From One Night to Forever

by Synithia Williams

  “Are you serious?” Reggie asked.

  Aaron nodded. “It’s like you said about Camila. I don’t want to go out with any other woman, and I damn sure don’t want to see Kacey on the arm of another guy.”

  Reggie lifted and lowered his chin. He reached out and clasped Aaron’s hand, and they shook. “Fine. If you mean it, and are done sneaking around, then I’m okay.”

  “I never wanted to do that, and I’m ready to be a one-woman guy,” Aaron said. He grinned at Kacey. “If she’ll have me.”

  He opened his arms and she accepted his hug. His body was rigid—surprising, compared to the easy grin on his face. She leaned back to stare into his face, but his was filled with a look of happiness and contentment. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and looked at Reggie.

  “And the merger?” Aaron asked in an urgent voice.

  Reggie looked at the two of them and smiled. “Back on.”

  The tension left Aaron’s body, and he held out his hand to shake Reggie’s again. Kacey frowned. Too much knowledge of the games men played started doubts in her brain. Had she just been played?

  Aaron turned to her with a look of joy and adoration in his eyes. “Kacey, I’ve never felt this way before, but tell me if it was just as hard for you to leave me this morning as it was for me to leave you.”

  Anxiousness filled his eyes, and his easy grin was gone. She pushed the doubts away. He couldn’t fake that look in his eyes. “It was.”

  Relief swept across his features, and he kissed her quickly. “I’m going to make you happy.”

  Chapter 22

  Aaron sat on his parents’ back porch with his brother, David. Music played from the Bluetooth speakers around the patio, and sunlight glittered off the surface of the pool. The smell of the grill filled the air, and he expected their dad to be out there soon with burgers if he didn’t get sidetracked by their mom. David sat next to him, feeding his ten-month-old daughter with an ease that scared the crap out of Aaron. David usually came dressed like a runway model even for family events. This Sunday afternoon, David wore a plain gray T-shirt and khaki shorts that Aaron wasn’t sure had been ironed. A pink polka-dot blanket draped his brother’s shoulder and he looked as if he needed a haircut.

  Aaron’s heart went from zero to sixty in his chest. Was that what kids did to you? Turn you into a shadow of your former self? Was he next in line?

  “I messed up,” Aaron blurted out.

  David looked up from his daughter. He bounced his knee to gently rock her as if he’d been handling babies all of his life. “How?”

  Aaron sat forward in the chair and ran his hands through his hair. He wanted to pull the curly strands out. “It happened during the merger. I met this woman…”

  David chuckled. “Let me guess. You met her, she fell in love, you promised to come back and see her, but now she’s acting all Fatal Attraction on you.”

  Aaron cringed and shook his head. “I haven’t had that situation happen since Keisha two years ago.”

  “Okay, then how did you mess up?”

  He cleared his throat and told David how Reggie had found out about him and Kacey the previous weekend.

  “You lied?” David asked.

  “No, nah, not really. I mean, I do care about Kacey. A lot. I wasn’t ready to leave her and I had moments when I thought I could be with her long-term. But when Reggie confronted me, all I could think of was saving the deal.”

  Aaron’s leg bounced, and he ran a hand over his head. “Now, when I’m on the phone with her, the conversation is still good. She still makes me laugh and we talk about everything, but she sounds different. Happier. And all I can think about is whether or not I rushed into things.”

  “Are you going back to see her soon?”

  “I don’t know, I mean, I’ve got to go back to Resilient, but before her I figured it would only be a few times a year. She hasn’t asked when I’m coming back, but she said she missed me.”

  And he missed her. A hell of a lot more than he expected. But the feeling that he hadn’t really thought through making them “official” bothered him. That entire afternoon seemed like a blur.

  David looked down at Davina and checked the amount of milk left in the bottle. “You should talk to her and tell her what happened.”

  Aaron glared at his brother, whom he’d happily hit if he wasn’t holding Davina. “Yeah, then I’ll really be considered an asshole. I can’t tell her or Reggie. Not until everything is done.”

  David looked up and shrugged. “Then what, you break up with her after the paperwork is signed?”

