Company

Chapter 101

"You keep biting and sucking on my bottom lip like that and we're going to have a problem."  Tae stopped kissing him and released his bottom lip from her mouth.

"Sorry." She said with a smile and leaned back in her seat.

"So, do you...."

Tae was interrupted by the studio door opening. Both looking up in the direction of the door, Drake already knowing it was 40, but Tae anticipated the mystery person. She smiled when she saw 40.

"Well look at the love birds." 40 said as he got closer.

His slim figure was covered in all black a clean-shaven head and a closely cropped beard, a large gold Rolex on his left wrist, a silver MacBook Pro tucked under his arm and a gray backpack was thrown over one shoulder. He didn't match the look of a white guy from Canada who made HipHop music, but then again what did that actually look like. Drake stood up giving him the usual handshake guys give when they see their friends.

"How are you beautiful?" He casually said leaning down and giving Tae a hug, he pressed his cheek to the side of hers.

"Got nothing to complain about I'm good. Had to come hang out before you begin your protecting Drake from his niceness process." Tae said with a smile.

40 pointed at Drake "he told you about that, huh." He said through his laugh. "It's a process that must happen." He continued as he placed his backpack on the couch, and began pulling equipment out.

"Anything to get the music done, right?" Tae said eyeing Drake.

"See, she understands the process, and she's not even complaining about it. This is why she's the one."40 said pointing to Tae but looking at Drake. Tae shook her head up and down in agreement. Drake frowned at both of them and stood up from his chair.

"Yea, whatever, I'll be back, I'm getting something to drink, you want anything," Tae shook her hand no, 40 waving him off.

Tae turned her attention back to the Michael Jackson painting, she couldn't keep from staring, every time she looked at it she saw something new, something different that she hadn't seen before. She chewed on the inside of her cheek. 40 looked at Tae as she was in a trance looking at the painting.

"You know, Aubrey talks about you art work all the time." 40 said breaking her trance.

She turned to him and frowned. "Really?"

40 walked the distance of the room and placed his laptop on an empty surface of the soundboard, he was quiet for a moment as he hooked cables to his laptop, then sat down.

"He talks about you more than you think, I've known him for some time and I've heard him talk about many women, but there are very, very, few women who leave a mark on him the way you do." 40 spoke as he continued to set things up, his headphones around his neck. He spoke as if he was talking about the weather as if what he was saying was simple in thought.

"Many women, yet very very few. Huh?" Tae gave 40 a look of doubt, her lips pressed together and mouth twisted to the side.

40 began laughing at her tone of voice. "He's a good guy, he means well......"

"Let's be real, you've seen women come and go." Tae cut 40 off before he could finish.

40 laughed again. "Oh, I've seen a ton of women come and go." Still looked at his laptop pulling up his sound program.

Tae frowned at how honest he was, the last thing she wanted to hear was how easily and often this amazingly talented man she was clearly falling in love with ran through women, she bit the corner of her bottom lip looking unsure of the current conversation. 40 sensed Tae's shift in character. She went from this bold, sarcastic, talented, bright-eyed leader, to extremely timid at the thought that she could possibly be just another phase at the moment.

"Aubrey is very passionate, and he looks for that in other people, he loves surrounding himself around alike people." 40 looked at Tae in the eyes. "Yes, there's been a lot of women, but the majority of them lack passion and substance. Very shallow. That's why he eventually gets bored, because there's nothing there to hold his attention. A fat ass is nice to look at." 40 smiled as if he had a vision in his head. "But your mind. Your passion for life and what you do. That, is what keeps him, that is what keeps you pick of the litter."

40 shot Tae one last smile before he turned his attention back to his laptop. Tae had conversations with 40 before, but never at this depth, she took his words into more than consideration. Drake leisurely walked back through the door looking down at his phone a double-stacked white styrofoam cup in his other hand. The timid feeling left Tae before Drake could sense it in the air. He kissed her on the forehead and continued to his laptop.

Tae looked down at the clock on her phone and stood up. "I'm going to get out of here." Both 40 and Drake looked at their watches.

"I'm not kicking you out yet." 40 said with a smile. "You got a couple hours until I separate you two."

"I still got work to do myself." Tae said as she bent down and pulled 40 into a hug. "Thank you." She whispered in his ear while hugging him making sure Drake couldn't hear or notice what she was doing. 40 nodded his head and embraced her hug.

Tae walked to Drake and slid her arms around his waist. "You sure you don't want to stay longer?" Drake frowned at Tae, his bottom lip slightly poked out.

Tae raised up and kissed his lips. "Yes, you have an album to complete and I have work that still needs to be done."

"Don't forget, we're having dinner tonight." Drake looked down at her then pecked her lips again.

She pulled her arms from around his waist, but Drake kept his arms around her shoulders. "One more."

Tae smiled and raised to his lips pecking them.

"Mmmm." He closed his eyes and licked his lips. "One more."

Tae did as she was told and placed another kiss on his lips willingly. "Mmm, ok, one more, this is the last one."

"Aubrey!!!" She hissed hitting him on the shoulder.

Drake flinched "ok ok." Then quickly stole one last kiss before releasing her.