I shrugged, like it wasn’t a big deal. “The house big enough, ain’t it?”
His mouth twitched, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“I like my space, Bunny.”
I leaned forward, resting my chin in my hand, studying him. “More than you like me in your bed?”
“Ha. Got me there,” he shook his head. “Let me think about it.”
I smiled, small but satisfied, and picked my fork back up.
“Take your time,” I said. “I ain’t going nowhere anytime soon.”
SHE’S MY COLLAR
Marlon.
“Finish eating soI can take you back to the hotel.”
I didn’t lookat her when I said it, instead I kept scrubbing the plate in my hand.
“But I’m not ready to go back yet.”
“It’s not about what you want.” I scrubbed harder than necessary, not even sure why I was pushing like that. I already said I’d think about her staying. But something in me reacted to her pushing into my space too fast.
“Come on,” she said, dragging the words out. “Lemme stay over and we can talk some more.”
“About?”
“Anything!” she shot back quickly. “Like why don’t you have kids?”
I paused for half a second, then went right back to the dish.
“Don’t have the time,” I said. “Plus I’d be a shitty parent.”
“What?” she said immediately. “You’d be a great dad.”
“Really?” I glanced at her now. “I thought you said I was mean.”
She grinned. “Ha. You are mean.”
“Why? ’Cause I yell sometimes?”
“You don’t have to yell to be mean, Marley.”
I shook my head, rinsing the plate off. “Yeah, yeah. Shut up and finish eating.”
“See! Mean!”
“Whatever,” I muttered, grabbing another dish. “What about you? Kids in your future?”
“Fuck. No.”
I huffed a small laugh. “Wow. Okay.”
“Sorry,” she said, not sounding sorry at all. “But I spent too much money on this BBL to turn around and get pregnant.”
“You had work done?” I asked, looking at her properly now. “I couldn’t tell.”
