moved away from the closet and plopped down onto the foot of her bed. For the past two days Raven had reconsidered her date with Dru countless times. Every time she convinced herself that dating someone so closely tied to her professional obligations was not a good idea, she’d pick up her cell phone and find his name in the contacts folder. However, before she could depress the send button, an image of his face, his disarming smile and sparkling eyes would assault her memory and a warm flush would course through her body. Logic lost the battle every time as the physical and emotional urge to get to know him outweighed all reason.
“I should just cancel. I mean, I don’t even have anything to wear and besides, I should be spending all of my time practicing for the show,” Raven said.
Carley shot her a searing look from over her shoulder. She snatched a peach-colored vest from the closet.
“This will work,” she said, ignoring Raven’s comment. “Don’t you have a white skirt? You know the one you wore to Jackie’s party last month?”
“Carley, did you hear what I just said?” Raven asked.
“Yeah, I heard you. Where’s the skirt?”
Raven retrieved the skirt from a shelf at the top of the closet and tossed it to Carley.
“Raven, please knock it off. I know exactly what you’re thinking, and you’re wrong. There is not one good reason why you shouldn’t go out with this guy…not one.”
“Are you sure?” Raven asked, wanting desperately to cast her misgivings aside and believe in Carley’s optimism.
“I’m positive. He’s cute, he’s available, he’s successful and he’s totally hot for you. Everything else is trivial. Now, get dressed,” Carley said, thrusting various articles of clothing into Raven’s hands.
Raven gave up. Under Carley’s dogged determination to get her hooked up, she didn’t stand a chance. And in addition to that was the fact that Dru’s sexy singular dimple was permanently recorded on her brain.
“You look beautiful,” Dru said, momentarily forgetting himself. “Oops, I’m sorry. I forgot that I’m not supposed to tell you that.” He smiled.
Raven laughed.
“I didn’t say you couldn’t tell me that I’m beautiful. All I meant was that it shouldn’t be the motivating factor for everything one does in life,” she corrected.
Dru was wearing a crisp white cotton shirt, the top two buttons open to reveal a solid brown neck and a hint of jet-black hair on his chest. Raven’s eyes traveled down the length of his body. His shirt was tucked into black slacks. On his feet were black loafers, punctuating his overall sophisticated casual appearance. Dru took her hand in his, guiding her to a seat at the small table for two. As he leaned closer to her, she inhaled his signature scent and was immediately intoxicated.
“So how have rehearsals been going?” Dru asked.
“All right. I have to say, working with the ensemble is nothing like what I thought it would be. I mean, we’ve got a lot of onstage time and the numbers Meagan’s worked up for us are hot!” Raven exclaimed.
“That’s good. Everything is on schedule from the business end, but I’ve got to admit, it’s been back to back meetings and marathon telephone conferences getting things in order.”
“I’m sure you’re used to this…after all, your dad has been in the business for ages.”
“True. I was practically nursed on Broadway shows. However, and this is just between you and I,” Dru said, pausing to shift his eyes to the right and left and then leaning in conspiratorially. “This is the biggest production I’ve ever headed up on my own.”
Raven regarded him, uncertain as to whether he was being serious or not. In the short time she’d known him, she realized two things about the man. First, his was a sense of humor that was off-color and unpredictable. Second, he was very generous with it.
“Are you sure you can handle this?” she asked skeptically.
“I don’t know…between juggling the investors and negotiating with the unions, I’ve got my hands full.”
Dru’s expression was one of sheer panic, as if he had just now fully considered the weight of the task in front of him. Raven began to feel a deep sympathy for him, until the look of vulnerability in his eyes gave way to mischievous mocking.
“Oh, please!” she said, slapping at one of his hands which lay on the table between them.
She silently chided herself for being so foolishly taken in by his pretense. Dru’s laughter bubbled from his gut, tumbling from his full lips. He tipped his head backward as he laughed with his mouth opened wide.
“Here I am feeling sorry for you, and you’re making fun of me all the while.” Raven pouted.
“I’m sorry…I couldn’t help it.”
Dru reached across the table and closed his long fingers around her hand. He resisted the compelling urge to kiss her pretty little frown.
“It’s cute that you were worried about me,” he said.
“Puppies are cute,” she snapped.
Dru rubbed his forefinger lightly over the knuckles of Raven’s hand, his intense gaze resting on her eyes. There was a powerful concentration in his look that drew her in and held her captive. It was as if he had connected with someplace deep inside her soul and they were now locked together in a warm cocoon.
“So, Miss Raven, tell me something about yourself that I don’t already know.”
“Well, I really don’t know what to say, Mr. Davis. You seem to know everything.”
“No, not everything. Not the things I want to know about you.”
The deep timbre of his voice sent a shiver through Raven’s body. She looked away from his gaze, but only for a moment before her eyes were forcefully pulled back to his by a concentrated magnetism.
“What makes you smile?” he asked.
Raven didn’t have to think about that question. There was only one answer that came to mind.
“Dancing,” she said breathlessly.
“Is that all?” Dru asked, marveling at the glow that had descended on Raven’s face.
“Dancing is everything to me. Performing in general, I guess. It’s…I don’t even know how to explain it. It’s like, no matter what else is going on around me, when I’m dancing…when I’m up on stage, it just doesn’t matter. It’s like I’m removed from everything in the world and my body is sugary sweet and singing…notes that carry me away. It’s heavenly.”
Raven studied Dru’s face, trying to determine if he understood what she was trying to explain to him.
“That must be an amazing feeling. To have something in your life that can make you feel so close to yourself…so close to God.”
“I
