Capri pressed her lips together and looked everywhere except his face. Tiberius had closed the distance between them and was cupping her chin. He kissed her forehead and then brushed his lips across her temple.
“How about we take the dogs somewhere this weekend?” he suggested, in hopes of putting a smile on her face. “We can make a real day out of it. Do you like to fish?”
The light reappeared in Capri’s dark eyes. “I love it.”
Tiberius shook his head. “Why am I not surprised? Saturday then? I’ll pick you up at seven and we’ll have breakfast somewhere first.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
Satisfied, Tiberius turned to snap his fingers at Lewey. “All right, playa!” he called and urged the dog inside the house with Capri before he left for work.
A
rriving at her office late the following Monday morning, Capri found a small white envelope lying on her desk. It was an invitation from Rod to attend the engagement party for him and Kiva. Of course, it came with specific instructions not to inform Kiva of the event.
“Oh well, at least someone’s living the fantasy.” Capri sighed, reading the invitation again. Gradually, her thoughts returned to the weekend spent with Tiberius and the dogs. Though they’d originally planned it as a one-day event, they had decided to make it a big production, and it had been fantastic.
Tiberius had arranged the weekend at a resort owned by a former patient. The place was a dazzling oasis hidden on a quiet stretch of beach far away from the energy of the city, and it seemed perfectly hidden from all outsiders. In spite of the clear attraction between Capri and Tiberius, they’d managed to enjoy a very platonic time, most of it spent enjoying the serene ocean views, food that was to die for, and walks along the remote beach. Conversation was plentiful and consisted of thoughts on careers and friends. Then there was the fishing. Marvelous fishing.
Clearly they’d both made silent decisions to keep the conversation and the mood free of anything erotic. Of course Droopey and Lewey helped with that greatly. The playful dogs kept their owners on their feet. By the time they returned home to prepare for another week of work, Capri actually believed a friendship between she and Tiberius might just be a possibility.
The soft yet insistent ringing of the phone interrupted her
thoughts. Lifting the receiver, she leaned back in her brown suede office chair. “This is Capri.”
“Hi, it’s Tiberius. Do you have a minute to talk?”
A quick shiver raced up Capri’s spine when she heard Tiberius’s soothing deep voice on the line. At the moment, however, she was more curious than aroused. “Yeah I have a few minutes.”
“Did Rod send you an invitation to the engagement party yet?”
Frowning just slightly, Capri glanced at the card in her hand. “I’m looking at it right now, actually.”
“Well, he sent me one, too, and I was wondering if you’d like to go together?”
Capri closed her eyes briefly and ordered herself to stay in control. It was only a party, she reminded herself. She and Tiberius had certainly enjoyed a party together before. It wasn’t until the
after
party that things seemed to become a little too hot to handle.
“Capri?”
“Oh, I’m sorry Tiberius. Yes, I’d love to go with you.”
Tiberius studied the phone after ending the call with Capri. Even as his mind screamed that attending an engagement party together was a beyond-stupid idea, he had continued the call and extended the invitation. Staying away from Capri was something he couldn’t seem to do in spite of his best intentions.
At any rate, he needed something to brighten his day following yet another disappointing committee meeting regarding Alan Thomas’s retirement trip down memory lane. He’d remained behind when the rest of the committee members had shuffled off and was beginning to work on his third drink when he noticed Rod shaking hands with his fellow lunch members. He was waving off the last two when he caught sight of Tiberius across the crowded dining room.
“You’re looking happy,” Tiberius noted once his friend had approached the table.
Rod’s grin only broadened. “And you’re looking just the opposite.” He took the nearest empty seat.
Tiberius braced his elbows on the table and raked his fingers through his hair. “It’s this retirement mess.”
“Uh-huh. Well it sounds like you need somethin’ to jazz it up,” Rod noted once Tiberius explained what they had on tap. “It sounds stale.”
“I know that much.” Tiberius drained the rest of his beer.
Rod was tapping his fingers to his chin. “You’ve got a good start here, but it needs something to bring it home, give it zing.”
“And what is that?”
