Tanner watched her eyes widen. They were deep chocolate, beautiful, and alluring. If he’d seen fear in them, he would have stopped the slow descent of his head toward the flawless perfection of her honey-colored face. He was a man who seized opportunities where he found them, but never without warning.
He’d heard the women’s entire conversation. His relief that she was unattached was short-lived when he heard her say she had a date. He was stunned moments later to hear his own name.
Women had tried to trap him since he was old enough to shave. He might have thought she had similar thoughts if he hadn’t seen the desperation in her face when she was trying to get out of the blind date, and then the shocked look on her face when her friend insisted on meeting him.
Now he watched her long, sooty lashes drift shut just before his lips brushed lightly against her cheek. A jolt of awareness shot though him. From the sudden intake of breath, she felt the same sensation.
His eyes narrowed. He hadn’t expected that to happen and apparently neither had she. He enjoyed women, but it took more than a kiss to excite him. Interesting.
“Ah, hmmm.” Sheri cleared her throat and grinned as Ayanna
avoided her eyes and Tanner straightened. “Mr. Rafferty, I’m Sheri Moore, Ayanna’s best friend. At least, I thought I was until she kept you a secret.”
Tanner straightened and flashed a smile that had been charming females since he had his first tooth. His hand remained on Ayanna’s chair. He was a possessive man and made no bones about it. “Please, call me Tanner, and I hope you’ll allow me to call you Sheri.”
Her smile widened in pleasure. “Please do.”
Tanner glanced back at the silent Ayanna. He wanted to see her reaction when he said her name for the first time. “Forgive the secrecy. My fault entirely. It was my idea, not Ayanna’s.”
She swallowed and licked her lips. Pleased, he said to Sheri, “I hope you and Ayanna will join me at my table.”
Sheri glanced at her watch, then shook her head with regret and stood. “My husband is out of town and he’s going to call me in less than thirty minutes. If I’m not at home, he’ll worry.”
“I understand,” Tanner said graciously, aware that Ayanna remained silent. “Perhaps another time.”
“That would be nice. Good night, Tanner.” Sheri looked at Ayanna. “I’m calling you first thing in the morning.” With those words of warning she walked off.
Tanner took the seat next to Ayanna. “I seem to have forgotten where you live and where we were going. Perhaps you can help. I certainly wouldn’t want to miss our first date.”
Ayanna heard the unexpected teasing note in his deep voice, and shook herself to keep from being affected by it. It was easy to see how he had gained such a notorious reputation with women. However, she didn’t plan to be next on his list. A momentary lapse in judgment was one thing; going headlong into certain heartache was another.
“Mr. Raf—”
“Tanner, please.”
Ayanna moistened her lips, wishing he’d move back. His body
wasn’t crowding her, his overpowering presence was. “Please accept my deepest apologies for involving you. It wasn’t intentional.”
“I know. I heard you trying to get out of the blind date.” His grin widened. “And I was your way out.”
Ayanna finally stopped being embarrassed long enough to realize he must have been listening to their conversation. “You eavesdropped on a private conversation?”
“For which we both should be thankful,” he said, not seeming the least disturbed by her hard stare, “since we both get what we want.”
She folded her arms over her chest. Another egotistical, rude man. “And what exactly is that?”
He leaned closer until she caught a whiff of his citrus-and-spice cologne and a scent that was elementally male and dangerous. “You get out of a blind date you were dreading, and I get an introduction to you that might lead to a date.” He stuck out his wide-palmed hand. “Tanner Rafferty, and you are Ayanna …”
It was the smile in his eyes that had her unfolding her arms and extending her hand. She’d always liked men who didn’t take themselves too seriously. “Hardcastle.”
His hand closed gently but firmly over hers. “Where would you like to go Saturday night, Ayanna?”
She pulled her hand free and sat back, ignoring the tingling that started in her hand and radiated all over her body. “I’m busy—”
“Sheri will be unhappy to hear that.”
Ayanna made a face. “She’ll get over it.”
“I won’t,” he said, his voice drifting over her like a caress.
Ayanna felt her body heat up. He should wear a sign that said “Lethal to Females,” she thought, twisting in her seat. He moved closer.
“You two at it again?” Sheri picked up her scarf from the floor. “I can never keep track of my scarves.”
