This Time for Real (2 page)

“Sounds like you need a corporate sponsor,” Sage replied.

“That would be a dream come true. A benefactor completely focused on just the Harlem center,” Malik replied.

“I'll ask around,” Avery piped in. With her parent's social standing in the community, she was exposed to many influential people—but only one immediately sprang to mind.

Quentin noticed the grin on Avery's face and whispered in her ear. “You have someone in mind, don't you?”

Avery nodded. “I do and I'll tell you all about it later.”

“How's the law firm?” Malik asked, changing the subject. As much as he loved the center, he needed a break from worrying about its troubles.

“Well, I feel like I can see the end of the road,” Sage replied. “I've been at the firm for four and a half years. I'm hoping I can make partner in five.”

“Don't kill yourself trying.”

“Oh please, Malik,” Sage chuckled. “You are just as bad as I am. You spend your whole life at that center.”

“This is true,” Quentin said, coming over with his Heineken.

“I'm dedicated.” Malik defended himself.

“To your work,” Dante finished.

“And what's wrong with that?”

“You need to find some time for romance, my friend,”
Quentin pulled Avery towards him and planted a swift kiss on her lips.

“Like you?” Malik said, smiling. “Hmm, I think I'll leave you to that love stuff. I don't believe in love.” Malik had seen the flipside of the love coin. Everyday at the center, he saw men who beat their wives, men who left their wives, wives who abandoned their children for men. Love? Love he could do without.

“You are a true cynic, my friend,” Quentin replied. He too, had been a cynic, but Avery had changed all of that for him. Now he was love's biggest advocate. “But just you wait when that love bug hits you. Trust me, you won't know what to do.”

“It's never going to happen.” For Malik, the only thing a woman was good for was the short term.

 

After they'd unpacked her office, Peyton and Amber headed over to a restaurant Amber suggested in the Village. “You'll love this place,” Amber said on the walk over to Dante's. “They make the best tapas I've ever had. And since you're such a light eater, you'll love it. And there's usually a good crowd on Friday night, so we can mingle.”

“I'm your guinea pig,” Peyton said, following her inside.

The décor was upscale and chic, with dark red, mustard and orange shades. It had a circular wave bar and small intimate booths and tables throughout. The soft lighting was just enough for you to see your companion across the table. “I like, I like,” Peyton said.

A hostess greeted them and led them to a booth across from a large table for six. Peyton noticed that an attractive fellow with dreads was checking her out as she approached.

“Did you see that guy?” Peyton asked, once they were seated.

“Which one?” Amber asked, glancing at the table. She saw three attractive-looking brothers, two of whom looked like they had dates. Which meant that only one was available.

“The one in the dreads.” When Amber turned around to look, Peyton reached across the table and grabbed her arm. “Don't look.”

“Why not?” Amber threw a furtive glance their way. “Oh yes, he's hot,” she commented. “But I wouldn't think you'd go for his type. He's much more
my
speed.”

Amber was right. Usually, Peyton liked her men clean-cut, but there was something about this one that appealed to her. She'd felt a stirring as soon as her eyes made contact with his. She'd never felt such an instant spark with someone before and it disturbed her. “You can have him,” Peyton replied tersely. “As I stated before, I'm not ready to date.”

“Will you ever be?” Amber wondered aloud. “Eventually, you've got to get back on the horse. It's been five long years, Peyton. You're a relatively young woman and you have your whole life ahead of you.”

Peyton sighed. “I know, but it's easier said than done.”

 

“Did you conjure her up?” Malik asked, turning to Sage.

How else to explain the beautiful creature—with the jet-black hair that hung luxuriously to her shoulders, deep-set brown eyes and flawless skin—that had just crossed his line of vision?

“Who?”

“The beautiful brunette who just walked in with the hippie,” Malik answered.

Sage glanced around and her eyes landed on the booth across from them. “I thought you were immune to the fairer sex?”

“What I am is human,” Malik stated.

“She
is
a stunner,” Dante commented from his side.

“I'll say,” Quentin added. When Avery glanced in his direction, Quentin recanted. “But no one is as beautiful as you, my love.”

“That's what you'd better say.” Avery chuckled. She wasn't worried about Quentin's former playboy ways. She knew he was a reformed man.

“Do you want to meet her?” Dante asked.

“Yeah, I do.”

“C'mon,” Dante stood. “Their drinks are coming. I'll go introduce myself as the owner and that'll be your cue.”

“Thanks.” Malik quickly followed behind him. When they arrived at the table, all conversation ceased and the two women looked up from their sangrias.

“Ladies,” Dante began. “How are you this evening?”

“Well, thank you,” Amber replied.

“I'm Dante. The owner.” He extended his hand to Amber and then to Peyton.

“It's a pleasure,” Amber batted her eyelashes at him. Dante was a fine-looking man, and she hoped he was available. “I've been here a few times and the tapas have been divine.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that.” Dante beamed with pride.

From his side, Malik only had eyes for one woman, but the brunette seemed to be trying her best to avoid looking at him.

“And this here is Malik Williams.” Dante motioned him over.

“Sistas,” Malik said, smiling at the ladies.

Peyton merely nodded while Amber extended her
hand. “I'm Amber Martin and this is my friend Peyton Sawyer. We're both professors at NYU, so you might be seeing us here often.”

“That's my alma mater,” Malik replied, shaking her hand. He'd received his masters in Business Administration at NYU.

“Small world.” Amber kicked Peyton underneath the table. Here was a gorgeous fox standing in front of them and she was acting like a bump on a log.

