HER Dress Read online

  “I’ll escort you.” Drake flexed his biceps and offered her his arm. “Unless you have a date.”

  “No.” And it wasn’t for Pepper’s lack of trying.

  “And so our night begins, Miss Trudeau. You have an escort now.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Yes. Drake smirked. His evening couldn’t get any better. Pepper was turning heads as he guided her in a roundabout way to the A seating section. It wouldn’t have been a hassle to get a date at the last minute. A woman always seemed ready to go out with him when he asked, but at the time, Drake wasn’t sure if he could get out of some other obligations. Now, he was glad that he had come alone.

  Pepper had called him out. If it weren’t for Paige’s attire, he might have never noticed her. Scratch that. Pepper was created to be admired. The dress gave him a jump start to the finish line. Drake, by no means, considered himself a fashion czar, but the shade of green didn’t do anything for Paige’s pale skin, but on Pepper’s, it was an eye catcher. And that’s exactly what it did, caught Drake’s eye.

  The woman was stunning. She had the darkest, silkiest brown skin he had seen. Her slanted eyes and narrow nose blended well with her African-American heritage. Drake didn’t know what held his attention the most, her long shapely legs, the dress, or hairstyle. She was an African-American version of a China doll. Drake bit his bottom lip to keep from drooling in appreciation of God’s craftsmanship. Pepper Trudeau was gorgeous.

  Her lips were pouty; her skeptical expressions were emphasized with the lift of a brow that seemed naturally arched and screamed attitude. Her table was within eyesight, so he had no choice but to steer her toward her seat, then he stopped.

  “Here we are. Whew! That was hard work fending off the competition.”

  Pepper laughed and slapped his arm, which made him flex his muscle again. “There is no competition.”

  Was the woman naïve or a temptress? Drake released a bark of laughter. “Then you don’t know what attracts men and I don’t have any qualms about telling you. Do you mind if I sit at your table this evening?” he asked after he held out her chair.

  “Actually, it’s reserved for the ticketholders of Monica Marshall. She’s on the committee to—”

  That’s all Drake needed to know. “Save that spot.” He pointed to the chair next to hers. “I’ll be right back.” With a slight bow, he strolled off. Drake didn’t believe in wasting time. Whoever was assigned to the seat next to Pepper was about to get bumped.

  He scanned the ballroom for green and he saw more shades than he cared to, but none were as eye-catching as Pepper’s. If only he could locate his sister-in-law, Paige could help him find this Monica person. She seemed to know everybody or somebody wherever she went anyway. Drake spotted his oldest brother, Stephan, who kept close guard at his wife’s side.

  The couple had been married three years. Evidently, bliss still reigned in their household. Drake hadn’t tied the knot because the women he had dated didn’t have the right combination of oomph. Yes, there were many with beauty and brains, but that certain something was always missing. Tonight, Drake experienced a fleeting moment of umph, umph and he wasn’t referring just to Pepper’s dress. He had a suspicion that Pepper wouldn’t be lacking in the brains department.

  “Hey, bro.” Stephan stepped forward, seemingly relieved to have someone with whom to hold conversation.

  “Not now.” Drake side-stepped him and interrupted his wife, forgoing his home training. “Paige, do you know where I can find a Monica Marshall?”

  “You’re looking at her,” a short woman next to Paige spoke up. She was pretty, if a person stared long enough, but Drake preferred first-glance impressions and attractions. “May I help you?” She stopped sipping her glass of wine.

  “Do you have any spaces left at table A-7? If not, I’ll exchange my seat at the table where I’m sitting. Otherwise, I’ll find my own chair.”

  “Really?” Stephan gave him the oddest look.

  “Drake, what are you talking about? Why wouldn’t you want to sit with family?” Paige asked.

  Monica cleared her throat and shifted her body as if she was ready to take action. “Are you kidding me? I begged, lied, and sweet talked friends and foes, but I was only able to get three people to commit this year—so many people are unemployed—and two of them backed out, so it was only going to be my friend and me. The economy affects charitable donations, too.”

