by nikki blaire
But that’s not what this is.
She reminded herself. Men as fine as Tremaine were nothing but trouble. His barber was probably his most committed relationship because, apparently, even his baby’s mother wasn’t around anymore.
Reel it in, Ayda.
She was overthinking again, and it was killing her good vibe. She needed to focus. It was getting late and she needed to close this deal.
“Beer wasn’t cutting it, huh?” She nodded toward the glass of dark amber liquid in his hand.
“Yea, this is turning into a scotch kind of night and you’ve got the good stuff. Are you sure you’re not an alcky?” He playfully nudged her before taking another sip.
“Some of my days require a little more than wine, if you know what I mean.” She let out an exasperated sigh then turned to face the view.
“Tell me about it.” Tremaine closed the space between them. His scent clouded over her and filled her lungs when she breathed deeply. “That’s the part of adulthood that our parents never told us about.”
“Right. I guess, maybe, they were trying to spare us the gritty details.” She shrugged.
“So, what is it about your days that require more than wine?” He leaned in to say the words right against her ear. “What’s your work like? I wanna know about you.” His deep voice was laced with a slight Southern twang that coaxed Ayda out of her last bit of reservation. She would open up to him, just a little, if it would get her where she wanted to be. Underneath him.
Plus, she needed to take a load off and talk to someone.
“Well, I’m in marketing, like I said before. I’ve got these huge accounts, and even though it’s a boys’ club, I’ve been killin it.” She could hear a smile in Tremaine’s soft chuckle next to her. “But, honestly, I’m worried about this possible promotion. There’s another woman in the running, another Black woman, and I just don’t want to get passed over because I’m more…”
“Fierce than she is. More driven and focused.” He finished for her.
“Exactly.” She turned to face him. “I was going to say ‘more of a bitch,’ but I prefer your terminology,” She laughed. “I’ve never heard it described so nicely before.” They laughed together as he gently pulled her against him.
“You must have never had someone appreciate those qualities in you before.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Ayda’s breath hitched when his fingers moved to her cheek. He tenderly traced it down to her lips, brushing them, then trailed down to her neck. She looked up to find his gaze locked on her.
“No more scotch for you.” She reached for his glass, but he quickly moved it out of her way, holding it higher than she could reach.
“Just one more sip.” He finished the last of it then placed the glass on the table.
“Alright then,” She tossed back her own glass of wine. “What about your work?”
“It’s boring and not even what I thought I’d be doing after I graduated. My degree is in business administration. Thought I’d be someone’s CEO, but I got comfortable. Meeting you has been the biggest perk.” He looked down at her with a wink.
“To be even more real with you, I only took this job for my daughter. She’s got dance lessons, is growing out of all of her clothes, Pre-K ain’t free, and not to mention she’ll need a college fund that I haven’t started yet.”
Tremaine’s head fell and the smile he had worn for most of the night started to fade.
“Hey, don’t do that.” She suddenly wanted to comfort him. He had given her an encouraging word, so it was only right that she reciprocate. She placed a hand on each side of his face and forced his gaze back to her, but lost her train of thought once they were eye to eye. Then, he bit his bottom lip.
“Don’t do that.” She tried to take a step back, but realized she was trapped between him and the railing.
“Do what?”
“That lip biting thing.”
“Oh, this?” He did it again. “It is too much? Is it making you want me?”
Ayda giggled so loudly that it echoed from the balcony.
“More like, it’s corny.” She lied. It was sexy as hell, but she wouldn’t tell him that and give him any more of an upper hand. “You’re a good dad, Tremaine.” She finally remembered why she had moved so closely to him.
“How can you be so sure?” His arms pulled her closer.
“Because the thing I remember about your daughter most was that she was so incredibly happy. That kind of happiness comes from not having a care in the world. That’s because you’re taking care of her every need. You’re a good dad, like I said.”
His smile returned in full force, forcing his dimple to reappear.
“You’re good.” He ran a hand along his goatee. “Damn good, actually. A brother could get used to the compliments. Are you tryna seduce me, Ayda?”
“What?” She feigned innocence. “I’m just being honest. Any girl would be lucky to have you...for a father.” She quickly breathed out.
“Yea, for a father. Thank you.”
His woody, clean scent summoned her forward until she was on her tiptoes brushing her lips against his.
They stood still for a moment, his breath tickling her chin, until she deepened the kiss by pulling his bottom lip into her mouth. Tremaine let out a low, throaty groan and that was Ayda’s cue. She sucked his bottom lip again, and then gently pushed her tongue deeper, searching for his. Once the tips touched, they enjoyed a slow rhythm of teasing. Butterflies that Ayda hadn’t expected fluttered from her stomach to her chest. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck, pulling herself closer to him, rubbing her midsection against his. But before she could get lost in him any further, Tremaine pulled them apart.
“Why did you do that?” She protested.
“I think maybe we should slo-”
“Don’t think, just kiss me.” She cut him off then tried to fall back into the kiss, but Tremaine held her at length. His gaze travelled over her entire body, lingering in some places, until he landed on her face. Something flashed in his eyes that Ayda couldn’t quite make out – possibly regret.
