“I hadn’t noticed,” Alana mumbled. “I need to get up and brush my teeth and things, so why don’t you and your girlfriend give me a little privacy?”
“What could you possibly be hiding from me at this point? There are no secrets between us anymore,” he said with a satisfied smirk.
“I can sterilize cattle with my morning breath, so unless you want a sample, I’d get out of here.”
“Liar. I smelled your breath this morning when I kissed you and it was just as sweet as you are. And by the way, I’ve never seen a woman who looks as cute as you do first thing in the morning, so we’re not gonna have that conversation again. I’ll leave, but only so I can set the table for you. Breakfast is served as soon as you’re ready. C’mon, sugar-pup, let’s leave Mommy alone so she can have some privacy.”
It didn’t take Alana long to shower and dress, especially since despite the grouchy face she’d given to Roland, she was in a fabulous mood. She sang in the shower and hummed as she slathered her body with lotion and body cream, finishing up with a generous spray of eau de parfum.
Her hair was a hot mess, but she could always go to Sanctuary, Alexis’s salon/spa. For now she slipped into her normal work clothes, jeans and a teal long-sleeved polo shirt with the Custom Classics logo. She applied her usual workday makeup, which consisted of a tinted moisturizer, a little blush and a couple of coats of mascara.
She pulled her damp hair up into a ponytail and tied a scarf around the elastic band. It was an Afro-puff; there was no getting around it. Maybe people would think it was retro, she thought as she added some gold hoop earrings.
As promised, breakfast was waiting for her. Roland had sliced a banana, covered it with her favorite pineapple Greek yogurt, drizzled it with honey and cinnamon and sprinkled it with granola. There was also piping-hot coffee and a muffin that he’d obviously made from scratch since she had no packaged mixes in her pantry.
Her heart was filled with happiness and gratitude. He pulled out her chair and gave her a sweet kiss. Domino was busy with one of her dog biscuits, but she carried it over to Alana and sat down at her feet while she devoured it. Everything was happy, domestic and peaceful, almost too much so. Alana sipped her coffee and took a bite of the muffin, which melted in her mouth. It was also banana, with the addition of chopped walnuts and it tasted like heaven.
“Roland, thank you so much for this. This is a wonderful breakfast,” she said. She took a good long look at him, looking relaxed, sexy and totally at home. Without thinking about what she was saying, she blurted out what was on her mind.
“Why aren’t you married? How is it that a tall, beautiful man with a great personality, incredible sex appeal and mad kitchen skills is walking around unattached? Or are you hiding a wife and six children somewhere that I should know about,” she muttered as she took a spoonful of yogurt.
He laughed before taking a sip of his coffee. “I’m not married because I was taking my time. I had my birth father as a horrible example of how not to behave in a marriage and I was determined to take my time and do it right. I plan on getting married one time and one time only. Marriage is serious business and after what my mother went through I wasn’t sure I wanted to do it at all. My granddad, her father, was a great role model for me—he was married to my grandmother until the day she made her transition and he never looked at another woman, ever.”
“He sounds like a great man,” Alana said thoughtfully. “So you’ve never had a serious girlfriend, never been engaged or anything? How could the women in Chicago miss a man like you?”
“Who says they did?” Roland teased her. “I will be more than glad to share my checkered past with you anytime, but I have a couple of appointments this morning. How about we take this up later tonight? Dinner, dancing, bungee-jumping, parasailing, whatever you like,” he said with the smile that made her heart rate accelerate every time she saw it.
“Sounds like the plan of a crazy man,” she answered. “Call me later and we’ll decide. Thanks again for this,” she said, indicating the pretty place setting.
He kissed her again, but this time was longer and sweeter and tasted like the excellent coffee he’d brewed. “Talk to you later.”
Domino scrambled to her feet as she realized that her hero was leaving. He scratched her between her ears and assured her that he’d be back later. Both she and Alana stared at the door after he left.
With a deep and heartfelt sigh, she polished off her meal, cleared the table and put the dishes in the dishwasher. If every day could start like this one, it would be a wonderful life.
