by King, Thayer
“And you like him?”
“He’s sweet. He could be so cocky because he’s a famous author, but he’s not.”
“And he’s not hard on the eyes.”
“Yeah, he is handsome,” Imani agreed with a grin.
“So what are you wearing? Something cute and short…and easily accessible?” Thea’s eyebrows lifted suggestively.
“You are so nasty. No. I was thinking casual. We’re walking the dog.”
“That a euphemism I haven’t heard of?”
“No. He has a dog. We’re taking him for a walk in the park.”
Thea nodded. “So, cute top and tight jeans.”
“Not so much.”
Thea headed towards her bedroom. “I’m going to have to see this.”
Imani followed.
“Oh, hell, no,” could be heard before she entered the room. “Imani, you can’t be serious? You’re not going to work. No, I refuse to let you go out in this.” She grabbed up the outfit and put it back in the closet.
“Honestly! Thea, weren’t you on your way to the movies?”
“Dwayne will understand. This is an emergency. We’ll catch a later showing.” She shoved racks of clothing aside until she found a pair of dark blue jeans. “Now, let’s see. We don’t want to go too blatant.” She plucked out a plain white t-shirt. “Perfect. Subtle and sexy. He’ll love it.”
Imani eyed the choice with some doubt. She had a good figure. Hell, she had a killer body. It was the type of body that caused a man’s jaw to drop and drool to puddle on his chest. By the time she was in high school, she was wearing a D cup. While some girls might have been envious, Imani had hated it. Big boobs and an hour-glass figure had brought her all the wrong types of attention. Men saw her breasts and assumed that her mental development had somehow been impeded by her bust size. For years, it seemed the only guys to approach her were simpletons who were thrown off by her intelligence whenever she opened her mouth. They also jumped to the conclusion that she was an easy lay. She was naturally sexy, so it was only fitting that they thought of sex when they looked at her. And thus, she had begun to disguise her curves with dowdy clothing. She wore her hair in a forbidding bun. The thin glasses she wore completed the look. Most of the men that came to the library barely acknowledged her before locking on the vibrant Stephanie. And that was just the way she wanted it.
Apparently, Keith was not most men. He obviously liked her for some other reason. Wearing the fitted jeans and shirt probably wouldn’t cause him to jump on her like a rabid animal. She smiled at her thoughts. It would be nice to go out with him and have him be proud to have her on his arm.
“Thanks, Thea.”
“What are you going to do to your hair?”
She touched a hand to her ponytail and shrugged. “I don’t know. Nothing, I guess.”
Thea sighed and shook her head. “Wear it loose. Guys love that. If he really likes it, you might get lucky tonight.”
Imani forced a smile. Thea didn’t know about her aversion to sex. It wasn’t something she felt comfortable discussing. It was embarrassing and made her feel like something was wrong with her. Especially since Thea had a very healthy and happy love life with her husband. “I’m in no rush,” she said. “But I’ll wear it down.”
The doorbell rang. “That’ll be Dwayne. I told him I was coming over.” She gave her a brief hug. “Call me later. I want all the details.”
Imani walked her to the door. “There won’t be much to tell.”
“Don’t be so negative. You’re going to floor him when he sees you.”
Actually, she’d thought she was being positive. She let Dwayne in. He was smiling and jovial as usual. Dwayne was slightly taller than his wife. Whereas Thea was very slender, Dwayne was pudgy. Since he was balding, he kept his head shaved. When Imani had first met him, she’d wondered what Thea saw in the rather plain man. One dinner at their home had answered all her questions. Dwayne was kind and unselfish. And he treated Thea like his queen. “Hey, Imani, mind if I have my wife back?”
She laughed. “Sure. She was on her way back.”
“Are you coming with us?”
“Sorry, you won’t have me as a third wheel tonight. I’ve got a date.”
“You know you’re always welcome,” he said.
“The two of you need to enjoy your alone time while you can,” she pointed out, thinking of the baby on the way.
“You’re right.” Dwayne took his wife’s hand and kissed her fingers.
