City Love (NEW 2024 - Black Love Story)

One

It was a hot August day in New York, and the sun was beaming down on Tanya's now brown-bronzed shoulders. She pressed the lock button on her key to secure her brand-new car before turning the corner to enter the convenience store.

Wandering around the store without a clue about what to pick up for her best friend's barbecue, her phone rang. She pressed the green icon and placed the phone between her ear and shoulder, her tone annoyed as she whispered,

"Yeah, girl, do you need anything else? I'm sure I was just on the phone with you two minutes ago..." She let out a low laugh as she and her bestie, Alesha, reminisced about grabbing the wrong alcohol at last year's BBQ. Tanya kept Alesha on the phone as a reminder not to make that mistake again.

"Excuse me..." A deep voice came from behind, interrupting Tanya's train of thought. She turned to see a tall, brown-skinned guy with a fresh cut, his eyes locked on the refrigerator she was blocking.

"Alesha, be forreal, I can't carry all that," Tanya said, completely caught up in a playful argument with her best friend over the phone. She didn't notice the handsome stranger waiting to grab a drink.

"AHEM..." His exaggerated cough was hard to ignore.

"Oh, shit!—Sorry, sorry, my bad!" Tanya jumped, dropping her phone in the process. "Girl, look what you made me do!" she whisper-yelled, bending down to retrieve the snacks she dropped, feeling a little flustered. When she finally looked up at him, she couldn't help but notice how those hazel eyes of his seemed to smirk at her. She quickly averted her gaze, biting her lip as she walked away, thinking, 'Damn, his eyes are dangerous.'

As stubborn as she was, Tanya refused to grab a basket, so now she was juggling her items awkwardly, trying not to drop anything while standing in line.

"Excuse me, Miss..." His voice slid over her like silk.

"Hey, I just wanted to give you your phone back. You dropped it back there when you...um, rushed off," he said, a playful tone creeping into his voice as he extended the matte black Iphone toward her.

"Oh, my bad...you can just put it here, thanks," she said with a shy smile, gesturing to the stack of items she was balancing. She was wearing a plain white Zara tank top, which he seemed to appreciate a bit too much.

He chuckled, "Alright, pretty," holding eye contact as he gently placed the phone right on top of her chest, making sure it wouldn't slip.

But fate had other ideas. Her boob accidentally pressed the loudspeaker button, and suddenly, Alesha's voice boomed out, loud enough for everyone in the store to hear. Tanya's eyes widened in horror.

"Umm, excuse me...who's flirting with my girl?" Alesha's voice demanded through the speaker. Tanya's face flamed with embarrassment.

"Alesha, I'll call you back," Tanya said quickly, dumping her items onto the counter, desperate to end the call before Alesha could make things worse. She turned back to the guy, who was grinning at her, clearly enjoying the show.

"She didn't mean that...my bad." Her voice was softer now, almost flirtatious as she let her eyes roam over him. He had the build of an athlete, with smooth brown skin and a haircut so sharp. Tanya was even impressed with the barbers work.

He smiled, revealing perfect teeth, and placed a hand over his heart "No worries," he said, his voice warm and teasing. She melted a little at his easy confidence.

Still a little flustered, Tanya tried to focus on her items.

"Hellooo, your total is $23.55...card or cash?" The cashier's voice cut through her thoughts, and she quickly pulled out some cash, tossing it at the cashier before grabbing her bags and bolting from the store, not even bothering to collect her change. She let out a nervous laugh as she escaped, vowing never to show her face there again.

As she started the long walk to her best friend's place, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see the same guy jogging to catch up.

"Hey, wait up!" he called out, catching up without breaking a sweat. "I didn't mean to freak you out back there. I just...wanted to ask your name. And, uh, maybe help you with those bags?" His smile was as smooth as his voice, and Tanya couldn't help but grin back.
She accepted his favour, handing over the groceries.

"Hmmm, sure," she said, teasingly. "And it's Taylor, by the way. What's yours?" She couldn't help but play along.

"Okay, Taylor...nice to meet you. I'm Leon," he said with a grin.

She burst out laughing, and he looked at her, both amused and a little confused. They both found it cute.

"Okay, okay, I'm kidding. It's Tanya. What were you saying again? Sorry, Leon," she said, her confidence growing now that the worst of the embarrassment was behind her.

"Oh, I see how it is, Tanya. You've got jokes, huh? And you're pretty, too. You from around here?" He gave her a smile that was just for her, his voice dropping low enough that it felt like a secret.

"Well, my best friend lives around here, so I'm always in the area. What about you, Leon?" she asked, her eyes drifting to his muscular arms, barely contained by his fitted white tee. He was towering over her, making her feel petite at 5'2".

"Yeah, I'm a local. Surprised this is the first time I'm seeing that pretty face of yours. You must come around here often, right?" He winked, flashing a dimple that made her shy away.

"I do...can I ask how old you are?" she asked, the question slipping out before she could stop herself.

"My bad, pretty. I'm 25. And you?"

"I'm 24," she replied with a smile.

They kept walking, chatting, and flirting the whole way. Tanya's playful banter matched perfectly with Leon's laid-back charm, and they couldn't stop laughing.

"I hope I get to see you again soon, Tanya. You're cool, forreal," he said, nudging her playfully.

"Thanks, Leon. I hope so too," she said, feeling her cheeks heat up again.

Before handing back her bags, they shared a hug, lingering a bit longer than necessary. it was almost like they knew each other already.

When they finally pulled apart, Leon seemed reluctant to let her go.
"Oh, wait, almost forgot!" he said suddenly, reaching into his pocket. "Can I get your number? I mean, if it's not too soon or anything." He smiled, pulling out his silver Iphone.

"You're such a gentleman, aren't you?" she teased, enjoying the way he was looking at her.

"Of course," he said with a wink, and they both laughed.

They exchanged numbers, and after saying their goodbyes, they went their separate ways. Leon walked home with a grin, saving her number as "LaTanya 😁." Meanwhile, Tanya made her way to the barbecue, giddy with excitement. She couldn't wait to tell Alesha about the hot guy she just met!

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