“Let’s go, sweetie. Time for work,” she said cheerfully, and Domino ran to get her leash.
* * *
Roland was still overwhelmed by his night with Alana, so much so that it was difficult for him to focus on the task at hand. He went to the drive-thru window at his bank and made a withdrawal, but his mind was still on Alana. He wished with all his heart that they were still in bed because there was no place else that he wanted to be, but he was on a mission.
Even as he drove to his first appointment, he couldn’t stop thinking about the amazing woman he’d held all night. He’d always known that she was smart, successful and intelligent, but nothing had really prepared him for the depth of her passion. A slight tremor of memory passed through him as he recalled their lovemaking in great detail. He’d been prepared for her sensuality, but she’d exceeded every expectation. It was actually hard for him to keep driving because all he wanted to do was go get his woman and take her right back home to pick up where they’d left off.
He almost missed his turn because his mind was filled with images of his beautiful goddess and her siren’s charms.
His destination was the law office of Royce Griffin. He’d met Royce when Sherri and Lucas got married; he’d been one of the groomsmen, as a matter of fact. Royce was a funny, down-to-earth guy as well as being a very skilled attorney. While Alana was still asleep, he’d called Royce to ask for a favor which he was happy to grant. He had drawn up a contract to handle Roland’s request and he was here to pick it up. He located the building with no problem and entered Royce’s office, which was a bit eclectic, to say the least.
Everything about the place looked like Royce; it was spotlessly clean and furnished in an artsy, bohemian style that reflected the personality of the owner. He was amused by the large bird in the brass cage in the reception area.
“Client! Client! Get out here, don’t keep him waiting!” the bird squawked.
Royce stuck his head out of his private office and waved Roland in. “That’s Thelonius, my alarm system, intercom and part-time receptionist. My secretary had to run to the courthouse, so he’s earning his sunflower seeds,” he chuckled. “C’mon in, man, it’s all done.”
The pristine reception area gave way to organized chaos in Royce’s office. There were stacks of files on every level surface, including the desk and one of the chairs in front of the desk. “I need a bigger place in the worst way, but it’s on my to-do list. This building is old and in need of serious remodeling, but the price is right, so I stick around.”
Roland looked at the office with great interest since real estate was his sideline. “You know, I might have a few ideas to run by you about this place. We’ll have to get together and talk about it soon. Meanwhile, thanks a lot for doing this, man. I really appreciate you being able to draw it up with basically no advance notice.”
“No problem, man, I’m sure it’ll cover all your bases, but if you need anything else just let me know. You should be good, though.”
The two men chatted a bit more and Royce told Roland he’d send him a bill for his services. Thanking him again, Roland left for his next appointment, a far more important one. It didn’t take him long to locate the Starbucks and park his truck. He went inside and looked around for the person with whom he had a critical meeting. He was still standing near the door, scanning the customers, when a woman approached him.
“Are you the man I talked to last night about the dog?”
She was medium height, superficially attractive with perfectly applied makeup and long auburn hair that he had no reason to believe was hers by nature. Her figure was spectacular, if you were excited about seeing a 44DD crammed into a 42C, or the sight of a middle-aged woman wearing skin-tight leggings that were at least one size too small, squishing her chubby legs down to her thick ankles teetering on Lucite-soled platform shoes. Roland wasn’t, but this wasn’t a date, it was a business transaction.
“Yes, I’m Roland Casey. And you’re Mrs. Humphrey, I assume? Let’s find a table,” he suggested and led her over to a corner with some privacy. After going to the counter for coffee for two, he sat down and got right to the matter at hand.
“My fiancée found a little dog about a week ago and she ran an ad on Craigslist as well as the local paper, and you believe that this is your dog, am I right so far?”
“Yes, that’s about it. And please call me Shimmer—it’s my stage name and whenever someone says ‘Mrs. Humphrey’ I think my ex-mother-in-law is behind me,” she said with an overdone shudder and batting of her obviously false lashes.
Roland smiled politely and went on with his questions. “Can you tell me what happened with your dog?”
