She took in the simple gray hoodie and joggers he wore. No matter how basic his fit was, he pulled it off in a way that had women turning heads all day. She was envious that they got to share visuals of his sexy ass, however she exclusively held his attention.
His conversation was on point. Thoughtful in a way that never lingered too long on details about justhislife, nor did he exclude them, making her feel as if the conversation was one-sided. For everything she shared about her life, he matched it with details about his own. He made her laugh, made her smile, made her want, and that was dangerous. Asao was fucking her head up.
While he drove them through the streets of Crescent Falls, heading north toward the coast, Samari relaxed beside him with her feet on his dash exposing cotton candy pink toenails she’d painted herself. She could splurge on a day at the shop but maturity had taught her to be fiscally smart. She didn’t know when another big break would come and refused to empty her bank account one appointment at a time.
For the past forty minutes they had settled into a comfortable silence after hours of navigating through the city getting to know each other with no destination in mind. She enjoyed the freedom of just existing because lately her mind had been heavy with thoughts of what her next move would be. The only way she could make new music was to do so under an alias. Thanks to the contract she’d signed three years ago, Samari Janaé was tied to the label, which meant Cobra controlled whether or not she used it. How fucked up was it that she no longer had ownership of her own name?
When they crossed over into Crescent Cove, she turned her eyes on Asao who felt her watching and spoke without handing over his full attention. “What’s up?”
“Where are we going?”
“I got a spot on the beach and haven’t been out here in a minute. I need to pull up and make sure there are no squatters in my shit. You cool with that?”
His sexy smile had her sharing a softer one as she nodded, which Asao caught in his periphery before his brown eyes were locked on her pretty face. “You’re sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
Samari enjoyed the drive and had taken notice of how her mood lightened the closer they moved to the coast. The reason for the shift quite possibly could have been all in her head but she chose to believe otherwise.
They ended up at a house, which brought a smile to Samari’s face. The one-story structure resembled a crystal box with walls made of tinted glass. She couldn’t see inside but was already imagining how beautiful the interior had to be.
“This is yours, like you own it?”
“Yeah. Why you sound so surprised?”
Asao knew who he was. The obvious stereotype of how he was perceived never bothered him. He was hood certified, a shooter, a menace. However, he also had a brilliant mind with a tongue of gold that spit lyrics which kept his songs streaming. Asao had money in the bank and a reputation throughout the city that granted him respect that carried more weight than most.
He was also lowkey, so his moves were rarely documented on social media. The most people got were occasional sightings around the city paired with pictures and video clips of him performing on stage or putting in work in the studio. A house in Crescent Cove had never made the cut because it was personal to him and out of character for what the world knew to be true or expected of a man of his stature.
“I’m not surprised.”
The look he delivered had Samari grinning before she shrugged. “Okay, maybe I’m a little surprised. This is pretty and you’re not aprettyman.”
He laughed, getting out of the car. When he made it to her door and opened it to gain access, Asao dropped his face level with hers. “You calling me ugly, Mari?”
She playfully rolled her eyes before they landed on his handsome face. “I’m speaking metaphorically and your arrogant ass knows how good you look. Now move, I want to see what the view looks like.”
He chuckled and extended a hand to help her out. She moved beside him as they walked to the entrance. He paused at the security pad, glancing over his shoulder after he keyed the six digit code to grant them access. “It’s basic as fuck in here because I haven’t done a damn thing since I purchased the place last year.”
“Why not?” She scrunched her nose, waiting for Asao to open the door, and he shrugged and pushed it open.
“I’ve only been here twice, and the two times I was here, all I did was smoke, write, and sleep. It’s peaceful as fuck out here.”
Once they were inside, Samari’s spirit instantly calmed. They’d stepped into an empty glass box but it was stunningly beautiful. The first visual was two long, butcher block, free standing counters that faced each other.
They were free of anything on their surfaces. One held a sink in the center and the opposite one housed a glass top stove with four eyes. There weren’t any visible appliances but one side of the room offered a display of cabinets made from the same wood as the counters that expanded from the ceiling to the floor where she assumed a refrigerator was hidden behind the largest panel.
She grinned over her shoulder before taking off to explore without asking for permission. He’d brought her here so she assumed that granted her free reign of the property. Asao allowed her space but followed her from room to room while she took in the simplicity of his home.
The house was longer than wide with only one bedroom and a living room. They were on opposite ends of the structure separated by a wood planked deck. It was simple as hell but just enough for when he needed to shut himself off from the world.
While Samari explored the bedroom, which only had a platform bed and simple white bedding, Asao moved to the folding glass doors that connected to the outdoor space. He hadn’t decorated the area yet aside from two lounge chairs facing the shoreline below the house.
“It’s so pretty out here.”
“Yeah, I fucks with it.”
She toed off her leather sandals and giddily jogged down the six stairs, stepping into the sand. While she pushed her toes deeper, Asao’s eyes dropped to the curve of her ass. The leggings covering her lower half provided a nice visual which he lingered on before dropping to the definition of her thighs down to her calves. Samari wasn’t hella thick but she had a little body to her. He for sure could spread them hips with a few months of deep stroking.
