The Look of Love (16 page)

The young waiter disappeared again after Gunnar ordered a caprese salad. He glanced up from his menu and found Eboni staring at him.

“Why are you looking at me that way?” Gunnar asked.

“You. You’re different.”

“Different than what? Other men?” A strange tingle went up his spine as he thought about Eboni with another man.

“Different from when I knew you.” Eboni kicked her foot back and forth, showing off her long legs and her sexy black booties.

“I was a boy when you knew me. I didn’t know my head from my a--, uh, foot.” Gunnar closed his menu and kept his full attention on Eboni. “When I left to go train, I wasn’t running from you. You know that, right?”

Eboni pushed her menu to the side. With her jaw set in, she looked defiant. “I didn’t know what was going on. One minute, you were saying you would be by my side. The next minute, you were telling me this fighting thing was something you had to do.”

“It was. It is. I had no real skills. My only job prospect was construction or working in my mother’s salon for the rest of my life.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Why do you act like I needed a million dollars to be happy?”

“Because you
deserve
it. I couldn’t ask you to marry me if I couldn’t support you and a family.”

“You never asked me to marry you.”

“Because my plan was to make a success of my life and then ask you.” Gunnar thought about his plans from years ago. He saw his life turning out so differently.

“So what happened? Last I checked, you’re the champion.”

“I thought you didn’t follow my career.”

Eboni pursed her lips.

“By the time I’d made something of myself, too much time had passed. I didn’t think you would want me anymore.”

“You know what would have been nice when you’re planning
our
lives? If you’d allowed me a little bit of input.” She looked away from him.

That hurt him more than him leaving.

“You’re right.” Gunnar waited until she looked at him again before he continued. “I’m so used to making my own way. I never wanted you to feel shut out. I’m sor--” He caught her glare. “I apologize.” He put his hand out on the table. “Can we at least try to be friends again?”

Eboni looked at his hand for a while before she finally put hers in his. Gunnar squeezed her hand. If this was his last intimate moment with her, he wanted to cherish it. Too bad the waiter returned with a large plate of salad and two smaller plates.

Ready to get their dinner orders, the young man stood by with a smile and an expectant expression.

“If you don’t mind, I would like to order for you.” Gunnar proposed.

“After the conversation we had? Really?” Eboni cocked her head.

“Trust me.”

“No. I got this.” Eboni lifted her menu.

“Say what you want to order and I’ll say what I would have ordered for you on the count of three.” Gunnar held up his hand with his middle three fingers sticking up prominently. “One.” He smiled and brought down his ring finger. “Two.” He lowered his middle finger so that only his index finger remained in the air.

“This is ridiculous. We won’t order the exact same--”

Gunnar cut her off and said, “Three.”

At the same time, they both ordered a salmon dish with a side of bread. Even the waiter couldn’t keep a straight face. Eboni jutted her menu to him.

Gunnar ordered spaghetti with clams and mussels, his usual order.

As soon as the waiter walked away, Eboni asked, “How did you know that’s what I wanted?”

Gunnar smiled. “I know you.”

“You are so full of it.” She leaned back. “You probably saw what page I was on when I was looking through the menu.”

“Lots of items on one page. How could I have guessed exactly what you wanted unless I really knew you?” With great reluctance, Gunnar broke from her grip to serve up the salads. “This is part of the reason I love this place. They make all of their mozzarella. So fresh and delicious.”

Eboni gave him a suspicious look until she took a taste. When he saw her eyes roll to the back of her head, he knew she’d experienced what he had so many years ago.

“It is really good.” Eboni rubbed her stomach.

It was then that Gunnar had noticed her outfit. Eboni wore a Japanese-inspired long-sleeved black satin dress that had satin-covered buttons going from the neck down between her breasts and off to the side over her waist to her hip where it stopped at the top of an almost obscene slit. “If I haven’t told you already, you look gorgeous tonight.”

“You can thank your mother.” Eboni scooped more salad on her fork. “She made this dress for me a few years ago. I haven’t had an opportunity to wear it.” She smoothed her hand down her side.

Gunnar had to look away otherwise he would topple the table and pull her on to his lap to finish what they had started earlier.

