Chapter 8 #4
When she reached the two, she cut her eyes at Joi then gave a lustful stare to East, who was unmoved by her antics.
He knew when Joi suggested the place that it would be an issue for Nae, and possibly Joi, but he wasn’t accustomed to allowing anyone to dictate his free will.
As she always did, Nae had stopped by the shop that morning before her shift like checking in with East would somehow make her more relevant in his world.
Had he not shown up with Joi, Nae would have used her break to bring him food, another attempt to present like she was important.
Her ego was crushed by the fact that East was at her job with the same woman who had robbed her of the possibility of a night with him a week ago.
“Sup, Nae.”
“You ordering to go?” Nae cut her eyes at Joi again, causing East to chuckle and give his attention to Joi for an answer. It was her call. He was cool with whatever she wanted to do.
“No, we’re eating here. Apparently, I owe him.” Joi smirked and lifted her eyes to East. He smiled at her comeback then gave his attention to Nae. “Let us get a booth in the back, and make sure it’s not in your area. I’m not trying to fuck up her afternoon because you don’t understand boundaries.”
Nae seethed inside, clenching her jaw while Joi was bubbling over with happiness, only simmering when she heard Nae yell over her shoulder. “Chas, can you seat them?”
Chasity, who was removing items from a table nearby, looked up just as Nae walked away.
She frowned a bit, unsure of what was going on until she realized it was East. A slow, devious smile spread after she connected the dots on why she was being summoned.
She wasn’t fond of Nae because she always tried to flaunt the fact that she was intimate with East to the rest of the ladies who worked there.
The man was fine and had everyone’s attention, so Nae was very vocal about the fact that she occasionally had it.
Most days she painted a picture that was very different from her reality, which Chasity was now aware of.
Moments later, she giddily made her way over to East, snatching up two menus and silverware before addressing them. “Just two?”
“Yeah,” East rattled off in a low, husky tone, granting him a nod from Chasity as she guided them to a booth in her section.
Once East and Joi were seated facing each other, Chasity placed the menus down along with the silverware.
“You want to put your drink order in now or should I come back?”
East’s eyes quickly moved to Joi. She glanced at the menu then back at him before rattling off her order. “Sweet tea.”
“Got it.” Chasity then gave her attention to East.
“Let me get that too.”
“Be right back.” She smiled, turned on her heels, and left the two with their thoughts while she beamed inside, knowing Nae was embarrassed. Good for her shady ass.
“I see not all of your little friends are disrespectful.” Joi was the first to speak, needing a new focus for her thoughts.
Whatever cologne East wore had traveled over to her and it smelled damn good. She was seriously considering moving closer to get better acquainted with the spicy, clean scent.
East chuckled at her imaginative elaboration, assuming Joi was somehow connecting him sexually to Chasity. A thought he had several times but never followed through on.
“And, by that, what do you mean?”
“Chas didn’t get out of line.”
“Why would she?”
“Because you’re here with me.”
“I don’t know her like that, shawty. She doesn’t have a reason to get out of line because I’m here with you. Even if I did know her like that, she still wouldn’t have a reason to get out of line.” His smile was intoxicating and Joi tried her best to conceal her reaction.
“Got ’em all trained, don’t you?”
East laughed under his breath. The sexy, deep baritone matched his voice, causing Joi’s body to tingle because it vibrated through her.
“You really think I be hitting every woman I come in contact with?”
“Yes, actually I do. You give off that type of vibe.”
“Yet, you don’t know what it feels like to have me between your legs?” East’s tone was teasing and sexy at the same time. It forced Joi’s breath to hitch for a second before her eyes made it to his when she heard his voice again. “I enjoy sex, a lot, but I’m not controlled by it.”
“Here you go.”
Saved by the bell.
Chasity placed their respective drinks in front of them and proceeded to take their orders.
East was familiar with the place, so he requested his order then suggested for Joi after she indecisively rattled off a few things that “looked good”.
Their orders came quickly and the two were left alone again.
East didn’t say much throughout the meal.
Most of his time was spent watching Joi enjoy her food while she struggled not to stare at him.
