The Nicest Guy in America

by Angela Benson

  “I told you there was more than one way to get to The Club.”

  She eyed him cautiously. “Are you sure we’re going to The Club?”

  “Would I lie?”

  She didn’t really think he would. For some reason, she trusted him.

  “Now tell me about the letters you’ve gotten.”

  Though she hadn’t had a chance to go through all of them yet, there seemed to be a general consensus. “The women agree with me, though a few of them thought I was too hard on the brothers.”

  “Maybe I need to talk to those women. Remind me to ask you for their names and numbers.”

  “That wouldn’t be ethical,” she said.

  “Somehow I knew you’d say that. Now what about the men?”

  “What about them?”

  “I know you’ve gotten your share of letters from men. What did they say?”

  “You still haven’t told me about the women who write to you. What do they say?”

  Reggie sighed, resigned to give in and give her the information she wanted. “Most of them tell me that I haven’t met the right woman yet.”

  “And then they suggest that they’re that woman?”

  He grinned at her. “How’d you know? Did you write one and use a fake name?”

  “Sure I did, Reggie. My letter was the one in the perfumed pink envelope.” Kim felt good about that jab. It was a good one even if she did say so herself.

  “You’ll have to be a bit more specific. I’ve got a couple of boxes of letters that fit that description. I guess all you women think alike.”

  Kim conceded round one to Reggie. He’d beaten her fair and square.

  Chapter 12

  When Reggie finally escorted Kim through the golden double doors of The Club, she said, “Next time just follow Nate. For a while there, I thought you’d gotten lost.”

  He rested his hand on the small of her back and led her through the crowded room. It was difficult to focus on finding her friends with the heat his hand stirred, but she tried. Though the building was large, it was packed. People milled around the bar area, some sat at tables around the now-empty stage, while others were further away strutting their moves on the dance floor.

  “I see them,” Reggie said, pressing close against her back. She told herself such intimate contact was inevitable in the crowded room.

  “Where?” she asked.

  “Over there. On the dance floor.”

  She turned to her left, away from the tables to the dance floor. “Where? I still don’t see them.”

  Reggie waved his arm and soon she saw Luther and Tam emerge from the dance floor. Then Reggie applied pressure to her back and ushered her in their direction.

  “We wondered if you two were going to make it,” Luther said, Tam’s hand in his. “I’m glad I had them save us a table. Do you want to dance or sit?”

  “Let’s sit,” Kim said. She wanted to find out why Tam was with Luther instead of Nate, but common courtesy didn’t allow her to inquire. As she sat down in the chair Reggie held for her, she watched Luther do the same for Tam then drape his arm around the back of her chair.

  “Where are Leslie and Nate?” Reggie asked, taking the words right off her lips.

  “On the dance floor somewhere,” Tam said leaning close to Luther. “We were going to eat dinner first, but since you guys were taking so long to get here, we decided to dance while we waited.”

  Reggie looked down at Kim. “Hungry?” he asked.

  “I can wait,” she said. “What time does the comedian come on?”

  “Around ten,” Reggie said, looking at his watch. “We have plenty of time to dance and eat before the show starts.”

  The tempo of the music slowed and Luther turned to Tam, “Ready?” he asked.

  Tam’s eyes sparkled. “Definitely.” Luther stood, pulling her up with him. “We’ll see you when we see you,” he said. “Let’s eat around eighty-thirty, okay?”

  “Sounds good to me,” Reggie said and the couple was off. “I wonder what happened?” he asked Kim.

  She didn’t have to ask what he was talking about. “Me, too. I would have sworn that Luther and Leslie would hit it off.”

  “Me too,” Reggie said, looking down into her eyes. “But you never know what attracts one person to another. Take us, for instance.”

  Kim sucked in her breath. “Let’s not.”

  Reggie continued to stare at her as if he wanted her to read some message in his gaze. Apparently he didn’t know that she couldn’t think when she looked into his eyes.

