Almost Perfect: A BWWM Billionaire Single Parent Romance (8 page)

“
Like
I said, I will consider it. And if I do decide to come I will drive
my own car.”

The
pain in Richard’s head subsided enough for him to muster a
grin, matching her coy smile. Before he reached the door, he glanced
back at the caramel beauty behind the desk and placed his hands on
the knob. As the door swung open, she fired her parting statement. “I
am sure there are some very pretty girls with new breasts more than
willing to play bedside nurse.”

He
lingered at the door before shaking his head at the lawyer he had
hired. She must be a killer in court.

It
was with no less than a Herculean effort that Kimberly waited until
the last possible moment to take lunch. Yes, he was her boss, but
men, white and black alike, needed to feel the risk of not getting
what they wanted.

There
were words of caution ringing through her head as she started the
engine of her little red sports car. Don’t be the easy black
girl who slept with the man in charge. If this was indeed a touch of
jungle fever, she would not be a willing participant in his fetish.
Maybe the fantasy wasn’t one sided. Kimberly was secretly
curious about how Richard would perform in bed. He was tall and had a
slow saunter that made her believe his hips would be perfect for
thrusting. Richard wore cologne that lingered when he left a room and
Kimberly wanted to rub her face into his neck and stay there.

Restaurant
Bella was a small but upscale Italian eatery. In the center of a busy
downtown shopping district, it attracted professionals and
businessmen seeking good food and more importantly, privacy. Small,
intimate booths separated by etched glass gave it a vintage feel, but
the contemporary seats and polished tables brought it into the modern
century.

Of
course, there was the average business man and then there was Richard
Damask. Despite his humble demeanor, the dollars behind his name
guaranteed almost royal treatment.

“
Ms.
Walsh?” The hostess at the door asked, and Kimberly took a
moment to figure out how she knew her name.

Recovering
after a split second, she responded, “Yes… Yes I am Ms.
Walsh.”

“
Come
with me, Mr. Damask is waiting for you in the reserved lounge.”

Following
behind the curt woman, Kimberly took in the ambiance of the place.
Quaint and cozy. The right place to discuss company matters or to
pursue love interests uninterrupted. Today was the day for the
latter.

From
the café front, one could be deceived into thinking that the
few scattered booths made up the entire dining space but that was not
true. A door behind the last booth disappeared into a tiny hallway.
It smelled of cigars and whiskey, but it was not stale. Alone on the
staircase, the two trotted up a few steps, encountering another door.

The
Lounge, as it was called, was a small, softly lit room. The table had
only two chairs. Next to a floor to ceiling window, those seated
would enjoy a view of the skyline and the distant lake Cherish.
Neutral colored drapes hung on either side ready to shut out the
world if necessary, and Richard sat within inches of the switch that
would control it all. A wine steward was the only other person in the
room and they both turned to look at Kimberly and the hostess as they
entered the room.

“
Good
day, Mr. Damask, Ms. Walsh has decided to join you for lunch after
all.”

Alluding
to Kimberly’s lateness drew daggers from her eyes, but before
she could respond, the hostess disappeared to be borderline rude to
other guests.

“
Good
afternoon Richard, I was caught up with work at the office and my
boss is quite demanding. I couldn’t just leave on a whim. I’m
certain you understand.” It was ten minutes to three.

The
gleam in her eyes drew a deep rumbling laugh from Richard, who had
unfolded from his chair to greet her. Looking incredibly more relaxed
than earlier, he opened his arms for a hug, but then changed his mind
and stuck out a friendly hand instead.

He
laughed at her dry humor and this tickled Kimberly’s fancy- in
more ways than one. Above all things, a man with a sense of humor was
very enticing. One point for Richard. He was ready to chat. Hair
falling slightly over his left eye, he nervously smoothed it back
into place and simply gazed at her.

Transformed
into a teenager, Kimberly resisted the blush rising on her caramel
cheeks. Thanking God for her warm skin tone, she recovered and
commented on his now relaxed aura.

“
You
look rested. I was concerned about you this morning, but I see you
made a full recovery.” He rumbled again and addressed her
concerned.

“
Thank
you so much for worrying over me. Why would Madame Walsh care about
her task master? It seems that you may secretly care for this evil
person?”

Kimberly
could no longer contain the giggle bubbling in her tummy and it
erupted at a higher pitch than she predicted. Doubling over, she was
reduced to a girl again. The last time she laughed this much escaped
her memory, but she was happy for the moment.

Richard
had stopped laughing a while ago and was now seriously focused on her
lips. The tension grew and the sound of a clearing throat reminded
Kimberly and Richard that they were not alone. Standing there was the
wine steward in suspended animation waiting to pour Richard’s
selection.

Waving
his hand in a gesture of permission, Richard instructed the tall,
balding man to fill the waiting flutes. The liquid was bubbly and
floral, new to Kimberly’s palette. The electricity in the room
was evident and with the wine steward gone, they were now free to
explore each other- conversationally of course.

“
I
have taken the liberty of ordering the catch of the day if that’s
alright with you. The food here is exquisite and the view is…
well…” Sweeping his hand toward the window, he gestured
to the grand buildings and sparking water. His focus, however, was on
the view directly before him. What did she put on her skin that made
it glow so softly? Was it as soft as it looked? Richard stroked the
stem of his glass as his eyes roamed her body. Interrupted by her
melodic voice, he straightened in his chair and pretended to listen.
Tall and graceful, the building she was pointing to had caught her
attention. It looked like Tabletop towers to her and she wanted to
know if he agreed. Richard would have agreed to anything she said,
but his better judgment knew her intelligence would be insulted by a
casual response.

