Joy (13 page)
Sasha lowered her eyes, but kept her arms across her chest. Silence had replaced their joyful noise.
Madear's cheeks were flushed with fury and, holding her head high, she stared at Sasha. “I don't know how you can say that I hate you.” Her words were tight. “I love you, but I don't like your ways. You've been trouble since you were little. You wouldn't mind your parents, you played around in school. Nothing was serious to you. And nothing has changed. You're not even thirty years old, and you've destroyed your marriage …”
Sasha's head snapped up. “I should have stayed with a man who cheated on me?”
“Well,” Madear paused and sat back in her chair, “if you had been taking care of business at home—”
“I told you it was a mistake for me to come here, Anya,” Sasha said, her eyes now filled with tears. She threw her napkin across the table, then ran from the room.
Donovan pushed his chair back, but Anya put up her hands. “I'll get her.” She turned to her grandmother. “How could you say those things?”
Madear's chin jutted forward. “We told her not to marry that man.”
Anya shook her head. She stood and said to Braxton, “I'm going to take Sasha home.”
He nodded solemnly. “But we need to talk,” he whispered.
“Not tonight, Braxton.” She kissed him. “I'll call you tomorrow.”
She glared at Madear, who sat stiffly in her chair with her eyes straightforward. “Good night, Grandmother.” Anya turned away before Madear could respond.
They were sprawled across the bed in Anya's bedroom. The Sunday night soulful sounds from KJLH softly floated through the room.
“What is it about me?” Sasha asked for at least the fiftieth time.
“It's not you,” Anya repeated what she'd been saying for the last hour. “Madear said that she loved you and was happy to have her grandchildren with her.”
Sasha pulled the last tissue from the box sitting in the middle of the bed.
Anya continued. “I'm going to call her tomorrow and find out what is the problem.”
Sasha shook her head. “I don't want her blaming me for coming between you two.”
Anya didn't respond, already knowing what she was going to do.
Sasha rolled over and put her feet on the floor. “I don't want to keep you up all night with this.”
“Why don't you drive me to the office in the morning; then you can have the car and go shopping? That always does it for me.”
Sasha smiled for the first time since they had left Madear's. “That sounds good.”
They hugged.
When Sasha left the room, Anya reached for the phone, then pulled her hand away. She would have that talk with her grandmother but it had to be face to face.
Sasha looked at the clock and wondered if it was too late. Probably not, he was an actor and didn't they keep late hours? Before she could change her mind, she reached for the card in the corner of the mirror. She curled up on the bed, then dialed the number quickly.
“Hi, Hunter? This is Sasha.” The pause on the other end told her that he didn't recognize the name. “Anya's cousin. We met yesterday.”
“Hey, Sasha. How are you?”
Madear's words flashed through her mind. “I'm doing great.”
“I hope you're calling to take me up on my offer.”
“Your offer for what?” she said in the most seductive voice she could gather.
“To show you …the city,” he chuckled. “But, I don't have to stop there.”
Sasha leaned back against the bedpost and smiled. Her husband left her for a younger woman, and her grandmother didn't love her, but now, she was on the telephone with the hottest man in Hollywood. She was not a failure and Hunter Blaine was just the man to help her prove it.
T
he man squeezed his vehicle into the mall space blocked a driveway. His eyes darted up and down the street, then hack to the two-story duplex. He trotted up the steps and, before he raised his hand, the door opened.
She leaned against the doorframe, one hand above her head, the short red negligee barely covering her curves. “I've been waiting for you,” she said huskily. Her voice was deep for a woman. “What took you so long?”
He walked past her without a word, and moved through the darkened apartment, until he stood at her bedroom door.
She swaggered toward him. “You're in a hurry tonight.” They were standing so close that he could feel her breath.
grunted, and she moved into him, forcing his body into the room. With a gentle push, she lowered his body onto the brass bed. “Since you're in such a hurry.” She remained standing with her hands on her hips and a wide smile on her face.
