Lesson in Romance, page 8
“I have clients ranging from age eighteen all the way up to eighty. It’s never too late.”
When he said nothing in response, she reached out and touched his hand to reassure him.
“Alex, why do you doubt yourself all of a sudden?”
Dropping his elbows on his knees, he shook his head sadly. “You’ll never understand.”
Her heart squeezed at his comment. “Can I give you some advice?”
“Do I have a choice?”
She shook her head and smiled. “You should focus on all the things you’ll be able to read once you become a better reader, rather than the things you’re struggling with now.”
“Like what for example?”
“What about fan mail?” she suggested. “You do get fan mail, don’t you?”
“Of course, I get fan mail, both email and the old-fashioned way.”
“Wouldn’t you like to be able to actually read them and respond?”
“I have a publicist. That’s her job.”
Strike one. Think, Cara, think!
“What about love letters?” she blurted.
His eyebrow shot up. Clearly, she was grasping at straws.
“Uh, okay, but I think you’re missing one thing. You have to be in love with someone to write or receive a love letter.”
Cara’s heart pounded. “True. Haven’t you ever been in love?”
“You mean a melt-into-your-shoes kind of love?”
She nodded.
“Nope. Is that bad?”
She stared at him in disbelief. “But what about all those ladies I’ve seen you with on TV and in magazines? Didn’t you love any of them?”
He shook his head. “I knew going into those relationships, and I use that term lightly, what most of those women wanted. Eventually, my assumption proved to be correct. They never looked or bothered to see the real me. All they wanted was status and a good time. That’s it.”
His eyes moved over her face, a touch of curiosity in them. “What about you?”
She shrugged. “Not really. I’ve been focused on building my career and trying to make Beacon House an integral part of the Harlem community.”
But I can easily fall in love with you. Too easily.
“I suppose, that if I was in love, it would be nice to write a love letter and read it to my woman,” he conceded, looking straight into her eyes.
Her face warmed, and she glanced at her watch to hide her reaction. It was nearly three o’clock.
“Are you ready to try again?” she inquired.
He nodded and they leaned back against the soft cushions. With the book unfolded across their laps, they began to work again. Although it was still a slow process, Alex was reading the words a little easier now.
While his concentration had improved, she could barely keep her mind on the book. As she watched his full lips form each word, she wondered if his lips would caress her body with the same care.
Not wanting to lose momentum, they stayed at it for a couple of hours, only breaking once to stretch their legs and grab some coffee from the kitchen.
Finally, Alex stood up, and Cara tried not to let her eyes drift south. But she couldn’t help but notice how snugly his jeans fit around his long legs. Her breath caught in her throat as she was treated to another glimpse of his muscle-wrapped abdomen as he stretched his arms over his head.
She closed her eyes briefly, and in her mind’s eye she saw him standing nude before her and she was doing more than just admiring his well-toned body.
“Cara!” Her eyes opened to the sound of snapping fingers. “Looks like you’re as beat as I am. Do you mind if we stop for now? We should rest a little bit before we head out to dinner.”
“Not at all.” She stifled a yawn. “I think that’s a great idea.”
They carried the plates and glasses out to the kitchen, rinsed them and put them in the dishwasher. The otherwise mundane task didn’t seem so boring doing it with him.
They walked up the stairs and Cara was about to go into her room when Alex grabbed her hand.
“Wait. I have one final question.”
And before she could ask what it was, he pulled her close and drew her into a passionate kiss that went beyond mere lust.
Cara thought she was going to die from the sensation of his lips moving softly upon hers. His tongue teased and probed the core of her mouth, drawing her deeper into him until she felt like she would collapse under the supreme weight of her longing for him.
Crushed against his body, heat was mutually exchanged, stoking an intense need that only increased when she felt the evidence of his desire throbbing against her belly.
Suddenly, he lifted his lips from hers and tilted her chin up with his fingers. She opened her eyes to meet his hazel ones, rimmed with undeniable passion.
“Is that the type of kiss you give to a woman when you are falling in love?”
Rendered speechless, she could only nod her head.
“Just checking.” He caressed her lower lip, reddened from his kisses, with the edge of his thumb. “See you downstairs in ninety minutes.”
He graced her with a seductive smile and she stood in amazement as he turned and walked down the hallway.
Cara slid into her room, shut the door and leaned against it.
What was that all about?
For the moment, she didn’t care. She just wanted to savor the kiss that still sparkled on her lips and not think about the possibility that he might be falling in love with her.
Or that she might be falling in love with him. Both scenarios would be more than she could hope for, and more than she could handle right now.
And although she realized that his offer of dinner was likely not meant to be a date, his kisses told a different story.
Why not indulge in the fantasy for once?
She decided that for one night, she would pretend that she was Alex Dovington’s woman, his confidante, his lover. The only one he desired, needed and loved.
