“Seriously? Who do you think you’re fooling? No man is giving afriendhundreds for a hair appointment.”
“My friends are.”
Yari snatched the cash from my grasp. “Make thatniggayour bestie if he’s going to pay this much for a fresh pixie.”
A woman of her word, Yari had me out of the chair in under twenty minutes. I wanted to ask Kasey to keep what she saw toherself, but she had her phone in her hand before I could dust loose hair off my pants.
A second after I stepped outside, Neptune’s passenger door was pushed open from the inside. I stomped over to the sports car like I wasn’t happy to see him, though on the inside, I was impressed by his tenacity.
“Don’t do that shit again.” I groaned as my butt melted into the peanut butter interior.
“Then don’t ignore me.”
“I was busy, Neptune.”
“You should never be too busy for me.”
His cocky comeback rubbed me the wrong way. “See, and that’s why I’ve been leaving your ass onread. You like to play with my head. There are enough men in my life trying to do that.”
“Like who? Tell me the problem, Kitty.”
“You and me...having sex. We have to stop. We have an arrangement that doesn’t include a real commitment, but somehow it includes us fucking.”
“I’ve never made you do anything you didn’t want to do.”
“I’m saying I shouldn’t have wanted to do it. This is business, and I feel myself slipping.”
His eyes found me. “You don’t think I’ll catch you?”
“You will hardly kiss me, Tune. One minute, we’re enjoying each other’s company, and I think we’re getting somewhere. Next thing I know, we’ve had sex, and a car is waiting to take me home. You didn’t ask me to be your girlfriend, but I don’t want to be your fuck buddy. I don’t think I can handle that.”
As if my words fueled his car, Neptune backed out of the parking lot.
“Did you hear what I said? You’re not going to keepfucking with my mind then?—”
He slammed on the brakes, cutting off my rant.
“Neptune, what the hell? Are you trying to?—”
Wild and void of intimacy, Neptune kissed me. The gesture was unexpected and underwhelming.
“Are you happy now?”
“No! That shit was wack, and you know it. I mentioned affection, not aggression.”
“I’m not big on that. I don’t know how to show you I’m falling hard and fast when I’ve never felt anything close to what I feel about you.”
Disbelief caused my brows to bunch. “Really? What happened to the lady you were with before now?”
“We were together, but our relationship wasn’t authentic. Routine turned into a relationship. I had love for her, but her presence or absence never made me feel the way a man should when he’s in love. I’m a loyalnigga by nature, so I never stepped out on her. I also never stepped up.”
“Then why did you pick me? You already proved you don’t trust me.”
“I don’t trust anyone I don’t know.”
“Then get to know me.”
“I know you. You’re ambitious, you’re a lover, though you pretend to be a hardbody. You’re smart as hell, but you’re also impulsive. Your sense of humor makes me find humor in things I wouldn’t usually believe are funny. Your past dictates how you move, but your faith keeps you resilient.”
