Kane
Zandra had been one of those rare natural beauties back in high school. I remembered really seeing her for the first time. She was a sophomore, probably fourteen or fifteen. Her hair wasn’t very long, just shoulder-length, a rich chestnut brown color with golden strands that would catch the sun now and then.
She’d been walking outside, along the sidewalk. Alone, with books in her arms covering a chest that hadn’t blossomed yet, she kept her eyes on the ground in front of her.
I’d brushed my shoulder against hers as we’d passed each other, and she didn’t even blink an eye or look my way at all. She’d merely whispered a timid, “Sorry,” as if it was her fault.
Stopping in my tracks, I’d turned around to watch her walk away and had wondered what the hell was up with her. Was she stuck-up? Or was it just insecurity that made her so shy?
Of course, later I’d figured out it was insecurity. And I thought she still had a strain of it running through her now. That had to be the reason behind all the makeup and the dyed hair. The skimpy wardrobe, I assumed, was so she could fit in with her younger co-workers at the club.
The way she presented herself now was so different than how she’d been in high school, and I didn’t truly believe that either version was her real self. While she used to hide from people by looking at the ground and trying to fade in the background, now she was using her clothes and style to hide the true Zandra from others.
I really did believe that, with my help—and Fox’s too—Zandra would be able to grow into the woman she was truly meant to be. I knew she’d settle into adulthood and become the kind of mother Fox needed; she just needed someone to go on that journey with her.
Step one was taking her to a nice place where her too-young style wouldn’t fit in. And I hoped that she would transform accordingly into the gorgeous butterfly I knew was ready to break out. I couldn’t wait to see the woman I knew was buried inside all the makeup, dye, and skimpy clothes.
Some people might call me manipulative and controlling, and I would have to say that there might be some aspects of my plan that would fit those descriptions. But in the end, my mission was only to help her become the confident and mature woman I knew she could be. Once she felt comfortable and stable in this new life, I’d step back and let her do whatever she saw fit.
The truth was that I could see Zandra in a light that she, herself, couldn’t see. Yet. She couldn’t see that woman who waited to come out, yet. But she would. And I just wanted that to happen sooner rather than later. For Fox, and for myself.
Sure, I could leave her just as she is. But then what?
Zandra would be a large part of Fox’s life. We both hoped she would be at school functions, joining in and becoming a part of it the same way we had. We hoped she would come to his afterschool practices and his baseball games on the weekends. And neither Fox nor I wanted her to be ridiculed by anyone.
The cold hard truth was that if she didn’t change her appearance, then the other moms and dads wouldn’t see her the way we did. They wouldn’t see the hardworking woman she’d become, who’d survived a difficult childhood that had only grown worse after I’d taken her virginity and left her with a baby growing inside of her. They’d never know how much that baby had changed her life, and all that she’d had to go through to get to where she was.
If I’d just been able to leave her alone all those years ago, she would’ve graduated from high school and most likely gone to college. Her parents seemed to care a lot about appearances too, after all. I was sure they would’ve made her go to college, like the rest of her graduating class.
But Zandra had missed all that because they’d kept her hidden at her home, which they’d made more like a prison. At least that’s the way it sounded when she’d talked to me about it on the phone the week before.
I’d gotten to know a lot about her over our phone calls. And I had to admit that I had been wrong to judge her. I’d thought her weak. I’d thought she’d taken the easy road, leaving the harder one for someone else to take.
As easy as that road seemed to be, that road had a dead end, and it wouldn’t be too many more years before she reached that ending. I’d never seen any thirty-year-old waitresses working at nightclubs in all my earlier years of partying. She wouldn’t be able to work the types of clubs she was used to forever. And then what would she do?
I figured I might as well give her a little push, some incentive to move forward now, instead of waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under her later. And she might as well do it with Fox and me at the front of her mind, giving her a reason to strive for something more than she’d had before us.
Circa 1886 was the kind of restaurant where men wore suits and ties, and women wore gorgeous evening gowns. If she didn’t know the place by reputation, I knew she’d be able to get an idea of the dress code from looking it up online. She would see exactly what she would have to wear in order to fit into this kind of place.
