“How?”
She held a lone domino up to the light as if she were inspecting it. “I don’t know. But something is not right about this situation.”
Chuckling, he turned over the dominoes and motioned to her to shuffle them. God, he hadn’t laughed this much in years. It felt good. She felt good. After they’d left Ms. Pennie’s house, they had returned to his place. He’d promptly stripped her naked and made love to her on his living room floor.
Once he’d fed her, she’d challenged him to a game. Myles had warned her of his skill level from the beginning, but she talked a lot of smack. He had no choice but to shut her up by beating her. Three times.
Aria muttered a curse under her breath, something about cheaters and cocky know-it-all players.
“Sore. Loser. That’s what you are.”
She leaned back in her chair. “What can I say, I hate to lose.”
“I hate losing, too. That’s why I don’t do it.”
She threw a kernel of popcorn at him. “You’re impossible.”
“And you have no game plan, you just jump right in.”
Her mouth fell open in mock offense. “Are you saying I don’t know how to strategize?”
“Yep.”
“Ugh, you make me sick.” She tapped the table. “Pick your bones.”
He picked his pieces and waited for her to do the same. The game started with him slamming the double six tile on the table.
Aria groaned. “I quit.”
“You’ve been quitting since we started,” he joked.
She studied her set and made her move. “I had a really great time today.”
“Me, too.”
“Ms. Pennie is a doll. Thanks for taking me to meet her.”
He pinned her with his stare. “Thank you for making her laugh. She’s had a rough year.”
“Can I say something?”
Myles sat up straight. “Go ahead.”
“I wish you would reconsider your stance on your music. Even if you don’t want to play for audiences, you could make a world of difference for that little boy who, like you, hears the notes in his head and doesn’t know what to do with that. You can definitely make an impact.”
Myles thought about his childhood, about the way he’d lived his life up until now. What she said made sense to him, and he couldn’t help thinking about the ways he could make a difference to a kid who struggled like he did. “You think so?”
“I do. And the good news is, you don’t have to stop being a doctor to be a musician. You can still perform surgery and play, or even teach music. I feel like you think you can’t do both, and that’s not true.”
It wasn’t that he didn’t think he could do both. Myles knew he could. But the act of playing in public, of opening himself up like that to strangers, made him feel vulnerable.
“Just...think about it,” she said.
He nodded. “I will.” Then, he set another tile on the table. “Now give me twenty-five!”
“No!” Aria jumped up on the table, crawled the short distance to him and kissed him. Hard.
Shit. He pulled her into his lap. “What was that for?”
“I’m not giving you another point. But I am ready to give you something else entirely, something more satisfying than a losing streak.”
He nipped her chin. “I can’t say I’m opposed to that particular game plan.”
She giggled and sucked his bottom lip into her mouth. Someone groaned. He just wasn’t sure if it was him or her. “Then, let’s play.”
* * *
“What’s up, bruh?”
Myles gave Ian dap and took the seat across from him. “Nothing much.”
The one-line text he’d received from Ian that morning, telling him simply to “check in” had prompted lunch today. It had been a while since they’d spoken, longer than they’d ever gone without talking in some capacity. Myles knew he had to come through. So, he’d texted Aria and asked for a rain check on lunch.
“You’ve been MIA,” Ian said.
“Busy.” Myles took a bite of his sandwich.
“Busy with work? Or Aria?”
“Both,” he said through a mouth full of food.
“We’re back to one-word answers, huh?”
Myles laughed. “Can I chew my food first?” He sipped from his water bottle. “I’m good. Aria is...good.”
“So, this is serious?” Ian grinned.
Myles wanted to confide in his brother. They’d shared so much through the years about everything. He wanted Ian to know how much Aria had changed his life in just a short time. He called it Life after Aria, because there was a stark difference between now and how he’d lived before he met her.
She’d pointed out things he’d never seen or even bothered to try to see before. She talked and dreamed in vivid colors, which was good. Because he could believe in her dreams. Aria loved with everything in her, and he wanted to live up to that. They hadn’t said the words yet, but they’d been moving at warp speed toward them.
“I didn’t think it was possible,” Myles admitted. “To care for someone like this.”
“How?” Ian asked incredulously. “You saw how it knocked all of us out for the count. And I distinctly remember you laughing at me.”
When Ian went crazy over Bailee, they’d all shared a laugh at his twin’s expense. “Look at you now, though. You’re about to marry a beautiful woman.”
“And I’m happy. Go figure. Even Dad has come around some.”
Myles groaned. “He’s come around to you, and Drake and El. He’s still the same asshole to me.”
Ian frowned. “What happened?”
Myles told Ian about how Dr. Law had acted with Aria. “She was pretty upset.”
“As she should have been.” Ian threw his napkin at Myles’s chest. “You messed up.”
“I know. But you know how Dad is.”
“He’s only like that because you tolerate it.”
Myles opened his mouth to argue and then closed it. Ian was right. He’d never told his father to step off.
