by Francis Ray
“I’m going to be just like Dr. Richard and take good care of all the animals in my care,” Kayla told them.
“What kind of pet do you have?” Principal Crenshaw asked.
“I don’t have one yet, but Mama might get me a puppy soon,” Kayla told them.
The women’s eyes narrowed speculatively on Richard. He knew the “soon” had piqued their interest. Naomi probably hadn’t mentioned she was looking for a house, so they’d made the giant and incorrect leap that the puppy was to attract his attention. He wasn’t sure if Naomi wanted them to know they were dating or about the house.
A whistle blew. “Five minutes to finish eating, then line up,” announced the cafeteria monitor.
“Nice meeting you, Principal Crenshaw, Ms. Smoothers.” He picked up his and Kayla’s trays. “We better dump this and get you in line.”
Ms. Smoothers placed her hand on his arm, let her fingers slid down. “Thank you again. I’ll be in touch.”
He nodded and continued to dump the trays. It wouldn’t do her any good. He already had his eyes on the woman he wanted, but when he looked up Naomi and her class were gone. She hadn’t come over to say good-bye. He had a feeling that he might be in the doghouse.
* * *
Richard left a message on Naomi’s answering machine that he’d drop by later that night. He had no idea at the time “later” would be almost nine. He’d shifted some of his appointments to be able to spend time with Kayla, had a fellow vet take his emergency calls. He’d often had to reschedule if there was an emergency that took him out of the city or was prolonged. His patients didn’t seem to mind.
He knocked softly on the apartment door. He loved Kayla, but he wanted her mother all to himself tonight. He was about to knock again when the door opened. Naomi wasn’t smiling.
“Is everything all right?”
She folded her arms across her chest. “Have you changed your mind about us? Elaine is a beauti—”
His mouth stopped her flow of words. He needed the kiss as much as she did. She clung to him, her tongue sliding against his driving him to the breaking point. He pulled her tighter, enjoyed the warmth of her body, the soft fullness of her breasts against his chest, and he kissed her deeper until his head was spinning.
“You’re the woman I care about, the only woman I want to be with.”
Her hands clutching his shirt trembled. “I was jealous.”
He tried hard not to show how smug he felt hearing her say that. “You have no reason.”
“I know that, it’s just…” Her head twisted to one side. “You smiling?”
“A little. Maybe,” he confessed, pulling her back flush against him. “I never thought I’d get to hold you like this, knowing you’re a bit jealous makes me want to strut.”
“You were the talk of the campus. One woman, who has never spoken to me, just happened to drop by my classroom to try to pump me for information about you.”
“You tell her I’m taken?”
The half smile on Naomi’s face slid away. “The words wouldn’t come.”
He might want to tell the world, but she wasn’t ready. “They’ll come one day. In the meantime—” His mouth covered hers, taking, giving, his tongue relearning the sweetness of her mouth. He couldn’t help kissing her, especially when she surrendered so sweetly to him.
He didn’t intend to, but somehow she was in his arms, and then he was following her down on the sofa. The moment his weight covered hers, his sanity returned briefly as he thought that being pinned beneath a man’s body might scare her. He was about to shift his weight when her arm tightened around his neck, her mouth and body straining against his.
His mind emptied until there was only the pleasure. His hand cupped her small breast, his thumb raked across the distended nipple. The buttons of her blouse came undone: He parted it to reveal her white bra. His fingers touched her bare skin, felt her heartbeat quicken, felt his own body quicken and stir with hunger.
He wanted their clothes gone, his body pumping into hers. His hand moved down her flat stomach, then slid over the slim skirt that had him thinking naughty thoughts all afternoon. He was going to strip her naked and take her to bed and—
His head jerked upward; his hand released the skirt he’d been tugging up. Sanity slowly returned. His eyes closed. It took a moment or two to realize her hands around his neck had gone slack, that she was still beneath him.
