Page 8 of Tempted to Love You
“No problem. Right this way.”
Following behind the hostess, my eyes bounce around the room, taking in the other patrons enjoying their lunches. Just before reaching the table where the hostess is standing, I see the man who helped me make it out of Ritown Projects withoutincident. A warm smile upturns my lips as I lift my finger to let the hostess know to give me a second before walking up to the neighboring table.
“Good afternoon.” I greet him, causing Rakai to look up from the phone in his hand.
The panty-melting grin he gives me has my honeypot thumping lightly as I take in the man before me. Rakai’s deep, dark skin, low fade with waves deep enough to swim in, and muscular upper body have me appreciating every detail of the Master’s handiwork in creating this fine specimen. The black suit with a pale blue dress shirt and no tie has me curious about what lies beneath the confines of his clothing. The watch on his wrist looks like a regular timepiece, not the expensive ones my ex insisted on pretending to afford.
“Have you gotten a good picture, Ms. Revish?” Rakai’s voice snaps me out of the slow perusal of his body, forcing my eyes back to his.
“Sorry.”
“You’re good. I can appreciate a woman who isn’t afraid to let a man know she finds him attractive. The sentiment is mutual.”
Fighting the smirk begging to happen with the shifting of my lips, I turn to look over my shoulder, where the hostess is patiently waiting for me.
“Would you like to join me for lunch?” Rakai asks.
The option of dining with a handsome man like Rakai makes the thought of dining alone less than stellar, so I give in.
“Sure. Let me just let the hostess know. She’s been patiently waiting for me, and I don’t want to continue being rude.”
“Take your time, mama. I ain’t going nowhere.”
My honeypot thumps wildly at the huskiness within Rakai’s cords, and I nod wordlessly before walking off to inform the smiling hostess. This might turn out to be the best lunch I’ve had in a long while. My pulse is racing, my feet feel like I’m gliding,and it’s taking everything in me not to grin from ear to ear at the impromptu lunch date I’m about to have. The air of mystery seeping through Rakai’s pores collides with an underlying hood persona that has me extremely curious.
“So, tell me a little about Rakai Crawford.”
“I’m unsure if we should embark upon that conversation so early.” The mysterious gleam in Rakai’s dark eyes made me subconsciously lean closer.
“I do, though. I’m intrigued by the fact that you walked into my situation without an ounce of fear or trepidation. Most people wouldn’t have blinked at that man holding a gun to my chin, yet you did. So, I’m curious to learn more about you.”
“Can you handle anything I share without running away?”
Silence pierces the air around us while I ponder Rakai’s question and contemplate the possibilities within his answer. The truth is I’m not sure that whatever he tells me will cause me to run. A ton of various thoughts flow in and out of my mind, making me squirm from being anxious for the information. Then one lone possibility slams into my head, and before I can stop it, the question forming tumbles out of my mouth.
“Are you a murderer? That would definitely have me running away and possibly filing a restraining order.”
“Aww, that’s cute. To answer your question… not anymore.”
Wrinkles dance on my forehead, and a small frown forms as my phone vibrates, preventing me from responding.
“Excuse me for a second,” I voice, retrieving my phone from my purse, frowning upon seeing my boss’s name flashing on my screen. “Hello.”
“Sorry to bother you. I know you’re at lunch, but what’s your ETA on returning to the station? A meeting has come up, and I need you to participate in the discussion,” Lisa informs me with a pleading tone that causes me to hang my head.
“Okay. I’ll grab my food to go and be there as soon as I can.”
“Thank you, Latia. I appreciate you.” With that, Lisa disconnects the call.
“See? You’re about to run without any context to what I said.” Rakai’s voice has me lifting my head to see the smirk on his lips and the merriment in his eyes.
“I’m not running, especially since I definitely need more context. The fact that you said no longer tells me that judging you for who you were versus who you showed me would be judgmental. Sometimes, second chances can be beneficial and life changing.”
“I like the way you think, mama. I know you need to go, but can we exchange numbers? I’d like an opportunity to talk to you again.”
My heart beats wildly, causing slight pains to stretch across my chest as I bite the corner of my lip while pondering the inquiry.
“No matter how many people might or might not have died at my hands, you will never have a reason to fear me. The man I am today no longer validates the man I was yesterday.”
