Page 63 of The Cask

With my lips still tingling, I handed him my key.

It didn’t take long for me to fill out the paperwork and I knew to look out for a call from the dealership in the morning. Even though I hated that I was without a car, the night couldn’t have gone better.

“You’re smiling,” Omari pointed out as we headed toward my condo.

Shit!I didn’t even realize I was smiling.

“I’m just really glad you were awake,” I told him, batting my eyelashes. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

His lips turned upward, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m glad to be of service. But I’m sorry this even happened to you.”

“It’s notyourfault.”

My insinuation settled in the air.

He picked up his phone and made a call. No one answered so he hung up.

Finally, he broke the silence. “If she did this, she’s gone.”

If she did this? If?!

I understood him wanting to do his due diligence, but I couldn’t deny that I was a little annoyed that he wasn’t completely sold on the idea. I wanted it to be easy and for him to get rid of her on the spot. But he’s a businessman.

And he’s known her for a lot longer than he’s known me. Of course he wants to give her the benefit of the doubt.I let my gaze wash over his profile as he navigated into a parking spot.Maybe he needs more convincing.

“I’m going to walk you to your door. I’m good to park here, right?” He looked at the sign posted in front of us. “No parking on Fridays starting at 5am.”

“No one else is parked here.” I shrugged. “And my car has been towed so I wouldn’t be able to be of any help to you if your car gets towed, too.”

He chuckled. “You’re right. But it’s not going to take me an hour to walk you up.”

“This is true.”

We got out of the car and ran across the street. I quickly swiped my key and entered the building. It wasn’t until we were in the elevator going up to the second floor that I noticed how little he seemed to dry.

“I’m glad you’re coming up,” I told him as we exited. “I’m getting you a towel.”

“Yeah, the rain went all the way through, so I appreciate that.”

As soon as I opened the door to my place, I looked back at him. “Please take off your shoes.”

“Not a problem.” He removed his shoes and placed them beside mine.

“I would give you a tour, but first things first.” I tugged at his wet hoodie.

“Yeah, I’m not going in any further. Not tonight. Not like this.”

“What do you mean?” I asked as I walked down the main hall. “I’m going to grab you a towel.”

“I just mean that I wouldn’t want to track water everywhere. I got my ass beat when I was like eight or nine and my sister and I tracked water through the house.”

I came back to him with one of my fluffy, oversized towels. “You got your ass beat or you got spanked?”

“I got spanked. But because my sister got mud on the carpet, it felt like it was leaning toward a beating.”

My head fell back, and I laughed. “You are ridiculous. Here.” I handed him the towel. “Actually, you might need to go to the bathroom and see if you can ring some of the water out of your clothes.”

He draped the towel over his shoulder and then lifted his hands in surrender. “I don’t want no smoke if I track water in your house.”

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