Ralph was livid! He couldn’t remember ever being so upset. Naturally he’d been disappointed when he awoke and found Vanessa’s clothes gone. He assumed she was downstairs, perhaps preparing his breakfast. He’d showered quickly, not bothering to pull on more than a well-worn pair of jeans. When all the downstairs rooms had been searched, including the kitchen, his disappointment ballooned into a full dose of anger.
First she led him to believe she had some experience with men. Then she had gone on to break her promise to spend the entire night and part of the next day with him. Not one to openly display his feelings, he was shocked at his inability to put his hurt aside and move on.
Rather than join his folks at the ten-forty-five church service, Ralph had subjected his body to a punishing workout, ending with laps in the pool.
Fortunately, his temper cooled enough for him to at least act civil, so he’d gone over to have Sunday dinner with his family. It was a Prescott ritual that they honored; regardless of how busy everyone was during the week, they came together on Sunday. He rarely missed Sunday dinner, mainly because he hated to disappoint his aunt.
Only this week he had planned to spend the day in bed with Vanessa. As he drove over, he wondered if he’d run into her. It was possible, as her little brother and sister were spending the weekend with his folks. He recalled his aunt’s mentioning that the twins were going to help entertain Shanna while her parents were on their honeymoon.
Yeah, it would be interesting to run into her. He had a few choice words to say. If nothing else, he would demand an explanation. He deserved that much! It would help if he had an idea why she’d run. Sure he had been upset when he discovered she was a virgin. Any man would be. But they had made up, or so he thought, until he woke up alone.
He swore when he pulled into the drive and didn’t see her van. Anna and Gavin’s Navigator, as well as Kelli and Wesley’s Cadillac, was parked in the drive.
“This has never happened to me,” he muttered aloud. If anyone was sneaking out, it was generally he. He didn’t like waking up in an unfamiliar bedroom. He’d had enough of that when he was in the pros, traveling with the Lakers for so many years. When he retired from the game, he promised himself the days of not knowing where he was were over.
A few of his lady friends had not been pleased when he didn’t stay. But that didn’t stop him from leaving when the lovemaking was over. Expensive gifts or flowers always soothed those ruffled feathers and eased his way back, if he chose. Until last night, he hadn’t dealt with a woman who didn’t know the rules.
He wasn’t interested in a long-term relationship. He didn’t want any form of a relationship. He was no fool. Relationships were how his cousins ended up married.
The man-woman thing was nothing but a game. And he was a master player. Everything had been fine until last night.
What was she up to? Despite the trick she had played on him, he seriously doubted she knew what she was doing. It was not a game to her. He’d bet his last dollar that she wasn’t playing at anything.
His first mistake had been not following his gut instinct. When she propositioned him, he had been wrong to agree…his answer should have been a flat-out no.
It wasn’t as if he hadn’t been approached before by attractive women. They were generally after money, or out to trap him in any way they could…mainly marriage. It had been going on since he turned pro. Thanks to his uncle, he and his cousins had never had trouble recognizing their ulterior motives. What was different this time was Vanessa. Her interest in him had come as a shock, especially since he’d always considered her to be a good girl. Now he was forced to deal with the fallout from a guilty conscience.
Because Wayne and Kyle, Gavin’s younger brother, spotted him and called his name, there was no turning back. The men were outside manning the barbecue grill, while the ladies were inside, Ralph had no choice but to stick it out. Before he reached the lawn, Shanna came running to him with her little arms out wide. She was followed by the Grant twins.
Ralph grinned as he swung Shanna up for a hug and kiss on the cheek. He also scooped up Vanessa’s baby sister, Courtney, causing her to squeal with laughter. With the girls back on their feet, he bent down to tickle Vanessa’s baby brother, Curtis, on his tummy, sending him into giggles. When Vanessa came to pick up the twins, he intended to be there. If she couldn’t make the trip, he planned to volunteer to drop them off. Vanessa wasn’t going to be able to hide from him. Just imagining her surprise widened his smile.
After dinner, Ralph was the one forced to conceal his disappointment when he learned from his aunt that the twins were staying another night. Donna would be dropping the twins at kindergarten in the morning since the public schools’ summer vacation didn’t start until the following Thursday.
Ralph wanted to howl his frustration. He’d given his word that he would not seek her out afterwards. His word was not something he gave lightly. But they needed to talk. He needed to understand why.
Lana knocked on the open bedroom door before she walked across a hardwood floor to the queen-size bed. “Nessa? Are you sick?” she asked as she sat down beside her sleeping sister.
Vanessa mumbled into the pillow. “What time is it? And how did you get home so early?”
“Early? It’s after three. Marisa’s mom dropped me off. Why are you in bed in the middle of the afternoon?”
Vanessa rolled on to her back and covered a yawn. “Just catching up on some sleep.”
