A WEB OF DECEIT ✔️

chapter 45

Nkosikhona

It was around 2 AM when I finally got back home. I had been out for hours handling some work, and all I wanted to do was collapse into bed. But when I walked into my room, I was met with a sight I wasn't expecting. There she was-Thelani-in my bed, half-naked,and an empty bottle of wine on the nightstand next to her. She looked like a goddess bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight that filtered through the curtains. Her dark skin shimmered slightly in the dim light, and her hair cascaded around her face as she slept peacefully, completely oblivious to the world.

I smiled, my heart swelling at the sight of her. She looked so peaceful, so at ease. I wanted to cover her with the fleece blanket to make her more comfortable, but as soon as I made the slightest movement, her eyes fluttered open. She must be a light sleeper.

"Nkosi... you're back," she mumbled groggily, her voice thick with sleep. Her lips curved into a lazy smile. "Come here," she said, reaching out for me.

"Whoa, whoa," I chuckled as she tugged me closer, her grip surprisingly strong for someone half-asleep and clearly intoxicated.

Before I could say anything, she tried to pull me down onto the bed, her lips aiming for mine. She was definitely drunk, and it took me by surprise. She was usually so shy about showing affection, so this boldness was out of character. I gently placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

"Wait, Lani... you're drunk," I said softly, trying to reason with her.

She just giggled like a schoolgirl, brushing my hand away as if I was saying something silly. "So what? I want you. Don't you want me?" She reached for the waistband of my pants, fumbling with the button, her intentions clear.

I grabbed her hands gently, stopping her again. "Lani, you're drunk. I want you, trust me, but not like this. Not when you're like this. You'll regret it in the morning."

She looked up at me with a mischievous pout, her lips swollen from sleep and her eyes slightly glazed over from the wine. "No, I won't," she whispered. "I'm horny!"

I stifled a laugh at how ridiculous she sounded. Here was Thelani-usually so composed, so proper-drunk and demanding, practically pleading with me to take her right there. But no matter how sexy she looked, how tempting her body was laid out before me, I wasn't going to cross that line.

"Come on," I said softly, gently prying her hands off me. "You're drunk, and trust me, you'll thank me tomorrow for not letting this happen."

She pouted even more, crossing her arms over her chest like a sulking child. "No, I don't want to sleep. I'm horny!" She said it with such seriousness that I couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"It must be the wine," I chuckled, shaking my head. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

But she wasn't giving up that easily. "Nkosi...," she whined. "Don't you love me? Don't you think I'm sexy?" Her words were slurred, and her eyes were droopy, but she was still trying to look seductive, though the effect was more humorous than alluring in her current state.

I knelt down by the side of the bed, wiping away some of her hair that had fallen in front of her face. "Lani, of course, I think you're sexy. You're beautiful. And I do love you, but I also respect you too much to do this when you're not fully yourself."

She blinked at me, seemingly processing my words. "You love me?" she asked, her voice suddenly soft and vulnerable.

I smiled, cupping her cheek in my hand. "Yeah, I do."

She blinked again, and for a moment, it seemed like she was going to sober up just enough to respond. But then her face scrunched up, and before I knew it, she leaned over the bed and vomited on the floor.