Kyla felt a rush of relief as the plane touched down on the tarmac. Even after several years of taking flights between her parents’ homes on opposite sides of the U.S., she still had not gotten over her fear of flying. Fortunately, this stop would be her last for at least the next six months as she prepared for her new position as a claims adjuster. In just three short days, she would begin a ten week training to prepare her for inspecting insurance claims for home that had been damaged by natural disasters.
Thanks to her uncle and his job as a manager with the company, she had been considered for an interview and ultimately gotten the position. Her goal was to work with her father’s land development firm based in Los Angeles, but she still needed to work on her masters’ degree first and after finishing her bachelor’s she just wasn’t ready to go through more school. The break would help in getting her some experience and the money she’d been offered was well worth it.
The best part, however, was the fact that she would be able to spend time with her favorite uncle Calvin. She could hardly wait to see him and his wife Iris and her little cousin Kenya. He had told her they would be working not too far from each other and that had made her super excited. He had been a permanent fixture for as long as she could remember, and he was everything that symbolized stability in her life.
Now for the first time in almost 4 years, she was again back in the comforts of the one and only place she considered home. As soon as it was safe to turn on her cell phone, she immediately restored power and reviewed her text messages for any possible word from Iris or Calvin. Seeing as how they were expecting the arrival of their second child at any moment, Kyla had been in close communication with them throughout her day’s travel to make sure everything was ok and to verify any changes in plans for Calvin to pick her up from the airport. When their daughter, Kenya had been born 3 years ago, Kyla had not been able to be around for that experience and she was very much looking forward to making up for that with the new baby.
Just as she prepared to de-board the plane, she heard her cell phone ringing and quickly phished it out of her purse. It was her uncle. “Hey Uncle Cal,” she beamed as she walked down the corridor to the gate.
“Hey there, Sweetheart,” he smiled through the phone. “How was the flight?”
“I made it one piece so I’m great. Are you guys waiting for me in baggage claim or do you want me to meet you outside?”
“Well, honey that’s why I’m calling,” Calvin began. “Iris went into labor about an hour ago so we are actually headed to the hospital now.”
“Oh that’s wonderful news!” Kyla was excited. “What hospital? I will get a cab and be there as soon as I can. Is Kenya with you?”
“Wait, wait slow down,” he chuckled at her enthusiasm. “I’ve asked a good friend, Landon Bittner, to pick you up at the airport. He is actually one of the adjusters that will be on your team when you finish training. He was very happy to meet you and will help get you settled.”
“Well what about Kenya?” Kyla couldn’t help but feel a little deflated. “Do you need me to come pick her up or anything?”
“Oh no,” he assured her. “She is with Iris’ parents so all is under control. Iris wanted to make sure you got settled in. She said she was going to need you tomorrow and wanted you to get your rest. I will call the house or your cell phone to check in every so often, ok?"
“Okay great! Is there anything I can do at the house?”
“Nope not a thing,” he smiled. “Just relax and get your rest. Oh and try to enjoy your time out with Landon. I told him we were planning on taking you to dinner tonight so he wanted to keep with the plan.”
“Okay,” Kyla tried to sound confident about her uncle’s dinner announcement. She would have to get over being shy if she was going to be a good adjuster. And now was as good a time as any to start practicing. Her mood lightened a little as she and her uncle continued their conversation and discussed where she was to find the set of house keys he’d left for her and the new car her father had delivered a day ago as her graduation present. The news of the car was bittersweet. She definitely appreciated the gift, but she wished just once her father would give her a bit of his attention and time to see that she had something in person.
She shrugged off her thoughts and then ended her call after she got the cell number for Landon. Calvin had instructed her to either call or send a text message to him so they could find each other. Kyla was still a little unsteady on her feet at reaching out to a perfect stranger, but she also considered if he knew her uncle then he was probably a good person and not a stranger. It was just someone she had not met yet. Kyla had always been shy around new people when she first met them, but once she warmed up a bit she was fine. Taking a deep breath, she chose the text message approach and quickly punched in the keystrokes reading, ‘Hi Landon. This is Calvin Redford’s niece, Kyla.’ A few moments later, she got a text back confirming she had reached the right person.
