He leaned over to speak and I swore his closeness was doing something to me. I’d been existing without a friend for a minute. Normally I’d find someone to kick it with when I was traveling but even that had gotten old quick. As I sat here feeling my core thump harder than the 808s in the song playing I knew I needed to figure something out before I broke the contract I was under.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” His voice held a hushed tone that was counterintuitive to the noisy club. But I could hear everything he said as if he were speaking directly in my ear. His body was hard but felt so good pressed next to me. He smelled good as he looked and with the way Aldrich was watching me, my mind was wandering in an increasingly familiar but still inappropriate direction.
“I’m just trying to make sure you’re good. I wanna squeeze your hand or offer you comfort but I don’t know if that’ll be weird for you.” I hadn’t touched him since we’d danced unless he was helping me work out.
“Nah. You already live with me. A hand squeeze ain’t no big deal, Ling Ling.” To prove his point, he threaded his fingers through mine and put his hand on the lower portion of my knee. I didn’t react but I rolled my eyes as he grinned at his corny joke.
“You are so damn weird.”
“I am. It’s been a minute since I’ve laid back and tried to kick it. Going out hasn’t really been on my radar.” He was smiling but I knew he was saying more than just the words. It probably had a lot to do with Ami’s mother but I couldn’t be sure.
“Because of the baby?”
“Nah, because of the scene. It’s not what it used to be.” His eyes got that same faraway look in them like he did at times at home.
Unable to hold back because I wanted to bring him back from wherever he was I put my hand on the crook of his elbow. His head snapped toward me but his eyes cleared once they landed on my face.
“Are you ready to get out of here?” Anthony leaned over to speak to Aldrich and I guess he and Aphrodite were ready to go after the situation with their teammate.
“I’m hungry as fuck. You wanna eat? And I’m talking real food not that weird shit you be eating at the house.” I knew he was joking but I had a thing with people talking about how I ate. I knew it was bringing things from the past into my present but the wound was still there. I’d been increasingly concerned about what I was eating because of the lifting I’d been doing. But all of that had gone out the window when his mom got in the kitchen. I wasn’t about to insult her and not eat so for the last few weeks I’d been eating terribly.
“Stop! I’m doing better. Besides, I was eating the right things.”
“You're talking to a pro athlete so I get eating right. But your ass was malnourished as fuck. You know as a nurse those habits weren’t healthy. You're already fine as fuck, you gain weight it ain’t gone do shit but go to all the right places so chill.”
My mouth was open because he’d said I was fine like he was saying grass was green or baby shit was gross. He’d kept his voice low so that no one else heard what he was saying but I knew I had to look as flustered as I felt.
“I’m…I’m not sure what to say.”
“You ain’t got to say anything but ‘yes, Money’ and we’re good.”
“Aldrich—”
He shook his head that grin even brighter than before, since I refused to call him that nickname. “Nope. Try again.”
I dipped my head toward him hating how I was enjoying our banter. “Rich—”
“Better but still not quite what I said.”
I let out a mock sigh of exasperation as I rolled my eyes playfully. “Money.”
His face broke into a wide grin as he nodded his approval. “See, that wasn’t so bad. Now, you gone come eat some junk food with me for a minute? It won’t take long and I’m sure that Ant and his girl will tag along. Y’all seemed to hit it off.”
“She’s really nice.” I smiled wide because Aphrodite seemed to be a nice person.
“Imagine that. Athletes being just like real people.” His sarcasm was heavy but it still had me grinning. All the drama from earlier seemed to be forgotten and Aldrich was back to being playful.
I sucked my teeth but couldn’t fight back the smile that broke through. “We will fight in this club.”
“Aye, you see how well that worked out for the last challenger. I won’t hit you but I’ll definitely fold your ass up.” Aldrich slid his arm around me casually as he said what he did and it sent a jolt straight to my core.
There was no reason for me to think about my ankles being by my ears but that’s exactly where my mind went.
Come on, Sterling, let’s not act stupid. You’re not about to sleep with your boss.
“Okay.” It was the only thing I could think of to stop where my mind was headed.
“Okay, what?”
