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“Yes, you do. When he told me he kissed you he was the happiest I have ever seen him the whole time I have known him,” she tells me, and I just sit there.
“So, you think I am the woman he wants.”
“You know you are,” another voice answers from behind me. I’ve been set up. I think as Jabarri takes a seat between Natalie and me.
“I am going to take my leave. Skai, thanks for coming and listening, and I hope you and I can eventually become friends.” She stands, and grabs her purse before kissing Jabarri on the cheek and walking out.
“Skai,”
“You ambushed me.”
“You wouldn’t see me or take my calls, what else was I supposed to do? And if I had told you what she told you, would you have believed me? Besides, it was her story to tell, not mine,”
“So, you had her bring me here and then ambush me for what?”
“Stop that, Skai. You are one of the most intelligent women I know, but so there aren’t any misunderstandings I’ll make it plain. I want to be with you, Skai, and I’ve wanted to for a long time. Will you give me, give us a chance?” he says, looking into my soul. I have to get out of here now! I grabbed my purse, pushed back from the table, and was on my feet in an instant, but as fast as I moved, Jabarri was faster.
“No, Skai, no more running,” he says as his hand wraps around my wrist like a manacle. “We are going to talk, today.”
“Jabarri, let go of my wrist,” I grit out slowly between my clenched teeth, and he releases my wrist but threads his fingers through mine, keeping me rooted in place. He stands and throws some bills on the table before leading me out of the restaurant.
“You’re place or mine?” he asks when we are standing outside of the restaurant.
“It is way too hot out here for this. Let my hand go so I can leave.”
“Tell me you really don’t want to talk to me, and I will leave you alone…today. I will never force you to do anything you don’t want to do, even something as simple as talking to me. So, look at me and tell me you won’t give us this opportunity to talk,” he says, and I begin to shift my weight from one foot to the other in nervousness. His face softens as he looks down at me, cupping the back of my head. “Why are you so scared, Skai, you know me. I’d never do anything to hurt you. Will you let me go back to the house so we can talk? I will leave whenever you ask me to. Can we go talk?”
Ugh, I hate this side of him. I think because as much as I want to bolt, his sincerity has me saying, “Yes.”
JABARRI
When we made it back to her house, we sat in the living room. I made sure to sit in the chair, and not on the sofa. I wanted her to feel safe, and I also wanted to put some distance between us because my hands itched to touch her. It was disconcerting to see tough-as-nails and smart mouth-ass Skai be nervous. Honestly, she hasn’t been the same since her breakup. All I want is to see her fight and fire back, but she has to give me a chance to help her find it again and us.
“So, talk,” she snaps, and I smile. Now that’s the Skai I know.
“Are you going to fight this, Skai,” I ask her with a smirk as I lean back in my chair.
“Fight what?” she asks, eyebrow raised in challenge.
“Okay, if that is how you want to act, I’ll do what you're too afraid to admit,”
“Afraid! I am not afraid of anything but my momma!” she says, and I laugh because I completely understand. I’m afraid of my momma, too.
“If that’s true, then come over here and kiss me,”
“Kiss you!” she says indignantly like I asked her to lick a gas station bathroom floor.
“Get your little fine-ass up, come over here, and kiss me. You know there is nothing stopping you anymore, so what are you afraid of?”
“Men,” I think is what she says but it’s so low I can’t be sure.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing, but I am not coming over there to kiss you just to prove a point to you. We’re not kids, Jabarri,”
“Trust me, the things I want to do to you aren’t childlike at all,”
“Excuse me? Jabarri...”
