Lyfe Changing (16 page)

“Well that’s not due to my
part…” He said coming closer. I was a little frazzled. James and I
hadn’t really communicated since our last date due to the many
occurring circumstances; I had basically given him the brush off
ever since meeting Derrick. Now Derrick was out of the picture and
another opportunity had once again presented itself. I smiled
nervously under he’s sexy gaze. “I deeply apology, I have been
working like crazy…” I lied partly. James nodded as he took a seat.
“Well I can see that, hosting the charity ball for numerous firms
and companies can be difficult.” I sighed in an agreement. “Tell me
about it…so what brings you to Destination 1?” I asked trying to
lighten the mood.

James fixed his eyes on me
for a moment before answering. “I come bearing good news, my firm
wants to contribute to the charity function and…I wanted to see you
again.” My heart jumped at those words, I wanted to see you again.
“You did?” I asked surprisingly. He nodded happy to see that he
could still peak my interest.

“I have been missing you and
disappointed that our relationship has fallen off.”

“I’m sorry… it’s just that
so many things have been going on lately…”

“Oh I heard…” he said
cutting me off. “About the accident…you must have been
rattled.”

I nodded. “Yeah it was
pretty crazy… but I’m still standing.” James kept watching me,
focusing on my every move, trying to read my body language. He
smiled. “I understand, I just wish you would have called me…I
really would like to have been there to comfort you.” A slight warm
feeling tingled my skin.
Oh
my
, I thought. “Well you’re here now.” I
slightly whispered. His eyes perked up and his smile grew wider.
“Yes I am…so why don’t we take a walk through the park for a while.
Let’s get your mind off all this work.” I slowly rose to my feet as
James came around and helped me up. “Are you sure you have time? I
know you accountants can be very busy.” I asked looking into his
gorgeous teddy bear eyes. He kissed my cheek letting his lips
linger on my skin for a moment. “I can make time.” He said without
hesitation. I smiled feeling very flattered by his affection toward
me. We walked into the front lobby were Marisol was making
calls.

Her eyes lit up when she saw
James and I were walking together hand in hand. “Going somewhere
boss?” She said smiling. “Yes I’m taking an hour or so…can you
handle everything?” Marisol nodded. “Oh yes everything is fine you
two kids have fun.” She said swooshing us off. I smiled and looked
up and James who had yet to take his eyes off of me. James and I
walked through Central Park and chatted the day away. He told me
about his trip back home and how spending time with his nephews
made him realize he was ready to settle down. I expressed to him
that I was feeling secure in my business and now desired to do the
same. “So how’s planning the charity event coming?” He asked
watching me. I sighed a bit before answering. “It’s…going.” James
picked up on my dower mood. “Not satisfactory?” I looked at him and
the truth just slipped out. “I don’t know… I just want to really
wow people and show them that art is more than a pretty picture and
paint… that it expresses something deep and meaningful.”

“So do it?” James nodded. I
laughed a little at his over confidence in me. “I wouldn’t even
know how? It just is starting to feel like a regular office party.”
I took a deep breath finally glad I was able to express how I felt
to somebody, now all I need was some good feedback. James was
silent for a moment before answering. “Destiny one thing I most
particularly like about you is your creative spirit, how passionate
you are about what you do. But you do have a tendency to hold back,
I think if you show people what you’re all about they will get a
better understanding of who you are.” I smiled at him liking the
kind words of wisdom he was giving me. “Thank you…” I said
sincerely. James gave me a slight wink and we continued to walk. We
walked along smiling, laughing, flirting feeling absolutely
comfortable with one another. Still no matter how good things
seemed between James and I, something was missing from this
union…something that was much needed.

***

I woke up breathless while
left alone in a pool of my own sweat and desires.
Damn
, I thought. After
sleeping peacefully for the past few weeks, my midnight lover had
returned again in my dreams having his way with me any and every
way he could. It had been a while since his last visit and this
time felt more real than the last. It was not as often as usual but
when I had it… I really had it. I stumbled out of bed and made my
way to the bathroom.

