What a Drake wants...he usually gets!

Billionaire businessman and heir to a sprawling Northern California dynasty, Terrell Drake wants to make a difference. Mentoring fatherless young boys at Paradise Cove’s new youth center fulfills that dream. However, passion of a different kind ignites when he meets Ashley Robinson. The stunning single mother’s manner reads strictly hands-off. But the heat sparkling in her big brown eyes tells Terrell something else.

Ashley learned about life the hard way. The up-from-the-streets anesthesiologist can’t afford to trust the charismatic playboy, who is already winning over her son. But the desire Terrell arouses is too powerful to ignore. Just as their casual fling flames into something deeper, the lovers are hit with a double whammy: sudden celebrity and a blast from the past that could jettison their future together. But the promise of forever is too precious to give up without a fight!

She placed an arm around his waist. “Yes?”

“Have you enjoyed the evening so far?”

“Are you kidding? This has been the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”

“It makes me happy to hear that.”

“I’m happy that you’re happy.”

He stopped and turned to her. “Then only one question remains.”

“What’s that?”

“Should our next destination be the airport, to take you home and kiss you good-night at the door, or my place here in San Francisco, away from prying eyes?”

She leaned into him. “Mr. Drake, I want you to take me wherever you can fulfill your promise of leaving me fully satisfied.”

They couldn’t reach the Drake place fast enough.

“Wow.” Aliyah stepped inside, immediately noticing the city view from their high perch in the hills. “This is beautiful.”

Terrell came up behind her, kissing her temple as he wrapped her in his arms. “So is this.”

She turned into him, desire in her eyes. The evidence of his desire was a little farther down.

“You know what I’ve been wanting to do all night?”

“Probably the same thing on my mind.”

Dear Reader,

We’ve all met him at least once in our life. That guy. The one who thinks he has it all, an assumption only made worse by the fact that...it’s true! He does! Success, swagger, fifty shades of sexy and any woman he wants. Such is the case with Terrell Drake, an unapologetic ladies’ man who’s always come out a winner in the dating game. Reminds me a lot of a guy I once dated. The one who was the one...well...until he wasn’t. Like Terrell, this guy was 6′2″ of mouthwatering hard candy with bedroom skills that could fill a college course curriculum.

However, unlike Terrell, he wasn’t quite ready for a smart, ambitious woman who appreciated all he had to offer. Though not to the detriment of reaching her goals. He let a good one get away.

Suffice it to say, Terrell Drake has a different ending in mind.

Zuri Day

Silken Embrace

Zuri Day

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ZURI DAY sneaked her first Mills & Boon romance at the age of twelve from her older sister’s off-limits collection and was hooked from page one. Knights in shining armor and happily-ever-afters filled her teen years and spurred a lifelong love of reading. That she now creates these stories as a full-time, award-winning author is a dream come true! Splitting her time between the stunning Caribbean islands and Southern California, she’s always busy writing her next novel. Zuri makes time to connect with readers and meet with book clubs. Contact her via Facebook (haveazuriday) or at zuri@zuriday.com.

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Sometimes the goal is worth the chase

Vying with many in the race

When you’re heart to heart and face-to-face

Forever enjoying his silken embrace.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Copyright

Chapter 1

“Good morning, Terrell.” The attractive Drake Community Center employee’s eyes sparkled with admiration and interest while traveling the length of his body.

Terrell Drake returned her greeting with a smile and a wink, aware of but unaffected by the blatant flirtation. He wasn’t cocky. At least not more than the average Drake man. He was simply used to it; he’d affected the female species this way his entire life.

“Hey, Tee, what’s up, man?”

“It’s your world, Luther, I’m just trying to navigate it.”

He bumped fists with the community center’s executive director and kept it moving. Months ago when his mother had asked him to volunteer at the center as one of its assistant directors, he’d balked at what he thought would cramp his style. He’d been wrong. The joy that came from seeing a struggling student solve a math problem, or properly knot his tie, or curtailing a would-be bully’s antics and have him see reason was beyond anything Terrell could have imagined. He actually looked forward to the three days a week he spent at the center. Walking into this after-school and summertime haven for more than a hundred children always made him feel good.

He reached the T-shaped end of the hallway and turned right toward the gymnasium. What he saw next made his heart skip a beat and wonder who owned the booty that, like sunshine, had just brightened up his world.

“Wow.”

The owner of said gluteus maximus stopped, paused for a beat, then turned to look at him.

Wait, did I just say that out loud?

If he were to judge by her reaction and the look at her face? That would be a yes.

But that his slip caused her to turn was worth whatever was about to happen. The woman looked as good from the front as she did from the back. Better even. Her heart-shaped face was almost totally devoid of makeup, natural, the way Terrell preferred. She had big brown eyes, a pert nose and pleasingly plump lips to match her generous cleavage. All kinds of sexy oozing through that frown. Time to turn on the Drake charm. Terrell whipped out a smile that could sell toothpaste and closed the distance between them with a confident stroll.

“Good afternoon.”

Her perfectly arched brow raised a notch. “According to whom?”

He had the decency to look sheepish. “Sorry about that.”

“You should be.” Her voice remained stern but he noticed a spark in her eyes.

He determined that he could get lost in those eyes. Holding out his hand, he said, “Terrell.”

She paused just long enough to make him nervous, and then extended her hand. “Aliyah.”

“Like the singer?”

Her scowl deepened as she shook her head and pulled back her hand. “No. Like myself.”

“I meant no offense, was a real fan of her music.” Terrell could deliver spot-on compliments in his sleep. Not today. From the look on her face, he’d just added insult to injury. He shifted his position to regroup and was just about to unleash his arsenal of amorous acclamations when he noted that Aliyah’s weren’t the only eyes watching him intently. He looked to her right, and down.

“Hello there, little man.”

“Hi.”

“What’s your name?”

“Kyle.”

Terrell held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Kyle. I’m Mr. Drake.”

The kid sized him up openly with a face that would do any poker player proud. “Are you my teacher?”

“I work with teenagers. How old are you?”

“Five.”

“Five? Are you sure?”

He looked at Aliyah, who nodded. “He’s big for his age.”

“You might be raising a football player.” She shrugged at his observation. “Are you here for the Progeny Project?”

“Is that what the mentorship program is called?”

“Yes, the Progeny Project.”

She nodded. “We’re here for that, and perhaps some of the activities the center offers. Kyle’s young, but he’s smart and easily bored. I’d like to get him enrolled in as many as are available to him.”

“I can help with that. Follow me.” He noticed that she hesitated. “Do you have another question?”

“I’m waiting to follow you.”

She said it with just the hint of a smile. Terrell nodded his understanding. Any other brother would have assumed her hesitancy was because of what had happened moments earlier. Terrell knew the truth—time for her to check him out.

He placed a hand on Kyle’s shoulder, encouraging the young boy to walk beside him. “Are you as smart as your mother says you are?”

Kyle nodded. “Yes.”

“Confident, too,” Terrell said with a laugh. “I like that.”

They reached the end of the hallway. He led her to a set of double doors, and followed her into the general office area, where registrants were enrolled and files were kept. This area also housed three offices, including the one Terrell used when he was at the center.

“Hello, handsome!”

“Good afternoon, Miss Marva.” Terrell walked around the counter and embraced the slight, older woman with graying hair tucked into a neat bun. The powder blue pantsuit she wore was topped off with pearl earrings and a matching necklace. Very classy. “Thank you for the compliment.”

Marva laughed, entwining her arm with Terrell’s as she looked into his eyes. “I’d say you’re welcome if the compliment was meant for you. It wasn’t.” She looked at Kyle. “It was for this handsome young man standing by the pretty lady.”