*****
Landon studied the photo Calvin had sent to his phone of his niece, Kyla. There was no denying she was absolutely gorgeous. Her honey colored skin and big doe eyes captivated his attention and he was sure there would be no mistake in identifying her. Running a hand through his thick, black hair, he scanned the crowded baggage claim area for any signs of a familiar face. The monitor showing arrivals confirmed her flight had landed not too long ago, and he imagined she would be coming towards him at any time.
He’d just finished parking when he’d received her first text message and they had been steadily texting back and forth the last ten minutes or so. It was a little out of character for him, but he couldn’t help but feel a little anxious about meeting her. Calvin and Iris had become very good friends to him since they’d first met nearly four years ago, and he knew how much Kyla meant to both of them. She had always visited when he was on assignment, so they had never met prior though Calvin had wanted to introduce him many times.
From the way he talked about her, you would have thought she was more his daughter than his niece. Landon had heard about the trainees and had not been really surprised when he’d discovered Kyla was going to be one of them. Based on what her resume had stated and her field of study, he was pretty sure she would be a sharp addition to the team. If nothing else, she would definitely be an attractive addition, he thought to himself.
When he turned his gaze towards the escalators, a nice pair of smooth, honey colored legs caught his attention. His eyes stayed focused and he was rewarded with a view of a curvy figure containing round hips and generous breasts underneath a knee length summer dress. As soon as her head was clear, Landon was able to see it was Kyla. The photo Calvin had sent had not done her justice. Calvin had sent him a photo that was a few years old and it was that of a girl. The beauty he was looking at now was a sophisticated, elegant and very classy woman.
He moved closer towards her and was able to see more clearly. The strapless style blue floral print sundress accented her curves and moved with her as she gracefully walked in his direction. She was wearing her long hair in soft full brown curls that fell against her back and around her shoulders, and her complexion was smooth and even and it was evident she was wearing very little make up. There was just a touch of lip gloss that she wore drawing his attention to her full, pink and kissable soft lips.
Landon swallowed hard at the sight of her. Innocent beauty were the words that first came to mind. Even as classic as she looked there in front of him, he couldn’t help but sense the air of innocence about her. It turned him on without question. “Kyla,” he approached her timidly and smiled at her warmly. She met his gaze and her eyes widened with surprise at first and then returned to normal.
“Landon?” Kyla bit her lower lip and gave him a shy smile. The gesture made her look even more beautiful to him. Kyla felt her heartbeat quicken as he nodded his reply. He towered over her 5’6” frame and had to be at least 6’3 or more. He was definitely taller than Calvin and her father from what she could gather. His green eyes sparkled when he smiled and he had a dimple in his left cheek that Kyla found adorable. Seeing him, she felt a little more at ease, though she still wasn’t as confident as she would have liked to have been.
“Calvin told me you were very pretty, but his description did not do you justice,” Landon was trying to be charming but he was also telling the truth. “Did you have a good flight?”
“Yes, thank you. And thank you for the compliment.” Her cheeks grew warm and she was sure her fair skinned complexion had betrayed her revealing her embarrassment at his words. She smiled and bit her lower lip before breaking eye contact.
“Well you’re very welcome.” He told her. “Shall we?” He gestured with his hand towards the conveyer belt station that would deliver her luggage. She followed the direction of his hand and allowed him to guide her towards their destination.
“I should probably be used to it by now, but I still don’t really like flying.” She remarked as they walked on.
“That’s understandable,” he told her. “Personally, I like road trips.”
“Oh yeah?” Kyla perked up a bit and looked over at him.
“Mm hmm,” he nodded his reply.
“So do I,” she said quietly. They were silent for a moment and Kyla took the opportunity to study Landon more closely. He looked good in his dark washed jeans and crisp white shirt. He had the shirt opened a bit and Kyla was able to see his smooth tanned skin and part of her ached to touch it. It was obvious he worked and she would not have been surprised if he’d told her that he used to be a football player. His build looked like that of a man who used to be or still was an athlete.
