Kalilah smirked. “Using my method?”
Nick nodded. “Yeah. It made sense. Now I know who exactly is calling. Want to know what your ringtone is?”
Kalilah rolled her eyes. “Better not be anything raunchy.”
Nick laughed. “‘Crash into Me’ by Dave Matthews Band.”
Kalilah was curious. She’d heard the song, but never paid attention to the lyrics or meaning.
“Why?”
Nick treated her to another heated look.
“You wear a lot of dresses and skirts to work.”
Kalilah shrugged and said, “So? Most women do.”
Nick nodded in agreement. “True, but you are the only one that makes me hear the lyrics, ‘Hike up your skirt a little more and show the world to me.’”
Kalilah gasped and flushed. “So, it is raunchy.”
Nick grinned. “Not overtly raunchy, though.” Nick sobered and looked at her. “So, we’re good?”
Kalilah nodded. It was all she could do.
“Good. Please don’t avoid me again. If something is bothering you, just tell me.”
She felt a story behind his statement. He told her about his ex-friend, David. She immediately wanted to find him and choke him.
“Nick, I’m sorry for checking out for a few days. But, I would never do that to you. Besides, we work together, and we have a lunch meeting on Tuesday. I know that you are a good guy, and I wouldn’t purposely hurt you. David was and is an ass.”
Nick nodded. “Thank you.” He switched subjects. “I realized that you’ve never been inside my house. You will be tonight. 7 PM. I’m making you dinner.” Nick glanced at the door. “I gotta go. He stared at her another moment. I’m not kissing you goodbye because I’d never leave.”
He waved and was gone. Kalilah stared at the door for another moment. Nick had definitely changed, and she liked it. The uncertainty of the future still scared her, but she was starting to accept that she could not control it. Kalilah smiled to herself; she did have control over what she was wearing later that night.
Nick checked his watch again: 7:15 PM. She was late, but he didn’t want to be the crazy person that blew up her phone over being fifteen minutes late. He was anxious to see her on his terms. He didn’t have anywhere to be, and she would finally be in his domain. He’d missed her so much when he was out of town; even more when she pulled her disappearing act. It had been two weeks since he’d kissed her, and he was ready to explode. He was so close this morning when his mom accidentally cock blocked him.
Cock block? Would they have gotten to that point this morning? Nick looked down at his current erection pressing against his jeans, then he thought back to the way she looked at him this morning. He had his answer. Yes, he would have had her several times by now if he hadn’t had plans with his mother.
Anticipation flowed through his body. This could very well be their night. He needed to touch her. Not in the way she assumed he needed her. N
ick frowned as he took the pasta out of the oven. There had to be a story there. She must have dated some needy losers in the past. He vowed to get to the bottom of that issue after he got her out of her clothes.
He set the dish on the table and went to check his appearance in the guest bathroom mirror. They didn’t discuss the dress code. He aimed to remain casual by wearing jeans; he paired it with a button-up dress shirt. He didn’t want her to feel overdressed if she did dress up. He’d shaved that morning, and his haircut was pretty much hassle free. He was ready, and so was the food. The bread had a few more minutes in the oven.
The doorbell rang. His lungs released the air he didn’t realize he’d been holding. They hadn’t talked or texted since that morning, and he was worried she’d forgotten. He opened the door to greet her.
“Hi…Oh my…”
She did dress up. Her dress was red, tight, and barely there. Nick’s inspection started at her silver strappy stilettos, roamed over her shapely calves, up her beautiful thighs to the mid-thigh dress that stretched over her stomach, and paused at the cleavage that was on display because of the deep V of the dress. This is the look that Marley girl tried to pull off. Kalilah was holding a bottle of wine, and her red painted lips were parted in a smile.
“Are you going to let me in?”
Nick cleared his throat. “Depends. I can’t help but notice that there isn’t room for a bra. Does that outfit come with panties?”
Her smile broadened. “Does a lacy thong count?”
Nick pulled her inside and put the bottle of wine on the table by the door. His mouth crushed hers in a hungry kiss. He couldn’t wait any longer to taste her. She moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck. The food was forgotten. Nick picked her up and pushed her against the door. She wrapped her legs around his waist.