His Sexy Bad Habit

by Cheris Hodges

“Antonio,” the women called out in concert.

  What is Casey doing here? Antonio thought as he sped down the stairs with a T-shirt in his hand. Casey and Serena looked up at him and Antonio shook his head. “Casey, what are you doing here?” he asked as he glanced at Serena, who was dressed in her damp romper, looking very uncomfortable.

  “Well, there’s no need for me to ask you what you’re doing. And in my sister’s house,” Casey snapped.

  “Wait a damned minute,” he said.

  “No. What if A.J. had come home and found this tramp naked on the back porch!?”

  Serena threw up her hands and said, “You don’t know me and out of respect for this grown man, I’m going to let your insult slide. But you should think about the next words that come out of your mouth.”

  Casey placed her hand on her hip and looked up at Antonio. “So, is this why you sent A.J off with Norman? So you could—”

  “Casey, you need to give me back my key and then leave, since you can’t respect my privacy,” Antonio said as he crossed over to his sister-in-law. “I don’t understand what’s going on with you.”

  “How can you spit on my sister’s memory like this?” Casey exclaimed, then slammed out of the house.

  “Do you need to go after her?” Serena asked as Antonio handed her the shirt.

  He shook his head. “I’m sorry about that. I had no idea she was going to show up here.”

  “Is there something going on with the two of you that I should know about? She’s not worried about her sister’s memory or your son finding us.”

  “There is nothing going on with me and Casey, but I’m beginning to think that Norman was right.”

  “Right about what?”

  “Casey wanting more than just a connection to her sister.”

  “She acts like a jealous lover,” Serena snapped. “Is that the cause, because I don’t share.”

  “There is nothing going on between me and Casey,” he said. “I was married to her sister and that would be a little too incestuous.”

  “Maybe we should call it a night.” Serena said as she pulled Antonio’s T-shirt over her head, then slipped out of her romper.

  Antonio pulled her into his arms. “I don’t think so,” he said. “I have plans for you and we’re not going to let Casey ruin them.”

  “Too late for that,” she said as she patted his arm.

  Antonio brushed his lips against hers. “Come on, babe,” he said. “You still have to eat.”

  Serena smiled and Antonio knew she was going to agree to come back for dinner. “Let’s hope your sister-in-law will stay away while I’m walking around your kitchen in black lace,” she said as they headed for the door.

  “I’ll make sure the door is double bolted.”

  Chapter 12

  Los Angeles, California

  “Wow, Emerson,” Luther Carlton, second in command at Lionsgate Studios, said after watching De Chocolat. “This is almost porn.”

  “It needs editing,” Emerson said.

  “You think? The plot is good, a female serial killer who uses sex to get her victims. It’s like a sexy Monster. Who is the actress? She’s fine.”

  “Serena Jacobs. She didn’t make another movie after this one was shelved. But I’ve been doing some research on her and she’s been in the media lately. We could capitalize on her notoriety and build a buzz about the movie if we package it as an independent film,” Emerson said.

  “I’d be willing to take a chance on this if two things happen. We need some hard edits so we can get an R rating. Right now, this is NC-17 and no one is going to release that kind of movie nationwide. And you have to get this Serena Jacobs to sign off on the film. If she’s not in Hollywood anymore, she may not want to have this film released and I don’t feel like getting involved in a court battle.”

  Emerson nodded, all the while thinking Serena wouldn’t have a problem with the movie since she’d been so happy to film it. But he admitted silently that things had been different back then. A slight smile tugged at his lips as he thought back to the last time he’d seen her.

  A white robe draped haphazardly across her svelte body as she’d leaned over his shoulder, cooing in his ear. All she’d wanted then had been to make love to him in celebration of completing their movie—the movie he’d promised would make her a star.

