《A Taste of Spring》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 PROLOGUE ra Warner picked up her towel and water bottle. She walked toward the door with a smile on her face as she waved goodbye to the women in her spin ss. She hadn''t connected with any of them to the point of calling them friends just yet, but she had hope, and they all seemed nice enough. "See you Thursday, ra!" ra turned her head to see who said her name. It was Sarah. ra''s smile spread wider as she offered the woman a personal wave. "See you, Sarah!" There was an extra bounce in ra''s steps as she walked toward her car. The early morning breeze felt nice, she was losing her freshman "twenty", and her attempt to join the living was working. She was kicking anxiety''s ass. "One day at a time," she sang as she stepped up to her vehicle in the virtually empty parking lot. She parked the furthest from the gym in the strip mall to add more steps to her fitness step counter. "Excuse me. ra?" (What a deep sexy voice.) ra spun around to see who was talking to her, but before she was able to see a face, she was grabbed from behind, and something soft was pressed over her mouth and nose. Her attacker quickly pulled her close and wrapped her in an embrace that squeezed her arms close to her body and kept the covering on her nose and mouth. A strong chemical smell permeated her nose, and she could taste it on her tongue. ra couldn''t move her face away from it. She couldn''t move at all. She tried to open her mouth to scream; she tried to fight, but it was no use. She was held too tightly, and every breath she managed to take carried the chemical into her body. But still, she tried. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! As ra''s eyes grew heavy and her thoughts drifted, she faintly remembered that she needed to get away. She had a test tomorrow? Chapter 2 Chapter 2 SPRING Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. The chimes of her ringing cell phone rankled Spring Lafayette''s nerves. She turned her attention from the passing scenery of city life and settled back into the backseat of the taxi. Spring nced at the cell phone in her hand then up at the rearview mirror. Her eyes met the driver''s gaze through the reflective image. The driver, a young woman with purple hair and considerable patience, smiled. Spring offered a half smile as she worked on calming her pounding heart which overshadowed the continuous ringing of her phone, but not enough for her to ignore it. She groaned as she tapped the answer button. "Listen Springy, I''ve thought about it and you don''t have to do this." (Yes, I do.) "Don''t make it out to be a big deal, Summer." Spring tried to sound confident. "We talked about this already." She waited for her sister''s response but whatever Summer nned to say was reced by the sound of muffled coughing. The hacking cough continued for at least thirty seconds before it died away. (Yeah, I have to do this.) "I can handle my boss," Summer attempted to say, but it came out as ament-coughbo. Spring sighed. "I know you can, and I can handle this. How hard can it be?" Spring''s thumb hovered over the disconnect button. "I''ll call you if I need to." She pressed the button before her sister could say anything that would freak her out more than she was already. Spring moved her finger over her email icon. She opened the email her sister forwarded to her and went over the information she needed to pull this "thing" off. ¡ñFavorite color: Green-Her gray short dress fit the bill perfectly and brought the green out in her hazel eyes. ¡ñHair: Off face-Her hair, in long thin box braids, was pulled into a messy, stylish French braid. ¡ñMakeup: Minimal-Spring never wore much makeup when she wasn''t working-a little mascara, a little liner, and a touch of lip color fit the bill. Spring closed her eyes and counted to ten as she took in, then let out slow even breaths. She attempted to calm her racing mind and dispel any assumptions about her sister''s line of work or the guy she was meeting. Escorts are not paid pieces of flesh. They are intelligent, respectable people who provide companionship for clients who have no time or desire to search for it. Clients are generally not hard up perverts who just want to get the escort naked. Most of the time they are just regr people with normal lives who for whatever reason decided to bypass the game of dating. It was not a practice of Spring''s to get so involved in her sister''s life, but she owed Summer and she meant to pay her back, or start a payment n of sorts, and taking her ce on this date was the beginning. Spring''s cell screen flickered with her sister''s image as it started to ring again but she ignored it. She looked out of the car window to the bar''s entrance and sighed. Meet him, engage him in conversation, and lift his spirits. That was what the paying client wanted for his friend, a man who had no idea that the client was not meeting him here. Instead, the client hired an escort he thought was the seasoned beauty he chose, Brittney Goings, who was her big sister Summer Lafayette. Spring chuckled nervously as she pushed her taxi door open. As she got out of the car, she pushed her cell into her wristlet clutch, then zippered the small bag. "Thank you," she said to the driver then shut the door. "You want me to stick around for a while?" The woman had gone above and beyond her duty by actually allowing Spring to sit in the back seat for over fifteen minutes, pumping herself up enough to get out of the taxi. "No, I''ll be fine. Thanks again," Spring said to the driver then halfheartedly waved. The woman gave Spring a salute before driving off. The sounds of the vehicle driving away and the uncertainty of downtown after dark gave Spring the push, she needed to walk through the parking lot toward the bar/restaurant named Murie''s. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 DEZMOND Dezmond took another long drink from his beer. A light touch on his shoulder had him looking around but it wasn''t Fallon. Of course, it wasn''t his friend, even though he was about twenty minuteste already. "Can I get you anything else, Dez? Another beer?" The waitress smiled. She''s new, Dez thought when he focused on her pretty face. What was her name again? "No thank you, Katy," he said, remembering at thest minute. He told himself to smile. When the smile she sported grew wider, Dez figured he looked genuine enough. "If you need anything at all, just let me know." Dez watched Katy walk away. She didn''t look back but he knew that she knew he was still watching her. The extra swing of her hips confirmed it. Shaking his head, Dez finished his beer then sat his empty ss back on the table. He sat against the wall in his corner, a little spot that was in the bar section of the establishment. It was the perfect spot to see the bar patrons at Murie''s. It was his grandfather''s spot and now it was his. Dez focused on the beauty who came inside about twenty minutes ago. He noticed her immediately. She looked to be taller than average height, but shorter than his 6''2". Her hair, tiny neat brown braids, was pulled away from her pear-shaped face; and while he couldn''t tell the color of her eyes from this distance they were surrounded by darkshes and he imagined they were nice. She carried herself with the poise of a dancer. Not to mention that she was killing it in that gray mini dress. (Damn her legs go on forever. Is she a dancer?) Dez shook his head. It was none of his damn business what she looked like or did for a living. Still, he couldn''t help looking over at her again. She sat at the bar, sipping on what looked like wine. It didn''t escape his notice that she looked to the door a few times then looked at her watch as if she was waiting for someone. Of course, a woman that attractive would be with someone. But...maybe she was waiting for a friend too. (Women are disastrous to your sanity and career.) Dez stood. He wasn''t going to waste another minute waiting for Fallon. The jerk. He had too many things to do. Though, if he was being honest, ''cause lying to oneself is in stupid, he had nothing to do but read more horrible reviews. "I hate critics," Dez grunted under his breath as he made his way to the doors. Murie''s was never crowded on Mondays so it was easy moving through the tables but he had to avoid the regrs who made the slow days their own just as he did. That was one of the reasons Dez loved Murie''s. The scent of food wafted around him, waking his hunger. It was a little after seven in the evening and he should eat, but it didn''t matter to him if he ate here or at home. Nothing much matters, Dez thought as he avoided a customer he often saw here. He nodded at the cute patron but didn''t slow for conversation. The pangs of hunger tugged at Dez a little more as he passed a few feet from the doors to the breezeway. Unlike the bar side, the restaurant side of the establishment was lively tonight. That side was usually crowded seven days a week but each side had its entrance, and they were connected only by a lovely trellis breezeway. The two groups of patrons didn''t have to interact and usually didn''t because you could order and have a delicious meal brought over to the bar. As Dez approached the exit, he picked up on conversations but one stuck out. "Come on sweetheart, I''m a really nice guy." "Look," the beautiful woman who caught his eye at the bar said, "I''m not interested. I just want to wait for my friends and drink my wine." Dez slowed just a bit so he could get a good look at the man who was talking to her. He and the guy were evenly matched in height. The guy was a little thicker but he shouldn''t be a problem if things got physical. The guy was a cad and she was obvious about herck of interest. "I can be your friend, baby. I can be all the friend you need." The guy shifted as if he was going to move to the stool beside her. Dez stepped in between the two before Mr. Admirer could get any closer to her and effectively blocked the guy''s view of her. At first, Dez was just going to advise the guy to take off, but as he closed the distance between him and the beauty, he was struck with awe and a burst of attraction that surprised him. Instead of just intervening, Dez reacted to her sinfully addictive scent by leaning close to the goddess with the prettiest light brown eyes he''d ever seen, so close that he could have kissed her luscious lips. He reached into his pocket. (God...those lips.) What was even odder than his behavior was the fact that she didn''t move back or push him away, so Dez took that in stride and grazed his lips over her cheek as if they were old friends. "I''m sorry. I didn''t see you sitting here." He lifted his cell, "I was checking the game scores." Dez nced over his shoulder, giving the guy a cold questioning look. "Who''s your friend?" Dez looked back at her. To her credit, the Beauty just looked at him. Not in a way that would suggest that she was thinking ''What the hell?'' but in a way that intrigued Dez. She looked at him with intense interest. "I''m not sure," she finally said quietly as she looked around Dez, but it sounded more like a question. Her gaze moved back to him. "Then, you have a table already?" "I do," Dez smiled. He offered her his hand to help her off the stool. He noted that she was taller than he initially thought, though he still had her by a few inches with her wearing ts. She was toned as well, and by the way her clothes fit her body, he knew that it was a work of art. Dez boldly took her hand and led her from the bar. He watched her to see how she would handle her admirer as she walked away, and her response was perplexing. She didn''t smirk, grin, or say something smart. The heavenly creature just lowered her head shyly as she allowed him to lead her away. