Read Online Comfort of a Man (Arabesque) by Adrianne Byrd - Free Book Online

breath. He would be the one to leave this time. If they were meant to be together, then their paths would cross again, right? Forcing himself to break eye contact, he pulled out of the emergency lane and merged into traffic, tossing his hopes for another chance with Brooklyn up to fate.

Chapter 8
    B rooklyn’s day got worse. Mr. Parris was a no-show at their rescheduled appointment. There was nothing like a dose of her own medicine to ease the taste of her pride. She hadn’t sold a house in almost two months and now she feared being able to make her own mortgage payment next month.
    For a quick pick-me-up, she called the one person she knew could lift her spirits.
    “Toni, can you meet me at Sammy’s? I need a drink.”
    Concern edged Toni’s voice. “This sounds serious.”
    “It’s past serious and riding the line of critical.”
     
    At Sammy’s, Toni’s concern intensified as she stared at Brooklyn. “Okay. I’m all ears,” she said, stabbing her salad.
    Brooklyn drew in a deep breath while her brain flailed for a beginning to her story. “I ran into Isaiah today—literally.”
    The name didn’t ring any bells for Toni and she stared at her friend, expecting and needing more information.
    “Isaiah,” Brooklyn said again, shocked that her friend didn’t catch on immediately. “From New York.”
    Recognition dawned on Toni and her eyes lit like the Macy’s Christmas tree at Herald Square. “You’re kidding me. How? When? Where? Are you going to sleep with him again?”
    Brooklyn sighed and shook her head. “I rammed into him on the highway this morning—if you can believe it. And no. I’m not going to sleep with him again. The word again defies the definition of a one-night stand.”
    “A one-night stand was baby steps, remember? You’re ready for the next step.”
    “The next step?”
    Toni nodded and leaned in. “A fling. Not just any fling, but the toe-curling, skin-tingling kind.”
    Brooklyn recoiled despite being intrigued by her friend’s blunt statement and despite her forthcoming protests. “I can’t have a fling with that man,” she hissed, glancing to ensure no one overheard them.
    Toni laughed. “And why not? You already slept with him. A fling just means you continue to sleep with him. What’s the big deal?”
    “The big deal is…” Brooklyn drew in another breath, while struggling for the right words. “The big deal is…” She shook her head, unable to complete the sentence.
    “Yes? I’m waiting,” Toni said, cupping her ear.
    “A fling is a notch below a relationship,” Brooklyn finally managed to say.
    “You’re reaching into left field, don’t you think?”
    She didn’t answer. Instead she stabbed her own fork into her salad as though the act would somehow alleviate her frustration. In truth, she did want to see Isaiah again.
    “I don’t know why he’s here,” Brooklyn mumbled.
    “So find out.”
    “After the way I treated him this morning, I doubt I’m on the top of his Christmas list.” Brooklyn moaned as she thought back to their chance encounter. “I was rude to him.”
    “So apologize.”
    Brooklyn met Toni’s gaze. “Do you ever run out of answers?”
    “I haven’t yet. Do you ever run out of excuses?”
    “I haven’t yet.”
    The women laughed and continued to eat their meal of soup and salad. Whenever their gazes met, smiles fluttered weakly at their lips.
    “Well?” Toni asked after a full fifteen minutes had passed.
    Brooklyn gave her a farcical look of confusion.
    “Are you going to find him?”
    She shook her head. “Definitely not,” she said with conviction. “Besides, I wouldn’t know how.” When she glanced up, she didn’t like Toni’s smug expression.
    “Well, there’s always the accident report.”
    “Are you sure your last name isn’t Colombo?”
    “There’s also the internet and your best friend, c’est moi, who has connections with people with questionable reputations.”
    “Should I be worrying about