  The million-dollar question. His lawyer had looked over the contract and everything was good. All he needed to do was sign the papers. But he hadn’t signed yet. He didn’t know what to do after he signed.

  “I don’t like feeling rushed into things.”

  “Then let things play out and see what happens. You said yourself you’ve got feelings for her. For once, just see where the feelings take you.”

  “I know where the feelings take me, and I’m not ready for that.”

  “For what?”

  His niece gurgled and spit out the bottle. David grinned as if seeing a baby finish eating was the most adorable thing in the universe. David patted her on the back, again looking as if burping a baby and wearing a wrinkled T-shirt was normal for him.

  Aaron pointed to his brother. “That. Marriage, kids, all of that.”

  “Marriage and kids aren’t bad.”

  “They change you.”

  “Not really.”

  Aaron raised a brow. “When was the last time you got a haircut? And I’m not trying to call you out, but is your iron broken? You used to dress as if you were about to walk down a runway.”

  David shrugged as if it was no big deal, but he did run a hand over his head. “Some things just don’t take as high a priority. Kareem’s cutting my hair later, and I’d much rather have Davina spit up on this T-shirt than one of my other shirts. Besides, being with her doesn’t mean this.”

  “Really? You reunite with Sandra and six months later she’s pregnant. Fred and Janiyah get married and already she’s pregnant. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear Kareem say that Neecie’s pregnant.”

  “Neecie’s what?” Kareem’s loud voice broke the peace of the afternoon.

  Aaron turned to his brother, who’d just walked out from the sunroom, a glass dish filled with hamburger patties in his hands. Kareem’s eyes were wide with something very close to panic. Aaron still hadn’t gotten used to seeing his brother without his signature dreads, which he’d cut last year. Or in a color other than black, though the dark brown shirt and dark jeans didn’t stray too far into the bright color realm.

  “I was making a point to Aaron. Everyone is hooking up and having babies. I was telling Aaron that you’ll be making the announcement next.”

  Kareem nostrils flared with a heavy breath, and he shook his head. “Hell, no. Not anytime soon over here. I love Neecie, and one day I want kids, but today ain’t that day.” He strolled over to the grill and lifted the lid.

  “Kids aren’t so bad,” David said.

  “I never said they were, but I need to figure out this relationship stuff before I go throwing a screaming, hungry kid in the middle of it.”

  Aaron nodded in agreement. After Kareem got out of prison, Aaron never thought he’d see his wear-all-black, growl-at-a-pit-bull angry brother as in love and relaxed as he’d been since getting together with his fiancée, Neecie. Getting Kareem out of all black had seemed like a miracle, but Aaron still couldn’t imagine Kareem cradling a baby with a pink polka-dot towel on his shoulder.

  Kareem glanced back at David and shrugged. “Not that your girl screams that much.”

  David chuckled. “I know she’s a screamer.”

  Kareem turned back to the grill to drop a few patties on the hot surface. “Why ya’ll talking ’bout babies anyway? Did Aaron knock up some chick?”

  “No, I didn’t,” Aaron sai
d. “But I did walk right into a shotgun relationship.” He explained to Kareem what had happened with Kacey.

  Kareem didn’t interrupt or say anything right away. He finished with the burgers and wiped his hands on a towel hanging on the grill. When he turned, he looked at Aaron with a serious expression.

  “You think she told her brother on purpose.”

  Right to the thought Aaron had tried to suppress. Aaron couldn’t get over how Reggie just happened to find out about Aaron and Kacey the day he was supposed to leave. How he came barging at Aaron’s door with Kacey right after him. He didn’t want to think Kacey would do that. She wasn’t that type.

  “I don’t think she would.”

  “You don’t know that,” Kareem said. “She was a one-night stand and you hooked up with her a few times while you were there. Women get hooked and try to find ways to make a man stay.”

  “But she wouldn’t.”

  “What if she would?” Kareem countered.

  David glanced from Kareem to Aaron. “How did she look when her brother broke the deal?”

  “Shocked, and she told him he didn’t have to do it.” He frowned and thought about that day. “But then when I said I wanted to make things work, she looked…happy.”

