Luxe
A few days later
Frustrated wasn’t the word for me. It was like I wasn’t getting anywhere.
After not being able to solve this on my own, I finally gave in and gave up the last client I sold the painting to and was going to let Savion take it from here.
I was over it. Maybe he’d have a better time at tracking the painting down than me.
It was only so far that I could get with being a woman.
People liked to take me as a joke. They didn’t see a threat when I came to them, especially dressed in a business suit.
Ghost had yet to apologize to me, so I decided that I was going to show him exactly how I felt that night.
No, I wasn’t about to sleep with someone to get even with him, but I did let this guy from the dating application set up a date.
He was handsome, but I didn’t feel like getting to know him.
He was going to serve his purpose and then be sent on his way.
I needed something extremely sexy to wear tonight for the date. Ghost knew that I had somewhere to go, but I hadn’t explained to him that it was out to dinner with a man. That part I wanted to be a surprise, when he pulled up and saw the guy greeting me.
I found this lil number in the back of my closet.
It was a black jumpsuit with a mesh top.
That was about as extreme as I was going to take it.
The younger women these days walked around with their ass cheeks hanging out.
No one would ever catch me dressed like that.
To me, I felt like they were leaving little to the imagination.
I didn’t see how men were so cool with their women leaving the house like that. To each his own though.
After I got dressed, I unwrapped my hair and put a few curls in it. The silk press was lasting a bit longer than expected. Every so often, I’d get one because I didn’t want to damage my curls. I took pride in my hair and did whatever necessary to keep it healthy.
Once I was dressed, I headed into the living room where I found Ghost sitting on the couch. He was dressed in all black like always. His eyes lifted to me, and just from the twitch of his jaw, I knew I looked good.
“Let’s go,” was the only thing I said before heading to the door.
Little did he know, this was the start of pissing him off tonight. I was going to purposely be all over Rob to make Ghost feel some type of way. Did I feel bad about using this man for my own personal gain? No. Men used women all the time. I hadn’t come across a genuine one yet, and I was forty.
Ghost opened the door on the truck for me. He hadn’t been driving his own cars anymore ever since I stole his car and left him. But I did it for a cause. He was acting like I was just gon’ run away every time he decided to drive his own car or something.
Shutting the door, he rounded to the driver’s seat and then asked, “Where to?”
“Take me to Sterling House.”
His eyes peeked at me through the rearview mirror. I grabbed my phone and pretended not to see him looking. We rolled out of the parking garage, and I scrolled social media to keep from eyeing Ghost.
He pulled up to the restaurant, and they had valet. The place was already fancy as hell, and we hadn’t even made it inside yet. Ghost allowed valet to take the truck while he came around and opened the door for me. He extended his hand in my direction, but I didn’t take it.
Stepping down from the truck, I headed for the door. An older couple was coming out, and the guy held the door for me.
“Thanks,” I said and entered the building with Ghost not too far behind me.
“How many?” the hostess asked as she gathered the menus.
“I’m meeting someone here. I’m not sure if he’s arrived already or not.” I could feel Ghost’s eyes burning a hole in the back of my head. Good. “His name is Robert Parkings.”
“Oh, yes. He arrived not too long ago. I’ll take you to your table.”
Turning to Ghost, I said, “You can just stay up here. I’m sure you have the perfect view of the entire restaurant from here.”
Ghost’s jaw muscle tightened. I didn’t give him time to say anything before I fell in line behind the hostess.
She walked me over to the table where Rob sat.
His eyes lifted to mine when he sensed my presence.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Rob was a light bright. He had the perfect beard that connected and was a bit on the slender side.
The only thing that threw me off was the nose piercing.
To me, only men that liked other men wore nose piercings.
Every time I saw a man out who had one and claimed that he was straight, you just knew he was bussing niggas in the ass behind closed doors.
That was neither here nor there, though.
I had zero intentions of getting to know Rob, so his little nose piercing was safe.
“Your pictures don’t do you justice,” he said and rose to his feet.
“Thank you.”
Reaching over the table, he pulled me in for an embrace. I rolled my eyes over his shoulder and then peeled away from him. Looking back, I saw Ghost staring at us.
“How are you tonight?” Rob asked as we took our seats.
“I’m good,” I replied and grabbed the menu to see what I would want to eat. There were so many options.
Rob lifted his hand and beckoned for the waitress to come over.
“Yes, sir?” she said when she approached.
“I think my date here wants to order a drink.”
Yes. That was the only way I was gonna be able to get through this date.
“Uh, can I have a glass of your best red wine? Thanks.”
I took my attention back to the menu.
“I’m so glad that you agreed to come out with me tonight.” Ignoring him, I continued to stare at the menu. “What do you like to do in your spare time?”
“Murder men like you,” I mumbled.
“Excuse me?”
There was no way in hell I was about to tell him what my real hobbies were. For one, he wouldn’t understand, and two, I wasn’t trying to set myself up to get robbed later, so I kept it brief.
“I garden, cook, eat . . . stuff like that.”
