Page 28 of Reckless Forever
“How was shopping today? Did you have enough to get everything you wanted?” He questioned like he like hadn’t sent me ten thousand dollars.
“Judah, I still didn’t spend the other ten that you sent me. I hadn’t gone anywhere until today.”
He chuckled, shaking his head as he leaned back in his chair, the camera angle shifting to show the way his tattooed forearm rested across his chest. “Baby, money is meant to be spent. You're not doing me any favors stacking it up. I sent it because I like knowing you got more than you need. I tried to send more, but it wasn’t going to come until tomorrow.”
I chuckled; I love his energy. It was always so take charge and in control. I don’t know how his personalities could be so different. On one hand, he seemed not to take anything seriously. Then there was another side of him that always had the answers, and I don’t know which I liked best.
“I was actually waiting for you to call me. But not to tell you about the clothes I brought shopping,” I said quickly, my stomach tightening. He could see the smile on my face, and it made him smile too before he even knew what the news was. “I got the most random email today.”
That caught his attention. His eyebrows furrowed. “An email from who?” He questioned.
“The SkyWatch conference committee, Judah, they’re hosting a conference, and they invited me to attend.” I smiled.
“Shorty, I’m going to assume this is good news. I don’t know who those niggas are,” he said.
I laughed as I explained to him who they were and what they did. I also told him how the panel was full of people that I had grown up watching.
“That’s big, baby. I’m proud of your smart ass.” He said as the confusion was replaced with sincerity.
“Thank you, handsome. But the best part about it is that it’s being hosted in New York City this year. I’ll be in Jennings territory.”
“In New York,” he repeated, low.
“Yes.” I grinned.
His lips twitched, like he was fighting a smile that made me blush. “And you’d be in my city?” He asked for clarity.
The way he said it made heat crawl up my neck.
“Yeah, for seven days,” I nodded.
“Not only am I excited for the conference, but I want to see you again. We’d be in the same place, that’s not this compound. I mean, I’d probably be busy with conference stuff, but we can plan some things outside of that.” I offered, not really wanting to be too pushy by assuming that he wanted to spend all his time with me.
This time, he smiled, slowly and dangerously, the kind of smile that made my heart flutter. It was confident and cocky and made me squeeze my thighs together. “So, you're telling me that I won’t have to fall asleep on the phone. That I can have you on my chest instead?”
I blushed, covering my face with one hand. “Judah, I’m talking about my career.”
“And I’m talking about us,” he shot back. Same cocky smile plastered on his face. “Shit, you don’t know how close I came to calling Santos and telling him that I’m moving in. I’ve been practicing that shit in Spanish. Me voy a mudar a tu casa (I’m moving into your house.)”
I screamed if I never had before, as he delivered that line like he had been living in Bolivia all his life. The accent was spot on. He never stopped playing.
“When I get the details, I’ll send them to you. Hopefully our schedules align and we’re able to see each other.”
“Schedules? What damn schedules? Kingsway could get robbed, and Mateo could be held for ransom, for all I give a fuck. If you’re in New York, I’m wherever you are, Shorty.” He said, making me blush.
“Well, I don’t know the specifics, the only thing that I know is the name of the hotel where it’s going to be held. That’s where I’ll be staying.”
“Nah, you're staying with me.”
I whipped my head at the way he said it with finality. “Oh, I just assumed I’d stay at the hotel where the conference is.”
“No,” he said sharply. “If you gone be in my city, you in my house. I’m not letting you sleep under somebody else’s roof when mine is waiting. The hotel can hold their lil business shit, but when it’s over, you coming home.”
Home. I think the term caught us both by surprise because he cut his next sentence short and just stared at me, biting his lip.
I let the silence linger before I finally broke it. “Judah, do you realize what you just said?” I asked.
His eyes darkened, and he didn’t take it back. “I don’t say what I don’t mean. You’ll have your space if you need it. I have eight rooms. But I’ve been over this FaceTime shit, Ma. I want you here.”