This statement won smiles from both Aliyah and her son.

“Whoa!” Terrell grabbed his heart. “You wound me!”

“You know what they say about assumptions. You brought that on yourself.”

“I guess I did.” He looked at Kyle. “She was talking to you, handsome young man.”

Aliyah encouraged her son. “Say hello to Miss Marva, Kyle.”

“Hello,” he said shyly, before hiding his face behind his mother’s skirt.

“Aliyah is here to enroll her son in Progeny, and to learn more about what our center offers.”

“Wonderful! We’ll get this young man signed right up.”

“I will leave the two of you in Miss Marva’s capable hands.” He pulled out a card and presented it to Aliyah. “If you have any other questions about the center or our programs, anything at all, please feel free to contact me.”

She nodded curtly, then smiled as she returned her attention to Miss Marva.

Terrell reached the door and turned. “One more thing.”

He watched her shoulders rise and fall before turning sideways to face him. “Yes?”

Their eyes met. The air sizzled, all but crackled between them. An unspoken, as yet unacknowledged attraction existed in each gaze.

“Never mind. Have a nice afternoon.”

A little over an hour later, Terrell returned to the office. He walked behind Miss Marva, grabbed her by the shoulders and smushed her hair with his chin. “Get on away from me with that foolishness,” she playfully chided, swatting blindly behind her while Terrell dodged and laughed. With a final squeeze, he let her go and walked to a set of file cabinets. Opening one, he began browsing through folders.

“May I help you, Mr. Drake? I know you think you own the world, but this office is my domain.”

He retrieved a file, set it on top of the others and opened it. “You’re absolutely right about that, Miss Marva. I’ll soon be out of your way.” Finding the desired document, he pulled out his phone. “I had to run earlier and just want to follow up on our latest registrant, Mr. Kyle—” a glance at the paperwork “—Robinson.”

Miss Marva folded her arms, her mouth now as twisted as her lovely chignon. “And just what kind of follow-up do you think is needed?”

“The general kind, you know, answering any questions his mother may have regarding our program.”

“Mmm-hmm. I’ve known you since you were crawling, Terrell Drake. And I am sure that the questions you want to ask that pretty lady have nothing to do with this center.”

He tapped a button on his phone, placed the paper in the folder and placed the folder back in the file cabinet. “They absolutely do.” He struck a professional pose—chin up, back straight. “And if those questions get asked over, say, a glass of wine or two, well—” he shrugged “—all the better, wouldn’t you say?”

Marva’s mouth untwisted into a lovely smile. “I’d say you’re full of it and then I’d tell you to take her out and have a nice time. She seems like a sweet girl.”

“Thank you, Miss Marva.” After a quick look around, he lowered his voice. “And...let’s keep this between us, okay?”

“I appreciate your stating the obvious, but this old trap has never sprung a leak.”

Terrell went into his office, closed the door and tapped the number he’d entered into his phone.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Aliyah. It’s Terrell, from the community center.”

There was a pause. “Yes?”

“I had to rush out earlier and wanted to call and make sure everything regarding your son’s enrollment went smoothly.”

“Oh.” Another pause. “Yes. The administrator, Miss Marva, handled everything just fine. Gave us a little tour and explained the program. We’re all set.”

“Good, that’s real good.”

A second ticked by. And then another.

“Is there...anything else?”

“Actually, Aliyah, there is. I’d like you to help me do something. Though it isn’t very difficult, it doesn’t happen often.”

Suspicion coated the words she delivered. “Like what?”

“I’d like you to give me a second chance to make a first impression.”

“That’s really not necessary.”

“I know. But I’d like to do it anyway—prove I’m not the cad my comment may have led you to believe. Something simple, say, dinner tonight. Casual. Jeans.”

“I guess I can do that.”

Terrell sat back with a satisfied smile.

“As long as regarding one thing we’re perfectly clear. The part of my anatomy you found so intriguing will not be on the menu.”

Chapter 2

Later that night Terrell was still thinking about Aliyah, surprised and a bit annoyed that she’d stayed on his mind. Sure, she was fine, but so were all the other women he’d dated. She was intriguing, but it was something more. An indefinable trait Terrell couldn’t quite identify. He shrugged, focusing back on the computer screen and the news website he’d pulled up. It was just dinner. No big deal. That’s why he’d suggested they meet at the Cove Café, the town’s family-friendly diner, instead of the more upscale Acquired Taste or the always remarkable Paradise Cove country club. He didn’t want to come off as trying to impress or anything. Why would he? Good looks aside, she was the parent of a student at the community center, with attitude to boot. Not mixing business with pleasure was Playboy Rulebook 101. With all of the women constantly trying to hook up with him, was a get-to-know-you dinner with her perfectly formed buns worth the messiness to his personal life that decision could potentially cause?

Yes.

Terrell ignored this answer that popped into his head, and the excitement that flowed through his other head as well. He wasn’t in the market for a girlfriend and had enough friends with benefits to keep him more than satisfied.

So why was he taking Aliyah to dinner?

By the time he’d broken out his favorite pair of jeans, paired them with a navy button-down complemented by a platinum bracelet and thin chain, whipped out his solitaire diamond stud, removed his five-o’clock shadow and splashed on an exclusive blend of designer cologne, he’d convinced himself that he was just being a nice guy. That and he was hungry. Everyone had to eat, right?

He gathered his wallet and keys, and was heading to the door of his west wing suite when the estate’s intercom sounded in his room.

“Terrell?”

“Yes, Mom?”

“Are you joining us for dinner, dear?”

“No. I’m heading out.”

“Dinner meeting?”

He paused. “Something like that.”

“Oh, I see. Have fun on your date, dear.”

“Who said anything about a date?”

The sound of Jennifer’s light chuckle made him smile. “Indirectly, you did. ’Bye now.”

“’Bye, Mom. Love you.”

“I love you more.”

* * *

Aliyah pulled into the crowded parking lot, found a space and cut the engine. Grabbing a sweater from the backseat to ward off the slight October chill, she was pleasantly surprised to see the café Terrell had suggested was a homey-looking diner and not a swanky five-star restaurant. After getting Kyle enrolled in the community center’s fall program she’d returned home, gone online and typed Terrell Drake in the search engine. What she’d seen there would impress most women. She was no exception. But it hadn’t made her excited to meet him. She was all too familiar with men like him. Those who had the world by the tail, and thought they ruled it, from a family that practically owned the town or at least helped build it. One brother a grape grower and rancher and another one the mayor? Elite affiliations and country clubs for sure. The more she’d read, the more she’d been tempted to cancel their meeting. When he’d called and boldly requested dinner, and she accepted, it was to possibly secure a west coast casual who could periodically scratch her sexual itch. It had been months, she had been busy and a woman had needs. But now? With his lifestyle sounding so much like the ex whose family made it clear that she didn’t and could never fit into their world? Why pull the scab off of a sore still healing? Because the attraction she’d felt in the community center office earlier was greater than her fear. So here she was.

She saw him right away, standing in a bar area with a group near the hostess stand. As she neared them he turned and reached for her, forcing the two women standing in front of her to step aside and let her through. Two men greeted her cordially and then walked away. The two women remained: appraising, waiting.

He made the introductions. Greetings were exchanged. He looked at Aliyah. “Shall we?”

“Yes.”

“Ladies.” With a nod goodbye in their direction, he placed a hand on the small of Aliyah’s back as they followed the hostess to a corner booth.

But the ladies followed, hot on their heels.

“Did you have any trouble finding the place?”

Aliyah shook her head. “Not at all. Have GPS, will travel.”

“That system does make it easier.”