Blowing out a breath, he tried to gracefully climb off her. Aware she might be embarrassed, he picked her up and placed her in his lap. He thought about buttoning her blouse, but decided he wasn’t quite that noble.
“I’m sorry. I should have had more control.” He leaned his head against hers. “Kayla could have walked in here.”
“I share the blame.” Her voice didn’t sound any steadier than his. She shivered. “I’ve never felt like this before.”
“That makes two of us.”
Naomi lifted her head, a smile playing at the corner of her mouth. “I’m glad. I like it being new for both of us.”
Tenderly, he brushed her hair away from her face. He wanted to tell her so much more, but she wasn’t ready. “I’ll be doing some night clinics until this weekend.”
Her pretty mouth tightened; outrage sharpened her voice. “They’re taking advantage of you.”
“I would have given up a lot more not to disappoint Kayla or you.” One day soon, he hoped he could tell her how precious she was to him.
“You’re a … wonderful man.”
He grunted, hugged her, then stared down into her face. “Let’s go out on a real date Friday night. We won’t tell Brandon, but I’ll get dinner reservations at the Casa de Serenidad. Henri is a great chef.”
“Since I’ve heard from a few of the teachers how wonderful the restaurant is, I’ll live dangerously and go with you,” she told him, finding she was more excited than embarrassed by the bulge beneath her hips.
He chuckled. “I’ll protect you.”
He would, too. There wasn’t a shred of doubt in her mind.
“Afterward, we’ll go to Phoenix’s opening at the art gallery.”
“I’d like that. Kayla has her first sleepover Friday and I’m a bit anxious about it.” She shook her head ruefully. “I’ll hope I won’t make a nuisance of myself calling the poor mother.”
“Kayla will have a great time, and it will be my pleasure to keep your thoughts occupied.”
“Mine, too.”
He kissed her. She let herself be seduced by his mouth and hands and enjoyed every wicked second.
* * *
The next day at school Naomi found herself questioned about Richard’s availability. With a straight face she’d told them she thought he was seeing someone and let it go at that. If a few women looked at her with suspicion, that was their problem. She had other things to think about, like what to wear to dinner. She called the hotel and spoke to Faith, who assured her a step above casual was fine.
Since all Naomi had were casual clothes, she invited Fallon over to get her opinion. Afterward they went to her closet. She nibbled on her lower lip as Fallon went through her meager wardrobe once, then started going though her clothes again.
Naomi sighed. “I was afraid of that.”
Fallon kept pushing hangers aside. “You haven’t had any use for anything other than casual clothes. Women even wear jeans to church.”
Naomi placed a hand on Fallon’s shoulder. “You’re not going to find anything. I have until Friday. Maybe there’s a good sale.”
“We’ll go tonight,” Fallon suggested. “I’ll search the Internet to see who’s having a sale.” She glanced down at the flat or low-heeled shoes with toes neatly lined up on the bottom of the closet. “You’re going to need a new pair of shoes as well. You could borrow a dress or shoes from me, but you’re smaller.”
Naomi bit her lips again. “Thank you, but I want to wear something new. I hope that’s not vanity.”
Fallon grinned. “Nothing wr
ong with a little vanity and wanting to look special for a man you like.”
“Maybe I should ask Richard to just go to a casual restaurant. I wouldn’t mind spending the money if I planned to wear the dress and shoes again, but I can’t see it for one night.” Naomi glanced at her clothes.
Fallon rolled her eyes. “It’s your first official date with Richard. You want to make his eyes pop. For him to wonder what’s beneath that sexy dress, to groan when he sees how your hips sway in those strappy, high-heeled sandals.”
Naomi couldn’t deny it. “Maybe we’ll find a dress and shoes tonight.”
* * *
They found plenty of shoes and dresses on sale, but either the price was still too high or they didn’t like the dress or shoes. An hour later, Kayla was tired and bored. The excitement of helping Mama find a dress had faded. They’d left the mall and stopped at a fast-food place for takeout and then gone home. Fallon was sure they’d find what they were looking for the next day. They didn’t.
