Chapter 8
eight
. . .
Between the music, smoke, and constant activity of people coming and going, the studio had been a lot to take in.
Once we got back to Kier’s house, he gave me time to settle in further.
I admired the room and scenery again. The ocean outside rolled steadily against the shore, and the sound drifted through the open glass doors while the sky over Malibu slowly darkened.
After unpacking a few things, I took a shower.
I’d just finished smoothing foam through my hair when my phone vibrated.
Mr. Producer:
Get dressed. I’m taking you somewhere.
Staring at the message, I smiled to myself. A few minutes later, I slipped into a simple dress and sandals. After putting my hair into a ponytail at the top of my head, I met him in the living room. Kier glanced up from his phone..
“You look amazing. Are you ready?”
“Yes I’m ready, thank you.” I smiled. Kier looked good too. Simple white button-up and some beige shorts. A long intricate tattoo shaped his legs, making me realize I didn’t pay attention to how built he was.
We headed out to a blue Maserati. The day had cooled off as we pulled onto the Pacific Coast Highway.
The drive itself felt like part of the experience.
The ocean stretched endlessly to our right, dark and calm under the fading light, while headlights danced steadily along the road.
Neither of us spoke. We let Ari Lennox fill the silence.
Soon after, Kier turned into a parking lot perched along the cliffs.
When we stepped out of the car, the view caught my attention immediately.
It was insane. The restaurant sat right on the edge of the coastline.
Lanterns and soft lights glowed across the outdoor patio while the ocean rolled below.
A small crowd walked through the entrance.
I couldn’t believe something so beautiful was the norm for these people.
I watched as couples spoke quietly amongst each other, while servers carried plates between tables.
“Geoffrey’s Malibu, one of my favorite spots,” Kier said as we walked toward the host stand.
“I can see why, it’s gorgeous.”
“And the food is good too.”
The host greeted Kier and led us toward a table along the railing.
The ocean stretched out in front of us. The last bit of sunset faded along the horizon while candles glowed across the tables.
Once we sat down, Kier poured the wine the server had brought over and slid the glass toward me.
We sat there for a moment just taking in the view.
“Earlier you said this wasn’t your first time in LA,” Kier said, leaning back in his chair. “What did you do the last time you came?”
“It was business, so I pretty much spent most of my time in meetings. Not too much exploring, but I did go to one of my favorite restaurants called SUR. And I only knew about it due to one of the reality shows I watch.”
“Oh okay, never heard of it.”
The waiter approached again, this time offering menus.
Kier asked if I had any allergies, then asked me to trust him with ordering.
He ordered sautéed crab cakes, and ahi tuna tartare for our starters.
Then he ordered the Australian wagyu New York steak for him, and a whole lobster with risotto.
The confidence in which he ordered sent the wheels turning in my head.
“How did you hear of this place? Is this where you usually come when you visit Cali? You seem to know the menu very well.”
Kier looked at me over the rim of his glass and smiled. “Sexy Sibley, is that your way of asking me if I’ve brought other women here before?”
I smiled a little and took a sip of my wine. “Well, since you brought it up, have you? Not that it matters, because your experience with me will be quite different from any other woman.”
“Talk yo shit, Sibley! That confidence looks good on you, baby.”
“Thank you,” I replied. I didn’t know where my confidence had come from, especially since I was feeling somewhat broken. But Kier, with his conversations and attentiveness to my feelings, was assisting with making me whole again.
“But, to answer your question,” he said, setting his glass down. “I like to keep special places to myself. This is the first time I’m sharing. I’ve never brought a woman here.”
“When you first invited me to Vegas, I asked myself why me. I may as well ask you instead.”
“Something about you that day at the gas station. Being independent and trying to make the best out of a situation is a turn on. You know how men can speak to some women, and they immediately say, ‘I got a man!’” We both laughed at his impression of an attitude.
“You weren’t like that. And you, not knowing who I was, piqued my interest. I’m definitely feeling you. ”
“I’m feeling you too, Kier. But—”
“But your ex and your best friend were foul. Now you are probably questioning my genuineness?”