“Seems like you need some more hobbies.”
I peeked at him over my menu. If this man didn’t sit his ass down somewhere. He looked like his hobbies were playing basketball and gaming. See, if I was really interested in getting to know him, I would’ve asked, but I didn’t really care.
“So, you own your own business?”
That part, I hated to tell men because they were often intimidated by women who had their own motion. Normally, I’d attract the wrong man. A man that barely had his shit together and wanted to humble a woman. Those were my favorite types because I loved hurting their little feelings in the end.
“Yeah. I do well for myself.”
Finally, I found the steaks on the menu. I looked over and saw that Ghost was still watching us, as he was supposed to be. He didn’t look annoyed enough for me, so I decided to place the menu on the table and reach across the table to Rob. My hand covered his, and I gently stroked it.
“You’re handsome.”
His entire face turned red like tomato paste. I didn’t lie there, so I wasn’t sure why he was blushing like a schoolgirl. I was sure he’d heard compliments all the time.
“Thanks, but I think I’ll look better with you on my arm. How come you’re single?”
That was a great question. It seemed like I just couldn’t keep a man. Nobody wanted to be faithful anymore, and I got a bit crazy when I liked someone. I wasn’t certain if I pushed them away or what. That was a study that I hadn’t quite figured out just yet.
“I just choose to be right now. The last guy I was with, it didn’t work out.”
He died. I killed his stupid ass, but if I told him that, he’d probably get up from the table and run away.
That was something that I could tell Ghost, and he wouldn’t judge me about it.
He understood me and my life. Ghost was the type of man that I needed to be with, but we had this huge-ass age difference.
I’d be too concerned with what people would think, especially my daddy and brothers.
To them, no one truly measured up to be with me. They were part of the problem as well.
“My last girlfriend had cheated on me, so I cheated back.”
“You sure you weren’t the one cheating first?” I mumbled.
He stared at me with a bewildered expression before saying, “Huh?”
“Nothing. I don’t condone cheating. Never have and never will. That’s just something I don’t do. I’m not going to go sleep with someone else just because my partner did it. That devalues me. I’m never giving someone else that much power over me.”
“Smart woman.”
The waitress brought our drinks over. I took a sip from mine, while she took Rob’s order, and then I ordered my food.
Once she was gone, I decided to scoot my chair closer to Rob where I was able to see Ghost perfectly.
My knee brushed against his, and he was grinning from ear to ear.
The way I was feeling on him, he just knew he was getting some pussy by the end of the night.
Rob leaned in my direction. I already knew he was coming for my lips. Since I didn’t just kiss anyone, I turned my head where his lips landed on the corner of my mouth. From where I sat, Ghost’s jaw muscles tightened.
Good dog.
Not long after, our food was brought out to the table.
I ate my food and then excused myself to the restroom.
By the time I was done eating, I’d consumed three glasses of wine, and I had to pee so bad.
Going to the bathroom was something I always did whenever I got ready to leave a restaurant.
My bladder just wasn’t the same as it used to be.
Soon as I stepped out the stall, I was met with Ghost’s face. He backed me up into the stall. My heart palpitated as I stared up at his handsome face.
“I see you like fucking playing with me.”
A grin tugged at the corner of my lips. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re out there feeling on that nigga like you’re about to fuck his ass on the table.”
I erupted in laughter. “Jealous much?”
“I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with you. One minute, you’re preaching ’bout me being too young, the next, you’re coming on to me. Another, you’re breaking people’s fingers, and now you’re on a date with somebody else.”
Folding my arms over my chest, I said, “You don’t get it, do you?”
“What’s wrong with you? What did I do to you?”
“So you see nothing wrong with you bringing that bitch Chris into the house and fucking her?”
Ghost’s brows snapped together.
“Luxe, you’re acting like we’re in a relationship.”
“Whatever.” Brushing past him, I washed my hands and grabbed the bathroom door.
“I’m sorry,” he said to my back, halting my steps. I wasn’t sure if it was enough, but I’d take that for now.
Without saying another word, I exited the bathroom and went back to my table.
“What took you so long? Almost thought I was going to have to come and find you.”
“I’m good. Where’s the waitress?”
I lifted my hand in the air to call the waitress over. She hurried over to our table. “Can I have a to-go plate?”
Normally, I wouldn’t bother taking food home, but the food was great, and the least I could do was take Ghost something to eat after everything that I’d put him through tonight.
“Is there anything else I can get you?” the waitress asked.
“No. The to-go plate is fine.”
She nodded and left the table. I looked over and found Ghost back standing by the entrance.
“So, when can we go on date number two?”
The waitress brought the plate over and handed Rob the check. I filled it with my leftover food.
“We’ll see,” was the only response he got out of me. He was lucky that he made it to the first date, fucking with me.
I got up from the table, and to be nice, I said, “Thanks for dinner. I’ll call you.” As I stepped away from the table, I said, “I gotta go feed my watch dog,” and scurried toward the door.
“Ruff ruff,” I said as I passed Ghost and flashed him a grin.