Natalie gave him a sour frown and shook her head, no.
“Come on,” he said pleadingly, “Just let me talk for a second. I think you owe me at least that?”
Natalie looked at him, thinking back to the slap. She wasn’t sure if she owed him a talk but she did owe him an apology. Finally, she sighed and started the engine to roll down the window. She kept the engine running as a hint that he probably shouldn’t get any ideas of her sticking around too long.
“Maybe we can start this from square one,” he said. “Let’s have dinner and I’ll tell you everything you want to know. It’s good to see you again by the way.” He smiled at the last part.
Natalie’s heart gave another flutter as it had each time he smiled down at her in the store. Ugh, why did he have to be even better than she remembered?
“Coffee,” she said, giving him an inch.
He smirked at her for a moment, then nodded. “Coffee it is,” he said. “Should I drop by your place?”
Natalie’s eyes flew open at that. She had no intention of luring him anywhere near where her bed was. That would be a recipe for disaster. Coffee might turn into...something else.
“No!” she said quickly. “We can just meet at the Starbucks down the street when you are done here.”
“This should be over in about an hour...maybe longer because of the show.” He winked as he said that, giving her an even broader smile.
She scowled in response. “Are you actively trying to get me not to show up?” she said with a hint of snark.
He laughed. “Sorry, that was mean,” he said. “Promise me you’ll be there?” he looked at his watch, “2 o’clock should do it.”
“I’ll be there,” she sighed.
He stared at her for a moment longer, making her self conscious. Then he tapped the window ledge twice in satisfaction and stood up.
“2 o’clock then,” he said, standing up and jogging back into the bookstore. “Be there!” he shouted behind him.
Natalie watched his tall, lean form jog away. He was wearing the same jeans and boots as he wore on the back cover of his book. Instead of the t-shirt, he had on a button up shirt. It was a nice look.
What in the world had she just agreed to?
One hour later, Natalie arrived at Starbucks. Jake was already there, waiting by the door. She had come early, in order to grab some control of the situation. She was going to buy her own coffee and pick out exactly where they sat. It seemed Jake had preempted her.
His face brightened as soon as she walked in the door. She couldn’t avoid the small thrill of pleasure it gave her. What lucky girl wouldn’t want to be greeted that way by such a handsome face? She thought back to how it had looked down at her when she was underneath his warm body that night in Tahoe.
Stop it, Natalie!
She put her poker face on and walked over to him with more confidence than she felt.
“What would you like?” he asked as soon as she neared him.
“I’ll buy my own—”
“No,” he said sternly.
She looked up at him with surprise.
“This one is on me,” he said, a smile coming to his face. “It’s the least I can do. Now what would you like, Natalie?”
She sighed. The last thing she wanted was another stupid argument in a public location. “Soy, flat white, grande.”
“I’ll get our drinks while you pick a seat,” he said, as though he had read her mind.
Natalie looked around the Starbucks. On a Saturday afternoon it was predictably crowded. She saw two stools next to one another at a bar facing out the window. That would be appropriately casual. Better that they didn’t have a table to themselves, facing one another like lovers. She squeezed through the crowd to nab the two stools and placed her purse on the second as she sat down on hers.
She watched him from across the crowd as he ordered. The adorable and quite young barrista taking his order looked up at him with an obvious crush. Her eyes followed him as he moved out of the way to the end of the bar to wait on his order. The man seemed to have a visceral effect on the opposite sex. It wasn’t just his height or his build or his handsome face. It was the casually confident way he went about his business.
Natalie, smoothed her hair back on her head and ran her hands across the skirt of her dress, feeling a bit inadequate all of a sudden. What in the world did she have that inspired an entire character for him—a “sexy” character? She was swinging her legs, crossed at the ankles, back and forth nervously. She looked up to see him grinning down at them and immediately stopped, planting them on the foot ledge of the stool she sat on.
The coffees came and he carried both through the crowd over to where she sat. He placed them on the counter before them. Natalie realized what a mistake the stools were as soon as he sat down next to her. His body was too long to give him much leg room and his knees pressed into hers. She tried to move the stool back but was met with the person behind her who have a grunt of complaint. There was no room for him to move back either. He watched with a grin on his face, obviously enjoying her discomfort.
“Am I that imposing?” he teased.
He was so close to her! She could still feel the undeniable tingle she had felt run through her body as he had grabbed her in the bookstore and brought her into an embrace. It was so strong and warm. She shivered, hoping he wouldn’t notice.
“You look nice today,” he said, his eyes roaming down the front of her dress to her knees.
“Thanks,” she mumbled, instinctively pulling the hem further down her thighs. This was getting ridiculous. She twisted in her stool so she faced out the window and had to turn her head to view him.
He sighed and did the same, the long legs instantly hitting the window with a dull thud. He grimaced and she smiled at the slight hilarity of it. It disappeared as he decided to stay in his original position facing her. Now he was looking straight at her in profile and his knees were pressed against the sides of her thighs. This was worse than before!
She grabbed her coffee and took a sip, not sure what else to do.
