Page 55 of Smoke

“I’ll take that.”

Our server returned, and he placed two orders of the same thing, plus a few extras. My mouth watered as he listed each item. It reminded me that I hadn’t really eaten much in the last couple days. I ate enough to curve the hunger pains, but even that was forced. I prayed that this meal didn’t make me sick.

Devin turned to me when the server was gone. Our eyes locked, and for a moment, I sat still, just staring at him. He was such a beautiful man. The things I heard about the Dillingersdidn’t seem like they could possibly be true just by looking at him. He looked like any other handsome black man, not what some called a menace.

“What are you staring at?” he asked, shifting in his seat.

“You’re staring at me.”

“You’re staring at me to know I’m staring at you.”

I giggled. “But why are you staring at me, sir?”

“Because I think you’re beautiful, Romi. I uh… I think about you a lot.”

My eyes widened. “You do?”

He nodded. “The shit is foreign to me, you know. Thinking about a woman when I have no plans of sliding between her legs. But you…” His eyes perused me slowly. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

“Is… is that why you kissed me?”

He nodded again as he slid closer to me. “These lips.” He reached out and traced my bottom lip with his thumb. “I love these lips. I had to taste them.”

Leaning in, he pecked my lips.

“So soft.”

Peck.

“So juicy.”

Another peck.

“So. Fucking. Perfect.”

This time when he kissed me, he sucked my bottom lip between his. A moan inadvertently slipped from my lips as he used his tongue to part them. When it slipped into my mouth to caress mine, my body submitted to his command. His large hand palmed my face as his arm slid around my waist and slid me into his space.

I was lost. Done. A fucking goner. My nipples hardened against the lacy fabric of my bra as he deepened the kiss by kissing me a little rougher. I could feel the slickness poolingbetween my pussy lips, and if I didn’t stop, I was going to nut on myself right here in front of all these people.

Sensing my need, Devin pulled back slightly, staring deep into my eyes. He wiped the corner of my mouth and smiled.

“You’re gonna be trouble for me, Ms. Romi,” he said, lowly. “I’m good at handling trouble.”

Jesus, be a fence.

“The fuck you smiling about?”Maceo asked, looking over my shoulder.

I shoved him away and slipped my phone in my pocket.

“Nigga, you nosy as fuck.”

He’d been back from his extended honeymoon for three days now, and this was the first time we linked up. Tonight, we were out having drinks at a new club. Usually, if we went out, it was at one of Deuce’s spots, but I had business here tonight.

“Nah, I’ve never seen you smile like that. Matter of fact, the last time I saw you smile like that was at my wedding?—”

“Which wedding? Y’all had like three.”

He punched me in the arm. “Fuck you. And we had two and a half.”

---