Page 34 of Weddings on the West: Vol. I Brick & Destiny

“I never had to do this whole first date shit. Usually, I call, they come. My Pops died when I was a lil’ nigga, so I never got that whole run down on what to do and what not to do. I actually…” He paused and laughed. “I went to talk to Kilo’s best friend Drew. He’s the only person I know that’s married… Hell he’s the only person I know in a real relationship. He told me to get you flowers. I didn’t call ahead, and them muhfuckas didn’t have one single rose in the whole store,” he scoffed.

“Well, you got lucky. I prefer tulips,” I said with a smile. I had never been a rose girl.

“You do?” he asked, looking at me in disbelief. “Okay, good. Then he told me to compliment you and keep the cussing to a minimum, but when I saw you… a nigga really froze. Embarrassing as fuck.”

“I’m used to the cussing.” I smiled and shook my head, looking off. “And the compliment worked, it felt good to know I had you speechless.”

“Chill out.” He chuckled, starting up his truck so we could head out. “Ain’t nobody said all that.”

“Yeah,” I teased. “Because you couldn’t say anything.” I went in for the kill, making a face like a dying fish to mock how he stood there looking at me in my living room.

“Man, fuck you, Peep,” he said with a laugh. I was just happy that he was back to his usual cocky self because if we were both nervous, this would have been a disaster.

“What you tryna listen to?” he asked.

“Oh, I get to pick this time?” Usually, he had me in there trying to tune out his old school hip-hop.

“I told you that a nigga was trying to be chivalrous, but if you want me to put on some Blueprint, I can.”

“Can we listen to the new Ava Melody album?” I asked.

“I guess,” he said with a fake sneer while mumbling to himself. “Got me in here listening to this soft ass shit.” I rolled my eyes back, almost melting when he shot me a playful smile. He hit a button and turned on a song from her latest album, Songbird. I swayed to the music as we rode in silence for a bit, then he spoke again.

“Destiny! Girl, what the fuck?! You talk about my music when you got this freak shit in your playlist?”

“What?” I whined. I was so busy listening to the melody that I hadn’t absorbed any of the words.

“Yeah. She’s on here singing about how she wants to tie her nigga up and ride the dick til he can’t take it… This what you on?” His eyes held an accusatory stare as my face heated up.

“N-No! I haven’t heard this one before. I just heard the album was good! It’s not that bad.” By that point, I was actively listening to the lyrics, and that only made me redder.

Wait… she wants him to put his tongue WHERE?

Yeah, she was nasty. The worst part was that I couldn’t admit to anything, or he would turn the rap back on. I stayed quiet and swayed as she crooned about all the nasty things she wanted to do with her secret lover. She was just in the middle of a very descriptive verse about being bent over a balcony while someone else watched them when we pulled up to Mya’s, an upscale restaurant downtown with a waiting list longer than the church’s fraudulent expense report.

As soon as he put his truck in park, I hopped out, hoping it would relieve my embarrassment… and maybe some of the throbbing between my legs. He chuckled and met me on my side while I looked at the ground to avoid his eyes.

“Peep?”

“Yes, Brickly?”

“Can I…” His voice trailed off cautiously.” Can I kiss you right now?”

“What? Why would you do that?”

“Because I haven’t been able to think of anything other than kissing you for real since I left your apartment last night. I heard the most awkward part of the date is anticipating the kiss at the end, so why don’t we get it out the way now?” At that moment, I understood how he had every woman in the city throwing their panties at him… The nigga was smooth, even through his alleged nerves. I narrowed my eyes at him and took a step back.

“Who said I was letting you kiss me at the end of this date?” I put my hand on my hip.

“So, you telling me no?” he asked, backing me into the car so I had nowhere to run.

“I-I…”

His hand gently grabbed the side of my neck, and he used his thumb to trace my jawline. I didn’t answer, so he asked again.

“Can I kiss you, Destiny?” This time I nodded and his lips met mine in a slow, tender kiss with just the slightest amount of tongue. It felt like it went on forever, but was over too soon as I found myself instantly missing the feel of his lips on mine and his hand on my waist. I bit my bottom lip as he smirked and stepped back.

“I feel better, don’t you?” He asked, pressing his forehead into mine.