I Like 'Em Pretty

by Triad Literary

  “Well, it is. She’s deadly, I tell ya.” Alexander laughed as he spoke in a country accent.

  “You’re getting rather good at that, Alex. I can’t do it at all and neither do I want to for that matter. Not that I don’t like the speech, I just don’t think it suits me.”

  “Ah, I know, you’re such a proper bloke. A fashion plate just like your mum and da,” Alexander added. “I couldn’t see you enjoying yourself in the company of a bunch of Southern folk.”

  “I couldn’t either. I’d much rather be at the North Carolina Museum of Art attending a charity ball.” Nicholas loved art and photography second only to his medical profession.

  “Yes, yes, I know. It’s why you need a good Southern gal to loosen you up a little. You’re too stuffy, Nicholas. You barely go out unless it’s to work out…”

  “Mhmm…or to the park to photograph things. Perhaps even the cemetery because I love looking at old crypts and headstones.”

  “Yes, but what girl is going to want to join you on those kind of excursions? I doubt there will be many.”

  “Well, I’m not sure meeting a woman at a club or a swinger’s party is the way to go either, even though you lucked up on the latter.”

  “Yes, I did. I never thought I’d find my soulmate there. Truthfully, I wasn’t even going to hook up with anyone. I only wanted to observe.”

  “That’s what you keep telling me,” Nicholas chuckled and picked up the stray shards of his glass.

  “Honest I didn’t and then I saw her, making notes on a sofa, while two very hot women were getting it on.”

  “Uh huh. I haven’t the faintest idea why you’d want to watch anyone, especially two women, when you could join them, Alexander.”

  “It was fun actually. Well, I hope Rhoda meets your expectations. She’s quite nice if I say so myself. Not my Sharnette, but still beautiful.”

  “Okay. On a scale of one to ten, where would you rate Miss Rhoda?” Nicholas rolled the ‘r’ and shifted on the mattress to hear Alex’s answer.

  “Well, since Sharnette is an eleven, I’d have to say Rhoda is a high eight. She seems a little shy, and I can’t possibly rate her close to my Sharnette regardless of how gorgeous she is.”

  “I can work with shy. I act that way sometimes myself, but you say she fits my criteria?”

  “Oh yes. A nice size rack, curvy body, and a beautiful smile. She’s a nurse at Duke Medical Center.”

  Nicholas eyes widened and his lips curved into a slight grin. “She’s perfect, Alexander. Why didn’t you introduce me before? A nurse? It means she’ll understand my schedule better than anyone.”

  “I’m not much of a matchmaker, Nicholas. I was scared about bringing the two of you together. I knew if something went awry, it would cause problems with you two as well as us. You’re my best friend and Rhoda is Sharnette’s. We want you two to be happy and give it a try. It’s time for us to settle down and make babies, ol’ boy. We aren’t gettin’ any younger.”

  “Very true.” Nicholas crossed his legs and palmed his chin. “So we’re meeting on Saturday, then?”

  “Yes, it’s a go. I’ll let Sharnette know that you’re excited about meeting Nurse Rhoda.”

  “Does she have a last name?”

  “Yes, Maire. Rhoda Maire.”

  Nicholas nodded and pictured nurse Rhoda in a tight white uniform that only went half way down her body and showed beautiful legs poking from underneath. Just the thought of it caused tightness in his crotch under the silk loungers.

  Rhoda!

  “Nicholas?”

  “Yes, Alexander?”

  “I’m going to let you go. I’m thinking you might need a moment.”

  “I’ll chat with you later.”

  * * * *

  “Oh yeah, girl, you shoulda been there. So many hot lookin’ men, I wish I had time to date a couple.” Moira forked through her turnip greens and hummed when she put a portion in her mouth.

  “Heh, you should’ve asked for some time off to stay, Moira. I’ve been to Paris a couple of times. Many Europeans are very good looking.” Sharnette bit into her chicken and wiped her fingers.

  Rhoda stayed silent as her sister took over the conversation, as usual. Thank God it was getting close to the time when Moira had to leave and meet with her agent; she’d received his text while they were on the way to the Down Home restaurant.

  “Rho, you and me should take a trip abroad one of these days. If you can get the time off.”

