Beginnings

by Yolanda Stokes

  “Um we need to get back to the kids.”

  Ethan smiled, grateful this time she didn’t run home. He followed her into the kitchen locking the door behind him. She had no idea of what she was in for because he was determined to pursue a relationship between them. Regina was his other half, the part that his restless soul had been searching for and had finally found and there was no way in hell he’d let her walk away. Okay so maybe he sounded a little obsessive, but he’s always made it a point to go after what he wanted until he got it and Regina was the woman that he wanted.

  They joined the kids in the family room and the girls gave each of them a controller as the three of them teamed up against the two adults. They were merciless in kicking their butts taking pity on them an hour later. Regina helped him ready the kids for bed giving each of them a kiss good night. “Okay girls I’ll be right back I’m going to walk Ms. Regina home.”

  Regina waited for him outside in the hall, “You don’t have to walk me home.”

  Ethan leaned down and kissed her slipping his arm around her shoulders, “I know that I don’t have to, but I want to. I’ll sleep better knowing that you are safely inside.”

  Regina decided not to argue liking the way it felt to have someone care for her other than her immediate family. What Ethan made her feel scared and excited her as no other man had ever made her feel safe and secure like Ethan did not even Joe. He walked her to her front door then taking the key from her he unlocked the door. He was happy to hear that she’d had her alarm set and waited for her to disarm it.

  “We can leave as soon as Maddie and Chester leave with the girls. Knowing Roland and Nikki like I do I’m sure they are going to give you a grand tour of the center. My class usually last about an hour. So by the time I’m done they should be done with going over everything with you. All I need besides a good night kiss is to know what time you want to go to dinner tomorrow night.”

  Regina chuckled, “You are very persistent aren’t you,” she murmured.

  At his nod, she cupped his face in her hands and planted a kiss on him which made him weak in the knees.

  “Six thirty,” she whisper against his lips before stepping back.

  “Six thirty what?” Ethan asked not comprehending what she was saying.

  Regina smiled, loving her power to make him go blank, “Six thirty for dinner tomorrow night.” She gave him another nipping kiss before closing and locking the door.

  It took Ethan a few minutes to shake off the sensual haze her kiss had left him in, when it lifted he smiled remembering that she’d agreed to go out to dinner with him tomorrow night and he knew the perfect place to take her.

  Chapter 7

  Ethan opened the door for his sister and brother-in-law giving his sister a kiss on the cheek then he ushered them in to the family room where the girls waited.

  “They didn’t give you any problems did they?” Chester asked.

  “Nah, they were great and we had a lot of fun.”

  “Girls give Uncle Ethan a kiss so that we can get going so he can make it to the community center on time.” The girls did their father’s bidding.

  “Uncle Ethan can you give Ms. Regina a kiss for me like you did last night?” Maryann asked innocently.

  Ethan didn’t know why, but he felt heat creep up his face and he refused to look at his sister, “I’ll be sure to give her a kiss for you now gather your stuff.”

  “Why were you kissing Regina?” His sister asked in a harsh whisper shocking her brother and her husband.

  “I kissed Regina because I wanted to, but what’s it to you?” He asked chuckling.

  “I don’t think that it is appropriate for you to be kissing…the girls teacher especially in front of the girls.”

  Ethan frowned not liking what he was feeling from his sister, “First of all I didn’t kiss Regina in front of the kids she and I were out on the deck when I kissed her and what is so inappropriate with me kissing her,” he demanded his anger rising.

  “Look you two I don’t think this is the time or the place for this discussion,” Chester cautioned motioning toward the sound of the girls returning.

  Ethan pushed his building anger at his sister aside as he squatted down to hug and kiss his nieces, “I want you guys to be good for your mom and dad.”

  “We will, Uncle Ethan can you have Ms. Regina call us when you pick her up for your dinner date tonight?” Margaret asked.

  He nodded not bothering to look at his sister.

  “Honey you and the girls go on out I’ll be out in a minute.”

  Chester looked as if he was going to argue, but Ethan shook his head.

  “Why are you taking Regina out to dinner?” She asked as soon as the door closed behind Chester and the girls.

  “I’m taking her out to dinner because I want to spend some time with her alone without my wonderful nieces acting as buffers. To answer your question as to why, it’s because I’m attracted to her and I can tell that she’s just as attracted to me. Is there a problem with me seeing her?”

  “I just don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be seeing her or acting on this attraction.”

  “Why is it because she is black?” He asked in a soft whisper.

  Madeline felt a chill at the soft menacing sound of her baby brother’s voice. “I just don’t think it’s a good thing for you to be seeing her. It’s wrong to just do this to get a taste of dating someone black when you know nothing can come of it.”

  “Do you honestly believe that I would use Regina just to get a taste of a black woman? And who in the hell are you to say that nothing could come of a relationship between Regina and I? I guess it’s okay for her to be your kids favorite teacher, but she’s to black to date your brother,” he snapped.

