“I hope so.”
“Let me rephrase. Is that all we are?”
“I wouldn’t say ‘all’.”
“Then what would you say?”
Tisha thought for a moment before speaking honestly. “I’m not sure. ‘Boyfriend and girlfriend’ sounds a little lame. ‘Lovers’ seems too simple and common.”
“Then maybe we should invent a new word.”
“A new word?” Tisha smiled and leaned back more into her pillows.
“Yes. Something that will encompass everything we are.”
“What about…‘flovers’.”
“Flovers?”
“Yes, friends and lovers combined.”
Jonah laughed which made her smile widened in return. “Flovers. That’s a good one.”
She was glad she had him laughing and the former weariness in his voice was gone. “I aim to please.”
“And you do.”
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you.” She could hear the sincerity through the phone line. He wasn’t merely spouting platitudes to be polite.
“For making you laugh?”
“For that, and for coming tonight.”
“All I did was wait in the car.” It wasn’t all she wanted to do though. When she saw the look of anguish on Cami’s face, Tisha developed a strong dislike for ReShaunda and an almost uncontrollable urge to beat the woman down for the hurt she put both Jonah and the little girl through, but that wouldn’t have accomplished anything.
“That wasn’t all you did. You were there for me. Something I’m not used to. The only person I’ve ever really known who had my back was Cami’s dad. And when he died, I thought I’d never have that again.”
“You thought wrong.”
“I guess I did.”
After a brief silence, she turned the conversation back to the matter at hand. “Did you get Cami settled in?”
“Yes, and I stayed with her until she fell asleep.”
“You’re such a good dad.” She might not be a mom herself, but she could recognize a good parent when she saw one.
“I learned from mine.”
“You did?” she asked, confused.
“Yes, I do the exact opposite of what he did. Starting with just being there.” Jonah could have used his upbringing in foster care to blame the world for any and all woes. Instead he was turning around the life of one little girl.
“Good place to start.”
“I thought so.” Jonah sighed heavily. “Enough about me. Let’s talk about something else.”
Tisha was happy to comply. “Such as?”
“You and what you’re doing.”
“I’m lying in bed.”
“I like the sound of that.” His voice deepened, causing her womb to contract.
“Then you’re really going to enjoy the sound of this. I’m not wearing anything but a smile.”
“Hmm…” His sexy rumble sent a tiny shiver coursing through her. “That’s my favorite outfit of yours.”
“I thought you’d approve.”
“I wish I was there right now.”
So did she. “You and me both.” Tisha reached over to her nightstand and clicked off her light before leaning back against her pillows. “What about you? What are you wearing?”
“Pajama bottoms.”
Tisha closed her eyes and tried to imagine him. “Do they have something sexy on them, like lips or chili peppers?”
“Chili peppers?” He chuckled.
Tisha opened her eyes at the sound of his amusement. “Okay, it’s not as sexy as it would be hot, but you know, paint a picture for me to carry with me to sleep.”
“How about I give you something better to carry you to sleep?”
“Like…”
“An orgasm.”
“You already did that.” Many, many times.
“And I want to do it again.”
Her pulse quickened. Man, she had it bad. “How do you plan on doing that?”
“By getting you off while we’re on the phone.”
Even though Tisha had an inkling this was the direction their conversation was headed, her heart still skipped a beat. “I like the sound of that, but—”
“No buts. I’m not letting you off this phone until I hear you come for me again.” His tone brooked no arguments.
“I don’t want to be the only one getting off.”
“You
“Let me rephrase. Is that all we are?”
“I wouldn’t say ‘all’.”
“Then what would you say?”
Tisha thought for a moment before speaking honestly. “I’m not sure. ‘Boyfriend and girlfriend’ sounds a little lame. ‘Lovers’ seems too simple and common.”
“Then maybe we should invent a new word.”
“A new word?” Tisha smiled and leaned back more into her pillows.
“Yes. Something that will encompass everything we are.”
“What about…‘flovers’.”
“Flovers?”
“Yes, friends and lovers combined.”
Jonah laughed which made her smile widened in return. “Flovers. That’s a good one.”
She was glad she had him laughing and the former weariness in his voice was gone. “I aim to please.”
“And you do.”
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you.” She could hear the sincerity through the phone line. He wasn’t merely spouting platitudes to be polite.
“For making you laugh?”
“For that, and for coming tonight.”
“All I did was wait in the car.” It wasn’t all she wanted to do though. When she saw the look of anguish on Cami’s face, Tisha developed a strong dislike for ReShaunda and an almost uncontrollable urge to beat the woman down for the hurt she put both Jonah and the little girl through, but that wouldn’t have accomplished anything.
“That wasn’t all you did. You were there for me. Something I’m not used to. The only person I’ve ever really known who had my back was Cami’s dad. And when he died, I thought I’d never have that again.”
“You thought wrong.”
“I guess I did.”
After a brief silence, she turned the conversation back to the matter at hand. “Did you get Cami settled in?”
“Yes, and I stayed with her until she fell asleep.”
“You’re such a good dad.” She might not be a mom herself, but she could recognize a good parent when she saw one.
“I learned from mine.”
“You did?” she asked, confused.
“Yes, I do the exact opposite of what he did. Starting with just being there.” Jonah could have used his upbringing in foster care to blame the world for any and all woes. Instead he was turning around the life of one little girl.
“Good place to start.”
“I thought so.” Jonah sighed heavily. “Enough about me. Let’s talk about something else.”
Tisha was happy to comply. “Such as?”
“You and what you’re doing.”
“I’m lying in bed.”
“I like the sound of that.” His voice deepened, causing her womb to contract.
“Then you’re really going to enjoy the sound of this. I’m not wearing anything but a smile.”
“Hmm…” His sexy rumble sent a tiny shiver coursing through her. “That’s my favorite outfit of yours.”
“I thought you’d approve.”
“I wish I was there right now.”
So did she. “You and me both.” Tisha reached over to her nightstand and clicked off her light before leaning back against her pillows. “What about you? What are you wearing?”
“Pajama bottoms.”
Tisha closed her eyes and tried to imagine him. “Do they have something sexy on them, like lips or chili peppers?”
“Chili peppers?” He chuckled.
Tisha opened her eyes at the sound of his amusement. “Okay, it’s not as sexy as it would be hot, but you know, paint a picture for me to carry with me to sleep.”
“How about I give you something better to carry you to sleep?”
“Like…”
“An orgasm.”
“You already did that.” Many, many times.
“And I want to do it again.”
Her pulse quickened. Man, she had it bad. “How do you plan on doing that?”
“By getting you off while we’re on the phone.”
Even though Tisha had an inkling this was the direction their conversation was headed, her heart still skipped a beat. “I like the sound of that, but—”
“No buts. I’m not letting you off this phone until I hear you come for me again.” His tone brooked no arguments.
“I don’t want to be the only one getting off.”
“You