  “Yeah, I’d love that.” Rhoda half smiled and nodded at her friend. “I’ve never been, but I always wanted to take the trip.

  “Hey, we should, Sharnette. I know I could easily ask to take a leave to join you guys.”

  Rhoda wanted to scream when she heard that. There was her beloved sister again, inviting herself along, when Sharnette clearly only singled her out and not Moira.

  “Well, we’ll see. Hey Rho, how’s the country fried steak? Is it any good?”

  “It’s not bad. I should’ve had the roasted pork chops with the greens like you did. The sides are better than the meat.”

  “Ack, don’t you hate that?” Moira frowned and shook her head.

  “Yeah.” Rhoda shot daggers at her once again. If they were real knives, Moira would be dead and full of holes.

  “Yeah… Moira, you sure you don’t need a ride to the agency?”

  “Naw, babe. I’ll catch a cab. I don’t want you guys to rush on my account. You’re not even done eatin’.” Moira glanced at her watch. “As a matter of fact, I gotta run if I’m gonna be on time for my appointment. Kiss kiss.” She stood up then leaned down to press her lips against Rhoda’s head and then Sharnette’s. “We gotta hang when I have more time, ladies.”

  “Yeah, we do, girl. See you later, okay?”

  “All right then.” She dropped a twenty on the table and rushed for the exit, leaving half her plate of collards.

  “Grrr…” Rhoda scowled and toyed with her food.

  Sharnette laughed and shook her head. “The two of you are like peas in a pod, ya know. She just wants to be around her twin sis.”

  “Yadda, yadda, yadda, I know. We spent nine months in the womb and grew up together. I think it’s about time we weren’t so joined at the hip don’cha think?”

  “Perhaps. Hey, Alexander texted me and it’s a go for Saturday night. Nicholas is ready to meet you.”

  Hearing that brought a smile to Rhoda’s face and she ate the rest of her mac and cheese. “Good, because I’m lookin’ forward to seeing him. I need a man in my life so I can get some business outside the hospital. Plus my mom’s gettin’ on my last nerves with her ‘the best men are the ones you meet in church’ bullcrap!” Rhoda stabbed a piece of the steak and plunked it in between her lips.

  “Oh, so the whole scandals with priests molesting children doesn’t matter? And what about all the people who have problems with gays and lesbians?”

  Oh boy.

  Rhoda didn’t want to get Sharnette on her GLBT soapbox. Not that she didn’t agree, but it didn’t directly affect her.

  She’d much rather talk about animal cruelty.

  “Well, Nettie, that’s a big issue and that’s why I don’t agree with her. There’s no one at her church I’d want to meet up with anyway. I like my men a certain way and I doubt I’ll find him in the pews of AMC Baptist.”

  “Right, I know you won’t. Hopefully, you and Doc Fairlight will hit it off, Rho. The two of you would make such a lovely couple.”

  “We would?” Rhoda nodded and smiled in agreement. “I’m ready to meet him more than ever then. You have to give me some ideas on what to wear on Saturday night.”

  “Okay, sure. A sexy black dress, maybe, with just the right earrings and some high heels…”

  “No stilettos, I hope.”

  “Nah, maybe just some pumps, even though black stilettos would have a positive effect on a man. I wear ‘em all the time for Alex, even in bed.”

  “Uh… TMI!” Rhod
a held up her free hand. “I read about your sex life in your books. I don’t think I wanna hear anymore.”

  Sharenette chuckled and wiped the corners of her mouth with the cloth napkin. “Heh, and you don’t enjoy it? I mean, I’m givin’ you a vivid picture and maybe even some pointers, Rho. Never know when you might wanna use ‘em on somebody.”

  “I seriously doubt that. I’m pretty vanilla when it comes to sex. Good ol’ missionary never hurt anybody,” she stated proudly, drawing stares from a couple of people walking past.

  Sharnette snorted and gulped down her soda, trying to keep it from coming out her nose.

  “Damnit, Nettie, you always get me in trouble.” Rhoda slumped down in her seat and tapped her fingers on the table in front of her.

  She hated talking about the sex word in public and this would be the other reason why.

  After enduring several more days of work at the medical center delivering babies, Saturday finally arrived. Rhoda’s first weekend day off in quite some time and she was thrilled to be doing something fun.

