No Coincidence

by Tiffany Patterson

“I’m thinking about how someone should’ve taught you not to walk up on people, surprising them like that,” I retorted as I spun around to face Destiny.

  She giggled. “Girl, what’re you so jumpy about? You’re surrounded by family.”

  My mind went back to the creepy emails and messages I’d been sent earlier in the week. The last few messages were scarier because the person writing them had references specific locations I’d been at, or what I was wearing on a day of the week when I hadn’t posted on social media. I looked around, avoiding my cousin’s gaze.

  And as my eyes moved to the other side of the patio, they instantly locked with Connor’s. Another reason I was feeling uneasy. Even my damn dreams, as vivid as they’d been, hadn’t compared to the real life version.

  “How did your meeting go?”

  Destiny’s question pulled me back to her. “What meeting?”

  “The one you refused to tell me about.”

  I blinked. “Oh. That one.” I shrugged. “It went well, I think. Still waiting to hear back from them. If they send over a contract that meets what we discussed, I’ll send it to my lawyer before agreeing to anything.”

  “And your financial advisor to make sure they’re paying you what you’re worth.”

  I grinned. “Of course. If it gets to that stage, I’ll definitely be pulling you in to help negotiate the final numbers.”

  “I know you will. I saw your latest post on fall sweaters. Loved it.”

  Smiling, I adjusted the leopard print sweater I was wearing, emphasizing that it’d been one of the sweaters I featured on my blog that week.

  “It looks good on you, but then again, there’s not much that doesn’t.”

  “Thanks, sis.”

  “Girl bye, you know you look good. I’m loving this fall weave you’ve chosen.”

  I did a hair flip. “She cute, right?”

  We laughed just as Patience with one of her youngest twins on her hip joined us.

  “Let me guess. This is Thiers,” I stated, leaning down and smiling at the baby. If I remembered correctly, he was close to eighteen months.

  “Yup. I would ask how you know, but he’s the clingiest of all of my children,” Patience laughed. “He’s always on my hip. Even the baby isn’t as clingy.”

  I grinned and shook my head, because Patience and Aaron also had a daughter they named Anastasia. She was the youngest of all the children and was probably somewhere with her father while Thiers stuck close to his mother’s side.

  And just like clockwork, as if we were taking too much of his mother’s attention, Thiers squirming.

  “He’s hungry. Excuse me,” Patience uttered before rushing off.

  “Resha, loved this week’s post,” Michele commented. She was another one of Destiny’s sisters-in-law.

  “Thank you.” I smiled across at her. “I love those braids,” I commented on the long, chestnut braids she’d had installed since I last saw her.

  “Thanks, I needed a change. I can’t remember the last time I got my hair braided.”

  “They look great on her, don’t they?” a deep male voice interrupted.

  No one was surprised to see Carter pop up behind Michelle, staring down at her lovingly, with a twinkle in his cerulean eyes just before he pressed a kiss to his wife’s cheek.

  “Then again, my lady would look good with no hair on her head whatsoever. I’m a lucky man,” he complimented while wiggling his blond eyebrows.

  Michele stared at her husband, a light rose color making its way on her caramel cheeks as she ate up his compliments. I stared down into the can of Diet Coke I still held, something tightening in my chest.

  “All right, you two, that’s enough of the love fest, break it up,” Destiny admonished.

  Carter chuckled and pressed another kiss to Michelle’s cheek before heading in the direction of the birthday girl, who was still being indulged by her grandfathers.

  Those men love hard.

  “They sure do,” Michele and Destiny stated wistfully, at the same time.

  I blinked, not even realizing that I’d stated my thoughts out loud. Thankfully, neither woman had noticed the longing I heard in my own voice. They were too busy eyeing their spouses across the room. That was also when another tall, blond male just so happened to look up and turn my way, catching my gaze.

  His glare was hard, penetrating, as if he could see right through me. I loathed that feeling above all else, and, I averted my eyes once again, looking down at the Diet Coke.

