Page 94 of Seasoned
“Why am I not surprised?” Adelaide said.
“We need to toast to motherhood.” Renee held up her glass.
“To motherhood!” Adelaide and Jackie screamed, so loud a five-member family lounging nearby turned in their direction.
Smiling and laughing, the three of them clinked their glasses together and hooted and hollered some more.
Finally, they calmed down, sipping wine as the sun went down behind the horizon and splashed its red and orange rays across the blue sea.
6
Their first date was at his apartment. How convenient. The short-term rental offered a great view of the city from three wide windows that overlooked the water.
He’d even put out a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, her favorite red, which she sipped as she watched him work in the kitchen. He wore a long-sleeved forest-green shirt and black trousers under a white apron with the wordsYou know you want someembroidered in red on the front.
And boy, did Jackie want some. Tyson was a triple threat. Good-looking, good-smelling, and on top of all of that, he cooked. But she’d already made up her mind that she wouldnotsleep with him and would stick to her decision, no matter what Renee said.
That didn’t mean she couldn’t look her best, though. She wore a paisley purple and green wrap dress and three-inch strappy heels. She’d gotten her teeny-weeny Afro colored red to hide the grays that had taken over a third of her hair, and for her biweekly mani-pedi at the spa, she’d had them paint her toenails and fingernails lavender.
The rib eyes Tyson picked up from the butcher sizzled on the indoor grill when he turned them over with tongs, and their scent filtered into the living room where she stood.
Jackie sauntered over to the bar, rested on her elbows, and watched him work. “Those smell heavenly.”
“I’m not going to brag like a lot of men do and say this is my own special recipe, but you’re going to love them, believe me.” He turned away from the grill long enough to flash one of his megawatt smiles before going back to work.
Jackie’s gaze made its way down his back to his firm behind. Lord, that man had a beautiful ass—so beautiful she was tempted to grab it.
“You want to listen to some music?” Tyson asked.
“That would be nice.”
“Old or new?”
“What do you think?”
He chuckled and wiped his hand on a towel and picked up a remote from the counter and pressed a button. The lights in the room lowered. She looked at him but he only smiled and then pointed the remote at the system in the living room. “Never Too Much” by Luther Vandross came through the speakers.
Jackie swayed to the music.
“That’s his greatest hits album. The only artist I enjoy more is Charlie Wilson,” Tyson said.
“I like him, too, but Luther does something to me. We’re going to have to listen to the whole album.”
Tyson watched her dancing solo in his living room. “You have some great moves,” he said.
“So I’ve been told.”Stop flirting. Stop flirting.
His lips parted as he was about to speak, then he shook his head as if he’d changed tactics, and said, “I’ll get the salads together.”
Jackie would’ve offered to help, except he’d already refused her first two offers. Clearly, he wanted to be responsible for making tonight special all on his own. He set a big salad in a wooden bowl on the table in the alcove off from the kitchen. Soon, twice-baked potatoes, the rib eyes, and the bottle of red wine joined the bowl.
“Dinner is served,” Tyson said. He neatly folded the apron and placed it on the counter. Then he pulled out one of the chairs at the table.
Jackie sat down with a flourish and glanced over her shoulder at him. “This all looks delicious. I feel rather special.”
He bent to her ear. “Youarerather special.”
His breath brushed her skin and she froze, aware of the heat and warmth his body exuded. Only when Tyson was seated opposite her did she breathe easy.
