“Are you robbing the cupboards now?” he asked, smiling.
Nikki snapped her mouth shut. He sure does know how to ruin a good fantasy. “I’m not stealing…I’m borrowing,” she corrected, stiffening her jaw. “Trees are down, blocking the roads so I figured that I’d walk this basket over to Momma Mahina just in case she needs anything.”
Hylan strolled over to the kitchen counter, stopped next to her and took a peek inside the basket. “Homemade biscuits, sausage links, bacon, eggs and what’s this?” He peeled back the foil on a plate. “Pancakes?” His gaze shifted to hers. “When I smelled all that cooking you were doing, I thought it was for me.”
“You? Why would I be cooking for you?”
He chuckled. “I don’t know. Maybe to try and butter me up to let you stay here since the roads are down.”
Hell. I hadn’t thought about that.
“Maybe you just didn’t think about it,” he said, as if he’d heard her private thoughts.
She shrugged and shifted away from him, mainly because his aftershave was doing a number on her endorphins. “I didn’t know what kind of food you liked.”
“I’m a man. I’ll eat pretty much anything you put in front of me.” He reached into the basket and pinched off a piece of bacon.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Nikki said, struggling to keep her eyes averted from his chest. Instead she kept catching glimpses of his incredible six-pack abs that looked hard enough to grate cheese on.
“You know, in all the years that I’ve known Mahina, I’ve never known her not to have food in her house.” He reached inside the basket again, but was surprised when she popped him on the hand for his efforts. “Hey!”
“She does have food, that’s not the point,” she said, closing the basket.
“Taking food to someone that has food sounds a bit—”
“Don’t say it,” she warned, waving a finger. “I’m not crazy.”
Hylan tossed his hands up in the air. “I wasn’t going to say it.”
Her eyes narrowed in a way that called him a liar.
“I was just going to say that it was a bit…odd.”
Nikki rolled her eyes and snatched the basket away from him. “It’s just a gesture to let her know that we were thinking about her—well, at least I was.”
“What—are you trying to say that I wasn’t concerned?”
“Were you?”
He blinked. “Well, I, um, haven’t given it much thought yet. I mean, I did just wake up.”
“Uh-huh.” She hooked the basket on her arm and prepared to walk off.
“Wait. What about me?”
Nikki frowned and jabbed a fist against her hip. “What about you?”
He stood there blinking. “Well, I’m hungry.”
“Then fix yourself something to eat. What do I look like—your maid?”
Hylan shook his head as he stormed toward the cupboard. “Jeez. Some wife you are. I don’t know why the hell I married you.” When his words processed through his head, he stopped short and then glanced over to see Nikki smirking at him. “Great. Now I’m losing it.”
Okay. So the food wasn’t just an “I was worried about you” sort of gesture. Hylan was right. Momma Mahina usually had more food than the local grocery store. The truth was more like Nikki hoped that making her friend a home-cooked meal would soften the blow of her confession. She woke up thinking that if the truth had to come out, then maybe it would be best if Momma Mahina heard it from her.
There was no guarantee of that, of course. She had seen the older woman’s temper in the past and there was a reason why most people prayed to never get on her bad side. The woman wouldn’t hesitate to swing a skillet at anyone—Reverend Oxford learned that the hard way.
“Oh, my goodness,” Momma Mahina exclaimed when she looked up from sweeping her front porch. “I don’t believe you chile.” She set the broom aside and rushed down the stairs. “What are you doing trampling through all this mess?”
“I just came to check and see how you guys weathered the storm last night,” Nikki said almost sheepishly. “And I brought you this.”
Mahina’s look of surprise quickly morphed into confusion. “Oh, honey. You know that thing was nothing but a baby compared to what we usually get this time of year,” she laughed, but accepted Nikki’s kind gesture with a smile. “Now you get on back and take care of that husband of yours. After so much time apart, I’m amazed that you two even noticed that storm last night.”
Nikki flushed as she remembered the intoxicating kiss she and Hylan shared last night. Without realizing it, a soft smile curled her lips and her eyes had a faraway look.