“Well,” Rod helped himself to one of Tiberius’s untouched fries, “when
you
feel more excited about this thing than you do now, you’ll know you’ve hit on it.”
“Hmph. Thanks.”
“So…what’s really up?”
“Well, nothing to do with this, that’s for damn sure.” Tiberius didn’t pretend to misunderstand his friend.
“Are you gonna make me guess?”
“Capri.”
“Ah.”
“Did you know she was a virgin?”
Rod smiled.
Tiberius seemed to deflate in his chair. “You knew and you didn’t tell me?”
“Hell, man, why? Didn’t you yourself say that messing around with your tenants was a bad idea?”
Pressing his forehead to his palm, Tiberius muttered something resembling a curse. “I wasn’t expecting her,” he confessed. “I thought I’d seen it all. I wasn’t expecting her to surprise me.”
Rod took another fry. “Yeah, isn’t it funny how the good ones have a way of doing that?”
Tiberius sat tapping his fingers to the worn wooden dining table. “So, how’d you know she was…?”
“Kiva told me. She had to when she realized that every man I knew was asking me to set him up with Capri.”
Tiberius didn’t care for the sound of that, but he offered no argument. He buried his face in his hands and groaned. “This shouldn’t have happened. I should’ve just rented her the damn house and kept my distance.” He tugged on the sleeve of his navy blue suit coat and grimaced. “Now we’re spending all this time together. Doing things with our dogs…” Still, he couldn’t help but smile as thoughts from the weekend spent fishing replayed in his mind. The time had been easy and platonic, and he’d give anything to enjoy it again.
Rod was intrigued as he watched his oldest friend. He would never have expected to see a true ladies’ man like Tiberius Montrae Evans so turned around by one woman.
“So what are you gonna do now? Ignore her?”
“No…I just asked her to come with me to your engagement party.”
The resulting laughter turned many heads.
Pantsuits, evening gowns, shoes, wraps and other forms of clothing lay strewn all over Capri’s large bedroom. She had rushed home right after work and headed straight to her closet to find something to wear for the engagement party. Amidst the motley crew of clothes lying against the azure satin comforter, Capri had narrowed her choice to seven outfits. She was trying to choose one, when the phone rang.
“Yeah?”
“So you’re home already. I tried your cell but it went right to voice mail.”
Capri pushed her hair behind her ear and dropped to her bed.
“Hey, Pep. Yeah, I think it’s still deep down in my bag. We wrapped up the last session today, so I left early.”
“What are you doing now?”
“Trying to choose an outfit to wear to Rod and Kiva’s engagement party.” Capri sighed.
Pepper sucked her teeth on the other end of the line. “I don’t know why you sound so stressed, with all the outfits you have.”
Capri ran her fingers over a short linen frock. “Well, I do have a date and—”
“Hold it. A date? You?”
“Yes, don’t sound so surprised.”
“But I am, dammit! Who is it? The good doctor again?”
“The good doctor,” Capri confirmed.
“Well, I’ll be damned. I’m glad to see you’re finally coming out of your hermit stage, love.”
Capri lay back on her bed and glared up at the ceiling. “I just hope I’m not making a mistake.”
“Cappy, don’t sell yourself so short. Maybe there’s more to all this than you realize. Don’t turn your back on it until you have all the facts.”
“Well I might’ve talked to someone who does have the facts. A good number of them anyway.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know. I guess she was someone he used to see,” she said, thinking of Clarissa.
“Mmm-hmm…she’s probably a woman scorned and I suggest you not take what she said too seriously.”
“You’re right. I can’t help but wonder though.”
“Maybe she would have some facts based on her own experiences with Tiberius, but I don’t think you can fairly compare what’s going on between the two of you with whatever may have gone on between them. Maybe it’s my own hormones talking but I suggest that you
go out with him again and see if he’s the jerk she claims he is or if she’s trying to hold on to a dead relationship.”
Capri still wasn’t sure what to do. She did know that she loved Tiberius’s company and really wanted to spend the evening with him. It was as simple as that. Or it could be. If only she knew.
