vittanos willow by Aliyah Burke Read Free Book Online Page A

and disappointed for her wearing the sweatshirt.
    “Did I go to fast for you?” he queried as his nose nuzzled her
    soft hair.
    She relaxed her weight against his chest. “No, oh, God, no! I
    want you so much it hurts, but I can’t.”
    “Will you tell me why? What did I do?”
    “It wasn’t you. I want to, I just can’t .”
    It dawned on him what she was trying to communicate with
    him. His face spilt into a wide smile. “I get it now; just call me stupid.”
    “I never should have led you on,” she mumbled in his chest.

    Vittano's Willow
    45
    “Baby, when this is over and we are in this position again, I will
    show you just what I wanted to do to you tonight. I’m okay.” He
    stroked her arm as she eventually nodded, remaining silent.
    For a while they sat together on the couch without speaking.
    Her fingers trailed idly up and down his bare arm. Osten kept his cheek
    pressed against her head and gently rocked them back and forth.

    Chantoya woke up on her couch covered with the purple blan-
    ket that had been over the back cushions. Blinking a few times to focus
    her eyes, she realized she was alone. His jacket was no longer on the
    chair by the door.
    Swinging her legs to the floor, CJ got up and headed down the
    short hall to her bedroom. Quickly she grabbed some clean clothes and
    went into her shower. It didn’t take long for her to return to the living
    room, straightening up while a breakfast casserole baked in her oven.
    A knock at the door made her smile. “Hey there,” she said,
    swinging the door open to come face to face with a tall black man.
    One eyebrow arched as he asked, “Is that the way you were
    taught to answer the door?”
    “Ajani,” she said with elation. “Probably not, but who cares.
    Give me a hug.”
    The man was about six feet tall and solid muscle. “Hey, your-
    self.” His trunk-like arms settled around her smaller frame. He pressed
    a kiss to her cheek.
    “And me?” the voice behind them caused her look at the man
    walking around the hall corner. Tall, blond, and extremely handsome.
    “Thurston!” she exclaimed as she was handed between the men.
    The blond pressed a kiss to her cheek as well.
    The trio walked back into her apartment where the men went in-
    to kitchen and began snooping into what was cooking. “I’m hungry,”
    they complained as she shooed them out back to the living room.
    Luckily, she had already picked up her discarded bra from last night.

    Standing in the lot to CJ’s apartment complex, Osten frowned
    when the same Asian man whom CJ had embraced so easily at the
    school entered her home. The man, dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved

    46
    Aliyah Burke
    crewneck, had climbed out of an older model Ford truck. A brown
    bomber jacket protected him from the biting wind.
    Osten had fallen asleep with CJ’s luscious body in his arms.
    Around two in the morning, he had awakened and decided to leave.
    After tucking her in on the sofa, he had kissed her lips and slid out of
    the apartment to head home and work out.
    Around eight he’d realized he wanted to spend the day with
    her. Instead of calling, he took a chance and dropped by. As he’d
    climbed out of his car, he’d seen the man from the school heading into
    her building.
    He’d glowered and come to a decision. At the school, Osten had
    let it go; but since last night, he was more than willing to fight for what
    he knew was his future. His teammates who had gotten married had
    told him his soul would know when it was right.
    And it said Chantoya Jackson was right. Tugging on his three-
    quarter length, black leather jacket, Osten took a deep breath and
    headed for the door as well. He would find out what her relationship
    was with that man before he did anything stupid. At least that was the
    plan.

    Sitting at the table with the three men, Chantoya grinned. She
    loved them all so much.
    “What’s so funny, Chipmunk?” Thurston asked as he helped
    himself to more of the casserole and