Chapter 3 The Date

Friday morning, Aminat stepped the shower and popped another piece of chocolate into her mouth. The mixture of dark chocolate, marzipan, and pistachio hummed through her taste buds. She pinched her tummy, still less than an inch of fat, and tucked Ismail' note into the box. They'd had a nice conversation, and he'd asked her to go hiking. With all the goodies he supplied, she needed the exercise.

Things were looking up, now that he'd apologized. Besides, a man who coached special children and cared about their feelings was too tempting to turn down.

After pulling on a short puff sleeved tie-dyed summer gown that stopped just below her knees, she buckled a wide simple black belt and slipped on a pair of flip-flops. She dabbed sunscreen on her face and applied a little bit of ponds face powder. Oh, and one more piece of chocolate.

She pinned her hair back just as the doorbell rang. He was early, the devil. Aminat rubbed on a healthy coat of lip gloss, grabbed her shoulder bag, and opened the door.

Ismail' gaze traveled immediately to her feet and her bright pink painted toenails. "Seriously, flip-flops for hiking?"

"Are you always so rude in the morning?" she teased. "What happened to saying 'hi, how are you?'"

"Oh, hi, how are you?"

"I'm fine." She whisked past him, making sure to shake her hips. "I'm driving."

His eyes widened as he looked her up and down, with his eyes drawn to the way her ample hips swayed while she walked. "Great, I can enjoy the scenery."

"Keep your eyes on the wildlife, mister." She hid a smile behind a fake yawn.

"Yes, ma'am. I sure will."

"Hands to yourself."

"Ba damu a!" He mock saluted her.

She looped her hand around his elbow and led the way to the parking area. "So, how are you this morning?"

"Not bad. I did a fifty-mile training ride and swam thirty laps."

Whew! All she did was get out of bed and snack. They walked to his car, and he retrieved his backpack.

"How about you?" He licked his lips. "Did you eat too much chocolate?"

Urgh! Aminat let go of his arm and unlocked her car. "If you're fishing for gratitude, yes, I enjoyed a few pieces. Thank you."

Ismail threw his pack in the back. Before getting in, he slid the seat all the way back. "Are all your friends vertically challenged?"

"Unlike you, we're genetically challenged, and we don't have nor appreciate your sense of humor." She started the car and tried not to let him see her smile.

After all, if she wanted him to appreciate her, he couldn't think she was easy to push around. Unfortunately, his body heat radiated the short distance between their shoulders, and she couldn't help wanting to cuddle up to him.

"Is there an address or is it a Suprise?"

"No, it's an open space preserve, but I know the way."

"What's it called again?"

"Naraguta Reserve."

"It's not too wild, is it?" She pulled out of her street and headed to the freeway.

"Nope, perfect stroll in the woods, a little bit of climbing and a waterfall. And it won't be crowded since it's a weekday."

A perfect stroll for him might be a torture march for her. "Did you bring water?"

He pointed at his backpack. "Always prepared. And a picnic lunch too."

Her heart warmed. Wow. So thoughtful. Ever since the multiple apologetic notes, he'd been the perfect gentleman, well, minus the silly flirts he threw every time he opened his mouth. Could he be the real deal?

Aminat cautioned herself from getting too far ahead of herself. She was always pinning her hopes on the wrong man. This time, she would sit back and test him.

She switched on the radio. "Music? Any preference?"

"You pick."

Wow. Really? Most men were bossy about music.

She turned it to a rhythm and blues station and took the slow lane onto the freeway. After crossing the secretariat junction bridge, the road traffic slowed down, they passed the busy part of Bauchi road and wound their way past the tree and rock lined lined ridges behind Naraguta village. They stopped at a lonely parking area surrounded by tall trees interspersed with rock formations.

Aminat flipped down the vanity mirror and checked her lip gloss. "This place is deserted."

So far so good. They'd both enjoyed singing along to the oldies music that blared from the car stereo, and he hadn't put his foot in his mouth after the vertically challanged comment.

"I hope you're not wearing perfume." He appeared to sniff her before getting out of the car.

