Sexy/Dangerous

by Beverly Jenkins

  Adam couldn’t believe the food. There were pork chops, wild rice, broccoli, corn bread, and spiced fruit. “You make all this?”

  “Ruby made the corn bread,” she told him, “but I did everything else.”

  Kaitlin walked in. “There’s some man named Benny at the door. Says you’re expecting him?”

  Max replied. “I am, let him in. I’ll be right there.”

  “No need, babe,” the male voice said. “You know how I hate being kept waiting.”

  Max turned, and there stood Benny’s six-foot-two-inch handsome self. She smiled broadly and went to get a hug. “How are you?”

  “Still trying to recover from you leaving me, girl,” he said, looking down into her eyes.

  She chuckled. “Yeah right. What’s the latest pole dancer’s name?”

  “Lola.”

  “Lord.”

  He kissed the top of her hair.

  She could see both Gary and Kaitlin staring on in interest, so she made the introductions. “This is Dr. Adam Gary and Kaitlin Kent. Benny Watson.”

  Adam came over and shook Benny’s hand. “Nice meeting you.”

  Kaitlin walked over to the dark-skinned Benny and said, “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Watson.”

  Benny gave her the smile that rendered most women mindless. “The pleasure’s all mine, baby girl.”

  When Kaitlin giggled, Max rolled her eyes and said to him, “Benny, if you want to eat, grab a plate. The doc and I will be outside.” Then she added drolly, “I’m sure Kaitlin will show you where everything is.”

  “I’m counting on it,” he replied, still smiling down at Kaitlin.

  Max fixed her a plate, Adam did the same, and the two of them walked onto the patio.

  A breeze was blowing gently in off the lake. Out on the horizon a freighter could be seen slowly making its way upstream. Adam asked, “How long have you known Watson?”

  “Seven or eight years. He’s one of my ex-husbands.”

  A stunned Adam stopped and stared, but she walked over to the new patio table and took a seat beneath the colorful umbrella as if she’d said nothing at all.

  Adam followed and took a seat. Unable to hide his astonishment, he asked, “One of your ex-husbands? How many do you have?”

  “Two.” She met his eyes without a hint of shame, then shrugged. “Sometimes things don’t work out. How about you? Any exes?”

  “Two. Fiancées.”

  “Ah. We have something in common,” she said, pausing for a moment to take the pain meds her sore back had been begging for.

  He cut into his pork chops. “I guess you could say that.” He forked a piece of the meat into his mouth and groaned, “Oh, this is good.”

  “Why thank you.”

  “No, thank you for this great food.” Fine and can cook, too? Adam felt as if he’d died and gone to heaven. “Not many people work with their ex.”

  She shrugged. “Benny’s a good man, but monogamy wasn’t—isn’t—his thing.”

  He looked up. “Thus your question about the pole dancer?”

  She smiled. “Yeah. It’s a running joke now, but when I was married to him it wasn’t funny. At all.”

  Adam saw her in a new light. Because of her vibrant, headstrong ways, he’d assumed she’d be the one doing all the heartbreaking. “How’d you get into security?”

  “After I resigned my job in Detroit no other police department would hire me, so I started my own firm because I had bills to pay.”

  “What happened in Detroit?”

  “My partner shot a kid, then planted a gun to make it look like a righteous shoot. On the stand, I told the truth. The powers that be didn’t like it and they asked me to resign.”

  “So, you did.”

  “Yeah, and then I got the best lawyer I could find, sued their lying butts, and won.”

  “Good for you.”

  “In some ways, yes, but they won, too, by keeping me from working.”

  The conversation slid into silence. Adam found himself wanting to know all he could about this unconventional woman. He would never have expected her to have two bad marriages. She’d told him about Benny’s infidelity, and it made him wonder about the circumstances surrounding her other ex. Had he been unfaithful, too, or had she been the cause of the breakup?

  Benny stepped out onto the patio and said to Max, “I have to find a motel and get a room. Kaitlin’s offered to drive me around.”

