When Love Comes Around (Love Conquers All) Page 8

  For a minute, he thought he would have to set her straight. He had been more than patient letting her set the pace. He had no intentions on being dismissed by her. The irritation that began to creep up his neck settling in his jaw quickly dissipated as she began to back pedal, explaining her curt response.

  “Well then let’s stop beating around the bush and get to why―”

  Starr wanted to scream, “Darn it!” Why was his cell phone ringing? Let it roll over to voicemail!

  Pulling the phone off his hip, he gave a quick glance at the display. “I’m sorry, I need to get this.”

  I don’t believe this crap! Starr silently fumed as she listened to the one sided conversation.

  “Hey yourself.” He said as his face lit it up like morning sunshine. There was a silent pause before he said, “Uh-uh, uh-uh, I’ll take care of that first thing tomorrow.” He became silent again as he intently listened to the caller on the other end.

  Crossing her arms over her chest, she wondered whom in the world he could be talking to. His focus was completely on the caller. An emotion as old as time snaked its way around her as she sat rooted in place on the loveseat. Not wanting to believe what she was feeling, she pushed the emotion as far away as possible as she continued to intently listen to him talk.

  “I understand, yes.” Another brief pause followed and he mouthed the words, “I’m sorry” to Starr as she locked her gaze on him. Nodding his head as if the caller on the other end could see him he said, “Okay, I’ll be over sometime tomorrow afternoon.” A smile curved his lips before saying, “Back at you. See you tomorrow.”

  Ending the call, Kevin turned the phone off before placing it back on his hip. “Now where were we?”

  You should have done that the first time. “If you need to leave we can do this some other time.”

  Kevin didn’t miss the coolness of her tone. Nor the change in her body language as she pointedly stared at him as he talked on the cell phone. He was certain she’d believed it was another woman, probably an ex or worse a current lover. “No, it’s okay. It’s getting pretty late. Momma should be going to bed soon.”

  Her mouth formed into a perfect circle as she said, “Oh” barely above a whisper. Inwardly she groaned, His momma. I feel like a fool.

  He choked back the laugh that wanted to free itself deep from within his chest. He had been correct in assuming she believed he was talking to another woman. “No, we’re going to do this now. We’ve put this off long enough. Don’t you think?”

  She nodded her head in agreement. She was letting her insecurities get the best of her. Having been involved with a man like Marcus had left a sour taste in her mouth. Never again would she allow another man to mistreat her. Young, naïve, and in love she fell for every lie he had told her to conceal his philandering ways. But now she was older, wiser. Just because she was willing to take a chance to get what she wanted, didn’t mean she would tolerate being mistreated again. There’s always the sperm bank.

  “Hey?” No longer did he feel the urge to laugh as he witnessed sadness weave its way around her shoulders causing them to slump as she securely wrapped her arms around her body.

  “Hmm?” She answered softly, too embarrassed to say anything that might put her foot in her mouth again. Kevin had been nothing but kind to her and patient with her. He was not Marcus. So why was she treating him like it?

  “Come over here,” he commanded in a deep sexy whisper making her heart thump in her chest as he motioned for her to sit next to him. Slowly she stood, crossing the short distance taking small steps in his direction.

  Kevin’s dark eyes followed her every movement. She was simply gorgeous. He wanted nothing more than to touch every sexy, curvy inch of her. He dreamt about it every night.

  When she sat on the farthest corner of the sofa, he reached over and grabbed her soft, delicate hand. “Baby, come closer.”

  From the moment their hands touched, she felt flames of sensual heat begin a slow kindling in the pit of her stomach. The smooth, sultry timber of his deep voice drew her without hesitation as she sat next to him, their bodies so close they appeared to be conjoined. Just when Starr thought their contact couldn’t get any more intimate, Kevin intertwined his fingers with her then gently laid them on her lap.

  “So Mrs. Dawson, where do we go from here?”

