by Reana Malori
“It’s okay, I like that you think I look beautiful. I don’t get that very often. I’m usually in jeans and a T-shirt every day. It feels nice to be able to clean up and take a beautiful woman out to dinner.”
“Thank you. I’m glad you’re pleased.”
“Oh, sweetheart, I’m more than pleased,” he said with a wolfish grin and a lick of his lips.
Yup, she was a damn goner.
“Let me just grab my shawl and I’ll be ready.”
“No worries. Take your time,” he said as he placed one hand in his pocket and glanced over at her.
She froze in her steps. There was no way he didn’t realize how sexy that look was. His green eyes popped, as if to match the shade of the shirt he wore. Time seemed to stop as she looked at him, her eyes meeting his. She could feel her breathing become ragged as her channel began to slicken. Oh wow…does he have this effect on every woman?
“Regina. You okay?” he asked, a smile on his face.
His voice broke her from the daze she was in. “Um, yes. I’m fine.”
“Yes, you’re definitely that. But I was asking if you were okay.”
She smiled hugely at his compliment. How in hell had she resisted him all this time? Now that he’d made his intentions known, she knew exactly where she stood with him. She only had to decide if she was ready to jump in with both feet and let him take her along for the ride.
“Yes, I’m okay. Are you ready?” she asked, after retrieving her shawl and closing her front door.
“I’ve been ready for months. I think you’ll enjoy where we’re going tonight. I want you to just enjoy the evening. Don’t worry about a thing. All I need for you to do is follow my lead. Can you do that?”
He was standing so close to her. Inches, really. His cologne hit her senses again and she felt her swaying toward him. Pulling herself back, she pinched her hand. Get it together.
“Yes, I can do that,” she finally responded.
“Good, then let’s go. I have plans for you tonight.”
CHAPTER FOUR
“So, tell me, why a teacher?” Gavin walked close to Regina as they strolled along Sixth Street in downtown Austin. The crowd was bustling and people surrounded them. Music blared from the various establishments as the city came to life for a bit of nighttime revelry.
“I know it’s not a glamorous profession, but I love what I do. I’ve always wanted to teach young children. To have a career that was meaningful,” she responded with a small smile as they walked together.
“It doesn’t have to be glamorous to be exciting or meaningful. To be honest, I don’t know how you do it every day. I know you think parents don’t always realize how their kids behave when they’re not with them, but I know Riley. Trust me, I know what kind of hell he can raise,” he said with a laugh.
Eyes wide, she glanced at him with a look of shock on her face. “No! Riley is great. I mean, he gets a little excited every once in a while…” she trailed off and began to giggle.
“Yup, you can’t even fake it. The kid can be a terror.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say that…not really. He just has a lot of energy.” Regina nodded her head as if to say that was all she would say about that.
“If you say so.” Looking up ahead, he noticed that his bar was a bit further up the street and decided to show off a little. Not that he needed to show off anything to Regina. He just didn’t think she’d care about those types of things. During dinner, they’d talked about what interested her the most and it centered around giving back to her community, volunteering, exploring the city, and finding ways to better engage with her students.
Not once did she talk about the things he’d expect her to, like shopping and traveling. All the things women enjoyed that made men quake in their boots. Sure, it was probably chauvinistic to think that way, but after some of the women he’d come across, it was a true statement.
Showing his bar to her hadn’t been a part of the plan, but after they’d finished dinner, she asked to take a walk. He’d agreed without hesitation. Spending time with her just felt right.
His feet seemed to steer them in the direction of his bar, The Long Shot, and he’d just gone with it. He felt comfortable giving her a little insight into who he was. He didn’t think she’d ever stepped foot in his place.
Gavin glanced over at Regina as she walked beside him. God, this woman is beautiful, he thought to himself as he maneuvered them through the crowd. Grabbing her hand so that they didn’t get separated, he felt her start a little and she glanced at him as he took her smaller hand in his. The softness of her skin against his made something within him loosen. It felt good being with her like this.
Arriving at the front of his bar, he stopped their forward motion. “Do you know where we are?”
Regina looked around at the buildings, turning in all directions, before finally bringing her eyes back to his. “Um, I know where we are, yes. But is it supposed to mean something?” she asked, another sweet smile on her face.
The urge to lean down and kiss her lips came over him, and he barely stopped himself. This was their first date and he didn’t want to scare her off. He could hold off and be a gentleman for one night. Maybe.
“This is my place,” he answered.
“Your place?” Her eyebrows rose in shock and she turned to look at the front entrance and the sign that hung over the door. “As in, you own it, or your place of work?”
“As in, this place belongs to me. I thought you knew I was a business owner,” he said with a smile.
“Well, sure, but I didn’t know what kind of business. I’ve passed by this place a few times and never dared go in,” she admitted in a quiet tone.
“Why?”
Looking up at the sign again, she shrugged her shoulders. “Not sure.”
“Not sure, huh?” he questioned.
“I wasn’t sure of the reception I would get,” she confessed, looking away from him.
“I don’t understand,” he said, his brow crinkled in confusion.
