Tender to His Touch Read online

  Curious, Lucius turned around and nearly dropped his glass when his gaze zeroed in on a tall, gorgeous woman in red with deep brick-house curves and a smile that lit up the whole room. Spellbound, he watched her as she strolled over to the bar. Her big breasts sat high and were like—pow! Her firm, but still bouncing backside was like—ka-pow!

  To maintain some semblance of cool, Lucius sipped a little more of his whiskey, but his eyes never left the seductive sway Paulson so elegantly called junk in the trunk.

  “Better close your mouth and go make a move,” Paulson chuckled. “I’d say you have about five seconds before someone else beats you to the punch.”

  Lucius tossed down the rest of his drink in one gulp and sprang out of his chair without a backward glance. Halfway over to the bar, he realized that he didn’t have the slightest idea what to say. His pickup lines were a little rusty.

  Across the room, he saw another brother stand up; his eyes locked on the same mysterious woman. Lucius picked up his pace and settled onto the empty stool beside the lady in red, whose soft floral perfume worked like an invisible hook. Before he could speak, she glanced over her shoulder and smiled.

  “Hello,” she greeted in a velvety smooth voice that dripped with sin.

  Lucius responded with the first thing that popped into his head. “Marry me?”

  Chapter 3

  Beverly laughed. The question had been so unexpected that she couldn’t do anything but. The handsome stranger next to her joined in. His intriguing hazel eyes were so bewitching her heart skipped a beat. She estimated him to be six-two, lean but well muscled. His medium-brown skin had a healthy glow, and he had short-cropped hair that was well-groomed. She fought the sudden impulse to run her fingers through it to see if it was as soft as it looked. Bottom line, he was a good-looking man with a smile that took her breath away.

  “Okay. I admit that was a pretty cheesy pickup line,” the handsome devil admitted.

  “But very effective,” she said, throwing him a bone. “Maybe I should be asking how many wives you have stashed away.”

  He held up his bare right hand. “I’m as free as a bird.”

  She arched a brow at him. Did he think a missing ring meant anything these days?

  “I’m divorced.”

  “What a coincidence,” she said.

  “Now what idiot let you go?” he countered, shaking his head and hitting her with his sexy dimples.

  “I know, right?”

  They laughed.

  “Mind if I buy you a drink?” he asked.

  “Well, I don’t—”

  “C’mon. Just one.”

  The bartender popped up out of nowhere.

  “What’ll you have?” her handsome admirer asked.

  “Whoooo, boy. It’s, um, been a while.” She hesitated, not knowing what to order. She was more of a wine connoisseur and didn’t know any of the latest cool alcoholic concoctions so she stuck with an old staple. “I’ll just have a Long Island iced tea.”

  “And I’ll have another whiskey on the rocks,” the stranger said and then turned his attention back to Beverly. “By the way, I’m Lucius Gray.” He extended his hand.

  “Beverly Clark—well, Turner, actually.” She laughed at the slip. “I can’t believe I still make that mistake.”

  When his large hand closed around hers, a delicious warmth raced up her arm, her nipples hardened and she tingled in places she’d long forgotten about. That was definitely a good sign.

  “If you don’t mind, I have a second cheesy line I’d like to ask you,” Lucius said.

  “All right.” She smiled. “Shoot.”

  “What’s a beautiful woman like you doing in a bar like this?”

  “Well, I just wanted to grab a quick drink to help me relax before I head out for the evening.”

  His gaze roamed over her. “So you’re staying at the hotel?”

  The bartender returned. “One Long Island iced tea and one whiskey on the rocks. Enjoy.”

  Lucius waited patiently for an answer while Beverly took a sip of her drink.

  “Mmmm. Now that hit the spot.”

  He chuckled, deciding to keep an obvious sexual retort to himself.

  Beverly glanced over at him and read him easily. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”

  Lucius held up his hand. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Yeah, right.” She sipped more of her drink. “And to your previous question, I’m just staying at the hotel for the weekend. And yourself?”

