by Mason Dixon
Destiny was quiet for a long moment. When she finally spoke, her voice was filled with amazement. “No one has ever believed in me like you do. People who have known me a lot longer than you—”
“Don’t recognize the potential I see in you.”
“You think I have potential?” Her obvious disbelief made the word sound like a foreign concept. “How do you know I won’t prove you wrong?”
“I don’t. But it’s like you said Sunday afternoon. I can’t be in control of every situation. Where you’re concerned, the last thing I feel is in control.”
“And that scares you?”
Rashida laughed nervously. “It scares the shit out of me.”
Destiny pushed her chair away from the table. “I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable. Perhaps I should go.”
She rose to leave, but Rashida grabbed her hand before she could.
“No. Stay.”
“Are you sure?” Destiny looked at her, her eyes filled with expectation. “Does this mean—”
“I don’t know what it means. Let’s just enjoy today and worry about tomorrow when it comes.”
“Can you do that?” Returning to her seat, Destiny smiled as if she already knew the answer.
“I don’t know, but you make me want to try.” Rashida enjoyed the feel of Destiny’s hand in hers. “Harry taught me something last night.”
“Harry Collins, the cougar from work? What did she teach you?”
Rashida placed her hands inside the V of Destiny’s T-shirt and slowly slid them up the sides of her neck. “She taught me to take advantage of every opportunity when it presents itself because I might not be guaranteed another. I don’t want to miss out on being with you because you don’t match my preconceived idea of what I’m looking for in a partner. It doesn’t matter how much money you have or what kind of car you drive. You’re a good person with a good heart. That’s all that matters.”
“Harry taught you well.” Destiny leaned forward, bringing her mouth close enough to kiss. “What are you going to teach me?”
Rashida brushed her fingers over Destiny’s mouth. She waited for her lips to part in anticipation before she pulled away. “How to use chopsticks.”
Destiny’s lips slowly curled into a smile. “Has anyone ever told you you’re a tease?”
“No.”
“Then let me be the first.”
Rashida headed to the kitchen. Destiny followed. Rashida pulled the salads out of the refrigerator and poured ginger dressing on top, spilling some on her finger in the process. She reached for a dish towel, but Destiny grabbed her hand.
“Allow me.”
Destiny slid Rashida’s finger into her mouth and licked it clean. Her tongue teased Rashida’s fingertip long after the dressing disappeared.
Rashida kissed her before she could convince herself not to. As the kiss deepened, she asked herself the same question Emily Colton had posed to Harry so long ago. What took you so long?
“Whoa. Time out.” Destiny came up for air. “If you keep that up, we won’t make it to the main course.”
“Good point.” Rashida sneaked one last kiss. “Are you ready for your lesson?”
Destiny reached for the cutlery drawer. “I’ll grab a fork just in case. I’ll take a bib, too, if you’ve got one.”
Rashida resumed her seat. “You’ll be fine.”
“I think you have more confidence in my abilities than I do.”
“You forget. I’ve seen your abilities firsthand. I’m a bit of an expert on the subject. Now I’m going to share some of my expertise with you.”
Rashida ripped open the paper wrapper on a pack of chopsticks and broke the bamboo utensils apart. Destiny mirrored her actions—after tucking her napkin inside her shirt like she was about to crack into an especially juicy lobster claw.
“To use chopsticks, all you need are your ring finger, middle finger, index finger, and thumb. Your thumb, index finger, middle finger, and the chopstick on top do all the work. The chopstick on the bottom remains still and your ring finger is just a prop.”
She draped the chopsticks across the base of her right thumb, resting the bottom chopstick against the tip of her ring finger. She gripped the top chopstick with her thumb, index, and middle fingers. Then she grabbed some of her salad and brought it to her mouth.
“With me so far?”
Destiny struggled to place the chopsticks in the proper position. Each time she tried to pick up a piece of lettuce, it fell back into the bowl. “I’m a few steps behind, but don’t wait for me. I’ll catch up.”
