“You were wonderful today, so much so you brought tears to my eyes.” He said lightly as he took her hand in his.
“Really?” she looked up at him as if trying to see if he was telling the truth. “Not one sign of tears.”
“I had to wipe away every trace. With the camera men there my reputation as being a stud would have been ruined.”
“We wouldn’t want that,” she grinned and pulling her hand from his, she looped it in the crook of his arm. “You left without saying goodbye last night,” she said softly.
“I did not want to wake you,” he looked down at her. “You were sleeping like a baby.”
“Thank you.”
“You are welcome.”
“Girl come on and let me give you the tour,” Lorelei said with a laugh as soon as they were inside and she went with her.
*****
“Scotch?” Tariq asked him as soon as he hung up his jacket. There was a fire blazing in the hearth.
“Thanks,” he said briefly.
“How was church?”
“As to be expected,” Tyrese swallowed down the liquor.
“When are you going to tell her?” Tariq asked him quietly.
“Tell her what?”
“How you feel. It’s all over your face and the way you look at her.” He poured him another measure.
“She thinks of me as a friend and I have to accept that for now.” He said with a shrug.
“You Tyrese Malcolm accepting something that is not acceptable to you?” Tariq asked mockingly.
“Love makes a man different. You should know that, you are well and truly whipped bro.” he said with a grin.
“I am in love just like you and by the way, welcome to the elite club.”
Chapter 8
“Look at me!” his voice was commanding forcing her to stop and look at him. “You are the number one female artist right now. Your album is flying off the shelves and I know you are probably thinking that there are too many people out there. But just think of them as your friends, people who came out specifically to hear your wonderful singing and if that does not work then remember that I am here and I am in your corner.”
She stared at him and felt the confidence building inside her. He had been there for her in so many ways. Speculations had been rife about their relationship and a photo had come out in the papers of him leaving her apartment late one night but they had not given a statement to say whether or not they were involved. She knew he was not seeing anyone at the moment and when she had asked him about it he had shrugged and looked away from her saying: “I am busy.” And that was it; he had not said anything else.
She took a deep breath and nodded. She was wearing a stunning deep blue dress that reached just a little above her knees and shimmered like so many stars in the deep blue sky. She had diamonds in her ears and around her long slim neck and her black heels were impossibly high. She was beautiful without even trying and he felt the pride and love warring within his chest for her.
She gripped his hands. “Thanks,” she whispered and then taking another deep breath she turned with a smile and went onstage to the tumultuous applause of the crowd there. The concert was being held in a massive conference room uptown and the place was packed to capacity. Her parents were there with many of the church people and were seated in the front rows and that gave her the added confidence.
“Thank you very much,” she waved as some people screamed out her name.
“I love you Kayla!”
“I love you too,” she said with her quick smile. “I am not accustomed to all this as you probably know. I am shy and being in the limelight is something very scary for me but I love to sing and I love to write. I want to first and foremost thank God my savior for giving me this opportunity to share both with you, and I want to acknowledge my church family and thank them for being here. Thank you Mom and Dad for your support.”
The applause started again and she bowed gracefully and then her expression changed and closing her eyes she started singing.”Let me feel the touch of your hands and know that I am yours/Boy you don’t understand that what I feel is love/How can you say I am not who you need/When my love for you is all that I can feel?” Unconsciously she turned to where Tyrese was standing and started singing the chorus. “Love me the way you are supposed to/Love me only and I will never leave/Teach me what to do and I promise to please you/But please love me the way I should be loved.”
He could not breathe and he could not move. He felt as if she was pulling him in with the words of her song and the sound of her voice and he could not breathe. What was she saying and why had she turned to look at him when she was singing the words? What did it mean? He wanted to run on stage and demand that she tell him what it all meant but he was rooted to the spot as he continued to listen to her.
She was a sensation! And had the crowd getting to their feet after each number. She did a mixture of gospel and soul from her new album and with every song she did the noise got louder and the crowd more frenzied. They could not get enough of her. There were other acts there but they were just props as she was the undoubted star of the show. She had made her debut and it had been a success.
At the end she called Tyrese out and he reluctantly came on stage with her. “Tyrese Malcolm believed in me and I want to publicly thank him for being supportive of me so much.” She held his hand tightly in his.
“What are you doing?” he whispered. “The papers are going to go wild with this and are going to think we are seeing each other.”
“I don’t care,” she whispered back and then turning to the crowd she lifted her hand that was holding his. “To Tyrese!”
*****
“Darling you were wonderful up there!” Her parents and several church members had come backstage after the show. Tyrese had left her briefly to go and talk with the promoters of the show.
“Thanks Mom,” she hugged her mother briefly and tuned to greet the other church members.
“We are so proud of you my dear,” Sister Reid beamed as they all gave her a hug.
Her father touched her hand briefly and nodded his approval. She had changed out of her on stage clothes and was wearing simple white pants with a blue and white sweater.
