From One Night to Forever (25 page)

“What are you accusing me off, Aaron?” She pushed back and tried to squirm out of his arms, but he pressed his body forward.

“Look, you know I just say what I’m thinking instead of holding things back.”

“Yes.”

“And what your mom said made me think. Did you tell Reggie about us so that it could…”

He was surprised the heat in her glare didn’t singe the hair off his head. “Are you accusing me of forcing us to be together?”

“I just want to know.”

“I can’t believe this.” She squirmed and he finally let her go. “I don’t want to force anything on you. I can’t believe you’d think I try to coerce you into a relationship.”

Aaron scrubbed his hands over his face. “I’m sorry.” He dropped his hands. “I shouldn’t have even brought it up. It’s just that after your mom mentioned keeping things in the family, it made me think that you and me together does give your family an advantage on the running of the trucking business.”

Her hands crossed straitjacket-tight over her chest. “How so?”

“Because I could love you, Kacey,” he said in a rush. “And everyone knows that when a man falls in love, he does anything to make his woman happy.”

He sucked in a breath. That was not supposed to come out yet. But hell, the words were true. He met her eyes and shrugged.

The anger melted from her face. “You could love me?”

“Yeah… I mean…we’re easy.”

“Easy?”

“I don’t know how to explain it, but when I’m with you things feel easy. Like this could work.”

“I didn’t think you really wanted this.” She pointed to his chest then hers. “I thought you only agreed because—”

“Because of what?”

“So you could keep the business. So you wouldn’t ruin the deal.”

He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from flinching. He’d be wrong to tell her that was part of the truth, wouldn’t he?

“What kind of ass would I be to do that?”

The happiness in her face warmed his insides. Yes, he’d definitely be wrong to admit that he had felt that way. Why he’d agreed to their relationship didn’t matter anyway. She was really feeling him and he was feeling her. There was no need to
not
see where things could eventually go with Kacey. They were great in bed together, he liked her more than any other woman, and he enjoyed being around her. He could at least try to make this work.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed her body against his. “You would be the world’s biggest ass if you had done that.”

“The only thing that happened that day was your brother’s accusations forced me to admit my feelings. I’m falling for you, Kacey, and I want to see where things lead.”

She slid her hand into the front of his pants and wrapped her slim fingers around his growing arousal. “I know exactly where things are leading, Mr. Henderson.”

Her hand squeezed him, and Aaron let the reasons for them getting together fade away. The only thing that mattered was going with what life threw his way, and right now life was throwing him a relationship that he wanted to try out.

Normally when Kacey met a guy’s family she would be so nervous she could barely breathe. Aaron didn’t give her time for that. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, gave her his relaxed grin, and strolled up to the front door of a beautiful two-story brick colonial where his sister and brother-in-law lived.

“I should be more nervous,” Kacey said.

“They’re going to love you,” he said. “If my family is anything it’s welcoming. My mother is going to gush over you as if you were one of her kids, my sister is going to drill you for every detail of our relationship, and my brothers will tease you. Except for Kareem; he still hasn’t gotten the hang of teasing.”

“He sounds like Reggie.”

Aaron’s brows drew together. “Maybe Reggie on steroids.”

The front door swung open. A young woman with sparkling brown eyes and a yellow sleeveless blouse and white skirt answered. The bright smile on her face widened when she looked at Aaron, but a beat later she registered Kacey at his side and her happiness flickered to confusion.

“Aaron, hey,” she said.

“Janiyah, hey,” he said, mimicking her confused tone of voice. “You didn’t think I’d skip the party, did you?”

She shook her head and the silky curtain of her hair swayed around her face. “No, never that.” She met Kacey’s eye with a tight smile. “I didn’t know you were bringing a date. You never bring dates.”

Kacey wasn’t sure if his sister was happy or annoyed that he’d brought a date. The nervousness that hadn’t popped up before slowly began to bubble in her stomach. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to crash the party,” Kacey said.

The slight frown on Janiyah’s face instantly cleared, and she beamed at Kacey with the same carefree smile Aaron always wore. “I’m sorry, that was rude, wasn’t it? Blame it on the pregnancy hormones. That’s what Freddy does whenever I say things that sound kinda crazy.”