The woman closest to her, a cute brunette with expressive gray eyes, cleared her throat. “Where’d you drive from?”

Aliyah looked at Terrell, then turned to address the woman behind her. “Davis.”

“You live there?” asked the woman who’d been fawning over Terrell when she walked in, and when introduced had offered a smile about as real as a three-dollar bill. The obvious competition, had Aliyah been in the hunt for a handsome, wealthy, well-built, charismatic, sexy example of male magnificence. She wasn’t. So Nosy Nancy had nothing to worry about. And no need to know her business.

They reached the booth. Aliyah sat without answering. The server immediately came over. “Is this who you were waiting for, Terrell?”

“Yes, it is.”

She placed menus in front of Aliyah and Terrell, then looked at the women. “Do y’all need menus?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

The server looked between Terrell and Nosy, from whom the simultaneous answer had come.

“It will just be Aliyah and myself tonight,” Terrell said. “My friends were just leaving.”

“Oh, okay.” Expressive Eyes gave a general wave. “I guess I’ll see you guys later.” She walked over and joined the two men who’d left Terrell to sit at the bar.

“Speak for yourself,” Nosy Nancy said, before looking at Terrell. “Are you going to scoot over or get up and let me in?” He didn’t move, just looked at her. “This isn’t a date, is it? I mean, you’re at the Cove Café for goodness sake, so obviously—” she looked at Aliyah “—it’s no big deal.”

So this was how it went down in Terrell’s hometown? Girlfriend didn’t know but the poised, polite chick in front of her was east coast all day long, where people kept it real. She could switch it up and hurt her feelings. But instead, Aliyah ignored her. Why spar with someone trying to crash into where she had been invited? She casually picked up her menu and began to browse.

Terrell’s voice remained low and casual, but his eyes were those of someone who’d had enough. “You have a nice evening...okay?”

“Oh. Okay.” She flung long black hair over her shoulder and adjusted a nice designer bag over store-bought boobs. “Sorry I upset you, Alicia. Terrell and I go way back, to preschool almost.”

The misspoken name was intentional, and catty. Aliyah knew that, and offered advice instead of correction. “Don’t be sorry.”

Terrell’s brief but knowing smile did things to her insides. The man was dangerous, too sexy for her own good. With no man in her life for the past few months, she wished he were on the menu she held. He had her so distracted she barely noticed Nosy mosey away.

“Sorry about that.”

Aliyah’s eyes turned devilish. “Don’t be—”

“Stop it!” He laughed. “You know you’re wrong. Clever, though.”

“I learned from the best—been dealing with girls like her since I was fourteen.”

“In Davis?”

“No. On Manhattan’s Upper East Side, where I went to private school on a scholastic scholarship.”

“You’re from New York?”

She nodded. “Brooklyn, more specifically. Born and bred in Prospect Heights.”

“But smart enough to go to school with the rich and privileged.”

“Yes, and at times that was most unfortunate. I watched girls who had everything become jealous of one who had nothing.”

He sat back, observing her keenly. “That’s not true. You’ve got a lot.”

“Yes, well, there’s that.”

“I’m not talking about your physical generosities...”

“Ha!”

“I’m talking about you.”

“You don’t even know me.”

“But you make a brother want to know you. And that’s what I’m talking about.”

“Looks like you’re a brother who knows everybody, and who everybody knows.”

“It’s one of the downsides of living in a small town. And one of the reasons I don’t eat here often even though the town’s dining options are limited. Everybody thinks they know you well enough to get all up in your business, even uninvited.”

“Most women who act like that have a reason for doing so.”

“She doesn’t.”

Aliyah shrugged. “Not my monkey, not my circus.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning whatever is between you two is not my concern. I just hope this place serves a good burger.”

“It’s not the best one in town but you won’t be disappointed.”

As if on cue, the server came over to take their orders.

Conversation halted as Aliyah perused the menu. Terrell watched. She noticed. “Clearly you’ve already decided what you want to order.”

“Absolutely,” he said, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I already know exactly what I want.”

She rolled her eyes. He didn’t know, but the action matched the roiling of her stomach as she took in the curly long lashes that framed chocolate-brown orbs, his cleanly shaven angular face and cushy lips. He smiled when she ordered the Cove Classic: double-patty cheeseburger, coleslaw and fries.

“Make that two,” he told the server, letting her walk away before he refocused his attention on Aliyah. “I love it. A woman with a healthy appetite and not afraid to show it.”

She fixed him with a sultry look of her own. “Oh, yes. I have a very healthy appetite.”

Check, and checkmate.

“So tell me about yourself, Aliyah Robinson.”

“What would you like to know?”

“Since you live in Davis, how’d you learn about our center here in Paradise Cove?”

“A good friend recommended it. Her youngest son is enrolled there. She watches Kyle for me. So it works out.”

“What’s her name?”

“Lauren Hensley. Do you know her?”

“No. But I’m only there three days a week, tutoring and mentoring teenaged boys between thirteen and sixteen years old. A buddy of mine named Luther works with your son’s age group.”

“I wouldn’t have pegged you as a guy who tutored teens.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. You just don’t look the type.”

“What type do I look like?”

Like the type of man I need to take home. Tonight. “Let me think about that.” The honest answer remained unspoken, but a hint of it showed in her eyes.

“Is UC what brought you to Davis?” She nodded. “With all of the great schools on the east coast, why that school?”

“The residency program.”

His brow rose in surprise. “You’re a doctor?”

“Not for at least another two and half years. I’m in residency as an anesthesiologist.”

“Impressive. Fine, smart...and you wonder why those girls were jealous.”

“Things look much differently when you’re fourteen.”

“Indeed.”

The server brought their drinks. Aliyah took a sip of her frothy root beer. Terrell had opted for real beer, and took a healthy swig from the bottle.

“Ever been to New York?”

“I’ve spent a little time there. My younger brother is going to NYU.”

“What’s he studying?”

“He’s getting his doctorate in psychology.”

“Oh, so you’ll have a doctor in your family as well.”

“We already do. My cousin’s wife is a doctor in San Diego. But yes, Julian, hands down, is the brains in my family.”

“Are you the brawn?”

He smiled. “Is that your answer for my type?”

“No, but if forced to fight I think you could hold your own.”

“Ha! Thanks, I think. My family owns a realty and consulting company. I handle sales.”

He was being humble. Due to her internet sleuthing, Aliyah knew he was a director in what appeared to be a very profitable company, heading up the sale of corporate and commercial properties throughout the state. A rich, successful, confident man who was also unassuming? Maybe he could scratch her itch after all.

“Is that how you ended up in Paradise Cove?”

“My grandfather settled here after leaving the military, went in with a partner and bought up a lot of land at a time when it was a buyer’s market. After college, my dad correctly predicted that metropolitan expansion would push the population this way. So he acquired more land in this area, got his real estate license and partnered with a contractor to build homes. Thirty years ago, where we sit now was nothing but farmland. Now, we’ve got Paradise Cove and, next to it, Paradise Valley, where my brother Warren now manages and co-owns that initial land my grandfather purchased.”

“Not many people of color can claim such historical ties and land ownership. You must be proud of what your grandfather and father have done.”

“I’m proud of my entire family.”

Conversation continued. The flow was easy. The food was good, the flirtations continuous. She told him a little more about Kyle, and about the teacher/mentor-turned-friend, Lauren, who’d encouraged Aliyah to choose UC Davis for her residency. She also let him know that while her body was in California, her heart still bled Brooklyn. She was a New York Jets fan for life. Aliyah ascertained that Terrell’s extended family was a close-knit one, that he was a member of the Raider Nation, but—that glaring offense aside—there was substance behind the sexiness. It was clear that neither wanted the night to end. But for Aliyah, it had to. She had a son to pick up and an early surgery to assist with in the morning.

