“My apologies,” Malcolm said as he closed the distance between them.
“No need to apologize,” Naomi replied as she felt the strength of his presence encroach on her personal space.
“But I am sorry,” Malcolm reiterated, extending his arm and inviting Naomi to hold on to him. “Unfortunately, duty calls,” Malcolm sighed.
“As I said, you don’t have to be,” Naomi smiled. “If duty calls, then it calls.”
“True,” Malcolm crooned, placing his hand on top of Naomi’s. “However, I’m not ready for the time I have with you to end.”
She could feel the warmth from his hand moving through her, rushing heat to her cheeks as they filled with color. Malcolm looked on admiringly as his eyes captured Naomi’s. She didn’t have a response, though. Naomi didn’t want to appear forward or too enthusiastic, so she offered nothing and waited to see what Malcolm would say if anything.
“Do you have plans for this evening?” Malcolm asked as they started walking in the direction they originated from.
“I’m not sure,” she answered.
“Well, I don’t want too much time to pass until the next time I can see you,” Malcolm trilled. “so, if you don’t have plans this evening, I would love to take you out. Dinner, dancing, a movie, whatever you’ll agree to.”
“Oh, so it's my choice as long as I agree to see you,” she purred.
“Your choice, after you say yes.”
“Hmm,” Naomi hummed as Tareef came into view. She felt a surge in her heart as Tareef turned and realized she was there. Naomi could tell he saw her. His posture shifted, and his eyes hooded as he took the length of her in.
“So, what do you say, Ms. Singleton,” Malcolm asked, redirecting her focus to him. “Will you go out with me tonight?”
Naomi’s thick lashes kissed her cheeks as she disengaged from Tareef and inclined her thoughts and eyes back to the man that held her hand. His eyes were riveted on her as if she was the only thing that mattered.
“Yes, Malcolm. What time should I be ready?”
“Nine o’clock,’ he answered. “And if you give me your cellphone, I’ll put my number in.”
Naomi did as he asked, reaching into the pocket of her dress and pulling out her cell phone, swiping and unlocking the screen. That was another thing she loved about the dress she wore. It had pockets. Malcolm gently lowered his arm as Naomi unlaced hers from around his and reached for her phone. His hand more than grazed hers, intentionally. Naomi felt him, and a smile creased her pouty lips. She watched as Malcolm entered his cellphone number and then returned the phone to her.
“I’ve had an incredible time with you, Naomi,” Malcolm smiled. “I can’t wait to see you tonight.” When he wrapped his muscled arm around her waist and pulled Naomi in for a hug, she didn’t resist, feeling the strength of him as he pressed her body close to his. Tareef didn’t intend to stare at their interaction, but he found himself unable to pull his eyes away from Naomi in the arms of another man.
“I’ll see you tonight.”
Malcolm held onto her a moment longer, before finally letting go. Naomi was smiling when she meandered to the table where Racquel, Khalid, and Tareef sat.
“Uhn,” Racquel hummed. “You’ve been gone a while, girlfriend,” she observed as Khalid and Tareef stood when she arrived. Tareef still pulled out Naomi’s seat for her and then returned to his. There was an undeniable spark of energy that registered with both of them as they re-entered each other’s orbits. Tareef felt it more powerfully than he recalled feeling anything like it before. The feeling wasn’t foreign to him like he’d experienced it before. Maybe he didn’t acknowledge it the first time.
“And you’re smiling, a lot,” Rocky observed.
“Not now, girlfriend,” Naomi cautioned, her peripheral vision trailing to Tareef and then returning to Racquel where they widened. Racquel got the message and nodded her head. The group fell silent, and it was an awkward silence. It was pervasive, with no one sure whether to break it. But he kept Naomi in his sights. He liked to see her smile. She was even more beautiful then. Yet, Tareef realized he wasn’t the cause of her happiness. Someone else was.
“Hey, bro, let’s let the ladies chat,” Khalid suggested, noticing the tension in the air.
“Sure,” Tareef agreed, easing back his chair and standing to his feet.
Khalid leaned over and kissed Rocky on the jaw. “Be back in a little bit, sweet.”
