Authors: Marie Rochelle
“We’ll take it.”
Hayward
stated pulling his checkbook out of his pocket.
“Wait a minute,
Hayward
this ring cost way too much.
There’s no way I’ll let you pay that much for this ring.” She started to pull the ring off as
Hayward
finished writing out the check and handed over to the man.
“What are you doing?
I can’t take this!”
Several customers at other booth turned their heads and stared at her debating with
Hayward
, but she didn’t care. She didn’t need another gift from him. The necklace was enough.
Kissing the finger the ring was on
Hayward
linked their fingers together. “I wanted to buy you something, so you could remember the trip and I did. Now let’s go look at some of those African statues. I see some I want to buy.”
Hayward
dragged her off behind him before she could say another word about the ring.
* * * *
Three hours later,
True
walked back to the car beside
Hayward
still shocked by the ring. She didn’t want him to think he had to keep buying her presents. She wasn’t in the relationship for financial gain. “
Hayward
, you really didn’t have to buy this for me.”
Sitting the bags on the ground,
Hayward
opened the trunk and then placed all five bags inside. Slamming down the trunk’s lid, he looked at her. “You deserve that ring. Please let me spoil you just a little?”
“T
hank
you for the wonderful gift, Honey.”
True replied.
Hayward
rested his hip against the bumper of the car and stared at her. “Would you mind if we left tonight instead of tomorrow?”
“No. I don’t mind at all.” She answered.
“Wonderful. Let’s get head back to the inn and pack then we can get back on the road before it gets too dark.”
* * * *
After taking the long four and a half hour drive back home,
Hayward
pulled into his driveway exhausted but happy.
Cutting off the engine, he glanced over at
True’s
sleeping figure and ran one finger down her smooth cheek. She mumbled something under her breath, but she didn’t move away from his touch.
Getting out of the car,
Hayward
unlocked his front door and then went back to the car to get
True
.
Opening the door, he lifted her light frame into his arms. He walked through the front door and he carried her upstairs to his bedroom.
“Kitten, I bet you could sleep through anything.” He whispered, as he undressed her. Finding one of his long t-shirts, he slid it on her body then eased her under the covers. Turning off the lights, he shut the door and headed back outside to the car. He finished getting the luggage and all the bags from the car and locked it.
Sitting all the items on the living room floor, he set the alarm, then picked up his bags and took them to the den. Flicking on the lights, he sat down in his favorite leather chair and grabbed the three iron statues from the first bag. A rodeo cowboy on a bucking horse, a cowboy on a horse pulling a wagon full of ranch supplies finished off his ranch collection.
He was exultant to get the other statues, but the smaller bag by his leg was what he had wanted the most. He still couldn’t believe how cheap the vendor sold it for. Reaching inside the bag, he pulled out the small sculpture wrapped in newspaper. He tore the paper off it and held it in his hands.
An African warrior wearing a mask and holding a spear in his right hand glared back at him.
He had been searching for this piece for years and now it was finally his.
Rising from the couch
Hayward
placed all the statues on a stand by his bookshelf.
However, the warrior had its own special place inside a lock display case. It would be the centerpiece of his collection.
He had started collecting African statues about six years ago. He found his hobby very peaceful and yet exciting at the same time.
Now he was only missing the mate to match the African warrior and once he had it his collection would be complete.
“Instead of being upstairs with me in bed you’re down here looking at them.” True sighed behind him. “What does a girl need to do to get some attention?”
“I thought I would be back upstairs before you woke up.”
Hayward
answered. He unlocked the glass case and placed the warrior inside.
“Sure you did.” True replied. She walked across the room and linked her arms through his. “You really do have an amazing collection.” She stared at his new statue and then she looked back at him. A grin pulled at the corners of her mouth. “Baby, you found one of the warriors.”
“Yes. Now I only need the woman.”
“I know you will find her soon enough. You can be very persistent when you want to.”
Easing away from
him,
True walked across the room and sat down on top of the desk he brought for her. He loved the sexy picture she made with the moonlight shining through the window. He also knew she was up to something, but he didn’t know what it was.
“I love being here. It’s so relaxing.”
She crossed her legs causing her T-shirt to ride up her thighs.
Eyeing her seductive pose,
Hayward
sauntered over to the desk and sat in the chair. Lifting True off the desk he placed her in his lap and ran his fingers through her hair. “Are you trying to seduce me,
True
?”
Unbuttoning his shirt True ran her fingers through his chest hair. “Maybe I am Mr. Campbell. I was lonely upstairs in that cold dark room and now I need someone to warm me up.”
“Who do you have in mind?”
“I believe you already know the answer.”
