The Sweet Road to Love

by Jacki Kelly

  “I am. I didn’t think it was possible to miss someone so much. But all I do is think about you. Just have dinner with me tonight, that’s all I’m asking.”

  She nodded slowly. “Okay.”

  §§§

  Bishop charged to her door. This was the best he’d felt since storming out of her house. Every blood vessel in his body sang. Dakota had found her way into that place in his heart he didn’t even know existed.

  Watching Adanna with DJ, putting her son’s needs before her own, melted Bishop’s cold core. Her life was full and meaningful. She had people who anchored her, not a bunch of empty nights with names and faces she couldn’t remember in a week. The closest he came to that kind of emotion was with Dakota.

  He rang the doorbell and rubbed his hands together to warm them. He could hear her heels on the hardwood floor as she made her way to the door. His heart rate increased, like a kid expecting a surprise.

  She opened the door and smiled at him. Her dark eyes met his. Before she could protest, he pulled her into his arms and captured her mouth. All he’d wanted for weeks was to taste her, touch her, and hold her. Now that he had just what he wanted, he couldn’t let her go. She wrapped her arms around his waist, her breasts pressed against his chest.

  After several moments, she pulled away and allowed him to step into the living room.

  “Thank you for accepting my dinner invitation,” he said.

  She bit her bottom lip and nodded. “I’m not sure why I did. I’m even less sure why you asked me, since we agreed to go our separate ways.”

  “I’m not sure we agreed to that. You took a stand and made me accept your decision.”

  He sat on the sofa and she took the seat beside him. She turned towards him “Bishop, you made a decision about how you want to live your life. I made a decision about how I want to live mine. I didn’t force my views on you because I respected what you needed.”

  For several seconds, he was quiet. “Dakota, I just want to be with you. You are the only person I think about, the only one I want to be with. I want to make a commitment to you. Right here and right now.”

  She searched his face without responding.

  “Did you hear me? Aren’t you going to say something?”

  “You promised me dinner and I’m starved. What do I have to do to get some food?’

  He reached for her hand and pulled her up off the sofa. “Let’s go.”

  She grabbed her coat. “I think I better say this now, just in case.”

  “What?”

  “I’m not sleeping with you tonight. No sex.”

  “I had no intentions of sleeping tonight. And what I want to do with you goes a long way beyond sex.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Bishop chose a small sushi restaurant in the city. They were seated in a circular booth along the back wall, facing the door. Bishop’s thigh pressed against hers as he slid in next to her. He poured on the charm and she gathered her resolve so she wouldn’t swoon.

  The server showed up at their table to take their drink orders. “You’ll love the martinis here. They make them great.” Bishop pointed to the list of specialty drinks.

  “I’ll try a sour apple one.” Dakota read from the menu.

  “Make mine straight up, extra dirty.” After the server walked away, Bishop turned his full attention on her. “So, how is business now that the renovation is complete?”

  “Picking up. Some of the traffic is just for the holidays, but I believe many of the new customers will return.” She swallowed. “You did a good job. I’m not sure I ever formally thanked you.”

  “I enjoyed every minute. Now, is there anything else I can do for you?”

  “Let me think about it.”

  The server placed the drinks on the table and read the dinner specials.

  “Can you order for both of us?” Dakota asked. “I always struggle on the right thing to order.”

  He placed an order for the chef’s choice. “I hope you like sushi and sashimi.”

  “I’ve never tried raw fish, but everything you ordered sounds good,” she paused. “Tell me what’s really going on.”

  “I brought you to dinner to talk about us.” The intensity in his voice matched the eagerness in his eyes.

  “I want us to take our relationship slow. I never wanted to talk about forever, I just want to know if that’s even a possibility for us.”

  “If I learned nothing else since I’ve met you, I learned that I don’t want to be without you. My life lacked meaning. I’m much happier with you than I ever thought I could be. Probably more than I deserve.”

  Emotion clogged her throat. Instead of trying to respond, she smiled, daring a single tear to form in the corners of her eyes. Just hearing him say those few words made her heart swell with the love she had for him. If only she could tell him.

  Dinner arrived. Bishop picked up a glob of wasabi with the end of a chopstick and stirred the green paste. He placed the shrimp tempura in the muddy mixture then positioned the piece on her plate before dropping a thick slice of ginger on top. “Go ahead. Taste it and tell me what you think.”

  After several tries she managed to pick up the shrimp with her chopsticks and take a bite. The strong essences of horseradish stung her nose, making her wince. “Wow.” She managed a nod after several seconds.

  “It’s good, right?”

  “Yes.

  “Since we’re taking our relationship slow, I don’t want to assume you’ll be my date at the Harper Christmas party. So let me ask you formally. Will you be my date?”

  “You want me to be the girl on your arm?”

  “I want you to be the woman in my life.”

  Dakota was afraid to meet his eyes, in case they didn’t reflect sincerity. “How could you have changed your mind in a matter of weeks?”

  “I don’t want to lose you.”

  “So, if I was content to be a girlfriend for twenty years, then everything would have been okay?”