"Excuse me?"

"Bees." Ismail pulled on wraparound sunglasses, hiding his dark, soul-stirring eyes.

"Oh ... I didn't know."

"Don't worry, I have insect repellant. But it smells nasty."

"Great choice. I have to smell like you? Think I'll take my chances." She put on her sunglasses. If she couldn't see his mischievous eyes, he wouldn't read her either.

Ismail took out his backpack, and she locked the car. Warning signs were prominent at the trailhead. Monkeys and baboons and what to do when confronted. Tick Danger. Poison ivy. Aminat turned toward Ismail. "Bees are the least of my worries. Are there really monkeys and baboons?"

"Nothing to it. Stay behind me. See the sign? Keep children behind you."

"I'm not a child." Aminat pinched his upper arm.

"Ow! Could have fooled me." He ducked. "What I meant was, you have to look big and mean. Here, I'll show you." He waved his backpack in the air and jumped up and down, hollering, "Get the out of here."

A giggle escaped her throat. "Hmmm ... makes sense. monkeys get hissy and mischievous until you stare them down."

"I wouldn't know. Allergies."

They stepped onto the trail. The air gave off a mixture of shrubery and wet rock scents.

"Will the tree pollen bother you?" she asked.

He puffed out his chest and breathed deeply. "Took my allergy pills and got my shot this week. Reason I moved here. Less pollen and great cool weather. So many places to mountain bike, run, and swim."

Aminat could see how excited Ismail was about nature and how much he appreciated being with her without trying to make a move on her. He hadn't even put his arm around her shoulder, and it was refreshing not to have to fend him off-well, maybe she would have liked a little bit of fending off.

They walked along until the trail split into two. A wide path swung toward the left, but Aminat was drawn to the wooden rail fence with a narrow opening marked with a No Bicycle and No Horses sign. "Which way?"

"Enter ye in at the narrow gate." Ismail brandished a camera. "Can I take your picture?"

"Sure." She smiled. At least he acknowledged wanting to be with her. She posed within the narrow space. "The bicycles and horses have to go on the wide road."

"Which leadeth to destruction." He laughed and snapped a picture.

Okay ... whatever that meant. Was he trying too hard to act like a Boy Scout? Quoting Bible verses?

Anyway, he was too cute to dismiss-make that too hot to give a cold shoulder to. She took a few pictures of him before stepping onto the trail. They walked under a canopy of trees. Moss hung in strings off spiny branches, and ferns waved from the spaces between tree roots. Partially rotted tree trunks lay on the ground, and vines crawled along the sides of the trail.

"Sure, that isn't poison ivy?" Aminat tiptoed with her flip-flops through a narrow passage between some shrubbery and towering rock formations.

Ismail trailed her. "Those are agbaluba. See the spoor?"

"Spoor?"

He pointed to globules of dark purplish-black droppings. Aminat stepped back, right into his arms. "Ugh. I didn't step on that, did I?"

He let her go immediately. "Ready for a seven-mile loop or you want to come back on the same trail?"

"I'll take the entire loop." Aminat shrugged. Most men would have hugged her a moment longer or even copped a feel. She'd showered and shampooed, and he had looked at her appreciatively, unless it was all a big act.

"That's because we're going downhill." Ismail's Cheerful voice cut into the foreground. "See those switchbacks down there? I sprint up and walk back down. Interval training."

"I'm interested, but not for sprinting." She wiggled a flip-flop at him, and he shook his head but wisely refrained from making an insulting remark. He was really trying to be a good guy.

After they negotiated the switchbacks, the trail widened and leveled off. She and Ismail hiked under majestic trees with rugged trunks and massive rock formations that towered toward the sky. Ismail helped Aminat across a long log, and surprisingly, he didn't let go of her hand, and neither did she want him to.

A warm feeling crested in her heart. Chizzy said she only craved the chemical high of being in love, but not the man behind it. But Aminat wanted more. She wanted a man she would crave, not just today, but every day-one she would never get tired of.

