She smiled, turned from me, and started walking to her car as the next shuttle bus pulled up and I climbed onboard.
JEMISTRY
Chapter Twenty-two
“Love is not about how much you say ‘I love you,’ but about how much you prove that it’s true.”
—Unknown
Tevin beat me to his house, even though he had to catch the shuttle to long-term parking first. I wasn’t the least bit surprised. My emotions were all over the place as I got out of my SUV and walked up to his door. It would have been easier to continue to be away from him and go on with my life, but I had spent a few days on the beach in St. Thomas trying to decide what made sense and what didn’t with regards to what went down.
He was correct in his assumption that I had analyzed the entire situation over and over. He was also correct that I had ascertained that Winsome had been the aggressor and that he had not come there intentionally to be with her in an intimate way. What confused me was the guilty look on his face when I caught them both coming out of the bedroom. What had actually happened? Did they have intercourse? And if so, how could she have forced him to do it?
I had kicked Winsome out and had her taken off the lease. Then, since it was a month-to-month anyway, I moved and sublet a place for a few months from a friend from college in Northeast. She had to go to Japan on business for the summer so it worked out for both of us. Her place was furnished so I had put the majority of my things into storage. I didn’t want any of those memories at my old place. I didn’t want to come home to that every day.
At some point, I did plan to finally have it out with Winsome, but first I had to figure out what to do about Tevin.
He had the door open by the time I got to the front steps. He was smiling from ear-to-ear.
Damn, he’s so fine!
“Come in, baby,” he said, moving aside so I could enter. “I was down in Florida visiting Mom and Alexis so I don’t have that much in the fridge, but I can throw something together from the freezer if you’re hungry. Or I can order in.”
“I’m not hungry,” I replied. “I ate on the plane.”
He cleared his throat as I stood in front of his sofa. “Where were you coming from?”
“Saint Thomas. I needed to get away for a few days. I haven’t taken a vacation all summer.”
“Oh, did you go alone?”
“That’s none—” I had to attempt to maintain some composure. “Yes, I went alone.”
I sat down on the sofa and he sat in the armchair.
“Well, you look great. Nice and tanned.”
Instead of saying “thanks,” I said, “The only reason that I came over here is because we have to discuss something of great importance.”
“Everything that comes out of your mouth is important to me.”
Tevin always tripped me up by being so damn attentive. I wasn’t used to it.
“Before I tell you what I need to say, I need you to tell me what really happened between you and Winsome that day.”
“Wow, that’s all I’ve ever wanted . . . a chance to explain. That day you wouldn’t—”
I held up my palm. “Today is a new day . . . a different day.”
He sighed and said, “I cooked dinner. You called and said that you were running late. I fell asleep. I heard you, or who I thought was you, come into the room. She undid my pants. Within five seconds of her putting me in her mouth, I realized it wasn’t you. I jumped up and started cursing her out, while she implied that I had acted like I wanted her.
“She got angry. I got angrier. We heard your key in the lock. What can I say? I panicked. I tried to make it out of the room before you came in the front door but she halfway blocked me long enough to make it seem like we were coming out of there after fucking.
“I don’t want Winsome. You should know better. Not only do I not want Winsome, I don’t want anyone else but you.”
Tevin got up and said, “I’ll be right back.”
While he dashed up the steps two at a time, I looked around the room. I had missed being at his house, lying in his arms, being the object of his desire. My past insecurities were telling me not to let my guard down again. But he seemed sincere and I wouldn’t put anything past Winsome. She was lonely and, in many wa