HOWARD

26

I almost drove through a red light at her question. Quickly, I pressed down hard on the brake and my tires squealed at the intersection just as a red truck sped past in a blur. Even though her seatbelt was strapped, I instinctively drew a protective arm straight out in front of Meeks just as she jerked forward.

“My bad. Sorry about that.” I studied her intensely, making sure she was all right.

She looked at me with a hand pressed against her chest. “You okay?” she asked, breathing heavy.

“Here I am worried about you, and you’re worried about me.” I couldn’t resist a grin. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize the light had changed.”

Meeks shrugged. “It’s all good. No one’s hurt. Your vehicle is still intact.”

I grinned. “Yes, it is.” I heard a horn blow. I looked up and the light was green. I pressed on the gas and started driving again. “I believe the problem I’m having with driving is with you.”

“Me?” she said innocently. “Why me?”

“It’s not often that I have a beautiful woman riding beside me.” I winked and noticed she was blushing. “I’m starving. And the answer to your question…no, I never got around to having lunch. So, I’m starve. You want to stop and get something quick like Chick Fil-A?”

I noticed the puzzled look before her eyes brightened and her lips curled upward to say, “That sounds wonderful.”

I headed toward the area of the city where I lived, which was within minutes to the City Center. The restaurants were nicer, and it offered more shopping. Most importantly, I wanted to show her my house. Although a part of me wondered if Giselle would pop up again.

After the shower incident, she showed up at my office with lunch. She waltzed in there like she was the president of the Key Spouse program, like she belonged. As soon as I saw her sauntering my way with all my young airmen staring at her like she was a movie star, I got up from my chair and closed the door behind her.

“Giselle, what are you doing here?”

She made her way over to where I was standing. “I brought a peace offering.” She held up the bag of food and gave me a knowing smile. “I figured a foot-long roast beef and Swiss was a good way to start.”

“Thank you.” I took the bag from her proffered hand. “Now I would appreciate it if you’d respect my wishes and not come by here again.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way.” Her eyes studied me. “I hope Senior Master Sergeant Dayana Meeks realizes how lucky she is.”

I shook my head. “I don’t know what you think you know, but my per—”

“She’s not even that cute.” Giselle had the nerve to laugh.

I held the bag out to her. “Here. Please, take your food and leave. If you come back, I’m going to report you for harassment. I think I heard you already had one complaint from a Lieutenant Miles.”

Her expression dropped. “That was a misunderstanding,” Her voice wasn’t anywhere near as confident as before.

“Really? And what’s this…another misunderstanding?” I put the bag in her hand, walked over, and pulled my door open. “You have a nice day.”

Giselle tilted her chin upward in a stiff and primp manner, but I already knew better. As she walked towards the door, she stopped abruptly, turned toward me, then dropped the bag of food in the trash before she rolled her eyes and departed.

I felt sorry for the man who ended up with her.

I pushed Giselle from my mind and focused on the amazing woman beside me. We sat in a booth in the corner of the restaurant, talking and laughing until we were yawning, and our eyes were droopy. Neither of us, however, wanted to cut our time together short. It was something I hadn’t done in a long time, so I knew it was a good sign. Because I didn’t care what time it was or that I would be paying for the shit in the morning when it was time to report at zero-six-hundred for commander’s call.

“I think we need to get out of here so they can lock up.” Meeks was looking out the corner of her eyes. Two of the staff were mopping the floors and changing the trash.

“You up for a ride?” I asked, then slurped down the last swallow of my chocolate milkshake.

She didn’t even hesitate. “Sure, where to?”

“I’d like to show you how I live.”

I watched her expression. If there was any hesitation, I would pull the plug on the idea and wait. That meant it was too soon. Instead her eyes lit up with a smile.

“I would love to see where you live. But don’t be upset if I fall asleep on you when you get me over there,” she added with a wink I felt warm my loins.

“No problem. My bed is big enough for the two of us.”

On the drive over, I tried to contain the excitement. I was bringing Meeks to see my place. Damn, just think if Rein hadn’t told me Meeks was related to Faison. I would have missed out on this golden opportunity sitting beside me.

“I still find it hard to believe you’re a homeowner,” she said.

I tore my eyes away from the road to glance over at her. “I’ve always wanted a home, even when I was a teenager.”

“Really?”

I nodded. “Yep, my parents taught me why pay someone else’s mortgage when you can pay your own.”

“Smart parents.”

“The first several years of my career I was moving around and deploying too much to think about buying a house. But after the divorce and I moved back to the east coast, I knew I needed a stable home for my daughter.”

She was staring at me. “You really are a good father.”

“I try to be, but Ava is getting older. So far, being a father has been easy, but I know all that is about to change now that she’s in high school.”

“I have confidence that you will handle it just fine.” Meeks reached over and squeezed my thigh affectionately. It was a small gesture, but it had a huge effect on my libido.

At the corner, I made a right turn and passed Christopher Newport University. “My realtor took me out seeing houses for four weeks before I finally found a place that felt like me.”

“How long have you owned your house?”

“For about three years now. It’s still a work in progress, but I feel I have thirty years to get it together.”

She laughed. “Yes, you do.”

I turned into the subdivision and immediately felt a sense of pride. I had moved into an established neighborhood with lush yards and mature trees. Houses were custom built with federal roofs, large porches, and some with all brick frames. “Most of my neighbors had been here for decades, raised their kids, and now enjoying their grandchildren. The good thing is they welcomed a brotha with open arms and casseroles.”

Meeks laughed as she stared out her window. “Very nice.”

“Yeah, I got pretty lucky to move in this neighborhood. They rarely have a house on the market, and when they do there’s a contract on it by the end of the week.”

“Really?”

“My house went on the market on a Sunday. My realtor called and I met her out here at 0800. We had a contract on it before noon.” I followed the road around and pulled onto my driveway in front of a three-car garage, then killed the engine.

“This is pretty,” Meeks said, and by the time I climbed out and made it around to open her door, she was already out the vehicle and walking up the sidewalk toward the house.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Open the door so I can see.”

Laughing, I moved up to the door and turned the lock. “After you, beautiful.”