  Straight to the bedroom! How did he expect her to think, let alone string together a coherent sentence? Especially when he was so close she could feel heat radiating from every pore in his body? All she could think was How would those big hands feel touching me all over? How would his lips feel kissing me all over?

  Nervously she licked her bottom lip. All last night she rehearsed in her mind what she would say when this moment came. She had pumped herself up thinking, Girl, just tell him what you want. What do you have to lose?

  It all seemed so easy last night when she was alone. But now that this hunk of a man was so close, his full attention captivated, she was punking out like a sissy. I can’t do this. He’s going to think I’m crazy. Panic pricked at her as she suddenly felt as if she had everything to lose.

  Gently she disengaged her fingers from his as she slid a few inches away. She didn’t want to be holding his hand when he laughed in her face. What made her think she could get a man like Kevin Dawson to stop his skirt chasing and father a couple of babies?

  Maybe he had been a little too aggressive when he suggested she sit next to him. When she pulled away, his immediate reaction had been to pull her back. However, he did not want to push her, she would come to him when she was ready. He wouldn’t take her any other way.

  “Are you going to talk to me?”

  Letting out a deep breath, she confessed, “I was hoping we could get to know each other better. You know become friends.”

  A smile curved the ends of Kevin’s sexy full lips. “So now you want to be my friend?”

  Starr couldn’t help but to laugh. The second the words left her lips, she immediately remembered their conversation that day in Macy’s.

  “Yes, I want us to be friends.” She confirmed as her lips twitched from the smile taking shape.

  “Not just associates?” He teased lifting a thick brow.

  Taking one of the decorative throw pillows Starr swatted Kevin across the chest. “Stop making fun of me. I’m serious.”

  Kevin gave an exaggerated groin as if he was hurt. “Come on baby, you have to admit you walked dead smack into that one.”

  Dropping her face into her hands, she moaned, “I know, I know.”

  Kevin rubbed her back in a soothing circular motion. “I’m just messing with you. If that’s what you want we can be friends.” For now that is. I plan on being much more than your friend.

  Setting herself upright, she turned until she was fully facing Kevin. He was beautiful. Other men she dated were good looking, but Kevin was a Black Adonis. She always thought he was handsome from afar. However, being invited into his personal space was something entirely different. It was as if she was seeing him for the first time, seeing his gentleness, his kindness. And she liked what she was seeing. And wanted what she was seeing.

  Kevin had always been attracted to her, but never acted on it. He’d told himself he never pursued her because of Nick’s repeated warnings. However, as he sat close to her he knew that was just a lame excuse. He was his own man and didn’t have to answer to anyone. Now he could admit the reason was because Starr wasn’t like his other flings. There were two categories every man put women into. The ones you bed and the ones you wed. She was definitely the latter.

  In all his years of dating, he never went into a relationship with the consideration of marriage. Now here he was married to a woman he never had a relationship with. Talk about putting the cart before the horse.

  “Now that we’re friends what are we going to do about our marital status?”

  His handsome face was unreadable as she gazed at him. Should she tell him everything? Tell him that he may be h
er last hope for happiness? Would she scare him off if she were completely honest with him? The last thing she wanted was to deceive him in any way. The good Lord in heaven knows she did not want to go through the same hell Summer had gone through with Nick because he’d thought she had purposely gotten pregnant. Although she wanted to be truthful, she wasn’t ready to confess why he possibly held the key to her happiness.

  “Honestly, I want to know if there is a reason why we’ve ended up where we are. I know the circumstance under which we were married is crazy.” Starr gave a nervous giggle. “I’ve never done anything so ridiculous in my life...then again I’ve never been that drunk before.”

  Listening to Starr, Kevin’s mind ran a million miles per second. Was she saying what he thought? If he was interpreting her correctly, she wanted what he wanted.

  “Are you saying you don’t want an annulment?”

