Do Me Baby (The Beaumont Series) (17 page)

“Hard on this old man’s body.”

She snorted. “You’re far from old.”

“I wish someone would tell my body that. I’ve been at this game for years, and my limitations are starting to show out on the court.” He followed the admission with a laugh.

“I don’t remember seeing any limitations the other night.”

He chuckled. “I see you’ve got jokes.”

“Always when it comes to you. Speaking of jokes… I received a package in the mail today from your attorney.”

“No joke. I wanted you to have it.”

“Why?” she said in a somewhat annoyed tone.

“Because for once I wanted to do something good for somebody I cared about,” he blurted out. He did care about her. More than he was ready to admit.

“But I can’t accept it.”

“Why not?” he barked.

“Because it isn’t right. Now I’ll feel like I owe you.” The anger had slightly eased from her voice.

“You do… some loving just as soon as the season is over.” He felt a stirring in his boxers at the mere thought.

Debra chuckled. “Is that right?”

His mouth quirked. “Yep. That’s right.”

There was a very long pause. “Thank you, Rance. I would usually be kicking and screaming and demanding you take it back, but I’m just too happy to complain. Someday I’ll be able to repay you.”

He moved over to the bed and took a seat. “It’s not a loan. It’s a gift. Two different things.”

“Then it’s one helluva gift. I don’t think I can give you anything that’ll come close to this.”

“I don’t know. Last I checked you had that good-good.”

She laughed. “Yeah, Mama always said it was worth more than I’d ever imagine.” Her joke lacked humor, and he quickly sobered.

“Hey, it doesn’t have anything to do with that,” he said, his voice low and deep. “I did it because I’ve never met a woman who was so passionate about her work.”

“Been dating too many blondes, huh?”

“Last I checked
you
were blonde,” he teased.

“Ha-ha! My hair is far from blonde.”

Rance lowered onto his back and rested his head on the pillow. “All jokes aside, I just want to see your dream come true.”

“Thank you. Thank you so…” her voice broke. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he said and shifted on the bed. “You missing me yet?”

“Excuse me?”

“Are we going to go through this every time? I wanna know if you miss me yet.”

There was a brief silence. “I think about you from time to time, especially today, after I got the envelope,” she admitted.

“I hope they’re good thoughts.”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” There was a pause. “Have you been thinking about me?”

“All the damn time. I can’t stop thinking about that phat booty.” Debra gasped, causing Rance to chuckle loudly into the receiver. “Nah, seriously. You’re in my head. I can’t seem to get you out.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“No, but right now it’s not a good thing either,” he muttered. “I need to stay focused.”

“Okay… So focus. How do all the other players do it?”

“I’m not them,” he pointed out.

“Then I guess you have to figure out what you have to do to get me out of your system.”

“I tried that last weekend, but it didn’t work.” He couldn’t believe how honest he was being.

“Wow… Really?” Debra sounded almost offended, but he wasn’t sure.

“Seriously. I really like you. I’m not sure exactly why, but I do.”

“You sure are great for my self-esteem.”

“No, I don’t mean it like that. I mean, you’re different from any other woman I’ve dated. You don’t have a hidden agenda.”

“What do you mean?” she seemed to be getting impatient, so his best bet was to explain.

“You’re not trying to see how much money you can get me to spend or trying to get me to marry you. You’re different.”

“Yeah, I’m cheap.”

“Don’t get it twisted. I love spoiling my woman, but I do things on my terms.”

“I see. Well, since I’m not interested in being your woman it doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, you are. Quit playing.” She made him want to grind his teeth together. “What woman wouldn’t want a man like me?”

She gave a rude snort. “You’re a’ight and all, but you couldn’t be my man.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because I couldn’t trust you. C’mon, you ball players are all alike. Women falling at your feet. Breaking hearts along the way. I’m too old for that.”

“And what makes you think I don’t feel the same way?”

She sucked in a burst of air and spat, “Because you don’t. I can hear it in your voice.”

“Look, I might not be ready for a commitment, but that doesn’t mean I like running games. I know I won’t be able to play ball forever. Hell, these cracking bones are proof of that. At some point I’ll be ready to settle down, but I gotta learn how to trust women first.”

“Why don’t you trust us?”

“I’ve been through it all. Lies and loads of bullshit. It’s rare when I meet a woman that keeps it one hundred. I guess that’s why I like you so much.”

“Thanks. I can understand that.”

Rance propped another pillow behind his head and wet his lips. “So what color panties you got on?”

She laughed. “Who said I’m wearing panties?”

Chapter 17

“This can’t be happening.”

Debra closed her eyes and tilted her head toward the ceiling while she said a silent prayer. “Please, Lord, no…” she whispered and then took a deep breath before glancing back down at the stick again.

Pregnant.