“Talk to you later,” Thea said.
Imani waved goodbye to the couple and watched as they walked hand in hand to their car. Asha did figure eights between her ankles as she made her way back to her bedroom. Not giving herself time to chicken out, Imani dressed quickly. Surveying herself in the mirror, she smoothed her hands down her thighs.
She released her ponytail and applied oil to her thick curls to give them shine. She brushed it through. Her dark skin was clean and clear. Preferring a natural look, she didn’t usually wear much makeup, but she did apply mascara to make her eyes pop and lip gloss that made her lips appear like juicy berries. Imani blew out a pent-up breath. She hoped this wasn’t a mistake.
***
Keith parked his gold Lexus SUV behind Imani’s black Civic. Though the weather was cool and overcast, he lowered the front windows before killing the engine. Bear was stretched out on the backseat. The dog did tend to lean towards being lazy. “Bear, stay. Be a good boy. I’ll be right back.”
He checked his reflection in the rearview mirror before climbing out of the car. It was ridiculous how eager, how nervous he was to see Imani. He hadn’t seen her since their last date. They’d talked on the phone, but he’d purposely avoided the library, thinking it would smack of desperation if he haunted the place daily as he had prior to their first date.
Imani greeted him with a nervous smile as she waved him inside. He understood why when he got a proper look at her. She wasn’t in her usual concealing clothing. The sight of her nearly brought him to his knees. He paused in the entryway, dumbstruck by her curves.
Her outfit wasn’t elaborate: jeans and a V-necked T-shirt. But both were formfitting. It was the first time he’d seen her wear anything that wasn’t oval shaped and oversized. She was amazing. Her breasts were large, her waist small, and her hips rounded to perfection. He’d suspected she was busty, but this was more than he’d hoped for.
His heart rate doubled, pumping blood to his rapidly swelling groin. He yanked the tail of his shirt down over his crotch and dried his sweaty palms on his pants. “You,” he began, but had to stop to clear his throat. “You’re stunning.”
She smiled and pushed her hair back from her forehead. “Thank you.” It was then that he noticed that she wore her hair loose instead of bound in a bun. Thick corkscrew curls fell to her shoulders in a shining midnight cascade, the darkness of her hair emphasizing the copper color of her eyes. She’d even left off the fake glasses. “Um, is it chilly out?”
He hesitated because he didn’t want her to cover up. “You have long sleeves. You’ll be fine.”
“Let me check Asha’s bowls and grab my purse.”
He peeped out the window to make sure Bear was behaving. When he turned back around, he spotted the box of candy he had given her on their first date. It was unopened. “I thought women loved chocolate.”
“Oh, that. I appreciated the gesture…but I’m allergic.”
Keith groaned. “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. You couldn’t have known.” But he could have. When they shared dreams, he could have asked her about her likes and dislikes. He must have continued to look perplexed about it because she took his hand and kissed his cheek. “Really. It’s okay.”
“Can you eat caramels?”
She laughed. “Keith, do my hips look like they need more padding?”
He gulped. Keeping his eyes firmly locked on hers, as he dared not look below her neck and risk the pipe in
his pants swelling further, he said, “You’re perfect.” He waited as she secured her home and then led her to his SUV, opening her door for her.
“Where are we headed?” she asked as he backed out of her driveway.
“Fleet Park. I haven’t been there before. I don’t often take Bear to parks because he gets enough exercise in the backyard. This is a treat for him. New areas to sniff, and a change in scenery. It also entices him to get more exercise.”
At the park, he reached into the backseat to clip on Bear’s leash. It was an excellent day for a walk. It was cloudy but the rain held out for the duration of their trip around the park. Bear was well behaved. Keith only had to discourage him from digging twice. He enjoyed Imani’s company and he was glad he’d asked her to come.
