Rayna
Before I knew it, June had arrived. Petey called me to confirm my dancing at Azmir’s party. I told him I’d been practicing almost daily for it at that point.
“Okay! What song you using so I can tell the D.J.?” he asked.
“My choreographer thought we’d use Jay-Z’s “Hollywood” from the Kingdom Come album.”
“Oh, word?!” he asked with mirthful amusement. “That shit is funny. Jay gonna be there...they gonna get a kick outta dis’ shit!”
“Oh, yeah?” I asked in total shock trying to control my voice since I was in my office at work. I didn’t get the joke, but whatever. Was Azmir really that well known to have the reigning king of Hip-Hop at his birthday party? Butterflies suddenly blossomed in my stomach. This can’t be good.
“Hell yeah! I had Divine’s manager at Cobalt hire dis’ professional party planner and she just faxed me the RSVP’s so far. You know what Im’ma do? Im’ma call Jay and see how we can play dis’ shit out. We gonna make dis’ shit official, ya’ heard me!” he trilled. “I’ll hit you back wit’ dat’ doe.”
I agreed and we hung up, and not a minute too soon because there was a knock at my door. It was Sharon telling me Azmir was here to see me. From the silhouette of a tall and lean man just beyond her, I could surmise he was standing behind her. Panic interrupted my mood. I hadn’t seen him in days and wasn’t prepared to see him in that moment. I prayed to the dear heavens that I was presentable. She knew the policy was to page me from up front when I had a guest. This led me to believe she’d caught on to our special friendship.
“Mr. Jacobs,” I announced with a tremble in my voice as I rose from my desk attempting professionalism in hopes of throwing Sharon off when I’m sure I wasn’t.
“Hello,” he greeted as he graded around Sharon and into my office. Sharon left closing the door right behind her, notwithstanding Azmir’s signature panty-snatching smirk as he thanked her, sending her over the moon.
His unannounced visit concerned me and I felt a bit anxious. But it was the way he looked at me, he always had that intense glare in his eyes. It did things to me. Immediately I thought back to his carnal acts that night at Mahogany. I locked my gaze onto him and tried to mask with my eyes that I wanted to ride him like a cowgirl. Damn, this man is so fine with his tall and chocolate ass! Although I’d hoped he didn’t know what was specifically going through my head, we both chortled as though whatever it was he could guess.
“I wanted to come check you out. It occurred to me this morning that I hadn’t seen you in a few days. I’m sorry for leaving you that night in Venice—”
I couldn’t be indifferent to his usual silky baritone voice, but I interrupted him by saying, “Azmir, I told you that you were forgiven for that. I understand that you’re a busy man and are depended on by many. I’m sure whatever you rushed off to warranted your abrupt departure.” I’d had time to build a resolve. A protective wall.
It killed me that he waited so long to see me after abandoning me that night but within days I recoiled emotionally, I couldn’t allow myself to fall so deep into a man.
Flashing that panty-snatching smile, he told me that my arctic exterior wouldn’t deter him. “That’s why I’m here. I wanted to find out when we can go out again.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Ummm, when did you have in mind?” I walked over to my desk to check my calendar.
“I’m flexible,” he said with those piercing eyes drinking me in while gauging my response.
“How about Sunday? I have a manicure and pedicure appointment but that’s early in the morning. Oh, and I am on call,” I read my calendar out loud, “…though typically, I don’t hear a peep from the call service,” I said continuing my rambling as I searched my calendar.
“Evening is good?”