Page 22 of Hooked on Loving Him

“Do I take a chance exploring this woman knowing what I’m planning, or do I curve her knowing she could possibly be the reason my heart stops bleeding?” I ask, the message still open while searching Letitia’s eyes for my answers.

“Honestly, I’m intrigued by this woman because of the light shining bright in your eyes and the radiant smile her name brings to your lips. Explore her and see what happens. You never know,” Letitia says, shrugging.

Me:

Neither rude nor uninterested, just in a meeting. As far as the last thing…don’t fuck around and find out why I’ve never been a fan of track.

Ashari P:

Its okay to admit that you’re a sore loser. *laughing emoji*

“My bad, Letitia. One second and we can get back to it,” I say without the presence of my eyes as my fingers glide over the keyboard of my phone.

“No problem,” Letitia says.

Me:

Nah, repeatedly winning became exhausting and a waste of my time. Now, what day and time would you like to link up?

Ashari P:

How about the day after tomorrow at noon? It’ll serve as my lunch break.

Me:

Bet. See you then.

Ashari P:

Count on it. *winking emoji*

“All right. Where were we, Letitia?” I ask while locking my phone and putting it back where it was, ready to get through the rest of my session.

Two days later…

“What made you choose this spot for us?” I ask, looking around the beverage spot that gives me an intimate, cozier vibe than any Starbucks I’ve been to.

“First date can be a lot of pressure, and I wanted ours to be light and free-flowing,” Ashari says, sipping the peach mango tea she ordered with the quiche she claimed would tie her over until dinner.

My forehead wrinkles and a deep glower forms at hearing the bullshit coming from her lips because Ashari’s ass got me fucked up.

“This ain’t no fucking first date. What the hell are you talking about?” The aggression in my voice can’t be contained or expressed in a lighter tone, given Ashari’s outlandish statement.

“It is, because babysitting your sweet nieces, while enjoyable, doesn’t count.”

“Neither does this shit here. I’m not sure who you’ve been fucking around with in the past, but I’m a man who will never be comfortable with a woman clipping my wings. In this and our future, I will be the man leading who we are as a unit. Even in the simplicity of a beverage date, I will never have you emasculate the man I am.”

“I’m used to being the one to plan and initiate my dates,” Ashari says with a faraway look in her eyes that spikes my blood pressure at the lame-ass niggas she lets breathe her air while mishandling her space.

“Humph. Those days are over, which means this shit doesn’t count. I’ll let you know when to lock in the day for the first of many dates we’ll have. In the meantime, is anything off-limits?” I ask before I change my mind and do what men have done in this situation from the beginning of time. “You know what… never mind. Don’t answer that.”

“Why not?” Ashari asks, a puzzled expression covering her flawless features, causing me to momentarily take her in.

Ashari is beautiful, even with the ball sitting at the back of her head and sans makeup, with only a faint sheen of gloss on her lips. The urge to kiss her invades my body, making me grateful it's time to walk her to her vehicle. Ashari isn’t getting away from me until I know whether her lips are flavored or as pillowy soft as they appear.

“Before me, the lames in your path have allowed you too much confidence in shifting the dynamics of what pursuing a woman entails. Through trial and error, we’re gonna forge a new road that will lead us where trust won’t be the only thing you allow me to give you. Give me the reins, Ashari, and I can guarantee you’ll never regret letting go.”

“You’re talking big shit, Kayshon. Break this down in laymen’s terms so what’s understood will no longer need an explanation,” Ashari says with a hike of her right brow as if challenging me in a match she expects me to run from.

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