  Kareem grunted. “Maybe because that’s what she wanted.”

  The baby burped and David cradled her in the crook of his arm. “Don’t listen to Kareem, Aaron. He’s still hovering on the side of the neurotic.”

  “Shut the hell up, David,” Kareem said without malice.

  “Don’t get mad because I’m speaking the truth. We all know your trust issues run deep. Especially before you got together with Neecie. Let’s not assume the same with—” He looked to Aaron. “What’s her name?”

  “Kacey.”

  “I don’t know. It sounds a little too convenient to me,” Kareem said. “And it gives Reggie more of an interest in the company. If you’re with his sister, he gets his say and then can use her to convince you to listen to his ideas more.”

  Aaron shifted. “How?”

  Kareem shrugged. “Women get whatever they want in the bedroom.”

  David nodded. “That’s true.”

  “I don’t know.” Aaron ran his hands over his face. “You all are making me think about stuff I hadn’t even considered.”

  “Well, maybe you should,” Kareem said.

  David stood. “Look, don’t let Kareem put doubts in your head. You’re nervous because you had to ’fess up to your feelings for the first time. But if you’re really unsure, then I’ll do for you what you did for me.”

  Aaron lifted his head. “What’s that?”

  “Bring her to the family. Let us check her out.”

  Kareem nodded. “Yeah, do that. We usually can figure out what’s up.”

  Aaron considered, then nodded. “Fine, I’ll see if she wants to come to the gender reveal, but don’t tell your wives. No way am I letting them know more about this situation.”

  • • •

  After leaving his parents’, Aaron went back to his apartment. Normally the sparsely furnished place made him feel at home. But today not so much. He missed the comforts of the apartment he’d had over Kacey’s house. Or the warmth of Kacey’s place. His one bedroom didn’t have any family pictures or personal touches to make it feel like his space. Just a couch, some gaming chairs, and his monster flat-screen television and video game console. The only thing in his fridge was an empty pizza box, half of a soda of indeterminate age, and a box of baking soda Janiyah had insisted he needed the last time she visited. After partaking of Kacey’s full fridge, he could fully appreciate stocking up on necessities.

  He ordered a pizza and sat on the couch to play an online game. As he waited for the pizza, he wondered what Kacey was doing. Probably up working on her thesis. Trying to get caught up after he had hogged so much of her time before he left. If he called, he could imagine the exasperation in her voice that he’d interrupted her, but it wouldn’t hide the pleasure that seemed to creep in whenever he did. She enjoyed spending time with him. Just as much as he enjoyed time with her. Maybe David was right and he should just let things play out and see what happened.

  He stopped logging in to the online game and pulled out his cell phone to call. He scrolled through his recent calls until he got to her number. A knock on the door came right before he could press the button to call. Aaron tossed the phone on the couch and got up to answer the door. He pulled out his wallet to pay the pizza delivery person, but when he opened the door, he was greeted with Liz’s smiling face.

  “Hi,” she said in a high, singsong voice. Her purple-framed glasses were crooked on her nose, and the normally neat knot that held up her strawberry-blond hair had lost its firm hold on her shoulder-length hair.

  “Hey, Liz, what are you doing here?” He glanced around as if someone else would be able to explain her appearance.

  “Janiyah called and told me you were in town,” Liz said. She took a step forward and ran her hand up his arm. “She also said you were going home where you’d be all alone and needed some company.”

  Aaron gritted his teeth. He was going to kill his sister. “She did, huh?”

  “Yes, she did.” Liz wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed against him.

  “What happened to you and the architect?” He could guess. Aaron knew he was the fun in between her off-again, on-again relationship with the guy. That hadn’t bothered him because he had no claims on Liz.

  He wondered whether there was a guy in Kacey’s life who’d like to fill in the void while Aaron was away. Aaron hadn’t done long-distance since Denise. That was before he had his business and he could stay in Texas almost full-time. He and Kacey hadn’t talked about how often they’d see each other. Another side effect of their spur-of-the-moment relationship act. Aaron remembered the guy who’d drooled over Kacey at the bar that first night. Was that guy filling Aaron’s place while he was out of town? The idea made Aaron’s stomach boil.