“Here. Let me help.” Rashida put her hand over Destiny’s and guided her fingers into the correct position. “Like this.”
Together, they snared some of the salad and slowly lifted it out of the bowl. Destiny tracked the movement with her eyes. “I’m going to drop it,” she said when the clump of lettuce precariously clutched between her chopsticks began to wobble.
Rashida loosened her grip, letting Destiny take control. “No, you aren’t.”
The lettuce slipped another inch or two. Destiny drew it into her mouth a fraction of a second before it fell free. “I did it.”
Rashida smiled at the look of triumph—of accomplishment—on Destiny’s face. “Yes, you did.”
Destiny reached out and gently caressed Rashida’s cheek. “Are we really going to do this?”
“Yes, we are.”
“How?”
Rashida leaned into the pressure of Destiny’s hand. “We’ll figure it out.”
Destiny abruptly stood and pulled Rashida to her feet. “Come with me.”
“Where?”
“You’ll see.”
Destiny pulled her across the room and stood in front of the CD tower next to the small entertainment center. She ran her finger down the row of plastic cases. Rashida was a fan of classic and modern soul. Her CD collection was primarily composed of artists who fit into those genres.
“Look at you. Patti LaBelle, Luther Vandross, Alicia Keys, Teddy Pendergrass, Maxwell, Barry White. You’ve got all the good baby-making music.” Destiny chose a CD and slid the disc into the player. “May I have this dance?” she asked as Sade’s slightly raspy voice began to waft out of the speakers like a curling tendril of cigarette smoke.
Rashida stepped into Destiny’s arms and followed her lead as they slowly moved to the sounds of the sultry sax and seductive bass. Destiny’s hands slid down her back and came to rest on the curve of her hips.
“I’m not surprised you like this kind of music,” Destiny said. “You’re the kind of woman who likes to be romanced. Not necessarily wined and dined but swept off her feet.” She skimmed the knuckles of one hand against the line of Rashida’s jaw. “I want to treat you like the queen you are. Will you let me do that?”
The doorbell rang before Rashida could answer. “Hold that thought.”
“I came to pick up my car,” Harry said after Rashida opened the door. “I wanted to tell you how my night went.” Her smile faltered when she saw Destiny. “Am I interrupting something?”
“We were having lunch.”
“If, by lunch, you mean afternoon delight.” Harry’s sharp eyes took in the entire scene. “Romantic music. A table set for two. Are you two together?”
Rashida opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. She couldn’t decide which would be the worse outcome, telling the truth or being caught in a lie.
“Destiny and I were just…” Rashida trailed off. She hadn’t expected the first test to come so soon. She was failing miserably. “We were just—”
“I was telling Miss Ivey about an idea I had.” Destiny turned off the CD player. “I brought some food by hoping I could bribe her into helping me draft a business plan.”
“Well, aren’t you the little entrepreneur. I’ll let you two get back to your meeting. Sorry to interrupt.” Harry fixed Rashida with a knowing smile. “See you Monday.”
“That was awkward,” Rashida said when they were alone again.
> Destiny looked troubled. “I don’t know if we can trust her.”
“We don’t have any choice.”
Rashida kissed Destiny’s furrowed brow, a gesture meant to soothe her own fears as well. She was taking a chance greater than any she had ever taken before. She hoped the reward would be worth the risk.
Chapter Ten
Wednesday, March 15
9:30 p.m.
Savannah, Georgia
A knot of tension resided in Rashida’s gut. Not even Destiny’s passionate ministrations had been enough to untangle it.
“Stop thinking so much,” Destiny whispered, giving her a gentle shake. “You’re as stiff as a board.” She ran her hands over the taut muscles in Rashida’s neck, shoulders, and lower back. “You’ve undone all the hard work I just put in getting you to relax. Now I have to start all over again.”
Destiny rolled her onto her back. Rashida hissed as Destiny’s tongue slowly slid over her bare skin, scorching a path from her neck to her mound.
“Fuck.”
