by Linda Verji
It was only when he reached his own office that he realized that they hadn't spoken a word about Zoe. Yet, it didn't matter.
CHAPTER 20
Saturday midmorning found Aiko, Zoe and Shelley at Xclusive, a teen apparel store, picking out clothes. The blend of red, white and silver décor gave the store an artsy, non-cluttered and luxurious feel that should've been a draw to the pickiest of shoppers. Nevertheless, customers were few and in between - to the point where the store assistants outnumbered them.
The lack of clients was likely because of the staggering price tags on the selection of clothes on the racks. Aiko had almost had a heart attack when she'd seen the price of their t-shirts. Two hundred dollars? For a t-shirt? Shoot! Two people were born every day; a sucker, and someone to take their money.
Were it up to her, they would've gone to a cheaper store, but she didn't want to give the kids too much of a culture shock. Besides that, this store catered specifically to tweens and teens. Most of the outfits were therefore age-appropriate - which meant lessened the chance of she and Zoe fighting over her choices.
Aiko held up a checkered shirt, light-wash skinny jeans and a gray tank for Zoe's inspection. "These would go well together, right?"
Interest flickered in Zoe's eyes but she shrugged. "Dunno."
Bob, the store assistant, held up a white t-shirt emblazoned with England's flag and white denim pants. "These would look great with your complexion."
Zoe snorted and rolled her eyes.
"What about this?" Shelley held up a turquoise dress. "It's just like the one Sasha Obama has."
Zoe made a face. "I'm not wearing something that some other kid has already worn."
"Good." Shelley said cheerfully fitting it to her slender frame. "I'm taking it."
Aiko was glad she'd left Seraphina at home. She couldn't imagine having to deal with Zoe's sulking as well as her daughter whining for clothes she couldn't afford. Already, it felt like she was on the verge of exploding.
"Zoe, you have to pick something otherwise you won't have anything to wear except the few that you and your dad chose." Aiko reminded her, "Your dad already told Gertie to get rid of the rest of your wardrobe."
Zoe simply stared at her.
"Okay, if you don't want to pick some clothes, then I guess our trip is over." Aiko started to hang the clothes she was holding back into the rack. "Where would you girls like to go for lun-"
Zoe snatched the outfit from Aiko's grasp before she finished her sentence. She also grabbed the outfits Shelley and Bob's choices, to Shelley's protests of 'I called dibs', before stomping off.
"You're going the wrong way," Bob called out to her. "Changing rooms are to the left."
Aiko had to stifle her smile as Zoe turned back to shoot them all a dirty look before changing directions.
"Can I have another turquoise dress like that one?" Shelley asked the shop assistant as he led them to the rest area.
"Are you sure you want to get the same exact outfit as her?" Bob shot a frightened look in the direction of the changing rooms.
Shelley nodded enthusiastically. "Yes."
Aiko was sure that Bob was worried that Zoe would bite Shelley's head off. Aiko wasn't. She'd noticed that though Zoe was forceful, Shelley's bubbly, innocence hid a steely core, and she rarely gave way to Zoe's bullying. Besides, anyone who could hang with Zoe and not be influenced into skipping school or misbehavior had to be pure steel.
After Bob left, Aiko and Shelley settled on the couch waiting for Zoe. Aiko asked, "So, Shelley, How long have you and Zoe's been friends?"
Shelley grinned. "Since we were in pre-school…"
It took time for Zoe to come out of the changing room. In that time Aiko learned that Shelley's father was a hedge-fund manager and her mother was a socialite. The girl didn't come right out and say it but Aiko read between the lines; Shelley's parents were too busy with their own lives to make space for their children. It also seemed that her brother, Knox was picking up their slack. He was practically raising his sister even though he was only two years older than her.
Aiko had always thought that having plenty of money meant that you had plenty of time to dedicate to the things that really mattered in life - like family. Apparently, she was wrong. She felt bad for Shelley, but she kept it out of her expression. From personal experience she knew that having people feel sorry for you, only made everything feel one thousand times worse.
