his chest.
“No? Really?” Cindi sounded surprised, for which Ronnie couldn’t blame him. Cindi’d gone through the same experiences Ronnie had until he found Percy. “How does that make you feel?”
“It’s too soon to be in love with Lucius, isn’t it?” He bit his lip, waiting to hear all the reasons why he shouldn’t be falling in love with Lucius.
Cindi chuckled. “You’ve been in love with that man for as long as I’ve known you. I don’t think there’s anything soon about it. Do you know how he feels about you?”
“He told me he still loved me, but he’s afraid it’s too soon for us to jump right into a serious relationship.” Ronnie sighed and stared out the French doors opposite the bed. “Yet he’s always been in my heart, ever since the first day we met. I never wanted to forget him because he made me feel safe and lovable.”
“You are lovable, sugar. Don’t let anyone tell you different. I’m reserving judgment on your detective. I don’t know him well, so I don’t want to have an opinion on him. But if he’s the reason you looked so happy last night, I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.”
A voice mumbled in the background, and Cindi snorted.
“Percy said you tell Lucius that if he hurts you, he’ll have to deal with Percy.”
Ronnie giggled because the image of Percy facing Lucius down was like a Chihuahua going after a Great Dane. Yet he knew Percy would stand up for him. Cindi’s partner had done it before when Cameron kept coming around.
“I’ll let Lucius know. We should all meet for dinner soon. Actually, I’m going to come over and pack a bag of stuff for the next couple of days. Then on the weekend, Lucius said we could move the rest of my things into his apartment.” He panicked. “Is it too soon to be moving in together?”
Cindi snorted. “I moved in with Percy the night we met. I think waiting ten years and however many days is long enough. Did you sleep together last night? And I don’t mean doing the horizontal mambo either, though if you want to tell me about that, I’d suffer through it.”
“I bet you would.” He smiled and thought about how well he’d slept last night in Lucius’ arms. “Yes, we shared a bed.”
“And he didn’t force you?”
“No, he wouldn’t do that,” Ronnie snapped.
“Then I don’t think you need to worry about it being too soon. It sounds like if you decide you want to sleep in your own bed, he wouldn’t fight you on it. He might not like it, but he won’t make you do anything you didn’t like.” Cindi sighed. “Sugar, go with your gut on this one. Has it ever led you wrong concerning this man?”
Ronnie thought about all the choices he made in his life that Lucius was a part of. “No, it really hasn’t. Some things have happened I wasn’t expecting, but they turned out to be good for me.”
“And it feels right to be with him, to care for him, and let him take care of you?”
“Yes.”
Cindi’s voice was soft and understanding. “Then that’s all you need to know. Give up control of your heart, Ronnie, and fall. Lucius will be there to catch you. He’s already given you his heart. Don’t you think you should return the favor?”
He loved talking to Cindi. It was how his conversations with his mother would go, if they ever talked to each other.
“You’re right. I’ll come over before work tonight and pack a bag. Then Lucius and I will be over on Saturday to get the rest of my stuff.” He paused. “I hate doing this, but can you make sure no one knows where I’m staying? I don’t want Cameron showing up here.”
Cindi grunted. “I think the senator is in for a rude awakening if he tries anything with you. Unlike most of the people here in New Orleans, Lucius doesn’t seem impressed by Cameron. If something does happen, Lucius isn’t going to discount you as some weird-o.”
Being overlooked or dismissed as weirdoes or crazies was a common occurrence for the ladies at the cabaret. They
“No? Really?” Cindi sounded surprised, for which Ronnie couldn’t blame him. Cindi’d gone through the same experiences Ronnie had until he found Percy. “How does that make you feel?”
“It’s too soon to be in love with Lucius, isn’t it?” He bit his lip, waiting to hear all the reasons why he shouldn’t be falling in love with Lucius.
Cindi chuckled. “You’ve been in love with that man for as long as I’ve known you. I don’t think there’s anything soon about it. Do you know how he feels about you?”
“He told me he still loved me, but he’s afraid it’s too soon for us to jump right into a serious relationship.” Ronnie sighed and stared out the French doors opposite the bed. “Yet he’s always been in my heart, ever since the first day we met. I never wanted to forget him because he made me feel safe and lovable.”
“You are lovable, sugar. Don’t let anyone tell you different. I’m reserving judgment on your detective. I don’t know him well, so I don’t want to have an opinion on him. But if he’s the reason you looked so happy last night, I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.”
A voice mumbled in the background, and Cindi snorted.
“Percy said you tell Lucius that if he hurts you, he’ll have to deal with Percy.”
Ronnie giggled because the image of Percy facing Lucius down was like a Chihuahua going after a Great Dane. Yet he knew Percy would stand up for him. Cindi’s partner had done it before when Cameron kept coming around.
“I’ll let Lucius know. We should all meet for dinner soon. Actually, I’m going to come over and pack a bag of stuff for the next couple of days. Then on the weekend, Lucius said we could move the rest of my things into his apartment.” He panicked. “Is it too soon to be moving in together?”
Cindi snorted. “I moved in with Percy the night we met. I think waiting ten years and however many days is long enough. Did you sleep together last night? And I don’t mean doing the horizontal mambo either, though if you want to tell me about that, I’d suffer through it.”
“I bet you would.” He smiled and thought about how well he’d slept last night in Lucius’ arms. “Yes, we shared a bed.”
“And he didn’t force you?”
“No, he wouldn’t do that,” Ronnie snapped.
“Then I don’t think you need to worry about it being too soon. It sounds like if you decide you want to sleep in your own bed, he wouldn’t fight you on it. He might not like it, but he won’t make you do anything you didn’t like.” Cindi sighed. “Sugar, go with your gut on this one. Has it ever led you wrong concerning this man?”
Ronnie thought about all the choices he made in his life that Lucius was a part of. “No, it really hasn’t. Some things have happened I wasn’t expecting, but they turned out to be good for me.”
“And it feels right to be with him, to care for him, and let him take care of you?”
“Yes.”
Cindi’s voice was soft and understanding. “Then that’s all you need to know. Give up control of your heart, Ronnie, and fall. Lucius will be there to catch you. He’s already given you his heart. Don’t you think you should return the favor?”
He loved talking to Cindi. It was how his conversations with his mother would go, if they ever talked to each other.
“You’re right. I’ll come over before work tonight and pack a bag. Then Lucius and I will be over on Saturday to get the rest of my stuff.” He paused. “I hate doing this, but can you make sure no one knows where I’m staying? I don’t want Cameron showing up here.”
Cindi grunted. “I think the senator is in for a rude awakening if he tries anything with you. Unlike most of the people here in New Orleans, Lucius doesn’t seem impressed by Cameron. If something does happen, Lucius isn’t going to discount you as some weird-o.”
Being overlooked or dismissed as weirdoes or crazies was a common occurrence for the ladies at the cabaret. They
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