Hook'd

by Taisha S. Ryan

  "Here, drink this."

  She opened her eyes to find a glass of bubbling water in his hand. "What is it?"

  "Alka Seltzer. Should help with the hangover."

  She took it from him. "Thanks."

  Forcing herself up, she took a sip of water. He sprawled next to her on the bed, watching her.

  "What time is it?" she asked him.

  He glanced at his watch. "2:30."

  Her brows rose. "2:30? That late?"

  "Yup."

  She couldn't believe she slept that long. When she took notice to his attire, she asked, "Why are you dressed up?"

  Clad in a casual white fitted T-shirt, crisp jeans and Jordan’s with a fitted cap over his head, he looked like he was on his way out. It was then when she noticed her own appearance, realizing she had been naked with nothing but the disheveled bed sheets draped over her body. In that moment, the hazy memory of their sexual escapades last night clouded her mind, and she blushed at the thought.

  "We gotta flight to catch."

  "What?"

  "Yeah, in about an hour."

  "You can't be serious." She had totally forgotten about that. With a tired sigh, she laid her head on the pillow. She could barely move. Beside the fact that her body had been sore from their wild tirade last night, the hangover didn't make it any better. "There's no way I can get on a plane right now."

  "Why not?"

  "I can barely move."

  "That bad?"

  She nodded, closing her eyes. "Can we catch a later one...Like tomorrow?"

  "Yeah, we could do that if you want."

  She looked at him. "Really?"

  "Yeah."

  "But what about your crew?"

  "They could still take they asses home."

  Reese relaxed with relief. She could just kiss him right now. "Thank you."

  He brought her closer and she rested her head on his chest. She basked in the addictive scent of cologne exuding his T-shirt, as the warmth of his sinewy arms brought her a sense of comfort she found herself longing for, these days.

  "I hate myself for drinking so much," she mumbled.

  "Yeah, ya alter ego came out last night," he teased.

  She blushed, rolling her eyes.

  "The shit you was doing...aw man." He shook his head, reminiscing. "You handled my dick like a boss!"

  She smiled, remembering that. She had no idea where that side of her came from. Although she had a very dominant personality, she had never been as comfortable displaying that aspect in the bedroom. In fact, she always played submissive, allowing the man to take control instead. Even with Cameron, she preferred it that way. He knew exactly how to work her body in different ways no man had ever done in her 38 years of life. As pathetic as that might have been. However, for some reason, last night a different side of her took over.

  She blamed the alcohol.

  "That shit turned me on, too. You was Ms. Freak Nasty up in this bitch."

  She chuckled at his words. He always took it overboard.

  "That's gonna be your new nickname from now on."

  She shot him a glare. "Don’t even think about it."

  He laughed. "What's wrong with that name?"

  "Cameron."

  "What?"

  She tried to remain serious, despite the smile teasing the edge of her lips.

  "So, I can't call you—"

  "No," she cut him off.

  "Not even when—"

  "No."

  "So, what about when we—"

  "No. No. No."

  "Iight, fine." He nodded with laughter, giving in.

  For a moment, they laid in silence, lost in their own thoughts. Out of habit, she ran her hand up his shirt, softly tracing her fingers across his bulging abs, as his firm hands caressed her back.

  "You remember what you said to me, last night?"

  She looked at him. "No, what did I say?"

  "You don't remember?"

  She shook her head.

  "At all?"

  "No," she said honestly.

  He stared at her, as though searching for the truth in her eyes. And she grew more confused, wondering what he was referring to.

  "You really don't remember, Reese?"

  "No, I have no idea what you're talking about. What did I say?"

  He shook his head, facing forward. "Nothing."

  "No, what is it?"

  "Nah, it's nothing."

  Too hungover to care, Reese shut her eyes and drifted back to sleep.

  *

  For the rest of the day, they did nothing but relax. And it was...a relief. These eventful four days had swamped her energy completely, and just being able to do nothing was comforting. For Cameron to clear his schedule and stay an extra day just to accommodate her, she really appreciated it.

  Thankfully, her hungover had subsided. After throwing up a couple times, taking some medicine, and Cameron nursing her with back massages, her discomfort withered away. Clad in his oversized T shirt and her panties, with her awful to god messy hair tied with a silk wrap, she was sure she looked a mess. If this were any other day, she would've made some attempt to fix herself up. But tonight, she had no energy nor care in the world. Fortunately, Cameron never seemed to mind it.

  Seated upright with his back against the headboard, he watched episodes of The Walking Dead, as she laid across his lap swifting through pictures on his IPad.

  When she came across a certain photo, she smiled. It was a shot of himself, playing basketball with a group of young children.

  "Aww, where was this?"

  She showed him the picture and he glanced at it.

  "That was back in my old hood in the Bronx. They were having a basketball tournament this summer, and I decided to visit there."

  She swiped through the pictures, gazing at the various snapshots of the festivity. With him signing autographs for the young fans, and himself posted in a group picture with them as well. There was something so refreshing seeing him in that element, much more endearing than other pictures of him partying at the club, or posing with trashy women with such bravado. Surprisingly enough, his photo album had none of that, instead just intimate pictures of himself, fans and his friends. Just doing the simple things. Enjoying life. And she admired that.

