On a Loop

22| "REAL NIGGAS DO NOT DESERVE PUSSY" - SZA

One; Lauren was glad she had worn fancy panties.

Two; so, Gabe was anytime, anywhere 'freaky' freaky.

Though he eventually had to focus back on the road, Lauren kinda liked that he brought that out of her for a few minutes. Once she was sitting upright again, she was practically begging him to skip dinner.

"I'm fine eating a burger and fries. Let's just go to a drive thru and get back to your place. Now." Lauren whined.

"You taste so good that I'm almost considering it." Gabe said as he licked his fingers in relish. "But we have reservations, and I think you'll like this place."

"How am I supposed to think about food at a time like this? I was right earlier, you are a tease!"

"Good things come to those who wait, L." He hummed.

After what Lauren would classify as the most pleasurable car ride of her life, they arrived back downtown at an ornate, Italian restaurant, not far from Gabe's. Just before he could cut the engine, the screen sitting on his dashboard flashed and Lauren's stomach quickly dipped when she read:

Incoming call from J

"Yo, J." Gabe answered.

"What's up G? How'd your date go?" Jayda's voice echoed through the car speakers. Lauren recoiled at how casually Jayda spoke to him when she thought Lauren wasn't around.

"It's still going." He beamed at Lauren and she straightened up in her seat, giving him a tight-lipped smile.

"Shit, my bad."

"It's all good, we were just about to walk into Angelo's."

"Ugh. I could go for their capers pasta right now. I have been craving it since we went months ago."

Pause, Lauren thought.

She remained rigid. Countless thoughts of possibilities swirled around in her mind again. 

Had that been a date? Did shit not work out and was Gabe lying to me? Was I a rebound? Or worse, bait to make her jealous?

"If this wasn't a date, I'd tell you to reach." Gabe's voice snapped her back into reality.

"Fair. Just let me know if they still have that bomb ass tiramisu you liked."

"Oh forsure. I can't believe you remembered." He said as he grinned his toothy smile.

"Gabe, you stay forgetting that I know you. I know what you like. Lauren is a lucky girl." Jayda's voice filled Lauren's ears slowly like molasses.

"Yeah." Gabe laughed and rested his hand on Lauren's knee again. "Alright, we'll talk."

"Yes we will, love you." Jayda's sugary and sticky voice made Lauren's stomach queasy. 

I think I liked it better when he ignored her calls.

"Later." Gabe said disconnecting the line. "You ready?" He asked, looking at Lauren. She nodded and quickly hopped out of the car eager to evade Jayda's voice still echoing around her,

Love you.

They walked towards Angelo's with Lauren's stomach in knots, not sure of what to make of this, if anything. She didn't want to bring it up again and look insecure as fuck, but fuck, Lauren was feeling really insecure as fuck... again. She also didn't want to start shit based on her mind making things up, or an overreaction, but what if it wasn't. What if Toni was right about this too? What if Gabe was just another 'ain't shit nigga' who Lauren was overly excited about and let take advantage of her?