****

A few hours later, after a workout and yet another shower, I’m on my way from the downtown hotel where I entertain overnight guests, heading to the outskirts of the city. It takes about forty minutes to get to my destination in rush hour traffic, but my aggravation is worth the drive this morning.  I need my cousin, Liam, and the CEO of our company, Bennett Industries, to sign some documents before I can leave for my trip this afternoon. When I pull up to the wrought iron gate, I roll my window down so the scanner can scan my face. Once I’m recognized, the gate automatically unlocks and allows my entrance. I drive up toward the huge mansion Liam had built especially for the love of his life. I smirk as I remember him painstakingly going over all the details with his architect long before he even knew how his situation with Coral would work out.

I park in front of the door and climb out to ring the bell. But before my finger reaches it, the door opens. I frown at the man who greets me.

“You can’t put a goddamn shirt on before answering the door?” I ask Liam.

“It’s my damn house. I’ll answer the door naked if I damn well please. Shit, you’re lucky I put sweatpants on. CeCe and I just finished a yoga session,” he says, wiggling his eyebrows.

I grunt and step inside as I get the meaning behind his words. “Anyway, I need you to sign these before I head out to Arizona,” I inform him, slapping the folder stuffed with papers against his bare chest. “What you got to eat around here?” I push through the door, strolling down the hallway toward the kitchen. My nostrils are hit by the smell of bacon, eggs, and toast.

“Good morning, Ms. Mary,” I greet, pressing a kiss to her dark, soft cheek.

The older woman is Liam’s former nanny who now works part-time for him even though she’s supposed to be retired. 

“Good morning, Jeremy. Long time no see. Work keeping you busy?” she asks, preparing a plate for me.

“Yes, ma’am. Liam is working me to death.”

“Shut up, you bum,” Liam says as he enters the kitchen.

“Have a seat,” Ms. Mary demands, setting my plate down on the counter.

Before I can sit down, Liam’s four-year-old daughter rounds the corner, sees me, and yells, “Uncle Jeremy!” Then she sprints over to me.

I pick her up and place a big kiss on her cheek. 

“Hey, don’t kiss my daughter first thing in the morning. Who the hell knows where those lips were last night.”

“Or this morning,” I retort, winking.

Liam glares at me, and I laugh as I pick up a toothpick from the counter and place it in the side of my mouth. I carry Laura over to her chair where Ms. Mary has already put her plate on the placemat.

“I could tell you all about the woman I had last night,” I say low in Liam’s ear before I strut back to the counter. “I mean, now that you’re a married man and all, you might want a few pointers on how to keep your woman satisfied,” I continue.

“I’ve got that covered, you jackass. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be walking around here with her belly full of—”

“Good morning.”

Liam’s tirade is interrupted by his wife’s greeting.

I turn to stare at Coral. Her mocha skin is glowing against her yellow sundress. Her short cropped hairstyle, with an auburn-tinted top, shows off her high cheek bones. Her baby bump is evident underneath the dress.

“Hey, Jer. How’re you this morning?” she asks.

“I’m good, but apparently not as good as you and your husband. He was just informing me how he keeps you satisfied as evident by your expanding belly.” I smirk.

Coral’s eyes narrow as she glares back and forth between her husband and me. Liam simply shrugs and pulls her in for a kiss.

“Get off me.” She pushes him away lightly. “Anyway, what are you doing here this morning?” she asks, moving away from Liam and goes over to Laura who is thoroughly enjoying her pancakes. Coral begins putting two braids in Laura’s hair, preparing her to be picked up by her nanny. 

“Liam needs to sign some papers on the Tucson project. I’m heading out there today.”

Coral nods with her back to me. I pick up a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice that Ms. Mary placed by my plate.

“How’s it going out there?” Liam questions.

“We’re a little behind schedule, which is why I’m heading out there earlier than expected. I need to speak with the head designer. I have a feeling he’s trying to cut costs on some shit, but I’ve got it handled. I just need you to sign those damn papers so I can do what I need to.” I point at Liam.

He nods. “We’ll need to—”

“Ugh! I suck. Everything I write is awful!” A feminine, exasperated voice shrieks and the back kitchen door that leads outside suddenly opens, cutting Liam off.

Every inch of my body comes alive in a way it hadn’t been just a few seconds ago. I only see her from behind as she immediately goes over to stand in front of Coral. I take in the baggy T-shirt that’s unable to hide the luscious curves of her backside covered in a pair of black leggings. The same backside I envisioned bent over ready to receive the thrashes from my flogger as I’d dreamt just this morning. I’m surprised to see her feet are bare.  

“I wrote 5,000 words yesterday and deleted them all this morning because they were terrible. How could I even think I could be a writer?” The strain and doubt in her voice makes me want to reach out and comfort her.

“Tasha,” Coral begins calmly. “You’re a phenomenal writer. I’m sure whatever you wrote wasn’t terrible. You should’ve let Laura and me take a look at it before you deleted it.” Coral looks down at Laura.

“Yeah, Aunt Tasha, I wanna see what Danica is going to do next!” Laura agrees excitedly.

“So do I, sweetie, but I suck!” she retorts.

Coral frowns. “Tasha, stop. You don’t want to teach Laura that type of language.”

