Ice In His Veins

by Tressie Lockwood

  He reached beneath her blouse at the back and undid the clasps. Her bra loosened, freeing her breasts, and she squeaked in alarm, breaking the kiss. “Stop, Arik. Cael is still here.”

  “Does that mean I can’t enjoy your nipples? Feel free to fight me. I like when you wiggle around.” His voice had gone deep and held a challenge. She struggled against his hold, but all it did was excite the stubborn man. His shaft hardened, rubbing between her legs. One of his hands moved to her ass and dragged her tighter to him, while he supported her back with the other.

  “You’re being unfair.” She moaned, loving every minute of being in his arms. “And you’re trying to punish me for Eli.”

  If this is punishment, bring it on.

  Arik didn’t respond, but she knew what it was. He wanted to prove to her just who could make her feel good. Eli didn’t have a prayer when it came to how her body responded to Arik.

  He ran his mouth down the side of her neck, planting small kisses along the path. The tip of his tongue seared her skin. His voice rumbled with a slight anger when he spoke. “I was thinking of something.”

  She panted, eyes shut. “What?”

  A long slow whistle pierced the air, and Cael clapped. “Didn’t know you had this type of entertainment, big bro. I would have come sooner.”

  Arik growled. He yanked Chevelle’s blouse down, although she was sure Cael didn’t see anything. Arik spun to face Cael. “Watch it. Chevelle’s not for any man’s eyes except mine.”

  Cael chuckled. “Gotcha, but you better be careful. If you don’t do the right thing, someone will snatch her away. Then there’s nothing you can do about it.”

  “Cael!” Chevelle almost shouted. “Why don’t I make you a To-Go plate? Bring the dish back anytime.”

  She shuffled Cael to the dining room and shut the door on Arik’s simmering anger in the kitchen. It looked like the blending of the brothers and family would be darn near impossible, and she didn’t have much hope of peace along the way.

  Chapter 9

  “Hey, lovely lady,” Eli said as Chevelle strode toward him.

  She sighed and gazed about them. “Eli, I asked you not to say stuff like that.”

  “I can’t help myself.” He looked apologetic, although she wasn’t falling for it. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

  He held her seat for her, and she sank into it. The restaurant was a decent one. She liked the intimate size and lighting even if they weren’t on a romantic date. This was the middle of the afternoon and not even a mile from Eli’s office. Since her schedule that week was more flexible, she had talked him into letting her come to him for a change. The choice of restaurant made her glad she made the call.

  “I hope the food is as good as the ambiance.” She picked up a menu and perused it. “What’s good to eat?”

  His gaze steadied on her face. “Mushroom burger. I haven’t had much else, but it’s good. Tell me something. What do you think about us going on a little trip?”

  She blinked at him. “Are you serious?”

  “Yeah, a weekend. You don’t have to miss work.”

  “Jeez, Eli. I’ve told you about Arik. Do you really think he’s the type of man to let his girlfriend go away for the weekend with another man? Even if they are just friends? I mean it doesn’t even sound right. Hell, I would have a problem if he pulled some crap like that.”

  “Girlfriend.” He flared his nostrils similar to the way Arik did. “You say that, but he won’t even let you have the title.”

  “It’s just his weird quirk. He thinks it’s immature.”

  “Or—”

  “Don’t.” She held up a hand. “Regardless of what you think, I’m not having this argument.”

  He fiddled with his fork, turning it over again and again in his hand. That’s how he was. Eli was the gentle type. He didn’t display a whole lot of anger. Almost none, in fact. His agitation showed when he couldn’t keep his hands still.

  “You want to have your cake and eat it too.”

  She rolled her eyes. “First of all, my relationship with Arik is my business. I told you from the beginning you’re a friend. End of story. If you can’t accept that, then we’re through being friends.”

  “Chevelle, I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “Then how did you mean it? I can see if I was trying to date both of you, but I’m not.” She didn’t want to stop being friends with him even with things getting awkward.

  Selfish. Maybe I should back off both of them.

