I huff. “Okay, you’re generous. I get it.”
“Oh, that’s what they calling it nowadays?”
“Calling what?”
“Being a grown ass man.”
That nasty fumbling in my stomach comes back while Rasheeda saunters back into my head in her clingy sundress.
“Well, did she at least give you a happy birthday shout-out on social media? She looks like the Facebook type.” I curl my lip up in disgust.
“Nah. That ain’t allowed.” He laughs.
“So you’re strict?”
He smirks, eyeing my legs again and making my face hot. “I ain’t strict with her at all.”
“You mean to tell me she didn’t give you a birthday shoutout, cook you a meal, or had Ky draw you a card, but you’re sharing your body with?—”
“It’d be kinda crazy for a woman to do some silly shit like that when she’s in the middle of a divorce, don’t you think?”
A quiet gasp I don’t recognize as my own echoes throughout the quiet gym. “She’s…she’s married? But Ky…”
“Had a step-daddy…and doesn’t understand that I can’t be his new one.” He smiles gently. “And the details of Rasheeda’s relationship really ain’t my business unless her husband makes it mine and start disrespecting her or her baby.”
For a moment I think I see shame in his eyes, but it flutters away before I can truly observe it.
“My turn again?” he mutters before I can internalize any more of him and Rasheeda’s messy relationship.
“But…I didn’t?—”
“You did. You asked me four questions.” He holds up four fingers. “I counted all of ‘em. We’re having a reciprocal conversation here, remember?”
For a second, I can hear the words he refused to say out loud. The ones where he admitted to counting each syllable that came out of my mouth—but I think that’s too soft for a guy like him to admit.
“Fine. Go ahead.”
“So you found that nigga yet?”
“Yes,” I whisper back without bothering to ask who he’s talking about.
“No follow-up questions about his whereabouts?” I add.
“That’s between you and God.” He raises his eyebrow. “Unless you ready for him to meet God.”
The threat is as casual as everything else that comes out of his mouth. It makes my insides somersault even though I know nothing will come of it. It’s just a nice thing for a man to say to a woman like me. Me and Rich aren’t anything to each other so there’s no reason for him to make good on any silly promises that involved harming AJ.
“Next question then,” I choke out, mimicking him.
“A’ight… let me see it.”
“See what?” I frown.
He points to the left side of my body that throbs underneath my dress.
“That’s not a question. That’s a request.”
“Okay. Can I see what you too scared to show folks?”
