“Sheesh, you’re hard on a guy,” I said, laughing.
Shrugging, she said, “It’s the truth.”
“I was wrong; I’m not afraid to admit that. But I was afraid of the feelings I was developing for her. Pushing her away was the worst thing that I could do, and I never expected to be let inside again after being banned out of her life for a decade.”
“She’s a wonderful woman with a heart of gold. Don’t screw it up this time, Chambers,” Chanda said, wagging a finger at me.
“Trust me; I won’t. I only have to play the role of fool once before I learn from my mistakes.”
“Good. Besides, you did something right if Mr. Sheffield is coming around,” she said with a wink before walking away.
Xiomara’s mom and sister cheered us along, but her dad was a bit slower about coming around. There was still work to do on the relationship that I was forging with him, but it was moving forward, and that’s all I could ask.
I made my way to where Xiomara stood. She’d just finished speaking with a reporter.
“You should be proud.”
“I am. Humble but proud.”
“That’s a good thing, but why the humility?”
“My parents always taught us we could do anything that we put our minds to. Hard work, positive attitudes, and staying focused. I’m grateful that they taught us not to rely on them but to pave our way. And this is kind of that. I take nothing that I’m building for granted, as though it’s my right or it’s owed to me. I’m glad I’m not stuck in the same quandary. You know what I mean?”
“Staying within the confines of Sheffield?”
“Yeah. It would have still been me relying on what my dad built; I wanted something that’s my own. Although it’s in my mom’s industry, it’s not the same.”
“Well, I think Mara’s Wardrobe is going to be an international success,” I said, pulling her into my arms and kissing her forehead.
“I hope so,” she said as she glanced at her watch. “Well, it’s time.”
“All right, babe. Go show the world what you’ve got.”
“You don’t want me to do that,” she teased with an impish smile.
I laughed and watched as she made her way to the doors. Her grand opening would happen in two stages. The first was for family, friends, the media, buyers, and a few other notables in the fashion industry. We’d just finished that.
Now it was time for the second stage, which was open to the public. And the last time I’d checked, the line was down the block and around the corner. I was sure that all of Sunset Harbor came to check out the opening of her new boutique.
It didn’t surprise me to see the first people in line were Russell Darden and his girlfriend, Miriam. He’d met a woman that he truly cared about and had made a similar stand with his parents that Xiomara had made.
Arranged marriages weren’t for everyone, and I was glad to see that he had found what might be true love. Not that I was a romantic or anything, but his eyes weren’t on my woman any longer. That’s all I gave a damn about.
I watched as the people poured into her boutique, exclaiming over the fabulous designs. Most of those were her sister, Senait’s designs. I was happy for her, as well, because she was beaming with pride as if those designs were her children.
Several of my players’ wives and coaches’ wives showed up to support and make purchases, promising that they’d be repeat customers. Everyone seemed pleased, and no one was prouder of Xiomara than I was, except for her parents.
“Are you ready, Mr. NBA Two-Time Championship Team Owner,” Xiomara teased, looping her arm through mine after the last of the customers had gone and she had locked the doors.
“I’m ready, but not necessarily to head to my house yet.”
“Mine?” she asked, wearing a pleasing look.
Xiomara had finally moved out of her parents’ home to her father’s displeasure, but her mother had supported her decision.
“So, where are we going then?”
“Come on,” I said, grasping her hand and leading her to the window display.
Laughing, she replied, “What’re you doing, Lake?”
“I think we need to christen this window display,” I whispered in her ear.
Grabbing the zipper of her skirt, I pulled it up until I exposed her ass to me as she shrieked and tried to pull it back down.
“I love it when you go commando,” I groaned in her ear, my dick twitching at the thought of sinking inside of her.
“Lake, we’re in a window display. Anyone can see us,” she objected.
“No one’s watching. Everyone’s gone home for the night,” I said, pressing a kiss to her neck. “You know there’s no action in downtown Sunset Harbor on a Wednesday night. So, I just want to bring a little activity to the town. Liven it up a bit. Besides, I’ve always wanted to do this.”
“Screw in a store window?”
“Mm-hmm,” I muttered, licking her earlobe.
She moaned as I slid my fingers across her folds.
My moan joined hers as I licked her essence from my fingers. I continued to rub her as I reached between us and removed my dick from my pants.
Nothing felt as wonderful as slipping inside of her moist, soft heat. Something I looked forward to every time we were together this way.
“Z! You feel so fucking good!” I exclaimed in her ear, sucking on the lobe of it.
Her moans drowned out my heartbeat and my grunts as I drove inside of her.
Xiomara lost all of her reservations as she pushed back against me, her face and upper body pressed against the window. My hands gripped her hips as I plowed inside of her, swiveling in tight circles.
“Aww, fuck, Lake!” she screamed as my movements slowed, but my thrusts were more forceful and with a lot more intensity.
Only she had ever made me feel this way. I’d been with lots
