When the white-coated waiter arrived, Lina ordered the citrus glazed salmon and a green salad. Rashad placed his order for the medallions of beef with herb potatoes and zucchini gratin. Rashad kept quiet until the waiter deposited their glasses of iced tea on the table and departed.
He locked eyes with the beautiful woman sitting across from him and asked the question he’d wanted to ask since he ran into her that night at Cleveland and Wendell. “Why do you really want Monk’s piano?”
Her perfectly arched left brow hitched up a few centimeters. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, do you really want it for your mother?”
She nodded, the kind of slow nod you gave someone when you didn’t think they were following you. “Yes, I really want it for my mother, I told you that.”
He chose to ignore the insult of her slow nod, and shrugged. “I was just asking. I’m sure you know how valuable the piano is. It could bring in a lot of money on the open market.”
She pursed her lips. “I don’t really care about that, I make good money as it is. When I said I wanted it for my mother, that’s exactly what I meant. Once she has it, she can do whatever she wants with it. But she’s much too big a fan of Monk’s to sell it.”
Now he gave a slow nod of his own. “All right, then.”
She narrowed her eyes. “What about you? How do I know you wouldn’t resell it if you won the bidding?”
He leaned back in his chair, struck a nonchalant pose. “We both know I would never let Monk’s piano go, not for any amount of money.”
She folded her arms over her chest. The gesture blocked his view of her cleavage, and he immediately felt deprived. “To be honest, Rashad, I don’t really know you that well at all.”
He knew that remark was meant to cut him. More than anything it irritated him. “Really, Lina? This again?”
Her expression was as blank and disinterested as he’d ever seen it. “Truth hurts.”
Before he could line up a response, the waiter returned with their meals. The man set the steaming hot plates before them and strolled away. Rashad looked across the table at Lina, who seemed to be completely focused on her salmon. To give her time to cool off, he started in on his own food.
When he’d finished the last bite of his dinner, he set his silverware down. She was still eating, but he couldn’t hold back what he needed to say to her any longer. “Lina, I’m sorry.”
She paused, a forkful of salad hanging in midair. Her golden eyes widened and her gaze locked with his. “What?”
“I said I’m sorry. For not being open enough with you when we dated, and for whatever I said or did to offend you after the fact. I’m sorry.” Getting the words out was unpleasant to say the least, but certainly not any worse than the many days and nights he’d spent thinking about her since they parted ways. He’d tried everything short of apologizing to her up until this moment, and he still wasn’t positive he’d done anything wrong per se. Still, if this was what it was going to take to convince her that their relationship deserved another try, then so be it.
She blinked a few times, setting her fork down. Her expression serious, she asked, “Do you mean that, Rashad?”
He nodded. “Yes. I know I’ll have to work to win you all over again, but believe me, I’m willing.”
Her expression softened into a Mona Lisa–like smile. “Then we’d better go somewhere more private to talk.”
He grinned, not needing to be told twice. He’d finally penetrated her rigid exterior, and he planned to make the best use of his newfound access. Raising his hand, he signaled for the waiter to bring the check.
Strolling alongside Rashad through Romare Bearden Park, Lina had to admit she enjoyed his company. The feeling of his large hand cradling hers was familiar, comforting and much more arousing than she’d anticipated.
A quick glance at her wristwatch showed her that it was a few minutes past ten. The night air was warm, but thankfully less humid than it had been earlier. A soft breeze blew, rustling the needles of the towering pines and spreading the heady fragrance of their sap.
She looked over at him walking next to her, his profile illuminated the soft glow of the streetlamps lighting the path. He was well dressed tonight as usual. His sense of style was one of the things that had originally attracted her to him. She liked the colors he wore, and thought they complemented each other well. His dreadlocks, secured in a ponytail at his nape, cascaded down his back like a dark waterfall, leading her eyes to the welcome sight of his backside in the well-tailored gray slacks. She could clearly recall gripping that very backside as he stroked her to orgasmic bliss, and as the memories washed over her, she could feel the heat filling her neck and face.
“Are we going to talk now? We’ve been walking for a while.”
His question captured her attention and pulled her out of her erotic memories. Chastising herself for the direction of her thoughts, she nodded. “Sorry, yes. I really do want to talk.”
He offered up a dazzling smile. “I’m glad. Otherwise I’d just be making laps around the park in wing tips for no good reason.”
She chuckled. She’d spent so long being angry with him and avoiding him, she’d forgotten how witty he could be. When he’d waltzed into Cleveland and Wendell the previous week, she hadn’t been happy to see him at all. Now, alone with him under the pine trees, she could feel that initial attraction she’d felt for him when they met last year rising again. “I never said it inside the restaurant, but I accept your apology.”
“Glad to hear it.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
“As much as I hate to admit it, you were right when you made that remark about me holding all men responsible for what Warren did to me.” The bitter memories of her ex-husband’s blatant and repeated infidelity had changed the way she interacted with other men. Logically, she knew how unreasonable her disdain for men was; not all of them were like Warren. But logic rarely won out when it came to her emotions.
She glanced at Rashad, and found his eyes on her. A soft smile touched the corners of his lips.
“It wasn’t meant as an insult, Lina. I just wanted you to see things from my perspective.”
She nodded, their gazes still locked. Their steps slowed as they came near a wrought iron bench with its back resting against the trunk of a willow tree. With a gentle tug, he led her beneath the cascading canopy of leaves, and they sat side by side on the seat.
He draped his arm around her shoulder, and she didn’t protest. Instead she inched closer to him, letting their thighs touch.
She inhaled deeply, taking in the scents of his cologne, the recently trimmed grass and the hints of the coming rainstorm hanging on the night air. “Every other man who’s approached me lately has been put off by my attitude, you know.”
He shrugged. “None of them could handle you anyway, if that’s all it took to run them off.”
She chuckled, shaking her head. “You’re mighty persistent, aren’t you?”
“Only when it comes to what I want. And I want you, Lina.” He reached out, his large hand cupping her cheek as he tilted her face up toward his gaze.
Her pulse quickened as the heat of his palm penetrated her skin. Once again, logic abandoned her and allowed her emotions free reign. Looking into his dark eyes, with the memories of all they’d shared passing between them, she knew it was only a matter of moments before he kissed her. And if he kissed her, it would be all over for her as far as putting