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“I’ll be there. The Spot, right?”
“Yeah, and if you need me to fuck some shit up with this Rez thing, you already know what time I’m on.”
War nodded as he stood to leave. There was no point in confirming what was understood. As soon as he left York’s spot, his priority had already shifted. He had a few stops to make then he planned on pulling up on Cali.
Cali smiled and yanked open another box of books. As soon as she had one in hand and thumbed through the pages, her smile expanded. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the moment, then rolled her eyes knowing she looked like a weirdo smelling a book. But there was something calming about the feel and smell of a freshly printed new edition.
“I do that too.” Cali startled at the sound of her boss’s voice. When Reyna moved beside her and lifted a book from the box, doing exactly as Cali had done, they both laughed.
“How are things going?”
“Good.” Cali began removing books, stacking them on the metal dolly used to assist with restocking the shelves.
“You seem to be getting the hang of things around here. You like the job?”
“I do.” Cali lifted her eyes to Reyna and offered another smile. “I never thought being around books like this would be something I could see myself enjoying but I like it here. It’s peaceful and you pay me really well to literally do nothing.”
Reyna grinned. “You might not want to admit to the boss you’re overpaid and underworked.”
Cali laughed and shrugged. “I don’t mind doing more, but I’m pretty sure you already know there’s not much to do here other than help customers, fill orders, and read.”
“True, and business is picking up, so you’re being compensated to make sure I have a life outside of Mahogany. My man also appreciates that I pay my people well enough that they’re motivated to show up so he can have my time.” She placed the books she was holding on the dolly. “Speaking of, I have a date I need to be leaving for. I just wanted to check in to make sure you’re good and to see if you mind closing for me tonight. Samadia was going to but you two switched shifts.”
“You want me to close?” Cali’s brows pinched. She had only been working here for a little over a month and mostly day shifts, in and out with no real responsibilities other than stocking and helping customers.
“Yes, if you don’t mind. Procedure is pretty simple—count down the registers, make sure everything is shut down and lights are off, lock up when you leave.”
“No, I don’t mind. Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure, Cali. I trust you and you know this place about as well as I do. Plus, it’s either you close or I shut the store down early. I have a very demanding boyfriend who I’ve been neglecting. I’m going to make sure I’m where he wants me to be tonight so he doesn’t get tired of my shit.”
“Well since you put it like that, yes, I’ll be fine.”
“Good, and if you need me, call…”
“Nope, will not be doing that. I’ll figure it out. Let that man have his time.”
Reyna laughed lightly. “Thanks, Cali. I’ll see you on Friday.”
After Reyna left, Cali finished stocking shelves, knowing she would hear the door chime if anyone entered the store. She had a few customers come in to browse but only one purchased, so the afternoon was pretty chill.
She tried her best to stay focused on keeping busy in an effort to keep her thoughts of a handsome scowl and spray of freckles at bay. But no matter how hard she tried, War remained on a constant loop. Cali missed him something terrible even though it had only been a few hours since she was in his presence.
Something is seriously wrong with me.
Exhaling a sigh, she made her way to the front counter where the plan was to finish reading the book she started a few days prior but she decided to roll the dolly to the back first to cut down on closing duties. On her way back to the front she heard the door chime and smiled, realizing those thoughts she couldn’t avoid all day had somehow manifested and brought the person who had consumed her mind for the past couple hours through the door.
Cali didn’t have to look to know who she was sharing space with. She felt the pulse of energy that filled the store and the pulse that traveled down her spine. Eventually she lifted her gaze and watched his confident stride as War approached the counter she’d stepped behind. Instead of respecting the boundary it was supposed to create, he rounded the end and was on Cali in a matter of seconds. She was cemented where she stood, like she couldn’t reject him if she wanted.
Possessively, his hand gripped the base of her neck and his mouth crashed with hers. He kissed her with such demand that Cali had no chance of shutting him down. She also didn’t want to. She missed their connection and was desperate for the way he soothed her soul.
“You shouldn’t be here,” she managed to rush out after he gave her space to breathe.
War laughed lightly, but there was zero presence of humor in the rugged vibration of his voice. “Probably not but I also don’t believe in letting shit linger. If there’s an issue, I solve it. If I was the cause, then I’m mature enough to own my shit and do whatever is necessary to make it right. We need to talk, Cali. And by talk, I mean you’re going to tell me what you need me to do so we can move past this. Because be clear, I have no intention of ending things between us. Even if that’s what you believe is happening, you might as well let that shit go. I’m yours, you’re mine, all the other shit is just details.”
“It’s not that simple,” she admitted, considering how they ended up here.
“It is that fucking simple, love. You’re worried about how we got here, but it doesn’t fucking matter.”
