Chapter 4
Kenya finished setting the dining room table with her grandmother’s fine China. GiGi used to tell her, “I don’t know why people save the good dishes for once or twice a year. Every day that the Good Lord gives us is a special occasion, so I’m going to use those pretty plates whenever I want.” She’d pull out the gorgeous set with its blue and white floral decorative border, blue and gray broken band and platinum trim every Sunday and at least one other day during the week. Going back to the kitchen, she removed the pan of brownies from the oven and set it on a rack to cool. Since he was bringing dinner, she decided to take care of dessert. Along with the brownies, she had vanilla ice cream and her homemade chocolate sauce.
With everything now done, Kenya went to freshen up. As she pulled the faux wrap blouse on, her phone rang and moved quickly to answer it.
“Hey, sis,” Phaedra said.
“What’s up?”
“I wanted to know if tonight’s a good time to come by to pick up GiGi’s jewelry.”
Kenya had offered to let her sister pick out her favorites before calling their aunt to see if she wanted a few pieces. “I’m having dinner with Alonzo in about ten minutes, but you can come by sometime tomorrow.”
Phaedra’s excited squeal came through the line. “You’re still going out with your perfect stranger? I’m so proud of you.”
“You are so dramatic sometimes, girl. He’s not a stranger anymore, and yes, we’re still dating.” It had only been three weeks and she couldn’t decide whether things were moving too fast or not.
“Where are you going?”
“We’re eating in. He’s bringing dinner and I made brownies.”
“Alonzo already sounds like a keeper. Has he kissed you yet?”
Now she sounded like Jayana. “Why are you all in my business? I didn’t ask you all these questions when you and Jared started dating.”
“If you’d asked, I would’ve given up the info. The fact that you’re being evasive means he has and it must have been good for you to still be seeing him.”
“I need to go. We can talk tomorrow.”
“Fine, but I want allll the juicy details.”
“Bye, girl.”
Laughing, Phaedra said, “Bye. Oh, and don’t be afraid to get your freak on.”
Disconnecting, Kenya tossed the phone on the bed. “Crazy woman,” she muttered as she brushed her hair. But her sister’s words kept playing in her mind. And with the way Alonzo’s kisses made her forget her own name, it would take a Herculean effort to keep herself in control. The last time she’d impulsively jumped into bed with a man soon after meeting him, he’d started trying to control her every move. It took her less than a month to walk away. The next time, she kept intimacy out of the equation for almost four months until she felt the relationship was on solid ground. A year later, she said I do, and that hadn’t turned out well, either. Now, Alonzo had come in turned her solitary world upside down, and tempted her to want to do all the things her sister and Jayana mentioned. Kenya couldn’t figure out what to do. She only knew that the attraction between them rose higher each time they were together, and at some point, they’d act on it. In the meantime, she was going to keep following her mother’s advice to be in the moment and let the rest take care of itself.
The sound of the doorbell interrupted her mental debate. When she opened the door, the sight of Alonzo standing there with that sexy smile made her heart rate kick up. She didn’t know which she liked better—the business clothes he’d worn on their previous dates, or the jeans and pullover tee that showed off his sculpted arms and chest to their best advantage. Realizing that she was standing there staring at him like an awestruck teen, she stepped back and waved him in. “Hey, Alonzo. Come on in.”
“Hey, beautiful.” Alonzo dipped his head and placed a gentle, lingering kiss on her lips.
Just like every other kiss they’d shared, this one stirred not only her passions, but also her emotions. It was the latter that frightened Kenya. She felt herself falling for him much too quickly.
“I’ve been thinking about kissing you again for the past week,” he murmured, sliding his arm around her waist and pulling her closer before kissing her again. “We should probably get started on dinner before I skip straight to dessert.”
Her head came up and she saw raw desire in his eyes. A little shaky and off-balance from the kiss, she backed out of his arms and finally noticed the large bag he held in his other hand. “You’re probably right.” He followed her to the kitchen and placed the bag on the counter. “What are we having?” Kenya peeked inside, expecting some kind of aroma to hit her nose, but she didn’t smell anything. Turning, she met his amused gaze.
“We’re having lemon butter scallops, pasta, sautéed spinach, and French rolls…as soon as I prepare it.”
I know this man didn’t say what I think he did. He’s going to cook? “Wait. I thought we were ordering something. I didn’t expect you to…to make the food, especially something so?—”
“It’s not that difficult to make, and if you’re worried whether I can cook, you can watch me.” Alonzo placed a kiss on her temple and went to the sink to wash his hands. While drying them, he asked her where to find the pots and pans he needed.
She washed her hands and helped empty the bag. He’d even brought wine, which she put in the refrigerator. “I guess it’s a good thing I decided to make dessert, instead of getting something store bought. I really would’ve felt bad.”
“Why? There’s nothing wrong with taking a shortcut, especially since you work all day. I just happen to enjoy cooking. It relaxes me.”
