No Other Lover Will Do (6 page)

“I'm not going to be able to wear Uggs with this,” she said as she ran her hands down her sides. Just as she was about to take her dress off, there was a knock at the door. Expecting a delivery man, she dashed to the door and opened it.

 

Solomon expected Kandace to look good in red, he expected the dress to show off her shoulders and that phenomenal cleavage, but he didn't expect to be breathless when he saw her.

“What are you doing here?” she asked after a brief moment of silence.

“Shoes,” he said. “I forgot to slip these in the box.” Solomon handed her a shoe box. “Are you going to invite me in?”

“No,” she said as she accepted the box. “I'll see you at dinner.”

“Then why did you come to the door looking that damned good?” he asked as Kandace made an attempt to close the door. He wedged his boot-clad foot between the door and the jamb. “We could always have dinner inside.”

“Move your foot before I change my mind about going out to dinner with you. You're supposed to be nicer.”

“What can I say? I'm a work in progress.”

“Good-bye, Solomon,” Kandace said, then closed the door as he moved his foot.

Kandace was the kind of woman that Solomon realized he needed to meet. She didn't give him what he wanted right away and he had a feeling that she had many layers. The more he chased her, the more he wanted to get to know her. At some point, he wanted to have her between the sheets, but he'd be willing to wait, and Solomon Crawford never waited for anything—especially a woman.

Then again, it had been a long time since he'd had a reason to expect something special from a woman. Kandace seemed to be something special. As he walked toward the elevator, his cell phone rang again. He didn't have to look at the caller ID to know that it was Carmen. She'd been phoning all day and he couldn't figure out why she kept calling him. It was unlike her to be so annoying. Solomon knew if he didn't take her call now, she would interrupt his date with Kandace and he wasn't about to have that.

“Crawford,” he said, when he answered the phone.

“Solomon, I've been trying to reach you all day,” Carmen said.

“Is there a fire? What's wrong?” he asked as he headed for the stairs so that he could finish this call with her.

“When did you hire Danny? Are there some security issues that I'm not aware of?”

“Carmen,” Solomon said, “is this why you've been calling me all day? I'm on vacation, all right? And when did you start questioning my decisions?”

“Well, I—I…It's just that I thought there was some sort of problem. I didn't mean to question you,” she said. “Still, if there is a serious security issue, I should be made aware of it.”

“Here's the thing,” Solomon said. “We have to make sure everyone who works for us is on the up and up. We have to make sure everyone has the proper documentation and that we're not hiring illegal workers. We discussed this three months ago, remember?”

“Right. I'm sorry,” she said.

“Do me a favor. Don't call me unless it's an emergency,” he said.

“Of course. Sorry.”

Solomon snapped his phone shut and headed to his room. He had a dinner to prepare for and nothing was going to stand in his way.

As the day came to a close, Carmen felt horrible. Solomon had spoken to her as if she was just another common employee. He'd never talked to her in such a dismissive way and she knew it had more to do with that woman than his need for a vacation. Kandace Davis. Carmen knew she had to get rid of that bitch, but she wasn't sure how. She pulled up her Internet browser and started to type in Kandace's name again.

“You're still here?” Danny said from the doorway.

Carmen smiled at him. “Tying up some loose ends. What are you still doing here?”

“Settling in and tying up loose ends, like you. I didn't realize how many applications you guys got in. What do you say we get out of here and grab a hot dog and a pop?” Danny said.

Carmen pushed back in her chair and smiled. “I know we're going to be friends, but you can't expect me to eat street meat. Let's go to Jimmy Walker's and have a drink.”

“Sounds good to me,” Danny said.

Danny and Carmen walked to the bar in near silence. Danny tried to make small talk about the weather, but Carmen's mind was on getting to the bottom of why Solomon had brought the private investigator into the company. Arriving at the door of Jimmy Walker's, Danny opened it and held it for Carmen to walk into the dimly lit bar. She spotted two seats at the end of the bar and pointed them out to Danny. He nodded and followed her.

As soon as they sat down, the bartender crossed over to them and took their drink orders. When the bartender brought back Carmen's white wine and Danny's Corona, Carmen began peppering Danny with questions. “So, why did Solomon hire you?” she asked as she sipped on a glass of wine.

“He wanted to make sure all of the employees are documented workers. There are a bunch of new laws that are going into effect that fine businesses for hiring illegals. Solomon just wants to be on top of things. Why is this such an issue with you?”

“I guess it's just the newness of it,” she said with a dismissive laugh. “Solomon didn't give me the details of your job description. I'm his right-hand woman, you know.”

Danny eyed her suspiciously as he sipped his beer. Something was off about Carmen and it was more than her turning him down for a date. He had to find out what, if anything, she was hiding.

