Dedicated to all the readers, even the shy, ghosts, and new ones, and especially licel1985 kaiyareyes for your patience ❤️
Going to push out more chapters for you all much sooner and on time. Unedited chapter, will go back to fix later.
Thank you. Enjoy
~nat

~

"The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude."

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𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒏

"So why didn't he fuck me?" I smack my lips at Jabari and Jasmine who are defending Chris behind his back.

Their exchange of looks isn't subtle at all, it makes me roll my eyes.

"You said you didn't wanna have sex, yet?" Jasmine sounds just as confused as I am.

"I don't want to initiate it because I don't wanna confuse things." I explain another time, brushing past pedestrians on the busy sidewalk.

"So... you do wanna have sex, you just don't want to start it?" Jabari tilts his head, not understanding.

"Yes!" I exclaim once one of them finally gets it. "I just feel like— I don't know, why didn't he come over and fuck me?"

Jasmine laughs in short, splitting the pole. "He probably doesn't wanna confuse anything either, girl." She claims.

Jabari snarls, "That's bull. Y'all have been in a sexual relationship for how long? No offense, but if I walked in on you— nevermind." He clears his throat with glares from Jasmine.

"Point is, maybe he isn't interested?" Jabari finishes another thought.

"It's Chris," I deadpan, stopping on the pavement. "he's always interested in sex." Jasmine nods to confirm.

"I meant," Jabari hesitates, "in someone else..."

Seeing me go quiet in thought, Jasmine speaks up for me.

She sucks her teeth and smacks her husband with her large Telfar bag. "Shut up, boy!"

"Don't listen to him, Mo. He's stupid," She says, holding the door open for me. "Come on, let's get to work."

My doubts fly out of the window once I walk in on our center in the early stages of reconstruction.

Jasmine literally gasps and I turn on my heels to watch Jabari excitedly biting down on his thick lower lip, squeezing her shoulders.

They both have such sparkle and hope in their dark brown eyes, waiting for me to react the same way but I'm just stunned.

"What is all this?" I wonder, spinning in a circle to take it all in.

The further I walk, the more I realize.

Torro Architecture

I recognize a few faces and Chris's belongings laid out across the hardwood floor that wasn't here last week when I came in to check on the building.

With my jaw dropped, speechless, I look over my shoulder at The Flamers and they nonverbally encourage me to continue checking things out.

"No. Her main office is going right here. I really want it to be-" I only hear some of what Chris is saying and cut him off.

"What about what I want?" I tease, slowly stalking towards the men who are huddled around the blueprints.

There's a girl who catches my eye. She's taking notes like her life depends on it, mostly after everything Chris does or says.
Her tightly coiled hair is dyed ginger and pinned up with a claw clip at the back of her head. She has thin lips that are almost the same brown complexion as her skin.
She looks young, younger than me, and naive. Studious, self-assured, are also words I'd use to describe her.

"Morgan." Chris says my name like it's a breath of fresh air. He smiles wide, waving me over more closely.

"This is Don, the contractor. And this is Mia." He doesn't give her a title, only tells me her name. That makes me tilt my head at her questionably.

Our eye contact breaks as Don, the contractor, forces my hand into a shake.
"It's nice to meet you. I like what you're doing with this project. Don't worry, it's in good hands." He smiles at me with rosy cheeks - or just sunburn.

I retract my hand and clear my throat at Chris.

He excuses Mia and Don and then cups my elbow, grinning. It's a special feeling that I've missed, one that only he can evoke.

"I wanted to surprise you." Claims a very proud Chris. I can see how excited he is and that warms my heart. I do love a nice, unexpected gesture.

The corners of my lips curl upward. "You don't have to do this." I tell him, fluttering my eyelashes.

"I know I don't have to," Chris replies immediately. "I want to. Are you happy with it? Look." He shows me the blueprints that he's drawn up.

I couldn't be more proud. It's beautiful.

"You're so talented." I thank him with a hug and huge smile.

