They continued to tease each other while Andrew paid the bill, and they walked out to his car still sniping at each other, but gently, with amusement and not malice. They made the short trip back to the house relatively quickly because there wasn’t much traffic. Andrew opened the car door for Renee and walked her up to the back door. They were so accustomed to one another that it was perfectly natural for him to come in for a few minutes, which he did unhesitatingly.
Andrew asked when Bennie would be home, only to be told that she was in Atlanta visiting Clay. Andrew’s brows knit together briefly, which Renee assumed meant that he did not approve of Clay for some reason. She was about to express the idea that Clay was a worthy partner for his sister when he spoke.
“You’re going to be all alone in this big house? I don’t know if I like that idea,” he said. “Are you sure you’ll be okay by yourself?” Renee was touched by his concern. Coming from anyone else those words would seem like a big come-on, but she knew that Andrew was sincerely interested in her well-being. She assured him that she would be fine.
“This is a very safe area, you know. There’s a private security patrol, plus we have an alarm system. And I have Aretha the watch cat to alert me to prowlers,” she said, smiling. As if she had heard her name, Aretha sauntered into the kitchen where Andrew and Renee were standing and flopped on the floor as if her legs had suddenly vanished. Andrew looked at the large, inert pile of black fur and raised a brow.
“Oh yeah, she’s right on the case. Come on, let me check all these doors and windows for you,” he said, taking Renee by the hand.
Over Renee’s protests, he checked every entrance and window on the first floor to make sure they were locked. He repeated his actions on the second floor and was about to go to the third floor where Renee’s rooms were when she stopped him.
“Andrew, if anyone gets on the third floor they’d have to be airborne,” she reminded him. “Now, how about some iced tea or wine or something?”
He reluctantly agreed to tea and followed her downstairs. He hadn’t given up on her personal safety, though. “You know, Donnie or Adam can come over and stay here until Bennie gets back,” he said worriedly. “You don’t have to stay here alone. In fact, I can stay in The Outhouse until I leave on Sunday,” he went on.
Renee gave him a sweet smile that was full of amusement. She was pouring large glasses of iced tea and arranging a sprig of fresh mint in each one. “Andrew, I’m really touched that you are so concerned for my safety, but I will be fine. I’ve stayed here before all by my lonesome and nothing happened. Now, let’s go into the living room and listen to a little music, okay?”
Andrew sighed. It was apparent that he wasn’t going to win this one, so he pretended to bow to Renee’s judgment. He was a little surprised by the depth of his feelings about it as he followed Renee into the living room. When had he become so protective of her? Oh, he would’ve never let any harm come to her at any time, but now he had a great sense of responsibility towards her, like she was a priceless treasure he had to safeguard. Nothing could have been further from the truth—could it? He looked at Renee who was oblivious to his scrutiny as she selected some CDs.
Before going to dinner, she had changed into a watermelon colored linen sleeveless dress with deeply cut armholes that exposed her firm, rounded shoulders. The collar of the dress was turned up towards her face and framed her dark beauty. The rosy pink color of the dress was perfect with her smooth chocolate complexion. Even her feet were sexy, covered with bronze strappy sandals which showed off her slender ankles and sexy legs. A lot of dark skinned women were afraid to wear soft or bright colors, but not Renee. She had an unerring eye for what would look exquisite on her and she always looked like a million bucks. And she always smelled terrific. Before he could stop himself, Andrew blurted these observations out.
“Renee, you’re one of the best-dressed women I’ve ever known Anything you put on looks good on you,” he said admiringly. Renee was taken aback momentarily but managed to rally. She joined Andrew, who was sprawled on one end of the sofa.
“Well, thank you, Andrew. I think that’s the first time you’ve ever paid me a compliment,” she said honestly. Andrew smiled.
“I said you looked good enough to eat not too long ago,” he reminded her.
Renee blushed at the memory and pointed out to him that he was not being complimentary on that occasion. “You just did that to pick at me. You licked me, if I recall,” she said mildly.
Andrew just continued to smile lazily at her. “I wasn’t licking you. I was tasting you. I always thought you would taste just like chocolate, and you do.”
