by Tiana Laveen
She knew it was a set up… he was undoubtedly enjoying watching her squirm, trying to fight her urge to burst out laughing and never stop. But, she willingly took the bait anyway.
“You shocked McDonald’s, huh? How so?”
“Being the king cobra that I am, imagine their surprise to see a snake pull up to the window with coupons and demanding an application. Hell! I need a second job with the way they’re comin’ up on these prices. They’d never seen a snake drivin’ a truck before.”
“How did, uh, how did you hold the wheel?” she managed to ask. Her face warmed and her stomach ached as she strained to suppress herself.
“Wit’ my rattle, just wrap it around like so.”
“But what about the gas petal, and the break?”
“Shed skin… I just compact it all down there and blow and hiss on it each time I need to come to a stop.”
He’s killing me… oh my goodness he is so silly! Just naturally funny and ridiculous! Her stomach compressed as she tensed to maintain her composure.
“Anyway, Snow, here’s the kicker though: they refused to give me the application! I asked them if I should just fill it out online then and they said no, don’t bother. It was all ’cause I’m a snake, just like you said. That’s discrimination. I took it hard, too, just like when I got the cure for my reptile dysfunction.”
That was it… her undoing had arrived. She’d trained herself for years to be able to keep a straight face in the courtroom, even upon hearing the most ridiculous of sworn statements, but she simply could no longer bear this man.
She laughed and she laughed hard. So much so, she doubled over. It hurt so good… all the stress of her job, the horrific recent events, the pain and the glory burst out through those guffaws. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d laughed so damn hard, to the point that it almost crippled her. Alex was on fire, quick witted and fast with the humor. How amazing that he could be so ridiculous and yet appeared to have quite a bit of intelligence in that cranium of his, too.
He didn’t take it easy on her; he’d gotten what he wanted, but he continued, going in for the kill.
“I asked to speak to the manager about this whole job application situation and they said don’t bother, they don’t hire vermin. Then they went on to tell me that the ice cream machine was down. I’ve never been so insulted in all of my life, well, not until just now as I stand here in front of you!” He guffawed so loud that it practically echoed within her chest cavity.
Damn, his voice is deep… like he is talking into a canyon…
“I’m sorry, Alex.” She finally gathered her composure enough to speak again. “I didn’t mean you’re literally like a snake. I know you’re using this just as a tool to further your comedic showdown, but you know what I was saying.” She paused and shook her head. “Let me just stop before I make things even worse, but all I was trying to say was that I just need to let you know I’m not interested in dating right now, okay? It’s nothing personal, because otherwise you might be a good candidate and I mean that sincerely.” She looked him over, lust consuming her, but her mind waved red flags and rang alarms.
I’ve heard plenty about firemen. The majority I’ve been told are whores. Women love men in uniforms… police officers, the military, firefighters… and he’s charming, too. Damn charming. I probably shouldn’t stereotype but I’m sorry, he fits the bill. No one looks this good, can be this chatty and charming without having something up their sleeve.
“You won’t even come with me for a cup of coffee, huh?” His voice was lower now as he spoke in a way that almost made her feel bad for the guy. His shoulders slumped in defeat. “I’ve probably forfeited my chance to beat my friend at rock climbing by standing here so long talking to you, but I don’t mind. If we get together then it was all worth it.”
“Alex, it’s just not a good time for that sort of thing in my life right now. Thank you for understanding.” She forced a smile, the kind one wielded when offering parting gifts to the runner-up.
“Well, is that right?” He grinned, his renewed, freshly hatched jovial expression surprising her.
Oh no… he’s back for more. This man doesn’t give up!
“I didn’t say we had to run off into the sunset just yet. I just asked you out for dinner. A little wine and filet mignon ain’t never hurt nobody.” She shook off the trance he was putting her under, wondering if she should break the obvious stupor he’d put her under, then walk away or give him another canned reply. “What are you afraid of?” he asked. His smile faded and he looked rather somber.
