Page 3 of Autumn & Woods
“You don’t understand,” I said, turning toward him a little more. “I’m trying get to Tavern City for some good ol’ sweet potato pie. Thebestsweet potato pie. This ain’t store-bought. This ain’t Patti. This is homemade with love and a crust from scratch.”
He chuckled, eyes dragging across my mouth for a second. “That sounds personal.”
“It is,” I said. “You ever tasted something so good it made you question everything you ever knew about food?”
“Yeah,” he said, without hesitation. “But it wasn’t food.”
The way he said it had my thighs pressed together under the bar, and I didn’t even try to play it off. “Wow,” I murmured. “That’s bold of you.”
He leaned forward just a little, forearm resting against the bar, voice dropping an octave. “I don’t waste time.”
I didn’t blink. “Do you usually flirt like this with strangers?”
He studied me for a second and then replied, “When the vibe feels right.”
That did something to me. I didn’t even know what it meant exactly, but I felt it. I tilted my head. “Right like how?”
Woods didn’t rush to answer. His eyes just stayed locked on mine for a moment. “Right like you tryna decide if you gon’ let yourself get into some shit or keep it cute.”
I felt my breath catch. You know, that slow, involuntary pause when somebody speaks directly to a part of you that you weren’t expecting to be exposed to. “I don’t always keep it cute,” I said quietly.
He nodded once. “Good.”
We sat in that for a moment. Both of us were just waiting for what came next. Then my phone lit up and I glanced down to see an incoming call from my ex. Woods saw it, jaw flexing just enough to catch it. And before I could decide what to do, he reached over, bold as hell, and flipped my phone facedown on the bar.
His tone was even when he said, “That nigga can wait.”
I stared at him, lips parted. “You don’t even know what he wanted,” I said.
“I don’t give a fuck.”
He looked at me like that was the end of it, like he was the one holding my attention tonight, and he knew I wasn’t about to argue. His hand was still resting on the bar, right near mine. Close enough that if I moved my pinky a little to the left, we’d be touching. The tension was so damn thick.
Woods took a slow sip of his drink and dragged his tongue across his bottom lip after, like he was unaware of the effect that shit had. But he knew exactly what he was doing.
The bar had emptied a bit, and I realized we'd been sitting there long enough for the crowd to shift. Most people were knocked out in their gates or pacing around, complaining to the desk agents. But he and I were still locked in.
“You good?” Woods asked, low and smooth, like he already knew the answer.
“I’m alright,” I said, eyes on my glass. “Better now than I was before.”
He nodded slowly, and I caught that ghost of a smile again. The one that barely showed teeth, but hit just the same.Those damn dimples.“Energy feels lighter,” he said.
“That so?”
“Mhm.”
He said it without looking at me, just sitting there all calm like he wasn’t working my nerves in the best way possible. Then he ran his tongue across his bottom lip again, slow as hell. My thighs pressed together instantly.
This man was sitting here, licking his lips like that wasn’t a weapon. Like I wasn’t already wondering what else that mouth could do. What his grip would feel like wrapped around my waist. What kind of pressure he applied when he was deep in it.
He flagged the bartender down and ordered us both another round. And for whatever reason, I let him. Because his energy said he could handle me. And my body was already planning on letting him try.
Iw a s n ’ te v e nsupposed to be by the bar that long. I was trying to get a drink and see what she was on. I leaned back in my seat and watched her laugh at something I said, hand brushing the loose hairs framing her pretty ass face. The snow outside was coming down harder now, but neither of us was in a rush. Funny how delays work sometimes.
We’d been posted at the bar for almost two hours. Autumn made it easy to stay. I ordered us both a fourth drink without asking. She didn’t question it either. She just gave me this little smirk like she was keeping mental notes on everything I did.
Good.
