Her Chance at Love

by Nicki Night

  Cadence rolled her eyes. She felt bad, but she was in no mood to hang out with anyone, let alone tall, handsome, gorgeous Blake. “I’m sorry, Blake, but I’m having a really bad day.”

  “Good. Then what I have planned will be a perfect way to end a horrible day on a great note. See you at seven thirty.”

  Blake hung up before she could protest. Cadence slid her cell across her desk and dropped her head, resting it on the back of her chair. Going out with Blake would probably be better than sitting at home alone mulling over the fact that she didn’t get the promotion. Moreover, it didn’t look as if Blake was willing to accept no for an answer.

  Blake told her to wear something casual and comfortable that she wouldn’t mind getting dirty. What kind of dirty was he talking about?

  Chapter 11

  Blake couldn’t believe that he was actually nervous. In fact, the feeling felt foreign to him. He laughed at how fidgety he’d become while getting dressed. It took much longer than usual to button up his cotton shirt. Checking his reflection several times, he rolled up his sleeves, then rolled them down before just changing into a short-sleeved shirt. He had even forgotten to put on a belt until the very last minute.

  The consummate ladies’ man, going out on a date never made him sweat. Tonight’s date wasn’t with just any woman. This was Cadence Payne, daughter of a senator and the one woman he couldn’t manage to get off his mind. He’d made every effort to make careful plans—even called in a few favors. This night should leave a lasting impression, and he hoped that his penchant to test his boundaries wouldn’t send her running. Blake simply wanted to do something different. They could go to dinner and a movie once he was able to secure his hooks in her heart.

  Blake knew what he wanted—basically, all of her. However, he knew he had to take his time with Cadence. She had to be nudged gently until she came to the realization that she wanted him, too. Attraction wasn’t the issue. Blake always knew when women were attracted to him. Cadence was trying to fight it. He wasn’t sure why, but somehow he was going to get her to take the gloves off.

  After jumping into his truck, Blake punched in the address that Cadence had texted to him earlier. His GPS indicated that she lived only fifteen minutes away. The second he turned the key in the ignition, firing up the large SUV with a roar, another sliver of nervousness surged through him. Cadence hadn’t sounded that enthusiastic about going out when he’d called her earlier. She did respond to his text asking for the address, so he was confident that she wasn’t going to cancel the date.

  With time to spare, Blake pulled up in front of her townhome. He sat for a moment, not wanting to appear too eager. Using the spare minutes he had, he made calls to ensure his plans for the evening would go over smoothly. Everything was set. Blake pushed the car door open with renewed confidence. It was time to get his girl.

  Blake pressed the bell and Cadence pulled the door open, filling the entrance with her splendor and a thousand-volt smile.

  “Hello.” Her voice felt like a soft caress.

  “Hey, yourself.” Blake couldn’t help licking his lips.

  Cadence nodded and stepped back to let him in the house. “Come have a seat. I’ll be ready in a moment.”

  Taking in the glorious way her thighs and behind filled in her jeans and the sway of her hips made Blake suck in his bottom lip and take a deep breath. When it came to Cadence, it wasn’t just about her physical magnificence; it was her coolness, her confident gait and her simple beauty. She wore her signature ponytail, which cascaded halfway down her back. She wasn’t skinny by any stretch of the imagination, nor was she a hefty girl. As far as Blake was concerned, she was just right. He thought it shameful how women fought against their voluptuousness to meet the media’s so-called standard. Cadence was perfect. He hoped she knew it, and if she didn’t, he’d help her realize it.

  Blake sat on the sofa, sizing up the living room. It was a direct reflection of her personality—a cool, comfortable space, nicely designed but not overdone. As Blake looked around, he caught a glimpse of an interesting piece of black-and-white art. He walked to the hallway and stopped, looking for Cadence. He could hear her moving around upstairs. Continuing, he moved to the painting, admiring the abstract masterpiece.