“Shimmer” looked uneasy and cleared her throat. “My boyfriend gave it to me for my birthday and it was a cute little thing and all, but I don’t think he knew how much work it was going to be. I work long nights and I need to sleep during the day and the little thing was just all over the place. It was a destructive critter, too. I can’t tell you how many pairs of fishnets it tore up and how many shoes got ruined. Those things are part of my costume and it was messing with my livelihood,” she said heatedly.
Whether the dog in question was Domino or not, it was plain to see that the woman didn’t like the dog, which Roland hoped would make things easier for him. “Do you have a picture of your dog? What did you name it?”
“I hadn’t really settled on a name, I was still calling it Puppy-dog,” she said with another shrug. “But I have some pictures on my phone. Here they are,” she said, thrusting her iPhone at him.
He saw at once that the pictures were of Domino. She was smaller in the pictures but her markings were identical; it was definitely Alana’s little girl. He returned the phone to the woman and repeated the question that he’d asked before, the one she hadn’t answered.
“So what happened to your dog, Mrs. Humphrey?”
She batted her mascara-crusted lashes again and smiled archly.
“You were going to call me Shimmer, remember? Well, it was tearing up so much stuff and keeping me awake barking and carrying on that I had to start tying it out in the yard and one day it just wasn’t there,” she said opening her hands wide. “I guess the rope broke or something, but it was gone.”
“Did you put up flyers or anything, run an ad for her return?” Roland asked in a carefully neutral voice.
“I meant to, but I just didn’t have time. Like I said, I work nights and I sleep days. But I saw your fiancée’s ad and I thought I should call to see if it was my dog in the ad. What do you think?”
Roland didn’t answer in haste; he drank his now-lukewarm coffee and gave the woman a mirthless smile.
“If this is your dog, do you want it returned to you?” He didn’t have to wait for an answer, because she blurted it out immediately.
“No way,” she said fervently. “I broke up with the man who gave it to me and I really don’t have room in my life for a dog, so no, I don’t. Y’all can keep it if you want to. I just thought I should at least check and see if it was mine.”
Roland reached inside his leather jacket and retrieved the papers Royce had prepared for him. It was a bill of sale transferring ownership of Domino from Mrs. Humphrey to Roland and Alana. It was written in plain English, but so cleverly phrased that it would be impossible for “Shimmer” to change her mind about the sale.
He very smoothly explained to her what it was and then he turned on the charm.
“I just want to have some paperwork on hand to make it easy to prove that Alana has the dog with your permission. Also, because I know how expensive it is to own a dog, I want to compensate you for all the money you spent on vet bills, food, grooming and training,” he said, giving her an easy smile that made her push her frightening boobs out even further.
She quickly signed the contract while he counted out five hundred dollars in crisp one-hundred-dollar bills.
“Shimmer, I really appreciate you taking the time to try and locate your dog, and I thank you for meeting with me so we could get this handled. You’re a very kind and classy lady.”
Shimmer was thrilled with the unexpected cash and she practically flew out of Starbucks, no doubt about to embark on a spending spree. Or maybe she was just going to replace her shoes and fishnets, Roland didn’t care. He just wanted to make sure that nobody could ever take Domino away from Alana. Losing her beloved pup would break her heart and that was never going to happen as long as he had the power to prevent it. He’d planned on giving Shimmer Humphrey one thousand dollars, but when he realized how little she cared for Domino he cut the amount in half.
He grinned as he headed back to his truck because he’d decided to get something nice for Alana. He couldn’t wait to see her smile when she opened the box.
He just couldn’t wait to see her, period.
Chapter 9
“S
o, tell me exactly how your hair came to be in this condition,” Alexis asked archly.
Alana was in Alexis’s private work area at her lead spa, Sanctuary One. She had decided to work a half day at Custom Classics and called Alexis to see if she felt like rescuing her mane and the result was a skillful interrogation by Alexis while Ava babysat Domino. She sighed in resignation while Alexis combed out the tangled mass of hair.
