Chapter 22
Greystone City
Days later…
It was Saturday afternoon and I was on my way to meet up with Couture, my fingers tappin’ light against the steerin’ wheel while a smile kept playin’ on my lips like I couldn’t help it.
The past few days with him had been… somethin’ different.
We had been textin’ all day, every day, fallin’ into conversations that never felt forced, and by the time the night came around, we’d be on the phone for hours without even realizin’ how much time had passed.
I done laughed with that man so much my cheeks be hurtin’, and he was always sittin’ there on the other end smilin’, feedin’ into whatever I had goin’ on, askin’ me questions and rememberin’ lil’ stuff I said like it mattered.
We FaceTimed a few times too, and every time his name popped up on my screen, I’d already be grinnin’ before I answered.
He was always m laid back, lookin’ at me like he was takin’ me in, askin’ what I was doin’, and next thing I knew we’d be talkin’ about food, music, family and random shit that somehow turned into somethin’ deeper. It just flowed like that with us.
Now, I was on my way to see him again, and my stomach had that lil’ nervous flip to it that I wasn’t even tryna fight.
The weather had dropped, so I had on somethin’ warm.
I followed the GPS to wherever he sent me. He ain’t tell me what we was doin’, and ain’t give me no hints, but just told me to pull up and trust him.
Even though I ain’t know him like that, that’s what I was doin’ ’cause I felt good about the situation.
When I finally got to the location, I slowed my car down, lookin’ around with my brows pulled together.
All I saw was land with grass stretched out wide, open space, and a dirt road sittin’ off to the side like it led somewhere, but from where I was sittin’, it ain’t give me nothin’ to go off.
“Now what the hell…” I muttered, grabbin’ my phone.
I called Couture, and he picked up quick.
“Hey, bae.” His voice came through, calm like he already knew why I was callin’.
“I’m here,” I said, turnin’ my head side to side. “But where is here? ’Cause I don’t see nothin’ but grass.”
He let out a low laugh. “Go up that dirt road. I’m back there.”
I looked at it again, then shook my head. “You got me drivin’ into fields and shit.”
“I got you,” he said. “Just come on.”
I hung up and eased my car onto the dirt road, goin’ slow while my eyes stayed ahead. The further I drove, the quieter everything got, like I was really pullin’ away from everything else and steppin’ into a whole different world.
After a lil’ minute, I spotted a black pickup truck parked off to the side, and then I saw Couture standin’ right in the middle of the road.
My foot eased off the gas as I pulled up, takin’ him in through the windshield before I even put the car in park.
It was cold out so he kept it simple with a grey hoodie, grey sweats, clean sneakers, and that face…
He had a fresh cut, with his waves sittin’ right. His beard was lined up sharp, and even from inside the car, I could tell he smelled good.
“Lord…” I muttered under my breath.
I parked, grabbed my bag, and stepped out, closin’ the door behind me while I walked toward him. The closer I got, the more that nervous feelin’ settled into somethin’ softer, warmer.
He watched me walk up with that same look in his eyes I had seen through the phone, like he was attracted to everything about me.
The second I reached him, I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him without even thinkin’ about it.
He was so warm, I almost melted all over him. His arms came around me easy, holdin’ me close for that extra second that made me not even wanna move.
“Hey,” he said low, right by my ear.
“Hey,” I murmured back, still holdin’ on to him before I finally pulled away.
I looked up at him, shakin’ my head. “Where you got me at?”
He smiled, reached for my hand, and laced his fingers with mine like it was natural.
“Come on,” he said. “I got you.”
He led me around the truck and further back, and the second we stepped into the space he had set up, I stopped.
“Couture…” I breathed.
It opened up into this whole setup that felt like somethin’ out a movie.
There was a fire pit already goin’, flames movin’ soft while the heat carried through the air. Chairs was set up around it with thick cushions laid out, and off to the side was a big setup with a white sheet stretched out between two stands, and a projector already ready to go.
Then I saw the food. There was a full spread laid out on a long table with everything prepped clean and organized like he had been out here for hours settin’ up.
Lamb chops was seasoned and sittin’ ready, the smell of the marinade already hittin’ my nose. There was asparagus, potatoes cut and soaked, fresh herbs laid out, butter, garlic, all of it placed in perfect.
Drinks was set up too with bottles lined up neat, and glasses already out.
“You did all this?” I asked, lookin’ at him.
He shrugged with that same calm look on his face. “Yes, I did.”
