13. Nala
“Idid not expect it to be this cold out here. It’s April!”
The wind whipped around my face tossing my hair into my eyes. I pushed the strands away and found him rubbing his hands together.
“Shit, neither did I. How long before the Uber gets to us?”
Rolling my eyes in his direction, I pulled my hand from the warmth of my shearling pocket and exposed it to the crisp air. Damn, it was cold! Pittsburgh was cold, but this cold was different and as beautiful as the snow-capped mountains were in the distance, I wasn’t sure I would ever want to come back to this place.
I checked out the app and saw our driver would be pulling up momentarily.
“We should see him in a moment. He’s driving a gray Jeep.”
“Cool. I’m ready to check in, shower, and get a little shut-eye before the mixer later.”
I was still looking down at my phone following the car move along the lines. It stopped for a while I assumed he was sitting at a light.
I looked up to find his eyes on me. “You are coming to the mixer, aren’t you?”
Dealing with someone who worked in the human condition would always be a challenge and this wouldn’t be the first time I would be reminded of that. He would always have the advantage of seeing deeper into me.
“I hadn’t planned on it to be honest. I’m tired. Rest is needed so I can focus on the seminars tomorrow.”
Besides, he’d been fucking me out of my sleep so much I was in sleep deficit. I wasn’t complaining about that part, mind you, but it was my excuse for trying to stay in my room.
“Mingling is a big part of making long-lasting connections, Nala. You know this as well as I do. You have to be there tonight. You never know who else will be there.”
I grumbled and he laughed.
“Here’s the car,” I told him before he could tell me any more truths.
His knowing eyes held mine for a moment longer before grabbing my suitcase along with his and guiding them to the waiting SUV at the curb.
The drive to the hotel took about fifteen or twenty minutes. Long enough to see mountains upon mountains set against a bright blue sky. That’s what was so different than our hometown. In Pittsburgh, the cold and snow usually meant cloudy gray skies but not here. If the fresh coat of white snow wasn’t coating the roadways and the temperature wasn’t just above freezing, it would seem like a summer day.
“What’s on your mind?”
I kept my eyes on the snow. The snow was pretty. But mixed emotions were not.
“How life changes so quickly.”
“It does.”
“That can be unsettling,” I admitted to him.
I felt his touch and looked down at his dark brown hand over mine sending shards of not just pleasure through me, but also calm. I released the tense grip I had on my purse and took a deep breath.
“Maybe it’s time to take the advice you give.”
“Don’t analyze me, Dr. Booker.”
“I’m not. I’m being a friend.”
I stared at him and tried to dissect his word choice. Friend.
“Is that what we are now?”
“Not all we are, no. But I’d like to think it’s what we will always be no matter what.”
Something about his words was unsettling but I knew that was also my fears projecting on the situation. Besides, I was the one that said we should keep things simple.
Nala, it can’t always be your way, girl. Decided, do you want the man, or do you want your way?
Contrary to how it may look especially with so many social media psychologists with no real training other than platitudes and judgment, being a mental health professional does not equate to being without fears, insecurities, trauma, etc. We were people and often our loads were heavier due to all the help we administered for others. That’s why we needed therapists or a counselor, just someone to talk to, to help us deal with our emotions. I had my fair share of things to work through as it pertained to men and trust, but my training allowed me awareness and that was sometimes the largest hurdle to anything. Was to be aware and act. This time with Zaire would be about acting on the things I was affirming which was to give him a chance to show me who he was without sabotaging it.
The lobby of the hotel was busy when we arrived and headed to the check-in desk. The process went smoothly or as smoothly as possible given an attractive tall brown skin woman seated on a couch left of check-in kept smiling in Zaire’s direction. Just that quickly my pep talk with myself started to dissolve though he didn’t seem to notice her attention towards him. I couldn’t tell if it was intentional, however, or if he was really that oblivious to his effect on women. Either way, Ms. Ma’am was rather bold considering she saw us arrive together. I was only with another representative because we were booked in separate rooms. I gave one last look at her and her smirk in return told me everything I needed to know.
Okay bitch!
Taking a breath, I reached for my suitcase only to be swatted by his hand.
“What are you doing?” His expression only made me smile.
“I got this. I told you that. Now get some business and let’s get to the elevators.”
“Fine, Daddy.”
“You’re teasing but I bet you’ll be saying that on my dick soon.”
My pussy clenched. Shit.
Now feeling a tad more confident, I turned back to ol’ skank ass and returned her previous smirk. She pretended to find something to do on her phone. Mmmmhmmm.
“I like that we’re next door to each other.” He said once we got off the elevator on the 11th floor.
“You sure about that?”
“What… you’re not? ”
We stood outside of my room 1132. He was in 1134.
“I only meant maybe it would be an inconvenience to you.”
”I don”t see how that could be when I”d want you to say fuck that room and stay in mine with me.”
I fought to hide the grin on my face but he shook his head at me anyway.
“Now that that’s settled, take your grumpy ass inside and do what you got to do then come over here with me, woman. Okay?”
His words removed all doubt, for now. He wanted me with him.
“Okay.”