A smirk played on his lips, and he shrugged. “I figured you might want to try something different, especially since you mentioned needing a drink.”
I hung my head. “So, youdidread it?”
“Yeah,” he confessed.
I eyed him skeptically. “Why?”
He rubbed the side of his face. “Honestly, it was the most exciting discovery of the night.”
Cracking up then, I fell back on the cushion. My chest expanded as the heaviness I’d felt only seconds earlier vanished. “I can’t believe you.” I shoved him playfully and tucked my legs under my bottom. “Really?”
He rested his back against the sofa, turning his head toward me. “Actually, there were two things. That foodandyour move-the-fuck on plan.”
“Why?”
“Because your list …” He hunched a shoulder. “I understand the money thing. We all need a little more. But you don’t drink, though.”
“I do,” I argued. “I love wine and daiquiris. And mojitos. Oh, and I tried some of that Mike’s Hard last summer.” His mouth curved into a smile, but I chose to ignore how that one action made me question us being alone. “You want to laugh at me, don’t you?”
He raised his hands up. “No, I wouldn’t laugh at you.”
For some reason, his words made me feel centered again. Because he’d never made fun of me. Even when other kids used to crack jokes at my expense. He’d always had my back.
I brushed my thumb over the edge of the cushion. “Thanks.”
“I also remember you swearing to God that would never try weed again.”
My mouth fell open, and I shoved him playfully. “No, I said I’d neversmokeweed again. And you know why?”
He barked out a laugh and, for some very strange reason, I wanted to climb into his lap and burrow into him. Everything about him—from his spicy, woody scent to his sincere eyes to the warmth emanating from him—made me want to stay here, hidden away from all my problems. Let’s be real, Spence was sexy as hell. When we were younger, he was cute and all.Okay, he’s fine as fuck. However, fifty-leven other girls around the way thought so, too.
But Grown Man Spence? With his salt-and-pepper beard, taper fade, smooth, brown skin, cut arms and stomach … I blinked myself out of my thoughts. Because, no.I can’t go there.I snuck a look at him out of the corner of my eye and found him staring at me intently. Again.
Lord. He had a way of seeing me. It almost felt like he was looking into my soul.Shit, can I go there?
I feigned a cough, squared my shoulders, then steered the conversation back to the safe zone. “After that experience with Lucifer, I never want toinhalethat shit again.”
A smirk pulled at his lips. “Yeah, you were lit.”
I smacked my palms against my thighs. “For days.”
Unbeknownst to me at the time, a four-foot bong was not for play play. I learned that hard lesson as soon as I took a single hit and immediately started drooling all over myself. I was so high I could barely see. And hungry. I ate an entire box of cereal, promptly passed out, then had to becarriedout by Spence. It took days to feel normal after that.
“I warned you.”
Of course he did. In theSpenceway. Voice low, eyes sincere. But I was no punk. He wasn’t going to tell me what to do. I lived to regret that decision, though, hence the promise I made to myself to never smoke again. “Matter of fact, let’s not even talk about this. I’ve moved all the way past those years. Anyway, life has been life-ing. I have days when I’m more anxious than calm. Clients been getting on my nerves. I seriously considered closing my business without a plan. My homegirl suggested I try edibles.”
“Damn, that’s deep.”
“Tell me about it.”
“But you …” He shook his head “Never mind.”
“What were you going to say?” I prodded.
“It’s not appropriate. And we’ve already established that you don’t listen to me.”
“Don’t play me,” I admonished. “Please. You’ve always been honest, so tell me.”