His eyes roamed over her, from the brown curls that framed her face, past the curve of her neck, down to her legs that were spread wide, arched in stiletto heels.
Slowly she brought the spaghetti straps of her gown from her shoulders, pushing the thin material past her hips, until it slid down her legs and fluttered around her ankles. She kicked the material away. In the bright light, she stood, totally naked. He closed his eyes.
“What's wrong?” he heard her say.
He opened his eyes. “Put that back on,” he whispered, motioning with his head toward her gown.
She smiled. She loved hearing his voice, but he'd been quiet tonight.
Before she had the gown completely on, he closed his eyes and brought forth his vision. Then, he pulled the woman into him and moved his hands to her chest, squeezing as tight as he could.
“Ouch!” She swung around, facing him, her face twisted in pain. But, then, she licked her lips. “It's going to be like that, huh?” She kissed him, softly at first, then pushed her tongue into his mouth. A moment later, he pulled away and pushed her onto the bed.
She laughed, too loud. “Come on, baby, come to Mama.” She uttered the words that he had taught her to say.
In one move, he unzipped his pants and fell on top of her. She began to gyrate beneath him, but he stopped her—holding her still. Then he pounded away, causing her to moan. The louder she became, the harder he pushed into her. His eyes were closed tightly and he could see her. It was Anya holding him. Anya moaning for him. Anya wanting him.
Within minutes, he was standing, straightening his clothes.
“That was different,” she said, as she stretched on the bed. “Now you'll have to take off your clothes.”
“I'm not staying the night,” he said simply.
Her disappointment showed on her face, then she forced a smile. “It's your party.”
He took three twenties from his wallet and threw them toward her. They floated in the air, finally resting on the sheet next to her.
“Hey—”
He turned and left, leaving her front door wide open. As he jogged to his car, he shook his head in disgust. For six months, he had wasted his time coming here. Well, he wouldn't anymore. It was time for him to be with her.
D
avid caught his reflection in the glass top of his desk, held the somber gaze, then watched his lips curl into a smile. Since his bonding with the Pacific Ocean yesterday, he hadn't heard any voices. Even the visions were gone—except for the one of Anya.
The clock chimed and David looked up. It was still early; he could get some work done. He pulled papers from his fax machine, resumes from the headhunting firm. Spreading the dozen sheets across his desk, he glanced over them casually. He would select the best, then review those with Anya.
His eyes wandered when he thought of her. He had never spent time with her before, knowing that his secrets were safer in the office. He smiled as he thought about the day before and his rewards for casting caution aside. He couldn't get her out of his mind.
He shook his head sharply. It didn't matter where his imagination drifted at home but at the office, he had to thrust all thoughts of her away—except the most professional ones.
He closed his eyes and remembered the plum-colored dress she'd worn. It fit her perfectly, providing a flawless silhouette of her shapely form. He liked that she wasn't model-thin. She was a real Black woman, with all of the parts that came with that genetic blessing. Just the way he liked them—
“Stop it!” he scolded himself. He returned to the dozen names staring from the resumes but, minutes later, his thoughts reverted to Anya. He sighed. The woman monopolizing his brain space was his engaged boss. In all his working years, he'd never mingled with anyone from the office. So why was he thinking about Anya this way?
The creak of the front door tugged him from his fantasies. Good thing; he couldn't spend the day daydreaming like a forlorn teenager.
“Good morning, David.” Alaister and Geena stood at his door.
This was the third time he noticed the two coming in together, and he wondered if there was something going on. Big problem— Geena reported to Alaister. He'd talk to Alaister later.
“How was your weekend?” David asked them.
“Fabulous!” Geena's grin at Alaister aggravated David's suspicions.
“Great.” David smiled back at them. “There's a lot to do before we go to Linden. Alaister, do you have those numbers?”
“Ah, no. Last night… I got busy.”
“We'll need them as soon as possible.” David smiled, but the message was received and Alaister moved with urgency toward his office.
