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  He was handsome and appeared wealthy. While her parents were not snobs, they knew that their affluence and her own personal trust fund made her a target for predators. Not that she had any problem with finding male friends. She was attractive and handled a career most women couldn’t even begin to fathom. Now her life was becoming a bit more complicated.

  Darren was the first male in a long time that she’d felt attracted to. There was something about him that made her feel hot inside. Anxious, hot, wet...he made her feel all those things and more.

  In her bedroom, she slipped on her silk bathrobe as soon as her bath was over.

  Since she’d moved in, the boredom of inactivity was making her crazy. But taking leave from work had not been a choice. For days after, and even now, the memory of the cries of her dying coworker had kept her awake. Thankfully, she’d slept better for the past few nights. Guilt, like a sudden downpour, washed over her.

  She turned off the lights, closed her eyes and embraced the darkness.

  * * *

  The weekend passed with very little activity. She did her personal-training hours at the health club on Friday and spent much of the weekend reading. Saturday night, on the spur of the moment, she decided to use the Broadway ticket she’d received for her birthday. The mood and tone of The Lion King was just what she needed to keep her mind off the man whose image seemed to constantly haunt her dreams at night.

  On Sunday morning when she woke, she saw that her brother Maxwell had called and left a message. He wanted her to meet him at Roberta’s, her favorite pizzeria, for lunch. She knew the reason for his invitation, but Maxwell knew exactly how to tempt her. The temptation was too great to refuse.

  Maxwell, her oldest brother, was the conservative accountant. With one failed marriage under his belt, he believed he was the expert on marriage, giving his younger siblings advice even when they didn’t want it.

  Of course, he encouraged his younger brothers to sow their wild oats before committing to a life of “loss of self-identity and nagging.” He had often used these words to describe his own marriage.

  Just before midday, Eboni walked into the restaurant and followed the hostess to where Maxwell sat, immaculately dressed in a starched white shirt and dark blue suit.

  As always she was struck by how handsome he was. It was ironic that his personality complemented his physical appearance.

  He was just over six feet tall, his skin a smooth mahogany like that of his brothers. However, that was where the resemblance ended. While Omar and Kemar favored their father, Maxwell favored their mother. His hair, a source of annoyance, was inclined to be a bit too curly. However, after years of trying to tame it into submission, he’d finally given up. What the hair did, however, was add a touch of chaos to an image that was almost anally immaculate.

  Always the perfect gentleman, he stood when she reached the table where he sat. He hugged her and she felt the warmth that he seemed to reserve only for his family. Then he smiled, transforming his usually stoic face into a thing of beauty.

  “Thanks for coming, sis.”

  She smiled in return. It was not easy to be angry with her brothers. She knew they loved her and maybe that should be enough for her. But she wanted more. She wanted them to respect her and her choices.

  He waited, like the gentleman he was, until she sat, before he took his seat.

  She smiled when he ordered Roberta’s Grapefruit Basil Soda for her, a light beer for himself and a large Speckenwolf pizza, her favorite, for the both of them to share. Lunch was going to be interesting. He was definitely piling on the charm.

  “So how has the move to the new digs been?” he asked.

  The use of the word digs was so out of character for Maxwell, she found herself smiling.

  “My digs are fine,” she replied.

  A single eyebrow rose at her teasing, but he didn’t say anything.

  “I’m glad you like it. At least it’s in a suitable neighborhood,” he commented.

  “And if it weren’t?” she asked. She could almost hear his response, but she didn’t care. The reason for this lunch date was obvious to her now. It was a matter of time before he lectured her.

  “So that’s the way you want to handle this?” he replied stiffly.

  “I’m not sure what you mean,” she said coyly.

  “You know exactly what I mean,” he replied with a calmness that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

  She didn’t react. It was better to wait to hear what he had to say.

  “Since you know why I wanted to meet you, I’ll get straight to the point. Omar and Kemar told me that they paid you a visit a few nights ago.” She could already hear the censure in his voice.

  “Yes. They did. Of course, they didn’t have the manners to call and say they were dropping by.”

  “I didn’t realize we would need to call if we planned on dropping by,” he said, fiddling with his napkin.

  “Now you know,” she stated firmly. “I think it’s just common courtesy to do so.”

  “I’ll remember that if I decide to stop in.” He nodded his agreement, but she could hear the sarcasm in his voice.

  “Maybe I’ll just send an invitation when I want visitors,” she retorted.

  “Yes, you should. I’m sure I wouldn’t want the kind of embarrassment your brothers had to endure.”

  “As I said, if they’d called they would not have had to endure embarrassment. I couldn’t help but be embarrassed by their almost childish behavior.”

  “You should have been the one to be embarrassed,” he stated. “That time of night and a man in your home.”

  “And good sex, too,” she blurted out.

  On reflection, she should not have used the S word, but Maxwell’s behavior was a bit too much. She wanted to laugh, but held back when she saw the expression on his face.