He encouraged her attraction to him but wasn’t a fan of the attraction brewing in him for Joi.
It was peculiar and uncharted territory for East. He wouldn’t deny that he was physically enticed by Joi because it would be a lie.
The swell in his jeans from the time he eased into the booth with her, and even at this moment, an hour later, was proof.
But the desire to just be around her was what he was unsure about.
East paid attention to her laugh, the way her eyes squinted.
He could tell the exact angle of her lips when he said something she didn’t like, causing them to bend into a scowl, or the way her cheeks puffed slightly when she blushed from his vulgar comments about how he would handle her if given the chance.
I just need to fuck her and get it over with and out of my system.
East wasn’t sure why certain things about Joi stood out to him, but they did, and it made him anxious. He was never anxious where a woman was concerned, so when she eventually made the call to end their time, he didn’t argue.
“I think I’d better go. I only have an hour before my next appointment and I know traffic is going to be insane.”
Joi placed her hands over her stomach and exhaled a short sigh, allowing her shoulders to drop. She was stuffed and would much rather be taking a nap than spending two hours attaching her clients’ lashes.
“Where’s your shop?” East asked as he reached for the bill, which Chasity had left them about twenty minutes before after refilling drinks.
Joi got to it before he could, holding it close while she reached in her purse and whipped out three twenties.
“Buckhead.”
East grinned at the fact that she covered their lunch but wasn’t about to make her spend her money. The meal wasn’t shit to him. “Keep your money, I got it.”
Shaking her head while offering a sly grin, Joi held firmly to the tiny tray that held their bill and her money. “Nope, on me. Now, we’re even.”
East cocked his head to the side and squinted. “You think a fifteen-dollar burger levels you with a sixty K debt?”
Joi lifted one shoulder and confidently smiled. “Based on income levels, yes. What you make in comparison to what I make means that this…” She held up the bill. “…is the same as your sixty K.”
“Damn, shawty. How much do you think my net worth is?” He presented Joi with raised brows, knowing he was indeed set financially.
His shops, investments, and side hustles put six figures in multiple accounts for him.
Not to mention what was in his private safes, but East wasn’t flashy, so there was no way she would know how deep his pockets were.
He would occasionally show his worth by a few timepieces or the cars he drove, but he generally stayed under the radar with flaunting his wealth.
In the words of his new friend, “men were crazy”.
It wasn’t likely that anyone would try East because they were well aware of the consequences that the challenge would bring, but it was still a possibility.
East was always extremely private and money brought attention.
“You charged ten grand just to have a seat at the table. Throughout the night, I counted at least thirty people during the time that I was there. That’s three hundred K.
I also know that not everyone was a winner, which means you made way more than the entry fee.
My debt is paid, sir.” She winked at him, grabbed her purse, and eased out the booth.
East chuckled to himself as he removed his long body, stretching once he was on his feet.
“So, you have firsthand knowledge of my pockets, but I don’t know shit about yours. I’m not sure how comfortable I am with that. Can I get a copy of your financial statements? I can have my accountant reach out to you.”
Joi rolled her eyes as she led the way to the front of the restaurant, tossing her answer over her shoulder as they moved.
“Trust me, you would not be impressed.”
“I’m very impressed,” East sang from behind her as he watched her little round ass moving while she walked ahead of him.
Thoughts of seeing it fully exposed while he glided in and out of her from behind plagued him until he was forced to focus on something else.
A small hand on his arm made his eyes narrow to slits within seconds.
“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Nae requested before her eyes moved to Joi, who was now by the door. “Alone.”
East looked down at her hand, which Nae quickly moved. Nobody touched East without permission. She learned that rule very early in her dealings with him. “About?”
“I… I just…” Nae fumbled over her words. She didn’t want Joi to witness her begging for time with a man who willingly handed it over to another woman. “When can we hook up?”
“I’ll call you.” Nae’s feelings were crushed while East didn’t seem bothered at all because it was all he offered her before turning to leave with Joi. She had watched the interaction annoyed but knew she didn’t have the right to be. This man is not mine in any shape, form, or fashion.