“Yes, you do. Austin is a very progressive city, but I never go into an unknown place where I don’t know anyone.”
“My place is open and welcoming to anyone, Regina. You know I’m a former Marine. Being a former Marine means that I’ve lived in a world where I needed to rely on the person next to me to save my life. The color of his skin didn’t matter. He had my back and I had his. You can’t do that and hold on to outdated views regarding a person’s skin color. Not in my book, anyway.”
Her eyes met his and he saw her apology before she uttered the words, “Gavin, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”
“Don’t worry about it. I’d rather just show you,” he said, cutting her off. Gavin began walking toward the door with Regina in tow, walking past the other patrons waiting to enter the establishment. The crowd was heavy tonight and there were people pouring into his bar. Seeing all that activity brought a smile to his face. Opening this place had been the right decision for him, and for Riley. He was building something for his son’s future, and that made him feel good.
“Hey, boss,” his weekend bartender greeted him as they came to the main bar.
“’Sup Jimmy. I see things are hoppin’ tonight. Everything good?” No matter how much he tried to separate himself, he was always on duty. This place was his future and the legacy he would leave for Riley. He had to make sure things were going well.
“Yeah, it’s all good. Something hot must be going on in town tonight because we’ve had a crowd pouring in since eight,” Jimmy said as he slid two drinks over to one of the waitresses.
Gavin nodded his head at Jimmy and gave him an encouraging smile. He knew how it felt to have the boss around. It would usually put people on edge and mistakes would happen. He didn’t want his place to operate like that. Yeah, he was the boss, but he wanted his people to feel comfortable around him. Happy employees made for a successful business.
“Want anything?” Jimmy asked, breaking into Gavin�
�s thoughts.
“Yeah, I’ll have a scotch, neat.” Turning to Regina, “Sweetheart, do you want something to drink?”
“I’ll have a glass of your house pinot noir,” she responded with a smile.
Giving their order, he turned to look at the woman standing next to him. Her eyes were wide and her lips were turned up in a smile. His place wasn’t the largest in the city, but it was respectable. Not only did he have the large bar off the side, but there was an open room in the back with three pool tables. Finally, he’d made a point to have a spot for a band or a deejay, and a good-sized dance floor.
If there was one thing he remembered from his time in the Marines, a place that had good booze and good music for dancing was always a winner.
“What do you think?” he couldn’t help but ask.
“It’s nice,” she called out over the music, courtesy of the Friday night deejay. The band was scheduled to play tomorrow, when people were more apt to be out looking to cut a rug. “I had no idea it was so large inside of here.”
“It’s definitely large enough to keep me busy each night. Do you know how to dance?” he asked, nodding over to the group of people doing the two-step.
“I do. No self-respecting Texan doesn’t know how to two-step at least a little,” she replied with a laugh.
Jimmy brought their drinks over, and walked away once they’d picked them up. Gavin brought his glass up for a toast, “Here’s to new beginnings.”
“And taking chances,” she said quickly, before sipping on her drink.
He didn’t take his eyes off her as he drank, and she held his gaze as well. Wasn’t that something, Miss Prim-and Proper had a stubborn streak. He knew there was more to her than met the eye.
“Want to sit down?” he asked.
At her nod, he motioned to Jimmy that he was headed over to one of the booths situated around the room. Placing his hand on the small of her back, he walked them over to the booth to sit down. If he could hold her this close all the time, he’d be a happy man. He caught the looks of envy on the faces of some men in the room, and jealousy on some of the women’s faces.
He knew there were women who’d had their hopes up that he’d give them a chance. Those hopes were being dashed tonight. He’d never led them on, but he knew they felt there was a chance with him, for no other reason than vanity. For him to walk in here with another woman had to be a hard pill to swallow.
Once they were situated, he placed his arm over the top of the booth and relaxed. His long legs were out in front of him, his suit jacket was unbuttoned, and he enjoyed the view of so many people enjoying themselves. Plus, to have a beautiful woman like Regina by his side was the icing on the cake.
“How long have you owned this place?” she asked, looking at him with wide eyes.
“Just over six months now.”
“You must be proud.” She beamed at him.
“I am, but it’s not just my work. It’s something that I can say is truly mine, and that I put my blood, sweat and tears into building. I hope this place lasts a long time. I want it for Riley,” he admitted.
“Has he ever been here? I know it’s an adult crowd tonight, but what about during the day?”
“Yeah, I bring him here sometimes for lunch when I just need to pick up something or need to do something minor. He knows this place is all for him, but I don’t think he fully understands what that means just yet.” Pausing to wave at a regular customer as they passed, he caught the shock on the man’s face as he stared at Regina sitting next to him.
And so did Regina. “Are you sure we should just be hanging out like this? Maybe we should finish our drinks and head out. I don’t want to make things uncomfortable for you.”
Turning his face to look at her, he searched for any sign of real concern. “Would you like to leave? If you’re uncomfortable here, we don’t need to stay.”
He’d be disappointed, but he would leave. Not that he could explain it, but he wanted Regina to enjoy his place of business. If this thing between them became something more, this is where he’d spend most of his time. He wanted her to be okay with that.
