Kitchen Attraction

His hand was over my mouth. Cutting off any chance I could have to breathe other than my nose. On his fingers I could smell the sweet scent of the hand soap I use in the bathroom. I had made him buy it for me one night while we were at the mall.

"$40 for hand soap?" He had said as he pulled out his wallet to pay.

But he didn't seem upset. Just amused. And he'd given me that long look. The one that secretly said behind it, "It's OK. Because you're going to pay me back...eventually".

Not monetarily of course.

No.

Desmond Henley is a true gentleman. Paying for dates to him is like going out and buying himself a new pair of shoes or investing in his car.

He enjoys it.

He is one of the many men that actually do.

Even IF he's not getting anything out of it at the end of the date.

Before I even met him, I remember hearing how much of a casanova he was.

"He's Caleb's friend from College," Kyra, who is my roommate, had told me.

Caleb is her boyfriend.

We were having dinner at our new place together as roommates. An apartment warming. And we invited everyone we knew. My friends and some of my coworkers. Her friends and coworkers.

And although we were having a lot of people over, Kyra didn't feel the need to talk about any one of them except for him: Desmond.

"He's a notorious flirt," She'd said, "And extremely handsome".

This was interesting. It got my attention along with Shanice and Ty, who were also in the room with me as I did Kyra's hair in a faux loc style.

"What does he do?" Shanice proded.

She and I were the two single friends in our inner circle. So, of course she'd ask. Shanice was very open about her intentions to get married and settle down soon. Especially since she'd finally got the comfy job she wanted at the bank and was now settling into her late 20's like we all were.

And although both of our clocks were proverbially ticking, I was not as much in a rush to go for the whole wife and kids gimmick that all the other women my age seemed hell bent on buying in to. But I also was not so immature as to want to continue my partying days of my past. As a teenager and past College I had spent my time in a long term relationship . Now, I just focused on enjoying my work as a hairstylist after trying corporate life in Human Services. Although being in a creative field meant a less conventional lifestyle and I was still having to adjust financially, I was happier than I'd ever been.

"He works at Herman's," Kyra said, "He's a management analyst there, so he makes good money"

Shanice ooh'd and awwe'd and automatically I could see her formulating every idea of her and this man together or walking down the aisle. But in my head I just rolled my eyes, because all I could picture was a fake suit with an equally fake smile in jobs like that. Which made me even more dismissive of this man since Kyra had described him as a flirt.

"What does he look like?" Was Shanice's follow up question.

"Damn! Girl, just chill. You'll see him tonight!" Ty had cracked jokingly. She was also engaged, so she found Shanice's obsession with getting a man funny now that she'd secured her own.

Shanice had just rolled her eyes and continued.

"What's his handle on social media?"

Kyra had laughed as I finished her back part of her hair and told Shanice the instagram handle. And even though Ty said to chill out, she stood up and went to look over Shanice's shoulder as she searched to find his pictures.

"DAMN!"

I was taken aback to hear Ty be the one to shout when they found his profile. Then Shanice started squealing like a little girl.

"He's fine as hell!" She screeched.

I was trying to pretend to continue to be engrossed in Kyra's hairdo, but even I at that point was now fully invested since Shanice had managed to get Ty to agree. Kyra just giggled.

"I told you!" She said with emphasis.

"Look at this," Ty had said to me as she took the phone from Shanice's hands and showed me the picture of the man named Desmond Henley.

He was handsome, just like they'd all surmised. Beige brown skin, freckles, blue eyes, and curly reddish hair. I usually preferred browner skin men with short fades. Basically, my ex. But I couldn't deny Desmond's good genes.

"He's one of those Blake Griffin types," Shanice said as she and Ty analyzed his picture some more together. Kyra and I watched as they swiped through his photos.

"He's mixed, isn't he?" Shanice asked.

"Yep," Kyra said, "Biracial. Black dad and a white mom. Just like me"

"Well, girl. I can't do him then," Shanice said as she quickly lost interest all of a sudden.

"Oh my God," Ty cried as she rolled her eyes, "Here you go again!"

