**** I want to sincerely thank each and every reader who sincerely gave this book a chance, although people tried to come at me hard about it. I promise on everything as always with everything I write, I won't disappoint you. Thanks for believing in me. Luv you so freaking much!
Also Aug has a new song out. It's in the m/m ****
AUGUST P.O.V. -
I had finished dinner and some more people came over. We were all sitting in my kitchen eating the food I prepared.
I was sitting on top of the counter, talking to my best-friend and producer Knuck. He was leaned over on the counter eating next to me, talking about some projects we were working on.
Ke was sitting at the table eating talking and laughing with Knuck's wife, Ky'Anne.
And Big T, my bodyguard was sitting next to Jazz at the counter on my wooden stools.
"T stop." Jazmine swatted his hand, as he tried to take a wing off her plate.
"You not gon' eat it." He shrugged.
"Take it." She laughed, moving her plate toward him.
There was plenty of chicken left, but T was flirting with her. T was a naturally silly and flirtatious dude. He was that way with practically every woman, that's his personality.
But as I looked over there at her laughing with him, it did something to me.
Jealous?
Nah, just territorial. She wasn't mine but I had my flag and when I was ready, if I was ready, I wanted to be the first to stake my claim.
"We need to set up a schedule to record these songs before you..."
Everything Knuck was saying was a huge blur, as I was tuning him out to keep my ear to the ground of Jazz and T's conversation. Making sure it didn't get too friendly. I saw him giving looks that screamed he wanted her when she would turn her head or move, as he watched her figure in her dress.
"So let me take you out Ms. Jazzy?" T asked her.
"No T." She blushed laughing.
"Why? We'd make some beautiful babies together. Look at this face. " T rubbed both sides of his face, trying to show her how handsome he was.
"Oh my God." She covered her eyes smiling.
"You listening man?" Knuck furrowed his eyebrows looking at me.
"Yeah, hold on one sec." I jumped down from the counter and went over to T and Jazz.
"T I need to show you something upstairs for a minute." I motioned my head towards the door.
"I'll be back. Don't go nowhere now Ms. Jazzy." He told Jazz.
"I'll be right here T." She laughed and went back to eating her food.
I silently led T up to my bedroom upstairs.
"What's up boss?" He closed the door behind us.
"I need you to lay off Jazz, aight."
"What-chu mean?"
"Like lay off." I tried to motion to him that, that meant stay away.
He thought about it for a minute.
"Oh so you are feeling her?"
"I ain't say all that. I just don't want our professional and personal lives getting intertwined. You know how that shit gets." I lied.
T looked at me serious for a minute then bursted into laughter.
"Nigga who you fooling? Just admit you want her." He patted my shoulders.
"Come on admit it. Yung got a lil bitty crush." He pinched my cheeks like an old grandma.
"Nigga you stupid." I removed his hands and laughed.
"Sorry bout that. I didn't think you were really feeling her. But I'll back off. But if you don't jump on, then I'mma handle all that in that dress."
"Be cool." I pointed looking at him serious. Wanting him to chill that lustful talk down, about a woman I wanted.
He held his hands up in defeat.
We laughed and walked back downstairs.
"Hey Aug, y'all want to go bowling?" Ky'Anne asked me.
"When?" I picked up my wine glass looking at Jazz who was throwing her plate away in the garbage next to me.
"Now. Everybody done eating."
"We can. Let's carpool so we won't be taking all these cars."
"That sounds cool."
"Jazz you want to ride with me?" I asked her as she was by me washing her hands in my sink.
"Uh...sure. I don't care." She dried her hands and moved all her hair to one side of her neck, where it laid perfectly down her left breast.
Ke looked at me with suspicion. I tried to ignore her.
"Knuck you gon' drive?" I asked.
"Yeah. T, you gon ride with us?"
"I came with y'all it's only right." He threw his plate away.
"Lauren?" Knuck asked.
She looked at me then Jazz, who had returned to my wooden stool.
"Nah, I'mma ride with my sister." She went and stood by Jazz.
"Aight, we'll see you guys there." Knuck said.
Knuck, T and Ky'Anne got there stuff at left out.
Jazz and Ke got there stuff and we headed to my garage.
"Jazz you want to sit up front?"
"Uh...su.." She was cut off by Ke.
