Hot Like Fire (Dafina Contemporary Romance)

by Niobia Bryant

  "Seems that way," Garcelle told her as she emptied the container of beef stew into a large pot on the stove.

  "She makes him happy."

  Garcelle stirred the stew as she looked over her shoulder at Kadina. "Yes. Being in love can make someone very, very happy."

  "So if my dad fell in love, would that make him happy again?" Kadina asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Garcelle bit her bottom lip as she turned the burner on low and placed the lid on the pot. She went to sit beside Kadina on the window seat. "I don't think that your dad is unhappy. He's just grieving. And that takes time, you know? You can tell that he loved your mother very much."

  "Would it be wrong for him to love someone else?"

  "Well, I think this is something you should talk about with your dad, sweetheart." Garcelle reached over to pat her hand comfortingly before she rose and walked back over to the sink to wash out the now-empty container.

  "Garcelle?"

  Garcelle turned the water off in the sink and turned to face Kadina.

  Kadina shifted her gaze from the window to Garcelle. "Is it wrong for me to want him to love someone else?"

  "No, no, baby, it's not wrong at all," Garcelle told her. "When my mother died, I was much older than you, but as much I missed her and as much as I knew my father missed her, too, I knew she wouldn't want him to spend the rest of his life alone. I bet your mother feels the same way. In fact, I believe she has the power from heaven to send just the right woman to him."

  "Really?" Kadina asked in obvious doubt.

  "Oh yes, honey. So, no dipping your little nose all up in your daddy's love life." Garcelle winked at her playfully to lighten the mood.

  "You sure? 'Cause I think you might be just what my daddy needs," Kadina told her, with confidence, as she rose and crossed her slender arms over her chest.

  Garcelle tossed her head and laughed until tears formed in her almond-shaped eyes. "Me?" she balked. "Oh no, baby. Nothing doing. Trust me. Your daddy and me? You are hilarious."

  Kadina strolled across the kitchen. "Don't you think he's cute? Ithink he's cute."

  Garcelle tossed her hair over her shoulder as she leaned her ample bottom against the counter's edge. "You know what? I will admit your papi is beyond cute."

  Kadina's grin widened.

  "But," said Garcelle.

  Kadina's grin dropped quicker than a bag of weights.

  Garcelle stroked her cheek. "Love you lots, Kadina, but your daddy and me? No way. No how."

  Kade rode his white Appalachian horse, Star, along the outer perimeter of the herd. He used the horse and his own skill to help guide the herd to the northern area of Strong Ranch.

  His muscles ached from the exertion, the sun beat down on his back and shoulders, and sweat made his clothes bond to his frame, but he loved it. He was focused on working in conjunction with his ranch hands and his brother to get the herd moved before nightfall.

  He wanted to get home early tonight and actually spend some time with Kadina. He also had some more unpacking to do. Walking around a house where most of the furniture was still covered with sheets and the rooms were filled with boxes didn't give one the feeling of home, which he wanted to provide for his daughter. Plus, Garcelle had been a good sport to work later than he'd first asked so that he could get the herd shifted.

  Garcelle.

  Kadina filled his nights with her daily adventures with Garcelle. He smiled and shook his head at the thought of Kadina talking with Garcelle's Spanish accent. It tickled him when she called him Papi instead of Daddy. And he came home one night to find her listening to merengue music in her room.

  All of that he didn't mind, but he had to draw the line at letting her loosen her ponytail to wear her hair like Garcelle or letting her learn how to belly dance like Shakira. A dance that Garcelle had demonstrated very well at Kahron and Bianca's wedding reception a couple of months ago. Very, very well.

  Her hips had almost hypnotized him that night. Left, then right, and then left again. Round and around. Clockwise and then counterclockwise until he didn't even remember his steps carrying him closer to the dance floor. Closer to her.

  Shaking his head for clarity, Kade motioned for one of the hands to move up and take his spot before he steered his horse over to Kahron, who was riding his own horse, Midnight. "Thanks again for helping out," Kade said as he made his horse match the trot of his brother's.

  Kahron had an odd expression as he placed his signature aviator shades atop his head. "Yeah, you thanked me already. It's no problem."

  "Oh yeah, that's right," Kade said, shifting his weight on the custom-made saddle.

  They rode and worked the herd in silence.

  Kahron dropped his shades back down over his eyes as he cleared his throat. "Something on your mind?"

  Kade frowned as he brought his horse to a stop outside the fence and watched the hands steer the cattle through the open gate. "Nah," he protested.

