Chapter 20

We are easily fooled by that which we love.” Moliere

 

When they arrived at Eliana’s apartment complex and passed Xavier’s apartment Xavier and Ian were getting out of Xavier’s car with boxes of pizza in their hands. Xavier lived on the first drive leading toward Eliana’s street.

Khalil pulled up on the two of them. “What’s up, bruh?”

Xavier appeared a little stunned when the car pulled up next to him, but then realized that there was only one guy in the city, his brother, who drove a whip like this one.

“Not a lot. About to dig into these pizzas,” Xavier said, holding a large pizza with Ian holding two.

“Hey, brother,” Eliana said with a huge smile covering her face.

“Hey, sis.”

Ian looked and listened as his twin confided to him her strong feelings for Khalil. He warned her to keep her eyes open, guard her heart, and be careful. From what Xavier told him, Pastor Khalil was not the kind to commit. He was all about what a woman could do for him. Ian passed this info to his sister. What she chose to do with it was on her, but if anyone asked him, he would say she was too good for Khalil.

“Well, knock yourselves out,” Khalil said.

“We’ll talk later,” Eliana told her brother and Khalil drove off.

Parked in front of her apartment, Khalil got out of the car and walked around to the passenger side to escort Eliana. He walked her upstairs to her apartment. “I hope you enjoyed yourself this evening.”

“I did. It was perfect and I can’t thank you enough.” She noticed him watching her intently, and longed to have him kiss her and be crushed by his embrace.

Khalil was no fool. He knew women. Since he was a young boy in the streets, hanging with older heads, he learned their ways by watching how the old heads got next to the females. With his good looks, his street smarts, and his fat pockets, he was able to pull the ladies at an early age. With time, he only got better. This role as pastor made it even easier.

He took hold of Eliana’s hand. She anticipated his kiss, and Khalil could sense that she was totally into him. He leaned in and kissed her gingerly on her cheek.

It may only have been a cheek kiss, but it sent the pit of her stomach into a wild swirl.

“Goodnight. See you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Khalil.” Eliana removed the key from her purse, unlocked the door, opened it, and then turned and looked at Khalil as if inviting him inside.

He could have easily followed her cue, but he played a different hand, waited until she closed the door, and then walked off.

“She’s upstairs,” Priscilla told him when she answered the door.

He walked inside, closing the front door behind him. “Thanks, Priscilla. How are you?”

“Good. Thank you for asking.” She feigned a smile, turned, and walked away.

Khalil shrugged, “Hey, baby,” Dee said when he appeared at her bedroom door.

“What’s up, Dee? He flashed a broad smile that turned into a rousing laughter when he saw her and what surrounded her on the bed. Shaking his head, he started undressing. “I see you got a package for me, yea? It’s right on time. I can make the final payment. You are something else, Dee. Always on time.”

“That’s why you keep coming back,” she told him as she lay naked on the bed with mostly hundred dollar bills spread over the sheets and on her. “Now hurry up and get in this bed. I’ve missed you.”

Khalil shook his head. One thing about this whatever it was he had with Dee, dealing with her was full of perks and bonuses. Tonight was no different. After restraining his desires to take Eliana into his arms and make love to her, he used Dee to extinguish his penned up sexual release.

Fully undressed, he pounced in the bed next to her and on top of the money. He moved his mouth over hers, devouring its softness.

The caress of his lips on her mouth and along her body set her aflame. His lips were hard and searching. Dee answered his kisses with a gasp as he lowered his body on hers.

Fantasies of being with Eliana made it easy for him to make love to Dee as his body imprisoned hers.