Over the Hedge

by Minerva Vesta

  Lashawnda’s cheeks lifted and she looked down at her clutch in her free hand. “Thank you.”

  I placed a hand underneath her chin and kissed her lightly. I didn’t want to mess up her lip color. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been dying to kiss her since we last saw each other.

  “Thank you again for giving me this chance to have one of the most beautiful women in the world on my arm tonight.”

  “You’re welcome.” Lashawnda looked up at me with a simpering smile. If she only knew how this look affected me.

  “Let’s get out of here.” I said, smiling hard through my words.

  We made our way down the elevator and out to the lobby. I felt like a king escorting Lashawnda. When we exited the building, the two women that tried to get my attention earlier were standing out front. I wrapped a possessive arm around Lashawnda’s waist and led her to the car.

  “See ladies; I told you I was already taken.” I crowed with pride.

  “Lashawnda? You are one lucky bitch. If she ever leaves you; you know where I live,” she turned to me with a cheeky grin.

  Lashawnda laughed at her neighbor’s. “Sorry, Jade, but this one’s off the market.”

  Her eyes widened as we approached the silver BMW i8 Coupe. That was the reaction I was hoping for from her. Not taking the truck was the right idea. I held the passenger door open for her, and she slid in.

  “You ready?” I asked sliding behind the wheel.

  “Yep…very ready,” Lashawnda replied. I reached over and took her hand in mine.

  ☙☙MV❧❧

  Shit!

  I silently cursed, feeling my palms sweating against my thigh.

  I sat at the table nervously tapping my fingers on my lap. Lashawnda had been gone for almost fifteen minutes. When we got seated at the restaurant, she excused herself to visit the ladies room. After what seemed like forever, I began to get nervous. I hoped she hadn’t slipped out on me. The night had yet to start. I prayed I hadn’t screwed anything up.

  As I was about to call Brent for advice, my phone vibrated. I checked the display and saw Lashawnda’s number. This is not good, I thought. She was calling to bail on me from the bathroom.

  “Hello.”

  “Sean, its Lashawnda.”

  “Everything okay?” I asked becoming concerned when I heard her sniffle.

  “Umm…yes and no.” Lashawnda sounded like she was desperately trying to control her emotions. “Well, I’m fine, but my dress isn’t.”

  “Your dress?” I ran a frustrated hand down my face, my mind racing with different scenarios. “Lashawnda, where are you?”

  “I’m in the ladies’ room…the real ladies room this time.” She chuckled. “And well, I sort of snagged my dress on the stall door.”

  “Okay, so what’s the problem?” I couldn’t understand why a little snag in her dress was making her teary-eyed. Honestly, her behavior surprised me. I wouldn’t have thought she was that type of woman to get overly dramatic about something so small.

  “I snagged my dress on the stall door, and it ripped all the way from one side of my rear to the next. Unless you want me to give everyone a free peepshow I can’t come out of the bathroom.” She screeched in irritation.

  “Oh…damn.” I stood up from the table and motioned for the waiter. “Okay, sweetheart, give me a minute. I’ll take care of it. Just sit still until I come get you.”

  A little while later I was knocking on the ladies’ bathroom door. An elderly woman wearing the brightest pink lipstick I’ve ever seen opened the door.

  “Hi, ma’am. Is my date in here?”

  She shuffled to the side and peered back into the room. “I think so. I’ve been hearing sniffles coming from the stall at the end.”

  “Okay, thanks,” I replied.

  “You don’t plan on coming in here do you?” This little old lady was about a third my size, yet radiated pure dominance.

  “Only after you leave, ma’am. I’ll make sure no one else is in there. It’s just that I have to get her or else she won’t come out. I really need her to come out…see, this is our first date and the first one I’ve ever been on. I kind of want to get it started.”

  I heard Lashawnda’s muted giggles.

  “A handsome fella like yourself? I find that hard to believe. Well, let me make sure no one else is in here first.” There was movement in the bathroom and then she spoke again. “All clear my boy. If this date doesn’t work out, I have a lovely granddaughter out there I can fix you up with.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but I think I’m doing just fine with the girl I brought with me.”

