Page 16 of Session 33

Naomi shook her head. “Just be careful. I’ve been his friend a lot longer than you, and we ain’t never kissed like you described.”

“I’ll be fine,” I said, trying to convince both of us. “We are just friends.”

Naomi arched an eyebrow. “sure.”

I stayed silent as she ate my food. Naomi was right, but I didn’t want to admit it. The lines between friendship and something more were already blurring, and I was scared of where it might lead.

As the pedicure wrapped up, I couldn’t help but replay the moment Cassius walked in. The way he looked at me, the way he kissed my forehead—it all felt so intimate.

Naomi nudged me. “You ready to go?”

“Yeah,” I said, standing up. “Let’s get out of here.”

We walked out of the salon, the sun setting in the distance. As we headed to our cars, Naomi gave me a serious look. “Just promise me you’ll be careful, Angel. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

I nodded, giving her a small smile. “I promise.”

As soon as I got in my car, I called Cassius. The phone barely rang before he picked up.

“Hey, Angel,” he said, his voice warm.

“Thanks for the sushi. It was really sweet of you. Naomi ate it though,” I replied, my heart racing.

He laughed. “She’s evil. And no problem,” I could hear the smile in his voice.

“You busy?” I asked.

“No. Give me a second.” I heard him say, “Jonas, I’m about to leave.”

Jonas responded, “You just got here.”

He mumbled something, then spoke to me. “I’m back. What’s up?”

In that second, I forgot everything Naomi had said. I was too caught up in the whirlwind of emotions that Cassius stirred in me.

Chapter twelve

The knock at my door was unexpected—unexpected because I wasn’t used to people knocking at my door. I’d been toying with the idea of calling Naomi to see if she wanted to make good on her Jacksonville plan. It was a three-day weekend, and she’d been talking about getting a room, going out, eating good food, and just vibing in the city. I put my phone down and opened the door without thinking.

Cassius was darkening my doorway, wearing a polo and khaki shorts, white sneakers on his feet, and a cocky grin plastered across his too-handsome face.

“Cassius,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “What are you doing here?”

He leaned casually against the doorframe, his eyes dancing with trouble. “Thought I’d come see my friend. Is that a problem?”

“Without calling?” I arched an eyebrow, trying to keep my cool. “What if I had company?”

His whole being shifted. His grin vanished instantly, his jaw tightening as his eyes darkened. “You got someone else in there?” he asked like he was ready to whoop my ass and my imaginary company.

I pressed my lips together, but the laugh broke free anyway. I reached up, brushing my fingers along the hard edge of his jaw,trying to ease the tension that had settled there. “Not you, acting like a jealous boyfriend.”

Cassius locked on me, his eyes full of an intensity I’d only seen once or twice before. Then he leaned in just a little, his voice dropping low, all smooth and dangerous. “You love playing with my feelings, huh? Keep it up, Angel. One day, I’m not gon’ let you.”

My chest tightened. The way he said it wasn’t loud, but it hit harder than if he’d been yelling.

“Stop it, and come in,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. He was being too dramatic, but his words struck a bit of fear in my heart. What if he did leave me alone? Did I want that?

I stepped aside and waved him in, trying to shake off the weight of his words. Cassius walked past me, glancing around and taking everything in. This was the first time he’d been inside my home.

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