Smoke and Mirrors (DE)

22. Scorned ex

" This nigga Dre childish as fuck," Joseph mumbled under his breath shaking his head as he looked out of the tinted window of their suburban. Him and Grace sat in the back seat waiting as Tre parked the truck. Grace giggled, looking over at Joseph who blew smoke out of the cracked window. " This nigga turning 30 and of all the shit we could do he want to go bowling like we some kids,"

" Bowling is fun," Grace protested with an excited smile.

" No the fuck it's not," He grumbled putting his blunt out.

" Why are you being so grumpy today?" Grace asked, sliding across the leather seats closer to Joseph. " Stop being mean,"

" I ain't,"

" Yes you are," Grace laughed gently grabbing his chin and making him look at her. She batted her long lashes at him looking into his dark intense eyes with a gentle smile as she soothingly tugged at his beard. " It's okay to not be so serious all the time,"

Joseph genuinely didn't have a reason to be in a bad mood today, it was just one of those days where he'd woken up on the wrong side of the bed which he had sometimes just like every other human being. Grace just had a way about her— she was always able to reground Joseph when he was like this and snap him out of his grumpy funk and she was the only one that could do that. Her touch and aura was so peaceful, comforting and nurturing it always put Joseph at ease. Grace didn't know it but that was part of the reason Joseph was certain he wanted to make her the mother of his children because she was just so naturally nurturing.

" Okay?" She asked. " Say yes Mr. Grumpy pants,"

Joseph chuckled shaking his head. " Stop talking to me like I'm a baby,"

" You're my baby," She clarified sassily. " All that tough stuff don't work on me, I see right through you,"

Joseph tried to hide his smile shaking his head.

" Kiss me," Grace demanded puckering her full gloss covered lips and closing her eyes.

Joseph wrapped one of his muscular arms around her neck pulling her into his burly body making her burst out into a fit of laughter. " Can you not be so rough and aggressive for once, jeez," She laughed opening her eyes. " You're going to break me one of these days,"

" My bad baby," He chuckled loosening his hold on her.

Grace gently cupped both sides of his hairy cheeks in her soft hands, bringing his face to hers and peppering his lips with tender kisses making him grin. " Keep on and I'll have Tre take us home, we won't even make it inside," He mumbled against her lips making Grace giggle and roll her eyes.

" Come on, get out," She laughed reaching across him and pushing the door open to which Joseph smacked her ass roughly making her let out a yelp.

" You don't touch no doors," He said, pushing the car door open all the way.

" Joseph that hurt, that wasn't funny," Grace mumbled with a mug on her face rubbing her butt cheek as he held his tattooed hand out for her to grab.

She smacked his hand away climbing out of the truck herself.

" My bad I ain't mean to do it that hard," He chuckled trying to grab her hand but she snatched away making Joseph kiss his teeth. " So you mad at me now,"

" Yes because I just told you stop being so rough and aggressive all the time, I am not a boy I'm a lady," Grace huffed, dusting off her pants as some ashes had gotten onto them from when Joseph was smoking his blunt.

" You right you right I'm sorry," Joseph said grabbing her arm and gently pulling her into his hard body. " I'mma be more gentle I promise,"

Grace rolled her eyes looking up at him with a mug.