Perfecting the Odds (15 page)

“Sit down, Karis.” He gestured to a pair of desk and handed her a tissue he pulled from the box on her desk. She hadn’t even realized she was crying. Again. Jesus, she really was a blundering mess, turning into the type of weepy woman she normally despised. And honestly, his blunt demand just after she vomited her feelings all over him for the second time had her reeling a bit. But she was kidding herself...again. It was Michael; she sat despite her stubborn nature.

He pointed to the pictures shelving her bookcase. “Your children are bea
utiful. She looks just like you; he favors Robert.”

Her mouth curved into the smile of a proud mother.
“Grace and Robby. And, yes, Robby is the spitting image Robert.” She glanced at the portrait of her late husband in his dress blues. “Makes it hard to look at him sometimes.”

He nodded
as he glanced between the faces. “My mom used to say the same thing.”

Then n
either spoke for a few several moments. Silence blended with compassion and understanding and curled around them like a worn quilt. Michael’s words broke the silence, and she jolted.

“
It would please me greatly if you would go to dinner with me.”

“
Dinner? Like a date?” Her voice now a squeak.

“Yes
, sweetheart,” he laughed. “Like a date. Don’t you think we should restart our relationship there?” he asked as he stood to button his jacket. He walked toward the door and leaned against the white board. Crossing his ankles and arms across his chest, he waited and watched her. God, he was so damn sexy. She thought about all the connotations of relationship and tried to define it for herself so that a date wouldn’t sound so…date-ish. Dating was unknown territory for her.

“When,
” came out before she could ponder the answer.

“
Tonight.”

Yes
! An out. “I have children. I have to find care for them.”

“Call your friend
.”

“Her name is
Eve, and Grace has viola lessons tonight.” No she didn’t. Crap. A lie. “And I have to bake cupcakes tonight for Grace’s class.” Truth. Phew.
              “Eve can take her, and I’m sure you’ll have time to bake them before our date.”

“But—.”

“But nothing. Call her. Text her. We have a date. Jeez, I’ve been groveling. Are you really going to stand me up after three years of pining for you?” She laughed. He had such an odd mixture of playful dominance, but it worked and had her surrendering almost instantly. “Fine, Michael, I’ll text her.” Maybe. He tapped his fingers along the board’s ledge.

She furrowed her brow.
“You mean, like, now? Text her now?”

He nodded.
“
Now
. I’m not leaving until I’m sure you’re going out with me. I knew you would fight it like hell. In fact, I’m going to have to resist my own urge not to keep you with me until tonight.”

Visibly flustered
by his possessiveness, she stumbled back to her desk to text her best friend.

Karis
: Eve, can you watch the kids tonight?

Eve
: Why, hot date?

Karis
: Actually, yes, I have a date.

Eve
: Well then, hells yeah I’ll watch the kids! Karis is gonna get some!

Karis
: Shut. It. This is crazy. I have no idea what I’m doing.

Eve
: Ask him to pick you up at five…leaves you plenty of time to escape if you want to. Then ask him until when…text me his answer.

Karis turned to him. “So, you’ll pick me up… about five?” He gave her a thumbs-up. “until when?” He grinned wickedly and winked. Karis’s jaw slackened, but she shut it quickly. Holy shitballs. His expression conveyed a mix of clear and present danger. Strangely, through all her fantasies about him, she never
actually
considered the reality of sex with Michael. A new wave of fear and arousal had her shuddering.

Karis
: He winked at me like he was going to break me in half and love doing it. Shit. I can’t do this.

Eve
: Is he sexy?

Karis
: Does a fish have a water-tight asshole? It’s Michael.

Eve
: Holy Shit!

Karis
: I know! Details later. Help!

Eve
: Smile and ready yourself to ride that man like he’s the last bull at the rodeo.

Karis
: I can’t do this. I’m not ready for this.

Eve
: Yes, you are. Do what feels right. Stop assessing the damn risk.

Karis
: Except that what feels right and what feels good don’t mix well in my goddamn brain.

Eve
: Relax. Besides, your brain is fine; it’s your cricket-echoing vagina that’s been in solitary confinement for three years. I’ll pick up the kids and take them to dinner and a movie. You’ll be fine.

Karis
: You’re not helping, Eve.

Eve
: I’ll be at your house by 4:00.

Karis inhaled deeply, noticing the slight tremble in her hands as she set down her phone. “All set.”

He was at the front of the room now and turned toward her
, tilting his head playfully. “That was a pretty in-depth conversation.”

“
Eve is,” narrowing her eyes at him, “quite blunt about…things.”

He smiled
that
smile, the ignition to her sexual motor. “I’m sure she has your best interest in mind.” He winked again, sealing the fate of their evening.

The bell rang again. Students filed in and that period and subsequent periods went off without a hitch and more awkward bantering. When the final bell rang, Michael waited at her desk until all students left the room.

“I’ll pick you up at
five.” He stroked his knuckles down her cheek and turned to leave.

“Wait, Michael
….Um, where are we going? What shall I wear? I-I’ve never done this…never mind.” She looked down at her fidgeting feet.

“
Never done what?” She scrunched up her face. “Gone on a date?”

She nodded
. “I pretty much have a high school-sweetheart-knocked up-at-seventeen sob story working against me, so dating… way out of my modus operandi. See, I told you this wouldn’t be a good id--.”

He
held his hand up and damn if she didn’t stop her rant. He walked closer, shoving both hands in his trousers and rocking back on his heels. Karis immediately dubbed it Michael’s I’m-frickin’-sexy-as-hell-and-I-know-it stance. She took another deep breath, fearing his rejection. God, they hadn’t even gone on a date, and she was already tossing out her baggage like yesterday’s trash. That thought had her stepping back away from him, readying herself for the backhand to her transparent insecurities.

