They walked slowly back to the restaurant and were happy to find that they’d made it back in time for a table in the corner. “Now I don’t have to share my new favorite thing,” he said with a grin as the hostess led them through the crowded restaurant.
“Remember who introduced you to your new favorite thing,” she said, then bumped him with her hip. Richmond wrapped his arm around her waist.
“So, you’re saying I have to share?”
She tried to ignore the heat from his touch, but the ripples racing up and down her spine were impossible to shrug off. It had been a long time since she’d allowed herself to have these thoughts about a man. Alicia had been ready to leave all of that love shit to her friends and focus on her business. She wasn’t bitter, just realistic. Everyone didn’t get a fairy tale, and she was fine watching her girls live their happily-ever-afters.
Looking at Richmond, she actually wondered if this might be her chance. Too soon and we work together, she thought as she turned away from him. Too soon to get caught up in these kinds of thoughts.
“Is this all right for you two?” the hostess asked.
“It’s great,” Alicia said as Richmond held out the chair for her. Easing into the seat, Alicia smiled at Richmond and then began studying the menu.
* * *
Richmond glanced at Alicia as he sat down. He wondered if she knew how beautiful she was. A classic beauty with brains, all dipped in chocolate. She was the kind of woman he could see himself spending weekends with, making love to, all night, and touring the city with. Of course, he could hear his brother telling him to enjoy the single life and not to fall for the first woman who smiled at him. But there was something different about Alicia that made him want to get to know her. What drove her, what made her so focused, and what were her hidden desires?
“So, what do you suggest?” he asked, breaking the silence at the table.
“The Westside Pileup is good. I also like the black bean cakes and eggs. And you have to try the grits. If you don’t like them, we’re going to have to work on your taste buds.”
“I love grits,” he said with a wink. “Kandace brought some into the city and I’ve been hooked ever since.”
“Good to know. Now, here’s the big question—sugar or salt?”
“Huh?”
“On your grits. Sugar or salt?”
“Definitely salt,” he said. “There’s other places for sugar.”
She raised her eyebrow, but didn’t respond.
Richmond smiled, liking the shy side of this woman. Just how many layers made up Alicia Michaels?
“Do you think we can go check out your office space later today?” she asked. “Not that I’m trying to be pushy, but I want to set up shop as soon as possible.”
Before he could reply, Alicia’s cell phone rang. When she looked down at that screen and smiled, he wondered if that was a special guy calling her to put a smile on her face like that.
I’m not sitting up here getting jealous about who this woman talks to on the phone, he thought as he read the contents of the meal Alicia recommended. Maybe he’d been moving too fast in his mind, thinking that he could move forward in a relationship with someone he barely knew. Maybe Solomon was right. He was out of practice and needed to just chill out for a while.
“I have to make a call,” Alicia said, breaking into his thoughts. He watched her as she headed outside, and thought about calling Solomon, but he wasn’t some teenager needing advice on how to win over a girl. And Alicia was far from a girl. She was all woman, and he couldn’t sit there and wonder if she was seeing someone else. It wasn’t his place. Not yet, anyway.
When the waiter walked over, Richmond ordered a carafe of orange juice and two cups of coffee and tried to pretend he wasn’t feeling some kind of way about Alicia being outside talking to some man.
* * *
“All of y’all make me so sick,” Alicia said to Serena. “You lazy heifers wanted to sleep in, so I let you.”
“Are you with Richmond?” Kandace chimed in.
“Wow, speakerphone, Serena?”
“It was either that or I’d have to retell this story. So, everyone is here. Let us know what’s going on and then frick and frack can leave me alone. I’m ready to go back to Charlotte, and they aren’t leaving until they get all up in your business.”
Alicia sighed. “Yes, I’m having brunch with Richmond and y’all are being super annoying right now. For the record, we’re discussing business.”
“Where are you guys eating?” Jade asked. “I mean, we’re hungry too.”