  “That was a great topic on this week’s podcast. I love that you ladies are doing a whole divorced series for women on how to bounce back with their finances,” Michelle stated, bringing my attention back to her.

  I nodded. “Yeah, we get so many emails from women going through a divorce or separation who’ve let their spouses handle the finances for years and just don’t know where to start.”

  “It’s surprising that in this day and age how many women are so willing to turn over financial responsibility to their husbands that easily.”

  Destiny shrugged. “It makes sense if you think about it. In most households, women are still shouldering the role of being the primary caretaker, homemaker, and holding down a full-time or part-time job. With all of that burden, it just seems easier to let their husbands take over managing the money.”

  “Burden?” I questioned with a raised eyebrow.

  Destiny rolled her eyes. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

  Michelle giggled. “I know you didn’t. And I get it. Carter is totally the hands-on type of father, loves cooking, and truth be told, he’s even a little cleaner than I am. I think it’s a result of his time in the military. He still folds all the clothes very nearly the way he was taught in the army. Anyway, what I’m saying is we share the duties in the house, but I could see if raising our kids were left mainly to me along with keeping the house clean and managed … well, I’d feel utterly overwhelmed with managing the finances on top of that.”

  “Right, and that’s exactly where many of the women who message us are coming from. Not all, of course, and things are changing. More marriages seem to be evolving to a true partnership but there’s still a ways to go.”

  “And is that why you’ve yet to take the plunge?”

  I tossed my head backwards. “Oh, here we go,” I groaned at Destiny’s question.

  “I’m just saying.”

  I made a long, suffering sigh.

  “Resha, are you dating anyone?” Michelle decided to chime in.

  “Ah man, y’all are as bad as Aunt Donna.”

  They both laughed but that didn’t end the procession of questions.

  “I’m just saying, marriage can be a beautiful thing. Maybe it’s time for you to rethink this whole celibacy thing.”

  I parted my lips to respond to my cousin, but a deep chuckle behind me had me pivoting on my heels, staring directly up into the hazel eyes that I’d been trying to avoid since he arrived.

  That damn look. He wasn’t shy about the fact that he overheard our conversation and knew my secret.

  Clearing my throat, I turned back to my cousin.

  “Connor, hey, I didn’t know you were stopping by,” Destiny spoke up.

  I blinked as a pit began to form in my stomach. How the hell did these two know each other?

  “No other place I’d rather be than a one-year-old’s birthday party,” he responded, sarcasm filling every syllable.

  Michelle and Destiny giggled.

  “This lame made it a point to stop by because I would kick his ass if he didn’t,” Joshua added from out of the blue as he approached Connor’s side.

  Connor’s head angled down at Joshua, who at a few inches over six-foot was tall in his own right, but Connor had to be at least six-foot-six, ensuring he towered over just about anyone standing next to him.

  I love tall men.

  Why the hell my subconscious thought it was appropriate to remind me of that damn fact remained a mystery.

>   “Have you met my cousin?”

  I bit back the groan that wanted to escape my mouth as Destiny eased beside Connor, looking in my direction. I could see in her eyes what she was doing.

  “We’ve made our acquaintance.”

  His eyes never left my face, and all of a sudden I could feel my body temperature begin to rise in spite of the cool breeze coming from outside.

  I cleared my throat and looked over at my cousin, avoiding Connor. “I need to go to the bathroom.”

  “Oh, we were just about to cut the cake and open presents,” Kayla stated breathlessly as she joined our circle with Victoria in her hands.

  I gave her a pasted-on smile. “I’ll be quick.” I didn’t pause for a reaction or a response, and I turned and made my way back inside and down the hall toward the first floor bathroom.

  ****

  Connor

  Well this is an interesting turn of events, I thought as I watched her ass sway from one side to the other in the dark denim jeans she was wearing. I didn’t even bother hiding my ogling of her backside. I’d barely spoken a full sentence to her since I arrived, but it was time to change that.

