A Bundle of Joy 4: Secret Baby Seduction (BWWM Interracial Romance) (4 page)

“We came to this very place.”

“You bought me chocolate ice-cream and a cheese burger,” she recalled with a smile on her face.

“I had a low budget then. It was all I could afford.” He put an arm around her shoulders. “I can do better than that this time around.”

She laughed. “It was the best date we ever had, full of romance and promise of things to come.”

“We had a good thing going, didn’t we?” He sighed. “If my dad hadn’t moved us…”

Dayna put her arm around his waist. “No sense mourning over the past. We’re here now, and that’s all that matters.” And yes, she thought, it did indeed. There was no sense in regretting old decisions. It wouldn’t change a thing, but it would take away from their current happiness.

Soon, she would have to tell Aron. But not today. Not on this beautiful day when she could see, he had things on his mind and something special planned for her. Strolling along, they came across a quirky art shop. “Let me just pop in there. I think I know the proprietor.” She remembered Jamie mentioning the new shop on the harbor. Dayna strolled inside. A number of sketches and paintings were hanging on the wall, mostly landscapes, but a few portraits also.

The owner came out from the back office. A short, petite, blonde with a ready smile. “Hi. May I help you?”

Dayna took off her sunglasses. “You’re Sarah, right? Maggie’s sister?”

“Yes. Do I know you?”

“I’m Dayna. I don’t know if you remember me.” She thrust out her hand. “Your sister was with us in school.”

“Ah! Of course.” Sarah pumped her hand. “You guys are here for the reunion. Maggie couldn’t come. She’s working in India.”

“So I heard. How is she doing?”

“Very well! She’s getting married next month to an Indian doctor. My parents were horrified that she would decide to settle so far away, but her work in based there. She’s working with an NGO, and she’s happy…so I guess that’s all that matters.”

“Yes, it is. I remember looking at your sketches whenever we went to your parents’ house. You always were talented.” She glanced around, feeling proud of what she saw. Just stunning and wonderful how a baby sister of one of her friends had become an artist.

“Thank you.”

“I like that painting,” Aron spoke up. He stood in front of a bold painting that showed a mermaid sitting on a rock. In her hand was a seashell and far away, in the distant horizon, the sun set over the ocean—a powerful, strong image. “How much is it?”

As they discussed the price and the delivery of the work, Dayna wandered over to look at the other pieces. She selected a landscape showing the local lighthouse. It would look good on the wall of her studio apartment and would remind her of San Diego wherever she went, after this year was over. She pointed at it. “I would like this one.” Happy with her purchase, Dayna made the arrangements for the work to be delivered at Jamie’s house while Aron gave the address of his hotel, then they both stepped outside.

“That was easy.”

“Three thousand dollars gone,” he complained. “But it was well worth it. That girl is going to go places. I can easily see that painting doubling in price in the next couple of years.”

“Always the businessman.” Dayna shoved her sunglasses back on. “Is that why you bought it?”

“I loved it,” he admitted. “But of course, it’s nice to know that it would be a good investment too.”

“Sarah has already had one show in New York that was a huge hit,” Dayna told him what she knew. “She could easily settle there, but she loves it here. But yeah, you’re right. She’s going places.”

As they strolled on, they finally stopped at Broadway Pier. She could see many boats and yachts. Some were departing the harbor for cruises. “What are we doing here?” she asked when Aron made his way to one of the offices.

He dug out the card Graham had given him. “We’re taking a cruise.”

“A cruise?” She didn’t understand.

“I hired a boat.”

“You—hired a boat,” Dayna spluttered.

“
Silencio, mi cariño
!” He grinned while calling her sweet thing again. “Let me do the talking.” Leaving her in the foyer of the office, he went inside.

Dayna shook her head as she took a seat. So, this was the surprise he planned. Well, it would be interesting. She admired the thought he put into it. She tingled all over in anticipation of the day ahead.

CHAPTER SIX

“T
his is our yacht?” Dayna slid her sunglasses down as she surveyed the sleek, gleaming, white boat that shone in the brilliant sunlight. “Ours? As in just for the two of us?”

Aron nodded with approval. “It’s good enough. I booked it for one night.”

“You booked it for one night?” Dayna felt her breath stop. “For us? But it must’ve cost a small fortune.”

He laughed when she looked incredulous. “Don’t worry about the expense.”

“But why?”

“Because I wanted to surprise you with something special. Isn’t that a good enough reason?”

“I don’t have clothes, toothbrush—”

“Everything is taken care of. My secret comrade packed your stuff and sent it ahead.” He pointed at the two carry-on bags an attendant was dragging towards the yacht. One of them was hers, and the other was his. He had them delivered earlier before picking her up.

“Jamie.” Dayna sighed. “She would know what I need.”