  A tight pain started in her chest, and she was surprised to have to blink away tears. Letting go of Arik felt impossible. No, not impossible. She thought about it for a minute while Eli stewed. It used to feel that way, but after she met Eli, she began to imagine something else. What if she gave herself time to get over Arik and then fell for someone like Eli? To think there could be a man out there who was sweet and perfectly ready for the type of life she dreamed of.

  Maybe Eli himself?

  Her mind backed off that kind of thought because if she started thinking that way, she would have to stop being friends with him. Seeing him as a potential husband would be violation of her arrangement with Arik. It didn’t feel right.

  To distract herself, she waited until they had placed their order and then steered the conversation into safer territory. “Okay, tell me what’s up with your sweet little nieces lately? Any birthdays coming up? Special occasions where we can shop until we drop for the cutie pies?”

  She laughed, eager to hear stories and see pictures, but Eli’s tense reaction surprised her. His gaze skittered away from hers, and his hands, which had stilled, began to fiddle again. He coughed and muttered something that sounded like he had to pee and left the table. Chevelle frowned after him.

  “What the heck was that about?” she wondered. “No way, buddy. You’re explaining yourself when you get back.”

  Her drink arrived, and she squeezed the lemon into her water and took a long satisfying sip. While she peered in the direction of where Eli had disappeared, a commotion at the door drew her attention, and she twisted around in her chair to look that way. A woman in a minidress and flip-flops stood in the restaurant’s entrance arguing with one of the hosts. The baby on her hip played with one of her beaded braids, while the toddler at her side wrapped tiny chubby fingers about her leg.

  “I know he’s here, and I want to talk to him. Now!”

  “Miss,” the host said with thinning patience, “you were banned from this restaurant last week. I’m sorry I can’t let you in.”

  “And I told you I’m not leaving until I talk to him.”

  She paced, and one of the waitresses grabbed her arm. The dark look the loud woman threw the other had the waitress hesitating.

  “You better get your hands off me.” She gazed about the restaurant, squinting. “Eli! Where are you? I know you’re here!”

  Chevelle’s stomach knotted. She was looking for Eli? There was no way there were two men with the same uncommon name at that restaurant. She turned to check where he had gone but didn’t see him and then stood to approach the woman.

  “Excuse me.” She kept her voice even and friendly. “I know Eli. Is there a problem?”

  An angry gaze raked Chevelle up and down. “You the thing he seeing now? Well, don’t get pregnant because he’s not going to take care of yours if he’s not taking care of mine.”

  Chevelle went cold. “These kids are Eli’s?” It didn’t seem possible. Not as sweet as he seemed to be, and definitely not when he’d been shopping for his nieces the other day when they met.

  The woman rolled her eyes and pointed to the toddler. “Not this one. The baby.”

  Chevelle examined the baby that appeared to be six or seven months. She looked a lot like her mama, but there weren’t any telltale features that would point to Eli as her daddy. Chevelle didn’t know what to think, but she loved kids, and these little ones were cute.

  “Tamika, what are you doing here?”

>   Chevelle spun around to find Eli behind her. “You know her, Eli?”

  He looked like the bottom of his world dropped. “I…uh…”

  “You better believe he knows me. I’m holding his baby right here!” Tamika elbowed past Chevelle to get into Eli’s face. “And I want to know when you’re going to pay child support.”

  Eli flushed. “You don’t know your baby is mine, Tamika. We’ve been through this. You weren’t faithful, and you know it.” He turned to Chevelle, a look of desperation in his wide eyes. “Chevelle, don’t believe her. She just—”

  Chevelle held up a hand to stop him. The restaurant manager ran over. “I’ve called the police, ma’am, and they’re on the way. You need to leave if you don’t want to be arrested.”

  Chevelle stroked a hand over the baby’s short curly hair. He had a bald spot in the back where he’d lain more often and it hadn’t grown back yet. “Tamika, why don’t you and I talk outside? Eli, you can get the lunch check. I’m not hungry.”

