Page 66 of Save Room for Us

“Can I have a raspberry lemon drop?”

She nodded and then Asif asked for Don Julio straight. She fixed it up right in front of us, and I never knew how interesting mixology was until now. Once our drinks were on the table, she made us some waters and walked off, cart in tow.

“I figured we should come here where we’d have some privacy so some shit like last time wouldn’t happen,” Asif said as we both sipped our drinks.

“You are so meticulous. I like that.”

“Gotta be when you do what I do. I just apply that shit to everything, baby.”

A chef came over to the table and gave us some menus with the headingAsif & Anastazia’s First Date Menu.

I thought it was so cute and could barely decide on what I wanted to eat because of how many butterflies were swarming around my stomach. The menu was hibachi style which I was excited for because my favorite restaurant was Benihanas.

We got the surf and turf along with the fried rice, so moments later Chef Greg returned to cook the food right in front of us as they did at Benihana’s. Once our steaming hot food was plated, Greg left us to enjoy it.

“That menu was so cute. I’m gonna keep it.” I forked some of my filet mignon that had been cooked in garlic butter.

“Start collecting ’em,” he said, letting me know there’d be more.

If he was trying to get some pussy, it was working and with the way he had my legs shaking from finger action, I knew I’d be in for a treat.

“Don’t spoil me too much, Asif, because then you’re gonna have to keep up with it.” I smiled.

“I don’t gotta keep up with some shit I created. And this ain’t nothing, love, this right here gon’ be normal shit for us.”

I tried to focus on my food to alleviate the slight pain in my cheeks from smiling all night.

“Why didn’t you get a home like this instead of the penthouse?”

“I’m gon’ start thinking you the fucking FEDS with all these questions.” He dabbed his mouth.

“I’m sorry. I’m just curious. You’re a very mysterious person.”

“I’m fucking with you. You do ask a lot of shit but I like that. It shows the interest in a nigga.” He drank some of his Don then water. “I wanna buy a house when or if I get married, that way we can pick the shit out together. I don’t want her to have to come in and make it hers, ’cause it’ll already be.”

“That’s a good idea.” I nodded, eying the beautiful decorations of the backyard as I stuffed my face. The food was immaculate and probably the best hibachi I’d ever had. “I forget you’re four years younger than me a lot, and I guess it’s because you’re so mature.”

“Had to grow up quickly.”

“Yeah, I remember. I wish I could’ve saw the knucklehead version of you because I just cannot picture it.”

“Nah.” He nibbled his lip, forking his shrimp. “I don’t want you nowhere near that shit.”

“Why?” I lit up.

“You definitely wouldn’t have liked me, and I couldn’t have that.”

The fuzziness in my stomach reappeared at the sound of his last comment.

“How do you know? I may have enjoyed the reckless version of you.”

“Possibly.” He shrugged one shoulder. “But I don’t think so. You too pretty, charismatic, and shit to fuck with an aimless muthafucka, on a real tip.”

“You’re right. I probably would’ve just made you a fuck buddy.”

“Shit, that may have worked out then,” he replied as we chuckled together.

I loved that he could be so chill and laugh when we were together. Most people might’ve seen Asif’s ability to switch from iron fist drug dealer to a laid back guy when around me as a red flag but I didn’t. It was something about a man who knew how to turn the bravado off when in the presence of a woman.

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