“Ooh. Now that’s what I’m talking about.” Mahina swung and bumped her hip against Nikki’s.
Unfortunately, Nikki wasn’t prepared for it and stumbled a full foot away from the woman. “Hey,” she chuckled. “Careful where you swing those hips.”
Momma Mahina rocked her head back with a hearty laugh as she headed back up the porch stairs. “Whatcha need to do is put a little more meat on those bones,” she said. “Men like having something to hold on to, ain’t that right, Lathan?” she asked her husband as he stepped out onto the porch.
“Damn right,” he agreed though both women knew that he had no clue as to what they were talking about.
Nikki laughed.
Mahina stopped to stare at her husband while he struggled to strap on his tool belt. “And now where do you think you’re going?”
“I’m going to fix that roof,” he said. “It looks like we have our own waterfall in the center of the living room.”
Mahina rolled her eyes. No way was she going to let her seventy-eight-year-old husband climb up on the roof. “Are you crazy? You’re going up there so you can break that old, fool neck of yours. I haven’t paid the life insurance this month. Wait until Rafiq gets here. He will take care of it.”
Lathan looked wounded. “I don’t need to wait for that knuckleheaded boy. I know how to fix my own roof.”
“No, Lathan. Now come on in here and fix yourself a plate of this good food Nikki brought over.” She waltzed on into the house.
Lathan rolled his eyes.
“I saw that!” Mahina shouted as if she had eyes in the back of her head.
Lathan looked at Nikki, but all she could do was shrug her shoulders and mouth the words, I’m sorry.
His eyes sparkled as if he finally realized who she was and then he shuffled down the stairs. “Ah, darlin’ Nikki. What chu doin’ here?” He looked around. “Now, I know Hylan wasn’t crazy enough to let you out of his sight so soon.” He took her into his thin arms and embraced her.
Nikki adored Lathan, but she could swear that the man was nothing but skin and bones.
“Nikki. Lathan. Get on in here while I heat this food up.”
“Coming,” they shouted unison. They looked at each other and smiled.
“We better go on in there before she gets that skillet after us,” Lathan said, leading Nikki into the house.
The moment she entered the house, Nikki saw that they had, in fact, suffered damages in last night’s storm. It was just like Mahina to cover up and pretend that she didn’t need help. And just like countless times before, Nikki wasted no time getting right to work.
However, Lathan dove right into the basket Nikki brought over. “I know I smell pancakes and biscuits in here.”
Momma Mahina just shook her head. “Now, he knows he ate just an hour ago.”
“Shoot,” Lathan said, shoving a strip of bacon into his mouth. “I can always eat. I got plenty of room.”
Momma Mahina rolled her eyes and went back to cleaning up the small house.
For a few minutes they worked harmoniously side but side, but Nikki soon felt the weight of Momma Mahina’s gaze on her. The question was in the room without anyone voicing it. Nikki tried to keep her gaze averted, but Mahina’s eyes were like magnets. When their eyes finally locked, there was so much love and concern in Mahina’
s face that tears leapt into Nikki’s eyes.
“What’s the matter, chile?”
I can’t do this, she realized. How could she possibly tell this woman that she’s been lying to her for the past year and a half?
“You’ll never guess who I found wondering around outside,” Rafiq’s boisterous voice boomed.
That magnetic connection dissolved and both women’s eyes swung toward the front door where both Rafiq and Hylan stood smiling at everyone.
“I figured I’d come over and see if you guys needed any more help. Plus, I heard you guys had breakfast.”
“Hylan!” Mahina dropped her broom and clasped her hands together. “You came.” She rushed over and wrapped her arms around him.
Rafiq frowned. “What about me? I’m the one that found him.”
Momma Mahina just rewarded her nephew’s pouting with a quick smack on his arm.
“Ow!” Rafiq said in an overly dramatic tone, acting like he’d just been shot by an AK-47.
“Nikki had me scared there for a minute.”
