“Yet,” she sang.
I groaned. Hyacinth wrapped her arm around mine as we walked out into the sun. Suddenly, she tensed, trying to push me behind her.
“Hy, what the hell?—”
“Guy in that dark Chevy is watching you,” she said, frowning.
I peeked around her. “Oh. He good. That’s Steel.”
“That’s your detail?” she asked.
I sighed. “I guess.”
“He cute. Steel. Wonder how he got that name?” she murmured.
“Wonder what we gon’ have to do to reattach ya head after Brae knocks it between the washer and dryer.”
She kissed her teeth. “That ain’t my man.”
“You tell him, then.”
“If I play a stupid game, I’ma get a stupid prize. Come on, girl. Let’s go buy you some cute clothes so you not walking around looking like somebody’s girlfriend.”
“I’m not somebody’s girlfriend! And I gotta go home and study.”
She smirked. “Home? I know that’s right, sis!”
I pushed her. She shoved me back. We laughed hard as we crossed the parking lot.
I’d needed this.
I don’t even knowwhat made me tell her to get up off the damn couch.
Maybe it was the day I had after talking to Jarmon and searching forRamónBlack.
Maybe it was because she’d been sitting there for hours with her red hair tied up, little pierced nose buried in that thick ass forensic psych book, lips moving while she read under her breath.
Or maybe it was those lips themselves. The same ones that had been driving’ me crazy since the day I’d brought her here pouting and talking about,“I don’t need your help!”
The same ones I had now tasted… and wanted to feel and taste again.
“Farrah, get up,” I said, standing in the doorway staring at her.
She didn’t even look up. “I’m busy.”
“Yeah, I can see that. You been busy all day. You need some air.”
“I’m breathing just fine, thanks.”
This girl and that mouth, man. I crossed my arms over my chest. “Mm-hmm. You gon’ end up crazy, staring at that damn book all day. Well… crazier than you are.”
She flipped me off before finally looking up, eyes bright and challenging me like always. “Aww… you worried about me, Mekhi?”
She had that little tone in her voice, the one that made me want to mush her head and pull her close at the same time.
“Worried? Nah,” I said. “Just tryna protect my couch from that permanent imprint you making.”
She laughed, low and soft and so damned sweet.