The plus sign was staring her right smack in the face. She didn’t even dare look over onto the counter where the first two tests were lying, confirming the same positive result.

Pregnant.

Pregnant.

Debra released a heavy sigh and slowly rose from the edge of the tub where she had been sitting. With a shaky hand she reached for the other sticks and carried them down the hall into the kitchen, where she tossed them, one by one, into the trash.

For almost two weeks she had suspected something was going on with her body. At first she thought maybe she had been under the weather, but then when the time for her period had come and gone, she suspected that it might be her worst fear. As long as she could remember, she could calculate her cycle. Then there was the tenderness in her breasts.

Pregnant.

Moving over to the refrigerator she opened it and grabbed a bottle of iced tea. Her eyes traveled briefly over to the bottle of Moscato she had chilling for the weekend.

So much for that idea
.

As she took several long swallows of the sweet tea, she tried to figure out exactly how she felt about being pregnant. Happy? Sad? No, neither emotion was fitting. What she felt was downright fear.

Whether or not to keep the baby was not a question. She believed if God had blessed her with a child then who was she to question his decision? Even if she wasn’t married. What she was most frightened about was being a single mom.

Her mother had been a lousy parent, spending more time chasing men than raising her two daughters. The only real parent she had ever had was Nana, but she was so slow and feeble by the time they’d gone to live with her that she’d never had the opportunity to nurture the girls the way Debra knew her grandmother would have liked. Ever since Nana had passed away, Debra had been practically raising her sister. Keeping up with a teenager had been hard work, but together they hadn’t done half bad. Harmony had always been a good student and had managed to snag a full-ride scholarship to the University of Florida in Gainesville.

What was scary was that she knew absolutely nothing about diapers and formula, and with the bakery moving she was going to have to find daycare. Debra groaned as she thought about the nightmare Bianca had gone through trying to find the perfect person before finally settling on a nanny. Of course she didn’t have money like her best friend, so her options were going to be limited.

There were so many things that frightened her about being a mom! But one thing was for sure. Failure was not an option. She was going to do whatever it took to make sure her child never doubted her love.

Debra took another drink, allowing the cool liquid to slide down her throat and settle her nervous stomach. As she moved into the pantry for a box of Cheerios, she allowed herself to think about Rance.

Just the thought of telling him she was pregnant made her belly quiver with uneasiness. She wasn’t sure how she was going to break the news. After she’d told him she was on the pill, they had stopped using condoms, something Debra never believed in. She’d always practiced safe sex, even with Sony. However, when it had come to Rance she seemed to have lost her head and done things she’d never thought imaginable. With him she could let go of her inhibitions and enjoy everything he’d had to offer. He brought out a sensual side of her that she hadn’t even known existed. He made her want to participate.

And you see where that got you.

She was sitting at the table, munching her third bowl of cereal and thinking about her baby’s daddy. There was a tightening at her chest.

Her child had been created with love. Maybe Rance didn’t feel the same way, but she knew with all her heart she loved him, and for that she couldn’t imagine having a child by any other man.

While she ate, her mind wandered and she found herself fantasizing about a life with Rance and their child. If he loved her, everything in her life would be perfect. Debra frowned at the ridiculous thought. Rance didn’t believe in commitment, and the last thing she would ever do was try to trap him with a child.

Suddenly losing her appetite, Debra carried the bowl over to the sink and tossed the contents down the garbage disposal. Rance had a right to know about his unborn child, but she was going to do things on her terms.

As she moved back to her bedroom she had a strong feeling that the conversation wasn’t going to go well. Not well at all.

 
*

Debra was in the kitchen baking German Chocolate cupcakes when Blake informed her she had a phone call. She wiped her hands on a clean towel and walked over to her office.

“
DebbieCakes
, how may I help you?”

“I’ve been calling you all morning,” Bianca said by way of greeting.

“Good afternoon to you, too.”

“Why aren’t you answering your cell phone?”

“Because I’m working.”
And trying to avoid Rance’s calls
. Debra knew she was being ridiculous, but she was afraid he might discover the truth over the phone. “You know you can always reach me hiding in my cave.”

“Is it still that bad?”

Someone must have spotted Rance coming out of the bakery holding her hand because the Sheraton Beach rumor mill had started. She sighed. That was one of the worst things about living in a small town. Everybody was in your business. Several lifelong residents had dropped by the bakery, asking questions and winking, and giving her weird looks. She and the NBA star were the talk of the town.

“It’s not quite as bad,” Debra lied. She couldn’t bear to imagine what the town would say if they discovered she was pregnant. The tongues would
really
be wagging.

“Well, don’t let all those nosy people get to you. They’re just jealous.”

“I’ve gotten used to it,” Debra answered. She couldn’t avoid the town forever. Once signs of her pregnancy started to show, she’d just have to learn to hold her head hide and ignore the finger pointing. Hopefully by then another juicy scandal would have rocked Sheraton Beach.

