Simultaneously, we unbuckled our seat belts. As she reached for the door I yelled her name.
“Weirdo, what are you doing?” I asked.
Erin turned, giving me a frozen stare, but followed my eyes to her hand holding the handle.
“Oh, you want to be a gentleman after being an asshole since we met,” she said.
Erin sat back and withdrew her hand away from the door.
“Woman, Pops will kick my ass if he catch you opening your own door. His old ass is staring at us right now through the cameras,” I informed.
Erin tossed her hands in the air. “How was I supposed to know we were at your parents’ house? You aren’t extremely forthcoming with information,” she said.
When Pops moved in, he took me and Malcolm’s ass through the ringer for a year and a half. Mom wanted to interject several times, but she didn’t, allowing him to lead. We had manners, but he taught us several things Mom couldn’t from a man’s perspective.
With one leg out the door, I shook my head at Erin.
“What?” she asked.
“It don’t matter where we are. A man opens a door for you, Erin. Who have you been dating,” I said, and hurried out of the car.
She followed me with narrowed eyes and a tight lip as I strolled to her side of the car. I extended my hand, but she slapped it away and I chuckled.
“I’m posting that picture and let’s see how your pussy supply dries up,” she said.
Leaning forward, I whispered in her ear. “Go head, women love men who are off limits.”
She faced me, leaving only enough space for air. “Yea, and men love bagging the girl of a celebrity. I might grab one of your teammates. Chauncy is kinda cute.”
I bit down on my bottom lip to keep from kissing her plump, nude gloss tinted, lips.
“I knew you were a user, trying to get a come up off me,” I said, as I slammed her door shut.
“When I think you’re not so bad, somehow you mess it up. Why?” she asked.
I waved for her to walk in front of me. She strolled at a slow pace before picking it up and I gripped her hand. Landing at the side entrance, I unlocked the door and tugged Erin inside with me. The light taps from her small hands made me chuckle. Pops’ brows furrowed as he observed the transaction between us.
“Hey, Pops,” I said and turned to Erin.
“Weirdo, you better speak to my Pops,” I said.
She clenched her teeth together as she gained her freedom from my grasp.
“Hello, Mr. Jefferies. It’s nice to meet you again,” she said, extending her hand.
They exchanged greetings, and he offered her a seat. Erin sat in the stand-alone chair while I claimed the two-seater and stared in her direction.
“It’s rude to come to my parents’ house and not sit with the host,” I said, and pointed to the seat next to me.
I earned two sets of eyes, Erin’s and Pops’ but I ignored him. Suspicion settled on her face as a crease formed in the middle of her forehead. She moved next to me without disputing my claim. I’m glad she didn’t because I made it up on the fly. Erin put enough space between us for a small child to grab a seat, and it bothered me.
“Don’t be shy in front of Pops. You’ve been flirting with me since last night,” I said.
Erin’s mouth parted as she twisted her body in my direction.
“Marquise, you are trying it. I got some choice words for you when we go to the pier,” she said.
Pops cleared his throat, pulling the attention to him.