Aron chuckled. “Good then. All settled.
Ven a bordo!
Come on board,” he repeated in English while taking her hand and walked towards the gangway leading to the boat.

When they clambered aboard, the captain was waiting for them. “Welcome aboard sir…ma’am. Let me show you to your cabins.”

Aron found the boat satisfactory. For Dayna’s comfort, he put her luggage in a separate cabin and then later, escorted her out to the deck. They stood at the railing while the boat left the harbor.

“This boat must be big enough to accommodate twenty people!”

“Thirty,” he said, enjoying the breeze drifting in now that they were well on their way. “But they also rent it to individuals.”

Dayna shook her head, but didn’t say anything.

He could tell she felt a little overwhelmed at the grand gesture, but Aron earned well enough through the years, and he didn’t see the need to hoard all the money for future use. The point of earning it was to spend it and live well. He wanted to create memories with Dayna that would last for them both in the years to come.

“This is amazing.”

“Isn’t it?” He turned towards the waiter. “Ah! Lunch is served.”

They moved toward the front of the deck where a table sat under an awning. Aron poured wine for Dayna. “I pre-ordered.”

She looked at the array of seafood. “It looks divine.”

As they ate, Aron enjoyed bantering with Dayna. Seeing her as always, his heart rate accelerated. He couldn’t believe he actually sat across the table from her, both of them casually dating each other after so many years. Many times over the past decade, he imagined this situation, but it’d always been like
un sueño
, a dream, he could think about but could never have. Now, it all became real.

Aron couldn’t help but admit he was besotted with her.
Always have been and probably always will be.
When she was within close proximity, all he could see was her, all he could sense was her and all he could smell was her sweet, flowery fragrance.

What was happening to him? After his divorce, he’d never seriously, romantically gotten involved with a woman. A few casual dates, a fling or two, but nothing that made his heart beat in such a frantic manner and made him feel like he was back in high school. He could barely keep a thought in his head when she was near him. What would happen when they actually slept together?

He continued to look forward to seducing her tonight, but Aron also felt determined to give her all the time she wanted. If she wasn’t ready, he wouldn’t push her. As far as he was concerned, he would be in this for the long haul and time wasn’t an issue.

“Hey!” She snapped her fingers in the air. “Where did you go?”

He felt as if he would drown in the amused depths of her eyes. “I’m right here. What were you saying?”

“Just that I’m tempted to take a swim in their lovely pool. It looks cool and refreshing.”

“Sure. Jamie must have packed a swimsuit. I told her to.”

She sent him a wry glance. “You told her to?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Well, yeah, I texted her a list of things you might need.” He cut into a prawn and offered her a piece.

She popped it into her mouth. “You’ve become a little bossy, haven’t you?”

“Have I?” Amused by her observation, he asked, “Really? Well, I guess I know my mind more than I did back in high school.”

“Oh, you were bossy back then, but not as much as now.”

“I was bossy?
Ah por favor
…Please! Which one of us made us skinny dip in the ocean on our seventh date? And which one of us forced me to play the same game five times at the fun fair until I won a teddy bear for a girl who was adamant that she had to have it?”

She snagged a piece of bread. “All right, so I could be a bit stubborn, too. But which one of us made me pitch a tent in the garden and tell my parents that I wanted to experience nature in all its glory and then sneaked over the wall and into my tent that night?”

He laughed. “That was
some
night.”

“Yeah, it certainly was, especially because my father came out to check on me and you had to sneak out of the tent, buck naked, from the other side and hide in the bushes until he was gone.”

Aron couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his lips. That night would be etched in his memory forever. He could still remember the slightly cold night, her naked body against his and their passionate lovemaking. “I nearly froze out there, not to mention, being bitten by a few bugs on my naked ass while he poked around to make sure that his baby girl was safely asleep.”

“I had to toss on my shirt and pretend to be asleep in the sleeping bag, didn’t I? Or else, he would’ve killed me.”

“He loved you too much to do such a thing. I think he suspected I was around, but thankfully, he went inside when he didn’t see anything strange.”

“Yeah. I thought the same.”

Aron covered her hand over his when he saw the sad look in her eyes. “I’m sorry about your father. Graham told me that he died in a car accident when we exchanged some emails a few years ago.”

Tears swam in her eyes.

Aron was more than tempted to reach out and hold her, comfort her, but he knew Dayna; she wouldn’t appreciate him doing that. At least, not yet.

“I was in Iraq. Came home for the funeral. I wish—I guess…” She took a deep breath and expelled it slowly as if trying to compose herself. “I guess I’ll always regret that I wasn’t with him during those last few years.”

“He must have been proud of you and happy that you were carving out a new life for yourself.” He hated to see that anguished look in her eyes. “He loved you like crazy.”

