You Make Me Wanna

by Nikki Rashan

  After logging off and shutting down my laptop, I nestled under the covers with my all-time favorite book authored by Alice Walker. Yet I could no longer focus on Celie’s terrorizing husband. My mind wandered to days ahead, after David would be gone and the place would be all mine. I’d be by myself. Alone. Did it have to be that way?

  “I’m away for only three days, Andrea. Everything around here looks good. Tomorrow just process the orders on the list I gave you.”

  “Sí. I will.”

  “Thanks.” I smiled at the neatness of my desk. Promoting LALA had been a blessing. Aside from his lustful intentions, Gary’s praise of Andrea had proven accurate. She was efficient, detailed, and a positive asset to the work environment.

  The rest of the office had taken to her charming smile and calm demeanor, and I often found her chummed up with the other assistant buyers headed out to the mall for lunch.

  Before she left the office in her skintight leather pants and painted-on sheer blouse, I called her back. “Hey, I just wanted to thank you, Andrea.”

  “¿Por qué?”

  “For your words to me that day a while back when I was frazzled, when I was upset about some things.”

  She appeared pleased. “So everything is good?”

  I thought of Nakia and Gene, and their relationship growing stronger with each day. I thought of David, just a couple of weeks away from moving in with his lover and stepson. I thought of Lisa and the okay from Monica to continue mentoring her. And finally my thoughts landed on Asia and I boarding a plane in just a few hours so I could meet her family for the first time. I touched my pocket and felt the gift box I had been waiting to give to her.

  “Yes, Andrea, everything is definitely good.”

  “I knew it would be.”

  “See you next week.”

  “Enjoy your time, Kyla,” she said and left the office.

  Softly I whistled while walking down the hall, passing Gary’s office on my way out. He managed a thumbs-up and a smile, although he was on the phone intent on securing tickets to a Kelly Clarkson concert. Tickets had gone on sale at ten a.m., and it was 10:05.

  “Good luck,” he mouthed with a wink and a grin.

  Finally, after my repeated testimonials that my flagrant sex tales were over, Gary had accepted the fact that I was in love with Asia. Still, he’d kid about Andrea and I hooking up late nights in my office, if only to indulge his aroused imagination.

  Nakia scooted a customer off toward a clearance rack then rushed in my direction. She grabbed my shoulders and kissed my cheek. “Have a good time,” she said.

  “Thanks, Kia. I’ll call you Sunday when I get back.”

  “Call my cell. You know where I’ll be,” she said, referring to Gene’s house in Marietta.

  “Of course.” I smiled. “Tell Lisa I’ll see her in a couple of weeks.”

  Nakia dramatically blew me a kiss, superstar-style, and headed back to assist the clearance shopper, undoubtedly searching and praying to find a winter garment among the spring and summer wear that filled the store.

  The drive to the floral shop, where a dozen yellow roses were waiting for my two o’clock pickup, granted me time to reflect upon the last few years of my life. All of the pleasures I had experienced with various relationships and encounters. The genuine and unconditional love received from Jeff, the intoxicating passions I shared with Steph, and even the short-lived trysts with countless women were irreplaceable moments I held close to my heart, though I hoped the majority of those skeletons remained in the closet.

  Despite the pain of my devasting loss of Steph, and the scandalous end of my engagement to Jeff, I had once again found happiness. Although Asia and I had not yet had a year together, there was no refuting the fact that I was ready to take our relationship to the next level.

  When I arrived, I inhaled the aroma of fresh flowers in the air.

  “Would you like a card?” the clerk asked me

  “No. No card,” I said and left with a huge grin on my face.

  After punching in the code Asia had given me, I entered her gated apartment complex, parked outside her unit, and grabbed my luggage. Yep, the Louis again. The front door was ajar.

  I found Asia pacing back and forth in the kitchen.

  “Oh, she’s here now. I’ll see you soon, Mom.” Asia hung up the phone on the wall-mounted base. “You don’t want to miss the plane, do you?”

  “We have plenty of time.”

  “No, not really. Let’s go.” She was ready to take hold of a suitcase to load into her truck.

