In Search of Grace (18 page)

             
Alex laughed
.
   “No, we
did
not ha
ve
sex
,
yet.”

             
“YET
!?!
I knew it
…
y
ou like him
!
”
Charles
stated in a loud voice while starting to clap
his large hands together
again
. 
The other patrons
were
now looking their way
,
and
Alex
’s
face burned while trying
to grab his hands to get him to stop.  

             
“
So
what’s next for you
and your gorgeous trooper man
,
diva?”

             
“I don’t know
,
Charles
.
W
e
still
need to get to know each other.  I
am just learning
about him
,
and he knows very little about me
.”
Alex
paused
…
“I need to go slow
.
”

             
“I know girl, I just am so happy you
might be
getting some
soon
, who cares about the details
.
”
W
aiving a hand above his head to emphasize his point.  “And a good piece
,
by the looks of him
.
”

             
Alex’s face
t
urned a bright red.

             
“Hello
,
Alex
,
Charles”

             
Charles
masked his surprise at seeing the visitor
by jumping up and hugging Seth in greeting.

             
Alex caught Seth’s eyes in mid hug
,
hiding
a smile when she saw his eyes widen.

             
Charles sat back down
patting
the chair next to him.   “Come join us for lunch. 
You’re
looking very
yummy
today
.
”
  Alex had to agree with Charles even though she would have used a
different
expression, as she silently took in
Seth’s
appearance.  Dressed in black slacks and a cream dress shirt, he
exuded
a sexuality that she realized
many o
ther
women
in the room
admired also.

             
“I am ready
, Seth.”
 
Seth turned as a woman came
up behind him. 
Alex’s
eyes took in the elegant clothing
;
the familiar way the stranger touched his arm. 

             
“Alex, Charles, this is Karine.  A good friend of mine
.
”

             
“Hello
.
”

             
“Thanks for the offer
,
Charles
, but I have to do a couple of things.  I have been unexpectedly distracted lately and am getting behind on my work
at the house
.
 
Rain check
?
”

             
Alex’s face
flushed
k
nowing
she was the source of his distraction
.
Charles looked from Seth to Alex
to
Karine
,
not knowing what to say for the first time in a long time.

             
B
reaking the
awkward
silence
,
he made direct eye contact with Seth
.
“
Absolutely
.
I look forward to it. 
Run along then so I can catch up with my girl.”

             
Charles and Seth shook hands. 
The
n
Seth turned to Alex,
and Charles watched
curiously,
as Seth gently touched her cheek with his knuckles
. 
“See you later
,
Rabbit?”

             
Blushing
,
Alex nodded.

             
As Seth walked away, Alex caught Charles staring at her.

             
“What
now
?”

             
“Rabbit?
Sounds a bit kinky if you ask me. 
Tell me, a
re we talking a regular hare or
A
ngora
?” 

             
Alex
could not
focus on his words as she watched the pair walk away from the table.  They looked good together
,
and her heart sank
r
ealizing in a flash that she really knew very little about this new man in her life
.  Charles followed her gaze.

             
“
Who
do you think that was
?
” 

             
Alex stared down at her plate.
 
“
I don’t know”

             
“
W
ell
, normally I would tell you that
you
had
better stake your claim
my dear
,
or someone
else
is going to.
But in this case, and in seeing the way he touched you in front of her, I can tell you unequivocally, you have nothing to worry about.  On the other hand -
I told you to bake him cookies
.  Now that would have sealed the deal.
”

             
“There is nothing to claim
,
Charles.  We had dinner once.  That is it.”
This time C
harles
did not
say
anything
, feeling for Alex and the insecurities
that
cross
ed
her face
,
but knowing that there WAS more that she wasn’t saying. 
He wondered if Alex might be falling for the dashing Seth Walton.  His heart hoped so for his
friend
’s
sake.  Leaning
back
in his chair
,
he f
olded his arms
expecting
her to finish.

             
Sig
h
ing deeply
,
Alex knew she would have to tell him.   “After you left
yesterday
, I
couldn’t go to sleep
,
so I went outside
to read
.  Then
I
decided to go visit him since he had called me several times
,
and I
hadn’t
answer
ed
.
At
this,
Charlie’s
eyebrows went up
,
but he waited for her to finish
knowing there was
still
more
.
“Nothing happened
!
”
Alex pretended not to see
Charles roll
ing
his eyes.  “
Until
later
.
I woke up
and
…
“
here she
hesitated.   “
Well
let’s
just say that I fell asleep,
” Alex
took a
gulp of her wine
,
“after I was satisfied
...”
  S
taring at her plate
again,
she
did not
dare look at her best friend. 

             
H
earing
snorting from across the table, she looked
up
startled
to see
Charles’
’s
face beet red
.

             
“A
re you ok
?
  Are you choking?
”

             
Charles’
s
booming laughter echoed throughout the restaurant.  Everyone in the room stopped to stare at him.

             
“
Lower
your voice
,
” Alex hissed.
  “What the hell is so
funny?
”

             
“You fel
l asleep after you were satisfied.”  At
this,
Charles snorted again and roared
once more.
Wiping the tears from his eyes,
he looked at her with a huge grin on his face.  “Bit of a role reversal isn’t it?
”

             
Seeing
that
Alex found no humor in the
situation,
Charles sobered
,
reaching
for her hand across the table
.  “What is the matter
,
kiddo?”

             
“I like being with him
,
Charles, a lot.  I like the way he makes me feel
,
and I am not afraid when I am around him. 
However
, there is so much going on with me right now. So much baggage.”
H
er voice trailed off.

             
“Tell him
,
Alex.  Tell him what you told me yesterday.”

             
Her face blanched at the thought of telling Seth
her secret
.

             
“Look
,
Alex, you are going to have
to
tell someone other than me at some point.  We didn’t talk about it yesterday
,
but you have to face the fact that there
is
some crazy stalking you.
 
L
ook at me!   Y
ou know I am a wimp bitch
,
and when push comes to shove
,
and someone needs to be sacrificed, it aint going to be me.
”

             
Alex burst out laughing
“
  
You do not
k
now that
,
Charles!
And
don’t
say that!
  Besides
,
you may be a wimp bitch, but you are my bitch.
”

             
Charles stared at her thoughtfully.  New respect emerged for Seth
.  It sounded like the man had every opportunity to take advantage of her. 
His friend was
frightened
,
lonely
,
and
could easily be manipulated.  Seth did not seem interested in the easy prey.  Whatever was going on between the two of them,
it was obvious
Seth
was in
it for the long haul.  In light of this, Charles chose
his next words carefully
.  “
I just want you to consider
,
diva
,
that m
aybe
he is diffe
re
nt.  Maybe he
does not
just want sex
with you
.  You have always complained in the past at how men
immediately
assume
they were going to get
a
piece
after taking you out. 
I don’t know,
he
s
ounds like a keeper to me
.
”