"It's true!" Shanice cried, "I've already been down that road. I'm not going down it again"

Kyra sighed.

"You dated one mixed race guy," She said testingly, "And had a bad experience"

"It wasn't just a bad experience," Shanice said back, "It was a horrific experience. Use of word choice is important"

Ty laughed.

"The blasian dude from junior year?" She quipped.

"Yes. Him. Never again," Shanice said with a shudder.

"He had some identity issues," Kyra said defensively as if the guy was her brother or something.

"No, he had some self hate issues. And he took out his confusion and hate for his black side on me. I'm not going back. Ever again. Black men might have their cons, but I don't think I could ever do another confused biracial again," Shanice finished.

Instantly I had felt Kyra go quiet even as Shanice and Ty kept talking. I had taken a short second from doing her hair to quietly squeeze her shoulder. I remember she had looked up at me with a sad, small smile.

I wasn't the one in the friend group to speak as much as I was to listen and silently observe. And I could tell that was what Kyra and the others liked most about me. And why Kyra agreed to be roommates with me so we could both save money in the city. She was saving to move in with Caleb to Atlanta next year. I was saving to hopefully open my own business.

That night when I met Desmond, I didn't think much of him. He was handsome in person like his photos. I admit. But again, he wasn't the guy I had dated and he happened to be significantly shorter than my ex. Desmond was barely 5'9.. My ex was on an NBA team. So, I didn't really find any reason to swoon that much over Desmond.

Although, Desmond himself seemed to take an interest in both me, Shanice, Ty, and almost every other woman at our dinner. It wasn't that he was a dog. It was more like he had a charm about him that swept the room. I even watched his interactions with the men and gay men at the dinner. Weirdly enough, Desmond had a way of being everybody's best friend within the first two seconds of meeting them.

And everyone liked him right away. My coworkers that came who worked at my salon didn't know him from a can of paint, but even their conversations the next day were all focused on Desmond. And the way they all talked about him was if they'd known him for years.

"What's Desmond's instagram?" Was a question I got so much the next time I was at the salon that I almost wanted to make a business card so I wouldn't have to keep repeating it over and over again.

I could see why Kyra had made it a point to mention him to us before the party. It was because somehow this man was able to implant into your mind.

Even I had a moment with him in the kitchen that made me think about him after the dinner was over and everyone was leaving. Too much than I cared to

admit.

I had been trying to tackle the cleaning up part when Desmond immediately walked in with a big smile on his face. Somehow he was one of those people who managed to smile and not look forced, although there was no way he could be that happy all the time. And from what I had seen all night, he'd been flashing that same grin to just about everyone the entire time.

I couldn't help but wonder, as someone who prided herself on being real, quiet, observant, and not forced or fake...how he could manage to pretend to be so upbeat without faltering for a second. And I can't lie. Back then it pissed me off. I typically hated people like Desmond. It was one of the many reasons I got out of doing what I used to do. Because I couldn't stand the forced lipstick smiles and secret demons behind them.

"You need help?" Desmond had asked me and just went straight into assisting me with cleaning up.

I watched him like a poisonous snake. And instead of talking I just stared at him.

He looked me over.

And I realized I was coming off as rude. A habit that had made my old coworkers at my previous job hate me because I didn't like playing their fake games.

"If you want to," I shrugged and continued to clean.

I had decided what the hell. Since he was so persistent in being this outgoing guy image, I might as well let him give Kyra and I a hand with the clean up.

As I cleaned the dishes, I could hear him putting things in the trash and scraping plates to stack by me.

"You don't seem too friendly," he said suddenly, "Why don't you talk much?"

Which had made me look at him.

I hated people who were the types to point me out when I didn't act like I couldn't see behind their mask. So, I decided to unleash the real me on him. The me that Kyra, Shanice, and Ty say only comes out when someone gets on my bad side.

"And you seem way too friendly," I snapped, "Why don't you be quieter?"

But instead of looking angry, he looked amused.

And to my surprise he turned and took my advice. And he silently grabbed the garbage in the kitchen and left me alone.

I had thought about him that night. So, that made going into work and having everyone ask me about him

that more annoying.

