Forbidden Desires Pt 2
Kimberly tries to focus on the conversation with Rachel, her thoughts racing. She can't shake the feeling of Wiz being a ticking time bomb in her otherwise orderly life. Him being in her house is a constant reminder of her failed marriage, her daughter's pain, and the secrets she's not ready to face. Rachel's voice pierced through her period of reflection, and she realizes her daughter is looking at her expectantly. Kimberly nods and together they finish the dishes. The house is filled with a heavy silence, accented by the occasional clink of silverware against fine china. Rachel yawns, submitting tirelessly from her work week, and heads to her old bedroom, leaving her mother alone with her thoughts. Kim glances at the clock as she heads to the guest bedroom realizing it's almost 9PM. She takes a deep breath and knocks on the guest room door. "Wiz, it's time," she sounds off, her voice steady despite the knot forming in her stomach.
Wiz opens the door, his eyes meeting hers with a challenge. "Already?" he asks, his voice low and raspy. He steps out, his large frame seeming taking up most of the doorway. His dreadlocks are pulled back, and he's wearing a white beater that clings to his toned chest. His arms tighten as he crosses them looking down at Kimberly. The sight of him sends a strange mix of fear and arousal through her, a feeling she quickly suppresses.
"It's your curfew," she reminds him sternly, her hand resting on the doorframe as she tries to keep the tremor from oozing out of her voice. "And I expect you to respect the rules of my house." She stands tall, her posture a silent declaration of authority despite the shakiness dripping from her voice.
Wiz's eyes sweep over her, a smirk forming on his lips as he leans against the doorframe. "You know, Kimberly," he says, using her full name with a hint of sarcasm, "you're starting to come off like a mom." He laughs, the sound of his voice gnawing on her nerves. "But I'll behave," he adds, his voice a silky purr.
He slips past her, his shoulder brushing against hers, deliberately close. She can feel the heat of his body and the roughness of his prison-issued jeans as he heads to the bathroom closing the door behind him. His words hang in the air like a challenge, and she clenches her fists at her sides, fighting the urge to address his sarcasm. Standing there patiently for him to return to his room, the sound of him pissing began to run her hot with disgust. Before she knew it arousal began creeping up on her again as she went to her room deciding not to wait on him to finish.
The weekend passes in a tense dance of avoidance and forced civility. Rachel tries to ignore the undercurrents, but the tension in the house is visible. Kimberly finds herself watching Wiz more closely than she'd like to admit--his every move, his every glance. When Rachel leaves on Sunday evening, the house feels both emptier and more suffocating. She locks the door behind her daughter with a heavy sigh, her eyes lingering on the guest room door before returning to her own.
Her thoughts racing, she tries to convince herself that Wiz will behave, that he's just a guest, but she can't shake the feeling that he's seemingly more than that. She changes into her nightgown, the soft fabric brushing against her skin, a stark contrast to the tension in her limbs. She hears the TV from the guest room, the low humming of Wiz's laughter. She takes a deep breath, convincing herself she's overreacting. But when she looks in the mirror, she sees the worry etched in her eyes, the shadows surrounding her eyelids. She turns off the lights and slides into bed, listening to the comforting rhythm of her own breathing, trying to find peace in the quiet. But the quiet is a lie, every creak of the floorboard feels like a taunt, a promise of imminent disturbance. She pulls the covers up to her chin, her heart racing, and tries to ignore the throb of anticipation that pulses through her veins.
Wiz lies in the guest room, his eyes on the flickering TV screen, but his mind is elsewhere. He can feel Kimberly watching him closely and he's been watching her, studying her, looking for ways to get under her skin. He finds the power games stimulating, but he wants more. He glances at the clock as it reads 10 PM and he smirks, knowing she's probably waiting for him to break the rules she's so specifically laid out. But he's playing the long game. He rolls over, the springs of the bed squeaking, and picks up the book he's been pretending to read. The words blur as he continues thinking of Kimberly, her challenging stare, her sassy tongue. He wonders if she's as tough as she tries to come off, if she's hiding something beneath her bold exterior.