Naomi didn’t turn around to watch the two men walk away. Instead, her eyes were laser-focused on her friend.
“I can’t believe you did that,” Naomi hissed as she gained Racquel’s attention.
“What?” Rocky asked as though she had no idea what Naomi was referencing.
“You know what, Rocky,” Naomi murmured. “Don’t play with me.”
“Oh, you mean the observations I made?”
“Yes, Rocky,” Naomi replied indignantly. “In front of Tareef.”
“Wasn’t that the point? I mean, it wasn’t like you didn’t agree to go off with Malcolm in Tareef’s presence. You weren’t hiding, Naomi.”
“True,” she backed off a little. “But still. It was like you were rubbing his face in it.”
“Isn’t that what a best friend does?” Racquel challenged. “Support her friend? If Tareef didn’t step up when he had a chance, and you decided to move on, why wouldn’t I support that?”
Naomi watched a snarky smile emerge on Racquel’s face.
“Tareef is your brother in law, remember?”
“And he had his chance,” Rocky smiled, “more than one.”
“Malcolm asked me out.”
“When girl?”
“Tonight,” Naomi grinned. “Do you think it’s a good idea?”
“Abso-damn-lutely,” Rocky quipped. “I love Tareef, but I love you, more Naomi. You’re more than my friend. You’re like a sister to me. I want you to be happy. I want you to have everything your heart desires. If Tareef missed out, then that’s on him. So yes, I think it’s a great idea to go out with Malcolm, and anybody else you want to. It’s all about you getting your happily ever after. Would it be amazing if it was with Tareef? Sure, but if he lets you get away, that’s his fault, not mine and not yours.”
“Thanks, Rocky,” Naomi sighed. “I wasn’t sure, but you have a point.”
“Just promise you’ll check in with me like you’re supposed to.”
“I will, promise.”
Just then, Naomi’s phone buzzed. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. A beautiful smile spread across her lips as she read Malcolm’s name on the screen.
“Whoever that is has you smiling really hard, Naomi,” Rocky observed.
“It’s him, Malcolm,” she uttered.
“What did he say?” Racquel probed, placing her elbows on the table and leaning in. She watched as Naomi looked at her phone, her eyes widening slightly, and color rushing into her cheeks.
“Girl, don’t leave me hanging.”
She couldn’t help but smile, seeing what Malcolm had to say.
I hope you don’t think this is weird, but I can’t wait to see you. I thought we’d go casual tonight if that’s okay. I’m much more interested in spending time with you where we can talk than anything a fancy restaurant could offer. See you at nine, beautiful.
“You don’t expect me to read my private message out loud, do you?” Naomi teased.
“Of course, I do,” Rocky quipped. “We’re besties, right?”
“We are, but you already started trouble,” Naomi reminded.
“Yeah, but for all the right reasons,” Racquel defended.
Naomi’s eyes tightened, and her lips pursed as she eyed her friend. There wasn’t much of anything she’d ever held back from Racquel, and this wouldn’t be one of them.
“He said, and I quote, he can’t wait to see me. We’re going casual, and he’ll see me at nine if you just have to know.”
“That’s not all of what he sai
d, but it’s good enough,” Racquel chided. “But I’ll take it.”
“Me, too.”
Chapter ten
Naomi was nervous about her date with Malcolm. Although she felt comfortable with him during their time at the mayor’s brunch, something about the concept of the first date put her nerves on edge. She was reassured by Racquel, who helped her decide on the night’s outfit, that being nervous on the first date was perfectly natural. Naomi padded to the bathroom for a final check. Although casual dress for a date seemed easy to master, it was kind of hard. She didn’t want to over or under do it; not too sexy, possibly sending the wrong message, and not too plain jane, sending the wrong message completely. But once Naomi settled on the wide-leg jeans, off the shoulder salmon pink blouse with the dolman sleeves and silver accessories, she felt good about her decision. Looking in the oval-shaped mirror over the pedestal sink, Naomi fingered her hair, to make sure her natural curls fell just the right way and that the kiss of eyeshadow she wore enhanced her eyes.
