“I love cherry-flavored anything,” he said, his eyes dropping to her lips again.
“Good to know.”
They both grew silent again, each staring at the other with a newfound curiosity that Kendrick hoped they’d explore one day. Kendrick, don’t forget that you work together. He’d had good reason for not dating—or kissing—coworkers, but at the moment he couldn’t care less what that reason was.
Kendrick took a step closer to her, his nostrils filling with the sweet scent of her perfume.
“You smell divine,” he said, his voice lower than he’d expected.
“You do too.” She placed her hand on his arm, tracing the bottom of a tattoo that was peeking out from underneath his sleeveless shirt. Even though it was just his arm, her fingers left a heated path every place they touched.
“I’d love to see the entire tattoo one day,” she said.
He smirked. “Maybe I’ll show you sometime.” Right now, I have other things on my mind. Like how much does your lipstick taste like actual cherries. Her breathing faltered the longer he stared at her lips.
He took another step closer and her chest grazed his. Even through her shirt, he could feel her nipples harden. “Remember when you just said we need to figure out why our paths crossed?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she said breathlessly.
“I think I know where to start.” Slowly, he dropped his head to hers. At the first touch of her lips to his, he knew he should have mentally prepared himself better for the kiss. He once heard someone say on one of those relationship reality shows that sparks were a real thing. Feeling fireworks when you kissed someone was a real thing. Forgetting about everything around you when your lips touched theirs was a real thing. Up until now, he would have called that person a liar.
He would have sworn up and down that there was no way that a kiss could completely knock you on your ass, but as he slipped his tongue in Nicole’s mouth, that’s precisely what happened. He was falling for her so hard, he didn’t know how to catch himself. They still had more to learn about one another. He hoped his kiss didn’t just reflect the fact that he liked the woman she was now, because that wasn’t the case. What had him mesmerized and completely enthralled with her was the fact that she didn’t let her past define her. She defined it. She’d taken the time to reflect on every stage in her life so that she could better prepare for the woman she wanted to be.
They said people couldn’t reinvent themselves, but Nicole appeared to be doing just that. Or at least she was in the process of trying to do that. As he continued to kiss her with all the built-up sexual tension he felt, he realized that he needed to do some reevaluating on his own. Starting with his no dating coworkers rule.
Chapter 7
“Thanks so much, Nicole.”
“You’re welcome,” Nicole said to Britt, one of the writers. “Enjoy your date.”
I’d love to go on a date, she thought after Britt had left. It had been two days since Kendrick had kissed her outside her apartment, and it’s all she’d been able to think about since it happened.
The studio was buzzing with excitement upon receiving news that the crew would head to Lake Tahoe this weekend to shoot the next commercial after the annual Gilbert Monroe Gala. Even better, they were allowed to bring a guest to the gala tomorrow night, so Nicole had decided to bring Kyra. They’d both been working long hours, so a night off would be nice.
Maybe I’ll get some alone time with Kendrick. Lake Tahoe was supposedly one of the most romantic places to visit, and even though they would be working, they’d have some free time too.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself Nicole,” she said aloud to herself. In the past, she’d been known to fall for a guy too fast and not based off the right reasons, despite her best intentions. Her friends would argue that it was her kryptonite. Meeting a guy and falling in love at the first sign of him giving her the attention she craved.
Nicole smiled when she thought about her friends Aaliyah, Danni and Summer. I don’t know what I’d do without those women. Nicole never had any shortage of friends, but as she’d told Kendrick, everyone who rocked with her wasn’t necessarily good for her. When she’d decided to take a step back from certain people in her life, unfortunately, that included some of the friends she’d grown up with. Men and women who never understood her desire to want more. To do more. To become more.
When you’re stuck in a so-called rut called life, it’s hard to see past the blinds to look at what’s beyond the window. She’d known Danni back in high school, but they’d grown apart. Reconnecting with her had been one of the most rewarding relationships she’d gained in the past few years.
