Last night he had gotten the best sleep ever: no dreams, no nightmares, nothing to make him toss and turn. And upon waking, he felt more in control, with a keen sense of resolve.
He gazed out the window. It was early, and crowds of Chicagoans were out and about, hurriedly strolling down Michigan Avenue. Thanksgiving was two weeks away, but still, the storefronts were decorated for Christmas, and for the first time in years he was looking forward to the holidays. No Christmas alone this year. Nor did he plan to share it with his brothers and sister. He was determined that, no matter what it took, he would be spending Christmas and New Year’s with Asia.
With his spirits high, he walked over to the sofa, sat down, and placed a phone call to his agent. “Good morning, Carl. This is Lance.”
“Lance, where the hell have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you for two weeks. I got a call from your editor, and they are tired of me stalling. They want a proposal from you by next week.”
Lance massaged the bridge of his nose. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“And what the hell does that mean?”
Lance raised his eyes to the ceiling. “It means you’ll have the proposal by next week, but I need more time to write the actual book.”
“More time? The completed manuscript is due next month.”
“There’s no way I can have the book done in a month.”
“You’re going to have to try, since they’re pushing for a May release date.”
May! That meant Carl would be breathing down his neck until the book was finished. Carl didn’t know it yet, but the way Lance felt about Asia changed everything in regard to the book, especially his way of thinking when it came to men-women relationships.
For years he had written about the pitfall of falling in love and the risks of being true to one woman. He knew his different mind-set would be a hard sale to his agent and publisher, but there was no way he could write another book like the ones he’d done in the past. Upon waking that morning, he had decided that the title of his next book would be No More Playas.
“I’ll do my best, but I need you to do me a favor.”
Carl hesitated before asking, “What kind of favor?”
“Do whatever you have to do, but I want Dr. Asia Fowler’s schedule. Not just her touring schedule like you got me before, but I want a glimpse at her entire appointment book.”
“Are you mad? What is this obsession you have with that woman?”
Carl didn’t know the half of it, Lance thought, laughing. It was the first time he had laughed in a long time, and he liked it. “Yes, I’m mad, all right.”Madly in love, he decided not to add.
“But if you want me to finish the book, you’ll do that favor. Otherwise, I’m going to put writing the book on hold and research the information myself.”
“Dammit, Lance, how am I supposed to find out what you want?”
“I’ll leave that completely up to you and your creative abilities. Good-bye, Carl.”
Lance could hear Carl mutter a few curse words as he hung up the phone. For the first time since hearing about Asia’s engagement to Sean Crews, he felt hope. All he had to do was remember the way Asia had looked at him the last time he’d seen her, and it was obvious he had hurt her deeply. She wouldn’t forgive easy. Hell, she probably ranked him right up there with her ex-boyfriend David Crews, but all that would change—and soon.
He had to believe what was wrong between them could be fixed. He had his work cut out for him, but no way could he lose her. If it took everything he owned, he was determined to repair all the damage he’d done and earn his way back into Asia’s affections. And Sam was right about one thing: He did need to consult a psychologist and work on those larger issues he had with women.
Asia might as well get prepared for his comeback, because there was no stopping him now. He was a man on a mission.
2
Asia
Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.
—Marie Curie
“I can’t believe you’re really here,” Asia Fowler said, smiling as she glanced across the kitchen table at her sister. She had been surprised to open the front door earlier that morning and find Claire standing on her stoop. During their last conversation, Claire had indicated she would try to come back to the States for a visit the week between Christmas and New Year’s, but Christmas was still a month and a half away.
Claire grinned over the rim of her coffee cup. “Hey, it’s only for a short while, so don’t get attached. And if I remember correctly, you’re the one who owes me a visit.”
Asia chuckled. “Yes, I do owe you one, but I can never keep up with what country you’re in from year to year, Dr. Fowler.” Claire had a doctorate degree in education and worked for the State Department.
Claire shook her head, smiling. “Hey, I don’t move around that much, but I always said I wanted to travel, and my job affords me the luxury. So what’s been going on with you?” she asked, although she already knew most of the story ... at least their mother’s version. According to Annie Fowler, the worse possible thing was happening: Asia was marrying Sean Crews, David’s brother.
David Crews had been bad news for Asia from day one, but nothing anybody ever said or did could make Asia see that. Asia had even stopped speaking to the family for a whole year once because of David’s lies. He had kept her obsessed and dangling on a string for five years while he used her, played around on her, and eventually married another woman the day after spending a night in Asia’s bed.
In Claire’s book, David Crews had been a dog of the lowest kind. Sean was the complete opposite, but he was still David’s brother, and that was too close to home-—-too much of a family affair. No matter how good a friend Sean had been to Asia, you just didn’t marry the brother of your former lover. It could definitely put you in an uncomfortable position at family gatherings. And knowing what an ass David was, Claire figured it would be just like him to say to Sean while passing the potatoes,“Did I ever tell you about the time your wife gave me one bell of a blow job?”
