“How do you know about that?” she cried and then pulled the sheet up around her naked body. The guilt in his eyes was all the answer she needed. Kat.
“Look, she was just trying to help.”
Jayla propped herself up with her elbow. “Well I don’t want her help or yours. As I said before, I like my life the way it is. If you want to get together every now and again then that’s fine.”
“I want more than a few stolen moments. I want you.”
Her heart was pounding so hard. She wanted the same, but she just couldn’t bear to go through that again. “Steph, I’ve never lied to you. I was honest from the beginning about what I wanted. Why can’t you respect that?”
He shook his head. “Because I want more.”
She couldn’t believe how persistent he was regardless of how leery she was of relationships. “If you came here to change my mind then you’ve wasted your time.” Her gut clenched at the pain on his face. Her comment hurt him and she regretted it.
“Well, it was nice while it lasted,” he said with sarcasm, then rolled out the bed.
“Please understand. I can’t do relationships. I can’t pretend we have a future. I wanted a weekend fling and to live reckless for once. I never pictured you wanting more.”
“You’re right. Neither did I. I guess it was fun while it lasted.” Stefano then disappeared into the bathroom followed by a slam of the door.
As soon as Jayla heard the shower running, she buried her face in the pillow and cried.
By the time Stefano came out of her room. Jayla had stripped the sheets from the bed, put a load in the washing machine, and was in the kitchen making a cup of tea.
“I’ll be at the Holiday Inn until morning,” he said, voice hard.
She simply nodded, even though she had no intention of ever seeing him again. Rising, she followed him into the living room. Once he reached the door, Stefano turned, cupped her face with his hands, then leaned in and covered her lips with his. Jayla moaned and savored the taste of him. This would be the last time she would ever feel his warm succulent mouth again. Stefano finally released her and she stared up at him, tall and handsome, beautiful eyes beaming down at her and it broke her heart to know it was over, which was the reason why she hadn’t wanted to get involved in the first place.
“Me amo, mi armor.”
I love you, my love. Her heart clenched. How dare he tell her exactly what she had been waiting so long to hear. But at the back of her mind, she wondered for how long before he changed his mind?
Without another word, Stefano opened the door and then he was gone.
13
She never came to the hotel, not that Stefano was at all surprised. After returning to Las Vegas and spending the rest of his mandatory leave wallowing in self-pity, he met a couple of the guys from his unit at Top Down, a gentleman’s club a few miles from the strip. Pitchers of beer had been going around the table for hours, and he was long since smashed.
“I don’t understand women, Mack. I really don’t see how you and your wife do it.”
Roger Mack shifted on the barstool next to him and said, “It takes a lot of damn work. Communication is key. Why don’t you start by giving her a call?”
Stefano gave a rude snort. “I tried that. I told her I wanted to be with her. I even did the one thing I swore I would never do again—I told her I loved her and yet she still wasn’t hearing it.” He took an angry swig from the glass as the chain of events twirled in his head. He had even tried calling Jayla several times to let her know he had made it safely back to Las Vegas, but all attempts had gone straight to voice mail. He had never in his life tried so hard to prove to a woman how committed he wanted to be until now. Karma’s a bitch. All the years he’d spent loving and leaving had finally come back to haunt him.
“It sounds like you got your work cut out,” Mack said with a sympathetic grin.
He didn’t know the half of it. What hurt most was for once in his life he really was in love. Unfortunately it was with a woman who refused to love him back. There was no denying she liked him and was just as attracted to him as he was to her. The way her body came apart in his hands, how wet she got between her thighs were both dead giveaways. Unfortunately, Jayla still had that damn wall up and refused to let anyone get too close.
“Whatever happened to Tara? She was eager to be Mrs. Ortiz.”
Stefano frowned. “She’s nothing like Jae. Tara was too needy. Jae makes me work hard. and it is so worth it,” he said and hissed. “Dude, I lose my mind the second I see her.”
He shrugged. “Then don’t take no for an answer. Go see her.”
Mack made it sound so easy. If he thought he could hold her down, shower her with kisses, until he got her to see he loved her, he would be burning up the highway every weekend. If he thought she was the least bit willing, he would do everything he could to prove it to her, only that wasn’t the case. A man could only take so much rejection.
“She won’t even accept my calls.”
“Well if that’s the case, then quit calling her.”
“What? I don’t think I can do that. I’m going crazy thinking about her.”
“Yeah and it shows.” Mack took a swallow of beer before continuing. “I’m saying. Take a step back. You already put your cards on the table. She knows you want to be with her. Now wait for her to come to you. Trust me dude. I had to go through that with Jill. If you act like you don’t care, if she really wants to be with you, then she’s gonna come running.” Stefano hoped Mack was right because he’d definitely run out of options.
* * *
Jayla was losing her mind.
It was bad enough she hadn’t been able to think straight since she’d returned from the reunion, but now that she hadn’t heard from Stefano in over a week, her mind was a jumbled hot mess.