However, Aaliyah had come along and found a place in Nicole’s heart. Not only was she a talented photographer, but she was a free spirit who never let anything stress her out. She now had people in her life that saw her purpose and although ending certain friendships was difficult, it was what she needed to do to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
“Am I interrupting?”
Nicole turned to face the beautiful older woman at the door. “No, not at all. How may I help you?”
The woman walked in wearing a bright yellow sundress with matching accessories. Her gorgeous gray curly hair was similar to the way Nicole liked to wear hers, and her warm smile was just as bright as her outfit.
“You must be Ms. Nicole,” the woman said. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“You have. From who?” Nicole asked. She hadn’t seen the woman at the studio before, and although she did look vaguely familiar, she couldn’t place where she could’ve possibly met her before.
“Sorry, where are my manners.” The woman reached out her hand. “I’m Felicia Burrstone, and I was just having lunch with my brother Ben and his girlfriend, Sarah. They raved about you, and rumor has it my son has taken a keen interest in you.”
Kendrick’s mom! Oh, crap! There was one thing that Nicole had never exceled at and that was meeting parents. She tended to do this awkward back and forth shuffle with her feet, and just when she would begin to feel comfortable, she’d mess it up by saying something inappropriate or offensive.
“Hello, Ms. Burrstone.” Nicole shook her outstretched hand. “It’s very nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you. All good things. Your brother is so nice and I love Aunt Sarah. Well, she’s not my aunt. She’s my friend’s aunt. But I treat her like she’s my aunt—”
“Chile, breathe,” Felicia said as she waved a hand in front of Nicole. “You’ll pop a vein in your neck if you talk any faster.”
“Sorry,” Nicole said with a laugh. “I was just caught off guard. I didn’t expect to meet you.”
Felicia gave her a quick once-over. “I didn’t expect my stubborn son to start dating someone while I was in Africa, so I guess we’re both surprised. You’re beautiful though. And talented, based off what I saw from the woman who just left here.”
“Thank you,” Nicole said. “You’re beautiful, as well.”
“Mom, what are you doing here?” Both women turned to face Kendrick in the doorway.
“Now is that any way to greet your mother?”
“Sorry,” he said, walking in and giving her a hug. “Okay, now can I ask? What are you doing here?”
Felicia sat down in Nicole’s styling chair. “Well, I came here to meet my son’s girlfriend, whom everyone can’t stop talking about since I landed early this morning.”
“I’m not his girlfriend,” Nicole said with more disappointment than she’d intended.
“But you want to be,” Felicia said. “It’s in your eyes.”
“Mom, stop embarrassing her,” Kendrick said. “Oh, hush, son.” Felicia pointed a finger at him. “Don’t think I can’t tell that you want to be her boyfriend just as badly. So, I don’t know what you’re waiting on. I’m ready for grandbabies and Nicole has nice
child-bearing hips.”
Kendrick did a face palm, causing Nicole to laugh. She’d never had this type of camaraderie with her own mother, so she found Felicia very charismatic.
“I was hoping the three of us could go out for dinner. The producer told me you’re finished for the day.”
“You talked to the producer?” Kendrick asked. “Why didn’t you just ask me?”
“Because I didn’t trust you not to lie. So, come on, you two, let’s feed Mama and tell me all about how the two of you met.”
Once Felicia was in the hallway, Kendrick pulled Nicole aside. “Are you okay with going to dinner with us?”
She took a deep breath, partially to compose her nerves having just met Kendrick’s mom and partially because she wanted to breathe in Kendrick’s seductive scent. “We actually have extra help in the boutique tonight, so I can go to dinner if you want me to.” Please say you do.
“I would love it if you joined us,” he said without hesitation.
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him to repeat it just so she could be sure. She opened her mouth, but licked her lips instead. His eyes followed the movement of her tongue and before she could process what was happening, he pulled her in for a kiss that made her toes curl.
