“My family and a few friends.”
His answer was so vague, Orielle sucked her teeth and huffed.
“Okay.”
“Chu’ doing all that for?” Najee asked, grinning.
“No reason. I hope you, your family, and friends have a grand time.”
She was pouting, and he secretly loved that shit. Giving her what she wanted, Najee ran down the small list of people to her.
“Happy now?” he asked teasingly.
“Mhm.” She smiled. “Does your sister know we talk?”
Najee smirked and nodded. “Yeah. I told her about you. So be prepared for her to ask you questions. Be happy you already met my auntie.”
“Oh, goodness,” she chuckled. “But yes, I’d be more than happy to celebrate with you tonight,” she said.
There was no sarcasm in her voice. Something about hearing her saywith you,hit differently. She didn’t saycelebrate youlike his ex said to him at his welcome home party, and that stood out to him more than she knew. Orielle didn’t view herself as an outsider in his world, and Najee liked that she didn’t because they were past that stage.
“A’ight. Bet. I’ma run in the house and change right quick before coming to see you,” he said.
“Right now?” Orielle said in a slight panic.
“Yeah, unless you got something to do.”
“I mean, I didn’t until you called. I want to go to the mall and get a new outfit for tonight,” she said.
Smirking, Najee shook his head. “Okay. I’ll come get you and we can go. I’ma still run in here and change clothes. You mind if I get dressed at your house for dinner?”
Orielle gulped. This was new territory for them both but it felt right. Najee would’ve invited her to his place, but he knew how she was when she got dressed. She had an entire routine and he didn’t want to screw it up just because he wanted to be near here. When she was quiet for too long, Najee said something.
“You can tell me no, baby. It’s no pressure.”
“No, it’s fine. You can get dressed here. We can leave out together.”
Najee smirked. “Couple shit.”
“Um, no.” She giggled but was serious. “Friend shit. You aren’t my man until you ask me to be your woman, and that’s if I say yes.”
“Damn!” Najee exclaimed, laughing. “If a nigga was about to ask you to be his, you just ruined the fuck out of the moment.”
Giggling, Orielle waved him off. “Oh, please. You weren’t about to ask anything.”
She hoped he wasn’t because deep down, she wasn’t ready. Najee knew that. He sensed it. In due time, though, the dating title between them would change. In fact, it had already elevated it to exclusive dating because she was the only one getting his time, energy, effort, and dick.
“Nah. I wasn’t. Not yet, but don’t think this shit between us isn’t exclusive,” Najee let her know straight up.
“Oh. I know it is. Do you think I’m out here dating and fucking every nigga that brings me food?”
“Who the fuck else is bringing you food, Orielle?”
Her eyes widened at the grit in his tone and the use of her full name. Territorial, possessive shit. She cackled loudly.
“Oh my gosh. Nobody. I swear,” she said and pulled herself together when he didn’t say anything. “Babe,” she whined. “Stop looking like that. I was just playing.”
“Yeah, well play with someone else and be ready to put them jaws to use when I get there. You almost pissed me off for real.”
