“My gut’s been wrong before.”
“You were smart to drive up here and stake a claim on your brother. You knew he was building something with Lula, even if he couldn’t admit how things had changed. You were also smart to slip the Eddie Murphy paper into my pocket. I’d been waiting for a signal from you. Now that I’ve gotten one, you’ll need to slip a restraining order into my pocket if you plan to get rid of me.”
Nova smiled, and her body relaxed. She watched me pick up the California sushi roll.
“I’m only trying sushi because of you,” I said and took a bite.
Nova’s beautiful blue eyes widened as she waited for my reaction. I chewed slowly and swallowed.
“Now you,” I said before telling her what I thought.
“Is it gross?”
“You tell me.”
Nova took a fearful bite of the California sushi roll as if she might barf. Her eyes told the story of her dread, switching to interest, before finally landing on appreciation.
“It’s good,” Nova said. “I like avocados.”
“Me too.”
Just like that, Nova and I were back on track. Despite her soft, fearful exterior, she was a tough chick prone to paranoia and distrust.
Nova wasn’t so different from the foxes I grew up around. Women like my mom loved with their whole heart. But to win such devotion, people needed to be willing to jump through more than a few hoops.
NOVA
Losing interest in the movie, Boone and I started fooling around on the couch before returning to his bed. Eventually, I needed to clean up and head home. We finished our sexy fun with Boone joining me in the shower as I washed off.
Leaving his truck proved painful, with me returning twice for one more last kiss. I still felt Boone’s lips on my skin when I finally entered the house.
Most of the lights were off. I found Zodiac on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table. A pillow sat in his lap with Elle’s head resting on top. He lifted his finger to warn me that she was sleeping. I tiptoed closer to find her eyes closed. Zodiac’s hand rested on her head and played with her hair.
They looked so sweet together that I lowered my guard with Zodiac.
“Should I text your brother to announce you’ve gotten laid?” he asked, reminding me why I should never assume the best in the man.
“No,” I whispered angrily. “Why do you have to be so gross?”
“Hello?” Zodiac mocked and waved at Elle. “I’ve fallen in love and created life. It’s made me especially romantic. What do you expect?”
Rolling my eyes, I sat on a nearby chair and glanced at the baseball game playing on the TV.
“How did the girls do?”
“They’re asleep in your bed. I hope you wash up before joining them. They don’t need to smell Boone’s jizz.”
Ignoring his nasty talk, I asked, “Did the night light help with their fears?”
“Sure. That was a smart idea that totally fooled those little hellions.”
“Has Elle been asleep for long?”
“Since the third inning, so a while now.”
“How long do you intend to hang around?”
“Until the game is over.”
