “Say it again, baby. Tell me you gon’ have a good day.”

“I’m gonna have a good day.” My gasp turned into a moan as he hit the place that always unraveled me.

My eyes rolled to the back of my head, but not before I caught a glance of the time on the stove.

Students were going to be arriving in thirty minutes.

I should’ve pushed him away this morning.

The first day of school wasn’t the time to get lost in him.

There was so much to do this morning, but I couldn’t resist him.

Not when his hands knew every curve of me, not when my body responded to his every move.

Zae was right. I wanted to have a good day, and he always knew exactly what I needed to make it happen.

That was our thing. The world around me was unstable.

Things were spiraling out of control. My gigi’s memory was slipping away by the day, and the library’s budget at Sweet Pea was being cut, but in his arms, everything slowed down.

Just like it always had. I needed that stillness.

I needed him , and in that moment, with my legs still trembling and my forehead pressed up against the kitchen counter, nothing else mattered.

“That’s right, baby,” he growled against my ear, one hand gripping my waist, the other sliding up to wrap around my throat. “Come undone for me. Let it go. Give me all that stress.” He stroked into me slow and deep with every word.

“Zae!” I screamed his name this time as my toes curled into the tiled floor, and my entire body quaked. Zae leaned over until he was close to my ear.

“I want you walking yo’ fine ass into that school still feeling me. I want my name all over that glow.”

“F-fuck! I’m cumming!”

“That’s what I want to hear,” he growled, hips grinding deeper, his rhythm never missing a beat. “Give it to me, C.”

This man always knew exactly what to say to send me over the edge.

“Oooh!”

His hand tightened at my waist as my orgasm crashed through me, leaving me breathless and quivering. I couldn’t speak, and I could barely feel my legs. All I could do was pant and moan as he delivered a few more thrusts before he pulled out of me.

“Shit,” he groaned, as he released his warm semen across my back, his body curling over mine like he didn’t want to let go. “I’m never leaving yo’ good pussy ass. Good morning.”

He held me from behind, one hand sliding over my belly, the other trailing lazy circles on my hip.

“You’re a menace. You know that?”

“Thank you. I try.”

I turned in his arms and kissed him. It was quick, sweet, and perfect.

“I’m serious, Zae. We gotta go.”

“Alright, alright.” He tapped my ass. “Go get showered and dressed, Miss Librarian. I’ll pack your bag.”

“Okay, and take the box of books to my car.” I slithered out of his arms, but not before he kissed me on the forehead.

I quickly darted to our bedroom and into our bathroom, undressing along the way.

Turning on the shower, I hopped in before it even got warm.

I closed my eyes as the water hit my body, letting the quiet settle over my skin.

If someone had told me twelve years ago that Zae Bishop and I would be in a romantic relationship, I would’ve laughed in their face. Back then, he was just my best friend. I never saw him that way when we were kids. It was always Ares who had my heart.

It’d taken years of failed relationships on both our ends, and countless close calls, but Zae and I finally stopped pretending. One kiss turned into a thousand, and now we were Harvest Hills favorite couple.

It still felt new sometimes, waking up tangled in him even though it had been three years since we’d crossed the friendship line and never looked back.

I smiled to myself as I rinsed off. Zae was the best of both worlds.

My homie lover friend. I tipped my head back and allowed the soap to rain down across my chest and down my still sore from getting good dick this morning thighs.

Turning off the water, I stepped out of the shower.

I was sure we only had ten minutes to get out of here.

I wrapped a towel around myself as I strutted into the bedroom, determined not to be ridiculously late.

A smile escaped my lips as Zae came into view.

He was already pulling on his Sweet Pea PE polo.

It was half buttoned. His coils were still damp, letting me know he’d showered in the other bathroom.

He looked damn good for someone who had me pinned to the kitchen counter fifteen minutes ago.

“Thank God for braids.” I didn’t have time for a twist-out today.

That would have been a disaster. I grabbed the black bra and panties he had placed on the bed for me and slid them on before wiggling into my sunflower print midi dress.

I shimmied it down my hips and smoothed the fabric over my thighs and around my fupa.

“Damn, you gotta be the finest librarian in the whole damn world,” Zae said, handing me my cardigan as I pinned my Read Banned Books button to the front. “I gotta be the luckiest man in the world.”

“You are, and thank you.” I smirked, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before we walked out of the bedroom. I slipped on my tennis shoes as Zae grabbed the big box of new library donations off the dining room table like it was nothing.

“To the first day.” He smiled as he used his body to hold open the front door for me.

