Chapter 2
Blind Date
Reminisce
“Will you relax?”Sunny, my best friend from kindergarten chides.
I roll my eyes at her. I can’t believe I let her talk me into a blind date. Have I fallen to this level of desperation?
Watching my sister fall in love and my brother get engaged and married to his high school sweetheart has left me feeling someway. Sure, I started my own law firm. My practice is doing very well, but … something’s missing. I feel … empty.
None of the guys I’ve dated bring that spark. Well, all with the exception of one, but he’s different and we’ve never really dated. We’ve had a thing and that can never happen again. Not now.
“How am I supposed to relax? Why won’t you tell me what Jamel told you about this friend? He must be butt fuck ugly. It’s the only reason for you to be this hushed,” I toss at her.
I’m getting agitated. I never should’ve agreed to this in the first place. My life is full of regrets, I tell you.
“Girl, please. I haven’t told you anything because Troy had to back out at the last minute. He had too much drama going on for my liking in the first place. Jamel promised he has a friend he thinks is better suited for you.”
“Why doesn’t that information make me feel any better?” I huff and take another sip of my wine.
“Listen, you said that you didn’t want to go on another date with the stuffy guys your father has been introducing you to. I’m looking out.”
She’s right. This all started with me complaining about the guys my father has been trying to set me up with. I want safe, not boring.
“We’ll see about that. I thought you at least vetted this guy. You’re setting me up with some random, random.”
“He is not random. Jamel said he’s known him for years. He’s just returning from some work assignment overseas or something like that.”
“Okay, so he has a job.”
“Stop tripping. There’s Jamel,” she says excitedly as she points across the restaurant.
I down the rest of my drink and take a fortifying breath before I stand to greet Jamel and his friend. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Sunny’s man, so I take a moment to give him an appreciative once-over.
Sunny is one lucky chick. Jamel is at least six three, dark chocolate, with the nicest, whitest smile I’ve ever seen on a brother. He’s fine, fine. His swag says that Sunny is never lying when she says he beats the breaks off her pussy.
I’m not mad at all at my friend for locking him down. I definitely would have given him my number if I’d met him first. He’s the total package: wealthy, smart, and driven. I guess that’s why I agreed to this blind date.
He checks off so many boxes, I had hoped he runs with guys who’d do the same. Fine, established, and safe. That’s all I ask.
When Jamel wraps his big arms around Sunny and lifts her from her feet, the man standing behind him comes into view. All the air leaves the room.
His attention is on his phone as he taps across the screen. He hasn’t noticed me yet. I have a few seconds to take him in.
His hair is longer than the last time I saw him. Long enough for his natural waves to cover his head and curl by his ears. Just long enough for me to tug.
Those full lips are still as pink and plump as I remember. His legs look a little thicker or it could be the ripped jeans that his tanned thighs are showing through. His black T-shirt fits his muscled body perfectly, showing off those tattoos that he hides around his family.
It even looks like he’s gotten a few new ones covering his wrist and hand. Those hands, I lick my lips as I once again remember what those hands are capable of. A shiver rolls through me as more memories assault me.
Just then, he knits his brow and lifts his head as if feeling my eyes on him. He draws in a breath as our gazes lock. As always, I’m sucked into those blues.
A slow smile curves his lips up. He knows what he does to me. I’ve let him do it more times than I’d like to admit, and in places I should be ashamed of.
Shit, it was the highlight of my sister’s wedding for me. I needed that dick down he gave me in that coat check closet. God, was that the last time I had sex?
“Reminisce,” Jamel says. “I want you to meet my boy, Knight.”
We breathe his name at the same time. Sunny groans. “I swear, I didn’t know.” She turns to me and rushes out.
“What?” Jamel says with a look of confusion.
Knight, with his slick ass, moves forward and palms my cheek. “I promised myself if I made it home and you were still single, I’d make you mine.”
I shake my head so slow I’m not even sure if my brain is complying with the command to make the motion. This can’t be happening. I want a relationship.
I’m looking for someone to share my life with. That can never be Knight Moran. For so many reasons, that can never be Knight Moran.
Yet I can’t pull myself out of the trance he always places me in when he catches me with my guard down. I’m locked in his web and haven’t a clue how to get free. As his scent surrounds me, I’m not sure I want to.
“I’m sorry. This was a mistake. I should go,” I say when I find my voice.
“Damn, seriously?” Jamel says.
“Shut up, bae. They have history, and he’s her brother-in-law, which you would know if you listened to me half the time,” Sunny says and sighs.
“Oh shit. How did I forget that? Damn. I was trying to stay within the checklist you gave me.”
“Checklist?” I finally pull my eyes away from Knight’s intense blue gaze to look at Sunny and Jamel.
“You’re picky. I had to give him some guidelines.”
“You do know this isn’t how blind dates work? Usually, you set up friends who you think would be compatible. Like, you put some real thought into it,” I snap.