“Let’s just go inside and talk. I really wanna get to know you, Ayda.” He grabbed her hand, but she was too slighted to appreciate him being a gentleman.
“Are you serious right now?” She pressed herself against him, hoping to re-spark his desire. But, he simply placed space between them again, then brought her hand to his lips. She rolled her eyes, as he placed a sweet kiss on her skin, ignoring the tingle it sent up her spine. She was too annoyed to care about his tenderness and Tremaine could sense it.
“Alright, well, since it’s late, maybe I should-”
“Whatever,” She brushed him off. “I’ll walk you to the door.” She moved past him, leading the way. Tremaine’s head fell back and he squinted his eyes closed, as if in agony.
“Please don’t be upset with me. I just-”
“It’s fine. I’ll see you around.” Ayda pulled the door open and motioned for him to make his way out. Tremaine looked as if he wanted to say more, but her expression let him know that it was best that he didn’t.
“Don’t disappear on me.” He leaned in the doorway.
“Goodnight, Tremaine.” She gave a half-hearted smile, and then closed the door on him.
Chapter Five
A week had passed since Tremaine found himself standing in Ayda’s hallway looking at the other side of her front door. He hadn’t seen her, despite how hard he tried to run into her. She was avoiding him, and although he didn’t feel that he deserved it, he understood why. Essentially, he had turned her down and hadn’t gotten the chance to explain. He wanted her, but he had to make sure they were on the same page first. It was hard to dial back after already having sex. He knew that from first-hand experience.
“Daddeeee, how far is Pop Pop’s and Grammy’s? It’s been foreeeeeever.” Sasha whined from the backseat of his SUV. He looked up at her through the rearview mirror then over to Julissa in the
passenger seat. She was asleep, but her headphones were loudly blaring whatever music she was listening to.
“We’re pulling up in a little bit, ladybug.” He smiled at her.
“Good cuz I’s wants to see Pop Pop and Grammy.”
A few minutes later, Tremaine pulled into the driveway of the home he had grown up in. The drive to North Carolina was only about four hours, but Julissa managed to fall asleep every time.
“Auntie Ju! We are here!” Sasha quickly pulled off her seatbelt then climbed over the passenger seat to wake her aunt. Tremaine’s mother and father greeted them then helped a sleepy Julissa with Sasha, while Tremaine grabbed their bags.
“Lil’ bro, I see you tryna pretend you like can lift more than couple pounds. Let me get those.” Tremaine’s older brother, Quentin, bounded down the front steps towards him. They embraced quickly and then followed with their fraternity’s handshake.
It was comforting for Tremaine to be around his big brother. The only person he looked up to more was his father, who was preoccupied with spoiling his daughter and granddaughter, to notice his sons lingering near the car.
“So, you’re gonna need to tell me the rest of this story about the coffee shop girl.” Quentin kept his voice low, as they unpacked the bags. He knew that Quentin was trying to keep the word “girl” out of their mother’s earshot because she would start prying the moment she heard it.
“Bruh, it’s nothing else to tell. It just didn’t happen.” He shrugged, grabbing the last of the bags.
“Naw, lil’ bro. Don’t let that D.C. living make you think you’re slick now. I know you well and from what I heard in your voice on the phone the other day, and from what I see in your eyes right now, there’s more.” He closed the trunk and then made his way towards the steps.
“We’re gonna drop this stuff off upstairs, do the family thing for a second, and then you and I are ‘bout to hit up Max’s.”
Tremaine sighed, while he followed his brother into the house. He already knew a long lecture was coming. They stepped over the threshold of the two-story brick house that bubbled over with love and warmth. The house was like a time warp because little about it had changed since Tremaine was a kid. Every once in a while, his mother would add a new piece of furniture or hang new curtains, but ultimately, she was always “just fine with what she had,” in her words. Even their old bedrooms had been left relatively untouched. The nostalgia was relaxing and Tremaine reveled in being home.
“You hungry?” His mother pulled him into a hug. “You look hungry.” Her curt response and roving eyes let him know that she was not pleased with his weight. Camilla Henry was a stereotypical Southern Belle and mother – sweet as pie, but nothing to play with. She was small in stature, compared to her children and husband, but she ruled with an iron fist and a nagging mouth. None of her children actually feared her, but they also never tried to cross her either.
Despite the men in their family being broad and big, Tremaine’s weight had taken after his mother’s side. He had never been as brawny as his brother and father. Still, his singledom seemed to have spun this fictional tale in his mother’s head about whether he was eating properly. So, she fussed every time she saw him.
“We’re gonna go to Max’s, Ma. Have some brotherly time. I haven’t seen baby Tremaine in a month of Sundays.” Quentin playfully slapped his brother’s back, knowing it hurt him a little. Quentin was most definitely the “big” brother, in age and size. He seemed to tower over Tremaine, at nearly 6’5, and outweighed him by an additional fifty pounds of muscle. In high school and college, Quentin’s size had served him well as a quarterback. Now that he was an offensive coordinator at his alma mater, his size only served to make women swoon. The brothers also differed in skin tone. Tremaine’s matched their mother’s butterscotch shade, while Quentin shared their father’s chestnut hue, but those were their only differences. Their faces were practically identical, as both men shared the same unmistakable family features that their hometown had dubbed as “Henley handsome.”
