Page 37 of Mister Artist

When I arrived atBrewed and Booked, I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of him. Even dressed down in sweats and a tee with his platinum grill, he was the finest nigga in the café.

“Hi.” I spoke, resisting the urge to hug him, but that didn’t matter, because he pulled me close for an embrace.

“Wassup?”

“You tell me.”

“Come on. Let’s go downstairs.”

I followed him downstairs to the bookstore, even more confused. When we made it down, I asked, “What’s going on, Neek?”

He shrugged and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I woke up and wanted to spoil you.” I was so caught off guard by his admission that I was speechless. Neko stepped closer, licking those juicy lips with a sexy smile. “Get whatever you want.”

With a squeal, I looked around the bookstore. “Really?”

“Really.”

“What’s my limit?”

Neko chuckled and looked around. “Did I say there was a limit?”

“Bu—”

“Get whatever you want,” he repeated, stepping back and sitting at the nearby table.

I couldn’t move right away because I was still surprised. When I realized he was serious, I grabbed a basket and walked down the nearest aisle, making him laugh. Once I had it filled up, I made my way back to him. He looked down in the basket before taking it from my hands.

“Is this all you want?”

“Well no, but—”

“Mal.” He stood, jaw clenched. “I said get whatever you want. Every fucking thing. Don’t stop until you’re done.”

“If you’re sure.”

“I’m positive. Now go.”

Throwing caution to the wind, I filled up two more baskets before I was done. He didn’t even blink at the total when paying. I knew he had money, so it wasn’t that. It was the fact that he was randomly spending money on me and something I loved.

“Thank you,” I said as he put my bags in the trunk.

“You’re welcome. What you wanna do now?”

“Oh. So this is an all-day thing?”

He smiled with one side of his mouth and shot me a wink. “You’re bored of me already?”

“No, not at all. I’m just surprised.”

“What you wanna do, sweet girl?”

“I was thinking about getting a tattoo, but I didn’t want to drive all the way to Memphis, and I don’t know any tattoo artists here.”

His head bobbed as he closed the trunk. “You know if Aspen has any availability today?”

“I didn’t check but I’m sure he doesn’t. He’s always booked and busy.”

“Yeah. Why don’t you head home, and I’ll come scoop you up?”

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