Charlie was speechless. It was thoughtful. A small deed that showed big intention. She smiled, scoffing.
“Umm… yeah, you can start on this floor. I’m just going to slip on some clothes, grab my dog, and get out of the way. How long will it take?” she asked.
“Not long. About an hour,” the man replied.
Charlie turned on her heels. “Come on, Bails,” she said, tapping her thigh for him to follow. She threw on jeans and a t-shirt, not caring that she was wrinkled, and brushed her hair into a ponytail. A quick swipe of deodorant, she brushed her teeth, then grabbed Bails’ leash before giving up her apartment.
She stepped outside and her heart seized at the sight of Demi sitting on the hood of his car, feet wide and dressed in Gucci sneakers, Gucci hat to match, expensive denim, and a plain t-shirt. More jewelry than an ordinary day required. Presidential. His aura and his watch. Cartier shades and a fucking pinky ring that made Charlie want to ho for him. One man shouldn’t be this damn attractive. It wasn’t on him. It was in him. He was attractive in a different kind of way. So damn rough around the edges, but somehow still corporate, still a boss, still an executive but the hood in him shined, no matter where he was. Demi was an ugly, fine-ass nigga. With his face tattoos and mean-ass stares. She knew he was still upset with her just from his body language.
She walked toward him, stopping on the sidewalk, giving him his space.
“So you’re afraid of spiders,” he said. “What else don’t I know?”
“What do you want to know?” she asked.
“Your last name for starters,” he said. “I called the damn exterminator and couldn’t even give them that.”
“Woods. Charlize Woods,” she replied.
He nodded and finessed the hair on his face.
“I want to take you somewhere, Charlize Woods,” he said. “While they spray your spot. You might need a little something other than that wrinkled-ass shirt, though.”
Charlie laughed. “You don’t like my fashion choices, huh?” she wiggled her eyebrows and struck a couple poses.
He walked around to his back seat and pulled out a bag. Saks Fifth Avenue.
“Go get dressed. Let me spin you around in my passenger seat for a minute, Bird,” he said.
“What about Bails? They’re spraying. He can’t be inside my apartment.”
Demi’s grimace showed his dislike for her dog, but he knew she wasn’t leaving him behind. “Man, at least get a towel or something. Damn dog gon’ have all types of bullshit in my back seat.”
Charlie beamed. “Give me a minute. Here hold Bails.” She took the bag, and he took the leash, looking down at the ground and side-stepping Bails who instantly laid at Demi’s feet.
“Dogs know who the pack leader is. He’s submitting to you, babe. Embrace it,” she teased.
It took Charlie twenty minutes to get herself together. A quick shower and high-waisted denim shorts, with a bralette, and a black blazer. Demi had even gotten St. Laurent strappy heels to match. Light make-up, her locs pinned behind her ear on one side and falling toward her face on the other, and Charlie emerged.
Demi pushed air from his lungs when he saw her. It never failed. Charlie always looked like she was sparkling, like her skin was made of untouched sand, and the sun was shining down on it just right.
“Say, man,” he said, patting the left side of his chest like he was beating an old vending machine that had stolen a dollar from him. “You do shit to a nigga, Bird. You don’t even be trying,” hesaid, scoffing as he shook his head. He took her hand and held it up so that she could sashay in a circle. She was so damn thin that Demi wanted to pick her up, put her ass right on his dick. It was all he thought of in her presence, but he practiced self-control. “You steal a nigga soul.” He admired every angle before snatching her toward him, causing her to fall into his arms. She giggled. Damn. How did her laughter sound like a song?
“I thought it burned,” she said, surprised that he was initiating touch.
“I’m learning to let it,” he replied. “I fucked up with you last night. You right. I was doing too much.”
“I just want this to be healthy, Demi. That’s all. I’ve had enough toxic shit to last a lifetime. I just want this with you to be different,” she said.
He should have ended this right then. He couldn’t give her healthy love because he belonged to someone else. Eventually, what Charlie thought was bliss would turn to hell, but damn it if Demi didn’t want to hold onto what they had for a little while. Ignorance would have to be bliss because no matter what he told himself about creating boundaries with Charlie, she was determined to cross every one. She was on some love shit. He just wanted to oblige.
He bit his bottom lip and then led her to the passenger side. He held open the door and Charlie placed the blanket she carried down on the floor. “Come on, Bails. Daddy’s taking us on a date,” she said, smiling bright, forcing one of his own as he shook his head.
Chapter 14
Younever told me your favorite color,” Charlie said. “You know mine, but you never said yours.” Charlie liked details and when it came to Demi, she knew very little. They were accumulating big moments, sex mostly, and although that was good, she wanted to get to know him. The trivial things made the grandiose moments make more sense and as they drove up the highway headed toward Detroit, she chipped away at him.
“Black,” Demi answered without thinking.