  But Emerson had had to get the film to the studio and hopefully get the green light. Then he had to pick up his tuxedo for their wedding. He’d glanced at Serena and pushed her away. They were going to have a future and he’d had plans to make her star. Making love could wait, he’d thought that night, rushing to the studio. But when he’d shown the movie to the studio heads, they’d turned him down.

  Emerson had sunk into depression and threw himself into his work. He’d written Sultry Summer and become the toast of the town again. But by that time, he’d broken Serena’s heart and she’d disappeared from his life. At first, he’d thought about seeking her out, apologizing and bringing her back to share in his success. But the trappings of Hollywood kept him away from her.

  Until now. Now he could atone for his past sins and possibly even win her back and finish what he’d started five years ago.

  “Then it sounds as if I’m going back East,” Emerson said. “Do you have a release or something I need her to sign?”

  “I’ll call legal and have it sent to your office. This is going to be great. Keep in mind, we’re going to do this in limited release to build a buzz, if Ms. Jacobs signs off on it.”

  Emerson smiled, “I’m sure Ms. Jacobs will sign off on it. If I know one thing about Serena, I know she wants to make me happy.”

  Luther shrugged. “Just make sure the paperwork is in order,” he said as he buzzed his assistant.

  Emerson nodded and headed out of the office. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and called his travel agent. “Lydia, I need a flight to Charlotte, North Carolina,” he said without saying hello.

  Serena woke up in Antonio’s arms smiling as she thought about the dinner they didn’t cook. He’d been too distracted by the barely-there teddy she’d sauntered around the kitchen in. As he’d sautéed green peppers and onions, Serena had wrapped her arms around his waist and stroked his smooth stomach. Antonio had dropped his spoon, turned around, and lifted Serena up on the counter. While he’d feasted on her body, the vegetables burned and the smoke alarm blared as Antonio brought her to climax with his hot tongue. They’d ended up ordering Chinese for dinner and roasting marshmallows under the stars. Their simple date had been the most fun Serena had had in a while. Maybe there was something to what Jade had said about Antonio being more than sex.

  Serena gently stroked his chest, wondering if she should allow herself to believe there was more than just hot desire between them. She still had an issue with his sister-in-law and Serena knew when his son came home they wouldn’t be lying in bed naked.

  “Um, good morning,” Antonio said as he opened his eyes.

  “Morning,” she replied.

  He pulled her closer to his chest and kissed her forehead. “So, we’re going to try this cooking lesson one more time with something simple.”

  “What would that be?” she asked as she toyed with a sprig of hair on his chest.

  “Breakfast. Cracking a few eggs and toasting some bread. It’s not that hard.”

  “All right,” she said as she looked over at her overnight bag. “And I will put some clothes on so we don’t have a repeat of last night.”

  “Sounds good,” he said, then glanced at the clock on his nightstand. It was five after seven. “But you don’t have to put on clothes right this second.”

  Serena smiled, then kissed him with a deep passion that brought his body to life immediately.

  Two hours later, Serena and Antonio peeled themselves out of bed and cooked breakfast. She whisked eggs for Denver omelets while Antonio placed pancake batter on the griddle.

  “Chocolate chips or plain?” he asked as Serena sprinkled
a handful of peppers and onions into her eggs.

  “Can we have both?” she asked. “What woman in her right mind turns down chocolate?”

  Antonio tossed the chips into the cakes on the griddle. “I learned a long time ago not to come between a woman and her chocolate.”

  Serena wanted to say something about his wife, ask him if they shared moments like this in the kitchen. Her cynical side started whispering in her ear. He’s trying to replace his dead wife with you. Sort of like your father did with the bevy of women he had in and out of the house all of those years.

  “Serena,” Antonio said, breaking into her cryptic thoughts. “I think you’re ready to pour.”

  “Oh, right,” she said as she walked over to the stove. Slowly, she poured the mixture of eggs and vegetables in the heated pan.

  “Now,” he said as he stood beside her, “watch the edges and get ready to fold it over and flip it.”

