Deja Vu

by Willow Ward

  “I’m sorry but it’s easier for my cousin. He just got a job and his job is closer to the club so I told him to meet us there.”

  “Fine, I’ll be there.” Marisa huffed, as she hung up the phone.

  She didn't want to hang out with Darcy's cousin knowing how his parents felt about other people’s race.

  When she got to the club tonight she’ll make up an excuse to leave.

  Marisa slide down the bed, pulling the covers back over her head.

  Chapter 8

  “Hey Marisa, what are you doing here? I thought it was your day off?” Tiffany another bartender asked.

  “It is. I’m doing a favor for Darcy,” she said picking up her drink.

  Looking around, “By the way have you seen Darcy?” Marisa asked, sipping her glass of wine. She decided to have one drink so it would calm her nerves.

  She hated disappointing Darcy, but she had to cancel. This whole thing wasn't sitting right with her.

  “Not yet,” Tiffany said looking around herself.

  Marisa sat at the end of the bar, sipping her wine.

  She could be at home right now spending time with a certain gentleman. Most likely they’d be wrapped around one another, exerting the stress of the day. See what good sex does to a person. She was in a bad way for him.

  “Marisa, Marisa,” Darcy shouted.

  Marisa turned around in her seat to see Darcy coming towards her. “Oh, I’m so happy to see you. Thank you for coming,” Darcy said excitedly, hugging her.

  “Hey Darcy,” Marisa said, hugging her back. Marisa shook hands with Darcy’s boyfriend Steve as Darcy introduced them.

  “So, where’s your cousin?” Marisa asked looking around. She wanted to see this guy before she gave him the old heave-ho.

  “Oh, he’s coming. He called to let me know he’s going to be late,” Darcy smiled, turning to Steve.

  Great! His parents sprouted their disrespect to the world and he showed his by taking his time getting here. She hoped he didn’t think he was doing her a favor by agreeing to meet her. She could be doing better things with her time.

  Glancing at her watch, he was two minutes from her walking out of here, and him being on her I don't care list.

  Marisa turned back around to her drink, ignoring Darcy and Steve who were making out as if this was a Hilton Hotel.

  “Sorry I’m late, but I wanted to make a good impression on my second day,” Marisa heard the voice say.

  The hair on her neck stood up.

  “Hey, cuz, how are you?” Darcy asked, giving him a hug.

  “Good,” the voice stated.

  Marisa almost choked on her wine when she heard the voice speak again. Holy crap! It couldn’t be. Oh, God no! No, no, no! Please don’t let it be.

  Turning around, Marisa eyes bugged out of her head when she looked into a familiar set of blue-green eyes. She'd know those eyes anywhere. How many times had she climaxed looking into those eyes. This couldn't be true. The guy she’d been sexing was Darcy’s cousin. This had to be a bad joke. Darcy had to be playing a joke on her. No, Darcy couldn’t be playing a joke on her because Darcy didn’t know Marisa was sexing her cousin. This wasn't good. Wasn't good at all.

  “Marisa, I’d like you to meet my cousin Brady. Brady this is my friend Marisa,” Darcy said, as she looked from Brady to Marisa.

  Darcy had the biggest smile on her face. As if introducing them was a stroke of genius.

  Brady! So that was his name.

  Marisa could tell Brady was just as shocked to see her as she was him. If this wasn’t happening to her she would be laughing her big behind off at the expression on his face.

  She sat there staring at him.

  “You’re Darcy’s cousin? Brady. Brady—?” Marisa asked trying to understand this.

  “O’Reilly. My name is Brady O’Reilly.” Brady smirked. “Darcy and I are first cousins, our mothers are sisters.” Brady stated.

  “Marisa. Marisa—?” He stood there with his hand outstretched waiting for her to shake.

  Noticing she was too stunned to see his hand outstretched for her to shake, he pulled his hand back down. He didn’t know what to believe. What were the chances of both of them knowing one another?

  Darcy had went on and on about her friend Marisa from work, but Brady never guessed it would be his Sex Goddess. If he wasn’t standing here looking at her himself he wouldn't believe it.

  When Darcy asked him, no begged him to do this he thought he was doing her a huge favor, but instead she did one for him.

  Darcy didn’t know what she did, but when he got the chance he was going to treat his cousin to whatever spa treatment she wanted.

  Looking over to Marisa, oh, he could kiss his cousin for this.

  “Brady, you remember Steve right?” Darcy said, snuggling up to Steve.

  “Yeah. Hey. How you doing?” Brady asked, holding his hand out for Steve to shake.

  “I’m good,” Steve smiled, holding Darcy with one hand and using his other to shake Brady’s.

  Darcy, Brady and Steve stopped talking when they heard Marisa gulping her drink loudly.

  They stood there amazed when she slammed the glass on the bar and asked for another drink.

  “Thirsty,” Darcy asked her.

