Pink & Patent Leather Read Online Free PDF Page A

me.”
    That was the story that I had given him, but Xavier was smart. I could tell by the way he peered through me that his thoughts were going through all kinds of machinations and calculations. And in only a few seconds, he had the answer to the eq uation that had been in his mind. He said, “Him? Pink, really? Him?”
    I didn ’t part my lips.
    “ He’s the man that you think God....”
    He didn ’t finish his sentence and I still said nothing.
    At first, I thought he was going to laugh at me, but his face stayed s tern. “You’re making a mistake.”
    As gently as I could, I snatched my arm away and without a word to Xavier, I kept on moving. In just a couple of steps, I was there. Right in front of Pastor Malik.
    It was as if my presence stopped everything. No one spoke, no one moved. Everyone just kept their eyes on me.
    “ Hello Malik.” For the first time ever, I left the ‘Pastor’ from in front of his name. Because it was time.
    His eyes squinted just slightly, as if he was trying to hide the way his glance roamed over al l of my new womanly curves.
    With my eyes on him, I offered my gift to him.
    “Thank you, Pink,” he said softly. Then, he stood, leaned over and kissed my cheek.
    That two second touch sent a spark straight through my body. A spark that settled in the center of my womanhood. A spark that I wasn’t expecting.
    He sat back down, but his beautiful brown eyes that were dark and soulful and covered with curly, dark lashes, never left me. He watched me, standing there poised and perfect. Even when his wife said, “ Sweetheart, you have other gifts you have to open first,” he stayed still with his eyes on me.
    He ignored his wife ’s words and lifted the top of the oblong box that I’d given him. His fingers caressed the silk Brooks Brother’s tie and then, when he raised the pink tie to his chest, the small platinum ring that I had finally taken off this morning fell into his lap.
    At first, his handsome face was carved with lines of confusion. But then, he raised his eyebrows and I knew that he remembered. And he understood.
    I stood frozen, excited, and scared. He had to say something, and in a moment, I would know whether those words I’d spoken six years ago had haunted him or inspired him.
    He said, “ Thank you, Sister Pink.”
    It wasn ’t his words that got to me. It was what happened next. It was his smile. His bright, wide smile that was meant just for me.
    It was on!
    I waited just another moment, just in case he was willing to give up everything and come with me right then. But when he didn’t move and stayed behind the dais, I understood. He couldn’t just walk away from his wife like this. This was going to take planning and time.
    That was fine with me. I believed God ’s word when He said everything decently and in order. I had waited this long. Another night or two wouldn’t matter.
    I winked, then pivoted, and sauntered away with a whole lot of promise in my strut.
    I was about halfway to the door when it dawned on me that just maybe he could have missed the message. So, I stopped, turned back around, and even though half of the ballroom would be able to hear me, I said, “You’re welcome, Malik. Anything for you.”
    Then, I kept walking, making eye contact with no one. I didn ’t stop when I got to the ballroom door. I didn’t even stop to wait for the elevator, instead, taking the stairs. I didn’t stop until I got to the front of the hotel and handed the valet my ticket for my car.
    The same attendant who ’d helped me out of my car, helped me back in and I gave him a twenty-dollar tip before I glanced in my rearview mirror and then sped away.
    It was only then that I breathed. I had expected Xavier to be right behind me, but I made a clean getaway. Wasn ’t sure if Xavier had followed me, but I was sure that I got away.
    When I turned onto Pennsylvani a Avenue, I let myself smile. That had gone better than I expected, actually. Even though I