  “I’m done with him. Totally done this time.”

  “You said that last time.”

  He took a step back, but Liz remained wrapped around him. Her step forward was unsteady and she stumbled. Aaron placed a hand on her waist to keep her from falling.

  “I mean it this time, Aaron. He won’t commit, and I’m tired of waiting around.”

  “I told you that the last time.”

  Liz grinned and twirled a finger in his hair. “You did, and you also helped me forget about him the last time.” She wrapped her leg around his and slid her body up and down, pressing her full breasts against his chest.

  Aaron suppressed a groan. He had enjoyed Liz’s enthusiasm. “Liz, you can’t keep running over here whenever you get mad at him.”

  “I didn’t run. I took a cab,” she said with a very uncharacteristic giggle.

  Aaron narrowed his eyes. “Are you drunk?”

  “Tipsy.”

  He scowled. “At least you didn’t drive?”

  She shook her head; the knot gave way and waves of hair fell around her face. “I figured I’d be spending the night.” She rubbed her body up and down his again. “Help me forget, Aaron.”

  Liz grabbed his head and pulled him down for a kiss. She simultaneously slipped her tongue past his lips and palmed his cock. Aaron’s eyes rolled back, and he nearly succumbed to the pleasure—but he didn’t want to sleep with Liz. He wouldn’t do that to Kacey. Whether or not he had doubts about their relationship, he’d never been one to cheat.

  “Uh-hum, I got your pizza,” a male voice said from behind.

  Aaron pushed Liz off and wiped his lips. Her face was flushed and her hazel eyes sparkled with wicked desire. He knew what came with that sparkle. Aaron suppressed a groan and moved her to the side.

  “Yeah, thanks, man,” Aaron said. Liz went into his apartment while he pulled the money out of his wallet and paid the delivery guy.

  Aaron closed the door and turned. Liz had plopped down on his cou
ch, and only her feet were visible on the armrest. Aaron sighed and dropped the pizza and soda onto the coffee table.

  Liz grinned up at him. “Ready for some fun?”

  Aaron rubbed the back of his head. “Liz, how is this going to help convince Janiyah there’s nothing between us?”

  “She suggested that I come, but she doesn’t know I took her up on the suggestion.” Liz stood unsteadily and unbuttoned the top two buttons of her gray sleeveless blouse. “No one has to know.”

  “Liz, we aren’t doing this.”

  She scowled at him. “Come on, Aaron, it’s what we do. And right now, I need a distraction. A big one.” She eyed his crotch. “You’re just the right size.”

  She stepped forward and stumbled. Aaron caught her around the waist. “You’re drunk, and we both know you’re going to hate yourself tomorrow.”

  “But I won’t be horny,” she said, then broke out into a fit of giggles.

  Aaron shook his head and took her into the bedroom. This was definitely not characteristic of Liz. He’d had a hunch that architect wasn’t going to be what she wanted him to be. Now Liz realized the same, and she was crashing from that relationship pretty hard. A few swift steps got him into the bedroom, where he laid her on the bed. Liz rolled onto her back and pulled up her skirt, revealing bright pink panties. Aaron groaned. This was going from bad to worse.

  “Come on, Aaron, one last time.” She started pulling the underwear down. At the first glimpse of curly red hair, Aaron turned his head.

  “I’m going to eat a slice of pizza and give you time to calm down. I’ll take you home later.” He hurried to the bedroom door and slammed it shut behind him.

  Through the door he heard Liz curse, then the squeak of his bed, which meant she’d probably flipped over. A second later soft sobs replaced her cursing. Aaron grunted and rubbed his eyes. He’d give her a few minutes to get herself together and then take her back to her place.

  Aaron trudged back to the living room. He felt like a jerk and he hadn’t even done anything wrong. But there was a willing woman in his bed, and despite how much he hated his body for reacting, he was now rock-hard. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Take Liz home. Come back, call Kacey, and get some very hot phone sex going on.