My hot and flustered body
needed cold water immediately. As I wiped down my face and chest
with a soaked hand towel, all I could do was feel his presence with
me. I didn’t even have to turn around to know he was still there.
The hairs on my neck raised when I started to feel his breathe on
my skin. I closed my eyes and held onto the counter top to try and
come to grips with reality for a moment. I finally knew I was alone
again and took a reliving breath. I didn’t understand what the hell
was going on. Why I kept having this fantasies. Was I just in need
of male attention or was there a deeper meaning to these dreams? I
smoothed my hair back and decided to head into the kitchen for some
much needed coffee. The thought of being in bed again with him was
much more than I could take for one night. I came into the living
room and flipped through the channels and found an old feature
film. It was one of my favorites,
Mahogany,
a big Diana Ross film from
back in her heyday. It was at the bar scene where it was her first
night to sing and she was nervous and uncomfortable.

A shy soul who didn’t know
what she was doing or why but had a passion to sing. Then one
handsome stranger looks her way with his gorgeous face coming out
of the darkness and into the light. He flashes that million dollar
smile and steals her heart forever. I melted every time I saw that
part where Billy Dee Williams makes his appearance, capturing every
woman’s attention from the start.

I often wondered would I
ever meet a man that would make me feel like that, it turns out I
had…two of them. It was so strange how Derrick and James were so
different but could both make me feel so good and special like I
was the only woman in the world. With James he was like a wish list
of all the things you’re supposed to look for in a man. Good job, a
lot of money, handsome, charming, pleasant, so on and so forth. I
really enjoyed his company but I still didn’t feel all the way into
him.

With Derrick, he is all the
things that smart women need to stay away from; Criminal record,
multiple kids, multiple women, rude, slick, and everything else.
Yet when I was with him I felt something so strong, so real that I
couldn’t even comprehend it. Even with all that happened between us
that night, I could only think about the good parts of our date;
the intimacy, the connection, and the overall desire to be there
with him. I lay down on the couch and tried to rest my troubled
head…and could only wonder what tomorrow may bring.

13

Can’t turn away

Destiny

“Can you do it? Really?
That’s great, I’m sure everyone will enjoy it…ok, thank you for
your time.” I gently placed my office phone down and cheered.
“Yes!” I squealed. It took many weeks and begging phone calls but I
was able to get a performer for the charity ball. Anna Marie was a
well know soul singer amongst urban society and it just so happened
that she would be in NYC the weekend of the charity ball and
somehow I got her agent to get her to perform for the night. I was
in the middle of doing my happy dance when Marisol walked
in.

“
Did I miss something she
asked?” showing a confused smile. I chuckled at myself for a
minute. “Oh yes…I got Anna Marie to perform at this weekend’s
Charity Ball.” “No way?” Marisol asked astonished. “Yes…her agent
just confirmed a minute ago.” We both jumped up and down like to
teenaged girls at a Backstreet Boys concert.

“
Well the good news keeps
on coming?” Marisol said giving me the I know something you might
like to hear look. I stopped jumping around and eyed her playfully.
“What do you know?” “I know that there is a handsome gentleman out
in the lobby waiting to speak with you.” She said coyly. “Really?”
I asked confused.
James had no problem
coming back to my office before, why would he wait out in the lobby
now?
I followed Marisol to the front desk
and was shocked to see James was nowhere in sight…but Derrick was.
He had a look on his face that I couldn’t read…it was not angry but
it wasn’t happy either. Never the less he was just as handsome as I
remembered him to be.

With his hair slicked back
once again exposing his handsome face, a red sweater and denim
jeans. Marisol caught my fading smile and panicked. “Um is there a
problem?” She asked wondering what to do. I looked away from him to
her. “Um no…no problem. Why don’t you just take your lunch now ok?”
Marisol nodded and hesitantly walked out of the building to the
nearest cafe. Having had enough of the awkward silence between
us…Derrick decided to speak up. “Hello Destiny…”

He said in that deep sexy
voice of his which had all the affect in the world on me. I looked
at him sternly letting him now I was still upset with him from our
date a few weeks ago. “Derrick.” I said brief and emotionless not
showing any desire to converse with him any further...although my
heart was pounding minute by minute. I couldn’t believe how excited
I was that he was here. He chuckled at me knowing that I was giving
him attitude, didn’t stop him for giving me that sexy stare of his
trying to sway my anger. “You look good…” He said slyly. I nodded.
“Well I do what I can for somebody in my age group.” Derrick’s
slight chuckle turned into all out laughter as I stared at him
pretending as if I didn’t find anything amusing. He sighed and
rubbed his hands down his face in frustration.

