Page 18 of Cause When You Love Someone
After a few naughty visions flashed in my head, I pried my eyes apart and made love to the camera like I was born to take pictures. I tried to fight the urge to give Ishmael my eyes, but I had no self-control. I found him in the room and caught a sideways smirk dancing across his face when we locked eyes.
“Yes!” Poochie yelled. “Keep that brow pointed.”
I followed his directions, though I mimicked Ishmael’s expression. For a second, it felt like we were in our own little world. He stroked the hair on his upper lip and chin, and I snaked my fingertips around my neck, but we maintained eye contact like we were playing a secret game ofLook Away. Had the peanut-butter shaded giant been any lighter, he would have been red in the face. Growing more comfortable by the second, I began mouthing the words of a Jazmine Sullivan song playing in the warehouse. As soon as I mouthed the wordpussy,Ishmael abandoned his post and walked out of sight.
I only had a few minutes to bask in the idea of breaking him down before the heavy steel door slammed shut. All eyes raced toward the exit where Chaz walked in holding a bouquet of flowers and my laptop.
“Poochie, can we take five?”
He nodded. “Handle your business, babe. I think we have everything I need.”
On his cue, everyone dispersed, and Sage powerwalked over to me with his eyes bulging out of his head.
“I thought he wasn’t participating in the photoshoot,” Sage whispered.
“He’s not.” I screeched. “I’ll be right back. Let me go see what he wants.”
Before I could make it to Chaz, I saw Ishmael cut off his path. The bodyguard pointed to the peace offering in Chaz’s hand, and instantly, my throat started to itch.
“That’s your woman, and you don’t know which flower she’s allergic to?” Ishmael grimaced.
“Nigga, I know. I was just . . . moving too fast. Who the hell are you?”
Ishmael snatched the flowers, then walked off without offering an answer. Chaz’s chest swelled at Ishmael like hewanted to go after him, but instead, the human teddy bear stomped over to me. The stench of vodka soared from his breath when he went in to kiss me. His eyes were covered by a pair of sunglasses, but they didn’t conceal how fucked up he was. He was so consumed with shielding his eyes that he didn’t clean the powder from under his nose.
A jittery smile overpowered my face while my eyes danced around the room. Everyone on set signed a non-disclosure agreement. Still, that didn’t stop them from watching the shit show unfold. I thought to get on my diva tip and demand they all wait outside while I handled the addict, but I figured that would damage my reputation even more.
“Chaz, what are you doing up here? You don’t usually spend time on set.”
“I came to return your computer like you asked. My bad about the flowers.”
My heart cracked when I observed his hands quiver as he handed me the laptop.
“You could’ve brought this to my house, and the flowers aren’t something you should forget.”
“You’re right. I should know better, just like you should never put a nigga on your payroll without telling me. That’s what you on? That’s what you doing now?”
I shook my head and started toward my dressing room, and as I expected, he followed me.
“Coming in here won’t shut me up, Clarke!”
“Yeah, but it’ll help with the embarrassment you’re causing me.”
He spun around like a Tasmanian devil. “What? That’s how you feel? I’m an embarrassment to you?”
“Yes! I don’t understand why you’re here. I told you a week ago, we’re done! I didn’t stutter, nigga!”
Chaz’s teeth sank into his bottom lip as he slowly entered my personal space. Before I could sidestep the maniac, he placed his hands on my face, forcing me to look at him.
“You can’t leave me, Cece. I love you.”
“Love isn’t enough, Chaz.”
A loud knock at the door caused us to freeze.
“Open the door, Clarke,” Ishmael ordered without raising his voice.
Yes! Saved by Superman!