  “Like it?” Cadence’s smooth voice collapsed his concentration.

  Blake turned toward her, washing his gaze over her from top to bottom. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

  “The charcoal, silly!” Cadence cut her eyes and shook her head.

  “That, too,” he said, still admiring the work of art that was Cadence.

  She stood beside him and he took in the sweet floral scent of her. Blake knew right then that self-control could be an issue for him.

  “It’s beautiful,” he said. “I find abstract work very interesting. Who is it by?”

  “Me,” Cadence said and turned toward him. She held up the two pairs of shoes she had in her hand. “Which ones?”

  “Wear the ones that are most comfortable. Now, back to the painting. You really did this?” he asked, surprised. He hadn’t pegged her for the artist type. This made her even more intriguing. “What was your inspiration?”

  “I was missing my mother one day and I drew her face. The abstract part came after but fit what I was feeling at the time. Then I fell in love with it, so I hung it there.”

  Blake glanced down the hallway, which looked like a charcoal exhibit at a gallery. “You did all of these?”

  “Yes,” she said and then quickly changed the subject. “I’m ready.”

  Blake let it go. She’d already had a bad day and he didn’t want to drum up sad memories that would put her in a mournful mood. He quickly checked out the other images. Blake was so taken by her collection that he hadn’t noticed that she’d finally slipped on her shoes, grabbed her purse and was standing at the door.

  “So, where are we going?” she asked, twisting her keys in her hands.

  “To try something new.”

  Cadence smiled and Blake liked what he saw. As they headed out, he decided that he wanted to become the one who was always responsible for putting a smile on her face.

  Blake helped her into the SUV and jogged around to the driver’s side. He tapped the screen on the dashboard and the sounds of Joe’s latest release serenaded them. “What would you like to listen to?”

  “This is fine. I love Joe,” Cadence said and turned her head toward the passenger window.

  Blake started the engine but didn’t move. Her brief answers and more than cool demeanor let him know that she hadn’t shaken off the horrible day she said she’d had. He turned to Cadence and stared at her until she felt his gaze.

  Cadence scrunched her brows. “What?” she quizzed.

  “I need you to let go of your day.”

  Cadence dropped her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I am trying. I guess it still shows.”

  “Allow me.” Blake put his hands on her shoulders.

  Cadence turned to face the passenger window, letting Blake knead away the tension knotted in her shoulders.

  Cadence closed her eyes and let his powerful hands work on her. “That feels good.” She moaned and arched her back when Blake hit a tight spot. “Oops.” She chuckled. “Sorry.”

  “No apology necessary.” Her moan was like music to Blake’s ears.

  Cadence rolled her neck as Blake continued to massage her shoulders.

  “You’ve got talented hands,” she said and then paused abruptly, turning toward Blake.

  He smiled, knowing that she was looking for him to take her statement and turn it into a seductive innuendo.

  “As tempting as that was, I’m going to let it ride.”

  They both chuckled. Blake finished his massage and Cadence thanked him.

  “Now, before we go, I need you to offload
the rest of that tension from today. Tell me what happened.”

  “Blake...”

  Blake held up his hand in protest. “I’ve got great plans for us...” He paused to let his comment hang for a while before adding, “Tonight. I don’t want anything hindering us from having a great time. So do us both a favor and unload. Get it out so you don’t have to deal with it anymore.”

  Cadence huffed and proceeded to give Blake a play-by-play about how horrible her day was and even admitted that she felt bad for not being happy for Kerry.

  “It’s simple,” Blake said.

  “What’s simple?”

  “It’s time to move on. If they don’t want to recognize your brilliance, go somewhere that will. Better yet, start your own firm.” Blake looked over at the surprised look on Cadence’s face. “What? You are brilliant, aren’t you?”

  “Well...”

  “Yes!” Blake finished the sentence for her.

  “I have thought about it, but it’s not easy.” Cadence sighed and let her head fall against the headrest as if she had the weight of the world resting on her.

