I inhaled a lungful of something glorious smelling, prompting my eyes to snap up. Either I was delusional as hell, or that ratchet-ass nigga was there. But why would he be there? That left me thinking I was being delusional. He was the last person I needed to have on my brain.
Discreetly scanning my surroundings, I was glad when his face didn't stand out. Heat on the back of my neck had me thinking I was about to panic again. Just as I inhaled, I smelled himagain.
"I'ain think lil' miss prissy played such a thing as basketball."
Eyes wide, my heart tripped in my chest as my head whipped around. Zoo stood behind me, hovering over the chair I sat in. I had to tilt my head back to meet his brown gaze. The arena's lighting made his eyes appear lighter than I thought they were.
"How'd you get past security?" was all I could muster. The team's bench was off-limits, yet here his fine ass stood.
"Oh"—he chuckled and glanced where several security guards stood—"I told them you're my girl."
Eyes narrowing on him, I turned my nose up. "You wish. And can you get your dick outta my face?" Really. If I wanted to bite his dick off, I had access to it since he was all in my space.
He smirked. "He can't help but be in the way, baby."
I pretended to gag and turned back around. "There' are plenty of females who'd love to have your attention sitting right over there." I pointed to an area of the arena where a few groupies had gathered. "You're not on my level on your best day," I told him.
He was quiet for a second, then uttered, "Oh fa' sho?"
I nodded with a sarcastic smile. "So, move around."
He chuckled, sending goosebumps across my skin. The next thing I knew, he was in front of my chair, prompting me to gasp and glance around to see if anyone was paying attention to us. Security hadn't even intervened as if they weren't getting paid to do a job.
Casually dropping to his haunches, Zoo brought himself eye level with me. He was so close that his thighs touched my legs. Those beautiful eyes smiled at me, although his face was set in a serious expression. He licked his thick lips and studied me.
"Whatever level you're on, baby, I can buy that shit and flip it a million different ways." His gaze traveled over my body as if he saw through my jersey shirt and shorts. "Just 'cause you're bad as fuck, I'ma let that lil' comment slide. But don't ever trya boss like he'snotthat. Have yo' fine ass a nice game." Zoo stood back to his feet and sauntered away just as quietly as he'd approached.
"Dusty ass nigga," I wanted to say but couldn't. It wasn't a damn thing dusty about Zeus, not even the bottom of his red bottom sneakers.
I watched his retreating back, shaking my head at his bow-legged ass. Several pairs of eyes followed him, and I only imagined what was going through those skeezers' heads. One was extra bold and followed him back to his seat. She was beautiful enough and grinned all in his face. I hated to say the emotion that passed through me was anything other than disgust and not jealousy.
Regardless of what my mind thought, my body reacted to the sight of him. The first thing I noticed about a man was his height, and Zeusjust so happened to be tall as fuck. Not only was he tall as fuck, but his body was built like a well-bred stallion. Zeus had the walk of a lion —slow, sensual, powerful, and sexy. His mahogany skin glowed and was envy worthy. The way his low-cut beard glistened, I bet he bathed it in luxurious conditioner every morning and night.
How could a man be draped in all designer and not appear flashy as hell? I would bet that Zoo could walk around in rags and still be ogled because he was that damn fine. I complained about Naomi's gold teeth, and here I was salivating over a nigga that had a mouth full of those shits. His long, black dreads brushed the middle of his back as he walked, drawing so much damn attention to himself.
He sat courtside with his cousin, who sent a wave my way. Zoo, on the other hand, stared dead at me. Snatching my gaze away, I stood from the chair and went to join my team on the court. Now that I knew Zoo was courtside, I found myself feeling nervous all over again.
Sighing, I wish I couldn't recall the way he smelled or the way his sexy brown eyes saw straight through me. I wished I didn't see him every time I closed my eyes. I damn sure wished that I could eradicate the sound of his voice from my mental, but it was no such thing. Meeting Zoo was hell on my virgin body.
I always thought I'd meet a nice guy, fall in love, and then give him the most sacred part of me, but with time, I realized these niggas out here weren't shit. Every time I thought I'd met someone nice, they turned out to be no good. It wasn't even because I was difficult. I just knew what the fuck I wanted and refused to settle. My virginity had nothing to do with some deep-rooted ideals. I just wanted the right man to have me.
This last year, I watched first-hand how hard it was for Naomi to get over Vick. She never told me the entire story behind what took place between them, but I imagined it was bad enough for her to say, 'fuck him', especially since Naomi had been so in love with him. Zoo's cousin was definitely after Naomi, and honestly, I thought him showing up tonight was a little cute, even if Zoo was in attendance as well. Hopefully, he was serious about my girl. The last thing Naomi needed was another heartbreak.
ZEUS 'ZOO' SMITH
One thing a nigga like me never lacked was confidence. Even when I was a skinny-ass kid with a bird chest and no facial hair, I had confidence that I could carry my Black ass to the moon. Now standing six-four, cut like a Hummer, and facial hair resembling that of a lion, it wasn't shit a muhfucka could tell me aboutme.Sure, I was arrogant, cocky, and all that other shit people called me. I didn't give a fuck 'cause couldn't a soul touch me. I wasthatnigga.
Grumbling, I scratched at my beard, irritated. Never in my life had I been more ready to snatch a woman up than Penelope with that uglass name. Her slick-ass mouth had me hot as hell, both in anger and sexually. I could take a woman having her own opinion and shit. Pen, however, had the mouth of a nigga that wanted to get busted in his shit.
She looked so damn sweet and innocent that one would’ve thought that's exactly how she was. Hell nah! Pen was a Doberman under that milk chocolate, tall, sleek, thick booty body. Her lips were the type I wanted planted against mine every minute of the day.Fuck!
"You good, bruh?" Sin asked when I took my seat beside his.
"Yeah," I lied.
"How the hell did you get past security? I thought I was gon' have to come down there and save yo' ass."
"I knew one of 'em," I lied again.
