by King, Thayer
“Keith, I know you find me attractive.”
“You’re beautiful, it’s true. But it won’t work between us.” She was model pretty and sexy to boot, but he wasn’t physically turned on by her.
“Of course it will. I thought it over. We make an attractive couple. You’re the most talented witch I know. Mated, we’d be unstoppable.”
He gripped her upper arms and put her away from him when she tried to press her body to his. He should have known. This was about power. She wouldn’t have overlooked tradition without a strong reason. “Harlow, are you even attracted to me?”
She shrugged. “Of course. You’re very handsome.”
“Yes, but you’ve never acted on it.”
She sighed and threw her hands up. “You didn’t see him, Keith. His ineptitude is appalling! Even the simplest of spells stumps him.”
“Together you’d be stronger.”
“He doesn’t deserve me,” she sneered. “We, on the other hand, would be perfection.”
“I’ve found my mate, Harlow, and I have no intention of turning my back on her.”
She paused. “Is she worthy of you?”
“Yes,” he answered without hesitation though he knew that according to Harlow’s definition Imani was anything but a suitable mate.
“As beautiful and as talented as I am?”
He nodded, though to him Imani was more beautiful. He loved her rich chocolate skin and gold eyes. But looks didn’t really matter. Imani was his. He would always be compelled to be with her.
“Yet you haven’t claimed her. Why not? She’d be a fool to reject you.”
“We’re getting to know each other.”
She made a humming sound before picking up her wine glass and emptying it in one gulp. “Show me your flowers.”
He almost released a sigh of relief. “Of course.” He led her out back to his garden and they spent a pleasant half hour discussing various flowers, herbs and potions. While he didn’t practice potions, Harlow did and he was curious about her work.
It was as she was leaning over the passionflower he’d planted yesterday, that she glanced up at him from beneath her lush lashes and asked, “So when do I meet her?”
“Meet who?”
“Your mate.”
“You don’t,” he said firmly.
She straightened to her full height, her head barely coming to his chin. “Surely, you’re introducing her to your friends. How else will you get an impartial opinion of her?”
He shook his head. “I don’t need one.”
Harlow smiled and shrugged casually. “If you say so. But I would like to meet her eventually….”
Keith didn’t trust her sudden nonchalance. Harlow could be incredibly stubborn. It was one of the reasons she was so successful at whatever she did. So he nodded and said, “Of course.” But he had no intention of letting her anywhere in the vicinity of Imani until they were bonded.
Chapter Six
“How did your date go?” Thea asked, her voice perky and chipper even at ten a.m.
Imani paused her game and saved her progress so that she could concentrate on the phone conversation. After Keith had stormed off, she’d changed into a pair of comfy sweats and immersed herself in the world of her Sims for hours. When she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer, she’d unfolded her stiff frame from her chair and dragged herself off to bed. She’d tried to resist the lure of gaming this morning, but after a hasty bowl of cereal, she found herself staring at her computer monitor. While she was playing with the pixelated people, she couldn’t help but think about how pathetic her life was. About what a horrible dater she was. About how she’d be alone forever. About how she had too few cats to be called the ‘crazy cat lady’. She’d felt a spark of attraction for Keith and she’d allowed it to ruin their evening. And maybe their relationship. If a few dates could be called a relationship. She had fucked that up and quick.
He’d said he’d call her. That had been last night. He hadn’t been specific about when he would call. But she’d been hoping to hear from him before turning in for bed.
Imani suppressed a sigh, and replied, “It was fine.”
“Fine? Fine?” Thea made a sound of disgust. “That sounds awful. A salad is fine. A date should be wonderful, dreamy, or hot. Can’t you come up with a better description?”
“Um…disastrous?”
“What the…? Never mind. Don’t answer that. Open the door. I’m on my way over.”
Imani groaned. She did not want to rehash yesterday’s events. Yet that’s exactly what she found herself doing fifteen minutes later over a cup of hot tea. Thea sat opposite her at her kitchen table, listening raptly as she recounted yesterday’s events. “So you dumped him,” Thea concluded when she was done.
“I didn’t dump him. I…just want a breather.”
“Bet he thinks he’s being dumped. What’s wrong with this guy? Why don’t you like him?”
Imani sucked in a surprised breath. “But I do like him. Why would you think that I don’t?”
“Why would I think that you do?” Thea countered. “You have a perfectly acceptable day together and then out of nowhere, you tell him that you want to take a break. Take a break from what? You’ve barely started.”
“You’re my friend. You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“What side? You guys didn’t have an argument. And according to what you’ve told me, he did nothing wrong.”
Imani pressed her fingers to her eyes. She had a headache from lack of sleep and her eyes hurt from staring at her screen too long. She didn’t want to think about her future loneliness. Ending it with Keith was for the best. It would have happened sooner or later. Better it end now while there were no feelings involved. “What do you say, I take a shower and we go shopping for baby stuff?”
“What say, you stop trying to change the subject? Did I miss something? What’s going on here?”