And I just had to wait a few minutes longer to see if she was able to meet this one challenge out of the many more she’d likely have to face in the coming months.
I’d texted her right when I left my house, telling her I was on my way. She’d texted me back, telling me to wait outside in my car, that she would come out to me. So I did as she’d asked, and I sat waiting. Five minutes later, she came out the door.
At first, I thought I had to be seeing things. Maybe it wasn’t her at all coming out of her apartment and walking toward me. But then again, it had to be. There was that same chestnut brown hair she’d had back in high school, the evening sunlight making a few blonde strands glisten. She was still wearing a bit of makeup, but only enough to enhance her natural beauty. No fake lashes, no overly plump lips. Just her lovely features shining through.
I got out of the car, obviously stunned. “Zandra. My God.”
She smiled brilliantly as she spun around slowly. The chocolate brown dress she wore went below her knees, the bottom billowing out, flowing in the breeze as she turned around. “You like the new me, Kane?”
The boatneck top covered her breasts, not allowing any cleavage to show, but accentuating their round curves. A thin blue belt showed off her narrow waist, and it matched her two-inch heels. Creamy pearl earrings matched the necklace that hung around her long neck, which was beautifully on display thanks to her hair being pinned up.
She stopped turning to look at me. “Kane?”
“Uh … umm.” I was speechless.
She laughed lightly as she walked toward the passenger door. “I know. I look very different. Older.”
Her movement pulled me out of my daze. “Older? No.” I hurried to get to the door before she did, opening it for her. “I would use many words to describe you—gorgeous, sexy, and naturally beautiful—but old would never cross my mind, Zandra Larkin. I’m very proud to have you at my side this evening.”
“Ah.” She ran one finger along my jawline. “He approves. I’ve done good then.”
“You’ve done better than good.” I pressed my lips to her cheek. “You’ve taken my breath away. That’s never happened to me before.”
Her dark blue eyes peered into mine. “Really?”
All I could do was nod as I stared back into those eyes, getting lost in them. The same ones I’d looked into so long ago. No thick black mascara surrounded them. No eyeliner either. Just the slightest bit of brown mascara and neutral eyeshadows that blended in so well, they looked like they were hardly there at all.
She sat in the car with a sweet smile on her pink lips. I closed the door and went around to get in, taking a deep breath t0 try to shake off this star-struck feeling.
She’d thrown me for a loop, and I had to get back on track.
With step one completed, I knew the next few ones were up to me. And I was feeling very optimistic about them.
It took me a little while to come back around to being myself as we drove to the restaurant. But when I reached over, taking her hand in mine, her touch, and the connection that always sprang between us, helped me. “How did your boss take you calling in tonight?”
“Not well.” She sighed. “And I know he’s going to bitch me out for this change in my look.”
“Fuck him.” I stopped at a red light and looked at her. “You look amazing.”
The smile that curved her lips made my heart race. “Thank you, Kane. Taylor wasn’t on board with my new look, either. She said it makes me look old.”
“You look mature,” I told her. “And it suits you. Please tell me you won’t go back to the old look.”
With a nod, she said, “I promised myself that very thing yesterday. I won’t be going back, only forward from now on.”
Relief spread through me. “That’s so good to hear, baby. So good. Forward is the best way to go. Unless you’re a girl and you’re dancing, then backward is okay. But only then.”
She laughed and I chuckled with her, and it felt amazing.
The atmosphere of the restaurant did much to make the night special for us both. She ran her hand over the white linen tablecloth after we’d sat down. “Don’t laugh at me please, Kane.” She looked at me with a shy grin. “I’ve never been in a place like this before. It’s kind of surreal. I just want to touch everything, to make sure I’m not dreaming.”
Reaching across the table, I took her hand in mine. “You’re not dreaming. And I think it’s adorable that you feel that way. To be honest, I feel that way too.”
Her chest heaved as she sighed and looked around. “I’ll remember this forever.”
“Good. So will I.” I let her hand go to take a look at the menu. “I think we should start with the chilled oysters Rockefeller.” I put it back down, taking her hand again. “Does that sound good to you?”
“It does. It sounds very good to me.” She leaned in close, then whispered, “But aren’t those considered an aphrodisiac, Dr. Price?”
