My Kind of Girl (8 page)

“
Something like that,”
Traci said, speeding up her steps before she gave into her desires.
“We’ll see. Maybe we can work on another project.” She opened the
front door, but Sean’s hand reached over her and slammed it
shut.

Wrapping his hands around her waist,
he pulled her toward him and lowered his lips to the back of her
neck. A soft sigh released from her throat while his mouth lightly
laid tender kisses on her skin that burned with each passing erotic
moment.

“
What kind of project do
you have in mind?” he whispered in her ear.

“
Um … you can add different
... colors of tulips … um … goodness … to liven the space up
amongst the shrubs,” she managed to stammer out as his tongue
continued to caress her. “Or … um … some other colorful …” She
stopped as his hands roamed down her sides and clamped her
hips.

“
Not what I meant, dimples.
I think perhaps we could work well together in other areas of my
home. Don’t you?”

She leaned her head back against his
chest but then pulled away, reaching for the door knob once more.
This time he didn’t stop her, but she looked at him over her
shoulder.

“
Perhaps.”

Chapter Five

Perhaps,
and the meaningful way Traci had said it, trampled
over in Sean’s mind like a broken record as he drove to Lillian’s.
He was able to arrange a table up front for Traci and her friend so
they would have a better view of the band. Apparently Caitlyn had a
thing for musicians and wanted to be as close as possible to the
stage. Sean hadn’t planned on going, but he couldn’t shake Traci
out of his thoughts, so by nine o’clock, he was headed downtown. He
had to see her again. He needed to know that she was serious
because the truth was he wanted her more than he deemed possible …
and not in just a sexual way, which is the part that scared him the
most. That fact alone was why he had to lay eyes on her again
before he drove himself insane. What had transpired earlier as she
was leaving wasn’t normal. Any other woman he would not have let
walk out the door, but with Traci he wanted to take it slow. He
wanted to get to know her and find more ways to make her laugh just
to see those damn delicious dimples.

Once he had made it inside
the restaurant, his eyes scanned the place. A few women smiled at
him or seductively roamed their eyes over his physique. While they
were indeed fine, they didn’t stimulate anything in him at all.
That’s when Sean knew something was definitely wrong, and he blamed
Traci with her
perhaps
nonsense.

No, it’d started before that. He
sighed as he rehashed in his head what moment had him feigning for
the quirky horticulturist. Maybe it was when she was dancing in the
garden—not knowing he was there watching—and he’d yearned to join
her. Maybe it was when he’d tasted her luscious lips among the
potted crepe myrtles. Or maybe it was when he had heard her
infectious laughter for the first time at the orchid repotting
workshop.

Whatever it was had him out searching
for her and ignoring ten phone calls along with a slew of text
messages from three different women in the last two hours. He’d
gotten so sick of hearing his cell phone ringing and beeping that
he almost tossed it out his sunroof. Instead, he locked it in the
glove compartment.

“
Hey man!”

Sean turned around to see his best
friend, Dr. Garrett Braxton. They’d been best buds since they’d met
in their first year at Meharry Medical College.

The gentlemen proceeded with their
secret fraternity handshake unbeknownst to others around them.
“What’s up, man? You just got here?”

“
Yeah. I was somewhat
caught off guard when you called and suggested we meet at Lillian’s
instead. I thought we were hanging at the strip club,” Garrett said
as the men headed to the bar and found two empty bar
stools.

Sean sat facing away from the bar.
“Nah … change of plans,” he answered as his eyes finally landed on
the vision of loveliness he was searching for. It took him a moment
because her hair was different. It wasn’t down in curls around her
shoulders or up in a bouncy ponytail. Instead, it was straight down
her back and danced like silk every time she moved her head. She
wasn’t her wearing her glasses, but she was wearing an off the
shoulder blouse that displayed her sun-kissed satin
skin.

“
I see,” Garrett said,
rubbing his low-cut beard. “So let me guess. The flavor of the
month told you to meet her here?”

He cut his eyes at his best friend.
Rotating the bar stool toward him, Sean stated seriously, “No, and
she’s not like that.”

“
Wait? What?” Garrett
slammed his hand on the bar. “Bartender, I need a shot … no, make
it two shots of Patron.”

“
I don’t drink tequila,”
Sean said as the young lady poured the shots and set one of them in
front of him.

Garrett slid the other shot glass
toward him. “These are both for me. I’m speechless right now. Has
the player finally found the one who will make him not go to the
strip club to watch Champagne and Sapphire shake their big,
beautiful butts and breasts in his face?”

“
Okay, when you say it like
that it is tempting, but no. Not tonight. I needed to confirm
something.”

“
And what’s
that?”

“
I think I’m falling in
love,” Sean said quietly before downing both shots of
tequila.

*****

“
So glad you suggested we
come to Lillian’s,” Caitlyn said, swaying back and forth to the
sounds of the blues band on the stage. “These crab cakes are
delicious. I may need to order another batch along with one more
Long Island iced tea.”

“
Yeah, me, too. Good thing
we live downtown and can take the trolley home. These drinks are so
strong but so good.” Traci sipped on her margarita. After spending
all day with Sean, she needed to get her mind off of him. However,
it was no use because she constantly kept kicking herself for not
turning around and letting him do whatever he wanted against his
front door.

Caitlyn stared over Traci’s head and
nodded with a sexy smile in the direction of the bar.

Traci wiped the barbeque sauce from
her beef ribs off of her mouth. “Who are you making goo goo eyes
with?”

“
Two
fine
gentlemen who keep staring over
here … and um … well let’s just say one of them is checking you
out.”

“
Girl, please. My back has
been to the bar for the majority of the time. He doesn’t know what
I look like.”

“
I’m sure Dr. Sean
Arrington knows exactly how you look, smell, feel, and
taste.”

