Free No Other Lover Will Do by Cheris Hodges Page B

don’t need you or any other man to tell me I look good. I already know that.”
    Solomon held his hands up. “Excuse me. Well, Miss Davis, I hope you will pardon me for underestimating you.”
    She rolled her eyes at him. “I’d love to meet Solomon Crawford.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?” he asked as he led her to the booth in the back of the restaurant.
    Kandace looked into his eyes and shook her head. “Who are you? The real you, behind the money, the fancy clothes, and the slick attitude.”
    â€œAll right, I’ll tell you who I am if you do the same. Who’s the woman inside you?”
    Before Kandace could say anything, a waiter walked over and placed their salads on the table. “Please let me know if I can get you anything else,” he said, then left the table.
    â€œYou go first,” she said as she took a quick bite of her salad.
    â€œLadies first, my father always says,” he replied.
    Kandace fingered her hair. “Okay,” she said. “I work too hard because I don’t want to have to depend on anyone for anything.”
    â€œI know that. If you want to see the real me, it’s only fair that I see the real you. Every tantalizing inch.”
    â€œSee, there you go again,” she said. “Can we have a conversation without the sexual innuendo?”
    Solomon took her hand in his. “All right, I’m going to be honest. This is new to me. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been on a real date with a woman.”
    â€œWas this before or after you got your heart broken?”
    Solomon tapped her hand. “You think you know me, huh?”
    â€œI know your type. Men just don’t deal with heartbreak the way women do. You hide behind meaningless one-night stands and overinflated actresses.”
    He chuckled. “Been watching Access Hollywood, huh?”
    Kandace shrugged. “Can’t help but notice you on TV. You’ve been linked to every hot chick in the world. So, why me?”
    Solomon smiled. “At first it was because your ass looked so great in that bathing suit.”
    â€œPig,” she said.
    â€œAren’t we doing the honest thing here? You asked. I answered. You can’t hold that against me.”
    Kandace looked down at her hand, noticing that he was still holding it, gently stroking the back of it with his thumb. She felt comfortable sitting there with him and she wondered if this was a part of his charm. Is this how he eased his way between the thighs of all the women he’d been linked to? Were those stories even true?
    â€œWell, you saw me in the bathing suit and then what?” she asked.
    â€œYou challenge me, all right. I was really turned on when you didn’t know who I was. I can’t go anywhere and not be recognized. It’s really refreshing to know that you weren’t blinded by my name and what I have.”
    â€œThat’s all it takes to get Solomon Crawford excited? I better alert the press,” Kandace joked.
    He brought her hand to his lips. “Your turn,” he said. “Tell me why a beautiful and smart woman like you is still single.”
    â€œBecause I don’t believe in settling,” she said, then toyed with her salad. “You know, some women still want real love. I’m willing to wait for it.”
    â€œLove? Yeah, right. No one believes in love anymore.” Solomon jabbed at his salad. “Why don’t we talk about something else?”
    â€œDo you mean to tell me that you’ve been in love?” Kandace raised her eyebrows and broke into laughter. “That explains so much.”
    Solomon dropped his fork and folded his arms across his chest. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    â€œI always heard that men couldn’t handle heartbreak and you’re proof of it,” she said.
    â€œWhatever.”
    She stroked his hand. “It’s all right, we’ve all been