  “Um excuse us for moment. Darcy, can I speak to you for a moment? Please?” Marisa nodded over to the corner for Darcy to follow her.

  “Sure,” Darcy said, shrugging to Brady before following Marisa.

  Marisa waited in the corner watching Darcy extracted her paws off of Steve.

  “Marisa, what do you think of my cousin? Isn’t he great?” Darcy asked when she went over to the corner were Marisa was waiting.

  “Darcy, I can’t do this,” Marisa said, massaging her forehead. And she couldn’t do this. She had a tension headache coming on strong and her chugging wine down like she was in a drinking contest wasn't helping.

  “But why? You haven’t even gone out with him,” Darcy said looking upset.

  The last thing Marisa was going to do was announced to Darcy that she was banging her cousin. Darcy’s mouth was bigger than New York. Everyone they worked with would know. She could hear Darcy now, “My cousin whose parents are prejudiced is seeing Marisa.” She’d be the butt of jokes at work. They’d laugh her out the building.

  Marisa had to be careful with what she said to Darcy. She couldn’t have Darcy finding out about her and Brady.

  “I don’t feel good. Must be something I ate. If you could just tell your cousin I’m sorry.” Marisa said, walking off, holding her stomach.

  “Wait.” Darcy yelled.

  Marisa kept on walking. Nerves jumping all over the place. Her daddy said, 'When it rains, it pours' and right now it was a flood. She knew something was going to happen but she'd never would’ve predicted this.

  Brady stood over by the bar talking to Steve. He watched Marisa and Darcy talking.

  “&hellipare doing well this season. They’d probably be in the playoffs again this year,” Steve was saying.

  Brady turned his attention back to Steve.

  He’d been so focused on Marisa, that he vaguely heard anything Steve was saying, “Yeah, playoffs.”

  He was paying more attention to Marisa and Darcy's conversation then he was to Steve. He glanced back over to them and the way the conversation was going it didn't look good for him.

  Brady tried to act like he was interested in what Steve was saying, but he couldn’t concentrate. About to respond to Steve's question, Brady noticed Marisa leaving. “Excuse me Steve,” Brady said taking off towards the club exit.

  He had to talk to her.

  “Marisa wait,” Brady shouted, trying to catch up with her.

  He grabbed her arm as she reached the sidewalk. “Why are you leaving? Where are you going?”

  Marisa couldn’t look at him. She wasn’t ready to deal with this. She needed to get away. She needed time to herself. She wasn’t good with confrontations especially standing on a
New City sidewalk and knowing what she knew about his parents, a confrontation was definitely going to happen if he didn’t let her go.

  “Brady let me go.”

  Brady kept his hand on her arm, tugging her closer to the building of the club so the other pedestrians could walk past.

  “Let you go? Why?” Brady asked, frowning waiting for her to answer.

  “Why? Are you serious?” Marisa let out a fake humorless laugh. The wine was affecting her now. She should not have drunk it so fast.

  “I don’t understand. What are you talking about?” He pulled her closer to his body. “Is this about me learning your name?” He smirked.

  “No.” Looking up into his eyes, “This is about your parents.”

  Seeing he wasn't understanding, Marisa elaborated more, “Darcy, told me about your parents.”

  Pulling away, “She told me your parents don't like you being with anyone outside of your race.” Marisa wrapped her arms around her waist. “Brady, I’m black.”

  “I know. I don't care.”

  Turning her back on him, “I don’t know what I was thinking. I should have ended this the first time we were together.”

  She must have been out of her mind to continue to have sex with him.

  Turning her around, he put one hand around her waist and the other in her hair.

  With seriousness, Brady bent down to look deeply in her eyes, “Marisa, don’t do this. Don't make it into a race thing. Sweetheart, I’m nothing like them. Don’t condemn me for something I don’t agree with, I don’t condone. Don’t let my parent’s ignorant mentality come between what we've been experiencing. I'm a person just like you. Color doesn't make a difference to me. I thought you felt the same way,” Brady pulled her closer, tighter to him. “Are you going to walk away from all the fun we've been having.”

  Marisa jerked out of his arms. “It was just sex.”

  “It's more than sex.”

  Brady caressed her cheek with his hand, bringing her body up against the erection only she could give him. He could feel her weakening. “What we share could be so much more, Marisa.”

  Watching her shake her head no, he nodded his yes, “Yes it can. Let’s get out of here and go back to your place,” Brady brushed his lips against hers. “I want to taste you. Every inch.”

  He backed her up against the building. “Come on. Let’s go,” he whispered in her ear.

  Marisa closed her eyes fighting temptation. She knew what she had to do. Knew she had to give him up. Problems would arise with his family if she didn’t and she didn't want to come between anyone's family.

  Gathering her courage, “Brady, you and I both know we can’t be together. It was a one night stand that lasted longer than it should have.”

