Read Online Jaded (The Butterfly Memoirs) by M. J. Kane - Free Book Online

could seriously use a drink.”
    “Me, too.” I spied our server, waved him over, and inquired about our order.
    A few minutes later, we sat with two freshly poured glasses of wine. I told the server to leave the bottle.
    Yasmine held her glass high. “I propose a toast.”
    “Okay,” I mirrored her action.
    “To our bastard and bitch exes. I hope wherever they are, they realize they fucked up when they screwed us over.” Firm resolve echoed the steel of her eyes.
    “Interesting choice of words; I second that.”
    We clinked glasses and watched each other as we drank. Neither of us sipped.
    I swallowed hard. “You are an interesting woman, Yasmine Phillips,” I poured a second round for the both of us the moment her glass touched the table.
    “Really?” she smirked.
    I nodded. “You are beautiful, smart, have a body that’s hot, and the mouth of a sailor.”
    Yasmine froze mid sip; laughter burst from her.
    “Sorry, it’s my mom’s Irish side of the family.”
    “Irish? You have black family members from Ireland?”
    She smiled. “No. The Irish comes from my mother’s side; she’s white. My father is black.” The expression on her face at the explanation of her heritage seemed apprehensive.
    “That explains a few things.”
    Her head tilted to the side. “Like what?”
    “Like where you get those grey eyes. I thought you wore contacts. It also explains the beautiful color of your skin.”
    Her cheeks flushed under the low lights. “Thank you.”
    She avoided my gaze. I had never been this forward when sharing my thoughts with women I found attractive. For some reason, talking to Yasmine was as easy as breathing. “I’m sure you were told that a lot while growing up.”
    She ran a finger along the rim of her glass. “Not really. Most comments were negative. Believe me I’ve heard them all. ‘Oh, that’s why you’ve got such light skin’ or ‘didn’t your parents know not to reproduce?’” She shrugged.
    I shook my head in disgust. People could be so ignorant.
    “The majority of my white family disowned my mother for marrying a black man. We rarely spent time with them. The black side welcomed us. I’ve spent more time trying to decide which side of the family I could identify with most.” She held up a hand and studied her skin in the low light. “I don’t favor any particular side. Honestly, I had a harder time than my brother did. He looks more like a black man than a white one. Me? I guess I’m just…me.”
    I waited until her gaze met mine again. “Your parents did an amazing job when they made you.”
    Yasmine stared at me, a sense of appreciation on her face. I could feel something change in the air between us. We connected on another level. It was comforting and nerve-racking at the same time.
    “You’re the only one besides my best friends who know I was ever engaged.” Her eyebrows scrunched as if she couldn’t believe the secret she’d shared.
    “You never told your parents?”
    “No, they weren’t aware I was seeing anyone. Not even my brother knows.”
    “Are you close to your family?”
    Yasmine laughed lightly. “We’re close, and they are aware I date, make that, dated in past tense. I have a bad history with men. It could be a curse,” she muttered. “The relationship between Javan and me was...” She inclined her head in what seemed to be embarrassment. “We weren’t officially dating at the time. We were more like…cut buddies.”
    “Oh, friends who have sex, huh?”
    “Yes, it’s what I chose. The first man who wanted to marry me felt he needed to be with more than one woman. My experiences taught me men do what they want with anybody they want. Why can’t I do the same? Don’t misunderstand. I don’t sleep with just anybody. I have standards. I think it’s unfair that I am considered a ‘ho’ because I like sex with more than one partner.”
    I couldn’t help it; both eyebrows rose in surprise.
    Yasmine rolled her eyes. “Not at the