  “Wait, Asia, wait a minute.” I gently took hold of her arm.

  “Kyla,” she said impatiently.

  “Have a seat.” I sat her on the blue kitchen stool. From behind my suitcase, I retrieved the roses and handed them to her.

  “Oh, they’re beautiful, sweetie.” She sniffed the soft aroma. “But we’re about to leave. Who’s going to take care of them?”

  “Ssshhh. That doesn’t really matter. I only wanted to give them to you on this occasion. There’s, um, there’s something I want to ask you.”

  Asia peered at the ticking clock over my head, yet curiosity lured her eyes back to mine.

  “Asia, you are everything I’ve hoped and wished for in a woman. You’re ambitious, smart, beautiful, loving, honest, and genuine. You make me smile at the end of a long day. I look forward to hearing your voice each morning and can’t wait to see your face every night. So I was thinking. . . can I have your hand please?” I reached for her fingers. I claimed the silver ring from the box I’d been holding. “I’m ready to take the next step, Asia. You are the love of my life, and I don’t want to wait any longer to begin sharing that life with you every single day.” I slid the silver ring on her finger and closed her hand around it. “Please say yes.”

  “To what?”

  “Open.”

  Asia slowly opened her hand one finger at a time, revealing a shiny new key attached to a silver keychain around her finger.

  “Will you move in with me?”

  A baffled expression crossed her face. “Move in with you? What about David?”

  “David’s moving out in two weeks. I want you to move in.”

  “Oh, baby.” She smiled, taking me in her arms. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me before! There’s nothing more I’d love than to wake up each morning to your body next to mine.”

  “So that’s a yes, I take it.”

  “Of course, it’s a yes.” She kissed me openmouthed, her tongue on mine, and nibbled on my bottom lip. She wiped lipstick from my chin. “Can’t let my mom know I’ve been slobbering all over you.”

  “I guess you better not tell her what else you’ve been kissing.” I laughed as I wiped her face.

  “Mmm, so nasty. That’s why I’m crazy about you,” she said, placing the roses on the counter and the key inside a jar. “But right now, Miss Kyla, we have to go, or that whole love scene isn’t going to mean a thing if we miss our flight.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” I said with a salute, allowing her to rush me out of the door and into her truck.

  CHAPTER 10

  Texas Heat

  The temperature was a fiery 88 degrees when we exited the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. I was sure I burned my throat after I’d inhaled my first breath of the hot, suffocating air.

  “Shit!” I gagged, and tried to gain control of my breathing. “It’s only April.”

  Asia slid on a pair of Gucci sunglasses and shielded her eyes from the sizzling sun. “Yeah, it’s hot here, but not usually this hot already. Don’t be a wimp. We checked the weather before we left; you knew it was hot.” She smiled at me.

  I frowned back.

  “All right, let me get you cooled off.”

  We strolled with our luggage and found temporary shade in the seating area at the shuttle bus stop. Asia retrieved her cell phone from her purse and dialed while I sat down and rested.

  “Hey, Mom, we’re here. Where are yo
u?” Asia then spun to her right and peered at the long line of cars crawling toward us. “Oh, I see you!” She waved her hand above her head.

  I stood and smoothed my sleeveless, tie-front sundress, and pressed the edges of my hair smooth with my fingertips.

  When a black shiny Mercedes-Benz E320 slowed and then stopped before us, Asia darted to the curb, leaving her luggage behind. The driver side door opened, and a tall man, at least six foot four inches, dressed in tan dress slacks and a white button-down short-sleeve top exited. He was the color of an almond, with a head of mostly gray, short curly hair that matched his perfectly trimmed mustache. He wore mirrored sunglasses, a pinky ring on his right hand, and a sparkling gold watch on his left wrist. He smiled warmly and opened his arms to Asia. She reached back.

  “Hi!” she exclaimed.

  “Hey, Angel.” He then kissed her on the cheek. “Let me get your mom.” He released her and walked to the passenger side of the car.

  Asia hadn’t stopped smiling since the car pulled up. She turned her head and gestured for me to step forward next to her. She grasped my hand tightly while we waited.