“We were just here two weeks ago. So, what are you even saying?” Julissa rolled her eyes. “We haven’t eaten and we should sit down as a family, especially if Ma already cooked.” She always aided their mother’s argument. Those two were as thick as thieves.
“JuJu, you just woke up. You don’t even know what time it is. Shut up.” Quentin playfully flicked her nose.
“Don’t tell me to shut up,” She started to pounce back, but the clearing of their father’s throat commanded everyone’s attention. They all turned towards Maurice Henley, who was the very definition of fatherhood, in Tremaine’s eyes. He revered his father, almost like an idol. All of them did. He was the glue that held their entire family together.
“Let them boys go do what grown men do.” His deep baritone rumbled. It was strong and authoritative, just like him. Tremaine and Quentin dapped hands because their father’s word was law in this house. They grinned and turned to leave, but were halted at the door by their father calling both of their names.
“But don’t fill up too much because your mama will have a plate for ya when you get back. And you need to eat it, especially you Tremaine. That D.C. diet got you lookin’ less like a Henley day by day.”
“Sure, Pops.” Tremaine sighed. He glanced at his mother who wore a big smirk, knowing that ultimately, she had their father under her thumb. “We’ll be back.” He leaned in to kiss the smirk off of her face. Eating his mother’s cooking was a treat and not a chore, so he would definitely save room for whatever she whipped up.
The two brothers bounded out of the house towards Quentin’s car. In a few minutes, they were pulling up to Max’s bar, their favorite, and the only, hang out spot in the town. As they walked into the old bar, Tremaine took in the country scenery. He missed the comforts of small town country living, including places like Max’s, where everyone knew each other.
“Welcome to Max’s!” Someone shouted to them. Both of them nodded and smiled to familiar faces then settled into their favorite table before ordering a round of drinks and wings. Quentin barely waited for the waitress to walk away before he dug into Tremaine about Ayda.
“So, are you allergic to women now? Did Trinity completely ruin you?”
Here we go with this shit.
“Naw, that’s not it.” Tremaine sighed, just as the waitress returned with their orders. He took a long swallow of his drink and ordered another before she could walk away. He would need it dealing with Quentin. His brother never held any punches.
“I told you, I just got nervous and I started thinking too much. I mean, I keep saying that I wanna avoid drama and bullshit. That I need to consider how these things will affect Sasha. I can’t keep praying on something, but doing things that don’t match up. Besides, I don’t even know what she was thinking the situation was. So I just decided to cut my losses, Que.”
“I mean, I get it, but I don’t get it.” Quentin’s chuckle was dripping in sarcasm. “You said she was pressing it, right? No woman who does that is going to be sniffing around your door tryna’ cause problems. And since when were you ever worried about somethin’ like that anyways?”
“Since I became a single father.” Tremaine groaned. “I know how Ayda came off, but I don’t know her enough to be sure if that’s how she really is. And I mean, maybe Trinity does have something to do with it.” Just saying his baby mother’s name made him dive deeper into his drink.
“I thought Trinity and I were on the same page. We were just having sex, no big deal. We’d been that way for years, but then she pops up pregnant and everything goes to shit. All of sudden, she wanted to keep the baby, she wanted a relationship with me. I went against my gut, gave her everything she wanted, and then...”
Tremaine hadn’t intended to take a trip down memory lane, but his entire relationship with Trinity began to flash before his eyes. His old feelings of regret and disappointment lodged in his throat.
They had met at the height of Tremaine�
��s playboy era and began a “no-strings-attached” relationship that lasted for years. Somehow, they fell into the roles of being each other’s standby, which suited Tremaine just fine. He was in his mid-twenties and was not thinking of settling down anytime soon.
Then, one day, everything changed. Trinity was pregnant. Tremaine barely knew anything about her, and they had only been on a few dates here and there. He had always imagined having kids with his wife, a woman who he was madly in love with, but things had not worked out that way. So, he built a family with her out of a sense of responsibility. All of Tremaine’s dreams and desires were put on the backburner out of consideration for her. He had even supported and financed her initial decision to move to New York to pursue her acting career when the opportunity presented itself. She wasn’t supposed to stay, but in the end, she left him to become famous.
Often times, Tremaine wondered if Trinity had started seeing someone else, and if that was the reason why she abruptly altered their plans. But then, he thought of their encounters after that, during his visits to New York, and her sporadic pop-ups in Washington, D.C. They were still having sex, which only made things more complicated between them. After a year of her remaining in New York, she began to disengage from being a mother, so Tremaine started to limit her contact with Sasha. It took him a little longer to end the sexual aspect of their relationship, but he finally cut her off completely eight months ago. Hence, his drought. He had dated sparingly since then, but no one had really caught his interest, and those that did couldn’t handle him having a daughter. So, he had given up and settled for fantasizing about the woman he kept seeing in the coffee shop.