Back to Your Love Page 9

  “Only the best for you.” He sat down on the couch, patted the cushion next to him. “Break it open and let’s watch the movie.”

  Doing as her guest requested, she retrieved two wineglasses from her cabinet. Within a few minutes, she brought the two filled glasses to the sofa and sat down next to Xavier, leaving a few inches of space between them.

  The television was already set up to stream one of their favorite movies of the nineties, Spike Lee’s classic Mo’ Better Blues. As the opening credits rolled, Imani settled into the cushion beneath her.

  “I can’t remember the last time I watched this movie,” Xavier remarked before popping a few of the chocolate candies into his mouth. “It’s been too long, I’m sure.”

  “Yeah, I know. This was Denzel in his prime. I still think he should’ve gotten the Oscar for his performance.”

  “I’m with you on that.”

  They lapsed into convivial silence as the movie began in earnest. Before long, she found herself feeling a level of comfort with him she hadn’t felt in more than a decade. She scooted a little closer to him, and when their thighs touched, he glanced her way. The shared a silent smile as he draped his arm over the back cushion, letting his hand rest on her shoulder.

  Throughout the film, they chatted, and she couldn’t help noticing how easily conversation flowed between them. Between mouthfuls of popcorn, they talked about their views on the themes presented in the movie, what had happened to the cast members in the decades since the film’s release, and whether or not it should be remade.

  “If it ain’t broke, don’t remake it,” Xavier declared in response to that issue.

  “I agree. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if some producer tried it, since Hollywood seems to be fresh out of original ideas.”

  “True, true. Here’s hoping they leave this one alone.”

  She settled into the crook of his arm for the remainder of the movie.

  As the end credits rolled, she sat up straight, stretching her arms above her head. Staying in the same position for so long had left her body a little bit stiff, but her soul felt as warm and cozy as a kitten wrapped in a fleece blanket. Xavier possessed a special quality, something she couldn’t name. Whatever it was, it made her feel safe, cared for. After spending these last few weeks getting to know him all over again, she felt certain she didn’t want to return to an existence that didn’t include him.

  “I was pleasantly surprised when you invited me over,” Xavier said, bringing her back to the present moment.

  “I’m glad you came. You’ve already invited me out twice, so I figured it was my turn.” She pulled her feet up on the sofa, tucking her knees to her chest.

  “You cold?”

  “A little.” She wrapped her arms around her knees. “The heat’s been on the fritz and my landlord says he can’t fix it until the end of the week. What about you? Are you cold?”

  He shook his head. “Hot natured, remember?” He rose from his seat, grabbed the big woven throw she’d tossed over the armchair earlier. “Here.” Sitting next to her again, he wrapped the big throw around her. “How’s that?”

  “Better.” She looked at him, letting her eyes connect with his, hoping her gaze would tell him what she was too shy to say aloud.

  “How about this.” He scooted close to her, wrapping his arms around her blanket-wrapped body.

  She released a contented sigh as his body heat cocooned her. “Much better.”

  They sat together for a few quiet moments, while she enjoyed the sensation of being held in his strong arms.

  When she spoke again, her tone was soft. “I’m really enjoying what we have together, Xavier.”

  “So am I.” He gave her a gentle squeeze.

  “Really? Because you were coming on a little strong there in the beginning.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.”

  She waved him off. “I get it. You’ve always been a go-getter.”

  He released a brief chuckle. “Listen. I’d be lying if I said I don’t still want something more serious with you. But if this is what you want, if this is the way I can be a part of your life, then I’m down.”

  She turned her face up to look into his eyes. “You mean you’re just going to go along with this little arrangement for as long as I want?”

  “Yes, I am. I remember what you said that night after Ty and Georgia’s reception, and you’re right. We’ve been apart for so long that it just makes sense for us to take our time and get to know each other for who we are now.”

  Hearing him say that and knowing that he understood her reasoning and respected her enough not to press her filled her with a sense of peace and contentment. “Thank you, Xavier. I really appreciate you saying that.”

  “I mean it.”

  She was about to say something else, but a yawn came out instead.

  He released her from his grasp. “It’s time for you to go to bed, Imani. It’s getting late and we both have to work tomorrow.”

  “Aw, come on.” She stuck out her lips in a mock pout.

  He playfully wagged a finger at her as he got up. “Nope. You’re yawning. That means you’re tired. I’m going home to get some sleep and you should do the same.”

  On the heels of another yawn, she acquiesced. “You’re right. It is past my bedtime.”

  She walked him to the door and opened it for him.

  “Good night, Imani.” He winked at her from just outside the door.

  “Good night.”

  As he started to turn away, she reached out and placed her hand on his forearm.

  When he turned back to see what she wanted, she leaned up and placed a soft, fleeting kiss on his cheek. Sharing the small, affectionate gesture with him felt natural, right.

  “Sweet dreams,” she whispered as she retreated back into the apartment.

  The last thing she saw before she shut the door was his grin.