“I’m not afraid of anything, Mr. Valentine.”
“Ohhhh, now it’s Mr. Valentine!” He placed his hand over his heart and curtsied, his antics driving her crazy. “Pleased to meet you too, Ms. Apperson.”
Suddenly, her heart stopped.
“How do you know my last name? I never told you that.”
“It was on the roster for the yacht rentals.” He hitched his thumb east, in the direction of the area. “When we had to sign out I saw where you and friend signed in.”
She swallowed her annoyance at his intrusion, determined to say her peace and make a clean break of it. She’d been stalling, enjoying his company, and she hated to admit that, too.
“Okay, that explanation is understandable. A little creepy, but I’ll give you a pass. Anyway, I don’t want to lead you on and for the record, wine and filet mignon can do some harm.”
“Oh, I’m dyin’ to hear this!” He chuckled and placed his fist against his chin, molding his face in an expression of deep concentration.
“Firstly, wine can make people drunk, lower their inhibitions, which will aid in them doing things they shouldn’t, saying things they do not mean or should have kept to themselves…” She looked him up and down. “Something you could probably learn from. Or, it can cause them to behave in a manner that not only ends a friendship, but possibly changes a life. Worse yet, end a life.”
“But wouldn’t you rather know the truth? I mean, if wine lowers people’s inhibitions and some friend starts spillin’ their guts about how they feel about you, your daddy, and the man on the moon, then to me that’s a winning situation. I can’t stand fake people so I personally would prefer to have all of my friends drunk if that is the guaranteed outcome.”
“I think you missed my point.” His words had cut her to the quick. Flashes of Amber laid out across the bed telling her the sordid details of her and Hugh fucking made her sick to her stomach.
“No, I understood you just fine. You’re sayin’ that wine can make some folks act up or, worse yet, get their asses behind a car and kill someone. I get that. In my line of work, I’ve run across some D.U.I. situations but I’m just sayin’ there’s a flip side. Now, what’s the downfall with some filet mignon?”
“That filet mignon may not be good for everyone’s pocketbook or may not be desired due to dietary preferences but thank you for the offer. It’s been actually very nice speaking to you. I appreciate the discourse and the laughs. Enjoy the rest of your day, Alex, and as you stated to me earlier, don’t let it all go to waste.”
She gripped her bottle of lemonade and made her way around him. Damn, he smelled good! He had on a woodsy scent with a hint of citrus, a mishmash of aftershave, sweat, soap, and hardcore masculinity.
“No ma’am,” the brute said. “My day could never go to waste because I know how important life is, how livin’ it to the fullest and going for what you want is so important.” She spun on her heels and turned to him. “I come face to face with death on a weekly basis, Snow. What we may not have time for, or think we’re not ready for, could be exactly what we need. I like how you look, and believe it or not, I like how hard you’re making things. Gets my heart pumpin’, makes me think something real special is behind that closed door of yours… but I also love that you enjoy my sense of humor and have a smile that brightens up the whole damn world. See, I’m living my life by pursuing what I want.”
Her st
omach stirred in angst and lust, a strange concoction she hoped would leave in due time. “So, I don’t have time to dilly dally and wonder, ‘what if?’. I want my blessings right now. It might be too late when we get up the nerve to make that move. We aren’t promised tomorrow.”
“No, we’re not. You’re right about that, Alex. Notwithstanding, we still can’t go through our lives throwing caution to the wind. I see it happen every day and the consequences of such aren’t pretty. I’m an attorney.”
