Page 23 of Save Room for Us

“No, it’s fine. I don’t want you paying for my stuff thinking it’s gonna get you somewhere with me,” I stated truthfully.

His wide smile dropped for a second as he licked his lips, wiping the corners shortly after with his thumb and pointer finger. He laughed awkwardly, then briefly glanced off.

“Aight, well how about I get my drink and food then just eat with you?”

“No—”

Before I could finish, he hopped up and hurried off. Just as he did, I felt eyes on me and sure enough it was Asif. His MFM chain was shining, right along with his icy Rolex. He didn’t look happy or mad, just like he was observing the scene. A few women were surrounding him, trying with the utmost effort to steer his attention away from over here, but it wasn’t working.

Finally, he said something to one of his friends and started over this way. Like always, a nervousness filled me to the damn brim.

“Why you staring a nigga down?” he asked, leaning against the booth seat across from me. His deep caramel complexion looked so smooth and creamy, even with him having a very much roughneck appeal and look.

Laughing, I said, “You were staring at me. I only looked over because I felt eyes on me.”

“Oh, excuse me, man.” The light-skinned guy returned, plate and drink in hand.

Asif looked him up and down, then said, “We busy, nigga.”

Chuckling awkwardly again, the man replied, “Come on, man. I was here with her first.”

“Finders keepers, muthafucka.” Asif straightened up, no longer leaning on the booth seat and now slightly dwarfing the man. “Take ya loss like a man, lil nigga. You dismissed.”

“How about—” The man attempted to speak, but Asif chuckled, cutting him off, making it obvious he was getting irritated.

“How ’boutyou walk off while you still can, nigga. ’Cause if I have to put hands on you, then I gotta shoot you, and I don’t think getting bodied is worth a woman you never gon’ have. But you let me know.”

For a moment, they stared at one another, and I guess the man caught onto whom he was dealing with, so he simply nodded, gave me some sympathetic eye contact, and walked off.

“Thank you so much.” I snickered at Asif running his annoying ass off and how he kept checking over his shoulder at us as if he expected Asif to grow horns and carry a pitchfork.

“I gotta make sure you ain’t out here looking for a man, love, so don’t thank me.” He slipped his hands into his pockets, just as the waiter brought my food.

“Why can’t I be looking for a man? After what I endured, I deserve it.”

“Because when you start looking, yo’ eyes need to land on me.”

He didn’t crack one smirk or flirty smile as he spoke, just kept strong eye contact with me, so there was no room for me to wonder if he was serious or not.

I always knew Asif and I had a mutual attraction, but I figured it was nothing more than that. He would always politely speak to me when he saw me, and every so often, we would catch one another’s eyes, but it never gave that he wanted something with me. Now, though, it was very clear to me, with Cedric out of the way, he was trying to stake claim. Or maybe he was just using his gift of gab, something I’d learned that all men raised by Prime had.

“So you ready to play step daddy?”

“That’s already in a nigga’s blood. You forgot? I was put on earth to be a step daddy.” He smiled and I chortled, thinking of Lisara. “But I don’t play no roles, love. I live in the shit, showother muthafuckas how it’s done. That was supposed to be my baby anyway.”

“I didn’t know you when she was created.” I hated myself for cheesing at this shit he was laying down, but I couldn’t help it.

“Now you do. You bet not have another fucking baby that ain’t carrying my DNA.”

No smile was present on his handsome face.

Inhaling sharply to snap myself from this verbal tango, I said, “Well, you have nothing to worry about because I’m not looking. And if I was, it wouldn’t be with him. Plus with all those women you have staring over here right now, I would say you have your hands full.”

“I got some big hands, baby. That’s impossible.Youcan try though.”

“Oh my gosh.” I laughed before eating some of the honey chipotle pork chop, trying my best not to look at him because it was too much fine for one person to digest consistently. “I don’t compete for men though.”

“You won’t have to.” He leaned onto the booth more, resting his folded tatted arms atop it. “I’m gon’ put it to you like this though: Either you fucking with me or you single.” He shrugged subtly and nonchalantly.

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