Hayward
brought True closer to him. Tugging her T-shirt over her head he tossed it on the floor, and then laid her back on the desk and proceeded to show her how much he enjoyed her surprise seduction.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Standing in the middle of the crowded airport,
Hayward
watched
Clinton
embrace
True
like he had truly missed seeing her. He was slowly beginning to deal with the jealousy issues he had concerning their friendship, but he still thought his brother’s touch was lasting a little too long. “I think you’ve hugged her long enough.”
Moving back,
Clinton
smirked at him. “Sorry, I didn’t realize I had a time limit on how long I could hug her.”
Reaching back,
True
hit him on the arm. “Stop with the jealousy.
Clinton
can hug me as long as he wants to.”
Hayward
rubbed the sore spot on his arm then wrapped his arm around her waist moving her back to stand beside him. “I’m trying to work on that.”
“I can tell from the smile on your face that my brother is treating your right.”
Clinton
said interrupting their conversation.
“Yes he is.” True agreed. “Now walk with me to baggage claim. I want to ask you something really important.”
“True. This isn’t the time to bring up work. We’re on vacation which means work stays at home.”
Hayward
scolded, tapping the side of her arm with his finger.
“It’s only one quick question.” True brushed off his finger and went back up to his brother.
“
Hayward
, please get your girlfriend.”
Laughing
Clinton
shaking his head.
“I won’t be able to stop talking about work if she gets me started.”
“I can’t do anything with her.”
Hayward
acknowledged. “Once she gets her mind set on something, nothing is going to stand in her way.”
True stood in the middle of the airport and her eyes shifted back and forth between
Hayward
and
Clinton
. “Don’t forget I’m standing right here. I can hear you talking about me.”
“Baby, I could never forget about you.”
Clinton
snickered at him. “If love will make me act the way you do, then I don’t want it. We better go before Dad wonders what’s taking us so long.”
* * * *
Back at
Clinton
’s house, Lance Campbell was in a heated argument with the cook about how the dressing would be prepared for T
hank
sgiving. He didn’t know why
Clinton
hired this man, but he was about to lose his job if he didn’t shut his mouth.
“My wife always put oysters in her dressing and we will have it that way this year too!”
“Sir, I’m the one cooking T
hank
sgiving dinner this year and I won’t put one oyster in my dressing.”
Jayvon
tossed the spoon down on the countertop with a flick of his wrist. “I was a chef in
New Orleans
for five years and I never added one oyster to my stuffing. I won’t do it now either!”
“You will do it or you will be fired!”
“Mr. Campbell, I work for your son not you. He’s the only one who can fire me.”
Jayvon
smirked.
“Then I suggest you take off that apron and leave my house Mr.
Houtchen
.”
Clinton
replied in a deadly calm voice from the kitchen doorway.
Jayvon
spun around and found his employer behind him with two other people. He opened his mouth to respond but no sound came out. Taking off his apron he tossed it on the counter. “I can’t believe I left my job in
New Orleans
for this.”
He muttered, storming from of the room and out the front door.
“Son, I didn’t hear you come back home but I’m glad you did.” Lance Campbell said. “Did you hear what he said about the dressing?”
“Yes, I hear him that’s why he’s no longer working here.”
Clinton
replied.
“I’m happy to see you,
Hayward
.” Lance confessed. He walked over to his youngest son and embraced his.
Moved away from
Hayward
, Lance positioned himself in front of True, “I see you took my conversation seriously a few months back.”
True looked up at him with a smile on her face. “Yes sir I did and if I wasn’t in love with your son then I wouldn’t be here now.”
Lance’s
Campbell
eyes lit up at
True’s
honesty bending down, he whispered in her ear and then hugged her. “You’re just what my son needed.”
“T
hank
you.” She whispered back in his ear.
Ending the quick hug, he stood back up and looked at all the unprepared food that was laid out on top of the island for tomorrow’s dinner. “What are we going to do about T
hank
sgiving dinner?”
“We can fix it ourselves.” True suggested, moving toward the food, but she stopped when six pair of shocked male eyes swung toward her in disbelief. “Why are all three of you looking at me like that? It will be a lot of fun working on the T
hank
sgiving meal together.”
“Honey, I don’t mind cooking sometimes, but fixing T
hank
sgiving dinner isn’t something that I want to do. I know my father and brother will agree with me.”
Hayward
answered.
“I was only trying to help.” True sighed.
“I’ll make some phone calls to find another chef.”
Clinton
jumped in. “Dad why don’t I give you a list and you can help me make some phone calls too?” He turned and headed for the door.
Lance knew
Clinton
was trying to get him out of the kitchen, so
Hayward
and True could have some time alone. “How about I make some personal phone calls while you work on that chef,” he said following
Clinton
out the kitchen door.
* * * *
“Kitten, you proved how wonderful you are by offering to help cook, but Clinton will be able to find someone for the right price.”