Kimberly
was one who commanded her partner to be fully present, and since
Richard seemed interested in filling the vacant spot, he had to be on
the top of his game.

“
That’s
not our building. That’s the law office of Karin & Saw. We
are on the other side. I didn’t think you had a weakness Ms.
Walsh. It seems geography is something I will have to help you with.”

Dark
eyes enhanced by mascara and an emotion he couldn’t identify,
Kimberly turned to look at Richard. He was more than correct about
her wit and intelligence. With a simple question she took the vibe in
the room to a whole new level.

“
Is
that all you want to help me with Richard?”

Her
once eloquent boss was reduced to nerves as he searched for a
response to a very plain question. She didn’t have time to
waste and wanted the cards on the table.

“
No.
It is not all I want to help you with.”

“
Do
tell me of your intentions.”

“
I
want to get to know you outside of work. There is something about you
I find intriguing and I would like to explore the possibility of us
being more than boss and employee. Is it something you would
consider?”

His
voice was strong and convicted, but the constant rubbing of his palms
over the thighs of his corduroy slacks gave away his lack of
confidence where matters of the heart were concerned.

Happy
that she wasn’t the only person nervous about this situation,
Kimberly maintained her serious face while Richard sold his pitch.
When he was finished Kimberly took the reins.

“
Handling
a woman like me may be a challenge. I’m opinionated and I take
pride in my work. My career is my main focus at this time and I enjoy
time to myself. Oh, and let’s not forget -I am black.”

Plain
as day and without hesitation, the matter of race was on the table.
It would have come up sooner or later. Leaning on the upholstered
back of the dinner chair, Kimberly sipped the golden liquid and
waited. She wanted him to acknowledge the issue. It would be a
problem for her if he pretended to be color blind.

“
Well,
if I were to respond to that, I would say I too am opinionated and I
am currently married to my work. My business means everything to me
and of course… I am white.”

Situation
deflected with a joke, they both cracked the thick air with laughter
and silently decided that skin color wouldn’t be an issue -at
least to them.

Dating
was a strange ritual and though humans were the inventors, they were
yet to master the process. The age old dance of questions followed.
In the case of boss and employee the process was the same. Richard
asked about her family and she asked about his. Answering truthfully
to all Kimberly asked, Richard ignored the little voice in the back
of his head. It was saying, “What about Jasmine?” With
much effort he turned the volume on his conscience down, and immersed
himself in her stories of Auntie Audrey and her extended family.
Kimberly’s history was colored by horrible events, but also
comical ones. She chose only to share the ones on the lighter side.

Lies
were not always as straightforward as speaking people think.
Sometimes it was omission that changed the course of things and this
situation proved to be no different.

Jasmine
was precious to him and she knew no other woman with Richard than her
mother. He consoled himself with the idea that things wouldn’t
work out with Kimberly anyway because they never did. If things never
got off the ground there would be no harm done and if they got
together, then Jasmine would be addressed accordingly. Kimberly’s
heart was tender. Surely, a small child would warm her heart and all
would be well. Unfortunately, there were no guarantees in life and
crossed fingers were sometimes all the protection that could be
called upon.

No
billionaire wants to hear the story of a girl who was orphaned and
often neglected. Besides, if he did, what could really be done about
the past? This was a passing obsession Kimberly told herself. Her
past and the truth of her life were of no consequence in this
situation. Nothing would become of this little distraction, she
assured herself. Richard would soon move on and she would be left
with the only person she deemed reliable-herself.

Afternoon
turned to early evening and long after the food was cleared from the
table, Kimberly and Richard stood admiring the lights in the city as
they popped on one by one. He was in the midst of his favorite
pastime, staring at her from behind, when she spun around only to be
met with a broad taut torso.

His
towering height was lowered to bring them face to face and before
logical thinking could intervene; Richard pressed his lips gently on
hers. Her soft, sweet clouds tasted like cotton candy, melting as the
taste hit his tongue leaving him longing for more.

Kimberly
yielded but then pulled away quickly. The lady her granny taught her
to be was yelling loudly in her head, “You don’t know
this man Kimberly Natalie Walsh. You are not an over eager slut. Take
your time.” She didn’t want to obey and the arch in her
back as she searched for the whisper of a kiss, betrayed her
thoughts. A body untouched for a long while reacts much more quickly
than any other and she was in heat.

Finally,
good morals and common sense took over and Kimberly opened her eyes
to meet the blue pools of desire washing over her body. He was
searching her. From head to toe he inspected her, eyes darting
quickly and the spark now officially was stroked enough to incinerate
the room.

Ducking
under the arm Richard had propped on the window, Kimberly narrowly
escaped the second kiss currently on the way. It would not have been
as gentle. He was apologizing. In no way did he want to make her feel
any discomfort, but the woman’s magnetism was maddening.

When
Richard regained composure Kimberly was gathering her purse and cell
phone from the table. Try as he might, he was unable to interpret her
face. Was she upset? Did he cross the line? Jesus, he didn’t
want to scare her away.

“
I’m
going to be leaving now Mr. Damask. See you tomorrow.” With
those words Kimberly closed the door and Richard was left still
trying to find the words necessary to make a sentence. In a quiet
room, he stood cursing the blown opportunity and wondering what he
should have done differently.