  I closed and locked the door. My heavy footsteps were loud on the tile floor. Lashawnda opened the stall and stuck her head out. Her eyes were a little red and glossy. She clutched her bag against her chest. I was standing in front of her with my hand behind my back. Lashawnda smiled nervously at me.

  “Hello, I’m Dr. Sean Colcord. I got an urgent call from a damsel in distress. It appears a dangerous door ensnared the lady’s dress, causing it to rip from her body. I am here to save the day.” My fake English accent was horrendous. I shifted my weight, enjoying the nervous smile on her face.

  “You’re rescuing me?”

  “I am.” I pulled the stapler from behind my back, snapping it, and stepped forward. “Come, my lady. Let’s hide those buttocks.”

  It was clear Lashawnda was trying her hardest not to laugh out loud. But, it was no use. She ended up laughing so hard; she clutched her stomach. She was still laughing when I stepped into the stall with her, and I joined in. The harmony of my baritone and her high-pitched giggles was a perfect melody.

  “I’m glad you find this amusing, but the task of fixing a dress without a needle and thread takes years of practice.” I sobered first and sat on the toilet seat.

  “Really? How much practice have you had?”

  “Well, this will be my first try at it. But I’ve got years of experience fixing other things, and a dress couldn’t be that hard. Come, turn around, and hand me your shawl.”

  I grabbed Lashawnda by the hips and turned her so that she was facing the door. She had done a number of her dress. We had been on this date for less than an hour, and she was now standing in front of me with a piece of her dress missing; talk about a disaster. I pulled at the material which was barely hanging on, exposing her panty-covered bottom to my view.

  Don’t kiss her on the ass. Don’t bite, nip, or lick the smooth brown globes in front of your face. I was trying my best to remain level-headed.

  I wasn’t sure what she was thinking, but my first date was turning out better than I hoped. I had yet to say anything to make Lashawnda slap me upside my head as Brent put it. She had looked very pleased with my choice in restaurant. The car ride over was pleasant. Plus, I got her to smile more than once. Actually, I got her to laugh, not one of those suppressed giggles; but a full-bodied laugh that made her eyes tear up.

  All in all, I thought it was going pretty well.

  “Almost done. For my last trick, I will need you to remain very still. I’d hate to staple the wrong things.” It was out before I could catch it. So much for not saying the wrong thing.

  “Okay, Dr. Colcord, give me a sec to catch my breath. I would hate for you to staple the wrong thing too,” Lashawnda replied, bracing her hands against the back of the door and poking her bottom out.

  My hands stilled. There’s no freaking way I could be this lucky. She actually laughed at my over the top remark. I shook my head in disbelief and went about fixing the back of her dress. I placed the shawl underneath the two halves of her dress in a V-shaped pattern to protect her decency. When the last staple was in place, I stood up.

  “All done…let’s step out so we can have a look.”

  Lashawnda walked out of the stall and placed her clutch next to the sink. Her eyes met mine in the mirror, and I gave her a comforting smile. No matter how bad this evening had seemed, being with her made it better. She turned arou
nd and looked back at herself. Her painted lips formed a slight O as she examined my handiwork. It wasn’t perfect, but at least her behind was all covered up.

  She turned around from examining my handy work. “Thank you very much. I can’t believe you thought of this.”

  “You’re more than welcome. I was going to offer we just go back to my place and just order in, but I figured that would be a little too forward. Now, let’s get this date going.” I took off my jacket and placed it around Lashawnda’s shoulders. The coat was long enough that it covered the top half of her thigh. “A little extra coverage.”

  We exited the bathroom and were met by our waiter, Javier.

  “This way, please.” He motioned for us to follow him. Lashawnda turned to me, a puzzled look on her face. We were heading in the opposite direction of our table. We walked down a long corridor and out a heavy metal door. Another waiter met us outside, driving a golf cart. I helped Lashawnda into her seat and Javier took the front next the driver.

