They placed their order, opting for the special of the day—tilapia baked in garlic and butter, served with peas and rice and fried plantains.
Their conversation died. They both watched the other patrons, heavily engaged in conversation with much laughter. Jaden didn’t know why he felt so uptight and nervous, but he struggled to think of something to say. A nearby couple who shared a passionate kiss over their half-eaten meal had him tugging at his collar. He shifted his gaze back to Denise, who openly studied him.
“What do you want to know?” Jaden asked.
“Wondering why a good-looking man, successful business owner, doesn’t have a line of women scrambling over each other to attach herself to him. I have girlfriends who would pay to be with a man like you.”
“Why don’t you think that has happened?”
Denise set down her glass and leaned forward. “I don’t think you’re that type. Conservative. Play by the books. See things black or white.”
Her eyes looked so darn sexy with their shimmery shading. He enjoyed every feature of her face, from her smoky eyes to her sharply defined mouth and glossy lips.
“Thanks for making me sound boring.” Jaden chuckled.
The food arrived on large platters. The waiters set each plate down with a flourish. Steam rose along with the heady scent of herbs and spices. The fish looked tender and tasty.
“What’s the matter?” Denise set down her fork.
“I should have gotten the salad. I haven’t eaten a salad today.” He looked imploringly at the waitress.
She nodded and left.
“You just proved my point. You do plan everything!” Denise sat back with her arms folded.
“I’m not trying to have stomach issues late tonight, while you’re snoring away.”
“I promise I don’t snore,” Denise taunted.
“And how would you know?”
“Well, you could stick around to see if I’m true to my word.” Denise accepted her refilled glass of water from the waitress, picked up her fork and began to eat. She never took her eyes off Jaden. She enjoyed flirting with him to see the flashes of shock and embarrassment that he worked hard to conceal.
“May I ask why you are still single? Seems like you would have no problem selecting your mate.”
“You make me sound like a shark.” Denise leaned back to give herself a break from the constant shoveling of food into her mouth. The food was too delicious to linger.
“Far from a shark. I don’t think that you are cold-blooded.” Jaden poured dressing on the salad he had just gotten. He raised his fork to his lips, then paused. “You’re determined.”
“And you’re not used to a woman showing determination?”
Jaden shrugged, choosing that moment to fill his mouth.
Denise joined him, willing to get through this conversation at his pace. Jaden was a challenge. And she was up for it.
“The sweet potato soufflé smells good.”
“Want to try a little?” Denise pushed her plate toward him.
“Maybe just a little.”
“Go ahead,” she encouraged him. As if to help him along, she ate another forkful. “It’s really good. Almost like my mother’s and I wouldn’t tell her that.”
“Your mother is from the islands?”
“Both parents are from Jamaica, but came to the U.S. when I was in second grade.”
“Your accent is gone.”
“Depends on whether I’m talking to my family.” She wiped her fingers on her napkin. “Or when I’m in an emotional state,” she said with a grin. “Yo know wat a talkin’ ’bout, mon.”
“Cool. Do you think that you’ll ever go back to live?”
“I doubt it. I’ll visit because there is still family. But I’m building my career here. Yet you never know where you may end up.”
“What’s your career?”
“Engineer. I work for the city in their public works division.”
“Wow, I would have never picked engineer.”
Denise hated to think what career he’d pick for her.
“Hey, I didn’t mean anything bad. You just seemed as if you’d be in the corporate world. Vice president or even president.”
“In other words, bossing people around.” She picked up her fork to threaten him.
“You’re stretching the intent of my words.” He held up his hands in surrender, but didn’t hold back on the wide grin. Relaxed, he didn’t have the imposing air. Now he seemed boyishly handsome. Maybe not boyishly, she thought, as she focused on his full lips twitching with laughter.
“Let’s go to a safer subject. Tell me about your parents,” Denise requested.
“Not much to tell. They’re retired now. Still living in the same house from my childhood. Sometimes I get lucky and get them out to go take a vacation. Myrtle Beach is their favorite spot.”
