by Kayla Perrin
“You didn’t have to. I know you need to get back to the city. I don’t mind driving you. I have to get back, too.” Vivian was anxious to return to the city and her house so she could think things through. She liked being with Jay, but she had no idea what was expected of her now. She needed to get out of here.
Looking in her bag, she searched for her keys. “I’m not hungry, and I’ll just take my coffee to go, if you don’t mind. Are you ready?”
“Don’t worry about me. Ashton can take me to get my SUV. It’s in the city getting detailed.”
Unable to find her keys, Vivian looked around the counter and tabletops. “Have you seen Ashton lately?”
Jay shook his head, starting the coffee. “I don’t have to-go cups because I eat at the table, and so are you, woman. Ashton’s been incognito because he’s been all up some girl’s butt. He’ll get over it soon enough.”
“That girl would be Kerri. I can barely get her on the phone.” The kitchen island was between them.
Then without warning, an ache filled her that she had possibly made a mistake. Doubt began to creep in. What if she never saw him again? He’d said all the right things in the heat of the moment, but what if they’d been just words? This was exactly what she’d wanted to avoid. What if he, too, would get over it soon enough.
“Come here,” he said.
Her heart fluttering, Vivian made her way to him. “I hope Ashton isn’t planning to get over Kerri soon. She really likes him.” I really like you.
Jay pushed his fingers through her hair. “What are you doing tonight?”
Vivian felt all tingly again. “Rehearsing. That’s all.”
Their eyes met. “All night?” he asked.
“No.” His fingers grazed her cheeks and she rolled hers in the bottom of his T-shirt.
“Can you go somewhere with me?”
“Where?”
“A dinner and then a late reception for an athletic organization. You don’t have to do both.”
“I can do the reception. Is it close to eight?”
He nodded, smiling.
Her insecurities settling, Vivian smiled. “I’d be glad to. I’ve got to go so I can get in at least six to seven hours of practice.”
“You need to eat. We exercised a lot last night.” He kissed her nose then her lips. “And this morning.”
“Well, I’ll have some protein and some fruit.”
“You were trying to take all my protein.”
“Jay!” she exclaimed, covering her eyes. “You’re embarrassing me.”
He caught her before she could get away. He planted kisses wherever he could land them.
She let herself be pulled into his arms, the day looking beautiful over his large backyard. She could get used to this. “You’re a mess, Jay Smith.”
“Yeah, I know. Come on, let’s eat. I need to check on both my cars today.”
“We can ride in my car.”
He looked at her for a long minute. “Baby, your car is the size of a stamp. No offense, but I can hardly fit in there.”
“You managed last night,” she said, stroking his head. Though irrational, she no longer desired to leave his house or practice at all today.
“That’s because I wanted to wake up with you.”
“Well, you got your wish.”
His kisses made her feel lazy yet powerful. Like he had some kind of power she hadn’t been aware of. Jay had put on the coffee and it brewed quickly, but the sausage would take a couple minutes. He tossed in the CD she’d burned of the music for the wedding, and they began to dance. Now that it was just the two of them, they got into it, adding their own flavor and sexiness, bringing it alive.
Despite them being right there, the meat burned, and the screech from the smoke detector brought Sandy and Mike from the guesthouse.
“I will cook for you, Mr. Jay, before you burn down my nice house.”
Jay and Mike shook their heads at the outspoken Hispanic woman. She took over the kitchen and sent her husband along to clean up the rooms as Jay disappeared to take a quick shower.
Vivian had offered to help, but Sandy would hear none of it. “You go outside and have fun with Mr. Jay on the swings. He built them last year and nobody swings but me.”
“Who’s been swinging on my swing set?” Jay asked, fresh from his shower. He was wearing jeans and a striped dress shirt. His hair was damp, but his clean-shaven face looked very handsome.
Sandy and Mike exchanged a look. “I try them out for safety,” Sandy told him and shrugged.
Mike helped in the kitchen, turning the TV channel to an all-Spanish station, while Jay and Vivian went outside to the yard.
“They’re both employees?”
“No, friends of mine. Sandy has her own cleaning business, but fell on hard times back about a year ago. They take care of my place and stay in the guesthouse. I hardly come out here.”
Vivian looked at the beautiful house. “You don’t? It’s gorgeous. Why not?”
“It’s too far from the city and my job. If there’s a traffic jam and news breaks, I need to be in the city.”
“Why’d you buy this house then?”
“I was engaged and was living with my fiancée. Things didn’t work out and the housing market had taken a turn for the worse. Sandy was living next door. She had one of the biggest cleaning businesses in the state. But when Mike got sick, their business fell apart.”
“So she lives in your guesthouse?” Shocked, Vivian tried to close her mouth.
He nodded his head. “Yeah. It’s nice out there. Two bathrooms, two bedrooms, a living room, a dining room and storage space. She’s rebuilding her business.”
“You’re the best neighbor and friend ever.”
