Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
Fumi
Last night was one for the books, yeah. Bleau Gene’s was a movie, but I couldn’t catch the vibe I wanted to. I’m glad I blocked out the noise with Cohen and laid up until sunrise.
Last night felt different. No sex. Just us. Cohen’s really a different type of nigga. When I woke up, I planned to sneak out before he opened his eyes and head home to get ready for my first client.
Instead, I found myself wrapped in his arms. I didn’t need a blanket. His body was all the warmth I needed, and I didn’t want to move. Cohen smelled so damn good. By the time I stretched and rubbed the sleep from my eyes, he’d already ordered breakfast from Gutbusters.
He set the tray beside me—crispy fish, buttery grits, fluffy waffles, cheesy eggs, turkey bacon, and a glass of cold orange juice.
“Morning,” he said, smiling.
Damn. I turned on my phone and immediately wished I hadn’t. I had thirty unread text messages from two separate group chats. The one that caught my attention was the chat with Journee, Alexis, and Nikki.
What the fuck happened? Whatever was going on could wait. I already knew it was bullshit. I wasn’t about to let anyone ruin the peace I’d found this morning.
They could have me after my client. Until then, the noise could wait.
I hadn’t heard from them in weeks. I looked back at Cohen, still smiling as the morning belonged to us, and tried to ignore the message on my phone. He really made my day. I slipped into a hot shower, took care of my hygiene, and got dressed to start mine.
Damn, I wish I didn’t have a client this morning. I would’ve spent my entire Saturday right here with Cohen, no noise, no distractions, just the two of us.
I stepped out of the bathroom wearing one of Cohen’s wife-beaters and a pair of his gym shorts. Trust me, I made that shit work… at least until I got home to change.
Yeah…I was going to miss this peace. Cohen was stretched across the bed, completely relaxed, his hands tucked behind his head as if he didn’t have a care in the world. The second his eyes fell on me, he bit his bottom lip.
“You sure you gotta leave this early?”
“Yeah…”
“I can pay you for your time.”
I laughed. “I know you can, but I have a client waiting for me. Her appointment was supposed to be yesterday, but we had to reschedule because the power was out on the block.”
“Okay.” Cohen pushed himself off the bed.
Damn… This nigga was fine. He towered over me, then pulled me into his arms. I wrapped mine around his neck as he rested his forehead against mine.
“We gotta do this again… soon.”
A smile spread across my face. “We do.”
Neither of us moved. For a few seconds, we just stood there, holding each other. I wasn’t in a rush to leave, and by the way he kept looking at me, neither was he.
“I’mma hold you to that. Come on, let me get you out of here.”
“Okay…” Cohen handed me a black nylon drawstring bag bearing his company’s logo on the front.
“What’s this?”
“So, you ain’t walking out of here carrying your shoes and clothes like you spent the night here.”
I laughed. “Always thinking.”
“I try.”
I gathered my things from the night before and tucked them into the bag.
Cohen walked me downstairs and out of his loft. He leaned down and kissed my forehead, then opened the passenger door of his Escalade.
“Your driver awaits.”
I rolled my eyes and climbed inside. “You so damn extra.”
“You like extra.”
“I do.”
Cohen reached over and buckled my seatbelt. “Now, where am I taking you?”
“Home.”
The ride home was quiet, comfortable, but not awkward. Yeah, outside felt different.
The air was warm and humid. I wasn’t ready for the morning to end, but real life was waiting. I enjoyed the kind of silence you don’t feel obligated to fill.
The city was already coming alive. People grabbed coffee, jogged through the neighborhood, and opened storefronts as the morning sun settled over Atlanta.
It took us about thirty minutes to make it back to my apartment. Neither one of us was in a rush. Truth be told, I was enjoying being a passenger princess. Cohen walked me to my door, then stopped just outside.
Cohen leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Call me later.”
“I will…”
“I’ll be waiting.”
“Be safe, Cohen…and thanks for last night.”
Cohen’s smile was enough to make my stomach do flips.
“I will, anything for you.”
I unlocked my apartment, stepped inside, and locked the door behind me.
Out of habit, I peeked through the blinds and watched until Cohen’s Escalade disappeared from the complex. Only then did I finally let myself breathe.
I still had about forty-five minutes before I needed to leave for my client’s appointment.
Instead of getting ready, I flopped onto my bed and buried my face in the oversized wife beater I still wore. It smelled just like Cohen. Damn… I already missed his ass. I’d always liked Cohen.
Truth be told, one reason I’d kept my distance—and my feelings in check—was that I could see myself falling for him.
Hard.
The scary part wasn’t falling. It was knowing he’d be right there to catch me. I’m sure plenty of women are checking for Cohen. Hell, why wouldn’t they? We haven’t put a title on this, but I don’t need one to know he’s checking for me, hard.
That kind of attention, that kind of consistency, could make a grown-ass woman forget every promise she made to herself. My phone started ringing, pulling me out of my thoughts. It’s Nuri. I answered on the second ring.