The doorbell rang promptly at 9:00 p.m.
“Whew, he’s on time,” Naomi mused as that feeling of nervousness resurfaced. There was a churning knot in her belly that was unfamiliar. It didn’t feel natural, like Racquel explained. This felt uncomfortable. As Naomi made her way towards the front door, she had a conversation with herself.
Okay, girl. Be cool. Don’t get ahead of yourself or ahead of him. Naomi repeated that as she made her way. And then there was one final thought that crossed her mind. And don’t think about Tareef. Be with Malcolm.
When Naomi opened the door, Malcolm was there holding a dozen red roses. They were beautiful, but that’s not what immediately drew Naomi’s attention. It was the way he looked at her. The door opened, and Malcolm’s eyes registered on Naomi as if he’d never seen her before, as if she was the brightest star in the universe. Naomi could see admiration registering in his eyes and in Malcolm’s smile that creased his handsome face. The nervousness started to fade as he extended the flowers to her.
“It’s good to see you again, Naomi.”
She thought about what he said and how it made her feel. Naomi’s response was laden with sentimentality from that feeling caused by another man.
“It’s good to be seen, Malcolm.”
Naomi invited Malcolm to step inside while she found a place for the fragrant blossoms he’d given her. He didn’t mind. Seeing the inside of her home gave Malcolm additional insight into the woman he intended to pursue, entirely.
“One minute,” Naomi called out as she scampered around the kitchen, looking for the perfect vase. When she found it, Naomi half filled it with tepid water and set it in the middle of her island. She leaned over and took another whiff of the beautiful aromatics before padding back through the house to where Malcolm waited for her.
“Thanks for the flowers, Malcolm. They’re gorgeous.”
Gently, he reached out his hand to her, and Naomi accepted. “Yet, they still pale in comparison to you.”
“Flattery can get you a lot of places, Mr. Bridges,” Naomi smiled. “And you know it too, don’t you?”
“It’s only flattery if it's exaggerated or not true,” Malcolm replied. “In this case, it’s an honest compliment.”
“Well, thank you,” Naomi smiled, the churning in her belly beginning to subside.
“Shall we?”
“Yes,” Naomi agreed.
Malcolm momentarily let Naomi’s hand go so she could gather her keys and purse. He stepped over the threshold and waited until she secured her home before retaking Naomi’s hand, and the two walked side by side down the walkway. He escorted her to the passenger side of the Audi A6 series and hit the key fob unlocking the door and opening it. With her hand in his, Malcolm turned Naomi in his arms, pulling her in close, close enough to inhale her feminine essence, feel the length of her frame near his, seeing her smile so close he could kiss an identical smile on her lips. They stood together in that moment, getting to know each other in a way words could not express, the feeling of each other’s pulse beat, and the auras they created. It was difficult to separate from that moment. It would be so easy to get caught up in it, yet, Malcolm showed restraint. He took a slight step back, giving Naomi enough space to enter the vehicle. Malcolm made sure she was fully seated before closing the door behind her and then walking around the back end of the car and entering on the driver’s side.
Naomi felt the pounding of her heart from their closing encounter. The escalated beat of her heart wasn’t new, but it responded to a different energy, one she hadn’t expected. But as she waited for Malcolm to get into the vehicle, Naomi reminded herself of the self-talk she had before he arrived. Be easy, girl. Be easy. Naomi took a deep breath and blew it out slowly just as Malcolm sat down next to her in the car.
Once he was inside, Malcolm looked over, making sure Naomi was safely buckled in before doing so himself and starting the car. The ride was smooth, and the conversation was easy, not the least bit jilted. That for Naomi was the mark of a confident man. He wasn’t putting forth an exorbitant amount of effort to impress her, but she was impressed, nonetheless. Malcolm knew who he was, and it showed.
“Any music preference,” he asked as he navigated through the Atlanta streets.
“Let’s see what you like,” Naomi replied, seeing if their tastes aligned.
