When Love Comes Around (Love Conquers All) (16 page)

“Nooo, don’t pinch me,” Starr whined, crossing her arms shielding her deltoids. Summer had perfected the art of pinching from Nita Jackson.! The last time Summer pinched her she was bruised and tender for days.

“All right! I’ll tell you two nosy hags!” Starr cried out as Summer stood advancing towards her working her fingers in a killer pinching motion.

Summer nudged Starr. “Move over.” She wedged Starr between herself and Ava.
Let’s see if she weasels out of this,
Summer thought with a smirk on her face.

Feeling trapped, Starr didn’t know if she should look to the left or the right. Either way her gaze landed, her dark eyes would reveal what she wasn’t quite ready to admit, even to herself. She was falling for Kevin. Big time. So instead, she focused straight ahead avoiding eye contact with Summer and Ava. “Kevin and I have decided not to annul our marriage. We’re going to give the marriage a try.”

Her friends nodded their heads in understanding. Starr didn’t have to spell it out for them. Kevin was the hope she needed.

“You guys getting it in?”

“Ava! Why you so nasty?” Starr shouted, fighting to hold back a smirk.

Summer burst out laughing from the blunt query.
Ava is crazy!
Not only had she asked the question she too was dying to know. She had stood up and started gyrating her abs and hips in a snake-like move identical to a seductive belly dancer.

Shaking her head, Ava said, “Uh-huh, I ain’t nasty…I just want to know.”

“Summer, stop laughing and make her stop. They might come in here.” Starr hissed between clenched teeth. She would be mortified if Kevin knew they were discussing the sex life. Rather, their lack of sex life. “Girl, they’re in there drinking beer and watching sports. They aren’t coming in here.” Standing doing the booty bounce dance, Summer teased, “Is he tappin’ it or what?”

“No.” Starr mumbled barely above a whisper.

Simultaneously both women stopped moving. “Huh?” They chorused as a mask of confusion slipped over their features.

Speaking a tad bit louder, “I said no, we ain’t gettin’ it in, he ain’t tappin’ it, and we ain’t knocking boots, humping or anything else.” Starr declared as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Still confused, Summer queried, “Why not? You’re married. You haven’t had any in years. What’s the hold up?”

“There’s no hold up. We’re just waiting.” That’s all she was giving them. They didn’t need to know she still had misgivings. Until she could be sure, Kevin was absolutely certain that this is what he wanted, she wasn’t sharing his bed.

“Didn’t you guys do it in Vegas?”

Starr shot Summer a look, which she shrugged off. The three of them were best friends. They knew just about everything about each other. Why wouldn’t she tell Ava about Vegas? It wasn’t like Starr had sworn her to secrecy.

Again, Starr mumbled, “No” under her breath.

“Huh?” The two sung in unison.

“Look a here, you two are getting on my nerves sounding like idiots with all of your ‘huhs.’ I said NO! We didn’t actually sleep together,” Starr snapped out in a clipped tone.

Neither Ava nor Summer paid Starr’s snapping any attention. They wanted to get down to the nitty-gritty of the situation at hand. “Exactly what do you mean by ‘
we didn’t actually sleep together’
? Either you did or you didn’t,” Ava boldly stated.

Embarrassed, she dropped her face in her hands.” Mumbling through her fingers she confessed the horrifying truth. “Kevin told me after I nearly tore his clothes from his body; I was so stinkin’ drunk by the time he got me in bed I had passed out.”

After learning this, he went up another notch in her book. He could have easily taken advantage of her while she was in a drunken stupor, but he hadn’t. Well…not exactly. He did admit to getting about four good strokes off. However, his conscience and the fact she was stiff as a corpse wouldn’t let him go on. He told her it gave him the creeps that she was out cold like that. She had laughed when he told her he checked her pulse to make sure she was still living and hadn’t died from alcohol poisoning.

Both Ava and Summer looked sadly at her. They wondered if being hurt by Marcus was the reason why she couldn’t fully give herself to her husband. Or was it she feared Kevin would turn out to be like her father?

“Don’t look so sad.” Giving them a weak smile, she promised, “I’m fine with how things are going between us.” Although she had her misgivings, she knew to some degree Kevin cared. Every time he kissed her, caressed her, and held her close, she felt his tenderness in each and every action.

“I really want to get to know him before sex complicates things.” Even though the words she spoke were true, Starr wanted more than anything to share his bed. He had made her feel like the most desirable woman in the world. The long walks in the park holding hands, the candle lit dinners he prepared for them at her place, the cute text messages he sent to her cell phone and the late night phone calls wishing her a good night all showed how much he cared. Now she wanted more. She wanted to be his wife in every since of the word. But would she be able to handle another disappointing love affair?

All joking and ribbing came to an end. Both women were silent as their dear friend spoke. Neither woman missed the longing in her eyes as she told them about her relationship with Kevin and everything he had come to mean to her.

Envy and hatred simmered in Trina’s bones as she sat in her darken car on the corner of Broad and Locust streets. It seemed as though everyone was in attendance to celebrate the official launching of Dawson Investments.

The women were beautifully arrayed in their designer cocktail dresses and evening gowns; and the men were handsomely outfitted in designer tuxedos.

“I should be in there!” She hissed to herself as she watched well-wishers, clients, and potential clients’ mill into the Bellevue. She wanted nothing more than to be one of the women on the arm of a handsome escort…preferably Kevin’s arm.