“Yo…”
“You still laid up?” she laughed.
“Shit…are you?”
“Nah, I went home last night. Cash was doing too much.”
I smirked. “Oh, I just made it home.”
“You know you’ve got the whole city buzzing right now?”
I frowned. “Why?”
Nuri laughed. “Girl… you know why.”
I rolled my eyes. “Girl, fuck ‘em. Let ‘em talk. Is that why you called me?”
“Nah, I always call around this time.”
“So, what’s up?”
“Your ex was in his feelings.”
I closed my eyes. “Girl… I don’t wanna hear about him.”
“Why not? You lit the fucking match.”
“Because I don’t care. He’s not worth talking about.”
“Oh…”
“If you wanna talk about something, you should’ve given me a heads-up that he was gonna be there with Cash. Funny how you left that part out.”
“I didn’t know.”
I sucked in my teeth. “Yeah… I ain’t buying it. Whatever, Nuri. It’s a new day.”
She laughed. “Who pissed in your Cheerios?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“I had a great night until you brought him up.”
“So… tell me about your great night.”
I smiled before I could stop myself. “Girl… Cohen is everything.”
“Hood said he’s ready to be your everything.”
Nuri burst out laughing.
I sighed. “What did I tell you earlier?”
“I heard you.”
“No… you heard me, but you ain’t listening.”
“I’m listening, friend.”
“You have about five more seconds before I hang up on you.”
“Why?”
“‘Cause every time I tell you I don’t wanna talk about that man, you bring him right back up.”
“Fine.” There was a brief pause. “…Girl…”
“What now?”
“Givenchy’s mad as hell you left with Cohen.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “He’ll be aiight.”
“Are you sure about that?” Nuri laughed. “Girl, I don’t wanna get caught up in your mess.”
“Shit, what a fucking mess?” I laughed. “I’m single. He can only be mad if he wants to be.”
“Mm-hmm…”
“So, what’s the move tonight?”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “I’m debating whether I wanna head out West or see Cohen again.”
“Ooooh…”
I laughed. “Shit, after the stunt you and Carmani pulled last night, I’m cool with not hanging with y’all this summer.”
Nuri burst out laughing. “Girl… you ain’t serious.”
“Oh, I’m dead serious.”
“What had happened was…”
“Girl, save it.”
Nuri laughed.
“I recognized the play. Y’all could’ve at least given me a heads-up.” I smiled.
“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
“I know it won’t.”
“Shit, you wasn’t that mad. Your ass left with Cohen and was hugged up with Givenchy by the bar.”
I stopped smiling. “Girl…how you know all that?”
“I seen it, we seen it.” Nuri laughed. “And I know you don’t wanna hear this, but Hood’s got eyes on you. I overheard him talking to Cash.”
I sighed. “I’m not sure why he’s keeping tabs on me. We’ve been broken up since 2019.”
“You know why.”
“Whatever.”
“No, not whatever.”
Nuri paused.
“The plan was for all of us to be outside this summer, and Cash sat your ass down the same night he came home.” I laughed.
“We sat each other down. Cash don’t wanna see me with anybody else, and I don’t wanna see him with anybody else.
“Mmm-hmm.”
“I already told you what it was when Cash came home. Besides, Carmani never said Jaysen was pulling up. I didn’t even know Jaysen and Cohen knew each other.” Nuri started laughing. “Seems like Cohen finna sit you down.”
I leaned back against my headboard. “He could. Cohen’s a good man.” A softness in my voice I couldn’t hide. “He got his shit together.”
“You’re smiling, ain’t you?”
I’m not saying Cohen doesn’t hustle, but whatever dirty money he had, he was cleaning it and making it legit.
“Yep, I could see it happening…” Shit, I can. He’s lowkey perfect. “But?” I looked toward the ceiling. “I’m just…” I smiled to myself. “…not quite ready.”
“Umm…”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly as it sounds… I ain’t ready, and this has nothing to do with another nigga.”
“Be honest.” Nuri laughed. “You were playing in Hood’s face. When you walked over to the VIP section to tell me you were leaving with Cohen, bitch, you could’ve texted me.”
I rolled my eyes. I could’ve, but I wasn’t. “Girl, fuck you.”
Nuri burst out laughing.
“How am I playing in that man’s face when we ain’t got shit going on? Am I missing something? Wasn’t he with somebody? And last I checked, a bitch called herself, pressing me about him.”
I shook my head. “I can do what the fuck I want with whoever I want, and I ain’t asking nobody for permission.”
“Despite all that…” Nuri paused for effect. “…you still played in his face.”
“Call it what you want.”
I glanced at the clock. “But anyway, I gotta get myself together. I have a client in a few.”
“You at the shop already?”
“Nah, I’m at home throwing something on. I’m about to head out.”
“How long are you gonna be there?”
“Not long. She’s my only client.”