Chapter 10
“Hey, lady, let me tell you why I can’t live my life without you,” I sing after pulling out of the parking spot at Zakiyah’s day care.
An extra pep in my step has me serenading the interior of my vehicle, as if my name were Zapp and I had written the lyrics to an old-school song. But I woke up with the reminder and the knowledge of seeing and spending more time with Caziya, so I couldn’t help myself.
“Every time I see you walkin’ by, I get a thrill.” My voice is loud and bounces off the otherwise quiet interior as I bob my head to the beat echoing in my mind.
Caziya didn’t give me a chance to ask her for another date before she invited me to lunch today.
Accepting was a no-brainer because only a fool would pass up an opportunity to be in her presence.
Although she beat me to the punch, I plan to capitalize on the moment by asking her to be mine before the day ends.
If our unplanned ice cream social didn’t convince me that I needed to make her my woman, dinner definitely did.
It takes no time for me to pull into the garage at work as the love ballad continues to echo in my mind.
Humming, I exit my vehicle, and my eyes are unable to register anyone as my thoughts are continuously on Caziya and our lunch date. I enter the elevator that will carry me to my floor, before removing my phone from my pocket to send a message to my affection and morning distraction.
Me:
Good morning, Ziya. I hope your day is off to a great start. I’m looking forward to seeing you this afternoon.
Caziya:
Well, good morning to you too. Typical day at the office thus far. However, I am also looking forward to spending my lunch hour with you.
A cheesy ass smirk forms when I read Caziya’s quick reply, and I practically skip off the elevator when it reaches my floor.
“Good morning, Zakai.” One of my colleagues greets me when we pass each other as I head to my office.
All I can do is throw up my hands while continuing on my way, grateful when I reach my door a minute later.
I quickly insert the key in the lock and push it open, taking a moment to inhale the mahogany teakwood permeating the air.
I walk to the round table adjacent to my cherrywood credenza and drop my bag before I move to sit in my high-back office chair.
One of the things I love about my office is the space.
Thanks to Ma, it has a homey feel with the addition of candlelight, allowing me to enjoy a comfortable scent in the air without the need for a lighter.
Ma also placed masculine accents on the walls, such as paintings, that didn’t turn me off.
The small couch near the door also has throw pillows that coordinate with the black leather material of the furniture.
Ma’s decorative skills in here make it easy for me to spend countless hours in this space without feeling burned out.
My desk phone rings just as I power on my computer, and I take a minute to scroll through my mental rolodex to determine if I have any meetings or appointments first thing this morning. “Hello.”
“Good morning, Mr. Tillman. Sorry to bother you immediately, but your presence is requested. I’m being told that it will be quick, though,” Adrian’s secretary says, and my eyes roll to a brief close.
I should have known better than to think I could continue on my Caziya high. Hopefully, this meeting will be quick and painless.
“I’m on my way,” I say before placing the phone back on the base.
I take a few minutes to log in to my computer and bring up the programs I’ll be using, so that step is already complete when I return.
Thanks to Adrian and two unplanned meetings, my workday moved at hyper speed.
Adrian’s fruitless meetings made my lunch hour come quicker than I anticipated, so I’m now leaving the office with a sense of urgency.
My limbs are jittery, and my steps are swift as I enter my vehicle and peel out of the spot like a bat out of hell.
“I’m coming, Ziya.”
Caziya and I confirmed our lunch plans, along with the restaurant of her choosing, during one of our phone conversations yesterday.
Therefore, I set my sights and internal navigation toward one of the local eateries while popping a piece of gum in my mouth.
The last thing I need to do is greet or converse with Caziya with rank breath.
The coffee I drank while Adrian and I sat through meeting after meeting was necessary.
But the aftermath will not be the reason I miss a chance to enjoy Caziya’s lips again.
A smile forms when I pull into the parking lot of my lunch destination.
I’m walking into the front entrance less than ten minutes later as my eyes roam the room in search of my lady.
Yep, I already deemed her mine because the dew won’t settle on the trees tonight without me confirming Caziya’s place in my life.
“Welcome to Pizza My Pie. Are you dining alone, or will you be joining someone?”
“I see my party. Thank you,” I tell the smiling hostess, as my eyes land on where Caziya is patiently waiting.
Without another word from the hostess, I move further into the restaurant with my gaze on my target. Either the establishment is small, or my feet are moving faster than I realize, because I lean down, placing a gentle kiss on Caziya’s forehead in no time.
“Hello, Ziya. You are a sight for sore eyes.”
Caziya’s eyes flutter, and her lips upturn into an arresting smile that nearly stops my heart. Damn. Please marry me!
“Aren’t you a charmer. Hi, Zakai. How’s your day been? I hope this place was still good for you,” Caziya says, motioning around the room of her lunch pick for today.
Pizza My Pie is one of the local pizza restaurants that also features a bar, which opens for patrons who dine with them in the evening.
During lunch, the bar is closed, and it provides a more intimate vibe that I can get with since Caziya is the only person I’m interested in keeping up with during our time here.
“It’s fine. Pizza is probably one of the lightest meal choices we can consume and still be required to return to work. How’s your day been?”
