All Signs Point to You Part Two by Navaura Campbell (uplifting books for women .TXT) 📖

when Quinton called her a quarter to six, demanding that he take her out for her birthday. She sat on the couch, the phone cord twirling around her fingers. "What do you mean you're taking me out for my birthday? You're about two weeks late."

Quinton's irritated sigh was on the other end. "Do you always have to do things rationally? So what! It's the freaking thought that counts. I want to take you out, because I missed your party, ok? Is that a horrible thing?"

Denise cleared her throat, "Alright, when do you want to go?"

"Now." He stated.

"Now? You call me to invite me out for my birthday on the day you want to take me out?"

"It's the thought that counts. I've been wanting to ask for a week but, haven't had the time to do so." Quinton stated, reasoning.

"Yeah, ok. Where do you want to go?"

"Well, I figure it has to be some place nice." He stated, so I'm not going to tell you. It's a little cozy spot I found on accident the week before last when I was looking for this kid's house."

Denise sighed, "Oh yeah?"

"Yep, you got to wear something formal though, because it's a really nice place." He stated, a smile in his voice.

"Oh, come on, no jeans and a shirt?"

"It's too upscale for that. You have to dress to impress. At-least look like you make money."

Denise rolled her eyes. "If this place is expensive, why are we going there?"

Quinton nodded his head on the other end. What was wrong with this chick? She always had to find a way to question even the sweetest of ideas. Couldn't she just accept a gift?

"I will pick you up at seven thirty, be ready. Remember, dress to impress."

Denise settled on a deep purple dress that went to her knees, showing off nicely shaped calves. The dress was long sleeved with an opening on the front, that made the sleeves settle against her elbows when she raised her hands. The top part of the dress tightened, showing off the curve of her bussom, but not popping them out of her top. They sat inside comfortably. She wore a pair of sheer pantyhose with a pair of pumps. Her hair had been straightened out for this occasion, flipped out at the ends. She'd tucked her bangs behind her ears, to show off the purple hearts she wore. And, upon Vicki's insistence, borrowed her black cherry lipstick, applied it to her mouth, and then blotted it with tissue to lighten it. Vicki then had gotten the bright idea of applying a gray eye shadow with a purple eye liner at the lid of her eyes.

When Denise met Quinton at the door, he just stared her up and down, this smile on his face, "I told you to look good, not go all out."

Denise laughed, "It was all Vicki's idea."

"Damn, De, she hooked you up. If I was straight, I'd get at you real quick."

Denise laughed again, "Yeah, sure you would."

Quinton touched his chin to his cheek, gently caressing it. "Seriously, damn girl. I knew you had a little something, but not that much."

Denise blushed, embarrassed. "What ever, Quin. I'm going to get my coat. Hold on." When she turned around, Quinton's eyes got big, and he let out a whistle. "We are going to have to keep the fellas off of you tonight."

Denise grabbed her long leather coat from the closet, and pulled it onto her shoulders. When she did, he said, "Alright miss thang, looking all g-qued, let's go."

"Aren't guys supposed to look g-qued?"

Quinton laughed, a twinkle in his eyes, "Yeah. Ok, how about this, looking like you stepped out of the latest issue of Vogue."

Denise blushed again. "That's too much."

Quinton cleared his throat. "No, they want skinny girls with no meat. Shoot, I just might start a mag for healthy girls, called just that. I can see it now, Healthy girls. The right stuff, is what my catch phrase would be: Healthy girls, the right stuff."

Denise laughed, "Ok, Quinton, the entrepreneur"

Quinton sighed, "Alright De, we gotta go, or we'll be late and one thing I don't like to be is late."

Denise sighed, "Let's go. By the way, where are we going?"

He smirked, "Like I'd tell you that. You'll see when we get there."

When they pulled up into the parking lot to the place he chose, the place was full. Even now, there was a couple heading up to the entrance of the restaurant, which was made to resemble the Chinese building structure. She sighed in awe. It was already beautiful with a green awning. The building itself was white. There was a small bridge linking the sidewalk to the door. Underneath the bridge was a small pond area, with leap pads floating inside. Rocks were settled underneath. Closer to the restaurant was a few hedges that looked as if they'd been pruned to tailor the building. Denise opened her car door and stepped out onto the pavement. Closing the door, she shook her head impressed. "Wow, this is beautiful." She stared at the lights that lit the pathway to the bridge and the overhead lights for the building.

"What is this place?"

"The boondocks. I'd never even heard of it, till I ended up on this road, through a wrong turn. I thought you'd like it considering it's foreign."

Denise swallowed, "Yeah." She put her hands into her pockets and began walking toward the entrance.

Jordan cleared his throat and looked at Sebrea, with a smile on his face, "I'm going to go to the restroom, I'll be back."