  “Where are we going?” Lashawnda whispered.

  “It’s a surprise.” I pulled her hand against my thigh, lacing our fingers.

  We drove out to the golf course until we came to a clearing. Underneath an enclosed canopy stood a table set for two. The staff had replicated our original table to the T. The gleam in Lashawnda’s eyes was worth all of the effort to make this happen. Even I was impressed. They did a lot in a short amount of time. I held Lashawnda’s hand as I escorted her to a chair.

  “Enjoy your dinner. We’ve got everything set up on the trays as instructed, Mr. Colcord. If you need anything else, just send me a message,” Javier said. He gave me a knowing wink before hopping back in the cart and driving off.

  “Okay. I must admit this is impressive. How in the world did you get them to do this?” Lashawnda asked.

  “It’s amazing what you can get done when you flash your title a bit,” I said rascally, pulling at my cuffs. My bravado didn’t last long as I timidly admitted the truth behind making all of this possible. “It doesn’t hurt I told them this was my first date either. I think all the guys felt sorry for me.”

  “Wow, this is too much,” she said, looking around.

  “It’s the least I could do. I wanted tonight to be special for you. I borrowed my best friend’s car, made reservations at this restaurant, and put on this ridiculous tux,” I said.

  “The car isn’t yours? Must be some friend to let you borrow something like that.”

  “Are you disappointed?” I asked.

  “Not at all. I couldn’t care less what you drive. I was a little surprised when I didn’t see your truck.”

  “I didn’t think the truck would be appropriate for an outing such as this.”

  “The car is nice, but I wouldn’t have minded the truck at all,” Lashawnda said with a smile.

  “Duly noted.” I took note of her easy-going demeanor. She was definitely not high maintenance. I appreciated that about her.

  Lashawnda sighed, looking at me with a dreamy expression. “What made you decide on a moonlit dinner?”

  “Well, I heard the distress in your voice when you called. I assumed no matter what I did to help fix your dress, you would probably feel very uncomfortable sitting in a room full of people. I asked Javier if he could set up a table out in a more private location. He offered to set us up in one of the suites, but I didn’t think that would have been appropriate for a first date. Don’t want you getting the wrong impression of me.” I felt my face heat with embarrassment. I wasn’t going to admit to Lashawnda the idea of having her close to a bed had been very tempting. “That is why I asked if we could have dinner on the golf course.”

  “Well, it was a great idea everything looks wonderful. When I was waiting, I kept thinking you would call it a night.” Lashawnda took a sip of her wine and placed the glass back on the table. “But, I’m curious how did you become the heroic wielder of the mighty stapler?”

  I chuckled at her fanciful hand movements. “I saw it sitting next to the front office area when I was waiting for Javier to confirm he could set all this up. I figured it would be a quick and easy way to fix a rip. I sure wasn’t going to let a little wardrobe malfunction stop us from having a good time.”

  “Wow…beauty and brains.” Lashawnda flirted. She took a sip of her wine hiding her blush behind the glass.

  “I’m not sure how to respond to that one…but thanks.” It put me at ease seeing how nervous she was. My momma told me to find a woman that could make me laugh. Lashawnda’s sense of humor was nice and refreshing. She didn’t act like she was trying too hard and I appreciated that about her.

  During dinner, we took the opportunity to get to know more about one another by playing twenty questions. I don’t think we got to twenty as we spent most of the time trailing off on different tangents and making each other laugh with each story.

  I told her all about being an only child raised by a single parent after my father died in a car accident. I shared with her my love for camping but admitted to hating the gym. I got most of my exercise during my morning jogs. I couldn’t cook for shit, but I loved good food. Career-wise I was in limbo but loved what I was doing now. I even told her about almost passing out with excitement when my mother took me to the Museum of Science and Industry as a young kid. I got a science kit from the gift shop that day and have been in love with chemicals ever since.