“The twins aren’t home yet.” Lana curled up at the end of the bed, resting her back against the footboard.
“Mrs. Prescott asked if they could stay another night.” Vanessa propped herself up against the pillows. The beautifully carved mahogany bedroom set with a large sleigh bed, along with matching armoire and dressing table had originally belonged to their grandparents, and had been lovingly created by her grandfather. It had been passed down from her mother to her. It gave the room an old-fashioned charm.
The heavy desk near the window was often used to hold Vanessa’s aged Singer sewing machine or the embroidery machine. The embroidery machine was the last gift her mother, Leah, had given her for Christmas. A large corkboard on the wall above the desk was covered with drawings of her most recent designs.
“Sis, look at your hair. It looks like you had a good time last night,” Lana teased.
Vanessa covered her face, laughing. “Forget my hair. Tell me about you. Did you and Marisa have fun?”
Lana grinned, kicking her shoes off so she could tuck her legs beneath her. “We always have so much fun. We stayed up most of the night talking.” Her beautiful brown face was relaxed and carefree.
Pleased, Vanessa vowed to do as much as she could to ensure it stayed that way. Lana took life much too seriously. She’d been so young when forced to deal with the loss, first of their father, and then their mother. Vanessa did her best for all her siblings. Unfortunately, during the summer months, Vanessa would have to rely on the seventeen-year-old to watch the twins while she was at work. Even though, she paid Lana, Vanessa wished things were different. She wanted her sister not to be so serious all the time, to spend time with her friends and just concentrate on enjoying herself, before she had to settle down for her last year in high school.
“So what about you? Did you stay and dance the night away?” Lana asked eagerly.
Vanessa dropped her lids. She didn’t enjoy lying, especially to her sister, but she couldn’t exactly reveal the truth either. She hedged. “I had a great time at the reception. Wasn’t the wedding fabulous! The dresses came out better than I imagined, and Brynne was so beautiful.”
“Absolutely! I was so proud of you, getting all those bridesmaids’ dresses designed and embroidered, not only on time but beautifully. You did a great job on Brynne’s dress!” Lana enthused. “How did you feel when you saw how good they looked…all together?”
“Overwhelmed.” Vanessa laughed, getting up to hug her sister. Over dinner and during the evening, the sisters discussed the wedding in detail. Vanessa revealed that she’d been approached about designing a one-of-a-kind evening gown for one of the Metro area’s wealthy ladies, Judge Quinn Montgomery’s wife, Heather. Brynne had told everyone, who bothered to listen that Vanessa had designed her bridal gown.
At times Vanessa felt daunted by the challenge ahead. There was never enough money to take care of all the things that children needed. She rarely had extra money or time to spend in the fabric store or even to look in the high-end boutiques. Vanessa adored clothes, especially the beautiful gowns found in New York, Paris, and Milan. But her reality was a full-time job and children to care for. For now she could only dream about going back to college to finish her degree in business so that she could someday have a boutique with her name on the door.
It was strange that she loved designing beautiful evening gowns, especially bridal gowns, because Vanessa never expected to be a bride. Fortunately, she knew the difference between dreams and reality. Her feet were firmly planted on the ground. One romantic night, with the exciting man who filled her fantasies, didn’t mean a lifetime of love and commitment. Ralph was a fantastic lover, but he would make a lousy husband.
The fantasy ended when she drove away. Tomorrow was a workday, and she would go back to doing her thing. She had plenty to keep herself occupied, work, kids, and saving what little extra money she had. It was up to her to make sure the kids had what they needed.
Later, the two sisters were curled on opposite ends of the sofa, watching an old Halle Berry movie on television, when Lana asked, “Nessa? You aren’t going back to sleep on me, are you?”
Vanessa blushed, embarrassed that she’d been caught daydreaming about Ralph. She didn’t have to pinch herself to remember last night. Her feminine core was tender, proof enough that she’d slept in Ralph’s bed. He’d actually made her feel beautiful. She’d blushed even more, accepting that her fantasies about him were tame compared to his raw sexual need. She knew from experience that his reputation as a gifted lover hadn’t been exaggerated. It was a fact that…
“Nessa?” Lana prompted.
Vanessa said, “It’s late. I think I’ll turn in. What about you? You have school in the morning. Three more days until vacation.” Uncurling her long legs, Vanessa stood and stretched before reaching for the empty popcorn bowl and empty lemonade glasses on the coffee table.
“Can I see the end of the movie? It’s only thirty minutes,” Lana begged.
Vanessa smiled. “Okay, but you’ve seen this movie 101 times.”
“I know. I can clean up those few dishes.”
“No. You can finish the movie, then go on up to bed.” Vanessa bent down to kiss Lana’s forehead. “I like just the two of us spending time together.”