  Chapter 7

  Imani entered the exam room and shut the door behind her. This time, she wasn’t surprised to see Cassidy sitting on the edge of the exam table. She’d seen Cassidy’s name on the schedule for a follow-up. Wearing the same congenial smile she greeted all her patients with, Imani sat down on her stool and eased it closer to Cassidy. “Good morning. So I’m guessing you’re not getting the results you want with the corticosteroid?”

  “Morning, Imani.” Cassidy returned her smile. “And no, I’m not. The patches are still just as irritated. Not to mention my skin looks a hot mess.”

  She nodded. In many ways, Cassidy’s personality hadn’t changed from the young woman she’d been in college. Imani remembered how concerned Cassidy had always been with her appearance, and even now, she sensed that Cassidy was more concerned with the cosmetic dilemma posed by her psoriasis than anything else. “You realize that you haven’t given the cream enough time to work. It’s been less than two weeks since your last appointment.”

  “I know I’m a little impatient, but is there anything else you can do for me? Is there any way to reduce the scaliness while I wait for the medicine to kick in fully?”

  “There is. I can give you some UVB light therapy.” Imani had only used her phototherapy machine once since she’d opened her practice, but she’d already been impressed with the results it provided. “I can administer it right here in the office, and it should dramatically reduce your scaling.”

  Cassidy’s smile brightened. “Great. That sounds like just what I need.”

  Standing, Imani used her tablet to make note of the procedure in Cassidy’s electronic patient record. “Okay. I’m going to get a nurse to bring the equipment into the room. Since you have scaling in various places, we’ll need you to put on a gown.”

  Cassidy’s face fell. “Oh Lord. One of those hospital deals with my tail hanging out?”

  Wit
h a chuckle, Imani pulled a paper gown out of the storage cabinet in the room. “Nah. It’s paper and there’s plenty of coverage.”

  Taking the gown, Cassidy blew out a sigh of relief. “Thanks.”

  “I’ll step out, so you can change, and be back shortly.” She eased out of the room into the corridor and shut the door behind her. Poking her head into the break room, she gestured for Leona.

  “What’s up?” The nurse asked the question around a mouthful of muffin.

  “Can you wheel the phototherapy equipment into exam room one, please?”

  Dusting off her hands and using a pump of sanitizer, Leona nodded. “Sure thing.”

  Once Cassidy was gowned and the machine was set up, Imani rejoined Cassidy in the exam room. She donned her gloves, then handed Cassidy a pair of goggles. “Put these on to shield your eyes from the light.”

  Both women donned a pair of goggles, and Imani had Cassidy lie on the table.

  “Is this going to take a while?” Cassidy adjusted her position slightly.

  “About twenty minutes or so.”

  “Do you mind chatting with me while you do this?”

  “No.” Imani knew that proper bedside manner meant she should meet patient’s requests when reasonable. “Are you nervous? Because the procedure is painless.” With a gloved hand, she opened one side of Cassidy’s gown.

  “I’m not nervous. I just hate to sit in awkward silence with someone I know.”

  “I understand.” She used one hand to hold the gown aside and wielded the phototherapy wand with her other. Tiny beeps and flashes of light were emitted from the machine as she treated the patches just above Cassidy’s pelvis.

  “So, from the way you reacted to seeing me last time, I’m guessing seeing me dredged up some unpleasant memories from our days at Doyle and Callahan.”

  Imani blinked a few times behind the protective lenses of her goggles. “Straight to the point, I see. But you’re right.”

  “I figured. Everybody has something in their past that they regret, especially during college. Be easy on yourself.”

  She offered a soft laugh in response. “It’s a little more complex than that, but I understand what you mean.” She completed treatment of Cassidy’s lower abdomen and set aside the wand for a moment to run a soft bristle brush over the newly treated skin.

  Cassidy jumped a little, as if tickled. “We were young secretaries, working for a bunch of older men in positions of power.”

  Imani wanted to sigh but didn’t. She also held back her comments about the toxic attitudes that had run rampant in the all-male firm. “I think the lawyers could have been professional, if they had wanted to. But some of them let the power go to their heads.”

  “I know. I can remember a few of them who were pushy as hell, always trying to get under our skirts.” She shook her head.

  “I remember.” Parts of her wanted to say more, to say aloud what she’d been holding inside all these years. Cassidy only knew part of the story. The abuse she’d faced at the hands of one of the lawyers had altered the course of her life. But she knew her legal obligation was to be silent.

  “Not for nothing, but I used some of that desperation to my benefit.” Cassidy pursed her lips. “If they were gonna be jerks anyway, I figured I might as well get something out of it.”

  Imani didn’t know exactly what Cassidy meant, and she knew better than to ask. She sensed Cassidy would be honest enough to tell her everything, in detail. Instead of dwelling on that, she moved the light wand to treat the patches on Cassidy’s arms.

  Cassidy continued chatting about various subjects as the treatment continued, but Imani found she didn’t have much more to say. She acknowledged Cassidy’s words but kept her responses short. By the time they were finished and she’d applied moisturizing cream to the places that had been treated, Imani felt somewhat relieved that the conversation would soon end.

