“I’ll be right back.” A grin spread across Chris’s face. He headed for the door. After experiencing his full-frontal nudity, Tia was unprepared to see his firm, round cheeks as he strolled out of the family room. She practically drooled. The man was too perfect for words.
Not sure how long he planned to be away, she quickly dressed. She refused to have this conversation in the buff.
Minutes later, Chris entered the room dressed in a pair of jeans. His chest and feet were bare. “I’ve got on clothes. Come. Have breakfast with me.”
Tia shook her head. “No. I should get home.”
“Nonsense. It’s barely seven o’clock. Let me get you a cup of coffee.” Chris cupped her elbow and led her from the family room.
“But I…I…I…,” Tia stammered as she followed Chris. He directed her down the hall and into the kitchen. He patted a chair before heading to the counter. With economical movement, Chris set the coffee to brew and went to the refrigerator. “We can share a cheese omelet and then we can talk.”
“Please, don’t put yourself out.”
“No bother.”
Tia didn’t know what to do. She had never dealt with the “morning after” following a one-night affair. Darnell had been her only lover, and their relationship had progressed at a slow but steady pace. What she had experienced with Chris was like an explosion from a gas leak that had burned unchecked.
“Coffee.” Chris placed a mug in front of her and filled it. The strong aroma of coffee and hazelnuts permeated the air. He padded around the kitchen in his bare feet, preparing breakfast. Before Tia could come up with an excuse to leave, he slid a plate in front of her. A second smaller plate of buttered toast followed.
They ate their meal in silence. Chris seemed to anticipate her every need. Without uttering a word, he jumped to his feet to refill her coffee mug or add the apricot preserves to the table for her to spread on her toast.
When Chris slid the omelet in front of her, she didn’t expect to be able to eat a thing. Yet, the meal he prepared tasted wonderful, and she ate every bite.
Chris pushed away his empty plate and leaned back in his chair, watching Tia as she nibbled on the last of her toast. The silence grew as he stayed focused on her. What am I doing here? she wondered. I should have left when he went into the bedroom.
“I’m sorry, Chris,” Tia began.
He scratched the side of his face with a finger. “Sorry? Why? Pouvez-vous expliquer cela?”
“For coming on to you.” She waved a hand around the room. “Putting you in this position and upsetting the balance between us.”
“I’m not sorry.” Tia went hot and tingly under Chris’s intense gaze and husky voice. “Making love with you was wonderful, perfect.”
Tia refused to admit it, but she truly enjoyed making love with him. Chris was a kind, considerate, and thorough lover. He performed just the way she had expected; he left her completely satisfied.
“I’m a man, not a child. I make my own decisions.”
Frowning, she rubbed her forehead. “Maybe I should talk to Adam and suggest that you be reassigned to another administrative assistant.”
“Why would you do that? I like working with you.”
“I like working with you, but can we get past what happened last night?”
“Work with you is fun. I don’t want that to end.” He smiled, making her heart jolt in her chest.
God, this man’s smile does things to me. He is beautiful, Tia thought.
“I hope you feel the same way,” Chris said.
“I do.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
She shrugged, uncertain how to explain her feelings.
“Tia, I like you.” Chris reached across the table and caught her hand.
Okay, she knew he was interested in her. For the past few weeks, she’d ignored his feelings in favor of continuing her relationship with Darnell.
He smiled. “From the moment I met you, I wanted to be with you.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
“You had someone.”
“And now I’m single again.”
“Darnell is a fool. Good riddance. He’s gone and I’m here. We moved too fast. That’s why you feel uncomfortable. But I’m not sad we made love. I’ve wanted to from the first touch.”
“Where do we go from here? What do you want from me?” she asked. “How do we continue to work together?”
“Like we’ve always done,” he answered promptly. “You like me. No?”
“Yes.” Tia couldn’t deny it. She found Chris incredibly attractive. But she’d just gotten out of a long-term relationship with Darnell. Was she ready to move on? “Yes.”
“Then let’s continue.”
Think, Tia, think. Use your head, not your heart. Get everything out in the open and see what can happen. “There are a few things we need to discuss before we continue with anything.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure this is the right thing for me right now,” Tia muttered.
“I feel strong enough for both of us.” He leaned closer. “Like what?”
“Color. I know love is blind, but other people aren’t.”
“Pfff!” Chris tossed his hand in the air. “I don’t care what people think. We look gorgeous together.”
“That sounds wonderful in theory, but you have to live it to understand. Sometimes it comes from people you don’t know. Remember the lady at that apartment building? She wasn’t pleased with us being together. She’s not the only one. There are times when your family members will show dislike or prejudice.”
“What do you mean?”
“My grandma Ruth doesn’t trust white people. She’s seen a lot of unpleasant things in her life. It might take a lot for her to warm up to you. There’s a possibility that she may never trust you or like you. Are you willing to deal with that?”
“Absolutely. You come first. I’ll use all of my charm to sway your grandmama,” Chris stated.
“That was just a sample of what you can expect. Not all of the time, but when you least expect it.”