“A lawyer, huh?” He grinned. “That explains a lot.” She wanted to know what he meant by that but decided to simply let it go. “Oh, I’m very cautious. That’s something you need to know. My job is life or death and requires it. One chancy move could endanger my men and women. But as it pertains to my personal life, you gotta take a chance in order to be given a chance. Life is just too short, Snow. I am not wastin’ one second cryin’ over crap I can’t change just because I couldn’t shake it loose. You must’ve been bitten by a snake, a real one… maybe somebody you thought was a friend or a man that betrayed you turned you inside out. Or maybe it’s your profession that’s got you jaded but regardless, not all of us with hoses, if you catch my drift, are tryna pull the wool over your eyes,” he said. She grimaced at his bluntness. “You got this one life.” He held up his finger. “You may not get another chance to drink that delicious glass of wine, share some time with a man who is worthy of your attention, and cut a perfectly cooked medium steak by a blazin’ fire while lookin’ into each other’s eyes. I’ve done my dirt and had dirt slung onto me, but I’m still living, still breathing. Don’t count me out. I’m not dead yet.”
“Good for you, and now that your ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ spiel is over, maybe you can go lecture someone else, Alex… You’re kind of like a fungus. Nerve-racking, but growing on me.” The man burst out laughing again, a sound so damn contagious, she burst out laughing, too. “You are something else.”
“So I’ve been told.” He walked closer to her, closing the gap between them. Now he was so close that if she moved even one muscle, they’d be sandwiched together, flesh to flesh. Her eyes wandered upward and they stared at one another. “Every day is an adventure, Beautiful, and adventure is my middle name.”
“An adventure could be a game of tag or Hide and Go Seek.”
“An adventure is what we make of it.”
“Some of us don’t have the stamina for adventures, Alex. We’re too exhausted from real life.”
“But you never know what strength you have in you until you’re pushed to your limit. And who says adventures aren’t reality? Isn’t that a part of living well? Takin’ on the days as they come and not tossing away a brand-new chance at something great?” He had a strange look in his eyes; perhaps he was mulling over her words. “But you made a damn good point.” She nodded, pleased he’d finally come around to her way of thinking. “I have an idea.” Oh no… “Looky here, you say you’re not afraid of nothin’, but as a man who likes to make a wager, I wanna make a deal with you, if you’re not too chicken, of course.”
He looked her up and down, clicking his tongue against his jaw as he stood there exuding raw, unfiltered passion and deadly testosterone. Something inside of her twisted and broke, then sprang forward with renewed vigor. She hated to admit it, but his words had gotten to her, stuck to her ribs like stew. He’d gnawed on her until she was a mere stump. He was a lawyer in the making or perhaps in a past life, if she believed in such things.
He’s judicious… not just a nice-looking man. Alex is cunning and smart. Very smart…
And that was her weakness.
“I’m not the gambling sort but what did you have in mind?” She leaned back and placed her hand on her hip.
“Just as you suggested. How ’bout a game of Hide and Seek tonight? The bike trail by the RV Park, you familiar with it?”
“Of course, but you couldn’t possibly be thinking that I would go and—”
“You go over there to the bike trails and hide this evening. I can meet you there ’round six. That’ll give me time to finish my rock climbing and clean up.” He glanced down at his watch. “If I find you in twenty minutes or less of my arrival, then we have a date… dinner with me tonight. If you never wanna see me again after that…” He threw up his hands. “Scouts honor, I’ll never bother you again. No strings attached, no obligations. First, though, let’s take a little walk, chat it up a bit.”
Before she knew it, the man’s arm was looped around hers and he was escorting her away from the rock climbing display and small stand where she’d just purchased her drink. The sweet, cool breeze tickled her scalp under a blanket of fluffy white clouds. Like a baby, she found herself placing one foot in front of the other as he led the way.
“Now, I wanna know how old you are, and what you like to do?”
“That’s not what you ask a lady.” She smiled. “How old do I look?” she asked with a raised brow.
“Honestly, I don’t know. It seems that a lot of the Black people I know always look younger than they really are. Hell, you could be could be eighty-five and tryna get some young meat on your little girls’ night retreat. In this case I don’t mind being put on your skewer.”
She looked at the man and shook her head. No. Damn. Filter.
“I’m thirty-seven.”