"Chris?" Don cuts in.

Chris looks at him with wide eyes, almost mad at the interruption.

"A word, please?" He asks of the architect and leads him away.

I stand there to take it all in, watching Chris do his job and be very good at it. My heart warms up and fills with joy.

"He's a good man." A girl's voice says to me out of no where.

It's her.

I remain facing forward and give a simple, "I know."

"He talks about you a lot, I feel like I know you." She says. See, she is naive.

"Hm." I respond briefly.

"You're very pretty." She says to kill the awkward silence.

"Mia," I exhale, "you seem like a sweet girl, but let me just say this: I am prepared to do any and everything to secure my relationship and make sure anyone who tries to get in the way of it is dealt with. I have a lot of time and a lot of money and a lot of people who like to fuck shit up who are just waiting for me to say the word."

She stammers. "I-I'm not interested in Chris at all, ma'am."

I laugh at the word "ma'am."

"Good because I hate to be like that. Anyway, I didn't think you were but I know how the whole personal assistant thing can be. Call me crazy, right?" I pop my shoulder and finally get a good look at her.

"And thank you. You're beautiful, I love your hair. I'm Morgan." I give her a squeeze.

She embraces me back and looks relieved. "I've followed you online forever. I really like what you're doing with this place. You're a good woman, too, Morgan."

"Eh," I raise my shoulders and wipe away my smile. "thank you, Mia. You're too sweet, really."

"I like you already." She bubbles at the compliment.

I laugh and playfully nudge her. "I like you, too."

Chris returns and squeezes my hands. "We're going to the water park with the boys - team bonding. I want you to come and meet the boys."

Nerves make my eyes pop out wide. "Today?"

~~~

The boys are great, they make a good team - super talented. With Chris and Jabari's work, I see them going all the way.
It's very touching how proud of the boys Chris is. He loves them so much already. Seeing him be like that today, all fatherly, is reassuring. I'm happy he's found something other than work, something bigger than himself to put his time into. He needed this outlet. The fact that this is all volunteer work and non-profit is just the cherry on top. His selflessness isn't going unnoticed.

With Kevin R. finally inside of his own home, Chris finishes out the last leg of the trip.
No one's talking anymore, we're all pooped, just listening to the late night love songs on the radio as we try not to fall asleep.

Except, when I turn around to say something about earlier, I see that our friends are knocked out and snoring even.

I shake my head and sit back in my seat.

Chris laughs quietly. "Thanks for staying up with me."

"I always do." I hum.

Chris smiles softly. "Did you have fun today?"

"Yeah!" I adjust my volume to a light whisper. "Um, yeah... it's nice what you're doing for them. I'm proud, Chris."

He doesn't say it out loud, but judging by the bashful grin he's trying to hide, I can tell me saying that means a lot.

"I guess I have to ask." Chris says, slamming his trunk shut after throwing the boy's jerseys and basketballs inside.

"Ask what?" I'm oblivious, stopping on the way to my Lexus.

Chris hangs his head, cackling to himself. "About the kid you were flirting with."

"At the water park?" I guess that's what he means and he nods to confirm.

I flail my arms, laughing out loud.

When I see that Chris isn't joking, I rotate my jaw and mouth "wow."

I cover my cold arms with the jacket Chris let me wear earlier, and blink at him.

"He asked me out."

"And what'd you say?"

"Remember when I pointed to you? I told him you're the love of my life." I answer just as quickly as the question was posed.

Chris's face just falls to a blank expression then he says, "Huh."

"What?" I let out a small, curious laugh.

"Nothing." He clenches his jaw.

"You're handling this well." I figure, crossing both arms over my chest.

"I wanted to kill him." Chris scares me until he starts to chuckle. His bright grin brings me clarity. Though, I have no doubts he'd kill for me (again.)

"Tonight was nice," I falter, staring out of the window.

"It usually is with you." He flatters me some more.

My cheeks blush bright enough to serve as a "thank you" so I don't have to say it out loud.

"Likewise," I return, looking down at my feet. "it just feels like it's been so long."

"Too long." Chris's response comes quick. "I didn't even know you were still fun."

A playful push makes me laugh and only act offended but I shove him back.

"I am so fun! It's just easier to be like this when you're with me." I realize as I'm speaking how sappy this is getting and my voice trails off but I mean every word.

