“Dinner tomorrow?”
She pulled out her phone again. A moment later, she peered at me with sad eyes. “I actually have plans tomorrow. What about tonight?”
“Tonight?”
“Yeah, I’m free.” She frowned. “Wait—shit. I promised my mother I’d go shopping with her. But I can meet you somewhere later for a drink?”
While I wanted more time with her,anyamount of time was too good to pass up. “Sounds like a plan. You can pick the place.”
She tapped her chin. “Since I have a feeling you didn’t pickthisrestaurant, I’m going to let you choose.” Blake reached into her purse and pulled out her business card. “Call me?”
“I will.”
“I’d better go get these scones. Oh, I forgot to tell you why I was going to call you.”
I was so enraptured with her that I hadn’t even remembered she’d wanted to call me. “What’s up?”
“That night at the bar was crazy—and weird. I wanted to thank you again for putting my mind at ease, for giving me a safe space to get myself together.”
“Like I told you then, no thanks needed.”
“And since your date sucked…” She hugged me.
Thishug was completely different—from Behkah’sandfrom Blake’s hug the night of the fight. It stirred up something inside me that I hadn’t felt in so long. She wasn’t embracing me because she needed my comfort. It wasn’t awkward or stiff; it felt right. I wasn’t looking for a way out, I wanted to hold on. The hint of raspberries and vanilla in her hair made me want to bury my face in her—everywhere.
She eased back and beamed up at me. “I have absolutely no idea why I did that.”
I pulled her back to me and leaned down, so close I could feel her sweet breath on my lips. “I don’t know why I did this,” I murmured against her mouth before I kissed her.
We were outside and she had somewhere to be. Butdamn. Her soft moans…the way her fingers gripped the collar of my coat, the way her tongue stroked mine, the way she responded to me made me want to start our date now.
“I see you, Professor,” she whispered when I reluctantly pulled away. A smirk formed on her lips. “You might be trouble.”
Cupping her face in my palms, I said, “Good trouble or bad trouble?”
“Both,” she breathed.
“Why?”
Her gaze fell to my lips. “I’ll tell you later.” She stepped into me, kissing me quickly, before she backed away. “Bye.” Waving, she turned on her heels and disappeared into the restaurant.
That kiss hadn’t been planned, but something told me that was how she liked it. Blake was a breath of fresh air—honest, fun, intelligent, beautiful, and sexy. And I couldn’t wait to discover all of her hidden secrets.
Chapter 7
In My Bed
Blake
“How many times are you going to change your clothes?”
I checked out my fifth outfit, twisted in the mirror so I could see my ass. “Mind ya business.”
Bliss rocked Naija in her arms. My niece was officially the best baby ever. She’d barely cried, and slept more often than she was awake. “From what you’ve told me, Professor Cole doesn’t seem superficial.”
Pulling off my gray sweater, I slid on the black turtleneck I’d already tried on. “Obviously not. I looked a hot mess when I ran into him earlier, and he still asked me out.” I kicked off the ripped blue jeans and tugged on black leather leggings.
Bliss gave me a thumbs up in the mirror. “Black on black is always a winner.”