“Why don't you join us at my table?” Dante encouraged the duo. “We've got plenty, and I'm sure there are a few tapas you haven't tried before, Amber.”

Malik had to hand it to Dante, he was smooth. Inviting the women to join them was smooth and would give them time to get better acquainted.

“We would love to.” Amber jumped up from the table and grabbed her sangria glass.

Peyton glared at Amber. She loved her friend to pieces, but she didn't appreciate being kidnapped.

“Does your friend speak?” Malik inquired, grinning at Peyton because she hadn't said a word.

“Yes, I do,” a quiet, but firm voice uttered from rose-tinted lips. When Peyton glanced up at him, she wished she hadn't. Malik Williams had skin the color of toffee and a sexy five o'clock shadow. Smoldering dark eyes met hers, eyes that Peyton could easily get lost in, forcing her to look down into her glass.

“And she would love to join you guys too, isn't that right, Peyton?” Amber gave her a look.

Peyton put on a polite smile. “Of course.” When she rose from her chair, Malik rushed over to move it out of her way.

Malik allowed Peyton to precede him, giving him a nice view of her backside in the sexy jeans she wore.
Her figure was all the right proportions and she matched him in height. He estimated she was about five foot nine to his six foot one.

Although she couldn't see him, Peyton could feel Malik's eyes boring a hole through the back of her head as she walked ahead of him, and it made her nervous. She hadn't received such obvious male attention in some time.

“Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to Amber and Peyton,” Dante said when they arrived at the table. “They'll be joining us for dinner. These are my friends Sage, Quentin and Avery.”

Amber took the empty seat next to Dante while Malik grabbed a nearby chair for Peyton. He slid it under her with ease. “Thanks,” Peyton said as she sat down. She tried not to lose her manners, even though she was extremely uncomfortable sitting so close to Malik.

“It was my pleasure,” Malik replied.

“Peyton's new to town and I was just showing her around,” Amber offered once they were seated.

“Perhaps I can help with that?” Malik replied eagerly, turning to Peyton. “I've lived here all my life and I'd be happy to show you around.”

Sage smiled as she watched Malik. It had been a long time since she'd seen Malik so enthralled by a woman.

“That's really very nice of you…” Peyton struggled to remember his name, because he was staring at her like she was a cold glass of water after he'd come out of the scorching hot desert.

“Malik,” he replied, refilling her sangria.

“Although I appreciate your offer, Malik,” Peyton said, accepting the glass, “It really isn't necessary. I have Amber and my brother Jude.”

“True, but you can never have too many friends,” Malik answered. He tried not to let it bother him that
Peyton was rejecting his offer, but he couldn't help it, he was miffed. From the moment she'd walked in the door and he glanced her way, he'd felt his temperature rise. And the only way he was going to cool down was if he satisfied his curiosity.

The evening continued with Dante's waiters serving platters loaded with chicken croquettes, baked goat cheese with sweet onion marmalade, portabella mushrooms with herb dressing, spinach and artichokes on crostini and grilled sea scallops wrapped in proscuitto.

“This is way too much,” Peyton commented. “There is no way we're going to eat all of this.”

“You should try a little bit of everything,” Malik commented from her side. “Dante's a master. Here try one.” He picked up a spinach-and-artichoke crostini and offered it to her.

Peyton glanced across the table at Amber. Did he really expect her to let him feed her? It appeared so, because he and his friends were all staring at her and waiting.

“Go ahead,” Dante encouraged her. “You'll love it.”

Feeling pressured, Peyton opened her mouth and took a bite. Despite her best efforts, a moan escaped her lips. The small bite was so deliciously rich and creamy, she licked her lips.

Malik's groin tightened in response to her feminine moan.
Is that how she would sound if I were buried deep inside her?
“Want another?” he asked excitedly.

Due to Malik's tone, Peyton realized how blatantly sexual she must have sounded. All eyes at the table were on her. Peyton colored immediately and said, “No, thank you.”

“It was that good, huh?” Quentin asked right before Avery kneed him.

“If it's that good, pass me the whole platter.” Sage
laughed. She could use an orgasmic experience. Work had been extremely stressful of late.

“Me too,” Amber piped in.

“Leave her be.” Dante jumped into the fray. “There's plenty more where that came from.” While he busied himself getting the platters moving around, Peyton lowered her head.

“Don't be embarrassed,” Malik whispered so that only she could hear. “I liked your uninhibited response.” Perhaps she was equally uninhibited in the bedroom. Malik sure hoped he'd have the opportunity to find out.

“Has anyone ever told you you're a flirt?”

“Guilty as charged,” Malik said, grinning devilishly.

“Well, your charms won't work on me, Malik,” Peyton huffed, then scooted her chair farther away.

“If you say so, but methinks the lady doth protest too much.” Peyton was trying hard to act like she wasn't interested in him, but Malik didn't buy it for one second. He'd seen desire in her eyes when he'd fed her.

After the elaborate meal, good conversation, shared laughs and several more glasses of sangria, Peyton excused herself to go to the ladies' room. When she glanced at herself in the mirror, all she saw was fear. Fear of going forward, and fear of going back. Hadn't she come to New York for a fresh start? So why was that so difficult to do? Why was it so hard to allow a man like Malik to show interest in her? Peyton couldn't answer that question.

When she returned to the table and found Malik had gone, Peyton gave Amber a get-out-of-Dodge look, which, thankfully, her best friend heeded.

“Dante.” Peyton came towards him and offered her hand. “Thank you for the lovely food, and to all of you.” She waved at Sage, Quentin and Avery. “Thank you for sharing your evening with us. Good night.”