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  L.J. made no moves to unbuckle his seatbelt. He didn’t want to see Autumn go and he wasn’t ready for the night to end. “Why don’t you come inside for a drink?”

  Autumn pretended to consider his offer. There would be no nightcap in his uncle’s house tonight. Or any night for that matter. Going into a man’s house, especially one who looked like L.J. at this time of the night was asking for trouble. And Autumn avoided trouble the way young Black men in luxury cars avoided the police. “I’d better not,” she declined after a considerable pause. “It’s too late.”

  A frown claimed his lips. Shaking his head, he motioned to the clock on her dashboard. “It’s not even ten o’clock.” L.J cleared his throat. “Are you sure you’re not running off for another reason? Something else maybe?”

  Autumn’s head snapped in his direction. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  L.J. didn’t know why he bothered. Autumn Nicholson was either a man-hater or just didn’t like him. He examined her face, which was bathed in annoyance, and concluded the latter was most likely. She had been treating him like a man with an advanced case of leprosy since he’d arrived at Melissa’s house that afternoon. When he’d tried to engage her in conversation all he’d got were brisk but polite answers. And when he’d made a joke, she’d barely cracked a smile. And he was using his best material! L.J. liked women who played hard to get. It made things more interesting. But Autumn was taking the game too far.

  He unbuckled his seatbelt, unlocked the door and flung it open. Light flooded inside, giving him a translucent view of her face. Her shoulders were stiff, her eyes hard and her lips stretched into a scowl. She was acting as though he’d just propositioned her for sex, rather than invited her inside to share a drink. His voice was terse when he thanked her for the ride. “Goodnight. Drive safely.”

  He started to leave, then Autumn touched his arm. “Wait, L.J.” She smiled weakly. “Sorry about that. I wasn’t trying to be rude.”

  L.J. wasn’t buying it. After a full minute, he decided to ask the question that had been running through his mind since the Gisbey party. “Do I repulse you or something? I mean, do I make you uncomfortable?”

  “Of course not! What gives you that idea?”

  “For starters, you take off whenever you see me. And when you do stick around, you won’t talk to me. You’re quick to come up with excuses for why we can’t get to know each other better, and I’m curious to know why.”

  Autumn wanted to tell him he was wrong. Dead wrong. What he saw was actually contrary to what she was feeling inside. She hopped like a cricket at the slightest touch of his hand and whenever their eyes locked, like right now, it felt as though time was standing still. L.J. did make her uncomfortable. She was immensely attracted to him and that scared her. His confidence and laid-back manner appealed to her, and whenever he was around, her mind flitted off to dreamland. Her entire body, right down to her pink-polished toes, seemed to rage hotter than a forest fire when he was near. Damn right he made her nervous, but for all the right reasons.

  “From what I saw at the party, it seemed like you and Shante were getting into something,” she told him, “and I don’t want to step on her turf. I’m not the kind of…”

  Now L.J. understood her reluctance. She thought he was trying to hook up with Shante. He started to laugh, but stopped when Autumn shot him a what’s-so-funny? look. What would he want with Shante, when he couldn’t get Autumn out of his mind? Even if she rejected his advances and told him to hit the road, which he suspected she would, he wouldn’t pursue anything more than friendship with Shante. The woman was loud and outrageous, while Autumn was soft-spoken and ladylike. She radiated cool elegance, which was more of a turn-on than Shante’s in-your-face approach. The two women couldn’t be more different, and even without knowing much about Autumn, L.J. knew she was the type of woman he could be interested in. Interested? Who am I trying to fool? I jumped off the interested bus, and hopped on to the infatuated train a long time ago!

  Autumn had it. It couldn’t be put into words, but a man knew when a woman had that special quality and Autumn Nicholson had it. She was appealing to him on so many levels. He didn’t know if she was a morning person, if she took cream in her coffee or if she liked rainy days, but he wanted to find out. He wanted to know all there was to know about her. But first he needed Autumn to give him a chance. He wasn’t going to make any headway with her if she thought he was a player, so he set out to squash her fears.

