Nyair chuckled and nodded. “I’ll make sure they get the memo. Anything you need from me? I want to be of service. I ain’t the type to lay my burdens on you without taking on something of yours. You helped me, let me help you. What can I do to make your life a little easier?”
Why was this nigga such a breath of fresh air? He was just different. He had taken from her, yes, but he was willing to replenish as well. Reciprocity was rare, yet here he was offering it up.
“No, that’s not necessary. I’m glad I could help.”
He shook his head, leaning back in his seat and rubbing his hands over strong thighs.
Lawd, why is his thighs that big? Strong, built-ass man. He’d probably never get tired of…
“You in there?” Nyair asked, waving his hand in front of her face playfully.
Lauren had gotten lost in her thoughts of lust, and she blew out a tense breath as she came back to reality.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I said, take everything a man offers you. Whatever you need, I got you for doing me this massive favor. I can’t let that debt linger.” Nyair made Lauren dizzy.
“Okay, yeah, maybe a small favor wouldn’t hurt. I need this Ring system taken down at my home. I bought a new one that I’d like installed, but Best Buy has like a month wait time and…”
“You can’t ask your ex because you taking the old one down because it gives him too much access,” Nyair finished. He wasn’ta mincer of words. He was so accurate with his assessment that she couldn’t even say otherwise. “Consider it handled,” he finished.
She smiled as the waitress approached the table with enough food to feed ten people.
“I’m at your disposal,” Nyair stated. “But right now, let’s eat.”
It was the most enjoyable two hours she had spent in a long time. He was a breath of fresh air. When he dropped her off at her car, she found herself sitting in the parking lot of the church, shotgun in his whip, laughing as the conversation flowed even longer.
“I should probably get home,” Lauren said, finally, as a fear of blurring lines invaded her as the sun set on the horizon.
“That’s a good idea,” Nyair agreed. “Drive safe. I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask you to let me know when you made it in.”
She met his stare as both flattery and shock invaded her. “I will make sure I don’t leave you wondering.”
The slickest smile graced his face as he turned his head out his window before gripping the steering wheel tightly with one hand and nodding. “I’m already wondering so many things.”
She blushed and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow,” he confirmed.
Chapter 7
Stassi’s pity party she was throwing herself was her way of blocking out the world. Junk food and reality TV somehow made her forget that her life was a shit show. There was something about Black women acting a fool on national television that made her feel like shit could be worse.
She knew she should be up, game planning, rebuilding, and figuring out her life, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do anything other than indulging in somebody else’s drama. Any drama except her own would do. She was convinced that doing absolutely nothing was a form of therapy, or maybe that was just what she told herself to avoid acknowledging the depression that was surely sneaking up on her.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
Annoyance filled her as she forced herself up from the couch. She pulled open the door to find the familiar yet unwanted man standing before her. The handler. Day’s white boy recruiter who vetted the girls Day wanted to fly out. She didn’t even care that her hair was all over her head or that she had a queso stain on her t-shirt.
“Do you really get paid to find pussy for a rapper?” Stassi asked. “Like, you’re okay with that? What’s your official title? Pussy wrangler? Get away from my door and tell your boss to lose my number.”
“It’s really not like that,” the guy said. “I’m an executive assistant for the label. The name’s Roman, and I’m here on behalf of your sister, Charlie.”
She noticed the box in his hand for the first time. “It’s an invitation to her listening party. Day meant to give it to you yesterday, but he said his time with you was cut short.”
“My sister could have invited me herself.”
“It’s a surprise. Your sister doesn’t even know the album is ready. He knows she’d want you there, so here I am. Didn’t mean to disrupt. A driver will be here to pick you up at seven sharp.”