  Sharnette took her shopping the day prior in a boutique that specialized in curvy women’s clothing, buying her the best-looking black dress in the shop. Rhoda could afford it but Sharnette insisted on paying for it as an early Christmas gift. She remarked, “Gotta get ya outta your shell somehow, girlie. Lemme at least do this for ya.”

  Despite being able to purchase the dress, Rhoda didn’t balk and accepted her best friend’s kind gesture. Not that she did it regularly, anyway.

  Once she finished putting on lotion and the proper undergarments, Rhoda pulled the dress out of the bag and grinned at the sight. Spaghetti straps, the cleavage portion dipped low, and the just above her knees, which she loved. The back crisscrossed; since the heat was still on in North Carolina, even at this time of year, it would be no problem to wear the dress with a shawl covering her back.

  “Mmhm… I hope it fits the same as it did yesterday,” she joked to herself and slipped the dress over her head. To her delight, it did fit exactly the same way, like a glove. In the mirror she modeled it for herself, making sure the straps were lined up correctly and the strapless bra was still doing its job to hold off the gravity from her breasts. “Not bad, Rhoda!” She smiled and slipped into her new black pumps she bought even though Sharnette tried her best to get her to buy some stilettos.

  “You’ll knock ‘em dead with this, Rho.” Sharnette held up the four-inch heels and immediately Rhoda grimaced. No way would she be wearing those things when she could barely stand in anything over two inches.

  Breaking her neck wasn’t something she wanted to do when meeting this man.

  Now with her dress fitting comfortably, it was time to apply makeup and get ready for the night. Hopefully the club wouldn’t be one of those pretentious places she abhorred because she looked forward to enjoying herself. More importantly, she hoped Dr. Fairlight was the man she’d been searching for to cure the loneliness she’d been feeling for a long time.

  No time like the present to find out.

  * * * *

  Nicholas took a look at himself in the glass and adjusted his black necktie. Alexander had informed him the place they were going to was a snazzy club and to dress accordingly. If anyone had a problem with dressing appropriately, it was Alexander. He hated wearing ties and preferred jeans, along with gym shoes, on a casual night out.

  Nicholas concluded Sharnette must’ve worked her mojo on his friend again to convince him to go to this new bar. Ah, wouldn’t he love to be under that spell, even if it were only for a moment?

  Nah.

  Satisfied with his appearance, he checked his digital clock next to the bed. Eight o’ eight. Might be time to leave the apartment and make his way to the club to meet them at the door as they’d discussed. It should be easy to get a taxi there since it was less than a half an hour away from his condo. Driving was never a consideration for Dr. Fairlight because he loved being chauffeured. Besides that, the thought of driving a vehicle scared him and he didn’t want that type of responsibility.

  Grabbing his cellular and house keys, he strolled from the bedroom and dragged his hand along the wall to shut off the light. Excitement flowed through him as he pondered a night out with friends and possibly a potential lady to be.

  He hadn’t been this joyous to go out at any time in the past but this evening just seemed like it would be a success.

  Rhoda sounded like just the medicine he needed to cure the emptiness in his life.

  * * * *

  “Woohoo! I’m lovin’ this!” Sharnette held on to Alexander, looking like a kid in the line at Six Flags. “I do love a crowd.”

  “Mhmm…” Rhoda nodded, knowing she didn’t exactly relish it, but she wanted to try being a bit more outgoing for her date tonight. Even Alexander told her to let her hair down a little and enjoy herself.

  “You just love people, period, darling. I know you enjoy watching them.”

  “Yes, I do. Always feed the muse, baby. Hey Rho, we’re gonna get one of those Long Islands for you to drink tonight. Perhaps it will loosen ya up.”

  “Perhaps too much.” Rhoda face scrunched up thinking about the last time she had more than one alcoholic drink similar to a Long Island. Oh, what a night that was. Standing on top of the bar with Sharnette, singing Duran Duran’s Hungry Like the Wolf with the trademark howling at the end. Just recalling that caused Rhoda to shudder. How on earth she let Sharnette convince her into having another drink was beyond her. Never again, though. She’d gladly chicken out and grab a chilled glass of Moscato. A lot less embarrassment to be had and no hangover as long as she didn’t go over her own limit of two.