  “How about I buy the remaining seats, including yours,” Drake stated. He wasn’t asking.

  “But where is she going to sit?” Paige asked, concerned.

  “I’ll sit in the parking garage to sell these tickets. I’m just glad to meet my quota by filling up a whole table for the third year in a row. Monica’s eyes lit up and she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She then backed away, apologizing for her actions. Drake was amused, Paige choked on her wine and Stephan’s mouth dropped.

  “That’s one thousand and fifty dollars.” She quickly calculated, then grimaced as if Drake might change his mind.

  “It’s for charity, right? A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” He grinned and rolled on his heels, then added a wink. “Paper or plastic?”

  “To save face, I’ll even take food stamps.” Monica grinned, then gnawed on her lip. “Just kidding.”

  “Monica, you’re welcome to join us at our table,” Paige offered.

  Monica nodded as Drake pulled out his checkbook from the inside pocket of his tux jacket, borrowed a pen from Paige and scribbled in the figures and his signature. “Nice doing business with ya.” Turning, he left with a determined stride back to the table before some other guy decided to keep Pepper company.

  As he approached his intended target, he slowed and observed his prey. Pepper seemed like a duck out of water. Clearly, she didn’t know too many people there as she glanced around, tapping her fingers on the white tablecloth. She was probably waiting for her other dining companions to arrive. Drake eyed some men heading her way. Cutting them off, he beat them to Pepper’s table.

  Pepper whipped her neck around and stared at him with a mixture of relief and surprise. As she patted her chest, Drake admired her nails. They appeared naturally long instead of the extensions that were ridiculous on some women.

  Drake pulled out the chair next to her. “I’m back.”

  “But I think that seat is taken,” she reminded him.

  “I know. I just paid Monica for it.”

  “Really?” Frowning, she scanned the ballroom. “I just assumed you were here with Paige and her husband and that you would rather sit with them.”

  Drake pushed the place setting aside and rested his elbow. The woman was as stunning as an African queen. “Nah. Why would I want to do that? I sat at the same table with my four knucklehead brothers for eighteen years. Believe me, you are much prettier.” He leaned forward. “And you smell better, too. When you walked away from me back at the bar, your perfume lingered and held me captive until my eyes could no longer find you.”

  She blushed as a string quartet began a selection. As if cued, the servers were dispatched, hefting brown trays on their shoulders.

  “You know, if it weren’t for that dress, I might have missed an opportunity to meet you sooner.”

  “My dress.” She groaned. “I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life. I’m afraid your sister-in-law models it better than me.”

  “Not from where I’m sitting or where I was standing.” He paused as their server placed their salad plates in front of them. “Sorry about the fib back there about not noticing you. Yes, I was aware that Paige was wearing your dress. You really had me tongue-tied. Forgiven?” He gave his best puppy-dog expression.

  Pepper twisted her lips as if she had to think about it. She laughed, then swatted at his hand. “Yes.” She sighed and looked around again. “People are starting to take their seats, but no one seems to be joining us. I wonder where everybody is at our table, including Monica.”

 
“Oh, they’re not coming.”

  “Excuse me? What happened to Monica? She’s going to leave me here alone?”

  “She fell short on her ticket sales.” Drake acted nonchalantly when he wanted to grin from ear to ear. He had to keep his cool. “I helped her out and asked if I could exchange seats with her, so it’s just you and me. I hope you don’t mind my company. I can entertain you with jokes, I can sing and dance…juggle glasses.” He winked and eyed her stemware. “Shall I give it a try?” Her answer was of no consequence to his plans to get to know her.

  “Don’t you dare!” She laughed.

  “Or we can enjoy getting to know each other.”

  “That sounds nice.” She frowned. “But are you serious, though, about everybody else standing her up?”

  “Yeah. It’s a shame, too. Monica said it seems her other potential ticketholders backed out at the last minute. It’s a good thing that I came to her rescue when I did.”