  After opening the car door, Asia’s father took hold of her mom’s hand and assisted her out of the car.

  My mouth literally fell open. Asia’s mom was about an inch taller than her and had the same slim figure, and long, dark hair. Her skin was dark brown, and her eyes the color of black opal. She wore stylish, wide-leg crop pants with a cap-sleeve tee. She smiled delicately at her daughter, displaying gentle laugh lines around her mouth and eyes.

  Asia let go off my hand and hugged her mom then laid her head against her shoulder. Her mom stroked her hair and closed her eyes. I felt like crying just watching the tenderness of their hold.

  “My Angel.”

  Asia lifted her headed and pecked her mom on the cheek. She stepped back. “Mom, Dad, this is Kyla.”

  My nerves were amazingly calm. “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Harris.” I shook her father’s hand.

  Asia’s mom took me in her arms. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

  “Let’s get you out of this heat.” Mr. Harris opened the trunk and placed our luggage inside.

  Both Asia and I sank into the cool, black leather interior of the car.

  After fastening her seat belt, Mrs. Harris turned to me. “That sure is a pretty dress you have on, Kyla.”

  I touched the print design of the cotton dress. “Thank you. I got it at work.”

  “You’re a buyer, right?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “I had a friend who was a buyer at Dillard’s for years,” Mrs. Harris responded. Then she proceeded to tell me that, despite the long hours, her friend loved the job and its perks. “She always had first pick of new season clothes.” She smiled.

  “Yeah, Kyla always dresses beautiful.”

  “She’s a beautiful lady, isn’t she, William?”

  Mr. Harris peeked at me through the rearview mirror. “She certainly is.”

  Asia leaned over and playfully tweaked my nose. “Magnificent,” she whispered.

  I smiled.

  We headed on U.S. 75 toward Plano, where Mr. and Mrs. Harris moved after Asia had relocated to Georgia. During the drive the conversation shifted from Asia’s work, to her dad’s upcoming retirement, to her parents summer trip to the Caribbean.

  “There’s room at the condo,” Mr. Harris said. “We’re going in August, and it’ll be hot, but if you girls are up to it, we’d love to have you join us.”

  “Jason might join us too. He’s got a new girlfriend, Asia. Did I tell you?”

  “Please tell me he doesn’t already.” Asia shook her head in disbelief.

  “Yes, he certainly does. That brother of yours . . .” Mrs. Harris sighed. She turned to me. “My son seems to be having a hard time settling down. Every other week, he calls me and tells me about a woman he met. ‘This might be the one,’ he says each time. I know there are plenty of lovely women in Texas. I don’t know why he can’t settle on one.”

  “He doesn’t want to, Mom, that’s why. He’s enjoying making his rounds from Dallas to Houston to San Antonio.”

  “You make him sound like some kind of pimp, or mack daddy, whatever they’re called.”

  “Well . . . “ Asia grinned, teasing her mom.

  “William, talk to your son.”

  Mr. Harris exited the interstate and turned left. “Of course, I will, Charlene,” he said deviously. “But he’s learned everything he knows from me, don’t you know that?” He chuckled.

  We all laughed.

  For the second time in an hour, my mouth gaped open as we pulled into a beautiful subdivision comprised of two-and three-story brick homes with deep-green, manicured lawns with flowered landscaping. Mr. Harris pulled into the half-circle driveway of a maroon-colored home that was at least three times the size of my mom’s house.

  Dazzled, I gawked in Asia’s direction.

  She smirked. “What?”

  I didn’t answer. I was too spellbound by the sculptured angel water fountain to my right.

  “Mom, Dad, I’m going to take Kyla for lunch, okay. We didn’t eat before we left. We’ll be back in a little bit.”

  “Sure, sweetie,” Mrs. Harris replied.

  Mr. Harris retrieved the luggage from the trunk. “I’ll put these in the guest room.”

  Asia and I got out of the car. She took the driver’s seat, while I sat on the passenger side. Mr. and Mrs. Harris stood at the edge of the cement stairs leading to the massive doorway of their home. They waved as Asia pulled off.