A waiter walks up, preventing Caziya from replying, as he quickly obtains our drink order while giving us a minute to decide on what we want to eat.
“I’m glad you’re here. That poor guy has been over here at least three times since I got here, trying to get my order,” Caziya leans in, whispering as a smirk plays on her lips.
“Can’t say that I blame him. I’m sure you’re the first beautiful woman he’s seen in here all day.”
“Aw, shucks. Thank you. To answer your question, my day has been pretty busy. I’ve been running like a chicken with its head cut off all day. For me, lunch couldn’t have come fast enough. Whew.”
A low chuckle escapes my mouth when Caziya’s eyes become animated, and she places her left hand on her chest like she’s exhausted.
“Well, I’m glad I could serve as the perfect balance to your trying day. What is it that you do?”
“I’m a public inquiries assistant, so I handle a lot of requests for information while ensuring my boss’s boss has whatever he needs to be great or pretend to be, in his case. I feel like I do my job, and he gets the credit.”
“Oh, for real. Do you need me to come kick his ass for you? I can make a detour to your office before returning to mine.”
Laughter escapes Caziya’s mouth, and her eyes twinkle with merriment as she shakes her head before answering.
“This is the second time you’ve offered to kick someone’s ass on my behalf. Let me find out you have an anger management issue, Mr. Zakai.”
“Not in the least. However, if you recall, in both instances, you were in distress, and for you, I’m willing to be your problem solver. All I need is an okay, and your boss won’t know what hit him. Pun intended.”
My breaths hitch, and my eyes stretch when Caziya’s hand lands on top of mine, and a jolt of electricity surges through my body. One touch from this woman and I lose my ability to think, breathe, or communicate.
Yes, I am definitely making her mine.
“I’ll let you know if I need you, but you should know that my actual boss is a woman, so hitting her could cause you to lose brownie points.
How about we enjoy lunch? Thinking about my boss or the past is the last thing I want to do while spending time with you.
” Caziya winks, and it takes me a second to catch up and formulate a response that won’t sound like begging or pleading for her to run off to Vegas to marry me.
I’ll be damned if my ass isn’t hearing wedding bells and envisioning Caziya in the most jaw-dropping and formfitting wedding dress while walking down the aisle toward me. Before I can process that vision, another one forms, and it causes me to choke uncontrollably.
“Oh, shoot. Are you okay?” Caziya says, jumping out of her seat before pounding my back with the strength of a giant.
“I-I-I’m good, back killer,” I squeak while trying to clear my throat as Caziya thankfully stops attempting to help me.
“Oops. Sorry about that.”
Caziya’s face flashes a light red tinge as she returns to her seat, and I finally clear the saliva in my throat that has me embarrassing myself in front of this woman. Another first for me, but despite the awkwardness of the moment, I can’t help but appreciate Caziya attempting to assist me.
“Good looking out, Ziya. But next time, can you try a gentler hand? Who taught you to injure the person you’re attempting to help anyway? You’re gonna have me walking around like the Hunchback of Notre Dame the rest of the day.”
Caziya’s eyes brighten, and laughter comes out of her mouth, restoring the calm and easy camaraderie between us.
“It was more of a reflex thing than anything. I’m sorry, though.”
“Excuse me again. Are you ready to order?” the waiter says, returning to the table as I give Caziya the floor to provide her lunch request before doing the same. “I’ll have that out for you in a jiffy.”
“See what I mean? I know there aren’t many people in here, but he’s bucking too hard for a tip,” Caziya whispers when the waiter leaves the table.
“It’s cool. But before I forget, thank you for sharing your lunch hour with me, Ziya.”
“It’s my pleasure. I enjoyed our time the other day. I also think I’m in love with your daughter.”
My heart sputters, and my lips twitch before they shift into an easy smile upon hearing her words.
Zakiyah is my most prized possession, and it’s not often that I allow her around women who aren’t family.
It means everything to me that Caziya not only appreciates interacting with her but also enjoys the experience.
“Yeah, it’s clear that she’s in love with you too. Although we’ll have to keep it a secret because Kiki made my sister wait a while before expressing her love.” I smirk.
Caziya leans in, looking left and then right before she speaks again in a lower tone than she did moments ago.
“It’s our secret, but only if you’ll agree to feeding me again.”
A boisterous and loud laugh escapes my mouth at hearing the unexpected request that left Caziya’s mouth, which caught me off guard.
Of all the things I might have thought she would say in response to my statement, that was nowhere in my mind.
Once my laughter dies down, I lean closer until our mouths are a hair apart and provide my counteroffer.
“Only if you’ll agree to being my woman.”
Caziya’s breath catches, and her eyes dance with sparkling lights as she wastes no time giving me an answer without force or hesitation.
“Deal.”
The only response necessary is for me to do the one thing this moment calls for, .
. . a kiss. I claim Caziya’s lips while ignoring the increase in my heart rate from our connection.
Our lips touching and dancing send spirals of ecstasy through me, and my dick twitches in response.
I take a minute to forget our surroundings and devour the softness of her mouth while sealing our new status.
This moment is going to be the fuel I need to push through the rest of my workday.