Resplendent (16 page)

“I’d recognize that cologne anywhere,” she noted, and I tried not to smile.

“You still like it?”

“It always did smell good with your pheromones,” she answered with a shrug of her shoulders.

My what?

“Pheromones? Look at you, Ms. Fancy Words,” I said, as she looked away, shyly.
Ah, there’s the Peach I remember
.

“Hey, Savannah.” The male barista greeted her warmly. “The usual today?”
What the fuck?
They fucking knew her by name here? How had she made friends already in just a month? And why was he looking at her with that stupid grin?

“Yes, a short, caramel macchiato with 2% milk, please?”

It sounded like the same coffee she always got except for the 2% part. She used to love whole milk.

I held up my finger. “I’ll have a skinny quad latte,” I said, adding to her order and pulled my wallet from my back pocket.

Peach held up her hands. “You don’t need to do that.”

I placed my hand on her waist and gave the guy my credit card before he could even say the total. As if I would ever let her pay for anything.

“I thought you hadn’t come here in years, but it seems like you have friends and all,” I said as we looked at the selection of coffee mugs and tumblers while we waited for our drinks.

“It’s become an addiction. I’m here almost daily,” she said absentmindedly as she picked up a mug.

A strand of hair had fallen loose. I reached over and tucked it behind her ear. Her eyes fluttered softly with my touch and our eyes met. I raised my finger to touch her bottom lip, but our drinks were called and she turned to grab hers. I followed her as she walked toward a table.

“You smell the same too,” I said once we sat down.

She laughed.
Music to my ears
. “I’m not wearing any perfume.”

“No, but the lavender body wash you must’ve used this morning mixed with your
pheromones
took me way back.” I took a sip of my latte.

Her eyes widened. “You remember my body wash?” She opened up two packs of sugar and dumped it into her coffee.
Two?
I grabbed an extra one and dumped it in her cup without asking. She raised an eyebrow.

“I remember a lot,” I said softly. “You’re never satisfied with just two packs of sugar.”

I winked at her and took another sip of my drink. Her lips puckered and she placed her chin on her hand.

“What else do you remember?” she asked before grabbing a red straw and stirring.

I leaned forward and cleared my throat. “I remember you used to only love whole milk and thought 2% wasn’t real.”

She giggled. “That’s right, I used to say that. Turns out the older you get, the more careful you have to be with what you eat.”

“Is that so?” I teased her.

She leaned back and patted her flat stomach. “Unfortunately.” After she took a sip of her coffee and stated her approval with a nod of her head, I decided it was time to get down to business.

“So, how’s it going with the boy?” I asked casually and placed my palms on the table.

She glanced down and to the right. “All right.”
Lie.

“So, he’s moving down here?” I stirred my own cup, trying to keep my hands busy. I just needed her to say the word so I could move on from this already. Map out my not-so-well calculated plan a little better.

She bit her lip and started turning the cup of coffee on the table.

“Peach? You can trust me.” I leaned forward in my seat and waited to hear anything she’d tell me.

“We’re on a break,” she answered.

Keep it cool, keep it cool.

On the outside, I seemed calm and collected. Inside, I’d just made the World Series. She looked at me then, gauging my reaction.

I stopped stirring and started shaking my leg nervously. “For good?”

Her eyes glanced down to my hand, still holding the straw that had stopped stirring my coffee. Soft jazz music played in the background while patrons talked, and I noticed the faint whirl of a blender. All sounds that seemed miles away, as if it was just me and Peach in our little bubble. While I waited for her answer, the silence seemed to last hours, even though it was just seconds.

“For now,” she said simply and took another sip.

I had to think of something,
anything
. Just ask her out again, tonight. I opened my mouth to speak when an alarm on her phone went off, and she picked it up before unlocking the screen. She grinned from ear to ear.

“What is it?” I asked.
Please don’t let it be about that asshole.

“The Antonio Di Angelo Exhibit is this Saturday.” She tapped her fingers lightly on the table. “I just got my reminder.”

“The what?” Whatever this was — it was big.

“He’s one of my favorite photographers. He lives in Boca Raton and rarely does exhibit events in Miami, but he set one up this year, and I’ve been dying to go!”

Her eyes shined, and I couldn’t help but smile back.

“Who are you going with?” I placed my hand on top of hers to stop the tapping.

She shrugged and pulled her hand back. “No one. Christina — do you remember her from high school? Well, anyway, she told me she couldn’t make it, and then I was going to mention it to Sebastian, but of course now I can’t. There’s no way I can miss this event. They might never give me more tickets if I’m a no-show.”

She was rambling, and although I thought it was cute because it showed me her excitement — my thoughts were focused on two things. One: Sebastian was
not
her boyfriend. Two: she needed a date.

“I should go with you, Peach,” I said.

She leaned her head back and let out her laugh.
I wasn’t trying to be funny
.

“Yeah, sure. It’s probably not even your scene.” She slowly shook her head at me and blew into her cup.

“Any scene with you is my type,” I said softly. She pulled her bottom lip in, and I held my breath for a second, but she quickly answered me.

“It’s okay, you don’t need to go. I’m sure you have plans this weekend anyway.”

Let’s see, wake up, gym, shower, eat … boring, boring. Could I squeeze in some time for an epic date with my favorite girl? Yes.

“I have plans now,” I said and smiled.

She finally put her cup down.
Please say yes
. She shook her head no.

“I appreciate that, but I can’t ask you to go with me.”

“You’re not asking.
I’m
asking.” I reached for her hand again and rubbed her knuckles with my thumb.

She looked down at our joined hands and swallowed. “You really don’t have to.”