  The stunned look on his face let her know her words had struck him. But she couldn’t go running back with the giddiness of a school girl and no resolution. “Answer my question, Bishop.”

  “What does it matter? I’m asking for more. I want more, now, now.

  She continued to run her finger around the rim of the martini glass. “Funny, how we’ve switched sides.”

  “We haven’t switched. You don’t believe me. I can tell when a woman is giving me the brush-off.”

  She didn’t know how to reply. Instead, she stared off into the distance. This was too much. At first he didn’t even recognize her, now he couldn’t live without her. That only happened in movies.

  “The Harper Enterprise Christmas party is next week, will you be my guest?” he asked again.

  “Your guest or your date? There is a difference.”

  He scratched his head. “There isn’t. For me, the words are the same.”

  “Your mother could be your guest, or your sister could. As your date, I’m the woman you want to spend your evening with. The one and only.”

  “Then please be my date.”

  She finished her dinner and pushed the plate away. The server removed the dishes and placed dessert menus in front of them.

  “I can’t eat another thing.” She rubbed her tummy. “I’m full.”

  “You’re not ready to end our date, are you?” Bishop winked.

  She leaned across the table closer to him. “The evening consisted of dinner and nothing more. We aren’t doing anything else.”

  “That’s exactly what I had in mind. Take it slow.”

  She shook her head. “Bishop—”

  “Okay, okay. We’ll do things your way. I think I need to prove something to you and I will.” He signaled for the check.

  He escorted her out of the restaurant. All night he’d been attentive, as if whatever she said was exactly what he wanted to hear. She placed her hand over his. The warmth of his touch spread through her. The ride to her house w
as quiet.

  He pulled up in front of the house and turned off the car. “I can kiss you, can’t I?”

  “Or I can kiss you.” Dakota learned across the console and pressed her lips to his. He opened his mouth to accept her tongue. She tasted a hint of salt lingering on his tongue. He put his index finger under her chin to pull her closer.

  She wanted to deny what was happening, but she would be lying to herself. She pulled away. “I better go inside before I get into trouble.” She opened the car door before he could reply.

  “Thanks for dinner.” He held her hand and walked her to the door.

  From the warmth of her living room she watched Bishop pull away from the curb before calling her sister. “Asa, I just had a date with Bishop.”

  “I thought you guys broke-up?”

  “He showed up at the bookstore and told me he changed his mind. I don’t know if I can believe him?”

  “Suppose he’s serious?”

  She snickered. “Suppose he just doesn’t like being turned away. He’s trying to save face. Suppose we’re just dating again?”

  “Dakota, stop being so cynical. He might be sincere.”

  “He invited me to the Christmas party. As his date.”

  “You were already invited, so now you have a date. Isn’t that great?” Asa sounded enthusiastic. “See you on Saturday. And Dakota please wear something festive. It’s a party.”

  “Got it, Asa. Don’t you have a dress I can wear that will make Bishop thankful to have me as his date?”

  “I have just the thing. I’ll send the dress over tomorrow.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Bishop glanced at Dakota’s long, slender leg protruding from the high slit of her silky gown. The bright red color against her buttery complexion looked amazing. Her hair was pulled high on her head and diamond studs glistened from her ears. “You look gorgeous tonight. You should be on the Christmas cards.”

  She tried to cover her upper thigh. “You look quite magical yourself. But you always do.”

  At the Hotel DuPont, he pulled into the valet slot and waited while the attendant opened the car doors. This was his third Harper Christmas party, but it felt like the first. Tonight he wanted to make sure she had a good time. “Thank you for being my date tonight.”

  She slipped her arms though his. “How could I say no?”

  From the lobby, they could hear the band playing. The holiday decorations amped up the celebratory feel for the night.

  An attendant stepped up to them. “The coat check is to your right. Also, there is a picture booth to the right of the ballroom. Won’t you please step that way to get your picture taken?”

  “That’s a nice surprise.” Dakota clasped her hands together. “But who gets to keep the picture?”

  “We’ll share. You can have the photo for a month, then I have a turn for a mouth.” He kissed her hand.

  On the stairs leading to the Gold Ballroom, Bishop stood beside her. He wrapped his hand around her waist. Was there any doubt in her head that he wanted to be with her? Saying he loved her was difficult. Contee men didn’t use those words. He chewed the inside of his cheek. If she needed to hear those words to know he wasn’t just trying to charm her, then he would.

  After the picture was taken, they were escorted to their reserved table. Several heads turned in their direction. Bishop pushed his head up and tightened his hand on her waist. Simeon and Asa were already seated.

  “I knew that was the dress for you.” Asa stood and hugged her sister.

  “You look almost as good as my wife,” Simeon said.

  “Okay, you two. That’s enough. This isn’t the first time I’ve worn a dress.”

  “She looks stunning, doesn’t she?” Bishop held her chair.

  While they waited for dinner, Bishop caressed her knee under the table. He couldn’t keep his hands off her. Life only seemed good when he was next to her. He had to find a way to make their relationship permanent.

