Getting Schooled (The Wright Brothers #1)(17)

“This is the nigga that was going to “kill me” over you?” I chuckled, shaking my head. Her nostrils flared as she scowled at me, hard, but her lack of denial answered my question. “Hey, listen…” I dropped my head toward her, speaking into her ear. “You ever need somebody to hit it right… you let me know. Aiight?”

“Reese, are you okay?”

I rolled my eyes. Here this dude was, creeping up like he couldn’t see the big J&P Auto logo on my chest.

“I’m fine, Gray,” Reese said, stepping around me. His eyes bulged out when he saw how she was dressed, but I doubt she cared. “He’s from the dealership. He was just here dropping my mother’s car off. And now he’s about to go.”

Mother?!

I narrowed my eyes, looking at Reese’s face. If I squinted a little, and imagined her with designer glasses like Professor B always wore to class… damn. I could see the resemblance.

Reese held out her hand, and I dropped the keys into it. “You have a nice day ma’am,” I said, then turned to walk to the other car, where my coworker was waiting. “Oh!” I turned back, and “Gray” was already in her face, looking like he was about to get cursed out. They both looked up, and I winked at Reese. “Don’t forget my offer.”



- & -





“What offer? What offer is he talking about?”

“Relax,” I snapped, closing my fist around the keys Jason had dropped into my hand. “He’s a car salesman, just talking about some deal.”

It probably wasn’t fair to Grayson to be so annoyed with him, but I was seething mad. Mad as hell that Jay’s offer had turned me on so much. Mad as hell that Grayson had shown up unannounced, looking all… not at all like the type who would kick somebody’s ass about their girlfriend.

Mostly because he wouldn’t.

Mostly because I was barely his girlfriend.

I hadn’t seen – and had barely heard – from him in the over two weeks since the night I’d passed up Refill with Olivia to kick it with him. And we hadn’t even kicked it, not really. He’d pawed at me a few times until I gave him some ass, and then he promptly fell asleep.

I woke him up and sent him home.

Generally speaking, I wasn’t that bothered. I didn’t really have the time or energy for a boyfriend anyway, I just needed convenient companionship, and Grayson fit the bill. Honestly, it hadn’t started out like that. When we met, we were really into each other, if for nothing other than shallow reasons.

He was all shiny and pretty, with thick black curls he kept cut low, and creamy caramel skin, and sexy light brown eyes. Tall, and decently built, with an easy laugh. Just pretentious enough with his law degree and his Lexus and his standing lunch date with the Mayor’s office to appeal to my slightly pretentious nature. He was busy, I was busy, and his dick was big, so it was the perfect scenario for a casual, shallow relationship that was about 65% sex, 35% actually liking each other. I wasn’t the jealous type by any means – I pushed for exclusivity for my health. I wasn’t about to fight anybody over him, or end up with a disease.

We’d been seeing each other for almost two years, and I used to get so excited about our time together. He treated me like he was lucky to have me, sending flowers, random texts, and offering up sweet, passionate sex when we were able to make our schedules mesh.

Over the last six months though, that had stopped.

He got even busier, trying to make partner at his law firm, and so did I, after accepting the grad assistant position officially. I didn’t really miss the flowers, but the loss of the sentiment stung. I did miss the silly texts he used to send, and while sweet sex wasn’t what I wanted all the time, I definitely missed the fact that he used to make an effort, because now he just didn’t.

Like last week.

And now he popped his Al B. Sure! looking ass up at the most inopportune time, with the nerve to act like he had a problem. I was always pretty mellow with him – he didn’t bring out the slick mouth that Jason did – but whew… I was two seconds off of cursing him out.

“Yeah, with you wearing that? Sure, I’m sure he was incredibly interested in talking to you about low interest rate car loans. What, did he want to take you for a “ride”?”

I sucked in a deep breath, and then counted to ten before I opened my mouth. “I was cleaning, and planning to go for a run when I was done. I’m wearing workout clothes, not a G-string and bikini top. And let’s be clear – if I was wearing that, it would be my prerogative, because I’m a grown ass woman, and I’ll wear what I want.”

“I-I’m just saying, damn. How am I supposed to feel when this big buff dude was towering over you, looking at you like he wanted to snatch you up?”

I suppressed a shiver from running up my spine at the thought of Jason “snatching me up”. Gray made it sound like a bad thing… but I guess to him it probably was. The thing was though, if he had a problem, why didn’t he straighten up his damn back, and walk over with confidence? Ask what was going on? Palm my booty to make it clear I was his?

Instead, he slunk over from behind his car, eyeing the army tattoos on Jason’s broad arms. With his hand in his pocket, no doubt unlocking his phone in case he needed to summon the police. Calling my name with no bass in his voice, like he expected me to do the claiming and protecting.