“Why do I have the feeling that you already know more than you should?” she answered. She closed her eyes, both to avoid seeing Alexis’s satisfied smirk and because her sister’s fingers were like magic, sending relaxing sensations down her scalp and through her body. No wonder most of Alexis’s clients fell asleep in the chair.
“It’s because I do know most of your business, Alana. I know you way too well and I know that something momentous and fabulous happened to you. If you’d come in here with your hair looking perfect instead of looking like a dollar-store Afro wig, I’d still know that something has changed. I can feel it,” she said emphatically. “Besides, I had a dream about it.”
“You did not,” Alana contradicted her.
“Yes, I did. I’ve been dreaming a lot lately and I dreamed that you were getting married. To Roland, as a matter of fact. It was so serene and beautiful and you were so happy. If I didn’t already know that he was in love with you, I would have blown it off, but since I had some insider information, it made perfect sense.”
Alana could feel her cheeks get hot but she also felt her heart rate increase. “What are you babbling about? What inside information?”
This time Alexis looked a little embarrassed. “I think this is one of the side benefits of impending motherhood. I’m having all these dreams, I can’t keep my hands off my husband and I also can’t keep my mouth shut. I shouldn’t have said anything to you, I should have pretended like I didn’t know about his feelings. Blame it on the baby,” she said dramatically.
“Girl, if you don’t quit being a drama queen I’m going to scream. You have thirty seconds to tell me why you said Roland is in love with me. Twice,” she added, holding up two fingers.
“Okay, okay, I’ll tell you,” Alexis said, leading her over to the shampoo bowl.
Alana sat down while Alexis adjusted her headrest. While she reached for the shampoo, Alexis said, “Jared told me that Roland was crazy about you. He said that Roland was like a VanBuren when it came to finding a soul mate—he said as soon as he set eyes on you that he knew you were the one.”
“When did he tell you this? And why didn’t you tell me before?”
“He told me at Sherri’s reception. And I didn’t tell you because if you’d known even for a minute that the man had feelings for you, you would’ve run like a thief in the night. So I kept my big mouth shut and let nature take its course. And it did, which is why you came in here looking like an electrified porcupine. It was worth it, wasn’t it?”
Alana’s stern expression melted away into a beautiful smile. “It was absolutely worth it. Lexie, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m so happy that I met Roland. I’m happy he didn’t turn and run when I wouldn’t give him the time of day and I’m really happy that his car got wrecked.”
“You’re what? He was in an accident and Jared didn’t tell me?”
Alana could hear the genuine concern in her sister’s voice and hastened to explain about the ’67 T-bird. “If he hadn’t brought the car all the way from Chicago for Custom Classics to work on, we wouldn’t have started talking. Once we really started talking and getting to know each other, everything just fell into place. I already liked him of course—I thought he was a really sweet guy. I felt comfortable with him and I was able to just concentrate on him and let the past stay in the past,” she told her.
“How does Domino like him? She’s extremely gorgeous, by the way. You have to bring her over for a playdate with Sookie and Honeybee. They’re very good with other dogs, she’ll have a ball,” Alexis said as she applied conditioner to Alana’s hair.
“I’m taking her over to Mama’s house tomorrow so she can meet Sparkle. And so Mama can grill me. I’m sure her antenna is up by now. You know how she is, no secret is safe with her,” Alana said with a laugh. She didn’t say anything else after that; her eyes grew distant and she bit the corner of her lower lip, something that indicated when she was deep in thought. Alexis picked up on it right away.
“What’s on your mind, Lana? You have that overthinking look on your face.”
“I’m not overthinking, I’m just wondering, why me? How do I get to be so lucky? What if I’d never met Roland and what if I mess it up?”
“Sweetie, that’s what we call overthinking. When you start the who-what-when-where thing, that means you’re trying to overanalyze something. Just enjoy it, Alana, and stop trying to dissect every aspect of it. Suppose I hadn’t gotten a flat tire, does that mean I would have never met Jared? I doubt it. We would have found each other sooner or later because it was meant to be. Just like you and Roland.”
