Chapter 3 #2
“I can be. What’s up?” Kwinn questioned, smirking.
“Yeah, I ain’t fooling with y’all tonight.” Roddy laughed, leaning in to hug Saiko.
“Whatever. How long y’all in town for?” Saiko asked, her eyes trailing the people walking by.
“Shit, knowing D, he’ll probably be here for a couple days. But I just moved back a few months ago,” Roddy answered. “Y’all gon’ pull up to the club after this?”
Saiko and Kwinn looked at one another and chuckled.
“Probably not,” Kwinn answered for them.
“Why not? Ain’t like y’all old asses got anything to do anyway,” Roddy jested.
“Old!” Kwinn and Saiko both shrieked.
Cracking up, Roddy backed away from them just in case they got to swinging.
“You got us messed up lil’ boy.” Kwinn laughed.
“Right. With your young ass. Can you even get in the club?” Saiko pressed.
Roddy was well over twenty-one, but the youngest of his siblings.
At least on one side of the family. With their siblings being best friends, Saiko treated him as her little brother, and he acted just like it.
Kwinn listened, occasionally adding something to the conversation, but her attention was pulled away and focused on Melo walking in their direction.
Unrushed and moving like the boss he was, Melo carried himself with the same confidence he’d shown onstage.
People moved around him without his asking, and every few feet, someone stopped him to say something or dap him up.
He acknowledged them without losing his stride, greeting people as he passed, until his eyes settled on Kwinn.
This time, she was certain he was looking at her.
A small smile touched his lips, and Kwinn smiled back, trying to steady her breathing.
There was something about watching him move through a room like this that caught her attention more than it should have.
The man wasn’t even performing anymore, yet somehow, all that dominant presence remained.
If anything, it looked even more natural without a microphone in his hand.
For those few seconds, it felt like nobody else was in the hallway. Just him walking toward Kwinn until Saiko leaned in her direction.
“That man got a walk on him,” Saiko whispered in her ear.
Kwinn’s cheeks lifted as she silently agreed. He walks like it’s heavy, she thought, since she couldn’t say it aloud. Without hesitation, Melo walked right up to her.
“How you doing, luv?” The velvety smoothness of his voice made the simple question feel like more than a greeting, as if he really wanted to know how she was doing. His voice was much deeper than when he rapped, and it made Kwinn’s nipples tingle.
She smiled, trying to keep herself composed as she looked up at him.
His hat was off, revealing those pussy-fluttering deep waves.
It didn’t help that he was now up close and personal.
Melo’s gorgeous, deep ebony skin, with gold gleaming off pretty-ass white teeth between thick chocolate lips, had Kwinn’s body heating.
“I’m doing fine. How are you?” Kwinn asked.
“I’m good. Blessed.” Melo nodded. “Your name is Kwinn, right?”
She nodded, looking him dead in those intense eyes.
Melo dragged a hand over his close-cut beard. “I thought that was you. I ain’t seen you in a minute.”
“I know, right,” Kwinn agreed, a small laugh escaping her. “It’s been a long time.”
Too long, Melo thought, as he took in her appearance with approval.
Kwinn kept it cute for the night with an olive-gold draped halter that hugged her curves just enough, leaving just a glimpse of her cleavage and her back on display.
The oversized camouflage cargo shorts hit just below her knees, giving the loose fit a streetwear feel.
A small burgundy Balenciaga croc-embossed crossbody bag sat at her waist, popping against the muted greens, while her Gianvito Rossi strappy gold heels with colorful jeweled details dressed up the whole ensemble.
She swapped out the purse strap for a gold chain to match the stacks of gold bangles on her wrist. Kwinn was a looker for sure, especially with the way her brown and honey-blonde curls cascaded down her back.
Melo’s tall frame loomed over hers, immediately reminding Kwinn of his undeniable presence. There was a calmness about him that was genuinely captivating and hard to ignore.
“Yeah, it has, but it’s all good,” Melo finally agreed. “You enjoy yourself tonight? You and your homegirl?” he asked, glimpsing at Saiko. “What’s up wit’ it.”
“Hey,” Saiko said, smiling.
Melo gave her a quick nod before turning his attention back to Kwinn.
There was an ease to the way he spoke to both of them, and Kwinn couldn’t help but notice how naturally respectful he still was.
He wasn’t making her feel like she was just another woman standing backstage because he happened to be one of the biggest names in the room.
“Yes, we did. You’re really a big deal, huh?” Kwinn teased. “You killed it up there.”
Cracking a smile, Melo licked his lips. “Thank you, but nah. Not for real. That’s all you, beautiful. You still got it, fasho.”
Unnerved in the best way, all Kwinn could do was smile. “Thank you.”
“No problem. You still got your interior design thing going on?” Melo wondered, surprising Kwinn with his inquisitiveness.
She nodded. “Yes, I do. I have an entire business now. You need our services?”
Kwinn was about her paper if nothing else. Sexy, rapping-ass nigga in her face or not. She was sure he had more than a few homes that could use her touch.
Melo chuckled, loving how she was talking. “Possibly. That’s what’s up, though. What it’s called?”
“The Taylor Collective.”
He nodded. “Big shit. I like that. Congrats on everything.”
“Thank you.” Kwinn smiled. “I’m surprised you even remembered that.”
“You only easily forget things when they have no value.”
Kwinn’s entire body flushed with warmth at the intensity of his words.
They mirrored the fervid understanding in his brown eyes.
Something about their conversation felt easy, a familiarity that came from knowing of one another without ever really knowing each other.
Kwinn had a feeling that the narrative was about to change.
She and Melo had crossed paths enough times that introductions or forced small talk were unnecessary, and Kwinn liked that.
Nothing about the exchange suggested he was trying to impress her, and she wasn’t trying to impress him either.
Knowing his statement meant more than he let on, yet unable to prove it, Kwinn remained quiet.
Instead, she breathed in the air between them.
Melo’s cologne smelled so heavenly, mixed with his minty breath.
Kwinn didn’t mind him being in her face.
Truthfully, it was exactly where Melo wanted to be.
But of course, duty called. He glanced down the hallway when someone called his name, then looked back at her.
“Don’t be a stranger, a’ight?”
Kwinn smiled. “Mhm. Of course not.”
Melo made her heart flutter when he smirked before stepping away. Kwinn watched him for a second as he continued down the hall with that same D-boy, superstar swagger following him.
Saiko leaned toward her with a grin. “Mmm hmm. Not Lil’ Miss I know a few rap niggas over here conversing with one of the biggest ones. Let me find out you’ve been sneaking around.”
Playfully, Kwinn rolled her eyes. “And if I were, I’d have every right to.”
Saiko’s eyes brightened. “Okay… I heard that.”