Shaking her head, she placed her small hand on his leg. “No, as long as you want me to be here, then I’m going to stay. Not many people know this, but I love country music. I never get out to listen and enjoy it, but you should see me in my car as I’m driving to work.”
He didn’t realize he was holding his breath until she gave him her answer. Not one to back down from a fight, he knew exactly why Regina had asked the question. She was the lone black person in a country bar in the middle of Austin. And she happened to be sitting with a white man, who was the owner of said bar. Naïveté was never a trait of his, but he also didn’t do well with ignorance.
If one of his patrons had a problem with who he wanted to spend his time with, so be it. He didn’t condone that behavior and he sure as hell wouldn’t bow down to anyone who did. If anyone had an issue with him being with Regina, then it better be due to her being so damn beautiful and their disbelief that she was with his ugly mug.
A familiar song came on that involved moves that took dancers around the entire floor. The steps could be done with couples, but singles could do it as well. People quickly moved to the floor, grabbing their spot before the synchronized moves began.
“Oh, wow. I love this song. Um…would you like to dance?” Regina’s question reached his ears and he couldn’t help but grin. Did he want to dance? With Regina? Hell yeah, he did.
“Come on. Let’s go show them how it’s done,” he said, grabbing her hand in his. Leading her over to the crowd of people, they easily slid in with the group of people filling the floor.
Regina’s moves were smooth and flawless. She understood his cues and didn’t try to lead. Her body flowed with the music and she allowed him to bring her along as they twisted and twirled around to the popular song. Her frame fit in his arms so well and he couldn’t help but enjoy the feeling of her in his arms as they circled the floor.
He thought about her words when he asked her if she knew how to two-step. The woman had been holding out on him. Every time he looked at her face, she was smiling. He’d been worried about bringing her here tonight, but it turned out to be one of his better decisions.
It had been a long time since he’d danced like this. Never thought he’d be enjoying himself like this at his own bar, but damned if he wasn’t having the best night of his life.
He could get used to this.
*****
Regina’s feet hurt, but she didn’t care one bit. Tonight had been so much fun, and if a little pain in her toes was the price, she’d gladly pay it.
“Did you have a good time?” Gavin asked as he walked her to the front door.
“I did. Thank you. I haven’t danced that much in years,” she admitted. “I’d forgotten so many dances, but it was great learning them all over again.”
“You remembered more than you thought. I’m glad you weren’t turned off by going to my place. I know it wasn’t what we’d planned.”
“No, it was great. Plus, I was the best-dressed woman in the place tonight, so I can’t complain,” she smiled, looking down at her dress. On the ride back to her house, she’d taken off her heels to stretch her toes.
“You were definitely the best dressed. And the most beautiful,” he whispered as they stopped at her threshold.
“Thank you for such a lovely night.” Her words trailed off. How did she tell him that she wanted to see him again? That she didn’t want this to be a one-time-only thing? Did he even want a repeat? She hadn’t been in this situation before. Mainly because she’d never been so nervous about the response. “Um…”
“I’d like to see you again. Maybe next weekend if you’re free,” he said, stepping closer to her.
Looking up into his eyes, she licked her lips. All night, she’d been holding herself back. Always the good girl, never the risk taker. She was half-surprised she even took him up on this date. If sh
e were brave enough to do that, she was brave enough for the next step. Say yes, Regina, a voice called out to her.
“Yes,” she blurted.
At Gavin’s smile, she could feel her cheeks heating up with embarrassment. She probably sounded like an overeager child.
As he continued speaking, his soft voice pulled her in. “You should go inside.”
“Why? I’m fine out here.”
“You may be, but I’m not,” he whispered as he stepped closer. “I’ve been good all night. I’ve kept my hands to myself. You have no idea how difficult it’s been to hold myself back from kissing you multiple times tonight. Your soft, beautiful lips beckoned me closer every time you smiled. Did you know that, Regina?” he asked, one hand rising to trail a finger down her cheek.
Frozen in place, all she could do was stare at him in wonder. Remembering he’d asked her a question, she shook her head from side to side.
“Well, they did. And holding you in my arms tonight as we danced, it was as if your body was made for mine. We fit so well together. Do you know what dancing with you like that made me think of?”
When she didn’t answer, he pressed again, “Any idea?”
She knew, because she thought of the same thing. Them. In bed together. It would be mind-blowing. “Yes, I think I do.”
“And that, sweetheart, is why you need to go into the house tonight. I don’t want you to run away from me. I’ve already mentioned that I have plans for you, but now those plans have changed.”
It took everything in her to hold back a whimper. “You do? They have?”
“Can I kiss you?” he asked abruptly.
It didn’t even take her a half-second to respond. “Yes.”
If slow-motion were a real thing, she knew that it would be happening right now. It seemed to take forever for him to bend down to her, but knew it must have only been a fraction of a second. Maybe it was just her own impatience that was getting in the way. Hell, she’d been waiting on this all night, even had begun to think he wasn’t interested.
