I felt the other executives’ eyes on us. Curious. Wondering about the history behind that comment.
She was trying to mark her territory but I just replied with, “It’s a’ight.”
“Just a’ight?” She tilted her head, that smile never wavering. “We spent weeks picking out those fixtures. The custom millwork alone took a month to install. I thought you’d be more enthusiastic.”
“Time is money, Farah. Get to the party. That’s what we’re paying you for.”
I wished my brothers gave me a heads up about which company they were using but then again, they wouldn’t have known that Farah worked for them. They didn’t know shit about her.
The meeting lasted an hour. Budget discussions. Venue options. Catering preferences. Guest list parameters. Farah handled it all with practiced ease, asking the right questions, making the right suggestions, acting every bit the professional event planner.
But every few minutes, her eyes would drift back to me. Checking. Watching. Waiting for something I wasn’t gonna give her.
When it finally ended, people started gathering their things, filtering out of the room. I stood to leave, already thinking about checking my phone for Zainab’s texts.
“Prime, wait.”
I turned. Farah was standing there, folder clutched to her chest, that professional mask slipping into something more personal.
“Can I talk to you for a second? Privately?”
“We don’t have anything to talk about.”
“Please.” She glanced around at the lingering executives. “Just two minutes.”
I should’ve walked away. But I wanted this handled. Done. Final.
“Two minutes,” I said.
I walked down the hall toward an empty office. She followed, heels clicking against the marble. When we were inside, I turned to face her, arms crossed.
“Talk.”
“I wanted to apologize,” she started. “For what happened at the gala. The way I reacted when I saw you with her?—”
“The panties.”
She blinked. “What?”
“Those panties you left under my bed. I should break your neck for that shit.”
Something flickered across her face. Guilt? Satisfaction? Both?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, but her lips were curving into a smile. “But if some panties happened to end up in your bedroom…” She stepped closer, voice dropping.“It was probably from that night, I stayed at your place. You know the night you were hellbent on rescuing me?”
“I did that out of obligation. Next time, I won’t be so kind.”
“Oh, come on, Prime.” Another step closer. “Don’t be like that. We’ve known each other for years. You really gonna act like there’s nothing between us?”
“There isn’t.”
“Liar.” She reached up, her fingers brushing against one of my locs. “I see the way you?—”
I grabbed her wrist. Hard. Stopping her cold.
“Don’t,” I said quietly. “Touch me.”
But instead of fear, something else bloomed across her face. Her eyes went half-lidded. Her breath caught. Her lips parted.