“West Egg and there are no seats. I’m hanging up now, because this is just rude.” Alicia ended the call and turned her ringer off before returning to Richmond. When she saw the coffee and juice on the table, she smiled.
“You’re awesome,” she said as she sat down. “Sorry about that. My friends think we’re still college students.”
Richmond nodded. “Maybe they just wanted to make sure you’re safe,” he said as he filled her glass with orange juice.
Alicia’s mind flashed back to last night and her encounter with Felix. Though she’d thought she’d gotten over the assault, seeing him and having him touch her made it all come back as if it had been yesterday. The insecurities, the fear, and the rush of emotions that she’d thought she’d pushed away.
As she looked at Richmond, Felix’s words echoed in her ears, past and present ones.
“Alicia?” Richmond said, breaking into her dark thoughts. “Are you all right?”
“Yes,” she sputtered. “Just thinking about . . . I don’t think you really know what it meant to me last night when you came to my defense.” Tears welled up in her eyes and Richmond reached across the table and placed his hand on her wrist.
“You wanted to be left alone and that guy wasn’t doing what you asked him to do.”
She smiled and blinked back the tears. “I don’t really do the damsel in distress thing, you know.”
He brought her hand to his lips and gave her a gentle kiss. “I get that, but sometimes even the hero needs an assist.”
She exhaled and picked up her juice when he let her hand go. Taking a huge sip, she hoped it would calm her nerves. She wasn’t about to share her story with Richmond and sound like somebody holding on to the past, unable to move forward. But if she was honest, that incident in college had colored her life in a way that she had yet to deal with.
“Anyway, enough about that. Did you bring the keys to your office space?”
“I did, but going up to the office is pretty boring for such a beautiful day. Besides, I want to see the Atlanta that isn’t in the travel guides,” he said with a smirk. “I mean, if you’re up for it.”
“I’m up for anything,” she replied, matching his smirk with a smile of her own.
Richmond took a deep breath and tried not to think about what he’d really love to do today rather than tour the city. If he had his druthers, he’d spend the day exploring every inch of her body with his tongue and fingers. He wanted to put his hands all over that soft ebony skin and find all the spots that made her scream with joy.
“Richmond?”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“I said do you want to ditch the cars and take the train?”
“I think I need to check out this Atlanta traffic that everyone always complains about. So I’ll drive, and you be my GPS.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” she replied.
He had plans, but he knew it was too soon to share his desire with her. After finishing their meal and Richmond telling the waiter that this was going to be his new go-to breakfast spot, he and Alicia headed out to his car.
“Where to first?” he asked after they were strapped in.
“Mmm,” she said as she stroked her chin. “Let’s go to the Shakespeare Tavern.”
“What?”
“It’s a tavern where you can actually see plays by the Bard and get some craft beer. Think of it as an unpretentious Br
oadway.”
“You cut me to the quick, woman,” Richmond said as he started the car. “Sounds like a nice place, though.”
“I think you’ll like it,” she said as she pulled out her phone and typed the address into her Maps app.
“Food and liquor seem to be the way to get things done around here,” Richmond joked as the GPS voice began giving him directions.
“It’s the South, food is a good way to get you in the door. But no bagels and lox.”
He shot her a quick glance. “Have you ever had it?”
“Nope.”
“Then expect to be amazed in the morning,” he said.
“Excuse me? I hope you don’t think I’m spending the night with you, because—”
“Slow down. I was talking about bringing you breakfast to the office. But if you want to stay, I’m all for it.” He winked at her, then took the turn the GPS suggested.
Alicia exhaled but didn’t say a word. Open mouth, insert foot.
Chapter 6
Richmond clapped as the actors took their bows. He had to admit that he wasn’t expecting to see such an amazing show at a pub, but the Shakespeare actors did an amazing job with The Taming of the Shrew.
“There’s no need for Broadway when you have this tavern,” Richmond said as he downed his beer.
