Page 76 of Curvy Girl Summer

“I told her I like chitterlings, and she’s been on my ass about it ever since,” he told Nina before looking back at me. “But the only questionable thing I’ve done recently is associate with you.”

I quirked an eyebrow. “Best decision of your life.”

His grin grew. “Hardly.”

Resting my free hand on Nina’s arm, I introduced the two of them. “Ahmad, this is my best friend, Nina. Nina, this is—”

“Your wingman from the bar,” she interjected, taking his outstretched hand. “The bartender. You never mentioned how sexy he is.”

“He aight,” I lied, rolling my eyes.

“Thank you, Nina. It’s nice to meet you.” He stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest and directing his next comment at me. “Just aight, huh?”

I ignored the way the slightly damp material stretched across his biceps as he smirked at me. “Yeah, you aight,” I confirmed. “You’re not bad. You cool.” I made a face. “Don’t fish for compliments. It’s beneath you.”

He chuckled. “See… and I was going to say you look incredibly beautiful. But now I’ll just say I hope you and Nina get home safely. Although I have no doubt you will.” He paused. “Nobody is fucking with the Pink Panther.”

My jaw dropped. “You know what…”

Nina stifled her open-mouth laugh. “Too far!”

He started hummingThe Pink Panthertheme song, which only added to Nina’s amusement. I tried my hardest not to laugh as I glared at him.

“Ahmad!” a woman called out from the corner of the street. “Ahmad! It’s here!” She pointed to a car stopped at the intersection.

I recognized her.

It was the woman from the bar. She was too far away for me to see the details of her face, but I knew it was the woman Ahmad had so much chemistry with. I didn’t recognize her with the ponytail at first, but I remembered her voice.

Damn. Thatishis wife.

My gut twisted with guilt and an unnamed emotion.

He looked back at her and held his hand up. “Okay!” he yelled back as he took a couple of steps away from us. “Nice meeting you, Nina. Aaliyah, it was tolerable as always.”

“Barely,” I replied with a smile. “Don’t forget your umbrella.”

He shook his head. “Keep it. Wouldn’t want you to get wet.”

There was a throb between my legs as I pushed off the thoughts his words provoked. The second drink I’d had was strong, and I wasn’t doing a great job keeping my hormones in check. I just prayed my face didn’t betray me the way my body did.

I didn’t want him—he was a married man. I was just physically attracted to him and having an incidental reaction to being caught off guard by the sight of him.

I cleared my throat. “Thanks.”

He smirked. “See you Monday?”

I nodded. “See you Monday.”

Turning on his heels, he jogged over to the woman standing at the crosswalk.

Silently, Nina and I watched him take her umbrella and open the door for her. After they both climbed into the vehicle, we watched it disappear around the corner before any words were spoken.

“Ah-mad is ah-sexy-ass man,” Nina observed, looping her arm with mine and taking the umbrella from me. “You weren’t holding it high enough.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s cool. Tall-girl problems.” She let out a whistle. “No, but seriously, Aaliyah. He’s the total package.”

---