  “Okay. See you later.”

  Benny waved Adam’s way. “Nice meeting you, Doc.”

  Adam said, “Same here.”

  Once they were alone again, Adam asked, “Is Kaitlin in trouble?”

  “Up to her weave.”

  He chuckled, then left the table to go back inside and grab a couple more pork chops.

  When he returned, he said casually, “Do you regret the divorce?”

  She chuckled. “Oh no. Benny and I can work together, play poker together, whatever, but that’s as deep as it gets. Benny’s about drama, and I’m too old for that these days.”

  “You play poker?”

  She nodded.

  “You any good?”

  Her eyes flashed humor. “I’m okay. You play?”

  “I used to in college and med school.”

  “You any good?”

  “I used to be.”

  She checked him out over her fork of rice. “Well, whenever Benny’s around, a game’s sure to follow and he’s very good. Just so you’ll know.”

  “Thanks for the warning, but I don’t have time for poker.”

  “You don’t have time for much of anything, do you?”

  He met her eyes and found himself wondering what it would be like to wake up and see those eyes each morning, but in reply to her question, he shrugged.

  “All work and no play makes doc a dull boy,” she pointed out.

  “Some women like dull.”

  “They’re lying.”

  Adam laughed at that. He couldn’t help it. “Oh, really?”

  “Any woman who claims she likes dull is lying not only to her man but to herself. Bank it,” and she used her fork for emphasis.

  Adam didn’t want to admit how much he was enjoying her. “Thanks for clearing that up.”

  “No problem. Just one of my many services.”

  “Think you’ll ever get married again?”

  She seemed to consider the question for a moment and then shook her head. “Nah.”

  “Why not?”

  “Not into being controlled or sitting at home while my husband is out looking for fresh honey.”

  “You sound bitter.”

  “I’m allowed.”

  “Not all men are that way.”

  “Probably not, but I’m done with the heartache.”

  Adam wondered if she was this honest with everyone. “So you’ve sworn off men.”

  “Oh, no. I didn’t say that,” she said, chuckling. “Men do have their uses. They’re good for poker, going to games with, even hanging out with, but not for saying ‘I do’ with.”

  Adam wondered about the men in her past. Men being men, there were undoubtedly some who had tried to cage her. With her height and beauty, she was as exotic and as compelling as something mythical, and a man’s first instinct would be to hoard her like dragon treasure, but if she were as complex a personality as he sensed her to be, she probably didn’t do cages well.

  Max didn’t mind the personal questions. Allowing him to know more about her personal side was a good way to build trust. She also hoped him getting to know her better would keep the ice breaking. “So tell me what it was like growing up with famous parents.”

  “Great, crazy, sad.”

  He quieted, and Max saw him look out toward the lake as if reliving a memory only he could see. She said softly, “Not trying to bring back old pain.”

  “No, it’s okay. When you’re fifteen and your parents divorce it rocks your world.”

  She gently moved her now empty plate aside.
“Back in the day, I remember seeing pictures of you in Jet magazine, but I never realized you and that boy were the same until I read your file.” His mother was the award-winning African American essayist Lauren McDonald Gary, his stepfather the legendary R&B singer Raymond “Sweet Ray” Gary. Sweet Ray adopted Lauren’s five-year-old son Adam as his own a few days after their marriage in 1972. Max remembered her mother recently describing the marriage of Lauren McDonald to Sweet Ray Gary as being equivalent to Marvin Gaye marrying Alice Walker.

  “I was lucky in the sense that my mother never denied Pops visitation,” he said after taking a swallow of the lime Kool-Aid she’d made to go along with the dinner. “Even though they were divorced, Ray and I still went fishing when he came off the road. He took me to Cedar Point and Niagara Falls, showed up at my high school football games whenever he was in town. He was a great father but he was a mess as a husband.”

  “There’s that marriage thing again. See?”

  He smiled. “Thinking back, Pops was a lot like your Benny. Never met a female he didn’t want to know better.”