“To the first day.” I stepped into the early morning summer heat and headed toward my car as Zae headed toward his. We always drove separately, because Zae coached boys’ basketball after school, and I had to rush home to check on Gigi. Same house, different rhythms, but it worked.

I slid into the driver’s seat, checked the rearview mirror, and grinned as Zae ran to my car to shut the door.

“I’ll drop the box by after drop off.” He leaned in and gave me one more kiss.

“Okay.”

“And remember,” he said into my ear, “I had you screaming my name before the bell rang this morning.”

I rolled my eyes, smirking as I buckled my seat belt.

“You play too much,” I said before he closed my door, and I pulled out of our driveway and down the street toward Sweet Pea Academy.

“Alright, Sweet Pea. Be good to me this year!”

I pulled into the parking lot of Sweet Pea Academy with barely a minute to spare.

Zae slid into the space right behind me as I caught my reflection in the visor mirror.

I swiped on a coat of lip gloss and reached for my tote bag.

Before stepping out, Zae was already shrugging into his neon crossing guard vest. I stared at him.

My man was fine with his deep brown skin and short, sponged twists.

That crossing guard vest was doing nothing to hide his muscles and the tattoos that wrapped his forearms. Damn.

“I’ll meet you inside,” he called over his shoulder, jogging across the lot to direct the morning rush.

I adjusted my tote and hustled to the car rider line just as the first wave of students spilled out of back seats and SUV doors.

“Ms. Delaney!”

I turned toward the voice. Gemma, one of my old second graders, ran up with a huge grin and two missing front teeth.

“How are you, Gemma?” I bent down and hugged her tight. “Wow, you grew so much over the summer.”

“Yes! I’m eight now!”

“Is that right? Already in the third grade?”

She nodded proudly before sprinting off toward the front doors, her glittery backpack bouncing behind her.

One by one, more students arrived—arms waving, sneakers squeaking, ponytails swinging. I greeted each one like the little superstars they were, offering high-fives, hugs, and quick first-day pep talks.

By the time the final bell rang, the chaos had settled. Teachers ushered kids into classrooms, the doors closed, and the buzzing quieted into a steady hum.

“Mmhm. Look who finally graced us with her presence.”

I turned to see Nadine Kennedy, my teacher bestie and classroom neighbor, across the hall. She leaned against her doorframe, coffee in hand, eyebrows arched like she had tea ready to spill.

“Girl, if you and Coach Zae were any later, I was gonna start a rumor.”

I smirked. “Good morning to you too.”

“Mmhm, I bet it was a good morning.” She took a dramatic sip from her travel mug.

Right on cue, Zae walked up beside me, carrying the giant box of book donations like it weighed nothing. He greeted Nadine with a smile and nodded before leaning down to kiss my cheek.

“See?” Nadine muttered with a grin. “Exactly why y’all were late.”

I rolled my eyes as Zae laughed.

We said our goodbyes and headed to the library. Just as we reached the door, Principal Voss appeared, clipboard in hand and her signature smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“Ms. Delaney. Coach Bishop. Just the couple I needed to see.”

Crap. I straightened up. “Morning, Principal Voss.”

“I didn’t see you two at the staff meeting.”

Zae didn’t even flinch. “Car trouble,” he said smoothly.

“Well, glad you made it safely. I just wanted to give you a heads up. We hired a nurse late last night.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Seriously? That’s amazing!”

She smiled. “We’re thrilled. He’s experienced. Local. Went to school here.”

“That’s even better.” Zae shifted the box in his arms. “Where’s he set up?”

Voss hesitated. “Well, due to construction, we had to get creative. He’ll be stationed in the storage closet at the back of your library for now.”

I blinked. “Wait… my closet?”

“It’s all we’ve got.” She started walking. “Come on. I’ll introduce you.”

We followed her down the back row of bookshelves, past bean bags and craft crates. My stomach did a little flip, nerves from the morning still buzzing under my skin.

“The janitors cleaned it out late last night,” she explained as we approached the open door. “We set up a cot and a cabinet. Made it as comfortable as we could. He’s overqualified, honestly. Closed a private pediatric practice in Manhattan to move back to Harvest Hills.”

Zae raised an eyebrow. “Move back?”

Voss knocked gently on the doorframe. “Dr. Knight? Your colleagues are here to meet you.”

He stood and turned around to greet us, and all the air escaped my lungs.

“Ares!” Zae called his name first.

I couldn’t speak, just looked on in utter shock. He was older, with broader shoulders and a bald head, but his eyes were the same.

“Creek?” he said softly. “Zae?”

I couldn’t breathe. I’d buried every thought of Ares years ago when he never called, never visited, never sent a text, or wrote a letter. And now, here he was… standing in my library. In my life. Twelve years too late.