Gulping her tea, she glared at her good friend. “Thea, has it ever occurred to you that when I said I wasn’t interested in being in a relationship that I might have a history with men that would preclude me from wanting to get involved again?” She knew she sounded snippy but she didn’t have enough sleep to modulate her tone.
“Imani, I just want you to be happy.”
“I don’t need a man to make me happy.”
“They don’t hurt.”
Imani giggled. “I’m sorry I’m being such a bitch.” She ran a finger around the rim of her favorite ceramic mug. It was beige with a glossy finish. She liked the generous size and the large handle that made it easy to hold. It blended well with the burnt orange tile and dark brown cabinets of her kitchen. She heaved a sigh. Thea was waiting for answers and she could tell her friend was not going to leave without some sort of explanation. “I like him, but I…got cold feet. It’s been a long time since I last dated and things are going too fast.”
Thea pressed her lips together. “Okay, but don’t wait too long. I don’t want life to pass you by.” She finished off her glass of water and plunked it down on the wooden surface. “All right, I’m going to give you my advice and then we’re going shopping like you begged me to do.”
“I didn’t beg,” she interjected but Thea continued as though she hadn’t spoken.
“Apologize to the man.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“You’ve injured his pride and probably hurt his feelings. Apologize. You’ve been lit up this last week you’ve spent with him. You don’t want to lose that.”
Imani grumbled. As much as she would have liked to deny it, it was true. Her life, while good, was often boring. Being with Keith gave her something to look forward to. Only it was more than a break in the boredom. She genuinely liked him and enjoyed being with him. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good. Now go get dressed. I want to go to the store and squeeze some of those soft baby blankets.”
***
Monday evening after work found Imani
chewing her lip and nervously approaching Keith’s house. Before she could even knock, she heard barking from within. Yesterday had come and gone and still there had been no call from him. She hoped that she had not blown this. Mulling over their conversations, she’d come to the conclusion that he was right. He hadn’t broken their arrangement. She was the one who’d gotten cold feet the second she’d experienced a spark of desire for him.
She rang the doorbell before her courage could desert her. Keith whipped open the door and the apology speech she’d been rehearsing since morning fled her mind. Her jaw dropped at the sight of him. He wore only a pair of light gray sweatpants, which hung low on his waist. His chest was bare and she couldn’t stop her eyes from travelling over his impressive physique. She knew he was fit, but this was ridiculous. The man had abs to die for. And since they were technically dating, she could touch them. She could envision her fingers trailing up his tight stomach, one of them dipping into his belly button. Once the thought entered her mind, it was difficult to shake it.
“Imani,” Keith said. From his tone, she realized it wasn’t the first time he’d called her name.
Her face grew hot with embarrassment. As often as she’d had her chest ogled before she started covering it up in ugly sweaters, she should know better. “Um, sorry.” She licked her lips. “Can I come in?”
He backed away and gestured for her to enter. Bear circled her before scampering off to one of the other rooms. “It’s good to see you.”
“You, too.” She noticed the chair that Bear had soiled previously. The fabric was spotless. She was sure that it would have been ruined. “Wow.” She ran her hand over the seat cushion. “What’s your secret?”
“Huh?”
She glanced at Keith. He looked surprised and uncomfortable, making her wonder if he was hiding something. She shrugged off that idea as they still had much to learn about each other. “The chair,” she explained. “Bear got it all muddy. How did you get it so clean?”
“Just soap, water and elbow grease.”
Her eyes dropped to his corded forearms. “Um, do you have a shirt you can put on?”
His lips lifted in a small smile. “Sure. Sit down. I’ll be right back.”
Imani sat on the couch and tried desperately to recall her prepared speech.
Keith returned, tugging down a blue t-shirt. He joined her on the couch, his blue eyes flickering over her face. “I’m sorry I haven’t called. I was working with my brother on a project.”
“The movie star?”
“The one and only. He’s trying to convince me to let him turn my last trilogy into a set of movies. He’s already turned the first five chapters of book one into a screenplay.”
She grinned. “Wow, that’s great news. I loved that book. I can’t wait to see the movie.”
He shook his head. “I haven’t agreed yet. I like what he’s done so far. If anyone could do it, he could, but I’m not sure.”
“What aren’t you sure about?”
He ran a hand through his thick curls. “If it becomes a movie, it’ll shine a spotlight on me and I like my peace. I like not being recognized. I’m not like Sean. I don’t like to live out loud.”
Imani smiled at him. He was so gorgeous. And incredibly modest. “Keith, I hate to break it to you, but you don’t exactly fly under the radar. Haven’t you noticed the way women stare at you?”
“Oh, that? It’s because Sean and I resemble each other. They’re trying to figure out if I’m him or not.”
“You think that’s the only reason women gawk at you?”
He shrugged. “Some might actually recognize me from the dust jackets.”