Renee’s long lashes blinked slowly. She was suddenly very warm, even though the temperature in the room was quite comfortable. Furthermore, she seemed to have goosebumps, which was highly unlikely given the sudden warmth of the room. The sound of Andrew’s voice, the caress of his simple, well-chosen words, and the sight of him stretched across the sofa had combined to give Renee an odd rush. She was trying to think of something witty and sophisticated to say when he spoke again.
“Every since the first time I saw you, I wanted to know what you would taste like,” he admitted.
Renee leaned back against the pillowed sofa. At last the truth would come out. “You were looking at me that day, weren’t you?” she accused.
Andrew sat up to answer her. “Yes, I looked. Hell, yes, I looked. I was 18 years old and horny as a mink and you were the most incredible thing I had ever seen in my life. I looked,” he said fervently. Before she could speak, he went on. “I know it was sick and voyeuristic and I’ve wanted to beg your pardon hundreds of times but for some reason I thought if I pretended it never happened you wouldn’t have to be embarrassed about it. I know that’s the logic of an 18 year old and I know it’s stupid, but that’s all I had to go on at the time,” he said passionately.
“Do you forgive me? I mean, can we be friends now? I really am sorry, you know.” Andrew finally stopped speaking long enough to let Renee get a word in edgewise. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking because she was completely still and wore a surprisingly neutral expression.
Suddenly, she smiled radiantly. “Andrew, that was such a sweet apology I couldn’t possibly turn it down,” she began. “Although, I have to confess that I might have at one time. But since I really was in that dressing room…and I really did see you au naturel…I have a much better understanding of your perspective,” she murmured while looking him directly in the eyes.
Andrew’s mouth opened slightly as he registered what Renee just uttered. “You sneak. I knew that was you—I smelled your perfume! So you did cop a peek at me! I feel so violated,” he said dramatically, laughing all the while.
Renee was laughing, too, but she had to correct him. “Oh no, honey, I got a good long look—it was no peek, believe me.” She blushed and covered her mouth as she realized what she just said, but it was too late. Andrew started laughing again, totally shameless.
“That’s ‘cause you liked what you saw, the same way I did. This is too funny,” he said. He stood and pulled Renee to her feet with him. He wrapped his long arms around her and gave her a tight squeeze. Renee made a little sound of surprise. Andrew immediately released her. “Did I hurt you?” he asked anxiously.
Renee never took her eyes from his as she shook her head ‘no’. “No, you didn’t hurt me. You just never hugged me before. All your other brothers have, but not you,” she said honestly. Andrew smiled his relief and hugged her again.
“That’s because they’re not scared of you. You didn’t have it in for them,” he teased. He kept one arm around her shoulder and looked at his watch. “I have to be at the clinic early tomorrow, so I should go. Want to do something before I leave for Haiti on Sunday?”
Renee agreed unhesitatingly as they walked to the back door. Andrew said he would call her the next day with details. Then he kissed her, a quick, warm, wet kiss and reminded her to lock the door and enable the alarm.
“I should have Donnie bring over Jordan and Pippen at least,” he said, referring to his brother’s golden retrievers. Renee laughed as she pushed him out the door.
“Oh please, those two run from Aretha. How are they supposed to protect me?”
Andrew conceded her point. “But you be extra careful, you hear me? Now that you’re not trying to put a contract out on me, I kinda want to keep you around,” he said with a wink. He kissed her once more and left.
Renee quickly locked the door, securing the deadbolt and punching in the alarm system code. She touched her lips lightly where Andrew’s hot, sweet lips had just been and gave in the mild panic that was gripping her. What in the world just happened here? And how was she going to deal with it? She looked over at Aretha who was observing her discomfort with typical feline curiosity.
“Ooh, Aretha. What am I getting myself into now?” Renee whispered. Aretha had no answer for her other than a soft meow.