She couldn’t believe how Kevin was treating her. They had an understanding. He had always taken her back into his bed, but to her dismay, not this time. But why? What or whom had captured his attention? Or maybe had she gone too far this time confronting his elderly mother?
The old windbag,
Trina thought as she held a pair of binoculars to her eyes searching for her target.

As a sleek black limo pulled up to the entrance of the grand hotel to a complete stop, she squinted, straining her eyes to get a better look despite the aid of the binoculars. She held her breath as a long leg clad in black extended from the vehicle as the driver held the door open. She sucked her teeth in disgust when discovering the leg belonged to Nick. Within seconds, he was taking Summer’s hand helping her to exit the luxury vehicle.

Slightly pulling the looking device from her face, rolling her eyes, she mumbled, “Freakin’ Black Barbie and Ken. Make me sick. Just look at ‘em.” She despised Nick. He probably was the reason Kevin refused to see her anymore. That damn Nick always looked down his arrogant nose at her like she was gum stuck to the bottom of his Italian leather shoes. She really didn’t despise Summer as much, just envied her. She wanted everything she had…well not everything. No way was she about to
purposely
make her perfectly shaped body fat and scarred with ugly stretch marks from carrying a couple of snot-nose brats for nine months. However, looking at Summer’s petite, shapely body in her expensive black evening dress gave her cause to reconsider.

An evil smile curled her lips.
Maybe, just maybe, I can trick Kevin into getting me pregnant like Summer did Nick. Then he’ll marry me too.

That thought evaporated into thin air as she watched in horror as the occupants exit the following luxury vehicle that pulled up at the curb.

Kevin and Starr were oblivious to the woman jumping out of the car across the street. With the excitement of the evening and the normal hustle and bustle of Broad Street traffic, the vulgar ranting and raving of the wild woman on the other side of the street could not be heard.

Continuing her demented ranting, Trina stared on in rage as her grip tightened on the binoculars. Starr was affectionately straightening Kevin’s bow tie. Standing back, she checked for balance. Trina cringed when a satisfied smile graced Starr’s lips before standing on the tips of her toes placing a soft kiss on Kevin’s lips. The ranting came to an eerie hush as she watched him take Starr’s hand and bring it to his lips for a gentle kiss.

Uncontrollable anger shook her as she witnessed the open display of affection Kevin showed the beautiful woman.
He never kissed my hand like that!
“That no good bastard. So that’s what he left me for. I swear he’s going to be sorry.” Trina punctuated every word as she seethed plotting her course of revenge.

Jumping behind the steering wheel, she sped off running a red light nearly colliding with the Town Car turning onto Broad Street.

The elderly woman in the backseat of the sedan managed to contain the frightening scream from erupting from her lips. Getting a good look at the car, fright was replaced by annoyance as she recognized the vehicle. She would tell Kevin about this later. Tonight was his night and she wouldn’t let the likes of Trina ruin it.

I told that boy to leave that strumpet alone.

Entering the grand ballroom, Beverly Dawson went in search of her youngest son. She had a mind to snatch him by the ear, pull him down to her level, and give him a piece of her mind. She had warned him that one day running around with so many women was going to come back and bite him in the rump. The deep creases that had formed in her forehead softened and relaxed when she saw Starr at Kevin’s side as he engaged in conversation with a business associate.

Now Starr was the kind of woman her son should be involved with. She carried herself like a lady. Tilting her head to the side studying the lovely young woman, Beverly could tell her mother had raised her well.

Looking up from her champagne flute, Starr’s eyes connected with those of her mother-in-law. The younger woman smiled acknowledging the older woman’s arrival. For an eighty-three year old, she was absolutely stunning. Dressed in a full-length silver gown and her hair in an up do style, she looked regal, like royalty.

Tapping Kevin on the arm, getting his attention, she whispered, “Honey, your mom is here.” Excusing himself, he took Starr’s hand in his as they made their way across the room. He was overjoyed to see his mother. It wasn’t often that she was out this late in the evening. At this hour, she was getting settled for the night. When he invited his mother to the event, he didn’t expect her to make it, which he would have understood.

Pulling his mother to his chest, he gave her a gentle squeeze. “Momma, you made it.” Happiness settled in his heart as he held his mother close. Although this was a paramount night for him as he set out to make his mark on the world, a bit of sadness tugged at him. His brother Richard, Jr. and his wife were unable to make it. He knew their absence couldn’t be prevented. Audrey’s father had had a massive stroke a week ago. His condition was unstable and she didn’t want to leave his side. Kevin fully understood his brother’s place was with wife. If the tables were turned, he would have done the same. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for Starr if she needed him.

Beverly chuckled. “Of course I made it. Where else would I be? I’m so proud of you, baby. I wish your father could be here.”

Gently he rocked his mother as he swallowed the lump in his throat. It was at times like this he missed his father terribly. Holding his mother close, he felt her loneliness. Ten years had gone by since his dad’s death, yet his mother still mourned for her one and only true love. “I know Momma. I wish Daddy was here too.”

Standing close by, Starr heard the tender exchange. Her heart ached for Kevin and his mother as they wished for their beloved family member. In all the weeks she’d spent getting to know Kevin, she had never seen such anguish in his eyes.

Momentarily closing her eyes, Starr fought the overwhelming need to comfort him. She wanted nothing more than to hold and console him until the hurt went away. Just the thought of being close to his solid muscled frame sent shivers down her spine. She envisioned tangled limbs intertwined in heated passion. She wanted to fan herself, but she didn’t because it might cause the simmering flame within her to burst into a full alarm inferno.