 

Solomon had never been very excitable. He didn't rush downstairs on Christmas morning, didn't get wide-eyed at surprise birthday parties, but tonight, he was a bundle of nerves. Seeing Kandace in the dress was an appetizer and now he was ready for the full course meal. The black Manolo Blahnik sandals would be the icing on the cake. “Calm down,” he told himself. “How do I know that this isn't a colossal waste of time? Kandace could have a husband or a boyfriend in Charlotte. But if all it costs me is a six-hundred-dollar pair of shoes to find out, then so be it.”

“Mr. Crawford,” said the head chef, “dinner is ready if you'd like to taste it.”

He nodded and followed the man to the stove. The chef had prepared pan-seared salmon, green beans with almonds, baby greens and fennel salad, and bananas foster for dessert. After tasting each dish, Solomon gave the man his stamp of approval. “This is going to be a great dinner,” he said. “Make sure you don't let some other resort steal you away from us. I see your own restaurant in your future.”

The chef smiled. “Thank you, sir.”

Solomon shook hands with the chef, then headed into the dining area. The wait staff had made a booth private for him and Kandace. Fresh flowers adorned the table and two candles in the center of the table were ready to be lit. Looking down at his watch, he saw it was time for him to get Kandace. He couldn't help but picture the look of shock on her face when he ended up taking her to the restaurant and not his suite. At least, not right away.

 

Kandace slipped the strappy Manolos on her feet. They weren't her style—the heel was way too high and too
Sex and the City
—but they did make her legs look great and set off the dress. She knew how expensive the shoes and the dress were. The dress was Roberto Cavalli, a designer that Serena and Jade were crazy about. Kandace was content with clothes that just gave her a polished look. After assessing herself in the mirror one last time, she was certain she was sufficiently polished in her designer threads. “I bet he's going to try and have dinner in his suite and I'm not falling for it,” she said as she adjusted her strap.

Just as she reached for her purse, there was a knock at the door. She opened the door and saw Solomon standing there dressed in a pair of black wool slacks, an olive turtleneck, and a vintage denim suit jacket. “Amazing,” he said as he gave her a slow once-over.

“So, where are we going?”

“It's a surprise,” he said as he extended his arm to her.

“It had better not be your suite, because I agreed to dinner and nothing else,” she said with finality.

“The night is young,” he replied as they headed to the elevator. “But for now, we're going to a private booth in the restaurant.”

She nodded. “That sounds good. I'm almost impressed.”

“Almost?” Solomon asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes,” Kandace replied. “I figured you were going to try and lure me up to your suite. But as you just said, the night is still young.”

“That's right,” he said as they stepped on the elevator. “You might be racing me to my suite before the night is over.”

“I doubt that,” she said as the doors closed. Solomon turned to her and pulled Kandace against his chest.

“You know why I picked out this dress?” he asked as he ran his finger across her shoulders.

Kandace tried to pretend she was unaffected, pretend that she didn't feel the press of his erection through his zipper, pretend that the touch of his finger wasn't making her tingle all over. “Why?” she found the voice to ask.

“Because it'll be so easy for me to take it off you,” he said, then leaned in and brushed his lips against her neck. Kandace closed her eyes, shivering with anticipation for about three seconds before she pushed back from him.

“Let's do something different,” she said. “You keep your hands and lips to yourself.”

“Where's the fun in that?”

“Have you ever had a real conversation with a woman?”

The doors to the elevator opened and Solomon winked at her. “Maybe.”

She shook her head as they walked into the restaurant. “I thought you were going to try and act like a real person,” she said. “This is not attractive.”

“But you are and you know it. If I didn't notice it, then you would be upset,” Solomon said. “That's how you women are.”

“Maybe that's how the women you meet are, but I don't need you or any other man to tell me I look good. I already know that.”

Solomon held his hands up. “Excuse me. Well, Miss Davis, I hope you will pardon me for underestimating you.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “I'd love to meet Solomon Crawford.”

“What do you mean?” he asked as he led her to the booth in the back of the restaurant.

Kandace looked into his eyes and shook her head. “Who are you? The real you, behind the money, the fancy clothes, and the slick attitude.”

“All right, I'll tell you who I am if you do the same. Who's the woman inside you?”

Before Kandace could say anything, a waiter walked over and placed their salads on the table. “Please let me know if I can get you anything else,” he said, then left the table.

“You go first,” she said as she took a quick bite of her salad.

“Ladies first, my father always says,” he replied.

Kandace fingered her hair. “Okay,” she said. “I work too hard because I don't want to have to depend on anyone for anything.”

“I know that. If you want to see the real me, it's only fair that I see the real you. Every tantalizing inch.”

“See, there you go again,” she said. “Can we have a conversation without the sexual innuendo?”

Solomon took her hand in his. “All right, I'm going to be honest. This is new to me. I can't remember the last time I've been on a real date with a woman.”

“Was this before or after you got your heart broken?”

Solomon tapped her hand. “You think you know me, huh?”

