Page 55 of Terms of the Flight

“Nope,” Da’ana sang.

Khaleya walked past me and into the corridor heading for the steps, so I followed close behind her.

“So, you plan to continue to ignore me?”

“No, but I still have to cook a dish to bring to dinner at my parents’ place. So if you want to talk, it looks like you’re going to the grocery store with me.”

I shook my head and followed behind her until she was heading in the direction of her car. I reached out and touched her shoulder.

“Nah, I’m driving. My car is over here.” I pointed in the direction of my car.

She shrugged and followed me over. “I didn’t think you drove.”

“Why?”

I walked over to the passenger door to open it for her and waited for her to slip inside.

“I’ve never seen you drive before. That’s why.”

I nodded and closed her door. Once I was in the driver’s seat, I looked over in her direction.

“Valid. Where to?”

“Kroger.”

I nodded and put on my seatbelt before pulling off. We drove in silence for five minutes before Khaleya dramatically turned in her seat to face me.

“Is this what you popped up at my place unannounced for?” she asked.

I peered over at her, then back at the road.

“What you mean?”

She waved her hand between us. “You’ve been silent for the last five minutes. I thought you had a speech or something for me. But no, you’re over there acting like we’ve been talking every day.”

I chuckled with a shake of my head. “I’m not acting like anything. I can’t make you talk to me. I wasn’t the one who went silent, Doll. I came over here because I figured this would give us the push we needed to get to the point of the silence. I don’t know how else to tell you I want this for real.”

She slammed her back into the seat and turned to face forward.

“It’s not that simple. That’s your problem. You have every tool necessary to take risks in your life at the tip of your fingers. I could lose so much, but yet I could gain everything if this worked. I don’t believe money is the answer to my happiness. I’m not silly enough to believe that. But it sure as hell could make things a little more comfortable.”

I continued to drive, not interrupting her. I wanted her, but I didn’t want her to feel like it was a loss to choose me. Shit, thatdefinitely did something to my ego to hear that. But I also knew that wasn’t exactly what she’d said. I was just so used to never hearing no. The fact that she was sitting next to me acting like, if we were together, I wouldn’t make sure she had everything she could ever want in life, made me want her more.

Khaleya was nothing like any other woman I’d met before. She wanted to build her empire on her own, which I could understand. I felt the same way with my business when my pops loaned me the starter money. I made it back and some to give him in return.

“I don’t want to confuse you. I want you, and I want to try this. I have fun with you, surprisingly.”

I glanced over at her with a lift of my brow, causing her to crack up laughing.

“Doll, I’ve been trying to ignore the offensive shit you been saying. Stop acting like you don’t know I’m him. Shit, I know you have a good time when you’re with me, because it’s the same for me when I’m with you. I don’t recall the last time I laughed this much with anyone.”

I reached across the armrest for her hand, which she gladly slipped into mine. I ran my thumb across her knuckles as I continued to drive, until we arrived at Kroger. I got the closest parking spot I could.

Once we made it inside, I grabbed the cart and followed behind her. I don’t remember the last time I’d been in a grocery store. I had a chef who cooked all my meals, because I didn’t have much time to sit around cooking a damn thing.

“Why do you look like a child who is visiting an amusement park for the first time?” she asked.

“Don’t do me like that. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve been in a grocery store. But what are you getting from here?” I asked.