Raina reached across to slide her small hand into his large one. “Do you feel guilty for surviving the accident?”
Spencer sighed loudly and then jerked away and rose from the bed. Clearly he didn’t want to talk about it, and he probably didn’t appreciate Raina pressing him for more information. He walked over to the window and stared out, oblivious to his gloriously perfect naked body.
Raina tried not to stare at the hard chiseled lines of his stomach or his firm buttocks in the moonlight coming through the sheer curtains that led out onto a balcony.
He was quiet for several moments, and she waited until he finally spoke. “I do feel guilty. Cameron was my little brother and I was supposed to look out for him and ensure he didn’t get hurt. You see, that was my place in life,” he said, turning around to face her. She couldn’t see his eyes, but she knew he was crying. “To take care of Cam after Mom and Dad died. And I didn’t.”
“He was a grown man,” Raina responded. “And responsible for his own actions.”
“I know that, here.” Spencer pointed to his head. “But tell that to my heart, a heart that yearns for my...my little brother.”
“You have to forgive yourself for whatever you think you should have done.”
“I was driving!” he yelled. “I made sure he didn’t get behind the wheel, but I didn’t make sure he was wearing a seat belt. How could I have been so stupid? If he’d just been wearing a seat belt, he would have survived.... He wouldn’t have gone fl-flying through that...that window. The image of his body...bruised...bloodied... It haunts me, Raina.”
Swiftly, she rose and crossed the room in seconds to wrap her arms around Spencer’s middle. “It’s not your fault,” she cried.
“Yes, it is,” Spencer murmured, bending his head and crying into her hair as she held him. “I didn’t protect him.”
“Listen to me.” She looked up at him with tearstained cheeks and her eyes glistening. “You have to forgive yourself. You did the best you could. You didn’t let him drive drunk. Just think about it—if he’d been driving drunk, he could have killed himself and other people.”
“Instead I killed him.”
“You didn’t kill your brother.” Both of Raina’s hands clasped Spencer’s face. “It was an accident. You hear me? It was an accident. You couldn’t control it any more than we could control the fact that my sister died of cancer at twenty-eight. But she did. And all you can do is go on living, Spencer.”
“It’s just so hard sometimes.”
Raina nodded in agreement. “Trust me, I know. But Cameron wouldn’t want you to keep blaming yourself. He’d want you to live life to the fullest because, as we know, tomorrow isn’t promised.”
Her words seemed to penetrate through Spencer’s thick skull, because he said, “Does that mean you’re going to live those same words?”
“What do you mean?”
“It means are you going to live life to the fullest? Are you going to allow yourself to be happy?”
Raina smiled up at him. “With you?”
Spencer tugged her closer to him. “Yeah, with me. You have any other six-foot-four former basketball stars in mind?”
“I don’t.” Raina chuckled. “But then again it seems we Martin women have a thing for b-ball players.”
“Don’t you even joke like that,” Spencer said. “You’re mine, woman.”
“Yours?” No one had ever claimed her as theirs before. Most times she thought her family acted as if she didn’t exist or was a cross they had to bear.
“Yes, mine.” He lifted her into his arms again and walked back to the bed. “And I don’t intend on letting you go.” He laid her gently down and then joined her, the full weight of his frame causing the mattress to sink lower.
“You’ll have to let me go in the morning,” Raina said. She had to go pick up Zoe and start their weekend routine of birthday parties and recitals. “I have another little person to look after.” Thankfully her parents were watching Zoe, which was why she hadn’t minded when Summer had departed with the company van.
“But that’s much later,” Spencer said. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into his arms and covered her mouth with his.
The next morning, Spencer convinced her to leave Zoe in her parents’ care for one more day and they’d spent most of Saturday together. Not only in bed, but getting to know each other. They’d gone jogging on the beach and then come back, showered and made love again before finally going out to dinner. Eventually they’d talked about Zoe. Spencer hadn’t come on as strong as before.
He indicated he wanted to spend time with Zoe and get to know his niece, and Raina had agreed she wouldn’t stand in his way anymore. The conversation hadn’t gotten beyond Spencer visiting; but Raina was sure that if she gave Spencer more access to Zoe, he would see that she was in good hands under Raina’s care.
* * *
Raina knew her parents were not going to be happy, but she’d invited Spencer to come trick-or-treating with her and Zoe in her parents’ neighborhood on Halloween. Her parents were of the opinion that Spencer had no place in their lives, but Raina was starting to believe otherwise. Spencer rang the doorbell several days later and Raina’s heart began beating in her chest at the thought of seeing him again. “Come on in,” Raina said, opening the door with a flourish.
“Wow!” Spencer’s eyes widened at Raina’s getup. She’d taken the liberty of going to the costume store and picking out a Black Widow superhero costume complete with black spandex jumpsuit, adorned belt, leg straps and wrist cuffs. The jumpsuit was skintight and hugged every curve and showed off her butt. The swell of her breasts peeked out from the V of the jumpsuit.
“You look great, too.” She laughed, walking him into the foyer.