  Max nodded her understanding. That was definitely Benny’s problem. She wondered how Kaitlin was faring, then shook her head because she already knew how it would play out. “Neither of your parents remarried.”

  “Nope. They won’t admit it but they’re still in love with each other.”

  “You think so?”

  “I know so. They’ve been doing the tango around each other for twenty years, but Mama’s a lot like you—doesn’t want her heart broken again.”

  “Smart woman.”

  “Way too smart for Pops. He actually thought she was going to put up with him catting around because all his other women had.”

  “But she wasn’t like his other women.”

  “Bingo.”

  Max wondered if she’d ever get to meet Black America’s favorite divorced sweethearts.

  The dogs were lying in the sun soaking up the warmth of the concrete patio, and as the conversation between Max and Adam slowed, Ruby trotted over and gave Max a little bark. To which Max replied, “Okay. Let me take these dishes inside and we’ll go.”

  Adam looked up at Max as she gathered her plate and silverware. “What’s she want?”

  “To go play. Ossie, grab the Frisbees.”

  The two Frisbees were stacked faceup on the patio near the steps, so Ossie walked over, picked up the two yellow discs with his teeth, and waited.

  Adam was amazed.

  Max saw his reaction and said, “Doc, you’re a scientist. You of all people should know how incredibly smart some dogs are. I don’t know why you keep acting so surprised.”

  “You’re right, but truthfully, after what happened to me, I didn’t care to know a thing about dogs, let alone whether they were smart or not. This is the longest I’ve been around canines in my life.”

  “And you seem to be doing okay.”

  He shrugged. “We’ll see.”

  “Hand me your plate, I’ll take it in with mine.” She then gave her sore back a few tentative twists. The meds had kicked in but she wasn’t sure she was ready for an extended workout. “I don’t know if my back is going to like tossing Frisbees.”

  Just then Benny stepped out onto the patio. “Hey babe.”

  Max was surprised to see him. “Hey. Did you find a place?”

  “Yeah. What time do you want me here in the morning? We didn’t talk about that before I left.”

  “Nine A.M.”

  He smiled that dark angel smile. “Okay.”

  “Do me a favor before you go?”

  “Sure.”

  “I hurt my back yesterday and the dogs want to play Frisbee. Can you give them about thirty minutes?”

  “No problem.” He removed his jean jacket and asked Ossie, “You ready, my brother? Let me take the Frisbees.” Ossie brought them over. Benny tossed one vertically, caught it, and asked Ruby, “Ready, baby girl?”

  Ruby barked.

  Max grinned.

  Adam looked on silently.

  Benny and the dogs set off toward the steps.

  Max said, “I owe you, Benny.”

  “Hey, no problem. That’s what we Black Knights are for.”

  “I’ll come down and watch in a minute.”

  “Okay.”

  When Max went inside to take in the dishes, Adam again noted the easy relationship she seemed to have with her ex, and it made him wonder if she was really as cured as she claimed. Benny, on the other hand, hadn’t even blinked when she’d asked the favor; in fact, he seemed glad to please her. Adam imagined that most men would. Was Benny still in love with her? Adam didn’t like where his thoughts were taking him. Granted, he was determined not to make any moves on Max, but the idea that he might have to watch her and Benny getting back together didn’t sit well. Of course, he had no say in the matter, and they certainly wouldn’t consult him beforehand, but he had been enjoying his time with her, and a part of him resented Benny’s presence. He was also honest enough with himself to envy Benny’s relationships with the dogs because it was something he would never have. Her dogs meant a lot to Max, and any man trying to get next to her had to hook up with the canines, too, or keep stepping. That said, he had no idea why he was even out here thinking about her when he could be in the lab working on what really mattered in his life.

  When Max returned, she told Adam, “I’m going down to watch the dogs and Benny. You’re welcome to come along.”

  He shook his head. “I need to get back to work. Thanks for dinner, though.”

  “No problem.”

  They stood together in the silence for a moment and unspoken words rose between them once more. Max said, “If you come up for air later, I’ll make you a banana split.”

