This Winter

Chapter 4

Love and Basketball is out!!! Links are on my board so go buy the book and if you can't, leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads, thanks!!!

Leila read over the papers sitting in her lap as she tried to edit her business proposal for the fourth time that morning but just like the previous times, the sound of the water running in the bathroom had her distracted. After her very detailed dream of her and Devin that night, the last thing she needed to do was to be distracted by the mental image of him in the shower. Snap out of it Leila! She reminded herself with a shake of her head before looking back at her paper. 

With your partnership both our companies will not only excel but continue to...

"Leila!" Devin yelled from the bathroom and Leila momentarily shut her eyes before ignoring him. 

Continue to provide a better community for our youth.

"Leila, you ain't hear me calling you?" Devin asked peaking his head into the room.

"Oh I heard you, I just chose to ignore you."

"Damn woman, who pissed in your cereal this morning?" Devin asked and Leila took a deep breath.

"Sorry, I didn't get much sleep, what's up?"

"I just wanted to borrow some lotion."

"Where is yours?" Leila asked.

"That's for special occasions," he replied with a wink causing Leila to roll her eyes.

"Well, mine is off limits. Later Devin." Looking back down at her paper, Leila re-read the same sentence for the sixth time before hearing Devin enter her room.

"Devin didn't I tell you to leave my ro--" the rest of her words went unheard as her mouth went dry. Standing in front of her was Devin with only a towel wrapped around his waist while the water from his shower slowly made it's way down his body. 

"Is it in this drawer?" Devin asked before pulling open her top drawer before Leila could protest. Covering her face with her hands she waited for the embarrassment to begin.

"Well damn Leila, I didn't take you for a thong type of girl."

"Get out!"

"I need lotion," pulling open the drawer on her bedside table she grabbed a random bottle before throwing it at him causing him to break out into laughter as he exited the room leaving Leila alone to her thoughts.

An hour and a half had passed without any interruption from Devin giving Leila the time she needed to finish her business proposal before Devin entered the room. 

"What do you want for lunch?"

"Oh no! You are not burning down my kitchen."

"That hurts Leila. Just because I'm fine doesn't mean I can't cook. I'll have you know I'm an amazing cook."

"Oh this I have to see."

"Then come on and let Dev teach ya a lil something," Devin replied before heading out of the room with Leila slowly following behind him with her phone in hand, her finger hovering over the call button.

"Leila who the hell are you calling?"

"911 to let them know to have a gurney on standby."

"Ha ha very funny," Devin mumbled sarcastically before grabbing some food out of the fridge. 

"So what are you cooking for me?" Leila asked sliding onto a chair as she watched him gather more ingredients onto the table.

"It's a surprise."

"But I want to know," Leila pouted.

"That's sounds like a personal problem. Hand me the butter real quick?" Devin asked and Leila rolled her eyes before handing it to him. Leila relaxed back into the chair as she watched Devin glide across the kitchen with ease as if he had been made to be a chef. With his preciseness and use of ingredients, Leila suddenly regretted doubting his cooking skills.

"I forgot to tell you, I caught your radio show last night."

"Did you?" Devin asked, not taking his eye off the pot boiling on the stove. "What did you think?"

"You were really good."

"Thanks."

"I don't know how you do it."

"Do what?"

"Sound so confident. You're on the radio and it's like you have no fear of messing up."

"Can I be real with you?" Devin asked.

"Of course."

"I'm always nervous."

"Seriously?"

"Yup. You just have to remember that being on the radio means being yourself  and sometimes it means you have to act like your talking to yourself. Now let me ask you something, why do you always sound so surprised when I do something good?"

"I don't know, maybe because on your first day you entered my house and demanded me to make you a sandwich."

"But that has nothing to do with the fact you're a woman, a nigga was just hungry," Devin said before both he and Leila broke out into laughter. 

"Is it almost done?" Leila asked impatiently as the smell of his food filled her nose.

"Yup just about. It just needs a little more of this," Devin said throwing a dash of salt into it before stirring it. "Alright, come." Leila wasted no time to reach his side and he took a spoonful off the food and brought it to her lips. Leia opened her mouth eagerly and moaned at how amazing it tasted earning a chuckle from Devin.

"Does it pass your standards?"

"Surpasses it. Damn that's good."

"Glad to hear it," Devin said chuckling. "You got a little something on your lip."

"Here?" Leila asked wiping off the corner of her mouth.

"Nah other side."

"Here?" 

"Nope. Let me," Devin muttered before using his thumb to wipe off the remaining mess on her face before Leila noticed how close the two had gotten. Unable to control her actions, Leila bit her lips causing Devin's eyes to lock down on her mouth. Like it was in slow motion, Devin leaned in closer to Leila getting ready to seal their lips together with a kiss.

This girl that I came here with!

That's my main!

The one that's sharing these drinks

That's my main!

Devin immediately jumped back before running his hand over his head as he paced up and down in the room. 

"Yes, Harmony?" Leila answered hoping her heart would eventually stop racing.

"Hey, girl! How's it going?"

"Uh good."

"Are you okay? You sound a little breathless?" Harmony asked before the door slammed shut. There went Devin, Leila thought to herself. So much for discussing this.

"I just went for a run."

"Oh well I wanted to talk to you about something," Harmony started and before leila knew it she was taken into the world of Harmony and her amazing love life while hers was getting more and more confusing by the second. What a day!