“So tell me about you. I feel like I’ve been dominating the conversation here. Any secrets you want to share?” Gunnar finished his first plate of his salad and went in for more.

* * * *

Did Eboni have any secrets? Plenty. Had she told Gunnar one crucial secret, he wouldn’t look at her like he wanted to rip her clothes off her body. He would be calling her the monster, a coward. Part of the reason she had been so short with him lately had everything to do with not getting him back into her life. If he hated her, it would make it easy for him to leave…again.

Then they’d kissed. They’d shared that strange but steamy moment by the washer. Here at dinner, the tension hung thick between them. She couldn’t tell him. Until she knew he would forgive her, she would keep some secrets to herself.

“There’s not that much to tell.” Eboni picked at her salad. “I’m still taking care of my Aunt Bettie.”

“Is she Craig’s mother?” Gunnar asked.

Eboni nodded. “He doesn’t work. If I left her alone with him, he would take all of her money, and she gets so little of it to begin with. A couple of weeks before you left, she had a stroke. I make sure she takes her meds, goes to her doctor appointments, and eats right.”

“That’s pretty awesome. How did I not know you were doing that when I was here?” He finished off his second plate of salad and offered Eboni some more.

She shook her head, barely through her first plate. “You had a lot of stuff going on. I didn’t want to burden you.”

Gunnar dropped his fork. “Wait a minute. You jump all over me about me making decisions for us, but you don’t share something this important with me? It’s the same thing.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“It absolutely is. You made a decision about us.” He ran his hand over his head. “Good thing I’m in a forgiving mood.”

“Ha-ha. You’re so cute.”

“Not as half as cute as you.”

The laughter subsided at the table. Fortunately, the waiter showed up to remove the empty plates and refresh their drinks.

“So you never dated anyone else after me?” Gunnar asked.

“I never said that.” Eboni liked teasing Gunnar.

He sat up taller. “Well?”

“I dated here and there.” She kept her stare on her drink, only peering up at Gunnar on occasion. “Nothing serious.”

If Eboni wasn’t mistaken, it looked as though Gunnar breathed a sigh of relief.

“I went out with Grover Maddox once.”

Gunnar’s eyes went wide. “You dated Mad Maddox? That dude was crazy.”

“We didn’t date. We just had lunch after church one day. He seemed nice.” She shrugged. “He was the first guy who didn’t immediately tell me he could help me forget you. Little did I know that church boy had a million and one hands.”

Gunnar balled his large hand into a fist.

Eboni had to diffuse this bomb before it went off. “He tried to touch me and I made him cry like a girl. Don’t ask me what I did.”

“Do I need to go down and talk to him?” Gunnar’s knee bounced like he wanted to fight.

“Calm down. This was almost nine years ago.” She held up her hand. “That man is married with seven kids of his own now. I guess he can’t keep his hands off his wife either.”

“He wouldn’t have approached you if I hadn’t left.”

Eboni got quiet. Luckily, their dinner arrived and she didn’t have to confirm what he already knew.

She took a bite of her fish. The buttery, flaky flesh danced on her tongue before she swallowed it. If Gunnar had planned on ordering this meal for her, he certainly knew her tastes.

Halfway through the dinner, Gunnar started up their conversation again.

“If you weren’t at Press ’N Curl, what would you be doing?”

Eboni shrugged. “I would be doing something for the community center. That place really saved my life. It gave me a place to go when things got rough at home.”

Gunnar nodded. “I could see you as a teacher. You would be so good with children.”

Eboni grabbed her water and took a hefty gulp.

“You’re very patient and open.” Gunnar smiled at her.

She didn’t respond except to match his smile with one of her own.

“Hold on.” Gunnar picked up his napkin and wiped the corner of her mouth. “Got it.”

He sure did. She loved his touch. The way he looked at her really started her heart. Her skin tingled. Each time she looked into his eyes, her nipples hardened. Deep in her heart, she knew this moment should be the one to share her secret, her pain.

Gunnar had revealed himself to her and told the truth about what had broken them apart. She started to tell him, but the words had gotten choked in her throat. The evening had gone by so well, Eboni didn’t want to break the easy flow. She would have to reveal the secret later.