She gripped Ismail' hand tighter, but he didn't respond by pulling her closer. Instead, he seemed shy and stopped chattering.

Luckily, the wilderness around them provided plenty of places to focus their attention. The sound of woodpeckers periodically peppered the tall trees, and it was soon joined by that of trickling water. Ferns sprawled along the creek bank. Even though it was midday, the canopy of trees hid the sunlight, and the air was refreshingly cool.

They walked on, hand in hand, and Ismail was always careful to watch her footing or steer her around spoor and rocks that might have tripped her.

He stopped near a flat stone and swung his backpack off his shoulder. "Ready for lunch?"

"Sure, I am very hungry." Aminat dipped her feet into the soothing water of the stream. "It's surprising how cool and damp it is here."

"Even in May. That's what I like about Plateau state especially Jos. Chicken or beef?" Ismail pointed to the spread-two wrapped burgers and two cartons of chocolate milk on ice packs.

Wow. Was he a superstar or what? Aminat wanted to swoon, but she had to dial back her attraction and pretend she didn't care. Time for teasing.

"How do you know I'm not a vegetarian?" She twisted her lips and studied the sandwich and its contents.

"Oh, I'm sor-"

"Don't you dare apologize." Aminat put her hands on his waist and leaned toward him. If she were taller, she'd lay her lips on his to stop further discussion. "I was just teasing. I'll eat anything."

A slow smile stretched across his face. "Okay, I'll hold you to it, man-eater."

Aminat refrained from rolling her eyes as she unwrapped a burger. "I haven't seen many hikers. We have this place all to ourselves."

"We do."

She took a bite of the sandwich and leaned closer. Couldn't he at least put his arm around her? His eyes were dark and luscious like rich coffee.

The pupils pinpointed. He stared over her shoulder and jumped to his feet. "A leopard!"

Aminat gasped and coughed up a piece of bread. She grabbed on to Ismail. "Where? Where?"

Nothing but green branches and fluttering leaves. Was the cat stalking behind the ferns? Her heartbeat flailed, and she hid behind him.

He swung his arms, jumped up and down, hooting and chuckling? What was wrong with him? Aminat's head snapped back and forth. There was no movement in the vicinity and no giant cat ready to pounce.

Ismail slapped his thighs and doubled over with laughter. "Gotcha!"

The hike back was almost all uphill. As far as Aminat was concerned, it was a death march. Was she pissed off at Ismail for scaring her? Not as much as she made him think.

Face it. The guy was socially awkward, and he tried to pass off everything as a joke. Maybe he wasn't attracted to her and thought it better if he made sure she was friend-zoned hence the unromantic, baby brother antics.

Because of the steep climb, Aminat's brain lacked oxygen to truly get angry, so she dutifully trudged along, wishing she hadn't worn flip-flops. Thankfully, the trees blocked the sun most of the way, and Aminat's car was still the only one in the parking lot. She threw the empty water bottle in the recycle bin. "I didn't think I could make it."

Ismail wiped his forehead with the back of his arm. "We climbed fourteen hundred feet from the creek. You did great, even with flip-flops."

"Ugh ... I'm going to have blisters between my toes."

He removed his wraparounds. "About that mountain lion, I'm-"

"Don't!" Aminat unlocked her car. "I forgave you about five miles back, but you owe me for the torture march."

"How do you want me to pay?" He extracted a towel and a brightly checkered madras shirt from his backpack. "I have to change shirts. Try not to stare."

"Pffuh, I don't want to get sick." Aminat slid into the driver's seat. He wouldn't be able to see her ogling from this vantage point. He stood with the passenger door open, his ridged abdominals in full view. A trickle of sweat rolled down the center line but was quickly dabbed away. He turned his back and put on deodorant-Brute. Hmmm ... a traditional man. After rolling up his towel and tank top, he stuffed them in his bag and climbed into the passenger seat, his shirt still partially unbuttoned.

"I'll get the buttons." She reached for his shirt, and her breath quickened. What was wrong with her? She'd been throwing herself at him all day. This man-drought made her irritable and snappy. It'd been, what? Four months since Ezekiel walked out? Why hadn't Chizzy fallen off the wagon? Now, she was about to jump off the deep end.

