Dreaming of You - on hold

Chapter 9

Hi all, I'm ramping up the raunchy here on out. So if you've been following the story line, let me know if you're excited by the new developments.

I'm also dedicating this chapter to ShaShaRenee on Twitter for the inspiration to one of the scenes.

Enjoy!

Sharon stared at her date and tried to figure out why she felt nothing for him. A crisp charcoal suit, red pinstriped shirt and ice blue tie that fit him like a second skin. Check. Tall. Check. Handsome and fine like a bottle of 82 merlot? Check. As sinful as a chocolate bourbon cake with his bald head and a lightly stubbled full beard. Check. A lawyer and looking to make partner. Check. Has a 5BR & 3.5BA home. Check.

Darius Butler was everything Kim said he was thought Sharon as she reached for her glass and sipped on her second glass of cabernet. Darius was great on paper. And almost great in person. Keeping her waiting for almost a half hour lost him points.

Still... nothing. He can compete with Casey but compare to him? No.

Her fingers didn't itch to rope him up with his tie and kiss him senseless like Just- she almost choked on the wine at who her mind wandered to. Pulling the emergency break on that train of thought of disaster, she immediately got back on rail and focused on Casey. And cleaned up the wine dribbling all over her chin with her napkin. Casey, who wasn't getting married to her.

"Are you alright," he asked, his baritone voice that could melt the bones of any woman within a four feet radius but her.

Now he asks something about me. And nothing. No mind numbing, fire burning tingles at all.

"Yes, thank you. " Mortified, and thankful the waiter came to take their order, she cleared her throat. "I'm fine."

It'd been yesterday-actually it was just yesterday- that she came to the same restaurant to meet Casey and his fiancee. Although she loved Italian, it seemed a bit much to eat it back to back. Plus, having to wait for a man at the same place she had to witness definitive proof that the invite she received weeks ago wasn't a part of some Punk'd prank, killed her appetite. So without barely glancing at the menu, Sharon ordered the quickest meal to make and eat, to end the date quickly. The house salad and salmon cakes. When he gave exactly what she needed to speed things up. Her luck was finally turning around.

"So, how long have you and Kim been friends?"

Of course, thought Sharon. She watched him as he sipped his vodka and cranberry drink, all suave and cool. Still, Sharon heard the slight lilt when he said her best friend's name. If she hadn't been paying attention, though half time she fought the urge to check the time, she might've missed it.

Kim's-fine-blind-date-lawyer had it bad for her. Too bad for him. And very good for her.

Since they both didn't want to be here and obviously doing it to make Kim happy, Sharon decided to put them both out of their misery. Glad to do it too. "We met and became friends in high school. A few years after we- my family- moved to D.C."

"Really? How-"

"Look Darius. I don't know what you promised my friend, but I figure you must like her a lot to agree to go on a date with me."

His eyes widened in shock but disappeared in seconds as he schooled his features in what can only be his I'm about to chew you out and you don't even know it look. Darius unbuttoned his jacket, with precise and languid ease. An odd and contrasting image that probably served him well in the courtroom. Before he folded his arms, leaned back and waited, as if to say 'well, go on.'

Go on she did. "Like I said, you like my friend." Sharon didn't bother to wait to hear him deny or agree with her assessment. He hadn't given away anything either. He didn't have to. Sharon knew she was right that she'd even bet on it and she'd never been a gambling woman. "And my heart has been rather engaged to another man for a long while. Still is. This date was a bust from the moment we agreed to meet."