Deliver Me (20 page)

“That’s okay with you?” he asked Monica.

“Sure. I’m up for anything.”

Eli stifled another groaned. If she were really up for anything, he would
drop her friend off in the middle of the Quarter and head straight for his
house.

Eli turned onto Frenchmen Street, and luckily, found a parking spot only
steps away from the entrance to the Praline Connection.

“I’m warning you, Dr. Holmes, I take my food seriously.” Nia said as she
exited the car.

“You are about to eat the best cornbread in New Orleans,” Eli answered. “You’re
not watching your weight are you?”

“Nia doesn’t have to,” Monica answered for her friend. “She’s been
naturally skinny her whole life. She can eat an entire buffet and not gain a
pound. That’s why everyone hates her.”

“I am not skinny. I’m fine, sweetheart.” Nia wrapped her arm around
Monica. “And you know you love me.”

It was obvious they were best friends. They exhibited the same
camaraderie he shared with his brothers. Eli would bet money they would get in
a fight before the end of the night. He, Alex and Toby couldn’t be around each
other for more than a few hours before they were ready to kill one another.

Eli opened the door to the legendary restaurant and followed behind Nia
and Monica as the hostess showed them to a table. He’d called before leaving
his house, and had managed to reserve a table even though reservations weren’t
generally accepted.

“Can I start you off with an appetizer?” the hostess asked after handing
out menus and placing glasses of ice water in front of them.

“Ooh, why don’t you forget dinner and just bring me some of this homemade
bread pudding with praline sauce,” Nia said, smacking her lips.

“I second that,” Monica replied, closing her menu.

“Oh, come on. You two are not eating just dessert. Especially you,” Eli
nudged his head in Nia’s direction. “Monica can get this kind of food anytime,
but you can’t get cooking like this in St. Louis.” Eli turned to the hostess. “Bring
us the Taste of Soul platter and three orders of bread pudding.”

“Gumbo, fried catfish, greens, jambalaya. That’ll work.” Nia passed the
waitress her menu, folded her arms on the table and looked Eli directly in the
eyes. “So, you’re an obstetrician?”

“Yes,” Eli answered after taking a sip of water.

“He’s known as Super Doc around the hospital,” Monica teasingly
interjected.

Eli tried not to stare at her but it was impossible. The soft light above
their table glistened off her dark brown hair. The woman had the prettiest hair
he’d ever seen. He could say the same about her eyes.

Eli shook his head. This was bad. After years of vowing never to date
another doctor, here he was, sitting across the table from
Doctor
Monica Gardner, and all he could think about was dragging
his fingers through her hair.

Then again, he was a man. And what red-blooded, heterosexual male would
not fantasize when faced with her luscious, smooth skin and womanly curves? He
could just envision her naked on his living room couch.

Dragging his mind from the lust-filled tangent it had wandered off on,
Eli squeezed a slice of lemon into his water and downed the entire glass in an
effort to cool himself off. The waitress arrived with the large platter of
food. She removed the bud vase and placed their food in the center of the table.
“Enjoy,” she said, after handing out three smaller plates.

“This looks delicious,” Monica said.

“You ever thought about going into private practice, or are you content
at the hospital?” Nia asked.

“I’ve been at Methodist Memorial for years. I can’t imagine leaving.”

“Really? I would think private practice would be more rewarding, at least
financially.”

Eli knew a fishing expedition when he heard one. Nia was trying to scope
him out.

“Money isn’t everything,”
Eli responded. He waited for the waitress to refill his water glass. “How long
have the two of you been friends?” he asked, trying to gear the conversation
away from himself.

“Since the first grade,” Monica answered. “She stole my Wonder Woman
pencil.” She dipped a portion of fish in the tangy tartar sauce and popped it
into her mouth.

“I did not,” Nia protested. “It was a misunderstanding. To this day, I
still have no idea how that pencil wandered into my book bag. So,” Nia rested
her elbow on the table and placed her chin in her upturned palm. “How long have
you and Monica been dating?”

“Actually,” Eli caught the glare Monica shot Nia’s way. “We were
returning from our first “official” date when we drove up earlier this
afternoon. I took Monica to my niece’s birthday party.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize that!” she said innocently. There was definitely
something going on. If Monica’s eyes could shoot fire, Nia would be fried
crispier than the catfish on their plates.

“Have you ever been married?” Nia asked. Eli nearly spit his water across
the table.
 

“Nia Gardner!” Monica groused.

“Your last name is Gardner?” Eli asked.

“She’s married to my older brother, Phillip,” Monica bit out.

“So you two
are
sisters,” Eli stated, the picture
becoming clearer. Nia was married, so the noising into his personal life wasn’t
on her behalf. She was looking for someone for Monica. Interesting. “No, I’ve
never been married,” he answered.

“Engaged?”

“Okay, that’s enough.” Monica said, her lips thinned with anger. Nia
shrugged her shoulders, an innocent look on her face.

Oh, yeah. There would be a serious fight in a certain French Quarter
apartment tonight. Eli realized he would have to be careful around Nia. He
wanted his family and friends to believe he and Monica were really dating, but
he knew if he went overboard, overzealous relatives could make things a
thousand times more complicated. Instinct told him Nia was the matchmaker in
Monica’s life.

“Fill me in on what’s happening back home,” Monica said.

“Same old, same old,” Nia lifted her shoulder in a half-hearted shrug as
she heaped a scoop of jambalaya onto her plate.

“Has my mother convinced my father to come out of retirement yet?”

“No, but not for lack of trying,” Nia answered. “She’s pressing Phillip
to run for the state House of Representative seat. Arguing before the state
Supreme Court on a regular basis just isn’t enough. She thinks he needs loftier
goals.”