He leaned on the counter on one elbow, looking at her as he sipped his drink.
She tried to think of something to break the awkward silence.
“So what did you get to drink?”
“So what did you want to know?”
They both asked their questions at the same time. It was enough to ease the tension between them and they both smiled.
“Coffee,” he said, in response to her question. “Black.”
She grimaced in response, imagining the bitter taste of it. Natalie always ordered what people referred to as “frou frou” drinks. The flat white had been tame compared to what she usually got.
“Now you, what did you want to know about me?” he asked
All of a sudden she was at a loss for words. Here he was offering to bare his soul to her and she couldn’t think of one thing to ask.
“I don’t know,” she sighed, looking out the window at the pedestrians walking by.
“Well this was easy,” he laughed.
She smiled in agreement and took a sip. All of a sudden she thought of a question. She turned her head to look a him. “Why me?” she asked. “What was it about me that made you think—Naomi?”
He looked over his shoulder out the window to ponder it. “You came at the right time. The book felt…done, but not really done.”
He turned to look at her with a slightly amused expression. “Then I saw you sleeping in my bed that morning,” he smiled. “It was so perfect.”
Natalie squirmed in her stool, turning her head quickly to the window to avoid his seeing her blush. Her breathing became heavier and she sipped her coffee to calm her self down.
“I guess my gut instinct paid off,” he said shrugging.
“So much for your superstitious ritual,” she teased, remembering their conversation from the morning after.
He chuckled. “Well, now I have a new one, don’t I?” he hint
ed. “Kinda makes me anxious to get started on my next book.”
She looked at him with a smirk. “You really are bold aren’t you?” she sassed.
“I figured it couldn’t hurt to bring it up,” he confessed.
She laughed and took another sip of her drink. “If you think I’m driving up to Tahoe just to ‘bless’ your next novel, you’re in for some disappointment. Sorry, Jake, you’ll just have to use your imagination for the next sex scene.”
“Now what fun is that?” he complained.
She only laughed some more and looked out the window. She forgot how skilled he was at disarming her and making her laugh. “I barely know you,” she said. “It’s one thing as one-night stand; that’s what makes it fun. Planned sex is for couples.”
She cringed slightly after she said that. She certainly didn’t hope he thought that they should be a couple, especially after her little fit in the bookstore. Now he probably thought she wanted to date and…god, who knew what else?
He wasn’t saying anything so she took a chance at turning her head slightly and found him smiling down at her thoughtfully. What in the world was he thinking?
“I have an idea,” he said. “Why don’t you come out to New York? In a few weeks there’s this writer’s dinner and I’m getting some award. It would be nice to have a date.”
Natalie looked at him with disbelief. “You want me to pick up and fly out to New York to stay with you just like that? Please tell me you aren’t that hard up for sex,” she laughed.
A momentary bit of embarrassment flashed passed his eyes, and then it was gone. “Not me,” he admitted, shaking his head, “It’ll be on Wright Publishing’s dime. They’re all thrilled to get to know the woman behind Naomi. It’s some publicity thing. You’ll be in a hotel. The Ritz, if that makes it more tempting for you.”
That took her by surprise. His publisher was going to fly her out to New York and put her up in a fancy hotel just to go to some dinner for publicity? She had obviously chosen the wrong profession. All of a sudden those unfinished romance novels on her computer seemed like something she should get back into.
He took her surprise as reluctance and urged some more. “Come on, a week in New York City? All expenses paid? How can you pass that up?”
She really couldn’t. “Okay, I guess,” she said, then as she accepted it, she got more excited about the prospect. “Sure,” she said brightly,” it would be fun.”
A week in New York, with Jake Cavanaugh. Another shiver went through her as she thought about it.
“In the meantime,” Jake continued while she was still in an agreeable mood, “I’d really like to see more of you while I’m out here. Would you be open to dinner tonight? Anyplace you want.”
Natalie was about to instinctively protest but caught herself. Her earlier angst had all but disappeared during this coffee date and she couldn’t deny that she also wanted to see more of him.
“Alright,” she said, smiling out the window. “It just so happens I’m free.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
JAKE
Jake had insisted on taking Natalie to any restaurant of her choosing. After only a tiny bit of protest she had thrown out Nobu, since she had never tried it before. He had called but, it being last minute on a Saturday night, reservations were impossible. He had gone back and forth at a couple of other places but they too were booked. In frustration he had suggested the restaurant at his own hotel in the Hilton downtown. He had seen it in passing and looking it up online it seemed pretty upscale. Sitting at a table across from Natalie, he looked around thinking that it actually turned out to be a rather nice place.
When the waiter came around to take their orders, he was impressed to see her order the steak without hesitation. Usually women liked to make a good impression by ordering something like a salad or appetizer for dinner. It was cliché to say it, but Jake liked a girl who enjoyed a good hearty meal. He ordered the the rib eye for himself. He then ordered a nice bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon to compliment their entrees.
“I guess when it comes to food, great minds think alike,” he said, and was happy to see an extraordinarily pleased look on her face.