  Lowering her eyes from his penetrating gaze, she couldn’t take looking him in the face when he rejected her. When she spoke, her voice came out in a soft quiver. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying, unless you want one. If you do then I’ll agree to it. I’ll understand.”

  Kevin did not expect the overwhelming feeling to comfort her to rush in and overtake him. Something in her quivering voice squeezed at his heart. The heavy sadness resurfaced, claiming a hold of her again. An invisible cord drew him to her. It was as if she needed him as a lifeline. She was sinking, drowning, but he didn’t know why. However, what he did know was that he had to save her. Without thinking, he reached for her. Pulling her onto his lap, he protectively wrapped his strong arms around her. He did not have to question if he had been too aggressive this time as she laid her hand on the center of his chest and rested her head in the crook of his neck.

  “Sweetheart, if you want to see where this goes I’m willing to do the same.”

  “Are you sure? There is so much I need―”

  Before she could finish her confession, he silenced her by putting a finger to her lips. She wanted to be honest and upfront about her medical condition. It was only fair that she tell him if she did not become pregnant within the next year or so her dream of becoming a mother would possibly be lost forever. Earlier he had teased her about giving him six sons. What if he really did want children and she couldn’t give them to him? Then what? Would he still want her? Worse yet, would he feel betrayed? God I hope not. “Shhh. I’ve made my decision, nothing you can say will change my mind. I want this too. We can take our time. I don’t need you to tell me everything about yourself in one night. I’m looking forward to getting to know you, okay.”

  “Okay.”

  A feeling of contentment enveloped Starr as she sat nestled in Kevin’s lap. She could stay right here in his arms forever. One day she would tell him of the heavy burden he lifted from her tired, bruised shoulders. Relief bathed her at the thought of not having to tell him about her condition just yet. If she had done so, she would have been an emotional mess. Besides, what she wanted now more than anything was to get to know her husband. Husband…I really have a husband.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah, I was just thinking.”

  “About?”

  Leaning back, Starr gazed up at Kevin giving him a dimpled smile. “I was just thinking how should we start this new friendship?”

  Taking a finger, he traced the outline of her lips. “Like this.”

  Starr waited with bated breath as Kevin lowered his mouth on top of hers. The kiss was sweet, tender and drugging all at the same time. When they were both thoroughly satisfied, the kiss was broken.

  Struggling to catch his ragged breathing, he hoarsely whispered, “How was that for the start of our new friendship?”

  “I like. Do it again.”

  Chapter 14

  “I’m going to wring her scrawny neck!” Kevin hissed angrily between clenched teeth taking thunderous steps toward her front door. Trina had gone too far this time. Not only was she harassing him all hours of the day and night with phone calls, pages, emails, and text messages. She had shamelessly taken to bothering his elderly mother.

  He could ignore the pages, delete the emails, phone messages, and text messages. But the harassing calls regarding his whereabouts to his momma, he would most definitely address. She had really crossed the line. Kevin would have bolted out of Starr’s place the minute his mother called if what they were discussing hadn’t involved their future.

  Once his mother assured him she was all right, just irritated because, “that floozy” had interrupted her while watching Law & Order, Kevin decided he would deal with Trina later. Later had come. Banging a large fist on the door, Kevin didn’t care it was after one in the morning. Didn’t care he had probably waken her neighbors. However, he did care that her constant stalking tactics had interfered with his evening. For a second, he’d thought Starr was about to kick him out of her house because he had answered his cell phone. Thank goodness her demeanor dwindled from being royally pissed to understanding when she learned it was his momma calling.

  “Hey baby!” Trina squealed as she pulled the door open modeling a white ultra sheer teddy leaving nothing to the imagination. Her perfume so thick, it waft around Kevin’s head nearly choking him. She waited all night after calling his mean, old crabby mother. Trina knew the old bat was Kevin’s Achilles tendon. If she continued her unrelenting phone calls to the elderly woman sooner or later, he would come. Now that he was here, she was going to pull out every trick in her bag to get Kevin back in her bed.

