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I nod. “Yeah, there are a couple. Shiloh is Hammer’s wife, and she’s super pregnant, about to pop anytime in the next couple of weeks if I’m thinkin’ correctly. Jada is Hammer’s sister, who is actually with Armor. Then there’s Sunny, who’s Ice’s wife. Fury’s woman is Chloe, but she doesn’t pop around too much. She’s a schoolteacher and volunteers a lot in the summertime to help kids pass their grades and get ready for the next school year. You’re more likely to see her in the evening or on the weekend.”
“Oh, okay, so a lot of the guys in your club are family-type of men?”
“Yeah, we might not look like it, but we are. A lot of us just haven’t found the right woman yet.” As I speak, I look right into Luna’s beautiful green eyes. She’s the type of woman I’ve been searching for. We haven’t been hanging out for very long, so I know I sound fucking crazy . . . but she isn’t a stranger. I’ve known her for almost my entire life. Wouldn’t that mean I know her well? It might have been fifteen years since we’ve seen each other, yet I know, in that time, we’ve both done a lot of growing up.
“Have you been looking for her? The right woman?”
“I don’t think I was. I think she walked up my parents’ driveway and surprised me, though.” The last thing I want to do is pressure Luna, but I’ve been very clear about my strong feelings for her. I want us to keep this up, whatever it is. We haven’t put a label on it, but in time I can see us doing that.
Luna turns her head and looks up at me, smiling widely. “You’re just saying that to make me blush.” She prods me in the side with her elbow.
“No, I’m not. I’ve been having a great time with you, Luna, and I look forward to continuing to do that.” We come up to an intersection and are forced to wait a couple of minutes for the pedestrian sign to indicate we can move. During that time, I notice Luna’s grown extremely quiet. I hope I haven’t scared her by being honest.
She doesn’t say much while we keep walking, so I don’t speak up, either. I do notice her looking around at the massive skyscrapers, taking in her surroundings. When we’re close to the market, I move my arm from around her waist and take hold of her hand.
We’re coming up on the twelve-story building, and I tug her hand as we head inside through the massive open doors. “Holy crap.” Luna’s jaw drops as her eyes set on the sights before her. “Is the market the whole building, or?”
I chuckle. “No, the market is the bottom floor here. I believe the upper levels are apartments, but for all I know, they could be office spaces. Things change so fast around here.”
“Oh, okay. This place is massive, though . . . and I see what you mean about all the stalls.” Luna’s vibrant forest green eyes are big, like a kid who’s getting presents on their birthday. We walk through the market on top of black-stained concrete. Over the last few years, the owners of the building have brought a modern flare to it while still respecting and appreciating the history that’s been here for ages.
Through the aisleways, there are large neon signs for the bistros, restaurants, coffee shops, pizzerias, and whatever other vendors happen to be in the stalls. They demand your attention to them. Some of the flashier signs make me want to try their food, but the scents wafting around the place are blowing my mind. Fresh garlic, toasted bread, cilantro, cinnamon, and so much more. There’s a wide variety of what’s available here.
“Are you craving anything specific?”
“Everything,” Luna chuckles.
I smirk at her answer. “If you’re down for it, we could get something small from a few places and share?”
“What are you suggesting?”
I lick my lips and pull Luna off to the side so we’re not in the middle of the aisle. “I think we should start at Ollo Wood Fired Pizza and get a small fire-roasted pizza, then we could go across to For the Win and get one of the best burgers you’ll ever have in your life. And we have to go to Lucky Bird and get one of their hot buffalo chicken sandwiches. Holy shit, they’re amazing.”
“Are we stopping there?” Luna asks, cocking a brow in the process playfully.
“Hell no. Did you want to pick a couple of places?”
“You’re the Los Angeles native. Shouldn’t you keep telling me where I should go?”
“Not a native, but I think living here the past ten years has definitely proven I know my way around the place.”
“Agreed, so where should we go after that? Something sweet, maybe?” I see what she’s doing. She wants some sweet stuff, so we’re going to make sure her sweet tooth is satisfied.
“Yes, please.”
I scan through the signs and remember there are a couple of sweet spots on the other side of the market. Bastion Bakery has some really nice pastries. They’re flaky and fall apart in your mouth. Fat + Flour is another good spot. They make tiny pies and cookies. I’ve never had something from there that hasn’t been to die for. There’s a small candy shop called La Huerta, so we can grab some stuff and take it back to the club. Maybe we finish it off at McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams and have one last pit stop at The Donut Man and take back a few dozen donuts for the club.”
“I won’t need to eat for a week after this.” Luna cracks up.
I hope she doesn’t mean what I think she does. I see so many women out here in LA who decide it’s better to just not eat so they can be in a certain dress size. That kind of shit pisses me off to no end. She’s beautiful just the way she is.
“You might not be hungry for the rest of the day, but you’d better damn well be eatin’ something while I’m with you tomorrow. I don’t tolerate that starving yourself shit, Luna. You’re a beautiful woman, and you don’t need to be doin’ any of that calorie counting, fasting, or whatever else is the new fad these days.”
Luna furrows her brows at me. “I didn’t mean I was going to starve myself. I just meant we’re going to be eating a lot.”
“Oh, good. Sorry, I misunderstood. You had me worried there for a minute.”
“No need to apologize. I’m glad you clarified. I don’t know many men who appreciate when a woman has a couple extra pounds or whatnot.”