  “Shante and I spent exactly thirty-four minutes at the Calypso Café. I had half a beer, she had a cocktail and although she put up a stink, we left after I paid the tab. I don’t want Shante.” Then he added, “And the only reason I agreed to go to the bar in the first place was because I thought you were going.”

  Autumn remained composed, but she was smiling on the inside. She found his eyes, wondering what awaited her on the other side of that oak door. If she went inside, chances were good that they would end up crossing the line. She could handle some harmless flirting—would even welcome some—but what if he wanted more? What if he tried kissing her? Turning her attention back to the smoky-gray, cloud-rich sky, she blocked the route of her thoughts. Nobody said anything more had to happen, but it would be hard to resist if he did make a move. L.J.’s cologne had been making her feel dreamy all day and the combination of alcohol and her own attraction to him was a lethal combination.

  Melissa’s words came back to mind. You’re turning into an old maid. You’re too busy planning your life to actually live it. Be open to try new things. Say yes sometimes. Would it hurt to share a drink with him? She’d have a soda, eat some cashews and then go home. She’d stay for an hour. And if he tried anything funny or made any sudden moves, she’d leave immediately. Right?

  “C’mon, Autumn,” he coaxed her with the soft pleading of his voice. “I promise to keep my hands to myself. Scout’s honor.” L.J. loved the sound of her warm, rich laugh and when she let it rip, he added, “I didn’t think it was possible, but you’re even sexier when you laugh.”

  When her eyes left his face and returned to the windshield, L.J. knew he had overdone it. He hadn’t set out to make her uneasy; he just wanted her to know he thought she was hot. Red-hot. He put his hand on the door. “So, are you coming in for that drink or not, Little Miss Reckless Driver?”

  Autumn laughed at the memory of their first meeting. She knew she was breaking a whole whack of rules by agreeing to go inside, but for once she didn’t care. L.J. had shown himself to be a gentleman and she’d trust him until he revealed otherwise. Besides, being with L.J. felt right.

  Ten minutes later, Autumn was perched on the edge of a kiwi green loveseat, a tall glass of cola at her lips. Taking in her unsightly surroundings, she wondered how anyone could live in such clutter. Newspapers were piled high next to a tattered recliner; magazines were scattered across the television and coupons and fliers littered the floor. Two legs on the wooden coffee table were duct-taped and the rest of the outdated furnishings was one stop away from the junkyard. The striped wall borders were unraveling, the stained, cloud-colored walls could use a fresh touch of paint and the living room could do with some air freshener.

  “Can I get you anything else? A sandwich? Some fruit?” L.J. came from around the bar. He took one look at Autumn and swallowed his laughter. She looked like someone waiting to see the dentist. Her soda glass was in one shaky hand and she was using the other to flick invisible lint off her flamingo pink skirt. And if she got any closer to the edge of the couch, she would be on the coffee-stained rug.

  Autumn patted her stomach. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’m still full from the pizza and all the other goodies I ate during the movie.” She tipped her glass. “This soft drink is good enough.”

  L.J. wanted to sit next to her on the loveseat, but he didn’t want her shooting off the couch and making a break for the door. Settling on the recliner, he offered her a reassuring smile.

  “So, you and Peter grew up toge
ther, huh?”

  “Yeah. We were next-door neighbors until his father decided to relocate the family to Washington. I’ll never forget the day the rental truck loaded up all their stuff and tore down the street. I was only eleven, but I still remember feeling like my world had just crashed. I’d never tell Peter this, because I know he’d laugh himself onto the floor, but I bawled my eyes out when his family’s minivan faded out of sight. That was one of the worst days of my life.”

  “It must have been tough having to make new friends.”

  L.J. set his glass down on a wooden coaster. “It was. I used to stutter like an album skipping on a record player and the kids teased me mercilessly.” He chuckled at the memory of his past. “Peter used to watch out for me and made sure the other kids didn’t beat me up. It was hard those first few weeks after he left, but things gradually got better. That Christmas, Mr. Delancy sent me a plane ticket to come to Washington, and as if that wasn’t enough, before I returned to Vicksburg, he made a deal with me. He promised to pay my ticket so I could come visit during spring break and summer holidays if I made straight As. I kept up my end of the bargain, and he paid my airfare to return to D.C. every year until I graduated from high school.”