"I'll sit up front Jazz." Lauren rolled her eyes at me and got in the front seat.
Jazz got in the back behind Ke on the passenger side.
The ride there was mainly quiet. Ke remained on her phone scrolling through. And between stops at red lights, I would peek at Jazmine through my mirror. The way the street lights kissed her skin and made it glow in the dark was sheer perfection.
Why am I just know noticing all of this today? Shame on me, for not noticing how stunning she was at first sight.
I would have stared at her all day, if it weren't for a loud horn beeping behind me obnoxiously, indicating the light had turned green.
"Pay attention for you kill me and everybody else." Lauren snapped.
"Keep talking to me like that Ke?" I warned.
"And what you gon' do?" She sucked her teeth.
"You testing me man. Quit with that shit." I waved her off and continued to drive.
"Why are y'all fighting?" Jazz finally turned from the window and laughed looking at us.
"Cause yo sister crazy." I paid attention to the road.
"No, cause he's a no good nigga. That's why." Ke snapped backed.
"Y'all trippin'." Jazz shook her head and stared back out the window.
We arrived at the bowling alley. I parked and we all got out and walked in.
Ke pulled me aside, while Jazz joined the rest of the group getting their bowling shoes.
"I don't know what shit you trying to pull. But you not gon' just use my sister. You not ready then fine, but don't try to use her as one of your little fuck and go's. "
I bent down to her little short level. "First watch your tone when you address me. Secondly, you down my throat cause I'm not giving it a chance. Now that I am, you blocking."
"First off, I can talk to you anyway I want. And Secondly, I'mma let you do you. But you hurt her, Aug I swear."
"Ke Chill." I rolled my eyes and left her standing there.
JAZMINE P.O.V. -
Aug sat extremely close to me, putting on his bowling shoes. He kept purposely hitting me with his elbows as he tied up his shoes. In other words, he was flirting.
"Can you stop hitting me?" I laughed at how silly he was being.
"My bad." He smirked.
I rolled my eyes and put on my shoes.
"I hope you know how to bowl, cause I'mma kick ya ass."
"Is that right?" I put on my shoes.
"Ask about me." He stood up and took off his hoodie and dropped it
on my head.
I pulled it off and sat it on the bench next to me. He was so silly. But now I had his scent on me. I don't know what type of cologne it was, but it smelled damn good. I wouldn't mind smelling like him all over, I thought.
"Girls vs. Guys." Aug stood in the middle of the two lanes, like he was in charge. He arrogantly went to look over the balls.
"Whatever, just be prepared to get yo ass handed to you." Lauren replied, looking over the balls in our lane.
I went over to the balls and picked one that felt comfortable.
T went up first.
"Come on T." Knuck yelled.
T stepped back like he was a pro, then released the ball. It went straight in the gutter.
"Guttttttttta!" Lauren stood up and got in T face.
"Let me see what you got." He folded his arms looking at her.
"Aight." She got her ball. Stepped back, then released forward but she slipped.
"Ahahahahahahahahaha!" Everybody laughed.
I know that was my sister, but that was funny as ever.
T cracked up falling on the floor.
"Y'all some assholes she got up and dusted off her shorts.
"Come on Knuck." Aug patted him on his back.
He got the ball, blew on it like dust was on top. Then stepped back and released it forward.
He knocked down 7 pins.
"Better." T shook his head satisfied.
"Come on Ky'Anne girl." Lauren and me cheered her on.
"Top that." Knuck got in her face.
"Boy move." She pushed him in the face with her hand.
She got her ball, stepped back and released. She knocked down nine pins.
Me and Lauren gave her high fives, while the boys sucked their teeth.
"Come on Aug. Show em' how it's done boah." T rubbed his hands together, just knowing Aug was going to hit the goal.
Aug looked over the balls on his side, then unexpectedly came over to where I was. He took the ball I had in my hand.
"Let me bless it for ya baby." He smirked, then went to his lane.
He was a real trip. I hoped he got all gutter for that b.s. move.
He did this pointy thing measuring the lane with his finger. Just being extra. He stepped back, kissed the ball, then released forward.
"Strike!" He danced to Rae Sremmurd - Throw Sum Mo', that was playing throughout the bowling alley. The dudes danced with him in celebration.
