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He raises a brow in question.
“You know who sings ‘Toxic.’ It makes me like you more.”
He laughs. “Nice to know.” He squeezes my arm and steps away. “I’ll grab you a water and food to sober you up.”
I gulp, realizing how dry my mouth is. “Water—yes, please. Food—God, no. I devoured enough chips and queso to feed a small country.”
I rub my forehead and drag my phone from my purse. I turned it off hours ago after Devin wouldn’t stop calling and texting. You can only hit thefuck youbutton so many times before you lose your mind.
I glare at it for a moment and then slide it away from me, up the bar. When I turn it on, no doubt dozens of texts from Devin will pop up. I’ll make Ellie delete them later.
“Drink this.” Maliki passes me a water. “And eat this.” A basket of fries comes my way next.
I pick up the water and chug it. Luckily, Mikey is working with Maliki tonight and is helping the few customers here. In an hour, the crowd will grow, and Maliki won’t be able to give me his full attention like this.
He leans back on his heels. “It’s nice, seeing you back here. It’d better become a regular sight again, princess.”
Don’t say it. Don’t say it.
“That depends.”
I said it.
“Depends on what?”
The alcohol makes me brave.“If you’re screwing women on desks.”
He winces, surprised at my response, but quickly recovers. “I promise, no other women when you’re here.”
“And what if I’m not here with you?” I capture an ice cube from my water, bite into it, and chew it before sucking it into my mouth. Water drips down my chin.
Maliki’s smile drops, and he tilts his head to the side, as if he’s studying me. I grab another cube and do the same thing. The aroma of his cologne wafts through my nostrils, and I gasp when he comes forward, his large hand cupping my chin. His finger sweeps across my skin, smoothing away the water, and every muscle in my body tenses.
My lips quiver, and me gasping breaks him away from touching me. He pulls back, placing distance between us, as if he’d temporary slipped faking that we were only friends.
He clears his throat. “Did you decide where you’ll stay?”
“Nope.” I snatch a fry and shove it into my mouth, wondering if I made a mistake in coming here.
The home I grew up in wasn’t happy—still isn’t. And now, thanks to my brother’s new girlfriend, the entire town knows our business. They talk in hushed whispers about my father cheating on my mother and how his mistress is now incarcerated. Thank God I dodged the cheating husband bullet before Devin knocked up another woman.
“Where do you plan to sleep then?” Maliki asks, annoyance clear in his tone.
“In my car,” I answer with a shrug and chomp on another fry.
“The fuck you are.”
I don’t actually plan to sleep in my car. The backseat of my Lexus is roomy, but I can’t park somewhere and not expect to be murdered.
I had multiple motives in coming here tonight.
“Calm down, killer,” I say, growing flustered. “Is your, uh …”
“Spit it out,” Maliki demands even though I can tell he’s aware of what I’m about to ask.
“Is your roomie offer still open?”
“For you? Absolutely. For anyone else? Fuck no.”