  “No, I actually, uh—” he glanced around “—had a meeting with a client, but it looks like that’s already ended.”

  “I’m not keeping you from your work, am I?”

  “No. No. It’s all right.” He flashed another smile. “We had already wrapped things up. When you strolled in and caught every brotha’s attention in that knockout dress.”

  “What—this old thing?”

  Lucius laughed.

  She bobbed her head and then returned to nursing her drink. “So what do you do, Mr. Gray?”

  “I’m an attorney…and please, call me Lucius.”

  “Okay, Lucius,” she said, purposely lowering her voice. “It sort of sounds like luscious.”

  Lucius’s eyes darkened with unmistakable desire. “You can call me that if you like,” he said, leaning in close. “But only when we’re alone.”

  At the feel of his warm breath against her cheek, Beverly experienced a few more tingles. Good Lord, one drink and she was ready to jump the man’s bones.

  “Anyway,” Lucius said, “I work for one of the largest African-American law firms in Atlanta. We primarily deal with big litigation cases. You know, health care, pharmaceuticals and insurance fraud.”

  “Ahh, an attorney,” she said noncommittally.

  “What? Don’t tell me that you have something against lawyers?”

  She shrugged. “No. It’s just that…well…”

  “What?”

  “It’s just that you might be the first attorney I actually like.”

  Lucius choked on his drink. When he recovered, he barked with laughter.

  Beverly chuckled at his side. “No offense,” she added. “But the last time I had to deal with attorneys I was going through a pretty messy divorce.”

  “No offense taken, I assure you. And to be completely honest with you, I wasn’t too crazy about my divorce attorney, either. If you don’t mind my asking, how long ago did you get your freedom papers?”

  She shrugged. “Two years.”

  “Ah. So your wounds are still fresh.”

  Was he suggesting that she still had baggage? “What about you?”

  Lucius took another sip of his drink. “Five years. I’ve officially been divorced longer than I was married. But I did get a beautiful daughter out of the deal.”

  Beverly’s easy smile dimmed as she reached for her glass.

  Lucius soaked in her profile. “Are you sure that we haven’t met somewhere before?”

  This time, she nearly choked on her drink. “Cheesy line number three,” she said, dabbing her mouth with a cocktail napkin.

  His laughter deepened as he shook his head. “Nah. Nah. I mean it. You look very familiar to me. Do you live here in Atlanta or did you fly in on business?”

  “No. I live here in Atlanta,” she said. Her face continued to warm beneath the intensity of his gaze. It didn’t help that the alcohol from her drink felt as if it suddenly had a direct pipeline to her blood system. “Mmm.” She closed her eyes and enjoyed the small buzz.

  Lucius’s body reacted to her sexy moan. “Damn. I should’ve had what you’re having.”

  Beverly giggled—something she hadn’t done in a long time.

  “So what is it that you do, Ms. Turner?”

  “I’m a fashion designer—local. I own a boutique out in Virginia Highland. Have you ever been out there?”

  He thought hard and long about it. “Can’t say that I have.” His eyes narrowed.
“But I swear you seem familiar. Maybe with lighter hair?”

  Beverly blinked. “Actually, I recently darkened it.”

  He continued to scrutinize. “Was it longer, too?”

  “Yes!” Now she tried to study him. Had they met before?

  “I’m going to figure it out,” he assured her. His eyes continued to roam hungrily.

  He wanted to taste a sample of her lips, not doubting for a moment that they would be sweet, intoxicating and downright addictive. He had a nearly uncontrollable desire to bury himself in the soft curves of her body. Good Lord, he was already thinking about her this way after just talking to her for a few minutes. How long had it been since he’d been with a woman? He frowned, trying to come up with an answer. Ten months. Eleven months. A year? Surely, it couldn’t have been that long—had it?

  He reached for his drink again while trying to rein in his horny body. Hell, if he stood up right now he would have to figure out a way to walk with three legs.

  Beverly glanced at her watch.