“I know your type. Men just don't deal with heartbreak the way women do. You hide behind meaningless one-night stands and overinflated actresses.”

He chuckled. “Been watching
Access Hollywood,
huh?”

Kandace shrugged. “Can't help but notice you on TV. You've been linked to every hot chick in the world. So, why me?”

Solomon smiled. “At first it was because your ass looked so great in that bathing suit.”

“Pig,” she said.

“Aren't we doing the honest thing here? You asked. I answered. You can't hold that against me.”

Kandace looked down at her hand, noticing that he was still holding it, gently stroking the back of it with his thumb. She felt comfortable sitting there with him and she wondered if this was a part of his charm. Is this how he eased his way between the thighs of all the women he'd been linked to? Were those stories even true?

“Well, you saw me in the bathing suit and then what?” she asked.

“You challenge me, all right. I was really turned on when you didn't know who I was. I can't go anywhere and not be recognized. It's really refreshing to know that you weren't blinded by my name and what I have.”

“That's all it takes to get Solomon Crawford excited? I better alert the press,” Kandace joked.

He brought her hand to his lips. “Your turn,” he said. “Tell me why a beautiful and smart woman like you is still single.”

“Because I don't believe in settling,” she said, then toyed with her salad. “You know, some women still want real love. I'm willing to wait for it.”

“Love? Yeah, right. No one believes in love anymore.” Solomon jabbed at his salad. “Why don't we talk about something else?”

“Do you mean to tell me that you've been in love?” Kandace raised her eyebrows and broke into laughter. “That explains so much.”

Solomon dropped his fork and folded his arms across his chest. “What's that supposed to mean?”

“I always heard that men couldn't handle heartbreak and you're proof of it,” she said.

“Whatever.”

She stroked his hand. “It's all right, we've all been there,” she said. “I guess that's why you have to be with all of those women and pretend you're a playboy. Have you ever thought of telling her that you're sorry?”

Solomon pulled his hand away. “I have nothing to apologize for.”

Before Kandace could say anything else, the waiter appeared with their salmon. They ate in an uncomfortable silence and Kandace couldn't help but wonder about the woman who'd broken Solomon's heart. After about ten minutes of silence, Kandace placed her fork on the edge of her plate and stared at Solomon's face. His handsome features were lined with annoyance as he ate. He held his head up and caught her eye. “Is something wrong with the food?”

“No, it's great. I think I offended you and I'm sorry,” she said.

Solomon shook his head. “You made me think about something that I don't like to think about. And this is not how this date was supposed to go. I figured by now we'd be discussing going to my suite.”

“Oh, I messed up your plan, huh?” she asked with a sly smile. “So tonight was supposed to be about seduction?”

Solomon cut into his salmon with his fork and winked at her as he brought the fish to his lips. “The night isn't over yet.”

Kandace started eating again, savoring the taste of the salmon. Maybe she was wrong about Solomon. But then again, he was still a mystery. The only thing she knew for sure was that he wanted her and wasn't going to stop until he got her.

 

As Solomon ate, he thought about how close he'd come to telling her about his attempt at love. Not many people outside friends and family knew about that and it wasn't something that he was known to share. But he'd been tempted to open up to Kandace, tempted to let her see the real Solomon; yet he held back, kept his pain inside. Normally when he thought about
her,
he buried those thoughts between a woman's thighs. He'd cover the memories of the pain she caused with a meaningless romp and sprint from some woman's bed before sunrise. Kandace would not offer him that opportunity because over this one dinner, he realized that she was more than a temporary place holder. She wasn't the kind of woman he could just have sex with and leave. He didn't want to say it, didn't even want to admit to himself how special she could be.

“Why are you so quiet?” she asked as she finished the last of her dinner.

“It's not often that I watch a woman enjoy food.”

Kandace laughed and dabbed at her mouth with her linen napkin. “What can I say? I own a restaurant.”

He nodded. “So, how does this place rank?”

She dropped her napkin on the side of her plate. “It's very good. Be careful, I might send one of my partners up here to steal your chef.”

“You wouldn't stand a chance,” he said. “I pay well.”

“Sometimes money isn't the answer to everything.”

“Spoken like a woman who has her own,” he said as he lifted his wineglass. “What do you say to dessert by the hot tub?”

Kandace took a sip of her wine. “I don't think so,” she said. “I have something to do in the morning. But it was a lovely dinner.”

“You can't leave yet,” he said. “We haven't even had dessert.”

Kandace folded her hands underneath her chin and leaned over the table. Solomon focused on her lips. He felt as if he'd been a perfect gentleman all night and he wasn't going to let her go without giving her something to think about. He captured her face in his hands and brought her lips to his. Gently, he brushed his lips against her petal soft ones. Kandace moaned as his tongue entered her parted lips. He could taste a hint of chardonnay in her kiss and it made him want more.