Page 28 of Continuum

I lifted my eyebrow and cocked my head to the side. “And I asked you again today.”

“You can ask me as many times as you’d like…” His fingers brushed the back of my neck sending a chill down my spine. “But my answer won’t change.”

His touch rattled me, and I tried not to let it show on my face. “Okay,” I mouthed.

“And what about you?” His eyes dropped to my lips. “Are you sure you’re single? I know you have to be dating somebody.”

“I’m dating, but I’m single.”

He smirked. “Ah ha…” His fingers continued playing along my nape. “So that means I need to watch my back.” He nodded. “Somebody is going to come in here and try to fight me for stealing you away today.”

“No!” I let out a loud laugh. “No one is going to fight you.”

“I don’t know…” Holding my gaze, he lifted his shoulders and licked his lips. “I’d go to war for you.”

Heat rushed up my neck and my face flushed instantly. My lips parted and a nervous puff of air escaped.

“Here’s your food,” the waiter announced, placing the most delicious smelling chicken and waffles in front of us.

Grateful for the excuse to look away from Kwame, I turned my head quickly. “Thank you!” My voice came a few octaves higher. “This looks great.”

After refilling our glasses, we thanked him, and he walked away.

“Just so you know,” Kwame started, removing his arm from the back of the booth. “My plan is to make today so unforgettable that any other man who takes you out will have to step his game all the way up in order to compete.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes.” He poured syrup over his plate and then looked at me. “Would you like some?”

A smile tugged at my lips. “Yes, please.” I watched him as he carefully drizzled the sweet liquid over my food, and I swear he even made pouring sexy. I cleared my throat. “Tell me about your worst date.”

He put the bottle down and grabbed his fork. “Let me think…” He picked up a piece of chicken and popped it in his mouth. “Mmmm…this right here is the truth.”

I quickly cut a piece of my own chicken and tasted it. Covering my mouth with my hand, I closed my eyes. “Oh my God.” After I swallowed, I looked at him. “So good.”

He nodded. “My worst date was a few years ago. I invited this woman I was dating to a formal work function. Whitley and I had been seeing each other for about four months. It wasn’t that serious, but I felt like I knew her well enough to invite her. She was an accountant and kind of low key. I thought she’d fit in well. So we get there and I introduce her to everyone at the table, including the CEO of the firm, Elliot Simmons—”

“Eli’s dad?” I clarified.

“Yeah.” He sighed. “Everything was going well during dinner and then the music started. Eli and I went to go get drinks for our dates. When I came back, Whitley was freestyling.”

The laugh and the waffle were both lodged in my throat and I started to choke.

“She went full-blown8-Mileon me,” he continued.

I took a sip of water and coughed before I let out a howl. “What? No, she didn’t.”

“She did. Just…” Even as he cringed, I could see that he was holding back his own amusement. “I have to believe she was freestyling because if she thought it out and wrote that shit, that would be worse.”

“So, she wasn’t good?”

“Hell no! And when I thought it couldn’t get worse, she started spitting on everyone’s food.”

My eyes widened. “What?” I screeched.

“I mean, in her defense, I think she thought she was beatboxing, but that chick was just getting spit everywhere.”

I couldn’t stop laughing. “What did you do?” I barely managed to get the question out.

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