“I just wanted us to be out together,” Nas replies as the server places our drinks down. Nas doesn’t lower his voice in her presence as he continues. “We’ve spent plenty of time alone, and I’ve thought a lot about what you’ve been telling me in regard to appreciating you. So, I thought we needed to spend more time together in public, because … we’re a couple. I wanted to take my girl out to dinner before I take her back to the Kingdom to ravage her.”

I pinch my lips together as the server next to us freezes with wide eyes.

“Umm … can I take your orders?” she says shyly, and I giggle out loud as Nas tells her what he wants as if he didn’t just utter the word ravage at the table. I can barely maintain eye contact with her as I order my filet mignon, and I can tell from how fast she walks away that she’s about to go tell the entire staff about what Nas just said.

“You just made that girl’s night,” I say with a laugh.

“I’m not embarrassed,” he replies with a carefree shrug. “I only said my truth. She wishes her partner would tell her they want to ravage her. I guarantee it.”

“You’re probably right about that,” I say, still giggling to myself.

“So, how have things been going? I noticed you haven’t been spending as much time with your friends lately. Everything okay with them?”

My laughter instantly comes to an end as I clear my throat. “Yeah, everything’s fine, I guess. We haven’t talked a whole lot lately. It seems like everybody is busy right now. Shay is married with a kid, and … well, I don’t really know what’s up with Juliana and DeShaun. I’m sure we’ll catch up soon, though.”

“Well, I hope my presence in your life isn’t causing problems with your friends,” Nas says, placing his hand on mine on top of the table. “I don’t want to cause you any pain, Alina. Well … not that kind of pain.”

I grin, but it evaporates quickly. “It’s not your fault. They’re just worried about me. Anyway, I don’t want to talk about them. I feel like we always talk about me. I want to hear about you. How have things been with you? Your new manuscript coming along okay?”

Nas shifts in his seat like it’s suddenly covered in spikes. “Umm, the manuscript I was working on didn’t quite work out. I scrapped it.”