  Madeline took a step back from her brother not liking the cold look in his eyes, she knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but she’s never seen this cold and dangerous man standing before her. “I’d better go Chester probably has the kids buckled in the car. We can discuss this when you are a little calmer.”

  “There’s nothing else to discus on this matter and I’ll tell you this Madeline, if you have a problem with me dating Regina then that is something you will have to deal with, because neither you nor anyone else is going to stop me from seeing her.”

  “My God, you’ve just met the woman and you are acting like you are madly in love with her. You cannot be serious about dating her. Don’t you even care about what the family is going to think? Hell they are looking for a reason to stop you from selling the business and by dating Regina there is no telling how they will use that against you.”

  Ethan shook his head not believe this nonsense was coming from his own sister, “You know what? One has nothing to do with the other, this decision was decided upon and voted on long before I met Regina, but if they can use this and stop the sell then I can promise you that I’ll walk away from this family so fast that your head will spin. Now I think you’ve said your piece so there is no need to keep my nieces and brother-in-law waiting any longer,” he said opening the door for her. He waited until she’d touched the first step of the porch before slamming the door shut behind her.

  Madeline flinched at the sound and looking back wondering if she should go back in, but thought better of it. As she started down the stairs she saw Regina walking toward her with a look of concern on her face.

  “Hi Madeline, is everything okay?” she asked

  “I don’t know, I guess it will all depend on where and how far things go between you and my brother.” Madeline responded before heading to the car where Chester waited with the kids. She ignored the disapproving look on her husband’s face as she climbed into the passenger side.

  Regina rang the doorbell wondering what Madeline had meant with her cryptic words, but when she saw the look on Ethan’s face when he opened the door she had a feeling what she’d meant. “You okay?” She asked closing the door behind herself.

  “Yes, I’m fine. Ready to go?”
He asked grabbing his stuff for his class.

  “I am but I don’t think you are with the way you are glaring. There is no way you can be around the kids at the center in your present state. Now let me guess, your sister has a problem with you seeing me and the two of you had words.”

  Ethan tossed his bag to the floor and raking his hand through his hair needing some way to work his anger off. Regina was right he did not need to be around the kids at the center in his present state. “She had the nerve to say that kissing you was inappropriate. I thought at first that she was just saying it was inappropriate that I kissed you in front of the kids, but when I told her we were out on the deck, she accused me of using you just to see what it would be like to date someone black especially when nothing could come out of it. Why would she even think something like that? You don’t think that do you?” He asked turning to her his eyes imploring.

  “No Ethan I don’t think that, but your sister isn’t the only person that is going to have a problem with us dating. Perfect strangers black and white are going to have a problem with it, but you can’t let it get you this upset.”

  “Gina I don’t care about what a perfect stranger thinks, and you know I don’t care what my family thinks either, but I guess my sister’s attitude just surprised me. I think what pissed me off the most is that you are good enough to teach her kids, but because of the color of your skin it’s inappropriate for us to see each other.”

  Regina sighed taking his hand in hers as she led him over to the leather sofa and pushed him down and walked behind the couch where she began to massage his neck and shoulders working out the tension filled knots. “Ethan you need to realize that your sister may not be the only one in your family that has a problem with us seeing each other.”

  “Regina I don’t know how the rest of my family will react and frankly I don’t care. All I care about right now is seeing where this thing between us is going to go. What you make me feel doesn’t happen often and I don’t want to discount it just because of some narrow minded people.” He reached behind the couch and lifted her effortlessly placing her on his lap, “Tell me now if you aren’t feeling what I’m feeling and I’ll back off and worship from afar.”

  Regina smiled seeing the sincerity in his eyes; she knew that he was right. This thing between them was strong and it felt too right too allow other people to dissuade them, “I will agree to it on one condition.” At his raised eyebrow, she smiled, “You have to promise not to let narrow minded people get you as worked up as your sister did.”

  “Now that is a promise I can keep, I just think with Madeline, the fact that we’ve been so close and for her to come at me the way she did and not be happy that I’ve met someone who makes me happy and makes me want to enjoy life again, but instead she gets all high and mighty…”

  Regina could tell that his sister’s attitude hurt him and seeing it made her hurt too. She wouldn’t be able to erase the pain his sister inflicted, but she would be there to soothe him. She slipped her arms around his neck, “So I guess we are dating huh,” she said before pulling his mouth down to hers.

  With each kiss he was rapidly becoming addicted to her taste and he couldn’t wait to taste her all over. Ethan groaned hating having to end the kiss, but he knew they had to leave or they would be late, “Come on, we’d better go before things go too far and we end up being late.”

  Regina instantly liked Roland and Nikki Peterson, the couple was warm and giving and she could tell that running the community center together was something they were made to do. Roland was tall, dark and handsome sporting a clean shaven head looking as though he worked out constantly to keep in shape. His wife Nikki was petite and curvaceous with a bright and pretty smile.

  “Ethan you go ahead to your class I promise that we will take great care of Regina,” Nikki suggested.