Eli noticed the shadow of annoyance that traveled over Monica’s face. “That
sounds about right where Mother is concerned. Even when you do your best, you
can always do better.”

“Here’s dessert,” Nia said. The cheerfulness in her voice seemed more
forced this time, Eli noticed. The waitress placed three servings of warm bread
pudding on the table, effectively putting an end to all conversation.

“Oh my goodness, this is so good,” Monica groaned halfway through her
dessert. She licked praline sauce from her knuckle and sucked it from the tip
of her finger.

As hard as he had tried
to keep his thoughts clean, that one act shot Eli’s efforts straight to hell.
His mind instantly conjured a picture of her tongue wrapped around a part of
his anatomy he damn sure shouldn’t be thinking about in a crowded restaurant.

Sitting at a table in the Praline Connection, surrounded by dozens of
people, Eli couldn’t help but imagine running his fingers through Monica’s hair
as she knelt before him, suckling his body, sending him from one pleasurable
peak to another.

Eli had to force his thoughts to change direction. There was only so much
of this he could take before embarrassing himself beyond all repair. If he knew
it would be this hard to resist her, Eli would have never suggested this whole
pretend dating thing. What in the hell had he gotten himself into?

“I ate that way too fast,” Monica said, pushing the empty dish away. “You’ve
hardly touched your dessert. You don’t like bread pudding?”

It took Eli a second to realize she was talking to him. “I ate most of
the Taste of Soul platter. I forgot to leave room for dessert.”

“Well, I’m happy I did,” Nia said, stacking her plate atop Monica’s. “That
was awesome. So, what’s next?” she asked.

“Are you two up for going to a club? Some new R&B singer my younger
brother discovered is performing at Snug Harbor.”

“Sounds good to me,” Nia said, as she picked at a sugar-covered pecan she’d
left on her dessert plate.

“I’m up for it,” Monica replied. “I don’t go in until tomorrow evening.”

“Well, come on,” Nia exclaimed, pushing out of her chair and heading for
the door.

Monica rose from the table, shaking her head. “I’m sorry about Nia,” she said
in a lowered tone.

“Forget it.” He took two twenties from his wallet and threw them on the
table.

“I’ve got dinner tonight,” Monica said, unclasping the tiny black bag.

“No, you don’t.”

“Paying for my sister-in-law’s meal was not a part of the deal,” she
said, still trying the clasp of her purse.

“Monica.” Eli put his hand on her arm and immediately realized his
mistake. If he’d wanted to keep thoughts of her body at bay, touching her warm,
silky skin was not the way to go about it.

Monica’s gaze traveled from where he touched her arm up to his face, and
the desire he saw in her eyes was strong enough to knock Eli to his knees.
 

“Uh...all right,” she uttered, her voice shaky. “I’m... I’ll see where
Nia went,” she said, disconnecting from his grasp. Without a backward glance,
she left Eli standing next to the table, contemplating again just what the hell
he’d gotten himself into.

***

Monica had no
question as to how Snug Harbor had acquired its name. The place was about the
size of a broom closet, but there was something to be said for quaint. The last
time Nia dragged her to a club there was hip hop blasting from speakers the
size of redwood trees, and dizzying strobe lights destined to send an epileptic
into a seizure.

Snug Harbor was the
polar opposite. Mellow lights shone off the rich wood beams that crisscrossed
the high ceilings. Tiny blue oil lamps cast a soft glow over the small round
tables. The laid back atmosphere was a welcomed relief.

Although there was
nothing Monica wanted more right now than to be locked in her bedroom. Alone.
The chaotic thoughts flowing through her mind were more than enough to keep her
company tonight.

What had happened
back there?

Either she was going
crazy, or she and Eli had shared a... Well, she didn’t know what they’d shared,
but after the lightening rod that shot through her body as his eyes stared into
hers, Monica knew they had shared
something
.

It was not supposed to happen this way. This was a business
deal, a strictly platonic mutual agreement. So why was the image of his
deep-set eyes burning a permanent mark on her brain?

“Having a good time
so far?”

Monica nearly jumped
out of her skin as Eli’s whispered words entered her ear, sending a slight
tremor down her spine.

“I didn’t realize it
was also restaurant,” she managed to choke past the lump in her throat.

“We can come back
another night for dinner, if you’d like.”

He’d gotten even
closer. Monica started feeling faint.

“What’s this?” Nia
asked, pointing to a series of pictures along the brick-laid wall. “A Mardi
Gras parade?”

Eli walked over to
examine the pictures. “No, a funeral procession.”

Nia shook her head. “Y’all
party for everything around here.”

“When did they start
letting in just anybody?”

A tall,
spectacularly built man with light brown skin and eyes like Elijah’s stood at a
door just beyond the bar. Eli met him halfway and the two embraced in a hug
most men would be ashamed to share in public.

“Boy, what are you
doing here? I though you weren’t coming until later this week?”

“I decided to
surprise Mama,” the other man answered.

His brother. She
should have known just by looking at him. The resemblance was unmistakable. The
two disengaged, but Eli kept his arm draped across his brother’s shoulder.

“And what do we have
here?” Eli’s brother asked with a voice as smooth as butter on a warm biscuit.

“This is Dr. Monica
Gardner, the new ER physician at the hospital, and her sister-in-law, Nia. Nia
is visiting from St. Louis. Ladies, this is my baby brother, Tobias.”

“Toby,” his brother
provided, extending his hand.

Oh goodness, another
one with a killer smile. Monica didn’t know what to make of these Holmes
brothers. There should be a signal that went off to warn any woman who came
within ten feet of them.

“So, you’re the
recording mogul?” Nia asked, taking Toby by the hand and entwining her arm with
his.