  She pulled his hand from her cheek.

  “You want me as much as I want you. I know you do.” Brady said, pleading with her. He was losing her as he saw her stepping around him. “Don’t do this,” he murmured.

  “I have to. It’s over,” Marisa said looking over his shoulder to see Darcy giving them a quizzical expression. She didn’t need this right now, she took another step back then another.

  Stepping towards her, “No wait! Wait!”

  “I’m sorry. It’s over,” Marisa turned and ran.

  With his hands on his waist, Brady raised his face to the sky.

  He couldn’t believe this was happening. Why did his cousin have to open her big mouth? Darcy just had to tell Marisa about his parents. He didn’t give a damn how his parents viewed other people. He never had his parents” views on race and never will. In his eyes everyone was the same.

  Marisa was the woman he wanted to be with and he didn’t care what her race was. He wanted her to accept him for the man he was not the person his parents wanted him to be.

  Turning around, his eyes narrowed when he saw Darcy standing by the door with Steve both having questionable expressions on their faces.

  He loved his cousin, but this was one time he wished Darcy had kept her mouth shut. This wasn’t the time or place to speak to her though.

  Disappointed, Brady turned, leaving them standing there. Damn.

  Marisa rarely missed work, but finding out Brady was Darcy's cousin and knowing his parents didn't like other people outside their race did it for her.

  Mitch, the manager of the club had stated this was unusual for her and she needed to get her shit together if she wanted to keep this job.

  Mitch tried to be such a hard ass with everyone at work, but nobody paid any attention to his rattling. He was such a wuss when it came to his employees. If she called out tomorrow he’d fuss, but still let her keep her job. She told him she would be in tomorrow and she would.

  Brady. It was a nice name, a strong name. It fit him. She’d never anticipated finding out his name like this. Actually, they weren’t supposed to know each other’s names, that was the one stipulation Marisa wanted. Thinking about it now, it had been a stupid stipulation.

  Throwing the blanket over her face, Marisa closed her eyes.

  Chapter 9

  Marisa was prepping the bar for tonight’s crowd when Darcy walked up to it.

  “Hey Marisa,” Darcy said. Not in her usual enthusiastic self. Actually more somber.

  “Hey Darcy,” Marisa said, cutting up some limes.

  Marisa looked at her watch wondering why Darcy was here so early. Everyone knew she was always late.

  She hoped Darcy didn't want to talk.

  “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

  Marisa stopped what she was doing and looked around. Seeing no one around to eavesdropped, “Sure,” she set the knife down to give Darcy her undivided attention.

  “I talked to my cousin,” Darcy said sitting on the bar stool.

  Marisa rolled her eyes. Here we go. “What happened between your cousin and I is our business Darcy. Why are we even talking about it. It’s over.” Marisa picked up the knife to start on the oranges.

  “I know it’s over, Marisa. My cousin told me you broke it off. I’m not trying to get all into yours or my cousin’s business, but he’s miserable. I know people say I have a big mouth—” Marisa raised eyebrows to Darcy, “but this is my cousin. Family. Besides what I told you about my aunt and uncle—,” Darcy shook her head, “Brady’s nothing like that. And neither am I.” She stopped speaking for a moment. “I thought we were friends.”

  “Darcy we are friends,” Marisa stated.

  Shaking her head, “No were not if you going to act that way. You're acting just like his parents. I thought much more of you. “

  Darcy got off the stool, “Friends don't see color.”

  She turned around ready to walk away. She turned back around “One last thing,” Darcy said strapping her apron around her waist, “My cousin is a good guy. And he really likes you,” Darcy said walking off.

  Marisa stood there starring at Darcy's back.

  Marisa was making a Martini, she felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle.

  Placing the drink in front of the customer, Marisa touched her hair to make sure it was still in the clip.

  She turned to get the Vodka and turned back around to encounter a pair of blue-green eyes, sitting on a bar stool right in front of her. It came to her when a kaleidoscopic of images ran through her head. She stood there staring at him, remembering.

  “Hi,” he said smiling at her.

  “Hi, yourself,” she said smiling.

  “I’m Brady O’Reilly,” he said holding out his hand for her to shake.

  Grabbing his hand, “I’m Marisa Sullivan,” she said still smiling.

  “Pleased to meet you, Marisa Sullivan” he said still holding her hand. “I was wondering if you would like to go out and get some ice cream when you got off.”

  She started laughing. Ice cream. Huh, it didn’t seem like too much of a request for her.

  Before she could answer, Brady still holding her hand, leaned over and pulled Marisa across the bar for a kiss.

>   Marisa didn’t care who saw them, or what people said, she kissed Brady.

  The man from her dreams.

  About the Author

  Willow Ward is a romance and erotica writer who has two adorable sons who drive her crazy, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

  http://willowwardwrites.blogspot.com/

  Bibliography

  Chocolate Sweets

  April 2013