I smiled, lookin’ back at everything. “You done lost yo’ mind.”
He laughed with his hand still holdin’ mine while he walked me closer to the setup.
He poured me a glass of wine and handed it to me, then poured himself some liquor before movin’ over to the grill.
I stayed right there beside him, watchin’.
He moved like the chef he said he was, and I could tell this was second nature to him.
His hands worked through everything smooth, flippin’ the lamb chops, checkin’ the heat, addin’ butter and herbs and lettin’ everything cook just right.
I took a sip of my wine, leanin’ a lil’ closer to him. “You be doin’ this for real, huh?”
He glanced at me with a smile. “Yeah, bae. I told you this what I do.”
I watched him cut into one of the lamb chops, checkin’ it, then he sliced off a piece and held it up to me.
“Open your mouth,” he said.
I laughed a lil’ but did it, lettin’ him feed me.
The second I tasted it, my eyes widened. “Oh my God…”
He watched me with that look in his eyes. “It’s good?”
“Good?” I shook my head, smilin’ hard. “This is crazy.”
He cut another piece and fed me again, his thumb brushin’ my lips just enough to make me pause for a second.
Then we started really vibin’, talkin’, laughin’, me standin’ close to him while he cooked and my arm brushin’ against his every now and then. Every time I looked at him, he was already lookin’ at me, and it did somethin’ to me I wasn’t even tryna explain.
By the time everything was done, the sun had started droppin’, paintin’ the sky behind us while the fire picked up a lil’ more.
He fixed my plate first, loadin’ it up, then made his, and we sat down near the fire while the projector lit up behind us.
A movie started playin, the sound low enough that we could still talk, but I barely paid attention to it, ’cause I was too busy enjoyin’ him.
After we finished eatin’, he grabbed our plates and set them to the side.
“This is nice,” I said, lookin’ at him.
He took a sip of his drink, then looked back at me. “It ain’t over.”
I raised a brow, smilin’. “Oh, okay.”
He set his glass down and held his hand out to me.
“Come here.”
I looked at him for a second, then took his hand and stood up, lettin’ him guide me over.
He pulled me down into his lap, his arm comin’ around my waist, and I felt that warmth all over again.
The fire popped behind us, the air cooler now, and I shifted a lil’.
“You cold?” he asked.
“Yeah, a little,” I admitted.
He stood up with me, walked over to his bag, and pulled out a blanket before bringin’ it back.
“I came prepared. I know y’all women always cold,” he said, smilin’.
“You did. I appreciate it,” I replied, watchin’ him wrap it around me.
He sat back down and pulled me into his lap again with his arms around me while the blanket covered both of us.
We sat here, closer now with my back against his chest while the movie played and the fire kept us warm.
His hand rested on my arm, rubbin’ slow, and I could feel everything settlin’ between us, the space closin’ without either of us sayin’ much.
Then he turned his head slightly. I turned to him and the second our eyes locked, he leaned in and kissed me.
His lips was soft but sure, like he already knew what he was doin’, and the way he held me made my whole body lean into him without me even thinkin’ about it.
I kissed him back. My hand came up to his face, my nails slidin’ into his beard while my fingers curled into it, scratchin’ lightly as I tilted my head and deepened the kiss. My tongue slid against his slow at first, then deeper, lettin’ it build while I pressed closer into him.
He tightened his arm around my waist like he felt what I wanted.
My other hand moved to the back of his neck, my nails draggin’ along his skin before I held on to him. I kissed him the way I wanted to. I felt him respond to that, his mouth pressin’ harder against mine, and his tongue meetin’ mine with more weight behind it.
“Mmm…” He breathed into my mouth, lettin’ that sound sit between us while I stayed on him.
I shifted on his lap, my body pressin into his, lettin’ him feel all of me while I kept kissin’ him slow but deep, takin’ my time. My fingers stayed in his beard, rubbin’ through it while my thumb brushed along his jaw.
Couture kissed like he meant it, and I gave it right back to him.
My lips moved against his again, slower this time, draggin’ my tongue out his mouth then catchup’ his bottom lip between mine. I sucked it just enough to make his stomach flex.
I pulled back just enough to look at him with my lips still close to his, my breath mixin’ with his while my fingers stayed right where they was.
While sittin’ on his lap, wrapped up in him, I already knew…I wasn’t ready to pull away.
After kissin’ on each other for what felt like forever and sippin’ on a few more drinks, me and Couture ended up laid out on the grass with the blanket under us, and the fire cracklin’ somewhere behind us.