Page 28 of My Heart Belongs to You

“If you’re scared, just say that.”

“I’m terrified,” she said, tacking on an impish smirk that softened the blow of her rejection.

“Yeah, okay. We’ll tackle that subject another time.”

“Good because all I want to talk about is these good ass tacos.”

“They’re aight.”

“Right,” she droned.

The playful grin on her face made my chest tighten. Everything about her ignited a visceral reaction in me. I hated how affected I was by her these days. Before it was easy to keep her in the friend zone box, but over the last couple of months, I found myself thinking about her more, yearning for her presence. When we’re together, I want to hold her and kiss her pretty lips. I was so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t realized I was still staring at her. She widened her eyes and tilted her head, meeting my gaze with a fiery one of her own.

“Nadir, stop.”

My eyebrows wrinkled as I feigned innocence.

“You know what you're doing.”

“Do you want me to stop because you like it or…”

“Eat your food,” she said, cutting me off. The lilting warning in her tone was humorous, but I stifled my chuckles. Her eyes were fixed on me, daring me to laugh out loud.

“I’ll do whatever you want, Goldie.”

Robyn groaned before taking another bite of her taco. I smirked, then continued eating my food.

CHAPTER

SIX

“Imust say, I’m impressed.”

Heat flooded my cheeks as I met Joseph’s searing gaze. The desire pooling in his soft brown eyes made me giggle. I wanted to look away, but then he smiled, and I nearly melted. His rich chocolate skin was truly irresistible.

“Thanks,” I breathed.

We stared at each other for a beat, then he continued his casual perusal around my dining area while I stayed on his heels. My eyes raked over his tall, burly frame. I started at the cognac-colored oxfords that I was sure were designer. His long, lithe legs were clad in navy slacks. He always looked so poised and polished, standing with confident posture while viewing Sadé’s artwork. The tailored white dress shirt covering his broad shoulders made my belly roll, reminding me it had been a while since we had sex. I bit my lip while considering the consequences of crossing that line with him again.

“If you had called first, I probably would’ve had some food for you too.”

“Not necessary. I just wanted to stop by before I leave for Dallas tonight.”

Last night, he texted me, asking about my schedule for the day. His drop in was unexpected, but I jumped right into showing him around, hoping to ease tension between us.

“Remember when we looked through dozens of paint swatches?” I asked, hooking my arm around his, feeling nostalgic.

Joseph nodded; a warm smile covered his lips. “I never knew there were so many shades of orange.”

“I know right, but terracotta fits perfectly.”

“It does. You got everything you wanted. That extra year was worth it.”

“Yup. Now, we just need to finish hiring staff, train them, and open in the next four months.” I untangled my arm from his when we made it to the bar.

“So much to do, so little time,” I mused.

While biting the inside of my cheek, I looked around the dining area. As the opening drew closer, the more anxious I’d become.