Chapter 18
Gage opened the gate and walked into the courtyard Friday afternoon to find it ablaze with candles on every level surface. His concern about their living together was offset when Hannah had called to let him know the electrical components for the gates were defective and had to be replaced, which meant Tonya would have to stay with him for an extended period of time. He told his cousin’s wife that he would relay the information to Tonya and reassured Hannah that he did not have a problem with Tonya living with him.
He and Tonya had settled into a comfortable routine of alternating cooking for each other. She would surprise him with exotic dishes from Thailand and China. He had raved so much about hergai pajd bal ga-paw—a spicy basil chicken with pepper, onion, and chili paste—that she showed him step-by-step how to make the dish. In less than a week he had grown so used to coming home to find her that he couldn’t remember when she hadn’t been there. She shared his bed, and on occasion his shower. She loved sitting on the roof at night, because it had become her time to unwind and exhale.
Gage noticed there were times when she wasn’t very talkative, and he gave her the space she needed to be alone with her thoughts. They hadn’t made love since the first night, and again he decided not to pressure her, hoping whenever she was receptive she would let him know.
His gaze swept around the courtyard until he saw her sitting at a table set for two. She stood up, and his jaw dropped when he noticed her outfit. Black strappy stilettos, and a matching barely-there dress ending mid-thigh with a plunging neckline hugged her curvy body like a second skin.
He couldn’t stop staring at her slender legs in the heels as she came closer. There was enough light from the candles to illuminate her face. Aptly applied makeup accentuated her large eyes and lush mouth. She leaned into him, and he felt himself succumbing to the hypnotic scent of her perfume. Gage knew he would be able to pick her out in a dark room from among at least fifty other women.
“Welcome home, darling.”
Gage ran his tongue over his lower lip. “Thank you, my love.”
She stared up at him through her lashes. “I know we talked about going out this weekend, but would it bother you if we spent the entire weekend at home?”
“No . . . no . . . of course not.” He didn’t know why he was stuttering other than he was becoming more aroused with each passing minute.
“Since the weather is so nice, I thought we would begin with dinner under the stars. After that we can go inside for after-dinner drinks and dancing.”
Gage was so still he could’ve been a statue. “What are we doing after that?”
Tonya ran her tongue over her lips, bringing his gaze to linger on them. “Would you be opposed to sharing a bath?”
“No.”
She smiled. “After the bath we can go to bed and I’ll make love to you and then you can make love to me, and if we are not too exhausted we can sleep for a while and go for seconds. How does that sound to you?”
Gage nodded like a bobble-head doll. “I agree to all of the above.”
She took his hand. “Come inside and wash up. As soon as you’re ready I’ll bring out dinner.”
Gage didn’t know what brought on the change in her, but he wasn’t going to question it. He knew something had to have been bothering her when she shut down and shut him out. He walked into the house and was met with a variety of mouthwatering aromas. A wide grin split his face as he anticipated a night filled with seduction and romance. Turning back the cuffs of his shirt, he washed his hands in the bathroom off the kitchen.
“Can I help bring out anything?” There were a number of covered dishes lining the countertop.
Tonya pointed to an aluminum pan with a matching lid. “You can take that one.”
After two trips they were finally able to sit and eat. She removed all the lids to the dishes to reveal the Caribbean dishes she had promised him. Tonya pointed to each plate. “There’s roast chicken with a garlic rub, rice and pigeon peas, fried plantains with a dipping sauce, and the little turnovers are beef empanadas. And in keeping with the Spanish theme I decided sangría is an appropriate wine. Will you please pour the wine?”
Gage filled two red wineglasses and handed one to Tonya. He could not believe she had put the dinner together so quickly, unless she had left the restaurant early to come home and cook. “What are we toasting?”
“Love.”
He sat back in his chair. “Love?”
“Yes. Do you have any idea what this weekend is?”
Realization dawned when he smiled. “Of course. It’s Valentine’s Day weekend.”
Tonya inclined her head. “I couldn’t think of anything to buy you, so I decided to make a special dinner.”
“I don’t need anything, because everything I need is sitting across the table from me. However, I did buy something for you.”
Her eyelids fluttered wildly. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”
“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that,” he stated emphatically. “I’ll give it to you after dinner.”
