Page 7 of Calculated Kisses with a Scorpio (BLP Signs of Love #10)

“Calm down, and let him go, baby girl.”

I didn’t want to give in, but Kairo’s lips pressed against my ear shifted my focus.

My goal had been to mop the floor with Benny’s ass, but as I dangled in Kairo’s arms, I knew that wasn’t happening. He held me like I weighed eighty pounds instead of two hundred fifty. Had this happened at any other time, I would have probably swooned, but right now, murder was on my mind.

I gripped Benny’s hair tighter for good measure, and his knees buckled slightly.

“Ah! You stupid bitch!” His long fingers wrapped around my wrist. A searing pain shot up my arm, and I screamed.

With my free hand, I punched him on top of his head until he let my wrist go.

“You bottom of the barrel ass trick!” I yelled as my body was lifted up higher, and suddenly, I faced the back of Jacob’s office.

Kairo had put me over his shoulder.

“If there is any evidence on her wrist from you grabbing her, you gon’ have to see me.”

Kairo walked out of Jacob’s office, and his long legs carried us to the front door.

“Wait, I have to get my stuff.” I huffed.

I slid down his hard body, and once again, my focus shifted.

Kairo and I stared at each other like we were the only people in the studio.

Ashley clearing her throat pulled my attention from Kairo, and that irritated me.

I already didn’t like her because of her role in the end of my relationship, but interrupting my moment with Kairo was going to have her knotted up like her fiancé.

Her eyes bounced from me to Kairo, and she had the audacity to look pissed.

I never understood everyone’s need to fuck with me when I stayed to myself, but Ashley was begging for me to go off on her next.

“Can I help you?”

I guessed my irritation showed, because Kairo placed his hand on my lower back and angled his body to block mine.

“I was told to call the police if you don’t leave.”

“She is grabbing her stuff, then we’ll be out. Go back to what you were doing instead of trying to find a way to insert yourself in some shit that don’t concern you, shorty.”

Kairo pushed me away from Ashley toward the back of the building.

He had no way of knowing our lockers were back there, but he was 100 percent sure my stuff wasn’t near her.

Not in the mood to be here any longer, I walked toward the back, and I caught Benny staring at me.

Had Kairo not been here, I was sure we would have been in a full-on fist fight.

I hated everything about him, and the narcissist in him played the victim to my reactions, but no one ever asked what he did to me to make me react the way I had.

Benny was the reason I’d just lost my job, and no one could convince me otherwise.

When I came in this morning, Jacob had been pissed about me going dark, but he told me I had one more time to mess up, so me being fired after working the whole morning made no sense.

“You fucking with him now? What? You using him for his money, too?”

“You wish I?—”

“Go get your stuff. We have a reservation, and you know how Texas traffic is. Don’t talk to her; she busy.” Kairo used his chin to reinforce his point of me getting my stuff.

“She don’t need you speaking for?—”

I slid my body in front of Kairo and pushed back.

He grabbed my hip and dug his fingers in my skin.

Why was that erotic? I needed to focus because I didn’t need Kairo getting in no trouble behind me.

Every part of me was attracted to him, but I would have to tell him I needed space because my life was out of control, and I had nothing to offer him.

Not even friendship.

“Come with me.” I linked our fingers, pulled him to the back where the lockers were, and grabbed my purse and my bedazzled tumbler. “What is your birthday?” I asked randomly.

“November fifteenth, why?”

“Just curious . . .”

A November Scorpio.

For some reason, that made the pull I felt between us make so much sense.

As a hobby, I studied the zodiac signs, and every book I read said Cancers and Scorpios were compatible.

I knew there was more to people than the distinction of their signs, but I got a kick out of watching someone and their behavior aligning with what I read.

It also made for interesting conversations.

From what I could remember from my reading, Scorpios were passionate, loyal, intense, and mysterious, everything Kairo had displayed in less than twenty-four hours.

“I got these for you,” Kairo said when we reached Ashley’s desk.

The bouquet was stunning, and the sunflower touch made me smile.

I looked up at him and tried to take the vase from him, but he shook his head.

Kairo carried it out of the studio, and I was so in love with my flowers I didn’t even look back to mourn a job that had been a part of me for the last seven years of my life.

