In His Arms

Rashad took her hand, and Michelle felt a tingle move up her spine.

“He wants you to pay him back?”

“No, but I will. I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t. He tells me that we’re family, and that if anything, I should ‘pay it forward,’ like the movie, where you help someone else. But I will pay him back.”

“I can tell you will. What are your plans for your career?”

“I don’t know in detail. Right now I’m just working on finishing my degree and making myself as marketable as possible. That’s why I want a good portfolio for school. I’m hoping that I can get a good entry-level job and keep moving upward.”

“Do you save for Andre’s education?”

“Actually, I do, out of child support. I couldn’t before, but I do now. It means sticking to a tight budget, but I’m used to that.”

Michelle saw the question in Rashad’s eyes, but she didn’t want to say more about the past and was glad that he let it go.

“Are there plans for your career?” she asked.

Rashad started caressing her fingers, and Michelle felt herself shudder. It was so sensual, like it had been on their other dinner date. Michelle couldn’t keep from caressing back. She couldn’t stop the heat from rising in the pit of her stomach.

“I make a decent living now, but I think I’ll want more when I have a family, and I want to do more artistic work. Right now my goal is to keep doing good work and expanding my credentials so that I can get those pay increases and maybe open my own design firm one day.”

“That’s a good plan once you’ve gotten as far as you have.”

Michelle felt another twinge of jealousy, but she let it go. She would be okay one day. She didn’t expect Rashad’s next line of inquiry.

“What’s it like raising a son? What is Andre like?”

“Andre is a sweet pea, as much as he’s been through.”

She’d said too much again, dang it. She had to stop opening the door to things she wanted to forget. She hoped that Rashad had missed it or would let it pass, but he didn’t.

“What has he been through, Michelle?”

She wanted to say something that would close the door on that question, but she didn’t know what.

“He... My marriage was difficult, and it ended badly. That’s not the example I wanted to set for my child, but he’s just a sweet kid—in spite of all that.”

Rashad nodded and let the question pass, and Michelle was grateful.

“But raising a child is wonderful. It’s so much responsibility. His whole life right now is up to me. I don’t know how to explain it.”

“I think I know what you mean.”

“And the love of a child is totally unconditional. It’s...a blessing. I guess I’m not really religious, but I don’t know any other word.”

To show his understanding, Rashad rubbed her hand. When he was finished, Michelle went back to caressing his fingers. She liked that better. She saw the look in his eyes when she did it, and he seemed to like it better, as well.

Their dinner arrived, and Michelle shook her head to get out of her thoughts. She and Rashad let go of each other’s hands and pulled them from the table to get ready to eat. She had ordered catfish, and Rashad had gotten steak.

“One day we have to come back here for their burgers,” he said. “I’ve heard they’re great, but there’s so much to choose from that all the times I’ve been here, I’ve gotten something else.”

“Have you been here often?”

“Sometimes my brothers and I come here before or after a game or if we get together on a weekend.”

“You and your brothers sound close.”

“I guess we are, as much as they rib me.”

“I wish I had a sister. Or a brother. Any sibling. I guess my cousin and his wife are as close as I come to that.”

“Then I’m glad you have them. I want to meet them sometime.”

“I hope you will. They’re great people. Without Nigel, I wouldn’t be in D.C. He was here first and helped me make the move. He drove me home to get more of my things. He helped me out financially until I had an income. He helped me get used to a more northern, more urban landscape. He encouraged me to go to Howard. He continues to help me with paying for it. He’s been a godsend.”

“One day,” Rashad said, “I hope you’ll feel close enough to me to let me help you.”

“One day, I hope I won’t need you—or anyone else—to help me.”

“That day is coming.”

“I know,” Michelle said. “And I guess I know all that I’ve actually done on my own, as well.”

“Exactly. You made the move. You’re taking the classes and working and raising a son. You’re my hero.”

Michelle was touched by Rashad’s words.

“I just have to remember to celebrate all that while I strive for more.”

“Amen.”

They ate quietly for a while, and the peace between them wasn’t interrupted until their waiter came to offer them dessert.

“Let’s split something,” Michelle suggested.

“What? I could go for apple pie.”

“I don’t think so. Not when there’s something called Chocolate Blackout Cake on the menu.”

“I should have known about the chocolate,” Rashad said, shaking his head.

Michelle laughed. “Yes indeed.” She turned to the waiter. “We’ll split the chocolate cake and ice cream.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Michelle ate most of the cake, and Rashad had most of the ice cream. After that, they headed to the movie theater, selected the new version of Les Misérables and found a relatively unoccupied row in the back of the theater to watch it.

Rashad had brought his sweater, and Michelle was already wearing hers, but it was still chilly. Not long after the film started, she slipped her hands into Rashad’s open cardigan to warm them. His chest heaved under her touch, and he glanced toward her.

“Sorry,” she said. “I just wanted to warm my hands.”

“No need for apologies. I don’t mind if you do that again.”

Michelle felt mischievous and raked her fingers along Rashad’s chest. It heaved again, and he shifted in his seat.

“Okay, maybe I shouldn’t have said you could do that again.”

Michelle smiled and let her hands come to a rest. Rashad wrapped his arm around her, drawing her close to his warmth. She could feel the heat from his body as she rested her head on his shoulder, and his arm was like a blanket around her.

Without thinking about it, she ran her fingers over his chest again. Rashad turned toward her with a passionate look on his face that made her catch her breath, and before Michelle could react, he had drawn his hand inside her sweater and over her chest.

His touch filled her with desire, and her nipples tightened under his fingers. And he didn’t stop. He caressed the taut peaks that his fingers had just made until she was shivering with each flicker, until a low murmur escaped her throat.

They teased each other like that on and off throughout the film, stopping when one had had too much or to hear a touching or rousing song. But one or the other would start up again after the interlude. Occasionally, Rashad dipped his head to kiss her forehead or her ear. It made Michelle shiver, but he couldn’t really know what it did to her, the way it set her moisture flowing.

They sat up as the credits rolled and looked at one another. Her face felt flushed, and she was sure that the passion he saw there matched the passion in his own eyes.

“I have to get you home to Andre, don’t I?” Rashad said.

“No, he’s staying with Nigel and Regina and their little girl tonight.”

Rashad looked into her eyes and spoke in a soft, deep voice that sent quivers into the pit of Michelle’s stomach. “Come home with me,” he said. “Let me make love to you.”

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