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the Songhai Empire in Africa, dating back to the 1400s.
I was already anticipating and dreading my next run in with that intoxicating, enigma of a man.
Well hurry up b/c yall about to get on my nerves
"Let me take care of you."
"I can tell you're capable. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't allow yourself to be cared for sometimes."
"Let me." My face contorted and he chuckled. "Just for tonight. Let me feed your desires. Your needs. Give me all of you tonight and tomorrow morning you can go back to being Ms. Stalker."
Dont mind if I do
"Before I let you do that, I gotta make sure you're good. I told you I'd take care of you tonight and I meant that. Round one was satisfying, Ms. Taylor, but I'm far from done."
Oh okk
I honestly hadn’t seen it as that big of a deal. I always insisted on paying for my meal whenever on a date. I'd gotten a bit of pushback a time or two, but no one had refused to allow me to pay.
Gerryn, girl, miss mamas I need you to enter ya soft life b/c gotdamnnn
I’ve yet to figure out your motivation behind this date-” "What do I have to do?” My brows rose as I shifted in my seat at the sheer frustration lacing his tone. “Excuse me?” "What do I have to do to get you to look at this as a date in the traditional sense rather than just a contractual obligation?"
Yes, I’m annoyed with her too
But I witnessed my mom and the many interactions she had with wealthy men. If nothing else, it taught me that no relationship could truly thrive when something was being dangled over the head of one of the parties.
GO TO THERAPY PUHLEASEEE
I knew I wanted you the second your fine ass strutted in the bathroom at the charity game. And even then, I knew I was going to have you.”
“I'm not an acquisition or trophy you can just claim as yours.” That was the problem with men. Women were nothing more than possessions to them. Something to own and take off the shelf only when it suited them.
🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
"There you go, putting words in my mouth. I really don't like that shit. When I speak, I'm saying exactly what I mean, that way there's no room for interpretation. I heard you at the restaurant. And I respect how you feel. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to do everything within my power to change your mind. I can respect that you're not there yet. I can respect that you're still uncomfortable with how this shit got started. All I ask is that you don’t close yourself off to this potentially evolving into something else.”
A true man , communication 🫠
Lord knows I loved my Dad, but his understanding of emotional issues was lacking at best. When I experienced my first heartbreak at fifteen, his only advice was that shit happens, and I needed to toughen up if I was going to make it in the real world.
Smh
“Love you, Daddy.” Like expected, he grunted. “Yeah. Yeah. Okay.” My smile was weak as I fought a wave of tears. He loved me. I knew it. But it wouldn’t have hurt to hear it every now and then.
🥺
Because I fully intend to consume your every thought for the remainder of the night. I plan on pulling as many orgasms out of your body as I possibly can with a single-minded determination you've never seen before."
Iktr 😏
“All I ask is that you relax. Give yourself permission to be in this moment and not overthink it. Trust me enough to take care of you, and not take advantage of you and this agreement we’re in. That’s it."
“You ain’t got to impress Verse Presley. He’s had his tongue in your butt.”
😂😂😂
“You are stunning, daughter of mine. If you were a tad bit lighter, I might’ve had some competition tonight.” She chuckled lightly to take the bite out of her insult.
Wow . So ickyy
My stomach tightened with each word she spoke. It’s as if she’d taken my greatest fears and laid it out for the world to see in her manicured hand.
This is why you act like this. Your insane ass mana
“Your little art shop is successful,
Please smack her ass
“I never would’ve taken you to be a woman that lacks self-confidence.”
“Yeah. Since I’ve met you, your issue hasn’t been about me using the job or the artifacts to get to you. You haven’t even accused me of using the artifacts to have sex with you or anything like that. Your only problem, from the beginning, has been why you? Why I’m choosing to pursue you and not someone else. What is it about you that’s captured and held my attention? Why am I not going after these other women? All of that questioning and second-guessing yourself reeks of insecurity.”
Ooop
“You want to be mad about me manipulating the situation with the artifacts? I’ll take that. But you and that Frazier kid’s issues? You and your mom issues? I ain’t got shit to do with any of that.”
Period , let her ass know
“If you only wanted to see me so I can sex away your bad day, I’m cool with that. Just let me know.”
🥹 Sometimes, that’s all ya need 😮💨
“C’mon. Can I talk to you a little bit before you use my body?”
When my shit gets too hectic or when my plate is full, the first person that comes to mind is you. Not just sex either. Just you. Being around you. Vibing with you. Your presence.
Everything in me wanted to let go and spill my life secrets to this man who had a tight hold on my spirt and soul, but every time I tried, nothing came out.
🙄🙄🙄🙄
Somebody’s gotta have a pass to get beyond those walls. Nobody is meant to handle everything on their own. Everybody has to have somebody to lean on.”
Not even my best friend of twenty plus years had full access to me.
& that’s a shame 😢
My shoulders drooped when I realized it was all on me. Every burden and problem that arose was handled by me. I’d buried my problems into work to distract me, but I’d never let anyone in fully. Ever. And thinking about the loneliness I felt often hurt.
“Don’t be sorry. Lean on me. Give yourself permission to fall. I’ll catch you; I promise.” A kiss so tender it sent chills down my spine was placed on my forehead as I trembled in his arms. “Break, Garryn. Break down, fall apart… do all that shit so I can spend the rest of tonight putting you back together.”
Tired of having my dream just out of my grasp no matter how hard I worked. Tired of allowing myself to be treated as less than by a client I despised for money. Tired of being the safety net and punching bag for my brother because like me, he had no one else. Tired of not knowing whether I’d get the phone call one day that Onyx had finally decided to end it and take his life. Tired of pretending my mother’s words and indifference were no big deal when in reality, it devastated me. I was so tired from carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders that they physically ached, so I cried. I
...more
My entire body just felt light.
“You betrayed him. You tried to destroy him. And he still persevered. Despite all the shit you tried to pull, he came out on the other side a stronger man. A better man for me and I thank you for that. Now you, your nasty ass attitude, and your botched fat transfer can get the fuck out of my office.”
Well then iktr
“You too, bitch.”
Chileeeeee
The slap that came next surprised us both. It echoed in the car as my hand retreated from his face. Fire exploded against my palm so I could only imagine how his face felt.
Wow sis you're tripping!!!!
“So you can see clearly how I feel about you and stop making ridiculous statements like me being stuck with you or that I should’ve left you at the airport. If you knew how much you mean to me, you’d never doubt my dedication to riding this storm, and any other storm, out with you.”
“Stop being embarrassed about being vulnerable and emotional, Garryn. Especially with me. I’m honored you allow yourself to feel those emotions and show this side of you. It proves you’re comfortable. That you trust me, or you’re on your way to trusting me. That’s all I ask.”
I only had one person to depend on for so long that when he was unable to support me the way he always had, I didn’t know how to lean on anybody else, afraid of that lifelong fear of rejection.
“I already know what you’re going to say, and I appreciate that. But I still feel the way I feel. Helping me out is one thing, but your life, at one point, was consumed with mine. Whenever you weren’t at work, you were with me and I'm not going to do that anymore. I'm going to go get better for me, and I'm going to get better for you because you deserve better. You deserve the big brother that can look out for and protect you like I used to. Hell, the way I am now, I can’t protect a damn thing.”
“You were patient with me. You cared about me. You listened to me.”
“You saw me at a time when I felt invisible. You made me feel important when I felt insignificant. I’ll love you forever for so many things, but most of all for showing me what unconditional truly means.”