“
You’re really not going to
make this easy for me are you?” He said dejectedly. I rolled my
eyes. “I’m not going to make what easy for you?” Derrick sighed
again. “Look, one thing I hate doing in this world is apologizing
even when I’m dead ass wrong…but Destiny I’m sorry….” I looked into
his eyes and saw the sincerity and nodded, but it didn’t stop my
raised brow from saying go on further with your apology. “My
behavior on our date was rude and I want you to forgive my
unpleasant actions.” I could tell he was trying to use proper
sentences to mock me but hey an apology was an apology, so I
continued nod and encourage him to elaborate. “The way I spoke to
you was not appropriate and I didn’t mean to offend you.” Derrick
rubbed the back of his neck feeling the frustration I was putting
on him build up. “I keep thinking about you…”

He said with an honest
vulnerable look on his face that I had never seen on him before. I
eased up repeating those same words in my head and loving how they
sounded…I keep thinking about you. “You still thinking about me?”
His question sounded more like a confident statement…something he
already knew the answer to. I looked away from him trying not to
make eye contact. “You may have entered my thoughts once or twice.”
I lied, knowing that I had been thinking about him nonstop since
our date. Derrick chuckled again. “Ok…ok.”

We both shared a quick
laugh at the whole situation, mainly how we got to this point. I
brought my eyes back to his and was shocked to see him looking at
me as if he were waiting for me to say something. “What?” I asked
him confusingly. “Don’t you have something you would like to say to
me?” He asked as if it was obvious. “Uh…no what do I need to say?”
I asked him boldly. Derrick gave me a stern look as if he were
annoyed having had enough of my childish antics. I decided to spare
another insulting incident and cave in and apologize. “Ok I’m sorry
for offending you as well. Happy?” Derrick nodded and leaned over
the counter of Marisol’s receptionist desk and I came over and
joined him.

“
What do you have going on
here…with all shit lying round?” He asked in that blunt dialogue I
just loved…not. “Um…I’m hosting this year’s charity ball. It’s
where big business donates money to orphanages and homeless
shelters.” I handed him a pamphlet explaining what the charity ball
was all about. “Oh yeah…I heard about this. Pastor Wallace has been
taking about it like crazy.” Derrick chuckled. “Oh Pastor Wallace…”
I said looking up at him smiling. “I heard you were doing community
service at his church. How do you like him?” “He’s a bit much…but
overall I do like the man.” I laughed a little enjoying the
atmosphere around us. “I agree…it wouldn’t be a bad idea if you
attended.”

I told him sheepishly
wondering if I jumped the gun too soon. Derrick shrugged while
still looking at the pamphlet. “Well you never know…Mr. Lyfe loves
supporting the kids.” I smiled at him. “Am I interrupting again?”
Marisol asked as she came in the building holding coffee. Derrick
and I broke out of our conversation and faced her. “No… we were
just talking.” I smiled. Marisol kept smiling even though her eyes
said she didn’t believe me. She quickly turned her attention to
Derrick. “We never got properly introduced… I’m Marisol Destiny’s
assistant.” Marisol extended her hand to Derrick eagerly.
“Derrick…” He said shaking her small hand with his large one.
Marisol gave him a little flirty smile letting him know she
approved of how good he looked. Like the little nosy person she is,
it didn’t take long for her to start the interrogation process. “So
you and Destiny are…?” We both looked at each other then back to
her not really knowing what to say. “Friends…” I answered for the
both of us. “Were friends.” Derricked chuckled at my comment being
that he knew as well as I did we were something but a friend wasn’t
the correct term.