  His heart double-clutched as he stared at her. With his elbows on the table, he listened to Asa and Dakota talk about Mia. Dakota’s face lit up when she learned her niece had taken her first step. The pure delight in her eyes was a look he wanted to see every day for the rest of his life.

  He dropped his gaze down to her ring finger.

  “Oh my,” Asa uttered as she stared at the door.

  Simeon turned around. “What is it?”

  “It’s Brian.” Asa exhaled the words like she didn’t like the taste of them.

  Bishop felt Dakota’s body stiffen as she turned to the door too.

  It didn’t take him more than a second to identify the long lost brother. He looked like an older version of Simeon, with a few more wrinkles and a lot less muscle. His graying hairline made him look older than he probably was, but several women turned to eye him.

  Simeon rushed across the room and clutched his brother in a hug. “I can’t believe this. What are you doing here?” Simeon sounded astonished.

  “Surprise.” Brian’s extended his arms wide before his eyes landed on Dakota. He hugged Asa while staring at Dakota. “How are you, Dakota?”

  Her eye twitched as she scratched the linen tablecloth. She looked at Bishop before responding. “Fine.”

  A stony silence fell over the table. Dakota dropped her eyes without acknowledging Bishop’s hand on hers.

  “Let me get another chair.” Simeon pulled one from the adjacent table and put it between him and Bishop.

  Dakota picked up her purse. “I’ll be right back.” The straight line of her lips coupled with her empty eyes told him more than he wanted to know.

  Bishop pushed away from the table. A weight the size of a mountain sat on his chest. This wasn’t the evening he’d planned and Brian’s presence had all the makings to tear his dream away from his grasp.

  §§§

  Dakota rushed past the women touching up their make-up along the mirrored wall in the ladies room and closed the stall door behind her. She pressed against the metal door without turning the lock

  How the hell did Brian dare stroll into the party like a returning hero? Her brain didn’t register his face right away. It took several seconds before she realized the man crossing the large room wasn’t an illusion, but her old lover. Her head whirled with questions. She choked out a hello, but nothing more. Yelling at him in front of the Harper employees wouldn’t get her an invitation to another party. Her heart rate finally slowed. She stood straighter and shook the tension from her fingers.

  Going back to the table or trying to enjoy the party was impossible. Sitting that close to Brian without reaching across the table and grabbing his neck wasn’t going to happen. He owed her some answers, but she wasn’t so sure she was prepared to get them tonight.

  She opened the door to the small stall. The line of women had been replaced with a bunch of new recruits, but she found an empty space near the corner. After replacing her lip gloss, she pushed her shoulders back and marched out of the small restroom.

  The activity in the ballroom hummed along as if nothing at all had happened. Didn’t these people know a ghost was sitting in their mist?

  “Dakota?”

  She spun around to see Bishop. The dark glint in his eyes didn’t make her want to run into his arms for consoling.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I followed you, of course. Why did you run off like that? You looked like you were going to be sick.” He reached out and touched her bare arm.

  “I can’t believe he could show up out of the blue like that. I just can’t—”

  “Why do you care where he goes?” His grip tightened on her arm.

  She pushed a small tendril of hair away from her ear. Maybe she didn’t hear Bishop correctly. “What? You think…”

  “I think you shouldn’t care about what he does or who he does it with. You said you were over him.” His eyes accused her of something that violated her sense of fairness. She had every right to be upset. Not because
she cared about him, but there were so many things she wanted answers to. How could Bishop not understand that? She’d have to be made of stone to pretend otherwise.

  “Are you asking me to explain myself?” She leaned closer to him. “Because if you don’t understand, then you don’t know me as well as you think you do.”

  “What does that mean? This has nothing to do with me. What’s happening here is about you and Brian. You have unfinished business with him.”

  She fought back the emotions building like a pressurized fire hose in her chest. She shouldn’t direct her anger at Bishop, but she couldn’t control the surge of emotion pulsing through her. The need to lash out pounded against her ribs and he was the nearest person.

  “Don’t you dare tell me what I should or should not feel! Nobody can do that. If you don’t like my mood, then take me home.” She paused for a moment. “No. In fact, take me home right now. I don’t want to be around you, and I definitely don’t want to be near Brian.” She shoved her clutch under her arm and stormed toward the coat check.

  Anger seeped from her pores like a fine mist. Her stilettos smacked against the tiled lobby accentuating her irritation. As soon as she had her coat, she didn’t wait for the attendant to open the door, instead she snatched the handle.

  Bishop came up behind her and handed the valet the ticket for the car. He crossed his thick arms over his chest. “Dakota, are you sure you want to go home? Your sister will be disappointed. If you have something to say to Brian, maybe now is the time to get everything off your chest.”

  She faced him. Everything he said was true, but she couldn’t listen to his reasoning. Her head had disconnected from reality and was in a fog of emotion. She gulped in a deep breath of cold air. For once, she wasn’t freezing. Her arms were hot.

  “I just want to go home. Please, just take me home now.”

  Bishop’s Lexus was brought up to the curb, the valet held the door open for her. She slid into the cold leather seat and buckled her seatbelt.

  They drove across town in total silence. Even though they sat inches apart, the distance between them could have been the Grand Canyon.