Corporate Seduction by A.C. Arthur

although R&B was her first love. He’d even enjoyed her impromptu rendition of Anita Baker’s “Giving You the Best that I’ve Got.” Surprisingly, she had a really nice voice, even though she swore she hadn’t had any lessons and had never fancied a singing career. Now she was chewing slowly, as if she were savoring every morsel. Her eyes wandered the room in a cursory fashion, and when she caught him staring, she smiled, letting him know she, too, was happy they were here together. Still, his need to know everything about her was not satisfied, and he pushed further. “So tell me all about Reka. I know that she likes to sing, even though she won’t admit it, but I want to know more.”
    Reka put her fork down, took a sip of the red wine he’d ordered for them and found that she actually liked it. “I’m not sure what you want to know exactly. My life’s pretty cut and dried.”
    “Then how about I ask questions and you supply answers?” he offered.
    Whether it was the wine or the ambiance or simply being with him, Reka felt agreeable. “Shoot.”
    “Are you part Native American?” That was his first question, because he knew it wasn’t what she expected. She expected him to ask about her past relationships, about why she was so angry towards men, and he did want to know all that, but not just yet.
    “What?” Tilting her head to the side she stared at him. “Why would you ask me that?”
    Khalil simply smiled, enjoying the surprise in her voice. “Your skin, it’s an unusual shade. You have sort of a burnt orange tint, like Native Americans.”
    “Hmph. I never thought of that.” And she truly hadn’t. Her mother and Grammy had the same coloring, so she figured she’d inherited it from them. She thought for a moment. “You know, I once heard Grammy mention Indian heritage when she was talking about her parents, but I didn’t ask any questions.”
    “You should, it’s important to know your heritage. That way you can pass it on to your children.”
    “I guess you’re right. I’ll have to look into that. Next question.”
    “Do you want children? I mean, someday, do you want to have a family of your own?” He did. He’d wanted it so badly he’d asked Sonya to marry him even though he’d felt no love for her.
    “I think I’d like to have a baby or two sometime in the future. I don’t really think about it that much, though.”
    His brow furred. “Why not?”
    “Because you have to have a man to think about having kids, and as I told you yesterday, I don’t have a man.”
    “That’s purely by choice, I’m sure.”
    Reka gave a wry grin. “More by necessity.”
    “Necessity?”
    “Yes, my need to remain sane. Men drive you crazy.”
    With another question he could have her tell him about her past relationships, about what had gone so wrong that she’d sworn off men, but at that moment he really didn’t care what mistakes the other men in her life had made. He only wanted to make things better. “I wouldn’t drive you crazy, Reka.”
    She paused, took a drink of wine. “What would you do, Khalil? If I were your woman, how would you treat me?”
    He finally pinpointed what he liked most about her—it was her candor. Most women would have smiled, cooed at him, told him they knew he wasn’t like their past mates and so on and so forth, yet she hadn’t done that. She wanted to know how he was different, how he would measure up to the men in her past and he admired her for skipping all the bull and getting to the point.
    “I’d treat you like a woman is supposed to be treated. I’d cherish you, listen to you, do everything in my power to please you. I’d treat you the way you deserve.”
    Was it suddenly very hot in here? Or had she drunk too much wine? His words sounded too good to be true. He was too good to be true. He was polished and debonair, looking as if he ate at this type of restaurant at least two or three times a week, while she was struggling to keep that napkin