I let go and she stepped back, our gazes still connected. A few quiet seconds ticked by before she dropped her eyes.
“I… guess I need to go get some things,” she mumbled.
I kept my face blank even though I felt relieved.
“C’mon. Let’s go.”
At least hehas three bedrooms, I thought as Mekhi opened the door to one of his guest rooms for me. My eyes darted around the space, taking in the baby blue and white décor, the fluffy-looking, queen-sized bed, and the shining, hardwood floors. Everything I’d seen about this house was beautiful and I was grudgingly impressed by his sense of style.
“This is nice,” I said.
He didn’t say anything, just nodded once as he walked in and set my suitcases next to the oak dresser. I followed behind him slowly, carrying the bag with my toiletries.
“I appreciate your hospitality, but as soon as Kera gets back, I can go stay with her.”
I didn’t want to wear out my welcome.
“Good,” he said.
My mouth fell open. I couldn’t believe him! On second thought, yes, I could. He said whatever he thought, and it was usually some offensive shit.
“Ugh! Why are you so damned rude, Mekhi?”
“I’m looking out for you, shorty. I don’t know how long I could put up with ya attitude before I kick ya ass out.”
“My attitude?” I asked, hand on my hip. “You the one with an attitude.”
“Nah, I’m cool and I wanna stay that way, so the sooner ya annoying ass can go?—”
I scoffed. “I was perfectly okay with staying at home.Youinsisted I stay here. So, I must not be too annoying.”
Shaking his head, he chuckled. “Girl, please.”
“What is it, Mekhi? You’ve never liked me, from the first moment I met you. What did I ever do to you or to anybody else for you to walk around here calling me stuck-up and annoying?”
I shouldn’t care. I should be saying fuck him and his disrespectful mouth. But deep down, it bothered me. Mekhi had looked down on me since I’d known him. I wasn’t going to apologize for being who I was, not when I knew I didn’t treat people badly.
“Do you even remember the first time we met, Farrah?”
I nodded. How could I forget? Kera and I had been sixteen, hanging at the mall. She called Seth to bring her some money, and he showed up with Mekhi. I took one look at him and froze. He was the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen in person. I didn’t snap out of it until Kera bumped me. By then, he was already looking at me crazy. I hurried off to the restroom without saying a word.
“Then you know why I say you stuck up,” he said with a shrug.
I frowned, confused. “No, I?—”
“And you annoying because ya ass don’t listen. A nigga has to damn near threaten you?—”
“You don’t have to. You just like to.”
“Anyway, the bathroom is over there.” He pointed to a door across the room. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
“I’m good, thank y?—”
My stomach chose that moment to growl loudly. I hadn’t eaten since lunch break on my internship. Embarrassed, I felt heat spreading across my face. Mekhi grinned. And it wasn’t his usual smirk. This was an amused smile that actually lit up his handsome face. For a moment, he looked so good that I had to bite down on my bottom lip and press a hand against my stomach to stop the sudden fluttering of butterflies.
“Bring ya greedy ass on,” he said.
“I—”