I'd even decided to scroll his instagram myself since I kept having to give it out. And I couldn't for some reason keep my mind off of him. Just like everyone else, Desmond Henley had seemed to be the highlight of the dinner party for me too.

I'll never forget when about two days after the dinner, I got a new follower.

Him.

And then a message asking me on a date.

It read simply: Let me take you out. Maybe I can get you to talk more. I swear I'll be quiet and listen.

I didn't tell Kyra.

Nor Shanice.

Nor Ty.

Instead, I simply ignored the message and left him on seen. Why? Because I was there at that dinner party and saw how he interacted with all of us. Even Ty who obviously had an engagement ring on her finger. The only woman who seemed off limits to his flirting was Kyra. And I knew it was because she was Caleb's girlfriend. His friend's girlfriend.

A week went by and Desmond aggresively liked all of my pictures on instagram. I wasn't the only one who noticed his engagement on my profile.

"Desmond wants you!" Shanice had sent me a screenshot of at least ten of my pictures that Desmond liked.

"It seems like you want Desmond," I teased her as we spoke on Facetime.

"Girl, he IS fine. I'm not going to lie. When I met him in person, it kind of changed my mind about what I said. And he was such a flirt. But I'm not getting in the way of this. I posted about two thirst traps and he hasn't liked one. So, I'm calling it. You're the one he's chasing. I won't be surprised if he slides into your DMs soon," Shanice analyzed.

All I could do was laugh. Because her usual trying to get a man talk was a typical occurrence with her and we'd all found it fun and funny. But I didn't tell her that I'd left Desmond on seen. And that he'd already asked me out. I didn't want to hear her berate me for not taking the hunt for a ring and marriage seriously. I'd already had a field day when I'd broken up with my ex for continuously cheating while he was on the road. I couldn't take listening to Shanice go on again about how important it was that we secured a man and a bag through marriage.

I was too focused on securing my own bag through my dreams of opening my salon.

And I was sour on love since my childhood sweetheart didn't work out. Instead, I now looked at the idea of marriage like I did after I got my degree and went into corporate America: The grass isn't green. It's just fake.

It had been two weeks of Desmond liking all my posts when I finally got a casual bouquet of flowers sent to my job. I'm not going to lie. It was flattering and very fun to get sent a beautiful bouquet of roses. I'd forgotten how nice it was for a man to do something for me.

My coworkers and my client at my salon that day wouldn't stop teasing me. But even they were in awe at the gorgeous red roses and fluffy white stuffed bear that was delivered to me. I knew they were from Desmond. I didn't even have to read the card.

But when I did it said simply: I'm still waiting for a response. Don't make me wait too long.

And I had rolled my eyes. He was cocky. And I could bet he was enjoying the chase though. I knew guys like Desmond. He was used to getting his way with women. But I also knew that if he wasn't backing down, then he knew what I had already feared in myself.

That I was attracted to him.

Desmond wasn't the type to stalk a girl or the kind of guy to not get the hint.

He was the kind of guy where he only swung when he knew he was going to hit.

Literally.

If he was still going after me, I knew it meant that he'd picked up something in the kitchen that night when we had talked.

Something that I was still denying in myself up until that point.

That I was just like all the other girls and everyone else at the dinner: Under his spell.

But I still had decided to make him wait an extra week before I finally gave in.

Kyra had given him not only my number but my salon address so he could send the gift. Although he would have found that out either way because I was always posting my work on my social media. It was part of how I built my clientele and got my face out there.

But the day I decided to finally let him take me out was when I messaged him on instagram. I replied to the same message that I had left him on seen for weeks.

Pick me up tonight.

I was testing him and having my own version of fun. For one, if he made an excuse... I was hoping he would....I then would have my own excuse to block him. And he would tell Kyra and Caleb that he'd tried to take me out on date, but that I had randomly hit him up when he was busy blah blah blah. But I would be able to tell Kyra and Caleb that I had tried to go on a date with him, but he declined. So, it would really be my word against his. And I wouldn't look like the bad guy for ignoring Kyra's boyfriend's friend and not responding to his messages. Because I was sure I'd see him again soon. Seeing as though Kyra and I were now roommates.