“What are you doing this evening?”

She reached over for her cell phone and noticed she had several missed calls. It was the two from Rance that had her heart banging beneath her breasts. “Like any Saturday night, nothing except watching television. Why?”

“Then come on over. London is barbecuing and my brothers are coming over. They’re having a cook-off and we need somebody else to judge the ribs. You know how competitive they can get.”

Debra groaned. “Yes, I know how they are.” They laughed. “Sure, I’d love to come sample some ribs.”

“Good, because Brenna, Danica and Sheyna will be here as well, but we need someone who isn’t biased to judge.”

She could only imagine how crazy things would get. But she desperately needed the distraction. “I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

“Good, I’ll see you after you lock up this evening. Ooh! And bring some cupcakes!”

Laughing, Debra shook her head. “I’ll see what I can do.” She hung up the phone and walked back into the kitchen. “Another two dozen cupcakes, coming right up.”

 
*

He needed to hear Debra’s voice.

It always vibrated through him, giving him a sudden burst of adrenaline, but he’d been calling her all morning and she hadn’t returned any of his calls.

Rance slammed his fist against his locker, hoping the sting would help clear his mind, but all he managed to do was crack his knuckle.

How in the world had she gotten so deeply into his head? He couldn’t understand the strong need to hear her voice. Experience that infectious laughter and her sista-girl attitude. He was missing everything about Debra, and it was driving him crazy!

You need to snap out of it!

Reaching for his soap, he stormed into the shower, ignoring the speculative glances from the other players. He was here to play ball, and he couldn’t play if he let his emotions in. Especially physical and mental emotions. He had mission. Get his team to the finals. And that required a clear head and the means to think three steps ahead. Which meant no distractions. Especially not from females. He’d learned when he was still a rookie to shut his mind off and stay focused on nothing but the game. Now that he was back on the court, he wasn’t going to let anything or anyone get inside his head.

I shouldn’t have called her.

He had a game this evening. He was on a mission. Thinking about a female was completely unacceptable.

But he couldn’t resist. He wondered what she was doing, what she was wearing, and if she was thinking about him.

He dropped the towel to the floor and stepped under the spray. It took several seconds of hot water beating down on his back before his shoulders finally began to relax. Why now? Why did he have to meet a woman who’d keep him on his toes now, in the mist of the playoffs?

Dammit, why did she have to be so perfect? He’d never had to fight off all these sexual and emotional needs during playoffs before, and he couldn’t say he was liking the experience all that much.

He reached for the soap, lathered a wash cloth and spread it across his body. His traitorous thoughts relived that time he and Debra had made love in the shower.

“Fifteen minutes! Let’s go!”

Rance growled as a coaching assistant moved through the shower and locker room, barking orders. Fifteen minutes until show time.

He needed to stay focused. There was plenty of time to think about Debra later. The biggest question was what did he plan to do about them?

* * *

Debra climbed out of her car and reached for a black box with the pink
DebbieCakes
logo and sashayed up the long driveway. Bianca’s home was in one of the most prestigious areas of Sheraton Beach.

As she climbed the stone staircase, she admired the spectacular vista with envy. She could only dream of having a house like this. The five thousand-square-foot home boasted eight guest suites, seven baths, and a gourmet kitchen. There were panoramic ocean views from Cape May to Rehoboth Beach, and the mansion boasted porches, balconies and an Olympic-sized pool.

London greeted her at the door, holding a beer. “I’m glad you’re here. C’mon in.”

Debra paused, her brow rose suspiciously. “Why? What’s wrong?”

As he stepped aside for her to enter, he replied, “The brothers are battling over sauce.”

Shaking her head with laughter, she moved inside the foyer. “What else is new?”

“Exactly, so get ready for the noise,” London replied. He signaled for her to follow him across the gleaming bamboo flooring.

Debra was too hungry to turn away now. “Mmmm, well at least I’ll get to eat. I’ve been so busy today I skipped lunch.” She inhaled, enjoying the wonderful mouth-watering smell of ribs coming closer with each step. They walked past the formal living and dining room to a gourmet kitchen that was bigger and more equipped than the one she had in her bakery. The entire room was white, with stainless steel appliances and s
ubway tiles laid in a herringbone pattern.

“Where is everybody?”

London pointed out onto the patio. “Out there.”

Nodding, she put the box onto the white and gray granite countertop and sauntered out through the sunroom onto the deck.

“There you are!” Bianca cried the moment she spotted her.

“Sorry, I had a last-minute order to fill.” Debra waved at the other women, Danica, Brenna and Sheyna, all lounging on chairs around the pool.

“Yo, Deb, c’mon over here!” Jaden signaled for her to come over to where the brothers were all standing in front of their own grills.