Kenya stared. Never had a man cooked for her, not even the man she’d married. He always had one excuse after another as to why he couldn’t even open up a can of soup. Yet this man had offered to cook for her three weeks after meeting him. Any doubts she may have had about his ability to pull off the meal were banished as she watched him moving around her kitchen with the skill of a trained chef. She went to the family room and turned on some music. Because her grandmother loved to sing while cooking, she’d had speakers installed in the kitchen.
“Perfect,” Alonzo said when she came back. He’d poured glasses of wine for both of them and handed her one. “Ain’t nothing better than a little RB, a good meal and a beautiful woman.” He touched his glass against hers and held her gaze as they sipped, then turned his attention back to the stove.
“It smells incredible.” Kenya observed as he made the sauce in the same pan as he’d seared the scallops, drizzled some over them, then drained the pasta and added it to the rest of the sauce. Her stomach growled and it was all she could do not to grab a fork from the drawer and steal a taste.
He chuckled. “Hungry?”
“Starving. I’ll get the plates from the dining room.”
When she handed him the vintage China, he said, “These remind of the ones my grandmother had in her China cabinet. I can’t ever remember seeing her use them, though.”
Kenya smiled. “My grandmother didn’t believe in letting hers sit in a cabinet and collect dust. We used them at least twice a week. If I ever get married again, I’m going to do the same.” The words slipped out before she could call them back. There was something about him that made it so easy to share her feelings.
Alonzo angled his head. “Do you think you’ll ever want to get married again?”
If he’d asked her that a month ago, her answer would have been a resounding no. Make that hell no! However, being around him these few weeks had her rethinking what she really wanted. Buried beneath all the pain, hurt and betrayal, Kenya was still a romantic at heart. “I don’t know. After how things went down with my ex, I never wanted to hear the word marriage again. But now…” She shrugged. “If I can find a man who will be honest, loyal and chooses to put me as his priority, I’ll consider it.”
Moving close to her, Alonzo tilted her chin and leaned down, leaving a mere inch between them. “If a man loves a woman, he’ll give her those things and more, including his time, his effort, and his passion. She will never have to struggle financially or emotionally, or have to worry about him breaking her heart because her heart would be his. And no real man would break his own heart.”
Kenya’s heart pounded in her chest, her breath stacked up in her throat and she couldn’t take her eyes off his. His passionate declaration made her emotions surge and nearly overwhelm her. As if he understood, Alonzo wrapped her in his arms and just held her as she listened to the strong, steady beating of his heart.
Moments later, he said, “Come on, baby. Let’s eat. We’ll talk after dinner.”
Still trying to get her emotions under control, she nodded. While he added portions of the meal to the plates, she removed the rolls warming in the oven, placed them in a small basket and grabbed the small bowl of butter she’d taken out to soften when he first started cooking. They carried everything to the dining room. Alonzo went back for their wine and the bottle, then sat across from her. She lifted her glass. “To the cook.”
Smiling, he touched his glass to hers.
She immediately forked up some of the pasta with the scallops. It nearly melted on her tongue. “Oh, my goodness, this tastes so good.” She moaned, hummed and did a little shimmy in her chair. “If this is representative of your cooking skills, we don’t ever have to go to a restaurant again.”
Alonzo threw his head back and roared with laughter. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.” He brought a forkful to his own mouth.
For the next few minutes they ate in comfortable silence, while the music played in the background. It amazed her how well they seemed to fit.
“So how’s the back been treating you?”
“It was giving me fits the other day while I was working on cleaning out more of GiGi’s belongings, but it’s okay now.”
“I’ll give you a few stretches you can do that might help.”
“That would be great. The PT I went to after the accident didn’t really do much to help and seemed to be offended when I questioned her about it. I have pain medication, but I don’t like taking it that often.”
Alonzo shook his head. “I’m sorry. Have you ever considered CBD as an alternative?”
“No.” She’d heard about the benefits, but had never done any research to find out more.
“You should try it. There are oils and creams you can massage into your back, edibles, water, all of which may be able to give you some relief. Without getting high,” he added with a grin and went back to his food.
“Yeah, getting high is not an option. But I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
“Good thing I do.”
“They use CBD at the rehab center?”
“No, but my sister and I own a day spa, and we specialize in CBD wellness.”
Kenya paused with the fork halfway to her mouth, then lowered it again. “Okay, hold up. Not only are you a physical therapist, but you own a business, too. How do you have time to do all of that?”
He finished his last bite before answering. “My sister runs the place, and I pretty much handle the books, so I only spend a few hours there.”
“Do you give massages, too?”
“No, but I will for you anytime you like. It closes at eight on Fridays and Saturdays, so we can go after you get off. Or, we can do it on a Sunday or Monday when the spa is closed. Your choice.” He reached for her hand and placed a soft kiss on the back. “I can promise you an experience you won’t forget.”
The thought of his hands all over her body sent heat flowing through her. She picked up her glass and took a healthy swig of the wine. How about right now? her inner voice shouted. “I’ll let you know.” They finished eating, cleared the table and he overruled her protests and helped load the dishwasher and wash the pots.
When they were done, Alonzo took her hand and guided her to the family room. He sat next to her on the sofa and draped his arm around her. “Let’s talk, sweetheart.”
