Page 13 of You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty

“I mean, facts, though. We can’t help being amazing.”

“Yeah … I don’t think you can.” Nasir’s eyes were reflecting the softened lights of the restaurant, and Feyi caught the weight in his voice. She looked down at her hands, the stacked rings she wore, and made small talk as they declined dessert and he picked up the check. When they stepped out of the restaurant, Feyi turned to him. She had to ask, because she was deciding whether she could believe him or not, and there was no point moving forward if she couldn’t.

“Did you mean what you said?”

Nasir was shrugging his jacket back on. “About what?”

“Being friends first. Or was that just a line to get me comfortable?”

He touched her elbow to move her out of the doorway as another couple walked out, guiding her to the side, then looking down at her with a careful seriousness.

“Of course I meant it. Why wouldn’t I?”

Feyi cut her eyes at him. “Come on. Y’all niggas will say anything.”

“Feyi.” Nasir took her hand in his. “I’m trying to get to know you. However you want, at whatever pace you like. If you want to go slow, that’s fine with me.”

“Even though I already hooked up with Milan?” The words felt like a weapon in her mouth, or a shield, or a spear pushing him away. If he was serious, then Nasir had to look at her, the real version, not whatever he was spinning in his head.

He didn’t let go of her hand. “Woman, I told you already. I’m not Milan. I’m not looking for what he was looking for.” Nasir shrugged. “This is different, and I don’t take friendship lightly.”

Feyi kept her voice casual. “Shit, I’m just making sure.”

“Nah, that’s fair. I’m sure niggas be talking a lot of game around you.” He smiled at her. “You doing anything this weekend?”

“Maybe. Why, what’s up?”

Nasir pulled her hand into the crook of his elbow as they started walking to his car. “There’s a Moses Sumney concert Saturday night and Tolu has VIP tickets. Thought you might like to come.”

Feyi laughed. “Yo, Joy would kill me if I went to see Moses without her.”

“She can come, too. Shit, Tolu would probably wet himself if she did.”

It would be fine if Joy was there. Feyi could handle anything if Joy was there. “Okay, cool. Let’s do it.”

Nasir opened her door for her, his face creased in a smile. He looked delighted that she’d agreed. “Sounds like a plan.”

Feyi watched as he walked around to his side of the car, his silhouette graceful and dark. She felt a little jumpy, like this was moving too fast, even though being friends was a slow step. It was supposed to be nonthreatening. It wasn’t meant to feel like she had set off on a river marked with white water, an insistent current taking her around a bend she couldn’t see.

Nasir played one of Moses’s albums as they drove back to her place, and Feyi watched the city speed past her window. The music didn’t need them to talk, so they didn’t, and Feyi wrapped it all around her—the sounds, the feeling of Nasir sitting next to her, the heat off his body, the comfort of knowing he wouldn’t try to press himself against her, not after watching her cry about Jonah. A wave of embarrassment warmed her face, and when Nasir pulled up in front of her building, Feyi unlocked her door quickly.

“Guess I’ll see you on Saturday,” she said.

Nasir grinned and reached over to hug her. “I had a great evening.”

“Same,” Feyi agreed, as his arms slipped around her. She felt his gaze searing at her back as she stepped out of the car. If Nasir was hunting her, then he was patient and he was very good at it. Feyi had stayed lost for a very long time, though. She had no intention of being found.

Chapter Four

Feyi leaned against Nasir’s chest at the concert, his arm wrapped around her waist. They were standing close to the stage, next to Joy and Tolu, watching Moses Sumney sway under the lights with green netting draped around his shoulders. The singer’s eyes were closed as he stretched out his carved arms, his voice piercing the air and glitter shining off his bare chest. Nasir pressed his cheek to Feyi’s braids and sang the lyrics softly to her—“‘I’m not trying to / go to bed with you / I just wanna make out in my car.’” Feyi giggled, warmth rippling over her skin, Nasir’s breath brushing against her ear. He was wearing a black T-shirt and jeans, so casually handsome that both men and women around them kept stealing glances.

“Everyone’s checking you out,” Feyi told him.

Nasir laughed. “Nah, that’s all you.” He dropped his voice as he whispered to her. “You look so fucking beautiful none of us know what to do with ourselves.”

Feyi couldn’t stop the smile that spread over her face in a spill of pleasure, so wide that Joy gave them both an appraising look as she passed Feyi a cocktail in a plastic cup.

“Y’all keep it PG, now,” she warned.