Just like their first kiss, she felt it in every fiber of her being. She came up on tiptoes and placed her hand behind his neck at the same time his hands went to her butt cheeks and pulled her closer. The move deepened their kiss even more.
“Mmm-hmm.” Nicole and Kendrick broke apart at the sound of Felicia’s voice. “Son, if you’re going to stick your tongue that far down her throat, then you might as well just propose, get married and have babies already.”
“Ma, give it up.”
“Uh-oh,” Felicia said, looking at Nicole. “When he calls me ‘Ma,’ he means business. Come on, y’all, I’m hungry.”
“We’re ready,” Nicole said as she moved around Kendrick and joined his mom in the hallway.
“If you both smile any harder, I’m going to have to wear sunglasses.”
“Ma.”
“Okay, okay,” Felicia said. “I’ll save the rest of my jokes for the wedding.”
“Your mom is a trip,” Nicole said with a laugh as she leaned into Kendrick. “I love it.”
Kendrick smiled. “Yeah, she’s pretty awesome.”
“And don’t you two forget it,” Felicia yelled, eliciting another laugh from them.
I could get used to this, Nicole thought.
* * *
“This is amazing,” Kyra said when they walked into the gala at one of the largest hotels in downtown LA. Nicole had to admit that she was pretty blown away herself.
“Is your boyfriend here yet?”
Nicole rolled her eyes. “Why does everyone keep saying that? I don’t want Kendrick thinking that I’m the one going around claiming he’s my boyfriend.”
“Okay, then,” Kyra said. “Is the man who you like, would love to date and probably have dreams about sleeping with here yet?”
Nicole gave Kyra a blank stare. “Real cute.”
“I try,” she said with a smile. “But I answered my own question because I already see your boy toy over there.”
Nicole followed the direction of Kyra’s head nod. When she spotted Kendrick, her breath caught in her throat. “Oh, my, he looks so sexy.” He was wearing a deep blue suit, and even from afar, she could tell that he’d gotten a haircut.
“I have to agree,” Kyra said as she crossed her arms. “As nice as it was to see the tattoos on those masculine arms when he came to Bare Sophistication last week, it’s mighty nice to see him rocking a suit. Tell me, why haven’t y’all had sex yet?”
“We’ve barely acknowledged that we actually like each other,” Nicole said.
“Which could be a good thing on your part.”
Nicole glanced at Kyra. “What do you mean?”
“I know we haven’t known each other long, but I met you when you were dating that knucklehead who cared more about his motorcycle collection than you. I’d only spent a week in Miami, but do you remember what you did that week?”
Nicole thought back to the time. “No, what did I do?”
“You enrolled in motorcycle lessons. The next time we talked, you’d purchased a motorcycle and gotten your motorcycle license.”
“So,” Nicole said with a shrug. “I happen to love my motorcycle.”
“Okay, then, what about the guy you dated before him? The fitness instructor you were obsessed with who was addicted to eating two raw eggs after every run. You aren’t dating him anymore, and you still eat two raw eggs after every run.”
“That’s because it’s good for you.”
Kyra squinted. “Danni mentioned to Aaliyah and me one day that back in high school, you always hated raw eggs. In fact, you hated eggs period.”
Hmm... I forgot I used to hate eggs. “My ex just opened my eyes to something I thought I didn’t like. Now I like eggs.”
Kyra glanced at the necklace Nicole was wearing. “What about your love for crystals?”
“I get it. Let’s not go there,” Nicole said with a strained laugh. “Even though you have a point, all of those things are a part of me now. My motorcycle. My love for eggs. My adoration for crystals and stones.”
“I understand that,” Kyra said, lightly gripping Nicole’s hand. “And we all love you for the person you are and the obstacles you’ve had to overcome. I can tell Kendrick likes you and I know you like him. He may still have a few hang-ups about dating coworkers, and there’s still a lot you don’t know about him. I just want you to know that I—as well as others—can tell that Kendrick likes you for you. Don’t feel as though you have to change yourself to please him or get his attention.”
