Chapter 15 Crystal
Crystal
I inhaled deeply as I stepped off the elevator. Someone was cooking up a storm. The whole hallway was filled with the aroma of I didn’t know what. But it smelled damn good, and my stomach growled approvingly.
I’d had a helluva day and had hardly slept the night before. I hadn’t known why I’d let that damn Geneva spook me about Neville. And the morning conversation I’d had at work with Noah didn’t help things.
But I’d decided to brush all that nonsense aside and begin afresh with Neville.
I was standing at the front door, fishing for my keys, when the door suddenly swung open. Startled, I stumbled backward on my three-inch-heeled Kenneth Coles. “Oh, N-Neville, you scared me,” I stuttered, grabbing hold of my heart.
Neville had on a black tank top; I could see his nipples through the thin material and the curly black hair peeking over the rounded neck of the shirt.
Neville looked just as startled. “Wow, you scared me too.”
We just looked at each other for a while.
“I was just heading to the incinerator to throw these fish heads out,” he said, and that’s when I realized that the fantastic aroma was coming out of my apartment.
“You’re cooking?” I said, stupefied.
“Yes, I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, of course not.”
Walking into my apartment, I headed directly for the kitchen. There were three pots bubbling on the stove. A wooden salad bowl, filled with the most colorful salad I’d ever seen, sat on the table.
“You didn’t have to do all of this,” I sighed when Neville returned.
“I wanted to,” he said as he brushed past me, pulled the door open to the oven, and peeked in. “You work hard, you should come home to a good meal.”
I smiled. “So what are we having?”
“Baked red snapper with my special secret sauce. Basmati rice.” He closed the oven door and lifted the top off one pot. “Callaloo,” he said as he lifted another lid. “And I was feeling especially good, so I made a small pot of red pea soup.”
“Mmmm,” I moaned, rubbing my belly. “That sounds wonderful, and it smells just as good,” I said, licking my lips.
“I called Geneva today and told her that I was going to come by and see her, but time just got away from me.”
“Oh, I’m sure she’ll understand.”
“Yeah, I’m going to give her a call now and tell her I’ll try to get over there tomorrow.”
I started toward my bedroom. “Let me just slip into something comfortable, wash my hands, and then we can sit down to eat,” I said, already slipping out of my suit jacket.
“Well, um, I wish I could join you, but I have plans.” Neville’s voice came from behind me. I turned around and saw that he was propped up against the door frame. Damn, he was sexy.
“Oh,” I said quietly, hoping my disappointment wasn’t too evident.
“Next time, though, okay?” he said apologetically.
“Yeah, sure, go ahead. I’ll be okay,” I said, waving my hand at him.
He watched me for a minute before saying, “Well, I could always change my plans.”
I wanted to say, “Yes, change your plans and sit and eat with me, and then let’s cuddle on the couch and watch a movie, and then…”
But I didn’t.
“Oh, Neville, this is your vacation. You’re not here to babysit me. I’m a big girl.”
“You’re sure now? ’Cause I will, you know.”
“Go on.”
“I’m just going to catch a shower, and then I’ll leave you to it.” He grinned and disappeared down the hall and into his bedroom.
After I’d slipped into a pair of sweats and my favorite Happy to Be Nappy T-shirt, I returned to the kitchen to find Neville waiting with a dish towel thrown over his arm. “Madam,” he said, and bowed his head when I approached. “Table for one?”
I felt myself blush a bit and then looked at the table that had been set for a single diner.
Neville pulled the chair out for me. I sat down, and he dropped a paper towel in my lap. I didn’t have any napkins, cloth or otherwise, in the house.
He set a full plate of food as well as a small bowl of soup down before me.
“Oh, this is too much,” I said, even though I knew I would devour every morsel.
“Well, eat as much as you can.”
“Okay, I’ll try,” I said, picking up my fork and digging in.
“Enjoy,” Neville said, then bowed and walked out of the kitchen. “I won’t be back too late,” he called as he walked out the front door.
I looked at my plate of food and around the empty kitchen, and for the first time in a very long time, I felt really alone.