Chapter 6
I walked back inside the restaurant and over to the table with my family.
As much as I tried not to think about Layne, I couldn’t.
It was as if the moment our lips touched, she was all I could think about.
I had a roster of women I could call to satisfy me, but there was something about Layne that made me look beyond her amazing body and good looks.
I never really paid attention to women who were intellectual.
As long as they did the job required of them, I didn’t ask questions or try to get to know them.
I didn’t build relationships with my employees.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to; it was because I wasn’t the friendly type.
I only let a few people absorb my space, and that was my immediate family and Emani.
Somehow, Layne made me want to have her in my space all the time.
I didn’t need her this weekend, because it was my monthly weekend to relax which also happened to be my little sister’s graduation.
I knew I couldn’t go two days without seeing her again.
Her vibe, her energy, and beauty captured me at first sight.
“Everything good, cuz?” Denver asked once I settled back into my chair.
“Yeah,” I replied, eyes going to Amerie as she opened another gift from my grandmother.
“Aww, Grams, this is sooo tea. Thank you!” Amerie exclaimed, holding up the charm bracelet my grandmother made.
“You’re welcome, baby girl.”
“Did Ave tell y’all he has a new assistant?” Denver blurted out with a smirk on his face.
Why he decided to disclose that information was beyond me. I shouldn’t have been surprised though. The nigga was always trying to tell my business or make fun of me.
Emani laughed, sitting next to me. “A very, very beautiful assistant might I add.” I side-eyed her as I cleared my throat and sat back in my chair.
“Both of you need to stop with the bullshit,” I said, grabbing my water and sipping it.
“Another one?” my moms questioned.
“Yup, Auntie, . . . another one,” Denver replied with a smirk on his face.
“Why are you even here? Aren’t you supposed to be at work or trying to find your next victim?”
“My lil cuz graduated today. Why would I work on her day of celebration? Everybody knows I’m her favorite person. Ain’t that right, Am?”
“You know it, Denny!”
“Oh, really?” I asked, looking at her appalled.
“Denny’s my favorite, but you know you’re my top favorite, big brother.” She beamed.
I chuckled. “Yeah, whatever.”
“What’s up with you running through all of these assistants?” my pops, Avery Senior, asked.
“Most of them were temps, Pops. They didn’t meet the criteria to stay on as my permanent assistant.” I partially lied. It was bigger than that.
“And I assume this one does?” Grams asked.
“Her résumé qualifies her to stay on as a permanent.”
“I’m glad she’ll be around for a while. She never did call me for that coffee date.” I gave him a stern look but didn’t say shit.
You’ll never get that date, bitch nigga.
Emani looked at me with a smirk on her face, then looked at Grams.
“I need you to make me a bracelet, Grams.”
“Of course, baby. Just let me know what you want, and I got you.”
“I sure will.”
“How’s your mom doing?” Grams asked.
“She’s doing. Finally decided to quit that awful job she was working at.”
“What was it again?” Mom asked.
“She was a supervisor at Uncle Ray’s potato chip factory. She’s now using her degree and working as a clinician for children with autism.”
“Oh, that’s great! She didn’t even tell me.”
“I’m sure she will. She just started last week.”
“Merie, did you choose a college yet?” my pops asked.
“Daddy, I told you I’m taking a semester off before I go to college. I’m tired of school right now.”
I looked over at her and frowned. “That wasn’t the plan, A.”
“I know, Brother, but it’s only for a semes?—”
“Nah, A. The deal was that I get you your dream car, and you’ll go to college in the fall. When did you back out of our deal?”
She shrugged. “I just decided. If you want to take the car back, then fine. You’ve been in my shoes before.
You know how stressed I was, but I still pushed through.
I need a mental break from school. I promise I’m going in the spring.
” I didn’t like this. Amerie was a busy girl.
Always had been. So, to quell all that energy she had, I told my parents to put her in programs that would keep her busy.
I knew if they met her where she was, she’d have no time to get into other shit teenage girls her age loved to do. Part of the reason I spoiled her so much was because I didn’t want her out here in these streets, fucking off.
Anytime she made a fuss about her studies or extracurricular activities, I made a deal with her. She could have whatever she desired if she remained in school. That was all I’d ever wanted for her.
Since my parents decided to start over when I was eighteen, I treated Amerie like they gave birth to her for me.
I didn’t know who told them to have another kid at their old age.