“I’m sure you got the message I left on your answering machine a couple weeks ago that I’m marrying Sean.”
Claire met Asia’s gaze after taking a sip of coffee and placing the cup down in the saucer. “Yes, but I was hoping I heard wrong. I thought you were through with that family.”
Asia frowned. “You’ve met Sean, Claire. He’s nothing like David.”
“That might be true, but he’s still David’s brother. Don’t you think that’s too close for comfort? What happens when you run into David at family gatherings?”
Asia shook her head as she stood. “I’m over David—you know that.”
“Yes, but does he know that? You know what an arrogant son of a bitch he is.”
“Yes, but David is not my concern.”
Claire nodded. “And can you look at me and tell me with all honesty that you love Sean?”
Asia met her sister’s stare. “Why all the questions?”
Claire fired her sister a glare hot enough to melt blocks of ice. “Well, can you?”
“There are different degrees of love, Claire,” Asia said, before walking toward the sink.
“And what degree do you have for Sean? And what about Lance Montgomery? How does he fit into this?”
Asia turned around abruptly, almost dropping the cup she held. She gave her sister a penetrating glare of her own. “What do you know about Lance Montgomery?”
Claire lifted an arched brow.Bingo. Melissa is right! Melissa James was Asia’s close friend as well as her literary agent, and she had joined them for lunch earlier that day. Claire and Melissa had gotten a chance to talk privately when Asia excused herself to go to the ladies’ room. Melissa was also concerned with what was going on in Asia’s life.
According to Melissa, there was a whole lot of chemistry flowing whenever Asia and Dr. Lance Montgomery were within a few feet of each other. She had seen it on the set of a television talk s
how Asia and Dr. Montgomery had done together.
“I heard that the two of you seemed to have a thing for each other a couple of weeks ago,” Claire said.
A frown touched Asia’s features, and Claire knew her sister was going to deny it. “I can’t stand the man. Whoever told you that—and I’m sure it was Melissa—was wrong.”
Claire smiled. “Oh, I see,” she said, and she really did see and wondered if Asia did. The good doctor Montgomery had definitely rubbed Asia the wrong way ... or was it the right way?
Although she lived outside of the country most of the time, Claire had heard about the well-known and controversial Dr. Lance Montgomery. Somewhere she still had an issue of Essence magazine that had run a feature story on him. When she read his first book,How a Brotha Can Avoid Getting to the Altar, like a number of other women she had gotten riled up that any man could publish such a thing. Men had a problem with commitment already, and the book only reinforced, even encouraged, the problem. She had considered the book the most moronic piece of trash she had ever read.
But it seemed a lot of men didn’t think so, and the book hit the Times list within a week of being released. Bookstores couldn’t keep it on the shelves, and whether his book was a direct cause of the numbers or not, a survey taken a year after the book was released showed a drop in marriages over the previous twelve months. She, personally, didn’t credit the book as being a factor, but a number of women did, which didn’t make Dr. Montgomery very popular with single females.
Then to add insult to the injury, he had come up with a book titled,The Playa’s Handbook. Claire had purchased the book a few months ago for entertainment purposes only, and after reading it, she thought it was worse than the previous one. Not surprisingly, it, too, had become a runaway bestseller.
Sipping her coffee, Claire studied Asia while she loaded the dishwasher. Her sister had suddenly gotten quiet, and she wondered if perhaps Melissa really was right and something had been going on between Asia and Lance Montgomery.
She remembered becoming engrossed in the Essence article about the highly-educated man who had roots in Gary, Indiana. The cover photograph had depicted a very handsome figure who oozed success, confidence, and virility. He had a reputation for being impeccably groomed at all times and smart when it came to investing, which had made him a millionaire since his first book appeared five years ago. In other words, he had certainly come a long way from his lowly beginnings.
But what Claire had really found intriguing was that he actually believed the garbage he wrote. After reading the article, she had come away with the conclusion that the man had issues. She knew there was something about him in that photo that his dashing smile and tailor-made clothes hadn’t been able to hide. There was a rawness, ruthlessness, and brashness that made a man like David look like a Boy Scout.
At first, when Melissa had dropped Montgomery’s name in connection to Asia’s, Claire had panicked. It was like her sister was jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. The last thing Asia needed was a man who was a bigger dog than David. But something Melissa said had intrigued her. Melissa was convinced Asia had knocked the good doctor off balance.
Claire, of all people, knew how much Asia had grown emotionally over the years, and another man like David wouldn’t stand a chance with her. But still, if there was a possibility that Asia and Montgomery had really connected as Melissa claimed, then why was she marrying Sean? Claire knew for a fact that Asia loved Sean as a friend, not a husband.
“So, have you picked a date yet?” Claire asked.
When Asia met her gaze, Claire saw a brief flash of sadness, and then it was gone. “Yes, I want a June wedding, but Sean wants to get married sooner. If he had his way, we would marry Christmas Day.”
Claire took another sip of her coffee. Christmas was next month. “Why the rush?”
Asia shrugged. “I guess he’s anxious for us to get married.”