  Pepper lifted her brow with suspicion. “That’s odd.” She acted like she still didn’t know whether to believe him. Finally, she nodded. “I guess you’re right. I would’ve been sitting here all by myself until Monica was able to rest her feet.”

  “Trust me. Beautiful women never sit alone.” Pepper had to know she was hot, and he doubted she was ever without male companionship, which surprised him tonight, but that was to his benefit.

  There was no way a man would let a woman of her beauty out of his sight to wander alone through the ballroom. Case in point was his brother. Stephan said he would rather be bored listening to his wife’s idle chatter with other women than have to rearrange an interloper’s nose for trying to make a move on Paige when he wasn’t around.

  “I guess anyone who enjoys Shirley Temples can’t be all bad.”

  “You know it. That’s one of—I’m sure—many things we have in common.” They shared a knowing laugh, then Pepper bowed her head to say grace, and he followed her example. He wasn’t sure if she was going to pray aloud or silently, but he mumbled his blessing of thanks for the food, “And the lovely company of Pepper. Amen.”

  When Drake opened his eyes, Pepper smiled at him. He returned the gesture, snapping open a pyramid-folded napkin and placing it on his lap. Her eyes sparkled as she continued to watch him. Drake got lost in the brownest of eyes that were an excellent complement to her skin tone.

  “Hmmm. It appears we both like what we see,” Drake boasted.

  “It’s a little deeper than that. I appreciate a man who takes a moment of reflection. I guess you could classify me as a prayer enthusiast, but I’m not fanatical or anything like the scribes or Pharisees in the Bible. Some like to see babies laugh, others like to watch puppies play in water, my soft spot is people who take a moment to pray, especially men. It’s endearing or at times disappointing.” Pepper proceeded to stab at her lettuce with a shrug, then took a bite.

  “What do you mean?”

  As Pepper wiped her mouth, Drake poured dressing over his salad and waited.

  “You would be surprised at the things I’ve seen when men learn I’m a practicing Christian. I’ve never seen so many men whip out prayers for anything from a drink of water to walking out the door. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good to acknowledge God in all our ways, but to stop traffic and pray while a little old lady is crossing the street is a bit much, especially when a family member had her elbow. Afterward, I overheard curses mumbled under this guy’s breath when he thought I wasn’t listening.”

  Drake released a hearty laugh. “That’s absurd.”

  “Believe me. I’m not making this stuff up. Truth is stranger than fiction.”

  A few minutes later, their waiter stood nearby, waiting to take their empty plates and replace them with a Chicken Marsala dinner.

  Although he couldn’t vouch for the actions of other men, Drake felt it was his obligation to defend the brotherhood. “You have a problem with a man trying to impress you?” He placed his hand over his heart as if he was about to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

  “Stop it. I’m just saying I like transparency.”

  Women. Sometimes they were clueless when it came to a man’s heart. “You want transparency?”

  Before she could respond, he was distracted by someone calling his name. He glanced up and made eye contact with a few of his Omega Psi Phi fraternity brothers, then immediately returned his attention to Pepper. “It’s safe to say that I’ll be flirting with you all night.”

  A bewildered expression plagued her face. “Have you ever heard of overkill or overdone? You’re smack dab in the middle, Mr. Logan.”

  “Just being transparent.” Drake winked, then reached for the table pepper to shake on his mashed potatoes. Pepper didn’t know it yet, but he played hard and for keeps. From their initial interaction to now, Pepper seemed to have a dash of reservation about her, but that didn’t discourage Drake, who didn’t have a shy bone in his body. Wasn’t that why opposites attract?

  Over dinner, they discussed a range of topics from family to education.

  “I received my bachelor’s degree in math, but I couldn’t digest the boredom from the nine-to-five schedule behind a desk. I’m more of a hands-on person, so I segued into pharmaceutical sales,” Pepper said then pushed back her plate. She anchored her elbows on the table and rested her delicate chin on top of her linked hands. Drake saw the questions in her eyes and the smile that she did a poor job of holding back. “Go ahead and ask.”