She placed her napkin on the plate. “Thanks for dinner. The food was delicious.”

“What about the company?”

She shrugged, reached for her glass. “It was all right.”

“Ha! Just all right, huh?”

“Yep.” She finished the last of her soda. “Just all right.”

“You’re something else, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told a time or two.”

“Well, hopefully I made a better first impression the second time around.”

She blessed him with a smile. “You did.”

“Enough for you to go out with me again?”

She reached for her purse. “Maybe. But tonight’s good time has come to an end. I have to be up early in the morning.”

Terrell reached into his wallet and tossed a couple bills on the table. They stood and together walked out of the restaurant. He passed his shiny sports convertible and continued to her car.

“So, what kinds of things do you like to do?”

“I’m pretty adventurous and open to new things. There’s probably not many things I wouldn’t try at least once.”

Her quick once-over suggested he was included in this statement.

“Is that so?” They reached her car. He opened the door. Before she could get in, he cut her off and pressed her against the metal. “What about Friday night?”

She didn’t back down. She pressed back. “I have to work this Saturday. I’m off on Sunday, though.”

“Then what about Saturday night?” He ran a strong, large hand down her arm, before resting it lightly on her hip.

“Highly likely, if I can arrange a sitter. But not here, in your town. I’m not up to watching you fend off women all night and if insulted again, I might not act as civilly as I did tonight.” She pressed a hand against his shirt, and met a chest as solid as steel. “You work out.”

“I do. As tight as your body is, looks like you do, too.” Their bodies were close, their faces, too, so much so that their breaths mingled.

“Can’t say much for crunches and treadmills—” she slid a finger down the side of his face “—but there are certain ways I like to exercise.” She gently pushed him away and got into the car.

“Keep Saturday night open.”

“Don’t keep me waiting. Make a date.”

“All right then. Saturday, seven o’clock. I’ll text the details later.”

“See you then.”

She closed the door, started the engine and left the parking lot without looking back. Thoughts of Terrell accompanied her home, though.

Saturday night couldn’t come soon enough.

Chapter 3

The days flew. By the time Saturday arrived Aliyah had almost changed her mind again about her date with Terrell. Though this was a woman’s prerogative, she was usually more decisive. But he’d been on her mind more than was comfortable, took up more mental space than a potential casual should occupy. Trying to finish a three-year residency in two and a half was the only type of serious she could handle right now and something—okay, keen intuition and a heart that skipped a pitter when his face came to mind—told her that keeping things easy breezy and detached might not be possible. That scared her. So did the potency of her attraction. Yes, he was good-looking and yes, he was rich. She’d dated her share of handsome men and Kyle’s father’s family was part of the east coast’s Black bourgeoisie. Her ex’s family had doubted the truth of Kyle’s paternity and shattered her self-esteem. She didn’t want to go through that kind of scrutiny and judgment again, which is why a friend with benefits was all she wanted Terrell to be. But what if her heart felt otherwise? Did she want to chance a hot, sexual fling blazing into a relationship? Or worse, an inferno?

When she’d pulled up stakes and left the east coast, falling for an obvious heartthrob within a month of arriving hadn’t been in her plans. It still wasn’t. At least through this year, the only male she planned to focus on was the not yet three-foot-tall, sweet and curious tyke standing in front of her with his ever-present tablet in hand. But unlike most kids, Kyle was as likely to be working math problems from the study modules she’d downloaded as playing video games. The child had an unusual interest in numbers. She’d purchased the kid-friendly program to encourage him. Being good with numbers could take you places.

“Where are you going, Mommy?”

“Out with a friend, sweetheart.”

“Is it Mr. Drake?”

Aliyah was stunned, but maintained her composure by putting on her earring before she turned around. “What makes you think Mr. Drake and I are friends?”

“Because.”

Aliyah watched as her son held his arms out to the side and “flew” around the room. He could never sit still. She walked over to where he was and placed hands on his shoulders to still him. “Because what?”

“Because of how he was smiling when you came to pick us up.”

On Friday Lauren’s teenaged son, Conrad, had fractured his arm while skateboarding. On her way to emergency she’d called Aliyah, who agreed to pick up Kyle and Conner from the center.

“Mr. Drake wasn’t there, honey, remember? I spoke with your teacher, Mr. Adams.”

“I know, but Mr. Drake saw you, too. He stopped in the hallway and started smiling. Like this.”

Kyle smiled broadly. Aliyah laughed.

Observant little bugger. Note to self: watch your actions with Terrell when Kyle is around.

“I think he wanted to say hi, but this woman came and got him.”

A scowl jumped on her face without her permission, before she could stop it. The unconscious reaction surprised her. No doubt Terrell was popular with the ladies. And obviously unattached. Why wouldn’t they be swarming around him like bees on a honeycomb? And why should it matter to her? All she wanted from him was some horizontal exercise. She vowed to remember that.

“Do you see Mr. Drake often?”

“Yes. He comes and talks to Mr. Adams. They’re good friends.”

“How do you know?”

“They laugh a lot.”

“Oh.”

Kyle sat on the bench at the foot of her bed, tapped the face of the tablet and restarted a numbers game. “I like Mr. Drake.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “Because he is cool.”

Great. Even her son was smitten. Well, Mr. Cool made Mommy hot, and glad that Luther Adams was Kyle’s main teacher. Not good for her son to get too attached to a man in their lives only temporarily. She walked over to the closet and stood in front of a row of shoes, deciding. She was in no way trying to impress Mr. Drake, but still bypassed the comfy flats and chose a pair of strappy crystal-covered stilettos to pair with her black skinny jeans and off-the-shoulder cream-colored top. “Go get your Power Ranger backpack. It’s packed with clothes for you.”

Kyle looked up. “Where am I going?”

“Oh. I didn’t tell you? You’ve been invited to Conner’s house for an overnight playdate.”

“Awesome!”

She laughed as he ran from the room, his interest in Mommy’s date, who just happened to be with Mr. Cool, totally forgotten. It had been Lauren’s idea to have Kyle spend the night. They were good friends who shared almost everything. Lauren was probably just as excited that Aliyah might get some as she was.

A few minutes later and they were in the car and headed to the Hensleys, whose house was mere blocks away. She only had a few minutes once they arrived, but she still got out of the car to greet her mentor and best friend.

“Hey, girl.”

“Hey yourself. Don’t you look snazzy!” Leaning in, Lauren whispered, “I especially love those F-me pumps.”

Rather than disagree, Aliyah cosigned. “If I’m lucky!”

They laughed and high-fived.

Aliyah had met Lauren during her sophomore year in high school. At that time, Lauren worked as a counselor at the academy Aliyah attended. A raven-haired, free-spirited thirtysomething cutie from California, Lauren quickly picked up on some of Aliyah’s classmates’ antics. She paid special attention to Aliyah, not only for that reason, but also because she was so smart. And driven, too. When Aliyah announced her plans to become a doctor, Lauren was her biggest cheerleader, helping Aliyah choose appropriate classes and complete scholarship applications. Once Aliyah graduated high school, the two kept in touch and when she got pregnant, it was Lauren that Aliyah went to first with the news, ashamed to tell her mother for fear of being a disappointment. Somewhere between then and the time Kyle was born, mentor and mentee became best friends. A short time later Lauren’s husband, a professor, landed a job at the University of California at Davis, a college located close to where Lauren had grown up. She jumped at the chance to move back west and once she found out about the college’s residency program, lobbied for Aliyah to finish there.