I followed her gaze and started rubbing lazy circles under her palm. “You remember, a few months ago, when you came for a visit and we hung out that night?” I cleared my throat.

“You weren’t exactly a walk in the park,” she answered and raised an eyebrow. No, I wasn’t. It had been a rough night.

“You’re right. But I wasn’t pissed at
you
. I was just mad that so much had changed between us.”

She took a sip of her coffee with her free hand, and I looked up at her then.

“Then, when you showed up after Abu died, it was as if nothing had changed at all. We had grown apart, but you were still there for me when I needed you most. It really meant a lot to me that you showed up for her funeral.” I ran my teeth over my bottom lip.
“A lot,”
I emphasized.

She ran her hand over her head and sighed. “Of course I would be there, Dre.”

“And my father’s.”

I saw a flash of pain in her eyes before her long lashes hid it and she blinked. I entwined my fingers with hers. “Let me take you, Savannah.”

She squinted her eyes for a second before answering, “All right.”

I imagined myself kissing her on the lips and wrapping her in my arms.
Keep it cool, Dre. Keep it cool.

She pointed her finger at me. “You need to dress nice. Pants and a dress shirt.”

I nodded. Done deal.

“And don’t be late.” She smiled at me timidly.

“Thank you.” I tapped her nose with my finger before leaning back in my chair and bringing the cup to my lips. I felt a lot less fidgety now that the wheels in my head were turning in my direction. “What time do I pick you up?”

Boyfriend or no boyfriend, her relationship with me was going to change in two days. I’d make sure of it.

You’re fucking late.
That’s what the text message buzzing in my pocket said. All right, it probably didn’t say that exactly, but I’m sure that’s what Peach was thinking and messaging me something along those lines.

I didn’t look at it since I’d be seeing her in just a few seconds but kept my eyes on the road as I pulled into the Rivercrest apartment complex.

It wasn’t my fault I was late. I had gotten a haircut earlier, and while getting dressed, I realized I had to iron my jacket. This is the shit my grandmother had always taken care of for me and I had forgotten to do myself.

My phone buzzed again as soon as I pulled into the parking spot marked “Visitors.” These apartment buildings made me think of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team. All four units were freshly painted white with red trim around the windows and blue front doors.

I got out of the car, brushing away any creases on my dark gray pants. Then, making sure my black poplin button-up shirt was tucked in. I walked along a narrow path to her front door. She had told me she lived in the apartment closest to the parking lot. I hoped she wasn’t too pissed off at me. I wasn’t even
that
late — running late in a city full of Latinos was practically a given.

But not to Peach. To her, fifteen minutes late was cause for disaster.

I pulled my hand up to knock on the door, but it swung open before I got the chance.

I took in a sharp breath and enjoyed the sexy view in front of me. She had always taken my breath away, but today …
damn
, she took all of my words too. She was in a
short as shit
tight-fitting dark blue dress with long sleeves, wide enough at the top that you could see a bit of her collarbone, and those perfect shoulders. Not only did this dress cling to her body, it also showed off her tiny waist. Her dark hair was pulled to one side and bunched up together in big soft curls. I could only stare. My eyes took in her hair that trailed in front of her breasts, then down to her hands that were on either side of her narrow hips and finally stopped at her legs. They were simply my favorite thing about her — aside from her shoulders — the legs came in a close second.

I was going to make her mine tonight. I didn’t care who Sebastian thought he was. That fucker needed to stay out of her life, starting yesterday.

“You’re late,” she said with a dirty look. She had to know that I was completely enthralled by her. “I’ve been calling you, Dre.”

“You’re...” I tried to think of the perfect words, something smart and romantic. She looked fucking hot with her lickable lips and her fuck me pumps. I wanted to drag her back inside and kiss every inch of her. I looked her body up and down a second time. “Wow,” I finished.
Smooth.

“Always the charmer.” She rolled her eyes but smiled and gave me a kiss on the cheek. She pulled out a lone key and locked the door.

My eyes popped out at the sight of her back when she walked past me and toward the car.
Holy fuck, didn’t she have a sweater?
Her back was completely bare! All the way down and almost touching her ass! I noticed a row of chains that hung to the center of her back but otherwise she was showing
a lot
of skin.

I caught up to her in two long strides and gently grabbed her elbow.

“Where’s your jacket?” I huffed into her ear.

She stopped and turned. “What jacket?” she asked, as the corners of her mouth curled into a smile. I was so fucked. I narrowed my eyes and walked to the passenger door to open it for her. She sat down and I watched as she pulled her legs into the car, carefully trying to avoid giving the whole neighborhood a peep show. I closed the door and shook my head as I came around and got into my seat.

I reached toward the back seat and handed her my jacket. “Here, wear mine.”

She let out a laugh. Did she think this was funny?

“No,” she stated and fluffed up her hair.

“It’s cold in the car and in the hotel. You’ll get sick.” I was grasping at straws. I didn’t want other guys ogling her.

“It’s May in Miami. Give me a break,” she said sternly and took my jacket, but only to place it on the backseat. Why wouldn’t she just listen to me?

I backed out of the parking spot, and we were silent for a few minutes. I couldn’t help it and glanced over at her. She was exquisite; there was no question about that. But her beautiful face was wrinkled in a frown. I pulled my bottom lip with my teeth.

“What’s wrong, Peach?” I asked and looked at her from the corner of my eye.

Her expression softened a little, but she just shrugged. I leaned over and grabbed her hand. She wasn’t a petite little thing, but I loved her soft, small hands that fit perfectly in mine. I rubbed my thumb on the inside of her palm and waited while she stayed quiet.