Tema Amoah's POV

"Well, was he hot?" My little sister and best friend, Aleya asks me, leaning in conspiratorially.

^^ Aleya Amoah.

"Leya!" I admonish and she giggles.

After the interview, I went home, changed into something more comfortable and headed to the barbershop ready to blow off some nervous steam.

"What?!" She asks innocently.

"I need to know if my nieces and nephews are going to have beautiful genes!" She says.

I would be lying if I said he wasn't extremely good looking though.

Dark clear skin, a clean haircut as well as clean hands and nails to go with his well put together outfit, over his impressively built body, his masculine cologne intoxicating.

His African features make him even more appealing to me, with his strong jaw and perfect thick lips as well as the texture of his low-cropped hair.

Even seated, I can tell that he is about 6'3. 

And his voice...

It's so deep and demanding, authoritative even.

But not angry.

Extremely calm and composed at all times without fail.

I thought I even heard an accent.

The man sitting in front of us, Timothy, laughs allowed.

"Girl, leave yo' sister alone 'fore she fights you" he chuckles.

"Yes, uncle Tim" Leya giggles, like a small child.

In this neighbourhood, everybody knows everyone and 'uncle' Tim is one of those people that everyone knows.

He owns the sports gear shop opposite my dad's store and they meet up every day at 12:30 on the dot for their lunch break so they can eat together.

His wife, 'auntie' Clara used to braid our hair, whenever our dad didn't have the time or had to work late.

We really do love them.

"And besides!" He says as I continue cutting his hair.

"Everyone knows, my son Curtis has his lil crush on her already!" He exclaims and everyone in the shop laughs.

"Damn right" a deep voice mutters into my ear, soft lips up against my ear, the front of his toned body against the back of mine, arms firmly around my hips and waist.

I grin slightly.

"Curtís" I greet.

"Baby" He says smoothly.

^^ Curtís.

Everyone in the neighbourhood knows that me and Curtís are not romantically interested in each other, but they love to tease us anyway, because we are the same age and very close to each other.

We have been since we were kids.

He likes to tease me too, for the sake of making me blush and getting away with it.

I always get him back though.

His father looks at us in the mirror in front of him and smiles.

"Curtís, did you tell her about the game?" Timothy asks and Curtís sighs.

"Well I was 'bout to pops" he says with a grin, before looking at me.

"But I'll tell her later" he says, winking at me.

"How was the interview?" He asks.

I smile.

"I think it went pretty well" I say, brushing off the greying hair from Timothy's shoulders and neck, then taking the coverup off of him, shaking it out.

"Oh, word?" Curtís asks, smiling all big.

Before I can, he leans down and reaches past me, grabbing the broom, handing it to me, his bicep, brushing against my hip.

"Thank you Curtís" I say, taking it off of him as I start sweeping up the fallen hair.

"No problem Tems" he responds.

"You gonna let me go?" I ask with a chuckle.

"How about, no." He responds.

"Curtís!" I exclaim with a giggle, when he lifts me off the ground a little, holding me firmly to his chest.

"I'll let you go if you promise that I get to pick the ice cream at reruns tonight" he says.

"No! I protest.

"You always pick the worst one!" I complain.

He rolls his eyes, which I catch in the reflection of the mirror and proceeds to hook his arm underneath the back of my knees, and he starts to carry me out the shop!

People around us hoot with laughter and shout words to egg him on.

"Where are we going?!" I shriek, still holding the broom and trying to beat him with it.

"I'm dropping your ass in the wishing foundation if I don't get to pick!" He responds and I start to squirm against him.

"No, no, no! Curtís!" I exclaim as he steps out the shop, knowing that he is deadly serious.

"The magic words?" He asks.

"You win!" I respond and he chuckles.

He carried me back into the shop, setting me down.

"Thank you" he replies and I screw face him for making a scene.

He grins boyishly and hugs me from behind again, more gently.

"I promise I'll pick a nice one" He says into my ear.

"Mhm" I respond, still feeling salty.

He grins at our reflections and then slowly kisses the underside of my jaw, in a sensitive place, that makes me bite my lip and I try not to verbally react, making my reaction go away before he can see.

"See you later Tems" he says, finally pulling away and letting me sweep.

