Love’s Serenade

by Sheryl Lister

  “That would be fine.”

  “I’ll pick you up at six.” Miles took a step toward her and halted. “I’d better go. Your lips are calling me and if I stand here a minute longer, I’m going to answer. Then we’ll miss the party.”

  The party was five hours away. Surely he didn’t mean— His heated gaze and wicked grin let her know he meant exactly what she thought.

  He chuckled. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

  Leigh closed the door behind him. Memories of their one time together flooded her mind. She had been nervous and afraid, but because of his tender and gentle manner, she had enjoyed being with him. The powerful explosion that resulted had kept her body pulsing for hours. Her nipples tightened and she thought it best to set her thoughts elsewhere, like finding something appropriate to wear tonight.

  She searched and settled on a mauve silk sleeveless drop waist dress. The neckline dipped slightly lower than what she typically wore, but fit with the current evening fashion, as did the scalloped hem.

  When she opened the door to Miles later, Leigh had a bad case of nerves. This would be the first time she went out in public with a man. Their previous relationship had been done in secret and all Percy’s visits had been at her parent’s house, despite the fact that she’d had no interest in him. “Please come in.” He looked even more handsome in the brown vested suit.

  “You are stunning. I’ll be the envy of every man tonight.”

  She picked her handbag and wrap. “Flattery?”

  “Truth.” Miles extended his arm. “Shall we?”

  Leigh hooked her arm in his and let herself be escorted out. He stopped at a black Model T Ford and opened the door. “Whose car is this?”

  “Mine.”

  Surprise filled her face. She didn’t know many people who had cars. As he drove off, she asked, “When did you buy it?”

  He gave her a sidelong glance. “About a year ago. I got tired of being put off the train or in having to ride in the cattle car.”

  She understood his thinking. The Jim Crow laws that divided the races was supposed to create a separate but equal standard of treatment, but there was nothing equal about having to ride with cattle. She had worried about that on her journey, but had been fortunate enough to have a conductor who seated passengers fairly. There were some Whites who frowned at her presence, but no one said anything. Blessedly, she’d made it to her destination without mishap.

  They dined at a restaurant that served southern food reminiscent of her mother’s and pangs of sadness surfaced for a short time. At the conclusion of the meal, she said, “You never told me who’s having the party.”

  “It’s a surprise,” Miles said as they started on the next part of their night.

  Leigh was definitely surprised when they entered the townhouse belonging to A’Lelia Walker, Madame C.J. Walker’s daughter. The woman’s hair care company had been very successful and A’Lelia had taken over her mother’s business several years ago. Leigh finally had a chance to meet A’Lelia, who stood almost six feet tall and wore a turban on her head. Miss Walker had transformed her salon into what she called The Dark Tower. There, Leigh had a chance to meet writers Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, who were part of the New Negro Movement, and promoted art as a way to uplift the race. Miles stayed by her side and saw to her every need and she had a wonderful time. He seemed to know the things that would bring her the most joy. First, the ice cream, and now, this. She enjoyed spending time with him and hoped he didn’t break her heart again.

  Chapter 5

  Miles enjoyed seeing the excitement on Leigh’s face. As he’d told her, he remembered everything about her. She stood talking to a small group of women and he admired her dress. The way it framed her curves had had him in a state of arousal since she opened the door to him. He told himself he needed to go slowly this time, let her get used to him being around, but he didn’t know how much longer he could hold out. Leigh tempted him like no other woman. In reality, he shouldn’t even be thinking about her in these terms. Even though times were changing for women, his Leigh didn’t fit that category. She was still very much an innocent. He’d already succumbed to temptation once and was doing his best not to pressure her in any way. Yet, the sight of another man talking to her and smiling at her sent a sharp jolt of envy through his gut. Relief flooded him when she moved to speak with a group of women.

  “Miles Cooper.”

  He faced the man who’d called out his name, a musician he had met a few weeks ago. “How are you, Issac?”