Back at the car, Bear jumped into the seat quicker than Keith anticipated, spinning him around so that he and Imani became entangled within the leash. The soft, plump mounds of her breasts were smashed into the wall of his chest. Keith couldn’t stop the groan that welled out of him. His hands were pressed to her back. Her hip brushed against his groin and she gasped, her eyes flying up to his. “Sorry,” he said. “I can’t help it.” For an instant, he could see the heat of desire in her gaze before she looked away. She wanted him. She might not be ready for sex. But she wasn’t immune to him. The knowledge did nothing to help his erection to subside, but it made his day.
***
Something was wrong. Imani had been quiet throughout dinner. Keith’s earlier elation had crashed and burned. He was afraid to ask her about the mood change, fearful of the answer he might receive. He walked her to her door. She pulled out her keys and paused. “Keith, I think we should take a break.”
Damn it. “May I ask why?”
She wet her lips and carefully avoided his gaze. “It’s nothing you did. I think we’re seeing too much of each other too quickly. Maybe in a couple of weeks…”
“This is because I got a hard-on at the park. You’re an attractive woman. I can’t control my body’s reactions to you. But I can control what I do. My promise to not to attempt to seduce you stands.”
Imani’s hands flew to her cheeks. “I don’t want to talk about your body.”
Keith laughed. “Are you blushing?”
“No.” She dropped her hands. “And this has nothing to do with…what happened at the park. I just think we should cool it for a bit.”
He wanted to rail at her, and at the unfairness of it all. “Please reconsider.”
“I’ve been thinking about this throughout dinner.”
Keith shook his head. He strode towards his car, but anger wouldn’t let him leave without having his say. Whipping around, he retraced his steps. “You’re lying to me and you’re deluding yourself. There’s a spark between us. You gave me one condition and I’m abiding by it. You can’t change the rules just because you want me.”
“I don’t! I never said…”
“You do, but I know that doesn’t mean you’re going to hop into bed with me.” Her expression remained mutinous and he didn’t know what else to say to her. He tossed up his arms and let them fall. Finally, he cupped her elbows and drew her to him. He kissed her forehead, careful to keep it light and devoid of passion. “I’ll call you.” He got in his SUV and backed away.
Keith reviewed their date on the drive home but was at a loss as to what he could have done differently. Just when he thought they might be growing closer, she does this. He didn’t know if he’d ever be able to overcome her fear of intimacy.
At home, Bear greeted him at the door, jumping up to put his paws on his abdomen. Keith rubbed his soft head and scratched behind his floppy, short ears. “Good boy, Bear.” He dropped to his knees and Bear began licking his face. “Well, at least someone wants to kiss me.”
Sighing with resignation, he realized that he might have to call his brother for advice again. Sean knew women far better than he. But he was reluctant to ask for his advice. It was embarrassing having to ask for his younger brother’s help. Only a year separated them, but Sean’s primary interest had been women since he turned fourteen. Keith loved women as well, but his motto was quality over quantity.
He dug his phone out of his pocket. Just as he awakened the screen, it began ringing. He didn’t recognize the number but he answered anyway. “Hello?”
“Keith? Hi, this is Harlow. Are you alone?”
“Yes.”
“Can I come over?”
“Well…I guess.” It had been awkward between them since she’d last visited him in Seattle. Prior to her attempt to seduce him, he’d had no notion that she wanted anything more than friendship. They’d had a nice dinner out and he’d driven her back to her hotel. Conversations with Harlow were always fascinating and he’d gone up to her room so they could continue talking. But then she’d gone to get more comfortable…and come back naked. He’d never stammered so much as he had at that moment. To this day, he didn’t know what he’d said to her. He’d stuttered and stumbled his way out of there and they hadn’t spoken since.
Harlow materialized in front of him. Her transportation was flawless. She was a powerful witch. He’d admired her knowledge and her abilities. A smile stretched her full, red lips. “Hello, Keith.”
He put his phone on the television console. “Hello, Harlow.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, uncomfortable and unsure of how to act around her anymore.
“Aren’t you going to offer me a drink or at least a seat?”
He cleared his throat. “Of course. Um, have a seat.” He waved a hand over the chair Bear had stained, causing the dirt to disperse. With a mental command, he sent the grime and dog hair to his backyard.
