Chapter 6
Since our plans changed, Brian insisted he pay for dinner. But at these outrageous menu prices, I would need to sleep with him in order to be even again. That was not an option.
I studied my surroundings after the server took our order. Dark floors complimented the hardwood tables. Pictures depicting forest landscapes were on the walls. Animal heads and antique farming tools mounted on the walls aided the rustic cabin theme. Nearly every seat in the restaurant was taken, which could mean one thing they served good food.
A server walked by with a tray weighed down by steaming plates. Shrimp rested on rice next to cubed potatoes and steak covered with onions and bell pepper. My mouth watered while my stomach growled at the delicious aroma.
“The next time we go out, we’ll eat first.”
The deep timbre of Brian’s voice took my mind away from hunger pains.
“Who said there would be a next time?”
A lopsided grin spread on his handsome face as he reached for his cup of water. “Call it wishful thinking.”
“Anyway, this isn’t exactly a date.”
Brian chuckled. “That’s not what you told Harry.”
“I said you were my date so he would let go of me.” I allowed a half smile.
Brian laughed loudly. “It definitely worked.”
Another server delivered a tray to the patrons sitting across from us. I contemplated the events of this evening. In the past few hours, Brian entertained me with live music, we slow danced, and a seventy-year-old man made a move on me. Most dates were boring, but not this one.
An outburst of cheers and clapping disturbed the ambiance as servers walked by singing happy birthday. I studied Brian as he watched the show. He’d ditched the tie and vest in his truck before loosening the top three buttons of his shirt. His chiseled features deep blue eyes under thick eyebrows, cocky smile, and curly blond hair - were heart-stoppingly handsome.
My gaze followed the movement of his Adam’s apple down the opening of his shirt. It had been impossible to ignore his hard body as we danced. His rough fingers were strong and sure on my body. His eyes drew me deep into the sea of blue. My initial reaction was to press myself against him because it felt…secure. How could being in his arms have felt right? I barely knew the man.
Brian’s attention turned back to me. He smiled. “What are you thinking?”
I straightened in the booth, glad he couldn’t read my thoughts. “Javan is your roommate. You guys are nothing alike.”
“Are you one of his ‘friends’?” He made air quotation marks, his expression curious and eyebrows creased.
“Do you mean am I sleeping with him? No, he’s dating my roommate, Yasmine. She’s the one who called you.”
Relief seemed to dawn on his face. “I’ve never met her, but tell her I said thanks. So, how did you two become roommates?” I reached for my cup of water.
“We met in college, lived in the same dorm room, and graduated the same year. We decided to rent a house together.” He shrugged. “Economically, it works for the both of us.”
“Do you guys get along? I don’t know Javan, but…he makes me nervous.”
Brian’s eyebrow’s creased. “Nervous? How?”
“I only run into him when he picks Yasmine up. I’ll answer the door, and it’s as if he’s mentally undressing me.” Goose bumps sprouted along my skin at the thought.
Brian looked away. “Javan plays games with people. He studied to be a shrink and likes to experiment. In college, his favorite past time was finding out how many women he could manipulate.” He shook his head, a look of disappointment on his face. “I figured he’d stop once we graduated, but apparently he hasn’t. Just ignore him, and he’ll move on to somebody else.”
I hoped he’d do it soon. Telling Yasmine about her new man was the last thing I wanted to do.
“That’s enough about him. Tell me about you.”
“What do you want to know?”
“You’ve got roommates. How did you meet?”
“Same as you, in college. Kaitlyn and I lived in the same dorm room. Yasmine lived off campus. We bonded like sisters.” I paused. “You’d like Kaitlyn. I’ll introduce you sometime.”
He appeared baffled. “You want me to meet your roommate? Thanks, but no thanks.”
“Are you sure? She’s very pretty, blond hair, green eyes, and big boobs. You didn’t notice at the club? Every guy in the room gravitated toward her.”
Brian remained quiet, his eyes steady on mine. “Are you insecure?”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m asking because you don’t understand. I like you. Are you telling me about her because she’s white?”
My back went up in defense. “No, I’m not insecure. You seem like a nice guy and Kaitlyn would like you. Besides, you guys might have some things in common.”
Brian’s eyebrows lifted. “Ebony, you don’t know me. How can you say we could have something in common?”
“Well, you’re both single.”
His gaze stayed on mine as he drank from his beer. “You and I are both single. I bet we have some things in common, too.” He sipped again. “We’re approaching this relationship differently.”
I scoffed. “We don’t have a relationship.”
He sat quietly, watching the remnants of his beer as he swirled it around. “When you look at me, what do you see?”
I preoccupied myself with the ring on my napkin. “A white man─”
“Obviously,” he said before I finished my thought.
I forced myself to look at him. “…who is not my type.”
Brian nodded, drained the last of his beer, and sat back in the booth. When he spoke again, his eyes focused on mine. “You know what I see?” His gaze traveled to my mouth and lingered.
Damn, when was the last time any man looked at me that way?