  “Doesn’t sound too hard,” she said as she watched the edges bubble and brown.

  “Fold and flip,” he said.

  Serena did as he said and the first omelet flipped perfectly. The second one in the pan, not so much. The egg tore and looked more like scrambled eggs. “Damn,” she muttered as she flipped the other half of the omelet.

  “You can have the pretty one,” Antonio said with a laugh. “But this isn’t bad for your first time.” Serena sprinkled shredded cheese over the omelets as Antonio popped a piece of egg in his mouth. He turned back to the pancakes and flipped them, making sure they were fluffy and brown.

  “All right, it’s time to eat,” he said as he placed the pancakes on a tray and took it into the dining room. Serena followed with the eggs.

  When they sat down to eat, Antonio grabbed Serena’s hand and kissed it. “I had a wonderful weekend with you.”

  “So did I,” she said quietly.

  “I really hate for it to end,” he said.

  “But your son will be home shortly, right?” Serena asked.

  Antonio nodded. “Knowing A.J. and Norman, they’re returning with a lot of fish.”

  “And you’re going to do what with it?” she asked as he placed two pancakes on her plate with his free hand.

  “Clean them and cook them,” he said. “Do you even go in the kitchen at your restaurant?”

  “At the end of the night when I’m heading for my car,” she said with a laugh. “Maybe I’ll spend a little more time there so I can surprise you with a decent meal one day.”

  “I’m going to hold you to that,” he said, then rose from the table. “I forgot the syrup.”

  Serena watched him as he walked into the kitchen and smiled at his retreating figure. Don’t get too comfortable, her cynical voice said. Either he’s going try to strap his wife’s high heels on your feet or you’re going to be relegated to a booty call when the little boy is asleep.

  She shook her head. “That’s not going to happen,” she muttered.

  Antonio walked into the dining room. “Did you say something?” he asked as he set the syrup in front of her.

  “Oh, nothing. Getting ready for Monday,” she covered.

  “Talking to yourself is never good,” he teased as she poured syrup over her pancakes.

  “Sometimes, all you have is yourself. My Dad always said it’s fine as long as you don’t answer yourself back.”

  “I’m going to have to remember that one.”

  After they finished eating breakfast and cleaning the kitchen, Antonio drove Serena home. “Let me know when you’re ready for your next lesson,” he said as he walked her to the front door.

  She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the end of his nose. “I don’t think that will be any time soon,” Serena replied. “You’re such a good cook, there’s no need for me mess things up.”

  He stroked her arm. “How do you feel about fish? Depending on the catch, I might bring you some for lunch when A.J. gets back.”

  “All right, if you feel like it,” she said trying to hide her excitement at the prospect of seeing him again.

  “I’ll call you and let you know.” Antonio pulled Serena into his arms and kissed her with a hot passion he hoped would hold him for the next few hours. When they broke the kiss and Serena unlocked her door. Antonio waved good-bye to her and headed for his truck. Serena sighed as she walked in. Already she missed him.

  Looking at his watch as he drove back to his house, Antonio decided he needed to take care of the nastiness Casey had brought to his home over the weekend. The last thing he wanted or needed was for her to bring up his personal life in front of A.J. and her parents. He hooked a quick left and headed for Casey’s house. As he pulled into her driveway, his cell phone rang.

  “Hey, Norman,” he said when he answered the phone.

  “What’s up, Antonio? I just want to give you a call and let you know that me and the boys are running late, so if you are having a late brunch, don’t rush. We got a lot of fish to clean.”

  “Are you at your house?” Antonio asked. “I can come over and help clean the fish. I promised Serena I’d bring her some.”

  “So you did spend the weekend with her. I’m impressed. We’re at home. A.J. is quite the little fisherman. He caught a striped bass that’s almost as big as your head,” Norman said with a laugh.

  “I would really be impressed if he’d caught one as big as your head,” Antonio joked. “Listen, I have to talk to Casey, but when I’m done I’ll come over there.”

