Romancing the Runway. Linda Hudson-Smith

command her undivided attention.

      Kennedy immediately saw that Café Blue was appropriately named. The entire decor was done in various shades of blue. She later learned Blue was the last name of the owner, who was a retired Oakland Raiders football player. Xavier’s father, La Monte De Marco, and the owner, Reynard Blue, had been good friends from back in the day. They’d never lost touch, though La Monte resided on the East Coast.

      Once Xavier had introduced Reynard and Kennedy, Reynard ushered the couple to the table he had handpicked. The seating arrangement looked out over the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica. The couple was then given cleverly designed menus: thin navy-blue leather-bound books with light blue parchment paper printed with a darker blue ink.

      Soft, romantic music drifted from the overhead speakers, though an accomplished pianist was scheduled to perform within the hour. Kennedy thought it’d be nice to listen to piano music while dining. She’d already fallen for the first-class establishment. The atmosphere was romantic yet not overwhelmingly so for a first date.

      Xavier stood. “Excuse me for a couple of moments for a trip to the men’s room.”

      “I’ll be right here when you get back.” She gave him a sweet smile.

      Xavier fought the strong urge to lean down and kiss her, but it was too soon for that. Besides, he’d never been a fast mover when it came to the opposite sex. Taking things at a slower pace was more to his liking. Usually he was into first building a solid friendship, yet he was already sure he wanted more. The kind of torrid thoughts he had about Kennedy on a regular basis couldn’t be filed away under “friendship.”

      As Xavier walked away from her, Kennedy watched after him, loving what she saw. His perfectly rounded derriere had her near panting, which led to her recalling some of the details of their first encounter. Now that was a night to remember.

      They had met during an intimate photo shoot on a windswept beach in Malibu. The two supermodels had partnered to do a provocative swimwear layout for a high-fashion magazine. Their scantily clad bodies had come into contact quite a bit that day, causing Kennedy’s body temperature to rise several degrees above normal. With a body as hard and fine as Xavier’s, Kennedy had a hard time keeping her eyes from going too far south and her imagination running wild. The power and sturdiness of his thighs and legs couldn’t be ignored. Keeping up her professional demeanor wasn’t an easy task, but she’d managed. At the end of the day her nerves had been frayed from the tension of wanting this man in a way she’d never wanted anyone. The time she’d spent working with Xavier was ingrained in her memory. Neither one had denied or validated the chemistry between them, but it was definitely present. In spades.

      Shortly before the photo shoot had come too quickly to an end for her, Kennedy had been invited to have dinner with Xavier later in the evening. Regrettably, she’d had to decline because of prior plans. Otherwise, she would’ve accepted his invitation without the slightest hesitation. Xavier had been a delight to work with. Not only was he enchanting, he had exhibited a beautiful spirit, a rare combination in her opinion.

      Kennedy had immediately been wildly attracted to Xavier’s high energy. To her, he looked like an African-American version of John F. Kennedy Jr., with a similar style of thick, though sandy, wavy hair. His devastating good looks, long lashes and sexy Boston accent hadn’t hurt matters any, but the kind of spirit he possessed was more important to her than anything. It’d seemed to her that their spirits were kindred. Xavier had been a gentleman to everyone he had come into contact with regardless of gender. He was caring and thoughtful toward the entire crew. His willingness to lend a helping hand to others was impressive. Kennedy actually saw quite a few of her own qualities in him, which made her believe he had a good spirit.

      According to the fashion gossipmongers, Xavier was well bred and well-rounded and a Boston University graduate with a degree in communications. Both parents were successful physicians. His mother, Adelle, was a general surgeon. His father, La Monte, was an orthopedic surgeon. From what else Kennedy had learned, the older De Marcos resided in an elite neighborhood in Boston, in the same house in which they raised Xavier.

      Xavier returned to the table. Soon as he reclaimed his seat, he immediately turned his attention back to his date. “What do you think of the place?”

      “I like it. The color scheme is fascinating. All these different hues of blues are actually complementary to each other. I hope the food is as wonderful as the atmosphere. I assume you’ve eaten here before?”

      “The food is spectacular. I’ve come here with my parents a couple of times. I thought you might like it. It’s quiet, a lot like your serene spirit.”

      Kennedy’s breath caught. What a nice thing for him to say. Her spirit was a quiet one. She was intrigued with how well he’d already summed up an important part of her character. She loved peace and harmony, detesting conflict in any form or fashion.

      “God, you’re beautiful,” he said just above a whisper, his pulse going berserk. Looking at her was an exhilarating experience. Being in her company was even more awesome.

      Kennedy looked perplexed, lowering her lashes. “Sorry, but I’m afraid I didn’t catch your last remark.”

      “It was nothing.” While Xavier silently thanked God that she hadn’t heard him, his smile was soft and tender. His remark had been totally out of line. Coming on too strong wasn’t a good thing, especially at this juncture. Getting to know her better had Xavier all hyped up, but he didn’t want to lose her, not when he was this big on winning.

      Since it appeared Xavier wasn’t going to repeat his remark, Kennedy thought she should let it go, no matter how curious she was. He also looked rather embarrassed.

      What had he said to make him blush? She’d surely like to know.

      The waiter suddenly arrived, giving them a chance to regroup.

      Kennedy instantly settled on the entrée-size Caesar salad, topped with grilled chicken. “Please, put the dressing on the side.” Then she asked for water with a wedge of lemon.

      As Xavier gave the waiter his order, the deep timbre of his voice caused Kennedy’s body to slightly shiver. Grilled Orange Roughy was actually one of her favorite whitefish. Maybe he’d let her sample a bite, she thought, smiling inwardly.

      “I like my asparagus crunchy,” Xavier explained. “A small garden salad with balsamic vinegar will work nicely for me.” He took a last-minute glance at the menu. “Peach iced tea, please. Can you also bring us a small plate of lemon wedges?”

      “Absolutely, sir. If that’ll be all for you, I’ll turn in your order right away.”

      Xavier nodded. “Our order is complete. Thank you.”

      Kennedy had a fleeting moment of awkwardness, but she shook it off. She was dining with a perfect gentleman, a very nice, fine one, she quietly assured herself.

      The couple carried on a nice conversation as they waited for their meals.

      As Xavier was very eager to learn even more about Kennedy, he asked all the pertinent questions, and she happily and truthfully responded to each. He thought that a person’s personal background was a great way of learning how they grew up and the value system they’d grown up under. Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, wasn’t too far down the road from Boston.

      His eyes gleamed with curiosity. “How was life in Philadelphia?”

      “Pretty darn good.” Her lovely smile showed off her fondness for the region. “I still love to go home for visits, especially on holidays. My mother, Megan, and my dad, Kennedy, retired educators, wouldn’t think of living anywhere else. However, they do love to fly to L.A. a few times a year. If Mom thought she could convince Dad to move west, I think she’d go for it. The cold weather is still pretty daunting for her.”

      The mention of her parents caused Xavier to think of his. He recalled telling Kennedy a bit about them before, but he went on to do a brief recap. “No one in my family is leaving Boston. Dad is actually an L.A. Lakers fan. Figure