  I loved listening to Lashawnda talk about her family. She seemed well loved by both of her parents and sibling. She wasn’t into outdoor activities but agreed to give it a shot with me. We discussed career paths for both of us. I was surprised to learn she had been thinking about going back to school to become a clinical psychologist. For now, she was enjoying working with Dr. Barnes. I admired how driven she was. There were so many things she got involved in with the research side of things. It was much more than just doing secretarial work.

  I found myself promising to support her dreams whatever they might be. I knew I was going to build a future with this woman. I wasn’t the type to catch feelings. Somehow Lashawnda Price had caught me hook, line, and sinker.

  After our meal, I suggested we take a walk around the golf course. The night sky was clear, and the weather was perfect. The lush greenery was a perfect backdrop.

  We got so lost in each other’s company we missed the signs that told us to avoid the greens after ten pm.

  The sprinklers came on full force around us, within seconds we were both soaking wet and ended up running back toward the table. I was amazed by Lashawnda’s playful demeanor. She didn’t get upset about her hair or dress getting wet. If anything, she seemed to have enjoyed it. On our way up a small slope, she almost slipped, and I caught her around the waist. Not only did she fall completely but she took me down with her.

  Whatever chance I had at preserving this suit for the night was gone by then. It was then I realized she was clumsy. All the times she slipped, fell, bumped into something, the dress ripping, the mistaken-bathroom incident. I wondered how I never noticed it before.

  When we reached the table, the restaurant staff was busy clearing away everything. Javier approached us and handed Lashawnda a small container. She eyed him curiously.

  “While you all went on your stroll the kitchen closed for the night. I was able to get you a little something to take with you. I heard it was your favorite…raspberry cheesecake,” he answered her unasked question. “Would you like us to drive you back to the valet?”

  I looked at Lashawnda for confirmation. She shook her head, ‘no’. “No thanks. I think we’ll enjoy the walk back.” We thanked him for all he had done and promised we would be back again.

  “So, what’s the verdict?” I asked holding Lashawnda’s hand. “Good, bad, or indifferent?”

  Lashawnda stopped walking causing me to stop as well. There was tension in my shoulders as I waited for her judgment.

  “Absolutely amazing.”

  I reached my arms around her waist, pulling her flush aga
inst me. “Yeah?”

  She smiled shyly, eyes shimmering with excitement. “Yeah.”

  “Does that mean I can get another date?” I asked bending down to connect my forehead with hers.

  “Dr. Colcord, you can have as many dates as you want,” she replied against my lips. I felt my heart slow to a steady beat. I couldn’t wait for another second as I kissed her fervidly. She was quickly becoming my new addiction. A wonderful beginning of great things to come.

  CHAPTER 13

  LASHAWNDA

  “You owe me, Lashawnda,” Tracy said with a smug smile. Once again, I was late to work and had just stepped into the lobby when she stopped me short.

  I looked at her, confused by her greeting. “I am not a morning person, so you know you gotta be clearer than that.”

  “When you get to your desk, call me and thank me,” Tracy said before sauntering off.

  When I reached my desk, I nearly dropped my cup of coffee.

  In the middle of my little round table stood three very large bouquets of flowers. I knew instantly that they had to be from Sean. When we last spoke, he asked me what kind of flowers I liked. Not thinking anything of it, I told him it was a tie between sunflowers, yellow roses, and calla lilies. I removed the cards from the arrangements.

  The first one read: I was told that proper first date etiquette was for me to show my appreciation to you for spending the evening with me by giving you flowers. So, this is me following directions. I had a great time ~STC

  The second card read: I’m not sure if this applies only to first dates so just to be on the safe side this is for the second date…thanks again. ~STC

  The third card read: This one is for the third date…it was unplanned but just as pleasurable as the first two…looking forward to more. ~STC

  Sean and I ended up seeing each other three times in the last two days. Our first date had ended with a very long drawn out kiss at my front door. I felt like lifting my dress and straddling Sean right in the hallway. The man looked like a walking ad for sex and debauchery. The all-black tuxedo made his already eye-catching body stand out even more.