Page 78 of Are You Going to Love Me

“Don’t speak too soon, I ain’t been in your skin yet, I might not want to leave. I'm going to go from ‘that nigga sexy’ to ‘he’s on my fuckin’ nerves’.”

“Well, in all fairness, I’ve never had anyone who wanted to stay in my skin. Just wanted to control me.”

“I don’t want to control you. If anything, I want you comfortable. Happy. To be yourself always. You’ve let that silliness slip out a few times. The minute you start smiling too much or giggling, you stop. I don’t want that. Laugh as much as you want, as much as you need.”

Eden was enthralled with every word that came out of his mouth. Her chin resting in her palm, gazing at him. “What do you need?”

“That peace and understanding you keep offering me. That shit is top tier. I’ve never had that. Not without condition.”

Eden reached out and touched the chain she purchased earlier. “We should eat.”

“We should.”

After dinner and dessert, Maximus and Eden were headed out of Bluefin. Maximus was in the process of requesting the valet to get his truck when Eden tugged on his pocket.

“Ever played Velocity Vortex?” Eden asked, spotting the new vintage arcade across the street.

“You know who you talking to? I used to hustle niggas out the arcade in Trae Way and sell them packs.”

“Well, I don’t need to be hustled or to buy a pack, but I would like to beat your ass in it.”

Before Maximus could respond, Eden was starting across the street with haste. Her ample ass switching from side to side in her heels. Handing the bags of take-out to the valetwith instructions to put them in his truck along with a tip, he quickened behind her. His head on a swivel – whether he was uptown, midtown, downtown, or in the middle of Trae Way, he was always vigilant. He felt that the day he stopped being watchful was the day someone could take him out.

Inside the arcade, Maximus stayed close while they caught the attention of the gamers. “Don’t take off like that again.”

Eden wiggled against his warmth and directive. “I thought those long legs could keep up. I see I was mistaken. And none of these little boys in here are going to do anything to either of us.”

“You think that,” he grumbled, gently spanking her hips. “What’s the rules?”

“Let me win. I’m not a gambling woman, I just want victory in something before I'm folded like a lawn chair and slapping bitches behind you.”

“Oh word?”

Eden smirked devilishly as she slid into the virtual car seat. “You heard me.”

twenty-eight

. . .

“Come here,”was huskily grunted in the swift motion of her seat belt coming undone and Maximus pulling her out of the passenger seat.

“Oh!” Eden yelped, prepping herself to straddle his lap. “Can’t wait for me to walk fifteen feet into the house?”

“Mm mm,” he groaned, gripping her chin and nipping at her bottom lip. Kissing and sucking her lips and mouth, roaming to her neck while his free hands gathered the fabric of her dress up her thigh.

Eden moaned softly under his touch. “Maxxx. You’re going to – ohh shit.”

The slur was a direct result of his fingers pushing the seat of her thong to the side and pushing two inside of her.

“How long you been like this?” he grumbled, pulling back just enough to see her eyes flutter and that bite of her lip.

Eden whimpered. “I’m not going to tell you.”

Maximus offered her a lopsided grin and pushed his fingers as far as they could reach. “Tell me.”

Gripping the lapels of his shirt, Eden sank onto his digits and groaned. “You can’t do this to me.”

“Tell me you don’t like it, and I'll stop.”

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