With his dark hair and dark features, Kyla categorized him as the kind of guy you would consider eye candy. He was just two steps away from a Calvin Klein underwear ad, and definitely beyond her reach. Though, she was looking forward to the dreams she would have about him. In truth, she kept all men, attractive or otherwise in the category of eye candy. She had never been intimate with anyone and felt safer in her fantasies. Lately, however, she was starting to feel more of an urge to experiment out of her comfort zone.
“Oh great, they started it up,” the sound of Landon’s voice cut into her thoughts and she felt her cheeks grow hot.
“W-what,” she stammered.
“The conveyer belt,” he tilted his head in the direction of the moving luggage belt. “Ready?”
“Oh yeah, of course,” her smile returned and she relaxed a bit.
“Are you okay?”
“Oh yeah, I am fine,” she moved closer to the belt and kept her eyes on the belt and away from his gaze. “I should probably tell you that I checked three bags so it may be a bit longer to get all of them.”
“No worries,” he waved his hand in front of her. “Just let me know which is which.”
Fifteen minutes later, they were making their way outside towards the parking garage across from the terminal. It was warm but mild for May and the sun felt good on Kyla’s shoulders. They made small talk as Landon loaded the back of his SUV and then he chivalrously assisted her with climbing into the front passenger seat. Being a bit closer to her now, he was able to smell the delicate scent of her fragrance which smelled like lavender and vanilla. It was as delicate as she was and it invaded his senses arousing him more than he had expected.
Quickly he moved to shut the door. ‘Down boy,’ he said to himself before climbing into the seat next to her. He had not been able to get a read on her yet, but something told him that he would have to be slow and not rush in with his approach to her. He also had to keep in mind that they would be working together and he didn’t want to make a wrong impression.
“So I was thinking we could drop off your luggage at Calvin’s and then go to dinner,” Landon suggested as he proceeded to the exit of the garage. “How does that sound?”
“Yes, that would be great,” Kyla began. “But, I don’t want to put you out. You have been more than generous in just your picking me up and taking me back to Calvin and Iris’ house.”
“Well it’s been my pleasure,” he looked over at her. “And you having dinner with me would be great payback.” Kyla smiled and visibly relaxed a bit more.
“Well in that case, I would love to.”
As they drove to Calvin and Iris’ house, Landon pointed out some of the new sites that had come up since her last visit. A lot had changed in three years. “Here on the right is where you will be going for training on Monday,” he pointed out as they passed by a large building that looked like a huge factory.
“You are a very good tour guide, Landon.” Kyla smiled. He chuckled and was happy to find that she was getting more comfortable.
“I do try.”
A few minutes later, they were pulling up in front of her uncle’s house. “I’m going to get the key and I will be right back.” Kyla got out of the truck as Landon turned off the engine. He watched her walk towards the front door to grab the shiny object from under the welcome mat. His thoughts immediately went to wondering what it would feel like to touch the soft, ample flesh of her ass. If it was as nice to touch as it was to look at it then he was sure to be in heaven. He had always been attracted to women of color though he had never had the opportunity to date one before. His curiosity did get the best of him, he admitted that much, but there was something other than race about Kyla that called to him. He just didn’t know what it was yet.
Wasting no time, they worked to bring in the bags and get them to the guest suite which was Kyla’s room when she was home. It was on the first floor which made it easy. The room was painted in a faint lilac color and had crisp white crown moldings. As soon as he entered, he immediately could tell this room belonged to her. There was a four poster dark cherry bed with the matching dresser and armoire, and she had a light purple floral bedspread and lots of pillows on her bed.
She also had an overstuffed chair next to the window with a light purple throw blanket and it was sitting next to a small table with a lamp that he imagined she used as a place to read. The bathroom door was open and had the same light purple accents in there. It was delicate and sweet just like she was and seemed to fit her perfectly.
“Do we have time for me to freshen up before we go,” Kyla asked as he placed the last of her bags on top of the bed.
“Sure,” he turned to her. “I’ll wait in the living room.” He walked back out of the room and left Kyla to do what she needed to do. Knowing that she was going to be getting back into Landon’s SUV, she decided it was probably a good idea to change into something that would be easier to move in, so she searched through her luggage until she found what she was looking for.
