“Fuck it,” I muttered, pushing the door open and stepping out.
I was dressed in white ball shorts, a white shirt with red lettering, white socks, and red slides. As I started toward the front door, it opened. Eriss stepped out with a bag of trash. When our eyes collided, a look of confusion was etched on her face.
“Zyro?” she asked, swiftly glancing behind her. “What are you doing here?”
“I just came by to make sure you and my boy were straight.”
I walked over to her and removed the bag of trash from her hand.
“You drove over an hour instead of calling or maybe sending a text?” she asked in a whisper.
Instead of answering Eriss right then, I turned and took the bag to the trash can and dropped it inside.
“Thanks,” she said, folding her arms across her chest.
I nodded toward her house. “Can I wash my hands?”
We held a long stare before she shook her head slightly and replied, “Yeah…Yeaah, I guess.”
She turned, and my eyes glided down her backside in the little shorts she wore. Eriss had a nice round ass, her cheeks exposed at the bottom. Her hands flew to her ass, and she turned around, face now flushed.
“Sorry about my clothes. I wasn’t expecting company.”
“That’s how you go outside?” I countered.
“I mean, I was just taking the trash out. There’s no one outside,” she fired back. “The bathroom is down that hall to your left. Second door.”
Her home smelled faintly of vanilla. Clean. I removed my slides by the door out of respect and took off down the hall. I flicked the bathroom light on, and I ran water over my hands before pumping lemon-scented liquid soap into my palm. Istared at my reflection for a second, my diamond chain resting against my shirt, waves holdin’ but needed a cut. Still, the question in the air was,What the fuck was I doing here?
When I came back out, Eriss was in the living room, leaning against the arm of the dark brown leather couch. Her arms were still crossed over her chest.
“Why are you here?” she asked again.
“To check on you since I didn’t get to do it when you were at my shop. I see you got a vehicle. You need me to look at it for you?” I stretched my neck. “Where lil’ man?”
“Ermias is with his dad for the rest of the week. I guess his seeing me with another man around him put a lil’ fire under his ass to be a father to his son,” she said, letting out a short, suppressed laugh, then ran her tongue along her inner cheek.
“You trust that nigga like that?”
“Yeah, Delion is a foul nigga, but he was a good father to Ermias. Ermias can tell me when something is wrong, plus he has his tablet just in case he needs to reach me. To answer your question, I don’t need you to look at the Jeep; my dad did that. “
I held my hands up. “My fault, mama. I just…”
“You just what?” she queried.
My hands fell, and I squinted before running a hand down my face. “Shit, I don’t know.”
“You think because I have one working eye that I’m some fragile female.” Eriss smacked her lips. “Guess what? I’m not.”
I shook my head from side to side and replied, “I wasn’t thinking that shit at all. To be real, I don’t know why I’m compelled by you. I mean, you’re beautiful and I enjoyed the fair wit’ you, but I know I’m not good for you, yet…I’m still here.”
Eriss’ lips pressed together like she didn’t believe a word I said. Probably heard the bullshit from niggas before, but I was deadass. I ain’t never played wit’ a female’s mind or heart. I always let them know what it is and what the fuck it ain’t.
Headlights pulling into her driveway brought me to take long strides to her window. I peeked out, making sure it wasn’t no nigga on some bullshit. I’d left my Glock under my seat in the truck.
“You’re really nosy,” she laughed.
“Shiiit, Heartville ain’t my territory. That ain’t nobody but Mahlia. You told her I was over here?” I smirked.