Their conversation was cut short when Zoe emerged from the changing room wearing the outfit Aiko had selected for her.
"Oh wow. That looks amazing," Aiko complimented. "The jeans fit you perfectly."
Zoe didn't say a word but her small smile as she stared downwards at her pants said it all.
"The jeans looked great." Shelley gasped. "I want a pair too."
"No," Zoe protested as she edged toward the mirror to inspect herself. "We can't be twinsies. And don't think I didn't hear you telling Bob to get the same dress as mine."
"I'm still getting the jeans." Shelley laughed.
"What do you think about the shirt?" Zoe asked no one in particular as she straightened the collar of the shirt.
"Everything looks great on you, but it looks a little too dark for the jeans." Aiko inclined her head as she watched Zoe. "I think I saw a lighter shirt but with the same pattern in the rack."
Zoe acknowledge the advice, but when Bob came back, she asked him to get her the shirt.
Despite the vaguely sulky air that Zoe maintained throughout, the shopping expedition was a success. She took Aiko's suggestions often, something Aiko never would've thought possible considering their interactions just weeks ago. They did have a few run-ins when it came to shoes and underwear, but Aiko was firm enough that Zoe surrendered to her. Plus, it helped that she was the one holding the credit card.
It was almost four by the time they tiredly dragged themselves into the BMW. Despite Aiko's reluctance to accept the sedan, Zoe had practically gone on knees begging her father not to force her into Aiko's 'crappy' car. What if one of her friends saw her? Frankly, Aiko thought being forced to ride in a 'crappy' car would do the girl some good. But last night, Damián had convinced her very, very nicely to use the BMW. She smiled as she recalled how convincing his tongue had been.
"Ms Aiko," Shelley broke into her thoughts. "Can I come for a sleep-over."
"No," Zoe interrupted before Aiko could answer. "I've got a lot of homework to catch up on and you'll distract me." When Shelley's face dropped in disappointment, Zoe rushed to pacify her, "But I'll ask my dad if I can come over to your house tomorrow."
"Okay." Shelley's expression brightened.
It was only after they dropped Shelley off at home that Aiko figured out the real reason why Zoe didn't want her friend to come over.
"When will my dad let me have my electronics and the rest of my furniture back?" Zoe asked from the backseat.
Ah! So that was the reason! She was too embarrassed to host in an empty room. Damián's strategy was working.
Keeping her eyes on the road, Aiko said, "Your dad said that if you finish this whole week without swearing at anyone, you can choose one thing to get back."
Zoe grinned. "It's Saturday…"
"Only one more day," Aiko agreed with a ready smile. She didn't have the heart to remind Zoe that if she swore at someone next week, she'd lose what she'd chosen again.
They arrived home to find Archie's silver Mercedes parked in the forecourt. Zoe rushed in first to greet her grandfather who was in the family room. After a cursory greeting and exchange of some small talk, Aiko went in search of her daughter. She found her in the pool with Emily keeping a watchful eye on her.
"Mommy." Seraphina vaulted out of the water to give Aiko a wet hug before jumping back into the pool. "Look at me."
Aiko gave her an indulgent smile before sending Emily off on a well-deserved break. Seraphina wasn't the worst kid out there but she could be a ball of energy and extremely tiring. Aiko kicked off her
shoes and settled on a pool lounge watching her daughter.
It was there that Archie found her.
"I thought you might like something to drink." He came to a stop beside her. When she turned her head, she found him carrying two glasses, one with a colorless fluid and the other with a brown, bubbly liquid that looked like coke. He confirmed, "Coke."
She straightened in the pool lounge to take the offered drink. "Thank you."
"So I heard you went shopping with Zoe," Archie settled in the pool lounge next to hers. "Did she give you trouble?"
Aiko sipped her drink. "Not at all. She was a perfect angel."
Archie seemed amused by her remark and broke into laughter.
"What’s so funny?"
"Perfect angel." Archie continued to laugh between his remarks. "I've never heard anyone calling her that."
