Page 46 of Call Me Mrs. Taylor

Fuck!

I scroll down a few names and hit the call button.

“Yo,” Titus answers.

“I think I’m losing my mind.”

I hear rustling, then a laugh. “Work shit?”

“Nah. The girl.” I can’t even say her name.

“Uh, yeah. We figured.”

I frown hearing that. “Figured what, and who the fuck is ‘we?’”

Titus sighs like this whole conversation is a waste of his time. “You missed the game yesterday. We figured it was cuz you were with her.”

“Fuck.” I shake my head in disbelief, because I wasn’t even with her ass yesterday, I was just pining and shit and missed my boys because of it.

“My bad,” is all I can say.

“It happens. We all saw it coming. You went too deep too fast, bruh.” He pauses, letting an uncomfortable few seconds pass before he says, “I don’t think you built for a woman like that.”

My jaw clenches. “What the fuck does that mean?”

“It means you should have kept that shit light. But no, you let her get in your head, and now you actin’ like a simp.”

“I ain’t no simp.”

“You at home pacing over a bitch who won’t even answer your calls.”

“See, that’s where you wrong,” I say. “I’m in my car.”

Titus bellows out a laugh. “Nigga that’s worse.”

I close my eyes, rolling my neck to release the tension. “Talk some sense into me, man. Give me the real.”

“Listen. I kinda get it, bruh. She’s fine as fuck. Respectfully.”

“It ain’t about that.”

“Well, whatever it’s about, tighten the fuck up,” he says. “Remind yourself that you that nigga.”

Yeah, that ain’t the issue. I know I’m still that nigga. I could be in some new pussy by eight o’clock tonight if I wanted. Easy. But none of them would be her.

What happens whenthat niggameets the woman that’sHER? That’s what I’m dealing with right now.

I can’t admit this to Titus, but Raya is different. She’s literally the most exciting woman I’ve ever messed with, and I’m not just talking about the sex. She makes me feel shit I haven’t felt before. She’s…thrilling. Enchanting. And I don’t ever use those fucking words.

“So leave her alone?”

“What choice do you have? I mean, unless you wanna do some kinda grand gesture. But is she even worth all that?”

I don’t answer.

“You can’t let these hoes think they the prize. You a black man with his own shit. A engineer. Tall. Handsome, pause.”

I laugh at that.

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