Losing You ✔️

7. Restraint

Shameik made himself a promise when he entered her apartment for the second time, tonight. He wasn't going to let anything get in the way of his time with her. After all he had said to the guys at work he was trying 'someone' out for size - was it so bad that he actually wanted to do that with Lorie?

Lorie had disappeared in to the bathroom quickly after Shameik returned to his spot on the sofa. She had returned with blue jeans and a white t-shirt. She looked good in anything she wore, he silently proclaimed to himself. The high-wasted jeans made her behind look absolutely magnificent. 'Don't stare too much,' he told himself when she sat down.

Lorie didn't say anything and she didn't look at him either. Her nose was still slightly red and Shameik had to say a silent prayer so that he wouldn't try to kiss away that redness.

"Lorie, I'm sorry about the way I acted before," He said with no response or reaction from Lorie, "Please look at me." He announced and nudged at her leg with his own.

Lorie glanced at him and flashed a plastered on smile. It did nothing more than to make him feel guiltier. He knew what indications he had left her with, at the dinner party, and she had expected something when he came over here. He needed to change the mood in the room, quick.

"Is this what you like? Fantasy crap?" He nodded toward the TV where the Netflix show was still running. Finally he lured a smile out of Lorie.

"Not necessarily, what's your problem with it?"

"The fact that it's not real and will never be. Why waste time investing and believing in something that will never happen?" Shameik said. He saw Lorie look at him shockingly for a few seconds.

"You never fantasize about things? Like owning a mansion or kissing your favorite celebrity crush?" Lorie lifted her legs up to her chest and hugged them.

Shameik felt himself relax more when she did that. Perhaps he had convinced her that he wanted to be here, because he did. His only concern was how he was going to convince him he needed to leave. Shameik saw no reason going anywhere at all. He wanted to sleep here tonight, knowing fully well that was not possible.

"Me kissing Hallie Berry is not sci-fi, okay? That can actually happen." Shameik joked and watch Lorie throw her head back in laughter.

"Sure it can, stud. As if Hallie Berry doesn't have enough admirers already!"

"What about you? You don't have enough admirers around you?" He heard himself ask her.

Lorie smirked upon being asked that question. Shameik hadn't thought about it until now but what if she had someone? A woman looking like she did had a line around the block filled with men that wished they had a chance with her! The stress of those men started to rush over him as he realized that he probably wasn't alone to want to be in her company. If he hadn't shown up tonight would someone else be eating dinner with her? Lorie Davidsson was not going to waste time on a man she would never have - due to his friendship with her brother.

"We aren't talking about me, right now. This is all you, buddy." She tried to deflect it but Shameik wanted to know now, more than ever before.

He knew it was selfish to want to know but he didn't want to compete with anyone else. Shameik was now confronted with the fact that he wanted Lorie all to himself, but there was no way he could.

"Are you scared to answer the question? Are they that many?" He teased her, eager to get it out of her! Lucky for him she took the bite,

"Any other admirers--no I don't think so." She teased back.