  "How's Kadina adjusting to the new house?" Kahron asked.

  "Pretty good, actually." Kade shielded the setting sun from his eyes with his hand. "Having Garcelle around is making the transition smoother."

  Kahron nudged Midnight around. "Yeah, Garcelle is great."

  Kade swallowed a lump in his throat as he steered his horse back in the direction from which they'd traveled. "Yeah ... great."

  He didn't miss the sidelong glance his brother cast him. "I'm not about to lose another housekeeper, am I?" Kahron asked, referring to his startling record of hiring-and firing-fifteen housekeepers in a very short span of time. Garcelle was number sixteen.

  Kade shaped his handsome, square face into a frown. "What do you mean?"

  "Not trying to steal her away for good, are you?"

  Kahron squinted his eyes as he looked up at the fading sun. They took the lead, guiding the rest of the group across the grassy land.

  "Man, please. We just started having civil conversations," said Kade.

  "Good. Because I don't think I can take another housekeeper hunt." Kahron steered his horse to the front as they neared a narrow trail. "With Bianca working so many hours at her practice and doing her share at her father's horse ranch, we need the help."

  "Everything okay with the newlyweds?" Kade asked as the trail widened, and he steered Star beside his brother.

  `Just not feeling so much like typical newlyweds since we got back from our honeymoon."

  Kade nodded in understanding at the long look his brother gave him. "Oh."

  Kahron reined in his horse. Kade rode ahead a bit before he, too, stopped and looked over his shoulder at his brother. "What's the holdup?"

  The dozen or so hands came to a stop as well. Kade frowned as Kahron waved them on. "What the hell?" Kade muttered as his brother rode back toward him.

  "How in the hell do you do it?" Kahron asked before Kade could even open his mouth to question him.

  "Do what?"

  "Man, Bianca and I hit a dry spell for a couple of weeks, and I'm frustrated as hell. You haven't seen, smelled, touched, tasted, or been near a woman for years, and you're cool as can be!"

  Kade laughed a little to shake off the slight embarrassment he felt.

  "I'm not judging you or saying you need to find something to screw,"said Kahron. "I'm just asking what techniques you use to get it off your mind. Help a brother out."

  Kade shrugged. "Rolling over to the other side of the bed when it is cold has a way of softening thi jigs.

  Kahron released a heavy breath. "I guess I just need to adjust to married life. Going from twice a day to once a week is a helluva switch, you know."

  Kade laughed and slapped his brother on the shoulder. "I got two words for you, little brother. Cold ... shower."

  "A cold shower?" Kahron balked. "Hell, I can think of another way to get wet that don't have jack to do with a cold shower."

  Kade cleared his throat playfully. "Speaking of jack-"

  "I asked you to teach me something I don't kno
w." Kahron flung his head back and laughed so loud that it bounced across the woods.

  Garcelle and Kadina were in the den, laughing over rerun episodes of In Living Color, when Garcelle saw something appear at the window and then disappear. Garcelle rose from the sofa and made her way over to the window. She looked out into the ebony darkness of night. Her mouth twisted into a frown at the sight of a package, which was illuminated by the porch light.

  "Is that my daddy?" Kadina asked from behind her.

  "No, not yet," Garcelle called over her shoulder as she made her way to the front door to open it.

  "Now what's this all about?" she asked aloud at the sight of the package and a balloon sitting there.

  She bent down a bit to open the card attached to one of the curly ribbons at the base of the balloon.

  Kade-

  Just a hint of things that will go down between us ... in due time. Call me at 555-0000.

  XOXOX0v

  Garcelle slapped the small card closed, with an eye roll. She straightened back up to her full height and eyed the pink and white box as she crossed her arms over her chest. I wonder what is in that box.

  She was just reminding herself that it wasn't her box to open when Kade's SUV pulled in front of the house. Her eyes shifted from the box, and she watched him climb the stairs to the porch.

  Nearly every inch of his uniform and his Timberland boots were dusty. Sweat had thinned the fullness from his curls-curls that were now plastered against his head. There was a streak of something dark and caked across his nose.

  Despite all of that, the man's good looks could not be denied. Like it or not, her pulse raced, and she felt something electric touch every part of her body.

  "Is that for you?" he asked as he reached the top step.

  Garcelle shook her head. "It's for you," she told him softly as she lifted her hands and twisted her hair up into a knot.

  "Me?" he said in obvious surprise. He squatted down and took the lid off the box.