“Oh?” His gaze swept over to Nikki.
She looked away.
Rafiq started sniffing the air. “Is that pancakes I smell?”
“Uh-huh,” Lathan mumbled around his stuffed mouth. “Nikki brought it.”
Rafiq clapped his hands. “Lord knows I love a woman who knows their way around the kitchen.” He elbowed Hylan. “You’re a lucky man.”
“That’s what you keep telling me.” Hylan waited to see if Nikki’s gaze would float back to him so he could read exactly how he should play this situation. This whole thing was crazy, but the truth of the matter was that he did sort of feel sorry for her. She was having a serious streak of bad luck. She had been carrying on this charade for a year and a half—what was a couple more days until she left the island?
“You said you didn’t have breakfast yet?” Mahina asked, pulling him toward the kitchen.
“Can’t say that I have.”
“Nikki, chile. Get in that kitchen and fix your man a plate,” she ordered. Her tone made it clear that she didn’t want to hear any argument.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Mahina tsked and shook her head. “I swear I don’t know where that girl’s head is at.”
“Now that Rafiq and Hylan are here, they can help me get that roof fixed,” Lathan said in between smacking his lips.
“They go on the roof and you stay on the ground,” Mahina said, walking to the refrigerator and pulling out a pitcher of juice.
Lathan rolled his eyes.
“I saw that!” Mahina snapped, even though her back was turned away from Lathan.
Nikki slapped a couple of pancakes and biscuits onto a plate and then plopped it down in front of Hylan. “Here.”
The kitchen fell silent.
Hylan looked up, amused by her insolent behavior. “Mind if I get some syrup with this?”
Nikki’s jaw twitched. She reached across the table, grabbed the bottle of syrup and smacked it next to his plate. “There.”
Hylan’s smile slid wider. “Butter?”
Nikki rolled her eyes and stomped over to the refrigerator. A frowning Mahina handed her a stick of butter; Nikki accepted it with a smile, but it was quickly erased when she turned back toward the table. “There.”
Hylan’s eyes started twinkling. “And how about something to eat this wonderful food with, honey?”
“Are you for real?” Nikki huffed.
“Chile, what has gotten into you?” Mahina chastised, bringing Hylan a knife and fork. “I’ve seen farm animals treated better.
Hylan chuckled. “My wife is still a little sore at me for me for staying away for so long.”
Nikki blinked. She couldn’t believe her ears.
“Oh.” Mahina relaxed. “Well, I don’t blame her for that.” She smacked Hylan across the arm.
“Ow. What’s with all the hitting?”
“Just be happy it’s not my skillet, boy. There’s no excuse for such nonsense.”
Lathan and Rafiq bobbed their heads as they watched the drama unfolding as if it was the latest summer blockbuster.
“But now that you’re home,” Mahina continued, “I’m sure that you’re going to be able to work everything out because everyone in the quarter knows that this chile loves you.”
Hylan’s brows jumped at that bit of information. “Is that right?”
“Of course that’s right,” Mahina carried on. “She has to. The way she would go on and on about you, it couldn’t be nothing but love.”
Watching the smug and amused look in Hylan’s eyes, Nikki wished the floor would just open up and swallow her whole.
“The way you met and the way you proposed,” Mahina giggled. “Why I had no idea that you were so romantic. I bet after listening to Nikki’s stories all the women in the quarter are in love with you. The single girls and the married ones,” she chuckled.
Hylan’s ego inflated. “Well, when you have someone as beautiful as my wife, it just comes naturally.”
Nikki’s neck and face flushed a deep burgundy. It also didn’t help that Hylan was looking at her like she was a New York strip steak.
“Uh-huh,” Mahina said, catching their open stares. “I think that everything is going to work out just fine.” She winked at them and returned to her work.
