“Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?” I ask as I take a drink of water.
“Yes, but other stuff, too. I want to make some changes to the building now that I own it.” He pushes off the counter, standing to his full height, and folds his arms over his chest.
“Okay. I mean, it’s your building.” I shrug, not sure why he has to tell me. “Maybe send out a letter to everyone so they know?” I suggest.
“It only affects this floor.”
I glance over at Rico, who is looking at Bear with curiosity. Is this about locking down the floor?
“I check the peephole,” I say in defense. I probably do it too much because I’m trying to catch him coming and going. But I keep that to myself.
“What my man here means is that sometimes people try and show up to his place unannounced. He’s a little bit of a celebrity,” Rico adds, but Bear doesn’t confirm that.
I think Rico made that up on the spot, but I can’t be sure. Of course it’s probably the reason. I can’t believe he’d make so many changes just because he said he was going to be the one to take care of me now. He’s barely talked to me over the past two weeks.
“Is that true?” I ask.
“Food’s done!” Rico interrupts before Bear can answer. “You should look into getting him a table.” He places a plate down in front of me—steamed broccoli with plain chicken.
“Thanks,” I tell Rico, even though I really don’t want to eat it.
Bear closes the few feet of distance between us, coming right up against my chair. He leans down so his lips are next to my ear and his warmth surrounds me.
“Think you can sneak me some of those cupcakes tonight? I’d kill for a bite of your sweetness.”
I turn to look at him and our mouths are so close I can feel his breath on my face. I feel sweaty and hot, but somehow I wish I was closer. The thought of kissing him is pounding in my head and I can’t stop myself from licking my lips.
“Damn, can you guys feel that tension?” Rico says, breaking the moment.
Bear leans back, taking his warmth with him, and sits down beside me. He’s got a plate four times the size of mine, and as he begins to eat, I wonder what would have happened if there wasn’t someone here to stop us.
Chapter Four
Bear
“Was it worth it?” Rico says as I run on the treadmill, my body soaked in sweat.
“Every fucking bite,” I say.
Yesterday when Rico left, Pepper jumped up and said she had work to do. I wish she could have stayed longer, but she seemed excited to get started on designs for my place. I kept trying to think of ways to get her to stay over, but decided not to push her too hard too fast.
The worst part was when she knocked on my door later that night with a pretty pink cupcake on the plate, Rico just so happened to have forgotten his headphones at my place and busted in on us right in that moment. Before he could tell me not to eat it, I grabbed the cupcake and swallowed it whole. Looking back, I was thankful there wasn’t a wrapper on it.
“You’re going to fuck up all my hard work,” he says, shaking his head.
“Help me out, Coach.” I plead, but Coach looks down at his newspaper and flips the page. On cardio days all he does is read while I complain. “You’re cockblocking me.” I glare at Rico, who crosses his arms.
“I’m cockblocking your body from impurities. But yeah, sorry about that, man. That was terrible timing.”
I’d believe him if he wasn’t laughing so hard right now.
“Why don’t you ask her on a date like a gentleman?” Coach says, not looking up. “You kids these days with your texting and email. Nobody does romance anymore.”
Email? Rico mouths to me and I just throw my hands up.
Coach is old school, but maybe he’s right. Pepper is the kind of lady that needs to be taken care of. And I wasn’t lying when I said that’s what I was going to do. She’s also the kind of lady that deserves romance. Maybe the trick all along hasn’t been trying to keep her in my apartment but to take her out and get to know her. Make it so she wants to come into my apartment.
“Coach, what’s your perfect date? Give a young man some tips,” I say, and Rico laughs.
“Back in my day, we’d go to the drive-in and I’d try to get at that pussy the whole movie,” Coach says, and I nearly fall off the treadmill from laughing so hard. He folds his paper and looks at me. “Don’t be an idiot, Teddy. Ask her to dinner and maybe take her dancing.”