Page 26 of In the Safety's Zone
I nodded not feeling the need for her to elaborate. “Definitely get that.”
We made small talk as she described what the foods were and how to eat them. Between the two of us, I wasn’t surprised when we smashed damn near everything we’d gotten. The day hadbeen long as hell and the snacks and shit they had for us hadn’t lasted long.
“So what’s the winner? You know Leo is gonna ask the next time I’m in there so you gotta tell me.”
Aphrodite wiped her mouth with a napkin and waited on me to let her know. The look of anticipation on her face was cute as fuck. This girl had to have a spell on me because I was sitting on this cold, hard bench eating food and not complaining.
“Chop sandwich over the chop cheese.”
She nodded her agreement but I could tell my answer surprised her. “I wasn’t expecting that. Guys are always stereotyped to be meat and potatoes people. I thought the chop cheese would win hands down.”
“I value flavor and that had way more. The other was good but it was like a deconstructed hamburger, which was cool but the sandwich was something special. Having some of everything in each bite is smart as hell. Makes the experience better for the eater.”
“They don’t have sandwiches in New Orleans?”
I cringed at the way she pronounced my city. I didn’t expect her to sound like me but damn she called our shit New Or LeAnnes. I couldn’t have that.
“In where?”
She laughed like she knew she’d fucked up. “You said you were from New Orleans.”
“No, baybeeh, I’m fromNawlins. You gotta take all that north outcha mouth and let them letters roll off your tongue with a lil more flavor than that talkin’ bout my city.”
Her eyelashes fluttered like hearing my accent had done something good to her. I would definitely sweet-talk her ass as I stroked her pussy if given the chance.
“Is that a thing? Saying it like that I mean.”
“Most definitely a thing. Think about somebody mispronouncin’ one of these names up here. Like instead of saying Chesapeake they say Chesapeekay or somethin’ crazy.”
She was laughing again, and damn if it didn’t have my ass stuck. “Okay, yeah, I get it. Tourists do that a lot and it’s like nails on a chalkboard.”
I motioned between the two of us my smile matching hers. “So you feel me.”
“I do.” Her eyes shifted and I knew immediately what that look was about but I wasn’t going to speak on it. At least not right now. And definitely not until she did. When she stayed quiet I just smiled cause I ain’t have no hard feelings about it.
“I need to get you back home.” I started to pack up the wrappers and containers that we’d eaten off of and looked around for a trashcan.
“Is that it? The end of the day?”
The disappointment in ending our time together was loud but being out here unprotected wasn’t smart. Shit had been cool but as we passed the midnight hour wasn’t shit open but legs and niggas looking for a come up. I wasn’t about to let us be sitting targets or end up on the damn news.
“We packed a hell of a lot into one day. It’s already tomorrow, baybeeh.”
“Is it?”
“It’s close to one.”
She pulled out her phone and shook her head. “That’s crazy that it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long.”
We’d been out here for a good minute because Aphrodite had an aura that made you forget everything but her. I ain’t feel not one degree of the cold talking to this girl for this long but as soon as I said something about leaving her it started to seep into my bones again.
“I know your people looking for you.”
She shifted slightly before she shook her head, tucking her phone back in her pocket. “Nope. Nobody reached out.”
“At all?”
She shrugged as the sadness I’d spent all night erasing was back on her face. “Told you. I could go missing and it wouldn’t be a big deal until I missed practice or something like that.”
