Chapter 11

Obviously there was chemistry between them that he was acting on but Rielle was still hesitant and not only because he was a visitor. The fact that he was not a permanent resident was both a pro and a con. If they relationship didn't work out he at least would be leaving and not a constant reminder of what might have been. If the relationship did work then she wasn't sure where that would leave them. 

While he was an equal opportunity dater, she had never dated a Caucasian man before and he was also a little older than she was. Rielle had only ever dated guys her age and wasn’t sure how much they would have in common.

“I guess you can’t say the same?” he said quietly and she shook her head.

“For some reason, not a lot of guys asked me out in high school and by the time I got to college I just wasn’t interested in any of the white guys that did ask. I always got the feeling that they just wanted to try something different and I wasn't willing to be anyone's experiment.” She revealed slowly wondering what that said about her.

K.C. nodded to show that he understood where she was coming from.

"I do know what you mean. I went out with all types of women and because I was colorblind I know some of them did just date me for that reason." he told her honestly. 

It was hard for K.C. to not go at her with all of his considerable charms and truth be told most women would have been inviting him in for a nightcap by now. He had had a few one night stands in college, but had always made sure to wrap it up and he had always tested clean for any sort of disease.

After college he had concentrated on his career for a while before he had gotten into a relationship with a young lawyer that had lasted four months probably because they ignored the fact that they were hardly ever together.

K.C. wasn't a saint by any means but as he had gotten older he realized that he wanted to be in a relationship. He usually liked to know a little something more about her woman than what she liked to drink and her sign before he jumped into bed with her. Something that his mother had said to him stuck about whoever he was involved with being someone's daughter and he needed to treat them with respect.

The fact was that he had been spoiled by women but that was because he treated them well. When Tiffani had shown her true colors he had become jaded and totally disenchanted with women and not interested in starting a new relationship. But there was something about Gabrielle that had him forgetting about his vow to remain single for a while. 

Gabriielle hesitated so long that he almost gave up hope of her saying yes. She was very cautious and he wondered if someone had hurt her for her to be so guarded.

“At least let me fix that light for you. I know a little something about electricity if it turns into a bigger job than just changing the bulb.” He offered, his blue eyes earnest and she chewed on her lip for a moment to prevent herself from saying yes too fast.

“All right, I would appreciate you looking at the light if you aren’t too busy. I usually go to the market early to get my produce for the week so if you wanted to stop by say at eleven thirty I should be home.” Gabrielle told him and saw his eyes glowing as his even white teeth flashed at her.

“I have to pick up my vehicle in the morning but that should work out. Do you have a cell phone?” he asked and she pulled out a slim pink model from her purse and handed it to him.

She watched him tap in his digits and wondered why he was so calm when her body was tingling from his proximity and the touch of his hands. Rielle was trying to settle her nerves after the brief contact with his warm hands when he handed her phone back.

“I put in my number so that you can call me when you get home tomorrow. I’ll see you in the morning and by the way please call me K.C., Mr. Whitfield is my father.” He told her with a roughish smile.

She dropped her purse onto a chair next to the door and followed him down the steps back to the gate almost without knowing how she got there.

K.C. lifted her hand turned it over and placed a soft kiss on her inner wrist while keeping eye contact before he turned and slipped out the gate. He stood on the other side, blue eyes twinkling at her until her fumbling fingers managed to lock it.

"Goodnight and thank you." Gabrielle said quietly looking up and him. 

“Sleep tight.” He said softly giving her a wink before he strolled away whistling ‘Could You Be Love’ by Bob Marley which had been playing when he walked up to her car.

She went back up the steps laughing and picked up her bag in a happy fog no longer wondering if she had made a mistake. Rielle felt like one of those giddy teenagers who got to shake hands with their crush and didn’t want to wash their hands after.

She took a quick shower barely passing the soap over her skin, afraid to touch the throbbing bundle of nerves between her thighs or the skin of her wrist because she could still feel his lips there.

 Rielle dressed in a wife beater and panties and said a quick prayer before laying in bed a smile still on her face when she finally fell asleep.

She awoke at six as usual feeling energized and dressed quickly in a short brown sundress, flat leather sandals, big silver hoops and wrapped her head in a yard of dark brown fabric after she couldn’t do anything with it. She grabbed up a big straw bag and slipped her purse and cell phone in it along with her sunglasses before running out the door.

This early there wasn’t a lot of traffic on the road except people going to the different open air markets being held throughout the island. Rielle found a parking space on a back street and was soon joining the other shoppers in the pursuit of fresh produce.

There were people selling herbs, spices, fresh fish, honey, different stewed fruits, fruits, vegetables, homemade hot pepper sauce, sugarcane juice, and local drinks, peanut punch and sea moss both of which were said to be aphrodisiacs. Fruit trees, paintings, mahogany statues, jewelry, clothing, leather sandals, straw bags and hats along with local cookbooks were offered up for sale by the hands that had produced them.

She greeted the vendors she knew and got some fresh snapper, dolphin  also known as mahi-mahi, thyme, tomatoes, cucumbers, spinach, limes, peppers, avocados, mangoes, a hand green bananas, a pineapple and replenished her supply of locally made soap and shampoo.

Rielle’s parents ran an ice cream store called Tropical Delights not far from the market on the waterfront that had been in her father’s family for nearly sixty years and she walked there after she finished shopping.

When her father, Graham had taken over the business from his father he had expanded and made a deal with several of the larger hotels including the Excelsior to be the exclusive vendor of locally made ice cream.

She remembered summers as a kid working there along with Christopher serving customers and helping to make the ice cream which was made with local flavors, as well as sandwiches, pastries and cakes.

The store opened from nine until six in the evenings during the week and on Saturdays and closed on Sunday. She still pitched in during the summers when she wasn’t playing beach volleyball and when she was on Christmas break but the school term was reserved for teaching her students only. Rielle was looking forward to spring break which coincided with Easter and they would be out of school for ten days the week after next.