“Impressive,” she said with a grin. She smoothed her dress, a curve-hugging black velvet affair that flowed down to her ankles, and ignored the chair he’d cleaned to sit on the sofa instead. She patted the spot next to her.
He sat but she made a move toward him, her breast pressing against his forearm. Hopping up as though the fabric of the couch were on fire, he asked, “What would you like to drink?”
“Do you have wine? Any color will do.”
“I might have something. I’ll check the kitchen.” He hurried off and began searching the cabinets. He seemed to recall his publisher sending him a bottle. Beer was his drink of choice so he’d shelved it somewhere. Keith found it in one of the lower cabinets behind a large jar of peanut butter.
“Looks good,” Harlow purred behind him.
Keith stood abruptly, bumping his head on the underside of the counter. “Shit!” Rubbing the back of his head, he turned to see her staring at his ass. He bit back another curse. Plunking down the bottle of wine, he said, “You didn’t have to get up. I would have served you.” He took out wine glasses and then realized he didn’t have an opener. Touching a finger to the cork, he willed it to rise.
“But then I would have missed the view.” She tossed her long dark hair over her shoulder. Her smile was positively wicked.
Keith felt himself growing angry. She was taunting him. Her dark gray eyes were full of mischief. She’d never come on to him like this before and it was making him damned uncomfortable. “What’s going on with you?” When he got ready to pour, she took the wine from him.
“It needs to breathe.” She sniffed it and her perfect nose wrinkled in distaste. “You’ve let it get too hot. This is little more than vinegar.” She looked at the label. “Shame. This was a really good vintage. And it will be again.” She tapped the bottle three times. “There. Now it’s perfect.” She filled the glasses to the brim and handed him one. She clinked her glass against his. “To old friends.”
He sipped as she did. The wine was indeed very good. “So, what brings you to town?”
“You, as always.” She swirled her wine, studying the liquid as it sloshed around. “Mm. This is delicious.”
“Would you like to see my flowers?”
Harlow shook her head. “Keith, you have to know why I’m here.”
“Hell, Harlow, I don’t know what the last time we were together was about. I thought….We’ve never been more than friends. You’ve never shown any interest in me.”
“Keith, I turned thirty this year.”
“Me, too.”
She nodded. “And I’d like to be married.”
He saw no point in playing dumb. Evidently, she thought they’d make a good pairing. “But we’re not soul mates. What would happen if you found your mate after we married?”
She scoffed. “I found my mate a year ago.” Her lips curled in disgust. “He was pathetic. My God, Keith, he couldn’t even transport. He wasn’t studying or practicing his magic, much like your brother. Only he has none of the raw talent your brother has. I can’t believe that the universe would have me mated to that…weakling.”
“But don’t you feel drawn to him?”
“Not more than I can ignore. He’s constantly seeking me out, trying to get me to bond with him.” She shrugged, as if to say ‘Who could blame him?’ “We dallied once, but I was certain to make him use protection.” So, she’d prevented a bond from developing. The exchange of fluids during sex bound mates together. Three times was enough to give mated couples the ability to share thoughts. Stronger bonds might be cemented even quicker. It saddened him that his and Imani’s bond would never reach that level since she wasn’t a witch. Hell, what was he thinking? He couldn’t even cuddle the woman without her throwing up a blockade. It was beginning to look doubtful that they would ever share anything more.
“Are you sharing dreams?”
“We were. I worked a small spell to block him from visiting me. Of course, the simpleton can’t figure out how to get around it.”
He couldn’t believe that she’d deny a true mate. Harlow was always so traditional. She reveled in the history and old ways of their kind. The bond formed between destined mates was one of a kind. Setting aside such a gift should not be done lightly. While he was mulling over her revelations, she moved closer. She pressed a hand to his chest and hemmed him in, her arms on either side of the counter. Since she was under average height, a few inches shorter than Imani, and he towered over her, it was laughable that she would even attempt to corner him. “Harlow, don’t.”
