“How long have you been volunteering for Build a Home?” one of the men asked Reese.
If memory served her correctly, the man’s name was Dean. He’d worked construction for years and after retirement, started volunteering in the program.
“This is my first time,” Reese answered. He sliced into a chicken breast.
“No shit. This isn’t my first day, but it’s my first project,” said the man next to Dean, a retired teacher with dark hair.
“I’m here because my wife wanted me out of her hair. Ended up liking the work, so I volunteer for Habitat and these guys,” Dean said, with a laugh.
“You must really enjoy doing this work to volunteer with both organizations,” Nina said.
“On a day like today, with all this good food, I love it,” Dean replied.
They all laughed.
“I like it, too,” Reese said.
“So you’ll volunteer for Build a Home again?’ Nina asked.
“I would.”
“One thing I’ve learned in the few days I’ve been doing this,” the teacher started, “is that there’s a helluva lot of satisfaction that comes from helping someone else, you know what I mean?”
Nina, Reese, and Dean nodded.
Nina stabbed a gold beet with her fork, but before she put it in her mouth, said, “I’ve done a lot of volunteer work over the years. It’s something my father instilled in me. The funny thing is, I’m supposed to be helping people, but there have been times when I feel like I get more out of the experience than they do. Does that make sense?”
Dean nodded his agreement. “I completely understand. I can’t say I always come back for selfless reasons. The shit feels good.” He glanced at Nina. “Pardon my French.”
She smiled to let him know the curse didn’t bother her.
“Feels real good, and the company’s not so bad, either.” Reese slid a glance at Nina.
The four of them lapsed into other topics, and before long, their thirty-minute lunch break turned into forty-five minutes, at which point Ridge reminded everyone they had more work to do to complete the house.
With groans, full bellies, and words of thanks to the Ivy’s Restaurant staff, the workers lumbered back to their tasks with a little less enthusiasm than before.
The day ended on a high note. They finished the house, and at the end, Ridge asked everyone to stand in the front yard. He set up a camera and hustled over to where the group stood and slid into the photo with them.
Before they all dispersed, Vivian came over to Reese.
“It was really nice to meet you. Hopefully, I’ll see you on another project in the future.” She extended her hand.
“Maybe you will,” he said.
He shook her hand, and she pressed a slip of paper against his palm. He should have been expecting that because she had not been shy about letting him know she was interested.
With a wink, she walked away toward her vehicle.
Nina approached, and Reese stuck his hand into his pocket. “I’ll walk you to your car. Did you drive?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Oh, shit.”
“Funny.” She glared at him. “Are you going to call her?” she asked, taking off toward her car.
Of course she saw. “No.” Reese walked behind her, his gaze dropping to the way the tight jeans lovingly squeezed her behind.
“Why not?”
“Not interested.”
They stopped at her Lexus, parked under the shade of a tree, and he placed a hand on the rooftop.
“She’ll be disappointed.”
If he didn’t know better, he’d say Nina was jealous.
“Won’t be the first time I disappointed a woman,” he said with meaning.
She averted her eyes and scuffed the toe of her shoe against the pavement. “So, you enjoyed yourself?” Her voice sounded a little anxious, as if his reply was very important to her.
“Yeah, like I said at lunch, this was a good experience. Now I understand your passion for the work you do.”
Helping out also reminded him of a tenet his maternal grandfather had instilled in his children. He believed they were in a unique position to leave the world in a better state than they found it, and it was their moral obligation to do so.
His grandfather had mostly been concerned with giving large donations to nonprofit organizations and attending charity functions. Today made Reese appreciate the act of engaging instead of only throwing money at an issue. He saw where both could fit into his life.
“Nice of you to feed us.”
“I had nothing to do with that. An anonymous donor fed us, remember?”
“Sure.” She smiled at him. “A friend and I are going to the movies later, so I better get out of here if I don’t want to be late.”
Going out, but not with Andy. Were they still mad at each other? He wanted to ask but decided not to.
“Okay, I won’t keep you, but if you’re looking for something to get into tomorrow night, you should come by Club Masquerade. They’re having a ladies’ night where they only play songs by female artists. I’ll be in the VIP and can leave your name at the door.”
His brother-in-law, Cameron, owned Club Masquerade with his siblings. It was the hottest night club in Atlanta and often had themed nights to encourage people to come out.
“Um, sounds tempting, but since it’s Sunday night and I’m going to the office on Monday morning, I don’t think I’ll be able to make it.”
“I’ll place your name on the list anyway, and if you don’t come, we can hang out another time.”
“That sounds good. I better get going. See you later.”
She entered her car, and he stepped back so she could drive off.
Reese slowly walked to his vehicle, waving at Dean, who pulled away in his truck. When he stuck his hands in his pocket to fish out the keys, he encountered the scrap of paper Vivian had written her number on.
In the past, he would have kept those digits and invited her to the VIP tomorrow night. But right now, he had no interest in meaningless hookups. Not when for the second time he’d seen Nina in three days she wasn’t wearing her ring, and not once had she mentioned plans with Andy.