“I’m sorry. I’m just so frustrated. Freaking months of writer’s block is killing me!” She waves her hands in the air and turns, finally seeing me staring at her intently.

Her demeanor immediately changes. She lowers her hands, cupping them in front of her.  “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know we had company,” She pauses her rant. “Good morning, Liam. Jeremy.” She nods at me before her eyes dart back over to Coral and then back on me.

Something happens in my chest when she says my name and I have to fight to keep my eyes on her face and not scan the rest of her body. “Good morning, LaTasha.”

I see her inhale when I greet her by her full name. I’ve done that ever since I found out Tasha was just a short name for LaTasha.

“How about this?” Coral interrupts our stare off. “Why don’t you come with me to the community center for the day? You’ve been cooped up inside for weeks trying to write. Some fresh air would do you some good. The children love gardening with you.”

Tasha peels her eyes from me. “I-I think that would be good. I do miss them,” she admits on a sigh. “Let me go change,” she says, scurrying toward the door while avoiding eye contact with me.

I notice Coral glare at me before she turns to Laura. “Come on, princess. Let’s go get your stuff for your swim lesson today. Afterwards, your nanny will drop you off at the community center where you can spend the rest of the day with me and Aunt Tasha.”

“Yay!” Laura says, clapping. “Bye, Daddy,” she cheers, running over to Liam to place a kiss on his cheek when he picks her up.

“Bye, princess.”

“Bye, Li.” Coral kisses Liam.

He wraps his arms around her waist before she can pull back. “Bye, Cece. Be good for Mommy,” he says to the baby inside her belly.

“Yeah right… This kid acts like he can’t sit still.” Corals grins.

“He?” I question once Coral leaves the room.

Liam nods like the proud dad he is. “We found out awhile ago, but you’ve been um, traveling a lot for work lately.”

I can hear the skepticism in his tone, and as if that wasn’t enough, the damn smirk on his face tells me he’s pulling my damn leg. I hate that shit.

“Care to tell me what’s been so important that it’s kept you away for the last five months or so?”

I narrow my gaze at him. “The same thing that’s always been up—work.”

That goofy grin on his face grows even wider as he looks at something over my shoulder. “Yeah, work…or something else,” he suggests pointedly, his eyes continuing to follow whatever it is behind me.

I don’t even have to look to know who he’s referring to. I don’t have to look, I silently tell myself even has my head turns on its own volition to watch LaTasha make her way from the guesthouse down the trail that sidesteps the back entrance to the kitchen. She winds around the entire exterior of the house, heading toward the front. She has changed into a pair of jean shorts, another T-shirt, and tennis shoes. Her kinky tresses are thrown up in a messy bun. The sun hits her perfectly smooth, dark skin beautifully at every angle. I watch her as she passes by the kitchen windows until she is no longer in sight. That’s when my eyes collide with a pair of green eyes that look just like mine except they contain a hint of mirth.

“You know Coral’s going to kick your ass, right?” Liam asks with a warning.

I grin at him to cover my agitation. “Why would she do that? She figured out she married the wrong Bennett?”

“You fucking wish,” he retorts defensively.

Nothing gets Liam more pissed than the thought of his wife not being with him.

“CeCe is very protective of Tasha.”

“And?”

“And I’m ready to watch the fireworks when you finally decide to make your move. It’s gonna be better than any 4th of July show I’ve ever been to.”

“There won’t be a show because I’m not going to make any moves. LaTasha is off-limits,” I state sternly.

“Why is that?”

“Why is what?” I pretend to not know where this line of questioning is going.

“Don’t play stupid. Why is she off limits?”

“She’s practically family. Plus she couldn’t handle…me,” I explain.

I’ll admit I’ve had this attraction for LaTasha ever since the first time I laid eyes on her. I’ve spent many nights dreaming about her and waking up with a stiff cock, tortured by the memory of holding her in my arms the one time we danced at Liam and Coral’s wedding. But there is something about her. I can tell she’s been hurt in the past and well, I’m not an easy lover. Being with me the way I would want her would push her past her limits. So I hold back. I do my best to avoid her and I spend my time with other women who aren’t what I really want just to get a small bit of relief.

Liam looks at me seriously. “Tasha’s no shrinking violet. She’s been through a lot, but she’s tough.” He pauses and then that goofy grin returns. “Plus I doubt either one of you will have a choice. Sometimes the inevitable is just inevitable.”

I roll my eyes at Liam’s cheesy bullshit. “You know you were more tolerable when you didn’t have Coral and you were a lot more cynical about life. I’m starting to regret the part I played in helping you get her back.”

Liam throws his head back and laughs at my comment before standing and coming over to me. He places his hand on my shoulder. “Oh, there’s going to be fireworks indeed.” He chuckles some more. “Let me shower and get dressed and then we’ll discuss these documents. You should heat up your breakfast. It’s cold by now.” He gestures toward my now cold plate of food.

I shake my head as he leaves and I rise to reheat my food in the microwave. Liam may be smart, but he’s wrong about this. LaTasha and I aren’t meant to be. I just need to find a way to keep her out of my dreams at night and I’ll be fine, I think as I sit down at the table with my warmed up breakfast and begin eating.