“I can’t change what people think or feel, but I can promise you this—I’ll protect you as best I can from anyone or anything that will hurt you. You will be my first consideration. Let’s see where this thing takes us,” Chris suggested.
“Do you mean at work?”
“No.” He shook his head. “You and me together. I want to go out. Date. Spend time away from Gautier. Get to know you better.”
Tia nibbled on her bottom lip. “I’m not ready for a sexual relationship.”
Smiling, Chris replied, “You seemed more than ready to me.”
She began to speak again. Only this time, Tia spoke a bit louder and firmer. “What we did last night, happened. It wasn’t planned, but things got out of hand. I’m not ready for a repeat. Not yet. I need time.”
“You can have it.”
I can have it? Was I such a poor lover that he can wait because it didn’t matter? she wondered, feeling a bit let down. “Are you sure?” she asked.
“Yes. I want you to feel comfortable with me. We have plenty of time.” He lifted a finger and said, “Don’t misunderstand me. I want to make love with you again. But the next time we are together, it will be because we both want it.”
“Chris, what about your job? How can we have any kind of relationship? Reynolds could reassign you at any time. You’re here today, but you can easily be gone tomorrow. I don’t want my heart broken again. I’ve barely recovered from Darnell.”
He dropped to his knees in front of her and took her hand between both of his. “That’s true. And I don’t have any answers or guarantees. Reynolds told me that I would be cross-training for months. If I have my way, I’ll be here permanently. Just remember, I want to be here with you.”
Tia reached out and touched his cheek. She wanted to believe him, to hold these feelings close and enjoy the feelings. Maybe it could happen, she th
ought, leaning down to kiss his lips. Chris rose to his feet and took her into his arms. He pulled her against his chest, and she went willingly.
Let it happen. Give him a chance, her inner thoughts whispered as she gave herself over for his kiss. I think I will.
14
Feeling pleased and happy with the world, Tia practically skipped down the hallway that led to her workstation. For the past few weeks, she had been living on a cloud of happiness. Miraculously, even after having the best hot, mind-blowing sex with Chris, they were successfully maintaining a professional image at work while spending their free time getting to know each other. When the workday ended, they went out to dinner or a movie or to sightsee around metro Detroit. It didn’t matter what they did as long as they were enjoying each other.
Chris made it one of his missions to meet her one request. No matter what they did or how long they stayed out, he always ended the evening with a good-night kiss. She loved it. He got huge brownie points for being a great kisser, and she got the benefit of being kissed by an expert. This was exactly what she wanted: a great career, a post-undergraduate education, and a romance with someone special. Only, she didn’t expect her romance to be with a white guy from France. Tia hurried to her workstation to see Chris.
Although she was having the best time of her life, she couldn’t help but wonder how long her happiness would last. Reynolds had the power to destroy their blossoming relationship by transferring Chris to a different office. I’m not going to worry about that, she chastened herself. I’m going to bask in the here and now and let the future take care of itself.
Tia was eager to see Chris. Each morning, he greeted her with a cup of Starbucks coffee and a croissant. Her heart filled with happiness when she reached her workstation and found her morning treat. A small note sat under the white paper cup. Meeting with Reynolds and Adam. Not sure how long. How about lunch?
After stowing her purse in her desk drawer, Tia turned her attention to her morning coffee while working her way through her daily routine of e-mails and snail mail. Since both Adam and Chris were out of the office, she concentrated on completing a brief and deposition that needed to be finished before the legal department’s next meeting.
As the morning sped by, Tia completed an array of work. When the telephone rang, she glanced at the clock and blinked in surprise at the time. It was nearly eleven. She picked up the telephone and recited, “Good morning. Legal Department. How may I help you?”
“Say hello to your old man,” came the quick response.
“Hi, Daddy.”
“How’s my Tia-Mia?”
She frowned, asking, “Good. Is everything all right?” Greg Edwards seldom called the office.
“There’s no trouble.”
“So why the call at work?”
“I can’t seem to reach you at home. You’re out all the time, and I can’t keep up with your cell phone number. So I decided to try you at the office,” Mr. Edwards explained.
Guilt shot through Tia. Oh, man! I’ve been so involved with Chris I haven’t even checked on my parents. Get your priorities right, girl, Tia chastised herself.
“You just said everything is okay. Is there more?”
“Not really.” He cleared his voice. “There is something I want to ask you.”
Her heart started to pound in her chest. Was there more wrong with her grandmother? “Okay. Go ahead.”
“The family is meeting on Saturday for dinner. Do you think you can make it?”
Relieved, Tia clicked on her computer calendar. Oh, no! Chris had made her promise to keep the weekend free for him. He had plans for them. On the other hand, family gatherings were very important. Sickness and death were the only excuses accepted by Tia’s parents. Unfortunately, she wanted to be with Chris. This thing between them was still new, and she enjoyed having him in her world. “Is this a special occasion?”
“No, but your grandmother wants to see everyone before her surgery.”
