Bianca had met him one day as she was leaving Frank’s shop. Caesar had been in the city for about three years, and had settled in and made a life for himself, but he still had not found the right woman for himself.
He had his Friday routine down pat. He’d just gotten a fresh haircut and was walking through the parking lot, heading to his black Range Rover, while Bianca was just getting out of her black Land Rover.
As he was approaching her, she was hit by the smell of his Bond No. 9 cologne. Bianca was an aficionado when it came to scents—particularly good men’s cologne. Spellbound, she looked up to see where the intoxicating smell was coming from. She felt as though she had been hit by a bolt of lightning. Suddenly, she was mesmerized by the specimen in front of her; she almost couldn’t contain herself. Hands down, he was the finest thing she’d ever laid eyes on. He was so gorgeous that he was almost pretty.
He had become used to women staring at him. He smiled.
Bianca couldn’t help it. Before she knew it, “Hey, handsome,” had slipped out.
“Hi, beautiful,” he responded.
“There is no way you are from here.” Bianca had started the conversation. This was a first. She’d never been the one to strike up a convo with a guy. Men always came at her before she had the time to even notice them.
“Actually, I’m not,” Caesar replied with what Bianca described as a sexy-ass Latino accent.
“Where you from, papi?” Bianca asked, deciding to give him a little Latin flavor of her own.
“Florida. The sunshine state.”
“What are you?” she asked. Though he looked black, with a smooth caramel skin, his accent let her know he was from somewhere else. The second the words came out of her mouth, she could have kicked herself for it. It was funny how she despised when people asked her that question, and now here she’d done the same thing. She prayed in her head that she hadn’t offended him like people did to her all the time. They always assumed that her high yellow self was mixed, or even sometimes an albino.
“Dominican,” he replied then shot it right back at her. “What about you?”
Bianca shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I’d have to find my biological father one day to find out, but right now, I just say black.”
“Well, black is beautiful, indeed!” He gave her a quick once over. “And I hear once you go black . . .”
“You never go back!” Her cheeks were probably as red as ajar of maraschino cherries.
“Aww, home girl blushing?” Caesar teased. He smoothed his finger over his thin moustache and eyed her with a bemused grin on his face.
“Stop it.” Bianca laughed and shooed her hand. After a couple seconds, she turned her head back to face him. “So, when do you go back to Florida?”
“Who says I’m going back?” Caesar said.
Bianca shrugged. “I don’t know. I just figured who in their right mind would want to leave the beautiful, sunny beaches and palm trees to come here, where we have the ugliest winters?”
He chuckled. “All that glitters isn’t gold, baby. You like Florida?”
“Never been. Only seen pictures or Disney World commercials.”
“Well, that’s Orlando. I’m from Miami. The heat, baby!” Caesar said proudly.
“Well, I guess if LeBron doesn’t want to go back, why would you?” she said.
“Oh, home girl got jokes too,” Caesar said, playing with the few hairs on his chin. “Well, if you’re a good girl, maybe I’ll take you to visit someday. Roll out with me and hit the beaches. Do a little salsa.” He did this sexy little salsa step that made Bianca want to cream her panties right then and there.
“Oh, wow. I don’t even know your name and already you trying to take me home to meet the fam,” Bianca said.
“Oh, my bad.” He chuckled and laughed into his fist. “I’m Caesar.” He extended his hand. “And I ain’t say nothing about meeting the fam.” He quickly corrected her. “I was thinking more like you and me, a little one on one time.”
“Well, I’m Bianca.” She extended her hand. “Nice to meet you, Caesar. And ya girl ain’t mad about a little one on one time.” She looked him up and down.
“Not at all.”
The two just stood there shaking hands, staring each other in the eyes.
“Well,” Bianca said, barely able to keep her composure, slowly sliding her hand out of Caesar’s. “I better, you know, ummm, like, head inside.” She nodded toward the shop.
“Not without giving me your number first. I mean, we need to connect so we can plan this trip to Florida and all.” He smiled and winked.
Bianca had to be imagining things, because she could have sworn she saw a twinkle in his eye when he winked. Or perhaps it was the twinkle in hers that was blinding her. Some might have said that she was blinded by love, but she swore it was love at first sight.
After giving him her number, they went out that very same night. Within a week, they were claiming each other as boyfriend and girlfriend. Bianca was the first to put herself out there, telling Caesar all about her life and her reputation on the streets, the good and the bad. She even told him how she earned her money.
Not holding back, Caesar didn’t play games with Bianca about who he was and what he did either. The instant trust they had for one another was priceless. Caesar claimed to have never let a woman in that quickly. Both had thrown caution to the wind and had an instant love and trust for one another. Even more so, they had a respect and gratitude for one another.
The two had decided that since they both had issues with their families, which they never discussed, they would become
