by Chanta Rand
“Okay. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Wait!” she called out before he could disconnect the phone. “How did you know my colleague was male?”
She heard him chuckle on the other end of the line. “I didn’t know for sure. I was just hoping,” he said. “Goodnight.”
Alexa hung up the phone. Pawpaw had never pressured her about her social life. He never insisted she find some nice guy and settle down. He already knew the heartache she’d gone through in high school with Marcus. And he knew the devastation she’d suffered when her parents died soon after. Alexa’s father had been her Pawpaw’s only child, as Alexa had been her parents’ only child. She loved the man with all her heart. After the accident, she went to live with him. His own wife died before Alexa was born, so it was just the two of them.
She didn’t know how she made it through the pain. She remembered crying a lot, and feeling angry, sad, and bitter. Her Pawpaw was by her side the entire time. He comforted her, he lectured her, but most of all, he gave her what she needed – love. He’d put his life on hold to take care of her. He was still relatively young when he took her in, barely sixty at the time. Yet, she never saw him with another woman. He spent most of his time with her or at church. He cashed in part of his pension to pay her way through medical school. He was everything to her. And now she took care of him.
As soon as she’d graduated and started making money, she paid off his house. When he fell last year, she hired a full-time nurse to watch him and prepare his meals when she wasn’t around. She loved that man dearly. And she would go to the ends of the earth for him. She shook her head. She really should have gone to see him today. In fact, she should be with him now, not Greta.
The only thing that was stopping her was this dinner with Tristan. Because of him, nothing had gone as planned today. From the moment the elevator doors opened and she saw his face, she’d been off-balance. She wondered if he was used to people changing their schedules to accommodate him. Well, as far as she was concerned, this was the last time she would allow him to disrupt her plans. She would have drinks with him just this one time, never see him again, and then return to her perfectly normal life.
* * *
Alexa arrived at The Library twenty minutes late. She was wearing a sleeveless, blue silk dress with a pair of silver high-heeled sandals. The warm evening breeze swept across her bare legs as she opened the car door and passed her keys to the valet driver. Texas was too hot for pantyhose. The only people who would be caught dead wearing them were nurses and old folks.
As soon as she stepped inside the bar’s cool, dark interior she felt at ease. The mood was mellow and the drinks were strong. Just what she needed right now. Despite the dim light, she easily spotted Tristan sitting alone at a table in the far right corner. He looked cool and comfortable, dressed in white linen slacks and a matching shirt. As she walked toward him, she noticed a group of females throwing admiring glances in his direction. She recalled the same thing happening earlier at the hospital. She grinned. She wondered if they knew who he was or if they thought he was just another fine brotha.
As she approached, Tristan stood up and pulled her chair out.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” she said as she sat down. “I left work late, then I had to check on my grandfather.”
“No problem.” He gave her a smile that could melt ice. “I expect women to be fashionably late.”
“I promise, it wasn’t intentional.”
He returned to his seat and extended a gift-wrapped box toward her. “This is for you.”
She paused, uncertain of what to say. Her Pawpaw had always told her, ‘Never accept gifts from a man unless you plan on giving him something in return.’ She knew what that something was. When she opened the box, she was relieved to see the contents. Godiva chocolates. Her favorite. “Thank you. I love Godiva. How did you know?”
“I didn’t. I just took a wild guess.”
That was sweet of him. Who would have thought the great and powerful T-Rex would have a soft spot?
Either that, or he was just trying to get into her pants.
The waiter approached and took their drink orders. A Cosmopolitan for her and a Single Malt Scotch for Tristan. After the waiter left, Alexa spoke up. “Thank you for inviting me out tonight,” she said. “I promise I won’t take up much of your time. I know you have a lot going on. I read an article about you in Sports Illustrated, so I know your season starts in a few weeks. In the meantime, I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about the hospital and how your donation will be used.”
“You’re the finest thing I’ve seen in a long time,” he interrupted her.
She smiled patronizingly. “Does that particular line work on most women?”
He grinned. “Why do you always have something negative to say?”
“Why do you assume women want to hear this type of crap?”
“It’s not crap. I do think you are fine. Don’t you believe me?”
She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “I feel like you’re trying to sell me a used car and that’s your sales pitch.”
He clutched his chest as if someone had just jabbed a dagger into his heart. “Woman, you are just too cold for me.”
She smiled. “No, I’m just too real for you.”
“That too,” he smiled back, his lips curling into a sexy, lazy grin.
She picked up her menu, partly to avoid the affect his dazzling smile had on her and partly because she was starving. “Have you ordered yet?” she asked.
“No, I’ve been waiting on you.”
He continued to stare at her while she read her menu. Finally, she looked up. “Are you going to order or are you going to stare at me all day?”
He shrugged. “I don’t see anything on the menu that looks better than you.”
She looked at him in disbelief. “You haven’t even glanced at the menu.”
“I’m looking at what I want.”
“But I’m not edible.”
