Chapter 10 #2
Najee tapped into the live and sat back in the driver’s seat. He was parked outside of his crib and wasn’t quite ready to head into the house yet. Like always, her viewer count was well into the hundreds, and he was a bit envious that they got to see her all dolled up, but he wasn’t hating.
She was wearing one of her ginger wigs that held juicy curls, and from her background, he could tell she was at home.
Orielle had been on there for much longer than she anticipated, talking about music, her inspiration behind some of her new music, and telling a story about how she used to win all the talent shows back in the day.
“Pretty ass,” Najee said, smirking when she rubbed her glossed lips together while squinting at the screen.
Her sultry, warm voice flowed through his speakers as she responded to a comment.
“I haven’t covered a Whitney Houston song in a while,” she responded, before lyrics to You Give Good Love filled the truck.
Orielle didn’t even sing the song to her full potential. She sang some words here and hummed others there with ease. Her soft, buttery tone made Najee want to close his eyes for a second. She was serenading him, and she didn’t even know it.
Figuring she’d been on long enough and hadn’t peeped him joining, Najee typed a comment and shared it.
It’s time to celebrate, Pretty Girl.
He smirked when her eyes lit up, and she tried hiding her grin behind her hand. Najee didn’t give a fuck who was watching and could see her comments, and clearly neither did she.
“Y’all... some people are so demanding,” she said, giggling. And then the reason behind his comment hit her. “Wait! Oh, my gosh, y’all. I have to go. I’ve just been on here running my mouth and duty calls.”
Her viewers flooded the comments with laughing emojis, heart eyes, and questions about who she was talking to.
A few caught Najee’s comment and asked who he was and what were they celebrating.
They wanted to celebrate, too. If they knew what Najee was talking about, they would surely change their minds. .. or not.
“Life,” Orielle answered, smiling. “It’s so amazing if you let it be. I’ll talk to y’all later.”
She blew them a kiss and ended the live. Najee swiped out of the app, and before he could lock his phone, Orielle’s name popped up with an incoming call.
“Helloooo,” she sang when the video connected.
Najee grinned. “What’s up, baby?”
“You tell me, sir. I just checked my text messages and saw the picture. Congratulations, my love. That partnership was yours before the contract was even drawn up.”
She didn’t know how true that was. Luke had told him the same thing.
“Thank you,” he said, running a hand over his waves with a boyish grin. “I ain’t can’t lie, I was a little nervous but only because it’s new.”
“And that’s normal,” she replied, nodding. “Naturally, our brain reacts to new things and environments. Just know you deserve this.”
She spoke her words with such conviction that Najee felt them in his chest. Orielle needed him to feel them, because it was the truth.
“You really fuck with a nigga, huh?” he asked, making her playfully roll her eyes.
“Duh. You haven’t noticed that by now?” Her question was rhetorical, just like his. She stood from her couch and walked to her bedroom. “Was everyone excited? You have to show me some more pictures.”
“Yeah. Real proud to be working with me too.”
“As they should be. I know how much this means to you, and I’m so proud of you.”
He saw the genuine joy on her face. The way her cheekbones lifted and eyes softened was wearing him down.
Orielle wasn’t the type to hand out empty praise.
If she said she was proud, she meant it.
It didn’t matter if she knew a person or not; she was happy for anyone out there accomplishing their goals and chasing their dreams.
“Yeah? You gon’ show me how much real soon,” Najee said with lust in his eyes.
Orielle chuckled. “Mhm. I got you. We need to go out and celebrate for real. Or let me cook you dinner.”
“That’s what I was getting around to. We going to dinner later this evening, and I want you to come with me.”
Orielle blinked. “Who is we?”
Najee couldn’t help but laugh. As he grew to know her better, he realized that although her two careers required her to be social, she wouldn’t be if she didn’t have to be.
This wasn’t one of those moments, though.
Orielle simply wanted to know who was all going to be there so she wasn’t walking into any drama.
Their friendship was still fresh, and she’d gladly decline if she felt like she’d be uncomfortable.
“My family and a few friends.”
His answer was so vague, Orielle sucked her teeth and huffed.
“Okay.”
“Chu’ doing all that for?” Najee asked, grinning.
“No reason. I hope you, your family, and friends have a grand time.”
She was pouting, and he secretly loved that shit. Giving her what she wanted, Najee ran down the small list of people to her.
“Happy now?” he asked teasingly.
“Mhm.” She smiled. “Does your sister know we talk?”
Najee smirked and nodded. “Yeah. I told her about you. So be prepared for her to ask you questions. Be happy you already met my auntie.”
“Oh, goodness,” she chuckled. “But yes, I’d be more than happy to celebrate with you tonight,” she said.
There was no sarcasm in her voice. Something about hearing her say with you, hit differently.
She didn’t say celebrate you like his ex said to him at his welcome home party, and that stood out to him more than she knew.
Orielle didn’t view herself as an outsider in his world, and Najee liked that she didn’t because they were past that stage.
“A’ight. Bet. I’ma run in the house and change right quick before coming to see you,” he said.
“Right now?” Orielle said in a slight panic.
“Yeah, unless you got something to do.”
“I mean, I didn’t until you called. I want to go to the mall and get a new outfit for tonight,” she said.
Smirking, Najee shook his head. “Okay. I’ll come get you and we can go. I’ma still run in here and change clothes. You mind if I get dressed at your house for dinner?”
Orielle gulped. This was new territory for them both but it felt right.
Najee would’ve invited her to his place, but he knew how she was when she got dressed.
She had an entire routine and he didn’t want to screw it up just because he wanted to be near here.
When she was quiet for too long, Najee said something.
“You can tell me no, baby. It’s no pressure.”
“No, it’s fine. You can get dressed here. We can leave out together.”
Najee smirked. “Couple shit.”
“Um, no.” She giggled but was serious. “Friend shit. You aren’t my man until you ask me to be your woman, and that’s if I say yes.”
“Damn!” Najee exclaimed, laughing. “If a nigga was about to ask you to be his, you just ruined the fuck out of the moment.”
Giggling, Orielle waved him off. “Oh, please. You weren’t about to ask anything.”
She hoped he wasn’t because deep down, she wasn’t ready. Najee knew that. He sensed it. In due time, though, the dating title between them would change. In fact, it had already elevated it to exclusive dating because she was the only one getting his time, energy, effort, and dick.
“Nah. I wasn’t. Not yet, but don’t think this shit between us isn’t exclusive,” Najee let her know straight up.
“Oh. I know it is. Do you think I’m out here dating and fucking every nigga that brings me food?”
“Who the fuck else is bringing you food, Orielle?”
Her eyes widened at the grit in his tone and the use of her full name. Territorial, possessive shit. She cackled loudly.
“Oh my gosh. Nobody. I swear,” she said and pulled herself together when he didn’t say anything. “Babe,” she whined. “Stop looking like that. I was just playing.”
“Yeah, well play with someone else and be ready to put them jaws to use when I get there. You almost pissed me off for real.”
Najee’s bitching had Orielle so weak with laughter. “Don’t let me ruin your day. It was such a good one.”
“You laughing and got jokes but okay,” Najee said, having something for her ass when he pulled up.
He was going to see if she could crack a smile while he broke her back in. Knowing her, she probably could. Snickering, Orielle bit her fingernail.
“Okay. See you when you get here. Drive safely!”
It was nice to know that he didn’t play about her and what they meant to one another. She couldn’t wait to suck him dry and then go sit in front of his family and celebrate with them like he hadn’t just fucked her brains lose. Tonight was about to be a blast!