“How so?”
“I wouldn’t have been able to go to college if it weren’t for ROTC. I was stationed state side, so I passed the CPA and got some experience while I was in, so it looked good on my résumé. So the benefits in the long run outweighed the short. So what’s your story, Tyhedra? I know you’re from LA and that you are the prettiest thing in life I’ve ever seen, but not much else; and I want to know everything about you.”
“To be honest with you, Tavarus, I really don’t like talking about myself. If you stay around me long enough”—she shook her head—“Yoy’ll find out everything you ever wanted to know
.” Then she started laughing.
I looked around and wondered what she was laughing about. “What’s so funny?”
“You see that couple at the table across from us,” Tyhedra said, cutting her eyes slowly toward the right. “She’s watching you. But every time I look in that direction, she turns away quickly.”
“Really, well the guy with her has been glancing at you since we sat down.”
“So what does that tell us?” Tyhedra asked, leaning forward, folding her hands on the table in front of her.
“That he wants you. And she wants me,” I replied quickly and placed my hand on hers.
“Do you want me, Tavarus?”
“Yes.”
“Why, because I’m attractive?”
“I think attractive is an understatement, but we’ll pass that for now. I’m not just physically attracted to you, Tyhedra, but also to your conversation. Keep your body, I want your mind.”
She smiled and pointed in my face. “One day I’ll remind you that you said that.” And then she quickly returned her hands to mine.
“Don’t get me wrong. I want you. But I wanna know you, Tyhedra. I wanna know everything about you. I knew that the first time I saw you, and your conversation has only made me want you more.”
“Keep talking, Tavarus. I like the way you work.” She flirted, caressing my hands. “I like the sound of your voice when you say, ‘I want you’.”
“And I do want you, Tyhedra. If we ever do have sex, I will be making love to you. Not just jumping up and down on your body. Although—” I paused long enough to give the next line the impact I wanted. “The idea of having raw sex with you right here, right now, does appeal to me,” I said playfully, but I was serious and I knew it. So did Tyhedra.
“Animal.”
“It’s my nature. Half man. Half beast.”
We talked our way through dinner, actually doing more talking than eating, continuing our conversation until the restaurant closed. When the waitstaff broke out the vacuum cleaner, we took the hint that it was time for us to leave. “You think?” Tyhedra smiled.
I walked Tyhedra to her car. She unlocked the door and got in. We talked at the car for the next hour or so until Tyhedra attempted to drag herself away. “What’s wrong?” I asked. Tyhedra took a deep breath and stepped out of the car. “I’m not ready to go yet,” Tyhedra replied.
“Then why are you?”
“Because I have to.”
“Then why did you get out of the car?”
“Because I don’t want to go.” She laughed.
“Well, if that’s the case, I’ll make it easy for you. I’ll say good night. I enjoyed my evening, Tyhedra.”
“So did I. I just hate that it has to end,” she said, as she leaned against the car. I leaned shoulder to shoulder on the car next to her. Standing this close to Tyhedra excited me. I wanted to say it doesn’t have to end. Every fiber in my being screamed KISS HER!
“Tyhedra?”
She turned to me and looked at me with those eyes. “Yes.”
“I think it’s a beautiful name. Like you. You are beautiful, Tyhedra. But you probably get tired of men telling you that you’re beautiful.”