She sighed and pulled her hand back. “Yes, he did. And I have tons of lovely memories of him. So, I guess that will have to be enough. That’s what my mom tells me.”

“Where is she?”

“She’s touring the Caribbean, for a month, with her friends. Mom’s living the good life. She misses dad, but I’m glad that she’s traveling and having fun. She’ll be back soon.”

He felt glad her mood had changed. Aron shifted the conversation to safer topics. He regaled her with a story about his last fishing trip in a lake in Canada and it was only after he caught three big fish that the authorities caught up with him and fined him three hundred dollars for fishing without a license. “How was I supposed to know?” He shrugged and laughed.

She shook her head as she grinned. “That’s a valuable lesson right there. Always check the law of the land before fishing.”

When they finished their lunch, they both picked up their wine glasses and moved to the inner lounge. Aron put on soft music as they reclined on the plush couches. From the pane glass window, they could see the ocean outside.

“So, where are your parents now?”

“They settled in Ireland,” he told her. “My dad is retired now.”

“Ireland?”

“It was always my mother’s dream to live there. She had an Irish grandmother and visited the place as a child. So, they’re giving it a try. They live in a small town near Dublin and so far they’re
muy contento
...very happy.”

“Nice! Do you visit them often?”

“At least twice a year. I have to be there for Christmas, as do my other siblings and I also, try to make it on their anniversary. But usually, I end up there three times a year, because they’re big on celebrating birthdays. Don’t know if you remember both their birthdays are in August.” They always were a close-knit family, like hers. Of course, whereas Dayna was the only child, Aron had two sisters and a brother. She always envied him his big family and he’d always been jealous of the fact that she got so much time with her parents, not to mention peace and quiet at home.

“How are Javier, Regina, and Daniela doing?”

He gulped down his wine and set the glass down. “Javier has his own recording studio in Dublin. He’s doing well, and living with someone. Regina is modeling in Europe and single. Daniela is a lawyer in New York.”

“Wow! Your parents must be proud of you all.”

“Oh, they are. And family get-togethers are fun and full of
emoción
…umm, drama. I love them all, but it’s nice when the holiday comes to an end and I go come back to my peaceful life.”

“You always loved them to bits and babysat them regularly when your parents had to go away for official dinners.”

“As the oldest child, I wasn’t given any other option.” He grimaced. Of course, the truth was he felt close to all three of his siblings and remained in touch with them. On the surface, he might have envied Dayna’s single child status, but Aron loved his big family and wanted one for himself eventually. He could imagine having a houseful of children. It would be the ultimate high. So…when he envisioned his family, he could only see Dayna with him.

No one else would do.

“I would love to meet them again.”

“Come with me to the next family gathering,” he said causally as he set his empty glass down. “My parents still remember you.”

She glanced away. “Yeah, I guess some day.
So, what about that swim?” she asked, changing the topic.

Aron knew what she was doing. He’d meant the invitation. Nothing would please him more than to take her home and re-introduce her to his family. His parents had always liked her, and he could really see this relationship going somewhere. Aron didn’t waste his time on lost causes, and Dayna certainly wasn’t one. He wasn’t pursuing her just to satisfy an itch. He liked her a lot. Maybe
like
was too tame a word. He could already tell he was leaning towards love.

LOVE…

Yeah, the big word.

AMAR
…

Maybe everyone would tell him it was too soon. They’d just met again, after a decade. There was so much he didn’t know about her…She’d changed, and so had he. How could he possibly fall in love with someone so quickly? But as far as Aron was concerned, he’d never fallen out of love with Dayna. He’d always been
in love
with her. They’d broken up because it’d been the sensible thing to do. At that age, no one did the sensible thing, but they’d been responsible and careful. He couldn’t possibly imagine a life without his parents and neither could she. They assumed, along with everyone else, that time would dull the pain of their breakup and their memories of each other would fade.

The memories may have faded, but the emotion stayed strong. Seeing her, every feeling he ever harbored for her came back in full force. Aron realized that ten years hadn’t dampened his love for her. Maybe this was why his marriage failed. His wife had been a nice woman. He liked her, loved her even, but he’d never been
in love
with her as much as he loved Dayna. Maybe that was the first crack in their relationship and in the end—it finally ripped the marriage apart.

Aron had another chance now, and he wasn’t about to blow it away. This time around, he would not let anyone or anything separate him from the love of his life. Smiling, he stood. “Yeah! I’m up for a swim. Let’s change. I’ll meet you by the poolside.” While he guided her out, he watched the ease in which she fell into step beside him. Nothing had diminished their respect and care for each other. He was in love with her and now, it would be up to him to make sure she also fell in love with him.

One thing is for certain, he wasn’t letting her go, no matter what happened.