“Hopefully, you will never have to find out.”
Zaire sank down on her sofa. “I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about coming back here, but it feels right. I feel like I’m home.”
Tyrese grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. “C’mon—I have a surprise for you.”
“What is it?” she asked.
He led her into the dining room.
Vibrant flames in red and gold flickered from the silver-colored candles, casting a soft glow on the succulent display of baked chicken, roasted potatoes, yeast rolls and steaming broccoli.
Zaire eyed the beautifully decorated table. “Everything looks delicious.”
Tyrese pulled out a chair for her.
“Thank you,” Zaire murmured as she sat down. Tyrese walked around the table and eased into a chair facing her. “Did you cook all this?”
Tyrese nodded.
“You did a wonderful job. Thank you for everything—especially for moving into my tiny little apartment. Hopefully, I’ll be able to stay here by myself soon.”
He smiled. “You will. Zaire, you are a lot stronger than you realize.”
After dinner, Tyrese sent her to relax while he cleaned the kitchen. This was a first for Zaire. None of the men she had dated in the past ever entered the kitchen unless it was to find something to eat or drink.
He joined her on the sofa. Zaire curled up beside him.
“This has been a wonderful homecoming.”
Tyrese kissed her on the cheek. “I’m glad. I really wanted to impress you with my culinary skills.”
“I’m definitely impressed, Tyrese. No one has ever treated me the way you do. It’s kind of foreign. Do you know what I mean?”
“I do,” he responded. “Zaire, I feel the same way about you. I’ve never met a woman like you.”
Moving closer, she laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes.
* * *
An hour later, Tyrese gently woke Zaire up. “Why don’t you go to bed, sweetheart? You’re exhausted.”
She flushed in embarrassment. “Did I fall asleep? Tyrese, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine,” he assured her.
Zaire stifled a yawn.
“C’mon—let’s get you to bed.”
Tyrese escorted her to the master bedroom.
“I feel awful,” Zaire said. “I didn’t realize I was so tired.” She ached so much for his touch. She wanted to feel his arms wrapped around her like a warm blanket. Her emotions melted her resolve. “I don’t want you to leave, Tyrese. I want you to stay with me.”
“Are you sure about this?” he wanted to know. His steady gaze bored into her in silent expectation.
“We’re both adults,” she stated. “I’m sure we can share a bed without it leading to sex.”
Tyrese wasn’t so sure, but he did not respond.
He sat on the edge of her king-size bed while Zaire changed in the bathroom.
When she walked out in a pair of silk pajama pants and a camisole, his breath caught in his throat.
She pulled down the comforter and climbed into bed.
Tyrese stood there watching her.
“Are you coming to bed?” she asked him.
“I need to change,” Tyrese responded. “I’ll be right back.”
Their gazes locked for a moment.
Both of them could see the attraction mirrored in the other’s eyes.
The smoldering flame Zaire saw in Tyrese’s eyes held her spellbound.
He broke the gaze and turned on his heel, walking toward the door.
In the guest bedroom, Tyrese sank down on the edge of the bed. He had no idea how he was going to sleep beside Zaire and not make love to her. It was a constant struggle being in the same room with her.
Even the prolonged anticipation of lying in bed kissing her had become unbearable. His body craved the feel of her skin against his own.
Tyrese rose to his feet and walked briskly across the carpeted floor to the bathroom. He was going to need a cold shower.
Tyrese prayed that Zaire had fallen asleep by the time he returned to her room.
She was wide-awake.
He climbed into bed beside her.
She snuggled up to him. “You smell good.”
“Zaire, I have a confession to make,” he said.
“What is it?”
“This is torture.”
Zaire sat up, propping herself against a couple of pillows. “I’m sorry.”
Tyrese sat up, as well. “It’s not your fault that you’re so incredibly sexy. I blame your parents.”
She laughed.
“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”
“Tyrese, you don’t have to sleep in here with me. I’ll be okay.”
He pulled her into his arms. “I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep.”
Zaire released a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
Tyrese held her close to him as he savored every moment.
It did not take long for Zaire to fall asleep. He watched her for a while before easing out of bed.
A large part of Tyrese did not want to leave, but it was for the best. If he stayed, he would not get any sleep at all, and he had a long day tomorrow.
* * *
The next morning, Tyrese had breakfast ready by the time Zaire walked out of her bedroom.
“You’re spoiling me.”
He awarded her a smile. “I intend to do a lot of that,” Tyrese told her. “I hope you don’t mind.”
Zaire sat down at the breakfast table. “Not as long as you allow me to spoil you in return.”
They dined on scrambled eggs, bacon and toast.
“I see I’m going to have to show off my skills in the kitchen,” Zaire said. “I’m making dinner for us tonight.”
Tyrese liked seeing the vibrancy return in her. She’d slept through the night without having a nightmare.
