younger. Life got in the way. Money needed to come in. My mother had no choice but to be practical. She sacrificed her dreams for us.”
“And you don’t want to be like her?”
She shook her head. “I want to have a career for her. I feel that there’s always a little sadness in her. A little regret that she was never able to share her work with the world.”
“You should encourage her to try again. Even if it doesn’t get her anywhere, you should encourage her to draw again. Maybe take a class or two. I know a woman who gives scholarships to African American women over forty for school. I can recommend her for one.”
His kindness took her by surprise. And it was then she knew he wasn’t all that similar to her ex. Steven would have never thought about someone else’s dreams, much less go out of his way to help them achieve them. “You would really do that?”
“I’ll make the call tomorrow if you want.” He took a card out of his pocket and wrote a phone number on the back. “My home number is on here. Talk to your mother. If she wants to go through with it, call me and I’ll make it happen.”
She picked up the card and studied it for a moment, studied the bold handwriting, the sleek design of the card, anything so she wouldn’t have to look him in the eye. She was feeling a little more emotional than she would like. She was feeling as though she really wanted to kiss him. “I’m sure she would love to go back to school. She’ll be grateful.” She looked up at him only to find him already looking at her, those beautiful intelligent eyes sweeping across her face. “I’m grateful for this.”
“I admire creative people. You may think I’m all about numbers, but I’m a big believer in dreams. This bakery is here all because Lillian had a vision and a dream. There’s nothing wrong with a little dreaming.”
“That’s sweet, Chase.” She was sitting in the chair next to him and leaned over and kissed his cheek. She hadn’t meant to. It was unconscious, really, but her lips sought out his face. They lingered on his smooth skin, just a moment too long. He smelled good. Clean. Expensive. With a little bit of the heavenly scent of the bakery lingering on him.
She lifted her lips away, tried to back away before she got caught up, before she wasn’t able to make herself back away. But it was already too late. Because Chase slid his hand along her cheek and brought her face closer to his.
He kissed her. Not hot and fiery like she might have wanted, but slow and deep like she needed. That kiss gave her another glimpse inside of him. It told her how he might be as her lover, in her bed. He would take his time just like he was taking his time now, kissing her thoroughly, not leaving any part of her mouth untasted. He would do that to her body and she could just see him starting at her toes and working his way up. His lips caressing her calves, her thighs, in between her legs.
She moaned, arousal spiking even though it was just a soft kiss, even though he probably hadn’t meant for it to be so sexual. But she was that attracted to him. “You deserved more than what that guy gave you,” he said softly as he lifted his lips from hers. “I’m glad you realized that.”
He sat up straight then, drained his coffee mug and shut his laptop, as if nothing had happened, as though he hadn’t just kissed the hell out of her. “It’s getting late. Let me walk you to your car.”
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