Chapter 1 #2
He stepped into my space, forward as hell before his finger was at my chin.
I shocked myself when I didn’t stop him.
He lowered his head like he was about to kiss me, but stopped centimeters away and began to speak.
“Because you wanna have dinner with me, Nic. Just like I wanna have dinner with you. Now stop being difficult and say okay. Don’t shatter a nigga’s ego on the first encounter. ”
I grinned, eyes locked on him. “It’s impossible to shatter your ego. It’s big enough to be a whole person. But fine. I’ll play your game and take you up on dinner. Don’t be late.”
He laughed, letting my chin go and creating some space. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Nic.”
After he finally left, I rushed into my office and turned the fan on.
I was freaking frazzled, borderline ready to open the window and sit on the sill to get a little bit of air between my legs.
From seeing him on TV leaving the courthouse to him standing in my sanctuary bullying me into dinner smelling like flannel temptation. Why was he here?
It was safe to say my attention was shot to shit after he left. I couldn’t focus on anything. I was just here.
A knock at my door reminded me that I was at work. I jumped and glanced at the door, my eyes jumping to the clock on my wall that read four forty-five instead of five. No way he was early.
Another knock had me on my feet, moving to open the door. To my surprise it wasn’t Hondo, but another handsome face. This one I was used to seeing in these parts given we worked closely and often collaborated since he was also a curator but for the mammals.
“Did I catch you at a bad time?” Dean asked.
“Um no, not at all. How are you?” I asked, stepping back and allowing him to enter.
“Good, I just came back from a check in with Ellie and she seems to be doing well.”
“That’s good. I assume the medication from Cromwell worked.
” I walked over to my desk and began packing my things to leave for the weekend.
I got one full weekend a month off by request and this was that weekend.
Though I was extremely dedicated to the animals and the work I did here, I knew I needed to properly care for myself in order to fully care for them.
“It did. Inflammation is going down and she’s taking in more fluids.”
“Good. I’m glad she’s on the mend.” I continued to get my stuff packed up as he grew silent. “Was that all or di—” I started, when there was yet another knock at my door.
This time the door was open, so all I had to do was look up and see who it was. Hondo Carter stood in my doorway, eyes intently on Dean while Dean looked from me to Hondo.
“You ready to go, Nic. Or do you need a minute?” Hondo asked, entering my office with no intention of leaving.
“No, I was ju—” I started, but Dean’s voice interrupted mine.
“I was just headed out. I’ll shoot you a text. Have a good weekend, Patience.” Then he walked out of my office, leaving me and Hondo.
Hondo chuckled. “Hmph.”
“What’s funny?” I asked, looking at him once I had everything I needed packed for the weekend.
“Nothing, c’mon.”
I shook my head. “Hondo.”
He chuckled. “You talk to everybody you work with on your personal line?”
I grinned. “Why?”
“Because I asked.”
“Doesn’t really matter to you, does it? This is just dinner, right?”
He shook his head. “You're right, but not in the way you’re thinking. Now c’mon, let’s go before it gets cold.”
I closed my eyes. “Wait, what gets cold? Why would it be cold if we’re going to a restaurant?”
“Who said anything about a restaurant, Nic?”
“Well, I assumed we were going to one.” I shrugged, throwing my tote on my shoulder and cutting the light out in my office.
He didn’t respond at first. He stepped outside my office, waiting for me to close and lock the door. I dropped my keys into my purse with the intention to follow him but was immediately taken aback when he grabbed my hand.
“Didn’t wanna go to a restaurant because I don’t like all of the fucking cameras and mics in my face.”
I nodded silently, stuck on the fact that he was holding my hand.
It wasn’t hand to hand either. This nigga had our hands interlocked like we were seconds from swinging them.
This was strange, strange enough to have me questioning what was going on the entire walk to the black-on-black SUVs right outside of the front doors of the zoo.
It was literally a motorcade outside and I didn’t know what to say.
I was completely thrown off and convinced I was dreaming.
This was random, completely off kilter. I went from seeing him on TV to him bullying me out to dinner. What the hell?
“Where are we?” I asked, knowing where we were, but not really. We had just pulled into the gates of a massive home outside of Briar. We were in the Bluffs, on the other side of the river from my family’s estate.
“Home.”
The way he said home at first threw me.
“Do you like living in the city?” he asked as the truck came to a complete stop seconds later.
I shrugged. “Some days I do.”
“And others?”
“I dislike it, but it’s convenient, especially for someone like me who doesn’t drive and takes rideshares everywhere. I couldn’t imagine living out here knowing damn well I hate driving.”
He laughed. The door opened seconds later.
“So you don’t like the city, but you tolerate it because you’re closer to your normal shit, even though your job is this far out.” He summed up everything I said right before he got out of the car. He then extended his hand for me to take.
I took it and stepped out of the car.
“This isn’t a house. It’s a freaking palace,” I said, looking at the home.
“Fit for my wife and future children,” he said before dropping my hand and placing that exact hand on the small of my back.
When we entered the house, I immediately noticed it was empty besides a few light fixtures.
“I thought you said this was your home.”
“I own it, yeah, but it’s a gift to my wife.”
I nodded, taking it in, wondering why the hell I was here.
“What do you think?” His voice slit through my thoughts, making me turn and look in his direction. But for some reason, it hadn’t registered that he was talking to me. “What?”
“I asked what you think?”
I smiled. “About what, if my wedding gift was a palace?”
He nodded, waiting for my answer.
I shrugged. “It’s sweet and extremely thoughtful.”
“But not something you’d want?” he questioned, eyes locked on mine.
“No, not that at all. Definitely something I’d want, but I’d want the whole thing, not just the empty luxurious house. A marriage filled with as much love as luxury, if not more. If this symbolizes that, then hell yeah, I’d want the whole thing, but if it’s just a house, then nah.”
He grinned. “Noted.”
He then led me into the kitchen. It too was empty besides the breakfast nook built into the corner of the room. The table was set for dinner. I could tell by the candles and aroma of food in the room.
“Didn’t know what all you ate, so I had them grab everything.”
I laughed. “Yeah, like I’m greedy or something?”
He laughed as well.
For the rest of the evening, we talked and ate, getting caught up with one another in a way that could have been seen as intimate.
It was as if he wasn’t who he was currently and life hadn’t sped past the way it had.
We were teenagers, both forced to attend the same events.
Given we had never done this much open talking, it was different, but a welcomed difference.
We spent so much time together that when it was time to go and I was being driven home, the time shocked me. The entire time I was with him, I hadn’t paid my phone a lick of attention. He had my undivided attention the entire evening and I didn’t know how to feel about that.
“I really enjoyed myself,” I said aloud as the truck turned onto the street I lived on.
“Yeah, even though you were acting like you didn’t want to eat with me.”
I laughed. “It’s not that and you know it. You live a different life, one I am not used to nor a part of. One I make it a point of avoiding,” I stated bluntly.
He shrugged. “It’s never too late to get used to new shit, Nic. But before you get all bullheaded, I enjoyed you as well.”
The truck stopped in front of my building and the driver got out. His door opened and he was out before I could get out. Instead of the driver meeting me at the door, Hondo did. And just like when we got to the house earlier, his hand was extended for me to accept.
Once I was out, he didn’t ask for permission or even speak. He pulled me into a hug, then lowered his head and kissed my forehead.
“I’ll see you soon, Nic.”
I didn’t know why when he said that I felt it more than I heard it, like a promise of some sort, like he was letting me know something without letting me know. Then again, he said it, right? He said he’d see me soon.