Oh, yeah. Heart surgery! Pacemaker replacement. Her grandmother was not a spring chicken. Any surgery presented a boatload of potential problems. “I’ll be there. Where’s the party?”
“Someplace different. Your grandmother wanted it at her place, but your mother didn’t want her to get too excited with preparation and cleanup.”
Smiling, Tia remembered how her grandmother made a big deal of every holiday. At this point, Grandma Ruth didn’t need the additional stress and strain. “It’ll be at home, right?”
“Nope. We’re going to rent a place and have the food catered.”
“Oh, wow! Normally we cook,” Tia replied.
“That’s true. It’s easier this way.”
“Do you need me to do anything?” Tia asked.
“Be there.”
Tia nibbled on her bottom lip. Should she ask her dad about Chris? Would it be the best place or situation to introduce him to her extended family? What about Chris? Was he ready to be involved in one of her family’s major events?
“Tia?” Mr. Edwards queried.
“I’m here.”
“What’s on your mind?”
Cringing, she asked, “Can I bring someone?”
“A date?” He paused for a moment. “Not Darnell I hope.”
Tia exhaled. “God no!”
“Mmm.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Nothing,” Mr. Edwards said. “Who are you bringing?”
She couldn’t get around this. Her family would learn she was dating Chris. She might as well make it sooner than later.
“Is there something you want to tell your daddy?”
“It’s Chris. The guy we had to dinner a few weeks ago.”
“Mmm.”
“Stop that,” she whined.
“Can’t help it. You know your brothers aren’t going to like this.”
Yeah, she knew. She had some pretty vivid images of them threatening poor Chris. This would be his baptism into the Edwards clan.
“It’s going to be interesting to see who acts the worst.”
“Thanks, Daddy. You just make this sound better and better.”
“I’m trying to help.”
Concerned, Tia said, “It’s probably not a wise decision to invite him. But it’s something that will have to happen at some point.”
Mr. Edwards sighed and then said, “Well, this will be an interesting event. I don’t know what Grandma Ruth is going to say. One thing is for sure—she’ll let you know exactly what she thinks so you’ll know where you stand with her.”
Tia cringed. Grandma Ruth could be incredibly candid. If Tia planned to continue with Chris, they had to come out in the open. “How do you feel about me and Chris, Daddy?”
“I want you to be happy. That’s my first concern. And there’s a lot to consider. But the true question is, how does he treat you?”
“Very well.”
“Better than that idiot Darnell?” The disdain in her father’s voice was clear.
“Much better.”
“As long as he treats you well and doesn’t hurt my baby, I can live with him.”
The knot that had pulled tight in her chest began to unwind. Tia grinned. Her dad always said the right thing.
“Now, I can’t speak for your brothers. You know how protective they are. But I’ll be there to help you.”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
“You’re welcome, baby.”
“What time and where on Saturday?” she asked, twisting a pen between her fingers.
“Three o’clock at the Product Shop. It’s in Livonia.”
“Okay. I don’t need to bring anything like soda, napkins, or paper plates?”
“No. Just you and your friend.”
“I’ll see you Saturday. And, Daddy?”
“Yeah.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“It’s my job. Bye, baby.”
Tia returned the telephone to its cradle. Daddy was good. He tried to understand and gi
ve her support when needed. Her insides twisted because Momma was a different story. Jackie Edwards never liked Darnell, and it took months for her to accept his presence at their family outings. With Chris, she already made it clear that she suspected he had feelings for Tia, and she didn’t seem very happy about it.
Tia sighed. The only thing she could do was let her mother get to know Chris, and hopefully he’d be able to charm her.
Chris waited as Tia scooted into the booth at Potbelly Sandwich Works in the GM Renaissance Center. She gazed at the menu scribbled across a blackboard and then watched Chris slide into the opposite side of the booth.
“How was your meeting this morning?” Tia asked.
“Long!” Chris sighed. “Lots of stuff going on.”
Tia nodded. “Adam let me in on some of it the other day.”
He ran his hands through his hair. “Let’s not talk about work. I checked on tickets for the cruise last night.”
Well, there it was. He just provided the opening she needed to tell him about their change in plans. She searched for the proper words to let Chris down easier. Although she planned to extend the invitation from her father, she didn’t want to hold Chris to it. “Actually, I’m going to have to bow out of our date.”
Frowning, his blue gaze pierced her. “What’s going on?”
“My grandmother is having surgery soon, so she wants to see all of us before she goes into the hospital. My mother and father are planning a little get-together this Saturday.” Tia reached across the table and covered his hand. “I’m sorry. I’ve got to be there.”
“Is she going to be okay?” he asked.
“Mmm-hmm. But she’s up there in age, so we’re concerned.”
“Then you must be there.”
Tia nodded. “Yes.”
“I do understand family. When does she have her surgery?”
“In two weeks.”
“Do you want me to be there with you?”
Surprised, Tia stared at Chris. That was so nice of him to offer to be there. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to drop him in the thorns of her family crisis. “You don’t have to. It could be a long day.”
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