When smooth jazz came through the speakers, she nodded her approval. She liked that genre of music as well. Malcolm was attentive and as much of a gentleman when they arrived at their destination. Centennial Park was a staple in the downtown Atlanta area, known for its historical relevance to the Olympics held in the city decades before and the dancing waterfalls. Naomi was pleased to hear live music when they exited the vehicle and to see a line of food trucks with cuisine from every continent available for the tasting. The evening air was warm with a gentle breeze, and music filled the air.
“Did you know this was happening,” Naomi asked as they meandered down the winding path towards the trucks.
“Kind of,” Malcolm replied. “My secretary helped,” he added.
“For tonight, or does she help you with dates all the time?” Naomi inquired, curious as to what his response would be.
“Do you think I go out on a lot of dates?” Malcolm countered.
“I can’t imagine that you don’t,” Naomi replied. “Single, handsome, successful, I’m sure your calendar is full of women anxious to be on your arm.”
Malcolm smiled. He didn’t deny or confirm. “All that matters is tonight; you are the special lady with me.”
Naomi’s brow pitched slightly as she listened to what Malcolm said and didn’t say.
‘Ladies choice,” Malcolm said as they stood in front of the various food trucks.
“You trust me with your pallet,” Naomi asked.
“I do,” Malcolm replied. “I think one can learn a lot about a person from their food choices,” he suggested as Naomi perused the many options.
“Like what?”
“Well, if a woman orders a salad, plain with a glass of water, maybe she’s vegan or vegetarian, or maybe she believes that she appears daintier by not eating what she really desires in front of a man.”
“Oh, really,” Naomi challenged with a sexy smile that did not go unnoticed by Malcolm. “Well, what if the woman orders a double steakburger with all the fixings, chili cheese fries, and a triple-thick milkshake?”
He stepped closer to her, ensuring that he could look in her eyes, and she could look in his. Once he held Naomi captive by his gaze, he spoke.
“Then I would say, she was confident, and could give less than a damn what a man thought about her eating.”
“Oh, really, she mused.
“Really,” Malcolm confirmed.
“Anything else,” Naomi asked as Malcolm drank her in with his eyes.
“Yeah, one more thing,” he crooned.
“What’s that?”
“She was sure enough that if he couldn’t handle i
t, he didn’t matter.”
“So, when I order the triple-stacked cheeseburger extra cheese, curly fries, and a strawberry milkshake, are you sure you can handle it? Are you sure, Mr. Bridges, that you can handle me?”
He watched as Naomi’s lashes fluttered, and her eyes softened as she gazed up into his. The look in Naomi’s eyes stirred Malcolm, and his eyes hooded in response.
“First, let me just say food has never sounded sexier,” Malcolm replied, slowly dragging his lip between his teeth and releasing it even slower.
“And then what are you going to say?” Naomi purred.
Malcolm eradicated the last space that existed between them, wrapping his arms securely around Naomi’s waist. She inhaled on a pant, strangely flattered by his intent. Naomi felt an eager affection coming from Malcolm, one that lured her seductively. His uninterrupted gaze bore into Naomi in silent expectation. Then, he kissed her. Malcolm’s lips were stiff and searching. He sought something from Naomi, and he desperately wanted to find it within their kiss. Naomi felt it, an undeniable magnetism budding between them, and she was surprised by the eagerness of her response to him.
The rest of their evening was much like that. After enjoying dinner, they kissed, and Naomi’s heart thundered in her chest. And as they sat down by the dancing fountain that moved with the beat of the music, they kissed again, and Malcolm was even more stunningly virile than Naomi anticipated. He took her breath away. During the ride home, Malcolm stayed connected with Naomi, holding her hand. He escorted Naomi to her front door, and she had that sensation of what next, that most had after every first date.
“Did you have a good time, Naomi?”
“I did, Malcolm, it was nice.”
“I’m glad you had a good time,” Malcolm trilled. “I did, too.”
That nervous energy crept back into her spirit as Malcolm leveled a heated gaze. Naomi tried to ignore the pulsing knot that formed in her stomach. And when Malcolm moved in to kiss her once more before their night ended, his touch was oddly soft and caressing, yet, his kiss quelled a hot ache that existed inside her.
Tareef (The Brothers Ali Book 4) Page 7
