“Baaabe,” she cooed, picking up the gold box first. “You remembered the white roses.”
His heart swelled seeing how happy she was for remembering the small detail. Najee nodded. “Yeah. These right here fire, too, so I got both. That little one, you can put on your desk or something. I just thought you’d like it ‘cause it’s small.”
Orielle picked up the box with the gardenias and rubbed the petals. “I love all of them. Thank you so much, baby.”
She placed the box down and wrapped her arms around his neck, smothering him in kisses. Najee stood there smirking, soaking up all her love.
“You’re welcome. I don’t like us not claiming each other for real. I need you to be able to confidently say, ‘Yes, I’m in a relationship and it’s with a man I don’t play about’.”
Giggling Orielle said, “And I don’t. Is this your way of asking me to be your girlfriend?”
Najee nodded. She was about to say something else, but he put a finger over her lips and she grinned. “Hush. I know what I have to say.” He cleared his throat and lowered his hand from her mouth. “RiRi, will you be my woman?”
“Yes,” she said quickly, with no thought involved, and kissed his lips. “Now, what’re you going to say?”
Najee smirked and then got serious. “I’ma go to jail and send you niggas to hell about my Pretty Girl. So stay the fuck out of her comments and messages. And no, she can’t sing to you lame ass niggas either.”
Orielle was quiet for a beat before she fell into his chest and laughed hard. Tears were in her eyes when she stood straight and shook her head.
“Why would you say that? Oh my gosh.” Orielle couldn’t stop laughing.
Najee shrugged. “You asked.”
“But what if they weren’t supposed to go to hell?”
“They better hurry up and repent for fucking with what’s mine.”
All she could do was laugh and shake her head. Then, she remembered that she was on live. Almost in a panic, she rushed over to her desk across the room and shyly eased into the camerawith a grin. There were so many hearts and comments flying across the screen it made her dizzy.
Smiling hard, she said, “Wellll... y’all heard it here first. I’m off the market.”
“You been off the market. Stop playing with me,” Najee said.
Orielle grinned again and waved at the screen. “I’m getting off of here for the day. Y’all just got an earful.”
“Hell yeah, they did,” Najee agreed.
“But this is for all my lover girls out there... the man for you will always show you that he’s the man for you. Don’t let a man’s words outweigh his actions. We can only see words written or typed out, right? Right. Make these men hold themselves accountable for doing and giving the bare minimum. Dick and a few meals aren’t cutting, okay? And if that’s all he has to offer, guess what... tell him to find someone who’s willing to settle for that because you’re not. Now, I’m done. Talk to y’all later.”
Najee couldn’t help but smile as she walked back over to him. Hearing her affirm other women and actually mean that shit, made him proud to be her man.
“You was talking that real, huh?”
Orielle smirked and grabbed the gift bag off the dresser. “Yep. Because it’s the truth and because I can proudly say that I learned my worth and I have a man that values it.”
“Yeah,” Najee said, laughing. “Pop your shit, baby. Ain’t no half-stepping or playing when it comes to you.”
Grinning, she stroked his beard hairs. “I’m glad we both know. Now, what’s in this bag?”
She asked him but dug inside to find out anyway. There was a five-scent set of essential oils, a new diffuser, and a white journal with black letters on it. Orielle sat the first two items on the dresser and read the title on the cover of the journal.
“For Lover’s Only,” she said, and hummed before squinting at him.
“What?”
“I don’t know,” she said, and chuckled. “What is this for? For me to write songs in?”
“If you want to. I got it for us to share though.”
