Tender Touch (10 page)

“Fantastic,” Jade answered without really
hearing him. Already she was planning to log on to the museum’s web
site so she could plan which exhibits she would make sure to see.
“I’ll get back to work.”

For the rest of the day, Jade interspersed
planning her trip with taking care of details related to the
project. The hours passed, and she was preparing to leave when the
phone on her desk rang.

“Hello, Mother. How are you?” Jade propped
the phone against her ear with one shoulder while she sorted
through files.

“Okay, I guess. I haven’t heard from Lanessa
since Monday. Have you?” Clarice had a petulant tone reserved for
times when she felt neglected.

Jade felt a brush of aggravation. They had
not spoken in four days. “No, I haven’t, Mother. Lanessa’s a big
girl. And I’m doing fine, too. Thanks for asking.”

“What? Oh, now, Jade. Even though you’re
younger than your sister, you’ve always been the strong one. I
don’t worry about you as much.” Clarice repeated the same
explanation Jade had heard all her life, it seemed.

“What a compliment,” Jade murmured.

“I couldn’t hear you, dear. Stop muttering
into the phone and speak clearly.”

“I said call her at home, she’s probably
there by now.” Jade looked at her watch.

“It’s almost four-thirty. Lanessa makes it a
practice to be home by four.”

In fact her official schedule was eight to
four-thirty like all ordinary civil servants. But Lanessa, as
usual, did not have to follow the same rules as everyone else. Her
job in documents at the state capitol was a plum position. Somehow
Lanessa had charmed the boss, a grim workhorse with a reputation
for being unbending when it came to following rules.

“I’m sure she’s just fine. Lanessa always
manages, Mother.” Jade paid more attention to stacking her work for
the next day than to her mother’s voice. Then something caught her
attention. “What was that?”

“Since you’re obviously too busy to talk to
your mother now, then maybe we’ll have more time later tonight when
you come over.”

“Tonight?” Jade blinked. She did not
remember making plans to visit her parents. She’d promised to meet
Damon for dinner. “Well, I have plans.”

“Oh?” Clarice’s voice sharpened with
interest. “You have a date with a young man. Well, well. When will
your father and I get to meet him?”

Jade groped for a way out of this
predicament. “Uh, just dinner with a friend, Mother. Listen, my
boss is calling me. Gotta go, bye.” Clarice barely had time to say
goodbye before Jade hung up. “Whew, dodged that bullet.”

Shaena stood with her arms folded. “But not
for long.”

“Eavesdropping is beneath you, Shaena.”

“Well, I was just coming to see if you
wanted to have a midweek celebration. Wednesday means only two more
days of toiling. But since you have plans...” Shaena shrugged and
eyed her.

“Yes, I do. So how have you been? That legal
work on new department policies must be a real challenge.” Jade
tried to deflect the direction of this conversation.

“More like a real pain. So you and Gail
going out to eat? Gee, I haven’t seen her for at least two months.
How is she?” Shaena sat down across from Jade.

Gail Malveaux was an old college friend. She
and Jade made it a point to have dinner or lunch at least every few
months. “Gail is fine.” Jade avoided the first question. “Girl, I
must have returned a dozen phone calls since lunchtime.”

“Gee, I wouldn’t mind seeing good old Gail.
Maybe I’ll stop by and have a cup of coffee with y’all after at the
Cafe Rouge.”

“I’m not having dinner with Gail.” Jade
avoided her gaze.

“You’re seeing Damon Knight again,” Shaena
stated with certainty. “Why not just admit it? You’ve got a
date.”

“Okay, Sherlock Holmes. You figured it out,”
Jade retorted. First her mother, now Shaena.

Shaena wore a smug look. “It wasn’t hard.
You told me how fabulous it was being with him on your first
date—”

Jade tapped her long fingernails on the
desk. “Me and my big mouth.”

Shaena ignored her remark. “I knew it was
the first of many. Honey, you’ll have all those other women foaming
at the mouth with envy when they find out.”

“I’m unsure about this, Shaena. I mean, it’s
good between us—almost too good to be true. You know what I’m
saying?” Jade struggled to describe how she felt.

“Now there you go. Don’t start being
suspicious of the man before you have reason to be.”