I didn’t like it at all and was a little resentful toward my parents for doing it when I was younger, but one look at the little bright-eyed monster, and it was a wrap.
“I’m not going to take your car back, Amerie. We keep our promises, no?” I asked.
Her eyes lowered. “We do.”
“Look at me, Pea,” I told her, calling her by the nickname I gave her. Her eyes came to me. “Since we only deal in deals, I’ll make you one. I’ll let you take the fall semester off, but you have to get a job during your off-season. Fair?”
“A job?” she asked as if I had lost my mind.
“Yes. As a matter of fact, you can work for me.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad, Merie,” my pops countered.
“What will I be doing?”
“I don’t know yet, but it gives you an opportunity to gain some experience in the work field and not sit around doing nothing . . . Either that, or I will take the car back, and you won’t get one until you get a job and afford your own.”
“You wouldn’t!”
“Try me,” I challenged.
“Uughh! You don’t play fair! Fine. I’ll work for you, but you’ll have to give me a cool position, or I’ll quit.”
I chuckled. “You quit, you forfeit.” My phone vibrated as I pulled it out of my slacks. Layne’s name flashed on the screen as I smiled. “I gotta go. I’ll come by the house tomorrow to help you with those shelves, Pop.”
“Where the hell you going, scrub?” Emani asked.
I smirked. “To see a woman about a cat.”
“Trifling.” She laughed.
“See you later, Son. We love you,” my moms voiced.
“I love y’all too. Congrats again, baby sis.
We’ll talk tomorrow,” I said, kissing her forehead, kissing the rest of the ladies, then heading out of the restaurant.
I didn’t bother dapping Denver’s ass. That nigga irritated me with that slick shit he was trying to pull.
Emani had told his ass I was interested in Layne, so he was trying to play silly games with me.
This wouldn’t be the first time. This time, I was going to black his eye if he even looked at my baby wrong again.
As soon as I stepped out, I spotted Layne parked right next to Emani’s Range Rover.
I rode with Emani because I didn’t feel like driving, so this worked out perfectly with the plans I had for Ms. Layne. She may have been resistant to my advances, but I was certain by nightfall, that was going to change.
Heading to the driver’s side of her car, I opened her door for her, leaning in closely as I saw her body tense and her breathing pick up. The sweet mango scent of her perfume made me think of ways I could incorporate the scent and make a new fragrance in her name.
Nothing turned me on more than a woman who smelled edible.
“Mind if I drive?” I asked lowly, inches away from her lips.
“N-no. Not at all.” I smiled and backed up so that she could get out. My eyes roamed her frame in the red flowy short set romper she wore. I bit my lip when she turned to walk around the car, and I followed her. I wanted nothing more than to put my face between those bowling balls and strike.
Red was starting to become my favorite color.
I opened her door to let her inside, then walked back around the truck, getting in the driver’s seat.
“Thank you for coming.”
She smiled. “It’s my job.”
“Not today it isn’t. I mean, we are going to meet with the decorators to finalize the theme, but that’s it. Do you mind kicking it with me for today?”
“Mister . . . I mean, Avery.” She rolled her eyes playfully when I gave her a stern look.
I winked and smiled. “You catch on well.” I pulled out of the parking lot and on to the busy road.
“Do you not like rejection?” she asked.
“Hmm, I don’t think I’ve ever been rejected before. Not when it comes to the opposite sex, so I can’t say if I can take it or not. But all I know is I don’t want you to reject me. I know you keep saying that you don’t want to get a reputation, so I came up with a solution for you.”
“And what’s that?”
“We can continue to remain professional at work, but when you clock out, you allow me to court you.”
“What if someone from the office sees us out?”
“They won’t. I don’t run in the same circles as them. I really like you, Layne, and I want to pursue something real with you.”
“Why me? Out of all the women who have worked for you, why do you want me?”
“Because you’re the first woman Sagittarius I’d ever met that I want to get to know. You’re fucking beautiful as shit, smart as fuck, and have a natural sex appeal that has my senses going haywire. Not only do I want to get to know your mind and heart, I want to explore your body too.”
Her blush was cute as ever, and I could tell she was getting aroused by how tightly she had her thighs pressed together.
“I’m not a size ten, ya know.”
I frowned. “I don’t want you to be. Every part of you makes me want you. I’m trying to put that fupa on my forehead.”
“Oh my God!” She tittered, covering her face. “Avery, please stop . . . I want you, too, but I’m scared. You have to promise me this won’t get around to anyone.”