Naphressa laughed, tossing back her head, happy to break the solemnness of the last few moments. “Are you trying to say that’s what women do, or is it what men expect?”
“Don’t put words in my mouth.”
“Then answer the question, counselor.”
“I plead the fifth.”
“Spoken like a true attorney.” She gazed down into his upturned face and looped her arms around his neck. Her heart was full. Her heart was happy. Axel made her happy. “I’ll take the sex now, please.”
“Coming right up, but, before we get started, I want to throw out an idea to you. Let’s go away together, just the two of us. Do you have plans Memorial Day weekend? We could drive down to south Georgia or better yet, to Hilton Head. My parents own a condo on the beach there, which they rarely use. What do you think?”
“I think it’s a great idea, and I’d love to go.”
He blessed her with one of his sexy smiles. “Perfect.”
Naphressa cleared her throat loudly and unsnapped his jeans. “Now, about that sex…”
“I’m only having sex with you because I want to, not because I feel obligated,” Axel said, palming her butt.
Her body awakened to his touch, and she dropped a kiss to his cheek. “There’s no better reason to do anything in this world.”
14
“Hey, Randy!”
Naphressa greeted the security guard at the front desk as she came in from lunch. He was usually here when she returned and took his lunch when the other guard came back. A couple of years ago, he’d jumped her battery in the parking lot after hours one night, and ever since then they’d been friends.
“Hi, Naphressa. Guess what?” A grin of utter joy spread across his baby face as he leaned an elbow on the high desk. “We found a house, and it’s under contract.”
Naphressa squealed her delight and desperately wanted to grab him in a hug, but that would be way too inappropriate. “Oh my goodness! Congratulations, future homeowner!”
She couldn’t have been happier if she herself had found the perfect home. Randy was under thirty but newly married with a baby on the way. They talked a while back about his desire to purchase a home, but he’d run into a problem. He didn’t have bad credit, he just didn’t have any credit. He and his wife had been very careful not to accrue any debt, but that wasn’t good when one was looking to purchase a home with a mortgage.
Though she dealt exclusively with commercial real estate nowadays, Naphressa’s brief stint in real estate sales had given her a network of contacts she could reach out to, and she’d connected him with a mortgage broker who was able to work with his situation.
“When do you close?”
“End of May.” He held up crossed fingers on both hands.
“I can’t wait. I’m going to get you the best housewarming gift.”
“I should get you a gift for walking me through the process. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t be so close to buying our own home.”
“You’d have found a way, but I’m glad I could help. I’m writing down the closing date so I can get you a little something, but please send me pictures of your new place, okay?”
“Definitely.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a shadow came over Randy’s face. His smile faltered as he looked past her.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Hayes,” he said, way more serious now.
Naphressa snapped to attention. There was something about Victor Hayes that dimmed the light in every room he entered.
“Randy,” the older man said, in a cultured voice.
That’s how he greeted everyone. Never with a good morning or a good day. He simply called them by their first name.
Victor Hayes was tall, lean, and broad shouldered. He was baldheaded, with deep lines at his mouth and eyes—odd for a man who never smiled. Those lines had deepened since Byron passed. He’d adored his son. Naphressa’s thumb touched the ring on her finger, which in light of her relationship with Axel felt more like a noose than ever before.
Randy sat down and his attention was suddenly taken up by the computer screen, which meant the conversation was over. Victor owned the building, so essentially he was Randy’s boss. He knew better than to be seen fraternizing with other employees, because Victor didn’t approve of the guards getting too friendly, which could affect their ability to do their job well.
Naphressa followed Victor to the elevator. As they waited outside the doors, she remembered that Axel had invited her on a mini vacation, and she wanted to put in a request for the time off. No time like the present to bring up the topic.
The elevator doors opened, and she stepped into the cabin and stood on the opposite end, away from Victor.
“Did you have a nice lunch?” she asked to warm him up to the conversation.
“It was fine,” he replied in a bored voice. Naphressa had never gotten used to his disinterested tone.
She cleared her throat. “I’ll submit a formal request, but I was wondering offhand if you have any objection to me taking a long weekend around the end of May. A friend has a condo in Hilton Head and invited me to spend a few days there.” That was probably more information than he needed, but being around him always made her nervous.
“A friend?”
There was no way he could know about her relationship with Axel, yet his question suggested he knew she was lying.
“Yes.” This time she did not provide any additional information.
“I don’t see any reason why not. Nothing’s coming up that I can think of that would require you to remain in the city around that time.”
“Great. I’ll be sure to put in a request.”
The doors opened and she rushed from the suffocating interior.
“Naphressa.”
The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Turning slowly, she faced Victor, unease gripping her insides. She’d never been completely at ease around him. He was always so aloof and seemed to judge her with his eyes. She hadn’t always been this uncomfortable. The discomfort increased after Byron’s death. A shift had taken place in her relationship with Victor, and she had begun to feel the weight of being tolerated. As if she didn’t belong—not just in their family, but in the company. The ring on her finger had served as a sort of buffer to ensure that she stayed within Victor’s good graces, but she now regretted that she’d worn it to appease him.
