Page 36 of Imperial: The Corvidae Family
“Nah, black is straight.”
I grabbed the cream and sugar for mine, stirring it after I added the right amount ignoring the way he kept his eyes on me like he was memorizing something.
“What?” I finally asked.
Emir lifted the coffee and his eyes never left mine. “Just taking it in.”
My damn face was blazing from his eyes on me. “Taking what in?”
“You. This. The fact that I’m in your kitchen early as fuck and it feels normal.”
I leaned against the opposite counter flexing my toes. “It’s not normal.”
“But you’re still letting it happen and you fuck with the vibe of us being here like this.”
I hesitated, because what was I supposed to say? He was right; regardless of how much this didn’t make sense it felt natural.
I wasn’t ready to admit that. Not to him or myself so I drank my coffee instead.
Emir let it go, spreading his legs wider so that he could slouch down more. He looked too damn good for someone who had just spent the night on my couch. Jeans and a fitted tee, his chain resting around his neck and his tattoos on full display. The perfect visual of a fine ass problem.
I forced myself to look away, setting my mug down before glancing at the time on the microwave.
Shit…
“I have to get ready for work,” I said, pushing off the counter.
Emir nodded, lazily. “Go ahead.”
“You’re staying?”
“You kicking me out?”
“I didn’t say that.”
His smirk remained in place. “Then go do your thing, Bay. I’m good here for a minute.”
I left him in the kitchen, heading to my room to change. Something about him being in my space while I got ready for my day felt intimate and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. I showered quickly; the steamy water helped me shake off the sleep that still clung to me.
I pulled on a fitted pair of slacks and a silk blouse, simple gold hoops, and twisted my hair into a loose knot on top of my head. Light makeup, just enough to look fresh, and a pair of heels finished my fit off but by the time I stepped back into the kitchen, Emir was gone.
I hated that I was so damn disappointed knowing he’d dipped without letting me know. I stared at the empty coffee mug he left on the counter and was pouting again. I shook it off, grabbed my bag, and headed out the door. Time to get back to reality.
The event spaceat Liberté Abstraite was beautifully transformed. A perfect balance between luxury, art, and elegance.
The long tables were covered in ivory linens, each set with custom gold-rimmed plates and crystal glassware. In the center, arrangements of calla lilies, orchids, and baby’s breath sat inabstract crystal vases. Minimalist yet beautiful. An expression of why we were here. The creative and abstract art of dance.
There were silhouettes of the dancers on the walls and hand painted panels of abstract creations emulating their movements with swirls of color resembling the fluidity of dance. We enlisted artist to handle this part of the designs and I didn’t understand a damn thing about it when he explained his idea but seeing it real time was just…wow.
It was high end, but not gaudy. Every element was a reflection of the ballet company’s identity which was graceful, bold and timeless.
I took it all in smiling proudly. I did the damn thing with this event.
My work matched the space and I loved seeing my vision brought to life. I could tell by the way people were looking around that they were impressed.
“Baylyn!”
I turned to see Cress Omari making her way toward me with a wide smile lighting up her face. My eyes left her briefly, doing a quick scan for her fine ass husband, Elias. Wherever Cress was, he wasn’t far. It made me think about Emir. The two were a lot alike with that quiet dominance.