“I told you a long time ago that you needed to nip this in the bud, sooner than later,” Ian said. “Stop traveling along the path he set for you and blaze your own trail. You’ll be happier for it.”
“Once and for all, this is my path. I like what I do.”
“But you want to do more. Do it. If you want to focus on your music for a while, do it. If you want to write songs, go for it. Don’t let obligation keep you from it. Now, tell me how you fixed things with Aria.”
Myles finished the story, telling Ian about the conversation at Aria’s house later. “She’s...everything, bruh.”
And he meant that. Aria had offered him acceptance, understanding. She’d offered him a way out of his bleak existence, the daily routine of work, home, music. He didn’t need to spend hours in his studio because it made him feel anything other than the weight of his obligations. Because she’d awakened something in him that he’d never felt before. He didn’t have to fake or front for her. He could just be him, because she wanted the man he was. With her, he didn’t think about work, he didn’t care what his father thought of him. He just wanted to be with her, to create with her...to love her.
“I didn’t expect it,” Myles said.
They both knew what the “it” was, because Myles had seen Ian fall fast and hard for Bailee. He’d watched Drake slowly realize that his life didn’t work without Love. When El admitted that Avery was the one for him, they’d all given him their blessing. Now it was his turn. And he couldn’t say he wasn’t enjoying every minute of the time he spent with her, getting to know her, learning what made her tick.
“No one ever does,” Ian mused. “Just don’t make any grand gestures before I get Bailee down that aisle. She’s liable to blow any day.”
&nb
sp; Myles cracked up. “Shut up, bruh. Bailee is good.”
“You don’t sleep with her. This wedding business is for the birds. I’d rather just do it without all the formality.”
For the most part, despite the access to money, none of them were flamboyant. They didn’t floss for people or buy expensive brands just to prove they could. Maybe because they’d watched their parents do that all of their lives? More likely because they’d realized early on that money couldn’t buy peace of mind. Spending time with each other, building relationships instead of destroying them, and helping others in need had been shared goals between them.
“What happened to eloping?”
“She’s calling it an elopement, but the guest list keeps expanding by the day.”
“Well, you have to give her what she wants.”
Ian nodded. “And you know I will.”
“But it couldn’t be me,” Myles said.
“Drake wants to plan the bachelor party.”
Myles finished his sandwich, balled up the wrapper and set it on Ian’s tray. “Isn’t that my job?”
Ian waved a dismissive hand. “Whatever. You know you didn’t want to do it anyway. That’s why he offered.”
The thing about the brothers was that they knew each other’s strengths. Party planning definitely wasn’t one of Myles’s. In fact, he hadn’t even thought about it until Ian had brought it up.
“You’re right,” Myles agreed. “What does he have in mind?”
“Vegas.”
Myles thought about making that trip to Vegas. He’d only been a handful of times since they’d moved here. He didn’t really care to go back, didn’t like the vibe of the city. He’d much rather go to Brazil or Miami or Los Angeles. But he’d do whatever Ian wanted.
“Whatever you want, bruh. Just tell me the date and I’m there.”
Ian held out his fist and Myles bumped it with his. “Word.”
They spent the rest of their lunch catching up. Myles learned that Avery and El were having a boy, and that Drake and Love had decided to give Myles’s adorable niece Zoe a little brother or sister. When Myles asked Ian if babies were in his future with Bailee, Ian told him to stand down.
Myles knew that their lives were branching off in different directions, but he hoped they would always find time for impromptu lunches, sip and paints, concerts in the park, and basketball games. And he wanted Aria to be there for it all.
Chapter 13
Aria stared at her newest work. It had taken her a week to find her groove with the painting, but it was shaping up quite nicely. She tilted her head, dipped her paintbrush in the shade of green she’d just mixed and dabbed it on the canvas.
It seemed like June was just yesterday and now it was mid-August. In the last few weeks, she’d booked another exhibit at a small gallery in Novi, Michigan, and scheduled new shows in Manhattan and Chicago. As far as her own artwork, she was on fire and she couldn’t be happier. Leaving New York had been just what she needed.
Her personal life had taken a turn for the better, too. When their schedules permitted, she and Myles spent as much time together as possible. Neither of them kept normal hours, but they’d made it work. Most nights, they’d slept together, either at her place or his. Aria had grown to love waking up in his arms. She’d grown to love him.
She blinked. Love? Where the hell did that come from?
Aria had no illusions. They’d spent weeks together, getting to know each other. They understood each other. She knew when he needed to spend time alone, and he let her immerse herself in her work without interruptions. It didn’t matter that he still wore suits more often than not. It didn’t matter that she had changed her hair color three times in the past month. He’d given her something she didn’t realize she’d been missing from her life all along—acceptance.
Her father once told her that there would always be some reason to not get involved with someone. But if it works, then it’s worth it. And Myles was worth it. What they had was worth it.