He crumbled the number, jogged over to the dumpster, and tossed it in. Then he climbed into his car and drove off.
Today made him reevaluate his life and want to do more, which made him think about his sister, Simone. As the philanthropic ambassador for the Johnson Foundation, she promoted the organization and its causes. She’d temporarily slowed down her work since having a baby last October, but if anyone could point him in the right direction, she could.
He dialed his sister’s number over the Bluetooth.
After three rings, Simone’s groggy voice came on the line.
“Hello?”
“Did I wake you?” he asked.
She yawned. “I dozed off. Cameron went to the club early, and me and the little guy fell asleep on the sofa. What’s up?”
Reese turned on his indicator and switched lanes. “I’m wondering how I can help the Johnson Foundation, but I’m not interested in only attending fundraisers. I want to be hands-on.”
“Oh.” She sounded understandably surprised. “What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know. Do you have a list?”
“I can put one together and send it over.”
“That sounds good. Thanks.”
“What brought this on?”
“I worked with Build a Home today with Nina.” Reese slowed to a stop at a red light.
“What’s that?”
“They’re like Habitat for Humanity, but on a much smaller scale. It might be an organization the foundation could support.”
“So, it’s a charitable organization?”
“Yes.”
“And you went there because…?”
“Nina invited me, and I helped complete construction on a house today.”
“I see,” she said, her voice heavy with meaning.
/> “Don’t start.”
She laughed. “Okay. Were you interested in any specific kind of work?”
“Projects where I can get my hands dirty. I liked the physical aspect of today’s job, but I’m not limited to that.”
“Most of my projects are with kids, but around the holidays, we need help at the food banks. We also need more help with the men’s coat closet project. You could sort through donations and help men in the store put together outfits. Oh! I just thought of something. We’re funding computer labs in several of the YMCAs around the city. You could volunteer at the centers if you’re interested.”
“I’m interested in all of that.”
“You won’t have time to do everything, but I’ll put together options with the information about what kind of help is needed where.”
“Perfect.” Reese pulled off when the light turned green.
“What’s Nina’s mailing address? I need to send her a thank-you card.” Amusement filled Simone’s voice.
“If you do that, I’ll never forgive you.”
She giggled. “I appreciate your interest. Bye. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Reese barely registered the ride to his apartment. Now that he’d communicated his interest to his sister, all he could think about was Nina. She said she wouldn’t come tomorrow night, but he hoped she changed her mind.
Chapter 19
He should have stayed home.
Restless, Reese stood up in the White Room on the mezzanine level of Club Masquerade and thrust aside the white curtains to go onto the balcony and look down at the gyrating bodies dancing to the “Ladies’ Night” remix by Lil’ Kim. Strobe lights crisscrossed the ceiling and added to the party atmosphere on an unusually packed Sunday night.
He knew almost everyone in the VIP but didn’t want to party with them. He was in a crabby mood. What the hell was wrong with him? He used to enjoy this shit.
Partying. Drinking. Screwing around. Activities that all seemed so…pointless now. He knew why but didn’t want to admit the reason. Didn’t want to think about Nina.
He swirled a snifter of brandy and lifted the tapered mouth of the glass to his lips, taking a sip. He needed to get out of there. It didn’t make sense to stay if he wasn’t having a good time. He could be at home, coding software, or tinkering with one of his computer projects. Anything would be better than being here, waiting for her to show up and knowing she wouldn’t.
He drained what was left in the glass and then slipped behind the curtain. He was about to say good night to the nine other people who’d occupied the white couches and chairs with him when the air became trapped in his lungs.
Nina stood on the edge of the room, obviously searching for him. Thank goodness he hadn’t left. When she saw him, her eyes lit up, and his restlessness, anxiety, and upset faded away with her smile.
Though she had a great figure, Nina didn’t always wear figure-hugging clothes. She caught the eye because she radiated light, and tonight she looked exquisite in a loose-fitting mustard-yellow dress that was completely wrong for this venue—where so many women showed cleavage or wore tight and short outfits—but was absolutely right for her.
The flowy hemline of the halter-topped dress hid her ankles but allowed a peek at gold, open-toed sandals. Her jewelry consisted of a gold stud in her nose, gold earrings, and two gold cuffs that circled her upper right arm. No engagement ring, though.
Adding to her allure, she styled her thick hair in a neat twist-out that brushed her shoulders and framed her face. She was a goddess. No, that was too tame of a word. She looked other-worldly, ethereal.
Affecting nonchalance, Reese set down the empty glass and strolled over to where she stood. “I thought you weren’t coming.”
She smelled good enough to eat, and if they weren’t in a public place, he might have dropped to his knees, spread her legs wide, and eaten his fill.
“I wasn’t, but then I changed my mind. I hope I’m not too late.” She looked around the room.
“You’re right on time.” He gathered her up in his arms, squeezing her tight and hating that he’d have to release her. He wanted to hold her hostage the way she’d held his heart hostage all these years.
He kissed her soft cheek, and her hair brushed his face. With regret, he set her back on her feet, and she laughed breathlessly, smoothing a hand along her hairline.
