“And I’m special enough to know about it?” She smiled, but her voice had that edge to it, like she wanted to see if he was gonna lie.
He didn’t even flinch. “I’on know if you special yet.”
That made her laugh. She reached over and playfully smacked his arm, then let her hand linger a second longer than she needed to. “You’re such an ass.”
“Maybe, but I don’t lie.”
“That’s what they all say,” she hummed under her breath.
He turned toward her, elbow on the steering wheel, body angled like he had something to say but was still debating on how much to give up. The city lights reflected in his eyes, and she swore there was more truth there than he was willing to speak out loud.
She felt it again—that stupid flutter in her chest like something about him had been waiting on her too.
He nodded toward the glove compartment. “Open that.”
She did. Inside was a bag of hot fries, two Capri Suns, and a king-size Snickers bar.
“Damn,” she said, grinning. “This a hood picnic?”
He shrugged. “You said wine. I got the next best thing.”
Aku picked up the hot fries and looked at him with her head tilted, amused. “So…we just gon’ sit up here and eat snacks?”
“Nah, I was gon’ talk to you too. Figure out what you really on.”
That wiped the smile off her face just a little. Not in a bad way. In adamn, he not playin’way. She met his eyes. “What if I’m not on nothin’?”
“You are.” He said it softly. “I seen it when you looked at me the first time. You not used to being looked at like a person. Most people see the brand, the fits, the pretty ass baby face. But not the you beyond that.”
She blinked, caught off guard. “So what you see?”
He didn’t hesitate. “Somebody tired of pretending she ain’t lonely.”
That quieted the air between them. She looked out the window. He had no idea how right he was, or maybe he did.
Seconds passed before she spoke again. “You be psycho-analyzing all your little app users or just me?”
He grinned, unwrapping the Snickers bar. “Just you.”
She took a deep breath, then said, “You tryna teach me how to play dominoes next or something?”
His lips curled. “You been stalking a nigga’s profile?”
“Mm hmm,” she pursed her lips. “Gotta see who trying to get my attention.”
“Ha!” he laughed loud. “I’m tryna get your attention or you tryna get mine?”
Aku waved him off. “Boy, please! So you gon’ teach me or not?”
He nodded. “Yeah, my Granny said if a woman can play bones and hold her own, she’s a keeper.”
“Good thing I’m a fast learner.”
He leaned in closer, eyes on hers now. No jokes…no music…just heat, curiosity and something tender hiding under all that swagger.
“I bet you are.”
Malik popped the car door open and nodded toward the front. “C’mon You ain’t seen the view til you seen it from the hood of a ’76 Chevy.”
