Sherelle Green - Red Velvet Kisses

“Okay, let’s do brunch,” she replied, breaking his thoughts. She sat down to remove her ballerina shoes and put on her winter boots. She’d barely made eye contact with him since they arrived at her office. He smiled as he thought about the last time he was in her office.

When she stood, she went to grab her coffee mug, but accidentally spilled the remaining contents on a stack of papers.

“Oh, shoot,” she shrieked, grabbing some tissue and dabbing the papers. It took all of Micah’s focus not to laugh. He didn’t want to make her even more uncomfortable. Her clumsiness is so cute. Only then did she chance a glance in his direction. He couldn’t read her expression at first, but he was glad when he heard her laugh. He laughed along with her.

“Being around you makes me more clumsy.”

“Well, being around you makes me do a lot of things I don’t normally do,” he said. Like be celibate for over three months. If his brothers knew, there was no doubt in his mind that he would be the object of their jokes for days. He was Micah Madden after all... Bad boy turned good and lover of all things female. Unofficially voted in high school as the number one panty snatcher and the sexiest. Celibate for over three months? Definitely a new record for him.

“Let’s go,” she said as she grabbed her coat. They walked half a block to the café in a comfortable silence. Lex wore a slight smile, and he wondered what she was thinking.

“You have a nice smile,” he said after they ordered a couple of sandwiches and drinks. He had her order first so he could pay for both meals. When she looked hesitant, he reminded her that he was the one who’d invited her to brunch. Luckily, she didn’t argue with him and they retreated to an empty corner table in the café.

“Thanks,” she said, meeting his eyes. “I like your smile, too.”

A compliment? “Finally warming up to me, huh?”

“Don’t push your luck,” she said with a laugh. “I have to be nice now that I’m planning your parents’ anniversary party.”

Micah bit into his sandwich and observed her in between eating. “From what I hear, you’re always nice. Cyd consistently calls you the nice one.”

Lex nodded her head in agreement. “That’s usually true...except...”

Micah searched her eyes. “Except when it comes to me, right?” he finished when she didn’t continue. Lex gave him a soft smile and tilted her head to the side.

“How about we start over?” she asked.

“Meaning, you want me to forget about the incident at Bare Sophistication?”

Her cheeks flushed. “Yeah, that wasn’t my most shining moment.”

“I beg to differ,” he said, trying to ignore the way she licked her lips after the last bite of her sandwich. “You were so adorable that day. At the lingerie shop and then the dinner party.”

“Not really,” she said as she went into her purse and put on an extra coat of lipstick.

“Maybelline and Covergirl must love you,” he said, nodding to the tube in her hand. Her eyes grew big as she shoved the tube back in her purse.

“My mother is a lipstick fanatic and so was my grandmother. I guess you can say they passed their fascination with lipstick down to me.”

“Well it looks great on you,” he responded as his eyes dropped to her ruby lips. She had perfectly shaped lips...lips that craved to be devoured. She began fidgeting with the sheer pink scarf around her neck.

“So, what did you want to discuss today?” she asked.

“Well,” Micah said, clasping his hands together, “I know you received the contract so I wanted to make sure you were okay with everything.”

She tilted her head to the side before leaning slightly forward. “To be honest, I wasn’t too happy that your contract was already approved and signed off on.”

She stopped talking, but it seemed she still had more to say. “Is that all?” Micah asked.

“No,” Lex said letting out a deep breath. “Since I’m the lead planner for your parents’ anniversary party, I would like you to go through me for everything you need in the future. No more going behind my back to my partners. Deal?”

“That’s reasonable,” Micah said. “But in my defense, I only went to them because you always avoid me.”

“I’ll work on that,” she said with a smile. “I did have a question about the December winter festival in your hometown. What day did you want me to arrive for the festival?”

She is not gonna like my answer. “Um, here’s the thing. My family plays an important part in the festival and my parents are on the town council, so I will be down there for eight days.”

“Okay,” she said before taking a sip of her water. “So do you want me to arrive on the first of the eight days or toward the end of the eight days?”

“I need you to be there for the entire stay.”

“What!” Lex yelled as she braced both hands on the table. Micah looked around at the curious glances from people sitting nearby before he leaned in closer toward her.

“I was originally thinking I could plan their anniversary here in Chicago, but that wasn’t really logical. It makes more sense for the party to take place in Arkansas.”

“So exactly why would I need to be down there the entire time you’re there? We plan long-distance parties all the time at Elite Events Incorporated. We have vendor contacts everywhere, including Arkansas. Venues, florists, DJs...you name it!”

“Cranberry Heights, Arkansas, is not your typical Arkansas town. In order to plan the type of anniversary party my parents will love, you have to get to know the town and the people who live there.”

Lex scrunched her face in irritation. So much for us getting along.

“Where would I stay?” she asked.

“My parents’ house is large so you can either stay there with them like I will, or at the town’s B and B.”

“What reason will you give your parents as to why I’m visiting.”

I was hoping she’d ask that question. “I’ll tell them we’re dating and I wanted to show you the town.”

“Absolutely not,” Lex said raising her voice again. “You have got to be kidding me.”

“Do you have a better idea?” Micah asked.

“Yes,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “You could go to the winter festival by yourself and avoid having to lie to your parents altogether.”

Micah glanced at her chest before meeting her eyes again. “No can do. And quite frankly, it’s in the contract and you asked me not to go to your partners about this so I was assuming that meant you’d be accommodating.”

“Is Arkansas country living or city living?” she asked.

“Both,” he said with a laugh. “You have something against farm animals?”

Instead of responding, she stood up and began putting on her coat. I guess we’re leaving, Micah thought, taking his cue from her and putting on his coat, as well.

“You don’t have to walk me back to the office,” Lex said when they reached the outside.

“Okay.” They stood there in silence for a few moments before Micah spoke again. “So, will you come with me to Cranberry Heights for the entire stay?”

She dodged a couple of groups of people walking by. “I’ll have to think about it.” She continued looking at him straight on.

“I understand,” Micah replied. “Let me know your decision at Imani and Daman’s party this weekend,” he continued before turning to walk in the direction opposite of her.

“Wait,” Lex said, gently grabbing his arm. “You were invited to Imani and Daman’s Friends-giving?”

“Is that what they are calling the party?”

“Yes. Since we all spend Thanksgiving with our families, Imani and Daman plan a Thanksgiving with their close friends.”