Page 9 of Love Next Door
“Liars.”
“Same.”
We talked a while longer, and then I had to interview man number five.
“Dream date with a girl. Where would you take her and why?”
“To church.”
My eyebrows lifted.
“Okaaaayyy.”
“She has to be spiritually in tune with me. If she doesn’t vibe with my parents and family, and if my pastor doesn’t see that special something in her, then I know she’s not right for me.”
“First date, though?”
“Yeah. Second date would be the movies and dinner.”
I mentally checked out and was thankful when the buzzer buzzed. How could I have been wrong about him from the jump?
“Okay, who do we have?” Farrah asked.
“I really enjoyed 615.”
Farrah chuckled. “Interestingly enough, you both have the same number in reverse.”
“I hadn’t noticed that.”
“Okay, let’s get you to the line,” Farrah stated and helped me out of my chair. I nervously followed her lead, praying that I wouldn’t stumble.
Once everyone was in place, Harmony began to partner people up based on whether they had a match or not. My palms were sweating, and my belly was tight as I worried that I wouldn’t be matched with my guy. It sounded like several matches were made tonight, but my number still hadn’t been called.
Just as disappointment settled inside of me, and I felt weighted down, Harmony called the last set of numbers. “And 516 and 615 are a match!” I felt myself being moved by Farrah, and I knew that my partner was too. We would be across from each other when our blindfolds were removed.
I clapped my hands, but then fear set in. What if he wasn’t attractive? I wasn’t a shallow girl by any stretch of the imagination, but I did want to be attracted to a man that I was going on a date with. I prayed that it was the attorney from the second floor.
“You may now remove your blindfolds,” Harmony announced.
Trepidation filled me, and I was scared. What if he didn’t like what he saw when he looked at me? What if he were rude or said something that made the others laugh? I hated that I was second-guessing myself.
Ever since Devon had married another woman without telling me, I was careful to exercise self-preservation to protect my heart, my spirit, and my mind.
“You can take it off now,” Farrah whispered gently from behind me.
I slowly removed the mask and then peeled one eye and then the other one open. I stared as my mouth dropped in disbelief. I looked to my left and right as the other couples were all pairing up.
That smirk couldn’t dampen my attraction to the man, no matter how much I wished that it would. Those sleepy, bedroom eyes were more hooded than normal as he sauntered toward me. His full, thick beard that was a perfect throne for my pussy glistened even more tonight than normal, and his lips looked like they were primed for sucking.
Oh damn! If it weren’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have any at all. The diamond studs in his ears twinkled brightly like the silver chains around his thick neck. My eyes went to the full sleeve tattoos on both of his arms, shown off by the olive-green shirt that he wore.
“Surprised to see me?” he asked when he stopped in front of me.
“Hell yeah!” I snarked rudely.
He chuckled and replied, “Shouldn’t be. I recognized you immediately from that baby voice of yours.”
“I don’t have a baby voice,” I argued, folding my arms over my breasts.