Jay pulled Vivian to the swing and made her sit down. He pushed her. “I didn’t do it for that reason alone. I own part of the business. It’s in my best interest to see it succeed.”
“That’s really awesome. But how will they succeed with just the two of them?”
Vivian swung, but she could see Jay smiling down at her every time she swung back toward him. “She cleans for everyone in this subdivision. That’s three hundred homes. We just hired four part-time people and bought two transport vehicles. We’re expanding into upscale subdivisions. That’s our brand. That’s all we do. Upscale homes.”
“Jay, that’s great. You’re a venture capitalist.”
“I’m not afraid to get dirty if I have to,” he proudly admitted.
“Really, Jay?”
“Yeah. Really. Every business I invest in I make sure I’m proficient in. If I have to work to make it succeed, then I work.”
Vivian stopped the swing, liking him even more. Her grandmother had been a maid back in the day. The fact that he could get his hands dirty if he needed to made her feel really good.
“I’m really liking you right now.”
She got up and took the stone walkway heading for the patio. Jay caught up to her and they strolled down the pathway leading to the tennis courts.
“Do you play tennis?” he asked.
“No.”
“Basketball?”
“No.”
“Bowling?”
“I’m a dancer.” She smiled at him. “That’s pretty much all I’ve ever done. I can throw a football but only because I have three brothers, but I’m a dancer.”
He stopped. “You can’t throw a football.”
“I’m a great quarterback. My number is twelve and I can do that shake-your-knees dance, but nobody can tackle me. Those were always the rules.”
A grin split his face. “What dance is that?”
Vivian elbowed him. “None of your business. You got a ball?”
“I’m a football player!
Of course I’ve got a ball.” He ran to a covered crate and pulled a football from the box. Tossing it, he threw it to her and she stretched out her hands and caught it.
Jay fell to the ground laughing.
Vivian ran up to him. “What’s so funny?”
“You catch like a girl!”
Her eyes narrowed and he hurriedly got off the ground. “Baby, that was a good catch. Now throw me the long pass.”
Vivian decided to teach him a lesson and drilled a pass to him that clicked into his hands.
His eyebrows shot up at the same time. “What the?”
He threw the ball back, this time, putting a little heat on it. Vivian backed up and caught it, tossing it back. Soon they had a game of catch going.
“Breakfast! Come and eat!”
Jay caught the high toss and shook his head at Vivian as she sashayed up the walkway and through the back door.
“Lady, this game isn’t over.”
“You better believe it, mister. You dropped four passes, to my three. I’m winning.”
She poked him with her bottom and he grabbed it as they headed in to wash their hands and eat.
Chapter 10
Vivian refused to spend the night with Jay after the third sports reception in one week, although she’d had a good time. Parked on her driveway, Trey Songz belted out a hit from the radio that played in the background.
“You sure you don’t want to come back to Ingerwood?” Jay asked, holding her hand.
Vivian leaned over and kissed his jaw, her lips softly teasing him. She’d been a hit tonight at the Sportsmen’s Dinner. “Walk me to the door?”
Vivian climbed from Jay’s Mercedes SUV and let him hold her hand as he walked her to her door. His Audi was still waiting on new rims that had to be special ordered.
“I’m sure. I’ll see you tomorrow night at practice. I’ve got a surprise for everyone. We’re going to dance in public because I don’t want anyone to get a case of nerves when it’s time to do it at the wedding.”
Jay walked her to the door of her town house in the Candler Park neighborhood. The wedding was just a few days away, and they only had two practices left.
“That’s a great idea. Get us primed for our debut.”
He rubbed her back as they walked up the stairs to her place. Rain pelted the street, and they watched it from the porch. “Drive carefully,” she advised him, her fingers tickling his palm.
“You’re not going to invite me in for a few minutes?”
Her eyes were sad, but she looked more tired than anything.
He clasped her hands and tried to meet her gaze.
Vivian leaned to the side then put her head on his shoulder. “Jay, I have to sleep tonight.”
He put his arm over her shoulder, pulled her onto his body until he was supporting her weight, then he massaged her back.
“You’re making it impossible for me to say no.”
“I don’t want you to say no.” He kissed her cheek, and they stayed quiet for a while.
Her keys hit the steps and Vivian rubbed between her eyes, then down her neck. “Okay. Okay, okay, okay.”
She bent down, but he’d already picked up the keys. “Come on,” he said. “I’ll leave after you go to sleep.”
Vivian shared a split-level house with a couple who lived above her in the upstairs apartment. The entire lower apartment was hers.
Jay walked inside and headed for the kitchen. He knew there were Epsom salts and a towel in the pantry. He’d put them there the last time they’d played football. He poured her a glass of wine and sat down.
Vivian headed for the bathroom. The shower turned on and he heard her getting ready to bathe.
It took the strength of ten men for him not to join her, but he didn’t want to push her. Their relationship was so new. Going on three weeks for him was a record. But he liked it.
While she bathed, he pulled off his jacket, shirt and pants, laid them over the chair in the kitchen and went to the bedroom. He was watching the news from her sitting area when she came in.
