Jade

Chapter 18

The midday sun was high over Marina del Rey as Jade clung to the back of the jet ski, her screams carrying over the water.

"Asante, slow down! My hair!" she shrieked, gripping Asante's waist tighter as he expertly navigated the jet ski through the waves.

He laughed as he floored the engine, sending a spray of saltwater over them both.

Jade smacked his shoulder, laughing despite herself, her sleek ponytail already unraveling, strands sticking to her face. "You got me looking like a wet poodle."

"You still look good." Asante said, pulling them into a smooth turn.

She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "I should be driving cause I feel like you're about to flip us and I'm not trying to swim with the fishes."

"It's sharks out here too," he joked, revving the engine again.

Jade screamed again, half in terror, half in exhilaration, and when they finally circled back toward the marina, she was breathless, her cheeks flushed from the adrenaline.

Back at the cabana, the smell of grilled shrimp and mango salsa wafted through the air as their server set down plates of food. Jade slipped her sunglasses over her eyes, shielding her eyes from the sun as they settled into the plush chairs.

"You know what's crazy?" Jade asked after chewing a mouthful of food. "I almost didn't come out here."

"Why not?" Asante asked, his dark brown eyes peering into hers.

"Cause I started overthinking," she nervously stated. "Like what if people actually do think I landed this role just because we're dating?"

"So what? Let them think that shit, it's not true anyway." He said with a shrug.

"See I knew you were gonna say that," She said with a frown. "But I'm serious Asante, you know how much this role means to me and my career... I don't want what we got going on to take attention away from what I'm tryna accomplish."

"You can't live life based on what ifs Jade. What if nobody cares and we just continue getting to know each other? Shit like this happens in the industry all the time." He said.

"Whatever," Jade muttered, pushing her chair back after only eating half of her food. "I need to cool off it's mad hot."

She stood and walked toward the water, knowing full well he was watching her every move. The ocean was warm, the waves gentle as she stepped in. When she turned back, Asante was already behind her, shirt off, his butterscotch skin glistening in the sun. Her eyes couldn't help but wander down to his chiseled body, very apparent by his physique that he worked out a lot.

"Why you being like that?" he asked, stepping closer until they were waist-deep in the water.

"Being like what?" She asked, looking up at him and feeling butterflies ravish her insides.

"I get where you coming from and how you feel, but in our world this how shit go. I don't let shit like that phase me cause I know what's real... and on top of that I wouldn't let nobody be out here pushing fake narratives like that," He said sincerely. "You catching an attitude wit me don't phase me though, that shit sexy." He said causing her to playfully roll her eyes.

Instead of answering, she splashed him, laughing as he slightly stumbled back into the water.

"Oh, it's like that?" he chuckled, lunged forward and catching her around the waist. Jade squealed, trying to escape, but he held her firm, their laughter mingling with the sound of the waves.

"You play too much," she said, breathless, her hands resting on his shoulders.

After drying off, the two of them found theirselves on one of the hammocks nearby, getting drinks served to them from the bar. Jade leaned back in the hammock, the soft sway putting her into a state of pure relaxation. Her lemon drop was chilled to perfection, ice cubes clinking against the rim of the glass as she took a sip. Beside her, Asante exhaled a cloud of smoke from the blunt he just rolled up.