“What was that for?” she asked.
“That was for me.”
Reese ignored the question in her eyes and with a hand at her waist, introduced her to the group, but she knew most everyone there because they knew a lot of the same people.
At the end of the introductions, he took Nina by the hand and asked a guy on the white loveseat to let them sit there. The guy immediately vacated the spot, and Reese pulled her onto the loveseat beside him, so close their thighs touched.
When she sat, the dress shifted and exposed her smooth left thigh. Damn. There was a long split in the dress. She was trying to kill him. Sexual hunger ground through his gut with a vengeance.
He stretched an arm across the back of the chair and leaned in under the pretense of needing to be heard above the music. “I’m glad you came.”
Nina looked at him from beneath lowered lashes. “Me, too. I needed to get out of the house.”
“How was the movie with your friend yesterday?”
“Good. I hadn’t seen her since I came back. We went to dinner afterward and had fun catching up.”
“Where’s your ring?”
“At home.”
“Where’s your man?”
She lowered her gaze. “I’d rather not talk about him right now. I just want to have fun tonight.”
His forefinger made slow circles on the back of her neck, and her body tensed, but she didn’t move away. He considered that a good sign.
“We can definitely have fun tonight,” he promised.
They spent time together, whispering and having the occasional cocktail, but they also spent time talking to their friends.
As more invitees showed up and brought guests with them, the VIP filled up. Pretty soon, the White Room became packed, with half of the group dancing and the other half mingling and enjoying the food that kept coming in a steady flow from the kitchen.
A couple of romantic connections occurred throughout the night. His friend Mark danced with a woman who’d arrived as a guest of her sister. A guy he didn’t know had slipped away with the sister, and he had no idea where they’d gone off to.
As always, his eyes came back to Nina. Holding a chocolate martini, she swayed to the music while in conversation with two other women. Something was wrong with her and Andy. Had they split up? They must have. Otherwise, why wouldn’t she be wearing her ring, again? Oddly enough, she didn’t seem heartbroken. She looked happy and at ease and very, very single.
The guitar opening of Ashanti’s “Only You” started, and Nina and the two women let out squeals and raised their glasses. Hands in the air, they danced to the music, tossing their hips left to right in time to the beat.
When she caught him watching, she excused herself and came over to where he stood at a bistro table.
“Come dance with me,” she said, setting down her glass.
“No, you go ahead.”
“Come on. Please.” She stuck out her lower lip.
Reese laughed. “That’s not going to work. You know I don’t dance.”
“You danced at Lindsay’s wedding reception.”
“An exception, remember? It was just a little two-step.”
“Fine.” Nina shimmied back over to where her two friends were dancing with each other. The three of them formed a circle and moved to the music, and he was content to simply watch her.
The song ended, and another Ashanti tune, “Focus,” started. The roar that went up from the group echoed on the main dance floor of the club below. More people jumped up and created a mass of twirling and shaking bodies.
Th
e DJ did a heck of a job keeping the club-goers hyped. The place crackled with energy, and Reese sensed a shift in the air. One that made him hyperaware of his surroundings, and hyperaware of the woman who’d snagged his attention since she arrived like a ray of sunshine in yellow and gold.
As he watched, one of his male friends danced up behind Nina. Bishop, someone he’d become friends with in recent years. He didn’t know Nina or that she and Reese used to date, which made her off-limits.
Bishop tapped Nina’s shoulder and startled, she glanced back at him. She smiled and said, “Hi.”
Reese couldn’t hear her but read her lips. His eyes zeroed in on her swaying hips and the way she looked back at Bishop. She smiled seductively and then did something unexpected. She shot a quick glance at Reese, their gazes binding together before she looked away.
Her expression warmed his gut before the sensation crawled lower and made his dick raise its head. He didn’t think he’d read the message in her eyes wrong. She was dancing with Bishop but dancing for Reese.
He strolled over and tapped Bishop on the shoulder. When he looked back, Reese jerked his thumb, a clear indication he needed to leave. “That’s me,” he said.
“What?” Bishop said irritably.
Apparently, he wanted his ass kicked from one end of the VIP to the other.
Reese stepped closer so they were almost nose to nose. “That’s me.”
Bishop threw up his hands, not wanting any trouble. “All right. Damn.”
Reese slid into the space he vacated and placed his hands on Nina’s hips. She still hadn’t turned around yet. His blood heated when she bent her knees and dropped a little lower. His grip tightened, and he pulled her back against him.
She looked at him from the corner of her eye but didn’t flinch or act surprised that he was behind her instead of Bishop. She’d either seen him approach or had expected him to come for her.
His hands skated up her sides as she moved in a snakelike manner to the music, and he bent his head to her neck, one arm hugging her torso from behind while his hand encircled her delicate throat. He pressed his body to hers, swiveling his hips to match her movements. Her back lay flush against his chest, and her full bottom fit snug against his erection because he didn’t let her move away from him. She made each of her movements with him glued to her like they were one and couldn’t budge an inch without him right there, grinding against her to the bass beat.
Deeper Than Love (Brooks Family Book 6) Page 12