The Sweetest Kiss. Candace Shaw
is done. The man who owns the place is ready to retire and move to Florida and is selling at a reasonable price. We’d love to buy it, tear it down if necessary and rebuild with high-end stores. The places that are already there could stay at a higher lease once their current one runs out. Some are national chains like Starbucks and some are locally owned businesses.”
Broderick stirred the ice cubes around in his bourbon. “Mmm...not sure if I want to invest in a strip mall. What else you got?”
“It’s not a strip mall,” Cedric interjected. “It would be one of those work, live and play areas with condos or lofts, eateries, and so on. There’s some vacant property behind it that’s for sale, too. About two hundred acres, so we can expand. We’ve done it before with the other group we used to invest with and you were quite happy with the results.”
“Still not sold. I’m looking for something different this go-round. What was the other project?”
“Well...the other one is similar, just a different location. It’s in the Stone Mountain area. However, we’re also contemplating a famous restaurant chain here in Atlanta. Rumor has it they want to expand to adjoining states.”
Broderick nodded as he soaked in the information. He was most interested in the restaurant chain. “I am searching for something new to invest in, but you know I don’t just put my name on anything or write a check until I have every detail. Send Josh the information so he can start gathering data to determine the best choice to go with. Anything else?”
Carl shook his head. “Nope, that is all for now. We’ll contact Josh if anything else comes up.”
“Great.” Broderick stood as his cell phone vibrated in his shirt pocket. He withdrew it and saw a text from Tiffani. “If you gentlemen would excuse me I need to take this. Help yourself to the food in the dining room. Chef Crenshaw really outdid himself this time.”
He retreated outside on the veranda so he could read her text in private.
Made it to KJ’s tournament just in time. Talk to you later. J
Broderick smiled at the cute smiley face. It was so like her and her girlie personality. Rejoining his guests, he chatted for the rest of the evening, but he wasn’t really focused on discussing any of their money-making opportunities. He kept thinking about Tiffani’s scrumptious lips on his and the soft purrs from her mouth. He didn’t know how long she expected them to just be friends before he was able to kiss her again. But he also understood her husband had died not too long ago, and she probably wanted to take things slowly. However, it was the sweetest kiss he’d ever tasted and he was hungry for more.
* * *
“Thank you for saving me a seat, Preston.” Tiffani plopped down between her brother, two years her senior, and their dad on the bleachers at the karate tournament. “Has KJ gone yet?” She bit into her chicken and pecan salad, sighing with relief. She hated the days when she was too busy to eat, and she also hated buying a salad from a fast-food restaurant, but it was that or remain hungry.
“No, his group is next,” Preston said, then whispered, “Why do you smell like cologne?”
Darn it. She’d been so busy inhaling the remnants of Broderick’s enticing scent embedded on her skin that it never occurred to her that others could smell it, too.
“Huh...what?” Tiffani tried to stare straight ahead. If she looked at her brother, he’d see right through whatever lie she told. She also sensed her father’s eyes on her.
“You heard me. You were late. You’re never late. Did you have a date?”
“Shh. We’re being rude.” She took a bite of the salad and chewed slowly so she wouldn’t have to speak and hopefully he’d leave her alone. At least for now.
Tiffani continued to stare straight ahead as the kindergarten group did their routine, but she wasn’t paying attention. Instead, her thoughts led her back to Broderick’s strong, manly embrace and his wicked tongue dancing with hers while his sensual hands cruised over her body. He’d driven her insane with his handling of her and in just a short time, he’d unearthed a passion she didn’t know she possessed, and she wanted more. More of him. His intoxicating scent that still lingered, only added more to the erotic feelings she was experiencing. She couldn’t believe she’d had the nerve to reach for his tie and belt and had had to restrain herself from doing so. She’d been on a couple of dates since her husband’s passing and had a few first kisses but nothing to the point of being blown away. Broderick’s kiss made her feel like a desired woman, which was new, exciting and scary.
Tiffani had met Keith their freshman year of college and he’d been her first and only sexual experience. However, she wasn’t turned off by the idea of having sex with another man. Far from it, and earlier Broderick confirmed that. She was grateful she’d had to leave and that he had a party to host. If not, things may have gotten more intense, if that were even possible. She may have also done something that in her heart she wouldn’t have regretted. Being with Broderick was awakening, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so sexual and free.
Have I ever? she pondered. Because of Keith’s treatment of her during their marriage, she’d fallen out of love with him and sex became a chore that she hated but only did because she felt obligated.
Even though she never wanted to remarry, the option of a male companion was fine as long as it was understood that their relationship would never lead to marriage or living together. She enjoyed her independence and control over her life and couldn’t fathom another man tearing her down with his words and ridicule. When she’d told Broderick she wanted to get to know him better on a friend level before proceeding further, she meant it. A man with his power and money could be a controlling jerk like her husband had been. She had to make sure he wasn’t before venturing into another relationship. She’d witnessed male chauvinistic signs with Keith while they were in college but they’d been subtle and didn’t become full-blown until a year into their marriage. She had been contemplating divorce when he’d had a heart attack while driving home from work and died on the way to the hospital.
Tiffani had felt awful about it for awhile. She’d never wished death on him because their son had been four at the time and worshiped the ground he walked on. If she’d gone through with the divorce, she would’ve made sure Keith saw his son whenever he wanted.
“He’s up next,” her father, John Chase, stated.
Tiffani clapped and grabbed her cell phone out of her purse to record her son’s part in the tournament. Even though KJ didn’t have a father, he had plenty of father figures. Her father, brother and her cousin Braxton Chase were all very present in her son’s life. They took him to get his hair cut, attended Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Falcon games, played sports at the park and enjoyed other boy activities that a father normally would do with his son. She was grateful. Even though his dad was dead, KJ never missed a beat and was a fun-loving, intelligent and well-rounded eight-year-old boy. Tiffani sometimes feared he would eventually begin acting like Keith as far as the male chauvinist side, but so far he hadn’t. Considering his three father figures weren’t, she hoped he would take after them.
“There’s my handsome grandson!”
“Let’s go, nephew!” Preston clapped loudly.
“That’s my baby!” Tiffani cheered and then pressed play on the video app on her cell phone.
An hour later, Tiffani ran out to the gym floor to meet KJ halfway as he sprinted toward her with his second-place trophy. She picked him up and twirled him around.
“I’m so proud of you! We’ll add this to the collection,” she said, putting him down. He may always be her baby, but he was no longer small and was too heavy to hold for too long.
“Thanks, Mommy. You think Daddy was watching?”
“Of course,” she answered sincerely. “He’s your guardian angel and will always watch over you.”
“And he watches over you,