Chapter Five
It would have been apparent to anyone that knew her that Renee was not herself. And the woman sitting across from her had known her for some time. In fact, she knew her better than many people. Yolanda Williams had known Renee for a long time. She wasn’t actually a friend, although she cared about Renee a great deal. Yolanda was a gifted and compassionate psychologist and Renee had been her patient for over a year. She had taken Renee over some very rocky ground in the past months, and the changes she’d seen recently were very positive. Now she was eager to see if there were more changes. Yolanda had been on a much-needed vacation for the past three weeks and she and Renee had a lot of catching up to do.
Renee sighed deeply and dramatically. She put the back of her left wrist to her forehead and intoned theatrically, “Nobody knows the troubles I’ve seen, nobody knows but Jesus.” She immediately dropped the pose but Yolanda knew that there was something underlying her friend’s histrionics.
“Okay then, tell all, dear. That’s what I’m here for. What’s been happening over the past few weeks?” Yolanda’s dark, clever eyes scanned Renee’s face. Despite her little performance, Renee seemed energized and refreshed which was in itself a good sign. The tale she told lent credence to the same idea.
“Well,” Renee said slowly. “I saw a naked man. And my, what a man he was.” Before Yolanda could react, Renee had recounted for her the entire scenario of her up close and personal encounter with Andrew and its aftermath. As good therapists do, Yolanda asked Renee how she felt about the incident.
Renee answered her honestly, in her own inimitable fashion. “Yolanda, you remember the Little Rascals, that really old TV show?” At her nod of affirmation, Renee went on, “You remember the episode where there was a so-called Wild Man from Borneo who kept saying “Yum-yum, eat ‘em up? Well, that pretty much describes how I felt when I saw Mr. Andrew. Yum-yum, eat him up! Ooh, he was…delicious, that’s about the only way I can describe him,” she finished, fanning herself lightly with one hand.
Despite Renee’s discomfiture, Yolanda was thrilled with her revelation. “Good for you, Renee! This is a big, big step for you! I can remember not too long ago when it would’ve been impossible for you to have those kinds of feeling for a man. This is definitely progress,” she enthused. Renee tried not to look too pleased at Yolanda’s words, but a fleeting look of accomplishment crossed her face.
She waited for Yolanda to get used to her first news before dropping her bombshell. “Yes, well that’s not all—he kissed me, too. More like several times. Real kisses, too, I might add.” Yolanda all but applauded as she begged for details. Renee sighed and obliged her with everything that had transpired between her and Andrew since their first dinner.
After their first dinner had gone so well and they had shared a brief but sweet kiss, Renee had nervously awaited their next rendezvous. She didn’t have long to wait as Andrew took her to Chene Park the next night for a jazz concert under the stars. He had taken her to a charming little cafe for an early supper before the concert, and suggested that they go to his house for dessert. Renee was feeling so mellow and relaxed after their nice evening that she agreed with no reservations. She had never been to Andrew’s abode and was more than a little curious.
Andrew’ hobby was fixing up old houses. Among those he owned was a recently renovated brick duplex. He was living in half and rented the other half to a fellow doctor. It was an imposing two story building in a gentrified area not too far from Indian Village. Renee was immediately impressed, both by the immaculate exterior and the nicely decorated interior of the house. It had highly polished wood floors and all the woodwork was in its natural state, which she adored. Renee hated painted wood and told Andrew so. He admitted having to strip it all when he bought the place, but agreed that it was worth the effort and expense.
The rooms were furnished simply and elegantly, with family photos and expensive artwork abounding. Nothing was out of place or extreme; everything was stylish, peaceful and unpretentious, much like the man she was coming to really know. The centerpiece of the living room was a baby grand piano, which surprised Renee. She’d forgotten that Andrew played the piano. When he returned to the living room with a tray bearing coffee and mocha cheesecake, she commented on the piano.
“Oh, yeah. I took lessons for years. My mother was the first person to teach Benita and me and after that we took lessons. Benita also plays the flute, but she probably never told you that.” Renee’s brow had puckered, trying vainly to recall whether or not she knew. Renee was notoriously poor at details like that. Bennie would have known the answer to a question like that about her, Renee thought guiltily. Bennie never forgot anything about a person, no matter how small a detail.
