Teaser Tuesday: Reciprocation
Hey Rosebuds,We’re (finally) back in Roseville. It’s been a long time coming – more on that later. Today, I wanted to share a teeny peek into Rosevile #3, titled My Heart Belongs to You. I am obsessed with these characters and their story, which is probably why I sat with them for so long. For those who may be new to The Ville. Brown Sugar and Ready for Love were published in 2019. I definitely recommend reading them before jumping into this as it will contain spoilers on the couples and characters mentioned in those books. Plus, it’ll give you a glimpse into Ray’s, the lounge Nadir inherited from his dad. I had a hard time choosing a snippet to share because there are so many cute moments between these friends who become lovers. Below is just a taste of their chemistry. I hope you enjoy!ROBYN
“My apologies, G,” Nadir said, pulling me into a side hug. “Delivery came later than expected today and I got caught up in fixing the budget for an upcoming meeting.”
“You’re fine. I wasn’t waiting long.”
I watched as he removed his hoodie then sit down across from me. Underneath his olive hoodie was a white T-shirt that he paired with a pair of jeans and sneakers. He’d gotten a retwist and styled into three-strand twists. My heart fluttered when I met his stare.
“I haven’t seen you since you got your hair done. Looks good,” I said; warmth flooded my cheeks.
“‘Preciate it.” Nadir’s smile was so cute.
Exhaling, I pushed away the salacious thoughts on my mind.
“Did you order drinks already?” he asked while looking over the menu.
“I did. And I asked for more tea than lemonade, how you like it.”
“You treat me so well.”
“Just reciprocating how well you treat me.”
He placed the menu down and leaned in. “Robyn, are you flirting with me?”
Butterflies filled my belly as I met him at the center of the table. The glimmer of amusement in his eyes made tsunami level heat wash over me.
“No.” I fought back a smile.
“Right.”
“What meeting are you preparing for?”
Nadir eyed me, noting my swift subject change. “Just my uncle coming to town to piss me off. Nothing worth mentioning. What’s new with you?”
The waitress returned with our drinks, briefly interrupting us. Since we came here a few times a month, we ordered our usuals: the soup of the day and their collard Caesar with salmon for me and Nadir ordered the bacon and egg croissant casserole and with side of fried potatoes.
Once alone, we jumped back into our conversation. I didn’t have anything exciting happening aside from my test. Instead of agonizing about it, I've put that energy into my restaurant opening. While I listed all my to-do items, the server placed our honey Old Bay wings on the table.
“Sounds like a good plan to me. How you feelin, though? Anything I can do to keep you on track?”
I picked up a drum while shaking my head. “Meeting me for our weekly outing as planned is enough.”
“That’s light work.” Nadir bit into a wing, his eyes lowered and eyebrows wrinkled. After swallowing, he wiped his mouth. “You know what your problem is?”
I placed my hand on my chest. “I have a problem?”
He nodded fervently. “Yeah, you want the world but won’t accept it from the person who's willing to give it to you.”
“Nadir.”
“Tell me I'm lying.” The look of defiance on his face made me laugh.
“I don’t have a straight answer for that.”
“Never do.”