  "You ever want kids?" she asked after a while.

  "Yeah.”

  “What about marriage?”

  “Yeah, one day.”

  She gave him a suspicious look. “You want to get married?”

  “Yes, I wanna get married.” He smirked a bit. “Is that so hard to believe?”

  “Yeah, it is.”

  “Why?”

  “Because…you have so many options of women to choose from. Plus you’re rich. It’s just hard to understand why you would want to commit to only one woman…on that level, anyway.”

  “Well, to be honest, fucking around with different bitches gets old after a while. And plus, I always wanted a family of my own. So, one day when the time is right, and I meet that right one, I’ll take her down the aisle.”

  Surprised by his words, Reese didn’t respond. She just never expected him to feel such a way about marriage. She always pictured him as one of those athletes who planned on staying a bachelor for life while despising the idea of indefinite commitment. So, to know his true feelings regarding that, peeled away yet another layer of Cameron she never expected.

  Without a word, she swiped through more pictures on his device.

  “So, what about you? You ever want the whole marriage and kids thing?” he asked.

  “Marriage? I don’t know…”

  “You don’t know if you wanna get married?” He lifted a brow.

  Her chest tightened as her mind flashed to her past. Just the mere topic of marriage made her uncomfortable. Foolish her, for bringing it up.

  “I’m not saying I don’t. I do. It’s just…finding a good man that’s worth spending your life with, especially one who you can actually love and trust
, is a huge step. A gamble, really. And kids? Well… I already gave up on that idea a long time ago.” She corrected with a shrug.

  "What do you mean, you gave up?"

  “I stopped wishing for something that would most likely never come true.”

  “And why do you say that?”

  "I'm 38 years old."

  "So?"

  "I'm passed my prime."

  "That ain't true. There's some women your age having kids."

  She opened her mouth to respond, but shook her head. "Forget it. You wouldn't understand."

  "Try me."

  A sigh left her lips. "It's just the chances of that ever happening now, is very unlikely. Biologically, speaking. If it hasn't happened already, I doubt it ever will."

  "Could still happen though."

  "But the chances are very slim."

  "Doesn't mean you should give up."

  "Okay, Cameron," She rolled her eyes, the topic dampening her mood. She didn't want to talk about it anymore. It was much easier for him to say so. He was a young man with the whole world as his oyster. He could find a woman tomorrow and get her pregnant. She, on the other hand, was a much older woman with her biological clock ticking away by the moment. Her chances were very slim, and there was no point in fooling herself otherwise.

  "C'mere."

  "Why?" she said, dryly.

  He tilted his head. "Would you just bring ya stubborn ass on?"

  Huffing out a sigh, she crawled over to him as he widened his legs, inviting her in. He brought her close, wrapping his arms around her. Despite her initial resistance, she found herself leaning against his chest, snuggling in his arms, the warmth of him putting her at ease. He took the IPad from her and closed the photo album on the screen.

  She frowned. "What are you doing?"

  "Let's take a picture."

  "No."

  "Why not?"

  "Because, I look a mess."

  "No, you don't."

  Before she could protest again, he opened up the camera feature, allowing their reflection to appear on the screen. She cringed at the sight of her face bare of any make up, with her messy hair banded in a scarf. She really did look a mess.

  When he snapped the picture, she blinked.

  "Wait, I wasn't ready. Delete that one."

  "Nah."

  He stuck his tongue in her ear and she scrunched her face, moving away from him.

  "Eww, what the hell are you—"

  He snapped another picture.

  "Cam!" She blurted out as he laughed.

  "You know what? I'm done," she forced a serious tone, fighting a grin.

  "Alright, alright. Let's take a real one, then."

  With a sigh, she rolled her eyes. "Fine."

  She stared at their reflection through the screen, realizing how well they looked together. Despite their differences in ages, they just seemed to aesthetically fit. Especially the way their brown hued skin complemented each other so perfectly.

  Cameron pressed his lips on her cheek and she blushed with a smile. Liking the way they looked, she snapped the picture.

  "There," she said satisfied.

  Much better.

  "And none of these better end up online," she dared him with a glare.

  "Nah, they won't. Just for me."

  "Good," She eased more comfortably. A silence fell over them as they both looked through his photos.

  "Cam?" she finally spoke up.

  "Hmm?"

  She turned her head to face him. "I just wanna thank you for inviting me on his trip. I really enjoyed my time here. It was amazing, so thank you."

  "My pleasure."

  With a soft smile, she turned back around.

  "You know you've been calling me that lately?"

  "What?" she asked.

  "Cam."

  "I have?"

  She never noticed it.

  "Yeah."

  "Oh." Her face warmed a bit. "Well, I have to change that. What's your middle name?"

  "I ain't telling you."

  "Why not?"

  "Because you're gonna laugh."

  "No, I won't."

  "Nah."

  "C'mon, what is it?" She turned to him, and he lifted his chin with a distrustful stare.

  "Promise you won't laugh?"

  "I promise. What is it?"

  "Gilbert."

  "Gilbert?"