  Lucius did the same. He was really going to be late to the private cocktail party. But if he played his cards right, maybe the night would end on a higher note than trying to see how many of his old college buddies still had a head full of hair.

  “Can I get you anything else?” the bartender popped up to ask.

  Beverly warred with whether she should stick around and enjoy Mr. Lucius’s company or get her butt over to Cork for the Hollington private cocktail party. It wasn’t any easy decision. It felt good to have a man look at her the way he did. It made her feel beautiful, desired, and downright horny. When was the last time that happened? In her mind, she was already experimenting with different acrobatic positions and she could feel herself overheating.

  Whoooaaa, Beverly. Slow it down.

  “Are you blushing?” he asked.

  “Huh? What? No!” She blinked and shook her head clear of those naughty thoughts. “I’ll just have some water,” she said.

  “Yes, ma’am. Coming right up.”

  Lucius’s evenly groomed brows rose in mild curiosity.

  “A woman must know her limitations,” Beverly said, meeting his gaze. “I don’t want to do anything I might regret in the morning.”

  He clearly caught her meaning and licked his lips. “I don’t know about regret, but maybe you should do something you’ll enjoy.”

  Their eyes locked and the temperature in the bar skyrocketed. Where was that damn water?

  “Here you go,” the bartender said, helping Beverly break the spell she’d fallen under.

  “Thank you.” She tossed down half its contents in one long gulp.

  “Damn. Thirsty?” Lucius asked.

  “Just a little.” She chuckled.

  They glanced at their watches again.

  “Am I keeping you from something?”

  She hesitated and then gave him an apologetic smile. “I am supposed to be somewhere.”

  “Oh?”

  “It’s a cocktail party over at Cork. I—”

  Lucius snapped his fingers. “That’s where I know you from.”

  Beverly frowned.

  “Class of ’99. Hollington College. You’re that Beverly Turner.” He balled his hand in front of his mouth and laughed. “You were homecoming queen.”

  Stunned, Beverly blinked at him. “You graduated at Hollington?”

  “Sure did. Four of the best years of my life. Now it’s coming back to me.” He laughed. “You used to hang with Kyra Dixon, right?”

  “Yeah.” She continued to struggle to place his face.

  “I used to be on the football team with Terrence Franklin. Offensive lineman.”

  Beverly experienced a flicker of a memory—tall boy, tight ass, hazel eyes. “I think I do remember you,” she said, smiling. “What a coincidence.”

  “I’d say.” His smoldering gaze roamed over every inch of her. “Boy, you’re just as beautiful today as you were back then.”

  Beverly’s blush deepened. “I love it when a man lies to me.”

  “We never officially met back then,” Lucius confessed. “But I remember peeping you out on more than one occasion.” He set down his drink. “Tell you what. Since I’m heading to Cork myself, what do you say I give you a lift?”

  It wasn’t exactly smart to jump in a car with a man she hardly knew.

  He leaned forward and gave her a wink. “I promise, I’m harmless—despite my being a lawyer.” He stood from his stool, tossed a few bills onto the bar and then offered her his arm. “C’mon. Live a little.”

  Beverly could almost hear Clarence cussing her out if she turned down this fine brotha. It would be nice to actually walk into Cork on a handsome man’s arm. Plus, who knows how the rest of the night might end up?

  Girrrrl, you are going to get laid for sure.

  She certainly hoped so. “All right. Let’s go.”

  Chapter 4

  Beverly felt wicked as she allowed Lucius to escort her to his car. It had been years since she’d allowed a man to pick her up in a bar. In fact, she would have to think back to all those wild college spring breaks when she’d been so daring. She kept waiting for her conscience to kick in, for reason to stop her from jumping into this man’s car; however, that little voice never came. Instead, desire and lust seized her body, making her willing to see just how this whole night would play out.

  “After you,” Lucius said, opening the passenger door.

  Her gaze locked onto his and caused another spark of electricity to flow between them. “Thank you.” Slowly, she dipped into the seat.

