CHAPTER 293: LEO

Jamal’s face still burned with embarrassment as he walked down the hall to go find Abigail.

His ears were hot, he could feel it. He could almost swear they were glowing red like two warning lights.

He groaned and rubbed his ears, shaking his head to get rid of Tom’s and Lucy’s teasing.

When he reached the Den, Abigail was still there with Brenda and Bella. They were all laughing softly, their voices warm and hush as they whispered secrets to Abigail.

Abigail’s face lit up when she saw him, her laughter softening into a sweet smile that made his heart skip.

"Hey," he said quietly, standing by the door. "Can I steal my girlfriend? I believe she’s spent enough time with you two."

Brenda grinned knowingly. "Of course," she said, rising to her feet. "We were just heading in for the night anyway."

"Goodnight you two," Bella added, smiling at Jamal before walking off with her sister.

Once they were gone, Abigail turned to Jamal, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Why are your ears so red?"

Jamal pretended to be surprised as he touched them. "What? They are?"

She nodded, giggling. "Yes. They look like two flat little tomatoes. What happened?"

"Nothing," he said quickly, waving it off and trying to keep a straight face. "It’s warm in here, that’s all."

Abigail gave him a look that said she didn’t believe him, but she let it go.

"Come," Jamal said softly, reaching out for her hand. "Let’s go to your room."

Without question, she followed him down the hall, her hand warm in his. The moment they stepped into her room, Jamal shut the door behind them and leaned against it.

"I’m spending the night," he said, a naughty smile tugged at his lips. "Do you mind if I sleep next to you?"

Abigail’s eyes widened. "You are sleeping here? With me?"

"Yes," he said, smiling a little. "Unless you don’t want me to."

She grinned and nodded quickly. "No, I don’t mind at all. I want you to."

Jamal chuckled. "Good," he said, pushing himself off the door. "Give me a minute to grab my clothes from Branden’s room. I’ll be right back."

She nodded again, her cheeks pink, and immediately Jamal left, she hurried into the bathroom to freshen up again and change out of her clothes.

Branden’s room door was half-open when Jamal got there. Branden was sitting on his recliner with his phone pressed to his ear as he laughed at something the person on the other end of the line was saying.

When he saw Jamal, he grinned. "Jamal is here. Want to say hello?"

"Who are you talking to?" Jamal asked with a slight frown.

Branden held up a finger, then smiled and passed him the phone. "Leo wants to say hi," Branden said, referring to Sonia’s first son, his best friend.

Jamal took it, raising a brow. "Hey, Leo! How are you doing?"

"Still alive and rocking my world. I heard about you and your sweetheart finally reuniting. I’m happy for you, man. Really happy."

"Thanks, Leo. It’s been a long time coming. What’s up with you? Still breaking hearts across the globe?" Jamal teased.

Leo’s easy laugh filled the line. "Of course. You know me."

Jamal chuckled and shook his head. "Let’s hope you don’t get yours broken. I hope California’s treating you well."

"It is," Leo said. "I miss home, though. But I love it here. I study hard, and I party harder."

Jamal laughed. "Good for you. I have to go now. My lady is waiting. Chat with you later."

"Enjoy yourself. You deserve it," Leo said before saying goodbye.

Jamal handed the phone back to Branden, who gave him a small nod and went back to his call.

Jamal walked to the closet and pulled out a plain shirt, a pair of shorts, and boxers. As he turned to leave, his eyes flicked toward the bathroom door. He hesitated, then walked in quietly.

He opened the cabinet slowly, just as he remembered, Branden’s usual stash was there, neatly tucked at the back. Jamal sighed, grabbed two packets of condoms, and slipped them into his pocket before heading out again.

When he returned to Abigail’s room, she was already on the bed, sitting cross-legged in soft midnight blue silk pajamas. Her hair fell over her shoulders, and she looked up as he entered.

"What took you so long?" she asked, tilting her head and pouting.

"Branden was on a call with Leo," Jamal said with a small smile. "I had to say hello. Give me a minute to freshen up, okay? Don’t fall asleep."

She giggled softly. "I’ll try not to."

Jamal quickly showered, the cool water washing away his earlier embarrassment. He slid the condom packets from his trouser into the pocket of his clean shorts, hiding them out of sight but within reach for when the time was right.

When he came out dressed in his fresh clothes, Abigail was lying on her side with her back to him, pretending to have fallen asleep. Her breathing was soft and even.

He stood by the bed for a second, torn between waking her and letting her rest since he knew she’d had a busy day. Then he sighed and got on the bed beside her, moving close until his chest brushed her back. His hand slid gently around her waist, warm and protective.

He kissed the back of her head, "Sweet dreams, beautiful."

Abigail giggled, her shoulders shaking slightly.

"You were awake?" Jamal asked, amused and surprised.

"Yeah. I wanted to see what you’d do if you thought I’d slept off," she teased, turning slightly to face him.

He laughed softly. "I was a little disappointed, but I figured all the activities must have worn you out, and you were tired."

She giggled again. "Actually, I had the time of my life. I’ve never had this much fun. I like everyone here. I like how it feels. It’s so warm. The laughter and happiness here is just so contagious. I didn’t imagine life could be so beautiful."

He smiled, remembering what Lucy had said. "I’m glad you are experiencing this."

"Me too."

They were both silent for a while and as Abigail lay there with her derrière pressed firmly against his crotch, Jamal began to feel hot.

He leaned in and kissed her neck, slow and tender. She gasped quietly as the sensation flowed all over her body like a shock wave.

"I want you, Dawn. I want to make love to you," he whispered into her ear, kissing the spot behind her ear.