In Love with Ezra (Love Unaccounted Book 2) (12 page)

“What’s the sermon?”

He froze. “Pardon me?”

“Your sermon.” I quickly jerked my neck, emphasizing my point. I really wanted to know. Although I’d only heard his sermons a couple of times, I knew Ezra was a prolific speaker. He was a teacher. I was curious. “It seems like this is a special one for this particular church. What’s it about?”

A slow and contrived smile widened on his handsome face. It may have appeared to be a warm gesture, but I immediately recognized the impending rejection in it.

“I don’t want to bore you with the key point, scriptural and academic contextual references, beloved. Besides, I don’t know if all of what I’ve put together will be used once I hit the pulpit. I explained to you; I’m never Ezra when speaking. I completely leave the wheel.”

Rejection is a bitch, even if it’s accompanied by sincerity. I wanted that connection to him. I wanted to experience what others did when he preached and taught them. It was clear that it wouldn’t happen.

I backed away from him, from the heat and took a deep breath. “I don’t want to keep you.”

Ezra nodded again. “Okay, beloved.”

I turned to leave the room, so badly wishing I could go rub that one off. The shit he did to me without effort. I’d just have to find something else to calm my body.

“Oh, and Alexis,” he called to me. I turned to find him back at his desk. “I ordered you a few bottles of wine from India. They’re supposed to be the most technologically advanced over the years. I hope you don’t have any aversions.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I started drinking wine the second season of
Real Housewives of Atlanta
when I saw the rave. I’m still learning.” I mumbled before leaving his office.

~Lex~

Ezra was gone by eleven that morning. Thaddeus had come by and picked him up. There were two trucks en route to Delaware. I didn’t make a fuss when he said goodbye. I waved them off and headed back upstairs to throw on some clothes and grab my laptop to check my email and do a job search.

On my way down, at the landing of the stairs, the doorbell rang. I don’t know why my eyes skirted toward the back of the house before I thought to answer it, but they did. Cautiously, I padded toward the door.

“Who is it?” I asked.

“Damn, Lex, we can see your Green Giant ass through the window!” a familiar voice shouted.

I glanced over to the large windows aside the door. As soon as I recognized the two figures on the other side, I jumped into action to unlock the door and yank it open.

“What the fuck are you guys doing here?” I yelped with a mixture of anxiety and joy at recognizing pieces of my old world.

I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed them until laying eyes on their familiar faces. Seeing them felt like home. Nyree pushed past me wearing an expression of awe as she observed the foyer with deep scrutiny. Tasche remained outside the door.

“Yo, I told you we was coming through, Lex,” she informed defensively.

“Ummmm… No the hell you didn’t. You said
a
Sunday!” I replied, so ecstatic at the sight of the raccoon circles around her brown eyes.

“Yeah I did, bitch! I said this Sunday because I go in later! Why you think I asked for the address?” she replied with adamancy.

I didn’t catch that in the text, but could tell from her stern expression she was sincere. I didn’t give a damn; I was happy to see my girls!

“Why are you standing out there?” I asked. My contentment now spilling out. “Come in!”

“Oh,” she trilled as she moved toward me. “I thought we wasn’t welcome or some shit.”

I closed the door and turned to Nyree. “Hi to you, too, Ny!”

I used sarcasm to catch her attention. She was on her way into the living room when she waved to me from behind. Tasche and I met eyes and snorted.

“This shit is fly as hell, Lexi!” Tasche observed as her eyes danced. “He official, yo.”

“Holy shit!” Nyree screamed from the living room, causing us to head in there after her. “How many
Bassos
does he have?” she shrieked, standing in amazement at the large walls. “Do you know how much one of these run?” Tasche and I glanced at each other again, both wearing clueless expressions. “Taylor’s mother is on his waiting list for one of his pieces. She’s been on there for years!”

Tasche moved on to the piano and started tapping chords. “This is fancy as fuck. He play?”