She turned on the shower and quickly undressed and got in. The warm water felt good on her skin and she lathered herself in the scent of vanilla allowing the smells to relax her more. Kyla didn’t want to keep Landon waiting too long, so she got out, dried off and quickly applied lotion to her damp skin. She decided to wear a red halter top that clung to her curves and fell just below her waist with a pair of dark blue jeans and matching red thong heels. She changed her purse to a smaller red clutch and put on a pair of silver and red dangling earrings and a matching bracelet. Perfect.
She brushed her curls and did a half updo with a red clip in her hair allowing some of the curly tendrils to fall against her face. Kyla quickly brushed her teeth, reapplied her lip gloss and then did a once over in the mirror. Everything had been done in less than twenty minutes and she was pleased with the outcome. On her way out of the room, she realized she had not put on her favorite fragrance and she quickly sprayed her bottle of Lavender on her pressure points before going back out to meet Landon.
He was reading a magazine from the coffee table when she came in. Landon did a double take when he looked up. Red was definitely a good color on her and accented her honey brown skin very well. “You look amazing,” he said as he stepped closer to her and closed the gap between them.
“Thank you,” she had to look up to meet his gaze and then looked away. “Are you ready?”
He offered her his arm and they walked towards the front door. He waited for her to secure the door and then they continued to his truck. Kyla was starting to feel a bit more at ease about the evening, but she was also feeling a new sensation she had not explored before. Her naiveté in matters of the heart didn’t allow her to fully understand this attraction she felt. It was new and a little scary.
“So where are we going,” Kyla asked him as she buckled her seatbelt.
“I know this place that had a great view of the waterfront downtown,” he told her. “It’s called Rosa’s Café. Ever heard of it?”
“No,” Kyla shook her head. “But I’m excited to try it out.”
“I think you will like it,” he smiled at her. They talked easily as they made their way downtown. The traffic was pretty light and it had been easier than Landon had anticipated finding a park.
When he turned off the engine, he turned to her and instructed her to stay there until he came around. She watched him get out and took a deep breath. ‘Just relax and have fun’, she repeated to herself the same words her uncle had told her earlier.
The car door opened and Landon reached for her hand to help her down and out of the seat. He had been raised to be a gentleman, but the way she acted and responded to him made it so much easier to fall into that role. They casually strolled down the sidewalk and discussed the different shops that lined the street. Kyla was surprised to see the changes that had taken place. There were lots of new specialty stores that had sprung up, and she was happy to see the downtown area returning to its livelihood.
When they reached the restaurant, Kyla immediately fell in love with the place. It reminded her of the French cafés she had frequented while staying in Paris. Landon was happy to see her smile in approval. The hostess led them inside and to the rear where there were tables on the deck overlooking the river. The soft breeze and casual elegance of the atmosphere added to the experience and made Kyla wish she were on a date.
“Do you like it?” Landon said leaning close to her ear from behind. The closeness of his warm breath on her neck made her quiver and a warm sensation spread throughout the lower region of her body. She felt a little wobbly on her knees and moved to sit down across from him.
“Very much,” she told him. Landon moved to assist her with her chair and then took his seat across from her. He was happy to be able to see her face to face where he could take in her beauty fully.
“Everything is really good here,” he said. “This place belongs to my best friend’s mom, and I promise she is a great cook.”
“I am going to trust your judgment,” she smiled and returned to scanning the menu.
“Welcome to Rosa’s,” Kyla and Landon looked up to see the friendly face of their server. “I’m Katie and I will be taking care of you guys this evening.” She placed down two glasses of ice water. “Can I get you started with something to drink? We have a Wildberry flavored iced tea that is really great.”
“I think I’d like to try that,” Landon told her.
“Okay, and for you, miss?” Katie turned her attention to Kyla.
“I’ll have the same. Thank you, Katie.” Kyla nodded.
“Alright, I’ll be right back with those.” She turned and walked away leaving them once again to their own devices.
“The way they describe everything in this menu I am not sure what I want to try,” Kyla remarked. “It all looks delicious. Do you have a favorite?”
“Hmm lemme think,” Landon was thoughtful. “Do you like fish?” Kyla nodded her reply. “I would suggest the blackened tuna steak then.”