"Come on Jazzy!" Lauren and Ky'Anne cheered me on.
August took the ball that felt most comfortable to me. But I could make due with any ball. I had true skills. I picked up another one.
No tricks. No gimmicks. I just stepped back, released and...
"STRIKE!!!!" Lauren yelled and rushed over to me and threw it back on me like I was a man in the club. We danced.
"Keep going." T yelled.
This freak.
We laughed and stopped.
Again T, Ke, Knuck, Ky'Anne went. They did okay, but neither one of them got a strike.
Aug was back up.
He took this serious now. He got up like he was preparing to fight Muhammad Ali in the ring.
He stepped back, released....
"Strike!" He got in my face, moving his head to the music.
I got the ball. Prepared to step up.
"Your dressed ripped. In the back." Aug pulled on the back of my dress.
I know he was trying to get me off focus.
I ignored him, stepped back and released the ball.
Strike!
We did this until we were coming to the final rounds and there was a tie. Aug went. I was the only one left. He had tried everything in his power to distract me. From making me laugh, to saying stuff like it was bugs crawling just being silly.
I noticed this time he was standing behind me.
"Would you move?"
"Nah, I wanna see this." He said.
I tried to ignore him, but he was all on my back breathing down my neck. I stepped back and he wrapped his arms tenderly around my waist and softly kissed my neck.
I closed my eyes for a second, forgetting I was in the middle of a game. Forgetting he wasn't mine. But oh how I wanted to be. I hadn't been held like that in so long and it felt sooooooo damn good.
Reality hit me when Lauren knocked me upside my head.
"Girl would you go."
"Good luck." August said smirking on the bench behind me, knowing I was too easily swayed by his touch.
I took a deep breath, tried to re-center myself. Stepped back and released.
"Guttttttttttaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" August jumped up.
Mutha-fucka.
"Told you, you couldn't beat me."
"That's cause you cheated." I said a little upset, he manipulated me.
"How I cheat? I just gave you a lil friendly hug."
"Friendly my ass." I walked away from him and took off my shoes
I was honestly upset not because I lost, but because we didn't stay in that position.
"So we gon call it a night?" Knuck asked.
"Yeah. I'mma take Ke and Jazz back to house to get they car." Aug said walking over to the desk to put his shoes back.
"Aight. We'll drop T off at home."
----
"How does it feel to lose?" Aug asked me as we rode back to his house. Lauren was in the back seat sleep.
"I never lose. We will do this again. And no cheating." I folded my arms and pouted.
"Aight. Just let me know when."
" Be ready. Cause you will lose this time around."
"Okay." He said sarcastically.
There was a moment of silence. He was driving and I was looking out the window. Well it seemed I was looking out the window, but what I was really doing was just letting my mind run wild with thoughts about him.
What it could possibly be like if we were together? I wasn't going to press it tho. I'm very old school, I would let him make the move.
"What you doing tomorrow?" He asked me out the blue.
"Just catching up on some work. Why?"
"Chill with me. We'll do something."
I felt a tingling sensation in my stomach.
Was he asking me out?
Nah he can't be. He just wanted to chill like friends. And I was okay with that.
"Sure. What time?"
"What works for you?" He looked over at me, while we were stopped at a red light.
"I should be finished up by 3."
"Aight. Take my number and text me yours."
"I got your phone number already."
"That's my work phone. I gotta different line for my personal."
"Okay what is it?"
"404-634-9876."
"Okay. I'mma text you right now."
I texted him so he would have my number. I heard his phone that was on his lap vibrate, indicating he got it.
We pulled in his drive way. I woke Lauren up and we all got out and headed to my car.
"I'll see y'all aight? Be safe." He hugged Lauren, then me.
"Jazz text me, so I know y'all made it home safe aight?"
"Okay."
Me and Lauren got in the car and drove home.
----
I was sleep but I heard my phone vibrate, indicating I got a message.
Aug- U still alive?
Me - Yes lol. Sorry I came home and went straight to bed.
Aug - Aight. Just checking to make sure the boogey man ain't get y'all.
Me: no we good lol. Thnx for checking.
Aug: Aight, goodnight.
Me: Night.
Lauren was right, you got to keep taking chances until you land your prince. I hope he was mine. We'll find out in due time. No rush.