After pulling out money for Kyle’s entertainment, a move that Lauren summarily rebuffed, Aliyah waved goodbye. Before leaving Lauren’s driveway, she typed the address Terrell had texted her into the GPS. He hadn’t told her the name of where they were meeting. Not that it mattered. Since arriving a month ago, Aliyah’s world had basically been work, home and Kyle’s school. Wherever they were meeting was likely someplace she’d not been before.

Fifteen minutes later and not only was she somewhere she’d never been before, but it was also some place she never would have guessed he’d ask her to meet.

Terrell exited his car as she pulled up, his eyes sparkling, smile wide. “Hello, beautiful.”

“Hey.” She stepped into his open arms for a hug. “What is this place?”

“An airport, Aliyah. Small, I know, but all that we need.”

She gave him a look. “Thanks for stating the obvious. Where are we going?”

“San Francisco.”

“Are you serious?”

“You said we couldn’t meet in Paradise Cove. I couldn’t think of an appropriate place for this night in Davis. So we’re going to San Francisco.”

“And we’re flying? I heard it’s only an hour’s drive away.”

“More like ninety minutes, depending on traffic. Why get stuck in traffic when you can fly over it?”

The logic of the rich, much like Kyle’s father, except without a snobbish tone. Still, every similarity to Ernest Westcott was a strike against Terrell Drake. But given the emotional distance she planned to maintain, that was probably a good thing.

They entered the regional airport hangar and walked over to a sleek private jet where two men, one casually dressed in button-down and slacks, the other wearing a stained gray uniform, stood talking. Mr. Casual saw them approaching and broke away from the worker, who turned and walked into an office.

“Mr. Drake!”

“Stan, my man!” The two men shook hands. Terrell turned to Aliyah. “Stan, I’d like you to meet Aliyah Robinson, an east coast transplant suffering from a case of small-townitis.”

Stan smiled as he held out his hand. “San Francisco is a great remedy for that disease. A pleasure to meet you.”

Aliyah greeted him. “Likewise.”

“Are we ready to go? I saw you in discussion with the mechanic.”

“We were just shooting the breeze. We’re all set. Inspection completed. Gauges checked. Bar is stocked. Just waiting on you.”

“After you.” Terrell stepped aside so that Aliyah could precede him up the steps. Midway, she turned quickly. As expected, his eyes were squarely on her assets.

“Hey, it’s directly in my line of vision!”

“You’re obsessed,” she said with a chuckle, and continued up the steps. Ernest’s family had chartered private jets on occasion, for events to which she’d not been invited. This was her first time inside one. If its interior was any indication of how the Drakes lived, theirs was a lavish, luxurious lifestyle. She took it all in: buttery leather seats, mahogany trim, crystal this, platinum that. All the discomfort from earlier returned.

Terrell motioned for Aliyah to sit in one of two front seats, watching her as she did so. “You all right?”

She nodded.

“You’re not afraid of flying are you?”

“No, but I’m usually on a bigger plane.”

“Don’t worry,” Terrell said, continuing to the bar that was midway back. “This is one of the safest planes out there and when it comes to pilots, Stan is top-notch. He flew fighter jets in the air force. He can do this hop to San Fran in his sleep. What can I get you to drink?”

“What are you having?”

“Let’s pop a bottle—make it a celebration.”

“What are we celebrating?”

Terrell shrugged. “Life.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Terrell poured two flutes and returned to his seat. He lifted his glass. “To a wonderful time in the big city.”

Aliyah tapped his glass and sipped. “Mmm, this is good. I don’t like champagne that’s either too dry or too sweet. This is neither.” She took another sip. “What brand is this?”

“It’s called Diamond, a Drake Wines product.”

Ah, yes. The grape-growing brother. “Your family owns a winery?”

“My immediate family is in real estate, for the most part. But my brother Warren, the one who co-owns the land with my grandfather, planted several acres of grapes that are now thriving. He did so on the advice of one of my cousins, whose family owns a resort and winery in Southern California.”

“Lots of success in your family.”

“We’ve been blessed.”

The captain walked back and asked them to buckle up. Ten minutes later they were above the clouds that had hovered for most of the day, surrounded by brilliant blue skies and a sun that would not be setting before they landed.

“So tell me about your family, Aliyah.”

“It’s not like yours, that’s for sure.”

“Few are.” This answer got a raised brow. “I don’t say that arrogantly, but honestly. It’s a lifestyle that is not commonly experienced, one I’m grateful to have. But nothing was handed to us on a silver platter. My family’s achievements come from a combination of luck, good timing and lots of hard work.”

Aliyah nodded, her mind awhirl with how to respond to his question. She wasn’t ashamed of her family, nor the struggles they all endured growing up in a vibrant but gritty section of Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights. The drive, resilience and determination to succeed arose from the notorious neighborhood activities she sometimes witnessed, events that left some childhood friends and acquaintances incarcerated too long, pregnant too young or dead too early. Those experiences helped make her who she was today. But she knew all too well how the upper two percent sometimes viewed the working class, since she’d spent twelve years—high school, undergrad and graduate school—surrounded by students of privilege and families of wealth. While dating Ernest, she had a bird’s-eye view of how high society operated—the judgments, condescension and exclusivity, and how friends were chosen less by personality and more by zip code and pedigree. Not even her becoming a doctor was good enough to gain entry. “A charity case to fulfill quotas” was how her attending the same Ivy League college as Ernest was described by his parents. As if her high SAT scores and 4.0 grade average—an average maintained even after the baby and while working part-time—had nothing to do with it.

Terrell mistook her silence. “Listen, Aliyah, I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“Oh, no. It’s not that.” She took a sip of champagne and gazed out the window a moment before turning back to him. “Kyle’s father is from a wealthy family, one into which I was never accepted. They abhorred my background, disapproved of our dating. My becoming pregnant left them petrified. Their vitriol was unrelenting, to the point where even I questioned my worth. It took a long time to rebuild my confidence. There is evidently still some work to do.”

“Where was Kyle’s father while his family attacked you?”

Her smile was bittersweet. “Mostly, on their side.”

“Even after you gave birth to his son?”

“Oh, that was just to trap him, you see, and a determination made only after paternity was proven by not one official test, but three.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“As serious as his parents were when they demanded I take them. After Kyle was born, they ramped up the pressure for him to dump his low-brow girlfriend and find someone respectable to marry. Someone with the right...credentials. That’s what he did.”

“Then you’re better off without him. A man who doesn’t have your back, no matter what the situation or who the person is attacking, doesn’t deserve you.”

“I appreciate that.”

“Hopefully he helps out financially, at least.”

“The bare minimum, thanks to creative accounting and a savvy attorney. What they didn’t understand, and still don’t, is that Ernest’s presence in Kyle’s life would be more valuable than any check he could write. Every child needs a father, but for boys, it’s even more important.

“In the end, it’s probably for the best. I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving him alone with that set of grandparents. There’s no telling how they’d poison his mind, or scar his soul.”

Terrell reached over and caressed her face. “Would it sound too selfish for me to say that I’m glad he’s not in your life?”

“Yes, that sounds selfish. But I’m still glad you said it.”

He leaned. She leaned. Their lips touched, softly, exploring. Soon their tongues intertwined, still bearing the essence of the wine. He kissed her thoroughly. She matched him stroke for stroke.

He pulled back. “I’d better stop while I can. We’ll soon be landing.”

Terrell’s kiss erased yesteryear’s heartache. Aliyah relaxed into the comfort of the supple leather, and began to feel the excitement of being in a private plane with a handsome man, soaring to a night of fun. She finished her flute of champagne and turned flirty eyes to Terrell.

