Ocean’s deep voice soothed Aaliyah’s core like an old friend and she remained as she sipped her tea. “Last night was a mistake, O.”
“Which time?” He rolled over and rubbed her back. “I regret nothing.”
“I know you regret nothing.” Aaliyah crossed her legs and was reminded how sore her sex was. “This was a mistake on many levels. We should’ve just kept it cute and mute back at the shop. This was a mistake.”
Ocean sat up in bed and kissed Aaliyah’s shoulder. She softly murmured when she felt his lips on her. “Why?”
“Why?” She turned to him and immediately regretted doing so. Ocean’s sparkling blue eyes stared back at her with amazement and wonder. He was a truly beautiful man. “This is a disaster in the making, O. No one will care about whatever bill you’re about to pass when they’re focused on who you’re dating.”
“I say my newfound publicity is a breath of fresh air in comparison to what my colleagues are going through. Pedophilia scandals, campaign finances misuse, hookers everywhere…” Ocean yawned. “I think people don’t care that I’m courting an ex-girlfriend.”
“They do and you should care when it comes to policy-making.” Aaliyah put her cup down and struggled to stand up. Ocean worked her body like a part-time job. “This is going to end badly, O.”
“Do you still smudge?” He asked.
Aaliyah tried to not be distracted by a shirtless Ocean casually lying in her bed. “Yes. Why do you ask?”
“Get rid of all of that negative emotion surrounding you. It’s not good for your mind.” He peeled back the sheets and beckoned her to join him. “You’re too beautiful to be caught up in the what ifs bullshit. Come back and lay with me, beautiful.”
Beautiful. Gorgeous. Lovely. Ocean was never short on the compliments he’d given to Aaliyah. He never said anything just to get into her pants. Either he meant it or he never said a word. “O, I’m being serious here.”
“So am I.” He softly nodded. “I want to feel you next to me and we can talk about this.”
Aaliyah paused, causing her heart to slam back into her chest. The last time she was that close to Ocean, she ended up straddling him. “Just talking. That’s it.”
“I’ll be respectful, Liyah.” He smiled. “I won’t touch you.”
Aaliyah didn’t know why she had disappointment. Maybe a small (really, it was large) part of her wanted to feel Ocean inside her again. She slid underneath the sheets and snuggled next to him. “O, what are we doing?”
“Reconciling, I hope.” He answered.
She looked up at him. “I know absolutely nothing of politics, O. How am I expected to see you when you’re in D.C.? You need to be in L.A. at some point, yes? How are you going to see me when you’re really between two places at any given time?”
“I’ll figure something out and so will you.”
Aaliyah settled into Ocean’s warm embrace and smelled the remnants of his cologne. It was different from the cologne he had on earlier when he saw her. “Did you go somewhere last night?”
“I was at an event back in D.C. and then I came back here.”
“With who?” She asked. “We’re adults here.”
“A business associate of my father’s.” Ocean replied. “Nothing important.”
Aaliyah nodded. Ocean went on a date and couldn’t even admit that much to her. “I’m going to see you and her in the papers, aren’t I?”
“You’re going to see me being a politician politicking.” He crawled his fingers up her arm and kissed her shoulders. “That might mean I’ll be spotted with different women. It doesn’t mean I’m dating them.”
Aaliyah smirked. Ocean knew certain parts of the press were hungry for intimate details of his love life and he obliged them because they were potential voters. The rest of the public couldn’t give a damn who he bedded.
That was…until she re-entered the picture. Suddenly, everyone wanted to know who Aaliyah was. Was it always going to be like that? Ocean would fly down to fuck her after some event and leave early the next morning with fleeting promises to come again? “I love how you answered that without actually saying anything.”
“I’m in the public eye, Aaliyah,” Ocean softly replied. “You said it yourself we weren’t dating, and I suspect you still feel that way despite what happened last night. Therefore, it shouldn’t matter if I’m spotted with a different woman who’s not you.”
Ocean had a point she could admit. Strangely, she didn’t want to be his girlfriend but she didn’t want Ocean to date anyone else. Aaliyah truly hated how jealous and possessive she became over Ocean. No other man ever had the same effect.
This fool was truly bringing out the worst in her. “You were on a date last night and you came back here to fuck me so I wouldn’t think different.” Aaliyah pried herself away from Ocean’s arms and immediately felt the loss. “You want someone respectable in public but you want to fuck me in private.”
“I would love to fuck you in public but I’m afraid that’s against the law.” Ocean smiled and Aaliyah rolled her eyes. “Liyah, you have unfiltered access to me. You have my personal number, though I prefer you don’t call on that because I suspect it might be bugged. I’ll give you a new number to call me every week so no one else has it but you.”