  “Let’s dance,” he said, getting up out of his chair. She had no choice but to give him her hand and allow him to lead her to the dance floor.

  Once she was in his arms, he asked, “Having fun yet?” She pulled away slightly so she could look up at him. “We just got here.”

  “I know that, Ms. Washington. I’m talking about the entire evening.”

  “It hasn’t been bad, but I wonder why I didn’t get a rose.”

  “You certainly know how to put a guy in his place, don’t you? I was hoping you didn’t notice the two roses on the table.”

  “Oh, I noticed when Nate gave Tam hers back at the hotel. But it wasn’t until I got here that I realized Luther had given Leslie one as well. So where’s mine?”

  “You didn’t strike me as the type of woman to be moved by something as simple or as predictable as a single rose. I thought you’d go for something more original.”

  “Like a driving tour of Atlanta?” she asked.

  He chuckled. “For starters.”

  “Well, let me give you a tip. The rose would have been better.”

  He pressed her head against his chest and pulled her closer. “Had I known you were one of the women who sent me a scented pink envelope, I might have gotten a rose for you. And here I was thinking you were a woman of originality.”

  Kim felt the laughter in his chest and was surprised at the comfort she found in it. She decided to take his advice and try to enjoy the evening. She didn’t think it would take much effort at all.

  ~ ~ ~

  The six of them were having a perfect evening until it was time to leave. Reggie, Luther and Nate excused themselves for a minute and left the women alone at the table.

  “What happened?” Kim asked her girlfriends as soon as the men were out of earshot. “Why did you two switch dates?”

  “Ask Ms. Flirty here,” Leslie said. “She and Luther talked all the way over here.”

  “We did not,” Tam said with a big smile. “We discovered that we had some common interests. Nate wasn’t saying much and Luther was just trying to keep the conversation going.”

  “It might have worked better if you two had talked about something Nate and I understood,” Leslie complained. “Who gives a flip about stars and constellations anyway?”

  “Luther’s into astronomy?” Kim asked, surprised. She never would have guessed in a million years. Nate, yes. Luther, no.

  “Don’t sound so surprised,” Tam said. “Luther’s a deep brother. You’d find out if you took the time to get to know him.”

  Leslie rolled her eyes. “Tam, you’ve known the man less than eight hours. I don’t see how that makes you an authority on him.”

  “You’re just upset because he preferred me to you,” Tam said with obvious pleasure. “You and Nate seemed to hit it off anyway, so I don’t know why you’re complaining.”

  Kim suspected Leslie was complaining because her pride was hurt. A man preferring Tam to her was a definite first and no doubt a blow to Leslie’s considerable ego. Kim thought it only right that things had worked out the way they had.

  “What do you think about Nate?” she asked.

  Leslie smiled a shy smile. Another first for her. “He’s a sweetie. Different. A little slow, but you know what they say about slow hands.”

  “You need to get your mind out of the bedroom,” Tam said, shaking her head. “You’ve known the man all of five hours and you’re talking a
bout going to bed with him.”

  Leslie was nonplussed. “At least I get to talk about it before I do it. With a fast talker like Luther, you’d better watch yourself or you’re going to be flat on your back before you realize what hit you.”

  Kim listened to the back and forth between her friends, amazed at the happenings of the evening. Luther and Tam were acting as if they’d known each other for years. And Leslie was talking about Nate like a lovesick teenager.

  She didn’t even want to think about herself. Here she was, out with Reggie Stevens, and having the most fun she’d had in a very long time.

  ~ ~ ~

  “That wasn’t the plan, Nate,” Reggie said. “The four of you are supposed to ride together so that I can be alone with Kim. Now what’s the deal?”

  Nate looked down at his shoes. “Leslie’s not ready to go. She wants to dance some more and I told her I’d stay.”

  Reggie turned to Luther. “Then why don’t you and Tam stay?”

