Damn it. Not again. In the same trouble I was in before.

Here I am, in between, two women I've had an intimate relationship with. You can sense the tension within this love triangle, especially with Kyra. Her arm is wrapped around mine so tight and the heat from her body could create a wildfire.

"Journee...it's....uh, nice to see you...again...." Kyra breaks up her speech as she tosses her mocha brown hair back.

"Well, it's interesting to see both of you again and that's me being nice. Let me get going so you two can order something. Enjoy the boat."

And with that, she walks away. No anger, no retort, no frustration, or madness. She's just chill.

You'd think she'd be bitter and say something crazy, pass a snarky remark, an eyeroll, or anything.

Nope. Instead, I get a turn on the heel and a mild step show back towards the hula performance.

Watching her walk away gives me a guilty feeling. Each foot glides across the floor, her legs move, her hips swing back and forth, her hair brushes her backside, all of it hypnotizes me.

My eyes can't move away from those built thighs and her backside. That ass jiggled like jello and I was mesmerized.

"Tripp!" I'm called out of my trance by none other than my wife, completely forgetting she's standing right there.

My heart races with even more guilt as I shake myself awake and turn to her.

"What was that about, babe?" Kyra says, snapping her fingers in my face.

"What are you talking about? Nothing happened-"

"Bullshit, Tripp. Your hands were on her, your eyes were looking into hers, and you were talking to her about something. Judging by the way you both were looking at each other, I'm assuming the conversation was very intimate."

If by intimate, you mean debatable? Yeah, it was absolutely intimate.

"I didn't do anything with her, Kyra. All I did was stop her from drinking so much. I'd do that with anybody." My attempt at persuading her and myself.

Being around Journee really changed my vibe and, honestly, I stopped her because I knew exactly where this was going. She'd keep drinking and get wiped out with her husband nowhere around to help her. I wanted to help her.

Kyra rolls her eyes and makes herself comfortable at the bar, saying "Then you gotta stop doing all that shit, Tripp. Not only do we have to keep up our image up but you have to remember who you're married to."

Again, guilt rushes over me like a gush of wind in the fall. My eyes catch sight of a camera pointed at us and I roll my eyes, remembering what this was all about.

This was part of her reality show; it's part of her reality. A whole dream that she's painted to be real life for her.

This is all her acting for the cameras right now.

Since we're acting right now...

I take Kyra's hand in mine and say "There's no one else in this world that I'd want more than you. I made a promise to you that I'd love you 'till death do us part. I was just stopping her from drinking too much. That's it."

Kyra's chocolate eyes study the sincere look on my face then they fall to my hands, pleading for more answers than that but it's all I got right now.

"Why do you care so much? She has a man to stop her and deal with that. That's none of our business."

What I once thought involved me didn't involve me any longer. Kyra's right. Even though her man could give two shits about her, it's his responsibility to take care of her. Not mine. She's just my son's mother and anything outside of him shouldn't be something I'm worried about.

"I'm sorry, Kyra. I just felt bad so I wanted to be a helping hand."

That and other things but we'll just leave it there.

Kyra pounces on me, gives me this big ass hug, and a tender kiss before saying "Well, no more helping hands for her. If she gets drunk and passes out, Davin needs to handle that. Not you."

****

"Damn, you were in the bathroom for a while there, man. You good?" Cam asks as we're about to get off the boat.

Davin's just now catching up with the rest of us, eyes red as shit, clothes barely on his body, and walking with a lean in his step.

He wraps his arm around me but I brush him off, remembering how long he was gone and what he was possibly gone for.

Three fucking hours. How do you stay in the bathroom for three. damn. hours? There's plenty of things he could've been doing in there for that long.

Now, he wants to cuddle like we don't know what the hell he's been doing.

"Yeah, man. I'm cool but...wha- what's up with you, J?" Davin slurs as he attempts to touch me again. Again, I slap him away from me and step away.

Cass goes to tell him off but Cam pulls her away, leaving Davin and I alone.

There are no words for how I'm feeling right now. All I know is that this can't keep going on anymore. It's as if we're going through the same relationship we had back in college, except worse.

My breath catches up with me before my right hand starts to tingles, sensing a consistent burn. While I'm shaking my head, he scuffs and says "Look, before you go assuming shit, I was just in the bathroom and looking over my clothes. You know your man-"

And that's when my right hand throws itself across his face so hard. My anger, disappointment, embarrassment, frustration, and exhaustion put themselves into that slap but they make their way back into my heart and mind.

After shaking my head again, my eyes move up and catch Tripp watching the whole thing from afar. His hand is wrapped around Kyra's so tightly while she speaks to fans of hers, I'm assuming.

Tears roll down my face as I bite the inside of my cheek. This can't be happening right now. I can't be feeling this way right now.

"YO! What the fuck was that for?! I ain't do anything!" Davin complains but it's tuned out.

How does somebody's actions speak louder than somebody else's words? How do they still have the keys to my soul without permission to it in the first place? How can they make me feel so low without doing anything to me?

He keeps watching me, his luscious lips slightly agape, frozen in his steps as I am. He feels so sorry for me. You can tell by how he's looking at me. His facial expressions are going back and forth between sympathy and denial.

A part of me wants to run away from Davin and let Tripp save me from this shit.

Then I realized that Kyra's standing right beside him with her hand in his. His hand is still tightly wrapped around hers. I know what that means.

Davin's still yapping but I grab his face and press my lips into his. Thoughts of his hand still holding hers, and where his hands have been on her, run through my mind. The salty tears roll down my face as I kiss Davin for a lengthy amount of time.

I want to forget all about that man but it's impossible. Everything we went through, everything we did together, all the things we have together are things they have together now.

Why am I feeling this way?

Upon letting Davin's lips go, I instantly feel guilty and come back to reality. I couldn't even look at Davin without thinking about Tripp. It didn't help that he was right behind us.

My eyes would be stuck on Tripp and Kyra. It'd be even more embarrassing.

"Damn, baby. I know you want me right now but that was a lot. You good?"

That's the last thing I am right now, Davin.

The things love makes you do.

Quickly wiping my face, I nod and say "Yeah, everything's cool. I'm just sick of you leaving me alone, Davin. If you don't want to spend time with me, just say that. I'll go-"

"Don't you say another word because that's not true. I just got...well.... distracted. Do you know how long it's going to take to get this stain out of my shirt? I tried for like three hours and it's still there."

I wonder where that stain came from because it wasn't there when I was at the table. He's not helping his case at all.

"Anyway, we still have time here, love. We can spend the rest of this time together. I love you way too much to just leave you like that. I'm sorry and I promise I won't leave you like this again," he says as he leans in and wraps his arms around me, giving me a better view of Tripp.

As soon as I lay eyes on him, he's walking off with his wife but glances over at me before leaving completely.

If only I could tell you I really love you...

too.

****

Oooooohhhhhhhh! Two POVs?!

What did you think about this chapter?

Do you think Journee's falling for Tripp all over again?

Do you feel like Tripp may be falling for Journee again?

What do you think Davin was doing in the bathroom for those three hours?

Thanks for reading! Until next time!