  Autumn’s nose crinkled. “You must know your way around pretty well, then.”

  “I know the Capital better than most natives,” he answered proudly. “Washington used to be my second home. Peter and I spent our holidays hopping on and off the metro, hanging out at the public parks and all in all trying to get into as much trouble as we could,” he broke off, chuckling.

  If Autumn weren’t already angry with Melissa for the stunt she had pulled that afternoon, she had reason to be now. Melissa had led her to believe that this was L.J.’s first trip to Washington. Autumn shook her head, thoughts of confronting Melissa at the front of her mind.

  “Something the matter?”

  “No. Why?”

  “You’re frowning.”

  Autumn smiled guiltily, as though she’d been caught in a lie. “Sorry, my mind was somewhere else, but I’m back now. What were you saying?”

  “That you should let me take you out tomorrow night.” L.J. lifted the last of his drink to his lips, then, set his eyes back on Autumn. “I know this quaint Greek restaurant in Dupont Circle called the Broken Plate. Ever been?” When Autumn shook her head, he said, “The service is impeccable, the appetizer platters are prepared with the tangiest spices and freshly grated garlic and everything on the menu is delicious.”

  Autumn didn’t even consider his offer. “I can’t. I have a presentation coming up this week. I’m going to use the next few days to do some fine tuning and—”

  “There you go making excuses again,” L.J. observed, cutting her off.

  “It’s not an excuse.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  With critical eyes, he searched her face. L.J. didn’t know why, but he got the sense that she was lying to him. Being a senior accountant could be a highly stressful job and required long hours, but something just didn’t sit right with him. Maybe it was the way she was shifting around on the couch, or the way her hands were smoothing her near-perfect braids.

  L.J. hated that she was so uncomfortable. For a half second he thought of telling her she was stunning and he was enjoying her company, but then tossed out the idea. Autumn wasn’t the type of woman to be won over with smooth talk or flattery. If he wanted to make any real headway with her, he needed to be up-front.

  “Why don’t you want to go out with me?”

  “I just told you, I have—”

  “Sounds like an excuse to me.”

  “And why would I be making excuses?”

  “Because you’re attracted to me and you’re terrified that if you go out with me it will confirm what you already suspect,” L.J. said matter-of-factly.

  Instead of being turned off by the sparkle in his eyes and the seductive set of his lips, Autumn was strangely turned on. She felt incredibly sexy under his hungry gaze. He was being as fresh as fresh could be, but it didn’t bother her. “And what is that?”

  “That you could fall for me.”

  Before she could digest this new piece of information, L.J. was taking the empty glass from her hands and helping her to her feet. His lips were just inches from her face and he was studying her as if he had the power to read her mind. Autumn wished he could. Then the all-consuming desire she had to kiss him would be taken out of her hands. Her mouth was as dry as a desert, and when he reached for her again, her heart skipped several beats before jumping up into her throat. Autumn’s eyes dipped to his lips, then back up to his eyes. He’s going to kiss me! she thought as his mouth lowered to kissing range.

  But he didn’t.

  Instead, she felt his strong hands snake around her waist. Despite her fear and the sudden bout of dizziness, she inched closer. His silky touch and quiet confidence were more of a turn-on than anything he could ever say or do, and she felt helpless. Everything was happening so fast, but at the same time, not fast enough.

  L.J. brushed his lips across her inflamed cheeks. Her body temperature felt levels higher than normal. “You’re hotter than an oven,” he teased.

  What do you expect? You’d be warm, too, if you had a gorgeous man about to kiss you. Autumn shook her head. That didn’t come out right.

  L.J. touched her cheek. “You okay?”

  To his question she replied, “Just fine. You?”

  “Couldn’t be better. Do you have any idea how much I want you right now?”