“Good to see parents happily married and enjoying life together after all this time.” Her parents were together, but enjoying each other would be stretching things. “How about siblings? I have two.” His reaction caused Denise to cut short her explanation about her sister and brother. She didn’t miss the subtle tightening of his mouth. His gaze drifted away from the table. A carefully composed expression did little to fool her that this personal subject did not bother him.
He finally responded, “I have a younger brother.”
Denise nodded. “I’m sure they’re proud of your success. Business owner. Eligible bachelor. Parents always want what’s best.”
“Yeah, my mother would rather that I wasn’t a bachelor. I’m messing up her timeline of being a mother-in-law and grandmother, in that order, she’s quick to stress.” If Denise wasn’t mistaken, Jaden was a mama’s boy. Whenever he mentioned her, he grew gentle.
“Are your parents proud of you?” Jaden suddenly turned the attention back on her.
Denise shrugged. “I’d like to think so.” Her lie was necessary. Otherwise, what would he think about how she’d come close to disgracing the family, and how they struggled with their disappointment in her.
“I feel that my parents worked hard to give me what they could,” Jaden said. “Now it’s my turn to have them reap the benefits.”
“Why are you so perfect? Are you heading for the seminary?” Denise set down her fork, her appetite satiated. She’d have to get the remainder of the food to go, otherwise she’d burst.
“Far from perfect, I’m afraid,” Jaden said. “But I’m more cautious than most.”
“And I think that life is too short for double meanings and unsaid words.”
Jaden didn’t respond. Instead, he waved his hand at the waitress who appeared with their bill.
“How much?” Denise opened her pocketbook.
“I’ll pick up the tab, of course.”
“Thank you. I expect that we’ll be heading for those drinks on Thursday. We can talk more about house plans.” Denise threw it out there. She didn’t want to dwell on whether he would call or if she should call. His answering nod set her mind at ease.
They left the restaurant. Denise was surprised that they’d stayed barely over an hour. Now the evening would end and Denise wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
She looked over at Jaden as he drove her back to her house. He didn’t say much. His mood had grown quiet. She tried small talk, but couldn’t seem to draw him out of his contemplative mood.
When he pulled in front of her apartment, they sat quietly.
Maybe he wasn’t interested, she thought. She’d had to beat away most men she’d dated, and had to be rude to get them to back off. Jaden remained too calm, setting off her alarm. Instead of intriguing him, she probably irritated him.
Now they were parked. Denise waited with her hand on the door handle. The problem was that she didn’t know how long she should wait or exactly what she was waiting for.
Jaden kept the engine running, not wanting to give her the wrong idea that they’d start necking in the car. She was a classy woman and s
houldn’t think that he was coarse and freaky. Yet, he desperately wanted to kiss her. The color she had on her lips incited an imagining vision—his lips covering hers.
“Well, I’ll be going.” Denise opened the door and slid out.
Jaden opened his mouth to call out to her. He got out of the car and followed her into her building. “The bathrooms have all been updated at the new house. Most of the first floor is done. We might even finish early, by a couple of days.”
Denise didn’t respond.
He frowned, noting that her pace quickened. Talking about the house fell flat. “I’m looking forward to hanging out on Thursday.”
“Why?”
“Why! I thought we had fun tonight. I enjoyed your company. I love the way you enjoy your food.”
“You mean stuff my face.” She smiled, put her key in her lock and offered him her hand. “Thanks for inviting me.”
Jaden looked down at her hand. He realized that his reservation was over-the-top. Not all women had ulterior motives. Denise was far from being a ditzy, gold digger. Her family had impressed him or he wouldn’t have taken the job. And she more than impressed him with her style, drive and quest to live her life uninhibited.
He took her hand and kissed the top. For now, that’s what he could manage without grabbing her arms and pulling her into his embrace. “Good night, Denise.” He touched her chin and let his hand fall to his side. “Sweet dreams,” he whispered.