Ayanna tried not to look guilty. “At least you still have that one.
You’d better hurry if you’re going to be home for Reginald’s call.” Sheri lived twenty minutes away, near the marina.
Sheri turned to Rafferty. “Tanner, I hope to see you Saturday night at Judge Wyman’s party.”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” he said easily.
“Good. I’ll see you two then.” Looping the scarf around her neck, she turned and left again.
Ayanna waited until Sheri neared the mahogany front doors and the hostess opened it for her to exit. “Why did you do that?” she hissed. “I am not going anyplace with you.”
This time Tanner was the one who folded his arms. “I have an invitation to the judge’s party.”
She might have known. Judge Wyman’s wife, Edith, was a renowned hostess. The elite of D.C.’s society vied for an invitation from her. Sheri would want to know what happened if they weren’t together.
“She’ll probably introduce you to my replacement,” Tanner commented lazily, as though he’d read her mind.
Pointing out that he didn’t have a replacement since she wasn’t going out with him didn’t seem as important as trying to figure out how she was going to get out of the mess she had put herself in. As hard and as long as she thought, nothing came to mind that didn’t require her admitting she lied, which, since Sheri had introduced herself to Tanner, would embarrass her best friend as well.
“My mother will be there,” Ayanna mumbled, not sure if she wanted reassurance or to frighten Tanner off.
He gave her reassurance and a smile guaranteed to make a sane woman act irrationally. “Mothers like me.”
Ayanna resisted, but it wasn’t easy. What mother wouldn’t want to see her daughter with him? He was handsome, successful, charming. She’d envision cuddling beautiful dark-haired grandchildren who looked like him.
Ayanna blinked, berating herself for that unwanted thought. Her body had picked a heck of a time to come out of sexual hibernation.
And definitely with the wrong man. She was telling the truth when she told Sheri she was busy. She didn’t help out in the restaurant at night unless they were busy, but she did catch up on paperwork at her home office.
“I could pick you up, we could wish the judge a happy birthday, and be on our way in thirty minutes,” Tanner suggested persuasively. “Sheri would be happy, and I’d have the pleasure of taking you out. It’s a win-win situation.”
It sounded nice and simple, but simple wasn’t a word she’d associate with a renegade like Tanner. “Are you really dateless on a Saturday night or is some woman going to want my scalp?”
“Your scalp is lovely right where it is,” he said, lightly brushing his fingers through her short curly hair.
“You have a date and you’re just going to dump her and take another woman?” Ayanna asked, her voice incensed.
Tanner studied the outrage on Ayanna’s face on behalf of a woman she didn’t know. Obviously she was someone with principles, another reason not to let her get away. “I don’t have a date, but I’d very much like to take you.”
Resistance melted like snowflakes on a hot stove. Ayanna chalked it up to the beard and the fact that it was the only way out of a difficult situation. “We’re in and out?”
“In and out,” he repeated, having the good sense and manners not to gloat. “Where and what time should I pick you up?”
Ayanna gave him the information and her phone number, just in case he had to cancel.
“Not in this lifetime.” He stood. “I better get back to my table and take care of the bill before my waitress thinks I’m trying to sneak off.”
“Let me take care of it.” Ayanna lifted her hand, then jerked as Tanner’s large one closed around hers. She hoped he didn’t feel her pulse skittering.
“There’s no need for that,” he said. “Until Saturday night.” He kissed her palm.
Ayanna tried to calm herself as he paid his bill, then sent her a smile that upped the temperature in her body fifty degrees. When he left, she slumped back in her chair. What on earth had possessed her to accept a date with a renegade like Tanner Rafferty?
The tingling in her body wasn’t the answer she wanted.
The phone on Ayanna’s nightstand rang seconds after the six-thirty alarm went off Friday morning. She didn’t have to look at her caller ID to know it was Sheri making good on her threat. With a baleful look at the phone, Ayanna debated about whether or not she should let Sheri think she had already left for her morning jog. Deciding to do just that, she bounded out of bed, but couldn’t quite make herself continue to the bathroom. Sheri was a good friend.
Plopping back on the side of the bed, she picked up the phone. “How’s Reginald?”
“Fine. Details,” Sheri said. “And don’t leave out anything.”