  “I don’t have to. You seem to know what I was thinking, so why don’t you tell me how math was the prerequisite for a sales position.”

  “Actually, I find that my present position as an assistant to a buying rep is more fulfilling—”

  “Cheesecake or Key Lime Pie?”

  Although the waiter’s timing was off, Drake blanked his expression to hide his irritation. The man looked from Pepper to Drake.

  “Cheesecake, hands down, please.” Pepper grinned and Drake was mesmerized by her charm.

  “You, sir?”

  “I need real dessert, like chocolate cake.”

  “I’ll check in the back.” Without blinking the man left, Drake assumed, to do his bidding.

  “Picky,” she teased.

  “I prefer to call it selective.” He lowered his voice. “And I’m not just talking about food.”

  Shaking her head, Pepper sliced into her cheesecake, then took her time to slide it in her mouth. She swallowed gracefully. He watched in amusement as she repeated her routine until only crumbs were left.

  “I see you don’t share,” Drake joked, pointing to her plate.

  “I have no shame. Not with cheesecake.”

  Pepper dabbed her lips with a napkin, then folded her arms. Their waiter returned and placed a plate with a ridiculous hunk of chocolate cake in front of him. “I’ll share mine.” Scooping off a small portion, he offered it to her. She refused. “Just a taste,” he continued trying to entice her and he had almost succeeded.

  “Good evening, everybody,” the mistress of ceremony said, putting a halt to his coaxing. “Welcome to Children Are Our Future’s eighth annual scholarship soiree. Your presence tonight shows your commitment to our young people. Your generous silent bids on their artwork means you believe in their future success. We have a short program before we reveal the winning bids, so sit back and relax.”

  Pepper opened her booklet and scanned the program with her finger while Drake stuffed his mouth. Drake chuckled as Pepper jumped when drums pounded with an African rhythm as a prelude to a procession of an energetic group of teenagers, mimicking African sounds and dancing down the center aisle. Pepper seemed in awe of their performance as her shoulders swayed to the beat.

  It took about ten minutes, but the last dancer reached the stage where the group moved in sync until the drums stopped. The mistress of ceremony recited the bio of the twenty finalists. But it was the top ten recipients who had their moments in the spotlight, showcasing their musical talents and intellectual abilities
. Pepper seemed enthralled, but Drake couldn’t remember a minute of it. Pepper was a distraction.

  “You’re really enjoying this,” Drake whispered.

  When she slanted her head over her shoulder to respond, their lips were inches away, and that’s when the sparks exploded between them. Pepper swallowed and inched back. He refused to deny the mutual attraction and before the night was over he was confident that after one date, she would want more.

  “Several of them are students that I tutor.” She pointed to a few individuals on the stage.

  “I hope they appreciate your time,” he reluctantly commented, preferring to explore the apparent infatuation between them. Drake’s mind drifted to a few potential dating scenarios. He couldn’t let her get away. Drake checked his watch a few times as the event dragged to a close.

  “This isn’t on your program, but we have a treat tonight,” the mistress of ceremony informed the crowd. “It’s not every day when we can get these handsome hunks together. This is a group of talented brothers.”

  Sliding in his seat, Drake knew what was coming. Stephan struck again; he had somehow committed the Logan brothers without bothering to ask his siblings. That’s okay. Drake would pay him back later for interrupting his evening.

  “Please give Stephan, Marquis, Zaki, Tyson and Drake Logan a hearty round of applause as they come and give us a selection.”

  Pepper did a slow turn in her chair. A mix of curiosity and awe masked her face. She went through the motions of clapping with the audience, but clearly she was speechless.

  Drake adjusted his bow tie. “Don’t go anywhere,” he whispered as his nostrils flared. Her dark skin, slanted eyes, and China doll features were seared into his head. Yep. He had the perfect song.

  Usually, he and his second oldest brother, Zaki, were the lead vocalists, but not tonight. Drake had other plans as he was the last one to climb the steps to the stage. His other three brothers didn’t look too pleased to be on display either. One huffed and the others shrugged.