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“I know I am.”
“There goes that smart-ass mouth. You interested in helping? For a price of course.”
“Maybe.” She continued to stroll as the conversation died. We were coming up on the last visible room, and I didn’t want my time with her to end.
“What was it like when you were growing up?”
“Normal. In high school I was a cheerleader. Had a good number of friends. The usual. You seem like a ladies man. Am I right?”
“Maybe when I was a kid. I’m a man now. How’d you end up here? In Michigan I mean.”
Her disposition changed greatly. The discomfort was riddled throughout her body. Stiff shoulders and lips pulled into a tight line. It was like she caught herself easing and placed her guard back up in seconds.
“We should talk about what is expected of this job. I want specifics,” she deflected.
“You gone open up to me one day, Le.”
Another eye roll, but at least this time she didn’t tell me not to call her that. I took that as progress. “What would you charge for your services? I trust that you can decorate a home and make it more welcoming.”
“First of all I don’t decorate, I transform spaces. What’s your budget?”
“I can afford it.”
She smiled.Two.She walked upstairs and I gladly trailed behind and watched the rhythmic sway of her hips.
“I changed my mind. The master bedroom is my favorite. Damn this is perfect! What’s the price tag on something like this?”
“This one sits at 1.7, but I’m sure I could go for two if I wanted.”
“You should!”
“I need to. I have a month to get off these next four properties.”
“You owe someone?” she asked. “I mean I need to know what I’m dealing with. I’m not judging your past but it seems crazy that you would have all this after, ya know.”
“After rehab?” I extended the lifeline and she nodded. “What I build means everything to me. More than my own life, honestly, because I was always told it was something that I could never accomplish. I went to school for it and got my degree with no support. Anything I built, I promised myself I couldn’t get so low to fuck with them. Well, one thing I learned quickly about drugs is that it will make you break promises to yourself. I went from having fourteen homes to having eight. When I felt myself spiraling I deeded my last ones to a friend I could trust and made him promise not to let me sell them. Once I finished rehab I liquidated the three homes that I had spread out over the country so I can make a run at it here.”
“You didn’t answer me, though. Do you owe anybody?”
“Damn you serious?”
“Dead serious.”
“I don’t know what types you used to but I don’t bring my shit to nobody. It was a reason I wasn’t around for a while. I wasn’t going to let my wounds bleed on you. I was serious about making sure I was straight. I’m not hiding from nothingor nobody.” I connected with her and I felt her heat rise which drew me closer. I loved the fact that she told me not to touch her. She demanded her respect and it had the opposite effect of what she thought. Challenges were my favorite as well, and she was meeting me at every angle. “May I? It’s hot in here ain’t it?” I pulled the hem of her coat and she gave me a girlish grin.
“I think I’m fine. You won’t give me no dick anyway, so what’s the point of taking off clothes.”
“Does the way you speak make other men uncomfortable?”
“What do you mean?” She twisted her lips slightly.
“You say things when you are uncomfortable to make others feel the same way. Does it usually work for you?”
“Whatever. Don’t try to put me on a couch, Prince. I am just young, wild, and free. I believe you think you can tame me, and trust me, you are barking up the wrong tree.” She turned around, spread her arms wide, and backed up until her hands wrapped around the balcony. She leaned against it. “I would like to help you with the sale of your homes, though. I’m sure we can have a working relationship. You respect me, and I respect you, and we won’t have any problems.”
“Taming you is the last thing on my mind. I like your wild ass the way you are. I want way more than what’s on the surface. There is so much more to you than you are showing me. That’s a prize I’m willing to work for. Earning you would be my absolute pleasure.”
“You think that’s what you want but I’m telling you it’s not what you think. I haven’t met a man that could handle my mouth full time, and plus, I got issues, baby. Real ones.”