  “Save a slice of cake for me, will ya?” I told Josh without even looking before moving in the same direction as that ass.

  “Don’t tell me …” he mumbled.

  “Then I won’t,” I retorted prior to exiting his presence.

  I’d been to Josh’s house before so I didn’t need any directions on how to find the bathroom—assuming, of course, that’s where Resha went. I was right on the money when after only walking halfway down the long hall, I saw none other than Resha exiting the bathroom door.

  “Imagine running into you here, Pilar,” my words somehow came out on a growl.

  Stunned, those dark, coffee-colored eyes of hers widened, and the full, heart-shaped lips pinched before she spoke.

  “Or it is Resha?” I questioned while folding my arms over my wide chest. I couldn’t stop myself from looking her over. Her skin held the deep cinnamon color that I remembered from our night together; however, her oval face was bracketed by dark brown curls that were blonde at the tips. That night, her hair had been styled in a short, jet black bob that hadn’t even touched her shoulders. Naturally, I let my eyes dip lower to the leopard print sweater that silhouetted her ample breasts and stopped at the small waist. The jeans looked as if they were clinging for dear life as they hugged those bountiful thighs of hers.

  “It’s both actually,” she finally answered with her chin lifted as if she’d one upped me somehow.

  I approached, stepping closer, lifting an eyebrow and daring her to elaborate.

  “My middle name is Pilar. My first name is Resha.”

  Dropping my arms, I nodded in understanding. She hadn’t lied that night, not completely, when she told me her name was Pilar.

  “And what are you doing here, Resha?” Nope, I didn’t miss the way the vein in her neck doubled in speed at my mentioning her name for the first time.

  She took a step backwards, only to be met by the closed door she just exited.

  “Destiny is my cousin, not that it’s any of your business.”

  “If it wasn’t my business you wouldn’t have answered me.”

  Her eyes narrowed and I instantly recalled it was the same look she gave me that night after I told her I was going to fuck her to sleep. Defiance. And I felt my body react to it the same way in which I was reacting that moment. Sheer determination.

  “And what are you doing here, Connor?” She folded her arms over her breasts.

  My eyes dipped before returning to meet her gaze again. “A good friend of mine invited me to his kid’s birthday party.” I added a one-sided shoulder shrug.

  “You don’t seem like the type to make it a habit of attending kid’s parties. Or have many friends.”

  I stepped even closer, crowding her space. “I’m pretty certain that was supposed to be some sort of insult on your part, but I don’t insult easily. How long you been celibate?”

  She gasped and it pulled a chuckle from my lips. I had to keep going.

  “Was that vow of celibacy taken before or after I fucked you to sleep in my hotel room?”

  Another gasp. Her eyes were so large they looked as if they were ready to pop out of her head.

  “What the—” She stopped and didn’t say anything further before using one hand to push at my shoulder, as she made her way around me and charged down the hallway.

  Again, I watched the sway of her ass in those jeans. And try as she might to come across as genuinely offended, I spotted the quickening of her pulse and the way her bottom lip quivered ever so slightly.

  “Resha Pilar …” I murmured, wondering what her last name was. Of course, I had my ways of finding out. I made a mental note to do just that as soon as I had the time.

  Chapter Three

  Resha

  Was that before of after I fucked you to sleep in my hotel room?

  “Who says something like that?” I blurted out into the night air. It was a few hours after the birthday party and I was back home. Aunt Donna had chosen to stay the night over Destiny and Tyler’s, and we all had dinner together after the party.

  Now, after having made myself a tall cup of my favorite pumpkin latte, complete with whipped cream on top, I was taking time to utilize my favorite part of my condo—the balcony. Unfortunately, as I prepared to sit down on the white wicker loveseat, memories of my encounter with Connor flooded my mind.