She and Andrew drank the rich, fragrant coffee and enjoyed the delicious cheesecake in relative silence. Then Andrew went to the piano. He sat down and played ‘Maiden Voyage’ for Renee, again surprising her. He wasn’t just a passable player; he was very, very skilled. She remarked on the fact and he shrugged off her praise.
“I think we all get it from our mother. She was a very talented pianist and singer. She could have easily been a concert pianist if she hadn’t loved being a wife and mother,” he said. He started playing ‘Clair de Lune’ very softly, commenting that it was one of his mother’s favorite pieces. “After our mother died, Benita made sure that we all kept up with our lessons. She knew that it would’ve pleased our mother very much. She even got Donnie started when he was about three; first she taught him, then he started taking lessons.” He played without speaking for a few minutes.
“You know, Renee, I wish you could have known my mother,” he said softly. “She was a wonderful person. She was sweet, smart, talented and very loving. Benita is a lot like her,” he finished.
Renee immediately felt small and uncomfortable when he said that. Yes, Bennie was world-class wonderful and there was no way she could compete with that. To be honest, Bennie was practically a saint and Renee was like a lesser demon in comparison. In a small voice she said, “I’m nothing like your sister, Andrew. I’m not the same kind of woman that she is at all.”
Andrew’s answer to that was to stop playing the piano and come back to sit next to Renee on the sofa. “So? Why in the world would I want a woman that’s just like Benita? That’s kinda nasty, when you think about it. I mean damn, that’s my sister! Yechhh!” he said, drawing away from Renee with a truly comical grimace on his face. “That’s just sick and wrong! They have jails for people like that!”
Renee punched at his arm, but she was laughing as she did it. “You know what I mean, you loon! I’m not going to dignify this further by discussion,” she said tartly.
Andrew’s expression had changed totally and he was no longer paying her words any attention. Without speaking he drew her into his arms and kissed her. At first it was soft and gentle, so she could pull away if she wanted to. When she didn’t, he settled back on the sofa and began a leisurely exploration of her mouth with his lips and tongue, leaving tiny bursts of
fire wherever he touched her. Renee had been too stunned to move at first, but she began to return his sweet passion with one of her own. Andrew’s lips were firm and soft and sweet and the feel of his velvety moustache was simply amazing. When he finally pulled away, she was dizzy and dreamy eyed, which probably accounted for what happened next.
“Renee,” Andrew said softly. “Sweet Renee. Now that we’ve proven we can be alone and not kill each other, I think we should start dating when I come back from Haiti. Real dating, not friendly, once-in-awhile stuff; I mean the real thing,” he said firmly and persuasively.
And Renee, her eyes glittering with golden sparks, had just nodded her head and agreed before sinking back into his arms for another one of those mind-boggling kisses. “Anything you say, Andrew,” she murmured before tasting his lips again.
This time Yolanda really did applaud, to Renee’s chagrin. “Isn’t that against the Hippocratic oath or something?” she asked grumpily. Yolanda was not put off by Renee’s demeanor in the least.
“Renee, I’m applauding because this is a momentous event for you! Not too long ago you thought you’d never be able to have a normal physical relationship with a man and now you’re taking the first steps in that direction. This is some remarkable progress, my dear.” Yolanda was beaming, but Renee still wasn’t completely sure.
“I don’t know about all this, Yolanda. First of all, it’s Andrew Cochran, my best friend’s twin brother. I’ve known him for what, like 14 or 15 years and we’ve fought almost weekly for all of those years,” she pointed out, but Yolanda had an answer for that, naturally.
“A large part of your animosity towards Andrew stemmed from the fact that you were always convinced that he’d seen you nude, which gave him a tremendous advantage in the relationship. You’ve always felt vulnerable to him and were therefore always defensive with him. The fact that you were able at long last to turn the situation around and get the upper hand has allowed the two of you to meet each other on a common ground as friends. And you can’t tell me that during all the years you’ve known him you’ve never seen him as anything other than an irritant, now can you?”
Until the End of Time Page 7