Lana grinned. “Me too. Although I miss the twins.”
“Me too. They’ll be back tomorrow with plenty to talk about. I’m sure they did a great job last night and today of keeping Shanna entertained.”
“I bet. Those two never stopped talking.”
Vanessa went past the dining room and into the kitchen. It didn’t take long to wash the leftover dishes. The old house was roomy and well loved. Vanessa and Lana had grown up here. Back then, her parents shared the big downstairs bedroom and bath while the two sisters occupied the upstairs bedrooms. The small back bedroom had been her mother’s sewing room. Vanessa fondly recalled spending time at her mother’s side, learning how to sew.
When the back porch had been screened in and converted into the sunroom, which ran the length of the house, the family had often spent many happy hours there, especially during the hot summer months. Under the old oak tree in the backyard was where the swing set had been placed. Their father had built the brick barbecue pit. Vanessa, Lana, and their mother often shared a picnic lunch under that old tree on warm summer days. There were so many happy memories of their time together.
Vanessa was drying her hands when she heard her sister calling good night. Switching off the kitchen light, Vanessa called her good nights. She took her customary walk through the house, checking that the doors and windows were all locked and the alarm set, before she entered her own room and got ready for bed.
The alarm system was something she had installed after her mother passed, more for her own peace of mind. The old neighborhood didn’t feel as safe as it used to. Perhaps it was the weight of being solely responsible for the babies and her little sister that caused the unease.
After washing, conditioning, and blow-drying her permed hair, Vanessa creamed her skin before sliding into her big empty bed. Hugging her pillow, she had only to close her eyes to recall the sweet magic of being cradled against Ralph’s wide chest. He was not soft and cushiony like the pillow she squeezed against her. She recalled his clean, male scent and the deep timbre of his voice as he made love to her.
By the time he had finished making love to her, her entire body shivered from incomparable pleasure. She had relished the caress of his large, yet surprisingly gentle, hands and the amazing heat of his firm lips and tongue. This once she indulged herself, allowing her senses to take flight as she relived the utmost joy they reached together. Her hips unconsciously moved against the firm mattress as she remembered his seductive allure as he licked, then tongued her breasts. He didn’t stop until she reached her very first climax. She hadn’t even known she was capable of reaching such heights of pleasure.
“Goodness,” she whispered aloud as she remembered the excitement and pleasure she found from his steel-hard shaft deep inside. Initially the pain had surprised her, but once she was relaxed, she was able to let go, and that was when the sheer enjoyment began. The only word she could think of to describe the sensation was incredible…that was until Ralph had started quizzing her.
He had nearly ruined their night by demanding answers. And when he hadn’t received them, he’d gone off alone, which had upset her. In fact, she was proud of the way she hadn’t caved in and let her inherent shyness stop her from following him into the shower. She had surprised herself, yet it felt right at the time. She couldn’t let their one night slip away without at least trying to hold on to the romance.
Vanessa couldn’t stop blushing when she recalled the hungry look on his dark, strikingly handsome face when he pulled her into the shower stall with him…sheet and all. It was embarrassing that she hadn’t recalled they didn’t have a condom! It had been Ralph’s quick thinking, not hers, that had prevented a major disaster.
What she wasn’t proud of was the fact that she’d been too much of a coward to stay and face him and at least try to answer his questions. She had run away. She could only imagine his reaction when he woke and discovered she’d broken her promise to him and fled. Of the two of them, he had kept his part of their agreement, while she had broken hers.
Had he been angry? Or had he only been disappointed? Perhaps he was so accustomed to the fickle ways of women that he hadn’t reacted at all? With a disappointed sigh, she accepted that it didn’t matter. Theirs had been only a single, admittedly incredible, night of pleasure. It had been more than she expected.
Covering a yawn, Vanessa acknowledged that tomorrow was a workday. Time for her to get back to the world of raising kids, work, cleaning, washing, and cooking, and when she could find the time, sketching and designing beautiful evening and bridal gowns.
Maybe when the twins were out of high school, she’d actually consider looking for Mr. Right? It was a possibility. In the meantime she wasn’t foolish enough to fall for a man whose life revolved around the next female challenge. While some men collected baseball cards or model airplanes, Ralph collected women. And that was okay with Vanessa, as she wasn’t really involved with him.
She should be jubilant. She’d done the impossible. She’d become sexually involved with him without being emotionally involved with him. Few women could say that! Also, she had discovered the mystery of human sexuality. When it was all said and done, the night they had been together was a slam dunk as far as she was concerned. She didn’t have a single regret.
Ten days since Devin and Brynne’s wedding, and Ralph still hadn’t gotten past his anger, or disappointment. He’d really tried to push away his encounter with Vanessa and move on. It hadn’t worked. Nothing worked. He felt as if he was left with only one option, and that was to seek the lady out. She had all the answers. And he intended to find out why she broke her word…why she forced him to break his promise.
