THE INCARCERATED STRANGER

 

Chapter 21

 

MANGALISO

 

He is admiring a goddess, the beautiful woman lying next to him. How can someone be this stunning, even in her sleep? How can she look so perfect without a trace of makeup? The only women he had been involved with years ago were those "slay queens," who often looked like their faces had fallen into a bucket of mud mixed with water. He chuckles to himself; back then, he wasn't with any woman for love. After his first lover passed away, he shut himself off emotionally. That’s a story for another day, but since that unfaithful day, he hadn’t felt anything for any woman—just casual encounters that ended as quickly as they began.

Then, he spent three long years in jail. It was a lawyer sent from heaven who saved him and got him released. And now, that same woman, the one who had captivated him with her beauty while he was staring out of his cell window, was right here beside him. Just thirty minutes ago, she had stepped into his life as his lawyer, and now she was next to him, looking beautiful and peaceful in her sleep—the woman who had awakened feelings he thought he had buried long ago.

He chuckles softly to himself and plants a gentle kiss on her forehead before slipping out of the sheets. He picks up his clothes from the floor and steps out of the room, still naked. He tosses his clothes onto the sofa, away from his bed, and heads straight to the bathroom for a shower…

He steps under the shower, and the warm water envelops his skin. He squeezes some washing gel onto his body and uses a sponge to lather up, feeling the suds glide over him. As the water rinses away the gel, he revels in the sensation of cleanliness. Once he’s done, he dries himself off and heads back to his room to apply lotion and slip into his comfortable clothes.

Glancing at the mirror table, he reaches for his wristwatch—it’s around 15:45 in the afternoon. He walks out of his room and pauses at the door of Ayakha’s room, where she is still peacefully sleeping. He decides to let her be and quietly closes the door behind him, making his way through the hallway and descending the four steps down to the kitchen.

As he enters, he starts to think about what he can cook. He’s not just a handsome light-skinned man with a couple of businesses; he also enjoys cooking whenever he gets the chance. His mother was very strict during his teenage years and insisted that he and his siblings learn how to cook since she wouldn’t always be around after work to prepare meals for them. He begrudgingly learned at first but ended up enjoying it.

His stepmother, a talented chef, also played a significant role in his culinary journey. Whenever he visited his father, they would bond over cooking in the kitchen. It took some time for her to warm up to him, but eventually, she accepted him as one of her own after marrying his father. Those moments spent together preparing meals became cherished memories for him, filled with laughter and learning.

Standing in the kitchen, he opens the fridge and scans its contents, searching for inspiration. His eyes light up when he spots some ground beef and a block of cheese. A delicious idea forms in his mind: he’ll make cheesy beef stuffed peppers.

He pulls out the ground beef and sets a skillet on the stove, turning the heat to medium. The  pan warms up, he begins to chop an onion, the sharp scent filling the air, and tosses it into the skillet once it’s hot enough. The sound of sizzling quickly follows. He stirs it around, letting the aroma waft around him, feeling a sense of comfort in the familiar routine.

Next, he adds the ground beef to the pan, breaking it apart with a spatula as it browns. He seasons it with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of garlic powder, letting the flavors meld together. While that cooks, he grabs some bell peppers from the fridge—vibrant red and yellow ones that will add a pop of color to his dish.

He carefully slices off the tops of the peppers and scoops out the seeds inside. Once the meat is fully cooked, he stirs in some diced tomatoes and a generous handful of shredded cheese, watching as it melts into a gooey mixture. The combination of flavors makes his mouth water.With everything prepared, he fills each pepper with the cheesy beef mixture and places them upright in a baking dish. He tops them off with even more cheese before sliding them into the oven to bake until everything is bubbly and golden brown.

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He lifts his head as he hears her footsteps descending the stairs. A smile creeps across his face as he watches her, looking adorable in her baggy shirt, her hair a bit messy. 

"Finally, you’re awake! I thought you passed out," he teases, and she chuckles shyly, glancing at him before looking away to avoid eye contact. He can’t help but chuckle too; it’s clear she’s feeling shy about what happened between them earlier.

"What are you cooking? I’m finished," she says, settling onto the high stool next to the kitchen counter. He beams at her and shares what he’s making.

"I didn’t know you could cook," she replies, a hint of surprise in her voice.

"You never asked, but now you know," he responds, making his way closer to her. He cups her face in his hands and claims her sweet lips with a gentle kiss. She kisses him back, and when he pulls away, he finds himself staring deeply into her eyes.

"I don’t know what’s happening between us at the moment, but I have to admit that I have strong feelings for you, Ayakha," he says, keeping his gaze locked on hers as she stares back without blinking.

"That intimate moment we had earlier wasn’t just sex for me; it was my way of showing you the desire you always awaken in me, and I want to make you mine," he continues. She seems lost for words, her throat dry as she struggles to find anything to say. Instead, she pulls him in for a kiss that lingers longer than before.

"I don’t know what to say," she finally shrugs.

"I’ve never been in a relationship since I was 20 years old. I’ve dated before, but when I turned 20, my boyfriend and I broke up. We were together from when I was 18 until we split up," she confesses, revealing a glimpse of her past.

"He cheated on me and got two girls pregnant. When I ended things with him, he told me how bad I was in bed and that I was a terrible performer," she reveals, unsure of how all this fits into their conversation. He kisses her softly before pulling away.

"Ebesisidenge ndiyaqonda ebeseyinkwenkwe encinci," he says, and she giggles at his use of isiXhosa.

"Since then, I've only loved one man in my life, with everything in me," she continues, a smile spreading across her face.

"Who?" he asks, genuinely curious.

"My father. He’s the only male I have ever loved," she admits. “So I don’t know if I can love another man.”