My face balled before I could answer, “I don’t know.” There was something wrong with that answer, but I of course wouldn’t let my girls see it.

Nyree left to continue her self-guided tour and I turned to Tasche. “Would you like a tour?” That sounded like the polite thing to ask, although it felt intrusive. This was Ezra’s place.

“If you want to,” she muttered.

“That sounds like a soft no.” I smiled at her simplicity. Tasche didn’t care about the pretentiousness of a home, just that it was nice. She was my type of simple.

Tasche shrugged.

“Ms. Remah baked potato pudding…” I informed, teasingly.

“Oh, shit!” she shrieked. “That potato pudding give me all types of life!” I turned to lead her down to the kitchen and she was on my heels. “I forgot Ms. Remah was out here with you. Last time, I saw her was at your wedding. She said she was going back home the next day.”

“She did. She’s been back for a couple of days, and I’m fuckin’—”—I cringed at my profanity. I told Ezra I would improve and meant it—“ecstatic that she’s back, too. I missed her.”

“Yeah, with her poutin’ ass,” Tasche laughed and I followed.

About thirty minutes later, we were at the kitchen table catching up on Harlem World. Tasche had polished off her second serving of potato pudding and I sat with my long leg propped up on the edge of my seat as I listened to her.

“Why is that room locked?” I heard from behind me.

I turned to find Nyree wearing a puzzled expression.  

My face wrinkled. “Which door?”

“The one just before the garage door. I know this place is big, but damn!”

Oh!

That one
…

My heart pounded in my chest and mouth dropped. The mere mention of
that
door sent me places mentally…and physically. Impossible, but I was immediately hit with a flash of arousal. I licked my dry lips as I conjured a response of
‘Stay the fuck away from that room!
’ After Ezra explained Stenton Rogers’ fetish with bondage and desire to go further into BDSM, my protectiveness of the room had returned. 

“Oh…”
Damn it! Think, Lex!
“I don’t know. Ezra got a lot of things rebuilt or newly built. It could be something left undone.”

“Hmmmm…” Nyree’s eyes went into the distance as she considered that. “Mosaic slate tiles in here.
Nice, preacher man
...” she murmured to herself.

Things went quiet and I turned back to face Tasche. “So, she hit Snoopie off that night? He was a lucky son of a—” I caught myself successfully this time. “S.O.B., huhn?” I laughed.

Tasche and I slapped hands in agreement.

“Yo, dude was bust wide open offa that!” Tasche inserted out of breath.

“I bet!”

“A basement!” Nyree shouted in revelation, snatching our attention. I turned back to her. “I haven’t seen the basement; that has to be it!”

My pulse began to pound all over again. Then I became annoyed.

What the hell, Ny!

“Maybe it is, Ny, but if it’s locked, I’m sure it’s for a reason.” I shrugged to remove the liability from myself.

“Well, get the damn key! I want to see every inch of this place. It may not be the biggest place I’ve seen, but so far it’s the second best I’ve seen. Taylor’s parents’ is the biggest and best decorated. No matter how exclusive and posh his taste is, your preacher husband isn’t topping them yet.”

I gave her a blank stare. Nyree was always absolute in thinking, meaning she thought her word was Bible. And even if she was right, Taylor’s father was a damn judge! Of course his home was elegant.

I took a deep breath to level my bubbling anger. This surprise visit boosted my mood. I wanted it to continue.

“Ny, I can take you out back to finish showing you the property. Ezra has a custom gym back there and the suite where Ms. Remah lives. But first,” I patted the table space next to me. “come sit and catch me up on the wedding plans. Is there anything I can do? God knows I’m bored out of my mind, looking for a job.”

Nyree rolled her eyes, but drug herself across the room and sat next to me. “Where is that fine Bible pusher anyways? I didn’t see him while running the halls.”

“He’s away…on his way to Delaware to speak tonight.”