“I think they did a perfect job,” Knight says, moving his other hand to my waist to pull me forward into his body heat.
I snap out of it and pull out of his hold. I try to put some much-needed space between us. Knight’s smile falters, but not that determination in his eyes.
“It was nice seeing you again, Jamel. Sunny, I’ll call you. You have a good night,” I say and try stepping around Knight to make my swift exit, but he blocks my way, causing me to look up at him.
Damn, how could I forget that he’s this tall? Knight is a six four dream. I’m a bit taller than my sister, but Knight is taller than Bishop, making the difference in height look pretty much the same.
I give myself a reminder that we don’t belong together. Although, I’m not going to deny that I’m pissed as fuck he came on this blind date expecting to meet someone. I shove my jealousy down hard. I have no right to it.
“If you insist on leaving, I’ll walk you to your car. I don’t want you walking by yourself in this neighborhood,” he says as he towers over me.
“I’m taking a cab. I’ll be fine.”
“In that case, I can take you home.”
“Not a good idea and you know this,” I say tightly.
He gives me that sexy grin. His gaze travels slowly down my body. Thank you, Lord, for my dark brown skin. My cheeks are so hot, I could fry an egg.
“Come on. It’s been too long. Let me take you home. You can fill me in on what’s been going on with the family,” he says and winks. When I don’t answer he gives me those adorable puppy eyes. “Come on, please.”
I sigh and nod. I know I’ve fucked up the moment he turns up that panty melting smile and places his palm on the small of my back.
Here you go again, Reminisce.
* * *
Knight
“You look great,”I lean to whisper in her ear when we step out of the restaurant.
She does. Her brown skin is glowing. She’s not wearing makeup.
Trust me. I know the difference when it comes to her. I prefer her without it. Although I still own every shirt she’s ever gotten makeup on.
“Thank you,” she says in that smoky voice of hers.
The sound of it makes my dick twitch. I’ve missed her voice. I’ve dreamed of it and thought of it often. I’ve thought of Rem a lot over the last year or so. This has to be destiny.
I mean, what are the odds that I’d run into Reminisce? I agreed to come on this date. However, I’d been trying to pry information out of my brother about my sexy as fuck sister-in-law via text. I failed miserably only to look up and have her standing right before me.
I’ve always had a thing for her. Before the force, way before my promotion, I had my eye on Reminisce Walden. I would have asked her to prom if she wasn’t dating someone already.
I almost did anyway. We went to different high schools. If her boyfriend found out, I would’ve dealt with it.
However, I never got to ask because I got into a fight with one of her brother’s friends. Legend wasn’t trying to let me get anywhere near his sister after that. It took years before I got my hands on her, but it was worth it.
I lick my lips as her scent floats toward me, hitting my tongue. Vanilla and pineapples, mixed with strawberries, it’s unique to her because she mixes the scents together. I brought her a ton of that shit once.
“This is me,” I say, pressing the key fob to unlock my car.
She looks up at me and lifts a brow. Yeah, I don’t normally drive such flashy cars. The Mercedes was a gift from my parents, but I’m not about to get into all of that.
“Listen, I’m going to get in an Uber. You don’t have to take me home,” she murmurs.
I turn to her and cup the back of her neck. The way she looks up at me causes my dick to harden. I bite my lip.
Sliding my other hand from her hip to her fat ass, I then give it a gentle squeeze. Reminisce was made for me. From her perky tits to her flared hips and plump ass. Yeah, my brother’s wife is a knockout, but her sister is the better version to me. She’s everything I want.
I can’t help it. I need to taste those plush sexy lips. From the first brush, it’s confirmed that she’s still heaven on earth. I can’t just take a sip. I need to drain the glass.
She breaks away, pushing lightly at my chest. “We can’t.”
“Why?”
This woman has been running from me for years. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. She doesn’t get to answer as I devour her mouth again.
I grow painfully hard. I want her so bad. Her snug pussy is the best I’ve ever had. Anything else is a poor substitution that’s just going to piss me off.
I reach for the hem of her dress. We’ve never fucked in a parking garage. I groan from the thought alone. It has to be added to the list.
The hot thick air of the parking garage would make for some hot, dirty sex. The potential of someone catching us, always brings a thrill that’s indescribable. I can already feel her hot pussy clenching around me.
I start a scorching trail of kisses down her neck. The way she whimpers my name breaks all control I have. I reach for her center, but my phone rings.
I bite out a curse and go to pull the device from my pocket. Rem pushes at my chest. I know that look. She’s shutting down on me.
“And that’s the reason we can’t be together,” she says, fixing her clothes and pushing the strap of her purse up her arm.
I don’t get a chance to reply. She pushes past me and storms off. I close my eyes and sigh, answering the call.
“Hey, mom.”
“Hey, sweetheart. Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I lie as I watch the woman I can’t stop thinking about walk away from me yet again.
If only she knew. Everything in my life has changed. I’m not the man she thinks I am. “I’m fine. What’s up?”