  “Do you know who he is?” Matthew asked.

  “Who?”

  “Darren Grayson.”

  “He’s my next-door neighbor.”

  “He may be, but he’s not the kind of man you should be hanging out with.”

  She could not believe he had the audacity to say that.

  “Since I’m no longer a little girl, I think I can hang out with whomever I want to,” she stated as calmly as she could.

  “Then don’t come running to me when you get hurt. Darren Grayson may be one of New York’s most eligible bachelors, and own one of the wealthiest real estate companies, but he’s a playa and has no problem bedding any women who catches his fancy.”

  “I think it’s about time I go,” she said, rising from her seat. She dismissed the waitress who’d just arrived with their drinks.

  “I’m sure my brother doesn’t need to drink that. He’s already drunk.”

  She turned to Maxwell.

  “I’ll talk to you later,” she said, her voice more controlled that she felt.

  With that she smiled and walked away, not looking back to see the stunned expression she knew she’d find on Maxwell’s face.

  For the first time, she felt as if she had won a small victory.

  * * *

  Eboni awoke to the sounds of the city. She’d not slept well. Maxwell had tried to reach her last night but she’d refused to answer. She’d had enough of her brothers and had every intention of calling her parents to let them know what was going on. While her mother had been supportive of her move, her father had been pretty reluctant. However, once they’d seen the condo she’d purchased, she knew they’d felt more comfortable with her move. Of course, her dad would have loved her to stay in the house forever, but she’d told him firmly, “That’s never going to happen.” As expected he’d broken into loud laughter, one of the things she loved most about him.

  She couldn’t imagine a life without them,
and while memories of her birth parents were still present, their images were no longer as strong, though she knew they would always be a part of her life.

  She loved her parents.

  When they’d visited the orphanage, those many years ago, she’d been angry and scared. Angry that the Wynters were taking her away from the only sister she had left at the orphanage, and afraid because she hadn’t known what the future would hold.

  But things had turned out just right. From the night she’d moved into her new home, she’d fallen in love with her three brothers. They’d just returned home from summer camp, in time to meet their new sister. She’d been unsure that night, but within an hour’s time her new brothers had taken her under their wings.

  She’d reveled in the warmth of their love. They’d become her brothers, but they’d also become her friends.

  She glanced down at her watch and realized it was time to get to the health club to teach her class. She loved this special Monday class with children with special needs. She’d launched the program just over a year ago, and already they’d added two additional classes. She’d happily added those classes to her schedule, but when she returned to being a firefighter, she knew she wouldn’t have enough time to devote to each class.

  As she dressed, her thoughts strayed to Darren. She’d not seen him since last week and, as his car was missing, wondered if he’d gone away. Maybe he was with one of the many girlfriends Maxwell had told her about.

  She pushed the thoughts from her mind. She couldn’t let what Maxwell had said affect her impressions of Darren. In time, she would discover all she needed to know about him. She refused to be clouded by other, more public impressions of him. She would make her own decision.

  She shook her head, dismissing any further thoughts. She needed to get to class. She quickly grabbed her gym bag and headed for the door.

  * * *

  On Monday afternoon, Darren kissed his daughter goodbye.

  As he walked down the cobblestone path, he glanced back, knowing that she’d be at the window, blowing kisses at him. He laughed when she appeared, and blew her the kiss he knew she was expecting.

  He’d enjoyed the weekend in Baltimore and had clapped with pride when Kenya had made her presentation. He wished she lived with him, but his ex-wife was a much better mother than he was a father. He’d allowed his work to get in the way of his marriage and he’d had to suffer the consequences. Fortunately, things had changed. He’d once considered fighting for custody of his daughter, but he soon realized how unfair it would be to Kenya, separating her from her familiar surroundings and everything she knew. He knew that she deserved better than that.

  He’d quickly given his ex-wife custody, but only under the condition that while Kenya didn’t live with him, she would still spend part of each year’s school vacation with him. Barbara had agreed.

  Their first holiday together had been last year. The first days had been tentative ones. He’d cleared his calendar and taken two weeks holiday—one they had spent at his home, the other at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. He had finally connected with her.

  Her “I love you, Dad” when he’d dropped her back to her mother’s home had almost broken him.

  He’d vowed at the time that he’d never let anything come between him and his daughter again. So far, he’d kept his word.

  He glanced at his watch. It would take him at least four hours to get back to home. He could stay the night, but he wanted to get back to Manhattan. He had to confess to himself that his next-door neighbor intrigued him. Even now he ached to see her. The kisses they’d shared had not been enough for him. He wanted more, much more.

  As had become the norm, her image wormed itself into his consciousness.

  He shook his head, willing himself back to the task of driving.

  When he turned the radio on, the music of the late Bob Marley filled the car.