At the end of the meal, Eboni had to collapse back in her chair. “So much wonderful food. I would have never stopped at this restaurant if you hadn’t brought me.”

“Never judge a book by its cover.” He winked at her.

After paying for the meal and leaving a sizeable tip, Gunnar stood and held his hand out for Eboni. She accepted it, hoping he didn’t notice how her knees buckled when he touched her.

He helped her put on her coat before walking her to his rental.

“It’s so strange that they had to keep Elizabeth for an extra day.” Eboni climbed into the SUV with Gunnar’s assistance.

After getting inside, Gunnar turned up the heat. “Not really.” He sort of snickered before he said, “She said she wasn’t feeling very well so that she could stay another night.” He glanced over at Eboni when she didn’t say anything. “It was Mom’s way for me to ask you out tonight. She was giving me my space by faking a medical condition.”

Got to love Queen Elizabeth.

Eboni grinned. “Can we have some coffee at your place? I don’t want to go back to my apartment right now.”

“I’m sure my mom has coffee or tea in her kitchen.” Gunnar remained quiet as he drove the nearly empty Virginia Beach streets. “You could spend the night if you wanted.”

“I didn’t bring a change of clothes.” Eboni wrung her purse straps. “But with it being so late, I think I’d like that.”

“I’m sure my mother has something in her closet that can fit you.”

Eboni didn’t think about what other clothes she could wear. She wanted to get out of her attire and figure out a way to get Gunnar naked as well.

After a rocky start to dinner, it sure looked like it would end smoothly.

Gunnar pulled the truck around to the backside of the house in front of the detached garage. As he’d done all night, he jumped out of the truck and got her door for her. Eboni could get used to this chivalrous behavior.

He unlocked the back door and let her inside. “Let me get your coat.”

Eboni shrugged out of her black coat and let Gunnar hang it up in the closet along with his own. “I’ve always loved Queen’s house. It feels so inviting.”

“Funny. I feel the same way.” Gunnar went into the kitchen and knocked around, looking for mugs and some tea or coffee. “Found some instant coffee. Is that okay?”

Eboni strolled around the living room, looking at pictures of Queen with her boys. “That’s fine. Just need something to warm up my bones.” She didn’t think Gunnar would be keen on warming her up with his body, although the heat between them challenged her assumption.

She walked toward the kitchen. Gunnar had catered to her all night. The least she could do would be to help him. Besides, she liked looking at him and being close to that incredible body.

She stood in the doorway. “Anything I can do to help?”

Gunnar glanced at her. He shook his head. “You go relax. I found some chocolate chip cookies. I should have known Mom would have had those around here. They’re her favorite.”

Eboni sauntered into the kitchen. She picked up a cookie from the plate and took a nibble. “Homemade.”

“Yes, she loves to bake.” Gunnar moved over to the other side of the kitchen.

“Did you taste one?” She followed him to where he stood.

“No. Not yet.”

Eboni held up the cookie she’d just tasted. “Take a bite.”

He shook his head and went back to the stove. “No, I’ll wait to have one with my coffee.”

She watched him carefully. “Are you avoiding me?”

Gunnar crossed his arms over his chest. “Why would you think that?”

“Because whenever I get close to you, you move away from me.” To prove her point, she walked toward him.

“I need spoons.” Gunnar went to a drawer on the other side of the stove…away from her.

“See.” She laughed.

Gunnar turned toward her. “Okay, fine. So you caught me.” He took a deep breath.

“A big MMA fighter is afraid of little ol’ me. Why won’t you get near me? Afraid I’ll bite you?”

“I wish.” He braced his hands on the counter with his back to her before he finally turned around. “I want you so badly. I’m afraid if you get too close to me, I’m going to make a fool of myself somehow.”

“A fool how?”

“I want to kiss you again.” He stared at her lips. “If I kiss you, I’ll want to touch you. If I touch you, I’ll want to--” Gunnar stopped himself before he finished his thought.

Eboni licked her lips. “Then I think we need to talk.”

She didn’t really want to talk. She wanted her man. Her body ached to have him touch her, move inside of her, connect with her in a way she hadn’t felt in years.