"She's changed," Aiko felt compelled to defend her future step-daughter.
His eyes still twinkling with amusement, Archie admitted, "I have noticed a difference in her. She seems… calmer. What's the secret? Grass?"
Aiko laughed. "No grass."
"Then what?" he asked, staring at her over the rim of his glass. "What have you done to her?"
"Don't ask me." Aiko shrugged. "This is all Damián."
"No. I don't think so." Archie shook his head slowly as his gaze skated over Aiko from head to toe. "I think it's all you. You look like the kind of woman who could change someone. Even a man."
The way he looked at her as he said the words sent a tinge of alarm and discomfort through her. It was the look of a man flirting with a woman. Or maybe she was imagining flirting where there was none.
"You give me too much credit," she replied with more pep in her voice than she was feeling and a tight smile.
His eyes centered on her lips. "You have a beautiful smile."
Oh, yeah. She wasn't mistaken. He was flirting.
And she had to put it to a stop. She looked at her wrist, realized she didn't have a watch but still said, "Oh, look at that time. Sera-"
"Don't leave." Archie reached between them to wrap his fingers around her wrist.
"Mr. Colter-"
"Archie. Call me Archie." He rubbed his thumb over the inside of her wrist.
"Mr. Colter," she said firmly as she forcefully jerked her hand from his grasp. "You have the wrong idea about me."
"No. I don't think I do." His voice lowered until it was almost a whisper. "A beautiful woman like you shouldn't have to deal with children like Zoe. You're meant for so much more." The way his gaze lingered on her breasts had her skin crawling. "What is Damián paying you? I can give you so much more for more…" He smiled wolfishly."… enjoyable work."
"Thank you for the offer." Aiko lifted to her feet and straightened her skirt. Her voice was arctic-circle icy when she added, "Don't ever make it again."
"Aiko, please. Why don't-"
"Seraphina," Aiko turned to her daughter who was still splashing away in the pool and called out sharply, "Time to get out."
She could feel the older man's eyes on her as she toweled her daughter dry, feel the heat in his gaze as he tipped his glass to his lips. Fortunately, he didn't say anything more and when she left with Seraphina in her arms, he didn't follow.
CHAPTER 21
Aiko was so angry, she thought her head would explode. She stomped up the stairs angrily. It wasn't Archie's hitting on her that had pissed her off - every woman got hit on. What pissed her off was that just a few weeks ago he'd introduced her to his companion - or whatever Nicole was. What kind of woman did he think she was to sleep with another woman's man?
Men! She kissed her teeth as she bathed Seraphina. Even more irritating was his implication that nannying was a subpar job and that sleeping with him (or whatever he was implying with those disgusting looks) was somehow better than good, honest work.
By the time Damián got home at around six, she was still steaming on the inside. She kept up appearances all through dinner, joining in the conversation and laughing where needed - but apparently he was becoming a master in her moods.
As soon as they were alone in her room, he asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." She started to move away, but he locked his arms around her waist and pressed his chest into her back.
"It’s not nothing." He arched his head to kiss her temple as his hands stroked her tummy over her dress. "Tell me."
Somehow being in his arms seemed to ease her anger. Leaning back into him and closing her eyes, she heaved a sigh. "Damián, it's nothing."
He turned her in the circle of his arms until they were eye to eye. His dark eyes probed her. "Tell me."
The determined glint in his eyes told her that he'd poke and prod until she did. So she confessed, "Your father hit on me."
Immediate anger flared in his eyes as his arms dropped away from her. "He did what?"
His anger was enough to make her immediately doubt the wisdom of having told him about what his father had done. Their conversation yesterday had given her a glimpse into how precarious his relationship with Archie was, and she should've taken that in consideration before blubbering.
She quickly backtracked. "It wasn't really a big deal. In fact, I could've misread it. Maybe he was just being friendly."