“These are so beautiful. How did you know sunflowers were my favorite? Is that what you asked my daddy about yesterday?”

Kairo chuckled. “I pay attention. You have a sunflower on the back of your neck. When I peeped your keychain a minute ago, I knew I’d made the right choice in my selection.

” He paused to help me in his car and secure the vase in the backseat.

“I didn’t talk to your father about your favorite flower, but I’ll tell you what we discussed over lunch. ”

I only nodded because Kairo didn’t really leave any room for back-and-forth.

Earlier, I told myself that I would ask for space because I didn’t have anything to offer him, but Kairo didn’t come across as the type to really require anything.

However, I did have to think about work because, since moving in with my parents, their bills went up.

Not having an income was unacceptable. I’d spend time with Kairo today, because part of me felt like I deserved to be considered, but after this outing, we’d have to go our separate ways. I jumped when I felt a hand on mine.

Looking to my left, I found that we were parked, and Kairo had cut the car off.

“Dang, I didn’t even realize I’d zoned out that much. I’m sorry, that wasn’t very polite of me.”

“It’s cool. The last twenty-four hours have been against you like you have a debt you ain’t paid.”

Nothing about what I had been through between yesterday and today was funny, but I cackled.

“Please! Sis really has it out for me right now.”

Kairo squeezed my hand and smiled at me.

I didn’t know this man from a can of paint, but I was sure he never had to worry about meeting ends and what it was like to feel weighed down by life itself.

No way did I believe that Kairo never had a bad day, but I doubted he ever had to worry about money or having his heart broken and having to start over.

I would do anything to be able to retire my family so my parents could travel the world like they wanted, to buy Kemi the car shop he had been dreaming about since we were little, and for me to open a relaxation boutique.

Those were just dreams, though, because we all made a little above minimum wage, so the best we could do was take a Christmas family vacation like we did every year.

“Come on. We got five minutes before they give our reservation away.”

I nodded. Kairo climbed out and walked around the car to let me out.

“Where are we having . . .” My words trailed off as I stared at the Botanic Gardens sign.

“I changed the course of our plans when I arrived at your job. The plan was to go somewhere fancy so I could show off.” He smiled.

“But I noticed how peaceful you seemed after sitting in your backyard, so I had my assistant—who is really my little sister—set this up for us. We have the place for four hours, so we’ll eat, and then you can take your time exploring. ”

Unwanted tears filled my eyes.

This was all overwhelming. Why was this man that I hadn’t even known for a full twenty-four hours acting like this?

Granted, I knew of him because the name Kairo Moore was known to pretty much the entire state of Texas, but what did he want from me?

I looked away to try and gather myself, but Kairo used his finger to bring my face back to his.

I opened my mouth to speak, but we were interrupted by someone noticing Kairo.

“Mr. Moore?” Irritation flashed in his eyes, but it wasn’t there for long. “We’re set up for your lunch, and I’ll be your guide for the afternoon.”

“Cool. You ready?” He never took his eyes off me, even as he spoke to the man.

“Yes,” I whispered.

With his hand on my lower back, Kairo led me to the guide who escorted us inside and to where we’d have lunch.

Coming here had been on my bucket list for years, but I never really had the money to spare because something always came up.

Twelve dollars wasn’t a lot, but when I had to factor in rideshare and cut off notices, it felt like it.

My parents and Kemi had given me money for my birthday, so I decided to get the bracelet with it, but then Kairo gave it to me.

I hadn’t even thought of what I could do with the birthday money when Kairo was once again showing up in a way no one else had before.

My brain wanted to accuse him of being some sort of stalker, but it wasn’t that at all.

I trusted my gut, and she let me know we were safe with him.

“It’s beautiful in here. Four hours might not be enough.”

“Well, if it’s not, we can come back.”

“Hmm, . . . maybe.”

Kairo chuckled and helped me into the chair.

The food was covered, but whatever it was smelled amazing. Kairo sat then blessed our food. When I removed the silver lid off mine, I almost fell out of my seat.

He’d ordered soul food from the best diner in Rushin Springs, The Moore Factory.

“Oh my gosh! How did you know this was my favorite guilty pleasure?” My head snapped up. “Are you spying on me? First, you’re at my house, then my job when I know I didn’t give you the information, and now my favorite restaurant. What’s going on? I will scream,” I let him know.