“It’s sensational.” She took another bite. “You know, if you do one more thoughtful thing tonight, I might let you take me out again.”
I looked at her.
“It’s already planned, sweetheart.”
“Is it?” Her eyes widened.
“Yep.”
“You always this smooth and calculating?”
“Nah. This is all for you.”
We locked eyes, and for a second, I forgot where we were. I forgot there were other people in the restaurant. It was just her—just us.
“Eat up.” I smiled. “Gotta get you home at a decent hour. I don’t want you bad mouthing me to Teagan,” I joked. She laughed and then bit into her burger, still smiling. I sat in my seat, staring at her like I was hearing the hook of a song I didn’t know I needed but was about to play it on repeat.
“You didn’t have to walk me to the door,” Noa teased as we made it up her dimly lit walkway. She was holding the flowers I’d given her earlier in her lap and sporting a smile I couldn’t get enough of. It was the perfect ending to our unexpected first date, and she had me simping the fuck out. The old Quade would have never walked a girl to her front door, but then again, I would have never taken her on a date either.
“I mean,… it is our first date. I gotta show you I’m a gentleman.” I smirked, slowing my steps just enough to match the pace of her wheels. I wanted so badly to hold her hand, but she was maneuvering her wheels. I thought about placing my hands on her shoulder, but I didn’t want to make it awkward.Just get her inside, Quade. Chill out. Don’t touch her. Don’t even think about kissing her. Be a gentleman.That was easy to think, but every time she looked up at me like she saw something different, I wanted to feel her touch, see if she felt as soft as she smelled.
“What’s next? You give me a long, lingering first kiss at my front door?”
“Shit,” I whispered under my breath. She was making it hard for me to practice self-control. “That depends on two things,” I said as we rolled up the ramp.
“What’s that?”
“Do you like PDA, and will you still think I’m a gentleman?”
She laughed so loud she let out the cutest snort.
“Noa!”
We both turned at the sound of her name being called. The moment I saw her punk ass ex leaning on the open door of a black Altima, my jaw flinched. I didn’t even notice the car parked across the street when we pulled up. From the looks of how it was parked on the darkest part of the street, he’d been sitting there for a minute. I took a deep breath, trying to use my calming strategies and shit, but I knew he was about to be on some bullshit. The type of bullshit that was going to have my ass looking at my old CO from behind some iron bars.
“Shawn?” Noa said, more like a question than anything, confusion and embarrassment plastered on her face.
“Where have you been?” he asked, his voice louder than I deemed okay. “I know you ain’t been out here parlaying with this construction nigga?”
Noa stiffened beside me, the wheels on her chair locking in place. I moved almost instinctively in front of her, letting him know not to get too close. I hadn’t knocked a nigga out since I was behind bars, but I didn’t mind shit getting out of hand.
“Don’t start, Shawn,” she said quickly. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to see you.” Shawn started across the sidewalk, his eyes cut hard at me. “You ain’t been answering my calls, but you got this nigga over here?” He kept walking. With each step, his voice got louder, and his words became more and more slurred.If you asked me, he was high, and the look on his face said his drug of choice was more than just weed.
“Aye, chill out, my guy,” I said. It was a warning, one that made him look me up and down as he approached the side of the ramp.
“Mind yo’ business, nigga.” He waved me off and continued walking, getting closer to the railing, like that little two-foot gap and wood was going to protect him.
“This is my business now.” I stepped up a few more inches, blocking more of Noa. This nigga had the nerve to laugh as he stepped a little to the right, so Noa was still in his view.
“So that’s what it is now, Noa?” he spat at her. “This nigga buying you flowers and shit? You fuckin’ him now?”
“I might be. You and me are not together, Shawn,” she snapped. “It’s really none of yo’ business.”
“Title or not, you’re still mine. If you wanted a title, all you had to do was ask, baby.” He smirked, still inching his dumb ass forward. The distance between us was now down to just a few inches. Only the railing and his poor judgment were separating us.
“Aye.” I chuckled lowly and shook my head. Dude was funny to me. Niggas always fumbled and then tried to dictate when the girl they fumbled could move on. I hadn’t touched her yet, but Noa was mine, so she was as good as gone. “You need to take that energy somewhere else, bro.”