"No." Damián shook his head slowly, his eyes growing impossibly darker with rage. "You didn't misread it. This is exactly the sort of thing he'd do." He started for the door. "Don't worry about-"
"No. No. No. Don't go." She stopped his movements with her hands on his waist, pulled him back. Good God. The last thing she'd intended was for him to go rushing off at midnight to confront his father. And certainly not because of her. Her arms locking around his waist, she pleaded, "It was nothing. I was mistaken."
"Aiko, it's not your job to protect him from me." He tried to move again. She moved her hands up to his back, locking him against her. His hands were fists beside his body and his eyes glittered angrily, as he growled, "Let go of me."
"No." She pressed her body to his and held on hard. "He's your father. I don't want you fighting because of me." Looking at him, she pleaded, "Let it go, please. Please."
It took a while but slowly, his eyes softened and his body relaxed into hers. His eyes glued to hers, he wound his arms about her waist and brought her closer to him. The meeting of their lips was as inevitable as a river flowing into a sea or the sun rising each morning. Cupping both her palms over his cheeks, she intertwined her tongue with his in a long, deep kiss that was meant to soothe as well as make him forget.
"Promise me you won't confront him," she asked when they took a breath.
His answer was to lower his head again for another kiss. The kiss soon turned into more, something more heated. Before Aiko knew it, Damián's hands were roaming all over her body in tune to their kiss; her neck, her back, cupping her ass, back up her spine, unzipping dress. She returned his kisses and touches with her own - his hair, his shoulders, his arms, his chest, unbuttoning his shirt.
Her trembling fingers worked on the buttons of his shirt, even as his worked on her dress lowering the capped sleeves down her arms. The fabric fell to gather at her waist, leaving her upper body covered by just her bra and pressed to his now revealed chest. Ah, how delicious it felt to have those heavy muscles pressed against her swollen breasts. The kiss became even more frantic as the heat between them rose another notch.
"Damián," Aiko gasped sharply when he suddenly lifted her with his arms locked around her thighs. She clung to his shoulders tightly as he carried her to the settee. He sat down with her on his lap, urged her to straddle him as he drew her deeper into their vortex of desire with a sweltering kiss.
Being so close to him was overwhelming. She was hot, on fire and every inch of her throbbed for more closeness. She tore her lips from his so she could finish removing his shirt. And while she pushed it down his brawny arms, he set her fire with little kisses everywhere; her forehead, her nose, her lips, her jaw, her cheek…
&
nbsp; She instinctively turned her head when his lips touched her scar.
"Don't do that," he murmured against the skin of her other cheek. His fingers on her chin, he turned face back to him. "Please, let me…"
Her insides coiled in tension, her breath caught in her throat and her muscles stiffened when he touched his fingers to her flaw. But she let him touch her. She watched his eyes, waited for revulsion to cloud them, steeled herself for it… But none came. His gaze remained steadily even as he asked, "How did you get it?"
"Iraq," she said shortly. "A guy lobbed a grenade at the ambulance I was driving."
She didn't mention that she wasn't alone in the ambulance at the time; that there were three other soldiers including Lincoln. She didn't mention that she hadn't even seen it coming, or that Lincoln had spotted their assailant just as he was about to throw the grenade. She didn't mention the crippling fear that had speared through her when Lincoln had suddenly yelled at her to step on the gas.
His reaction had saved her from certain death. The grenade didn't hit the ambulance, but its impact was enough to take out half the back of the ambulance along with the two other soldiers in there, and a few soldiers in the truck behind them. Some debris from explosion flew to embed themselves into Lincoln's back and head.
The only reason Aiko got away with just a broken leg and scar on her face was because Lincoln had thrown himself over her to protect her from the explosion. Her leg had healed, but her scar was still there - reminding her of the day she nearly died and of the man who'd saved her.
"I'm sorry," Damián murmured, drawing her from her gloomy recollections. "So sorry."
This time when he kissed her scar, she flinched but didn't turn away. On a hushed breath, she asked, "Doesn’t bother you?"
"Why would it?" He kissed it again. "If it bothered me I wouldn't have accepted your proposal. It reminds me of the strong, loyal woman you are."
