Page 49 of Standing In The Sun
Ahvi let his offer linger before shaking her head. “I just got home. I don’t want your family looking at me differently because I want to turn up instead of spending time with my son.”
Lunar waved her off. “Ahvi, stop doing that shit, man…they love him and know you got the right to enjoy your night too.”
Before she could protest longer, Jaci emerged, smiled at Ahvi and gently picked up Kamari then walked away.
“Guess you just told me,” she laughed it off, grabbing her drink to sip on.
Having people that stepped in and stepped up wasn’t on her bingo card for the year but she was thankful to have them, even if only for a little while.
* * *
The backyard was lit. Everyone was sitting by the pool having a good time as Stephanie played music. She was the unofficial DJ for the night and so far, her taste in music was good.
Aku and Noodle started dancing to the music like they’d practiced together before the party. The way their bodies moved in sync had Solar hyping her baby up.
“Get it Aku!” she yelled like she was back in time when Aku was a majorette. “That’s my muthafuckin’ baby!”
“Girl, please,” Siasia waved her off. “Show Solar that professional shit you know, Noodle.”
Noodle snickered, loving how competitive her two sisters were. No matter how much choreography she learned from the top dancers in the industry, she knew Aku would always dance her down.
Smirking, Aku dropped into a split and French lost it. “Get yo’ ass up!”
To distract him, Solar started grinding on him which caused a chain reaction as all the couples joined in. They were recapturing their youth and loving every minute of it.
Ahvi looked over to Butta who had found herself in a slow grind with Monday like she wasn’t seventeen.
Lunar’s finger gently feathered across Ahvi’s lower back, making goosebumps crawl up her spine. At the same time, the music switched to an old school jam.Sunshineby Alexander O’Neal played on the speakers.
Stephanie’s hands went into the air. “Oh, this that real shit.” She swayed to Griff who was waiting with open arms and love in his eyes.
“She touch me with a smile that glows,” Griff sang drunkenly, making Stephanie blush like her crush just noticed her for the first time.
Lunar locked his fingers with Ahvi’s. “Let a nigga get a dance, Ahvi.” It wasn’t a question. And the cadence of her name on his lips…lord.
She shook her head, smiling with the kind of nervousness that betrayed her. “I can’t dance.”
“You gon’ let me be the only one without a boo?”
She looked around the back deck, watching bodies sway to the beat and hearing laughter spill between the music like joy had been poured over everyone in waves. She sighed, knowing there was no way out of this.
Laughing playfully, she gave in.
Ahvi stepped into his arms, trying her best to keep her hands to herself. But being that close to Lunar, feeling his warmth, smelling his cologne— clean, masculine, and addictive… it was impossible. Her hands moved on their own, resting gently against his chest.
Lunar was slim built, but solid. His muscles flexed subtly beneath her touch, and her mind trailed off for half a second wondering if he could really pick her up and fuck her in the air like he looked like he could.
“You scared to touch me?” he asked. His voice was low, words brushing against her neck more than her ears.
“Nigga, no,” she lied easily. “I just told you I don’t know how to dance.”
“How is that when Butta can shake ass better than a stripper?”
“We grew up different,” Ahvi laughed. “I was raised by my dad. A wannabe Muslim that had small heart attacks whenever I even listened to music that made my body sway.” She laughed again, this time softer, more to herself, thinking about Ish. Missing him in a way that made her chest tight.
“And Butta was raised by Sheena,” Lunar said, piecing it together.
“Yep.”