The endearment went straight to her heart. She knew he wanted to discuss what happened in the kitchen earlier and she’d never fully disclosed the details of her marriage. “You want to know about my ex.” It was more of a statement, than a question.
“I want to know about anything that concerns you, Kenya. I feel like something special is happening between us and, if there’s something from your past that will affect whatever we’ve got going on, I’ll do whatever it takes to help you work through it. Do you feel it?”
Kenya rubbed her temples. Yes, she felt it, and had been feeling it from the moment she laid eyes on him. Why hadn’t she met Alonzo first? “This is crazy. It doesn’t make sense.”
“It doesn’t have to make sense if it feels right. And this feels right. I’m far too old to play games—not that I ever played them in my relationships—but I want to see where this goes. If we’re not on the same page, it’s cool, but I need you to understand that if we do this, we go all the way. We’re all in.”
“Exactly how old is too old?”
A lazy smile tilted the corner of his mouth. “If you’re asking my age, I’m forty-one.”
She never would’ve guess he was that much older than her. “So seven years older than me.” Blowing out a long breath, she shifted slightly to face him. “We are on the same page, Alonzo, but I have deep scars and this is hard for me.”
Alonzo gently caressed her cheek. “What did he do to you, baby?”
Drawing in another fortifying breath, she said, “We worked in the same building and he would always speak and compliment me, or open the door for me if we happened to be coming or going at the same time. When Brad finally asked me out a month later, I agreed. We dated for over a year, and although I wanted to have a beautiful wedding surrounded by my family and friends, I let him talk me into eloping. He said we could have a big reception and save that money for a house and starting a family.” Kenya felt the tears and blinked them back. “About three months after we were married, he said he had to go out of town for business in Atlanta. I thought it was the perfect time because another one of my coworkers had been trying to convince me to go to a conference with her. I had originally told her I didn’t think it was a good time with me still being a newlywed and all. But the joke was definitely on me.” She turned away as a tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. Dammit. She promised herself she would never shed another tear over that jerk. “While in San Diego, I had some extra time and took a walk down the harbor to check out all the little shops and restaurants. I saw my husband with another woman and…and holding a little boy in his arms.”
“Oh, baby.” Alonzo pulled her closer.
“He didn’t see me, but I heard him say something about being back in five minutes, so I waited until he walked away and approached the woman.” Facing him again she said, “Can you imagine my shock when the woman said that she was glad to have him home from his military deployment in time to celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary?”
His eyebrow lifted. “He was in the military?”
“I have no idea. I didn’t know what to believe. The only thing I did know was that I wanted out. I took some pictures of them, came home and moved out, then hired an attorney. Because I could prove he was already married, ours was annulled. The only good thing is because we’d only been married a short time, I’d never gotten around to changing the name on my accounts, so I didn’t have to waste time changing everything back.”
“I take it he wasn’t too happy when he came home and found you gone.”
“No, he wasn’t. He started harassing me at work, calling me and screaming about how I ruined his life.”
“Bullshit! He’s the one who ruined your life,” he said through clenched teeth. “Sorry.”
Kenya gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “Don’t be.” She wished she would’ve had someone like him around at that time. His quiet outrage made her realize there was another, more dangerous edge to him. Brad wouldn’t have gotten away with any of his harassment. “About a month later, I left work much later than usual, was tired and not really paying attention to my surroundings. He and another guy I’d never seen grabbed me and shoved me into his car. Brad—my ex—was ranting about no one walks away from him and driving like a maniac. He blew through a red light and we were T-boned on his side. He and his friend were killed and I ended up with a two-level fusion in my lumbar spine. So now you know.” Alonzo tightened his arm around her and she could tell by the trembling in his body that he was trying to maintain control.
“I have never wished death on someone,” Alonzo started quietly, “but it’s a good thing he’s gone because if he was still here, I might be tempted to kill him myself.” Cupping her face in his large hand, he peppered kisses on her forehead, cheek, and lips. “I will never let anyone hurt you again. I hope you haven’t been blaming yourself because this is all on him.”
His fierce promise brought tears to her eyes that she was helpless to stop. Her mother, sister and grandmother had been by her side during that painful time, but her father, the one person who should have protected her, had been missing in action. Their relationship had already been fractured when he ripped their family apart, but his apathetic response after her injury, coupled with him stopping just short of blaming her for being in that type of situation, had done irreparable damage. Yet, this kind and caring giant of a man had done what no other one had done. Everything she’d gone through—the pain, betrayal, feelings that she was somehow partially to blame, that she, as a psychologist, should have known that he wasn’t a good person—surfaced with such force, a cry escaped her. “I should’ve known something. Why didn’t I realize that he wasn’t who he—?” Deep, wrenching sobs wracked her body.
Alonzo shifted her until she was seated across his lap and wrapped his arms around her. “Shh, baby. This wasn’t your fault. He lied to you, but he can’t hurt you anymore. Go ahead and let it go. I’ve got you.”
For the first time in her life, Kenya felt safe and protected and she never wanted to leave his arms.