should be in there by Tuesday morning.”
“God, Dex. I don’t even know what to say.”
“You’d do the same for me in a heartbeat.”
“Boy, am I happy the mailman brought you back to Mom that time I put a stamp on your forehead and tried to ship you to Alaska,” she said.
His head flew back with a crack of laughter. “Give my nephew a kiss from his Uncle Dex.”
“I will. And I’ll also send a batch of my chocolate chip raisin oatmeal cookies with Mom and Dad when they go up there in a few weeks.”
“What date are they arriving again?” Dex asked.
“On the 26th. They’re only in New York for one night before the cruise ship pulls out.”
“Yeah, they refused to stay at my place. Mom booked a room in the city. I was able to convinced her to let me take them out to dinner.”
“They will love that.” The words were followed by a yawn.
“Get to bed,” Dex said.
“I’m going,” she answered. “I’ll talk to you later. And, Dex, thanks again.”
His chest expanded with affection. “I told you I’d take care of it, didn’t I?”
“You did,” Denise said. “Love you, Pumpkin.”
“Love you, too.”
Dex ended the call, and turned his attention to the television. But he had a hard time concentrating on the sports anchor’s commentary. Instead, his mind chose to focus on tomorrow and his first performance as the new man in Asia’s life. It was nothing he couldn’t handle, as long as he kept his focus on the task at hand and not on the woman he would be forced to stand next to all night.
Chapter Seven
Asia sat at the glossy walnut bar in the upscale bistro that she had been meaning to check out for months. She accepted the glass of Chardonnay from the bartender, but had not taken more than a sip before hearing a low, sexy “Good evening” come from just over her shoulder.
She turned to find Dexter standing a foot away, attired in an exquisitely cut midnight-blue suit. She had not been to church in a while, but Asia knew it was a sin to look that good. He might be a dog walker by trade, but with his urbane apparel and polished demeanor, he blended in perfectly with this crowd.
“Hello,” Asia said. Did that breathy sound come out of her mouth? She cleared her throat and took another sip of her Chardonnay.
“Is this okay?” he asked, gesturing at his clothing.
She nodded. “It’s perfect.”
“Good,” he said. “First impressions are lasting impressions. Are you ready, or do you want to finish that?”
She waved a hand as she set the glass on the bar. “I’ll get another at the mixer. Although,” she said, pausing in her descent from the leather barstool, “I could probably use the fortification before facing Cortland again. Maybe I should finish this glass.”
Dexter stopped her as she brought the glass to her lips.
“You don’t need to drink alcohol to be able to face your ex. That’s what I’m here for. But, to be honest, you don’t need me either.” He put a finger underneath her chin and lifted her eyes to meet his. “You are beautiful, Asia. I’ve only known you a few days, and I already can see that you are intelligent, funny, and incredibly sexy. Don’t allow him to make you believe you are anything less than everything that you are.”
She stared into his light-brown eyes and nearly forgot to breathe. A pleasurable tingle pulsed from where he still touched her, quickly traveling along her nerve endings.
“God, you’re good,” Asia breathed.
One corner of Dexter’s mouth turned up in a grin. “Come on. It’s time for us to make this Cortland character green with envy.”
Asia slipped a twenty underneath her nearly full glass of Chardonnay and scooted off of the stool. Dexter’s hand rested at the small of her back as they left the bistro, and those earlier tingles graduated into full-blown electric sparks.
It was the suit. It had to be the suit.
And the body that wore the suit.
And the face on the body.
She
“God, Dex. I don’t even know what to say.”
“You’d do the same for me in a heartbeat.”
“Boy, am I happy the mailman brought you back to Mom that time I put a stamp on your forehead and tried to ship you to Alaska,” she said.
His head flew back with a crack of laughter. “Give my nephew a kiss from his Uncle Dex.”
“I will. And I’ll also send a batch of my chocolate chip raisin oatmeal cookies with Mom and Dad when they go up there in a few weeks.”
“What date are they arriving again?” Dex asked.
“On the 26th. They’re only in New York for one night before the cruise ship pulls out.”
“Yeah, they refused to stay at my place. Mom booked a room in the city. I was able to convinced her to let me take them out to dinner.”
“They will love that.” The words were followed by a yawn.
“Get to bed,” Dex said.
“I’m going,” she answered. “I’ll talk to you later. And, Dex, thanks again.”
His chest expanded with affection. “I told you I’d take care of it, didn’t I?”
“You did,” Denise said. “Love you, Pumpkin.”
“Love you, too.”
Dex ended the call, and turned his attention to the television. But he had a hard time concentrating on the sports anchor’s commentary. Instead, his mind chose to focus on tomorrow and his first performance as the new man in Asia’s life. It was nothing he couldn’t handle, as long as he kept his focus on the task at hand and not on the woman he would be forced to stand next to all night.
Chapter Seven
Asia sat at the glossy walnut bar in the upscale bistro that she had been meaning to check out for months. She accepted the glass of Chardonnay from the bartender, but had not taken more than a sip before hearing a low, sexy “Good evening” come from just over her shoulder.
She turned to find Dexter standing a foot away, attired in an exquisitely cut midnight-blue suit. She had not been to church in a while, but Asia knew it was a sin to look that good. He might be a dog walker by trade, but with his urbane apparel and polished demeanor, he blended in perfectly with this crowd.
“Hello,” Asia said. Did that breathy sound come out of her mouth? She cleared her throat and took another sip of her Chardonnay.
“Is this okay?” he asked, gesturing at his clothing.
She nodded. “It’s perfect.”
“Good,” he said. “First impressions are lasting impressions. Are you ready, or do you want to finish that?”
She waved a hand as she set the glass on the bar. “I’ll get another at the mixer. Although,” she said, pausing in her descent from the leather barstool, “I could probably use the fortification before facing Cortland again. Maybe I should finish this glass.”
Dexter stopped her as she brought the glass to her lips.
“You don’t need to drink alcohol to be able to face your ex. That’s what I’m here for. But, to be honest, you don’t need me either.” He put a finger underneath her chin and lifted her eyes to meet his. “You are beautiful, Asia. I’ve only known you a few days, and I already can see that you are intelligent, funny, and incredibly sexy. Don’t allow him to make you believe you are anything less than everything that you are.”
She stared into his light-brown eyes and nearly forgot to breathe. A pleasurable tingle pulsed from where he still touched her, quickly traveling along her nerve endings.
“God, you’re good,” Asia breathed.
One corner of Dexter’s mouth turned up in a grin. “Come on. It’s time for us to make this Cortland character green with envy.”
Asia slipped a twenty underneath her nearly full glass of Chardonnay and scooted off of the stool. Dexter’s hand rested at the small of her back as they left the bistro, and those earlier tingles graduated into full-blown electric sparks.
It was the suit. It had to be the suit.
And the body that wore the suit.
And the face on the body.
She
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