“I don’t want to assume too much—” Jade
looked at her friend “—and repeat the same mistake. I thought I
knew Nick, too.”

“Baby, as you know I’ve had my share of
experiences with low-down men. Please don’t get me started,” Shaena
said with a sigh. “But Nick is a special breed of dirty dog. Don’t
use him as a guide to judge Damon.”

“They are completely different people. I
mean, Nick came on with the charm. He’d go to any lengths to
impress.”

Jade remembered the extravagant evenings
Nick would plan that included roses and trips to plays in New
Orleans. But for him, the chase and conquest were a thrill. He
needed constant doses of such dramatic evenings with a new audience
each time. But Nick was also good at deception. He enjoyed having a
wife to come home to despite his craving for variety. A spike of
that familiar pain went through her at the memory of finally facing
the truth.

“That kind of man can get in your blood like
a drug, girl. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt,” Shaena said
as she waved a hand in the air.

“Damon is so...real. He’s charming but not
like Nick.”

Shaena grunted. “You mean he’s not flashy
and superficial. When he says something, you can believe it.”

Jade felt as though a light had come on.
“That’s it. I’ve been thinking about Nick a lot. And compared to
Damon, he seems so phony. Nick thinks only of himself. Damon seems
like someone you can count on.”

“Sounds like a reason to hang on to him. So
why are you hiding the man like a bad habit you don’t want folks to
know about?”

“It may not lead to anything. So I don’t
want to share it just yet. Especially not with Mama.” Jade
shuddered at the thought of Clarice getting into her business.

“Or Lanessa,” Shaena said with her customary
shoot-from-the- hip style. “She’ll wrap herself around a fine man
like a python.”

“Don’t be so hard on her,” Jade put in
weakly. In a lot of ways, Jade was closer to Shaena than she was to
her older sister. Over the years they had shared long conversations
about family relationships.

“You know it’s true, Jade. Really, I don’t
think she’s vicious. Lanessa just tends not to think of how going
after what she wants affect other folks.”

“But if I don’t trust him, maybe we
shouldn’t even be together.” Jade frowned.

“Quit worrying about stuff that hasn’t even
happened, girl. You’ve had only one date so far. Already you’re
coming up with reasons not to see the man.” Shaena handed Jade her
purse. “It’s almost five o’clock. Get out of here so you can be on
time. And stop making problems that don’t exist.” She pushed her
out the door.

“Maybe you’re right. Hey, we might not see
each other for very long anyway,” Jade said.

“Uh-huh.” Shaena folded her arms and stared
at her hard.

“What?”

“The last time you dated a guy, you didn’t
have that glow whenever you said his name. You’ll be seeing Damon
Knight for more than a few dates. He’s hot for you and you’re hot
for him.” Shaena chuckled at the blush her words caused. They got
into the elevator with three other people.

Jade considered her remark as they rode down
to the first floor. “Is it that obvious?” she whispered as they
passed the security guard on the way out the door.

“Honey, y’all could set off the sprinkler
system with the way you look at each other,” Shaena said.

Jade took a deep breath. “Shaena, he is one
sexy man—I have to admit.”

“Then relax and enjoy the ride.” Shaena gave
her a wink. “Pun intended.”

“You ought to quit.” Jade tried to sound
shocked but failed when she giggled.

“Now go. Have a great time.” Shaena headed
for her car. “And ask him if he’s got a friend for me.”

Jade laughed all the way home. She dashed in
for ten minutes to freshen up then headed for the restaurant, Chez
Irene. They had agreed to meet there. Damon was waiting for her
just inside the door when she arrived.

“Hello there.” Damon gave her a quick kiss.
“You look lovely as usual.”

“Thanks,” Jade said. The deep satisfaction
of a simple compliment from him brought was a source of amazement.
Never had anyone made her feel so...wanted.

They followed the hostess through the
crowded restaurant to a table. Jade nodded to several
acquaintances. Chez Irene was a hit with the up-and-coming young
professionals in town. Steak and seafood were the main fare.

“Wow, this place is packed tight. Lots of
familiar faces.” Damon gazed around and waved to several men with
their families.

“You know folks in south Louisiana know good
food when they find it. And Miss Irene can dish it out.” Jade
giggled.

