“With me sitting right here, on a date with him?” I continued. The woman’s tanned cheeks deepened to a rosy color while Zayne emanated a strange choking sound. She opened her mouth. “I’m all about ra-ra women empowerment, embracing our sexual needs and all that good stuff, but try respecting your fellow sisters first and that was not at all respectful.”

Debbie stood there, arms lowering to her sides. I looked at Zayne. One hand was curved over his mouth as he stared at the table.

“You want to add something to the conversation?” I paused, eyes narrowing. “Honey?”

“Oh, no. I think you’ve just about covered it.” He lowered his hand and looked up, eyes dancing. “You can keep the number. I’m not going to need it.”

Debbie didn’t pick up her card. She muttered, “Excuse me,” under her breath and hurried off as fast as her heels would carry her.

“Well,” Zayne said, drawing my attention. “I doubt she’ll do that again.”

“Probably not.” Reaching across the table, I picked up the card. “You want it?”

“No.” He laughed quietly.

“You sure?” I tossed the card to his side of the table. “I can’t believe she did that. She didn’t know who I was. If I was your girlfriend or not.”

“Maybe she thought you were my friend,” he said, sending me a long sideways look. “Or maybe my sister?”

I gaped at him. “Seriously?”

He laughed. “I’m kidding.”

My eyes narrowed once more. “Ha. Ha.”

“Seriously, though, it was rude, and I was about to point that out before you did in such a cheeky manner.” Zayne leaned over and pulled out a slim wallet.

“I have money.” I reached for the wad of cash I’d grabbed before we left the apartment. “I can pay—”

“I got this.” He dropped several bills, one of them fairly large.

“I’m already living in your place, eating your food and I stole your—”

“I got it, Trin.” He closed the bill folder. “That’s what I do on a date.”

I about choked on my own spit. Thank God I hadn’t taken a drink. “A date?”

Zayne nodded, pushing the folder to the end of the table with a long finger. “Isn’t that what we’re on?”

Oh my God.

My face burned brighter than a thousand suns. “Look, I didn’t say that to Dolly—”

“Debbie,” he corrected.

“—because I thought we were on a date. I was just proving a point.”

“I know.”

“And it’s not like I think that’s what this is about.” I was going to die. Right here. Wither up in embarrassment. “I didn’t say that to get you to pay.”

“I know,” he repeated, standing. “But if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck.”

“What?” I scrambled to my feet.