“Oh, that’s where he at, yo?” gushed from Tasche’s face. “Yo, I been tryna curb my mouth, not wanting to offend him and shit. Didn’t want him throwing my black ass out for being a demon-girl in his house and shit.”

I snorted. “If he hasn’t thrown my black one out first, I think you’re good, Tasch.”

“So chocolate women is his thing, huhn.” Ny stated rather than asked.

I didn’t have a response because I didn’t know what Ezra’s
thing
was. He made it clear that he liked my body and skin tone, but that didn’t mean I was his type. Let’s not forget we have nothing in common, but being married, anyway.

I shook my head to chase the self-loathing. “The wedding, missy,” I demanded. 

“Just thinking about that wedding nonsense stresses me out. My mom has been driving me up the damn wall.” Her eyes shifted. “And that fucking Taylor,” she murmured that part of her confession.

That jolted my attention.

“What do you mean?” I asked, desperate for something identifiable to my situation.

She shrugged. “He’s just checked out, taking on away cases that keeps his attention from me. I feel like I’m the only damn one getting married here.”

Hmmmm…

“So when he’s away, do you feel lonely?” I asked. Nyree and Taylor had been living together for almost a year, so I figured she had some experience with the crazy emotions I’d been anticipating with Ezra being away, at least. There were other inexplicable things I’d been feeling since leaving our honeymoon that needed sorting, too, but I started with something she could
possibly
address. “Like when he leaves town?”

“Puuuh!” she rolled her neck. “Lonely for what? I came into this world alone: no need to get lonely because he’s gone. His penthouse is big enough for me to be comfortable by my damn self. I have all the luxuries needed in
Trump International
. It’s also a break from sex. Ugh!”

“Damn, Ny. Your old man don’t know how to put it down?” Tasche asked. “That’s fucked up.” Her face solemn with regret.

“It’s just that he wants it all the damn time! I’m like, ‘Don’t you get tired of all that huffin’ and puffin’?” Nyree rolled her eyes until they landed on me. “And I feel bad for
you
! You’re probably Ezra’s first. He don’t know good pussy from bad, and is probably wearing your ass out.”

Tasche’s eyes swung over to me, and the room went quiet. Here’s where I was supposed to share my sordid sex life with my husband to see if there was any normalcy in it, right? To make sure Ezra didn’t have me out in crazy land, enjoying being spanked, right?

“Well, is she right?” Tasche pushed. “Is you two boning a lot?”

My mouth opened, but when nothing came out, I nodded. My eyes went wide and I found my fingers tapping the table rhythmically as a distraction.

There was no way in hell I could disclose my husband’s weird sexual preferences. I couldn’t give a fuck about them knowing I kind of enjoyed it, but I couldn’t share that
he’d
pushed it onto me. Ezra deserved his privacy. Besides, just like he scolded me in the car after I showed up to his luncheon drunk: what affects him directly reflects on his church. Ezra needed to be protected.

“Wait!” Nyree demanded, looking as if I’d disappointed her in some way.
Is she interested in sharing intimately?
“So, what’s he like in bed?”

Just as the question left her lips, the sliding door to the kitchen sounded as Ms. Remah made her way in.

“Ms. Remah!” Tasche and I shouted in unison. I jumped from the table toward her. She looked at me like I’d just lost my damn mind. She didn’t do the affection thing. “I was just about to bring the girls over to see your place. You mind if we go now?”

“I see yuh got into my potato puddin’,” she hissed. “Hope it was good.” She stalked off toward the walk-in pantry. “Eh, baby. Eh, Nyree,” she greeted them while en route. “It’s clean.” And that was the permission I was waiting for her to grant.

“C’mon, ladies. There are a few things I wanna show you back here.” I waved them on at the door.

“I hope we won’t be out here long,” Ny complained as she stood to follow. “I just got my hair blown out by the Dominicans. I need this to last me.”