Dreams-come-true always seemed to pass her by. But she had a strong feeling that tonight was the beginning of a whole new adventure.
* * *
Back in his own room, Alex stretched out on the bed and closed his eyes, reliving the tenderness of Cara’s tawny-pink lips, full and luscious, upon his own. It was a kiss he never wanted to forget.
But what had gotten into him, swooping her off her feet with a kiss that she wasn’t likely to forget, either? Although he could play any ballad like his heart had been broken a thousand times, he wasn’t the romantic type. He’d even dropped the L word!
He knew the answer. Cara.
This woman, with the wild corkscrew hair and sweet disposition, was making him do things he’d never done before. Feel things he’d never felt before.
He’d never felt so moved by desire for one woman as he was for Cara.
His erection strained against his pants, begging for some kind of release. But he kept his hands at his sides and remained still, content to allow himself to be a prisoner of his passion for her.
His beyond-beautiful, unbelievably sexy reading teacher.
Although she held a certain innocence that was appealing, he was playing with fire and he knew it.
The fact that she stole his music, with no regard to his feelings or the consequences of her actions, was enough evidence to justify some doubt about her character. He was trying to get past it, and although her reason for doing it seemed plausible, forgiving her was difficult.
He desperately wanted to believe that she wasn’t like all the other women he’d come into contact with in his life. Money-hungry, power-seeking, back-stabbing ladies who thought playing with his heart was just part of the “game.”
What they didn’t know is that love was never a game to him. It was a gift.
Their audacious confidence was all for nothing. Those women never stood a chance.
Cara, on the other hand, was a woman he wanted to know intimately, feel deeply, and make her his own.
She was on the opposite side of his usual spectrum of dating choices. And despite his best efforts to remain cool and detached, she was wriggling her way into his heart.
That was a feat in itself.
Ever since he’d lost his twin brother, his heart had been closed to anyone and everyone. Sure, it had happened years ago, but he could remember it as if it was yesterday. Some hurts never heal, especially when you’re the cause.
Slowly, she was breaking through his self-imposed wall of bitterness and hesitation. Her patience with him for the past two days was worthy of sainthood, in his opinion. He knew he could be a real pain in the butt when he felt like it.
He remembered that when he got the news from Tommy that he’d hired Cara to teach him to read, he was angry beyond belief.
But right now, he had the strangest urge to call his aging manager and thank him.
He chuckled low. If it wasn’t for Tommy, he wouldn’t have experienced one of the most freeing moments in his life. One he definitely wanted to experience again.
The next time he kissed her, he wouldn’t be able to stop. By the way she responded to him, he didn’t think she would mind at all. She might accept him into her bed, but would she let him into her heart?
He had to admit that Cara was out of his league. She was intelligent and well-read, with an aura of quiet confidence that was evidenced in her demeanor. He loved the way she walked, dressed and spoke. She made him laugh with a sharp sense of humor that always kept him on his toes.
Yes, Cara Williams was class, elegance and playful sexiness all wrapped up in a body that would drive a blind man to distraction.
So what if she couldn’t cook?
The most appealing thing about her was how much she cared about him. He could tell that about her almost instantly.
Back at his town house, when he confessed his fear of public humiliation, she acknowledged his concerns with grace. Somehow she knew how important it was to him to maintain his dignity through this ordeal.
And just now, when he was struggling to make sense of the letters and sounds, he’d felt her silently cheering him on. Her smiles of encouragement meant more to him than she would ever know.
Normally, he couldn’t be forced into anything and yet here he was, kicking and screaming his way to a world he’d never known. Deep down, he realized that Cara was the key to his success.
But she could also be his downfall.
He ran his hand over his head, suddenly remembering he’d yet to put the final touches on his tune.
He’d never let any woman get in the way of his music, but that was exactly what had happened today—and yesterday for that matter. And he was horrified that a part of him didn’t give a damn.
To hell with Mo and Sharp Five Records, he thought for the hundredth time.
His dream to open up his own recording and publishing company was always in the back of his mind. He wanted to be his own boss, chart his own course. Taking orders from someone had never suited him. It angered him that his very future in music hinged on the bottom-line revenue of his next album.
Instead of feeling blessed by his success, he felt trapped.
His goals had felt out of his reach until he’d met Cara, who had inspired a glimmer of hope within him.
It was too soon to tell how well he would read at the book tour, but he was starting to feel more comfortable. His heart swelled with pride, and he was surprised that he was even starting to like reading—a little. Words didn’t seem like the enemy anymore.
His mood sobered when he remembered that she was only on contract for the weekend. When Monday rolled around and they were back in Harlem, he would never see her again. Although he sensed she was attracted to him, she’d already indicated that her first love was her work. They had that much in common.