Sweet dreams! That wasn’t such a tall order to fill. She leaned against the closed door, not daring to look through the keyhole to watch Jaden depart.
She had practically melted at the knees, half hoping that he’d lean over to kiss her lips because she looked that darn good. With all his talk about how he lived his life straight down the middle, she had resisted pulling him into her apartment with a lip-lock out of this world.
When she could move away from the door, she headed for the window to see him leave. After several minutes, the car still hadn’t appeared. She couldn’t have missed his departure. Maybe he was having problems getting his car started.
She’d better check on him. Grabbing her keys, she opened the door and walked into a solid wall of muscle. Her muffled cry meshed with a deep grunt.
Strong hands grasped her shoulders, providing a steadying support. The scent of familiar cologne revealed the unexpected visitor’s identity.
“Jaden, what are you doing here?” She looked up into the dark brown eyes that shimmered with a sexy glint. Their power sucked her body into a limp mass and made her step closer. Her hands were already plastered against his chest. Her fingers clawed at his shirt, one step ahead of her brain.
For the life of her, she had to concentrate on his words. All she saw were his full lips and flashes of his teeth.
“I want to kiss you.”
“I want you, too.” She forgot to say “kiss,” but she wanted that, too.
Denise tilted her head to anticipate Jaden’s mouth, which kissed her softly on the corners of her lips. He lingered on those spots, while she squeezed her eyes shut to keep from moaning.
Her hands slid under his arms, reaching around his body. His muscles tensed and relaxed as her fingers roamed the width of his back. Her body responded with equal sensitivity as his hands rested on her waist and slowly slid down her hips.
He took his time. She adored the languishing strokes of his lips, warm and attentive, moving with enough pressure to ignite desire from her body’s core.
Impatient for more than foreplay, she opened her mouth, casting an unspoken invitation. His tongue accepted. Her mouth was teased with a light flurry of strokes. The small ignition of desire crackled with the life of a wildfire, sending out signals to the tips of her breasts, crushed against his chest, to the tingling flutter in her stomach, fit snugly against his body.
His hands held her hips in place. The need for this man, beyond a heated kiss, more than his hands learning the curves of her body, washed over her with the strength of a tidal wave. With a groan that started deep in her throat, she plunged her tongue in his mouth. Now wasn’t the time to think about the rigid dance of dating rules.
Denise almost fell when Jaden broke contact. The heat that they generated between them dipped. Coolness from the air-conditioned surroundings helped drag her back to reality. Hard, unsympathetic reality flooded in, replacing the warm, sensual vibes.
“I only wanted to say that I really enjoyed the evening,” Jaden offered. His voice sounded deeper and husky.
Denise accepted that she couldn’t jump his bones when this wasn’t even the first official date. She’d never been with a man so soon after she’d met him. Yet Jaden wasn’t the average male specimen.
“Me, too,” she murmured.
Sleep didn’t come easy. All her senses tingled on edge. She paced, but her mind raced as she tried to understand what she was feeling. How could this man scramble her thoughts, spike her heartbeat, turn her thoughts into incoherent ramblings.
She flicked on the computer, logging on to the Internet. She didn’t stop pacing until the familiar page popped onto the screen. For another hour, she gambled. Lost some money, won a little, until a couple thousand had been sucked out of her account.
The guilt that grew exponentially after each act demoralized her. She couldn’t sleep, disgusted with what she’d done. Her nerves craved calm order, but her conscience ate away, leaving her cranky. Finally she couldn’t stand it anymore and drove to her soror’s house. Only when she was on her way did she call Sara. She’d done crazier things than driving thirty minutes into the boonies to see Sara.
On the quiet back roads, the memory of a heated kiss kept her alert and more than a little warm. Her face blushed as she deliberated over her body’s responses.
Sara answered the door in her dressing gown, a not-so-subtle hint that Denise ignored. “I’ve had quite a night, let me tell you.” She followed Sara into the apartment, heading for the kitchen. “You have any herbal tea? That raspberry fru-fru stuff would be perfect.”