  From the time his music teacher at high school had introduced him to the Jamaican reggae artist, he’d fallen in love with the strong pulsating beat of the music. Over the years, his connection with the music had become lost, but with the release of the documentary Marley, he’d purchased a greatest-hits album and had fallen in love all over again.

  When he arrived in Manhattan, the sun was setting, the lights of the city slowly flickering on.

  He parked his car in the designated spot, noticing that Eboni’s silver Lexus was also parked.

  As soon as he took a shower, he planned on inviting himself over again. Hopefully, memories of his kiss would be enough to get him in the door.

  As he stepped out of his car, he felt the motion of someone coming toward him.

  He closed the car door and turned around.

  Eboni.

  He breathed deeply.

  She stared at him.

  He breathed deeply again.

  All he could think of was her unclothed body in his bed.

  It should be illegal for her to wear the short shorts and tank top that cupped her breasts in a way he wanted to.

  He felt the first hint of arousal and tried not to stare. He noticed the Nike logo on her sneakers, before his gaze moved upward again.

  “Hi,” she finally said.

  “Hi,” he echoed.

  She looked at him strangely, before she said, “I haven’t seen you in a few days.” He could hear a trace of accusation.

  “Sorry, I was away on a personal matter,” he said.

  Eboni nodded, but her eyes remained expressionless. He felt a sharp disappointment at her lack of enthusiasm, but knew he had to take the blame. He didn’t know how to make this right.

  “I am sorry, I didn’t tell you I was leaving town for the weekend,” he said, walking over to stand before her. “I had an engagement.”

  He noticed the stiffness in her relax.

  “I’m going to make dinner when I go up. Running makes me hungry. Want to join me?” Her voice followed him.

  “Is that an invitation to dinner?” he asked.

  “Yes. Unless you are too tired from traveling.”

  “I’m fine. Just need to take a bath.”

  “Give me an hour, before you come over—that should give you enough time,” she said and headed into the building.

  Darren watched as she walked away, admiring the sway of her hips.

  How the hell did she get into those shorts?

  Chapter 3

  Eboni tossed the salad and placed it in the refrigerator. Her hands were trembling. To say she was excited to have Darren over was an understatement.

  She wanted him with an intensity that she could not understand. Even now her body burned in anticipation of what would come, or at least what she hoped would come.

  On the stove, fish fillets sautéed while fluffy potatoes baked in the oven. The meal would be simple, but she knew that whatever she cooked would be good. Her mother had taught her well, and while she and her brothers had been allowed to run wild, their mother had insisted they learn to cook.

  Although she, Omar and Kemar were very good in the kitchen, Maxwell was the best. His culinary skills never ceased to amaze her.

  There was a knock on the door and she glanced up at the clock above the refrigerator, its minute hand moving silently upward.

  She took the apron from around her waist, placed it over a nearby stool and headed to the door. He was just on time.

  When she opened the door, the impact of his appearance nearly knocked her backward, and she again wondered how a man could be so blatantly sexy.

  “I hope I’m not too early, but I don’t like to be late, especially when it’s an invitation from a beautiful woman,” he said, a broad smile on his face.

  “No, it’s fine. I’m almost done. Come in.”

  “Good, I’m starving,”
he replied, rubbing his stomach. “Fast food is not my idea of good eating, so the stop I made on my drive back didn’t encourage me to eat much. One greasy burger was enough.”

  “Oh, dear,” she exclaimed. “I made burgers.” She giggled, noticing the brief look of despair.

  “Just teasing,” she laughed. “I can assure you, burgers will rarely be on my menu when I invite you over.”

  “That’s good to know,” he commented. “Though a juicy grilled burger is definitely preferred over the fast-food-restaurant style.”

  “I can promise you those,” she said.

  He walked in, his body brushing hers, and immediately she tingled with a flash of heat. She stopped briefly, willing her body under control, but he seemed oblivious to her reaction.

  She led him to the sitting room, where she gestured to the sofa.

  “I’ll be back in five,” she said, before she excused herself and headed back to the kitchen.

  * * *

  Darren didn’t sit, but stood watching Eboni as she disappeared. He was going to need all the self-control he could muster.

  Each time he saw her, he couldn’t fail to be impressed with the difference in style. She never looked the same. Well, except that each time he saw her she oozed sexiness. He was sure she didn’t even realize how sexy she was.

  But while the attraction was there, he needed to be cautious. He didn’t want to find himself in a situation that had the potential for disaster.

  Her brothers were reason enough to run in the other direction.

  But his reaction to her scared him a bit. Memories of his failed marriage surfaced again. But there was something about Eboni that felt different. With his past relationships, at the start he’d always felt in charge and in control.

  With Eboni he felt vulnerable, as if she were the one in charge. He’d never felt this kind of confusion and it concerned him.

  The sound of soft footsteps made him turn his head in her direction.

  “Can you help me put the plates on the table?” she asked. “I have to go back to the kitchen.”

  “Want me to go get them?” he asked politely.