THE COVEN’S BRIDE
CHAPTER 4
NALEDI
There is a pull, a force that I cannot quite put my finger on, that I feel when around Sibusiso. What is this? I have never felt like this about a man in my whole life. Is he the one? Is this what people meant when they said I would feel it when I met the one? Or maybe it is that shot that I took with Tshidi that is messing up my hormones? There is no way one can feel this strongly about another human being. I think it’s the alcohol.
Sibusiso and I are still by the stairs, and he is still massaging my feet. His hands are so soft, and they feel so good. He is right, he gives the best massages, but if he doesn’t let go of my leg, I might lose my virginity tonight. The way his touch is sending tingles all over my body, I am even scared I might do something crazy.
Sibusiso clearing his throat brings me back to reality. “What do you do, Naledi?”
“I work at a salon, doing hair, and what do you do, Mr Sibusiso?”
He chuckles at me calling him Mr. “I manage one of the family companies in Germany.”
“Germany – fancy. Are you back full-time, or are you going back? I mean, how are you going to marry me if you live there?”
Without hesitating, he says, “I can always move back home.”
“I am messing with you, Sibusiso. You barely know me to want to change your life for me.”
“I might not know you, but I know that one day I want to marry you,” he answers confidently.
“Give me my leg back and let us go back to the others.”
I get on my feet, slip, but he catches me just in time. Everything stands still as we lock eyes. It’s like everything is in slow motion now. “Careful, my lady, we don’t want you to lose a leg.”
“I am fine, thank you for catching me.”
“I will always catch you,” he says and then laughs. “That sounded way better in my head.”
“I still get what you mean.”
Not peeling his eyes off mine, he says, “I want to kiss you badly. Can I kiss you?”
“Just this once.”
I see him swallow as his eyes move from mine to my lips. He leans, sucks on my top lips and I hear him groan. “F*ck Naledi what kind of spell did you put on me?”
“I didn’t even do anything.”
He places his hands on my waist and pulls me closer, kissing the living daylights out of me. Never in my 30 years on this earth did I ever think kissing someone would feel this magical? It’s like the world is going in circles as our tongues dance to a Ballard only our hearts know.
“You are a good kisser. I would kiss you all night if you would let me,” says Sibusiso with his head pressed against mine. I would let him kiss me all night. And my panties are soaking wet – on the other hand, I am ignoring how hard he is. I can feel him because our bodies are pressed against each other.
“You are also a good kisser, Mr…”
“Gumbi,” he answers before leaning and kissing me again. He is k*lling me. I have never felt so weak around a man before, and I don’t trust myself anymore. I want to tell him to take me upstairs and make love to me. I don’t think pressing my thighs together is going to help me tonight.
“We should go, Sibusiso,” I pull away. F*ck I feel so hot.
“I think I need the bathroom now.”
“Go down the hall, the second door on your right,” I say, pointing in the direction of the bathroom, and I also rush upstairs to clean myself up and change my panties. What the hell is this man doing to me? I wipe my lipstick off and put on lip gloss for reasons I don’t know.
When I head back down, I find Sibusiso at the bottom of the stairs looking yummy. Some women give birth to gorgeous men. He keeps his eyes on mine as I walk down the stairs. I am not even worried about my short dress or if he is looking. For some reason, my eyes go to his manhood, and man, it looks hard. I seriously need to snap out of it.
When I get to the bottom, Sibusiso pulls me closer and kisses me, causing me to giggle. “Stop already.”
“I can’t help myself, I’m sorry.”
“You are going to get in trouble with Tshidi,” I answer, pulling away and flattening my dress with my palms.
“I don’t know what you are doing to me. I cannot even control myself.”
This time I lean and kiss him. “This is fun, but I will be in trouble with Tshidi until her next birthday if I don’t get out there.”
“One last kiss and I promise we will join others.”
“Just one and…” he doesn’t wait for me to finish, he pulls me closer and kisses me. I love his kisses so much, and to think I am doing all this with a man I barely know is insane. He only told me he wants to marry me, which could be a lie, and maybe it’s his way of trying to get into my panties. I step back and stare at his eyes. Does he mean what he said, or is this his thing? This is how he gets his gorgeous self between ladies’ legs.
“What’s wrong?”
I shake my head. “We should go back out there.”
He cups my face and says, “I know you have questions, and this is a lot to take in. I promise I also don’t know what is going on and why I feel this strongly for you.”
“Do you think maybe it’s the alcohol?”
“I barely touched my drink,” he answers. He sounds genuine, but then he is a man, and they lie sometimes. He leans and gives me another kiss as if he knows that I am starting to overthink and doubt everything. “Can I take you out on a date and ask you out in a proper way?”
“We can do lunch.”
“How does tomorrow sound?” he asks, and I tell him it’s too soon. I also need to know if I feel something for him or if it’s the alcohol getting to me. We settle for the weekend. I quickly step away from Sibusiso when the front door opens. It’s the birthday girl and her man.
“There you are – I wondered where you disappeared to,” says Tshidi.
“I needed to use the bathroom,” I reply.
“I can see that,” Tshidi says, then says to Sibusiso. “If you do anything to my sister, I will k*ll you. And if you are planning on dating her, you need to see me so we can chat.”
“I won’t do anything, I promise,” Sibusiso answers with his hands raised. “And we will talk.”
“She is drunk, don’t mind her,” I whisper to Sibusiso, then say to Tshidi. “Where are you and Maxwell going?”
“To have s*x,” Tshidi takes Maxwell’s hand, and they walk away.
Sibusiso laughs, “Is she always like this?”
“Yes.”
“You have a lovely friend,” he comments. “I wish I had one of those.”
“You don’t have a friend? Why?”
He answers, “It’s hard to have a genuine friend these days. People pretend, and half of the time, they are your friends because they want something from you. You and Tshidi are lucky to be friends; rich people are terrible friends to each other.”
“Maybe we are good friends because I am not rich.”
He looks at me and says, “Having one genuine friend is better than having a million dollars. Having a genuine somebody is being rich.”
“Sounds like something a rich person would say.”
“I need a drink, you?” he asks, and I tell him that I also need a drink. He lends me his arm and leads us back to the party. The party goes very well, although the birthday girl is nowhere to be found. I am sure she passed out after their s*x with Maxwell. When the party is over, Janell and I help the staff as they clean up, and around 4 am, that is when the staff leaves.
“Thank you, my baby, I don’t know how I could have made everything possible without you,” Janell hugs me.
“No need to thank me.”
She says, “Let me shower and try to sleep. Then I can wake up with some energy to shout at Tshidi’s father for missing the party.”
“I also need a shower.”
She kisses me on the cheek, “Take care, baby.”
“You too.”
“Before I forget, someone is waiting for you. He made me promise to tell you when we are done,” she says.
“Who is waiting for me?”
“He is by the garden,” she says, walking away. I grab my jacket and head out. The garden area is a little chilly. I find Sibusiso sitting on the garden bench, asleep. At least he is wearing a jacket, but it’s chilly outside.
“Hey,” I lightly shake him until he is awake.
“Hey, are you done?”
“You didn’t have to wait for me,” I say.
Is he okay? Is he cold? I tell him to join me in the house. I know they won’t mind. I make him coffee and then tell him he can join me in my room. I wanted him to take the couch, but I feel he would be cold, so we both get on the bed and sleep. I didn’t bathe or change my clothes, and for the first time, I am not scared to share a bed with a man. A part of me knows he won’t do anything to me.