It was Saturday afternoon and I was on my way to meet up with Couture, my fingers tappin’ light against the steerin’ wheel while a smile kept playin’ on my lips like I couldn’t help it.
The past few days with him had been… somethin’ different.
We had been textin’ all day, every day, fallin’ into conversations that never felt forced, and by the time the night came around, we’d be on the phone for hours without even realizin’ how much time had passed.
I done laughed with that man so much my cheeks be hurtin’, and he was always sittin’ there on the other end smilin’, feedin’ into whatever I had goin’ on, askin’ me questions and rememberin’ lil’ stuff I said like it mattered.
We FaceTimed a few times too, and every time his name popped up on my screen, I’d already be grinnin’ before I answered. He was always m laid back, lookin’ at me like he was takin’ me in, askin’ what I was doin’, and next thing I knew we’d be talkin’ about food, music, family and random shit that somehow turned into somethin’ deeper. It just flowed like that with us.
Now, I was on my way to see him again, and my stomach had that lil’ nervous flip to it that I wasn’t even tryna fight.
The weather had dropped, so I had on somethin’ warm.
I followed the GPS to wherever he sent me. He ain’t tell me what we was doin’, and ain’t give me no hints, but just told me to pull up and trust him.
Even though I ain’t know him like that, that’s what I was doin’ ’cause I felt good about the situation.
When I finally got to the location, I slowed my car down, lookin’ around with my brows pulled together.
All I saw was land with grass stretched out wide, open space, and a dirt road sittin’ off to the side like it led somewhere, but from where I was sittin’, it ain’t give me nothin’ to go off.
“Now what the hell…” I muttered, grabbin’ my phone.
I called Couture, and he picked up quick.
“Hey, bae.” His voice came through, calm like he already knew why I was callin’.
“I’m here,” I said, turnin’ my head side to side. “But where is here? ’Cause I don’t see nothin’ but grass.”
He let out a low laugh. “Go up that dirt road. I’m back there.”
I looked at it again, then shook my head. “You got me drivin’ into fields and shit.”
“I got you,” he said. “Just come on.”
I hung up and eased my car onto the dirt road, goin’ slow while my eyes stayed ahead. The further I drove, the quietereverything got, like I was really pullin’ away from everything else and steppin’ into a whole different world.
After a lil’ minute, I spotted a black pickup truck parked off to the side, and then I saw Couture standin’ right in the middle of the road.
My foot eased off the gas as I pulled up, takin’ him in through the windshield before I even put the car in park.
It was cold out so he kept it simple with a grey hoodie, grey sweats, clean sneakers, and that face…
He had a fresh cut, with his waves sittin’ right. His beard was lined up sharp, and even from inside the car, I could tell he smelled good.
“Lord…” I muttered under my breath.
I parked, grabbed my bag, and stepped out, closin’ the door behind me while I walked toward him. The closer I got, the more that nervous feelin’ settled into somethin’ softer, warmer.
He watched me walk up with that same look in his eyes I had seen through the phone, like he was attracted to everything about me.
The second I reached him, I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him without even thinkin’ about it.
He was so warm, I almost melted all over him. His arms came around me easy, holdin’ me close for that extra second that made me not even wanna move.
“Hey,” he said low, right by my ear.
“Hey,” I murmured back, still holdin’ on to him before I finally pulled away.
