I stood there and looked at him before I moved toward him. Once I was within reach, he picked me up and put me in the empty space. He then held a hashbrown close to my lips for me to take a bite. I accepted, watching him then dip the plastic fork into the open white carton.
“This is good.”
“I know. It’s from a lil spot next to Aja’s school.”
I nodded, then glanced around his kitchen. It was truly filled with all of my shit. I felt bad for taking over his place like this, but the only way I could work effectively was by laying things out all over so I could see everything.
“I’m sorry for taking over your space. After all of this is over I’m gonna start looking for a place. I just hav?—”
A forkful of grits was at my mouth before I could finish speaking. “What if I want you to stay?”
I accepted the grits into my mouth and just looked at him. Once I finished chewing, a smile indented itself into my features. “How did I know you were going to say that?”
“Because you know how I feel about you.”
I nodded. “But don’t you think it’s too soon? Don’t you think we should date from separate places, before we do the liv?—”
“The other day, when we were at my brother’s house and you were holding my nephew, I couldn’t help but picture you holding our child and smiling down at him like that. I don’t give a fuck about dating or any of that, Jade. I want a future with you as close to me as possible.”
I had noticed him staring back at his brother’s house, but shrugged it off. I guess I wasn’t overthinking then. “So you’re asking me to live with you, like for real?”
He laughed. “No, I’m asking you to move in with me and Aja, even though she only lowkey fucks with us when she gets tired of Kinga’s kids.”
I cackled so hard because that was so true.
Seconds later another forkful of grits was at my lips. “So, is that a yes or are we going to debate for a while longer then take this shit in the back before I go out to the house to grab some things?”
I accepted the food into my mouth, eyes locked on him. I had lunch plans with Karim today after I left the shop.
“That a yes or a no, love?”
“Damn, can I chew my grits? Impatient ass man.”
He shook his head, taking a bit of the sausage and holding it out for me. “Who chews grits, babe? You just swallow them and keep it moving.”
I took a bite of the sausage patty, holding my laughter back. “Um, no. You’re supposed to chew them, but I’m not about to get into this with you right now.”
“Don’t. Now tell me yes, before I tell myself yes and have your things in my living room by Thursday.”
“Three days, Oden?” I smirked, finding myself extremely attracted to his pushier moments.
“You know what, fuck it. I already just told myself yes. Hurry up and finish eating so you can handle this before I have to leave.” He then held the fork out for me to now eat a bit of eggs.
I cackled so hard that he had to pull the forkful of eggs back. “How you just going to decide that fast?” The eggs were back in front of me and I accepted them immediately. “I’m done,” I assured between chewing the bland ass eggs. Oden had me sospoiled that nobody’s food tasted as good as his, like literally nobody.
“Good. And I told you I would.” He moved through the kitchen, throwing away the remainder of the food before he turned to me. “It wasn’t as good as I remember.”
“It was good though, but not your cooking. Before you leave, I’d really like an omelet, you know, to make up for the bullying you’ve done since you walked through the door.”
He laughed. “I got you.” Seconds later he had me in his arms and we were headed in the direction of what I guessed would be our bedroom. As soon as we entered, he tossed me on the bed.
I lay there, legs wide open, watching him from between them as he pulled his shirt off his body. From the way he was sculpted, you’d think he worked out vigorously in some fancy gym. That wasn’t the case at all, he just hauled logs and chopped wood. Shit, that was so sexy.
“Come up out them shorts, love,” he demanded, his voice never elevating above a deep rasp.
I smiled hard, biting into my bottom lip and doing exactly what he asked. Who was I to disobey and deprive him of all the pleasure he intended to bestow?
When I finally made itto the store, my body was thoroughly exhausted. Not only had the chef eaten me to oblivion, but he then fucked me into a sleep coma that had me dreaming I’d brought my ass to work when in fact I was still in bed. Now I was so tired that I regretted getting up, but needed to handle business before going to eat with Karim. Shit, I was so hungry, literally starving, and I had been since earlier even though Oden was true to his word and made my omelet before he left. Lately all I thought about was food and I blamed that on Oden. He had singlehandedly turned me into a foodie. I went from going to bed for the night off a cereal bar and tea to going to sleep off lobsterbisque, salmon tacos, and fucking lemon glazed lambchops. Yeah, I ate for real these days which meant I needed to start taking advantage of his gym downstairs before I looked like it.