  “Doing well. I caught the show over at the Magnolia Club. That Leigh Jones sure can sing. She’s a beautiful woman.”

  “That she is.”

  “A woman like that…I wouldn’t mind taking the long way around—”

  Miles’s glare stopped Issac midsentence. Rather than knocking the man out like he wanted to, he decided it was time for him to move on, but not before issuing a warning. “Don’t ever let me hear you talking about Leigh so disrespectfully again,” he said through clenched teeth. “And stay the hell away from her. Are we clear?” Isaac tried to show some bravado, but with Miles towering over him, thought better about it.

  “Real clear,” he answered tightly.

  “Good.” Miles left the man standing there. He joined Leigh. “Excuse me, ladies. Leigh may I speak with you?”

  “Yes.” Leigh smiled at the women and thanked them for the conversation.

  Miles inclined his head and escorted Leigh away. He knew the party would probably last until the wee hours of the morning, but he wanted to leave and spend some time alone with her. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

  “I am, very much. Thank you for this, Miles. It’s getting late, so we should probably say our farewells.”

  “Then we’ll do that.” They said goodbye to those around them, found their hostess, thanked her and departed.

  On the drive home, Leigh said, “I can’t believe I had a chance to meet all the people I’ve read so much about. How did you manage to get an invitation?”

  “I met Taylor Gordon a couple of weeks ago. Miss Walker is a big supporter. He’s done some theater.”

  “That’s nice. Do you think the race will ever be treated fairly?”

  “I don’t know. But my grandmother seems to think that one day we’ll be going to the same schools as Whites and running large companies.”

  “That would be something.”

  He thought the same, but didn’t believe he would see it in his lifetime. Maybe his children would. Miles went still. Where had that thought come from? He’d never contemplated having children, or taking a wife, for that matter. He didn’t know anything about being a husband or father, but realized the life he had growing up wasn’t something he wanted any potential children he might have to experience. He often imagined what his life would have been like had his mother lived. The few times his father had spoken of her gave Miles the impression that she had been a gentle and loving woman. Under her guidance, Miles might have learned how to show love.

  His father rarely showed emotion, but Miles knew the old man loved him and did the best he could with the hand he had been dealt, and traveled as a way of keeping his grief at bay. Subsequently, Miles hadn’t spent much time in school. However, whenever they visited Mama, she made sure he kept up with his lessons. He envied that about Leigh. She’d even gone to college and become a teacher. And with her sweet personality, he was sure the students loved her. Had she regretted leaving them? “Do you miss teaching?”

  A soft smile curved Leigh’s lips. “Not really. Though I do miss the students, sometimes. Becoming a teacher had never been my dream. It was what my father wanted me to do. He had to quit school when he was young to help his parents work their farm. He always said that in order for the race to improve, we need good teachers. I agree, but I just didn’t want to be one of them,” she added softly.

  “You must miss your parents.” Miles couldn’t imagine how hard it must be living on her own so far away f
rom home, especially since girls were raised to believe that their futures included a husband and children.

  “I do.”

  He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “But I’m sure they’re glad to know you’re doing well.”

  She didn’t comment, but stared out the window.

  “Leigh?”

  Shifting in her seat to face him, she said, “My parents don’t know where I am. I never told them. Can you believe I actually just posted the first letter to them today?”

  He frowned. She had been in New York for the past three years with no one but Liz? What if something happened? All this time, he assumed she’d been corresponding with her family. The knowledge that she hadn’t did not sit well with him and made him feel even worse for leaving her the way he had. “Why didn’t you write to them?”

  “Guilt mostly. In the note I left, I only said that was going to pursue my dreams and hoped that they would forgive me someday.”

  Miles didn’t know she was crying until he saw her wipe away a tear. “I’m sorry. At least you’ve done it now. That counts for something.”

  “I hope so.”