“What are your plans for the day?” he asked. “Besides cooking dinner tonight.”
“I’m going to try and get the Daniels Auto retreat finalized. It’s not that far away, and I want everything to be perfect.”
“Bill’s very pleased with everything you have done. I think you’ve won a fan for life. He is already talking about having you plan a surprise birthday party for his wife.”
“He’s been really easy to work with.” Zaire took a sip of her cranberry juice. “So has Harold. I’ve really enjoyed working with them both.”
They finished up breakfast.
“I’ll take care of the kitchen,” Zaire told him as she rose to her feet. “You need to get ready for work.”
Tyrese stood up and pulled her into his arms. “I really hate leaving you today.”
She kissed him. “I’m going to be fine. Sage is coming by to visit with me this afternoon.”
“I’ll check on you throughout the day.”
Zaire pushed him out of the kitchen. “Go get dressed.”
He kissed her once more. “I love you.”
She smiled. “I know.”
An hour later, Zaire was seated at her desk going over the timeline for the upcoming Daniels Auto retreat with Max on speakerphone.
“I will be speaking with Bill later this afternoon,” she told her assistant. “After I talk to him, I’ll give you a call back on the agenda for the welcome reception.”
She hung up the phone just as the doorbell sounded.
Zaire knew it was Sage because of the text she’d received just seconds before. Still, she checked the video monitor feed from the security camera that was installed in the hallway—it was one of the reasons she’d chosen to live in this building.
She opened the door and stepped as
ide to let her sister enter the apartment.
They embraced before settling down in the living room.
“How does it feel to be back here?” Sage asked.
“It’s great,” Zaire responded. “I’m not sure how I will handle being here alone at night, though.”
“Mama said that Tyrese has moved in with you.”
“He’s more like a roommate, Sage. We sleep in separate rooms.”
Her sister was surprised. “Really? You two haven’t...”
Zaire shook her head. “I’ve had to deal with a lot, and I don’t want to jump into a physical relationship with Tyrese until I know that I have me back on track.”
Sage smiled in approval. “I think that’s a wise decision.”
“Don’t get me wrong,” Zaire said. “I love him so much and I want to take our relationship to the next level.”
“You have time, sis. You don’t have to rush it.”
“It’s not easy, though. Tyrese is so handsome and he’s sexy....” Zaire shook her head. “He treats me like a queen.”
“I think I like him,” Sage responded. “As long as he’s good to you—I don’t have a problem with him.”
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Tyrese is a good man, and I know that he loves me.”
Zaire reached over and placed her hand on Sage’s belly. “Hello, little baby.”
“I’m so ready to meet him or her,” Sage told Zaire.
“I don’t know why you and Ryan wanted to wait to find out the sex. I would want to know as soon as possible.”
“We just want to be surprised.”
Zaire ordered lunch for her and Sage.
While they waited for the food to arrive, she showed her sister some of the plans she had arranged for Harold DePaul. “He says that he’s pleased with what I’ve done so far.”
“I haven’t seen him much, but Meredith says that he’s been doing a lot of traveling. She’s been trying to get him to come to one of the cookouts.”
“I invited him, too,” Zaire said. “It would be really nice if the Alexander and DePaul family members could come together as one. Just think of what we could accomplish in terms of helping those less fortunate.”
Sage agreed, “We could have been a great team in the hotel industry, as well.”
Chapter 16
Zaire finished her conversation with Bill Daniels and then hung up the telephone. She picked up another folder and opened it.
She called her assistant afterward. “Hey, Max. I need you to do something for me. We need the perfect location for the Honore’ Designs party during Fashion Week.”
“Sounds like fun.”
Zaire grinned. “I know, huh?”
“I’ll get right on it.”
“Thanks so much, Max. I really appreciate you.”
“And I really miss you, Zaire. I hope you’ll come back to the office soon.”
“I’m working on it.”
She opened up a packet that had been sent to the office for her. Tyrese had brought it home with him a couple of days ago, but Zaire had forgotten about it until now. She tore open the envelope.
A smile spread across her face as she read the information contained on the brochure. Zaire picked up her cell phone and dialed.
“Harold, it’s Zaire,” she said. “I have the perfect place for your retreat.”
“Really? Where?”
“The French Riviera,” she announced. “You can rent Villa Valmer for the week or just the weekend. There is the main house, a guesthouse and staff quarters for a total of twelve bedrooms, eleven bathrooms. It’s four acres on the waterfront, which is fenced in for privacy.”
“I like what I’m hearing so far,” Harold responded.
“The home was built in 1903 by Henri Paul Nénot. I think it’s the perfect location for what you have in mind.”
Harold said, “I’d like to see the place in person, if you can arrange it. In fact, it would be nice to have you and Tyrese join me.”