After the men finished their breakfast, Lathan ushered Rafiq and Hylan up on the roof while Mahina and Nikki got busy working in the house and then out in the yard. As usual it was beautiful day—a tad breezy with the promise of rain later that night. For the first few hours, Hylan didn’t mind working with his hands, being a civil engineer he knew a little sumthin’ about putting things together. However, it seemed like most of the time he was just correcting Rafiq’s mistakes, even though Rafiq thought he was doing a bang-up job and couldn’t stop crowing about his work.
That afternoon, Momma Mahina ordered everyone off the roof so she and Nikki could serve them some lunch. Of course, she arranged it so that Nikki catered to Hylan.
He couldn’t help but be amused and he even got a thrill watching her squirm around him. She looked like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs and he was determined to milk the situation for all it was worth. “What’s the matter, sweetie?” he asked, pulling her down into his lap while she was trying uncap his bottle of Heineken.
“Hey, what are you doing?” she asked, in a whispered panic.
“Hmm? What’s the matter?” He nuzzled her neck, loving the scent of mandarin, iris, vanilla and even a hint of sandalwood. “I thought you liked playing make-believe?” His mouth moved over to nibble on her earlobe. “I thought you wanted to convince everyone that we were a happy, loving couple?”
Nikki’s eyes dropped low when he found one of her G-spots right behind her ear. “I-It’s not that. It’s just that…that, oh God.” Against the curve of her butt, she could feel the effect she was having on him. To say that she was surprised at just how low he was hanging would have been an understatement.
“Get a room,” Rafiq heckled and then barked with laughter.
Jarred back to reality, Nikki sprang up from Hylan’s lap and rushed back into the kitchen. Her face was so red that it looked purple.
Hylan chuckled and continued eating.
“See whatcha done?” Momma Mahina smacked her nephew on the back of the head. “Enough from the peanut gallery.”
Lathan shoved another drumstick into his mouth and shook his head. Clearly he knew when to keep his mouth shut.
However, Hylan wasn’t through messing around with Nikki. When they all returned to their cleaning up duties, he made sure that at every chance, he would either sneak a kiss, cop a feel or whisper lurid things he wanted to do to her when they returned home. All just so he could watch her squirm like a nervous ninny. Plus, he liked kissing and touching her—which was no surprise. She was a beautiful woman.
A voluptuous woman.
A tempting woman.
And, unfortuna
tely, a crazy woman.
But then again three out of four wasn’t too bad.
A few hours later, just when Hylan thought they would be able to call it a day, a Mrs. Lyttle showed up, telling Mahina and Nikki about some damage to her property during the storm, and the next thing Hylan knew they were all headed over to her place.
“Sooo. You finally remembered you had a wife and decided to come back home, did you now?” Mrs. Lyttle asked, her small eyes raking him up and down. “You should be ashamed of leaving a sweet girl like Nikki here all by herself for so long. I don’t care how handsome and rich you are.”
Having never met Mrs. Lyttle before, Hylan didn’t know how to react to her freely offered opinions.
“Take my word for it, money can’t buy you love. And it’s clear to everyone with eyes that this woman here loves you.”
Hylan pulled Nikki close against his sweat-drenched body. “So everyone keeps telling me. But you don’t have to worry, Mrs. Lyttle. A love like ours will triumph over a little thing like distance. I’m hers for as long as she’ll have me. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?” He pressed a kiss against the top of her forehead.
“Of course, darling.” Nikki’s heart fluttered. She wished that he would stop grabbing her all willy-nilly. It was playing havoc on her emotions—more so than she would’ve imagined. But maybe, just maybe, after pretending to be married to the man for so long a small part of her blurred the lines of make-believe. She squirmed out of his arms. “I better go help Momma Mahina,” she said and took off.
She heard him chuckling behind her, but she didn’t care. She needed to put as much space between them as she possibly could. It was the only way she could think clearly anymore. The fact that she’d brought all of this on herself didn’t really help that much. Neither did the fact that he was doing all of this to help her save face. Hell, the whole situation had her confused. She didn’t want him to tell anyone the truth, but she couldn’t take him pretending to be her loving husband. Nikki had meant it when she said their marriage was better when he wasn’t around.
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