Waiting For Him (12 page)

Steve pulled his shirt back on. “Not as easy as it looks, ya know?”

“I can only imagine.”

“Lucky you.” Steve shook his head. “Try living it.”

“Her ex did. Try to live with it, I mean.”

“It’s not the same.” Steve walked over and took a spot on the porch. “She had reasons, right? She was younger and she had her hands full with some really heavy responsibilities.”

True, all of it. But it didn’t make them feel any better. Would he have been any better? Would he have waited for Keisha?

Could he have waited? He just didn’t know.

“I don’t suppose Alexis’s given you any reason for…?” What could Stone call it? Not lack interest. He gestured. “For hands off policy.”

“Not a clue.

They both heard a car door and knew Alexis was home.

Stone eye him. “You sure you don’t want to stick around and have dinner with us?”

“Nope.” He pushed to his feet.

Stone did the same. He wasn’t a busybody old lady, and he sure as hell wasn’t a matchmaker. Damn it, now that he was so happy, he wanted that for Steve. “Talk to her one more time, okay?”

“Let it go, Steve.”

“Spell it out to her. Ask her to confide in you.” He gave Steve a shrug. “What d’ya have to lose?”

*****

Keisha headed toward the backdoor with doggy treats and toys, but stopped at a tap on the front door.

She rolled her eyes, knowing Alexis had seen Steve’s truck and knowing her friend wanted to see him. Instead of going around back to where the men waited, she came to the front.

“Come on in.”

Alexis stuck her head in the door, noticed Keisha alone, and smiled as she walked in, leaving the front door open. She admired the repaired baseboard of the living room. “I like it when you have a boyfriend. Things get done.”

“Wait until you see the house Steve built for the animals. It’s incredible.” She shook her head on a grin. “I’ve taken shameful advantage of them both.”

“Nonsense.” Alexis relieved her of some to the dog toys. “Men in love are happy to help out.”

“Steve is in love with you?” And here she thought they hadn’t gotten past the talking stage yet.

Alexis laughed at her. “Of course not. Steven and I are just friends.”

“Uh huh.” Keisha set aside her load and folded her arms. “You want to be more than friends. Admit it.”

Her smile dimmed. “I can’t.” She, too, set aside the toys. “But I was talking about Stone anyway. It’s clear he’s madly in love with you.”

Hearing that shot Keisha’s heart into her throat. She shook her head in denial, even while hope filled her. “He’s not.”

“Oh, hon, of course he is.” Alexis took her hands. “You can’t tell?”

“I…” She didn’t know what to say. “He’s wonderful.”

“Yes, he is. Wonderful men aren’t necessarily in love. There’s a difference. Stone is in love with a capital L. Just ask him.”

“No!”

Alexis smiled. “Afraid.”

She pressed a hand to her churning stomach. “I don’t want to rock the boat.”

“Oh, please. I know men, and Stone will be thrilled to hear it from you. He’s probably doing his own share of fretting, unsure how you feel about things.”

Keisha paused and gave her friend the once over. “If you know men so well, they why don’t you realize how invested Steve is? He’s done everything he can to win you over.”

Alexis bit her lip and another knock sounded on the door. Both women turned and Keisha fell back a step. “David.”

“Who?” Alexis asked.

Her stomach dropped, this time for a very different reason. “He’s my ex.”

“No way.” Alexis glanced up just as David stepped in uninvited through the open door. She quickly sidled around Keisha towards the kitchen. “I think I’ll just go get Stone.”

Keisha barely heard her. David was back, but seeing him didn’t have the effect she’d expected. It didn’t hurt to see him. It wasn’t a relief.

Honestly, other than regretting the interruption, she felt absolutely nothing at all.

*****

Stone paced in the kitchen. Damn it, he did not want to leave Keisha alone in the living room. Not with David.

Especially not now that he’d stopped thinking of her ex as a villain.

Alexis and Steve watched him from their perch on the table with sympathetic looks. It irked.

“He’s a big guy,” Steve noted. “And black.”

“So?” Stone didn’t care if he was a linebacker or purple. He wanted to kick him to the curb. Right now. Before he had a chance to schmooze his way back into Keisha’s good graces.

Over and over in his mind, he kept hearing her say she’d loved the guy, that she’d been hurt when he broke the engagement.

“From what I knew of him,” Steve said, “I expected a dweeb, maybe.”

“He’s handsome. I mean…well, like Steve, I expected something different,” Alexis added.

“I don’t know why.” He paced the floor. “Keisha could have her pick of men.” And damn it, she’d picked him.

He hoped like hell she remembered that.

“He said he heard that her mother had passed,” Alexis whispered. “That’s why he’s here now.”

“He’s hoping to worm his way back in,” Steve said. “Why are you in here?”

Stone shook his head. “She asked for a moment with him.” But even now, she looked a little distant, a little confused and he didn’t like it. “Gotta respect her wishes on that.” Even if it killed him.

When their voices rose, everyone froze to listen, even the dogs.

“You moved in with someone else, David.”

“Only because you kept me at an emotional distance.”

“It was the physical distance you objected to.”

“Any man would, Keisha. Look at you.” David oozed with sincerity making Stone’s blood boil. “It was torturous not having you.”

Keisha snorted.

But damn it, Stone had to agree. That would be torturous.

And because Steve suffered it firsthand, he shifted uneasily. Keisha got up from the table to get a drink from the refrigerator.

“Keisha, honey, we were both different people then.”

“I haven’t changed,” she said.

“But you have,” David argued. “Your situation has.”

Her eyes narrowed and nose flared. “You mean because my mother is gone now?”

David had the good sense to hesitate, but then he forged on. “You’re free now.”

“Actually…I’m not.” She glanced at Stone.