She swallowed and licked her lips, prepared in case of an emergency kiss. Ismail' warm breath was sweet on her face.

"Thanks," he whispered, so close to her ear.

Her hand flattened on his chest. Sitting in the car, they were almost the same height. It was doable. She trailed her fingertips to his collarbone. His body stiffened, and he cleared his throat. "Uh ... We have to be somewhere in twenty minutes. I reserved a class for us."

"A class?" Why did her voice have to squeak like that?

"Yes, I think you'll like it."

"O-okay ..." She backed off and checked her teeth in the vanity mirror. All clear. Eye makeup was a little smeared, but nothing seriously wrong. "Go back the way we came?"

Ismail pointed out the window. "Yes, but make a right at Terminus round about and turn into Tafawa Balewa Road. I'll direct you as we go."

"Thanks." Aminat turned on her car.

Despite all the suggestive talk, Ismail seemed uncomfortable touching her. But then, why did he pursue her so persistently? She stepped on the throttle. At least the wine tasting class would cheer her up.

They drove past a poultry farm, it was huge, and she wondered how it was run. Traffic piled behind a slow-moving truck before clearing near a stretch of businesses. An arrow pointed to the winery on the left. Aminat parked in front of a small burnt brick building with a Wine Tasting sign. She got out and locked her car.

"You like red or white?" she asked Ismail.

"Ah, good, he's there." Ismail pointed to a tin building on the other side of the parking lot.

"What's over there?"

"You'll see." He took her hand, sending a warm thrill skittering through her heart. They walked to the front of a glass door that opened into an art studio. Glass apples, translucent hearts, and paperweights sat on the shelves, and colorful lamps hung from metal rods.

A man with weathered skin and grey hair greeted them. "Hi, I'm Dan. You are Ismail, right?"

"Yes, I am, and this is Aminat. We're here to take the glassmaking class."

Dan showed them sample hearts, fruits, and life-forms. "Before you leave, you'll be making one of these."

"Seriously?" Aminat said. "How do you get the detailing on the animals and humans?"

"Trade secret." Dan grinned as he took the money from Ismail. "What are we making today?"

"This is so cool!" Aminat held up a small gold elder tree with summer green leaves shaped as infinity symbol. "I want to make a tree like this one."

"That color is a favorite," Dan said. "How about you?"

"A red and purple heart," Ismail answered.

Strange choice for a man, but hey, he was definitely different. Hot, cute, and deep.

"You want to go first?" Ismail asked.

"No, you go ahead. It looks dangerous."

"Nothing to it," Dan said. "Put on these gloves."

Aminat took pictures of Ismail dipping the iron rod into the crucible and holding it in a furnace. He created different layers of color by rolling the molten glass in colored powder. When it was time to shape the heart, Dan gave him a knife and asked him to cut the cleavage.

"I'll let her cut it." Ismail waved Aminat over and smiled sweetly.

"Watch out or she'll cut your heart." Dan laughed.

After a brief instruction, she held the blade and cut upwards, separating the two lobes. Ismail used large tweezers to draw the tip, and it was finished. Dan placed the hot glass into the annealer to cool.

Now, it was Aminat's turn. She put on heatproof gloves and worked her glass blob under Dan's instruction. It was hard work to make layer after thin layer and rotate the rod to keep the glass from flopping downward. When it was time to shape the tree, Dan helped her push the heated glass into a tree mold and pull it out. He dipped smaller rods shaped as an infinity symbol into a crucible of summer green glass and attached it to her tree, curling it several times to make the leaves.

Aminat was thrilled at her work and hoped Ismail took enough pictures. She'd never made something out of hot, molten glass before. Unfortunately, Dan whisked her tree into the annealer before she had a chance to admire it.

"You can pick it up tomorrow or I can mail it," he said.

"I'll pick it up," Ismail said.

"That's it?" Aminat peeled off the protective glasses and gloves, feeling let down. Forgive her for being impatient, but she wanted to show Chizzy everything she did on her date with Ismail.