"Later Curtís" I say with a grin.

He leaves the shop and I get onto my next customer, giving him a smile and letting him take his seat.

He tells me what style he wants, and then I grab a comb and get to work, spraying then combing out his hair...
***

"She did what?!" Leya screams with laughter and I hold my sides, laying down plagued with the giggles, Curtís' embarrassed face, who stabs his ice cream.

This time, for the sake of staying on speaking terms with me, he picked a simple 'rocky road' ice cream, which we all tuck into, while watching a new series 'YOU' rather than a rerun.

"She farted, in my face!" He mutters lowly as if it is antagonising to say.

Aleya and I both fall about with cackles string enough to make a man buckle once again, teasing Curtís about his awful bedroom failures and he gives us both a dirty look.

When our laughs die down, Leya gets up, puts her bowl on the coffee table and stretches.

"I better get going" she says looking at the clock, which reads 10:30.

"We have an exhibition tomorrow all day" She says with a grin.

I smile proudly at her.

"Ah, New York's finest painter!" I tease, although I'm hardly joking.

My sister is extremely talented!

All of my siblings are extremely talented.

She smiles.

"Actually, second finest have you seen Darrell?!" She asks, referring to her lil work husband, fanning herself with her hands and I laugh aloud.

"You have no shame!" I respond.

"I never did" she shrugs and I roll my eyes.

"Be safe, okay?" I tell her.

She gives me a sly wink.

"Do everything I would do" She says, eyes flitting to Curtís, who is still engrossed in the tv.

I feel my face heat up slightly and my sister chuckles before giving me a hug leaving.

Now it's just me and him.

It's a regular occurrence, but none of us ever cared.

I'm in my pyjamas eating ice cream with one of my best friends and we are fine with it.

But with what happened in the afternoon...

I suddenly feel a little bit shy.

He chuckles.

"Can she make it any more obvious?" He asks and I chuckle.

"Right?" I ask, easing up a little.

"So how did the interview go?" He asks me.

"It was eh, I guess. I don't know I think it went okay" I respond truthfully.

He nods.

"I hope you get it and kick some corporate ass" he chuckles, scooping up the remains of his ice cream and eats it, licking his lips to catch any residual ice cream from his lip.

"Thank you, mr CJ sir" I say, pairing his initials 'Curtís Jones' together, alongside a mock salute.

"What about your game?" I ask.

He grins broadly.

"We were good enough to move to the next round!" He exclaims happily.

Curtís coaches basketball at the nearby high school, to give them a chance at college scholarships for sports education.

It's sweet of him really.

I finish off my ice cream.

"I'm so happy for you!" I tell him, wrapping my arms around him in a hug.

"I'm proud of you you too" he responds, pulling away slightly looking into my eyes.

"You'll be great, I'm sure of it" He says.

I smile warmly at him and he bites his lip.

"Thank you, but don't think I didn't notice your little reaction in the shop today" he says quietly with a little smirk on his face.

"I- I have no idea what you mean" I stutter, giving myself away.

"I think you do" he says, pulling my empty bowl out of my hands and setting it atop his on the coffee table.

I sigh.

"Please don't pretend as if you didn't react to me finding a sweet spot on your body" he says with a small smirk.

"You've lost it" I say giggling to remain calm, even though my heart is racing several miles a minute.

"Have I?" He asks, leaning closer to my ear.

"Mhm, f'sure" I almost whisper with a nod.

"So, you won't mind me doing it again..." he more states than asks.

"I- you can do what you want" I say.

I can almost hear his smirk, as I keep my eyes are glued to the screen.

"Word?" He asks and before I can respond, he pulls me underneath him and kisses the space inbetween my jaw and ear, his lips still cold from the ice cream.

I gasp and quickly try and hide it, by holding a hand over my mouth.

He chuckles.

"Oh, you have no idea what I mean?" He asks, teasingly.

He moves to me neck, softly kissing the sensitive skin there and I feel myself almost whimper.

"Curtís..." I mutter.

"Is this okay?" He asks, but before I can respond, my phone rings loudly beside me.

Saved by the bell.

I pick the phone up without a second thought.

———————————————
Hey!

What do you think of this one?

Who do you think is calling at this hour?

Tell me in the comments!

Much love...

~ Xo