by D. Camille
He watched the night traffic.
“When it’s necessary.” Miles replied.
“So why are you calling me if you’re still working?” Liv asked.
“First, so that you can never say again that I didn’t call you,” he said, and Liv rolled her eyes. “Secondly, I hadn’t planned to have to leave so early, and I wanted to check up on you and what’s going on with old dude.”
“He stopped texting.” Liv relayed. “Hopefully, he just keeps it moving.”
“When do you go back?” Miles asked.
“I’m here for two more days.”
He nodded as he drove.
“So I’ll see you for two more days.”
“You’ll see me for dinner.”
Miles grinned. “You like trying to be hard.”
“I am.”
“Actually, you’re soft and warm…and sexy.”
Pausing, Liv pondered his words.
“Thank you for the compliment.” She whispered.
Miles picked up on her hesitation.
“What’s up with that?” he asked, and continued to drive.
“What?”
“Why are you getting all shy?”
“I’m not.”
Frowning, he replied, “Yeah...you were.”
“Uh...you caught me off guard.” Liv told him. “I wasn’t expecting you to say something like that.”
Miles smiled. “You’re a closet romantic.”
“No. I’m not.”
“Yeah...you are.”
She smiled. “How are you going to tell me what I am?”
“You want to be tough and in control…” he trailed off.
“But?” Liv asked.
“You like that sweet shit.”
Liv sat back on the bed, envisioning the man on the other line.
“Clearly, I’m not very familiar with that…” she told him.
“Because you’ve been wasting time with dudes who can’t read you.” Miles explained.
“You think you can?”
Miles stopped at a light.
“You think I can’t?” he questioned.
“You’re not the only one who’s hella complex.” Liv stated.
“Never said that I was…”
He waited for the green signal, then took off.
“So you just called to bother me?”
Miles laughed. “I guess so. You didn’t mind me bothering you earlier.”
“I didn’t say that you were bothering me then…”
“You had me bothered.”
Liv smiled. “Good.”
“That’s cool, though...because I’m going to let you bother the hell out of me.”
“Well, thank you.” Liv said flatly.
“It’s a privilege.” Miles told her. “Don’t take it for granted.”
She couldn’t help but chuckle.
“I wonder if all this bravado is just an act...or can you really back this up?” Liv asked.
Miles maneuvered into a parking spot in front of a building.
“Bravado?” he questioned. “Baby, that’s Detroit swagg…”
“Oh, Detroit swagg...I didn’t know.”
“You’d better ask somebody before you get caught up.” He told her.
“I will consider myself warned.”
Miles cut the engine and looked out the window. “Check this out, I’ve got to get back to work, and I’ll let you get some sleep.” He said quietly.
“Have a good night at...work.”
“Have sweet dreams, country girl.” Miles replied. “I’ll pick you up around seven.”
Liv agreed. “I’ll see you then.”
Ending the call, Miles exited the vehicle and walked around to the back of the building. Knowing that the occupants kept the door unlocked for visitors, he headed quietly inside. Pulling his weapon out, he burst through the door.
“Put your fucking hands up!” Miles shouted.
Everyone in the studio turned to look at him.
“Miles! What the hell you doing, man?” the guy recording in the booth asked after coming out of the box with his hands in the air.
“Y’all slipping.” Miles said laughing. “Y’all asses gonna get robbed or killed up in here trying to make some damn beats.”
They all looked at him, as he put his gun away.
“Steve, I need to holla at you.” Miles turned toward the booth. “I understand you’ve got some information I need to know.”
Chapter 3
Miles awakened in his bed the next morning and looked over at the clock. Groaning, he threw an arm over his eyes. After a minute, he reached for his phone and began scanning through the texts. There were quite a few ‘good morning baby’...including some invitations to breakfast, lunch, dinner and...whatever.
Wiping a hand down his face, he turned and looked at the empty bed beside him. Exactly the way Miles liked it. Growing up with a mother who was a combination of angry and in pain most days, he wasn’t one who’d received a lot of womanly nurturing.
He didn’t require somebody draped all over him and all up in his space. Miles’ home was his sanctuary. He’d worked hard and gotten himself together, purchased a nice home and car. His closet was filled with clothes and his fridge filled with food. Miles was content with his life, and wasn’t about to let anything mess it up...especially a woman.
Miles kept that aspect of his life in line. Like he’d told Liv last night...he kept his females in check. Everyone knew that they weren’t ‘the one’ and as long as you played by the rules, you could stay in the rotation. Otherwise you were cut immediately from the team.
Climbing from the bed, Miles walked his naked form into the attached bathroom. Looking in the mirror, he rubbed his face and beard.
“Shit, I’m getting too old to be hanging with those young dudes.” He sighed and touched him throbbing head, which was a reminder of his night. Miles reached into the shower and started the water, then grabbed a towel from the folded pile on a rack.
Miles smiled at the professionally decorated space. Growing up, he’d had very little due to his mother’s illness. His brother, Lance, had done the best he could, but he’d been just a boy himself basically. Miles had taken the opposite direction of Lance and tried to take the easy way out.