Aaron chuckled. “What was the excuse before you were pregnant?”

Janiyah glared at him, but the humor still danced in her eyes. “You shut up, and come on in.”

They entered the cool interior of the tastefully decorated house. The inside looked like it could have been in a home design magazine, except for randomly placed bright-colored paintings that didn’t quite fit the décor.

“The house is beautiful.”

Janiyah glanced over her shoulder and grinned at Kacey. “Thanks. The paintings are mine. I do them during wine and art night with my best friend, Liz.” Janiyah raised her brow and looked to Aaron. “She’s here today.”

Aaron’s steps stuttered. Kacey glanced his way, and he just gave her a quick smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“My bad,” he said and tightened the arm around her shoulder.

They went through the entryway to a large living area filled with people. Janiyah clapped her hands. “Hey, everyone, Aaron is here.”

There was a round of hellos before most went back to their various conversations. Kacey glanced around to try and see if she could tell who was family and who wasn’t. Janiyah immediately crossed the room to a cute redhead wearing a soft pink sleeveless dress. Janiyah whispered something to the woman, and a slow blush crept up the woman’s face. She turned wide eyes first on Kacey then to Aaron.

Aaron’s gaze had followed Janiyah. He cleared his throat and scratched his jaw. “Hey, let me introduce you to my mom and dad.”

Using his arm around her shoulder, Aaron ushered her to the other side of the room. Kacey fought the urge to turn back to Janiyah and the woman. Liz, she’d assume. And Liz and Aaron obviously had a history. Kacey didn’t care as long as that history was dead and gone.

They approached a couple sitting at the bar overlooking the kitchen, the woman dressed in an emerald-green blouse and tan slacks and the man in a garnet golf shirt and black trousers.

“Mom, Dad, this is Kacey Randal,” Aaron said, pride filling his voice. “Kacey, these are my parents, Loretta and Roger Henderson.”

Kacey forgot about the redhead. His mother’s heart-shaped face broke into a glorious grin, and she pulled Kacey into a big hug.

“Well, it’s certainly nice to meet you,” Loretta said. She pulled back and eyed Kacey from head to toe, her smile growing with each passing second.

“Nice meeting you, as well.” Kacey’s voice filled with her own delight at his mom’s happy greeting.

Roger Henderson wasn’t as enthusiastic with his greeting, but there was definite interest in his dark eyes. He shook her hand and gave it a quick squeeze before letting go. “Aaron didn’t tell us he was bringing a friend.”

“I don’t have to tell you all everything,” Aaron said, placing his hand at the small of her back.

“It’s a very pleasant surprise,” Roger said with a nod to Kacey. “Where are you from, Kacey?”

“Resilient, Tennessee. Aaron and I met while he was in town working on merging his business with my brother’s.”

Roger raised his brows, which also slightly drew together. “You’re Reggie’s sister? And he’s okay with his sister dating his business partner?”

Aaron let out a heavy breath. “Dad, let’s not have the ‘don’t mix business with pleasure’ talk right now.”

Roger nodded. “I just asked a relevant question.”

Loretta placed her hand on Roger’s chest. “All of our kids have found love in their own ways. I think we can let Aaron do the same.”

Kacey swallowed hard and looked at Aaron. “They’re going there.”

He nodded. “I know.” He pointed to the kitchen. “Hey, there’s Fred. Let’s go meet him.”

He pulled her quickly away from his parents. “Sorry about that. I should have warned you, Dad is old-school and is probably itching to lecture me about the dangers of dating a business partner’s sister. And my mom is champing at the bit to get me paired off like the rest of her kids. You’ll get either a lecture on decision-making or questions about your dress size for a wedding if you talk to either of them.”

Kacey chuckled and slipped her arm around his waist. She loved his sense of humor. Loved that he could quickly turn an awkward situation around. And this guy whom she loved so many things about had said he could fall in love with her. Which made admitting she was falling in love with him, too, so much easier.

She met his best friend, Janiyah’s husband, Fred, who practically beamed with his happiness over the occasion. He hugged Aaron and also Kacey. She didn’t miss the raised brow Fred threw Aaron’s way when he thought she wasn’t looking, but Aaron waved him off. She then met his two brothers. David was pleasant and filled Aaron in on stories of being a new dad. His wife, Sandra, joined them with a beautiful baby girl dressed in lavender. Aaron’s brother Kareem watched her as if waiting for her to say or do something wrong. She didn’t think the guy capable of relaxing or smiling until his girlfriend, Neecie, came over. Then he was all smiles and affection for her.