Spencer must have had the same idea because he’d gotten into Halloween and was dressed as Thor with a red cape and fake hammer. The fake muscles molded into the arms and torso of the costume weren’t necessary because Spencer could easily fill it out on his own. Raina knew intimately well just how chiseled his body was. She smiled at the knowledge.
“Where is our witch?” he asked, looking around.
“She’s upstairs putting the finishing touches on her costume.”
Spencer smiled. “Good. That gives us a few minutes alone.” He led her into the darkened living room.
“Spencer, what if Zoe—” But she never got the words out because he pressed her up against a wall and gave her a deliciously sinful kiss that reminded her of all the things he would do to her when they were alone later.
Eventually, he lifted his head and stared down at her. “I can’t wait to have you,” he whispered huskily.
“And I can’t wait to be had.” She chuckled mischievously.
“Auntie Raina, was that Spence?” She heard the pitter-patter of light footsteps as Zoe made her way down the stairs. She found them in the living room.
“What are you guys doing in the dark?” Zoe asked, turning on the lamp on a nearby side table.
“Oh, nothing.” Raina gave Spencer a knowing wink and came forward to greet her. “Don’t you look like the prettiest witch ever?”
Her niece had dressed in a black-and-purple peasant dress with full moon appliqué, witch’s hat and black tights with shiny boots.
Zoe’s eyes grew bright. “Do you really think so?” she asked enthusiastically.
“But of course,” Spencer said. “You can help me protect earth from those crazy witches.”
Zoe gave a hearty belly laugh. “Spence, there’s no witches in the Thor movie.”
“What do you think of my costume?” Spence asked Zoe, spinning around to give Zoe a full view.
“Not as good as mine, but you’ll do.” She smiled.
They all began laughing as they headed out the door.
<
br /> * * *
Spencer, Raina and Zoe shared a great evening in her parents’ neighborhood trick-or-treating. Most people thought they were together and commented that they made a beautiful family. Raina wasn’t sure if she was ready or could ever see herself as part of a family since she’d always felt like an outcast in her own, but she played along.
Alexa had always been the apple of her parents’ eyes and she could do no wrong. Instead of being angry that her parents favored her twin, Raina had cherished her even more. Halloween had always been one of their favorite holidays.
“You okay?” Spencer asked, tapping into her thoughts as she stood back and allowed Zoe to ring the doorbell at a neighbor’s home.
Raina nodded. “I’m fine. I was just thinking about me and Alexa.”
“You were close?”
“Yes, like you and Cameron, I assume?” Raina replied, giving Spencer a sideward glance.
“Then you must miss her as much as I miss him.”
Raina turned to watch Zoe return with an ever-increasing sack of candy that she was finding hard to carry. “Even more so when I see her walking back to me.” She reached for Zoe’s sack. “Here, let me carry that.”
Zoe swatted away her hand. “I’ve got it, Auntie Raina.”
Raina laughed. “I’m not going to take your candy away. But that bag is starting to get as big as you.”
“I know.” Zoe’s eyes grew large with excitement. “I can’t wait to eat it all.”
“You can have a few pieces tonight before bed,” Raina replied. “But now it’s time to head back to Grandma and Grandpa’s and say good-night.”
“But...” Zoe folded her arms across her chest as if to pout.
“You can have some more candy tomorrow,” Raina added. “But it’s late. We need to be heading home.”
Zoe didn’t speak; she just stalked ahead of Raina and Spencer toward her grandparents’ home.
“She’s real feisty, isn’t she?” Spencer asked. He fell into a slower pace to keep up with Raina’s shorter strides.
“She’s a little woman,” Raina said. “And very opinionated.”
“Not unlike someone else I know.”
Raina turned and frowned at Spencer, but as soon as he began laughing, her frown turned into a smile.
“Truth hurts, doesn’t it?” He chuckled just as they approached her parents’ home.
Her mother must have been looking out the window because as soon as they started climbing the stairs, the front door swung open and Crystal rushed out the door.
“How was trick-or-treating?” she asked Zoe.
“I got chocolate and lollipops and a whole lot more,” Zoe said excitedly.
Her mother turned to give Spencer a long glare before ushering Zoe inside to hear the details, leaving Spencer and Raina on the front porch outside.
“Wow! Your mom doesn’t like me much,” Spencer said. Instead of following them inside, he chose to sit down on the swing on the porch.
“It’s not personal,” Raina said, joining him on the swing. When she saw his wrinkled brow, she revised her statement. “Okay it is personal. She sees your presence as a threat and that you could take Zoe away from us.”
“Why would she think that?”
“Because it’s probably what she would do,” Raina answered honestly. “If she had custody, she would forbid you to see Zoe.”
“Well, I’m glad that’s not the case.” Spencer brought one of Raina’s hands to his lips. “I’m glad you see the value of having me in Zoe’s life.” Then he leaned over to press his lips to hers. They coaxed hers apart until she opened her mouth and allowed him access. He stroked her tongue with his and set Raina ablaze with passion.
“Ahem, ahem.”
Raina turned to see her father standing beside the swing. He had an odd look on his face. If Raina didn’t know any better, she would have sworn it was disappointment. But it swiftly disappeared and he said, “Uh, would you like to come in for some hot cocoa before you leave?”
