“Damn,” he said smoothly and gave a deep exhale. My cheeks flushed. “Okay, gorgeous. Just before you burst through those doors and in to my dreams—I mean this room.” Another round of laughs from the room. He laughed, too. “I was asking someone to pick a old school Trey Songz hit that we can kick the show off with. I want to show a little evolution, you know what I mean, baby?” I couldn’t get past his accent, it really didn’t come across in his music.
I played along with his flirtatious gaze piercing into my eyes and gave it right back to him. “Hmmmmm…” Instantly, my contemplative thoughts turned vindictive. “…Can’t Help But Wait,” I said, suggestively.
His head jolted and he flared that seductive smile that made all the girls go crazy. “Okay, that’s a good one.” He looked over his shoulder at one of his band members, giving a nod to cue the music. “Damn, I was wishing you’d say something like Does He Do It…or Invented Sex!” A light chortle slipped, pushing air through my nose. He was a coquettish man. “Alright. I’ll let you get back to your date.” For my participation, he awarded me a wet kiss on the cheek and then hit the stage to start the song.
I found my way back to Azmir who was sitting evenly with a pokerfaced expression. I sat next to him and right away was hit with all the emotions I’d previously been plagued with before my run in with Trey. I had to confront this Dawn Taylor issue and right away. She wasn’t going away easily and Azmir didn’t seem to be pushing her either. I knew we couldn’t continue like this. It was making me insecure and paranoid.
“Interesting choice of song,” Azmir finally spoke. I didn’t know what that meant, but decided carefully on my response.
“Not really,” I shrugged. “Now, ‘roommate’…that is an interesting choice of words. Isn’t that how you termed our relationship to Dawn Taylor?” My tone was even as I trained my eyes to his.
Azmir’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t speak. And wisely.
Turning my eyes from him, back toward the stage, I hissed, “Yeah. Let’s go.” And without giving eye contact, I stood and headed to the door at a non-alarming, but purposeful speed. I knew Azmir and Marcus were awkwardly on my heels.
While we were outside waiting for Ray to pull up, Azmir turned to me and informed in his CEO mien, “I’m not sure what you thought you heard in there, but I can assure you it wasn’t anything to be upset about.”
I shot him a look of death. Azmir had the inimitable and exquisite ability to bring calm to an alarming situation by calling on his authoritative demeanor. It could be effective in the severest of situations. But I wouldn’t give his controlled nature any room. There was too much to unload in public and I didn’t want to create a scene, so I didn’t respond.
Our entire trip to the marina was silent just like our trip back from San Diego earlier that day. He all but slammed the door to the apartment as we entered and roared, “What’s the problem?”
I turned, alarmed by his audacity and muttered, “I can’t do this anymore.”
“Do what anymore? What did I miss?”
“A whole hell of a lot. Tonight was filled with face-offs with your ex-girlfriends, ex-lovers, and wanna-be lovers. It’s all too much for just a roommate!” I yelled, feeling my rage rising.
With furrowed brows he asked, “Ex-girlfriends? What are you talking about?”
“Tara was there. Did you not see her?”
“No, I didn’t,” he muttered broodingly.
I squinted my eyes, studying his telling body language. “You don’t sound convincing to me, Azmir.”
He cut me an eye, telling me he didn’t appreciate my insinuation of him lying. “I saw her boyfriend there, so it comes to no surprise.” His voice was terrifyingly crisp. But I refused to back down.
“Azmir, why did you ask me to move in? What are we doing here? Why am I even here?” my voice cracked.
“Because I want you here, with me. I want you to share in my…!”
“Again, at a loss for words, just like you were earlier with Dawn,” I shot at him, with of acerbity. “Have you fucked her yet?”