Page 64 of Hired By My Rich Baby Daddy

He leaned in to kiss me, and I turned my head at the last second, playfully, just to be difficult.

“Aight.” He backed all the way up with his hands raised. “I’ma chill, love.”

And then this man started moonwalking backward out of my bathroom.

He made it about four feet before his elbow caught the doorframe, and he stumbled sideways into the wall.

I have never in my life laughed the way I laughed at that. I was holding my stomach. I was wheezing. I had to hold on to the counter to keep from falling off of it.

“Damn,” he said, rubbing his elbow. “You made me hurt my elbow, Noree. The fuck is you on?” He gave me a look, a smile tugging at his sexy lips.

“Boy, you made yourself hurt your elbow! Nobody told you to be trying to moonwalk in a hotel bathroom!”

“Must be some shit on the floor.”

I shook my head and hopped down. “Uh, no! The floor is not slippery!”

“Aye, shut up.” He let out a hearty laugh, then went on back into the room. I was still laughing to myself while I brushed my teeth.

“You need anything?” I called out. “Water or something?”

“How you checking on me? I’m supposed to be the one checking on you.”

“Yeah, well, I like to check on my man. What’s wrong with that?” I paused with the toothbrush in my mouth and realized what I said. “I mean, I’m not saying you’re my man. I’m just saying ain’t nothing wrong with me doing it. You the world-famous Ozy Love. I can’t have you passing out in here and then trying to tell people I took advantage of you.”

I came to the doorway of the bathroom and looked at him. He grinned. “Girl, you could take advantage of me any time you want. Stop playing. You know what you doing.”

“I’m not doing anything.” I was doing a little flirting, so what? Sue me.

“Nah, I’m good for right now, though. Thanks for asking… with yo’ pretty ass.”

I was blushing for sure, but I walked back into the bathroom, finished up, and when I came out, he was stretched out on top of my covers, leaned back on his elbows with his shoes off, looking entirely too comfortable.

I climbed up on the other side of the bed and sat with my back against the headboard.

“Come here,” he said.

“No, Ozy. I told you I’m not sleeping with you.”

“Girl, just come here.”

I crawled across that bed to him, and when I got close enough, he kissed me. Just once. Soft. Then he reached up, pushed my hair back behind my ear, took my hand, and kissed the back of it.

I sat up and looked at him. “Who knew you were so affectionate?”

“Physical touch is my thing, love. That and words of affirmation.”

My eyes got big. “Really?”

“Yeah, really.” He got serious about it too. “You better tell me I look good every day of the week. You better tell me I’m that nigga. Especially when I’m in it.”

“Oh my God.” I pushed his head. “Boy, please.”

“Nah, but for real though.” He sat up some. “I do like words of affirmation. And the thing about it is, in this industry, you’d think I hear it all day. I don’t. I hear numbers. I hear what’s underperforming. I hear what the label wants next. I don’t hear a lot of actual praise about nothing I do. Don’t nobody give me my flowers, for real.”

“That’s actually sad.”

“It ain’t sad. It’s just how it goes. But that’s why I like it from my woman. Compliment me every now and then. Tell me you like my haircut, even if the barber messed my shit up and got me looking like I’m saluting, got my line pushed so far back I look surprised.”