“I need to lay some ground rules. You’re not allowed to touch me unless I say so.”
“You got it,” Yaseer nods.
“And you have to be honest about anything I ask you tonight.”
“Bet. I’m an open book. What do you want to know?”
“You’re handsome, rich, and persistent. Why the hell are you chasing behind me?”
“Because you got the kind of energy that don’t come around twice,” he responded, eyes locked on mine like he knew I would be his. “I’ve had models, actresses, and all types of shit. But none of them ever came at me like you. Your smart mouth, that spoiled strut, and the fact that you’ll fight or shoot is just the icing on the cake.” When he said that last part, the reverence in his eyes was undeniable. “You don’t need my protection, but you’ll always have it.”
I swallowed hard, the mere answer making me wet between my legs, so I decided to switch to a topic that was usually a turn-off. “What happened with your daughter’s mom?”
“We were high school sweethearts. Had Amill when we were eighteen. I went off to college, and she stayed behind. After a year of raising Amill, she left her with her parents to pursue her modeling career and now she acts like Amill doesn’t exist.”
That answer wasn’t what I expected, and I felt guilty for even asking. Yaseer still answered confidently, but something in his tone made me feel he could use a hug. Breaking my own rule, I leaned over and wrapped my arms around him. I was all too familiar with the weight of being a single parent. I was only a year in, and my boys were practically grown, so I couldn’t imagine how hard it must’ve been for Yaseer to shoulder that responsibility since Amill was just a year old.
“I have the unfortunate pleasure of knowing what it’s like to parent completely alone. My soon to be ex-husband hasn’t seen our boys since I moved out of our marital home.”
Yaseer broke our embrace and his eyes locked onto mine, softer this time, but steady.
“That fuck nigga never deserved y’all,” he commented, taking both of my small hands inside of his, gently rubbing his thumb across the back of my hands. “From this day forward, you can hit me for anything you and the boys may need.”
“I appreciate that. You can also hit me if you ever need anything for Amill. I can see a friendship blossoming from this.”
“Friends? You see how them nipples staring at me. Even you don’t believe that shit,” he commented.
I yanked my hands away from his and threw my arms across my chest to cover my hardened nipples. There was a knock at the door, and I melted back into the couch as Yaseer went to open it. The same man who Yaseer summoned in the parking lot wheeled a cart inside. A cocktail shaker, two martini glasses, and a small dish of lemon wedges sat beside a bottle of Beluga Gold Line and simple syrup. A tiny container of sugar for a rimmed glass was tucked neatly beside it. He offered me a nod, dapped Yaseer up, and was right back out of the door.
Standing from the couch, I was prepared to make my drink until Yaseer looked up at me. “What are you doing?”
“About to make my drink.”
“Nah, sit back and let me take care of you. You said you already had a long day. You should’ve taken me up on my massage earlier instead of trying to act hard.”
“Oh, I wasn’t acting,” I snickered, turning back towards the couch.
Yaseer laughed, passing me the lemon drop. I silently sipped on the drink and nodded in approval. “You must’ve been a bartender in your past life.”
“I was a masseuse in my past life, too, so if you want, I can give you a massage when you finish your drink.”
“Aht aht. Won’t get me undressed in front of you,” I declined. “Plus, I said no touching.”
“You said no touching unless you say so and I asked for consent.” Yaseer shook his head. “Why are you staying at a hotel?”
“I don’t live in Miami, I only came home for a doctor’s appointment, and I’m headed back home in the morning.”
“Where is home?”
“You were already all up in my business, you should know this already.”
“I’ll find out. You don’t have to worry about that.”
I finished my drink while Yaseer drank the vodka on ice. After another lemon drop, I was ready to shower and lay down. “I’m going to shower and sleep in the bed. I guess you’ll be taking the couch.”
“As long as you’re in my presence I don’t mind,” he commented, standing from the couch. He rolled my suitcase into the master bedroom and came out with a few of his things. I walked past him but halted his stride when I grabbed his hand.
“You’re dangerous, but I like it,” I murmured, the words rolling off my tongue before I had the chance to talk myself out of it. Rising onto my tippy toes, I leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. When I pulled back, Yaseer grinned and dragged his bottom lip into his mouth, sucking the gloss from it, savoring the brief taste of me. My breath hitched, and I turned quickly, scurrying into the bedroom and locking the door behind me. I exhaled deeply, heart racing. Even that simple peck was earth shattering. From the moment I discovered Yaseer existed, I knew he was trouble.