  “Yeah, bro go on and handle your class we promise not to tell her all of your secrets,” Roland added.

  Ethan rolled his eyes at his friends, before leaving he gave Regina a quick kiss and a wink, “Don’t believe everything that they say.”

  “We have close to two hundred volunteers everyone has something special that they teach to children and sometimes are called upon to fill in for someone that can’t make it. You may be called upon to help with homework things such as that.”

  Regina smiled, “That’s not a problem, I’m not sure if Ethan told you, but I teach kindergarten and first grade.”

  Nikki practically beamed at her, “Roland that buddy of yours has been holding out. Regina you have no idea of how wonderful that is and I promise not to take advantage of you.”

  Regina smiled, “Please don’t worry about doing that as I love kids and teaching more than I love dancing. So if you ever need me to fill in just let me know.”

  During the tour, Nikki explained how everything worked and showed her where they wanted to have the dance classes.

  “Now as far as the shoes and leotards for the kids we’ll check the budget…” Nikki trailed off when Regina shook her head.

  “I have a friend who provides me with my shoes and will be glad to donate shoes and I have a designer that will take care of the leotards. Once I have a head count I’ll bring them in to get the measurements and everything.”

  Nikki saw by the determined look on the woman’s face that she meant to have it her way. “I just want you to know you don’t have to do that, but since you are set on having your way, I’ll let you because I like you.”

  Roland met them back at the office after having to put out a small fire.

  “So what do you think? Do you think that you would like to spend time with all this craziness?” he asked.

  “Yes I can’t wait to get started.”

  Roland laughed, “Well how would you like to help out with the tutoring we are one volunteer short.” He and Nikki laughed at the way her face lit up. They showed her where the classrooms were and watched as she jumped right in. The kids took to her instantly, “We owe Ethan big time.” Roland stated as he slipped his arm around his wife’s waist.

  Ethan finished his class a little later than normal and he wondered if Regina was ready to head home. “Mr. E, are you up for a game of ball?”

  Ethan smiled having known the question would come. The routine was to finish with their work first and afterwards a quick game of basketball. “Let me get changed and I need to let my girlfriend know what’s going on and I’ll meet you guys in the gym.” He changed quickly and went in search of Regina. He found her in one of the other classrooms tutoring surrounded by about a dozen kids each vying for her attention. For a moment he just stood there and stared, falling deeper and deeper watching her in her element touching the lives and winning the hearts of everyone she came in contact with. Just like she’d won his nieces and just like she’d won his.

  “Hey are you done?” She asked surprised to see him.

  “Yes, but the guys want to play a little basketball, I wanted to check on you and make sure that you weren’t ready to go, but I can see that you are in your element.”

  Regina smiled, “Yes I am, go ahead and have fun I’ll find you when we are done here,” she promised blowing him a kiss before her attention was drawn back to the kids.

  As he made his way across to the other side of the building where the gym was, his mind conjured up the picture of him standing in the doorway watching her read to two children…their children…the thought had his steps faltering taking him completely by surprise.

  “Hey buddy you alright?” Roland asked noticing the strange look on his friend’s face.

  “Yes I’m good…just thinking. You are joining the guys and me for a game?” Ethan asked pushing the unexpected thought to the back of his mind for now.

  “Yes I figured we could show the young ones how to play. How long have you known Regina?”

  “I actually met her a week ago today. She was moving in when the girls and I arrived home from shopping. While the twins and I were putting the groceries up,
Maryann walked next door. When I realized she was gone, I panicked and was about to go in search of her when Regina brought her home. It just so happens that she was the twin’s kindergarten and first grade teacher. While I put away the groceries she took the kids over to her place to feed them. We hit it off and the rest is just beginning.”

  Roland hid his smile seeing the way his buddy looked when he spoke of his new neighbor. He’d also seen the panicked look on Ethan’s face when he’d walked away from the classroom where Regina was tutoring. He would just have to wait and see how things worked between them, because he didn’t want his friend hurt.

  Regina accepted the hug from the grandparent after her grandson had demonstrated what he’d learned from Ms. Regina today. The child no longer hated division and his grandmother was extremely grateful. Giving a final wave Regina went in search of the gym, she felt like a little basketball herself.

  She walked into the gym and her breath caught in her chest at the sight of Ethan wearing only a pair of basketball shorts and no shirt. His thick muscles contracted and flexed with his every move. His olive colored skin glistened with sweat as her mind quickly conjured up a picture of his body glistening while he was making love to her. Regina shook her head to dispel the image hoping that what she’d been thinking wasn’t written all over her face. When she looked up her eyes collided with Ethan’s and by the grin on his face she had a feeling she hadn’t succeeded.

  “All I want to know is what did you do to Mrs. Harrington?” Nikki asked taking a seat next to her on the bleachers. When Regina shrugged looking puzzled, she elaborated, “She is the grandparent for the last kid who was picked up. The woman came into the office asking if you were going to be a regular or if you were just here for today. I don’t know what you did, but the woman was singing your praises.”