He licked his lips and gave her a look that made her insides heat up. “That’s debatable.”For the second time that day, his dark eyes penetrated hers so deeply she felt he could see right into her soul. She imagined him slowly licking her, his tongue sliding up the insides of her thighs, his hands gently stroking her, his thumbs coaxing her most intimate parts to open up.
Thankfully, the waiter came back with their drinks. Alexa took a long, slow sip and immediately felt relaxed. The soulful melody of Erykah Badu’s “On & On” floated through the air. “I love this song,” she said.
“Oh yeah?” He seemed surprised. “I figured you for the jazz type. You know. Winton Marcelis. Duke Ellington. Coltrane. Sinatra.”
She laughed. “You are trippin’ now.”
He laughed with her. “I thought a sistah like you would grove to that type of music.”
“What do you mean a sistah like me?”
“You know, a doctor. Someone stuck up.”
She could tell he was joking with her but she took a shot at him as well. “Okay, so what type of music do you like? Lil’ Wayne? T.I.?”
“What?” He started laughing hard. “Why would you think that?”
She smiled. “I just figured a brotha like you would like nothing but rap music.”
He shook his head. “Okay, okay. You got me back with that one.” After their laughing subsided, he continued. “I thought you liked jazz. You thought I liked rap. See how dangerous these stereotypes are?” he told her. “We gotta stop judging the books by their covers.”
She shrugged. “It’s hard to get to know people when they don’t show you who they are to begin with.”
He took a sip of his drink. “I’m not the type of man you think I am, Alexa. I like the same type of music as you. I’m thirty-four, college educated, and I come from the right side of the tracks. Just because I’m an athlete, you assume I’m something I’m not.”
She let his words sink in. Maybe she was
being too hard on him. Beneath his celebrity exterior was a warm human being. Yes, he was predictable, but he’d also shown her a few surprises today. “I apologize,” she said, feeling guilty for dismissing him so easily. “So, tell me about yourself,” she implored. “How did you get the nickname T-Rex?”
She saw him relax in his chair. “Since Rexford is my last name it just made sense for my teammates to call me T-Rex, like the dinosaur. The name sums me up. Dangerous. Predatory. A smart hunter. T-Rex was probably the most feared creature in history.”
“So, you like to compare yourself to a flesh-eating dinosaur?”
“Yeah.” He smiled, and then added, “Can you think of anything more intimidating?”
She smirked. “I read somewhere that Tyrannosaurus Rex was not as dangerous as most people think. It actually had a small brain for its size, and its short arms gave it a limited range of motion. And, if I remember correctly, it was a scavenger, not a hunter. Plus, it’s extinct, so it obviously wasn’t all that.”
He wagged his forefinger at her. “Don’t hate. You know T-Rex was the bomb.”
She laughed. “I’m not hatin’, I’m educatin’. Now, if you want to talk about a really dangerous animal, you should take a look at the poison dart frog. It secretes a deadly neurotoxin strong enough to kill ten humans.”
Tristan grinned. “Somehow, I don’t think the name Froggy would have been as effective. What else ya got?”
“Okay then, even more lethal than the poison dart frog is the box jellyfish.”
He threw up his hands in protest. “Woman, don’t even go there! What the hell would I look like with a name like jellyfish?”
She laughed and grabbed his hands and held them in her own. “Wait, wait,” she bubbled with laughter. “Hear me out. The box jellyfish has sixty tentacles that are fifteen feet long. Each tentacle has enough toxins to kill fifty humans. That’s much more powerful than a dart frog or a dinosaur. And if you really want to go for the king of killers, the mosquito carries enough malaria-related parasites to kill over two million people per year. How about calling yourself Parasite?”
“No way,” he shook his head and laughed. “You might be right about mosquitoes, but I guarantee the name Parasite will never sell forty million dollars worth of Predator merchandise each year like the name T-Rex does. And as you know, with the NFL, it’s all about the all-mighty dollar.” He sang the last three words, mimicking the OJay’s version of the song “Money”. They both laughed at his spontaneous outburst. She had never seen this side of Tristan. She liked it.
“That was your best line all day,” she said playfully.
He caressed her palms with his thick fingers, and she realized they were holding hands. Too late, she felt tremors of excitement dance through her body. Her laughter subsided and she tried to pull her hands from his. But he held tight, softly caressing her hands.
“I want to see you again,” he said, matter-of-factly.
“Excuse me?”
“I don’t want tonight to be the last time I see you. I want more of you.” He said it as if he’d made her an offer she couldn’t refuse.
She didn’t know whether to be flattered or insulted. It had been a long time since she’d felt any type of spark with the opposite sex. Physically, her body craved a man’s touch, but she was emotionally bankrupt when it came to matters of the heart. And any type of relationship with Tristan would have further complications. He was a celebrity. Women were constantly throwing themselves at him. He would be on the road all the time. What kind of chance would a relationship like that have? It just wasn’t worth it.
“You and I live in two different worlds, Tristan. And contrary to popular opinion, opposites do not attract.”
“I think I’ve already proved that we’re not as different as you think,” he countered.
“I told you, you’re just not my kind of guy.”
“What kind of guy is that?”
