gonna go.”
“You’re really not going to give me your number?”
She found her small beige bag and slid the long strap crossways over her body. Instead of confusion, he wore the look of sexy amusement that had hovered around him the night before.
“Nope, I’m really not.”
He opened his mouth but then his cell phone rang, cutting off whatever he was about to say. “Wait just a moment.”
He backed up toward the bed, eyes trained on her as if she’d disappear if he turned his back. She forced her gaze to remain on his face. Not his gloriously naked body. He picked up the phone, and after a quick glance, his brows rose. He pressed the screen and brought the phone to his face but met Kacey’s gaze.
“Janiyah, what’s up?”
The sound of a frantic female voice filtered across the room, and his brows drew together. His gaze dropped to the floor. “Pregnant! You’re pregnant? Seriously?”
He spun away from Kacey. And just like that, reality hit. The surprise and disbelief in his voice told her all she needed to know. He’d gotten someone pregnant. Pain from her own past mistakes landed heavily in her womb. Her mind flashed back to making a similar call, hearing the same surprise…disbelief…anger. Finally Dewayne’s cold words.
Prove it’s mine. You’ve probably slept with half the guys who come into that restaurant.
Kacey’s throat closed up, and the pain she’d long ago come to terms with tried to rise.
After Sabrina had found out about Kacey being in love with a thirty-six-year-old man, her advice was,
“Tell him you’re pregnant. Nothing shows how much a man doesn’t love you faster than blurting out that you’re pregnant.”
Her momma would know that.
Sabrina hadn’t known that Kacey had actually thought she was pregnant. Had hoped for it, the final thing that would force Dewayne to be with her. Instead he’d brushed her off. Kacey had cried all night. Her period came the next morning.
Unwilling to hear another woman get the same cold treatment she’d gotten, Kacey spun on her heels and hurried out the door.
• • •
Aaron pulled Bertha into the truck parking area of Reggie’s business, R.H. Transportation. He parked at the end of a line of blue and white trucks parked before a loading dock next to the brick warehouse. He hopped out and looked around the well-organized yard. Bertha’s bright yellow and black paint was like the exclamation point at the end of the line of vehicles. He made his way to the entrance. The same blue and white theme on the trucks adorned the interior of the polished reception area. Aaron was impressed. Reggie’s place was nice. He grinned at the lady behind the receptionist desk.
“Good morning, I’m here to see Reggie Holmes,” he said.
“You must be Mr. Henderson.” She made a few clicks on her computer keyboard, a calendar displayed on her screen.
“That would be me.”
“Mr. Holmes is expecting you.” She stood and batted her long lashes. “Right this way.”
Aaron followed her down the hall to an office. She peeked at him over her shoulder, and her hips swayed a little more after he smiled. He would have followed up on her invitation to flirt if his brain wasn’t still trying to recover from the simultaneous shock of learning his baby sister was pregnant and that the woman who’d entranced him the night before had slipped out without giving him her phone number. He was happy for his sister. And forcing himself to be happy with the situation with Kacey. She reminded him too much of his ex. Specifically the thoughts she’d stirred up in him. The thoughts that said this woman could be
the
woman. Not good for him.
Aaron believed in love. His own family was proof the emotion existed. What he didn’t believe in was his ability to settle down with one woman. Forever. No other women. Forever. That might work for millions of others, but he wasn’t quite sure it would work for him. He was selfish, and he liked his life the way it was.
“You’re really not going to give me your number?”
She found her small beige bag and slid the long strap crossways over her body. Instead of confusion, he wore the look of sexy amusement that had hovered around him the night before.
“Nope, I’m really not.”
He opened his mouth but then his cell phone rang, cutting off whatever he was about to say. “Wait just a moment.”
He backed up toward the bed, eyes trained on her as if she’d disappear if he turned his back. She forced her gaze to remain on his face. Not his gloriously naked body. He picked up the phone, and after a quick glance, his brows rose. He pressed the screen and brought the phone to his face but met Kacey’s gaze.
“Janiyah, what’s up?”
The sound of a frantic female voice filtered across the room, and his brows drew together. His gaze dropped to the floor. “Pregnant! You’re pregnant? Seriously?”
He spun away from Kacey. And just like that, reality hit. The surprise and disbelief in his voice told her all she needed to know. He’d gotten someone pregnant. Pain from her own past mistakes landed heavily in her womb. Her mind flashed back to making a similar call, hearing the same surprise…disbelief…anger. Finally Dewayne’s cold words.
Prove it’s mine. You’ve probably slept with half the guys who come into that restaurant.
Kacey’s throat closed up, and the pain she’d long ago come to terms with tried to rise.
After Sabrina had found out about Kacey being in love with a thirty-six-year-old man, her advice was,
“Tell him you’re pregnant. Nothing shows how much a man doesn’t love you faster than blurting out that you’re pregnant.”
Her momma would know that.
Sabrina hadn’t known that Kacey had actually thought she was pregnant. Had hoped for it, the final thing that would force Dewayne to be with her. Instead he’d brushed her off. Kacey had cried all night. Her period came the next morning.
Unwilling to hear another woman get the same cold treatment she’d gotten, Kacey spun on her heels and hurried out the door.
• • •
Aaron pulled Bertha into the truck parking area of Reggie’s business, R.H. Transportation. He parked at the end of a line of blue and white trucks parked before a loading dock next to the brick warehouse. He hopped out and looked around the well-organized yard. Bertha’s bright yellow and black paint was like the exclamation point at the end of the line of vehicles. He made his way to the entrance. The same blue and white theme on the trucks adorned the interior of the polished reception area. Aaron was impressed. Reggie’s place was nice. He grinned at the lady behind the receptionist desk.
“Good morning, I’m here to see Reggie Holmes,” he said.
“You must be Mr. Henderson.” She made a few clicks on her computer keyboard, a calendar displayed on her screen.
“That would be me.”
“Mr. Holmes is expecting you.” She stood and batted her long lashes. “Right this way.”
Aaron followed her down the hall to an office. She peeked at him over her shoulder, and her hips swayed a little more after he smiled. He would have followed up on her invitation to flirt if his brain wasn’t still trying to recover from the simultaneous shock of learning his baby sister was pregnant and that the woman who’d entranced him the night before had slipped out without giving him her phone number. He was happy for his sister. And forcing himself to be happy with the situation with Kacey. She reminded him too much of his ex. Specifically the thoughts she’d stirred up in him. The thoughts that said this woman could be
the
woman. Not good for him.
Aaron believed in love. His own family was proof the emotion existed. What he didn’t believe in was his ability to settle down with one woman. Forever. No other women. Forever. That might work for millions of others, but he wasn’t quite sure it would work for him. He was selfish, and he liked his life the way it was.
Similar Books
