Page 48 of The Cask

“What do you have a taste for?” I asked.

When our eyes met, he gave me a look and we both burst out laughing.

“I was going to check out Sub Dom,” he answered, slipping his arm around my shoulders.

“They have good salads, too.” I put my arm around him and snuggled up close. I knew Kim was watching. I knew she had to be seething. The thought of it made me giggle to myself.

“What?” he inquired.

Shit! He heard me!

Wide eyed, I looked up at him. “I was just thinking about how your fan club must be reacting to seeing you all hugged up on me.”

“You have my undivided attention, so I don’t know the fan club you’re speaking of. But if there is a fan club, they should know where my interest lies.”

“I have your undivided attention, huh?”

“Did I not make that clear yesterday?”

I bit my lip to keep from smiling. “You could stand to be a little clearer. You know… lay out all of your supporting evidence for clarity. It might take a couple hours because you’ll need to be thorough. But I have no doubt you can get your point across in that amount of time.”

He chuckled under his breath. “For clarity.”

I nodded. “For clarity.”

The crosswalk signal alerted us that we could walk to the next block. I took a step and Omari’s arms encased me and pulled me into his firm body.

I gasped.

“Watch where the fuck you’re going!” Omari yelled at the cyclist who had almost knocked me over trying—and failing—to make the light before it turned red.

He grabbed my face and searched it. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I-I didn’t see him,” I stammered, looking in the direction of the bicyclist. My heart was racing, and I was shaking. “I looked and I didn’t see him.”

“I know.” He kissed the top of my head and hugged me. “It’s okay.”

I felt comfort and warmth and it soothed me. When I realized what was happening, I shook him off me. Avoiding eye contact, I looked back and forth several times before I ventured into the crosswalk. “Let’s get food.”

Without another word about it, Omari slipped his arm around my shoulders and we made our way to the small sandwich shop.

“After you,” he said, holding the door open for me.

I gave him a small smile. “Thank you.”

There were hardly any people inside, but it was clean, and it smelled delicious. The words Submarine Domination were emblazoned on the wall and six tables were lined against it.

“I don’t have my wallet,” I remembered. I felt my pockets again. “Or my phone.”

“You don’t need either.”

“Yes I do!”

“You don’t need either to get food right now. Will you need your wallet and your phone at some point today? Yes. But right here, right now, you don’t. Okay?”

My lips parted and an exasperated huff of air escaped. I was conflicted.On one hand, don’t tell me what to do. On the other hand, yesssssssssss tell me what to do!

It was his tone of voice. It was commanding without being demeaning. It was authoritative without being an asshole. It was annoying as hell and sexy as fuck at the same damn time.

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