  “Chevelle.” His voice cracked, but she was already ignoring him and leading his possible baby mama out the door. Chevelle walked by her side as they headed away from the restaurant so she wouldn’t get arrested, putting her kids through unnecessary stress.

  When they were a safe distance away, Chevelle stopped to examine the woman and kids before her. In the bright sunlight, she got a better look at Tamika. Her dress wasn’t the best quality, and the flip-flops were obviously a few years old. The kids’ clothes were worn as well, but they were neat. The toddler’s hair was combed, and both kids’ faces were clean.

  “What’s his name?” Chevelle asked, longing to hold the littlest one.

  Tamika seemed to sense someone on her side as well as Chevelle’s desire and handed the baby over. “His name is Elliot. He can keep denying it, but Elliot belongs to Eli.”

  Eli rushed up behind them. “I don’t know that baby’s mine! Chevelle, don’t listen to her lies.”

  “Shut up, Eli.”

  His teeth snapped together when she yelled at him, his brown eyes almost bugging. She switched the baby to her opposite hip and pointed a finger in his face. Right about then she probably looked no different than Tamika had in the restaurant, but she didn’t care.

  “You’re saying you don’t know if this baby is yours, but you don’t know he isn’t!”

  “She—”

  “I said hold it!” One thing she couldn’t tolerate was a man who didn’t take care of his babies. “I don’t know Tamika, but obviously it’s possible because you two were involved. If you don’t know if little man is yours, then you should have gotten a blood test. Because he might be yours, and you’re not even taking care of him. That’s one thing I can’t deal with, a deadbeat dad.”

  He ran a hand over his head and stared at the ground. “You’re right. I should have. I will.”

  She went on, not even caring that he looked ashamed. He should be. “Regardless of all that. This baby as sweet as he is deserves every chance he can get in life. He and his brother should be showered with toys and whatever they need. Come on. All of us are going shopping.”

  Tamika’s mouth fell open. “Huh?”

  Chevelle nodded in the direction where her car was parked. “We’re going to shop for your babies right now, and Eli can contribute or stand there looking like a fool. I’m going to hook your babies up.”

  Tears filled Tamika’s eyes. “Why would you do that?”

  “Because I love babies. That’s all the reason I need.” Chevelle grew excited. “The mall! We can get toys and clothes. Oh, I can’t wait. Let’s go.”

  Tamika jumped on board right away with Eli following behind them as if he were dazed and confused. Chevelle planned to leave him if she had to. She didn’t need an excuse to be sweet to kids. As much as she longed to have babies of her own and with the man she loved, she figured she could work off some of that yearning by helping Tamika’s kids.

  When they reached the mall, Chevelle made a beeline for the nearest kids’ store. While Tamika looked through clothing sizes, Eli sidled up next to Chevelle. “Uh about the kid,” he began.

  “Your son?”

  He blushed. “Chevelle, I mean it when I say—”

  “I don’t care what you mean, Eli. I mean what I say. You’re cruddy for not even trying to find out if that baby is yours. I’m so mad and disgusted at you right now. I don’t know if I will ever speak to you after today.”

  He looked stricken, but she refused to feel sorry for him.

  “You stood there when we first met and lied to me. I assumed you didn’t have any kids of your own. You pretended to be shopping for your nieces. It was just a ploy to get my attention. Didn’t you say something about a future family? And before you start to make stupid claims again, I don’t want to hear it. I thought you were different, or just like me. I was wrong.”

  “Chevelle, please. I never meant to lie. It’s just that when I saw you—”

  “Don’t, okay? Just don’t even go there.”

  He locked his hands together and ran them over his head. “I’m sorry. I screwed up. When she told me the baby was mine, it was right after I caught her cheating. They had been doing it a while behind my back. I was so pissed I couldn’t think straight. Please, believe me. I’m not a bad guy. I’m really not.”

  While Eli stated his case, a text came in from Arik. “I’ve decided to hear Reinhart’s business deal. Dinner tonight. You can come along if you want.”

  She shook her head and sighed. Arik might be hard, but he had never lied to her that she knew of. He didn’t play games or pretend he was something he wasn’t.