“I’m glad Kyle is at your center. All of the men there, at least the ones I’ve met, seem genuinely invested in the program’s success and are great male role models.”

“Including me?”

“Especially you.”

Terrell extended his arm across the aisle. Aliyah placed her small hand inside his much larger one. “I’m glad he’s there, too. We’ll do our best to provide him with the mentorship he needs. Meanwhile, tonight—” Terrell raised her hand and kissed it lightly “—I’d like to make sure his mother, the lovely Aliyah Robinson, gets whatever it is she wants and needs as well.”

Chapter 4

They landed at San Francisco International Airport and were whisked away to a cozy, upscale restaurant with stunning views of the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Aliyah looked around. “I didn’t expect we’d be someplace this fancy. Glad I wore my crystal stilettos or I’d feel out of place.”

“You could walk in here wearing a garbage bag and outshine every woman in the room.”

Aliyah laughed and sat back in her chair. “Wow, you are a salesman, aren’t you?”

“Yes, and a darn good one. But that wasn’t a line.”

The waiter came over and after describing the evening’s special features, took their drink and appetizer orders. After further discussion of the menu and deciding on entrées, the conversation came back around to their continuing to get to know each other.

“So, Aliyah...”

“Yes?”

“What made you decide to become a doctor?”

“Not just any doctor but an anesthesiologist, specifically. The reason? Shannon’s mom.”

“Was she an anesthesiologist?”

Aliyah nodded. “My seventh-grade summer, I was selected for a math-and-science program that paired students from different schools to work on a project together. I was paired with this geeky, slightly chubby girl named Shannon. We were best friends from day one. So much so that she invited me to her birthday party. She lived on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. That train ride took me to another world and changed my life.

“After that day, I spent several more at her house. One time we were in her room and I was asking how her family lived the way they did. Where they got so much money. Her mother was walking by and answered, ‘We worked for it.’ I asked her what she did and she told me that she was an anesthesiologist. Right then and there, I decided that’s what I’d be, too. Of course, had I known that such a declaration was going to cost me twelve additional years of my life after high school, I would have chosen Shannon’s father’s career instead.”

“What did he do?”

“Worked in finance. On Wall Street. He’s retired now. They both are. Shannon still lives in the home I visited but her parents spend most of their time in their villa in France.”

“Do you like what you do?”

“I love it. Money and the lavish lifestyle I saw at Shannon’s house is what sparked my interest. The satisfaction I found during the educational journey to my goal is what’s kept me here.”

“You’ve accomplished a lot. As a single mother, it couldn’t have been easy.”

“I’m not used to easy. Anytime I think of quitting I remember those on the block who chose differently, and are no longer with us. I never want Kyle to experience what I saw growing up. He’s my motivation.”

Dinner arrived. The conversation changed. From the appetizer to dessert, the food was as decadent as Aliyah’s thoughts had been ever since Terrell’s promise to satisfy her. They left the restaurant, and just when she thought the night couldn’t get any better Terrell surprised her with tickets and backstage passes to see one of her favorite artists, Janelle Monáe. The show was rocking, so much so that Aliyah was almost able to ignore all the attention Terrell received from the ladies. Even if she were interested in a serious relationship, which she wasn’t, Terrell wouldn’t be on her short list. Relationships were hard enough. One with walking temptation wrapped around fifty shades of sexy would be impossible.

After spending time with the singer backstage, Terrell placed his arm around Aliyah and pulled her to his side. They walked toward the exit. “Ms. Robinson?”

She placed an arm around his waist. “Yes?”

“Have you enjoyed the evening so far?”

“Are you kidding? This has been the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”

“It makes me happy to hear that.”

“I’m happy that you’re happy.”

He stopped and turned to her. “Then only one question remains.”

“What’s that?”

“Should our next destination be the airport, to take you home and kiss you good-night at the door, or my place here in San Francisco, away from Paradise Cove’s prying eyes?”

She leaned into him. “Mr. Drake, I want you to take me wherever you can fulfill your promise of leaving me fully satisfied.”

They couldn’t reach the Drake place fast enough.

“Wow.” Aliyah stepped inside, immediately noticing the city view from their high perch in the hills. “This is beautiful.”

Terrell came up behind her, kissing her temple as he wrapped her in his arms. “So is this.”

She turned into him, desire in her eyes. The evidence of his desire was a little farther down.

“You know what I’ve been wanting to do all night?”

“Probably the same thing on my mind.”

Their heads moved in unison toward a mutual destination. The kiss was soft, purposeful, their lips rubbing against each other in a casual get-to-know. Terrell’s hands went on a journey of discovery, meandering over her shoulders, down her back and to the top of bootyliciousness. Aliyah, who at five-five had always preferred a tall man, relished how her five-inch heels made it possible to easily wrap her arms around his neck. With a swipe of her tongue against his lips, she intensified the exchange.

He sucked it in, an act that weakened her knees.

After a long moment, they came up for air. Terrell mumbled against her hair, “Damn, you feel good.”

“So do you.”

“You taste good.”

“Mmm.”

“I want to taste more of you.”

“What are you waiting for?”

He grabbed her hand and led them to the couch. Once seated, he pulled her to his lap. The fit was perfect, as if they’d been designed for each other. The kiss resumed—slower, hotter, wetter. Tongues twirling, slow and easy, hips grinding in the same rhythm. Terrell caressed Aliyah’s arm, running his hand down the length of it, coming back up to cup her breast. Seconds more, and he eased down the fabric and palmed the warm flesh beneath. His thumb brushed against a rapidly hardening nipple. Aliyah arched her back, encouraging him to move faster, to take more. Instead he stopped, hugging her tightly before sitting back to look into her eyes.

“What?”

“Girl, I don’t know what it is about you. You’ve got me so turned on!”

“And that’s a problem.”

“No. I just...”

“Just what.”

“I just want to make sure that you’re ready for this. That this is what you want.”

“You gave me a choice. I’m still happy with the one I made.”

“I want you, too. But I don’t want something done in the heat of the moment to change how we are with each other. I like you. I want you. But I also respect you. I don’t want you to feel bad afterward.”

Aliyah rolled off of him and stood. “Look,” she began, pulling her top over her head and tossing it on the floor. “We are two clear-thinking, intelligent, consenting adults who came here for the same reason.” She reached behind her and unclasped her bra. It joined her top on the floor. Her breasts swayed invitingly, nipples protruding in invitation to be licked. She undid her jeans button and unzipped them before sitting on the couch to remove her shoes. “There will be no regrets, no guilt trips and no expectations. I am as uninterested in a steady relationship as I’m sure you are. Now—” she raised her legs to him “—will you help me take off these jeans and show me what that mouth is good at besides talking?”

She watched his eyes light up and become predatory as he reached for first one leg of her jeans and then the other, removing denim to reveal smooth, flawless skin that reminded him of a favorite childhood drink. Hot chocolate. He stood. She watched. His eyes never left hers as he removed his shoes, shirt and pants. Placing his hands on the band of his boxers, he paused just a moment before pulling them down and stepping out of them in one fluid motion.

“Oh, my goodness,” Aliyah cooed, staring unabashedly at eight thick inches of penis perfection. “Is that all for me?”

“All for you, baby. Sit back.”

He started at her toes. No preamble, no warning. Just sucked one into his mouth. So nasty, yet so decadently nice. Leisurely placed kisses continued from her ankle to her knee, up the outer and inner sides of thigh. She spread her legs in invitation, though there was none needed. His index finger was already working itself between her thong’s elastic edge, already teasing her moistening folds as his tongue teased the slip of satin covering her treasure. Aliyah hissed and moaned, swirling her hips against his tongue to increase the friction and douse her desire.