  “Cadence.” Blake turned to her. “You know your worth, don’t you?”

  “Of course!” Cadence almost looked offended.

  “Are you good at what you do?”

  “Damn good!”

  Blake smiled at her show of confidence. “That’s what I’m talking about. Then nothing can stop you from being successful. Not even those blind decision makers at your firm. If you think you’re ready, just do it or at least start the process.”

  Cadence’s eyes held a faraway look, as if she was calculating what Blake had just said. He let the conversation marinate as he put the SUV in gear.

  “Oh! I want to show you something,” Blake said, reaching into the backseat. He pulled out a newspaper and placed it on Cadence’s lap. “Turn to page ten.”

  Cadence did as he said. “Wow.” She smiled at the photo of him with a group of boys, famed rapper Iconik and Congressman Banks. “When did you take this?”

  “Last week. I brought Iconik to the center to talk to the boys that I mentor about jobs in the industry.”

  “That’s great! Where’s the center?”

  “It’s in Hempstead. The organization I mentor with uses it for their after-school program.”

  “Which organization?”

  “It’s called Billy’s Promise. It was started by Congressman Banks. It’s his way of offering fatherless boys a chance to connect with positive role models. He grew up without a father.”

  Cadence raised her brows. “Impressive,” she said.

  “Yeah. I love working with those kids. They’re a little crazy but still cool.” He took in the music of Cadence’s laughter. “All right, enough of that!” Blake took the newspaper and tossed it into the backseat. “Let’s go enjoy the night.”

  Cadence smiled again and Blake smiled on the inside.

  Chapter 12

  As reluctant as Cadence was about going out with Blake, she had to admit that she was enjoying every minute of it. From the second she opened the door and found his handsome face staring back at her, smiling with a perfect set of bright white teeth, she was glad she had agreed to go.

  On their ride to Manhattan, Cadence stole glances at him, admiring his striking profile. She watched as his strong masculine hands fingered the controls on the dashboard and even found herself thinking about how those same strong hands had worked away the tension in her shoulders moments before. The memory made her have to control the shudder that threatened to roll through her body.

  Blake announced that they were approaching their first stop but still hadn’t given her any clues about the night’s plans. All she knew was that they might get dirty. Cadence smirked when she thought about it. Blake pulled the SUV into a parking garage and they strolled through the streets of Lower Manhattan. They arrived at the entrance of a swanky-looking restaurant, but Cadence stopped short when she saw the name, Sex on the Palate.

  Rearing her head back, she cast him a sideways glare. “Uh... Blake? What is this?” She waited for his response before reacting. He couldn’t have brought her to some raunchy strip club on the first date. The place didn’t look questionable. She was confused.

  Blake took her by the hand. “Just trust me.”

  Cadence narrowed her eyes at him as she followed him in. Once inside, an attractive man wearing a chef’s coat with a five-o’clock shadow and blond wisps of hair hanging over his eyes greeted Blake.

  Blake turned to Cadence. “I’d like you to meet my lady friend, the lovely Cadence.” Blake presented her with pride. Cadence smiled and shook the chef’s hand, who immediately excused himself after a friendly greeting.

  Cadence looked around and thought about how interesting this placed looked for a food establishment.

  “It’s a cooking school,” Blake finally said.

  “Oh! We’re here for a lesson?”

  “That and more.” Blake winked.

  Cadence narrowed her eyes but quickly shifted her scolding glare when the chef returned with aprons for the two of them. Cadence felt much more comfortable. She looked over at Blake, who wore a mischievous smile, and playfully punched him in the arm before putting on her apron.

  “You shouldn’t have such a dirty mind,” he teased. “This place is one of the finest in the world for aphrodisiac cooking. It’s more than just a cooking class. It’s an experience,” Blake said, raising his brows two quick times before following the chef to their cooking area.