“Okay, then that’s what I will have.”
“Here you are,” Katie returned with their drink orders. “Have you decided what you would like?” Kyla looked over at Landon who nodded and Kyla also gave an affirmative reply.
“I’m going to have the rosemary chicken with a house salad and the house dressing.” Katie scribbled down Landon’s order. “And can I see your wine list?”
“Absolutely, and for you?” She handed him the wine list she was holding under her arm.
“I will have the blackened tuna steak with a Caesar salad.” Kyla handed her the menu.
“Okay you guys, I will get that in for you right away and be back with your salads and bread.”
“Would you like to see the wine list,” he handed her the menu and she accepted it. “So Kyla, are you excited about Monday?” Landon took a sip of his tea which was actually better than he’d expected.
“Yes and a little nervous as well” She looked up at him and smiled.
“You’ll do great, trust me.”
“I noticed they serve wines from the Donovan Winery,” she pointed to the menu. “Have you ever been there?”
“No, I can’t say I have, but I typically order their Chardonnay. It’s one of my favorites.”
“I was going to do the same,” she replied.
“Well, great! Why don’t we just order a bottle?” Landon suggested. Kyla smiled and nodded in agreement.
Katie came back by the table and Landon placed their wine order with her and told her they would be fine if she brought it out with the meal. Landon then turned his attention back to Kyla. “I imagine you are also pretty excited about being able to be with Calvin and Iris.”
Her enthusiasm made him smile. “I was so happy when I got the call about the position. I have really missed Calvin and Iris and Kenya.”
“Well, I can definitely tell they have missed you too. You guys seem really close from what I can tell with the way Calvin talks about you.” Kyla smiled at the thought of her uncle.
“We really are.”
“So are you related to Calvin on your father or mother’s side,” he inquired.
“Calvin is my father’s youngest brother. He is only 15 years older than me. In fact, he used to live with us up until I was about 3 or 4,” she began. “We were inseparable and then he went to college and met Iris. After that, he moved for his job here and my parents divorced around the same time. My mom moved to New York for her job leaving me with my dad, but then he was pretty busy too, so Calvin and Iris arranged with my parents to have me stay with them so I didn’t have to worry about sitters and moving every six months to a new school. I guess they were kinda my backup parents. Then I went to finishing school in Paris for my last two years of high school. After that, it was college and I spent my summers traveling. So that’s my story in a nutshell. What about you? What’s your story?”
Landon had listened to Kyla’s account of her life with Calvin and Iris, but something told him that there was more to that story then just the simple words she’d used. It wasn’t the right time to delve deeper now, but he definitely wanted to know more about her.
“Well, I am originally from Texas-” He was briefly interrupted by Katie’s return with their salads and bread.
He waited until she left and then resumed. “I have a twin sister and there are six kids in my family altogether. We are spread out all over the county, and we usually see each other during the holidays mostly. I used to help my dad build houses in the summer which is how I got interested in this line of work and I have been here in this area for four years. So you lived in Paris for awhile, huh?”
Kyla nodded her reply and waited until she had swallowed her first bite of salad to answer. “Yes, I really liked it there too. That’s how I got interested in architecture and buildings. I got to do some traveling to other countries with friends, and it was really a great time. Have you done any traveling overseas?”
“No, but it’s on my bucket list,” he smiled and took a bite of his salad.
“I liked that movie,” Kyla grinned at his movie reference to The Bucket List.
“Me too” He smiled and watched her as she took another bite of her salad. Her smile could light up an entire room, and she had this adorable button nose and kissable full lips. ‘God she was pretty’ he thought to himself. And it wasn’t just one thing that made her so attractive. It was everything. Landon was not the type of guy that got caught up in a girl, but she definitely had his full attention. Her beauty was all natural and that was different in comparison to most of the women he went out with. She was a breath of fresh air and cultured yet innocent. One thing was for sure, he knew he liked talking to her.
Dinner seemed to go by way too quickly as they talked about their college careers and interests. It turned out that they liked a lot of the same things and had very similar ways of thinking. Kyla had learned that Landon was in fact a former football star and had gone to college on a scholarship. He was never interested in going pro, but he had considered joining a semi-pro league. For now, he was content to coach one of the local little league teams. Kyla liked that he worked with kids.