After identifying himself, the security gates swung open, and Ralph followed the drive around to the side entrance of the Mathises’ home. He frowned as he parked behind Vanessa’s aged SUV.
He was downright furious that she had left him no alternative. It would be easy for her not to take his calls or slam the door in his face. If he came to her workplace, she had to hear him out.
Pasting a smile on his face, he knocked at the door before letting himself in. “Hey! Where’s everyone?” he called as he followed the hallway past the laundry room, bathroom, and into the large, bright kitchen.
“Will you look who’s here! In the middle of the day, no less,” Anna smiled as she came over to give him a kiss on the cheek.
Ralph gave her a hug. “You saying I’m not welcome? What you got smelling so good in here, Little Bit?” He called her by the childhood name she hated, just to bug her. “I’m hungry.”
Laughing, she asked, “You came for food?”
“Why not? You’re the chef in the family.” He casually leaned back against the counter rather than going straight to Vanessa’s office. In hopes of avoiding suspicion, he had no choice but to bide his time. “Where is everyone?”
“Gavin has a meeting at the Lions’ headquarters. Kyle is over at Mama and Daddy’s hanging out with Wayne. That leaves Vanessa, me, and the housekeeper.” She teased, “You couldn’t find any food between here and the campus?”
“None that you made. Well, what do I smell? Fresh-baked cookies?”
Anna pointed to the cookies cooling on a rack. “Oatmeal with walnuts.” After taking out homemade sourdough buns, Anna reached into the refrigerator for sliced turkey, roast beef, ham, and cheeses, then began putting together a hero sandwich topped with lettuce and her special chopped-olive spread.
Ralph washed his hands in the sink before he walked around to take a seat at the raised central island. “How’s the cookbook coming?”
Anna had been collecting and writing family recipes, some dating back to slavery. She grinned. “Fabulous! I have a publisher interested. I should know something soon.”
With a huge smile, Ralph gave her a big hug. “That’s great! I’m proud of you, cuz; I knew you would do it.”
“That is high praise, indeed, coming from an overachiever like you. How are the plans for the community center going? Wesley said Daddy has no idea what you fellows are up to.”
Lester Prescott had worked at the old neighborhood high school for years as a coach. He had helped many young boys, who would otherwise have gone to the gangs, finish high school and go on to higher education. Anna’s brothers and Ralph had decided to honor him for all his years of dedication by using their old home as an integral part of community center in his name. It was due to open next summer.
Ralph laughed. “That’s been the hardest part, keeping Uncle Lester in the dark. But everything is right on schedule. We’re going to break ground soon for the indoor pool, indoor basketball courts, tennis courts and track and field.” The Prescott men had bought the surrounding lots and now owned the entire city block.
“There is no way you fellows can do all that without Daddy catching on.” Anna warned as she put together the sandwich. “I don’t know how you have kept it out of the papers. This is big news. What do you think about the architect? You talked to him, right?”
“He’s good. I had a meeting with him yesterday. I wish I had remembered to bring the most recent plans, so you and Gavin could look them over. I think you guys will approve.”
“Sounds great. We have to get together with Wesley and Kelli soon to get this done. How does next Friday night sound? I’ll do dinner, then we can all get together and make a decision. When Brynne and Devin get back, we’ll have everything all set to go. Oh, Ralph, you’ve done so much of the legwork already. I can’t wait for the dedication ceremony. Daddy and Mama are going to be so happy.” Anna wiped away tears.
“He deserves it. They both do. We’ve got less than a year to get it done.” Ralph grinned. “Watch your mouth. Aunt Donna is too sharp for words. Nothing much gets past her.”
“Me! I know how to keep my mouth closed. But that means making sure Kyle and Wayne don’t find out.”
“I think the boys can keep a secret,” Ralph boasted.
“Hardly.” Anna placed a plate filled with the sandwich and a mound of coleslaw on the place mat in front of him, then handed him a cloth napkin. “Please, Wayne tells everything he knows.”
“When are the newlyweds flying back?”
“I’m not sure, but soon. Devin’s got to get back for camp.”
“I hate that they are going to be in St. Louis. Mama and Daddy will be sorry to see Shanna leave.” Anna smiled.
“I know. They wanted to keep her for the summer, but Brynne and Devin would never agree to that. They will only stay long enough to close up Brynne’s house and his condo,” Ralph said.
“Shanna is such a doll baby.” Anna asked, “What do you want to drink? Lemonade? Beer?”
“Bottled water.” Ralph said between bites.
Anna teased, “So what’s her name?”
He nearly choked. It was a few moments before he recovered enough to ask, “Who?”
“Whoever? You always have a new lady. Tell me about the latest one.”