Vivian entered, the silk robe kissing the top of her thighs. She saw a single glass of wine at her bedside table. Her questioning gaze landed on him. “You’re not going to bed?”
“No. I soaked this towel in Epsom salts. I’m going to heat this up, put it on your back and rub it for you. Then I’ll clean up, get dressed and go home.”
She sat with him, nuzzled her head in his shoulder, and he kissed her.
She curled up under him. Her face was lined with exhaustion.
Her eyes were closed, so he carried her to the bed and then left to quickly heat up the towel.
When he returned to the room, Vivian had removed her robe and was flat on her stomach. Half the glass of wine was gone.
“Where should I put this?” he asked, looking at the smooth light brown skin on her back.
“My lower back.”
He laid the towel on her back and stood beside the bed.
Vivian cracked her eye open and looked at him. “Get in, Jay.”
He wasn’t sure what to do with her. Naderia was a complete psycho compared to Vivian. He held her through the night and into the early morning, and by that time, he was sure she was the one for him.
She woke up and went through her morning routine, and then they made ravaging love before she sent Jay away with a huge smile on his face.
He couldn’t wait to see her later that night for practice.
Chapter 11
The music was broadcasting as they walked into the night club and everyone was excited about dancing in public. Even Naderia. She had only recently returned to the group after paying the fine she owed for the studio floors. The club was crowded for a Thursday night, but Vivian was glad about that. They needed to be prepared for the unexpected. Noise, crowds, waiters, whatever.
Having been friends with Terico, the club owner, who was a former dancer, Vivian had sometimes come here to blow off steam. He loved when they danced together, and tonight he was in rare form.
“Vivi! My love! How are you?”
Terico was tall, light-skinned with his hair skimmed back into a swirling ponytail. He’d gained a few pounds, but he could still move on the floor. She enjoyed dancing with him, but that was as far as it went. He made no secret that he wanted more, but she made no secret that it wasn’t going to happen.
“I’m good, T. These are some of my students. We’ve come to get a little real-life experience. I called and left a message. I hope it’s okay.”
“You’re always welcome, baby. You know that. Can I get you something from the bar?” he asked the group.
The men ordered for everyone, and Vivian ordered bottled water.
“Go dance,” she told her group. “Have fun.”
The couples hit the floor, dancing, and having a good time. Vivian was going to pick the moment to see if they heard their music and how they’d react.
Women approached Elliott, but Idalia made it clear that her man was off-limits. And there were tons of women who were a constant stream for Jay, but he kept his eyes on the TV at the bar, or on her.
Naderia attracted every man who thought it was his lucky night, only to cast him aside. She was hunting big fish, and this club was in the wrong zip code for her.
Terico chose his moment when Jay was distracted to make his move. “You and him got something going?”
“No. Why you asking?”
“A man knows when another man is tapping the action.”
Vivian didn’t crack a smile. “I’m not action. I’m his teacher.”
“I must be off my game then. My mistake. Let’s dance, Vivian. It’s been a while.”
She shook her head, feeling Jay’s gaze. “No, thanks. I’m
on the clock.”
If there was one thing about Terico, he was about money. “Well, baby. Scoop up that cash. Will you give me a little treat before you go?”
She relented. “Sure. Why not?” He cued the DJ and her group’s music began. They assembled and began dancing. The floor cleared as people began to pay attention to the music and choreography.
There was laughter and spontaneous applause which Vivian was thrilled to hear, especially for the men. When the dance was nearly over, the group broke formation suddenly.
“Hey! What y’all doing here?”
Beth and Naderia bear-hugged a woman, while Jay pulled Terico aside.
He pointed to the woman’s back and mouthed, the bride to Vivian.
Suddenly Vivian’s special piece of music was playing, and Terico was leading her onto the floor.
“Give us something special. Please, darling?” he said.
Swept into the music, she became caught up in the beautiful dance she’d been rehearsing for weeks. She and the movements had finally gelled.
When the music ended, Vivian felt herself stop spinning. Then she heard the applause, deafening as it ran all over her body. This was right. The very best thing that could happen to her had happened. Her dance was perfect.
Vivian began moving toward Jay when Naderia stepped in front of her and kissed him. Then with a huge smile on her face, Naderia brought the bride to Vivian. The woman had tears in her eyes.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more beautiful in my life. I’m Destinee.”
“This is one of my newest friends, Vivian,” Naderia said, a big fake grin on her face.
The rest of the group gasped, but the sound was lost in the congratulations from people who milled around them.
“Oh, my god, you have to dance at my wedding,” Destinee gushed. “That would be amazing.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I can’t.”
“You don’t even know when it is. It’s a week from this Saturday in St. Croix, Virgin Islands. You would be my special gift to myself. Please consider.”
Her chest full of tears, Vivian felt herself crashing emotionally. “I’m so sorry. I have an audition in New York in a couple days. I’m leaving on Wednesday. For three weeks.”