Sneak Peek - FTHWL

This Sneak Peek is slightly edited, subject to change and copyrighted. Enjoy!

Soon as Projex stepped onto the sidewalk that led to the store’s entrance, Mhyale stepped out of the store with Loriana right behind her. She had her box of chicken wings and fries in one hand, while the other held the door open for an older man.

“Damn, there she go right there,” Kordell’s voice traveled with anxiousness laced through his words, grabbing Loriana’s attention.

Glancing in the direction of where those words were spoken from, Loriana’s heart fell to the pit of her stomach at the sight of Projex. At first glance, her eyes lit up with appreciation of how fine he looked, but then she thought about how he hadn’t reached out to call her like he said he would. Those pretty brown irises of hers rolled and she broke their staredown. She felt played that he hadn’t called and didn’t have two words to say to him.

Caught off guard by her sudden distaste instead of the longing look she’d normally give him, Projex’s face finally showed some type of emotion. He frowned and was ready to snatch her little ass up, but Mhyale had beat him to it.

“Come over here with me right quick,” Mhyale urged, grabbing a hold of her hand.

“Aye yo, yellow dress,” Kordell called out brazenly, making Loriana frown.

On another day, when her eyes weren’t set on the fine ass man before her, Mhyale would’ve talked wet to him for trying to step to her like some hoodrat. Her mother hadn’t named her yellow dress nor would she be answering to that shit.

An onset of butterflies swarmed Mhyale’s heart and stomach the closer she got to him. Sitting inside the driver’s seat of an Audi A4 with his Givenchy sneakers planted firmly into the pavement, his cell to his ear and eyes scoping the scene, Mhyale drank in his grown man swag. It’d been so long since she last laid eyes on him, she was afraid to blink and miss any subtle movement of his.

“Nah, ma,” some burly guy said, stopping her from stepping to him. “You can’t just be walking up over here like that. Who you need to speak with?”

While Loriana stood behind her, seemingly uninterested in the quest she’d been dragged into, Mhyale was offended that the guy had placed his cruddy hands on her. Peeping the commotion in his peripheral, Naaz glanced in their direction and Mhyale’s heart stopped beating for a few seconds. Shit, he’s still fine, were her first thoughts. Her second set of thoughts had her wondering why he’d given her such an icy glare just now. Surely, he was glad to see her but maybe not.

Looking every bit of the money he was worth, Naaz gazed at Mhyale with those piercing dark brown eyes of his. They were curtained by long lashes, while a fresh ass fade with subtle waves connected to a healthy beard. His espresso brown skin shined without much effort. It always had and had Mhyale’s pussy jumping it was so smooth. Lost in everything Naaz, Mhyale snapped out of her trance when the burly guy asked her the question again.

“Who you trying to speak with, ma?”

Seeing as though Naaz hadn’t made an effort to acknowledge her presence, Mhyale refused to make a fool of herself. Saving face, though she wanted to wild out and curse his fine ass out, she smirked and eyed Naaz from the sole of his sneakers to the top of his head.

“No one. Thought I knew someone over here, but I guess not.”

Backpedaling, Mhyale gave him once last glance before turning to walk away. Naaz’s eyes followed and so did every niggas around him. Wasn’t much he could say to them about watching where they looked since Mhyale technically wasn’t his to claim. Not anymore at least.

“Who was that?” Loriana questioned as they made their way across the parking lot back to the car. She witnessed the awkward staredown between them and wanted answers.

“I’ll tell you later.”

Mhyale was in her feelings and before she did something reckless, she’d rather just leave. Had this been another time, a time when she once knew Naaz, she wouldn’t have minded pulling his card. Today wasn’t the day though. Peeping her cousin’s irritation, Loriana brushed it off. Just as she was pulling the passenger door open, Projex’s low, panty wetting voice grabbed her attention from behind.

“You know you saw me,” he said, stepping all in her personal space. “You can’t speak?”

Closing the door, Loriana looked up at him and blinked slow. “Okay, you saw me too.”

His head cocked to the side at her newfound boldness. Projex liked that. “And you rolled yo fucking eyes. What I do to you?”

“Nothing. I just didn’t feel like speaking. But, what’s up?”

Chuckling, Projex licked his lips. He couldn’t believe this was the same shy ass girl who’d try her best to stay away from him while at his house. Something was up. She was fronting and he knew it. Handing the boxes of juice to Kordell, he backed up some.

“Aye, take these to Jasmine for the kids,” he told Kordell.

“A’ight. Aye, what you getting in the car for shorty? You playing shy too?” he joked.

Mhyale sucked her teeth. “Boy, leave me the hell alone. Ole thirsty ass,” she grumbled while dropping into her seat and closing the door. If it was any niggas attention she was wanted, it sure wasn’t his.

Loriana just shook her head, trying to keep up the front she was putting on. Truthfully, she was a ball of nerves and having Projex so close in her personal space was making her faint. Or it could’ve been from how hungry she was. Whatever the case, he and all his domineering personality had her a bit shook.

Towering over her, Projex took in her beauty. Her wild hair brought out an exotic yet intriguing look. It didn’t help that her glasses gave her an air of innocence he found mad attractive. Loriana was cute as fuck to him and Projex didn’t normally go for cute. He liked bad bitches with bad attitudes, fat asses, out of high school, was about their money, and could suck a mean dick. Preferably his nine-inch one. He was certain Loriana couldn’t live up to those standards.