She was pleasantly exhausted and flushed with success and nothing her father said or did would have an effect on her.
They chatted with her for a few more minutes before they had to leave. “How about Christmas dinner?” her mother asked her.
She hesitated trying to remember her schedule. “I will let you know Mom.” She said kissing her on the cheek.
It was after twelve before they were able to leave and Tyrese took her in his car. There were still fans milling around hoping to catch a glimpse of her and photographers hanging around to see them leave.
Tyrese hurriedly bundled her inside the car and drove off into the night. It was a clear beautiful night with dozens of stars dotting the velvety blue sky. She leaned back against the leather upholstery and sighed.
“Tired?” he asked her softly.
“Pleasantly so,” she turned her head to look at him. He was wearing faded denims that managed to look casual yet obviously expensive and a thick black and white sweater. “Would you like to come to Christmas dinner with my parents?” she asked him suddenly.
He glanced at her briefly before looking away. “For moral support?”
“No, I just want you there that’s all.” She paused. “Unless of course you have other plans.”
“I always eat Christmas dinner with my brother and his wife.”
“How about going to my parents first and then we both go to your place?” she suggested. He had come to her apartment and he brought the car to a stop.
“What are you doing Kayla?” he asked her quietly, turning to her.
“What do you mean?”
“You are giving the impression to me and to the public that we are a couple and yet you have not said anything like that to me. What’s going on?”
She looked down at her hands in her lap. “I don’t know.” She said softly. “I have never been in a relationship before but for the last few months I think I have been developing these feelings for you.” She looked at him for a moment. “We are totally unsuited for each other like night and day. I am a child of God and we were taught never to be unequally yoked and I have been praying about it so much but the feelings are not going away so I figured that they are here to stay.” Her eyes held his and he could not look away even if he wanted to.
“You have feelings for me?” his voice was hoarse with uncertainty, not daring to believe what she was saying.
She nodded, using her lashes to shield her eyes.
He reached out and lifted her chin forcing her to look at him. “I am not the kind of man your father would recommend for you,” he said shortly. “I have been with a lot of women and I hardly go to church,” his hand trembled slightly. “I want to tell you to run the other way but I cannot, I am selfish and I need you in my life Kayla. You have changed me and I am confused and have no idea what to do. You sang to me tonight and I wanted to run out there and pull you into my arms. I am in love with you,” he whispered as he lowered his head. “God forgive me but I am so in love with you.” He took her lips with his and with a sigh she surrendered as she melted into his arms.
*****
He had to stay away from her. Now that their feelings were out in the open the attraction was there and was threatening to slip out of control. She had not told him she loved him but that night after her concert he had no doubt that what she felt for him was very strong. He was as anxious as a teenage boy with his first crush and found to his amazement that he wanted to spend every waking moment with her. The headlines screamed: ‘Amazing artist Kayla Simmons rock auditorium with her golden singing!’ Another one had had the caption: “Singing Sensation Kayla Simmons showing gratitude and something else to Billionaire Playboy Tyrese Malcolm!”
He had dreaded her reaction to the last one but she had looked at it briefly and then at him and said: “We look good together.” In her own inimitable way. He had almost sagged in relief. “I am not that person anymore.” He had told her quietly.
“I know.” She had murmured.
She took him with her to Christmas dinner at her parents home but this time it was held in the large convention hall at the church and members were included. Kayla felt relief that it was not just her mother and father because she was not sure she was up to handling her father’s pointed stare and questions.
She had not given Tyrese a commitment but she just knew she felt something for him that she was still exploring. She had had lunch with her best friend Kathy at her apartment and they had spoken about it.
“I thought I saw something there that night at the concert,” she commented as she sipped the eggnog she had prepared in the ultra modern kitchen of the apartment. “He told you that he loved you?”
“He did and to tell you the truth Kathy I am scared,” she said with a laugh as she sipped the delicious homemade eggnog. It was two days before Christmas and she had gone shopping with Tyrese for a tree. He had told her that it was way too big for the apartment. He had even helped her to decorate and they had spent the rest of the afternoon sipping hot chocolate and cuddling by the fire. He had not once asked her about the status of their relationship.
“He is quite a catch,” she eyed her friend briefly; thanking God that celebrity status had not changed her one bit. She was still the same Kayla and she still kept in touch no matter how busy she was and she still attended church and even taught Sunday school, she was still a mentor to the children and young people. “How do you feel about him?”
“I think I am in love with him but I have not told him yet and he is not pressuring me for an answer.” She stared off into the hypnotic orange flames. “I see my parents marriage and I see the lack of love there even though they were supposed to have been joined together by God and I am scared. I don’t want to live like that.”
“That’s them Kayla and you cannot base your opinions on them. People are different and just because they are in a marriage like that doesn't mean that you are going to be the same. Yours might just be the relationship of a lifetime.”
