Chapter 7 #3
Shyriq sat comfortably at the bar, his gaze already locked on hers.
His full lips tilted into a smirk, and his dark brown eyes silently called to her from across the room.
He gave Nhuri a subtle bow that lifted her cheeks.
Like every other time she’d crossed paths with him, Shyriq was amazingly dressed.
A black-and-white-patterned short-sleeved silk shirt stretched over his broad chest, paired with black jeans and a silver watch with diamonds shining so brightly that they competed with the sun.
His fresh haircut, impeccably groomed beard, and glowing, cinnamon-hued skin made him even more dangerously handsome than Nhuri could remember.
She felt the low tremble in her stomach that she’d felt the last time they were in close proximity.
We have to stop crossing paths like this, she thought.
Kendra let out a low whistle. “Whew. Now, that’s a man.”
Jazmyn snorted. “He looks familiar. Who is he?”
Nhuri cleared her throat, picking up one of the shot glasses. “Shyriq.”
Kendra squinted. “Wait . . . The owner of that whiskey you like?”
Nhuri nodded, trying not to let the heat in her face show.
The three friends shared a look while Nhuri tried ignoring their questioning gaze.
Marie snickered. “Okay, friend. I see you. You know the man on a first-name basis.”
“So does Kendra. That doesn’t mean anything,” Nhuri countered.
“I only know it because my daddy and uncles have been drinking their family’s whiskey for years. Every time they see one of the family members out, they stop and talk like they’ve known each other for years.”
Nhuri smirked. She could see that happening, seeing as though almost every encounter with Shyriq had turned into him wanting to hold a full-blown conversation with her. It was nice to know he and his family were hospitable.
“So, what’s your excuse?” Jazmyn teased.
“I don’t have one,” Nhuri said much too quickly. “I may or may not have run into him a few times over the last month. Maybe he’s just being nice.”
She shrugged it off, but her friends knew better. Kendra and Jazmyn exchanged sneaky glances, wanting to press her for more information, but Nhuri lifted her shot glass before they could. “Are we taking these or what?”
“You ain’t said nothing but a word,” Jazmyn grinned.
The foursome clinked glasses before tapping them against the table, then tipped them back. The liquor burned, but it was smooth. It was a type of tequila none of them had tasted before, but would be willing to try again. Nhuri ran her tongue over her teeth, savoring the lingering taste of agave.
Kendra licked her lips. “Oooh, that’s good.”
“Mmhm and smooth,” Nhuri agreed. Her eyes landed on Shyriq again, but he was now talking to the men beside him. She remembered one introducing himself as Rush, but she wasn’t familiar with the other man.
“You gonna go say thanks?” Jazmyn wondered.
Those weren’t in Nhuri’s plans, but it felt right to do so. She hesitated, pulling up the camera on her phone to check for eye boogers and make sure she still looked good.
“You still fine, friend,” Jazmyn complimented, garnering a smile from Nhuri.
“Thank you. I’ll be right back.”
She adjusted her cropped white tank top before sliding out of the booth.
Her high-waisted loose denim jeans were slightly oversized but relaxed, showing off a sliver of her midsection.
Her strappy nude heels would have gotten Shyriq’s attention, but her nearing presence did it all on its own.
Nhuri approached the bar with the utmost confidence, which was needed with a man like Shyriq.
As if he’d been expecting her, he smirked once she slid beside him.
Shyriq pulled out the stool for her to sit on and noticed the sweet floral scent of her perfume before taking her in.
Nhuri wasn’t intimidated by his intense stare, and she halfway blamed it on the liquor and the fact that he was so damn fine.
Smiling, she tilted her head to the side.
“I didn’t take you for an R&B lounge type of guy,” Nhuri said, earning a full smile from Shyriq that made every nerve ending on her body come alive.
His deep chuckle made her heart flutter. “Is that right?”
“Mmhm,” Nhuri hummed. “It is.”
She studied him, trying to ignore how his presence filled the space and felt so heavy. Even in a crowded restaurant, he was the only one she wanted to focus on. Shyriq made it easy for her to do so, giving her his full attention. His eyes were on her, trailing her face, and he licked his lips.
“There’s more to me that doesn’t meet the eye, gorgeous.” He let a few seconds pass. “You look nice.”
She tried not to blush. “Thank you.”
“Let me introduce you to my folks,” Shyriq said, leaning back on his bar stool so they could see her.
He patted Rush on the arm. “You remember Nhuri,” Shyriq said.