  Cadence shook her head. As the evening progressed, she allowed herself to be wrapped up into the sensual vibe created by the wine and soft music flowing from the hidden speakers. The chef guided them through the preparation of their meal, educating them on the effects and purpose of every ingredient. Not only was this turning out to be fine cooking, but it was also a titillating experience for the senses. Everything excited her, from the feel of the food, to the fragrance of the spices, and the savory flavors of each dish.

  Their three-course meal consisted of an appetizer with roasted fennel. The chef advised that it was an estrogen enhancer. Their entrée boasted chicken with chocolate butter and, for dessert, a delectable brioche bread pudding topped with strawberries and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. The slight hint of spice seemed to warm Cadence on the inside.

  The cacophony of fragrant aromas and intense spices teased her senses. Every morsel was delicious and Cadence had pretty much let all of her defenses down by time dessert was served. By then, they were feeding each other.

  When they left, Cadence could feel the effects of all the foods she’d indulged in. Blood seemed to rush to certain areas, heightening her sensitivities. A simple brush of Blake’s hand ignited small fires along her skin. Conversation flowed more easily as her inhibitions waned—her euphoria induced by the meal and wine. She found herself giggling at every silly thing Blake said. She had no idea that eating could be so intoxicating.

  “We have one more stop to make.”

  “Where to?” Cadence didn’t mind the time. She was enjoying herself and didn’t want the night to end anyway.

  “You’ll see!”

  Cadence had to focus on keeping her loins in check. Blake wasn’t helping at all. All he had to do was flash one of those sexy smiles, show off those cavernous crevices on his cheeks that most called dimples or walk in that manly way he always did and warmth would spread through her.

  Cadence was determined to stick the night out, but she’d have to avoid going out on future dates with Blake. He was a hazard to her willfulness, chipping away at it with every push of the envelope. Their first date wasn’t even halfway over and he had her teetering dangerously on the edge.

  A few blocks away they entered what looked like a home-decorating shop. Beautiful urns and vases lined the shel
ves and floors. A cheerful chime let the staff know that new customers had arrived. Cadence admired the pottery while a slight woman with a huge smile came from the back in a smock and merrily addressed Blake by name. They hugged and Cadence felt a slight twinge of jealousy. She turned away, pretending to be interested in the vases and watching their interaction from her peripheral vision.

  “Beth. This is my lovely lady friend, Cadence.”

  Cadence waltzed over with a confident smile. Nodding her head, she held her hand out to Beth. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  Beth pushed her hand aside. “Oh, girl. I’m a hugger!” She wrapped her arms around Cadence, giving her no choice but to oblige.

  The super friendly greeting washed away Cadence’s jealous prickling.

  “I’m all ready for you. Just follow me,” Beth said, waving her hand as she turned and walked through a curtain leading to a pottery studio. “Cadence, you can sit here, and Blake—” Beth pointed to a pottery wheel next to Cadence “—you can sit right there. Give me a moment and I’ll give you a quick tutorial. You can choose your pottery and the vase or bowl you’d like to make and I’ll get you all set up.”

  Cadence looked over at Blake and gave him an appreciative smile. This date had been the best she could remember. Blake had gone out of his way to make this night unique. If she never saw him again, she’d always remember tonight.

  Beth got them situated and started them off with the pottery wheels. Cadence followed her instructions to the letter, pressing her clay into the wheel and then dipping her hands into the bucket of water next to her. Cradling the clay, Cadence began molding it into a cone. The feel of the clay between her hands as she stroked it up and down brought naughty thoughts to her mind. This date had her on sensory overload. She was going to need a cold shower when she got home.

  Chimes rang, indicating that someone had entered the shop. Beth promised them she’d be right back, leaving instructions for them to continue throwing the clay just as she taught them. She also reminded them to keep their hands wet so the mold wouldn’t dry out. When she left, Blake stared at Cadence. Once again, her body warmed under the scrutiny of his gaze.