  An instant chill ran through my body. I tightened the blanket I brought out with me over my body, although I knew that wasn’t the real reason for my body’s distress. Thinking the latte would help warm me from the inside out, I took a sip, and although it was good, I still felt as if I was missing something.

  … I fucked you to sleep …

  He truly had. On more than one occasion that night. I vividly recalled him waking me up after round one to go at it again.

  I sighed.

  For months I’d endured dreams of being in that man’s arms after only one night together. I’d had no intention of ever seeing him again. But just my luck, out of nowhere, in the midst of my cousin, my aunt, and even Destiny’s sister-in-laws questioning me on my decision to remain celibate, there he appeared.

  I had tried to forget that night with him. On busy days, I could do so easily. I filled my days with work, meetings, writing, social media postings, photoshoots, recording, and whatever else I needed to do. Or told myself I needed to do. But nighttime always got me. Even on the nights when I practically crawled into my bed with exhaustion, swearing this would be the night where my brain was just too tired to even think about dreaming of him. But I was the fool, because tired as I might have been, my memories of that one evening in New York with Connor always seemed to make their way to the forefront of my mind.

  I sat back in the loveseat and lifted my legs to place them on the low-sitting glass patio table, careful not to disturb the lavender candle that sat, burning at the center. My balcony space truly was my little oasis. As much as I loved my entire condo, working from home sometimes made it difficult to discern where work ended and my private space began. Though I had a space for my desk and office, I often worked in my bedroom, kitchen table, and living room. But the balcony was my getaway.

  I’d had it adorned with a cream-colored, fluffy throw rug, comfortable patio furniture—including the loveseat, table, and chair—my plants, of course, and I’d strung up an array of lights around the wall so it was perfect for reading at night. But now, my little sanctuary was being impeded with thoughts of a man I swore I would only have one encounter with. One unforgettable night, across the country. I’d been in New York during fashion week for a couple of appearances by some companies I was working with. I wasn’t new to working at fashion week, but after a late night meeting, I opted to stop in a random bar for a quick drink by myself. About fifteen minutes after I sat down at the bar, someone took the stool next to me, asking the ba
rtender for a beer. His voice had me hooked before I even saw his face.

  When I did, I knew it was time to go. From that angle, I could only make out his profile—which was, for lack of a better word, perfect. His long, strawberry-blond hair hung low, past his shoulders, but when one massive hand came up, swiping his hair out of his face, my gasp caused him to look my way. Lord, why did he do that?

  Those penetrating eyes of his were what I saw next, and the intensity matched the hard lines and planes of his face. Even in the darkened bar I could make out the five o’clock shadow that peppered his lower jaw and top lip. It gave a rugged look to his already handsome face. But he wasn’t handsome in the J. Crew model sort of way. The crooked line of his nose spoke to it having been broken at least once in his life, and the danger that emanated from his eyes backed up my assumption that this man was well versed in handling himself.

  He didn’t say anything for a long while, he just stared at me. And, had it been anyone else, I’m sure I would’ve found it creepy and awkward as hell. But there was no underlying macabre vibes involved in that first stare.

  “Thanks,” he said as he stared straight into my eyes.

  Wrinkling my brows, I parted my lips to ask what he was thanking me for, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement. I realized he was thanking the bartender for bringing him his drink, while still holding my gaze. I lowered my line of sight to see him toss the bartender a few bills, more than enough for his beer.

  “That’s for her drink as well.”

  I didn’t say anything, too caught up in trying to figure out what it was he was angling for.

  “What are you drinking?”

  I took another sip before answering.

  “An apple martini.”

  He grunted and chuckled at the same time. It was the sexiest thing I’d heard in a long time. So much so, that my thighs instantly clenched.

  “Figures.”

  I didn’t like that tone, however. “What figures?”

  “You’d be drinking a prissy ass drink like that.”

  Slightly offended, my head pushed back and I stared down at his drink. “What, instead of a real drink like beer?”