  What am I supposed to answer to that? she wondered. Instead of replying, Autumn cast her eyes beyond the streaky window and into the blackened night. She didn’t want him to think she was shunning his advances, so she returned her eyes to his face and gave him a soft smile. “I’m not used to men being so forward, L.J. You’re embarrassing me.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Seconds passed, and then what seemed like several minutes. He grinned impishly at her. “You smell good.”

  Autumn giggled. For a second, she forget how tense she was. She highly doubted that lightning would strike or the earth would tremble if they kissed, but she was nervous all the same. They hadn’t even been on a proper date yet, and here they were on the verge of something intimate.

  L.J. was clutching her waist as though she were a life raft and he was drowning in the Atlantic. And he was drowning. Autumn smoldered with sexuality, but at the same time, there was an innocence about her that made him want to take care of her. Protect her. He didn’t know where things would end up between them, but he knew he couldn’t do anything to hurt her. In past relationships, he hadn’t always been considerate of the feelings of the women he was dating. After a few dates his interest dipped, and though he’d promise to call, he never did. But that was going to change. Autumn was different. He didn’t know what it was about her that made him want to spend the next six weeks right up under her, but that was exactly how he felt. He drew Autumn farther into his space and just as he was about to kiss her, she asked him, “What are you doing?” L.J. wasn’t sure if she was kidding, but he couldn’t contain his laughter.

  Autumn wasn’t sure if it was the thunderous beating of her heart, or her raging pulse throwing her voice off, but it sounded foreign to her ears. She shifted her weight back and forth to keep from losing her balance. “What’s so funny?”

  L.J. tilted her chin. “Man, you ask a lot of questions! To answer your first, I’m getting ready to kiss you. And in response to the second, you’re funny.”

  Autumn instinctively shut her eyes and slanted her head to the right.

  Slowly and carefully L.J. kissed her. Autumn had lips to be savored and that was what he was going to do. He restrained himself from crushing her to his chest, and instead took his sweet time loving her lips. It took a half minute before they found their rhythm and once they did, they settled into it with ease. The kiss was as tender and light as a summer breeze and after a two-year dry spell, the gentle touch of his l
ips and the teasing caress of his hands were enough to make Autumn cry out. Kissing L.J. felt that good.

  Inspired by her moans, he slid his hands under her tank top and explored her warm, supple flesh. He silenced her uncertainties with the soothing touch of his hands.

  Autumn felt as though she was going to lose all function of her legs. Her knees were knocking together like bowling pins and she couldn’t stop the lower half of her body from shaking. Her control was being swept away like the sand on a beach. Before she knew what she was doing, she was stroking L.J.’s well-defined chest through his white polo shirt. They kissed and teased and touched. There were no words, no questions. Their feelings for each other were conveyed with their hands and mouths. But just as quickly as it had started, it was over. Autumn felt his body stiffen, then there was air between them. Her eyes flew open big and wide. “What?”

  L.J. tapped his index finger to his mouth, and pointed another finger towards the foyer. “My aunt and uncle are home.”

  Autumn heard keys jingling. Without thinking, she reached out and wiped all traces of her chocolate brown lipstick from his mouth.

  “Thanks,” he said, unable to resist another taste of her ice-cream-sweet lips. “My aunt loves meeting new people, so don’t take offence if she asks you lots of personal questions. That’s just her way of being friendly. She doesn’t mean to be intrusive. And my Uncle Stu’s a bear, but he’s got a good heart.”

  Autumn spread her hands over her skirt. She didn’t want his relatives thinking they’d been messing around, even if they had been just seconds away from going at it on the old, battered couch.

  “Why did you have to go and invite those people over for dinner?” she heard a man say in a clipped tone. The door closed, and then the double bolt clicked into place. Comforted by L.J.’s reassuring smile, Autumn forced herself to remain calm. There was nothing to stress about. Not yet, anyway.

  The man spoke again. “The kids are devil children, the father babbles about his high-paying government job and the buck-toothed wife is as smart as a brick. Next time count me out.”