“Sprite,” I answered, while planking my arm along the back of the bench.
“‘Sprite?’” Crystal stared, “Who drinks Sprite with waffles?”
I shrugged, not wanting to point out my split lip in front of the waitress.
“I’ll have apple juice,” Crystal finally decided.
When the woman walked off, I hooked her in my arm and squeezed her into a side hug, “What is this, putting me inside?”
“Absolutely. I’ll put my stiletto in that big motherfucker if he shows his face in here threatening what is mine, and you’re not gonna stop me.”
I probably should’ve taken offense, her talking about me like I was some possession of hers. Instead, I carried on until the waitress was making jokes about me spoiling my appetite with the way I was eating Crystal’s face.
Chapter Twenty-Two
I Don’t Grovel
Crystal
Whatever the two were discussing didn’t look to be going over very well. He wouldn’t admit to it, but he didn’t refute my little joke about protecting him with my body and prized pumps, either.
“You’re going to tell me why he did that to you,” I whispered, once the food arrived and he finally stopped kissing and handling me.
“Am I?” He smiled at his fork and stuffed his mouth with waffles.
I nudged his thigh with the heel of my hand and swigged from my juice, “Yes. You are. I don’t like surprises. Secrets lead to ugly surprises more often than not.”
He placed his hand over mine and smiled, “We got all day to talk about that type of stuff, though, right?”
I gave a slow nod. “Yeah. I’m here as long as you are.”
“Don’t play. Girl, I’ll go cop a tent right now.”
I shook my head and bit into my toast, eyeing him all the while.
“You don’t even know where I live,” I pointed out, even if I wasn’t that keen on taking him home with me.
“I will after today,” he confidently predicted, before asking, “Were you in the Pink Cabaret when I pulled up?”
“Yeah,” I nervously laughed, recalling the stress I’d walked in with. “I covered for a new girl that was afraid Jay would fire her if she called off. I guess I knew how she felt. Jay actually called me on my day off. He usually only does that when someone is in shit at work, but I have no idea what I could have done. I’ve raked through my mind, but really the only complaint he could have was the mark on my neck. And it was just that once, it’s not like you left more or it has ever happened before. Thankfully, he wasn’t in yet and I made it through the shift without any bullshit or negativity.”
When you worked with as many young women as I did, it was inevitable. Especially in my choice of industry, competition was real and it was ugly sometimes.
“You want me to talk with him?”
“What? No!” I spat the two words rapidly, my cheeks heating at the idea. “He will fire me if you enter that club and he finds out we’re dating. It’s against the rules. Boyfriends aren’t welcome.”
“I’m really diggin’ today. You’re laying claims and titles upon arrival. I knew I’d lay it right, and we’d establish a clear understanding.”
“Lord, what have I done rewarding arrogance and acknowledging effort? I forgot what I was pouring that type of kerosene on. Hold still…”
I put a hand on his shoulder and reached past that dark hair of his. “Ohhh,” I stressed, in afterthought, bringing my thumb back to my mouth for a lick before I began smudging the air over his hair again.
“What the hell are you doing?” Anthony laughed, hauling me down with a hand on either side of my upper torso.
“I forgot whose crown I was polishing.” I wiggled my nose, all but calling him the King of Twats without uttering the words.
He hefted me, pretended like he might throw me away. Just as I neared the edge of the booth, he jerked me back toward him, “Nah, you know…I think I’ll keep you. Especially now that you’ve given me this idea about you polishing things.”