Kiva sighed and tried to push away the braid that had escaped her high ponytail. Both her arms were filled with bags of groceries and she prayed she could make it to the kitchen counter.
“Where the hell have you been, girl?” Rod demanded to know as soon as he saw her walk through the door.
Kiva rolled her eyes and pushed one of the bags onto the counter using her hip. “Hmm…let’s see—brown paper bags with food in them. You figure it out.”
“Don’t get smart,” Rod ordered, coming up behind her to nuzzle her neck.
Kiva giggled and tilted her head to the side, allowing Rod’s lips more room to roam along her smooth skin. “I went shopping and picked up a few movies we haven’t seen.”
“Mmm-hmm…”
“You don’t sound too excited about spending a night at home with your girl,” Kiva accused, pinning Rod with a hard stare.
Rod slid his hands around Kiva’s tiny waist and pulled her close. “Maybe I’m tired of spending nights at home alone with my girl,” he whispered with his mouth next to her ear.
Kiva pushed Rod away. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Instead of answering, Rod lifted Kiva into his arms and carried her out to the deck. He placed her on one of the lawn chairs and knelt before her. “Kiva…”
“What?” she quickly asked, unnerved by the serious expression she saw on his face.
Rod pressed a soft kiss against Kiva’s bare thigh. “Marry me,” he whispered.
Kiva’s gasp sounded exceptionally loud in the peacefulness of the back yard. Closing her eyes briefly, she willed herself not to faint. “Rod…are you serious?”
Rod flashed a fantastic smile and shook his head slightly. “Baby, after four years, yeah I’m serious.”
Screaming her joy, Kiva knelt beside Rod and threw her arms around his neck. “Yes, yes, yes…” she whispered, pressing dozens of kisses to his face. Laughing, the two of them collapsed to the deck and kissed deeply. Rod’s hands disappeared beneath the fitted T-shirt Kiva wore, and caressed her back. Beneath the sun setting against the colorful late-evening skies, they were completely absorbed with one another.
“Kiva?”
“Hmm?”
“Baby, as much as I’m enjoying this,” Rod began, closing his eyes again as Kiva tugged on his earlobe with her teeth, “and I
am
enjoying it, we don’t have time.”
“Why not?”
“We’ve got a party to go to.”
“Oh really?” Kiva whispered, trailing kisses down Rod’s chest as she unbuttoned the gray short-sleeved shirt he wore. When the tip of her tongue touched his navel, Rod’s dark eyes fluttered closed.
“I guess this means we’re gonna be late,” he groaned.
At the same time, Capri was rushing to get home. She almost broke the speed limit trying to get there and cursed herself for
getting caught in rush-hour traffic. The day at the studio had been one headache after another and she still hadn’t finished everything. Sighing heavily, she glanced once more at her watch and wondered if she’d have the strength to enjoy the party. Of course, Capri knew she had to be there for Rod and Kiva. Plus she’d been anticipating her date with Tiberius all week. It had been several days since they’d
seen each other and she was really looking forward to some time with him.
When she rolled up in her driveway, Capri didn’t see Tiberius’s truck in his yard. She breathed a sigh of relief, grabbed her purse, and hurried inside to shower and change.
A few minutes after Capri’s front door slammed shut, Tiberius arrived home.
He cursed viciously for what seemed the twentieth time since he’d left the hospital. Today of all days, it appeared that all of his patients had gone into labor or had some sort of dire emergency requiring his attention.
Glancing at his wrist, he started loosening his tie and pulling off his suit coat. A grim smile marred his face as he shook his head and cursed his luck. Usually his professional life didn’t affect his private one. Everything almost always fell into place so perfectly, he had plenty of time to socialize. Now, when he’d found someone he truly wanted to spend time with, he was unbelievably swamped.
The silent realization stopped Tiberius in his tracks. Lord, what was it about that woman? Sure he wanted her in his bed. She was vibrant, lovely and sexy as hell, but there was more. The fact that she was a virgin had stunned him at first, but it hadn’t stifled his attraction for her. He wanted her more than ever and couldn’t help but wonder how much he’d give to have her.