“Would love some,” Spencer said, swiftly rising to his feet and helping Raina up.
Raina objected, “Sorry, Dad, we really need to get going. It is a school night.”
“One cup,” her father said.
Raina sighed. “All right.” They followed him inside and began heading to the kitchen, but her father stopped Raina.
“You go on ahead, Mr. Davis. I need to speak with my daughter for a moment.”
Spencer’s gaze penetrated Raina’s, asking her whether he should stay, but she implored him with her eyes to go.
“A word, Raina.” Anthony motioned for her to precede him.
She knew where they were going, the study. The infamous place he used to take Alexa and Raina whenever they’d been in trouble.
Once the study door closed, Raina said, “Okay, Dad. Let’s hear it.”
“Do you really think it’s wise getting romantically involved with that man?”
“Daddy—” she began, but he held up his hand to stop her.
“That man is a seducer just like his brother. They’re athletes. They are used to having a woman at their side. I don’t want you to get used and tossed aside like his brother did to Alexa. You see what happened to her, she ended up alone and pregnant. And you have Zoe now. You have to make smarter choices.”
“That isn’t going to happen here,” Raina responded. “You don’t know Spencer like I do. Just because they are related does not mean he’s anything like his brother.”
“You saw the press the attorney dug up on him.”
“That was four years ago, Dad. He’s different after losing his brother. He changed his whole life.”
“I hope for your sake that’s the case, baby girl,” Anthony said and pulled her toward him into a big bear hug. “Because I’d hate to see you heartbroken,” he said the words against her hair. “Not to mention, his getting close to you could be just a way for him to get dirt for his custody case.”
Raina pulled back to look up at him. “He’s said nothing about that. It’s a moot point.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“I do,” she said, stepping out of his embrace. But even as said she said the words, a smidgen of doubt swirled through her. Could her father be right? Could Spencer be setting her up for a fall? She shook her head. No, no, no, she refused to believe it. “I do,” she said more emphatically.
Her father shrugged. “All right, then. Let’s go check on the gang.”
Raina found Spencer sitting at the kitchen table with her mother and Zoe. Crystal was ignoring Spencer, while Zoe held court talking to the both of them.
“Where’s that hot chocolate I was promised?” Raina tried to sound upbeat to ease the tension in the room.
A few minutes later, she was holding a mug of steaming cocoa in her hands, “Thanks, Mom.”
“I’m so glad you’re here, Spence.” Zoe smiled up adoringly at Spencer.
“I’m glad I could be here.” Spencer caressed Zoe’s hair.
Raina saw the gut-wrenching look pass between her mother and father. It was hard not to. She didn’t know how to make the situation better and get her parents to realize that Spencer wasn’t a threat unless they made him one. Would she ever be able to convince them?
Chapter 12
Once they made it back to Raina’s house and had put a hyped-on-sugar Zoe to bed, Raina and Spencer sat listening to jazz as they drank wine on her living room floor. They were still in costume, though Spencer had removed his Thor cape and Raina had removed her sexy black four-inch-heeled boots. Raina couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this comfortable with a man. Being with Spencer was so easy it scared her. Is it possible to be this happy?
“What’s on your mind?” Spencer asked.
“Me...you...this.”
“You’re wondering if it’s real.”
When Raina nodded, Spencer slid over and wrapped his arms around her. “It’s real, Raina. Why do you find it so hard to believe that?”
“A lifetime of always being in the shadows and learning to never expect anything. Only what I could create.”
“With your parents?” he inquired intuitively.
She turned and looked up at him. “Why would you ask that?”
“Because I see how they dote on Zoe. And if they are as overbearing with her, then it stands to reason they could have been the same way with...Alexa, perhaps? Leaving you to wonder what was wrong with you and why you weren’t so special?”
Raina nodded but didn’t look at him. “You hit the nail on the head.”
He grasped her head and forced her to look up at him. Her eyes were bordered with tears. “You’re special to me, Raina. Can’t you see how hard I’ve fallen for you?”
His head slowly descended until his lips met hers. His kiss was light as a summer breeze, but Raina quivered nonetheless at the sweet tenderness of his kiss.
“Make love to me,” she said.
Spencer rose from the floor and held out his hand to pull Raina to her feet. He kept her hand in his as he led her upstairs to her bedroom.
Once they were behind closed doors, Raina found two candles and lit them, casting the room in a shadowy light while Spencer began to remove his cumbersome Thor costume. When the candles were all lit, Raina met him back at her queen-size bed.
Spencer was laid out against her pillows, wearing only his boxer briefs. A three-pack of condoms was lying nearby; they knew they would need all of them. He sat watching her as she made her way to the side of the bed and began to undress for him. She started by removing the wrist cuffs, leg straps and belt buckle and dropping them to the floor.
Spencer smiled as she continued her striptease. When she reached the zipper at her bust, she slowly slid it down her abdomen until it stopped at her waist. Then she bent down so she could slide out of the jumpsuit one leg at a time.
A Chance with You Page 13