“Excuse me,” I acknowledged, although we both knew I didn’t mean that shit.
She swiftly turned around so that we were chest to chest—close enough to feel her heart beating through her tank top. “You’re excused . . .”
So why couldn’t I move? My mind screamed for me to be intentional, to resist the temptation to grab her ass and watch it jiggle in my hand, to walk the fuck away before I bricked up against her stomach. It turned me on even more that she didn’t back down or push me away, which meant she was feeling something too. That round of rapid fire questions had sparked something between us. I didn't doubt that.
I felt myself leaning in to kiss her before I had sense enough to stop myself. Our lips were inches apart when there was a knock at the door. The three firm taps caused her to jump. I instinctively took a step back, and she used that second to separate herself from me.
“Fuck. That scared the shit out of me,” she confessed, hand over her heart as she inched toward the front door to try and see what was going on.
“Sawyer?” A man’s voice was gentle but probing on the other side of the door.
“Shit. It’s Mr. Wikins,” she whispered.
“Who the fuck is Mr. Wilkins?”
“My neighbor.”
“Ignore it.”
“I can’t.”
My brows creased. “Why not?”
She rolled her eyes skyward. “Because he’ll keep knocking, or worse. Contrary to what you may think, people care about me.”
I didn’t know what she meant byor worse, and I didn’t want to. Instead, I kissed my teeth. “Whatever. Just get him to go away.”
I immediately moved behind the door, pressing my back against the wall like a long shadow. I watched her draw in a sharp breath and smooth her hand down her braids before opening the door just a sliver.
“Hi, Mr. Wilkins.” She greeted him with an upbeat voice.
“Is everything alright? I heard Butta barking quite a lot earlier.”
“Oh! I’m sorry about all the noise. Everything is fine,” she said, smiling with ease. “He just freaked out from the storm.”
“I could’ve sworn I heard voices in here too. . .” he stated with curiosity laced in his tone.
Sawyer belted out an airy chuckle. “Voices? Oh, that was just me talking to Butta, trying to get him to calm his nerves. The poor thinghatesstorms. Must be a good thing they cancelled my flight after all.”
Her meddlesome neighbor lingered, obviously not getting the hint that she wanted to be left the fuck alone. I was two seconds from slamming the door shut in his face my damn self.
“Well, I just wanted to check and make sure everything was alright.”
“Thank you,” Sawyer replied kindly. “I really appreciate it.”
She quickly closed the door, locking it back with a soft click before looking directly at me.That was too damn close.As if I needed another reminder that my black ass wasn’t supposed to be there, the universe had gone and sent her eavesdropping ass neighbor over to jog my memory.
Outside, the loud snap of a branch tore my attention toward the window. The howl of the wind only seemed to be getting louder as the nightfall started to come. Inside, I was warringwith myself about where Kadeem was and hoping to God he’d found shelter.
“What’s on your mind?” she asked, mincing her steps toward me.
“Nothing,” I lied, standing near the couch.
“It doesn’t look like nothing.”
“Just thinking about my car. I know that shit is probably totaled.”
“Maybe after the storm dies down, I can give you a ride back to it so you can check it out or at least get it towed.”