“The first time I saw you, your curves were what got my attention.” He smiled. “A man would have to be Stevie Wonder not to notice you.”
“You and every man there,” I mumbled, crossed my arms, and focused on a picture across the restaurant. I couldn’t hide the heat in my cheeks though.
“I’m not finished.”
The commanding tone of his voice drew my attention.
“At the bar, up close, your eyes revealed more than just a pretty face and hot body. You’re intelligent and witty. I like that. I want to know you, Ebony.” He paused to lick his lips. “Once I do…I want you in my bed.”
My eyes widened in shock.
“Let me get this straight. You want to sleep with me, but you want to get to know me first?” I shook my head. “Is this supposed to be some line to get me naked?”
His dazzling blue gaze was mischievous. “No, it’s putting my cards on the table.”
“You know, no matter what race, all men are alike.” I sat back, irritation in my voice and heat in between my legs. Damn. The man was good.
“We all have dicks, but that’s where I draw the line.” He grinned.
I bit my lip to keep from laughing and shot him a look filled with daggers instead.
Brian’s smile faded. “Ebony, what bothers you most? The color of my skin or the fact I want to sleep with you?”
“Both.”
“Is there something wrong with me wanting you? Everything doesn’t have to be about skin color.”
“Maybe not for you but back home, people voice their disapproval of interracial dating.”
“Where are you from?”
“North Carolina.”
“That explains a few things. Look, you’re in California, home of legalized weed. An interracial couple is nothing.”
“It’s only legal by prescription. Besides, no matter where you go, people still look at interracial couples differently.”
“That’s their problem. What you need to understand is this: I could care less about the color of our skin. I like you, I’m attracted to you, and I want to know you. Let go of your inhi
bitions and take a chance.” His voice went cocky. “Besides, if all I wanted was sex, you would have been in my bed the night we met.”
Laughter shot out of me. “How do you figure that? I left.”
Brian continued as though I hadn’t spoken. “If I wanted sex…” His voice deepened as he placed his elbows on the table and leaned toward me. His blue gaze caught me, leaving me speechless. “I could have you tonight.”
My body felt as if it would burst into flames. It was impossible to dispute his comment.
I struggled to regain my senses. “You are another cocky, arrogant son of a─”
“Cocky, hell yeah,” He shrugged and sat back again. “Arrogant about a few things. The word you’re looking for is confident. You like confidence, remember?” He flashed a devilish smile as the server returned with our meal.
The image of Brian standing half-naked and sweaty in my yard forced its way into my mind. Annoyed, I pushed at the vegetable pilaf on my plate. He was definitely confident. Knowing what he wanted turned me on. But that didn’t mean I would land in his bed.
We sat in silence. Brian cut his steak while I tried to ignore the stares coming at us from across the room. To be honest, I wouldn’t mind spending time with him. But at what cost? I forced a forkful of food in my mouth. It was hard to ignore the table of women who watched me. You would think I had stolen one of their boyfriends.
“When was the last time you went on a date?” Brian asked, as he cut into his baked potato.
“Honestly? Since this is not officially a date, I guess Harry would be it.”
Brian let loose a big laugh. “Damn, my feelings just got hurt. Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider? That way you can change your status from dating an older man to a young one.”
“Ha, ha, very funny.” I continued to pick at my food. “Men try to ask me out all the time. I tend to avoid their invitations.”
Brian looked past me. “You definitely have the eye of those men over in the corner.” He nodded in their direction.
I followed his gaze. He was right, I did have their attention, but they scrutinized both of us. When I turned, Brian stared back at them as intently as they stared at us. I cleared my throat, drawing his gaze.
“The problem is men assume I’m a model, a video dancer, or a stripper. A man once offered me money for a private show,” I said in disgust. “My goal is to get my education. Unfortunately, no one sees beyond my body.”
“I do.” All laughter left his voice.
I broke his gaze and played with my rice. No man had ever said that. Not even Patrick.
“What made you come to California to go to school? It’s a long way from home.” He turned his attention back to the plate, cutting into his steak.
“U.C.L.A. They are a good school, plus they’re near one of the best schools for veterinary medicine.” I sampled my rice.
“What did you take?”
“Biology.” Pride filled me as I watched his eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “I graduated with a bachelor’s degree and am working on my veterinary degree. This fall will be my final year.”
“I’m impressed. How long have you been in school?”
“Seven years. I start my final classes this fall.”
“Damn.” He laughed. “I did my four years and got out. Enough was enough.” He reached for his water, sipped. “That’s when the band formed. We were all music majors and started playing our freshmen year. We’ve been together ever since.”
“When did you graduate?”
“Five years ago.”
I did a quick calculation. “We were there at the same time. You graduated a year ahead of me.”
Brian looked up from his plate. “Small world, huh?”
“It seems like it.”
“I admire your dedication. It takes discipline to stay in school that long.”
His statement made me look at him differently. Most guys thought my work was a waste of time.
“What made you decide to become a vet?” He grabbed his fork and dove into his baked potato with gusto. The man was serious about his food.