Janiyah rang a bell, and Fred joined her in front of the large stone fireplace. “Okay, everyone. Now’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for.” She pulled a white envelope out of her pocket and handed it to her husband. “Freddy, you tell them.”

Fred kissed Janiyah’s cheek, and she bounced on her feet like a schoolgirl. Kacey grinned at their happiness. She didn’t know their story, how they’d gotten to be the ecstatic couple before her, but they appeared to be the epitome of happily-ever-after.

Aaron squeezed her hand. He grinned at his sister and friend, eagerly waiting for the announcement like everyone else. Kacey’s heart trembled. Forget falling; she had already fallen.

“It’s a boy.” Fred’s proud voice rang out over the hush of the room.

Aaron shouted “Whoo!” and clapped his hands with the rest of the people in the house. Janiyah and Fred were overrun by family and friends all kissing and wishing them well.

Kacey held back, letting the family and friends congratulate the couple. Aaron and Fred embraced and patted each other on the back. The redhead wrapped Janiyah in a hug, then they broke apart, squealed, and hugged again. Liz then moved on to hug Fred. When she faced Aaron, they had an awkward hesitation before they embraced. Aaron pulled back, but she leaned up and whispered something into his ear. Aaron’s head lifted, and Kacey quickly looked away, pretending as if she wasn’t watching. He lowered his head and then nodded at Liz.

“How about some music?” Aaron said. “I’ll hook up my phone to the speakers and get this party really started.”

He hurried over to Kacey and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Fred has speakers wired through a port in the kitchen. I’ll hook it up and be right over.”

He went into the kitchen and pulled out his phone. Liz followed him. Kacey watched them from where she stood. Okay, so they needed to talk. Maybe to have closure or something like that. She wouldn’t be upset, but when Aaron pulled Liz farther into the kitchen and out of Kacey’s line of sight she frowned.

The music came on, a new pop song that had a loud bass beat. Kacey maneuvered through the people toward the kitchen so she could peek around the corner and see what was going on.

“Aaron, that’s too loud,” someone yelled over the music.

Kacey doubted he could hear. It was the perfect excuse to interrupt him and his possible ex. She entered the kitchen. Liz leaned in to say something to Aaron, who was looking at his phone. The loud music quickly lowered.

“I left my panties at your place.” Liz’s loud voice rang through the silence.

Kacey sucked in a breath. There was another gasp to Kacey’s right. David’s wife, Sandra. One quick glance around proved others had also heard the outburst. Liz’s face turned as red as her hair. Aaron cringed, and Kacey fought not to turn and run like the rejected girl in a drama-filled teen movie.

• • •

“Looks like I interrupted you guys.” Kacey’s voice sounded carefree, but Aaron’s blood turned ice-cold.

“Kacey, this isn’t…”

Kacey lifted her hands and shrugged. “Isn’t what it looks like? Sure.” She took a step back. “I’ll let you two finish.”

She turned and strolled out of the kitchen. Liz groaned and pressed a hand to her temple. “This is a nightmare.”

“Tell me about it.” Aaron put down his phone and hurried out of the kitchen. He placed his hand on Kacey’s arm to keep her from making it to the door. “Let’s go somewhere and talk.”

She tried to pull away, but he didn’t let go. He knew she wasn’t one to make a scene, and after one tug of her arm she didn’t try to pull away again.

“Fine,” she bit out.

The music started again, thankfully. He glanced toward the kitchen to see David come out and give him a head nod. He returned David’s nod and took Kacey outside to the front porch. When she jerked her arm, this time he let her go.

“Are you sleeping with her?” she asked.

“No.”

“But you were.”

“We’ve slept together. Yes.”

“When did she leave her panties at your place?”

Aaron ran his hand over his face. “Last weekend.”

Kacey’s jaw dropped. “Last weekend.”

“She came over. She was drunk.”

“So that makes it better.”

He pointed to the door. “She was upset about a breakup. She started crying—”