She nodded. Jordan got up from the table, and walked toward the front of the restaurant, where the restroom nearest his table was and sighed, he couldn't believe how well things were going with Sebrea. She'd agreed that they could continue to date, since there was no harm in it. They could see each others as friends, considering they were quite fond of each other's company and found out that it offered both of them a chance to vent their frustration. He laughed to himself at this, his deep voice a rumble. He couldn't believe he'd been so scared to tell her, scared that she'd fly off the handle, when it had been obvious from the beginning, that she was way too much into school to pursue any type of relationship. Their relationship was one of friendly companionship. This made him feel more at ease about the situation, knowing that she had her eyes on a higher prize. He sighed, he hated having to go past the entrance to get to the restroom, it was really irritating.

Quinton grabbed the door for Denise and held it open. She slipped through. Together, they laughed and talked. He said, "Take off your coat girl and show off the body in that dress."

Denise blushed again, "I don't know."

Quinton put a hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. Undoing the belt on her coat, he said, "You should, it's really a beautiful dress." Denise tried to turn out of his reach. Immediately, he pulled the opposite way, causing the coat to slide on off her shoulders. "Quinton." She whispered, her tone harsh. The coat came all the way off as he pulled it the rest of the way off. Denise glared at him with angry eyes. He just smiled sheepishly, his eyes twinkling, "You'll thank me later."

"No I won't!" She whispered. There was about two more couples in front of them.

"Looks like you'll be thanking me a lot sooner than later." Quinton laughed.

"What are you talking about?" Denise turned around and just as she did, she spotted him walking toward them. She stared. Why was he so handsome? How did he manage to make everything he wore look good? She couldn't figure out if it was in his walk, the hair, the eyes or the body. She didn't know, but she felt her own body heat up at just watching him.

Jordan felt something hot course through his veins. First it was lust, because he wanted her at that moment. But then that intensified when she turned around and he saw her mouth. He wanted to go over and plant a nice long kiss on those full lips. It was like he caught on fire with just a glance, but as his eyes traveled the length of her body, he fought the urge to lick his lips. He didn't even know they had dresses that could flatter every single curve on a girl. His eyes lingered on her legs, the beautiful shape of each one. His eyes traveled all the way down to her pump clad feet, even finding those sexy. The sides laced up, stopping at her shins. His eyes traveled back upward, enjoying the view as he took in the way the dress seemed to join to her hips. When he got to her chest, he stared, knowing it was rude, but not being able to help it. Her breasts rested inside the gown, perching themselves, but not too much to where they were coming out of her top, but just enough to where he was brought back to the memory of his tongue sliding over them. He felt the flush that became present in his cheeks.

She stood there frozen, unable to speak or think for the moment. She watched as his gaze went down her body and then back up, stopping at her breasts for a while and then to her face, where their eyes met. They stared at one another for a long while, each frozen in their own time.

Jordan was flustered. He didn't know what to do, nor say, anything of that nature. He stood where he was, not moving.

Quinton stepped forward, where Denise was and leaned over to her ear. "Well, look it here. He looks like he wants to get it and get it real good."

Denise laughed nervously and pushed Quinton away from her, "Shut up." He leaned over next to her ear and looking directly at Jordan, he whispered, "You can't tell me that you don't want that boy. It's written all over your face and on your body."

Denise's skin warmed up once more.

Jordan felt anger boil over inside him. Why was he here? How could he hang out with her so much if he was gay? This was a stupid reason to be angry, but he was. Sighing, Jordan decided to find out for sure if there was anything between the two. He walked up to them, never taking his eyes off of her. Swallowing, he stopped in front of them. Looking up at Quinton, he said, "Hey Quinton."

Quinton raised a brow, and then shrugged off of Denise's shoulder, "Hey."

"How's it going?"

Quinton could feel the rage emanating from Jordan. "Pretty good," He cleared his throat, "How's it going with you"

"Alright, Sebrea and I came here for a quiet dinner." Jordan stated calmly.

"That's cool, I was just bringing Denise here for a late birthday present, since I missed her party and all."

"You missed her birthday?" What kind of boyfriend would miss the girl he's with party? For some reason, this brought back the image of her in his bedroom, the tears she'd cried and how she'd told him she loved him and wanted to be with him. He couldn't help but feel hurt, looking at her and Quinton together. Clearing his throat, he looked into Quinton's eyes, "I thought you were gay?"

Quinton froze up at the shimmering pools of tears in Jordan's eyes. He'd never thought any guy would cry, let alone him, but to see the pain in his eyes over a misunderstanding, really was heart wrenching. Quietly, he whispered, "Jordan, I..."

"Jordan, honey, I thought..." Sebrea stopped in mid sentence, staring at the interaction between the two guys, and then her gaze went to Denise. That's when it all clicked into place. The mall. He'd been really forceful that day, deliberately rude, which