He rose and sat on the edge of the bed to prepare for his shower. He slowly removed his pants and boxers, groaning when the hardened length of his penis sprang forth.
Better make this an ice-cold shower.
If not, he knew he wouldn’t be able to make it through dinner without stripping her naked and taking her on his own wild ride.
The fantasy alone was tempting enough to make it happen right now, although he feared making love to her one time wouldn’t be enough.
He knew without a doubt that he wanted and needed more than just a casual, platonic relationship with Cara. There was so much he didn’t know about her that he wanted to discover.
But he cared about her enough to realize that friendship was the only fair and realistic option. She deserved the stability of a husband, not the unpredictable lifestyle of a professional musician.
Had he set her up for a fall by asking her to dinner?
No, he rationalized. She would not take his invite that way. For the past two days, she had tried to maintain a professional relationship. He was the one who had taken it to the next level with a kiss that surpassed even his wildest expectations.
Besides, if she knew what he’d done in the past, she would probably hate him. Or at least lose all respect for him. His heart grieved a little at all the mistakes he had made years ago that were still costing him dearly today.
He sincerely hoped that someday he would have the courage to tell her his story, and more important, upon learning the truth that she would have the courage to stay with him—if only as a friend.
It was all he could hope to be to her.
He heard the water go on in the bathroom, and he swore silently. Cara had beaten him to the shower—again. Knowing her, all the hot water would be gone when she was finished.
He sighed as he plopped back down on the bed to wait his turn. It looked like his wish for a cold shower was about to come true. Too bad his dream of having her in his arms forever would likely remain a fantasy.
Chapter 7
Ninety minutes later, Alex went downstairs, fully expecting Cara to keep him waiting while she did whatever women do to get ready to go out. But she was already there. And she took his breath away.
“Wow.” He whistled low. “You look fantastic!”
She blushed in return, pleasing him. He took his time admiring her. His eyes raked over her gray dress with spaghetti straps that was cut low enough to tease and let him imagine the rest.
“Turn around, please.”
She gave him a curious look, but then twirled slowly.
He loved the way the knee-length dress shimmered around her bare legs as she turned. It fit her well-toned body beautifully. Her curly mane was down and flowed around her shoulders. High-heeled silver sandals completed the ensemble.
She looked like an angel.
Remembering his vow to use tonight to further cultivate a “friends-only” relationship, he said a silent prayer. He could look, but not touch. Tonight, he would definitely need divine intervention to keep his hands off of her.
He smiled. “Ready to go?”
“Yes. Can’t wait!”
When they reached his black Porsche Boxster, he opened the door and waited for her to get in and buckle her seat belt before he entered on the driver’s side.
“I hope you don’t mind riding in this.”
She crossed her legs and he enjoyed watching the smooth and sexy motion.
“Not at all. I’ve always wanted to ride in a Porsche.”
“Great. I keep this just for going into town. My limo will be here tomorrow evening to pick us up and take us back to Harlem.”
He thought he detected a shadow cross her face, but quickly dismissed that notion. She was the one who said she was going to recommend another reading teacher to him once they got back to Harlem.
Clearly, she wasn’t losing sleep over the fact that their weekend together was almost over.
“Do you hear that?” he said, admiring the low purr of the engine. “It’s like music to a man’s ears!”
She laughed. “How fast does it go?”
“As fast as you want it to go, baby!” he shot back with a wink.
She cracked up, and he laughed along with her.
“Hmm.” Her lips arched into a mischievous smile. “Why don’t you show me?” Her throaty voice made his palms sweat.
He grinned. “When you say it like that, your wish is my command.”
After looking both ways, he gripped the steering wheel, pressed on the gas and away they went.
Cara whooped with delight as they flew around the mountainous curves at lightning-fast speeds.
It had been a long time since he made a woman so happy with such a simple, albeit somewhat dangerous, show of machismo. Normally, all he’d get was “the eyeball roll” with a bored sigh on the side.
The evening was starting out with a bang, and he hoped it would only get better.
* * *
About twenty heart-stopping minutes later, they screeched to a halt in front of Idella’s Country Carriage House, spraying gravel all the way.
“Was that fast enough for you?”
“Incredible!” she replied, her eyes dancing with excitement. “Let’s do it again!”
The pure joy on her face lit him up on the inside with happiness. “There’s more where that came from, but let’s eat first. I’m starved.”
Just then, the valet opened up the passenger door and Cara got out. Alex dropped the keys into the man’s hand and escorted her through the restaurant’s foyer.
“Mr. Dovington!” The pretty hostess beamed at the couple. “It’s great to see you again! We have everything ready. Right this way, please.”
As they walked to their table, there were curious glances from the patrons, a few waves, and a not-so-silent whistle.
Alex pulled out Cara’s chair, admiring the delicate roundness of her shoulders as she sat down.