“You’re a fast learner,
sweetheart. We aren’t going anywhere extravagant, just to share a meal. Somewhere quiet we can talk.” He paused, his eyes lingered over her fidgeting body, heating it instantly. “And Karis?”

“Hmm?”

“You would look gorgeous wearing a trash bag.”

She
gulped and looked down, feeling like a stupid teenage girl who couldn’t handle one simple compliment. “Okay then, I’ll see you at five then.” Karis watched him walk away and couldn’t help but grin stupidly. She didn’t think he could have been sexier...until of course, he turned around. Best. Ass. Ever.

***

B
y 4:00, Karis had showered and was yelling for her kids to get ready for Eve. She threw on a pair of cut-off denim shorts, a black ribbed tank top, and quickly finger combed her damp locks. The doorbell rang as she was pulling her hair into a loose ponytail at the nape of her neck. She flung the door open.

“
Karis, Wow. That look is a bit throw-me-down-and-sink-it-deep.” Eve leaned in and squinted at her chest. “Are you even wearing a bra?” Amused by her own crude humor, Eve grinned before pushing past Karis.

“Shut up,
Eve. Now get out of here so I can finish the damn cupcakes and get ready.”

“So…
would you say Michael’s sopping wet vajay-jay hot or just standard sexy?”

“
Eve! You just hurled that vulgarity like you were asking about diner specials. Did you even look around to see if my children were within earshot?” Eve shrugged then lifted a brow. Karis leaned to whisper into her ear. “Get out of here.”

Eve
huffed before mouthing, “Get laid, bitchy Mcbitch.” Karis laughed then kissed both children as they passed her. Then after nearly pushing all three of them out the door, she ran into the kitchen, grabbed her apron, and began the process of making the buttercream frosting for Grace’s cupcakes—much needed pre-date “meditation”.

***

Eve opened the door of her cherry red Mercedes SUV and smiled to herself as a lifted black F-150 rumbled into the drive way.
Oh, this was too good to pass up
. She told the kids to stay in the car and marched her way toward the truck, quickly realizing her shoulders probably wouldn’t even reach the height of the doors.
Boys and their damn penis compensations
. Karis was her girl, her best friend, and despite how much Karis liked him, Eve would make her own damn assessment, thank you very much. Hell, intimidation worked wonders in the courtroom. If Michael thought Karis was sassy, he hadn’t seen nothin’ yet.

Michael stepped down
out of the truck that made even his towering frame look minute. He blinked when he caught Eve’s icy stare. She extended her hand. “Hello, Michael. We haven’t formally met yet,” she said, eyeing him critically rather than seductively. “I have to say, Karis has impeccable taste in men. Robert was hot, but you’re...how did Karis describe you?” She squinted to extract the term from memory then snapped her fingers. “That’s right; she wouldn’t.” She grinned at the slight blush on his cheeks.
Oh, this would be too easy
. “What are you, like six foot one?”

“
Six two.”

“That alone probably sen
t Karis straight for the big ‘O’. No wonder she all but jumped you on Halloween. Turn around for me.” He didn’t move, so she raised her eyebrows and flashed a stare reserved solely for the court room.

Michael
sighed heavily then turned.

She
clucked her tongue. “Not bad at all. You’re early, Mike.” He blinked. “Not much of a talker, huh? Okay, let me explain what you’re going to walk into.” She crooked her finger for him to walk closer to her then lowered her voice. “Karis’s baking cupcakes. She’s just out of the shower…no bra, wet hair, probably working that curvy hot body over a bowl of frosting pretty good about now. And with her rack, I’d bet the tit show is stellar…if you’re into that sort of thing.”

“Why
the hell are you telling me this?” he asked, his voice strained.

She slapped him playfully on the back.
“Ah hell, Mike, I’m just fucking with you,” she said, laughing and clutching her middle. “I mean, you’ll find her exactly as I said, but you sir, look about ten seconds away from launching Mike junior into any one of her available holes…. I couldn’t resist.”

“
Christ
, Karis was right about you,” he said then shook his head.

“
That I’m blunt, crude and should have been born with a penis.” She didn’t wait for a response. “Seriously though, she’s not going to make this easy on you. Long story short, we met after her parents died. She was a wreck for the longest time. Then a bunch of crap in between. And you know about Robert. She’s had a shit go of it, Michael. When you walk in there, focus on the Karis now, even though she doesn’t. The crazy broad loves to bake, cathartic or some shit. So walk in there and don’t fuck this up, okay,” she warned before turning to walk toward her car.

***

“Understood,” he said to her back, because honestly, he had no idea what to say.

“
Hey, Mike,”--Eve yelled --“If you hurt her--even a little--I will de-man you, myself.” She gave him a ruthless smile and slid into the driver’s seat.

“Too late,” Mic
hael mumbled and entered Karis’s house.

Michael’s hand lingered above the doorknob as he stared at the brass door knocker. Michael envied Eve. She knew Karis, like a mother, a sister, and a friend all wrapped into one incredibly brazen five-foot threat. And her seasoned relationship with Karis was what Michael wanted more than anything. After a few deep breaths, Michael opened the front door quietly and continued from the foyer into the living room. The house was very much a home. Family portraits, colorful quilts, rich wood floors, scatter rugs. A wealth of warmth and memories filled the atmosphere. Then, wafts of cocoa and sugar filled his nose, mingling nicely with Karis’s fruity scent.