Here Comes Trouble by Delaney Diamond

Author:Delaney Diamond [Delaney Diamond]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literature & Fiction, United States, African American, Romance, Contemporary, Multicultural, Multicultural & Interracial
Amazon: B008FJOK40
Publisher: Delaney Diamond
Published: 2012-06-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Sweat drenched Lorena’s skin as she ran along the lighted sidewalk on the way back to her house. Her sneakered feet hit the pavement in an even rhythm. It was nighttime, and although she felt safe in her neighborhood, in her right hand she clutched a container of pepper spray. One could never be too careful.

She’d left the house after a phone call with her brother. Hearing about the confrontation between Matthew and Lewis upset her, and the solitude of running helped her to think. The fresh air renewed her spirits and created a blank slate in her mind so new thoughts could germinate.

She felt guilty about what had happened and speculated her behavior at Matthew’s apartment had encouraged his atrocious action toward Lewis. She needed to talk to Lewis about their future together. With the acknowledgment of her feelings for Matthew, she couldn’t continue to date him. It wasn’t fair to him. She’d rebounded with Lewis, using him to try to get over her heartache.

As she neared her yard, her pace slowed to a cooldown jog, and she was surprised to see Lewis’s car parked in the driveway. He stood by the driver’s side, talking on the phone. When he saw her, he ended the call and gave her a welcoming smile.

“Lewis,” Lorena puffed, trying to catch her breath. She placed her hands on her hips. “What brought you here?”

“Longing to see you, and you haven’t returned my phone calls.”

True. Guilt gnawed at her insides over what she’d done. She brushed a sweat-dampened curl from over her eye. “Sorry. I should have called you sooner.”

“No need to apologize.” He walked over and bent down for a kiss, but she ducked her head.

“I’m sweaty and gross,” she said by way of excuse, but the truth was, she didn’t want his kiss. After she said what she had to, he wouldn’t want to kiss her, either.

“I’m not bothered by a little sweat,” he said, pulling her into his arms.

She went rigid and accepted a peck on the lips before pulling away again.

Lewis frowned down at her. “Is something wrong?”

“We need to talk…about us.”

“I agree. I think it’s time we take our relationship to the next level, don’t you?”

He’d been pressing for an exclusive relationship ever since they started dating, which made what she had to tell him that much harder to say.

“Let’s go inside,” she said instead of answering his question.

****

Down the street, hidden in the shadow of a large oak, Matthew gripped the steering wheel so tight his biceps ached. He’d been sitting there, waiting, debating if he should stick around since Lorena wasn’t home. The minutes had dragged by, but he had hated to leave and miss her. He wanted a chance to talk to her, and a chance to offer her the bouquet of roses resting on the passenger seat beside him.

Maybe he was a masochist, intent on torturing himself over a woman who insisted she didn’t want to have anything else to do with him, but he couldn’t help it.

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