“Yeah, right,” Alicia replied. “I doubt there will be a performance of Hamilton here.”
“I’ve seen it already, so I’m good until the next big thing comes along.”
She shot him a frown and shook her head. “Spoken like a theater elitist.”
Richmond laughed and shrugged off her comment. “Stick with me and I’ll make you an elitist too.”
“I’m holding you to that,” Alicia said as she waved for the bartender. “I can’t believe we’ve been here for two hours. Want a drink? After all, it’s five o’clock somewhere.”
Smiling, he nodded. “No. I’m guessing our next stop is going to be a coffee shop or something?”
“Have you ever had Dancing Goats coffee? You’re going to love it. It’s not too far from here,” she said. “We can walk if you’d like.”
“Sounds good. The best way to get to know a city is to walk the streets,” he said with a smile. The truth was, he just wanted a chance to watch her shapely bottom as they walked. “Tell me something,” he asked as he settled the bill. “What attracted you to Atlanta when you moved here all those years ago?”
She shrugged. “At first I just wanted to get away from my small hometown and have a new adventure. Atlanta turned out to be the place where I found myself, lost myself, and met the best friends a woman could ever have.”
“How did you lose yourself?”
“A story for another day,” she said, then looked away from him. “Let’s get this coffee.”
Richmond wrapped his arm around her small waist. “Let’s do this. Dancing Goats, huh?”
“Better than anything you’ve ever tasted.”
He highly doubted that. He glanced at her lips and smiled. Richmond was sure nothing compared to her lips. All day, Richmond had been fighting the urge to kiss her and taste her sweetness again. He couldn’t fight it any longer. He drew Alicia into his arms and pressed his lips against hers. Slow and sensual, their tongues danced to the beat of a song their hearts played.
She placed her hand against his chest and pushed back from him. “Whoa,” she breathed. “What was that all about?”
“Clearly, it’s about me wanting you.”
Alicia’s cheeks heated and she turned her head away from him. “Richmond, I think . . .”
“If I crossed the line, I apologize, but I won’t say I’m sorry for wanting to kiss you and enjoying it.”
“Isn’t this happening a little too fast?” she asked, tearing her gaze away from his lips. Those luscious, need inducing, panty-wetting lips. Her mouth may have said things were moving too fast, but her body was yelling faster, faster!
“Maybe, maybe not. We should just enjoy the ride.” Richmond smiled and took her hand in his. “Let’s get this coffee.”
Alicia needed to make a decision and quick. How in the hell was she going keep her world from spinning out of control when she couldn’t focus on anything but her desire for Richmond Crawford? What if Kandace was right and Richmond was on the rebound from his divorce?
She knew she needed to get her mind wrapped around business and ignore her yearnings to be wrapped around Richmond. Exhaling, she focused on the electric signs above the crosswalk telling them to stop.
“Another thing I will not get used to in the South,” Richmond said.
“Trust me, the last thing you want to do is get hit by a speeding driver. We don’t really stop around here.” As if on cue, a car blew through the intersection as if the driver was qualifying for a NASCAR race.
“And I thought New York had the worst drivers,” he quipped.
“Whatever. Most of the crazy drivers around here aren’t from Atlanta. There are a lot of transplants in the city.”
“Is that so?” he said, then popped his imaginary collar.
Alicia laughed, then looked away from his lips. How was she going to help him make the connections he needed in Atlanta when all she wanted to do was connect her body to his?
Arriving at the coffee shop, Alicia decided that she was going to wrap her mind around business and not wanton thoughts about Richmond’s naked body.
“So, what’s so great about this coffee?” he asked as they stepped through the door.
“It’s one of those things you can only explain with a taste of it. Smooth and strong but not bitter.”
Richmond nodded. “The perfect test for a cup of coffee is how it tastes naked.”
Alicia inhaled and shivered at the way he said naked. “Is that so?”