However, he was no longer that young boy on the wrong path. He’d accomplished goals and made his own way. Miles was his own man and lived his life the way he chose. However, he gave props to his big brother and admired the man he’d worked hard to become.
Stepping underneath the hot stream, Miles let the water cover his body, while his mind filled with images of a fiery-haired woman, with a personality to match. Liv from Dallas had become his latest interest.
He hadn’t received a good morning baby text from her this morning, but that would change. Last night, Miles had wanted to stay and do more than kiss her, but he was on a mission to rectify that. Business came before pleasure...put pleasure was only on hold for the moment.
After showering, Miles picked a suit out of his closet and got dressed. Checking himself in the mirror, he nodded his approval after tightening his tie.
“This is almost a curse to look this good…”
Heading out to his car, Miles climbed inside and received a text. Taking note he started the engine and drove over to Katydids. His choice of music this morning was old school R & B.
Bobbing his head to the music, he began to sing along the way he loved to do. Women loved to hear him sing...a talent that he’d kept hidden for a long time, and now only shared on certain occasions.
Caught up in a song, Miles arrived at the restaurant owned by his brother and sister-in-law. Whereas Lance had found his love as a boy and reunited with her as an adult, Miles had no long lost loves nor current ones. He was in love with life and living it.
Exiting the SUV, he walked inside and saw the bag of food awaiting him. Smiling at the hostess, he took out his wallet.
“Good morning, Miles.”
“Good morning,” he replied.
“Everything’s ready for you.” She told him.
Extracting a bill, he handed it to her. “Here you go.”
“You know that you don’t have to pay.”
“It’s for you.” He winked at her. “Thanks for getting it ready.”
She took the bill with a smile. “Anything for you…”
Miles picked up the bag and headed back outside. As he drove, he looked at his city...the place where he was born and raised. He was as committed to Detroit as his brother, the Negus and these little new dudes who called themselves the Neo Negus.
“What the hell is that?” Miles said frowning. “Neo Negus...getting kidnapped by some crazy ass twins. Dumbasses…”
A few minutes later, he arrived at the house and grabbed the food to carry it inside. Using his key, he opened the door and stepped inside.
“Mama!” He called out, closing the door behind him.
“What the hell are you yelling for?” she called back. “You know I’m here.”
Miles rolled his eyes and headed in the direction of her voice. Seeing her in the bed, he walked over and looked down at her.
“Why are you still in the bed?” he asked.
“Because I’m not up yet.” She stared at him.
“Can you get up, because I brought your breakfast.”
Glancing at the bag in his hand, she sat up.
“Go put it on some plates and I’ll be ready.”
“I come at the same time every day.” Miles told her. “Why are you never up?”
Pat Johnson frowned.
“Don’t come in here talking to me like that!’
“I’m just asking a question.”
“It’s not like you’re paying for the food.” Pat lifted a brow. “Khayla and Lance send these meals to me.”
Now he frowned. “But, I’m the one driving across town to bring it to you.”
“You can’t do that for your Mama?” she accused.
“I don’t have a problem bringing your breakfast.” Miles told her. “But I don’t have an hour everyday to wait for you to get up...I have work to do.”
“What? You don’t like crawling out your women’s beds in the morning?” Pat asked.
Miles turned and walked toward the kitchen, not wanting to argue with his mother because she could go with the best of them. He sat the bag down and turned on the oven, knowing that by the time she was ready to eat, he’d have to reheat the food he’d brought.
Taking a seat at the table, he took out his phone and decided to place his own good morning baby call. Dialing the number, he waited.
“Hello?” a sweet voice answered.
Miles smiled. “Good morning.”
“Good morning, Miles.”
“Did I wake you?”
“No, I’m up. I’m having breakfast with my sister, and she’ll be here soon.”
He sat back. “Did you miss me last night?”
“No.”
Laughing softly, he said, “I don’t believe you.”
“There’s nothing I can do about that.”
“Are you looking forward to dinner?” Miles asked.
“Yes,” Liv replied. “So that I can finally find out what you do. I Googled you and I couldn’t find anything.”
“You Googled me?”
She confessed. “I did.”
“If you’re nice to me tonight, you can find out all that you want to know about me.” He teased.
“What is your definition of nice?”
“I’m not talking about giving up your priceless ass.”
Liv chuckled. “I see that amused you.”
He nodded. “It did. I’ve never heard no shit like that before…”
“I’m not the average…”
“You’re ahead of the curve?”
“Can’t even see it in my rearview.”
Miles lifted a brow. “So now I have to ask...is all this bravado for real?”
“If you’re nice to me tonight, maybe you’ll find out.” Liv replied.
“That’s not all I’m trying to find out.” He said sexily.
Liv smiled. “Me either…”
“Keep the rest of your evening free,” Miles told her.
“So this is more than dinner?”
“Oh, hell yeah…”
Liv paused and frowned at the next words she heard.
“Can I eat?” the woman’s voice asked agitated. “Or are you too busy trying to get between another woman’s legs?”