Her actions were rewarded when Terrell slipped his tongue beneath the thong and kissed the satin of her skin. Lapping, nipping, licking, tasting her over and again. Aliyah threw back her head in ecstasy. The man was a maestro, playing her passion with precision and skill. Sweet torture that she wanted to stop, that she hoped would go on forever.

But she wanted more.

“Stand up.”

No answer. His tongue was busy doing other things. She chuckled, placed her hands on the sides of his head and gently pulled him away from her. “Stand up.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Just do it.”

He complied. In an instant Aliyah was on her knees, fondling the massive weapon that had made her mouth water. She licked its length, outlined the perfect mushroom tip with her tongue, took him in, slowly, fully.

“Aliyah.” Spoken like a promise, or a prayer. “Baby...” He pulled back. “You’re driving me crazy. I’ve got to be inside you, now.”

He reached for protection and then sat on the couch. Aliyah climbed on top of him and slowly, oh, so slowly, eased down on his massive shaft, allowing the delicious friction to heat up her insides. He pulled a nipple into his mouth and reverently cupped the butt that began this journey. Squeezing. Kneading. Grinding. Thrusting. Hard and fast, then slow and easy. Riding one wave of ecstasy after another, resting only long enough to ride again.

Later, they moved to the master suite, where the vastness of the four-poster, king-size bed offered a whole new realm of possibilities. They explored them all, each matching the other’s voracious appetite with their own unbridled enthusiasm. Each had clearly met their match.

When Aliyah returned to earth from a shattering climax that brought her near tears, she cuddled in the crook of Terrell’s arm, listening as his own heartbeat slowed and returned to normal.

“Terrell.”

“Yes, Ms. Robinson.”

“That was frickin’ amazing.”

He laughed, pulled her even closer. “So you’re saying I took care of you properly?”

“Yeah, you were all right.” Said in that lazy, drawn-out way she’d heard the teens do it.

This answer lifted his head from the pillow. “Just all right?”

“Yes.” He grunted. She smiled into the darkness, doubting his sexual prowess had been called anything less than amazing his entire life. If indeed it had happened, whoever said it had lied. “Terrell?”

“Yes, Aliyah.”

“Can you be all right again in the morning?”

His deep-throated chuckle was the last thing she heard before falling asleep.

Chapter 5

He awoke to her lips kissing his manhood, her glory spread before him like a gourmet buffet.

“Good morning!” he said.

She purred, occupied.

“You sure know how to wake a man up.”

She knew how to do more than that. Working magic with her tongue and fingers caused all talk to cease until after they’d showered. After drying off, they strode down the stairs in their toned, naked glory and retrieved the clothes that last night had been tossed aside.

Terrell reached for his boxers. “What do you want for breakfast?” She wriggled her eyebrows suggestively. “Girl, stop!”

“Ha!”

“Dang! I never thought I’d meet someone who liked sex more than I do.”

“I would apologize for wearing you out but truthfully, I’m not at all sorry.” She zipped up her jeans and reached for her bra. “It had been a while.”

“I could tell.”

“Shut up!”

They laughed, sharing a comfortable camaraderie that some couples never experienced, even after being together for years.

“Seriously, though. What do you feel like eating?”

“Something quick. I want to spend the afternoon with Kyle.”

“Hey, why don’t the two of you come over for brunch?”

“You cook?”

He put up his hands. “Oh, no. I’m allergic to the kitchen. I’m talking about coming over to my parents’ house, where we have brunch every Sunday.”

She smiled. “No, thank you.”

“Why not?”

“Um, this isn’t a meeting-the-family kind of situation, remember?”

“Oh, no. It’s not like that. Friends get invited over all the time.”

She gave him a look. “Even more reason not to be woman number whatever showing up.”

“Wait! Not those kinds of friends.”

“Then what kinds of friends?”

“Friends who I really like. Not just anyone. I don’t invite booty calls over to my mama’s house, for instance.”

“Something tells me that to do that your mama would have to have a really big house.”

“Ha!”

“I appreciate the invite but would rather grab something quick and casual on the way to the airport. Are we leaving now?”

“Wow, she uses me all night long, wrings every ounce of strength from my body, then tosses me aside with the first light of morning.”

“No, I used you some more at the first light of morning. It’s almost ten o’clock.” Sliding on her shoe, she walked over and gave him a peck on the lips. “I’m going to use the restroom and then I’ll be ready to go.”

Terrell reached for his phone to call the pilot, shaking his head as he watched Aliyah leave the room.

A short time later they arrived at the airport, takeout orders from an organic café in hand. Stan greeted them cheerfully. “Breakfast for me? Terrell, you shouldn’t have.”

“Good. Because I didn’t.” They laughed. “Give me a minute to heat this up and get situated, all right?”

“Sure. Just let me know when you’re ready.”

Ten minutes later they were in the air, speeding toward Paradise Cove...and reality.

“That was delicious.” Aliyah finished off the last of her egg white omelet and swiped her mouth with a napkin. “Everything about this weekend was oh-so tasty!” She reached over and placed a hand on Terrell’s arm. “Thanks again for inviting me out. It was just the date I needed. The last few months have been busy—securing the job, finding a house, moving across country. And that’s after a jam-packed schedule, four years of killer courses to get my degree.” She sighed, looked away. “And everything else.” A second, and then she turned back to him. “I didn’t realize how long it had been since I totally relaxed and enjoyed myself. But I was able to do that with you.”

“I’m happy that you’re happy, and enjoyed myself as well.”

She pulled out her phone and they were both soon busy texting, answering messages and emails that last night had been ignored. Casual conversation flowed in between, making the forty-five-minute flight back home seem much shorter.

They landed. He walked her to her car, shared a quick kiss and hug. Terrell opened her door. “I’ll see you tomorrow, right?”

“How so?”

“Your son. The center. Our tutoring and activity program?”

“Actually, no. I came to enroll him and scope out the place. Since everything I saw met with my approval—” she paused, giving him a slow once-over “—Lauren, his babysitter, will likely handle it from here on out.”

“Then when am I going to see you?”

“Soon.” She got into her car, gave a quick wave and was gone. He watched her car turn on to the street and speed away, and wondered why his heart seemed to go with her.

He knew just who to call for the answer, and wasn’t surprised when just as he thought this, his phone rang. That whole twin-radar, two-halves-of-the-same-whole sort of thing. He tapped the speaker button. “Tee.”

“Hey, Tee.” It was his sister, Teresa.

“I was just getting ready to call you.”

“I know. What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this weekend?”

“No trouble, sis.”

“That’s not the vibe I’m getting. Who is she?”

“The mother of one of the new students at the center. Her name is Aliyah.”

“All right, Silky.”

“Ha!” It had been a while since Terrell had heard this high school nickname. “What made you call me that?”

“Hearing that Cindy was divorced and living back in PC. Remember that cheer she made up after hearing that was your nickname?” She adopted a high-pitched voice. “Terrell Drake, with all the moves, a voice like silk and twice as smooth.”

“Please, sis. Spare me the memory. Crazy that you brought it up, though. I ran in to her while meeting Aliyah for dinner.”

“Was she pushy, as usual?”

“She basically invited herself to join us for dinner. What would you call it?”

“Ha! Cindy was in love with Silky.”

“Girl, stop.”

“What about the rule we made? Don’t reach where you teach!”

“I wasn’t reaching.”

“What, she kidnapped you?”

“She gave me a second chance to make a first impression, which led to a third one.”

“What was her first impression? Never mind, just start at the beginning and tell me everything.”

“Well, sis, it all started when I turned the corner and saw this wonderful behind.”

