Page 11 of The Dating Prohibition

She zipped home and two minutes later shot BJ a text once she’d parked in the driveway

Kendra: Made it! Drive safely.

Her mind raced as she grabbed her purse and hopped out of the car, locking it behind her before trudging toward her basement

apartment. Ambling down the short staircase, she smacked her thigh with an open palm. “Have you lost your ever-loving mind?”

Once inside, Kendra removed her shoes and went straight to the bedroom to lay out one of her favorite sets of pajamas. She

undressed, throwing all of her clothes in the hamper and shrieked at the cold floors when she stepped off the sherpa rug next

to her bed. She hurried over to the thermostat to turn on the radiant floor heating before heading toward the bathroom to

flip on the shower. The one thing this place is lacking is a soaking tub.

Kendra pulled her hair up into a messy bun, tying it with an elastic from her wrist as steam crawled up the glass door of

the shower. She stared at her reflection in the mirror as it became obscured by fog. “What were you thinking?” she muttered.

She grabbed a jar of cleansing balm and scooped some into her hand before turning to step into the stream of two showerheads.

Warmth enveloped her, the water kneading the stress from her shoulders as she rubbed the balm into her face to remove her makeup.

Her eyes closed, little flashes of what transpired with BJ appeared at the forefront of her mind, claiming her attention.

Her thumb grazed her jaw, where his beard had tickled her skin, and she squeezed her thighs together as she considered the scenarios that could have taken place. But was he? Wasn’t he?

Conflicting thoughts, questioning the fantasy yet wanting to see it through, chased each other to the corners of her mind,

bickering like an angel and demon on either sides of her shoulders. Kendra turned to face the water, rinsing the cleanser

from her face and reaching for a silicone body scrubber and her favorite bodywash. As she lathered her body, she closed her

eyes again and snapshots of moments throughout the day played behind her eyelids. The way he looked at her lips. How he brushed

against her backside. The tightness of his grip around her waist. Maybe he was... His intoxicating scent. Dammit. The demon was winning.

Kendra put down the scrubber and removed the handheld shower wand from its holder, flipping the pressure to a gentle pulse

as the stationary showerhead continued to knead her shoulders. Slowly, she maneuvered water to lap at her neck, her collarbone,

over her breasts. She hummed to herself, wishing she’d put on some music, and then scoffed as she remembered she was currently

playing mistress to water spraying from a hose. No matter, shower wands and battery-operated boyfriends had been keeping her

sane and sated since she left Europe, and her need was all-consuming.

As she repeated the wand’s trail down the other side of her neck, Kendra squeezed her eyes closed, imagining a path of light kisses heading south, heat already building at her core.

Her mouth dropped open as the swirling droplets feathered their way down her abdomen, her other hand gliding from her throat to her belly, barely kissing her flesh.

She rested her back against the cool surface of the tiled wall, widening her stance so that the water began to skim the flesh of her inner thighs.

Kendra’s breathing hitched as she guided the wand between her folds and the flow of warm water skimmed her clit. She whined,

imagining BJ kneeling before her, savoring her with his tongue until his lips closed around her most sensitive spot. As she

directed the nozzles in a cascading motion, she slowly turned up the intensity of the pulse, grasping the wall with her other

hand to steady herself. “Fuuuck,” she moaned.

Her knees weakened as tension began to build, and she bit her lip, the movement in her wrist picking up the pace. Kendra’s

back arched, the back of her head resting against the wall as sparks flew behind her eyelids. As she reached her climax, she

cried out, cursed, and then covered her mouth, remembering where she was. She heard footsteps above her and winced—she’d assumed

that Shonda and Logan had already retired to their bedroom another level up by the time she’d gotten home.

Kendra quickly rinsed off the soapy remnants and shut off the water, carefully stepping out onto a floor mat. She began to

dry herself off, muttering to herself as she heard the squeal of a door opening upstairs.

“Keke?” Shonda’s voice projected down the stairs from the kitchen door.

“Yeah?” Kendra called back. They’re literally never going to call me by my name.

“You okay down there? Logan was worried you fell or saw a mouse or something.”

