Page 10 of The Deed to a Gangsta's Heart

“You’ve been quiet. With me at least.”

A nervous chuckle escaped me as we stepped onto the elevator. “Why are you single?”

His brows wrinkled as he looked down at me. A clippedchuckle escaped him as he pressed the number three. “I’m waiting for you.”

I clicked my tongue and nudged him with my shoulder. “Seriously, pooh. How long are you going to be single while I’m staying with you? If you get a girlfriend any time soon, I’m sure she’s not going to want me staying with you.”

“Trust me, that’s not something you need to be worried about. I’m not seeing anyone I’m interested in being with. Even if I was, she wouldn’t come before you.”

“So you’re saying if you dated someone and it got serious that you wouldn’t put me out if she wasn’t comfortable with our friendship?”

“Not at all. You up there with my ma and grand lady. I will forever be cleaved to you. No woman will pull me away from you.” He shrugged and said the words so casually.

Meanwhile, my heart skipped a beat. Nibbling my bottom lip, I released a shaky breath. Sniffling, I hung my head.

“That was sweet,” I muttered, making him laugh.

“Are you about to cry?”

“No,” I whined, catching a quickly fallen tear.

“Here you go. Your ass. I should’ve cut you off two hours ago.”

That made me laugh because he really should have. When I drank, I got overly emotional and affectionate. And freaky. Since I wouldn’t be having sex tonight, a part of me wanted to sleep with him. I didn’t want him to reject me, so I resisted the urge to ask. He’d never rejected me in the past but still. Since I had been drinking, if he did, it would break my heart.

As we walked to our rooms, I kept looking up at him with a smile. Every time I did, he’d smile or laugh and shake his head.

“Good night, pookie.”

“Night, pooh. Uh…” He stopped walking and looked back at me. “Can I sleep with you?”

His eyes slowly scanned my frame. “Y-yeah. That’s cool.”

“Yay! I’m going to take a shower real quick.”

If I was crazy, I’d swear I heard him grumble about needing to keep his hands to himself, but I was sure that wasn’t what I heard. After slipping out of my shoes, I tossed my phone on the dresser and hurried into the bathroom to take a quick shower. As tipsy as I was, I knew I’d be falling asleep as soon as I got in bed.

7

Remedy

2:00 AM

I didn’t want to,but I pulled up on Whitney. My dick had been hard for the last four hours fucking around with Callie. It didn’t matter how much I put space between us, she’d find her way right back to my side of the bed. Every time she’d toss her leg or arm around me or put her ass on me my dick would throb. To keep from waking her up with my head between her legs, I sent Whitney that faithfulyou uptext. I didn’t want to have sex with her, but I needed the release.

As I pulled into a parking spot in front of her apartment, Callie called me. I started not to answer, but I didn’t want her worried about me.

“You good, Cal?”

“Mhm.” She cleared her throat of the sleepiness thatwas in her voice. She sounded sexy as hell. “Is everything okay? Where are you?”

“Yeah, everything’s good.” She remained silent so I could continue, but I didn’t want to tell her I left to be with another woman.

“Where are you?” she repeated.

“Sitting in my car.”

She chuckled. “Where?”

---