“I am getting way ahead of myself because we have not discussed marriage at all.” Kayla said with a shrug.
“You will.” Kathy vowed.
Now they were at the convention hall having Christmas dinner and the atmosphere was lively and noisy. The meal had been prepared by several sisters of the church and consisted of tons of crispy fried chicken, collard greens, potato salad, fresh green salad, a huge turkey baked to perfection and Cole slaw. For dessert there were apple pies, pecan, pumpkin and sweet potato pies. It was fun and of course there had to be a photographer lurking around taking pictures.
They left shortly after they had finished eating and Sister Reid had given her several packages of food and pies to take home. “I know how busy you are dear and you barely have time to cook.”
“Thank you Sister Reid,” she said giving the woman a hug.
Tariq and Lorelei had friends over and Tyrese stopped suddenly as he saw who one of the women was. Lorelei hurried over to them and apologized. “I am sorry honey but she came with Clyde.” She said indicating the tall basketball star who had been friends with them for years.
They were all gathered in the living room sipping before dinner drinks and Brianna’s eyes sharpened as she saw them. “Ty darling I was wondering where you were,” she came over, her glowing dark skin artfully made up and looking gorgeous in a slinky white shift dress that barely covered her pubic area. She was a supermodel who had been reigning for the past four years and was on the cover of most magazines. She had short cropped natural hair and it had become her signature look over the years. And she and Tyrese had been an item for one year.
Kayla felt his hand tightened in hers. She was wearing a beautiful red wool dress and black knee length boots and her hair was brushed back from her face. Her makeup was minimal and she was not about to let a woman who towered over her and whose face and body graced the cover of magazines intimidate her. She was a child of the risen God and she was not about to forget it.
Brianna was bent on ignoring her but Kayla was having none of it. “Hi I am a big fan of yours and think you look sensational.” She held out her free hand for the woman to take. Brianna stopped just as she was about to slip her arm through Tyrese’s whether he liked it or not and stared at the beautiful girl he was holding hands with. She would never admit it but she loved the girl’s music and admired her talent but when she had seen her with Tyrese she had been enraged. She took he hand in hers reluctantly and shook it. “Thank you.”
Tyrese was amazed and amused to see the woman’s reaction and the way Kayla was handling the situation.
“I am sure you and Tyrese have a lot to catch up on so I will just go and chat with the others.” She leaned forward and kissed Tyrese full on the lips with a lingering kiss and then turned back to Brianna. “Really nice to meet you,” she said before going off with both of them looking after her.
“She is quite something isn’t she?” Tyrese mused as he watched her.
Brianna saw the expression on his handsome face and knew that nothing she did or said would make a difference to him, he was fully hooked.
Kayla had a very good time! The rest of the guests wanted her to treat them to a song but Lorelei told them that it was going to cost them.
“I am not here to entertain anyway but to be entertained,” she responded with a cheeky smile. She further shocked the guest by saying Grace before they started eating and asked them to hold hands.
“Do you always do that?” Clyde asked her as soon as they had finished. She looked at him in surprise and nodded. “It has become a part of me to give thanks to God and I would never dream of doing anything without first giving him thanks.”
“You intend to maintain this holier than thou attitude in spite of the pressure
s and expectations of the music industry?” Brianna asked her spitefully. She was still smarting at the girl’s ability to be poised and confident in spite of being faced with the competition, it was as if she did not consider Brianna as a threat.
“I serve a God who is in control of everything and everyone and I do not lean on my own strength because without Him I am weak.” She told the girl with a cool smile.
“Well said baby,” Tyrese said softly taking her hand and lifting it to his lips.
The others around the table looked at him in amazement.
“Well well!” an entrepreneur by the name of Blake Willows drawled in amusement. “I never knew I would live to see the day when Tyrese Malcolm became a one woman man.”
“Bite me,” Tyrese told him mildly.
The rest of the evening went off pleasantly and Tyrese left to take her home before the others had left seeing that she was getting tired.
“Are you coming up?” she asked him as she tried to stifle a yawn.
“You know I cannot do that Kayla,” he told her grimly. He was having a hard time keeping his hands off her as it was and he knew that if he went up to her apartment he would be losing control.
“I love being with you and I miss you when you are not around,” she told him softly.
“You are killing me here Kayla,” he gripped the steering wheel tightly. “You are going to have to put me out of my misery and marry me.”
“Is that a proposal?” she asked him teasingly.
“What if it is?” he had turned towards her and looked at her, his heart beating fast.
“Then I would have to say yes.” She whispered.
“Are you saying yes for real Kayla?” his tone was urgent.
“Would I joke about something so important?” she asked him, her eyebrows rose.
“Kayla Marie Simmons will you marry me?” he asked her hoarsely reaching for her hands.
“I would be honored to do so.” She told him.
With a hoarse cry he pulled her into his arms, his body trembling against hers.
Love So Heavenly (A Clean Christian African American Romance) Page 8