Ayanna refused to squirm, even if her conscience was beginning to beat up on her. Sheri had been trying to help. It wasn’t her fault Ayanna didn’t like hurting people’s feelings. “There’s nothing much to tell. It just sort of happened.”
“Ayanna Hardcastle, I can’t believe you’re not giving me anything! My best friend is going out with the yummiest man in town and you act like it’s no big deal.”
“It isn’t. Tomorrow night will be our first date,” Ayanna said slowly, glad that much was true. “It might not lead anywhere.”
“If the way you two were staring at each other is any indication, I have a good idea where it’s going,” Sheri said frankly.
Ayanna chose to ignore that remark. Sheri had never been shy about her sex life with Reginald. They might have recently married, but they had lived together, much to the chagrin of her parents, for the past three years. “Just promise me you won’t try and fix me up with any more blind dates if it doesn’t?”
“I won’t have to because you’re too smart to let a man like Tanner Rafferty get away,” Sheri said with a smile in her voice. “George is a great guy, but not many men could measure up if they were put up against Tanner.”
Ayanna didn’t have to meet George to know Sheri spoke the truth. “I’d better get going or else I’m going to get caught in traffic.”
“That’s your own fault,” her friend said unsympathetically. “With your income you could get a wonderful place here instead of fighting the crazy traffic from Baltimore twice a day.”
Ayanna gave her friend her usual and truthful answer. “I love living in a house with a yard and a garden that I can afford. Now let me go. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
“All right. Everyone will be trying to outdo each other, so wear something that will keep Tanner’s eyes on you.”
“Bye.” Ayanna hung up the phone and headed for the bathroom. She had no intention of dressing to impress Tanner because one date was all they were ever going to have.
Ayanna arrived at Leo’s at nine sharp. Parking her Lexus in her designated spot on the side of the supper club, she grabbed her attaché case and headed inside. Her cousins’ three spots were empty. Since they kept the place going until closing, they didn’t come in until around two in the afternoon. In the meantime, Ayanna had the restaurant to herself, except for the security guard and the maintenance crew. Waving to the cleaning crew, she went directly to her office in the back.
Cozy was the only way to describe the converted closet, but it was functional and chic. She stepped behind her mahogany desk with ball-and-claw feet and sat down with a sigh. Across the room were mahogany file cabinets and bookshelves. On the walls were paintings by her favorite artists to add color. A six-by-three-foot mirror in a heavy ornate frame on the opposite wall added depth. She and her mother had gone searching for the office furniture soon after
she’d accepted her cousins’ offer to be their partner/accountant for Leo’s.
Thinking of her mother brought back the present problem. Ayanna loved her, but one look at Tanner and she was going to start thinking of him as a potential son-in-law. Patricia Hardcastle was a level-headed woman. She had to be since she was an elementary school principal to over twelve hundred lucky children, but practicality went out the window when it came to the possibility of her daughter’s marriage.
Ayanna leaned back in her chair, forgetting about the invoices she had planned to pay that day. Her mother had married the day after receiving her Master’s in Education from Howard. Two years later, when she was twenty-four, Ayanna had been born. To her mother’s and Ayanna’s family’s way of thinking, at thirty-three, Ayanna was getting perniciously close to being at an unsafe age for childbearing—if she found a husband—which it didn’t look as if she would.
Perhaps things would have been different if her father had lived. The shock of his sudden death had been hard on everyone. Ayanna hadn’t been dating anyone at the time and it had taken a couple of years to get back into the social swing of things. When she had, she’d found it increasingly difficult to be the same carefree woman she had once been. She didn’t believe in forever so trustingly anymore.
She’d spoken to her father the morning he died. He and her mother had planned on coming to her apartment for dinner, but he never made it. It was then she discovered that the next hour wasn’t promised, let alone the next day. As a result she’d guarded her emotions, perhaps too well. She hadn’t dated seriously since.
Occasionally she’d feel a twinge of remorse that she wasn’t married, didn’t have children, but not enough to worry about it. Despite what her family thought, she had time. Tanner certainly hadn’t thought she was past her prime.
Ayanna dropped her forehead into the palms of her hands. Her
mother wouldn’t be the only one thinking about Tanner for Ayanna. Like the gooey candy her parents had forbidden her to eat as a child because it was bad for her teeth, but which she had craved and frequently eaten anyway, Tanner was just as tempting. But he could be a lot more hazardous to her well-being.