"You picky about food?" Ermias glanced over at me from the driver's seat "Like you into trying new cuisine?"

"Oh yeah, I love trying new things and expanding my palate as long as it's not too spicy"

"Man I love some spicy food, my pops always hook me up with the extra spicy food"

"I'm more of a sweet person, I like my desserts and sweet drinks"

Ermias nodded not replying like he was taking mental notes on what I told him, I smiled lightly at him before turning my attention to the surroundings from the car window.

"You wanna get some food, I got a little spot I frequent in Little Ethiopia"

"Whatever you want to do, I'm down"

He smirked nodding his head, I rolled my eyes knowing his brain had went into the gutter momentarily.

"You know what I mean"

"I know strictly professional" I bit the inside of the corner of my cheek nodding my head.

"Speaking of being professional, were you really serious back there about letting me do an art show in your store?"

I was excited when he said it but I didn't want to let myself down if it came out to be him just talking big shit for the journalist.

"I don't play like that, when I was something going to be done I mean that shit and I wouldn't play with ya emotions like that knowing that's something you would probably love to do"

"Is it paintings that you want done for it?" He shook his head 

"I want you to do whatever you want, it's ya art you do with it what you want I'm just marketing the event for you everything else is on you"

"Why are you so nice to me? I know now you are my boss but you've done more for me then anyone has my entire life"

My own mother never went out of her way to help me and here Ermias was ready to help me boost my career.

"I don't see it as being nice, this is apart of my mission to bring as many creators to the table with me to eat from success and financial increase"

"I know you probably tired of hearing me say thank you but I am so appreciative of you getting me on my feet"

Ermias had put me in a position that I was able to pay my bills on time and give my son things he wanted and needed without worrying about money for the first time in nine years I was stress free.

"I saw your work and could tell you loved the gift God gave you and that you was hungry for success and I knew I needed you on my team"

"Did you read all your employees like that or was it just me?" I tried seeing if I was the only one he had looked out like this or if I was the only one to get rode around the city or was this just his usual thing to get to know his employees.

"You were the first I sought out so hard for but yeah I seek out most of my employees like that"

"Oh" 

Ermias frowned taking a look at me before turning his head back to the road to focus on where we were going, even with the "professional" title placed I wanted to feel and be special to him.

"Why ya mood switch up like that?"

"Nothing, it's silly" I chuckled waving my hand to try and brush off whatever I was feeling.

"You gotta tell me what's good I ain't a psychic or nothing like that"

I bit my bottom lip debating on whether I should tell him how I was feeling, I sighed nodding my head coming to the conclusion that I would open my mouth up.

"It may just be me liking you because of you being so nice to me but I really do like you in an unprofessional way" He didn't seem shocked by my confession.

"We vibe, I can feel that" Ermias paused " I'm up for going with the flow"

He threw me off with his response, I opened my mouth and closed it shut with my shaky hands folded in my lap.

"I know I'm not in a great position in my life-

"I don't care about none of that, we going with the flow?"

I smiled nodding my head.

"Yeah"

"Alright we gonna take it slow cause we need to feel each other out and get to know each other more"

"I'm all for going slow, I need time to get myself together first" Ermias parked the car outside the small restaurant. He got out getting my door for me taking my hand.

"Sweaty ass palms, you ain't gotta be nervous around me"

"I didn't know if you were going to reject me and just want to stay professional"

"The only reason why I said that the other night was to not come on too strong and scare you off cause we had just met"

We entered Merkato restaurant together the owners greeted Ermias like he was family, clearly he was a frequent customer.

"This is my friend Kierra, I'm trying to show her where to get some of the best food from"

"Of course, here's a menu for you" I took the menu thanking the owner while I scanned over it.

"What do you think I should get?" 

He reached over me flipping the page showing off some of the pictures of the entrees the restaurant offered.

"Anything with the word Tibbs on the end always good, especially if you not into spicy food"

"Okay I'll do the Asa Tibbs" It was fresh whole white fried trout with vegetarian sides.

"Yeah you picked a good one, we ready" The owner came back up to the counter " She wants Asa Tibbs and I'll have the Shifenfin extra spicy with two teas and two waters"

I peered around the restaurant staring at the paintings and pieces of art around the store.

"You see something you like?"

"The African tribe painting is really beautiful" Ermias waved over the owner while I continued to stare at the art piece, the man walked around the counter to the wall where the painting was gently taking it down from the wall.

"Here you go" 

He held it out to me and I frowned looking to Ermias and back at the owner.

"Wait what?"

"You like it and I just brought it for you"

"I-I

I was speechless taking the painting, this would be hung up in my apartment to actually make it feel more like a home.

"Thank you" I smiled widely up at him holding my painting while we waited on our food " I don't know how I could pay you back"

"Kierra I don't get down like that, I do things for others because it brings me happiness to see I made someone else happy or I changed their life for the better"

"I understand but you've done so much and I just don't feel right not doing something in return"

"You open up yourself and let me in and trust me with your heart and we even"

I blushed looking down at the painting, I was afraid of love. I was afraid to love because of Kameron's father I loved him with everything I had and it wasn't enough to keep him alive.

"Don't worry I know you not ready for that right now that's why we gonna take it slow but when you feel like you wanna pick up the pace don't hold back in telling me, I respect honesty and straight forwardness"

" I will keep that in mind"

" Hiding shit and being secretive with your feelings will annoy me, on hood"

"I'm so used to bottling my emotions and feelings because I never had anyone really interested on hearing about them"

"I wanna hear all about them, I'm an open book whatever you wanna know or what you need to know I'll give answers and I want the same in return"

It was obvious communication was very important to Ermias and I appreciated a man who wanted to know how the woman they were dating felt and actually cared how they felt.

"Is it anybody that I should be worry about?"

"Nah, no drama over here"

I nodded hesitantly not knowing if I should believe it, Ermias squinted his eyes at me like he had read my mind or at least my body language.

"If this gonna work you gotta trust me and believe I wouldn't put you in any position to feel like there was other women or somebody to worry about"

"Okay"

He got our food taking it back to his car, I checked my phone texting Kameron to make sure everything was going okay with him.

: Mom why is this website talking bad about you?

was seen getting cozy with an employee at his store in Crenshaw, doesn't he know not to sleep with the help? word around town is that the mystery woman was recently painting faces at Disney Land for five dollars before being discovered By Nip , I wonder if she actually works or if she gets paid for being in his bed?

"What's wrong why you looking like that?"

I handed my phone over to him, he read the post clenching his jaw.

"Eat your food, I'm going to handle this"

I was too upset to eat anything, how could someone who had no clue who I was put up rumors like that for a few thousand likes on social media. Ermias typed on his phone tossing it up on the dashboard.

Mom, Nipsey is so cool look what he posted!

take this shit down and put some respect on her name , Kierra London is a mother and artist, apart of the All Money In team and we don't fucking play that and keep playing with her name and you gonna have to see me on hood, she got on the team cause she deserved to be here and she worked hard for her spot, you wanna post some shit about her post that next month she got an art show at the Marathon store, negative ass muthafuckas 

I blushed reading the post, Ermias sat unfazed eating his food like he didn't just defend me.

"What?"

"What you said about me" He shrugged

"I was stating facts, now eat your food before it gets cold"

I could see that being with Ermias would be easy and fun because he made it clear he was going to protect me and make sure I was treated right.

That's gonna be your step daddy

Ew mom 

You guys I started a small business with glosses, right now four colors are available on my website JerseySunfleur.com 

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