Taking that as a cue, Stone surged in. “No, she isn’t.” He put and arm around her and hauled her to his side in a possessive show. “Sorry, bud. Snooze you lose.”

David looked between them. He worked his jaw. “That didn’t take long.”

“Long enough for you to be a distant memory, pal.”

Keisha elbowed him for that brutal bit of truth at least, it better be true.

She gave a sweet smile to her ex. “Really, David, it’s past history. I’ve moved on. I don’t hold any ill feelings, and I hope you don’t, either.”

“I have only wonderful memories of you, Keisha.”

“Course you do,” Stone said. “Because she’s wonderful.” He crowded her in closer to his side. “And now she’s mine.”

“You don’t own her,” David insisted.

“Nope, but I’m hoping to get her legally tied all right and tight, so don’t hold your breath waiting for me to screw up like you did.” He felt Keisha stiffen beside him, but so what? She had to find out his long term intentions sooner or later. Now seemed like a really good time to him. “Then again, go ahead.” Stone smiled at her flummoxed ex. “Hold your breath, why don’t you?”

Keisha turned to stare up at him. “What are you talking about?”

“Send him away, and I’ll go ahead and expound on things.”

Color rushed to her cheeks and she rounded on her ex. “Sorry, David, but I need you to go now.” She put a hand to his shoulder and half urged, half shoved him toward the door. “Thanks for stopping by, but you probably shouldn’t do that again.”

When David suddenly planted his feet, Stone said, “She’d like you to go.” And just because he did pity the idiot, he said, “Sorry. Tough break and all that.”

David gathered up steam, bunching his shoulders, fisting his hands. He opened his mouth and Stone stepped in front of Keisha.

In a low voice he said, “Don’t do it, dude. Take my word for it. Any insult from you won’t end well. Keep your dignity intact. Close your mouth, turn around and mosey on away.”

Luckily for all concerned, David did just that, slamming the door on his way out.

Stone glanced down and Keisha. “You like ‘em big, huh?”

Tears welling in her eyes, she touched his chest, then his shoulders and nodded. “Obviously.”

He frowned at the tires squealing out of her driveway, but Keisha still had hands on him, still waited, so he forgot all about David.

“Am I big enough to keep?” Gently, he cupped her face. “Because I want you to keep me, Keisha.” He kissed her trembling lips. “C’mon, honey. Tell me I can stay. I mean, stay with you. Not necessarily stay here.”

“Hey,” Alexis complained.

“Not that I don’t like the house. I do.” He shrugged. “I just meant…” his words trailed.

“You love me?”

The smile pulled at him and happiness expanded. “How could I not?”

Clyde jumped up against his leg, while Bonnie circled them trying to find a way in and the happiness escaped as a laugh. “The dogs love me.” He glanced at Sam finally looking up from the couch. He noticed the cat sleep through the entire ordeal, or she simply ignored David. “I think even your cat is fond of me.”

“They all adore you, and you know it.”

“Sounds like you’re outnumbered then, huh? You may as well give up and adore me, too.”

She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight. He felt her soft breath on his throat when she said, “I love you so much.”

“Thank God.” He pretended weak knees and the dogs scattered, then surged back with excited barks. “Way to drag out the suspense, woman.”

“Good work, Stone.” Steven leaned on the wall, a big smile on his face. “That was incredibly smooth.”

“I try.”

Alexis stood a few feet from Steve, her hands together and her gaze soft. “You succeed.”

“So.” He nodded at them both. “If you two will excuse us for a bit.”

Another knock sounded on the door. Thinking her ex had returned, Stone turned, then stiffened at the sight of the police officer standing there.

“I’m looking for Alexis Goldberg…”

The room stood still.

*****

It was late at night, and moonlight filtered in through the open window. On the floor all animals curled up together.

Stone knew Keisha wasn’t asleep yet. After the busy evening, they’d only been in bed a short time.

He kissed the top of her head. “You okay?”

She nodded, snuggled a little closer. “Poor Alexis.”

“Yeah.” The cop brought really bad news. He crushed Keisha closer. “She’ll be okay. Steve is still with her.” They’d been with her two and done what they could.

“She knew her sister had problems. She said she’d lived with constant worry for a few years now, always waiting for this day.”

“That’s rough.” It seemed Alexis’s sister had taken a bad path with drugs and drinking. “Doesn’t sound like she’d been much of a mom to her kid.”

Keisha’s hand wandered over his chest. “Alexis tried to help out where she could, but she and her sister really didn’t get along. And now…”

“Now she’ll be the one raising her nephew. At least he’s not a baby.”

“He’s twelve. That might be even harder.”

Remembering himself at the age, Stone nodded. “Yeah, probably.” He had a brother, and knew he’d die for him. He couldn’t imagine what Alexis must be feeling.

Keisha levered up over him, her arms folded over his chest. “Thank you.”

He smoothed his hands down her back to her plump behind. “For what, exactly?”

“Being you. And being here with me.”

“There’s nowhere I’d rather be. I love you.”

She bent to kiss him. “You know, I pretty much fell in love with you the first day I saw you.”

“Same here.”

Disbelief knitted her brows. “Baloney. I had to practically throw myself at you.”

Silly woman. “I knew you were different. How you made me feel was different. I knew if I ever once had you, there’d be no going back.” He lifted to take her mouth, then whispered against her lips, “And I was right.”

She settled against him, her cheek to his heartbeat, her fingers toyed with his fine chest hairs. “Alexis said how she wishes she’d taken advantage of Steve’s attention when she had the opportunity.”

“Who says she can’t still?”

She lifted her head and blinked at him. “She’s going to have a twelve year old boy to care for.”

Stone nodded. “She’ll have her hands full, that’s for sure.”