Chapter 12
Ahmad
“What do you think of this location?” Jeremy, my realtor, asked me.
I looked around the empty building. Walking forward, I imagined how I wanted the new shop to be set up. This shop was about thirty minutes from the original location but in a high-traffic area.
Rubbing my beard, I nodded my head. “This will work. How long until it can be mine?” I turned to face him.
“I can put an offer in with the owner and let you know by the end of the week.”
“That works. I want the keys as soon as next week so I can get it started.”
“Understandable. I can make it happen. Just give me a few days.” My head bobbed.
This was an adroit move for me. With all the traffic coming in, I knew opening another location was perfect for me.
Neal had already found two tattoo artists and even a piercer.
My shop was strictly tattooing, but I told him if he wanted to add piercing to this one, then to go for it.
I had considered it with the original shop but just never took the time to find anyone who could do it.
While Jeremy made a few calls, I did another walk-through of the building. All the time and energy I put into my tattoo shop was paying off. Me spending hours at the shop, missing events, and neglecting certain things seemed to pay off. It took a lot for me to get to this point.
Opening my tattoo shop wasn’t easy, and I didn’t have people beating down my door right away.
In the last year, my shop really took off.
The first two years were rough. I didn’t think things were going to turn around, but I didn’t give up.
It wasn’t until a well-known rap artist came in to get tattooed and shouted me out on his social media that my shit really hit.
Although I would have loved for it to just take off because me and my workers were talented, I didn’t deny the newfound popularity.
“I have to meet with another client, but I’ll be in touch with you soon,” Jeremy told me as we stepped outside the building.
I looked around the neighborhood. It was already busy. People with shopping bags, people were sitting outside restaurants eating. Yeah, this was perfect.
“I’ll be looking forward to it.” Jeremy and I shook hands and he walked off while I headed to my car.
As I drove to my shop, I passed the coffee shop where Fatima worked.
Since the night we spent together, she had been invading my thoughts, even when I didn’t want her to.
Usually, when I had sex with a female, I would be over it and move on quickly.
But with Fatima, I couldn’t do that. It’s like she had embedded herself in my mind.
The small moans that escaped her mouth while she gripped her sheets played over in my mind like sweet music.
If I could have recorded that shit to listen to it over and over, I would have.
The way her mouth twisted, and her eyes rolled to the back of her head while her legs twitched and her back arched as she came was a sight to see.
Her pussy had trapped my dick. Each time I tried to pull out to stop myself from cumming too quickly, it would pull me back in.
I had to think of crazy shit in order not to cum prematurely.
Not to mention, when she moaned my name, I don’t think I’ve heard anything sweeter in my life.
Before I knew what I was doing, I had hit a U-Turn and pulled into the parking lot of the coffee shop Fatima worked at. I wasn’t trying to get into anything deep with her, but I had to see her.
Cutting the engine of my car off, I got out of the car and entered the building.
“Hi, how can I help you?”
The young girl behind the counter asked, smiling widely at me.
I licked my lips and looked around the coffee shop. A few people were inside sitting at tables working, but the energy was off. It was like I could feel she wasn’t here, but I still asked for her.
“Is Fatima here?”
The young girl shook her head. “Nope, she got off about an hour ago.”
I nodded. “Alright, thanks.”
I turned and headed out, not needing to say anything else.
It was strange how I knew before I even asked the girl that Fatima wasn’t in the building.
I was slightly disappointed that I hadn’t seen her in a few days.
I hadn’t been to the gym the past few days because I’d been trying to get this second location up and running.
Instead of going to the gym in the morning, I was up looking at buildings then I would head straight to my shop for appointments.
Nigga you trippin.’ I laughed to myself and shook my head.
Even now, as I tried to talk myself out of wanting to see her, it only caused me to want to see her even more. To hear her nervous giggles or watch the way she would pull on her hair when she was uncomfortable or put on front street.
Get a grip, I thought, starting my car.
A relationship wasn’t something I was looking for right now or anytime soon. I knew that. There was no reason for me to be thinking about Fatima’s pretty ass, the way her pussy tasted on my tongue, or the way her body reacted and went numb when she came from my tongue alone.
Shit. I quickly adjusted myself in my pants. I was getting ahead of myself and needed to chill out. The night I spent with Fatima was nice, but that’s all it was, one night.
____
“So, remind me why you’re so dressed up right now?” I asked Autumn walking to her door.
“I have a date.” I paused and turned to look down at her.
“With who?”
Autumn rolled her eyes then smiled at me. “A guy I’ve been talking to for a few weeks.”
I frowned. “Who is he?”
“Ahmad, do I get in your business?”
“Hell yeah, you do!”
“Lately? It isn’t anything special. We’re just going out to eat.”
I stared at Autumn for a few seconds. She didn’t have the best history when it came to guys. In fact, she’d had her share of fuckboys that she came crying on my shoulder about but that never stopped her from trying again.
