Lamar removed the cap from the beer and took a long swallow. “I occasionally get tickets to the Pelicans basketball games. Would you ladies be willing to go with me?”
“Can I go, too?” Kendra asked. A frown had settled between her eyes.
“I did say ‘ladies.’ ”
“I’m not a lady, Daddy. I’m still a girl.”
“Of course you’re a girl, but you are also a young lady.”
Kendra’s expression brightened. “I like that. And yes, I would like to go to a basketball game.”
Lamar winked at Nydia smirking at him. “When I get the tickets I’ll let you know the date and time.”
He knew attending sporting and social events with Nydia would start tongues wagging about his relationship with her. The Pierces had deep roots in New Orleans going back at least four generations, and his father had established a reputation as the go-to orthodontist. When he was growing up, people who knew Lamar rarely called him by his name. He and his sister were known as Dr. Pierce’s girl and boy.
* * *
Lamar curved an arm around Nydia’s waist as he escorted her into the elevator. The two days when she’d come to his house to cook had sped by much too quickly, and he wasn’t certain who enjoyed her company more: he or Kendra. He had uploaded the videotaped segments of them cooking together on Saturday and Sunday to Kendra’s phone for her to share with her friends. And he had to agree with Kendra that the dishes Nydia prepared were exceptional.
Ramona had returned from Metairie Sunday afternoon in time to share dinner with them, and she, too, raved about the roast pork, rice, and pigeon peas, and the thin crisp slices of fried green bananas; they had the option of eating them plain or topping them with mojito—a garlic dipping sauce. His housekeeper plied Nydia with countless questions about what she used to season the pork, the ingredients forsofritoand mojito. Kendra proudly announced she knew how to makesofritoand offered to create another batch once they used the containers stored in the freezer. Lamar had sampled Nydia’s Southern and Latin dishes and found her equally proficient with both.
“You know Kendra’s going to talk my ear off about you when I get home.”
“You’re very lucky, and she’s a joy to be around.”
Lamar loved his daughter unconditionally; however, there were times when she tested his patience. He’d learned early on that she was strong-willed, and he was careful not to break her spirit, because he wanted to her grow up to become a strong, independent woman who did not have to depend on a man to take care of her. “I think I’ll keep her,” he teased.
Nydia smiled. “If you don’t want her, I’d be more than willing to take her off your hands.”
Lamar didn’t know whether Nydia was teasing or serious, that if their relationship became permanent, she would be willing to be a stepmother to his daughter. “And the first time you experience one of her funky attitudes you’ll send her back without further ado.”
The car arrived at the designated floor, and Nydia stepped out. “What you have to understand is that she’s a young girl whose hormones are in flux, and that may be responsible for her mood swings. She’ll soon be eleven, and some girls her age are already menstruating, so I advise you to buckle up and take the ride with her. One day she’ll be that adorable little girl you used to hold in your arms and rock her to sleep, and the next day she may slam doors and scream that you’re ruining her life.”
“Is that what happened to you?” Lamar asked as he walked Nydia to her suite.
She swiped her key card. “The only thing I’m going to attest to is that I spent a lot of time being grounded.”
Reaching over her head, he pushed open the door and entered the suite before her. Late afternoon shadows filled the space where Nydia hadn’t drawn the drapes. Lamar closed the door and took her in his arms and buried his face in the thickness of her hair. “Do you know that you drive me crazy?”
Nydia wound her arms around Lamar’s waist. She had fought her feelings for the man who had not only become her protector but also had helped her heal enough to trust getting involved again. She was more than aware of the restraint both had exercised because of his daughter’s presence. The few times Lamar touched her hand or his body brushed against hers she struggled not to react to the sensations coursing through her. And she knew if Kendra hadn’t been there the fragile wall she’d built to dam up sexual desire would have snapped, and she might have begged him to make love to her.
She enjoyed making love with a man. It had been that way with her two former lovers, and it had taken Herculean strength to forfeit that phase in her life. Even weeks after she’d ended her relationships the urge for physical gratification was slow to wane. Now it was back—with a vengeance. Nydia did not know what it was about Lamar that had rekindled the need to make love with him. Perhaps it had something to do with his revealing that within seconds of meeting her for the first time her presence had triggered an erection, which had planted a seed of curiosity in her mind.
Easing back, she tried to make out his expression in the muted light. “We both agreed we’re too old to play head games, so I need to tell you something.”
“Is it something that’s going to ruin what we’ve shared the past two days?”
Nydia rested a hand along his jaw, and her fingertips grazed the emerging stubble. “Oh, ye of little faith,” she teased, smiling. “I want you to know that I like you, Lamar.”
His dark eyebrows shot up. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” she countered.
“You know how I feel about you, so what are we going to do about it?”
“That’s what I was going to ask you. After all, you’re the one who is a single dad.”
“That’s no longer relevant, because Kendra really likes you. She told me that last night after you’d left, and wanted to know if I was going to go out with you.”