Miles looked up as his mother stood in the door.
“Uh...I’ll let you go.” Liv said quietly in his ear, and his eyes narrowed at Pat.
“I’m sorry Liv,” Miles said softly. “I’ll see you later.”
“If you need to cancel…” she began.
“I’ll be there at seven.”
Ending the call, Miles looked up at Pat.
******
Liv stared at the phone after Miles hung up.
“Whoa…” she breathed. “Who the hell was that?”
Shaking her head, Liv wondered if she should text him and cancel their dinner. She hadn’t come to Detroit to be involved in any drama. She avoided that like the plague, and she wasn’t about to be whipping another woman’s ass over Miles.
Her sister entered the apartment and Liv smiled at the glow on her face. Standing, she went to her and the women hugged.
“Congratulations, again…” Liv told her with a tight squeeze.
“I can’t believe this is real,” Taylor replied. “And that this is my life…”
Pulling back, Liv looked at her.
“You deserve it.” She told Taylor.
“Thank you for coming.” Taylor replied. “I was so surprised.”
“Mathias is a good man.”
Taylor smiled. “He’s a great man...and I love him so much.”
“Did you two have a good engagement night?” Liv asked as the two moved to the sofa.
“It was the best night of my life.” Taylor shared, then looked at Liv. “Did Miles stay here last night?”
Liv watched Taylor look around her place, then hit her on the arm.
“Stop!” Liv told her. “First of all, I wasn’t having sex with Miles in your place. This is your home...and I’m not out here like that.”
Taylor looked at her. “So what happened when he brought you back?”
“We talked, and kissed. Then, he had work to do…”
“You like him.” Taylor said assuredly. “Your aura is romantic but confused.”
Liv nodded. “Yes, Miles does confuse me.”
“How?”
“What does he do, Taylor?” Liv asked. “I Goggled the man and couldn’t find a damn thing.”
“Did you ask him?”
Giving her a look, Liv answered, “Of course.”
“What did he tell you?”
“He’s playing games, saying that he’ll tell me tonight if I have dinner with him.”
Taylor shrugged. “Then have dinner with him. You want to…”
“I did, but now I don’t know.”
“What changed your mind?” Taylor asked.
“He called this morning,” Liv explained. “A good morning baby call…”
Chuckling, Taylor said, “I bet he gets a lot of those.”
“He sure as hell wasn’t getting one from me.” Liv said firmly.
“What did he say?”
Liv frowned. “He was talking all sweet and sexy…” she paused. “Then an angry woman asked if she could eat or was he too busy trying to get between another woman’s legs.”
Taylor’s eyes widened.
“What did you say?”
“Well, he apologized and said that he’d see me later…” Liv replied. “I started to tell him that he could cancel, but he cut me off and said that he’d be here at seven.”
“Who do you think it was?” Taylor asked.
Liv looked confused. “Did you not hear me say that it w
as an angry woman? I’m not trying to get mixed up in Miles’ shit. I don’t want static with these Detroit women.”
“You think it’s his girlfriend?”
Again Liv frowned. “Taylor, baby...men like Miles don’t have girlfriends. Men like Mathias have girlfriends.”
“What does Miles have?”
“To put it bluntly...women he fucks.”
“Liv!”
Liv shrugged. “We’re grown Taylor.”
Taylor shook her head. “This is why you were always in trouble with the Colonel.”
“Because I told him the truth…” Liv replied. “And he didn’t like it…”
“I admired how you always stood up to him.”
Liv took Taylor’s hand. “And I’m sorry you had to take his misdirected anger…”
“It was worth it to see you continue to be free to use your voice.”
“I’m glad you’ve learned to use yours.” Liv squeezed her hand.
Looking at her sister, Taylor said, “So, are you planning to be one of the women that Miles sleeps with?”
Liv laughed. “You’re so sweet, and yes...I’m going to fuck Miles.”
Taylor blinked. “OLivia Jones.”
“I am...no need in lying.” Liv said, standing to her feet. “He’s fine, he’s sexy, he’s interesting and I’m sure it will be memorable as hell…”
“And then what?”
“Then I’ll take my satisfied ass back to Dallas and continue to live my life.” Liv said simply.
“How can you do that?”
Liv paused. “You do know that I’m not a nun in Dallas?”
Taylor shook her head. “I’m just nowhere near that lane…”
“I know. Your lane is Mathias Roberts. He’s all that you need.” Liv told her.
“What do you need, Liv?”
“Tonight, Miles Johnson.” She answered. “Tomorrow...possibly Miles Johnson again, before I get on a plane.”
“What about these other women?” Taylor questioned.
“Not my problem.”
“You don’t care?”
Liv paused. “Come to think of it, I should probably stop and get my own condoms or do you still have the ones you bought?”
Taylor flushed. “Mathias has me well stocked.”
“That’s my man, Mathias.” Liv said with a smile. “You can always count on him.”
“Stop.”
“I can’t wait for you to marry him.”
Smiling, Taylor said, “I can’t either.” Her smile fell. “You’ll probably be my only family at the wedding.”
