Chapter 18 #2
The makeup artist packed up her things and left shortly after.
Slim had gone into the bathroom. I heard the shower start.
I had an outfit picked out for her that was hanging up in the closet, where I knew she wouldn’t look.
It wasn’t something outrageous, but it was a black two-piece set I was sure Slim was about to fight me on.
At least I wasn’t trying to put her in heels. I’d gotten her Louis Vuitton sandals.
I laid the outfit across the bed before sitting on the edge to wait for her. A few minutes later, the shower cut off. The bathroom door opened, and Slim stepped out wearing the hotel robe again.
She stopped when she saw the clothes.
“What the hell is that?”
“Your outfit.”
“My outfit?” She walked closer and picked up the top with two fingers. “Kane, where is the rest of it?”
“That’s all of it.” I cackled. “C’mon, man. Get dressed. It’s not short…with your pretty ass.”
Slim glanced away, blushing. She grabbed her underwear and bra, along with the clothes and strolled back into the bathroom. I could hear Slim talking shit in the bathroom while she dressed. It was amusing.
The bathroom door opened. I had to bite down on my lip.
The set wasn’t bad. In fact, it was perfect on her.
The top was cropped, her toned stomach on display, but it had long sleeves.
The skirt was fitted and stopped a few inches above her knees.
It hugged her hips as if it was made just for her.
Before she turned around, I was sure her ass was sitting up perfectly in it too.
She held the skirt against her body. “This shit is tight.”
“It’s supposed to be.”
“I’m not wearing this.”
“Yes, you are.”
“No, I’m not.”
I stood and pulled the sandals from their box. “I got you some flat shoes. You ain’t gotta wear heels.”
“They are cute.” She examined them. “I don’t know why you bought these expensive things, knowing I don’t wear stuff like this.
” She sat on the edge of the bed and slipped the sandals on her feet, then stood back up, and wrapped her arms around me.
“I appreciate all of this though. Don’t ever think I’m ungrateful. ”
I kissed the tip of her nose. “Look at you. I got you all mushy and soft.”
Slim tried to push her way out my arms that I had locked around her waist, but I tightened them….
“I am not soft,” she complained.
I kissed my teeth. “For me you are, and that’s aight. I’m soft for you, too.”
Slim laughed this time. “Always have been.”
Leaning down, I kissed her. Slim’s hands slid up my chest before resting around my neck. I had planned to give her a quick kiss, but the second her lips parted against mine, I forgot all about that shit.
She pulled away first. We’re going to miss the reservation you keep talking about.”
My jaw clenched, not wanting to even leave the room anymore. “Yeah, let’s go.”
“You made me put on this tight-ass outfit, and somebody besides you is about to see it.”
“The fuck they are,” I growled out.
Slim laughed as she grabbed the small purse I had bought to go with her outfit. “You bought it.”
“And I can make you change.” I was joking, but serious at the same time.
I watched her walk toward the door, my eyes dropping straight to her ass. The skirt fit even better from the back.
Slim glanced over her shoulder. “Stop looking at my ass.”
“Turn around if you don’t want me looking. You mine. I’m supposed to look.”
She rolled her eyes and opened the door. I grabbed my phone, wallet, and room key before following her into the hallway.
The entire elevator ride down, Slim kept checking herself in the mirrored wall. She would look, glance away, then look again like she didn’t want me to catch her.
“You like the makeup,” I said.
“I never said I didn’t.”
“You told Ebony this would be the only time.”
“It probably will be.”
“Bullshit. I mean, you don’t need it.” I shrugged. “But…it makes you look even more beautiful than you already are I love you natural, so don’t think I don’t. That makeup just enhances it.”
Slim turned toward me. “I play basketball.”
I snickered with my fist to my mouth. “I knew you were gon’ say that shit.”
She punched me in my arm. The elevator doors opened, and I placed my hand against her lower back as we walked through the lobby. Heads turned when we passed, and I instantly regretted buying that damn outfit.
A nigga sitting near the bar looked at Slim a little too long.
I stared at him until he turned his head.
Slim glanced up at me. “You good?”
“Yeah.”
“You don’t look good.”
“I’m straight.”
She looked over her shoulder, then back at me. “Were you mean-mugging that man?”
“What man?”
“Kane.”
“I don’t know what you talking about,”’’ I muttered. “They better keep their eyes to themselves, that’s what I do know.”
“You’re crazy,” she giggled.
“You like it.”
“I tolerate it.”
“Same shit,” I huffed with a smile.
Once we made it outside, I opened the passenger door for her. I waited until she moved her legs inside before closing the door. By the time I walked around the car, she was checking the visor mirror.
“You definitely like that makeup,” I said as I climbed behind the wheel.
Slim quickly closed the mirror. “Drive.”
The Red Lobster wasn’t far from the hotel. I had picked it because Slim loved seafood.
When the red sign came into view, Slim sat forward.
“We’re going to Red Lobster?”
I nodded, turning into the parking lot. “Is that coo’?”
“’Of course,” she beamed. “You know I love some shrimp..”
We laughed in unison. She did. Everywhere we went to eat, that was the first thing she looked for on the menu.
The restaurant was crowded, but we didn’t have to wait long because of the reservation. The hostess led us to a booth near the back, and I let Slim slide in first before sitting across from her. She picked up the menu and studied it.
“What are you getting?” she asked.
“I don’t know yet.”
“Why is everything so damn high?” she quizzed, brows bunched.
“Don’t worry about the prices, baby.”
Slim squirmed. I noticed she did that a lot when I called her baby or pressed up against her.
“Ima miss you when we go back to school, but knowing we’ll be back around each other in a few weeks, keeps me sane,” Slim admitted.
“Oh, you like being around me now, huh? I remember you used to try to make me kick rocks.”
“No,” she laughed softly, fingering the menu. “I was just trying to keep you safe. The projects aren’t for everybody, especially a nigga from the ‘burbs riding ‘round in an expensive ass car.”
I leaned back against the booth. “You really were looking out for me, huh?”
The waitress came, took our drink orders and our entrees since we were ready, then scurried off.
Slim got shrimp, crab legs, and two sides.
She tried to take the lobster dip off after hearing herself order everything, but I added it back.
I ordered steak and shrimp, then asked for extra biscuits because I already knew Slim was about to tear them up.
“I was protecting both of us. People notice shit where I’m from. They notice strange cars, new faces, who somebody is talking to. You kept pulling up like you didn’t have a care in the world.”
“I really didn’t,” I shrugged. I eyed the waitress coming back with our drinks—Slim’s strawberry lemonade and my sweet tea. “Still don’t.”
Slim rolled her eyes as her lips circled around the straw. “Apparently you’re good in the hood now.”