  “I don’t know if you’re a bad guy or not, Eli.”

  He looked heartbroken.

  “But I’m not just going to throw you aside. I want you to get a test to see if Elliot is yours. If he is, you need to set up child support for him.”

  His eyes widened. “You’re still willing to be my friend?”

  “It’s not about me.”

  He accepted her words and promised he would act. Chevelle spent the rest of the afternoon shopping for Tamika’s kids and loving on them. When they were all done, she pulled money from the bank and started to give the woman a few dollars. Eli found his pride and shoved her hand aside. Chevelle watched in satisfaction as he gave Tamika several twenties, which she accepted without argument.

  Late in the afternoon, Chevelle dropped off the group at an apartment complex Tamika directed them to. Chevelle was still pissed off at Eli, so she let him figure out his own way back to his car and left. She thought about how she had come close to thinking Eli was a better man for her than Arik, her lover who had vowed never to have a family.

  Even though she felt somewhat disillusioned about what happened with Eli, this might be the time to break away from Arik. Just like Tamika deserved better, so did she. If she wanted a husband and kids, she should have them. Her heart needed to get a clue and follow what her head decided.

  Chapter 10

  Arik phoned Chevelle again. He’d been texting her all afternoon, something he didn’t normally do. For the most part, work kept him busy. Regardless, whenever he contacted Chevelle, she was always quick to answer. This time he heard nothing, and he didn’t like it.

  “I’m assuming you’re not interested in dinner at Reinhart’s?”

  Nothing.

  He frowned and threw the phone on the bed while he continued to get dressed. Perhaps he had done something to make her mad. In those cases, she would give him the silent treatment. He could handle that, and when he was done putting up with it, he would simply seduce her. Tonight, she would have to wait until he finished dealing with Reinhart.

  A certain something stirred inside, more than disappointment at not seeing Chevelle. He might almost call it pain if he were given to fantasies. Why should he hurt over not seeing her for one evening? Ridiculous.

  He finished getting dressed in a sour mood and walked down to his car. As he did, he thought of Reinhart. T
he man was manipulative, and Arik hated his ways. Arik wouldn’t put it past him to try whatever he felt was necessary to gather him and his brothers together. Because he knew that, he wondered about his own sanity in hearing Reinhart out about the business deal.

  From speaking to Reinhart on the phone and in person, Arik learned the man had a good grasp of business. Arik had checked into his holdings in Norway, and Reinhart was as rich as he appeared. He couldn’t imagine why Reinhart had neglected to expand his dealings in America before then. However, it wouldn’t hurt to get involved with him if not for family reasons then for improving his financial situation.

  A short while later, Arik pulled up before the mansion and frowned when he spotted Cael climbing out of a candy apple red Mustang ahead of Arik’s vehicle. Arik increased his pace and dropped a hand on his youngest brother’s shoulder.

  “What’s this?” he said, indicating the car.

  Cael grinned. “Isn’t it sweet? Uncle Reinhart bought it for me.”

  Arik frowned. “Cael.”

  “I know, I know. You’re worried, aren’t you, big bro? Don’t sweat it. I’ve got my faults, but I’m a pretty good driver.”

  “I was going to say—”

  “Karina!” Cael left him where he stood to rush over to the blonde beauty. She was dressed in a top cut so low her areolas were almost visible and leopard-print leggings that looked painted on.

  “Hei vennen.” Karina kissed Cael’s cheek, but her gaze slipped past him to Arik as he strode up to the door. The beautiful smile broadened as she approached Arik. Standing on tiptoe in the most cutesy and seductive way she could, she offered her lips to him. He stared for a heartbeat and kissed her cheek. “Arik, I’m so glad you could come.”

  “Karina.” He moved back a step, but she hooked her arm through his and pressed her breast against his arm. He was about to free himself, but she chattered on as if she didn’t realize what she’d done.

  “Reinhart let me choose the menu, and I know you’ll like everything I’ve selected. They are the traditional meals that everybody in our country loves. I have excellent taste. Did you like the furnishings in the house? I chose them as well.”