Before Alana could respond, Ava walked into the private salon with Domino, who gave a yip of joy at seeing Alana.
“She’s so cute, can I have her?” asked Ava.
“Nope, she’s all mine, aren’t you, little girl?” Ava deposited her on Alana’s lap and Domino licked her hand happily.
“So what’s up with you and Roland? When did all this happen?” Ava asked as she checked her appearance in the mirror.
Alana frowned at Alexis, who frowned at Ava, who looked innocent. “Have you been listening at doors again?” Alexis said with exasperation in her voice.
“No, but I’m not blind, either,” Ava answered. “Besides, he had this delivered to you,” she added, belatedly handing a heavy cream parchment envelope over to Alana.
Alana held it in one hand and ran her fingers over its smooth surface before opening it. It was a beautiful card inviting her and Domino to dinner at his loft at 8:00 p.m. Ava was reading over her shoulder and her eyes widened.
“‘A car will be there to collect you at seven-thirty,’” she recited. “Dang, you women have all the luck. I never meet anybody like that,” she said with a little pout.
“Maybe if you move out of Mama’s house you might have a chance,” Alexis said kindly.
Alana didn’t say anything because her thoughts were racing. There was only one thing on her mind at the moment, the question that consumes every woman when she’s offered the evening of her dreams with a wonderful man. She looked at Alexis and waved the card, asking plaintively, “What am I going to wear?”
* * *
Alana’s eyes were shining with happiness in the glow of the candlelight. It had been a perfect evening in every sense of the word. With Alexis’s help, not to mention her photographic memory of Alana’s closet, she’d come up with the perfect outfit to wear. It was an off-the-shoulder cashmere sweater in a beautiful shade of soft aqua. Alexis had given it to her for Christmas and she hadn’t worn it yet.
Happy that she’d saved it for such an occasion, she paired it with slim-fitting pants that fit like leggings. They were a rich cream color with a gold sheen, a gift from Adrienne that had also not seen the light of day until now. Alana was the first to admit that her social life was lacking, but she had a feeling that it was going to be a lot more active now. Her hair and makeup were perfect and she smelled heavenly, thanks to a tester she’d gotten when she’d ordered some perfume for her mother. It smelled better than anything she’d ever worn, which improved her already happy mood.
She thought that Roland was going to call for her, but when she opened the door there was a real limousine with a driver, with whom Domino flirted, as usual. On the ride to the loft, she tried to imagine what Roland had in mind for the date, but she gave up because she knew whatever it was would be wonderful and she was right.
When she and Domino arrived at the loft, it was like something out of a movie. He greeted them at the door, kissing her on both cheeks and picking up Domino, who was dancing around in circles at the end of her leash. He was dressed in a sexy, sophisticated manner, but very casual at the same time. He had on a V-necked sweater in navy and a pair of really nice jeans.
“You look beautiful,” he told her, standing back to take a look at her from head to toe. “Your hair looks gorgeous and I promise not to get it wet tonight.”
“You look very handsome,” she returned. “What’s the occasion, Roland?”
“We’re celebrating,” he said as he bent to put Domino on the floor and unhook her leash.
“What are we celebrating?”
“Us.”
And it was a celebration in every way. Roland had candles everywhere, although they were all well out of Domino’s reach. Music was playing, the dining room table was set for two and there were white tulips on the big coffee table and a fire in the glass-enclosed gas fireplace.
It was extremely romantic and she told him so as he showed her around the loft. It was furnished for comfort and fashion, with a huge sectional sofa in a navy material that was incredibly soft and cushiony. There was a giant flat-screen on the wall and several beautiful plants that gave the place a homey air despite its size. Alana was touched to see that he also had a soft, comfortable-looking doggie bed with several toys for Domino near the sofa.
The meal he served was superb and featured some of her favorite things like salmon, scallops, rice pilaf and the best white wine she’d ever had.
Domino had her own dinner from an over-the-top dining set that consisted of a set of ceramic dishes in a wrought-iron stand; Alana recognized it as a designer creation that she’d seen in a magazine. Even though the ambiance was formal and well-planned, the atmosphere was relaxed and the conversation was easy. It was easily the nicest date she’d ever had.