Claire nodded.He probably wants to do it before you come to your senses, she thought. A few years ago, she had made a vow to keep her nose out of Asia’s life, but this marrying Sean business was pushing her to break that vow. In fact, she was determined to do so.
“Have you decided how long you plan to visit? You know you’re welcome to stay here as long as you want,” Asia said.
Claire smiled. “Thanks. Since Thanksgiving is in a couple of weeks and Christmas is next month, I might take an extended leave and not return to Africa until the first of the year.”Not until I’m sure you’re not making the second biggest mistake of your life.
Later that night, Asia couldn’t sleep. Across the room, a log broke apart in the fireplace grate with a pop and, without bothering to look up, she knew that the piece of wood was burning and sparking, mimicking how she felt.
Damn. This was the second time she had allowed him to invade her dreams, to make her suddenly feel a heated rush. She wondered if Lance had placed some sort of curse on her. Here she was, engaged to marry the most decent man she’d ever known, and she couldn’t stop dreaming about him. She sighed and slowly shook her head. She doubted that she would forgive Lance for showing her just how weak she still was.
She had endured months—no, years—of regaining her dignity and her self-esteem after David. And falling for a calculated strategy that had gotten him just what he wanted, she had become another notch to add to Lance’s bedpost.
She turned her head from the thick pillow. No, they hadn’t gone all the way. She was still celibate. Yet she feared that he wasn’t wrong when he had told her that even that had been his choice. She knew he could have easily eased between her legs and pounded into her, and she would have loved every minute of it. She had almost begged for him to do it. Instead, he had taken her another way, a way more intimate than any man had before and with a finesse that even now took her breath away.
Outside rain tapped against her window. She remembered how before she could even leave Lance’s apartment, Rachel Ca- son had shown up. He had used those same lips that hours earlier had teased her, on another woman’s mouth while Asia stood and watched. She didn’t doubt that after she left, he had taken Rachel into his bedroom and made love to her. And Melissa and Claire wondered how she could hate him so? But then, they didn’t know everything, and if it were left up to her, they never would. Being played by one man was bad enough, but having been screwed over by two was the worse.
Asia jumped when the phone rang. She reached over to her nightstand and quickly picked it up. “Hello.”
“I miss you.”
She couldn’t help but smile. “I miss you, too, Sean. Where are you?”
“Zaire. I’m about to perform surgery on a man who’s going to lose both legs without it.”
Asia nodded. In a show of goodwill, the United States government had created a task force of some of the most noted medical doctors in the country, all in private practice, to occasionally travel together and perform acts of medical goodwill for individuals living in impoverished countries. “When will you be coming home?”
“A couple of days before Thanksgiving, but I was wondering if you wanted to fly over for a few days ... so we can spend some time together.”
Asia heard the edginess in his voice; she detected the restlessness, the desperate need. Of course, he wanted her. She was his fiancée, but still they hadn’t slept together ... at least not since that one night almost four years ago when he had come to tell her the shattering news about David.
It was Sean who had been there with her, to help her get through what had to be one of the worse nights of her life. In her drunken stupor, she had asked Sean to kiss away her pain, and they had made love, something she regretted upon waking the next morning with one hell of a hangover.
While she’d wanted nothing more than to drown in remorse, Sean had looked at her and confessed that he loved her, had always loved her from the moment David had first introduced them. That had been too much, and she had ended up asking Sean to leave, telling him that they could never b
e anything more than friends. And they had been friends. It was Sean who had seen her through some rough times and when she had wanted to give up, it was Sean who had convinced her not to.
What she’d told Claire earlier that evening was true. There were different degrees of love, and although she didn’t love Sean with deep, undying passion, she believed that in time she would. How could she not grow to love a man who had played such a huge part in her emotional healing?
“Asia?”
Again she heard the edginess. It was there even when he said her name. She knew deep down that she wasn’t being fair to him. It had been understandable for them not to sleep together before, but now that she had accepted his proposal and they were engaged to be married, there was no reason for abstinence. She knew it, and he knew it, as well. “Yes?”
“Will you fly over here so we can spend a few days together?”
Asia closed her eyes, wondering why it was so hard to make up her mind to sleep with the man she had agreed to marry. “Claire is here.”
“What?”
She slowly opened her eyes. “I said Claire is here visiting. She arrived unexpectedly yesterday. It wouldn’t be right to take off and leave her here alone, would it?”
“No, I guess not,” he said somewhat grudgingly. “How long will she be there?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t think she’s decided. I’m hoping she’ll decide to stay through the holidays. It’s been a while since we’ve spent any time together.”
“And what about us?”
Asia raised a brow. “Us?”
“Yes, it’s been a while since we’ve spent time together, too, Asia. Quality time.”
She knew exactly what kind of quality time he was talking about. “Don’t push me, Sean. You said you’d let it be my decision.”
For a few moments he didn’t say anything. “Yes, I know, but I hadn’t figured it would take you this long. We’ve been engaged for almost three weeks.”
No More Playas Page 2