  “What’s going on with Casey?”

  “She saw me and Serena together at the park and then she came by the house and caught us in an extremely compromising position,” Antonio said.

  “I’m willing to bet that your sister-in-law was pretty upset,” he said. “Now, do you believe me?”

  “Unfortunately, I do. But I have to nip this in the bud.”

  “Are you going to tell her the truth about what was going on with you and Marian before her death?” Norman asked.

  “I don’t think so. But Casey has to realize that I have a life to live.”

  “Hey, Antonio, A.J. wants to speak to you.”

  “Dad,” A.J. said when he got on the phone. “I had a really good time. I caught a really big fish.”

  “I heard,” Antonio said. “I’m really glad you had a good time. I can’t wait to cook those fish.”

  “Mr. Norman said that we’re going to have a fish fry and me and Kamir can make cole slaw.”

  “That sounds exciting. Remember, we’re going to have dinner with Grandma and Grandpa tonight so don’t eat to much fish and cole slaw.”

  “Okay,” the little boy said. “Did you have fun this weekend, too?”

  “I sure did. As a matter of fact, I want to ask you if we can share some of that fish and cole slaw with a friend of mine.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’m going to be over to Norman’s shortly. I love you.”

  “Love you, too, Daddy,” the little boy said.

  Antonio hung up the phone and sighed as he stepped out of the truck. Walking up to Casey’s front door, he took a deep breath, then knocked. While he wasn’t looking for a fight with her, he had to make it clear she had to stay out of his personal life. He knew Serena was about to become a big part of his life.

  “I’m surprised to see you here without getting a phone call first,” Casey said sarcastically as she opened the door.

  “Casey, we need to talk and I do apologize for not calling first,” he said. “But this is important.”

  She stepped aside and allowed him to come inside. “I don’t have any naked men lying around, so I don’t have a problem with family showing up.”

  Antonio rolled his eyes as he closed the door behind him. “Casey, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

  “That woman?”

  “Her name is Serena, and she’s going to be a part of my life so you need to respect my space.”

  “Your space? Is this you or Serena talking?” Casey stalked over to the sofa
and plopped down. “When did you meet her? What do you know about the kind of woman she is? I guess you just hopped right into bed with her.”

  “Even though it’s none of your business, Serena and I have known each other for some time. But Casey, what I do and who I spend my time with is none of your concern.”

  “How do you think Marian would feel knowing you’re spending time with that kind of woman? A woman who lounges around naked on a man’s back porch? Is that the kind of influence you want in A.J.’s life?”

  “You don’t know Serena or the kind of woman she is. You walked in on a very private moment—”

  “A moment that your son could’ve easily walked in on,” Casey snapped. “Is your libido more important than your son?”

  “Now you’re questioning how I raise my son? You have some nerve. Nothing comes before my son and you of all people should know that,” he bellowed.

  “Right. I guess that’s why you sent him with Norman this weekend. Have you even talked to him since he’s been gone?”

  “What’s this really about, Casey? Was my life supposed to stop when Marian died?”

  “Did I say that? It’s just I hoped that—”

  “You hoped that what?”

  “Nothing,” she hissed. “That you’d always put A.J. first. That you’d try and keep the family together. All Marian ever cared about was her son.”

  Antonio dropped his head and fought the urge to tell her the truth about her sister. “Marian is dead and my life is going on. You don’t have to like it, but you will respect it.”

  “What do you even know about her? Why is she all of a sudden so important?”

  “I’m not going to explain what I do to you. Serena is a part of my life. Deal with it and don’t ever question how I raise my son again,” he said.

  “Well, don’t expect me to babysit while you’re screwing that woman!”

  Antonio shook his head and stalked over to the door. “Casey, stay out of my personal business.” He slammed out of the house and hopped into his truck, heading for Norman’s hoping Casey would heed his warning.

  Chapter 13