  “That’s tempting.”

  “I try.”

  Adam wanted to trace his finger down the soft golden cheek and then over the beguiling curves of her mouth.

  For her part, Max’s attraction to him was growing as well. “If I don’t see you anymore today, what do you want for breakfast in the morning?” she asked.

  “Eggs, bacon, toast.”

  “All yours.”

  Adam wished she were. The look in her eyes and the tone of her voice made him take a deep mental breath to calm himself. Blame it on his celibacy, blame it on her, blame it on whatever, but he was hard as a rock. “How’s your back?”

  “Much better.”

  “Where are you sleeping tonight?”

  “In the bed I had delivered this afternoon.”

  Adam was disappointed, and as if she’d read his mind, she gave him a siren smile. “See you later, Doc.”

  With that, she moved to the stairs and headed down to the beach.

  Wanting her and not afraid to admit it to himself, Adam watched her for a few moments as she made her descent, then went back inside.

  On the way to the basement he saw an angry-looking Kaitlin come in the front door.

  She asked, “Where’s Benny?”

  “Down on the beach with Max and the dogs.”

  “Did he forget I was waiting in the car?”

  Adam shrugged. “No idea. Maybe you should ask him.”

  “Maybe I will.” And she stomped away.

  Adam shook his head. He wondered what her daddy was going to say when he found out Kaitlin was chasing after Benny instead of him. Up to her weave, indeed. Smiling to himself, he moved on.

  Max watched the dogs jumping and twisting in the air to retrieve the Frisbees. They were having a good time chasing the ones Benny sailed out over the water and the ones he zoomed down the beach. Max was glad he was here. No way would her back have held up under the stress of the game, and the dogs needed to play.

  Benny spun a high one to Ruby who jumped in the air and whirled like a gymnast to catch it.

  Max clapped.

  Benny grinned and called out, “Good girl, Rube.” Then he shouted, “Here’s one for you, Os!”

  Ossie ran under it
, then propelled his powerful body up into the air and snatched it down.

  The four of them were having such a good time, no one noticed Kaitlin’s presence until she gritted out, “Benny? Weren’t we supposed to be going to dinner?”

  He looked her way. “Hey. Yep. Soon as I get done here. Max hurt her back and the dogs need their exercise.”

  Kaitlin turned a glare at Max, who shrugged in silent response.

  Kaitlin asked, “How much longer are you going to be?”

  “Ten, fifteen minutes. If you have something else to do, I understand.”

  “I don’t,” and she said it so quickly, Max had to turn away to keep Kaitlin from seeing her smile.

  Kaitlin folded her arms impatiently while Benny and the dogs took off for a run.

  “They’ll be back in a minute,” Max assured her.

  “Whatever.”

  Max turned. “What is wrong with you? Your weave too tight, what?”

  “This isn’t a weave.”

  “Whatever,” Max echoed.

  “I see why he divorced you.”

  “Little girl, you couldn’t see a Bradley tank on a sunny day.” Chuckling sarcastically, Max started toward the steps, then tossed back over her shoulder, “Have a good time with Benny. And watch out for those tanks.”

  Back inside the house, Max cleaned up the kitchen. She loaded the dishwasher and put the leftovers in the fridge. Kaitlin was a silly fool, and if the young woman had a better attitude, she might have warned her about Benny, but since Kaitlin apparently knew all, she wasn’t telling her a damn thing.

  Once the dishwasher was running and everything was back in its place, Max went out to see if Benny and the dogs were back. They were. Max collected the dogs, gave Benny a hug of thanks, then he and the disgruntled Kaitlin went on their way.

  Seven

  After Benny’s black Explorer drove off, Max let the dogs out the front door and left them to their own devices. They’d spend the time sniffing for squirrels and chipmunks, exploring the vast fenced-in complex, then come back to the house when they were done. Max didn’t mind the roaming. She wanted them to know each and every inch of the property because the knowledge might come in handy somewhere down the road.