Novels by Na'ima Yusuf

Susan I didn’t even realize I was holding my breath until his lips left mine for just a moment. My body was still humming from the way he pressed against me, from the heat radiating off him, from the way every inch of him seemed to know exactly how to ignite something inside me I didn’t even know I had. His hands moved over me...slow, deliberate, and teasing...and I shivered under the weight of attention I had been denying myself for far too long tonight. Every touch sent sparks racing up my spine, and I couldn’t stop the small whimper that slipped out. “Shh,” he murmured, his voice low and possessive, brushing his lips against my jaw. “Relax. Just feel.” And I did. I let go. I let go of the thoughts of logic, of rules, of everything I told myself I needed to control. I let go of the fear that had kept my mind distant for so long. I let go of everything… except him. I gasped as his mouth moved along my neck, his teeth grazing my nipples lightly in a way that made me arch i

Elliott I didn’t give her a chance to step back. Not that I wanted her to. One smooth motion, and I had her in my arms, her head resting against my shoulder, her body fitting perfectly against mine. The weight of her was both grounding and electrifying, and the soft gasp she tried to hide pressed into my chest like it belonged there. “Elliot…” she murmured, that one word tangled in surprise, anticipation, and something unspoken. “Shh,” I said, my lips brushing her temple as I moved. “I’ve got you.” The living room faded behind us, the quiet of the house pressing in around us, but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except the feel of her in my arms...the gentle press of her body against mine, the subtle warmth that made me ache in ways words never could explain. I carried her down the hall, each step measured but purposeful, until we reached the bedroom. I didn’t let her go. I just set her down on the bed, sitting on the edge with her between my legs. Her eyes were wide, lips pa

Susan And knowing Elliot Prescott… that usually meant something big was about to happen.The ride back was quiet.Not the kind of silence that felt strained or uncomfortable, but something softer...something that settled naturally between us. It was the kind of quiet that didn’t demand words, because everything that needed to be said already lingered in the space between us.I leaned my head lightly against the window, watching the city blur past in streaks of gold and white. Lights flickered across the glass, dissolving into one another as the car moved steadily through the night. The world outside felt distant, almost unreal, like something I was observing rather than part of.For a moment, I let myself forget everything.The small talks and pressure.His mother’s sharp, measuring gaze.All of it faded into the background, swallowed by the stillness inside the car.It was just me and him.I didn’t realize when Elliot’s hand found mine.But I noticed when his thumb brushed slowly ov

Elliot Ten years later, I still remember that ring.Not because it was valuable.But because it was the first time I imagined what it would be like to marry her.And now… I actually was.The irony of it wasn’t lost on me.Back then, I had bought her a five-dollar ring at a campus stall like a reckless college kid who believed the future would sort itself out.Now I owned half the skyline of this city, commanded boardrooms filled with executives twice my age……and somehow the woman sitting across from me during wedding planning still made me feel exactly like that same reckless kid.Susan was standing near the long dining table now, studying a set of invitation samples the planner had just delivered.Her brows were furrowed in concentration.“Something wrong?” I asked.She glanced up.“These fonts are ridiculous.”The planner froze.“Ridiculous, ma’am?”Susan pointed to the card.“This one looks like it belongs on a royal decree. And this one looks like a funeral announcement.”I coug

SusanThe wedding planner kept smiling like her life depended on it. Her voice was honey-sweet, her clipboard armed with color swatches and seating charts that made my head spin.I nodded through most of it, even when I didn’t understand why flower arrangements were suddenly a life-or-death situation or why choosing between cream and ivory table linens had to feel like picking sides in a war.Elliot sat beside me, legs crossed, calm as ever. Occasionally he’d glance at me, gently brushing his fingers against my wrist...grounding me. He hadn’t said a word when I chose the smaller chapel over the grand hall. He only nodded when I refused the media coverage his mother pushed for.“This is your wedding,” he said the night before our first planning meeting. “I want it to feel like you.”I didn’t tell him how much that meant to me. I didn’t have to.Still, even as we moved through fittings, food tastings, and floral inspections, I felt it...eyes on me.The whispers.From executives who thou

Susan The room faded behind me the moment Elliot led me away, our fingers entwined like lifelines. I barely remembered who was clapping or who raised a glass. My heels clicked down the polished hallway as we walked in silence, hearts pounding too loud to speak.We didn’t go to the main lounge or his office. He took me through the back stairs to the quietest wing of the estate...the old library no one used anymore.He opened the double doors and guided me inside.Warm, dim and dusty in a beautiful, forgotten way. The golden lamplight flickered against the wood-paneled walls.Elliot let go of my hand only to pull off his blazer and toss it onto the old armchair. He turned to me slowly. “Was it too much?”I laughed, covering my face. “Are you insane? You just announced our wedding date in front of a boardroom full of corporate royalty and both our mothers.”He crossed the room, eyes soft. “And you said yes without saying a word.”I looked up at him, heart swelling. “How long were you pl