friends.”
“That sounds nice, and well-rounded,” she told him.
“I’m a well-rounded guy,” he said with a chuckle.
She smiled. “What type of music do you like?”
“Classic R&B, urban and a little jazz vocal.”
“I knew it,” she said. “At least, the first two.”
He put a hand to his chin. “So you think you have me all figured out, huh?”
“I don’t know about that, but at least the music.”
“A good start,” he said. “I’ll be happy to fill in the blanks whenever you like.”
“Good. I plan to hold you to that,” she promised.
At the moment, he would have just settled for holding her. The thought of their bodies touching had a rippling effect through Anderson, causing his temperature to rise. Was she feeling the vibe, too?
After the meal, Anderson walked Holly to her car. He wanted more than anything to kiss her. Something told him she felt the same.
He leaned in slowly and grazed her lips.
Holly felt his lips on hers and was quick to reciprocate. She had been hoping Anderson would kiss her, as it seemed the perfect way to end what had been a pleasant date. The kiss, which lasted for several scintillating seconds, wasn’t a disappointment in the slightest. She liked that he wasn’t pushing for too much, too soon, and was respectful in giving them both something to look forward to the next time.
In her mind, it was a given that there would be a next time. But were they on the same wavelength?
* * *
The following Wednesday, Holly rode her bicycle to the nearby park, taking advantage of its bicycle-friendly paths. She meant to ask Anderson if he bicycled. Somehow she couldn’t imagine that he didn’t or wouldn’t want to if she invited him to ride with her sometime.
In the afternoon, she went to the McCawlin Elementary School, where she spent over an hour reading to children at different grade levels. The kids always loved her visits. Her volunteer work was special to her because as a child she had benefited from volunteer readers to improve her own reading skills.
By the time Holly got home, she was ready for a nice hot bath. While running the water, she allowed herself to fantasize about what it would be like to make love to Anderson. She pictured him as a gentle but thorough lover and one who probably couldn’t get enough of whatever woman he set his sights on.
Calm down, girl, she told herself, feeling the heat on her skin as she allowed her mind to wander to uncharted but desirable territory. It had clearly been too long since she had been wined, dined and kissed by a man, and she enjoyed it.
But that didn’t mean she had to get too carried away with the early stages of a romance. They had a long way to go before it was the real deal for both of them.
On the other hand, it did no harm to let her imagination have a little fun, even if it had yet to mesh with reality.
Something told her, though, that if things continued between them it was only a matter of time before things progressed to the next level.
She climbed into the bathtub and let the bubbly warm water do its work.
* * *
On Friday, Anderson dropped by the lakefront home of his close friend and fellow lawyer, Lester Powell. The two had attended law school together. Anderson had been Lester’s best man at his first wedding, but was out of town when he’d walked down the aisle the second time.
They sat on the patio, talking and drinking beer.
“You’ve got that look,” Lester said. He had long black Rastafarian locks that bordered a thin face with a goatee.
“What look might that be?” Anderson asked, dumbfounded.
“The look that tells me you’re getting some, or you’re about to.”
Anderson laughed and gulped down beer from the bottle. “Since when did you become so insightful?”
“Since our college days, when I watched your ass coming and going with one chick after another.”
That got another laugh out of Anderson. “I think you’re talking about yourself.” He had always been a one-woman man for all of college. The fact that he hadn’t been able to keep the relationships going was another matter, and he blamed it on a combination of immaturity and a sometimes misguided sense of direction.
But times had changed. Or at least he had.
“So tell me who’s got you all hot and bothered these days?” Lester pressed.
Anderson sat back and took another drink. “Her name is Holly. She’s an anchor at KOEN.”
“Anchorwoman, huh? Where did you meet her?”
“At the airport in Portland, believe it or not.”
Lester grinned. “I can believe it, though every lady I’ve ever met at the airport was either old enough to be my mother or had a man who kept her on a short leash.”
“I think you’ve done all right for yourself in the romance department,” Anderson said. Lester’s latest marriage to a sweet professor seemed to be working.
“Yeah, I guess I have.” Lester lifted his bottle. “Just how serious are things with this Holly?”
“Not too serious at the moment,” Anderson said honestly. “We’re just beginning to feel our way. I think I might have found someone I can really relate to.”
“More power to you. Can’t wait to meet her.”
“You can check her out weekend mornings on KOEN and let me know what you think,” Anderson said.
“You bet.” Lester studied him. “So have you totally gotten you-know-who out of your system?”
Anderson looked away thoughtfully. “Yeah, she was out of my system a long time ago.”
“You sure about that?”
“I’m very sure. We both moved on and there’s no looking back. I’m happy about where I am today.”
“Glad to hear that,” Lester said. “You know I’ve got your back and want you to be as happy with someone as I am.”
“I know.” Anderson smiled while tasting the beer. “I’m working on that.”
He thought about Holly and couldn’t help but feel that she was his future if he had any say in the matter. And he did. He just had to see how things would play out and then Holly would be his.
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