“Which way, ma?”
“Um, this… just… follow me.” She fumbled over her words as she tried to get herself together.
Miego chuckled to himself as they moved through a door, down a hallway, and stopped at an office where she held her hand up.
“’Preciate it.” Miego offered a teasing smile that again had her fumbling with her words.
“Um, yeah, no problem.” After checking him out one last time, she smiled and left.
Miego stood in the doorway watching Karlin as she pecked away on her computer with the phone receiver pressed between her cheek and shoulder. She looked up at him and smiled before pointing to the door, which he closed. Then, she motioned to the chair at the end of her desk. He could tell that it wasn't the original spot for it because it was awkwardly placed in her tiny office. The proximity of the chair to hers let him know just what he was in for.
“Thanks, Dave. My appointment is here, so I’ll call you back,” Karlin said before offering Miego a lustful grin. Once she no longer had the phone in her hand, she leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest.
“You just can't do right, can you?”
“Depends on your definition of right.” A smirk spread across Miego’s face as he checked Karlin out.
It had been a minute since he’d seen her, but she hadn't changed much. The grey pants and white blouse she wore didn't do her shapely figure much justice, but he knew her body in an intimate way, so her assets were visible to him. Karlin had a pretty Hershey complexion, shoulder length hair that belonged to her, and a body that was well worth the time she invested in it. She worked out all the time because she wasn't a small girl. Not exactly overweight, but thick in a nice way. She stayed in the gym because of her insecurities about it, which maintained her firm and toned stomach and tight ass.
“Staying out of here is what I consider doing right.”
“This shit ain't my fault. I can't help a nigga snitched on me.”
“But if they didn't have anything to snitch about, then you wouldn't be here,” Karlin said and then smiled.
“Don't trip, you know how that shit goes. We grew up in the same environment. I’m just trying to eat.”
She smiled and eyed his body. “I feel you, but you might want to be more careful next time.”
“Man, fuck a next time. You won’t see my ass up in here ever again. Trust that.”
“Good, because I pulled a lot of strings to get your case. Don't make me regret it.”
Miego chuckled. “How the fuck you gon’ regret being around me. You and I both know that shit ain't gon’ happen.”
“Don't do that.” She rolled her eyes.
Again, Miego laughed. “Do what, Karlin?”
“This is business. I’m not messing with your no good ass like that anymore. You’ll fuck around and have me up in here with monthly visits of my own for having to check that hoe you call your girl.”
“Who you talking about, Karlin? Last time I checked, I didn't have no damn girl.”
She really rolled her eyes this time. “Yeah? Well, Kia didn't get the memo, so you might want to check her on that.”
Karlin sat forward, moving her chair closer to Miego before she lifted his file from the side of her desk. She placed it in front of her then opened it. Miego leaned back with one elbow propped on the arm of the chair while his other hand moved across his head, stopping just enough to let his fingers massage his waves while his eyes moved across Karlin’s body.
“So, here’s the deal. Show up, pay your fees, and other than that, I’ll make sure you’re in good standing.”
“That's it?” Miego looked Karlin right in her eyes and she immediately looked away. She focused on his file again, which she knew every detail of because she had been through it a thousand times.
“That’s it.”
“You gone let me burn one every now and then?”
She looked at Miego and rolled her eyes. “Just don’t overdo it, but I’ll take care of your drug test.”
“Damn, I knew you’d look out. I appreciate that, ma. I’m just happy as fuck you got that shit moved from once a week to once a month. That damn fat ass dude I had before was on some bullshit, smelling like spoiled milk and ass. What is it gon’ cost me?”
Karlin’s eyes went right to his waist before she actually looked at him. “We’ll figure something out,” she said and then bit her bottom lip.
Miego could see right through that, so he released another laugh. “I bet we will.”
While he waited for Karlin to fill out some paperwork for him to sign, his phone went off with a text from his sister. He called her back instead of texting.