5. The Better Invitation #3
B.D.E: Lol. You bullshittin’. Ain’t nobody taking they cat for no damn ride. Why you playin’, girl?
Still laughing, I leaned back against the sink. It was funny because I really was taking my cat for a ride. At least that was what I planned to do to Eric’s face.
Me: Lmao. I guess that’s one of the things that makes me unique. I see I crossed your mind again and the day hasn’t even ended. I think that makes me two for two.
B.D.E: Yeah. I can’t get your victory smile out my head.
Me: Did my big one, didn’t I?
B.D.E: I don’t know what that shit mean, Ma. I’ma just assume it’s a good thing and say yeah.
Me: It is.
B.D.E: Cool. I hit your line ‘cause I wanted to see if you were up for coming out to grab something sweet with me.
I paused, staring at the screen. His response was unexpected for many reasons.
The fact that he texted with clear intentions was one thing but grabbing something sweet?
Yeah, that was different. I’d been invited to dinner multiple times, lunch, and even brunch.
But dessert was different, especially at this time of night.
My fingers hovered over the keyboard as I pondered on what I wanted to say back.
Before I could type, he called on FaceTime.
Glancing down at myself completely naked, I shrugged. Holding the phone up high enough to capture just my shoulders, I angled the camera just enough to not show much and answered.
“Texting just wouldn’t do it, huh?” I joked.
“Wassup, fine ass girl?” he greeted smoothly, smiling the second he saw me.
A black du-rag covered his waves, neatly rolled up at the sides and tucked at the ear.
I took notice because it was the smallest things that turned me off.
Like had he appeared on the screen with the tail hanging at the end of the du-rag, instant irritation.
He looked freshly showered and comfortable in a plain white tee with his head propped up on a pillow.
“You look relaxed. Not like you’re ready to go out,” I said.
Sitting up straight, his eyes shifted briefly.
I squinted, following them. Quickly realizing what had his attention, I snickered.
Through the bathroom mirror behind me, a sliver of my bare back and the top half of my cheeks were visible in the reflection.
Mehki licked his lips openly then focused back on my face.
“You tryna seduce me?” he questioned with a lazy grin.
I smirked at him. “Are you that easy?”
Laughing, he brought his face closer to the screen. “I mean, you the one who answered the call naked, Ma. Let a nigga see sum’n.”
“Boy, back up.” I giggled. “Your eyes should be on my face.”
“You right. You right. You know what you doin’ though.”
I tilted my head. “Do I?”
He didn’t know it yet, but I lived for a back and forth with a man who could keep up. It was my idea of foreplay. And so far, Mehki was definitely matching my energy.
“Mannnn.” He laughed again.
“There you go, laughing and smiling. Is it me or what comes out of my mouth?”
“It’s both, Ma.”
There was something about how direct and matter of fact his response was that made my nipples harden. We stared at each other in silence for a few seconds, both hanging onto the last thing the other had said.
“So,” he spoke first, “about this dessert. You wit’ it?”
As if he’d been privy to the conversation, the notification bar popped up with a text from Eric.
EricTheEater: Meet at The Chateau Grande. You remember our spot.
I read the message then looked back at Mehki.
“Where we going for dessert?”
“What kind of ice cream you like?”
“Butter pecan,” I replied proudly.
He made the same face most people made when I mentioned the flavor.
“You got a problem wit’ me liking butter pecan?”
He shrugged. “I’m sayin’, what you, sixty-eight?”
“Boy!” I cracked up laughing and absentmindedly pushed off of the sink.
“Shit,” he let out, biting his bottom lip.
Turning the phone, I put my back against the wall. “Eyes on my face.”
“Aight. That ass fat though.”
“Soft too,” I said. “Back to dessert. Where you tryna go to get ice cream this late?”
“Don’t worry ‘bout the details. Just get dressed and meet me at the diner where we had breakfast.”
I frowned. “They don’t have butter pecan ice cream.”
“I don’t want you to meet me there for the ice cream, Ma. I got that covered. With it being late, I wanna meet where you may feel most comfortable.”
And there it was. That thing that made a woman like me want to give a man my time. That thing that made it easy to cancel pre-arranged plans. Consideration. Suggesting that we meet at Sullivan’s let me know that Mehki paid attention. Suddenly, his invitation felt more inviting.
“You thinking real hard. Just know I didn’t call thinkin’ I was gon’ get a no.”
“I can be there in forty-five minutes.”
He nodded once. “It’s a date.”
“Is it?”
“I’ll see you in a minute, Key.”
He ended the call, and I shook my head, smiling. Wasting no time, I scrolled to my text thread with Eric and sent him a simple message.
Me: Rain check.
I hit send without giving it too much thought. I had a dessert date to get to.