Before Richmond could respond, a beaming woman with a short haircut excitedly called out Alicia’s name.
“Oh, joy,” Alicia remarked before plastering a smile on her face. “Dionne, hi.”
Dionne, who was focused on Richmond, gave Alicia a sidelong glance. “I was wondering why I didn’t see you last night with your crew. I guess I know why now.” She extended her hand to Richmond. “Hi, I’m Councilwoman Dionne Ashe. Alicia and I went to college together. And you are?”
“Richmond Crawford,” he said as he shook her tiny hand.
“You’re not Kandace’s husband, are you?” She looked from Alicia then back to Richmond and brought her free hand to her mouth.
“No, I’m her handsome brother-in-law.”
Alicia rolled her eyes. “Dionne, Richmond is in Atlanta to open a chain of boutique hotels.”
“Really? I’ve always stayed at a Crawford hotel when I visit New York. Talk about elegant. Where are you looking to build? My district, I hope,” she said with a wink. “Maybe we can get together and I can give you a tour of my little part of Atlanta.”
Alicia shook her head, forcing herself not to allow herself to give in to the heated jealousy flowing through her body. Dionne had always been known as a flirt, but this was borderline disrespectful. Just because Richmond wasn’t married, it didn’t mean that he and Alicia weren’t together. But Alicia knew she didn’t have a right to these feelings. She turned her head away from them.
“That sounds like a good idea,” he said. “We’re still scouting places for the hotel, and a unique area of the city that would make it a special destination spot would be amazing.”
“Oh yes,” she replied as Alicia gritted her teeth. “I have some great property in my district that would fit the bill. How can I get in touch with you?”
Richmond reached for his wallet and handed her a business card. “Maybe we can get together on Monday afternoon and take this tour.”
Alicia raised her right eyebrow but kept silent. Who was she to stand in the way of his business dealings? Dionne would definitely be able to help him with zoning and everything he’d need to start construction on the hotels. Still, something was rubbing Alicia the wro
ng way and she needed to get over it.
“I can pencil you in before the full council meeting on Monday. It might be a good idea for you to come to the meeting as well,” she said with a smile. Then Dionne turned to Alicia. “You’re welcome to join us as well.”
“Monday is a busy day for me,” she said. “Moving into my new office space.”
“Oh, so you’re coming back to Atlanta? I thought you and your girls had set your sights on taking over Charlotte.”
“We can take over the entire Southeast if we choose to,” Alicia said with a smile. Turning to Richmond, she placed her hand on his shoulder. “I’m going to order my coffee. You two keep chatting.”
She didn’t look back to see the shocked expression on Dionne’s face. If Alicia had to describe her relationship with Dionne, she’d say they were frenemies. Dionne thought she should’ve been part of the clique with Alicia and her girls back in college, but she was the kind of woman who took a diva attitude to the highest level. Yes, she was smart and beautiful, but she thought that gave her the right to lord it over people who she deemed beneath her. And then she acted as if she was God’s gift to mankind, emphasis on man.
Good Lord, I hope Richmond doesn’t fall for her act, she thought as she studied the menu.
* * *
Richmond hid his grin as he watched Alicia coolly storm off. Dionne, though, seemed unfazed.
“So, Richmond, why did you choose my city for your expansion?” She ran her tongue across her bottom lip seductively.
“Atlanta seemed ripe for the picking.”
“Is that so? Just keep in mind, there are a lot of ripe things around here that you could have your pick of. A man like yourself will have no problem getting your share of the cream of the crop.” She offered a smile, as if he was a lamb being led to the slaughter. Richmond recognized her game. A beautiful woman with power could be dangerous, but there was no need to make an enemy in the political arena too quickly.
“That’s good to know,” he replied with a smile. “Listen, it was a pleasure meeting you and I can’t wait to see your district tomorrow.”
“Not that it matters, but will we be alone, or is Alicia joining us?”
Strategic Seduction Page 6