“My father manages an animal rescue and adoption center. I spent my weekends and summers helping him. My first paying job was working at the local animal hospital cleaning cages and walking dogs.” I shrugged. “That’s when I decided what to do with the rest of my life.”
“What are your plans after graduation?” He listened in rapt attention.
“What I really want is to work full-time at the Los Angeles Zoo. I intern there now, so my foot is in the door. They’re going to have a few permanent spots to fill next year. I want one of them to be mine.” Hiding the determination in my voice was impossible.
“Hmm, passionate about what you want out of life. What are you doing to make it happen?”
I picked up my knife and sliced through my steak like butter. “I worked my butt off for the internship. I also work part-time as a veterinary assistant in an exotic animal hospital. Anything I could do to build my résumé, believe me, I’ve done it.”
“What about grades?”
My attention diverted from my food. Most guys would have begun talking about themselves by now.
“I maintained a three-point-nine GPA for the last five years.”
“Now I’m really impressed.” He smiled his approval.
Hearing Brian’s praise was refreshing and unnerving. No one besides my family and friends ever took my passion for my profession seriously. He knew nothing about me, yet seemed genuinely pleased.
I cut another piece of my steak; it was the best I’d ever eaten. Then again, maybe it was the company that made it better. “My turn.”
“Ask away.”
“What type of women have you dated? What’s different about me? And you have to be honest.”
Brian wiped his mouth with his napkin and sat back in the booth, a look of satisfaction on his face. His plate was empty.
“I have no problem with honesty.” He paused. “I haven’t dated in a year.”
I eyed him suspiciously. “Women at the club practically threw themselves at you.”
He smiled. “If you mean dated as in having a steady relationship, then it’s been a year. If you mean when I last had sex, then two weeks would be right.”
Hearing him say the word again made me warm in all the right places.
“Ah, you’re one of those types.” I nodded in understanding while trying not to imagine him naked.
“What type?”
“A guy with a phone full of numbers for girls to hook up with.”
Brian shrugged. “I used to, but right now I’ve got other things taking up my time.”
“You mean you don’t have anyone you spend time with? No friends-with-benefits? I don’t believe you.”
Oh crap, the words just flew out of my mouth. What was I thinking? Who he did in his spare time was none of my business.
“No, the position is empty. Are you interested?” A sly grin appeared on his face.
I laughed. “I’ve never understood how people can have sex with someone and not be in a relationship of any kind. Yasmine does it all the time. Why is everything about sex? What about friendship or love? You have to relate to a person in order to truly enjoy sex.”
Ok, I was being the greatest hypocrite. I was guilty of having a friends-with-benefits relationship with Patrick. The rules we’d established hadn’t changed the relationship status.
Brian laughed. “Ebony, when you break it down, everything is about sex. It’s human nature.”
“No, it isn’t,” I protested. “Not for me.”
“So what you’re saying is you would be interested in a permanent relationship.”
Uh-oh, this conversation strayed way off track. My efforts to dig out of it only made it worse.
“Well, no. I’m not looking for anything. What I mean is…”
He smirked. “Then answer this. Why am I not your type?”
How in the hell did I answer withou
t sounding like an idiot? I glanced up and saw Brian patiently waiting for a reply.
“I have a certain physical preference, that’s all.”
“Uh huh. Is it racial or physical?” Before I could answer, he said, “I saw you checking Derrick out, he’s engaged by the way.”
“Who’s Derrick?”
“He’s the drummer. So it’s safe to assume since he’s built like a linebacker, that’s what you want.”
I wanted to open my mouth, but couldn’t.
Brian cocked his head to the side. “Hmm, no response. I must be right. Unless,” he held up a finger, “it’s about me being white. What’s the matter, you don’t think I could please you in bed?”
I could not answer any of his questions. Any reply would leave me sounding like a jackass or racist; I was neither. The only thing I was certain of was being uncomfortable with seeing Brian after tonight. He was smart, witty, and knew how to challenge my mind. I liked him.
“Brian, I’m not like that. If I went to bed with you, it would be because I like you. I’m not basing anything on stereotypes or ignorant thinking. When I sleep with a man, I have certain requirements.”
One of his eyebrows lifted. “What requirements?”
“Monogamy. No long-term commitment required, just…I don’t want to wonder if you were with someone else when not with me.”
“I can handle that.” Brian’s expression had gone serious.
Oh man. I felt my eyes widen and skin flush.
“But since you’ve made it obvious sex is not an option, I’m willing to settle on being friends,” he added.
Our server walked by and placed the check on the table. I reached for my purse just as Brian dug into his wallet.
“You don’t have to─”
“I’ve got this. You can pay for dinner the next time we go out if it makes you happy.”
I scoffed. “Who said there would be a next time?”
Brian placed his credit card on the tray with the bill and handed it to our server. He waited until he walked away to reply. “Because, Ebony, you like me. We can be friends and still go out. We’ll just leave out sex.”
We stared at each other. His smile was halfcocked, eyes intent on mine. Even though he didn’t speak, the unspoken words, for now, echoed in my head.