By Wednesday night, after another fruitless search, Naomi was beginning to panic. When Richard called Naomi, she had been trying to come up with a reason to ask if they could go someplace else … until he’d said he’d made reservations and asked for a special table.
“I want the night of our first date to be memorable for you.”
She wanted that as well, and she wasn’t going to spoil it for either of them. “With you, it will be.”
There was a slight pause. “I wish I was there with you.”
“Me, too.” Sitting on the sofa, her hand lightly grazed over the cushion next to her. Erotic images of her and Richard filled her mind. She hadn’t been afraid. Far from it, she had been excited and aroused. She wanted that again, and more.
“’Night.”
“’Night.” Naomi hung up. There had to be a dress and shoes in her price range, and she was going to find them. She couldn’t drag Kayla out again. For the second night in a row she was so tired she hadn’t protested about going to bed. She didn’t want Kayla so tired she couldn’t enjoy her first sleepover. She had to find a sitter.
Mrs. Grayson taught class on Thursday night, and that left Catherine. Since it was nine fourteen, Naomi would call tomorrow.
Naomi stood and went to check on Kayla before going to her bedroom. She couldn’t resist going to her closet. Clothes had never been high on her list of things to buy. For so long she hadn’t cared because Gordon would accuse her of trying to entice a man. Now that she wanted to, she couldn’t find anything to wear.
She glanced down at her shoes. They were comfortable and dependable. Nothing remotely close to sexy. Her thoughts stumbled to a halt. If there was one woman who knew beautiful and sexy clothes and where to find them at a discount, it was Sierra. Naomi went to her purse and found Sierra’s card. If Sierra couldn’t help her, Naomi wasn’t sure who could.
* * *
Not only did Sierra agree to help, she picked up Naomi and Fallon at Catherine’s house Thursday evening in the big black Lincoln, explaining she didn’t want them wasting time searching for a parking space or worrying about talking and driving. “If we have time, I’m thinking a quick trip to the salon is in order.”
Naomi touched her shoulder-length hair. She did it herself to save money.
“You have beautiful hair,” Sierra said. “Anita can do a quick dry shampoo and show you how to style it for tomorrow night. We want Richard’s eyes to pop.”
Naomi smiled. “That’s the idea.”
“Then we’re going to make it happen. Looks like we’ve arrived at our first stop.”
* * *
They went to three stores before Sierra zeroed in on a straight black dress with pink piping and a little pink bow at the sleeve at a specialty shop with lots of glass, space, and clothes on padded hangers in single file. The store shouted expensive.
“Demure and sexy. This is the one.”
Naomi wanted to look at the price tag, but she didn’t dare. Sierra was helping her. In the dressing room, she searched for the tag and didn’t find one and recalled the old saying: If you had to ask, you couldn’t afford it.
The dress fit like it had been made for her. The shoes Sierra found made her feel almost pretty.
“You look beautiful, Naomi,” Fallon said. “Sierra, you certainly have an eye for clothes.”
“My family would say I shop enough.” Sierra nodded. “I think we’re done here.”
It had to be said. “How much are the shoes? The dress didn’t have a price tag.”
“Must have fallen off the dress. You change and I’ll go ask,” Sierra said.
Naomi turned, then turned back to Sierra. “You wouldn’t have helped it fall off, by chance, would you?”
“Me?” Sierra’s dark eyes widened in innocence. “I shop here too much to destroy their property. They have cameras.”
Naomi wasn’t convinced then or later when she saw the price tag of the shoes and dress. It was a little more than she’d planned, but considerably less than a couple of other dresses she’d managed to see the price tag on.
From there, they went to the beauty salon to get her hair styled. By the time they arrived back at Catherine’s house to pick up Kayla, Naomi was a bit overwhelmed and so eternally grateful to Sierra.
“Thank you doesn’t seem enough.”
