“Me too. Do you have an older sister named Cleopatra?” He grins and shoves a fork full of rice into his mouth.
I gasp and stare at him.
“What?” he asks around a mouthful of food.
“Noone, in my whole life has ever known that.”
He wrinkles his brow and gives me a skeptical look. “How? When she’s the sister of one of the most famous women who ever lived?”
“Exactly,” I say throwing my hands up excitedly.
My insides flutter with a sensation I haven’t felt in so long I’m not sure it’s real. I thought it might be the cocktail making him sexier every time he speaks, but I’m starting to worry that it’s just…him. “So, where do you live, Kwame?” I ask casually.
“Los Angeles.” He takes another bite of food and I relax.
“Oh cool. I love LA. Is that where you’re from?”
“No, I moved there after law school and have been there almost fifteen years.”
“Law school, huh? Your parents must have been thrilled. And what brings you to DC?”
“I grew up here. What about you?” He digs into his food again. It’s the second deflection when I’ve asked about family and I wonder what the story is there.
I’m so close to mine, despite how annoying they are, I’m suspicious of people who aren’t.
“I grew up in the DMV. I was born in Silver Spring and that’s where we lived until my parents moved to Arlington when I was middle school.”
He nods. “Where do you live now, Sin?” The way he says my name feels like he’s been saying it his whole life.
“New York City.” For now.
“And when are youreallyheaded back?” he asks with a sly grin.
I roll my eyes but can’t fight the conspiratorial smile his words inspire. “My flight is in the morning. Bright and early. So, I’m really glad I met you tonight. It’s been fun.”
He shrugs and frowns. “I’m still trying to decide how I feel about it.”
My burst of surprised laughter feels like pressure being released.When’s the last time a man made me laugh for real? “You know you’re having a great time. Stop playing.” I wave away his words.
One of his dark eyebrows quirks up. “Getting ahead of yourself aren’t you? You seem cool. But, until I know your sign, I can’t be sure. I avoid Geminis, Virgos, and Capricorns like the plague.” He gives a shiver of disgust and I can’t tell if he’s serious.
“Are you for real?”
“Yes. Date of birth, please.”
“Fine. I don’t know anything about horoscopes. But, I was born on February fourteenth. Ithinkthat makes me—”
“Wha—” He chokes on the sip of drink he was swallowing and the rest of his words are lost to a coughing fit. I’m about to pat his back when his icy glare stops me cold.
Chapter Six
Kwame
Perfect
“Are you okay?” She looks alarmed as she watches me try to catch my breath.
My years as a prosecutor have taught me that when a set of facts fit together too neatly, there’s something wrong. And all it took was a smile like the sun, a smell like spring, and a laugh like lightening to make me forget.