Aria hadn’t told him how she felt with words, though. She’d been content to show him in different ways. Like driving all the way to West Bloomfield so Celeste could teach her how to make shrimp Alfredo. Like taking Ms. Pennie to her doctor appointments when Myles was stuck in the operating room. Like purchasing a keyboard to keep at her house for when he stayed over because she knew he hated being without his piano, even though he loved being with her. Smiling, she remembered the light in his eyes when she’d revealed her gift to him. Then, she recalled the way he’d thanked her—with his tongue, his teeth, his mouth, his... Ooo-wee. She shifted in her chair as memories of multiple orgasms followed by dessert ran through her mind.
“You’re daydreaming.” Brent walked into the studio and stood next to her.
Glancing up at him, she smiled. “Just thinking about the turn my life has taken.”
“In other words, you’re thinking about Myles.”
She shoved him. “Be quiet.” She turned to face him fully. “How are you? We need to schedule some time to just chill and catch up.”
A few weeks ago, Brent had met up with a friend at the MGM Grand Casino, who just happened to know the star forward for the Detroit Pistons. The two struck up a conversation and the player hired Brent to create a tattoo for him. The tattoo went viral, and as a result InkTown had more business than her bestie could handle. He was so busy he was currently interviewing tattoo artists to join his team.
“I’m all right.” He folded his arms over his chest. “I found someone to come in and rent a booth at the shop. I figured that was the easiest way to handle walk-ins. This way I can concentrate on my current clientele and their referrals.”
“That’s awesome. I always knew you would be a rock star in the tat world. I’m so freakin’ proud of you.”
He pulled a strand of her hair lightly. “I said the same about you. Did you make a decision on the building for the school yet?”
Aria sighed. The building she’d had her eye on recently went off the market. Now she was on the search again. “I lost the building. The seller had a better offer from someone else and accepted it without giving us the opportunity to counter.”
“That sucks.”
She shrugged. “It’s life.”
Aria had taken Myles to the building several times to talk about her dream for the space. He’d been supportive and even offered to invest. She’d thanked him for his encouragement later in the shower. On her knees.
“You’ll find something,” Brent said.
“I know. I’m not trippin’. I’ve been swamped with work here. The good news is the studio at my house is almost ready. So I won’t have to spend so much time here in the evenings.”
Cocktails and Canvas had seen an influx of customers over the summer, and she suspected that number would grow as the weather changed and people started looking for more indoor activities. She’d hired a manager and two artists to take over the classes, which had helped tremendously. But she still liked to drop in during the sessions to get a feel for how the customers enjoyed their experience.
“Oh, I’m glad you’re here,” Aria said. “Mel is leaving for New York a week early and wanted to have a get-together to celebrate and say goodbye to Michigan. She told me to invite you.”
“Sounds like she wants a personal going-away present.” He winked, then ducked when she threw a paintbrush in his direction. “You’re so violent.”
“Don’t play, Brent. Stay away from Mel. The last thing I need is Myles trying to kill you. That would ruin everything.”
He threw up his hands in surrender. “Okay. I’ll bring a date so I won’t be tempted to destroy your world.”
She stood and gave him a hug. “Thank you.”
“What’s this we have here?”
Aria froze at the sound of her mother’s voice and registered the low curse Brent
spouted before he pulled away from her. Turning, she plastered on a smile. “Mother. You’re here.” For the first time. Ever.
“Imagine my surprise when your father told me you were dating Dr. Lawrence Jackson’s son and that you invited him to dinner with you two. I suppose my invite was lost in the mail.”
No greeting, no hug, no words of encouragement about her business. Aria shouldn’t have been surprised by the lack of emotion or affection her mother showed her, but it still stung. As it always did. “Hi, to you, too.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were dating such an accomplished man, Aria? I would have liked to join you for dinner.”
The dinner in question had occurred a few days ago, when her father had to attend a conference in Ann Arbor and suggested they meet him for a meal. “Why am I not surprised you’re upset about this?” Aria asked. “This isn’t a competition. Why would I invite you for a random dinner with Dad when you’ve made it clear that you don’t have anything to say to him?”
Brent glared at her mother. “Hi, Ms. Bell.”
“Aria, we need to talk,” Elizabeth said, ignoring Brent.
Anger simmered in her gut at the way her mother dismissed Brent. “Mother, Brent is talking to you.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Hi, Brent. Can I have a minute with my daughter?”
Brent squeezed her arm, silently telling her he was good and to calm down. “I’m going to head out,” he said. “Call me if you need me.”
She nodded. “I will.” Aria watched Brent leave the studio and whirled on her mother. “That is unacceptable, Mom. I won’t have you disrespecting my friend.”
Her mother scanned the room, her nose turned up and her lips a straight line. Disgusted. That was the word that came to mind when Aria wondered what she thought of the studio. “Oh, Aria. Calm down. Your friend is just fine. He seems like he’s done a fine job living off you.”
Aria’s fists clenched together. “Mom, if you came here to start a fight, let me finish it. Get. Out.”
Elizabeth reared back on her heels. “Excuse me?”
Spark of Desire ; All for You Page 36