Page 25 of Kove and Xiah

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. That’s a better role for your girlfriend.”

He lifted his glass and those maple hued eyes blazed over my face while the corner of his lip curled sexily. “If I had one, then possibly, but I don’t. So I’m asking you.”

“Then let your agent hire someone, that’s not really my lane.”

“I just need the basics. I’m not asking you to decorate or design shit. Just make sure I can function and have a bed to sleep in.”

“You don’t need me for that,” I argued.

“I disagree. I can pay you for your time…”

I frowned at the thought. “Would you pay your other friends?”

“I don’t really have friends. My circle is very selective.” He extended his arm and turned it so I could see the tattoo. Two letters, DP. They were also on his neck. “This is my family, the people who have this are my family. I don’t do the friend shit because that’s always situational but family is reliable.”

“See, problem solved. You have your family.”

“Why you being so difficult?”

Because I’m married, and as trash as my husband is, I’m no different than him if I do the same thing he’s doing...

I went with, “Can I think about it?”

“That’s better than a no, so yeah, I’ll take that.”

We drank, we talked, we laughed. Kove was nothing like I expected. He had absolutely no filter with me or anyone else but that made for an interesting time. After an hour absorbing his looks, smiles, and conversation, I realized how starved I was for a man’s time and attention. Kove gave me both in a way that felt comfortable but still made me feel deserving. So when the text came through from Koa asking if I was ready to head out, I stared at it for a little too long, debating how to respond.

“You cool?”

“Huh?”

“You been staring at your phone chewing on your lip like you’re trying to solve the Riemann hypothesis.”

I smiled smugly. “Do you know what that is?”

“Yeah man, I know what the fuck that is, and if I cared enough to try, I could probably solve that shit.”

“So you’re one of those?”

“The fuck that mean, Xi?”

“Undercover brainiac.”

The way this man’s face twisted in disgust made me laugh hard. “What’s wrong?”

“Word selection. I’m not undercover about a damn thing in my life.”

I grinned and rolled my eyes. “Okay, you’re smart then.”

“Yeah, I know a lil something. That surprise you?”

“No. When I was going over the contract, you didn’t ask questions, you just let me explain things because you already knew what they meant and the whole thing about the market and your coming in low suggestion about the offer gave it away. I just assumed.”

“But you weren’t gonna say shit?”

“Nope, you used the contract as the reason for wanting to see me. That just means you wanted my time.”

He leaned in closer and his cologne met me before his presence did. “You said yes which means you were cool with me wanting your time.”