He looks at her with a chuckle, finding her honesty refreshing. "Well, I'm not rushing you to love me immediately. You can take your time, but just know that from today, you are my woman." 

Her cheeks flush at his words, a warm feeling spreading through her as she processes what he just said.

She bites her lip, the warmth of his declaration settling in her chest.

 “My woman,” she repeats softly, testing the words on her tongue. It feels both strange and exhilarating.

He notices her hesitation and leans in closer, his eyes searching hers.

 “I know it’s a lot to take in, but I mean it. I want to be here for you, to show you what love can be.”

She looks away for a moment, contemplating his sincerity. 

“It’s just… after everything I’ve been through, I’m scared. What if I open my heart again and get hurt?”

He gently lifts her chin with his finger, forcing her to meet his gaze. 

“I won’t hurt you. I promise. I want to build something real with you—something different from what you’ve experienced before.”

Her heart races at his words. There’s a tenderness in his eyes that makes her believe him, even if just a little.

 "You really mean that?" she asks, vulnerability creeping into her voice.

“Absolutely,” he replies, his tone earnest. 

“But I want you to take your time. We can take things slow—go at your own pace. Just know that I’m not going anywhere.”

A small smile breaks across her face as she feels a flicker of hope ignite within her. 

"Okay,"she says softly, feeling lighter than she has in a long time. “I think I’d like that.”

"Good," he grins, the tension easing between them…

He can't get enough of her sweet lips; you would swear they were marked with "kiss me." Every time he looks at them, he leans in for another kiss. As their lips meet, he sneaks his hand under the shirt she’s wearing, gently fondling her breasts and pinching her erect nipples. She gasps softly, burying her head against him as he buries his face in her neck, eliciting a moan from her.

“Aren’t you cooking on the stove?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

He pauses for a moment, then reluctantly pulls away to switch off the stove. Once he's done, he comes back to her, kissing her deeply as his hands work to unbutton her baggy t-shirt. He stares at her round pointy boobs that are staring back at him pointing at him he grabs her boob and fondles with her nipple. She’s moaning in pleasure as his tongue swirls behind her earlobe. He presses his finger on her clit and plays with it.

She’s wet, so drippin’ wet!

“I love you, Ayakha ,” he whispers against her ear and looks at her in the eyes.  For some reason his heart is beating fast against his chest, his hand is sweating up.

He takes out his member(d!ck) and locks her lips into another kiss. His hands massage between her thighs and tease her clit. He looks at her again, her eyes are shut but he stares at her anyway. He hasn’t looked at another woman in years, she’s his forever and right now he’s not too sure she understands that.

She’s  beautiful; like a precious stone he can stare at all day long. Right now here in this moment and time he is considering  himself lucky to have this beauty in his life. 

“Ayakha look at me,” he says.

She opens her eyes and locks them into his. 

They keep staring at each other, she   kisses his lips. He smiles He kisses her too, their lips lock longer. His tongue swirls in her mouth and chases after hers. He sucks her lower lip and moans in her mouth. He scoops her and walk with her to the soft couch and lays her on it,he takes off his shorts.With his member hard , He brushes her mound and positions his tip to her button. He rubs her, she starts moaning again and digging her hands on his butt. He kisses her again and inhales sharply.

She’s ready!He lifts her leg up.

She flinches. He plants a soft kiss on her cheek and pushes the head in her opening and takes it out, like a snake slithering into its whole, he slides in again. His head drops on her chest, he takes a deep breath and pushes in until he’s completely in.

“Mangaliso!” she cries at same time moaning and he groans loudly.

He stops moving, a minute passes with him buried on her boobs and saying nothing,then he starts moving his waist in and out of her warm honeypot,damn!It is so warm in hear ,he could stay inside forever...…

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RILEY

 

She just got out of the shower, lotioning her body as flashbacks flood her mind. Shaking her head with a smile, she finishes applying the lotion and slips into her pajamas. Once she’s done, she heads downstairs, her stomach growling with hunger.

As she enters the kitchen, she finds Mangaliso already dishing up. She can’t help but gawk at his chiseled body—those defined abs and that enticing V-line! Gosh, her heart races at the sight.

“Why don’t you take a seat, and we can do the staring later?” he says with a smirk, the kind that’s undeniably naughty.

She clears her throat, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks, and takes a seat at the table. He joins her, and they eat in comfortable silence..

 After finishing their meal, they both tidy the table and wash the dishes while engaging in random conversation. Once they’re done, they make their way to the living room and get comfortable on the couch. Mangaliso switches on the TV, landing on a random channel before scooping her into his arms.

“You’ve never told me anything about your family, love,” he says, looking at her with genuine curiosity.

“How about you tell me about your siblings? In fact, tell me more about your teenage years,” he adds.

She sighs, meeting his gaze and feeling a bit uncertain about where to begin. Her teenage years weren’t particularly interesting, and she struggles to find the right words to share.

“I don’t even know where to begin about my teenage years; honestly, nothing was interesting about them,” she admits, and he nods in understanding.

“But the only years I truly enjoyed while growing up involved my father,” she continues, a smile spreading across her face as she starts to share her memories. He listens attentively, captivated by the way her eyes light up and the smile broadens when she speaks about her father.

“Now I can see you’re a daddy's girl, aren’t you?” he teases, tickling her, and she giggles, nodding in agreement.

“I am! I hope you won’t be jealous, though,” she replies with a playful grin.

“I’m already jealous,” he says, pretending to pout.

“Hayike Uza komelela!” she exclaims, playfully folding her arms. He chuckles and leans over to kiss her cheek, the warmth of the moment wrapping around them like a cozy blanket.

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