“You know we appreciate all the hard work you do here. You’re an asset. Byron did well marrying you, and I wish he was alive to see how much further you’ve come. The Brixton deal is quite an accomplishment, and I don’t know if I’ve told you before, but I appreciate you bringing it to our attention and all the hard work you’ve put in. I’m sure Byron is looking down and smiling from his position on high.”
He looked at her expectantly, and she realized with a start that he was waiting for her to agree.
“Yes, I’m sure he is.”
He nodded, acknowledging she’d said the right words. For a split second, his gaze landed on her left hand, and then there was a smile—if one could call the minuscule upward tilting of both corners of his mouth, a smile—and then he went down the hallway.
Naphressa hurried to her office, glad Loretta was not at her desk so she wouldn’t be forced to indulge in idle chitchat. She closed the door and leaned back against it with relief. Only a couple more months, and the Brixton deal would be finalized, the Brixton employees would have job security, and then she’d leave. She couldn’t stay any longer under the weight of the Hayes family thumb.
Axel and Braxton exited the café. They’d met for lunch near his office because Braxton was a network specialist and had a client on his side of town today. They strolled down the sidewalk to the office building where Axel worked and Braxton had left his car.
“So when are you headed to Hilton Head?” Braxton asked.
Axel had told him about the trip he had planned for him and Naphressa.
“Memorial Day weekend.”
“You’re cheesing so hard. You’re really looking forward to it.”
“Like I told you guys from the beginning, she’s the one.”
“She still wearing the ring?” Braxton asked.
“Unfortunately. Man, I hate it, but she doesn’t wear it around me.”
“She should leave that company,” Braxton said.
“She knows she needs to but wants to close the Brixton deal first, which I understand. She doesn’t want to walk away from the biggest accomplishment of her career. The buyout will be finalized soon and then she’ll leave. She’s already started quietly putting out feelers for other project management positions.”
“You ever worry that you’ve found another Rose? Someone whose career is more important than your relationship?”
Axel thought for a minute and answered honestly. “I had doubts in the beginning, wondering if I’d stumbled into the same kind of relationship, one that would leave me disappointed in the end.”
“And?”
“Naphressa’s different, and I believe we want the same kind of relationship. I’m going to marry that woman.”
Braxton’s eyebrows lifted higher. “You’re not playing around.”
“Hell, I’m trying to be like you, big man.”
His friend laughed. “A worthy goal, my brother, but I feel you. Londyn hits me the same way.”
They stopped at the crosswalk and hurried across the street when the light changed.
“You remember when Dani called us out back in February, told us why she thought we’d never get married?” Axel asked.
“Sure do. I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but her assessment of us was spot on.”
“No doubt, but you know what I was thinking?” Axel came to a stop a few cars over from Braxton’s Acura. “Dani doesn’t have a man. She needs to examine herself and figure out why the hell she’s not married.”
“You’re right, but can you really see Dani doing any type of self-reflection about why she has advice for everyone else but remains single?”
“Nah, I can’t see it.”
They both had a good laugh and then parted ways.
15
“What’s all this?” Axel looked at the luggage Naphressa had stacked at the door, which included a large orange suitcase and the matching carry-on and shoulder bag.
“These are my bags for the trip,” she replied.
“Baby, we’ll be gone for four days, not four weeks. One small suitcase should be enough.”
“Should be, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to wear, so I packed a variety of clothes to change into. We’re not going on a plane, so I can be more flexible. And this bag”—she placed the smaller one over her shoulder and patted it—“is filled with snacks and has an insulated compartment, so I’ve got soda and water in here for us, too.”
“You and your snacks.”
“You’re going to be glad I have these snacks. Mark my word.”
“It’s a four-hour drive,” Axel stated.
“It could be longer because of the holiday and the number of cars on the road. We might get thirsty and want something to eat.” She pasted a smile on her face, but he saw steely resolve in her eyes. She wasn’t budging.
She was right about the possibility of the drive taking longer, but that didn’t mean he agreed with the extra bags. With a heavy sigh, he picked up the suitcases and walked to the SUV he’d rented, a roomy Buick Enclave in metallic blue sitting on the park pad outside her townhouse.
After locking the front door, Naphressa followed behind him, set the bag on the back seat, and climbed into the passenger side of the vehicle. Axel placed her luggage in the back with his and then joined her inside.
“We’re ready?” he asked, closing the door.
“Yes.”
He turned to her. “You already used the bathroom?”
“Yes,” Naphressa answered, sounding annoyed.
“Stove, iron, everything turned off?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes.”
“Because once we’re on the highway, I’m not turning this car around.”
Naphressa burst out laughing. “Would you just go!”
She had the prettiest smile. She wasn’t wearing makeup, and her hair was pulled back in a bun, showing off small gold earrings in the shape of roses. Her attire consisted of a white T-shirt with the words Laugh Often printed in gold letters across her chest, a pair of cut-off denim shorts that showed off her toned legs, and gold sandals.