Jayla sauntered toward the parking lot feeling frustrated. Over the last few days she’d tried convincing herself if she stayed focused, and ignored his phone calls, she would eventually forget about Stefano and get back to her perfectly safe life, but it was the complete opposite. Instead, she didn’t care about the report she needed to review, or the contracts that required her attention, the only concern she had was that Stefano had stopped trying to reach her.
She knew it was selfish of her especially since she would have done the exact same thing after someone had thrown her love back in her face, and yet it didn’t make her feel any better, instead it only made things worse.
But isn’t that what you had wanted?
Maybe at first but over the last few days it hadn’t taken a great deal of effort to go through the motions of living, but she had loss the motivation, the will, the desire to get out of bed and go through her daily routine. The only thing that meant anything to her was those phone calls she had refused to answer, and now they had ceased.
She had done the right thing, she kept trying to tell herself. Stefano deserved someone better suited for him. A woman who was willing to trust and love without all the quirky hang-ups she had. Stefano deserved to find a woman who could love him as much as she did.
While Jayla climbed into her VW Bug, she allowed the word to roam around in her head. She loved Stefano. She loved him with her last breath.
As much as she had tried to fight it, for as long as she had tried to deny it, it hadn’t changed a thing. She still loved him, and now that he had stopped trying to reach her, she had realized just how much.
A jolt of lighting sparked through her body. What in the world was wrong with her? She was miserable without it, so why not be happy with him, especially since she wanted Stefano so badly. Jayla drew a shaky breath as she decided that without him life had no meaning. Not anymore. Her job, buying a house, none of that meant anything without Stefano in her life.
But was she worthy? That was the big question. She didn’t believe so but for some crazy reason Stefano saw something in her that she had yet to find. So didn’t she at least owe it to herself and Stefano to t
ry? Especially since they loved each other. A shudder ripped across her chest. It wasn’t going to be easy, but she was determined to start by telling him how she loved him as well. Surely that counted for something.
She deserved to be loved.
Now she just needed to start believing it, and never again settle for less than she deserved; a man, his entire heart, and commitment.
Everything Stefano had been willing to offer.
On the drive home, Jayla experienced her first smile in almost two weeks.
14
Stefano flashed his military identification card at the airmen standing at the main gate, then drove onto the base. It was another hot and humid day ahead and yet he had nothing planned for a Friday night except joining the boys at the gym.
He made a left at the corner and headed toward his unit. As the superintendent he had a meeting with the commander in less than two hours and still had a slide presentation to prepare. Also, several members of his team were scheduled for the shooting range next week and he still was waiting for his supervisors to supply the list of names. There was never a dull moment and yet that didn’t stop him from thinking about Jayla.
As he pulled into the parking lot, he spotted a small blue VW Bug and his heart did a somersault. It looked familiar but he wasn’t about to even allow his mind to venture there because it seemed as if everywhere he went there was always something that reminded him of Jayla. Stefano parked in his assigned spot then climbed out and immediately pulled his hat down over his head.
“Steph!”
He was halfway to the building when he swung around and his heart slammed against his chest.
Jayla.
Eyes locked, he closed the distance between them and then stood before her. Tilting her head, Jayla stared up at him.
She was wearing a peach sundress that hugged her small waist and beautiful breasts and there were white sandals on her feet. Her expression was blank, so Stefano had no idea what she was thinking or why she was even there.
“Hi,” she said, breaking the silence.
His breath caught. It took a hell of a lot of resistance not to scoop her up into his arms and kiss her. “What are you doing here?” he asked instead.
“I came to say hi,” she told him. “And to talk, if you’re still interested?”
Stefano swallowed. “It depends on what you want to talk about.”
“Us,” she replied in a low, raspy voice.
“Us?” His brow quirked. “I was under the impression there was no us.”
“I was wrong.” Jayla paused and drew a deep breath. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”
“And what have you been thinking?”
She took an unsteady breath. “That I’m an idiot. I’ve spent my entire life trying to be accepted and loved, only to be hurt and rejected by so many people. I thought if I hardened my heart I would protect myself from it, ever falling in love again. Only I can’t do that with you. Somehow you are in my soul, and all I want is to take a chance at having something with you I have never had before, but I’m scared,” she added as the first tear trickled down her face.
No longer able to resist, Stefano took her hand and tugged her close. “Querida, you think I’m not scared? I’m terrified. The only person who has ever cared about me is Ms. Phyllis. My mother and father both abandoned me. Do you have any idea how much that hurt?”
She brought a hand up and, soothingly, caressed the side of his face. “Almost as much as it hurts to have parents who wish you weren’t ever born. I’m so afraid of finding happiness, because I want it so bad. The need to love and be loved is so overwhelming, it’s frightening.” Her words came out in a choked whisper. “I was afraid of any type of relationship because I was terrified of getting hurt. But the last two weeks I’ve realized I rather have a day with you than a lifetime without you.”
Stefano swallowed hard, his chest tight. “I don’t want to hurt you. All I want is to love you, querida.”