  Garcelle leaned forward to peer into the box as well. She made a face of disgust.

  "Damn," Kade said in a drawn-out fashion as he lifted a mini-whip and massage oil out of the box of tricks.

  "Tricks from a trick," Garcelle muttered under her breath. She was glad Kadina hadn't come out and found the box first. How would she explain the gargantuan chocolate dildo nested in the bottom of the box?

  "Huh?" Kade asked, looking up at her as he dropped the items he held back into the box.

  Garcelle shook her head and feigned confusion. "Nothing."

  "Is this from you?" he asked as he rose to his full height.

  Garcelle cocked a brow. "No disrespect intended, Kade Strong, but you must be out your-"

  Kade held up his hands. "Why don't I just read the card before you flip?"

  "Yes. Do that," she told him, with attitude.

  Kade actually chuckled before he read the card and then tore it in half. He scooped up the box. "You want any of this before I toss it?" he asked.

  Garcelle held up a hand.

  "It's all new," he joked, with a twinkle in his warm brown eyes, which lit up his face.

  Garcelle almost dropped four of her fingers.

  Kade laughed as he made his way down the stairs, with the balloon floating in the air behind him. Without hesitation or a pause in his movements, he dumped all of it into the large garbage container sitting in the front of the house.

  Garcelle was surprised by the move. She bit her bottom lip as she watched him make his way back up the steps and onto the porch. "Didn't you want your ... gifts?" she asked him, her accent heavy.

  Kade shook his head as he came to a stop in front of her. "If I was looking to get involved with a woman-which I'm not-it wouldn't be one who sends a man sex toys."

  Garcelle nodded in understanding.

  Kade moved past her to walk into the house. He paused in the doorway, and Garcelle looked up at him. There were just inches between them. Inches that were infinitely filled with power.

  "Thanks so much for helping out with Kadina," he told her in that masculine voice that was everything good: a hot toddy during a bad cold, great sex, sweet and hot double chocolate, a foot massage after a hard day of work, winning the lottery...

  Garcelle swallowed a lump in her throat. "You're welcome," she said as she fought off her awareness of him.

  "Do you want me to follow you home?" he asked, as he'd done every evening since she'd taken the job.

  "No, I'll be fine. I'll call, like always, to let you know I got home okay."

  "Good."

  "I better be going," she said, turning to walk into the house.

  "Garcelle."

  She turned at the sound of him saying her name. Her eyes locked with his. ". Si?"

  "I was only joking earlier," he said, with a smile. "I didn't ever think you sent that box to me. Trust me."

  Garcelle nodded and smiled playfully. "I didn't think you were crazy."

  Kade flung his head back and laughed, and the light from the porch bounced off of his silver curls. "You don't bite your tongue, do you?"

  She shook her head. "Never."

  They fell into a comfortable silence.

  "Listen, I better warn you," she said suddenly. "T he ladies feel like you're open for business since you moved back in your house. Your little gift tonight is just the start of it. You are the talk of Holtsville."

  Kade looked disbelieving. "Me?" he asked, pointing to himself.

  Garcelle shook her head. "Don't pretend like you don't know you're cute, Kade Strong."

  His eyes locked on her, and she saw them fill with hesitation.

  "I'm not feeling you like that," she balked, reaching up to pinch his arm. She tried not to notice the steel beneath her fingertips. "In fact, I'm probably one of the few single women in Holtsville who ain't on the prowl."

  Kade sat down on the top step of the porch. In the quiet, the sounds of night creatures echoed loudly. He dropped his face into his hands before he wiped his eyes and then dragged his long fingers through his soft hair. His eyes were troubled as he looked up at the full moon, which seemed three times its normal size.

  Garcelle moved from the doorway to sit on the top step, beside him. She licked her lips as she knocked her leg against his. "There's nothing wrong with not wanting to get over your wife. I think it's beautiful how much you loved-"

  "Love," he stressed.

  "Right." Garcelle touched his arm lightly. "My father hasn't remarried since my mother passed away, and it's been close to five years," she told him. "Now, I won't say that I don't want him to find love again, but it has to be in his own time ... just like you."

  Kade shrugged. "I'm just sick of people making me feel like I'm crazy out my ass because I'm not out sexing women and acting a fool. Damn, can't a brotha just chill?"

  Garcelle nodded, but her mind was momentarily stuck on something else. Did he admit he hasnt had sex since his wife died? Garcelle pursed her lips. I feel for the woman he drops all that pressure on.