Her eyes shuttered when Destiny’s mouth closed around her clit. Destiny’s merciless tongue teased the hard knot, first with long, slow strokes then quick flicks that sent Rashida’s hands searching for something—anything—to hold on to. Destiny stroked faster, keeping pace with her rapid breathing.
Rashida felt the pressure begin to build. A tidal wave of energy strained to find release. Destiny’s hands skimmed over her stomach, dragging her closer to the edge. Then Destiny’s tongue was inside her, filling her depths while her thumb massaged her clit.
Rashida gripped the back of Destiny’s head with both hands as she ground her pulsing center against Destiny’s mouth. Then the dam burst. Arching her back, she growled in satisfaction.
“There. That’s better.” Destiny drew Rashida into her arms. “Once you leave the office, your focus is supposed to shift from work to me. What were you thinking about? Because I know it wasn’t us.”
“Can you keep a secret?” She slid the sole of her foot against Destiny’s leg.
Destiny kissed the back of her shoulder. “I’ve done a pretty good job so far, haven’t I?”
They had been practically inseparable since Saturday, parting only for work. If they happened to be in the same branch on a given day, they kept their exchanges strictly professional. Away from the office, their interactions were anything but. Destiny came over every night around seven. They’d have dinner, rehash the events of the day, and spend the rest of the night making love. Destiny would leave before dawn to go home and get ready for work. Then the cycle would begin again.
Rashida often wondered what she would say to her bosses if they discovered her illicit relationship, but she’d cross that bridge—or burn it—when the time came.
She turned on the bedside lamp and leaned against the headboard. The sheet slid off her shoulders and pooled in her lap.
“Surely you don’t expect me to care about a lame-ass business meeting when you’re tempting me with such a distracting view.”
Rashida covered her bare breasts with the sheet and slid under the covers. “Harry and I had a conference call with a former business associate. He has a team of investors in place. They’re in position to quietly amass enough stock to become the bank’s majority shareholder.”
“I thought Harry’s mother was the majority shareholder.”
“She is. For the moment. That could soon change.”
“What does all this maneuvering have to do with you?”
“The investment team wants to push Dennis out and install me in his place.”
“That’s good news, isn’t it?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“Did you give your ‘business associate’ an answer?”
“I said I’d think about it. I can’t decide if he’s bluffing or if he’s serious. If he’s bluffing, I can’t let him draw me into a game of chicken. His quarrel is with Dennis, not with me. I don’t have a dog in the fight. I want to get to the top, but I want to do it the right way. Something about this feels wrong to me. Dennis has made a few decisions I disagree with, but on the whole, he’s been an effective leader. Our deposit numbers could be better, but stock prices are holding steady and profits are on the upswing. Why would anyone want to push him out now?”
“These days, you don’t have to have a reason for wanting somebody gone. You simply cut them loose, usually without the nice golden parachute Dennis will probably receive to help slow his fall.”
“No matter what he’s offered as severance, he doesn’t deserve to be blindsided. No one does. I feel like I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place. If I warn Dennis, I could jeopardize the deal I’m supposed to be working on. If I say nothing and he catches wind of Martin’s plan anyway, he may think I’m gunning for his job. Harry probably gave her parents the heads-up as soon as we ended the call this afternoon. I should have done the same with Dennis. Instead, I’m sitting here twiddling my thumbs.”
Destiny pulled Rashida down on top of her. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. From what I’ve seen, you don’t do anything without thinking it over first. You’ll make the right decision. I know you will.” She traced the line of Rashida’s jaw with her fingers. “No matter what you decide in this instance, you’ll make a great CEO one day.”
Rashida lifted her head to look Destiny in the eye. “How do you know?”
“Because your heart’s in the right place.”
Rashida placed a hand on Destiny’s chest, reestablishing the connection she’d felt from the moment they’d laid eyes on each other. “This is crazy.” She rolled off Destiny and lay on her side. “How can I feel so drawn to you when I barely know anything about you?”
Destiny slipped her leg between Rashida’s and wrapped an arm around her waist. “What don’t you know?”