I let out a small breath. “I like you a lot more than I expected myself to. So, it’s not that I’m questioning your sincerity. I just want to make sure you’re not a rebound or make sure you know you’re not a rebound.”
Kier watched me for a moment before answering. “You said it yourself you had one foot out the door before the drama with your birthday. If your heart wasn’t in the relationship then, it was only a matter of time before it made room for someone else.”
“I guess you’re right.”
I looked out toward the ocean while his words took hold in my mind.
Kier Stone actually listened when I spoke.
And somehow that made every conversation between us feel a little more real than I originally intended.
The rest of the night passed easily. We talked until the air turned cooler, sharing stories that didn’t feel important until I realized hours had gone by without me wanting to leave.
The next morning, Kier and I had breakfast on his patio.
A private chef had prepared an assortment of fresh seafood delicate smoked salmon, buttery lobster, and perfectly seared scallops alongside light pastries and fruit.
Afterwards, we both got dressed and took a drive.
An hour or so later, we pulled behind a row of buildings along the strip, far from the front entrances where people usually came and went.
Kier stepped out first, then helped me out of his car.
Next, he motioned for me to follow him through a narrow side walkway that led to an unmarked door.
The door was locked until Kier walked up, tapped once, then it opened.
“Mr. Stone, we’ve been expecting you.”
Butterflies filled my stomach when I noticed we were on Rodeo Drive. “Kier, what is this?”
“Hey Margaret, this is Sibley. She’ll be shopping for a few items today.”
“Follow me, Ms. Sibley.”
Following behind the attendant, I turned back to Kier. “I don’t need anything,” I whispered.
“Needing and deserving are two different things. Consider it a late birthday gift.”
“You are something else, but you ain’t gotta tell me but once.”
“And that’s how it should be.” He assured me.
I smiled, then the associate offered champagne.
Kier declined without asking me first and requested water, like I had done so many times before.
That small detail hit me harder than the price tags.
I didn’t realize he picked up on me not drinking as much around him until now.
I walked through racks quietly, touching fabric.
The expensive pieces cost more than my first car.
Kier stayed a few steps behind me, watching me, not the clothes.
When I lingered too long near one display, he stepped closer.
“There you go again,” he said.
“What?”
“Hesitating.”
“Ugh, I promise I’m trying not to. I’m just not used to this.”
“A nigga not asking you to be used to it today. I’m asking you not to fight it. Let us vibe without you being in your head. If you want everything in this muthafucka, it’s yours, Si.”
The associate brought a few pieces to a fitting area.
I disappeared behind the curtain and changed, then stepped out and immediately wanted to step back in.
I wasn’t uncomfortable in the clothes, I was uncomfortable in the implication.
Kier stood, walked closer, and adjusted the strap on my shoulder slowly.
His touch wasn’t sexual, but it wasn’t casual either.
“Turn around,” he said.
My body responded before my pride could argue, immediately following his request. He watched me, calm and lustful.
I swallowed, trying to gather myself. Kier circled me then turned me toward the mirror.
My eyes widened in surprise. The man had good taste, because I was wearing the hell out of this dress.
But still, I pulled the price tag and sighed. He leaned in closer.
“If you choose this dress, you choose it without guilt.”
“Okay.”
Kier took a seat in the chair outside the dressing room.
For the next hour or so, I tried on several pieces.
Silks that fluttered when I moved, a jacket that sharpened my posture the second it rested on my shoulders, and skirts that accentuated the thickness of my thighs.
Every time I stepped out, Kier would look up slowly, taking his time, allowing his eyes to roam over my frame, committing it to his memory.
After securing several items, we left the same way we came in. Kier headed toward a discreet hallway near the back, and the associate held the door open as if this happened every day. Hell, it probably did. We stepped into a quiet corridor that led out to the next storefront.
Rodeo Drive looked very different when you experienced it this way. I remembered being here once for work with a coworker. All we did was window shop and laugh about the prices. Now I was getting a real taste of the luxury I once longed for.