“Oh... yeah, I’m fine! False alarm,” she laughed nervously, shooting daggers into the eyes of her own reflection. Note to self: buy Bluetooth speakers and a white noise machine.

“Is it safe to come down?”

Shonda’s worried tone had Kendra cursing herself under her breath. “Yeah, of course.” She grabbed a soft robe from the back of the bathroom door and wrapped herself in it before Shonda made it to the back of the unit toward the en suite bathroom.

“Whew, girl, I thought maybe you had someone down here!” Shonda chuckled. She eyed the fully made bed and threw a knowing

look at her sister-in-law.

Kendra covered her face with her hands. “God, I was hoping it wasn’t obvious. So the mouse?”

“Creative excuses to keep your brother from barging down here.” Her sister-in-law grinned.

The two burst into fits of laughter and slapped each other five. “I appreciate you for that.”

Shonda pointed toward the bathroom. “Your appreciation should be twofold.”

Kendra’s face scrunched in confusion. “Huh? What for?”

“I had him install that showerhead for you. It needed replacing anyway, but when he told me you were finally coming back home,

I figured having a little extra pick-me-up wouldn’t hurt. He thinks the wand is to help when you’re shaving your legs.” She

bounced her eyebrows.

Kendra slapped her five twice more. “That was an excellent investment.”

“Yeah, I heard,” Shonda giggled. “Anyway, I’ll tell him you killed a spider. Just remember, you can’t say you have too many

critters down here, because then he’s gonna be in your space all the time playing exterminator.”

“Well, then, make sure the ice machine is full, because I’m going to slip and fall, a lot !”

The two cackled, pulling each other into a hug before Shonda made her way back upstairs. “Night, Keke!”

“Night, sis!” Kendra plugged in her phone as she started to get ready for bed, completing her skincare routine and brushing her teeth before slipping on her lacy short set.

The delicate trim was sewn onto ultrasoft fabric that hugged her freshly moisturized skin.

Her phone pinged as she climbed under the duvet cover and rested her back against the upholstered headboard, her bonnet resting on the pillow next to her as a reminder to wrap her hair before she lay down.

BJ: You good?

She cursed under her breath, realizing he’d texted that he was home while she was in the shower.

Kendra: Yeah, sorry! Was in the shower and didn’t see your message. Glad you made it okay.

BJ: Why did you tell me that?

Kendra: Tell you what?

BJ: You were in the shower. Don’t tease me.

So I wasn’t hallucinating? He really almost kissed me? Kendra bit her lip at the thought, wishing she could turn back the clock and take matters into her own hands. Her curiosity

wouldn’t let her turn away from the image of his eyes watching her tongue wet her lips or the proximity of his mouth to hers.

She squeezed her eyes shut and blew out a breath before shrugging. Fuck it.

Kendra: Sir, if you think that’s teasing, you’re sadly mistaken.

BJ: Oh really? Prove it.

Kendra rolled her eyes. “Light work,” she muttered.

She threw back the duvet cover, folding one of her legs beneath her and extending her arm to take a suggestive selfie from an angle that showed off her lacy set and bare skin.

Satisfied with the result, she hit Send.

I can’t believe I just sent a thirst trap to my brother’s best friend.

She pictured him in bed, his arousal growing as he took in her smooth skin and seductive smile.

BJ: Damn, Kenny...

Kendra: What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?

BJ: Is that an offer?

His text had the emoji with the smugly smiling side-eye. Kendra’s jaw slacked and she fell over into the pillows, her mind

racing back to the images she’d conjured during her shower. “Dammit, dammit.” Walked right into that one. She sat up, plotting before she typed her next message. Might as well...

Kendra: And what if it is?

Minutes went by, and eventually Kendra shut off the light on her night table, assuming that BJ had fallen asleep. Resting

against a pillow, she ran a fingertip along the swell of her breast when her phone chimed. Her stomach somersaulted as she

unlocked her screen.

BJ: Good night, Kenny...

Kendra’s lips curved in triumph as she pictured BJ stumped by what she’d suggested. That’s right. I’m not so little anymore.