“Are you serious?” Zaire asked. “You want us to go to the French Riviera with you for a few days?” She was surprised by his invitation.
“Yes. Before we commit to hosting the retreat there—I think we should see it first.”
“I agree,” she responded. “I’ll talk to Tyrese and get back to you. In the meantime, I’ll email you some photographs of the villa.”
“I know you’ve been through a lot, Zaire. Maybe getting away for a few days will help.”
“Thanks, Harold. I appreciate your thoughtfulness.”
“Has there been any news on your attacker?”
“No,” she said. “There are no real clear images on the security cameras.”
“Meredith told me that you wanted to sell your car.”
“I do. I want something a little more low-key,” Zaire replied. “Are you interested in buying it?”
“Actually, I have a friend who wants one. I’m sure he’d want to get it. If you like, I can give him your email address.”
“That’s fine,” she said. “I’ll email you photos of the car.”
There was a momentary silence on the phone.
“How is William?” Zaire inquired, referring to Harold’s older brother, who had been ill.
“He’s not doing well,” Harold said quietly. “I don’t think he’s going to be with us much longer.”
“I’m sorry, Harold.”
“I wasted a lot of time being angry with him for not siding with me. I’ll never get that time back.”
“But you still have today,” Zaire told him. “Make the best of every moment that you have with him.”
“William’s made me realize just how important family should be,” he said. “I’m tired of losing people I love.”
Zaire heard the sadness in his voice. “Harold, if you need us, please don’t be afraid to let someone know. We are a part of your family despite the color of our skin.”
“After all I’ve done to your family...you still want to have a relationship with me.”
“All families have some form of drama,” she said with a chuckle.
“Thank you, Zaire. For everything.”
“We’re still waiting to see you at the family cookouts on the weekend.”
He gave a short laugh. “I’ll get there. I give you my word.”
Zaire hung up. She picked up the brochure and the photographs of the villa. “This is the perfect place for Harold’s retreat.”
She was not sure if she was ready to get on a plane and travel all the way to France, although Zaire agreed that a nice little getaway from everything might be just what she needed.
When Tyrese walked into the apartment, he found Zaire sound asleep on the sofa. He smiled while watching her sleep. He planted a soft kiss on her forehead.
She stirred but did not wake up.
He kissed her again, moving his mouth over hers, devouring its softness.
Zaire let out a soft moan.
“Wake up, sleepyhead.”
Zaire opened her eyes, stretched and yawned. “When did you get home?”
“Not too long ago.”
She sat up and swung her legs off the sofa. “What time is it?”
“Seven-thirty,” Tyrese replied.
“I had no idea I’d been asleep this long,” she murmured. “I lay down to take a thirty-minute power nap. I slept for almost three hours.”
“You must have been tired,” he told her.
Zaire planted a kiss on his lips. “I’m glad that you’re home. Are you hungry?”
Tyrese shook his head. “I grabbed a sandwich earlier.”
She picked up the brochure lying on the table and said, “This is where Harold should
host his retreat.”
Tyrese surveyed the brochure. “It’s nice,” he murmured. “What does he think?”
“He wants to see it in person.” Zaire stifled another yawn. “In fact, he wants you and me to go to France with him.”
“Really?”
His cell phone rang.
Zaire looked at him. “Do you need to get that?”
Tyrese shook his head. His stomach was filled with apprehension. He hoped that Zaire would not become suspicious. He did not want her getting upset over nothing.
Gathering her into his arms, he held her snugly.
She yawned again, prompting him to say, “You’re really tired. Why don’t you make it an early night?”
“No,” she protested. “I haven’t seen you all day. I just want to spend some time with you. Tell me about your day.”
Tyrese laughed. “I don’t want to bore you with the details.”
“I’m really interested,” she said. “Did you snag Delta Airlines?”
“As a matter of fact, I did.”
She hugged him. “Congratulations, Ty.”
“Don’t call me that,” he stated firmly.
His response seemed to catch Zaire off guard. “Okaay...you want to tell me what that was about?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that.”
“So why did you react that way?” she asked him.
Tyrese really did not want to have this discussion. “Honey, it’s nothing. I’m just tired.”
Zaire looked as if she didn’t believe him, but she did not press him further. Instead, she rose to her feet. “I think I’m going to take a shower and slip into a pair of pajamas.”
Tyrese wasn’t sure whether or not she was upset with him. He decided to just let the entire matter drop completely.
He was still in the living room when Zaire walked out of her bedroom. She sat down beside him with her iPad.
Tyrese scanned her face. “You know that I love you, don’t you?”
Zaire nodded but did not look up at him.
She’s angry.
He tried handing her the television remote.
“I don’t need it,” Zaire told him.
“Please don’t be angry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have been short with you, Zaire. All I can do is apologize to you.”
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