Landon could definitely see Calvin and Iris’ influence on her. He was surprised when she told him she was turning 23 in two months. He had almost forgotten that she was a recent graduate because of how mature she was. Hell, he dated women 10 years older than her who didn’t have the same level of maturity and sophistication she seemed to possess. Yes, she had initially come off as shy, but as she warmed up to him he was getting a better feel for her and he liked what she presented.
“I had such a great time and thank you for introducing me to Rosa’s,” Kyla told him as they exited the restaurant. She lightly touched Landon’s arm and her touch made his cock twitch. He managed to keep his composure as they walked leisurely back towards where his vehicle was parked.
“Well, thank you for having dinner with me, Kyla. I really enjoyed it also.” He turned to face her and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Do you think we could do it again some time?”
“You mean like go on a date,” she asked quietly.
“Yes,” Landon looked her directly in the eye. “I think you are a beautiful woman, funny, sophisticated and I would like to get to know you.” Kyla felt her heart beating fast. She could hardly believe that a hunk like Landon was actually asking her out. Inside she was screaming and doing the happy dance.
“I’d really like that, yes.” She grinned up at him. For a moment, she was lost in another world and almost didn’t hear the sound of her cell phone ringing inside her purse. “It’s Uncle Calvin.” She read the caller id after she retrieved the phone.
“Uncle Cal? Hi, how is Aunt Iris?” Landon watched intently as the expressions on Kyla’s face changed and she sounded her replies.
“Yes, I had a wonderful time with Landon, thank you.” She finally spoke words. Her face perked back up. “I will see you tomorrow. I love you too.”
“How’s Iris?” Landon’s brow furrowed with concern as he watched her put her phone back in her purse.
Kyla took a deep breath. “Well, the doctor doesn’t think they are going to have the baby by tonight. He said they were doing really good at first, but there hasn’t been much change in the intensity of her contractions for a little while. She is fully dilated, but the baby is moving at his own slow pace. Guess he figures he’ll get here when he’s ready.” She shrugged and gave him a slight smile.
“You okay,” Landon placed a hand on her shoulder. He could tell something else was bothering her.
She nodded, “I just would feel better if I could see her. Uncle Cal said she wanted me to have a good time and not to worry, but Iris is like a second mom to me. Of course, I am going to worry.” Landon resisted the urge to pull her close to him. She had such a big heart, and he hated seeing her sad and worried. There was only one thing left to do.
“Come on,” Landon’s grabbed her hand and picked up the pace towards the truck. “I have something that will make you feel better.”
“Where are we going?” She had to take two steps for every one of his long strides.
“We’re going to see Calvin and Iris,” he announced as he opened her door and helped her inside. He closed the door before she could say anything or protest. When he climbed in next to her, he was about to fasten his seatbelt when she touched his arm.
“Landon, wait.” She breathed for a moment and then looked into his eyes. For a moment, she almost forgot what she wanted to say. “You have been very kind today. But I couldn’t ask you-” Before she could finish her thought he leaned in and softly placed his lips against hers. She stiffened against him in surprise but then gave into the feelings inside her. Her eyes closed instinctively and she accepted his kiss. Tenderly, he moved over her mouth prodding her to open up to him which she did willingly. His tongue gently explored her mouth and the sensations of his touch were doing things to Kyla that she didn’t recognize.
When he finally pulled away from her, Kyla opened her eyes and noticed that his had become a deeper shade of emerald. “I’d do anything just to see you smile again. Most importantly though, I understand what you are feeling. When my sister had my niece, I felt exactly the same way. We had shared every major moment in each other’s lives and I wanted to be there.”
He cupped her face with his hand and paused. “I’m also not quite ready for this time with you to end.” His touch was so warm and gentle and she closed her eyes at the feel of him. He had taken her breath and her words away, and all she could do was nod her reply.
As they drove to the hospital, Kyla couldn’t believe how great she felt. She had met a really nice guy completely due to uncontrollable circumstances and would be going on her first real date ever in the near future. Maybe her luck was finally changing.