“Oh, Lord.”

“Perfectly proportioned on this amazing body.”

“And you just had to have her phone number.”

“As one of the center’s volunteer faculty, it was my duty to follow up on the new enrollee and make sure all had been handled properly. That’s all...”

“Oh, so that’s what was on your mind? Duty? I thought it was booty.”

Terrell could only laugh at the truth. He continued, filling her in on how he got busted and why he felt he at least owed her dinner. How cool and down to earth Aliyah was and how conversation flowed.

“Before the first date was over, I knew I wanted a second one. She did, too, but not in Paradise Cove.”

“With Cindy’s tactless antics, who could blame her?”

“I was glad she felt that way.”

“Unlike all the others in PC, who’d make sure your date was somewhere public where everybody would know they’d been with a Drake.”

“Well, you know.”

“Unfortunately, yes, I do.”

Terrell chuckled. “Anyway, last night we went to San Francisco. Dinner, concert, a night on the hill. I’m driving home from the airport now.”

“Sounds like a top-tier Drake date. What didn’t she like?”

“She loved it. Said it was the best time she’d had in a while.”

“Oh, so now you’re afraid she’ll stalk you at the center, wanting exclusivity?”

“No, exactly the opposite. She made it clear that this was just a sex thing, basically—wouldn’t even accept my invitation to Sunday brunch.”

“Wow, Tee, she sounds like you!”

“I knew you’d say that.”

“Because it’s true!”

“The way she dismissed me, so casually, made me feel like a used piece of meat. I need to call every girl I sent home after the deed was done and apologize.”

“No apology needed if that’s all they expected. Clearly that’s what your girl thought last night. But from the sound of your voice and the words left unspoken, you might be the one who ends up stalking her!”

“Tee?”

“What?”

“Go wrestle a bear.”

“Ha! I love you, too. And for the record while I’ve grown to love Alaska, I’m still afraid of the wild.”

“No matter what, Tee, you’ll always be city. I need to run. Tell Atka I said what’s up.”

“Will do.”

Chapter 6

Aliyah signed out of her FaceTime account, happy that she’d been able to see and speak to her whole family. These days, finding her parents and four siblings all home at the same time was rare. It made her miss New York, but it also allowed her to see that all of her hard work was paying off. She hadn’t gone to college and blazed a trail of success just for herself. She’d done it so that the four hardheads looking up to her—three brothers and one sister, all younger—could have a clear example of how to avoid life’s pitfalls and go for one’s dreams. The two oldest brothers were excelling in college. The younger brother and sister still made her nervous, entranced by the smoke and mirrors of quick money and instant success. Gangs constantly courted her six-foot-plus brother. Pretty-boy tough guys wanted to date her gorgeous sixteen-year-old sister. Avoiding neighborhood temptations was hard. But so far, they’d succeeded.

After a final check on Kyle, Aliyah turned out the lights and climbed into a bed that suddenly felt too big and too empty. She’d stayed busy on purpose, had filled her entire day with one project or event after another. All to keep her mind occupied and not think of Terrell. But now, with the house quiet, and her lying down, images and memories of San Francisco assailed her. She couldn’t ignore them as she’d done to Terrell’s earlier phone call. Thinking of the message he’d left made her tingle and smile at the same time. It was simple. Three words. They’d thrummed like a mantra in her head all day.

I want more.

She did, too. And she planned to get it, as much as she could. Hands down, he was the best she’d ever even dreamed about having. If he were a drug, she’d need rehab. Already. After just a few days. So she needed to find a way to assuage her appetite while guarding her heart. She wasn’t looking for commitment. If she were, someone like Terrell Drake would not be a likely candidate. It’s why she’d never considered a serious relationship with her childhood friend, turned lover. He was tall, handsome and virile, with enough charisma to fill the Atlantic—characteristics that were great for a good time and a roll in the hay. Not the best for a committed relationship. She never worried about Ernest. Turned out he was an arrogant, superficial, self-centered a-hole. But as far as she knew, he was faithful. Even jerks could have one good trait.

She changed positions, fluffed her pillow and settled down in search of sleep. As it came, the mantra continued.

I want more.

The next morning, Aliyah’s phone rang at 7:00 a.m. Given her family lived on the east coast, this was not an unusual occurrence. She reached over, eyes still closed, and answered.

“Hello?”

“Good morning, Ms. Robinson.”

Her eyes flew open. “Terrell?”

“I wish I could say I’m sorry for waking you up, but what I really feel bad about is that I’m not there with you.”

“You’re such a playboy,” she said with a chuckle, rolling over and getting out of bed. She left the room in search of tea.

“Is that what I am?”

“Absolutely.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Where do I start? It could be that woman-magnet sports car you drive. Or the daggers shot at me by every woman who saw us together in the Cove Café. Or better yet, what about the woman who invited herself to our table?”

“Hey...”

“No, wait, I’m not done. Let’s not leave out the lover’s lair you own in San Francisco and perhaps in other major cities as well. Lastly, add a handsome face, a killer bod and skills in the bedroom and you have all the attributes of the perfect player.”

A pause and then, “Are you done now?”

“Yes, I believe so.”

“Good. Because your reasoning is skewed.”

“How so?”

“Just because a man takes care of himself and has nice things doesn’t mean he’s a playboy. As for what happened in the café, that’s just small-town nosiness and Cindy being Cindy.

“Yours was a new, unrecognized face in a town where everyone knows everybody, and everyone wants to know my business. Your being with me made you my business. I’m sure the grapevine is still buzzing with questions about who you are.”

“Hmm.”

“And for the record, the house in San Francisco is not my lair. It is a family property. We all stay there when in town, as do some of our friends and colleagues. However, I do not apologize for being particularly fond of the opposite sex, and especially interested in the one I’m talking to right now, the one who didn’t return my call from yesterday.”

“Terrell, it’s early in the morning. You hardly gave me a chance.”

“Whenever you see my number on the screen, you are to call me back immediately.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Or what?”

“Or I’m going to come over and spank you just right, and love you ’til you holler and throw up both your hands.”

She laughed. “Don’t you have to be at work or something?”

“I’m already here. What about you? Are your hours as erratic as I hear they can be for medical doctors?”

“Right now, even more so. Tuesday through Thursday I’m in residency at UC Davis Medical Center, then I intern at a local hospital, Living Medical, on Monday and Friday. And there’s still studying to do on top of all that. Which is why this past weekend was so appreciated.”

“Wow. No wonder you’re not interested in a relationship. You don’t have time for one.”

“Exactly.”

“Well, guess what?”

“What?”

“You need to make some time for yours truly. I need to finish what I started in San Francisco.”

“Which was?”

“Satisfying you.”

“Oh, trust me, you did that.”

“Baby, that was just the appetizer. I want the whole meal.”

“Well, unless you’re up for a midnight rendezvous in a hotel near the hospital, your dining will to have to wait.”

“Until when?”

“Um...next Sunday?”

“All right.”

“All right, fine. I’ve got to run and wake the kid but I’ll call you toward the end of the week, make sure we’re still on.”

“See you soon.”

Aliyah got Kyle dressed and took him out for his favorite pancake breakfast. While they ate, however, it was Terrell’s appetite that was on her mind. He was successful, an expert lover and could charm the panties off most women. She’d love to pursue something with him. But the timing was all wrong. She was at the beginning of at least two and a half years of intense residency training. At the most, she’d have time for a little tune-up every once and again, but real dates? Like the one they’d just had? Unlikely. Something told her Terrell wouldn’t be happy with that. To her, he seemed like a man who wanted lots of attention. And lots of sex.

At least they had one thing in common.

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