She couldn’t think straight with him touching her like this. She abruptly pulled her hands away. “I want a man with intellect, someone who can discuss world affairs and current events.”
He frowned. “Well, I want a woman who knows the difference between a first down and a touchdown.”
She gave him a pointed stare. “See, that’s what I’m talking about. It would never work. You are too cocky and full of yourself.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Whether you realize it or not, you are just as cocky as me. I’m the best at what I do, and you’re the best at what you do.”
She had to agree with him on that. She gave her patients no less than one hundred and ten percent of herself all the time. She’d worked hard to get where she was, and she would never allow anyone to question her qualifications. “I’m not interested,” she told him. “You and I have different priorities. And besides, there is no room in my life for a long-distance relationship.”
He took another long sip of his drink. There was a lengthy pause before he spoke. “Who said anything about a relationship?” he finally asked. “I’m busy. You’re busy. I’ve already learned that you don’t trust anyone. So, I’m not offering you a relationship filled with compromises and obligations. I think you’re a beautiful woman, and I know you think I’m a beautiful man. So, let’s do something beautiful with each other. No strings attached.” He signaled the waiter for the bill. “We can leave right now. I have a suite at the W.” He looked into her eyes. “I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.”
Chapter Four
Alexa stared at Tristan. To say she was shocked would be an understatement. Shock wasn’t even a word in her vocabulary that could describe her feelings at this moment. All this time she’d been worried about getting involved in a relationship and he was only thinking of adding her name to his trophy wall. He wanted to be fuck buddies? Well, not even that. He just wanted a one-night stand. The way he presented it was as if he was looking out for her, protecting her from some long, drawn out relationship with, what had he said, obligations?
As she sat quietly and considered his proposal, he didn’t speak. He just continued to stare at her with those dark, sexy eyes, framed by thick eyebrows and long eyelashes. He was right about one thing: She did think he was beautiful. He was gorgeous, if a man could be considered gorgeous. And once he left Dallas, she’d probably never see him again. No one would ever know. This would be her opportunity to get him out of her system once and for all. He would be happy, the Board would be happy, and she would be happy. It was a win-win situation for everybody.
What kind of lover would he be? Was he a gentle giant or a horny brute? Would he make love tenderly and sweet? Or would he roughly thrust himself into her? Did he like missionary or doggie-style? For a brief moment, she imagined him covering her body with his. Stroking her thighs until she whimpered with pleasure. Entering her slowly and filling her up with his manhood. A delicious heat spread between her legs. She had no doubt that Tristan was fully capable of satisfying all her desires. But she was looking for more than just one night of heaven. She could not bring herself to have a one-night stand. It just wasn’t her style.
She was interrupted by the loud ringing of her cell phone. Tristan sat patiently as she fumbled through her purse to look at the caller ID. “I have to take this,” she said. “I’ll be right back.”
She hurriedly left the table and made her way to the sanctuary of the bathroom. She didn’t have to wonder if Tristan’s eyes were on her as she made her hasty exit. She knew they were. Once inside the ladies’ room, she answered her phone. “Hey girl.”
“Alexa, are you all right?” It was Viola’s voice on the other end.
“I’m fine.”
“I never heard back from you today. How did everything go with Tristan?”
“He’s going to make a donation. He seemed very impressed with the tour.”
“Wonderful. Maybe we can get him to come to our regional fundraiser next month.”
“I don’t think that will be necessary. He’s alr
eady promised the donation.”
“One donation will not save the hospital, Alexa. We need further involvement from him and support from the NFL. That’s where the big bucks are.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” Alexa thought about the lyrics Tristan had sung earlier. It seemed true. Everything was about the almighty dollar. She knew the League had plenty of money, but it still felt like she was using Tristan. She had never intended to do that.
“Besides,” Viola reminded her, “He still owes us a date. Mercy did get the winning bid.”
“I’m having drinks with him right now,” Alexa told her.
“Excellent!”
Alexa laughed. “You sound like a teacher, giving me a grade. A-plus for Alexa.”
“C’mon, girl. Now even you have to admit, it feels nice to go out again, doesn’t it?”
Alexa did not want to answer that question. Part of her thought it was damned sexy having a man make such a juicy proposal to her. The other part was scared to death at the mere thought of any interaction with someone like Tristan. “This is not a date, Viola. It’s hospital business. Personally, he’s not my type, but he is nice and people do seem to like him.”
“So, are you over the fact that he’s not a doctor?”
“I’ll be honest. When I saw him all fine, dressed in that suit, he had my undivided attention. It’s not every day I meet a professional black man. I was excited and nervous. And just for a fleeting moment, I thought he could be the one.”
“He still could be,” Viola said.
“You know I hate deception. The man lied. Probably just to impress me.”
“He doesn’t need to lie to impress anyone. You may not know much about football, but just the mere fact that he’s Tristan Rexford impresses most women. I think there’s been a misunderstanding between you two. One that you need to clear up.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Alexa said. “If there’s nothing else, I need to go. I don’t want him breaking down the door and coming in here looking for me.”