  Lucius closed the door and rushed around to the driver’s side. “I can’t believe that I’m actually escorting the homecoming queen,” he chuckled, gliding into his own seat.

  “Oh, please. Don’t go on about that.” She rolled her eyes. “That was a very long time ago.”

  He strapped on his seat belt. “But you’re riding in the parade Sunday, right?”

  “Unfortunately.” Beverly sighed and wondered once again how Kyra had talked her into wearing that godforsaken crown and waving to the crowd. In her opinion, there was nothing worse than an aging beauty queen trying to recapture her youth. Back in the day, she thought nothing of pursuing all those titles—heck, there was good scholarship money attached to those pageants. Now that she was older, she just found the whole thing…silly.

  She chuckled. Those were those same words her father used to use. He never once liked the idea of her trotting before a phalanx of judges, normally in a skimpy bathing suit, to be judged. It was sort of funny that it had taken her so long to finally agree with him.

  Lucius started the car and Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor” poured out of the speakers.

  “Oh, I love this song,” Beverly gasped. “I used to blast it all time back in the day.” She rocked in her seat and cooed the lyrics to the song.

  Lucius laughed and bobbed his head. “Not bad,” he praised. “Baby girl got skills.”

  “I can hold a note or two.” Beverly turned down the volume. “Good enough for car concerts only.”

  “You’re selling yourself too short.” He hit her with another deep-dimpled grin that had her feeling as if she was sitting next to a childhood crush. There was no explanation for why she reacted the way she did to him. She had known plenty of good-looking men in her life. A lot of them were confident achievers, too, but Lucius…he had this whole other vibe going. It was this whole sexy-cool thing that had her hanging on his every word—even when he said something cheesy.

  A few minutes later, they arrived at Cork—a posh wine bar in downtown Atlanta. The place was so packed that they had to drive around a couple of times before he discovered one parking place in the back of the building. On the outside, the place looked small and quaint, but once inside it was a large open space with dark wood floors. Wine barrels lined one wall while another entire wall was a large mahogany bar behind which were rows and rows of wine bottles.

  Tall tables and stools were l
ocated off to the sides, leaving the center open for mingling. Soft piano music filtered from hidden speakers and the lighting was somewhat subdued, giving the place a warm, sexy vibe that Beverly was really feeling.

  “This is nice,” she commented, glancing around. Everyone looked beautiful in their fancy cocktail dresses and casual suits.

  “Beverly? Is that you?”

  Beverly turned to see a gaggle of women quickly surround her.

  “I don’t believe it! Look at you. You look beautiful,” the leader of the pack exclaimed, taking Beverly by the shoulders and literarily forcing her to do a pirouette.

  Beverly beamed a smile at the woman, but after scanning her memory bank, she was unable to place the woman’s face with a name. This is starting to become a trend, she noted. “Why, thank you,” she said when the woman finally released her. “It’s so good to see you. How are you doing?” Maybe if she kept the woman talking, she’d be able to figure out who she was.

  “Doing good. Just landed a morning spot on CNN and—” she flashed her diamond ring “—married to Damon Woods. Eight years and still going strong.” She laughed and batted her long faux lashes. But it was how her voice squeaked and skipped that finally made Beverly clue in to whom she was speaking with. Darcy Knight—which meant that the three women flanking her were Kitty Kirkland, Natalie Coles and Keri Evans.

  Instantly, a few inches were shaved off Beverly’s smile. She and Darcy had an unspoken rivalry back in college and high school. It was nothing that was perpetuated on Beverly’s end, but Darcy lost both homecoming queen titles to Beverly, as well as placing second in the Ms. Georgia Teen and Ms. Georgia pageants. When they weren’t competing, Darcy chased after David like a bitch in heat and she was constantly biting Beverly’s look from hairstyles to clothes.

  Unfortunately, it didn’t look as if the past ten years had been particularly easy on her. At a cursory glance, Darcy’s yaki weave didn’t exactly match her unrelaxed crown, plus she had on way too much makeup and she’d easily gained fifty pounds. And her happy clique suffered the same fate.