  They rode the rest of the way in silence. Miles walked her to the door and knew he should leave, but he couldn’t get his feet to cooperate. Instead, he simply observed her, trying to discern why this particular woman affected him so.

  Leigh placed her handbag and wrap on an end table and faced him. “Whatever is the matter?”

  “Do you have any idea how smart and beautiful I think you are?” Miles crossed the floor to where she stood and used his finger to trace a path across the tops of her breasts visible above the dress. “Tonight as I watched you, I had a hard time not dragging you off to the nearest closet and showing you just what you do to me.”

  She gasped softly.

  He bent and replaced his finger with his tongue. A low moan escaped her lips and the sound aroused him further. He reached behind her, unzipped the dress and let it pool at her waist. He tugged down her camisole and fully exposed the breasts he knew fit perfectly in his hands. Miles circled his tongue around one dark nipple, and then the other before drawing it into his mouth and sucking gently.

  “We shouldn’t be…ohh.”

  Her knees buckled and Miles held her tightly to keep her from falling. He swept her into his arms, carried her to the sofa and sat with her across his lap. He continued to reacquaint himself with the taste and feel of her. Her uninhibited responses had him on the brink of losing control and he needed to slow down. Gifting her with one more kiss, he lifted his head. She made such a sensual picture lying in his arms he had to close his eyes. He was as hard as a steel beam and he drew in several calming breaths. To keep from taking her fully, he sat her next to him and got up to put some distance between them.

  “What are you doing?” Leigh walked over, pulled his head down and kissed him with a passion that stunned him. “Why did you stop?”

  Miles groaned and set her away. “Things are about to get out of hand and we need to slow down, sweetheart.” He righted her clothes. “I’m trying to be good, but you’re making it very difficult.”

  “You were being good,” she countered, wrapping her arms around him.

  He laughed softly and pulled her closer. “You are something else.” Knowing that she wanted him as much as he did her told him he had to leave. Now. He kissed the top of her head. “I have to go. Otherwise, we’ll end up doing something we aren’t ready for.”

  “You’re probably right. But I did enjoy your kisses.”

  He enjoyed hers, too. So much so that it would take hours for his body to calm down. At the moment, he could use a bottle of that whiskey Liz served. “Good night. I’ll see you in the morning at rehearsal.” Unable to resist, he kissed her again. “One more…”

  When he got home, he was too wound up to sleep. Instead, he sat at the table and wrote music. The same melody that had been playing in his head for the past three years floated around, but he had yet to write it down. There seemed to be a crucial part missing, one he couldn’t figure out. But it would come to him. It always did. An hour later, he had composed a jazz tune he planned to present to the band tomorrow. He had no idea whether they’d be open to it, with him being new, but the song was perfect for Leigh’s voice.

  Miles leaned back in the chair. Leigh. His groin stirred just thinking about her. Slow was not going to work much longer.

  *

  Leigh lay in bed Friday morning staring at the ceiling and thinking about Miles. She couldn’t get his kisses out of her mind and her body had been in a state of turmoil since he left last night. He always made her feel things society said weren’t proper for a lady, but she didn’t want to settle for a man who aroused nothing more than polite conversation. She remembered catching her parents sharing a kiss more than once and seeing her father whisper something to her mother that had the woman giggling like a schoolgirl. She wanted what her grandparents and parents had—that special person who could make her heart beat faster just by walking in the room. All the things she shared with Miles. Leigh had agreed to give him another chance and, so far, he had been as attentive as any woman could want. But for how long? That was the crux of her problem. He’d said he didn’t plan to leave again, but hadn’t offered anything in the way of commitment.

  She glanced over at the clock. She still had a couple of hours before rehearsal. Maybe a talk with Liz would help. Leigh threw back the covers, dressed and ate a quick breakfast. She wanted to catch her friend before she headed down to start her day. Thirty minutes later, she walked to the other end of the hall and knocked on Liz’s apartment door. No answer. She took the stairs down and froze at the sight of a man placing bottles of whiskey in what looked like a false space behind the bar.