“Let me get a kiss first.” Axel leaned across the console and gave her a peck on the lips.
Before long, they were on the highway going south with Michael Jackson’s Thriller album bumping through the speakers on a low volume.
As predicted, traffic slowed on the highway, and the bottleneck meant they’d arrive past their noon deadline. Three hours into the journey, Axel started getting a little hungry but didn’t want to pull over.
“What kind of snacks do you have back there?” he asked.
“Oh, so now you—”
He placed a long finger over her lips. “Not another word unless you’re telling me what’s in that bag,” he warned.
With a self-righteous giggle, Naphressa reached for the bag in the back seat and pulled out two chilled cans of Coke, pretzels, and a bag of chips. She popped open one of the cans before handing it to him.
They ate the snacks and drank the sodas while they chatted on the way. Finally, almost six hours after they’d pulled away from her townhouse, they arrived at the condo complex in Hilton Head. Axel drove through the gate and parked in the numbered spot in front of the five-story building.
“We’re here,” he announced.
They climbed out of the vehicle and stretched, then he took his suitcase and her larger one, while she dragged her rolling carry-on and had the smaller bag with the left-over snacks on her shoulder.
“How long have your parents owned this place?” Naphressa asked as they walked down the hallway to the unit.
“They bought it when I was in high school. My father bought it for my mother, for their twentieth anniversary.” He opened the door and stepped back.
“Nice gift,” Naphressa said, preceding him into the condo.
“It’s also a nice investment for them. A property manager maintains it and rents to tourists.”
“This is cute,” Naphressa said, scanning the interior.
Containing two bedrooms and two baths, the unit was simply furnished. The white kitchen opened into the living room/dining room combo, where a dining table seated six and a chair, loveseat, and armchair were covered in white and blue nautical fabric—paying homage to the seaside location.
After Axel deposited the bags in the master bedroom, he found Naphressa outside, resting her elbows on the balcony railing. The balcony overlooked the large swimming pool and the beach a mere three-minute walk away. Families, couples, and solo travelers with their large umbrellas and colorful beach towels dotted the landscape as the glittering blue water lapped at the shore.
Axel stepped between the two reclined beach chairs to stand next to Naphressa.
“When was the last time you came here?” she asked.
“I haven’t been in a few years. I used to come at least once a year.”
“Why don’t you come more often? It’s only a short drive away.”
“I don’t know. I didn’t have any reason to come.”
He hadn’t thought much about why, but he suddenly realized, like a lot of the other aspects in his life, he lost interest after his engagement ended. Except for the times he hung out with Cole and Braxton, and the occasional hook up with a woman, his life revolved around work and home. The trip to Belize had been highly unusual, but it had certainly provided the greatest return because he’d met her.
“Hopefully that’ll change in the future,” he added meaningfully.
“I’d be willing to accompany you again—you know, to keep you company. If you like.”
“I woul
d like that.” He took Naphressa’s hand and pulled her against his side, kissing her temple as they watched the vacationers frolicking in the surf and tanning under the warm sun.
After a few minutes, he asked, “You want to go down to the beach today?”
“I do, but I need something of substance to eat first. I’ve had nothing but chips and pretzels since breakfast this morning. I’m hungry.”
“Me, too. Food first, then we go to the beach.”
Naphressa wore a white coverup that loosely draped over her body with large sleeves and a short hem. The low neckline showed off the red and white bikini top she wore with a red bottom.
Axel wore gray and blue swim trunks that came almost to the knees. He flung a towel over his shoulder, and she was a little perturbed by the spurt of possessiveness she experienced when she thought of the women who’d have the pleasure of ogling his bare chest and muscular legs.
Per Axel’s request, the property manager had stocked the refrigerator with groceries, and he removed several bottles of water from the fridge and tucked them into the small, soft-sided cooler he found in one of the kitchen cabinets. Naphressa inserted a bag of caramel popcorn into her beach bag with additional towels and tossed it over her shoulder.
The condo office provided them with chairs and an umbrella. After Axel signed them out, they donned sunglasses and left for the beach.
Seated in what she considered the perfect spot, Naphressa reclined the chair and inhaled the salty scent of the water in the air while she listened to the music of the ocean waves rolling in.
After a while, she heard Axel ask, “Ready to go in?”
“Ready.”
Standing, she lifted off her cover-up and yelled, “Race you!”
She dashed across the sand but was no match for Axel’s speed.
“Gotcha!” he said, sweeping her off her feet.
She let out a scream of laughter, trapped as he trudged toward the water with her wriggling in his arms.
“Put me down!” she demanded.
A few people turned in their direction, but for the most part the other beachgoers were preoccupied with their own activities. Axel crashed into the waves and cool water spattered over their sun-warmed skin. He dropped her unceremoniously into the ocean. Salt water covered her head, temporarily blocking out the sounds of screaming and playing around them and burning her eyes. She rebounded by bouncing onto her feet.
Love Me (Irresistible Husband) Page 9