“Just have fun,” Sierra told her. “By the way, you never did tell me which restaurant you were going to.”
Naomi bit her lip. “The Pueblo at Casa de Serenidad.”
Sierra laughed. “If I were you and Richard, I wouldn’t mention that to Brandon.”
* * *
Richard slammed out of his car and quickly went to Naomi’s front door and knocked. He couldn’t wait to see her. Now that he knew what she tasted like, how good she felt in his arms, he didn’t want to be apart from her if at all possible. This weekend he was free for the first time in months and he fully intended to enjoy being with Naomi.
He heard the locks disengage, the smile already forming on his face as the door opened.
“Hi, Richard.”
He felt his mouth become unhinged, his blood heat. She’d always been pretty to him: Tonight she was stunning in a little black dress that skinned over her small body and stopped above knees he was going to enjoy kissing behind. She was taller. He noticed the black heels that had a little bow at the toe, the same as on the short sleeve of the dress. Her hair was different as well. Soft curls framed her face and made him want to run his hands through and muss it up. But it was her eyes, direct and knowing, that captured him and drew him again and again.
“Aren’t you going to say anything?”
“Wow,” he said, finally entering the apartment and closing the door after him. She was in his arms before the door closed, his mouth on hers an instant later. “You taste and look incredible.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m not sure we should go out. I don’t want to have to fight off men,” he said, only half teasing.
“I only want to be with you.” She went to the sofa to pick up her purse. Richard’s gaze dropped to the enticing sway of her hips. His body stirred. She turned and caught him staring. She smiled.
Richard knew when he was in trouble. Naomi trusted him enough, cared enough to flirt with him, entice him. He wanted to slide that dress off her and make love to her until they were too weak to do anything except breathe. But he understood women. Naomi might want to tempt him, but she also wanted to show off a bit.
“All I can say is that if a man tries to hit on you, I won’t be responsible.” He took her arm and started for the door.
“Men don’t notice me that way,” she said matter-of-factly.
“They notice all right. You just don’t notice them that way.” He opened the door. “But it won’t do them any good, because you’re with me and I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
* * *
It had happened just the way she had hoped and dreamed. Richard had actually been stunned speechless
when he first saw her. Naomi had wanted to stop time and savor the moment.
After she’d taken Kayla to her sleepover and come back home to shower and dress, she’d worried that perhaps Sierra and Fallon had been wrong. They weren’t. And when he’d kissed her, she’d felt the tenderness and something else she couldn’t put her finger on.
She glanced at him as the maître d’ led them to a secluded table for two with fresh-cut white roses on top. Richard held her seat for her. She smelled his crisp clean scent and a citrus cologne. He smelled as good as he looked.
“Would you care for a glass of wine or do you prefer the sommelier?” the man asked.
“Naomi?” Richard asked.
Her hands clutched the oversized menu. Her knowledge of wines was limited. “You decide.”
“Two sweetened iced teas for now,” Richard said.
“Certainly, sir.” He moved away.
“I hope that’s all right. I seldom drink alcohol,” Richard said.
“Neither do I,” she confessed, then glanced around the restaurant. “It’s lovely.”
“You look even more beautiful in candlelight.”
She glanced back at him, saw the admiration in his dark eyes, and felt her body quicken.
He held up his menu. “What looks good? I think I’ll have a porterhouse.”
Naomi glanced at the menu and gasped at the prices. Everything was à la carte. A meal would cost more than her dress and shoes.
“Naomi?”
Her menu lowered. Richard was successful, but … “I’m not that hungry.”
Richard gave her a long level look. It was all she could do not to hide behind the menu.
Their waiter appeared with their drinks. “Good evening, are you ready to order?”
“Yes,” Richard said and ordered house salads for both of them, the sea bass for her, and the porterhouse for him with asparagus and mashed potatoes. “We’ll decide on dessert later.”
“Very good, sir.” The waiter moved away.