Imani took a deep breath and bit her lip. Time for her apology. “Keith, I don’t want you to get a swollen head or anything, but you’re…well, you’re a really good-looking guy. Even if your brother wasn’t famous, even if you weren’t a noted author, women would still be awed by you. And I admit that I’m not as immune as I thought. I was wrong to tell you that I needed a break. You were right. I was feeling the attraction between us and instead of owning up to it, I pushed you away. Can you forgive me?”
“Depends. Will you stay and have dinner with me?”
“Of course.”
***
Imani stayed for dinner. Keith was able to convince her to stay for dessert, a simple combination of strawberries and whipped cream, and a movie after. He was thrilled that she had come to him. He didn’t know what he would have said to convince her to continue dating him. And she’d admitted in a roundabout way that she was attracted to him. It didn’t mean he’d be having sex tonight or any night soon, but it gave him hope for their future.
For now, he was happy to simply feel the warmth of her arm pressed against his as they watched Legend. “Tom Cruise is so young in this,” she said. “I haven’t seen this in years.”
He liked that she was just as much into science fiction and fantasy as he was. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen it, too.” Which explained why he’d forgotten that it was also a rather romantic film. Taking a risk, he linked his fingers with hers. While she watched the film, he admired the contrast of her sweet chocolate skin to his warm tan. Imani gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and leaned into him.
At the end of the night, he walked her to her car. “Thanks for coming over. I really enjoyed your company.” He hugged her and kissed her cheek.
When he would have withdrawn, she grabbed his arm. “Wait,” she whispered. With a gentle touch to his cheek, she pulled him down to her and pressed her lips to his. It was a soft kiss with very little pressure, but he loved it just the same. Afraid of scaring her off, he did nothing and simply let her kiss him. It revved up his heartbeat. And it thrilled him that she was the one to initiate it. “Goodnight, Keith.” He waved at her as she drove off. He walked back to the house feeling like he was floating on a bubble of joy. For the first time, he had reason to be optimistic about his relationship with Imani.
Chapter Seven
Imani stood behind Keith, frowning over his shoulder. This was a big move. She wondered if he appreciated the seriousness and the depth of the commitment this signified on her part. She bit her lip as he navigated through the menus. Imani grimaced at some of his color choices and struggled to keep her opinion to herself.
She covered her mouth with a hand but a strangled gasp still escaped her lips as she watched him paint the walls of a bedroom black. Keith chuckled. “I was just testing you.” He undid his previous selection and chose a pale blue.
Imani released a sigh before giving him a shove. They were in her home office. For kicks, she’d decided to share her addiction with him. Keith was building a house in her Sims 2 neighborhood for a family he’d created. He’d tried to make the Sims look like them. To a certain extent, he was successful. “Ha, ha,” she said. “I’ll get you back for that.” Once the house was complete, Keith spun it around to look at it from different angles. “All done?” she asked, suppressing a smile.
“Yeah. Looks pretty good for a cheap house, huh?”
“Mm.” She smiled. “You’ve got everything?” At his nod, she said, “Then you’re ready to save. We can move in little Imani and little Keith.”
“Cool.” He moved in his Sims and furnished the home with the cheapest furnishings. Once he left the buy mode, in which he purchased the furniture, he saved the game again and at Imani’s urging, he entered live mode. It soon became apparent that there were issues with his building skills the moment the pixelated versions of them entered the house. Keith frowned. “Why won’t he go to the bathroom? He’s got to go. I mean, the man is crossing his legs and is about to have an accident.”
Imani stifled a giggle but he still heard her. When he turned to her with raised brows, she burst out laughing. “Keith, Jr. just wet himself,” she pointed.
“Oh, just great.” Keith paused the game. “Okay, what did I do wrong?”
“They can’t get to the bathroom. You forgot to put in doors.”
/> “And you couldn’t tell me that before I saved the house?”
She shrugged. “Sometimes, the most fun and the most learning come from the mistakes.”
“Now they’re too poor to afford doors.”
“You’ll have to sell some of the furniture.”
Keith stretched. “I’m hungry.”
“I was going to make fried rice. Does that sound good to you?”
He groaned. “That sounds delicious. I can help.” He rose and followed her to the kitchen. It was a Friday night and it was the first opportunity they’d had to see each other since Monday. Though Keith had called her each night, she’d missed him.
They worked well together and dinner was ready in short order. “So, what happens next with little Keith and little Imani?”
She shrugged and ran her fork through her rice. “That depends on you. I usually make them get jobs and then let them have children.”
Keith choked on his water. “How do they have children?”
“The usual way. They…well, they do it.” As his eyes widened, she hastened to add, “It’s all very censored. There’s no nudity or anything…um, explicit.” Even so, she grew warm at the thought of their miniature selves attempting to make a baby.
“I’ve got to see this.”
She cleared her throat. “They can also adopt.”
“Do you have your Sims adopt often?”
“No. The Sims look like their parents when they…do it the natural way.”
He nodded. “So what should we name our children?”
“Freya if it’s a girl and Thor if it’s a boy.”
“Norse myths, eh? Why not Greek or Roman?”