“Cute,” Damon said with a mock groan. “Umm,
wouldn’t a prime-cut steak hit the spot?”

“Not to mention the garlic shrimp pasta
dish. It’s out of this world.”

“Yes indeed. And the seafood platter?” Damon
stared at the menu with anticipation.

“Say, why don’t we just order everything?”
Jade wore the expression of a kid looking forward to being
naughty.

“Don’t tempt me. But I’ll settle for prime
rib and a baked potato this time.”

“I’ve got to go for the light entrees these
days. All those fat grams and calories have a way of multiplying
when they get in this body. A dirty trick my metabolism plays on
me, or at least that’s my alibi.” Jade sighed and put the menu
down.

Damon took her hand. “Babe, whatever you’re
doing is working. Keep it goin’ on just like that.” His dark brown
eyes held a soft gleam of affection.

“You’re going to spoil me. Two compliments
in less than thirty minutes. Can I take it?” Jade was fascinated at
the way his fingers curled around her hand and the feel of his warm
flesh pressing hers. Her teasing tone was an attempt to maintain
some kind of equilibrium in the face of such a powerful assault on
her senses.

“Spoiling you is something I very much look
forward to over the next few weeks,” Damon murmured. He raised her
hand and brushed his lips across her fingers.

A tingle of fire shot up her arms and
wrapped around her heart. “Oh,” Jade said with a gasp.

“Y’all want me to come back?” The waiter
raised an eyebrow at them. When Damon nodded, he gave him a
thumbs-up sign. “Gotcha, brother. I’ll just fade on back to the
kitchen for a few.”

“Jade, I really like you. A lot.” Damon
still held her hand.

“Wow, Damon. I’m kind of at a loss right
now.” Jade used her free hand to bring the glass of ice water to
her lips. Maybe that would help her cool down enough to think
straight. This man had the ability to take her from a normal
temperature to a fever pitch at the speed of light.

“Me, too. Feels nice though.”

“Slow down,” Jade pleaded. She needed time
to recover, or she’d be all over him right here and now.

Damon released her hand. He wiped his brow
with his handkerchief. “I’m sorry. You said you needed time, and
I’m pushing you. Believe me I’m as stunned by this intensity I’m
feeling as you.”

Jade was touched by the sincere look of
bewilderment on his handsome face. “It’s okay, really.”

“Look, for the past two years since my
divorce I’ve been dating but nothing heavy. I didn’t want another
serious relationship for a long time. But now...”

“But now?”

“Now I feel like I’ve finally met a woman
who is not only beautiful and intelligent, but...real. Someone with
a sense of purpose—a woman I could be with in every way.”

“With all the women you’ve met, how can you
be sure?” Jade traced an invisible line on the tablecloth between
them. She thought of all the gorgeous women who moved in Damon’s
social circle. How could he find her more attractive than them?

“Contrary to rumor, I haven’t dated every
woman in town,” he said with amusement.

“That’s good to know,” she quipped.

“You’re special to me, Jade. The armor I put
up after my divorce was like steel, until you.”

“I...I don’t know what to say,” Jade
stammered. She felt as though they were alone in a private
space.

“Don’t respond right now. Listen, I was as
hard a case about romance as you. But I’m willing to give it a try
if you are.” Damon looked at her intently as he waited for her
response.

This time it was Jade who reached out to
touch his hand. “I’m willing.” Still the old caution kicked in. A
painful memory of just such a moment with Nick pushed through. “But
still let’s take time to really know each other before we...”

Damon squeezed her hand. “I agree. Over the
next few weeks, let’s have some quality time.”

“Yes. We’ll have time before I leave.” Jade
smiled at him.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, I didn’t tell you. We’re going to
Washington, D.C., to a big conference. It’s going to be great.”

“You and Lang?” Damon’s jaw muscle
jumped.

“Yes. Some of the country’s leading experts
in social services will be there. There will be a special day-long
seminar on community intervention in inner-city neighborhoods. You
should send Eddie.”

“Humph, guess so,” Damon said. The waiter
returned and took their order. “How long is this conference?”

“Four days. But Bill and I are going down a
few days early. He’s going to introduce me to several congressmen
and top Health and Human Services officials. I’m so excited,” Jade
said.