“I feel like I’m in a movie,” she told him. “Like the heroine in one of those Audrey Hepburn movies with handsome Cary Grant as the hero.”
“Seriously? So who’d be playing your part?”
“Barbara McNair,” she said at once. “Nobody seems to talk about her anymore, but she was this beautiful black singer/actress. She was so talented. And you’d be played by somebody like Harry Belafonte. Can you sing? If you can, it could be a musical.”
“You have quite the imagination. If you’re finished we can have dessert now or later, your choice.”
She opted for later and he made her go to the living room to relax while he made quick work of the dishes. Domino was in heaven in the big open space; she was racing around like a tiny filly on a racetrack. When Roland joined her on the giant sofa, he was amazed at the way she was running around.
“Papillons have a lot of energy for their size, which is why they need a lot of exercise. I think I should get her a playmate so they can bounce off each other,” Alana said, sliding closer to Roland.
He pulled her onto his lap and buried his face in the crook of her neck. “Damn, you smell good. What are you wearing?”
Alana made a soft purring sound before answering. His goatee felt so good against her neck that she had to force herself to concentrate. “Mmm, it’s called Mademoiselle Piguet. I only have a sample of it, but I think I’m going to have to treat myself to a whole bottle.”
“You should wear that all the time,” he said. “It smells just like you.”
Further words were unnecessary for a while because the long luscious kisses they exchanged communicated their feelings much better. His hands were around her waist and slid up to her breasts and she moved to give him better access. He was just about to slide into home base when Domino decided that she wasn’t getting enough attention and she executed a mighty leap onto Alana’s lap.
“Yeah, we’re definitely getting you a partner in crime, baby girl,” Roland muttered. “How about I take you out and then put you to bed so I can be alone with my lady? How does that sound?” It sounded fine, as Domino dashed off to get her leash.
“You don’t have to keep her out too long,” Alana said helpfully. “I can take her out for a good run in the backyard when we go home.”
Roland put both his arms around her and held her tight while he gave her a searing-hot kiss. “You’re not going anywhere, honey. You’re spending the night,” he said with a very confident smile.
“But I don’t have any clothes or anything,” she pointed out. “Unlike you, I don’t keep a change in my car, which I don’t have anyway.”
“Leave it all to me, Alana. I got this,” he told her as he put on his jacket. Domino was eager to go so there was no time for more discussion.
She watched the two of them leave and sank down into the heavenly soft cushions of the sofa, thinking about Roland and how happy he made her. Everything about him was lovable, sexy and strong.
She was so comfortable that her eyes closed and when Roland came back, she was curled up with her arms around a pillow, sound asleep. He coaxed Domino onto her new bed with the aid of a couple of her homemade cookies and she settled down happily.
Roland went around the large space blowing out candles and watching Alana sleep before picking her up and carrying her into the bedroom. She stirred slightly, but she didn’t wake up until she was in the middle of his king-size bed.
“Did I miss something? How did we get in here?”
Roland grinned at her from his standing position. “You don’t remember me dragging you in here by your hair?”
Alana’s face broke into a big smile. “That I would have remembered.” She wiggled her toes and asked where her shoes were. “I don’t want a repeat of past behavior. No matter what I give her to chew on, Domino seems to like my shoes the best, bless her little heart.”
“I put them out of harm’s way. By the way, you were saying something about not having anything for tomorrow,” Roland said as he opened the antique armoire. Hanging on the door was a new set of underwear in a pale peach color, plus a pair of jeans and a beautiful coral sweater. “There’s even a new toothbrush just for you. I told you I had it handled.”
Alana was so touched that tears came to her eyes. She rose to a kneeling position as he came to join her on the bed. She locked her arms around his neck and kissed him thoroughly. “You are, without a doubt, the sweetest, most thoughtful man in the world. Thank you so much for doing this for me. And for all you’ve done for Domino. She loves her new toys almost as much as she loves you.”