Sara good-naturedly pushed her out of the way. She moved through the kitchen, preparing tea for both of them. Denise opened the pantry door and stared at the various items on the shelves until she found her target—shortbread Chessman cookies.
“Okay, let’s go chat about me.” Denise pinned the bag of cookies under her arm and followed Sara with the teacup and hot water to the living room.
“You’re obviously excited. This had better be good.”
“Better than good,” Denise exclaimed, nibbling on a cookie.
Sara’s eyes narrowed into slits. Her smile disappeared. “You’d better not tell me that you need money.”
Sara’s blunt remark cut deep into Denise’s euphoric state.
“That was rude of me.” Sara reached over and patted Denise’s knee. “I’m afraid I sound like the person who always reminds you of past ills.”
Denise set down her teacup and waited for the shame to subside. Considering her behavior in the past and secretly in the present, she couldn’t blame Sara’s statement.
“I promise not to be a pain in your butt. I’m all ears.” Sara gave her an apologetic grin. “What has you glowing?”
Sara snuggled deeper into the couch. She reached for the box of cookies. “I’m listening.”
“Okay. Met this guy. He’s cool, kind of laid-back.”
“Where’d you meet?”
Denise bit her lip, knowing what would come after disclosure. “He’s hired to renovate the house.”
“The new house? The one that your parents bought for you. Aren’t you crossing the line? This is priceless.” Sara’s laugh poked at Denise’s own insecurities about what she was doing.
“He is not the hired help. He owns the company. Grow up, Sara!”
“Wonderful, you can rack up leadership skills on your accomplishments list, along with other sexy tidbits. Wicked.”
“You’re sounding like a teenager.” Denise tried to remain stone-faced, but her friend
was right. Her giddiness practically bubbled over. Her conversation would fare better if she didn’t erupt into a fit of giggles.
“I suspect that you wouldn’t come over late at night to talk about something that was perfect.” Sara sipped her tea, keeping a keen eye on her. “What’s the problem?”
“I was practically ready to jump his bones. And you know that’s not my style. Don’t get me wrong, I speak my mind and don’t like to play games, but I’m also not a nympho.” She looked up to gauge Sara’s reaction. Sensing that she sincerely was listening, Denise continued. “We’re both mutually attracted to each other. But he’s slow to make the first move, although tonight’s finale hinted at the potential of some pretty hot moves.”
“Details, please. Hugged? Kissed? Jumped into bed?” Sara counted on her fingers.
“You’re taking all the fun out this and making it sound cheap. We kissed, Miss Nosy. But it was more than a kiss and those details, I’m keeping to myself.”
“Okay, be that way. So far everything is pointing in the positive direction.” Sara refreshed their teacups with hot water.
Denise selected a fresh tea bag.
“Stop thinking so hard. You admitted that this guy makes you happy. Don’t try to second-guess him. Relax and let things happen on their own.”
Unlike Sara’s happy ending with her college sweetheart, Denise had a harder outlook. Her experiences had carved a strong stance toward commitment. A strong friendship was all she could offer, anything deeper was an impossibility.
People lived without committing to each other. And they managed.
Denise settled more comfortably into the chair. “Enough about me. What’s going on in your crazy world? How’s life with Jackson?”
“I’m doing fine. Wish that he was here more often. He’d promised me that he’d move up here. I’m trying not to read anything into the fact that he’s not here.”
“I’m sure that you’ve nothing to worry about. Keep communication open. You didn’t come all this way in your relationship to backslide. You’re the perfect couple. And may I add that you’re the only one out of our line sisters who can actually say they have a boyfriend. We didn’t do all that work to get you college sweethearts back together, for you to have a breakup. Plus, I want to be a bridesmaid in a fabulous gown.” Denise made a big performance of running her hands over hips and pushing up her chest.
Gamble on Love Page 4