  Removing her gloves and tossing them in the trash bin, Imani stood. “We’re done, Cassidy. Continue using the cream I gave you, and that should keep most of the patches away. And remember, we still have some other options if you need them. But give it a few weeks this time.”

  Cassidy nodded. “I will. Now that my skin looks better, I think I can be a little more patient.”

  “Good. If you need anything, just call us.” Imani glanced at her watch, mindful of her patient waiting in the next room.

  “Thanks.”

  With a smile, Imani left the room. Cassidy had given her plenty to think about, but she had more patients to see. Tucking those thoughts of the past away, Imani sanitized her hands and entered the next exam room.

  * * *

  Xavier got out of his car, walked around to the passenger side, and opened the door. “Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”

  Imani giggled as she stepped out, moving away from the car so he could shut the door. “Yes, but you can keep the compliments coming.”

  He took in the sight of her again in the incredibly sexy outfit she wore: a slinky red tunic top over a pair of shimmery black leggings. The black leather boots she’d paired the outfit with were knee high, with block heels that added a couple of inches to her height. Her makeup consisted of black eyeliner and ruby-red lipstick, and she’d let her hair fall around her shoulders. The longer he stood there looking at her, the happier he was with his decision to ask her out for a night of dancing.

  Taking his offered hand, she let him escort her to the door of Te Amo Corazon, one of the city’s hottest salsa and merengue clubs. He’d had a membership to the exclusive club for several years now, having received it as a birthday gift from Maxwell when he turned thirty. He went once after getting the membership and had enjoyed the atmosphere of the place so much that he renewed every year. The campaign had left him little time for fun recently, and he looked forward to dancing the night away with Imani.

  After they’d gone through the security gauntlet and she’d handed her purse off to the coat-check attendant, a club employee in a red blazer lifted the velvet rope, allowing them access to the club’s VIP section.

  She made a slow turn, taking in the scene. “Wow. This place is impressive. I didn’t know you had this kind of pull.”

  “Let’s just say I know a guy.” He gave her an exaggerated wink.

  “In any case, I’m impressed.”

  He knew she had reason to be. The club’s VIP section was on the second level and boasted a bar made entirely of imported crystal, booths with leather-topped ottomans and red suede chairs, and a dance floor fitted with lights that illuminated the surface from beneath. The sound booth, perched on a high platform above the bar, was being worked by a lady DJ spinning nonstop salsa music.

  “Wanna grab a drink?” She spoke into his ear to be heard over the pounding music.

  He nodded and, still clutching her hand, led her to the sparkling crystal bar. There, they sat on the leather-topped stools and summoned the bartender. They both ordered Corona with lime, and a few minutes later, they were sipping from their bottles, their eyes turned toward the dance floor.

  “This place is amazing. How did you know I love salsa music?”

  Setting his bottle down, he answered her truthfully. “I didn’t, but since I’ve been wanting to bring you here, I figured it was worth a shot to ask.”

  “Good call.” She took a dainty sip from her beer bottle, then set it aside. “We are going to dance, right?”

  “Soon as they play something you like.”

  As if on cue, the DJ switched records, shouting into her microphone. “I know y’all gonna get on the floor for this Celia Cruz!”

  Seconds later, the opening notes of Cruz’s classic “Quimbara” filled the room.

  Imani’s eyes lit up. “I love this song!”

  Before he could react, she’d grabbed his hand and dragged him out onto the dance floor. As
soon as they fit themselves into an empty space on the floor, she began swaying her hips to the rhythm of the music.

  He joined her in dancing but never took his eyes off of her. The way she moved hypnotized him, holding him captive. With her lithe arms waving above her head and her body swaying and undulating to the music, she was seduction personified.

  He placed his open palms on either side of her waist, guiding her back and forth in time with his own movements. Their gazes locked. Time seemed to stand still as he read the unbridled desire in her eyes.

  He could feel the heat building between them. It oozed from her pores, rising between them like thick, curling smoke. They kept moving, their bodies in unison, and he felt her inching closer to him.

  When she spun around to face away from him and gently pressed the soft fullness of her hips against his crotch, he held back a gasp. He could not hold back his body’s physical reaction to her nearness, and was powerless to stop the blood rushing to his manhood.

  By the time the song ended, he had a full-on erection. That didn’t stop her from continuing her slow grind against him as the next song began.

  When he felt sure he would explode if she didn’t stop, she spun again to face him. A light sheen of perspiration clung to her hairline. With a sexy smile on her face, she said, “I can see you like my dancing.”

  “Oh my God, Imani.” It was all he could manage. He could not remember ever being so aroused, least of all in public, in the middle of a crowded dance floor.

  “Don’t be embarrassed. I’m not.” She lifted her small hand, placing it along his jaw. With her hips still swiveling, she leaned in and pressed her ruby lips to his. The kiss was brief, but those few seconds of connection with her were enough to drive him mad with desire.

  She grabbed his hands, placed them back on her body. When he eased them lower, to her backside, she responded with a smile. “One more song, then I’m taking you home, Xavier.”