“What’s your favorite color? How old were you the first time you kissed a girl? Do you have any brothers or sisters? Where were you stationed when you were in the military? And, most importantly, where have you been all my life?”
Destiny laughed and began to answer her questions. “Red. Nine. No. Too many places to count. And it doesn’t matter where I’ve been because I’m here now.” She rolled one of Rashida’s nipples between her fingers. “Anything else?”
“One more thing. Do you have any idea how good that feels?”
“I can imagine.”
“You don’t have to imagine.” Rashida wrested control. She flipped Destiny on her back. “Let me show you. Come for me.”
Destiny had proven to be eager to give pleasure, reluctant to receive it. Rashida wasn’t surprised when she said, “I don’t need to.”
“Are you sure?” Rashida reached between their bodies and cupped Destiny’s center. Her fingers came away coated in the evidence of Destiny’s arousal. “You’re so wet I ought to put up flood warnings.”
She pinched Destiny’s engorged clit between her fingers, eliciting a moan. She slowly unspooled a smile.
“Are you sure you don’t need to come?”
She was braced on her left elbow. Destiny nestled her face in the crook of her arm.
“Okay,” Destiny said, panting. “Prove me wrong.”
Rashida intended to do just that.
“Do you want fast or slow?” she asked as her fingers parted Destiny’s slick folds.
Destiny looked at her with eyes filled with desperation. “I want you.”
Rashida slowly entered her. She watched the muscles in Destiny’s flat belly contract as she inched ever deeper.
“God, that feels good,” Destiny said. “You feel good.”
Rashida bent and kissed Destiny’s tumescent lips. Destiny kissed her hungrily. As if she’d been holding back for some reason and only now felt comfortable enough to let go. The kiss felt like a revelation. An introduction.
“Who are you?” Rashida asked as Destiny spasmed against her fingers.
Destiny continued to move against her, stoking smoldering embers into fl
ame. “I am the woman who loves you.”
After her last relationship ended, Rashida had thought she would never hear the words again, let alone say them. “I love you, too.”
Chapter Eleven
Thursday, March 16
10:39 a.m.
Richmond Hill, Georgia
Rashida seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to predicting when she was about to receive bad news. The sound of her desk phone ringing set her nerves on edge. She reached for the handset with a sense of dread. The feeling was confirmed as soon as Jackie said, “We’ve got a problem. A big one.”
“What now?” Rashida checked the caller ID. Jackie was calling from her cell phone, not a land line. “Where are you?”
“Right now, I’m standing in the middle of City Market.”
The area was home to bars, restaurants, art galleries, and souvenir shops. Everything tourists could ask for in a two-block radius. Rashida doubted Jackie was on the hunt for a jar of peach barbecue sauce or the perfect painting.
“Something’s wrong with the elevator at HQ,” Jackie said. “Smoke is spewing out of it and the whole branch smells like burning oil. We’ve evacuated the building and called the fire department. Two customers passed out, and Megan is looking a little wobbly. I think Seaton is planning to send her home. If he isn’t, he should. She’s green around the gills and can barely stand up.”
“Is—” Destiny all right? Rashida cleared her throat. “Is everyone else okay?”
“I think so. The EMTs are checking them out now.”
“What about you?”
“My tongue tastes like I’ve been French kissing a used oil filter. Other than that, I’m just dandy.”
Rashida opened her Internet browser to see if the incident had made the local news. Nothing yet. She tapped out a quick instant message to Dan Parker. I need you. Now.
“Is the elevator on fire?” she asked.
“I don’t think so,” Jackie said. “I didn’t see any flames, but Destiny hustled everyone outside relatively quickly. She spotted the problem first and made sure we all hauled ass. Even if there isn’t a fire, the smell of burning oil is too powerful to dissipate anytime soon. I’m well clear of the scene and I can still smell it. The odor inside the building must be overpowering. We’ll need to get our cleaning crew onsite as soon as the fire officials give us the all clear so they can steam clean the carpets and scrub every surface.”