When the wine was poured in each of their glasses, he raised his up towards her. “To…happy reunions,” he said.
She laughed and replied, “I guess we’re not counting this morning’s debacle,” she said, laughing and bringing her glass up to meet his anyway.
It was nice how comfortable he felt around her. He could tell by her relaxed body language that she felt the same way. He smiled to himself thinking about the crazy day. This morning she had slapped him across the face. Now here she was having dinner with him.
He sipped his wine as he took her in. Her hair was up in a twist and she was in a black and white sleeveless print dress that hugged her curves well and ended just above the knee. He focused on her face in the complimentary light of the restaurant. Her high cheekbones were even more pronounced in this atmosphere. The bright brown eyes wandered around the room taking in the decor and spying on other diners. As usual, his eyes were drawn to her full lips. Tonight they were covered in the same lipstick she had worn for coffee. He wasn’t sure what her usual make-up regimen was but he doubted she needed the adornment. He remembered the naked face looking up at him from his bed several months ago. That had been perfect. Still, the red tonight was a nice touch.
Jake had switched out his jeans and boots for dark gray slacks and loafers. His dress shirt was a light blue that had obviously just been pressed. He was wearing a dark suit jacket over it. Despite the mismatched colors, it seemed to work well together. Jake thanked his lucky stars he had thought to throw in what he would call “formal wear” at the last minute, just in case. At the book tour, people expected the “ruggedly handsome” author, so jeans were not only acceptable but expected. Looking across the table at Natalie, he was glad that he had packed something nice.
“So, you never really asked me any questions while we had coffee,” he reminded her. “Now’s your chance.”
Natalie took a sip of wine and pondered it. “Okay, might as well go for broke,” she said finally. “Have you ever dated a black woman before?”
Jake gave a smile that bordered on a chuckle as he fingered the stem of his glass. “Define ‘dated,’” he said.
“Ugh,” Natalie said with distaste. “Please tell me you’re not one of those men. The kind that like to try a bit of everything...if only for the night?”
Jake looked up at her with alarm. “No!” he protested. “I mean...I’m not a monk. I mean...I haven’t been a monk.” Why did this woman get him so tongue tied?
“What I mean to say is, I used to have a career where relationships were...not a good idea. So did I take advantage of situations when they came along? Sure,” he shrugged. “And, to somewhat answer your question, yes, some of them were black women.”
Jake paused and looked Natalie directly in the eye. “But those days are over.”
He could see her getting slightly heated under his gaze and she looked down at her wine to mull that over.
“So,” Jake went on, “same question to you. Have you ever dated a white guy?”
“Sure,” she said looking back up at him. “In college I did and a one or two after. As in dated not...whatever you did,” she added, laughing.
“And since, well, you know about the infamous break up,” she said rolling her eyes. Jake nodded with a knowing smile. The break-up that had brought them together.
Wherever you are, God bless you Malcolm.
“Well, since then,” she continued “I’ve gone on a few disastrous dates.”
Jake hated the sound of that. So she had been seeing people since Lake Tahoe. It made sense, he thought to himself, looking her over. She was attractive and young and available. He hadn’t expected her to be a nun since then, but it was a little disappointing to hear her actually admit it. He wondered if she’d ended up in bed with any of them.
“Have you b
een dating since...?” Natalie asked the question casually but he could tell that she was anxious about his answer.
Jake had patently refused to do the online thing and he lived a pretty introverted lifestyle. He thought about the rare times he’d ventured out to bars, sharing a drink with a woman who’d shown interest. It had always ended at the last drink and, if he was lucky, decent conversation. He thought about that night with Terri. That was the closest he’d come to being with another woman. Maybe subconsciously he’d been waiting for this moment right here with Natalie all along?
He looked up at her wondering what to say. He didn’t want to lie, but he didn’t want to admit that he’d pretty much been celibate. Finally he settled on “not really.”
He watched her body relax. Maybe that was just the right thing to say. As his own body eased in response, he realized that he had been tense as well.
From there they comfortably talked about each other’s lives, detailing the happy and sad and funny through their salads, entrees and well into dessert.
“...one sister. She lives in Connecticut with her husband David, and two boys. Sam and Kenny…”
“...solo mia. Spoiled only child....”
“…mostly football, I’m a definite Giants fan….”
“…well there’s the hair thing. You have no idea what goes into making it look like this, not to mention keeping it this way...”
“…they want to turn it into a movie, but I’m not sure how I feel about it…”
“… so exciting though! Who would you get to play Naomi…?”
"...If I could go anywhere? Hmm...I guess a nice quiet beach somewhere. Maybe Tahiti...."
"...Maldives. I already know it. Before they disappear...."
"...So I'm watching Sam run and run and he turns around to catch the ball and just as he's got it in his hands he stumbles back and falls smack on his ass. It was funny in and of itself but you should've seen the totally stunned look on his face...."
"...New York doesn't even have In-n-Out. Next time you're here you have to get some. Fries, Animal Style. Trust me...."
One Night: A BWWM Interracial Romance Page 11