True shook her head. “I’m not wonderful I was trying to help out.”
“Now you are being modest.”
Hayward
disagreed. “I could use so many more words to describe you right this moment.”
A mischievous look came into True eyes. Backing him up against the other wall, she pressed her hands against his chest. “What kind of words would you use?” She asked, running her tongue across her full bottom lip.
His pulse raced at the sight of her pink tongue traveling the length of her full bottom lip. True knew how much that turned him on. “Sexy, beautiful, sensual, and playful,” he countered, trying to keep his body until control. He wasn’t going to have sex in his brother’s kitchen.
True slid her finger between the buttons of his shirt and scratched it against his chest hair. “Oh, so I’m no longer hot or gorgeous?” She pouted. Removing her finger from his shirt she started unbuttoning it.
Hayward
closed his fingers around
True’s
slim wrist and pressed her hand to his chest.
“Honey, what are you doing?” The kitchen door was closed, but
Clinton
or his father could come and find them at any minute. He loved playing around with her, but
Clinton
’s house wasn’t the place.
“I thought it would be fun to make out in the kitchen.” True removed his hand from her wrist. “I have never made love on a kitchen counter before? Have you?”
She inquired her hands going back to the buttons on his dark green shirt.
“Baby, you know better than to put an idea like that in my mind.” He picked up True and started to sit her on the counter at the same time
Clinton
came back into the room.
“Did I interrupt something?”
“You know damn well that you did.”
Hayward
mumbled, placing
True
beside him.
“Sorry, little brother let me say my peace and I’ll leave. It took a while but I found someone to replace
Jayvon
. He’ll be here around
“Good. I’m glad you found someone.”
Clinton
shot him a crooked smile; then grinned. “I guess I’d better leave the two of you alone now. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
He teased, tongue in cheek, but he didn’t move toward the door.
Hayward
was pissed that his brother was taunting him, so he brushed past True and gave
Clinton
a brotherly shove toward the door. “Why don’t you find something to do? I need to talk to
True
and please let dad know too.” He pushed
Clinton
out the door and locked it behind him.
“Now, let’s finish what we started.” He suggested turning back around. His eyes widened at the can of whip cream
True
waved in his face.
What happened to the sweet innocent woman he fell in love with?
Hell, he didn’t know, but he wasn’t about to complain either.
“Do you think you can find a way for us to use this?”
“Oh, I know I can.”
Hayward
growled, moving across the room.
* * * *
Back in
Hayward
den, tapping the lock picks against his thigh. Cool gray eyes envied the collection of statues in
Hayward
’s collection. “I don’t know why rich people waste money on expensive junk.” Marching toward the desk, he rummaged around for anything to use against his rival. “Damn he keeps everything under lock and key. I can’t find anything.”
Hearing a noise in the hallway, he dived under the desk for cover, and then pulled out his knife just in case he might need to use it. The den door opened slowly and an older woman walked into the room, holding today’s mail in her hand. Standing in the middle of the floor, she surveyed the room with her hazel colored eyes.
“Why does this room seem different to me?” She muttered out loud.
With her back to him and the desk, her gaze wandered around the empty space taking in everything.
Peeking over the side of the desk, Sylvester saw the housekeeper and waited with his knife posed in his hand. If she came around the desk’s edge, he would kill her. An overly nosy housekeeper wouldn’t catch him.
“I don’t know want it is.”
She laid
Hayward
’s mail on the end table and left the room.
He waited a little longer to make sure she was gone. Easing from under the desk, he quickly flipped through the mail and still didn’t find anything to use. Cussing Sylvester went back out through the patio doors. Walking back into the woods, he made his way back toward his car, got in and drove off.
He was opening the door cabin when the phone started to ring.
“Yeah.”
“Don’t ever keep me waiting like that again!”
His boss’s voice vibrated over the phone line.
“What do you want?
Are you finally coming to bring me my money?”
“You’ll receive half of your money in the next couple of weeks.”
“No, I want all my money now!” All this waiting was pissing him off.
“Why are you in such a hurry for the money? Are you planning to run away before you finish the job?”
“No, I’m not planning to go anywhere.” Sylvester replied, pissed. “But you have promised me my money for a while now and I haven’t seen a penny. I’m beginning to wonder if I can even trust you.”
“You will get half of your money soon, but don’t do anything stupid after you get it. I still have several things I want you to finish for me.”
Sylvester' voice showed his gratitude. “I won’t do anything without the okay from you.”
* * * *
Wiping the remaining whipped cream off his chest
Hayward
watched
True
trying to remove it from her bra. He had never had such fun with a can of whipped cream in his whole life. He’ll never be able to look at the can the same way again.
“God,
Hayward
I told you not to go crazy with that stuff.” True complained flung a handful out of her bra.