“See? You don’t look a day over twenty-five. Wonder why that is?” He smirked.
“Black girl magic.”
“It’s magic all right, some sort of sorcery.”
She chuckled. “How about you?”
“You didn’t answer what you like to do yet.”
“I will, but what about your age?”
“Actually, I’ll be thirty-seven tomorrow, too.”
“Oh, really? What a coincidence. One of my good colleagues’ birthday is tomorrow, too, and so is a cousin’s of mine. Happy birthday, Alex.”
“Thank you. So what are you gonna give me for my birthday?” Without waiting for an answer, the man brought his plush lips close and kissed her. “Thank you.”
“How have you survived without being kneed in the groin?” she teased as they trekked on. She swallowed her shock and licked her lips, savoring the invasion.
“How do you know I haven’t?” He laughed. “So back to you, what do you like to do?”
“I love being outside. I like yoga, I like to run. Not much of a homemaker so I hire people to help with that. I love my job, but it can be stressful at times.”
“I imagine so.”
“I like to travel, and I collect ink pens, too.”
“So far, we got a lot in common, Snow. Minus the yoga and pens.” She smiled at his words. “I don’t have a lot of free time, so when I do, I try to make the most of it. I’m always on call. I’m happy I haven’t been called back into town actually. That doesn’t happen that often.” She nodded in understanding. “I’m at a point in my life though where I want to solidify some things… make strong connections that last.”
She swallowed, kept her face straight ahead.
This smooth fucker knows all the right things to say… And she wanted that, too. Someone to come home to. Someone who understood her, respected her, let her be her damn self and wasn’t intimated by a strong and intelligent woman. Someone fully capable of taking on life. She wanted a man to light her fire, and she wanted him to be able to put it out when necessary, too…
“Do you like horseback riding?”
“I do,” he said. “I don’t do it often, but I enjoy it. I like bike riding, sightseeing, walking in the woods. I’ll be honest, I’m not really what you’d call a romantic guy, I guess, but I am sentimental. I’m practical, you know? Like, I might buy you a knife set instead of a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day.” She chuckled at his words. “’Cause I may have seen that your knives are dull and you struggled cutting up a pineapple, things like that.”
“Hey,” she said. “Everyone needs a good knife set.” Before she knew it, his mouth was on hers on
ce again. This time his kiss was slow and soft, and her pussy quivered at his touch. After a short spell, he pulled away.
“So.” He looked down at her, melting her with a mere glance before wrapping his hands around her waist. “Dinner tonight?”
“Nope.”
“What?! After all the good times we’ve had today? We’re in a relationship at this point. Is it going to end badly? Do we need counseling?” They both burst out laughing.
“I wish you weren’t so damn funny. Anyway, I’m at a weird place in my life right now, Alex, but I tell you what. When I get back home after this trip maybe we can go and get coffee.”
“No.”
“No?”
“Hide and Seek. Today. You are really making me work for this, but that’s all right,” He slicked his tongue against his lower lip as he ran his hands over one another like some devilish fiend. “If hardball is what you want to play, then hardball is what you’re going to get.”
“You were serious, weren’t you?”
“About what?”
“The game of Hide and Go Seek? I thought that was just part of your comedy pitch!”
“Nope. I don’t play about things like that.”
“Are you insane? I think I need to contact your superior and demand that you have a psychological evaluation, Alex. First, you want me to play a ridiculous children’s game on a bike trail. You, a grown ass man. You’re nuts.” His lips curled in a grin. “A man who is used to looking for people in the dark with limited time due to smoke and fire all around. That puts me at a disadvantage.”
“Yes, that’s what I’m saying, but don’t complain because hey, it was technically your idea.”
Snow couldn’t believe her damn ears. “Yeah, you’re crazy. Stark raving mad.”
“But it’ll be in the daytime. The sun hasn’t even set yet.” He pointed up to the sky as if she needed directions on where the dawn resided.