  Rubbing his hand over his baldhead in frustration, Kevin let out a harsh breath. I knew it! She did this crap on purpose!

  The very sight of her contorted his handsome features into a mask of disgust. What used to turn him on suddenly irritated the hell out of him as he scowled at a scantily dressed Trina.

  “Don’t ‘hey baby’ me,” he hissed.

  Rolling her neck, smacking her lips, she huffed, “What’s wrong with you?” He had a nerve to have an attitude. Didn’t he see how good she looked? All the trouble she’d gone through to look good just for him?

  Not wanting to further cause a scene, neighbors were peeking out their windows, Kevin pushed past Trina causing her to jump back before he bulldozed her over.

  “Don’t play games with me, Trina.”

  The angry glint in his eyes was unmistakable. He was angry with her for troubling his elderly mother. Closing her eyes, she didn’t want to see his anger. All she visualized was the pleasure Kevin would bring her aching body. Even though she had hooked up with a new bed partner less than twenty-four hours ago her body still craved satisfaction. It craved Kevin. He was the one man who could make her purr like a well-stroked kitten. If she wanted to purr, she’d better think of something real quick to soothe his anger.

  Opening her eyes, with the innocence of a five-year-old, she stared wide-eye questioning, “What?”

  Shaking his head, he couldn’t believe how in the world he had ever gotten himself involved with this manipulating woman. The little devil on his left shoulder snickered, Idiot...the mind-blowing sex. Go ‘head man, hit it this one last time. You know you want to.

  If this had been a month ago, he would have given into the crafty, wicked voice in his head, but not tonight. There were about to be some monumental changes in his life, and Trina was not one of them.

  “Don’t give me that dumb look. Why are you calling my mother looking for me?” he snapped.

  Covering her mouth with a dainty hand, she giggled, “Oh that.” She waved her hand dismissing her actions. “I thought you’d be there since I haven’t been able to get in touch with you.” For added affect, she pouted, “I’ve missed you.”

  Moments lapsed before Kevin responded. Was she really that dense? How many times had he conveyed to her that he was no longer interested? That what they had was over?

  “Look, Trina, I’ve told you as nice as I could that it’s over. So you need to stop calling me.” His voice dropped an octave as he coolly warned
, “And my mother…don’t you ever call her again…understand?”

  Snatching her head back as if she’d been smacked across the face, Trina blinked back the tears. Why was he doing this? All the other times they broke up and saw other people they always ended up back together when those relationships fizzled out. What was so different this time?

  No it can’t be! Anger replaced hurt feelings. Crossing her arms over her chest, tapping her foot, she shot daggers at Kevin. “Who is she? Who’s the little slut you’re banging?” Trina screeched at the top of her lungs.

  Before he realized it, he shot back, “None of your damn business! And you of all people should not be calling anyone a slut!”

  She had some nerve. The girl was running neck and neck with Kevin when it came to the number of notches on her bedpost. Hell, he admitted he was a man whore.

  Trina sucked in a dramatic breath as her hand flew to her chest. She couldn’t believe he all but called her a slut.

  Again, with the dramatics, she stomped to the front door and flung it open. “Get the hell out of my house!”

  “Best damn thing I heard all night!” Kevin bellowed as he stormed past her nearly knocking her over.

  Trina was beside herself. This is not how she planned on her night ending. She knew calling his mother would get his attention. After hanging up with his mom she’d put her plan of seduction in motion. She showered, sprayed perfume all over her body, slipped into some sexy, daring lingerie and waited. She banked on the moment Kevin laid eyes on her, that all would be forgiven. From there she would lure him into her bed. How wrong she had been. Instead, the man had treated her as if she had active tuberculosis.

  Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of having the last word, Trina ran outside down the walkway, not caring that she was practically naked. “You…you…baldheaded jackass!”

  She became even more furious as she watched Kevin’s broad shoulders shake from laughing at her hysterics as he flipped her the finger.