For two, I had just done my hair in a new ginger bob. It was sleek, flowy, and looked beautiful in comparison to my dark brown skin. And I wanted an excuse to show it off that night. Especially seeing as I hadn't gone on a date in so long, I figured why not see if he was willing to play my little game and be the man to do it. He was my first pick. I had other men who'd been blowing me up ever since my break up. However, it had been a year and six months and I still wasn't over my ex. Truly, I just wasn't really interested in love or sex anymore.

Until, of course...Desmond came around. Which I remember I had tried hard not to think about. But what was there against him besides being a flirt. Which all men are, I'd learned bitterly thanks to my ex.

The guys who hit me up were from my college days and knew my ex or they were from teenage and childhood years and weren't making the best choices in life. And honestly, after being with my ex for the majority of my life, I couldn't imagine going with anyone else truthfully. Especially not someone from our college or childhood home since we both grew up together and came up together.

But Desmond was a different kind of guy. He had gone to an opposing college. And he had grown up in a different neighborhood than me and my ex.

The other guys had said they were interested, but I only ever got offers to meet up or the typical dinner and movie of my college years and early twenties. I was determined to have the true romance I'd lived with my ex. He cheated on me like crazy when he'd got to the league and this kept my mental health bad, but when we were good...we were good. And I was always good when I was with him. I didn't pay my own rent the entire time we were together, which was one of the reasons why I was able to focus on transitioning my career to doing hair. And my ex always treated me like I was the most beautiful

woman in the world and the most important person in his life. Even when he was making choices to have sex with the girls that now wanted him since he got to the leauge.

I found it funny how he could be faithful all throughout our teenage years, but the moment he hit the NBA and we were supposed to get married, he wanted to cheat. I was bitter. Which made me not even want to give Desmond a try, especially because of his flirting.

But that day I responded to Desmond's message, I remember I didn't have to wait long for his reply, because my phone buzzed with a caller ID I didn't know. For some reason, I answered and was greeted by his voice.

"Be ready by 9," Was all I heard before the phone hung up.

It had happened so fast that I wasn't sure if I'd really just talked to Desmond. Had it really been him? I remember I had called him back several times, but the bastard put his phone on mute and my calls went straight to voicemail. I had sent him messages on instagram, too. I asked him if that was him who had called me, how he got my number, and if he really said to be ready by nine. And if so, where was he taking me?

I remember being so pissed. But most of all, I remember being shocked that he had even agreed to take me out and decided to play my little game. I had been so sure he would have said he didn't do short notices or for him to try and schedule a different day. I had been ready to just block him and delete him. But he'd flipped the tables on me by being down.

I remember I messaged him so much on instagram that I even tried to call him there. And then, I decided to give up and just forget that he had even called me. I had plotted in my head to let 9pm come and go without going on a date with him, even if he came to Kyra and my apartment. It was going to be my way to regain the power I initially had. But then, I looked down and saw those letters that I'm sure was my karma for how I had treated him.

Desmond had left me on seen.

And for some reason, that moment made me burst out laughing. Which I hadn't done for a man since my ex and I broke up. It was weird to my ears.

I knew he was playing the game. Just like me. And oddly, I pictured him laughing too as he watched me call him and blow him up. I knew it was his way of getting back at me for making him wait so long for a reply.

At that moment I had no choice.

I had to go out with him that night.

That night he took me to one of the most top rated restaurants in the city. And I got exactly what I wanted: a chance to show off my new hair and get dressed.

Desmond could tell that I just wanted to be taken out and that he wasn't going to get what he wanted that night. But he didn't mind at all.

Actually, he enjoyed it.

He kept looking at me. And really appreciating my beauty. And I don't mean in the fake way I assumed his personality was when I first met him. No, he really looked at me and liked appreciating how good I looked. Almost more than I did.

Which I found gave me an extra confidence boost on top of going on a date. It had been a while since I'd felt that way. Especially after my ex. I liked the way Desmond looked at me as if I was a gorgeous model.

We went on a lot more dates after that.