Friend?
Were they friends? If not, what were they? And what did she have to lose by asking?
“Are we friends, Joseph?”
Joseph sat next to her and relaxed against the cushion. “For now,” he said with a sexy, crooked grin. “But can I be honest?”
“Of course.”
“I’m afraid to show you my true feelings.”
Katherine frowned. “Why?”
Joseph sighed. He sat up and clutched Katherine’s hand. “It’s your father,” he admitted. “He used his authority as your father to heinously abuse you for years. To be honest, I’m afraid to push. I’m afraid to touch you. I don’t want you to feel like I’m taking advantage of you, Katherine. I want you to feel safe with me.”
With tears in her eyes, Katherine smiled and caressed his chiseled jaw. “I feel safe with you, Joseph. The safest I’ve ever felt.”
She moved close until their lips were a breath apart. Before he could retract, Katherine pushed her lips to his. As she kissed him, she prayed he reciprocated. When he did, she inhaled with relief and pushed her fingers through his thick hair. When his lips parted, and he offered his tongue, Katherine melted with desire. Joseph cupped her face and deepened the kiss, drawing a moan from the deepest part of her. She was shocked with jolt after jolt of desire that traveled directly to her wet center. But sadly, he pulled away. It was like someone had doused ice water on her.
Katherine’s eyes blinked open. She stared at him with desperation, wondering what she had done wrong.
“Joseph?” she croaked, her voice hoarse and filled with desire.
He released her face and turned to the TV. Katherine followed his line of sight. What could have happened to make him turn so quickly?
The news was on.
A female newscaster was reporting on a plane crash.
“Flight 191, carrying 277 passengers from Chicago O’Hare Airport to Los Angeles, has crashed. The plane, loaded with fuel, exploded on impact. Sadly, there were no survivors.”
“Jack was on that plane,” he said in a sad whisper.
Chapter Eleven
JOSEPH
“I’ve never been on this side of town,” Katherine admitted.
Joseph wasn’t surprised. They were in Bronzeville, a community of prominent Blacks. Though Katherine wanted to practice law dealing with Immigration and Civil Rights issues, because of her stuffy and privileged upbringing, she hadn’t had much experience with neither blacks nor immigrants. But Joseph wasn’t judging. He understood that he also fell into the category of privileged. He was a white, Anglo-Saxon male. Not too many in America were more privileged than he and his twin brother.
He didn’t want to offend her, but he had to ask. “Have you ever really been around black people?”
Katherine shrugged and dropped her head with shame. “Only the really rich ones,” she admitted. “Oh, and Vera Campbell from school. We’ve studied together a few times. But, other than Laverne, I mostly keep to myself.”
Joseph understood. Katherine had been through a lot. She was abused and betrayed by the person... no, people she should have been able to trust the most. Getting close to others couldn’t have been easy. He could relate. He didn’t get close to many, mostly because he didn’t want others to discover his shameful secret.
Joseph pulled to the curb and parked in front of the house where Jack had grown up. He walked around and opened the door for Katherine. After helping her out, he grabbed the fruit tray and Bundt cake she’d insisted they buy. According to his little debutante, showing up at the house of a bereaving family empty-handed was a no-no.
Katherine looked up at the Grant's home as they walked up the pathway. “How lovely,” she marveled.
“Yes, this area, even though it was meant to keep blacks in a racial bubble, strived with the help of successful black professionals. Jack’s parents own funeral homes. Six, to be exact. They’re very successful.”
“That’s wonderful. I feel so bad, Joseph. Jack seemed like a very nice man.”
Joseph sighed. “He was the best.” He handed her the cake. The Grants didn’t know her, and he thought she’d feel more comfortable if she walked in with something to offer. After all, the cake and fruit tray were her idea. He placed his hand at the small of her back. For a brief moment, he recalled the kiss they’d shared. It was like no other kiss he’d ever had. He’d never felt the same for any other woman. Joseph wanted to devour her. He wanted to touch every part of her, inside and out.
“Joseph, hi!” Jack’s mother greeted from the porch.