  “Because Tam doesn’t want to. The music is getting to her. She’s not up for clubbing all night.”

  Reggie wondered if aliens had inhabited his friends’ bodies. Nate wanted to stay at the club longer and Luther wanted to leave. Something was definitely wrong here. “How did you two end up switching dates, anyway?” he asked.

  “Tam and I just hit it off,” Luther said. “It surprised me as much as anybody, but I like her and she’s a lot of fun.”

  “So you dumped Leslie for Tam?”

  “I didn’t dump her,” Luther said. “We didn’t click.”

  Reggie looked at Nate. “But she did click with you?”

  Nate grinned the widest grin Reggie had ever seen on his face. “Seems that way. Now what are we going to do about the driving arrangements?”

  “I don’t see that we have a choice,” Reggie said. “Tam and Luther will have to ride with me and Kim. Remind me never to ask you guys for a favor again.”

  “Look,” Luther offered. “If you’re that put out by it, Tam and I can take a cab.”

  Reggie shook his head. He knew he was behaving childishly, but damnit, he wanted to be alone with Kim. “That wouldn’t make any sense, man. We’ll ride back to the hotel together, but when we get there you and Tam had better make yourselves scarce. I want to be alone with Kim.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Luther said. “I’d rather be alone with Tam than with you and Kim anyway. Now, can we get back to the ladies? I’m going to try to talk Tam into one more dance before we go. If I’m lucky, it’ll be a slow one.”

  “All right, but I want you guys to remember tonight before you think about asking me for another favor. Because I’m telling you right now, the answer is going to be no.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Kim noticed the difference in Reggie as soon as the guys came back to the table. Their last dance was nice, but the tension she’d felt in him had taken some of the pleasure out of it for her. Things hadn’t gotten any better during the drive home. She, Luther and Tam had tried to engage him in conversation, but all he’d given were short, clipped responses. Soon they’d given up.

  Luther and Tam started talking to each other and she was left to stare out of the front windshield wondering what had happened to her perfect evening. This was supposed to be her date, but her friends seemed to be having a better time than she was.

  When they pulled up to the hotel, Luther and Tam hopped out first. She reached for her door and said, “I can see myself in, Reggie. You don’t have to get out.”

  “Forget it, Kim,” he said. “I’ll get the door.”

  He was out of the car and at her door in a flash. He opened it and helped her out. “How about going for a walk around the block?”

  “It’s late,” she said.

  “Don’t think I can protect you?”

  Something in his voice reached out to her and she shook her head. “It’s not that.”

  He tossed his keys to the valet and reached for her hand. She slipped it in his and allowed him to pull her close to his side. When they reached the sidewalk, he squeezed her hand and said, “I’m sorry for acting like such an ass.”

  She couldn’t find fault with his description of himself. “What happened to make you so upset?” she asked.

  “Not what,” he corrected. “But who. More like four who’s.”

  “Why are you upset with them?”

  He dropped her hand and stood in front of her, staring down at her face. “Because Nate and Leslie wanted to stay at the club, Tam and Luther had to ride back with us. That wasn’t exactly the way I had planned to end the evening.”

  Entranced by his eyes in the moonlight, she asked, “How had you planned it?”

  In answer, he leaned his head down to hers slowly so that she had time to move away if she didn’t want his kiss. She didn’t move because she did want it. She hadn’t known how much until that moment.

  He placed his hands on her waist when his lips met hers and pulled her close. The taste of him was better than she’d imagined, and God help her, she had imagined. She’d imagined being in his arms this way when she’d first seen his picture, when she’d first spoken with him on the phone, when she’d first met him, when she’d watched him during his photo shoot, when they’d shared dinner at The Inn and tonight when he’d picked her up for their date. It was only natural that she put her arms around his neck and give herself fully to the kiss.