~~~

I step out of the shower and give my body time to air dry.

It's been close to an hour and Chris still isn't home yet. Or, at least if he is, he hasn't made it known. I wish he would, though. It's been hard to sleep without him.
After such a long but basically perfect day, I could fall asleep in his arms as the perfect way to put a bow on it.

I finish moisturizing my skin all over and slip into a pink satin cami and matching shorts for bed.

Except, I keep tossing and turning. I can't get into a good position to rest. Plus I'm cold.

I allow a few more minutes of grief before tying my robe around my waist and walking out to the kitchen.

And there's he is.

"I couldn't sleep." We both utter at the same time.

In unison again, we laugh. That is pretty funny.

I inch closer to a shirtless Chris near the refrigerator and peek at his muscles.

It's hard to keep my mind off of anything sexual right now, but I do want to get something off of my chest.

I stop fiddling my thumbs long enough to say, "I was wrong. You are a great man and I acknowledge everything you're doing. I can't express how proud of you I am. I know I said that before but I'll say it, like, twenty more at least."

It puts me at ease that I got a smile out of Chris.

"So what now?" He asks.

"What do you mean?" I wonder.

"You did say I'm the love of your life earlier, and you're mine. Do we act like this never happened, or?"

I swallow, pondering.

"We don't have to." I finally tell him.

He looks relieved. "Are we still friends?"

"Best friends, yes." I emphasize, batting my eyelashes.

Chris stalks closer. "Just best friends?"

His tall stature swallows mine in his shadow and I am more turned on than intimidated, but still feel both.

I shake my head, looking up into his eyes.

He pops an eyebrow, waiting for an answer as his fingertips crawl up my arms.

"Nuh-uh," I whisper, "I don't want to have sex with my friends..."

In the next instant, I'm swept off of my feet and feeling things I've missed for however long now.

I'm reminded of the passion that boils near the surface of our relationship.

It isn't moving fast or teasingly slow, it's perfect. He's perfect.

I melt at his touch, his lips devouring mine and my tongue.

The fabric of my robe slips off of my one shoulder and I let it, hoping he'll peel it off any minute anyway.

A sudden phone call makes me pause.

Chris doesn't let me stay distracted for long though, grabbing my jaw to bring my lips back to his.

"Mmm." I moan against his lips.

Then, another phone call. This one sounds further - it's mine in the bedroom.

"Maybe we should get it?" I fret, fighting off the powerful sensation that him sucking on my neck brings.

"Ignore it." He growls in my ear.

So I ignore it.

Until——

BANG! BANG! BANG!

There's a determined knock on the door.

"Who is that?" I wonder since it's so late.

Chris steps away, angry. "Stay here."

He tries walking to the door to check it out alone but I follow closely behind.

Seeing me there, Chris sucks his teeth at my disobedience but proceeds forward through the darkness anyway.

He looks out the window before answering the door.

"It's just Annette." He whispers to me.

I curl my face with confusion. "The detective?" I question. We haven't heard from her in a while.

He opens the door but doesn't let her come in at first.

I notice her eyes darting about and the way she won't keep still for even a split second so I pull her into our home.

Chris turns on the lights of the foyer and stares at Annette with expectation. This better be good.

"Annette, what's going on, it's almost two in the morning?" I remind her, covering myself.

"I was just in the neighborhood, thought I'd pop in." She charms.

"I don't like surprises, Annette." Chris rushes her to her next point.

She eyes us both, pausing for a beat, building this tension.

"Today." Chris grumbles for her to spit it out already.

Annette gulps and says, "She's back."