With the mention of his name, a cold
shiver traveled through every cell of Traci’s body, and she was
suddenly excited plus afraid at the same time. Slowly, she glanced
over her shoulder, and her eyes landed on the penetrating gaze of
his ruggedly handsome face. He met her stare in a commanding
stance, mesmerizing her as heat pooled between her legs. Goodness
she wanted this man, and if he asked her to leave with him that
night, she’d willingly go—no questions asked.

Turning toward Caitlyn, Traci tossed
her napkin down on the table and grabbed her purse off of the empty
chair next to her. “What’s he doing now?”

“
Still gazing.” Caitlyn bit
into the last crab cake. “Where’s the waiter?” She glanced around
and caught his attention. She ordered another batch of crab cakes
along with a pitcher of sangria.

Traci rummaged through her purse and
pulled out her makeup bag to find her compact mirror. “And now?”
She was seriously about to pass out from nervousness, and she hated
that. No man had ever unraveled her up like Sean.

“
Girl, get up and go over
there,” Caitlyn demanded.

“
Nooooo. Can’t do that.”
She refreshed her lip gloss and ran her fingers through her
straight hair. She was relieved her hairdresser was able to take
her at the last minute after planting Sean’s garden. Her hair had
been a mess with dirt, mulch, and sweat imbedded in it.

“
Why not?”

Traci closed her compact and tossed it
back in her makeup bag. “He’ll think I’m desperate or
something.”

“
Yeah, or something.
Smitten. Drunk in love. Or rather lust. You’ve been hot and heavy
over this cat since his mom showed you his picture a few years ago.
Now your fantasy is a reality. Don’t miss out on this opportunity.
Do something about it. The man is fine, and according to you a nice
guy.”

“
I don’t want to waste my
time with him. He loves his single life. I don’t want a fling.
Maybe if I was still in college or in my early twenties, but I just
turned thirty.”

“
So you’re ready to settle
down with one man?”

“
I didn’t say that either.
I enjoy being single, but not in the same way he does. I want to
date someone with the possibility of leading to a committed,
monogamous relationship and hopefully one day marriage.”

Caitlyn looked over Traci’s head once
more and grinned. “Well, you need to decide something because here
he comes.”

“
Oh my goodness! How do I
look?”

“
You look gorgeous, doll,”
Caitlyn answered sincerely.

“
What is he
wearing?”

“
Black slacks and a
buttoned down black shirt with purple stripes. Very sexy,
indeed.”

“
Girl, stop ogling over my
man,” Traci teased.

“
Oh. He’s your man now?
Don’t worry. Not my type, but his friend is kind of hot. He’s
ruggedly handsome and chocolate with a low-cut beard. Not as tall
as Sean but he could definitely get it.”

“
Mmm, he does sound
hot.”

“
Concentrate on one man and
not my future baby daddy.”

Traci laughed, which she needed to do
to shake off the goose bumps that were just under her skin waiting
to press through. “You’re a mess, Cait.”

“
They’re almost here
…”

*****

“
Traci has a cute friend or
are you still trying to get into Zaria Richardson’s panties?” Sean
asked as he and Garrett made their way over to the ladies’
table.

“
Nah … she has turned me
down more times than I care to mention. I don’t even know why I was
interested in that uppity diva.”

“
Because she’s fine,
independent, and successful. Did I mention fine? She’s gorgeous.
Not my type, but all she needs is a brother like you to calm her
down.”

“
Whatever. I’m curious to
meet the woman who has made you change your mind about the strip
club.”

Sean glanced at his friend. He knew
Garrett didn’t mean a word of what he’d just said considering he
kept gazing around Lillian’s, searching for the restaurant’s event
coordinator that he was infatuated with. Garrett had met Zaria a
few years ago when she’d planned a fundraiser event for the
Distinguished Gentlemen of Memphis. She was indeed a knock-out with
long legs, slamming body, and luxurious hair that touched just at
the top of her butt. Even though Sean liked that type, she was too
bossy and over-the-top for him. Garrett, on the other hand, seemed
to like her high maintenance ways. For some reason he found her
intriguing, whereas Sean found her annoying at times.

As the men approached the ladies’
table, Traci flashed Sean a gracious smile, making him forget about
the strip club and every other female he’d ever laid eyes
on.

“
Good evening, ladies.”
Sean nodded his head. “Enjoying yourselves?” Even though he was
speaking to them both, his stare never left Traci’s face. Tilting
his head to the side, he noticed she had on a little makeup. He’d
never seen her wear it before, and personally, he preferred her
natural face. However, it was just enough to highlight her
cheekbones and enhance her dazzling eyes even more. Eyes that held
a look of promise that he found quite stimulating.

“
Yes. Thank you so much for
hooking us up with a table. It’s crowded tonight, but Justin came
over to say hello and gave us a round of free drinks along with a
plate of crab cakes. They’re delicious.”

“
Yep. My brother-in-law can
throw down.” He paused, remembering he wasn’t alone. “Ladies, this
is my best friend and frat brother, Dr. Garrett Braxton. Garrett
meet Traci and Caitlyn.”

Caitlyn held out her hand to Garrett
who brought it to his lips and kissed it tenderly. She withdrew her
hand slowly as her face flushed. “Nice to meet both of you. Would
you two care to join us? There’s plenty of room.” She removed her
purse from the chair to her right and gave Garrett a sexy smile as
she motioned for him to sit down.

Sean glanced at Traci, who was amused
by her friend’s flirtatious actions, and he slid into the other
empty chair. “So do you mind, dimples?”

“
Of course not. You’re the
reason why we were able to get a table.” She handed him a
menu.

“
Thank you.”

The blues band began to play their
rendition of B.B. Kings “Why I Sing the Blues” and a crowd headed
to the dance floor.