  Reggie had wanted to kiss Kim all evening, but he hadn’t dared hope she would allow it. He’d tried to tell himself to give her time to get to know him, but he hadn’t been able to. He needed to kiss Ms. Kimberla Washington right now as much as he needed to breathe. In this kiss he shared with her, he found liberty and an ability to drop the fury he felt toward Nate and Luther. From the sweet way she responded, he assumed she needed him as much.

  Kim ended the kiss. She had to, because he wouldn’t have been capable of doing so. And when he looked down at her kiss-swollen lips, he wanted to kiss her again. He leaned toward her to do just that, but she stopped him with a hand to his chest. “You’d better walk me back to the hotel now.”

  He looked into her eyes to see if she was serious or merely saying what she felt she should say. Unfortunately, her expression said she was serious. Without saying anything, he took her hand, pulled her to his side and walked her back to the hotel. They reached the lobby in time to see Luther and Tam share a passionate good night kiss of their own. The act heightened Reggie’s need to kiss Kim again, but he decided not to push his luck.

  They walked to the elevator in each other’s arms. He pushed the button for a car and massaged her neck while they waited. When the car door finally opened, she looked up at him and whispered good night. He brought their entwined hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “I’ll call you in the morning,” he said.

  She nodded and got on the elevator. As the doors closed separating them for the night, he took satisfaction in the questions he saw in her eyes because he knew they were also reflected in his.

  ~ ~ ~

  After the elevator doors closed, Kim pressed her hand to her mouth, closed her eyes and savored the lingering taste of Reggie. She knew she was in trouble, but, for once, she didn’t care.

  Reggie Stevens was the sweetest and dearest man she’d ever met. They might share different philosophies on some subjects, but she knew in her heart that he was a good man, a man who could be counted on.

  When the elevator stopped and she got off, she was surprised to see Tam get off the one next to hers.

  “Luther didn’t want Reggie to wait,” Tam said, her eyes full of excitement. “I had a great time tonight.”

  “I could tell,” Kim said, leading the way to the suite. “You like Luther, huh?”

  “He’s an okay guy after you get past all the flash.”

  Kim used her key to open the three-bedroom suite she and her friends shared in the all-suite hotel in Atlanta’s midtown. “Seems to me you got past the flash pretty quickly.”

  Tam
walked into the sitting room and dropped down on the couch. “Pretty good as first dates go; excellent for a blind date. How about you and Reggie? You seemed to hit it off.”

  “I like him, Tam. I really like him. And I think it’s mutual. We’ll have to see what happens.”

  “Are you going out with him again?”

  She hoped so. “He said he’d call in the morning, so we’ll see.”

  Tam hugged her friend. “He’ll call. Just wait and see. I saw how Reggie looked at you tonight. He’s a goner, if ever there was one.”

  Kim hoped her friend was right, because she felt she was a goner too. “Don’t get carried away, Tam. This was only our second date.”

  “So what? You know more about the guy than most women know about men they’ve dated for years. I wish I had that kind of info on Luther. It sure would save me a lot of time.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Kim said. “There’s something to be said for discovery.”

  “There’s also something to be said for knowing what you’re getting yourself into. Anyway, what do you think about Nate and Leslie? Do you think she’s really interested in him?”

  Kim shrugged. “I never would have thought Nate was her type, but you never know with Leslie. She seemed to like him, but who knows.”

  “I think the grief she was giving me at the end of the evening was a sham. She prefers Nate to Luther.”

  “I—” Kim began, but a phone rang. They both listened to see which one it was. They soon realized both their phones were ringing.

  Laughing, Tam said, “Bet I can guess who’s calling.”

  “I can too,” Kim said. “Good night, girl. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Night,” Tam said, heading for her bedroom and her phone.

  Kim went into her bedroom and lay down on the bed before picking up the phone.

  “I couldn’t wait until morning,” Reggie’s deep masculine voice said when she picked up the handset. “I miss you already.”

  His words made her feel warm and content. She shared his feelings, but wasn’t yet ready to voice hers. She needed time to test them, to get used to them first.