Nicole released a bit of the tension that had arisen during the start of their conversation. “I know, and I appreciate the reminder.” She straightened her sleek gold-and-black dress and stood a little taller. “As much as I’ve grown, there’s always more growing to do, but in this case, I’m just tired of all the sexual tension between us. I already know he wants me, but he needs a reminder that I won’t wait around for him to make another move.” Nicole looked his way and caught his eye. “I think that move should start with a dance.”
“That’s my girl,” Kyra said with a smile. “While you’re dancing with lover boy, I’ll be making my rounds and networking.”
“Sounds good.”
“Oh, and another thing,” Kyra said. “Try not to do that nervous laugh thing you do when a man starts flirting with you.”
“Girl, please. I don’t even do that anymore. We’ve been flirting for a couple weeks without any nervous laughter from me.”
“Okay, just making sure. Go get him, girl.”
Nicole walked in Kendrick’s direction with a newfound goal to stop skidding around their attraction. Blame it on the fact that Valentine’s Day was only a few weeks away. Blame it on the fact that three years ago, she’d made a promise to always go after what she wanted. Blame it on the fact that his kisses were so passionate that they rendered her speechless.
She could blame it on a list of things, but the truth was plain and simple... I want him. Badly. If she had to sum up what she liked about Kendrick the most, it had to be his uncanny ability to understand her in ways others had failed to. She had more in common with him than she had with any man she’d ever met before. And surprisingly, she’d been herself since the day they met.
“Hey, guys,” she said, walking up on Kendrick, Monty and Angelica.
“Hey, Nicole.” Angelica gave her a quick hug. “You look gorgeous.”
“Yes, she does,” Kendrick said, looking her up and down before meeting her eyes. She was slightly taken aback by the fact that he wasn’t hiding his attraction to her in front of his friends. “Are you having fun?”<
br />
“I just got here, but, yes, I am,” she said with a laugh. As Kendrick continued to undress her with his eyes, she laughed again. Then again. And again. Oh, crap! LeBlanc, get your shit together.
“Are you okay?” he asked when her laugh turned into a giggle that was equally annoying when there was nothing to laugh at. Oh, my God, seriously? I haven’t had an unexplainable bout of laughter at all since I met Kendrick. This is soooo Kyra’s fault for putting the idea in my head.
“You look beautiful,” Nicole said to Angelica, diverting the attention from herself and her awkward laugh. “Don’t you agree, Monty? Isn’t Angelica breathtaking tonight?”
All eyes turned to Monty, who’d already been staring a hole through Angelica. “Although she looks beautiful tonight,” he said, “she’s always breathtaking.” Angelica gasped at the same time Nicole smiled. Go, Monty!
“Would you like to dance?” Monty asked.
“Um.” Angelica quickly glanced at Nicole nervously. “Yes, I’d love to,” she finally answered. Nicole and Kendrick watched Monty whisk Angelica away to the dance floor.
“Monty has waited years to tell Angelica how he feels,” Kendrick said. “Maybe after tonight, he can finally be honest with her.”
Nicole turned toward Kendrick. “Sometimes it’s hard to be honest about your feelings, so I think the key is to not overthink it.”
Kendrick’s arm brushed against hers. “I know the feeling,” he said. His voice deep. Sexy as hell. To her misfortune, she laughed again. And again.
“Are you laughing at me?” he asked. Instead of responding, she nodded to indicate that she was. Kendrick leaned down to her ear. “Keep laughing, and I’ll do something to wipe the smile off your face.”
Nicole gasped. And cue more awkwardness. She slipped her hand into Kendrick’s. “Let’s dance.” Luckily, he let her drag him to the dance floor. The moment they were on the dance floor, the song changed to one that was an even slower than the one before.
“May I?” Kendrick asked, extending his arms.
Her Unexpected Valentine Page 7