“I know in the past the guys I dealt with weren’t the best, but this time is different. I’m taking it slow.” I sighed and nodded.
“Alright, Autumn, if you say so.”
She smiled. “You know you’re going to miss your chance,” she suddenly said.
“For what?”
“For love.”
“Autumn.”
She threw her hands up. “I’m just saying, I think Fatima is seeing someone.” I frowned.
“What does that have to do with me?” I tried to play it off, but the thought of Fatima possibly seeing someone had me fuming.
“Don’t act like you two weren’t flirting at your shop.
I saw the way y’all were looking at each other.
Anyway, the last few times I’ve seen her, she’s been smiling all hard and happy.
Her walk was even different. She denied it, but that’s that I’m getting good dick life.
If you don’t stop being so standoffish, you might miss your chance. ”
I stared at Autumn with my eyes narrowed.
Her words played in my head. Obviously, Fatima hadn’t shared with her the night we spent together, or this conversation would have gone a whole different direction.
Autumn would be picking out wedding colors right now.
It did make me feel good inside though, knowing our night together had Fatima smiling and happy.
“Have fun on your date and don’t fall in love after one night,” I told her, then continued out the door.
“Whatever, take your lonely ass home to be by yourself.”
I chuckled. “I’ll see you this weekend,” I told her, stepping outside as she shut her door behind me.
As I headed to my car, I glanced over at Fatima’s house. Her car was outside, so I knew she was home.
Just like earlier, I was heading to her door before I could stop myself.
I knocked on her door and then shoved my hands in my pockets, waiting for her to answer.
After a few minutes, the door opened, but Fatima wasn’t the one that answered. “Can I help you?” the girl asked, looking me up and down.
“Yeah, Fatima here?”
The girl raised an eyebrow and looked me up and down again.
“Isabella, who is it?” Fatima’s voice sounded behind her.
“Some fine ass man looking for you. You holding out on me?” I chuckled and grabbed the back of my neck.
“Fine ass man?” I could hear the confusion in Fatima’s voice.
The door opened wider and there she was, in some cloth shorts and a sports bra. I licked my lips.
“Ahmad?” her eyes grew.
“Ahmad, huh?” her friend teased.
Fatima cut her eyes to her before stepping outside, closing the door behind her.
“What are you doing here?” Fatima asked me, crossing her arms and staring at me, confused.
Again, I grabbed the back of my neck. “Shit, to be honest, I don’t know. I stopped by my sister’s house and was about to head home, but I wanted to see you for real.” Fatima stared at me, shocked.
Her door opened and Isabella stepped outside. “I’m about to go meet Charles. I’ll call you later.”
“Don’t let him lie his way between your legs!” Fatima called after her.
“You just worry about that man getting between yours.” Isabella looked at me and I smiled at her.
She turned to Fatima and winked.
Fatima’s cheeks grew red and she shook her head. “You got anything planned for the rest of the day?” I asked her.
She shook her head. “I was going to go over some photos. Besides that, no.”
“Come hang out with me.” The words flew out my mouth before I was able to stop them.
“Ahmad, just because we had sex doesn’t mean you have to come over here and try to spend time with me. I’m not going to get offended if we don’t speak after.”
I stared at her like she was crazy. “What the hell are you talking about? I asked you to hang out because I actually enjoyed spending time with you, not because we had sex. At the restaurant I enjoyed talking to you on some chill shit.”
Her mouth opened and she looked unsure of what to say back. “Oh, uhm…” She grabbed her hair, causing me to smirk.
“It’s not that deep, Fatima, alright? I just want to chill with you. You cool with that?”
She swallowed hard but nodded. “I, um, do have to get these photos done for my site, but, uhm, I can come see you later.”
I nodded. “Get your work done, pretty girl. I don’t have any more appointments today. I’ll send you my address and just come by when you finish.”
Again, Fatima looked unsure but slowly nodded. “Okay.”
I pulled my phone out, unlocked it, and handed it to her. “Put your number in.”
She grabbed the phone and hit the screen a few times before handing it back to me.
“I’ll see you later, alright?” She smiled softly and nodded.
Turning around, I headed back to my car. I was surprised Autumn’s nosey ass hadn’t noticed my car was still in her driveway. The last thing I wanted was to hear her mouth.
Getting into my car, I pulled out of Autumn’s driveway, but not before sending Fatima my address.
I tossed my phone in my passenger seat and headed down the street.
Fatima.
I don’t know what the hell that girl did to me, but she had me doing shit that I had sworn off. I hadn’t had a girl at my crib since shit went left with Kylie and me.
Instead of selling my house, I just got rid of everything that reminded me of her. I hadn’t even been in the house a year when shit went left with us, so I refused to let the house go.
Still, she was the last female to step inside it outside my family. I didn’t know what that meant, but I guess I’d see.