“I know that now. Everyone isn’t the same and I can’t go through the rest of my life being afraid. Can we please start over?” she asked, and he heard the sob in her voice.
“We never stopped.” He leaned down and touched his mouth to hers and when she sighed, he lost it. Her hands slid along his arms as he deepened the kiss. Stefano drew her body closer with the need to protect her and never let her get away from him again.
Jayla kissed him back, letting the touch of their lips linger. “I applied for a vacancy in Nevada.”
Stefano drew back, her eyes were heavy and glazed. “I thought you loved Salt Lake City?” he asked, heart thumping wildly in his chest.
“I said I loved my job.” Her gaze locked with his. “But I love you more.” Desire gleamed in her eyes along with a shimmer of insecurity.
“I suppose you could love a job in Vegas as well,” he murmured as he pulled her into his arms and held her tight.
Jayla wrapped her arms around his neck. “Does that mean you still love me?”
Stefano brought his lips over hers in a kiss. He didn’t care who was watching. He didn’t care that his commander was waiting. He was happy and in love. By the time he drew back, she was gasping for air. “Does that answer your question?” he asked as he gazed into her eyes. “I love you, Jayla.”
“I love you, Steph.” A serious expression crossed her face, and he saw the emotion gleaming in her bright eyes. “Enough to pack my suitcase and follow you around the world.”
“Twelve more years and then I’ll retire. You think you could hang in there with me for that long?” He searched her eyes, making sure she knew the sacrifice it would require being married to an airman.
She scrubbed her face, wiping away tears running down her cheeks. “I think maybe I might be able to stand you that long,” she teased with laughter.
Grinning, he shook his head. “They’ll be no getting rid of me once you say I do.”
Her lips curved upward. “I do… I do… I do.” She laughed some more. It was a shaky sound, filled with emotion and tears. “So, now what?”
“We get married, buy a house…have some babies,” he murmured close to her lips.
“Babies?” She laughed. “I think I like the sound of that.”
There was no doubt in his mind, Jayla would be an amazing mother. “Yes, lots of beautiful babies. But for now, I’ll have fun just practicing.”
“When do we get started?” She purred.
“Right after I get done with a meeting with my commander,” he assured her.
Jayla’s watery eyes twinkled with interest. “Then, let’s go, because I’m anxious to get you alone and see my Mr. January take everything off. I think I might even have a few dollar bills in my purse.”
Chuckling, Stefano looped his arms around her waist. “You’re laughing now but I hope you know that once the calendar is released, every woman in America is going to want to have my baby.”
Jayla giggled. “Well, then it’s a good thing I came back to claim my man.”
“Yes, and now that you’re mine forever, we have a lifetime to look forward to.”
“Yes, we—” Stefano cut off her words with a long, intense kiss and when Jayla sighed, her body relaxed and he felt the weight lifting off her shoulders.
There was no longer anything standing in their way.
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ONE
Christina Holloway climbed out the passenger side of my new Range Rover with a frown curling her painted lips. “Why in the world would someone want to have a party in this old dirty warehouse?” she asked.
Leave it to my girl to turn up her nose.
“Christy, all I know is that this is where our client wants to celebrate her fiftieth birthday. She said something about retiring from this place several years ago,” I added as an afterthought.
“But the kitchen is probably gross,” Christina pouted, although she quickly fell into step beside m
e. “Are you sure we have the right address?” I could tell she was hoping I was wrong.
“No, it’s the right place. Remember the instructions said the building would have a red tin roof. And that’s a tin roof.” I noticed the way her eyes rolled upward before her shoulders sagged in defeat. Chuckling softly, I walked over to the warehouse door and produced a key from my purse.
“Claudia, I’m not sure about this place.” She was looking around like she expected the Boogey Man to appear at any moment.
As I turned the key in the lock, I looked over and said, “Trust me. I’ve known Pearson for years. He said looks are deceiving.” With that said, I pushed open the door. The power was motion detected so as soon as I took a few steps forward, the lights came on and the long narrow corridor was lit. “This place has been out of business for years.”
“I can see why.” Christina shuddered. It took everything I had not to start laughing. She’s so stuck-up that somehow I wonder how we have managed to be friends for so long.
“Come on Christy, you have to admit the building has character and charm, and it’s in much better condition on the inside.” I loved the old industrial look while she preferred everything traditional and timeless.
“I think we need to suggest something different.” She stopped and swung around. “Which client did you say this was for again?”
“Mrs. Mays. She’s a new client,” I mumbled without even breaking my stride. “Come on. I want to get this over with. The sooner we inspect the kitchen, the sooner we can go check out that new restaurant. I’m starving.” I knew mentioning food would do the trick. She loves French food.
Christina walked beside me, clicking her stylish lime green pumps against the polished concrete floor.
“At least the building is well-maintained.”
She responded with a rude grunt.
I had to stifle a laugh. When we reached the end of the hall and turned left, I pointed ahead at a pair of double doors. “That must be the room. Pearson said it’s big enough to hold a large party,” I said loudly. As soon as we reached the doors, I played with the knob.
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