  “That’ll do it, Miss Liz,” she heard the man say. “I’ll bring your next order in a couple of weeks.”

  Leigh stepped back and brought her hand to her mouth. A bootlegger?

  “Thanks, Mack.”

  “You know I’m still waiting on you, woman.”

  Leigh’s eyes widened as the man sidled up to Liz and kissed her.

  Liz giggled. “Mmm hmm. I’m sure you tell that to all the girls.”

  “Now that’s where you’re wrong. I don’t play with girls. You’re the only woman I want, Elizabeth. I’ll see you on Sunday night. Keep yourself safe.”

  “You do the same.”

  Leigh waited until she heard the side door close before making her presence known. “Well, now. Seems like I’m not the only one keeping secrets.”

  Liz jumped and spun around. “Leigh! Girl, you almost gave me heart failure. What are you talking about?”

  She sauntered over to the bar. “Mack.” Liz’s mouth fell open. “He’s a bootlegger, for heaven’s sake. He could be dangerous.”

  “That man is only dangerous to my heart.”

  “What if the police raid the club?”

  “You just mind the stage and I’ll take care of everything else,” she said pointedly. “And why are you down here spying on me this early?”

  Leigh smiled. “I wasn’t spying. I came to talk to you, but you were sort of occupied. Actually, you still look a little woozy.”

  Liz tried to glare, but they both burst out laughing. “Shut up.” Once they calmed, she asked, “What did you want to talk about?”

  “Miles. We’re…he’s…”

  “Courting you? Everybody knows that, honey. You still think he’ll be leaving again?” She added water and coffee grounds to a percolator coffee pot and plugged it in.

  “I don’t know. But that’s not the problem.”

  “Well, what is the problem?” Leigh was quiet for so long, Liz said, “I can’t read your mind so you’re going to have to help me out.”

  “Men and women things,” she finally blurted.

  She studied her a long moment. “I see.”

  “I figured since you were married before, you’d know if I’m crazy or not.”

  Liz snorted. “Eva
n was a nice man, but he believed what most men do, that sex is only for them.” Her husband had died less than a year into the marriage from an illness. “Don’t get me wrong, he was respectful and tender in bed, but there was no heat. I assume you’re asking me these questions because you believe this is where you and Miles are headed.”

  Leigh dropped her head guiltily. She and Miles were way past that point. “It was only once and…”

  She covered Leigh’s hand. “I’m not judging. The only thing that matters is how you feel. Are you worried because you didn’t like it?”

  Leigh shook her head.

  “Then that means he made you feel like you’d been flung to the stars,” Liz said with a laugh. “I can tell by just looking at that man he knows his way around a woman’s body. Mmm hmm, yes, ma’am!”

  “You are a mess, girl. What about Mack?”

  “He hits me the same way. Showed me how fun and passionate it could be and all that I’d missed with Evan.” A soft smile curved her lips, as if she were remembering one of those moments. “Anyway, this isn’t about me. If you liked it, why are you worried?”

  “What if he leaves again? Sleeping with him will only complicate things more.” They had grown closer than before over the past month and Leigh had fallen harder. She couldn’t take him leaving a second time.

  Liz sighed. “I don’t know. Did he ever tell you why he left the first time?”

  “No.” Somehow, she hadn’t gotten around to asking again, but she needed those answers in order to move forward with their relationship. “He only said it had nothing to do with me, but I need to know why.”

  She got two cups, poured the coffee and slid one across to Leigh. “Do you think it had to do with another woman?”

  Leigh added sugar to her cup and stirred. “I have no idea, but I admit it was the first thing that crossed my mind three years ago. That somewhere he had a wife he had to get back to.” Even now, the thought made her stomach turn.

  “Somehow, I can’t see that.”

  She hoped not. She blew on her coffee and sipped carefully while continuing the conversation. They finished their coffee and Leigh went back upstairs to get ready for rehearsal.