  With the soft breeze whipping around her, Rhoda took a gander at all the well-dressed people standing in the same line. Mostly couples of every variety, donning their best outfits and anticipating getting in to the opening, while she, Sharnette, and Alex stood at the VIP side, since her friend knew the owners. This was no surprise since Sharnette knew everyone.

  Alexander looked down at his phone. “Ah good, Nicholas is almost here. He says he should be pulling up at any minute. You gals stay here while I go greet him, right?” He kissed Sharnette on the head and walked toward the curb.

  Rhoda couldn’t help but smile at the affection Sharnette and her man showed for one another and sincerely hoped she’d have that same thing soon.

  “Ah, young love,” she chided and playfully smacked Sharnette on the shoulder.

  “Yep. I love that man with all my heart. I never thought I’d be so in love with just one person, Rho.” She fluttered her eyebrows and waved the couple in front of them in.

  “Yeah you did, girl and so did I. I know you fought it for the longest time, and as soon as you made up your mind to settle down, there he was, waitin’ for ya. Too bad I can’t foresee that for myself.”

  “Yes, you can, Rho. You never know when Mr. Right will pop up in your life.”

  “Or Doctor Right,” she responded and attempted to find Alex, hoping to catch a glimpse of Nicholas before he walked up.

  Her nerves crept up, causing knots to form in her gut, and she bit her lip. God, why did she feel like a young girl on her first date at the age of sixteen? She’d been through this plenty of times before, but this evening she might be meeting the one she’d been searching for eons.

  C’mon, Doctor Nicholas, you’ve gotta be the one.

  Chapter Four

  “So she’s here?” Nicholas couldn’t help but be excited at meeting the hot nurse that left him exhausted from his dream earlier this evening.

  “Yep, she is. Was it good?” Alexander cocked an eyebrow.

  “Uh huh. Wouldn’t you like to know, you kinky bastard!” Nicholas slapped Alex’s shoulder and they walked toward the club.

  “Sure would. My girl’s an erotica writer so I notice everything and I wanna know about people’s sexuality.”

  “Eh, you always were an interesting bloke, Dr. Carthington.”

  “Yep, a
h there she is. Like what you see?” Alex nodded toward a tall, young lady.

  Nicholas’ mouth gaped open and his eyes bulged.

  Good God.

  Nurse Rhoda was everything he’d stated and more. From here, she looked to be about five seven in heels, wild brown eyes, a perfectly curvy body he’d loved to cuddle up against at night. And those legs, long and luscious. God, he’d love to wrap them around him when he…

  “Nicholas?” Alexander laughed.

  Time seemed to stand perfectly still while he strolled over to see his new lady to be.

  “Yes, um, hi. Rhoda? I’m Dr. Nicholas Fairlight.” Nicholas held out his hand and smiled wide. When their hands touched, the electricity flowed from her fingers to his.

  “Hi Doctor, I’m Rhoda Maire. I work at Duke University Medical center.”

  Both Alexander and Sharnette laughed at their connection and Nicholas couldn’t help but chuckle himself at her response.

  “I work at Methodist with Dr. Carthington. It’s a pleasure to meet you, m’lady.” Nicholas continued to clasp her warm, soft hand and pressed his lips against the top of her knuckles. He wished he could be alone with her right now, instead of in this crowded club.

  Did she do first date sex?

  Something told him she didn’t. Alexander did mention she was sort of shy. Why she should be with that lovely mocha-colored body and beautiful smile he couldn’t figure out, but still he’d be glad to bring her out of her shell.

  “You too, Dr. Fairlight. I’ve heard some wonderful things about you.”

  “All proper, I hope. Dr. Carthington tends to have a big mouth at times.”

  Alexander chuckled. “I didn’t talk to her about you, chum. Sharnette did.”

  “Ah, good, then it was all proper. Only Alexander knows about the things I might like to hide from the masses.”

  Rhoda joined him in the giggles. “I have a feeling there may not be much, doctor. Good thing Sharnette doesn’t have anything on me.”

  “Ah yeah, I do. We used to spend the night over at each other’s house. I know all about your obsessions.”

  Nicholas smiled at that statement and still didn’t let go of Rhoda’s hand.