Turning back to the resumes, David sorted through the pile. But before he got past the first one, the front door opened and, this time, the voice made him stop. For several moments, he listened to the chatter. Then he stood and walked to his door. He would just say good morning.
He casually strolled to her opened door and tapped lightly. She was standing behind her desk and, when she looked up, David was pleased by her immediate smile. “Good morning.”
He bowed his head, suddenly feeling like a shy schoolboy. But he'd only taken two steps into her office, when he stopped abruptly.
“Oh, excuse me.” He hesitated, taking in the woman sitting on the couch. “I'll come back.” He retreated toward the door.
“David, I want you to meet someone.” Moving to him, she took his hand. “This is Sasha, my cousin.”
David's eyes assessed the woman expertly, the way a man who truly appreciates the female form would. His wandering gaze drank in her attire, and he noted her skirt was as short as her legs were long.
“Nice to meet you.” Her voice was strong as she held out her hand.
“Ah, David Montgomery.” He realized he was still holding Anya's hand. He dropped hers and took Sasha's. “Nice to meet you.”
Anya watched the exchange. David reacted to Sasha the same way Hunter had, but this pleased her. “David, Sasha's visiting from Chicago.”
He forced his glance from Sasha and took in Anya's wide grin. “I don't want to disturb you,” he said. “I wanted to say good morning and let you know we're ready to go with Linden.”
“Great, set up a time and let Dianna know.”
“And we received some resumes—”
She waved her hand in the air. “I'll leave that to you.”
He couldn't stop the smile that lit his face. He gave Sasha another long glance. “I hope I'll get to see you before you leave.”
Not uttering a word, Sasha sat down and crossed her legs, allowing her skirt hem to ease high up her thigh. “I'll make
sure
we see each other again.” Her words were a husky whisper.
David cleared his throat, then smiled at Anya before he left the office.
When Anya was sure David was out of hearing range, she turned to Sasha. “He's nice. Did you like him?”
Sasha raised her eyebrows. “Are you trying to hook me up with David?”
“No.”
“Liar.”
“I am not!” Anya said, crossing her arms in front of her.
Sasha raised her eyebrows. “You're right. You're a
big
liar.”
Anya dropped her arms and smiled. “I just wanted you to meet someone nice. And I could tell you liked him, especially the way your eyes moved up and down his body.”
“Well, boyfriend does raise your temperature a degree or two.” She pulled a nail file from her purse.
“And I can vouch for his other assets.”
Sasha raised her eyebrows. “And what
are
they?”
Anya ignored Sasha's tone. “He's smart, personable, successful. He hasn't been here long and he just landed the biggest account of my career. You two would have a good time together. Didn't you see the way he looked at you?”
Sasha sighed. “He's a man, men look at me that way.”
“Just admit that you,d like to go out with him.”
Sasha waved the nail file in the air. “Girl, I'm not going anywhere with that man. David only has eyes for you!”
Anya was stunned into silence.
“I know there's something going on between the two of you.” Sasha stood, and closed the door. She settled on the edge of the desk and leaned over toward Anya. “Tell me the real scoop!”
Anya sat behind her desk. “Sasha, you have lost your mind. If there was something going on between me and David, would I introduce you to him?”
“Good point,” Sasha said thoughtfully. “Well, there's nothing yet, but something'll happen soon. Girl, that man wants you!”
“I don't even know him. Yesterday was the first time we were together outside of business.”
“Then let the games begin.” Sasha snapped her fingers in the air. “I don't know your history, but let me tell you your future. There were more sparks flying around this office than you can legally set off on the fourth of July.”
Anya jumped from her chair and tripped on the edge of the Persian rug that covered the carpet around her desk. When she regained her balance, she smoothed her skirt and stood straight. “You've forgotten one thing. I'm engaged.”
“I know you're betrothed to the great author, but that's what makes this so exciting. David will be your last fling before you promise to love, honor, and cherish forever.”
“I am not like that!”
Sasha shrugged. “Whatever you say.”
“And David is not interested in me.”
“I said, what-ever.”
“I am in love with Braxton.”