  She burst into laughter, and he hissed his teeth.

  "See?"

  "Sorry, I just never expected that. It's sounds so..."

  "Goofy, I know. Blame my mama for giving me that stupid ass name."

  "It's kind of cute, actually."

  "Cute? Fuck that. I'm too thugged out for a name like Gilbert, nah," he defended with a faux bravado that only made her giggle even more.

  "Whatever, Gilbert."

  "Call me that again," he dared.

  "Gil-bert."

  He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up, startling her. He slammed her on the bed and tickled her sides as she burst into laughter.

  "Think that's funny, huh," he teased.

  She squirmed, fighting off his roaming hands as she continued to giggle. When he finally stopped, her laughter subsided as she caught her breath. They stared into each other’s eyes without a word. His fingers softly grazed the side of her face, and her skin tingled from his touch. There was a certain look in his eyes she never recognized before.

  "What?" she whispered.

  "Nothing," he said lowly.

  She softly rubbed his face, admiring his beautiful features. From his dark smooth skin, those coffee brown almond shaped eyes, high cheekbones, full nose, and those plump lips. The air was filled with nothing but the soft sounds of their breathing, as they grew lost in their own thoughts. A certain feeling brewed in the depths of her stomach, a feeling so familiar yet potent enough to awaken something in her spirit she hadn't felt in years...

  She broke her gaze, clearing her dry throat.

  "What time is it?" she asked, easing up from under him.

  He glanced at his watch. "10:30."

  "We should get ready for bed since we have an early flight tomorrow."

  He nodded, watching her. Without a word, she hurried into the bathroom to take a shower.

  Reese shut her eyes, immersing herself in the warm water. Her mind jumbled with so many thoughts, as her heart spiraled with a myriad of feelings she could no longer suppress. She couldn't fight it anymore.

  She was falling for Cameron. Hard.

  How did she get this deep? Yes, she had always felt something between them. Whether she wanted to admit it or not. But not like this. Damnit. She had gotten caught up, and she didn't know what to do. This was exactly what she had been trying to avoid. These certain feelings she knew all too well, would only end in tumultuous pain. She learned that from experience. And since then, she had vowed to never feel that again.

  Reese heaved in a deep breath, forcing herself to relax. Maybe he didn't feel the same way. Sure he felt something for her, but not like this. He had plenty other women to choose from. She doubted they would move even further than simply...friends. Or dating partners. Or sex buddies. Whatever they were calling it now a days. And she should be okay with that.

  With a sigh, Reese shut off the water. She grabbed a fresh towel and wiped her face, before drying off her body. When her gaze landed on the countertop, she paused. With a lifted brow, she wrapped the towel around her body and approached the counter, staring at the black rectangular box. Had that been there all along?

  She picked it up and opened it. She gasped at the sight. Inside was a 24-carat diamond necklace with a matching bracelet. In disbelief, she took out the necklace, observing its gleaming beauty.

  "Cam, did you—" She spun around to meet him at the doorway. "What's this?"

  He entered the bathroom, approaching her.

  "Is this mine?" she asked, breathless.

  He nodded.

  "But why?...T-this is too much. I
can't take this." She shook her head. It must've cost him a fortune.

  He took the necklace from her hands. "Turn around."

  She faced the mirror and watched as he latched the jewelry around her neck. He rubbed her arms and kissed her shoulder.

  Her heart swelled. "It's beautiful."

  It truly was. She ran her fingers across the jagged texture, loving the way it gleamed on her mahogany brown skin. She couldn't believe Cameron had bought this for her. What did she do to deserve this?

  "Why for me?"

  "Because I want us to be together."

  She froze. "What?"

  Her heart caught in her throat, she couldn't even speak.

  "This whole time we’ve been searching for something. Something that we never wanted to admit to ourselves, but both knew deep down that what we're really looking for only exists in each other. And I'm tired of searching, Reese. I want you to be mine. Right now."

  Overwhelmed, she tried to process his words.

  "I-I don't even know what to say."

  He grasped her hand and placed it on her chest. "What does your heart say?"

  She slowly shook her head, her eyes welling with tears. Afraid to articulate her heart's yearning desire.

  "I don't know," she whispered.

  "You do know, Reese. You know that right in here." He grasped her hand firmer. "Stop fighting it, baby. I won't allow that shit. Not this time."

  Whirling with emotions, Reese shut her eyes with a deep breath. Her heart screaming the words her lips were afraid to speak.

  "What does it say, Reese?" he demanded.

  "That I wanna be with you too."

  "Then let's take that next step. That's what we both want."

  "I haven't been with another man in years," she admitted. "I just don't know if I can—"

  "Look at me."

  She forced her gaze to his, and his brown orbs held her in its strong grip

  "It's okay to be scared. But you just gotta trust me, and believe I won't hurt you. Will you do that?"

  She held his gaze for a while, battling with her fears she tried so hard to suppress. His fervent tone and words, that piercing stare smoldered with a warm sincerity that stirred her heart in tremendous waves. She felt him. She believed him. And she could no longer allow herself to run away from what she had been feeling all this time. This was what she truly wanted. And that was him.