Nightie Night: The Lingerie Series (Stir Sticks & Stilettos) by Yvette Hines

family.
    After a few steps, he turned back to
face me. “Is this some kind of game you’re playing?”
    “Me?” I stepped from the door and
poked a finger into my chest.
    “Hell, yes. Because I’m not used to
making love to a woman and then having her act cold and indifferent towards
me.”
    “You’re not—” Grinding my teeth, I
drew in a loud breath through my nose before continuing. “I don’t give a shit
what you're used to or not. For a cheat, I’m surprised you have any standards
at all.”
    He took a large step to me and tilted
his head, giving me a hard stare. “A cheat?”
    “Yeah.” I nodded. “Not sure what you
call having an affair on a wife, especially when you have a son, but the rest
of the world calls it cheating.”
    “Enlighten me. Who am I supposed to
be wedded to?”
    Really, the gall of this man. “Gabrielle. You two have a cute son
named Jason. Don’t play me for a fool, Aaren. I spoke to your wife, remember?
Right after we—” My arms waved around in a non-verbal circle, which to me, was
universal gesture for sex.
    In an instant, his face relaxed, his
eyes returned to a pale green and he burst out laughing.
    For a moment, I just stood there
staring at him. This man had lost his mind. I was sure I was a witness to him
cracking up.
    “I don’t see anything funny.” I
folded my arms under my breasts.
    “You wouldn’t.” He tipped his head
back and stared up at the ceiling as if he were looking for guidance or some
sign.
    I couldn’t help but glance up, too. Lord,
if you’re giving out aid, I could use some, too, about now.
    Lowering his head, he fixed his gaze
on me. “Kalan, I’m not married. Gabrielle is my sister and Jason is her son.”
    I shook my head. “Now who’s playing
games? I saw the picture on your desk, she’s black and that little boy is
mixed.”
    He moved closer to me, close enough
for me to feel the heat from his body but thankfully his hands were in his
pockets and he didn’t touch me.
    “You’re correct. Still she’s my
sister. Her husband, Michael, passed away six months after my parents. A rare
brain tumor. The medical debt wiped out all her savings and caused her to lose
her house. Three months after I moved here, I made her and Jason move down here
with me until she was able to get on her feet. She’s been working part-time
jobs. But it paid off because she is debt free. Last Monday she started a full
time and got an apartment.”
    One hand came out and cupped my
cheek. “My nephew has pink eye. A mild case, but he can’t go back to daycare
for the next couple days and his medicine starts working. He’s upstairs
sleeping before one of his favorite cartoon movies. Gabrielle couldn’t get time
off because she just started.”
    “Oh.” It was all I could think to
say because I felt like a big, foolish idiot. However, the heavy weight was
lifted from my chest and the cloud of glum was gone.
    “Oh?” He repeated, smiling. With
another step, he brought his body against mine. “Is this the reason you ran off
Friday and haven’t answered any of my calls?”
    It was him calling. Figures. As a senior exec, he’d have access
to the employee contact information database.
    “Guilty.”
    His thumb stroked my cheek. “How
about we start this day over?”
    “We probably should.” Licking my
lips, I said, “Um, can you forget all the mean, nasty things I said about you?”
    “Hello, Kalan,” he whispered, his
eyes once again dark and intense.
    I placed a hand on his chest. “Hi,
Aaren.”
    His other arm slipped around my
waist as he said, “I was trying to call you this weekend to tell you that I
want a relationship with you.”
    Like a perfect melody, his words
soothed my soul. “You do?”
    “Yes.” He continued to hold my gaze.
“For weeks, I’ve thought about nothing but you.  How I wanted to make love to
you and have you in my life. Personally, not just professionally.”
    “I didn’t know. You hide your
feelings so well… um,