Winking, I answered, “Yep.”
“If it helps you make any plans for later tonight, then I want you to know that you’re making me feel very special and cared for.” Her smile turned sexy. “If you know what I mean.”
My cock was hard in an instant, and I was glad for the cover of the table. “I do.” I could’ve jumped her gorgeous bones right then. But I wanted things to progress a little further than they had so far.
The waiter came back with our white wine and two glasses. “Have you made a decision on the appetizer?” He poured a little bit of the wine in one of the glasses then handed it to me.
“We have,” I told him then tasted the wine. “And this is perfect.”
He filled a glass, placing it in front of Zandra, and then filled mine the rest of the way, leaving the bottle on the table. “And what can I bring you first?”
“The oysters to start,” I let him know.
“I’ll get to that and be right back to take the rest of your order.” He left us, and I saw Zandra watching him.
“I’ve never served food before. I wonder if I would be any good at it. It seems kind of complicated,” she pondered.
I didn’t want her to limit herself to just serving, but I didn’t want to interfere with every decision she made, either. “I’m sure you could be great at it if you put your mind to it, Zandra.” I took her hand again, letting our clasped hands rest on the table. “Whatever you put your mind to, I’m sure you can do. Don’t let anything stop you.”
With a nod, she pulled her hand out of mine to pick up the menu. “I suppose I should have a look at this so I can make a decision before he gets back.”
I opened mine too. “The Piedmontese beef looks good to me.”
“I’m torn between the catfish and the scallops,” she said, then looked up at me. “The sides are throwing me off, though. I’ve got no idea what any of them are. But I know I like scallops, and I know I like catfish. Do you think you can take a look at them and tell me which one you would pick?”
I took a look at the sides and read that a grilled zucchini dish with a fancy Italian name was served with the scallops. She had liked the ones I’d made when we had our little Sunday dinner. “I think you’d like the scallops.”
Putting the menu down, she picked up the wine and took a drink, looking happy as a clam. “I bet I will, Kane. Thank you.”
Finishing the decadent meal with a dessert called Island Bombe, we left the restaurant and headed back to take her home. Even though all I really wanted to do was take her back to my bedroom and kiss her all over.
Resting her head on the back of the seat, she ran her hand over her flat stomach. “Oh my gosh, that was the best meal I’ve ever eaten. Thank you so much for taking me, Kane.”
“If you’ll accept more dates with me, then I’ll take you to a ton more places you’ve never been.” I took her hand, holding it between us on the console. “So, do you think I’ll get a second date?”
Turning her head, she looked at me, blinking slowly. “A second, third, fourth—you name it, you’ve got it. I had more fun with you tonight, and on Sunday too, than I’ve ever had with anyone.”
“If the weather is good, we could take the yacht out this coming weekend.” I knew I was getting ahead of myself, but I couldn’t seem to stop.
“If I’m off, then I would love to join you.” She turned her head to look out the window. “Hopefully, I’ll have a different job by then. I won’t know my schedule until that happens.”
I pulled up in front of her apartment. “Here we are.” Her hand in mine felt good, comfortable—right.
She looked back at me. “Yep.” She moved her fingers a little. “I guess this is goodnight, then.”
With a nod, I said, “I guess so.”
“Okay, then. Thanks again. I had the best night of my life.” She tried to pull her hand out of mine.
I held it tight. “Me too.”
She looked at our hands. “Are you going to let me go, Kane?”
“Do I have to?” I wanted her. I wanted her more than I ever had.
She smiled. “Did those oysters get to you?”
Shaking my head, I admitted, “You got to me.”
“I bet they helped,” she said with a smile. “Would you like to come inside?”
“I would. But I’m warning you, I’m going to pull you into my arms and kiss those sweet lips, and I’m not going to want to stop.” I pulled our hands up to my lips then kissed hers.
“I won’t want you to stop.” She leaned in. “Let’s go inside, Kane.”
“You know what that means.” I looked into her eyes. “I really do care for you, Zandra Larkin. More than I’ve ever cared about any woman.”
“Good.” She kissed my lips just once with a soft kiss. “So let’s go inside and I can show you how much I care about you, too.”
Lord, have mercy!