Pushing her glasses up on her face she said, “What? Why’re you just staring at me?”

“No reason. I’ma fuck with you later.”

Before he could walk off, Loriana mustered up the question she’d been wanting to ask him since he stepped in her presence. Grabbing his hand, she looked at the RIP shirt he was rocking, before looking into his eyes.

“You okay?” she asked softly, noticing the faraway gaze in his eyes now.

Projex swallowed the ache in his throat. “Nah, but I’m gon’ be.”

Without much thought, Loriana tossed her arms around him. Consoling him, transferring all the positive energy and love she had, she hugged him tightly.

“I’m so sorry for your loss. You and his family will be in my prayers,” she said breaking their embrace.

Not liking the disconnect, Projex pulled her back to him by her waist. Loriana’s eyes widened. Dumbfounded by his public act of affection, she couldn’t do much but look him in the face. His red-rimmed eyes should’ve been a dead giveaway to how he was feeling, but Loriana was too caught up on him actually approaching her to realize. The stench of weed and cologne mixture wasn’t something she was used to smelling, but she welcomed it. Only from him did she want to ever have that smell invade her space, penetrate the threads of her clothing and leave an odor in her hair. For him, she was willing to break all the rules.

Projex didn’t know what the hell he was doing, but it felt right. All day he’d been in a stupor. Hell, all week, and here Loriana came with her good vibes and warm hug putting his worried mind at ease. The parking lot was full of people watching his every move. This was so out of character for him, so they assumed Loriana had to be someone special to him. And she was; they just didn’t know it yet.

“Heeey, Projex,” a girl named Mina chirped in a sing-song manner as she and a group of her friends walked by.

Looking in their direction, Projex simply gave her a head nod and focused back on Loriana.

“Oh, you can’t speak since you posted up with some young girl?”

“Bitch, you saw me nod my head. Don’t make me get disrespectful.” His tone was low but had just the right amount of bass to let her know to keep it moving.

“Ugh. That nigga is too rude for me,” Mina’s friend mumbled.

“It’s cool. He’ll be calling me later on.”

Hearing that, Loriana took it upon herself to remove his hand from her hip. His phone can work for her, but not me? Cool. She thought. Loriana couldn’t hide the scowl on her face if she tried. Her poker face wasn’t shit. The way her eyes, even behind glasses turned to slits, had Projex’ dick rocking up. If that was her mad face, he was going to be putty in her hands.

“Whatchu’ frowning for?” he asked, playfully tugging her glasses down her nose with his index finger.

Not wanting to show her emotions but having nothing else to say she asked, “What happened to you calling me?”

“That’s what you mad about? A phone call?”

“I’m not mad, I was just wondering. I mean, you got time to call ole girl and all.”

For the first time all day he smirked. It was a genuine one too. “Damn. Let me find out you the jealous type. I wasn’t calling for you anyway.”

“Oh. Okay then,” she mumbled feeling silly as hell for asking.

“Nah, on the real a lot of shit been going on and it slipped my mind,” he offered an explanation which he’d never done.

“It’s fine. I don’t even know why I’m tripping.”

“Yeah, you do. It’s all good though. Put my number in here,” he said pulling her phone out of the pocket on her jacket. “I see you big money. Got the new iPhone.”

“Whatever. My daddy got it for me. What’s your number?”

Projex rattled off his digits and she called his phone so he could have her number. Declining her call, he made a mental reminder to save it later on.

“You done acting funny with me now? My shit locked in your phone, so you can hit my line too.”

Loriana grinned. “We’ll see. Where were you coming from?”

“Over there,” he nodded towards Jasmine’s house. “Why?”

“Just asking. Seemed like you popped up out of nowhere. I should let you go though. You’ve been gone for a while.”

“If you want me out yo face just say that,” he smirked.

“Even if I said that, would you move?”

He shook his head no. “Nah, cause who the fuck you running?”

Loriana gasped then giggled. His mouth was so reckless. “See. You wouldn’t even listen.”

“Give me a reason to and I will, pretty girl. Believe that.”

Blushing, Loriana shook her head and pulled the door open. Holding it for her, Projex took the few seconds to dip his head in and say what’s up to Mhyale. She spoke back while Loriana clicked her seatbelt and focused on controlling her breathing.

“It was good seeing you,” she offered politely making him crack yet another smile. One that filled her belly with light flutters.  

“Proper ass. I’ma call you, so don’t try and play me.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

“A’ight L-Boogie, I’ma hold you to that. Y’all be safe.”

“You too.”

While Mhyale tapped away on a text thread between her and her best friend Maliya, Loriana’s eyes stayed trained on Projex. Everything about him screamed caution, but she didn’t want to yield nor take heed. The swag in his walk, the confidence in his talk, his hood mannerisms and brash personality had Loriana on go. Baby girl didn’t care about the voice in her head telling her to stay away from him. And neither did he.

Projex had already convinced himself that he was either going to fuck with her for real or treat her like another one of his hoes. She probably deserved a nigga who was going to buy her flowers and shit, but Projex knew with him she’d probably only get headaches. He was a bit much to handle but Loriana was up for the challenge as was he. If whatever they began was meant to be, it would be.