Rush grinned. “I do. You look like you’re enjoying yourself,” he said, noting the slight glossiness in her eyes.
She smirked. “I am. Nice to see you again.”
“You too.”
“This is Cane. You probably remember bartending his engagement party,” Shyriq said.
Nhuri nodded and smiled. “I do. Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” he said. “What’s your name?”
“Nhuri.”
“Good to meet you, Nhuri,” he said.
She waved. “Nice to meet you too.”
He and Rush got back to the conversation they were having, leaving Nhuri with her thoughts. A man who didn’t have manners or any plans for things to progress between them wouldn’t have introduced her. At least, that’s how Nhuri saw it. Or maybe he’s just showing he has manners, she thought.
“A round of shots for me and my girls? I must be special.”
Nhuri was teasing. A round of shots was nothing, but she wanted to check Shyriq’s temperature.
See why he seemingly had it bad for her.
She was sure a man of his caliber had a fair share of women in rotation, including a wife, according to Natalia.
So, adding her to his list isn’t something Nhuri wanted to be on.
He decided against sending a gift to Natalia’s home, figuring it’d be weird, so a round of shots for her girls was his next step.
He’d gotten Nhuri’s attention, so it was safe to say he’d made the right choice.
“Do you want to be?” Shyriq asked.
Her stomach flipped, but she masked it with a dry laugh. “I’m special whether you approve or not, sir. Thank you very much.”
Shyriq chuckled. “You are. I’m glad you know that.”
“Is this your first time here?” Nhuri asked, letting her eyes scan the room.
Her friends pretended they weren’t staring and quickly looked away once her eyes landed on their table. Nhuri could feel their anticipation from across the room.
“It is. Wanted to show some love for a new Black business in the city,” he answered, resting his forearm on the bar.
Nhuri noticed the tattoos and something about them brought even more intrigue. Tipsily, she ran her fingers over the intricate ink. The hair on Shyriq’s arms stood up, and his dick almost followed suit from her touch. But he had restraint.
“These are nice,” she said.
“If you wanted to touch me, all you had to do was ask.”
She snatched her hand away. Her eyes shot up to his, and she exhaled, seeing the playful glint in them. He smirked, and she playfully rolled her eyes. A smile tugged at her lips.
“Whatever.”
“Y’all out enjoying the day or celebrating something?” Shyriq asked.
“I guess you could call it a celebration. I’m no longer employed,” she said and chuckled.
Shyriq’s brows dipped as confusion settled in. He didn’t find that amusing but knew people coped with loss differently. He asked his next question with caution.
“Are you good?”
Nhuri’s expression changed. She cleared her throat. “Yeah . . . I’m fine. My friends just wanted to do something nice for me since I’ve been in a bad mood. I’m okay, though. Thank you for asking.”
Shyriq nodded even though he didn’t fully believe her. “No problem. It’s good to have friends in your corner who want to make your days better. I know I would.”
Nhuri reached for the glass of water the bartender placed before her.
Taking a small sip, she composed herself.
Shyriq’s question had thrown her off, and she didn’t know why.
Maybe because outside of her friends and Natalia, she didn’t have anyone else who truly cared about her well-being.
Most people would’ve accepted her casual response at face value, but he seemed to care about the hidden truth behind her words.
She wasn’t used to that.
Especially from a man.
“You would what?” Nhuri mustered up the courage to ask.
“Would want to make your days better. Make them the best.”
He answered her question without hesitation and with pure confidence. It was as if he was testing her to let him do exactly what he said. Nhuri was flustered and even more intrigued. She ran a hand over her warm neck and rubbed her glossed lips together while maintaining eye contact.
“You’re bold.”
Shyriq chuckled. “Is there any other way to be?”
“I guess not for a man like you.”
“And what type of man do you think I am, Nhuri?”
Shyriq leaned closer, invading more of her personal space, but she didn’t mind. Hearing her name roll off his tongue and the smell of citrus and musk on his body had Nhuri in a trance. He could stay in her space, in her face, for as long as he pleased.
“The type that knows exactly what he wants and gets it.”
Shyriq’s head bobbed forward. “That would be true only under one condition.”
“And what is that?”
“Knowing what I want and getting it is one thing. Who and what I want has to be willing to get got.”
He was smooth. Too damn smooth, and Nhuri felt herself giving in.
“As long as you’re up to the chase, I’m sure you’ll be just fine,” she said, teasingly patting his muscular arm.
Shyriq smirked. “Yeah. A bit of chasing never hurt me. So, what’s next for you?”
“After we leave here?” Nhuri questioned.