I watched her chewing slow down until she swallowed. She shook her head and sighed. “Listen. I don’t have the time or energy for any more men who use dates and kind gestures to hide the fact that they just want to fuck.”
Instead of taking offence at what she said, I doubled down on my intentions. “That’s not why I asked you that. I want the chance to get to know you better.”
“Why?” she questioned while setting the pastry on her lap and folding her arms over her chest like she was suspicious of me, as if by watching me, she’d be able to tell I had ill intentions toward her.
I stared deep into her eyes. I saw her interest in me, but I could feel her hesitation. This was a woman who’d been scarred, and while it didn’t harden her, it did create steel walls around her heart. I reached for the lash I saw resting on her cheek. She flinched a little but allowed me to remove it.
I smiled. “You’re the most intriguing woman I’ve ever met, Free. While I can admit dating is new to me, I’m open to exploring this tug I feel toward you because it’s something I’ve never felt before.” I chuckled when I realized how silly I sounded. “You got a nigga out here sounding corny as fuck. Please say yes and save me from further embarrassment.” I quickly palmed my forehead, wishing I could disappear.
She lit up beside me, and I slowly watched the tension leave her limbs. She blessed me with her beautiful smile. “It’s not corny. It’s sweet.” She picked her patty back up and nodded. “Yes, I will go on a date with you.”
I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until she agreed. Only then did I feel my heart racing again. “Okay, let’s exchange numbers so I can text you the details.”
As I pulled in front of the address Free gave me, I placed a call to my sister, who didn’t answer on the first ring. I instantly became irritated when her voicemail came on. The one time I needed her, she wanted to be MIA. I called her again as I put my car in park.
“Finally,” I complained about how it almost went to voicemail again before she picked up.
“I got a life too, you know,” she replied.
I snorted. “Oh, now you got a life? I’ma remember that the next time you’re blowing me up too, since you wanna act funny.”
She laughed. “Oh my goodness. Get out of your feelings. What you want anyway? Don’t you have a date to go on?”
I released a shaky breath. “Yeah, I just pulled up outside her crib. You think she’s going to like what I have planned?”
“Yes, Tai. Relax, boo. It’s going to be great.”
“It better be, or I'ma whup your ass for talking me into this.”
She giggled. “More like you’re going to cash out on an AMG because you’ve found the love of your life. Bye! Don’t keep your future wife waiting.”
“Wait, wait! Do you think the cupcake is corny?”
“Who cares if it is or isn’t, Tai? You want to impress this girl or not?”
I huffed. “Yes, I want to impress her.”
“Then grab that cupcake, get your ass out the car, and go ring the doorbell. Goodness gracious, please act like you’ve had pussy before, son.”
I reached for the cupcake on the passenger seat. I wanted to be different, and since I bought her so many bouquets the other day, I chose to bring a red velvet cupcake instead of red roses. I could’ve been thinking too deeply, but it was true that I wanted to impress Free. She was already guarded; I didn’t want to give her more reasons to be.
“You know this isn’t the typical kind of situation, but aight. You right. I am acting like a little bitch. Bye then, and I ain’t calling you for nothing else either.”
I didn’t give her a chance to respond before I hung up on her. Instead of turning the car off, I opened my door, hopped out, and took quick strides to Free’s front door. I rang the doorbell and waited while doing my best to regulate my breathing.
The door came open a few seconds later. As it opened wider, I smiled when I saw Free materialize before me. She was wearing a red, Asian-inspired, lace dress that exposed her breasts. They were glistening like some glazed donuts. I had to avert my gaze before I forgot we were practically strangers and bit one of them. I whistled and blew out a breath. The slit up the side ofher dress exposed her toned leg. “Wow. You look amazing,” I complimented her.
She blushed as her body twisted from side to side. “Thank you, Stanley. You’re looking quite handsome yourself. Is that for me?” She pointed at the cupcake in my hand.
I nodded and handed it to her. She happily accepted it. “Yeah, I figured I would do something different. Are you ready?”
She nodded. “Yes. Let me sit this in the kitchen, then we can go.”
I stood in place while she went to handle that. I glanced up just as she came back with a gold clutch in her hands. The sound of her heels clacking across the floor was so satisfying. Free was so fucking sexy. I needed her to be mine. “Ready.”
I reached out a hand toward her. Something in me shifted around when she placed her dainty little hand in mine. I waited patiently while she locked up, then I escorted her to my car.
“A Lamborghini Urus? No, you got money for real,” she joked.