So, there wasn't any kissing and touching, but wasn't this what Priye meant about holding out for something more permanent?

But wait ooo, maybe the reason Ismail wasn't kissing and touching her was because he only wanted her as a friend. After all, he passed up the wine tasting class-a favorite plan of men to get their dates drunk and compliant, to instead stand in front of hot ovens.

She followed Ismail to the front of the studio where Dan had many beautiful pieces of glasswork hanging.

Ismail pointed up to a beautiful lamp with curly glass tentacles. "If you want one of those lamps, I'll buy you one."

"No, I couldn't." She stared at a blue, white and purple turtle shell wall lamp. It was probably a couple thousand Naira, perfect for a child's nursery.

Ahhhh! Babies? She was really getting ahead of herself. A hot, her pulse hammered behind her ears. Flustered, she turned for the parking lot to catch her breath. Her hormones were definitely out of control.

Ismail looked after Aminat. She had been laughing and giggling during the glass work, and now she stood in front of the winery with her arms crossed as if she were upset.

He walked to her side. "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be? Thanks, that was fun."

"You seem upset. Anything I did?"

"Oh, no. Some thoughts crossed my mind and made me sad, nothing about you." Her voice was strained, but she forced a tiny smile.

He took her hand. It was so small and delicate. "Stick with me, and I won't let sad thoughts near you."

"Promise?" She pulled him toward the tasting room. "Let's try some wine."

"Aren't you driving?" Ismail stopped at the entrance.

"A little wine isn't going to do any harm."

"The roads are narrow and has heavy traffic, especially Bauchi road."

Her frown pushed her eyebrows together, and she pulled out of his grasp. "Are you saying I can't drink when you are around?"

"At least let me drive." He stuck his hands in his pockets. "I'll stay out here."

She stepped through the door without answering. A cold wave swept his chest. He could never figure out women. Hot, cold. Flirty, indifferent. Giddy one moment, then moody and spitting like an angry cat.

Twenty minutes later, Aminat emerged from the tasting room carrying a bottle of wine. She popped a chocolate into her mouth and smiled as if pleased with herself.

"I would invite you back to my place," she said in a teasing voice. "But I think I'm going to have to drink this alone."

"I'm sorry I said anything." Ismail held the car door for her, but she walked to the passenger side.

"Go ahead. I knew you wanted to drive."

He hesitated. A no-win situation. Take the wheel and admit he thought her a drunk. Back off and risk an accident. His friends back home had always appreciated him for being the designated driver.

She beeped the horn. "What are you waiting for?"

He slid into the driver's seat. "Talk to me. What are you thinking?"

Her breath had a fruity bouquet, sweet. Perhaps she really had only a taste. She tickled his shoulder. "That you owe me a kiss."

"You're not mad? Because I was way over the line. It's not you. My mother imbibes a bit too much alcohol, and I'm used to fighting her for the keys. I'm usually not-"

Her lips, soft like cotton candy, pressed briefly over his mouth. His heart skipped a beat. He'd expected her to be greedy and sloppy, but she kept her mouth closed, inhaling through her nose. He caressed her cheek, her complexion ebony and shiny like melted dark chocolate, so perfect and smooth. And when she opened her eyes and gazed into his, he felt light, as if he'd been charmed, hypnotized, enchanted. He traced her cheekbone to the back of her jaw, letting his finger linger on the soft skin of her neck around her pulse point.

He opened his mouth to give her a real kiss, felt her gasp and tremble at his approach. Lightly gliding over and around her tongue, he explored the silky parting between her lips and teeth, teasing the tip of her tongue, encouraging her to fully draw him in.

She moaned, and her fingers slid underneath his shirt, kindling a flame lower down. Their lips still locked passionately, he struggled for breath. He couldn't allow this to continue, couldn't break her chastity vow. And he definitely couldn't fall in love, not yet. Not until he'd won Olympic gold.

Abruptly, he pulled away and latched onto the steering wheel as if it were an anchor.