  “It’s absolutely gorgeous here. And your mom . . . Damn, girl! You’re lucky I met you first.”

  “I know, she’s beautiful. She keeps that gray covered up.” Asia laughed. “Even with it, she’s stunning.”

  “You look just like her.”

  “Yeah, everybody says that.” Asia glanced in the mirror, as if checking for herself. “What are you hungry for?”

  “Umm, you.” I bit my bottom lip and moaned, my attempt at sexiness.

  We laughed.

  “Later, promise,” she said then kissed the air in my direction.

  “Okay. In that case, let’s have some Japanese. Any good restaurants around here?”

  She thought for a moment. “Yep. There’s this place called Sushi Rock my mom and dad told me about. Let me see.” She began fumbling with the navigation system.

  Once she located the restaurant, we sat back and allowed the computer voice to guide us through the streets of Plano.

  “So what’s on the agenda while we’re here? I know you have it all set.”

  Asia smiled. She was the queen of planning.

  “Yes, I certainly do.”

  She started to run down our Dallas itinerary: dining that evening with her parents, brunch with her brother the following morning, a visit to Fair Park that afternoon, etc, etc.

  I closed my eyes and listened to the sweet tone of each word she spoke as she continued on with details of our packed, three-day vacation.

  “You’re going to love Dallas. We won’t be staying in the burbs the whole time.”

  “Doesn’t matter where we are, so long as I’m with you.”

  “Aw. I’m so happy you’re here to meet my family.”

  “Me too.”

  We rode quietly until we reached our destination. Asia quickly hopped out of the car and started toward the door.

  She must be real hungry. I laughed to myself.

  She stopped in the middle of the parking lot and turned around, surprised that I wasn’t behind her. She leaned on one hip. “Come on, Kyla, I’m hungry!”

  I got out of the car and walked toward her, silently thanking each person I had met and each path I had crossed, for I knew that, in some way, every encounter had helped guide me toward my destiny: Asia.

  For me, Asia was the ultimate love of my life. She was, after all, the person who made me want to be a better me. I only hoped that for the rest of our lives together, I’d ma
ke her better too.

  Epilogue

  Four years later

  This-is-gorgeous,” Angie said, taking a step inside my bedroom. It was truly the master suite of the house, decorated in colors and flavors of my taste. Sitting alongside one of the walls was a grand, king-size four-post canopy bed in red mahogany, covered in pillows, and a comforter in shades of cream and rust. A chaise lounge sat next to the gas fireplace that warmed the room on chilly nights. A matching dresser and chest in the same red mahogany sat along two separate walls, distanced by another matching entertainment center that encased the television and stereo system.

  Through the bedroom was the suite’s bathroom, fully equipped with a whirlpool tub, stand-alone shower, two sink basins and separate lighted vanity tables. And, still, beyond the bathroom was the enormous walk-in closet, which could have served as a seating area of its own.

  “Girl, this is serious,” Angie said, admiring the closet. “You needed some space to put all those pretty work suits of yours.”

  “Tell me about it. There’s more than enough room now,” I said, spying an entire empty hanging rack.

  Before we exited back through the bedroom, Angie took a seat on the edge of the bed. “Ahh, nice and comfy.” She grinned.

  “Yes, it is,” I replied with a small chuckle. I then led her out of the room and into the guest bedroom next door.

  After our tour, we headed down the split staircase to greet the other guests in the open family room with a ceiling that reached the height of the second level.

  “I’m moving in,” she said with a wink and a smile.

  “Yeah, okay.” I laughed.

  We joined the others, who were sitting and standing about the room chatting.

  “It’s fabulous, isn’t it?” Nakia asked Angie when we returned.

  “It sure is. Even better than I heard.”

  “Yes, you did well for yourself.” Gary gave a thumbs-up, and his wife Mary nodded.

  “Why, thank you,” I replied. “I’m glad you all could make it.”

  David laughed. “Make it? Girl, we aren’t leaving. Me, Marlon, and MJ have our bags packed and in the car.”