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. When he got her to his booth, his previous thoughts of leaving, food, or Fallon were distant memories. Not even reviews or critics could pull him away from this moment. Dez was captivated, which was an unusual feeling that he was interested in exploring. Seated across from her, he gave the beauty his undivided attention. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 SPRING Spring stared back into Dezmond Ray''s gray eyes. The picture she''d seen of him in the email did him no justice. Dezmond was the prototype for tall, dark, and handsome. His hair was dark brown with highlights and it was short on the sides but longer on top. It was a mop of a mess that may have been styled purposely or he could have just rolled out of bed. Either way, it was a good look on him. "Thank you for stepping in there," Spring said as she looked over at the persistent pest who was looking over at them. Talk about perfect timing. Spring was just about to give up on the charade when Dezmond happened to walk over and rescue her. She couldn''t have nned things out better and now she was sitting with him, thanks to the creep at the bar. "He''ll stop looking," Dezmond said as he slid around the booth seating and settled beside her, "once he gets the picture. Do you mind if..." Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Before Spring was able to reply, he ced his arm around her and kissed her face gently, just below her lips. Obscenely close to her lips. His lips felt warm and so good on her skin that the kiss sent a tingle throughout her body that reached her toes then shot up to her core. If she moved just a smidge, she could taste his lips but she didn''t move. She allowed him to kiss her and move away without her moving an inch. "I don''t mind," she whispered. "Good. But if his attention is bothering you, we could always move to the restaurant next door. That way you won''t have to put up with me...touching you any further. I could wait with you there until your friends arrive or we can leave through the restaurant entrance and I can walk you to your car." Spring thought about leaving. She was so nervous and this was so not her. Summer said that she would handle her boss. Which meant that Spring could walk away and never see this man again. Except, Dezmond intrigued her. He was sinfully handsome and he must be a good guy for his friend to care so much as to go and hire an escort to cheer him up. Plus, she owed her sister and he seemed nice, so... "Honestly, I don''t have any friendsing to meet me. I was supposed to meet a person here but I was undecided if I wanted to go through with it." When Dezmond nced over to the creep at the bar Spring shook her head. "No, not him." She quickly added, "It''s not him." Dezmond chuckled and it was so light and unexpected that Spring found herself rxing a little. He sat back, breaking their close contact, and extended his hand low enough that no one could see it if they were watching. "I''m Dezmond Ray by the way but you can call me, Dez." When Dezmond said his name Spring almost sighed with satisfaction. She knew it had to be him, he resembled the picture but her nerves still had her second guessing. When she realized that he was waiting for her name, Spring thought quickly. "Uh, I''m Anna." She cringed inside because of the partial lie artial truth but pushed past it and ced her hand in his, thankful that his hand wasn''t mmy. "Now that that''s out of the way, are you hungry because I could eat?" Spring smiled again. He didn''t seem all that down and depressed to her but she decided to hold off judgment on that. He could be dying inside, and who was she to take first impressions so seriously? This gorgeous man could be in dire need of an intervention and it was her duty, her current responsibility, to help. Not to mention that she was doing this for her sister. Sisters sacrificed for one another. "I am a bit hungry," she admitted. Spring was so nervous about taking her sister''s ce tonight that she totally forgot to eat something earlier. Dez slid out of the booth with his hand extended for her to take. Spring took a second to think it over, but she ended up sliding out and grabbing his hand. She avoided looking at anyone, especially her "friend" at the bar, as Dez led her through the bar and out of the doors that led to the breezeway. He didn''t speak or look back at her as his long legs easily ate up the paved walkway. A whiff of food enveloped her as Dez opened the door to the restaurant. Like the bar, the restaurant had a contemporary, clean look. It was Spring''s first time inside the establishment and she couldn''t remember why she passed by the ce so many times without stopping in. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 They found themselves in a generous open lobby space where the street entrance and the breezeway entrance met. Wall seating and ottomans were ced throughout the lobby for waiting customers, and there were a lot of them waiting. Spring let her hand slip from Dez''s hold and slowed her pace. Estimating that they would have to wait at least twenty minutes, she focused on an empty space that would fit them both while Dez headed for the host. Spring made her way to the space as she mentally hummed the soothing music that was low enough to be considered white noise but was loud enough, she knew what was ying. Just when she turned to sit, she looked up and saw that Dez was waving her over. (Okay.) She made her way back to his side. "Would you rather a table or a booth?" "Either or," Spring said with a shrug. She moved to walk back to the seat in the waiting area before it was taken, but Dez gently took hold of her arm, so Spring turned back. A grin was spread across his beautiful face as he motioned for her toe with him. Spring followed but looked over her shoulder at the people waiting. Most hadn''t even noticed that they were being seated but a few seemed irritated with the development. Spring scrunched her nose up. She didn''t feel good about being seated before those who were waiting. She turned her head back around to say so and paused just in time to avoid a sh with a server holding a mountain of food. "Careful," the server said as he gracefully moved aside. "Sorry," Spring whispered as her cheeks med. "No need to apologize," the waiter said with a grin. He held her gaze as he backed away, winking at her before he turned around and continued on. Spring fingered a stray braid behind her ear as she lowered her eyes, feeling the heat that was spreading over her face. She would never get used to all the attention she got here in the city. At home, just about everyone knew her so there was very little fuss. Here in the big city, she was approached often and propositioned more than she liked to admit. "Second thoughts?" Spring swung her gaze over to Dez who was standing near a two-seat table. The worry in his eyes had her frowning. "Uh," she said as she walked over to the table, "I just almost collided with someone and...but no second thoughts." Dez pulled out her chair and Spring sat. "Good," he said as he sat across from her. She smiled, finding it came easy and it was genuine. Most of the time she had to force a smile for the people she surrounded herself with, but strangely not with him. Spring opened the menu and nced over the options. She was relieved that the menu wasn''t as long as a novel. There were just enough choices and descriptions to entice you and not drive you mad. She mentally made her choice then sat the menu down only to find that Dez was watching her. (Did he even look at the menu?) "Do youe here often?" Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Dez leaned forward and pursed his lips as if he nned to respond but the waitress appeared. She was a tall middle-aged woman with tired eyes but a wide smile...for Dez. "Hey there handsome," the waitress said to him. "I haven''t seen you in here in a while." Dez stood and hugged the waitress, answering Spring''s question. He was obviously a regr who has been missing in action for a time. "Oh, and who''s this beauty?" "Myra," Dez started as he eyed Spring, "this is Anna. She''s taking pity on me and joining me for dinner tonight." Though Myra looked tired, Spring felt her hawkish gaze appraising her from top to bottom. After a moment of silence, Myra leaned over and gave Spring an unexpected shoulder hug. "Well, thank you for taking pity on our Dezie," Myra said then straightened. "So, what can I bring you, sweetie?" Spring ordered a ss of water, the Salmon with bourbon ze, and a side sd; while Dez ordered his usual, whatever that was. "I''ll be right back with your drinks," Myra sang. She shook her head and smiled as she walked away. "So, you have a usual?" Dez chuckled. "I know the owners pretty well." Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Spring looked around the ce then settled her attention back on Dez. His face was alight with interest as he stared at her. If she didn''t watch herself, she might get lost in those soulful gray eyes of his. "Your friends have a really nice ce." "Well," he began but stopped when the server she''d almost knocked over appeared at their table. "Chris," Dez said, ncing up at the server. "Dezmond," the server gritted out. He ced a basket of bread, two wine sses, a ss of water, and a bottle of wine on the table then looked at Spring. His look of boredom was quickly reced with a winning smile. "Is there anything else I can get you?" he winked. "Anything at all." Amused, Spring started to tell him that she was fine but Dez answered for her. "Go away, Chris." Chris chuckled as he gave her a slight bow then walked off. "I apologize. Chris can be a bit immature." "It''s not a problem, really." Besides, she found Chris''s flirting adorable. He clearly wanted to ruffle Dez''s feathers. "I''m thinking eating here was a mistake." Dez looked over his shoulder. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Spring followed his gaze to an area where some of the staff were gathered. At least ten employees were talking as they periodically looked over at their table. Dez turned back to her, his brows furrowed. "I know we just met but what do you say we get this to go? I live just around the corner. We can eat, maybe hang out. I don''t know...I just don''t want the night to end just yet." Spring knew that going to his ce was a no-no. She didn''t know him and if this had been a chance meeting like he thought it was, she would never even consider leaving with him. Only, this wasn''t a meeting of chance. It was a job and she felt she still had to see it through. "You aren''t a murdering psycho, who cut up women and wear their skin, are you?" "Only during business hours. At night I''m just a regr guy." Dez reached into his pocket and took out what looked to be his wallet. He pulled out his license and slid it across the table. "You can trust that I won''t do anything crazy. Snap a pic of that and send it to your family and friends." Spring raised a questioning brow. "I know," he chuckled, "it''s little insurance but I just don''t want to say good night just yet." "Honestly, I don''t either," Spring admitted. "Great." Dez got to his feet and jogged over to the area where the gathering of employees stood. He said a few words to them then disappeared through a swinging door. Spring lifted the identification card and looked it over. She giggled when she read his middle name. Huckleberry? (Who in the world named him that?) Spring took an image of his license then sent it to Summer with a text saying that she was leaving with Dez. Almost immediately her phone chimed with the tone that signaled she received a text. Summer: You can''t be serious. Don''t go to his ce Spring: He''s nice. Stop worrying Summer: Famousst words. I''m gonna call Grams Spring: You tell, I tell Summer: Fine. He kills you and leaves a piece of candy on your body, I get your clothes. Win for me Spring: TTYL Summer: Whatever Right after Spring pressed the send key for herst text, a shadow fell over her. She bit back a gasp then sighed when she realized it was Dez. The mention of killer and candy in the same sentence must have gotten to her. "I settled with the kitchen and got our food to go. Do you mind sitting in the waiting area until our food is ready?" Spring shook her head, "No." Dez helped her with her chair then took her by the hand and led her back to the waiting area. Spring couldn''t help but add "considerate" to the mounting list of things she liked about him. They could have sat at the table until their food was brought to them but he knew that people were waiting to dine in. And he didn''t want the attention we were getting from the staff, her inner voice whispered, but she ignored it. She wasn''t sure what she expected when she decided to do this job, but she didn''t expect Dez to be as gorgeous as he was, as helpful, and as thoughtful. He definitely didn''t need a paid escort, because by the way the women, customers, and employees were eyeing him, he could havepany any time he desired. They didn''t talk as they stood in the crowded room waiting for their food to be brought out. Spring wasn''t sure why, Dez was certainly standing close enough to her to engage her in small talk. Instead, Dez just smiled whenever she looked in his direction. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach whenever their eyes met, so Spring did her best to avoid his entrapping beautiful gaze. That, along with the alluring smile that put his beautiful white teeth and dimpled cheeks on disy. God...dimples, Spring thought as she tried to focus her attention on anyone and anything but Dez. The customers who filled the waiting room talked about everything from food choices to the events happening in the news. It was all very interesting but Spring couldn''t concentrate on any of it. The only topic of interest was to her left, and his attention was pinned on her. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 DEZMOND Dez couldn''t take his eyes off the vision that had him pushing aside all the damn crap that was suffocating him over the past few months. Anna was an instant balm on his scattered mind from the moment heid eyes on her. (Anna.) Dez repeated the name in his head a few times as he unpacked their food. It was a fitting name and it was climbing up on his favorite names list. "Do you live in this huge loft alone?" Her voice slid over him like a soft caress, causing Dez to shiver. That sort of response to a woman''s voice was peculiar and it took Dez a full minute to shake off the unusual sensation. Once he did, he realized he hadn''t answered Anna''s question. When he looked up, she was watching him. "Uh, yeah, I live here alone." "Hmmm," Anna said. She turned around and looked at his bookcase. Dez continued cing their food on the tes he took from the drawer. He kept looking up, watching Anna glide around looking at this and that. With Anna inspecting his books, movies, and d¨¦cor, he felt strangely inadequate. Like he hadn''t read the right books, watched the right movies, or decorated his ce nice enough. After the tes were filled, Dez carried them to the table. He went back to the kitchen and grabbed the wine and two sses when he heard an ear-splitting scream. (What the hell?) Dez was taken aback; the wine bottle and the sses he carried wobbled in his grasp. He had to juggle to keep them from falling as he rushed to the dining room to peer into the open space of his common area. His heart raced until his eyes fell on Anna. She was fine, or rather, Anna seemed to look fine as she stood in front of one of his full-sized arcade games. She whipped around, excitement gleaming from her hazel eyes. "You have Gorbert? I love this game!" The smile on her face was mesmerizing. Anna''s enthusiasm made Dez forget that he was ready to kill to protect her. He smiled as he stared at her. (Damn, this woman is sexy, cute, and she likes my favorite game.) "Can we y?" Anna asked then turned back to the game and inspected the front. "Do we need quarters?" Laughing, Dez raised his brow as he watched her. When she turned back and red at him heughed again at the hopeful look in her eyes. "I rigged it to just start but it''s unplugged. Damn thing is an energy drain." He turned and walked back to the dining area, avoiding the pir he almost plowed into when he heard her scream. Dez nced over his shoulder and said, "Food is ready. Come eat, we can yter." When Anna came to the table, Dez was there to pull her chair out. "You don''t have to do that you know? Pulling chairs out and opening doors." She had a scowl on her face as she stared up at him. Dez locked eyes with her for several seconds. He loved that she didn''t look away; it showed she was confident. "The men you date, they don''t hold doors and pull out chairs for you?" He watched her curl aContent ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. stray braid around her finger then ce it behind her ear as she looked away. Ah, he thought as he took his seat, her past rtionships are not up for discussion. "It''s just not necessary for you to do, every time." Dez poured her wine first then his own before he straightened his posture and spoke with a proud tone. "I feel that manners and being a gentleman are very necessary, Anna. My parents raised me to value my role as a man and to appreciate a woman''s worth." He shrugged. "To do otherwise would not be in my nature." Anna was smiling but Dez noticed that when he mentioned his parents her smile faded some. She also started tapping her foot under the table. (Family issues too.) Dez filed that with all the other things he was discovering about this captivating woman. "So, you are an independent woman, who likes salmon and sd, and loves to y games that were popr before your time." "That''s about all there is to know about me," she said with a shrug. Dez smiled to himself, he knew there was much, much more to know. Anna lowered her head, for what he figured was to say grace, for several seconds, then lifted her full fork to her luscious lips. The idea of watching her eat was a tantalizing thought, but instead Dez began eating his braised beef, potatoes, and seasoned green beans. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 SPRING "I was wondering," Spring said after eating in silence for most of the meal. It was different-the silence- but it wasn''t an ufortable silence where she felt the need to fill it. When Dez nodded she continued, "Do you step up, ying the boyfriend for damsels in sticky situations often?" "Not habitually, no." He tilted his head as if thinking. A smile stretched out his full lips, allowing his sparkling teeth and sexy dimples to make an appearance. "I wouldn''t look the other way if a woman was being attacked, but usually I try to mind my own business." "But you didn''t tonight." Spring was curious to know why. He seemed to think about it before he answered. "I suppose there was something about you that made me want to be your...man." While Spring frowned at the answer, Dez lifted his ss to his lips and drank. "Do you have one?" "Have what?" "A man in your life?" Dez held her gaze, waiting for an answer. Spring''s frown deepened. Why would I go to a stranger''s loft, at night, and alone if I had a man? What did he take her for? She pressed her lips together and was about to ask exactly that but held her tongue. His question was probably not meant to offend. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Spring tilted her head and gave her best innocent pout. "Can we continue with the mystery? Keep our info, personal." Spring watched Dez closely for a reaction as she continued to eat. Would he get suspicious or freaked out? (Will he ask me to leave?) She was going to blow this. Great way to show your sister a bit of gratitude. Getting her fired. What Dez gave her was little to nothing. His face was a stoic nk te. He said nothing for a minute or so then he spoke. "Nothing personal tonight," he raised his finger in the air "but what we divulge, we answer honestly and I need to know one thing." "Alright," Spring agreed but tried to hide the fact that she was in full out panic mode, wondering what he needed to know. "Are you seeing someone and if you are, is it serious?" "Me having no one, that''s important to you," Spring said with relief. That could have gone a number of ways. "Yeah, it is," Dez said inly. (Must be those values he was raised with, and that wasn''t necessarily a bad thing.) "I''m not involved with anyone." Admitting that truth didn''t feel so bad or personal, so Spring went a step further. "I haven''t been in a rtionship for a few months." Dez smiled. "That''s great but...it also has me curious." "Nope." Spring shook her head then drank thest bit of wine in her ss. "Shut that curiosity down. Those are the rules." She ced her empty ss back on the table. When Dez attempted to refill it, she waved him off. "Light weight I''m afraid." "No shame in knowing your limits." He ced the wine bottle back in the center of the table and settled back into his seat. He nced at her nearly empty te. "How was your meal?" "Delicious. If I had known that the food was so good, I would have gone inside before tonight." "I''m d you enjoyed it. So, about these rules." Dez wiped his mouth with his napkin. "Would you care to share what they are with me?" Spring smiled. "I figure we can make them up as we go." Dez gave her the same nk look he had earlier. The one she was shit at reading. "What, you don''t like that?" "I''m not opposed to it, I just find it interesting." "You''re one of those types who likes to dissect everyone and everything." Did she manage to keep her disgust hidden or did it re just then? "Whoa," Dez said as he held his palms up, "That''s not me. I will admit that just about everything and everyone piques my curiosity in an, let''s say...educational way. But I judge nothing and no one, alright?" "Alright." She took a deep breath. "Ok, so can I use your bathroom?" Dez stood and moved to pull out her chair but Spring raised her hand to stop him as she backed away. She moved so fast that she almost knocked over the chair she was sitting in. Dez immediately backed away, giving her some space. "It''s behind that wall, the door to the right." Spring spun around. She hurried across the expanse of the open living space toward the ck brick wall. When she got close enough, she realized that the wall was just a separator from the rest of the loft, that you could enter his bedroom from either open side. She had to walk through his bedroom space to the far wall. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Spring avoided looking at anything in particr as she headed for the only other door in the entire loft. She immediately closed and locked the bathroom door then fell against it and sighed. "What the hell, Spring? Can you at least not act like a judgmental freak?" she whispered to herself. Spring pushed off the door and focused on her image in the mirror. She stared at herself for a few seconds then closed her eyes. "He''s nice. He''s smart. And you don''t have to make him like you." Spring opened her eyes and kept talking to her reflection. "But you want him to, for reasons you don''t even know right now." Spring quickly made use of the bathroom then found her way back to the dining table. Again, she avoided looking at the details of his bedroom. The dining table was now clean, with a gray and white vase in the center, almost the exact ce it sat before Dez moved it for them to eat. (How long was I in the bathroom?) As Spring mentally added up the time she was gone, the tune of her favorite childhood game sounded through the open room like a nostalgic musical lure. It called to her, pulling her toward the arcade game and...Dez. Who could forget Dez? He stood in front of the monster of a machine as if he were an old school gamer like her uncle Rio. The memories of Rio and how he loved everything to do with gaming flowed over Spring like a warm nket that held the scent of familiarity. Rio grew up in a time when arcade games were new and popr. He mastered most of the games he took an interest in. So, when he needed to findmon ground with two little girls who needed a positive male role model, Uncle Rio used games to bridge that gap. "Well..." Dez nodded her over. He raised his brow and gave her a wicked challengeced smile, revealing his sexy dimples once more. Spring shrugged as she wiggled her feet out of her shoes and ced them on the cool wood floor. As she walked toward her opponent and her all-time favorite game in the world, she didn''t offer him a warning. She didn''t throw out threats. Her uncle taught her early on that when a boaster lost, the impact was bigger. She didn''t n to lose, but when she yed, she yed with quiet confidence. "Ready?" Dez asked as Spring got reacquainted with the controls. She nodded as she rolled her shoulders. "Aww, look at you, getting into the zone." Keep talking, Spring thought as she pressed the start button. I can show you better than I can tell you. ---------- DEZMOND (Four times...she beat me four damn times.) In a slight daze, Dez reached for his remote as he flopped down on his sofa. He turned on the television, tuning it to his favorite news station as he nced over at Anna as she slowly made her way over to him. Her beautiful face had a worried looked as she inched closer. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Good, he thought, she should feel guilty. He still couldn''t wrap his head around the fact that she beat him. She spanked the hell out of him on his own game at his house. (A spanking sounds like a fitting punishment.) Dez allowed the idea, though it was a subject that he never entertained before, roll around in his head when Anna sat down beside him. It wasn''t easy to ignore his striking guest but he was feeling a little sour, so he focused as much as he could on the TV news. Dez half listened to the reporter who was on location at a park that was not far from his house. The reporter exined how there were few leads as to who murdered a lively young woman who was found there two days ago. The one and only lead the cops would reveal was a single piece of wrapped hard blue candy. Neither the candy wrapper nor the candy had any prints on it, and the candy was so common that the investigators couldn''t trace it back to anyone in particr. The case would normally intrigue Dez to the point of sleuthing, finding out everything he could on the matter, but Anna was too distracting. He looked over at her to see that she was watching him with guarded eyes. "I told you," he said for the third time, "it''s no big deal. It''s just a game." "I feel terrible." Anna twisted her lips in such a sexy damn way that Dez had to suppress a groan as he felt a warm feeling rush to his groin. "Well, you did wound my male ego." Dez tried to y up his hurt by giving her a sheepish look, or what he thought was a sheepish look. He never cared to y mind games with women, but for some reason, he didn''t mind working for Anna''s attention. "Only a kiss can ease my defeated soul." Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Dez didn''t think that anything woulde from thement. But looking at her... His mind must have shorted out because she couldn''t be thinking of kissing him. Anna must have been thinking exactly that because she was scooting toward him. Dez''s mouth damn near dropped open with shock. "Will you think less of me if I tell you that I''ve wanted to touch your lips with mine the entire night?" Anna whispered as she closed the space between them. Her eyes focused on his mouth. With her this close, Dez''s body started to war with his mind. He kept silently reminding himself not to make any sudden movements that would freak her out. He wanted this kiss. He needed this kiss, but he also needed to ease her fear of being judged. "I think you are a goddess, Anna." Dez got a glimpse of her smile before his brain was overrun with the anticipation of her physical closeness. Her soft scent infused him with raw animalistic need while his intelligent side reminded him that such beauty should be worshiped, slowly and carefully. When sheid her hand on his chest for bnce, a shiver ran through him with such intensity that he had to close his damn eyes and count to ten. Jesus, he couldn''t remember thest time he was this wound up over just being close to a woman. He felt the warmth of her lips on him before he finished counting. The jolting sensation of a sweet soft mouth sent an urgent instant message to his manhood. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. (Did I just moan like a teen kissing a poster of his celebrity crush?) Dez slid his hand around then up her neck, pulling her closer to him. (Hell, do I even care if I sound like a teenager in heat?) This put him at an angle to taste her better and that is exactly what he did. Anna tensed up but he couldn''t let her pull back just yet. He needed more of her. Dez slipped his tongue inside her mouth, linking it with hers. By her response to him, he could tell that she hadn''t done much kissing. That pleased the hell out of him. After a few seconds more, Anna rxed and even offered him a moan of her own. He was pleased, but he wanted more. He worked on her mouth as if she had the blueprints to his very survival somewhere deep inside her. "I need to touch you," he whispered around the kiss. Again, he noticed that she tensed. Damn it, Dez thought. He desperately wanted to feel every inch of her but if it wasn''t what she wanted... Just as he decided to back off, Anna climbed up over his legs and straddled him. His hand instantly found her naked thigh, caressing her bare smooth flesh. He could feel the heat from her core resting teasingly on his cock that pulsated and throbbed for release from the constriction of his pants. Common Sense, a pesky bastard that often had him choosing right when he so desperately wanted to do wrong, tapped him on the shoulder like an invisible obnoxious oaf with his two cents, while Dez continued to enjoy Anna''s tantalizing mouth. Common damn Sense was asking questions that his inventive brain would ask if he were writing this scene in one of his novels. (Why would a sweet gorgeous girl such as this allow you-a stranger she just met-touch her?) (Is she dying?) (She kisses like a novice?) (Is she fulfilling a bet?) (Does she have someone outside waiting for her signal to break in and rob me?) Dez worked through his internal queries immediately, one at a time. (I could totally pull a beauty like her.) (I''m a good guy and not all that hard to look at.) (If she is dying...who am I to deny this woman herst romp.) (I may have to draw the line at virgin.) (Bet...hmmm. Maybe, if she knows who I am but it seems unlikely that she does.) (Robbery...I hope not. Just got that television.) A husky whimper from Anna shut down allmunication with himself. Dez had no time to listen to Common Sense''s meddling opinions on anything concerning his restraint with Anna. He wanted her- this-too damn badly. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 SPRING Spring had no idea things would ramp up so fast from just a kiss. One moment she was feeling like an ass for beating Dez so many times, making him feel worse than he already felt. She was here to make him feel better. The next minute she was on top of him while he kissed her senseless. Heavens, he''s a great kisser. He was nothing like Troy or any of the other small number of guys she let kiss her in the past. At first, Spring almost ended the kiss, embarrassed that he would sense that she wasn''t good at this intimate stuff. But, by the way he held onto her, and the strength of his kisses, it was as if her inexperience didn''t matter. She was turned on...and her core-it was moltenva. When she felt Dez''s hand touch her leg, then slide up under her skirt and over her thigh, Spring felt a dizzying buzz of excitement. For the first time in her life, she felt like the pleasure of having sex might not be one-sided. Her stomach dropped the moment his hand made contact with the panties that barely covered her ass. He lifted her just a little with one hand while his fingers on the other hand trailed the inside rim of her underwear until they came to her core that she knew was soaking wet. "Dez," She whispered. Her breathing wasbored, her chest heaving. "Please don''t tell me to stop." He mumbled into her mouth as he slipped his fingers under the delicate fabric. "I want you so badly." Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! When Spring felt his finger brush against her vagina, her entire body shook with need. She rose to give him better ess, losing his lips in the process, but the move was worth the loss. His fingers slipped easily into her creases while his mouth was busy biting through the material of her top. Dez hungrily bit and sucked the fabric to get to her breast as he slid a finger inside her pussy. "Oh God," Spring cried out. Her need was bordering on desperation. You can have what you want, Spring, she told herself. You are living for yourself now. Dez must have had the same idea because he pulled his finger free, causing Spring to whimper, then he quickly unfastened his pants. He stared up at her with anxious but questioning eyes as he freed his cock. Spring met his gaze for a brief moment before her curiosity got the better of her. Her eyes lowered to the most glorious specimen of a male appendage she''d ever seen. It was long and thick with raised veins. The head was slightly wider than the shaft. It looked smooth with a sherbet-like color that made her lick her lips. Never before had she wanted to taste a man''s cock. She always had to be begged to perform the task, and even then, she was stingy with her favors. Because yeah, that''s what it was to her-a favor. Except, as Spring stared at Dezmond''s cock, all she wanted to do at the moment was suck the hell out of it. How is sex with him going to feel? Her thoughts shut down when she felt her underwear being ripped from her body. Dammit, she thought. Those were her favorite pair. "Will buy you a dozen more," Dez mumbled, as he gently pushed her aside and shimmied his jeans down his thighs and over his knees. He had her back and straddled on top of him before she could process what was happening. The fact that she had him so worked up, breathing hard and just as excited as she was, was intoxicating. "What about the..." Before she could even finish her question-one that she knew was important-Dez ced the tip of his cock to her opening. He held the monster that was all flesh and veins in one palm and her waist with his other hand. Dez pushed up and lowered her at the same time, impaling her in one skilled move. They both cried out. Dez called out a loud long grunt that held like a long note in a love bad. Hers was a gasp from the shock and pain of his intrusion. She was surprised that he plunged to the damn hilt and that she hadn''t been split in half. The joy she felt as he filled every inch of her, firing off pleasure sensors that she never knew existed, was almost too much. Spring''s body felt alien to her. She felt like she had no control, with too many thoughts and no way to express them. Overwhelmed with sensations that she felt sure she wouldn''t survive, Spring could do nothing to assist him. Herck of effort presented no setback for Dez. He tookplete control. He slid a little lower on the sofa and started to pump in and out of her with a steady rhythm that showed he was more experienced than she was. He moved with assurance and skill as he stretched her opening like a master of its domain. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Spring whimpered continuously as pleasure from his pulsing cock hit her inner walls and spread throughout her body. Her pleasure built until her whimpers grew into panting yelps, then from a yelp to a seamless call, then to a hoarse scream when the first orgasm hit her. Her eyes, shut till that point, sprang open. Her scream peaked just as the pleasure spiked. It seemed to last forever. Everything around her disappeared as her body drew in on itself only to explode outwards. When she came down, when the colors behind her eyes faded and she was once again able to focus, her eyes met Dez''s. The way he looked at her was confusing. She was spent but the way his eyes heated, his lips spread into a delicious grin, and the way his dimples popped, Spring knew that he wasn''t done with her. "Not a five-minute kind of guy," he breathed, "we''re just getting started." "Whoa," was the only word that Spring could manage as Dez lifted her off the sofa and kicked his jeans free. Her surroundings blurred as Dez quickly carried her to his bed, his cock still throbbing inside her. The jostling felt glorious. Another orgasm ran a short race through her. God, he didn''t even have to move to pleasure her. All he had to do was just flex his meaty cock and she would cum for him. No one should have that kind of effect on a woman. She was startled when Dez dropped her on his bed, him falling over her and almost dislodging his cock entirely. Thank goodness he didn''te out, she thought with shame. ----------Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! DEZMOND Immediately after cing her down, Dez was in position and pushing inside Anna''s tight wet pussy and starting that same sure rhythm he''d mastered. Just like before, she was unable to take him without crying out her pleasure. That was so intoxicating. Hearing her whimpers and cries was enough to have a man with less control shooting off but he was too greedy for that. He wanted all he could get from Anna. She called his name. She wanted him, and he was obliged to give her what she wanted. He focused on her face at that exact moment she was ovee. Her expression was almost enough to do him in. All he needed to do was let go. He wanted to follow her over the edge, to join her. He wanted to create a memorable moment ofpletion for them both. Except, another part of him wanted nothing more than to make itst forever. To feel her tight, soaking vagina clench and unclench its punishing grip around his length until the end of damn time. Pleasure spiked with every movement but Dez needed to stay focused. He couldn''t cum. He couldn''t release Anna or her body just yet. Dez silently worshiped her delicate beauty as she came undone again. He fisted his sheets as her walls squeezed, rewarding and punishing him so sweetly. "Dezmond!" Anna shook her head, panting as she stared up at him with awe. "Fuck," Dez grunted as he ground into her. She was spent. To speed up his release, hey on her, raised her ass with his hands, and buried his face in her neck. Her scent, her firm voluptuous ass in his palms, her pillow soft breasts smashed into his chest, the sounds of exhaustion and delight she made in his ear; Dez couldn''t hold on. He exploded. Anna''s body stiffened under him and her nails raked over his back. Dez cried out to the heavens as his body quaked. Never in his life did he experience something so raw, such pleasure, anything so fulfilling that he was louder than he could remember. Hey there, on top of her, boneless until he was capable of movement. When he raised his head, Anna was just opening her eyes. Dez couldn''t help but stare at her for several seconds before he leaned down and kissed her on the mouth. She weed his kiss and that made him rx a bit because, yeah, mentally he was wound tight. He never lost himself in a woman so fast. Not since... Dez shook the thought of Natalie before it took root. The kiss did the opposite of what he expected. He thought he could kiss Anna then roll off of her so that they could clean up. Not the case. The kiss did something that hadn''t happened to him since he was a damn teenager. The shocked look on Anna''s face said that she definitely felt him growing hard inside her again. The pleasured gasp that feathered over his lips when he slowly moved, oh so carefully, out of her then back inside, told Dez that Anna was going to let him make slow passionate love to her even though he''d just fucked her to exhaustion. "Anna," Dez said as he nibbled on her ear, "I can''t get enough of you." Chapter 13 Chapter 13 A FEW DAYS LATER Date two The bride, newly Mrs. Kenya Barrett, wore a backless form fitting sleek gown decorated with pearls. She glowed with such happiness that Spring felt it. Happiness was definitely contagious. "Would you like to dance?" Spring pulled her gaze from the happy couple and regarded Raheem Murphy. "I''d like that," she smiled as she extended her hand. Of course, she had to say yes. He paid to experience the perfect date. She was dying to get on the dance floor ever since the bride and groom''s first dance was done. Raheem, very attractive and seemingly well off by the look of him, hired Brittney Goings-her sister''s business persona-for this wedding. From his email conversation with Summer, Spring surmised that he was single, very particr, and intelligent. Spring and Raheem walked through the crowded dance floor hand and hand. She felt a slight tug so she turned to face Raheem. He offered her a million-dor smile as he pulled her close and ced his arm around her waist. Spring rested one of her arms over his shoulder and let him lead. He smelled amazing. There was something about a man who smelled nice, looked polished, and had manners. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. "So, Brittney," Raheem said. (His tone matches his appearance, she thought, dark, smooth, and desirable.) "Do you like being an escort?" Spring raised her brow then nced around the hall before turning her attention back on Raheem''s umber eyes. "Um," she said as he spun her, "I like it just fine." Spring moved her gaze to the couple closest to them, wondering if they heard him. "What?" he asked. "You don''t like people knowing what you do for a living?" No...she wouldn''t want people to know, but she wasn''t herself tonight. So, she thought of what Summer would say. Holding her head up high, she looked Raheem in the eyes and said, "On the contrary, I have no aversion to my profession. But my clients are usually more discreet with the terms of the agreement." "Our agreement," Raheem said, correcting her. "Yes," Spring agreed. "Our agreement." Raheem nced around them. He smiled at a woman dancing close by. "I am not hindered by what others think of me, Brittney. From our online conversation," he said, looking back at her. "I assumed that you didn''t either." "I...don''t," Spring said. "Of course, you don''t," Raheem said with a grin, as he dropped his arm from around her waist. Throughout the evening, Raheem seemed nice enough but also on guard. He turned to walk back toward the table, still holding her hand when the Cupid Shuffle streamed out of the speakers. Spring gave Raheem''s hand a little tug. When Raheem looked over his shoulder at her, she raised her brows and shoulders as she offered him an exciting hopeful smile. The hall erupted in cheers as people moved into positions around them. "Ahh, alright." Raheem let go of her hand and backed up until he was lined up beside her. "Let''s see what you''re working with," he teased. Feeling more adventurous, Spring moved with the music while adding her rhythmic vor. Dancing was something she and Summer took very seriously. Having taken modern dance, ballet, and hip-hop, and being dragged to every party Summer could find, Spring was ready to prove to Raheem that she was in her element. "I see you!" Spring grinned at Raheem as she walked it out with her added flourishes. Spinning, she sidestepped to the right then to the left with the crowd. Spring dipped low then snaked and swayed up into a slow seductive stance before shifting into the next move. "Woo," Raheem said as the Cupid Shuffle song died out and another song started. "I stand corrected." "Come on," Spring said with a chuckle. She took Raheem by the hand and walked him to their table. Both sat and picked up their drinks. "You looked good out there," Raheem said. "Real good." Spring watched as Raheem''s eyes slowly moved over her with appreciation. "I''m d you''ve recognized my skills," she said, shimmying her shoulders. To Spring, the conversation with Raheem flowed much better after their dance. They talked about all kinds of things. Raheem was actually the bride''s cousin. He was a physician, lived alone in a nice neighborhood, and was quite popr with thedies from the looks he was getting today. "Why are you single?" Spring asked. She turned her back to Raheem so he could hang her shawl over her shoulders. "I choose to spend my free time with my younger brother," Raheem told her as they started walking together. "So, dating can be a challenge. I just don''t have the time to invest in navigating the dating scene." He reached for the door handle and pushed it open. "I have someone who I''m intimate with, but we keep feelings out of it." Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Spring walked through the exit. She thought about what Raheem said regarding investing in someone, and she thought about her love life, or theck thereof. Not that she wasn''t ready to invest. Spring wanted to invest in the right guy, one who she imagined falling forpletely, head over heels. She didn''t want to be pressured into a rtionship that didn''t meet all her needs--mental, emotional, physical, social, and probably a few she didn''t even know about. She was tired of being pressured ording to what others felt she needed. Hell, her entire life she was basically pressed to do what everyone else thought was best for her; she internally grimaced against the thought of it. The look on her face must have reflected some of her thoughts. "What?" Raheem asked as he stepped in pace with her. Spring had to shift gears to return her attention to the topic at hand. "How does she feel about your setup?" Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! "Well, I try to keep it uplicated by separating that part of my life from my public life. That''s why hiring an escort for events such as weddings was more practical than inviting her. If the lines are blurred, there will be confusion." "Blurred huh?" she said, trying to keep her tone as neutral as possible as they passed through another set of doors that were open to the outside. She wished she could have met Dezmond without all the complications. Raheem motioned for her to sit on the bench just to their right. "You know, I wouldn''t mind driving you home but I know I will have to drive a few of my inebriated family members home. I didn''t hire you to be my designated codriver." Spring sat first then Raheem rested beside her. It didn''t escape her how much of a gentleman Raheem was. "Honestly, it''s fine. I wouldn''t be able to ept your offer anyway." Raheem stood as lights from a vehicle illuminated them as it drove around the curved drive. Spring pushed to her feet and moved toward the curb. "Well, beauty," Raheem said, "I enjoyed our night together. You made me the most envied man here, aside from the groom." He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek then opened the taxi door. "I enjoyed our night too," Spring said, touching his cor then smoothing her hand over his chest. She smiled then ducked into the cab. This escort thing isn''t too bad, she thought. ---------- A WEEK AFTER Date Three Spring nced at the man across from her, Allen Samuels, then quickly lowered her eyes. The dessert menu she was looking at hadn''t changed in thest twelve minutes. But she was so distracted by the way her date stared at her that she couldn''t focus. She sighed then looked up at him again. "Are you going to order dessert?" Spring asked. Allen, a middle-aged blonde-haired man who looked and seemed normal enough within the first ten minutes of meeting him, acted creepy ever since. His blue eyes seemed to find and follow her no matter where she moved-like the eyes in those odd paintings. "No," he said. His lips spread into a toothy grin. "Like dinner, I n to watch you." Spring swallowed. "Alright." As ufortable as she was, she had to ride it out. That''s what she told herself as she forced a smile. Spring ced the menu down in an attempt to signal the waitress that she was ready. "Would you like to talk now?" Spring asked. "While we wait," she added. "It''s not necessary." "Oh, ok." Spring was reaching for the menu again, to ce a barrier between her and the client when something moved beside her. She gasped, jerking away. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to scare you," the waitress said, lightly touching Spring''s shoulder. Spring looked into the woman''s eyes, and they widened as they stared at each other, seemingly asking more than what the waitress cared to verbalize. "I''m fine," Spring said, touching her hand. The waitress nodded. "Good," she said, ncing over at Allen. "Good." She motioned to the menu. "Did you decide?" "Yes. I''ll have the molten fudge brownie cake." The waitress took the menu Spring handed her and nodded before walking away. "Good choice," Allen said. "It''s gooey." When Spring looked at him, he was watching her with what looked like a twinkle in his eyes. She raised a brow but kept quiet. ording to his request, she was his to view for four hours. He even had a timer counting down. Though Summer never had the pleasure of meeting Allen, he was reportedly a high paying regr with Shush escort service. If Summer hadn''t told Spring that the other escorts reported Allen as harmless, she would have ended the date as soon as he started his peer-fest. But even with his longstanding rtionship with Shush, management always hired a driver to wait in the parking lot to drive Allen''s escort home when their time was up. Knowing that bit of extra security did little to ease Spring''s nerves. She failed to rx no matter how many times she tried. But, by the look of Allen''s steely gaze and the smirk on his face...he didn''t mind her being creeped out at all. (Date three...Eww) Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Two weeks after DATE FOUR Mr. Oliver lifted his cup to his mouth and took a drink. Sunlight reflected off his sses as he slightly lowered his head, pulled the cup away from his mouth, and sat it on the table with a shaky hand. "So, you are Summer''s little sister?" Spring smiled. She and Mr. Oliver spoke for over thirty minutes already. He talked about his wife mostly and she talked about...Dezmond. He was all she could think about still, a little over two weekster, so she shared. What they didn''t discuss yet was who she was. "Yes, sir. I''m sorry she wasn''t able to keep your date." "If she had, I wouldn''t have gotten to meet you." He winked. "How is she feeling?" Spring moved her stirrer around in her coffee. "Better. She should be out and about within a day or so. She just didn''t want to risk your health." "Mrs. Waltman, please..." Spring looked past Mr. Oliver to where a nurse was running after a woman who was presumably Mrs. Waltman. "Betty is a runner," Mr. Oliver said, looking over his shoulder. He chuckled. "I see," Spring said thenughed. "You''d be surprised at how many residents here can. Pudding nights, it''s like a circus." Springughed again as she imagined elderly men and women run amuck at bedtime because they were hopped up on pudding. By the way, Mrs. Waltman dodged the nurse, it was clear that the staff at the assisted living home had to be somewhat fit to keep up. "Mr. Oliver, may I ask how long you''ve known Summer?" Mr. Oliver sat back and looked up as if trying to recall an exact date. He smiled then focused on Spring. "I started as her client. She was going by the name of Brittney. You see, my wife ra passed a couple of years before then and I was still mourning. So, in my grief, I made a promise to my dead wife. "ra kept begging me to take up dancing with her when she was alive. I needed a partner and I had no friends, so I decided to hire a partner. Your sister and I danced together every other week for three months. The first dance ss of that fourth month, Summer refused to take another dime from me. Said that we were friends and friends don''t pay to spend time with each other." "Summer never told me all that." He shrugged. "Do you tell her everything?" Spring shook her head. "Well, there you go." Mr. Oliver tapped his leg. "That was two years ago," he said. "I don''t dance much anymore. But Summer still visits every other week." Spring was about to respond when a drop of water hit her arm. She raised her chin and moved her head back to look up into the sky. A drop of rain hit her face. "I''ll grab the drinks, you push," Mr. Oliver said. Spring stood just as Mr. Oliver grabbed hold of their drinks. She unlocked his wheelchair and pulled it and Mr. Oliver from under the table. The sky opened up as she ran, pushing the wheelchair as fast as she could to reach the wide French patio doors of the assisted living home before they were soaked. "Thank you," Spring said to a woman holding towels just inside the entrance. "Here you go, young one," Mr. Oliver said. Spring looked down to see him handing her the cup of coffee. "Thanks," she said, then looked around. "So, what do you all do for fun?" The room was full of people who were just outside in the beautiful garden. "If you''re any good at cards...," a woman said as she walked up to them. "How about it, Mr. Oliver? You any good at cards?" Spring grinned. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ---------- SPRING "For the love of God, Summer, cover your mouth," Spring begged. She gave her sister the sternest look she could produce and as always Summer waved her off. But instead of a look of dismissal, Summer''s face was pinched with irritation. It was a look that Spring hardly saw from her sister. "What all happened?" Summer asked for the hundredth time. When Spring didn''t respond, Summer added, "I''ll cover my mouth if you tell me." "You should cover your mouth because it''smon courtesy and good hygiene." Summer rolled her eyes then coughed into her hand that held a ball of tissues. It was a fake cough. Spring knew her big sister was never going to pick up the habit, not after twenty-four years of doing it her way. In the Lafayette family, you definitely had to pick your battles. "Nothing...I already told you." Spring pushed up out of the chair she imed as her own since moving into her sister''s apartment. It wasfy and used to be their grams. Being as she was her grams'' favorite, in her mind, the chair should be hers and not Summer''s. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 A single-year age difference and Summer thought she got to im dibs on the world. "You fed me the fricking basics, Two," Summer called out as Spring walked toward the kitchen. "Just tell me already." "I don''t have to tell you anything. I moved here to do me. To do what I wanted and not what everyone else thinks is best for me. And stop calling me Two." Spring hated the nickname. That gift was the only thing she resented from her sweet old grams. Spring was told on several asions how "Two" became her moniker. Apparently, she was stricken with the horrible tag on the day of her birth when her mother, "The Witch Who Shall Not Be Named" looked into her face and said "Spring". Her mother never gave a reason why she picked the name Spring, butmon sense would suggest that her mom named Summer over a year before and thought they were a matching pair so... Gramster said that she was so irritated by the Summer/Spring thing that she said, right there in the hospital room, ''You may as well call them Thing One and Thing Two''. It was meant as a joke, at least that''s what Spring surmised, but the tragedy was that it stuck like burnt grits. Now everyone in her family called her Two. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. "Unlike you, dear little sister, I don''t mind my nickname. It is amazing, like me." Spring looked over the breakfast bar that separated the small galley kitchen from the living room and saw the gloating look on her sister''s face. How she looked wless despite a red nose and watery eyes was beyond Spring, and honestly it was kind of creepy. Like "Pod-People" creepy, but that was Summer, bright, happy, and wless. "Ugh, I hate you." Spring opened the freezer and took out an orange cr¨¨me ice bar. She shed the wrapper and had the frozen goodness in her mouth before the wrapper settled in the garbage can. "Just share and get it over with. You know if you don''t, I''ll just keep bothering you until you do. Remember when you tried to keep your crush on Brett Murphy a secret? How did that work out for you? It didn''t. I know something happened" "Why do you think something happened?" Spring flopped back down on her chair and nced around the room for the remote. "Oh, I don''t know...you''re eating my ice cream and you never eat ice cream." Spring looked over at Summer who was syed out on the sofa, twisted and facing her, then to the mass of tissues, a half-eaten dried-up bowl of noodle soup, and the stack of fashion magazines that littered the coffee table. It was a week ago that she stepped in for Summer and went on a date with Dezmond, and Summer was still sick. Spring thanked God she wasn''t sick but she felt "off" ever since the Dez incident. She couldn''t keep her mind from reliving every moment she spent with the man that night. From the first moment she set eyes on him to thest look she gave him as she snuck out of his loft while he slept, Dez was in her head. Because Spring couldn''t purge her mind of him, she was distracted and doing things she normally didn''t do, like eating ice cream. Aside from the caloric deterrent, ice cream and Spring weren''t friends. They weren''t even on speaking terms. "I eat ice cream," Spring said, trying to sound convincing. She was definitely going to be paying for it later but whatever. Ignoring her sister''s continuous stare, Spring focused on the television. The entertainment news show was about a girl whose body was found in a park, in this city. At first, Spring wasn''t really interested in the story or the overdramatic host. She was more or less using it to avoid Summer, but when she heard the anchor mention a single piece of unwrapped blue candy, Spring gave the report her full attention. "ra Warner left her spin ss over a week ago. We can assume that she wasn''t thinking it would be herst time. When she kissed her mother that morning, I am sure she didn''t expect that some sick creep would hunt, rape, torture, then kill her." The host was way over the top with her news read. Spring rolled her eyes but continued to watch. "This animal has crossed a line that our society has set for these creeps who prey on us. He cannot be allowed to walk these streets. We," the anchor mmed her fist on the desk, "have to put an end to this tant, sadistic killer. It seems his reach is further than the police thought. Sources tell me that he may be responsible for a murder in Florida. That''s practically 900 miles away. My sources also say that the same blue candy was found in the victim''s mouth, just like with lovely ra Warner, Elizabeth Hart, and Genny Merkle." "Ow," Spring said as her head snapped to the side when she was hit by the pillow Summer threw at her. "You cow." Spring tried to catch her cream bar before it hit her shirt, smashing it against her chin and neck. "Look what you made me do." She gave Summer an usatory re before getting to her feet and quickly walking to the bathroom down the hall. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Spring could hear the sound of Summer''s bare feet on the hard floor behind her but Spring ignored it and the reflection of her sister that appeared in the mirror. "Spill or I''m going to..." (Sisters can be so fricking annoying.) "Going to what? You have nothing on me, cow." Spring tossed the rest of her ice cream into the sink then used a towel to wet and wipe her chin and neck. No more. She wasn''t going to be bullied. "Really?" Summer asked as she gave Spring a mischievous grin. "I see that Troy''s been calling a lot." Spring gazed at Summer''s reflection in the mirror. Spring''s eyes narrowed, her lips pursed, and her pulse quickened. "You wouldn''t," Spring hissed. "I would." The determined look on Summer''s face spoke volumes. Spring broke eye contact. She rinsed the towel much longer than was necessary, then hung it from the hook where the hand towels usually dangled. She tossed the wooden ice cream stick into the garbage then moved past her sister and out of the bathroom, giving her a wide berth. "Fine," Spring sighed as she fell back into the chair. "I met him at the ce your client requested. He actually approached me so...yeah, contact was easy." Spring lifted her feet up and under her in the chair then sat back, getting morefortable. "What happened after you went to his house, Two?" Summer reached for the remote that fell to the floor earlier when Spring got up and turned the television off. Spring nced at the remote but didn''t say what she was thinking. That she wasn''t going to touch it again unless she boiled it. "Two," Summer said and snapped her fingers. "Focus. What happened next?" Spring shook her head then reluctantly thought of the man she was unsessfully trying to forget. She told Summer of the dinner, the arcade game, and the kiss. God, that kiss. The kiss was why she lost her damn mind. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. The way he touched her, the way he continued to kiss her, the feel of him inside her. That night still haunted her, so as she retold her sister how she felt in Dezmond''s arms it was as if she was reliving every moment. Sensations and shivers racked her body but Spring tried her best to hide it. Neither spoke for a few minutes after Spring finished. "Hmmm," Summer said as she sat back on the sofa. Spring frowned. "What?" Summer''s expression was thoughtful. It was one that Spring hated because it was a look that they both shared, had learned or inherited from their grams. The "I am about to analyze you" look. "You like him!" Summer eximed with an usatory re. "I don''t!" Summer leaned forward. "First, you had sex with this man. YOU...had sex with this man," Summer said loudly, emphasizing the word "you". "You''ve only been with one guy and it took him years...years to get into your pants." "I know," Spring groaned. Shaking her head, Summer said, "It took Troy years to get-" Annoyed, Spring yelled out, "I know." "Well, what are you going to do?" Summer sat back again then sneezed. This time, she used the tissue she had beside her to cover her mouth. "Bless you." "Thanks." They both said nothing for a moment more, then Summer spoke. "What are you going to do?" "I don''t know...tell him that we can''t be together again. He still thinks we can be a couple with me here and him there," Spring sighed. Summer exhaled then pped her hands together. "Not Troy you twit, Dezmond Rey. What are you going to do about him? You like him, Spring. Like...like him, like him. The way you''re dragging around the house, eating foods you never eat. The fact that you went all the way with him." Spring narrowed her eyes, pinning Summer with a hard look. "I''m juggling a part time job, a dream job, and your job. I''m wound up and I eat when I''m wired, and I''ve since gone out with two more of your ''new appointments'' because you can''t." Thank goodness we look somewhat alike. "Dez was no different," she added. But he was. She didn''t feel a quarter of the attraction she felt for Dez for Raheem. And, Allen was just a nut. Being an escort wasn''t as easy as she thought. Summer twisted her lips as she gave Spring her patented look of disbelief. "You told me every detail of those ''appointments'' and nothing happened with them like what happened with Dezmond. You slept with him, Two," Summer said with awe. "You know how many of my clients I''ve slept with? Three out of twenty regrs and one was a total mistake on my part, but I knew him for over a year. "The other two are great guys and we have an understanding. I am honest with them both and I hope they are honest with me. I''m always very safe." Summer frowned. "My point is, with me doing this for over five years I''ve only been with three of my clients. That''s three out of hundreds of dates." "I know," Spring whined. God, things were so frustrating, and talking about it made things so much more...real. "You like this Dez." Chapter 18 Chapter 18 What happened with Dez was so unlike her and the fact that she didn''t use a condom told Spring that she hadn''t been thinking straight throughout the entire night. "I wasn''t safe," she whispered. "What the hell?" Summer was on her feet, pulling Spring to hers. "You fucked him raw?" She released the firm hold on Spring''s upper arm and went to her purse that hung from the coat hooks on the wall. Her movements were frantic as she searched through it. Random items spilled to the floor. "You need to get some blood work done ASAP." Summer raised the business card in her hand as if she''d discovered gold. "Dr. Lee will fit you in today. I just have to..." She spun around. Spring watched as her sister did a scan of the room. "Where''s my damn cell phone?" "I''ve already been to the doctor''s," Spring said, sounding bored. "And, what did they say? Are you good? What the hell, Two?" Spring unfolded her feet from under her and stood. "The initial workups were fine. I need to wait for a few more results but so far so good. What I don''t need is for you to overreact." She walked down the hallway toward her room. "I don''t overreact," Summer yelled. She coughed then moaned, "Idiot." Spring closed her bedroom door then dropped down on her bed and buried her face in her nket. She was an idiot. Who meets, sleeps with, and constantly thinks about a man they''ve only spent one night with? As she contemted thetest unnned turn her life had taken, Spring nced over at her piled-up luggage near the closet door. It had only been a month since Summer moved them to a bigger apartment in the buildingplex. Her sister''s reasoning was that they needed their own rooms. ThatBelonging to N?velDrama.Org. one-bedroom wasn''t going to cut it. Spring was fine with sleeping on the sofa at the other apartment but Summer wouldn''t hear of it. Spring could still smell the fresh paint on the walls each time she entered the small two-bedroom apartment but somehow when she thought of Dez his masculine scent seemed to overpower it. Spring sighed as she tried to think of anything other than him. (Why does everything always go back to him?) And now Summer was disappointed in her, probably regretting ever allowing her to move from their quiet, boring hometown to the big city where she did stupid stuff like... Spring sighed as she heard Summer''s coughing grow louder as her sister came closer to her room. Apparently, her sister wasn''t done with their conversation. Summer was always her protector for as long as Spring could remember. A sweet, loving big sister, Summer would do anything for her. Only she often took big sister duties and rights to new heights. The bedroom door shook with the impact of Summer''s banging fist on the other side. "Why can''t I find the original email for this Dezmond...whatever his name is? I need to call him and ask for his medical records. You don''t-" Her rant was cut off by a series of dry coughs. Spring got out of bed and opened the door to find her sister bracing herself on the door frame. "Come on," Spring said, as she wrapped her arm around Summer''s waist and took most of her weight. "You need to rest. I don''t think I can handle doing your job much longer." Spring tried her best to avoid being breathed on as she helped Summer to her bedroom. "You look like crap, amazing crap, but still crap." "Where''s the email, Two?" Summer asked as she pushed Spring away. "I need to talk to this careless asshole." Spring sighed but grabbed Summer around the waist again. She helped Summer to her room and into bed. "Get some rest," Spring said, but whispered, "while I disinfect the apartment again." "Stop sulking around the house. You''re probably too good for him anyway." Summer coughed then burrowed herself under her nket. "I''m not sulking." Spring rolled her eyes. "Just nervous about the photo shoot today, that''s all." Spring made sure the remote to her sister''s wall mounted television and her cell phone were both in reach then turned to leave. She approached the door but looked back, "I''ll bring home dinner." After a dismissive wave from Summer, Spring left the room, closing the door behind her. She had a few hours before she had to leave for the job shended by the skin of her teeth. If it hadn''t been for the photographer''s assistant needing to use the bathroom and seeing her sitting beside another model, she wouldn''t have gotten the job. Apparently, the assistant thought that she and the other model, the one she sat beside, looked great together. Spring collected some cleaning products from under the bathroom sink as she thought of how excited she and Brandi were when they were offered the job. Knowing she was going to have someone with her during the shoot gave her a bit more confidence. Frowning, she looked out over the germ-infested kitchen and living room. Maybe cleaning would calm her nerves and keep her mind off Dez. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 It took longer than Spring realized to get the house cleaned and now she was runningte. She hurried by a man, bumping into him as she passed by. "Sorry," Spring called over her shoulder. She paused long enough to give him a sympathetic smile before continuing on her way. "You''rete," Brandi said, just as Spring plopped down in the seat across from her in the waiting room. "Almostte," Spring choked out, as she tried to catch her breath. She knew that Brandi, a light skinned beauty with short light coiled hair, sultry eyes, and full lips, was gorgeous but... (Wow.) Brandi gave her a hard stare for several seconds before she half smiled. "It''s fine,". She handed Spring a mini bottle of water. "The receptionist says that Mr. Spencer is runningte too. So, get your game face on so we can do this." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Spring took a sip of water and tried to rx as she peered over Brandi''s shoulder to look at the receptionist who hadn''t even acknowledged her. "Thank you," she said to Brandi after catching her breath. Thank God Brandi isn''t a bitch, Spring thought as she took another sip of the water. She hated working with ego-bitches. "Have you worked with Mr. Spencer-" "Alright girls," the receptionist said with a hint of snark, interrupting Brandi, "he''s ready for you both." Brandi raised a brow then mouthed the same words the receptionist spoke. Spring stifled a giggle as she and Brandi got to their feet and followed the receptionist. She hoped that Mr. Spencer was nice and not one of those arrogant perfectionist photographers. Suddenly feeling hot all over, she nced at Brandi, who shot her a crossed-eyed look. Spring burst outughing. Brandi snickered but then threw her head back,ughing hysterically. They wereughing so hard that neither of them realized that they had walked into the studio. Spring''s laughter died when she noticed the silence. Her wide eyes took in all the people watching them. Her face heated when she met Mr. Spencer''s gaze. (Oh, my!) She didn''t get a good look at him before, but no shadows hid him today. He was tall, dirty blond, and even from across the room she could tell he was gorgeous. "This is a ce of business." The receptionist''s shrill tone broke Spring''s ufortable staring contest with the famous photographer. "You will act ordingly." "Wait...is she-" Brandi straightened to her full height. Her attention swung from Spring to the receptionist with a frown on her face. Spring ignored the receptionist''s shrill tone and focused on the man who protectively stepped in front of her. He was tall but thin. His hair was a mass of loose curls with ends that touched the tips of his ears. His profile showed a strong nose and chin, with youthful tanned skin. "Mel, don''t goad my models," a deep voice said, so quietly that if the room hadn''t been surprised into silence, Spring doubted that anyone would have heard it. "It''s tiresome, and it annoys me." Spring, along with everyone else in the room, focused on Mr. Spencer. He wasn''t looking at Mel, the receptionist, but was facing away from them. His hands were busy with a camera he held. It was as if a God had spoken. No one moved. No one said a word. For several seconds you could hear a pin hit the floor. It wasn''t until Mr. Spencer moved to a table that held more camera gear that the room erupted with activity. A young woman walked over to Spring and motioned for her and Brandi to follow her. They did. Spring looked over her shoulder and into the receptionist''s wide ssy eyes. Mel looked a little paler and seemed to have deted right there in front of them. Then she hurried back the way they''de. Brandi and Spring looked at one another, each silently questioning the other about what to do next. "Hi. I''m Taylor. Remember?" a quiet voice announced. "I''ll introduce you guys to Stanley then we can get you both ready. Oh, and Joe too, he is on loan to us for a while." Brandi shrugged as she followed Taylor. Spring trailed behind them as she took in the gigantic space. The studio was located downtown in a modern warehouse district not far from... Spring shook her head like doing so would wipe away all thoughts of Dezmond. "This is Stanley Spencer," Taylor introduced. Spring turned her attention away from her surroundings and took in Mr. Spencer. He was even so much more attractive up close. He had that sculpted god look on lock. He smiled, clearly knowing the effect he had on women, as he extended his hand. "Hello," Mr. Spencer said then winked. "Hi," Spring said, sounding like a lost little girl. She lowered her gaze from his intense stare. Spring heard Brandi and Mr. Spencer greeting one another but was too embarrassed about her behavior to watch. "And this is Joe, my assistant photographer," Mr. Spencer said. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Spring looked up in time to see Mr. Spencer motion to the same man who stepped in-between Brandi, her, and the secretary. Unlike Stanley, Joe didn''t shake their hands. Instead, he just saluted them then continued to fiddle with the camera in his hand. "Let''s get you guys set up," Taylor said with excitement. She motioned for them to follow again. Spring nced over her shoulder at Mr. Spencer. He was still watching her. Blushing, she turned away and followed Brandi, who was following Taylor. Spencer Studios was a grand space with many wide windows, whiter than white walls, and more natural light and lighting fixtures to brighten a dark city block. Everything looked new, clean, and expensive. Two lines of columns separated two sides of the main floor that had four sections set up for picture taking, leaving the middle of the building as a wide walkway. Two bay doors sat at the far end of the building and on the opposite side, where they were headed, was a wall that didn''t quite reach the high ceiling. The wall had a huge ss window above several doors. Taylor pointed to the doors. "There are the offices. That one without a namete is Stanley''s. These are the dressing rooms," Taylor said, pointing at doors as they approached. Spring nced over at the only room without a name but quickly looked ahead, entering the room that Taylor held open for them. She nced over her shoulder as she entered, once again meeting Mr. Spencer''s hooded gaze. Spring sucked in a gulp of air then turned away immediately. "He can be pretty intimidating at first but he''s a teddy bear." Taylor smiled as she closed the door. "Really? Because teddy bear isn''t the vibe I was getting." Brandi said as she took a seat on one of the chairs. Teddy bear wasn''t exactly what Spring got either but she didn''t say so. Instead, she looked around the dressing/makeup room that was about half the size of her sister''s apartment. Racks of clothing, drawers of essories, and shoes were on one side while four vanity makeup centers were on the other side. A sitting area sat in the middle of the room and another door was in the rear. Spring figured it was a bathroom. "He is," Taylor said with little conviction, sounding more like she was trying to convince herself. Taylor was young, maybe in herte teens. She was tall and thin but still carried a little baby fat in her cheeks. Taylor brushed her stylish blond short hair off her forehead as her brows knitted in thought. "But he is my uncle so..." Taylor left herment up in the air. "d you got the message about keeping the braids in." Taylor giggled, shrugged, then started giving them instructions. Spring nodded with a smile. She was happy she didn''t have to take them out. Spring listened intently. Taylor sounded sure and informed and if Stanley Spencer trusted her, then she would too. What she didn''t like was the way her body shivered when she thought of Mr. Spencer. What was going on with her? First Dez and now Mr. Spencer. Something definitely had woken inside her. ---------- Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. DEZMOND One monthter "If I hear that damn song y one more time, I am certain that I will lose my shit," Dez groaned. He may just lose the contents of his stomach as well. (What the hell has happened to rap music?) "Hey," Fallon called out. He spoke loud enough to get the attention of the group of women standing on stage beside the karaoke screen. "How about something with less bass, something subtle." A fit ofughter followed the familiar notes of a pop song that Dez found just as annoying. Then the songstresses added their high pitched toneless version to the mix. Fan-fucking-tastic, Dez thought, as he shook his head. (Why the hell are we here?) "Why the hell am I here?" he asked himself out loud. "Because your simple ass was wasting away in your ce like some damn kid that lost his favorite nket." Fallon was still looking over his shoulder at the group of girls. Apparently, he found one or all of them interesting. "I don''t like change, Fallon. You know this. You also know that Muri''s is our ce...our ce," Dez said, epting that he sounded defeated. "So, let''s just go there." Fallon turned his attention from the women to stare at Dez. His expression was one of bored disbelief. "I like it here. Besides," Fallon lifted a beer to his mouth, "there''re a wealth of possibilities here." "Women are the furthest thing from my mind." Dez rubbed his temple for the hundredth time in an attempt to soothe the drumming. He wasn''t drunk. Well, he wasn''t that drunk, so the constant pounding wasn''t alcohol induced. "I call bullshit," Fallon said; his stare was cold and unflinching. "Technically it''s true. I''m not thinking about women. I''m consumed with thoughts of one woman. The one woman who left my ce without a single word, note, or any way to contact her." Dez groaned again, dropping his forehead to the table. He sighed. "I...honestly, before that night I wasn''t in the mood for anything. I had been kicked down hard. But just one night with her, waking up with her scent on my sheets and around me, I wanted...to keep that feeling. I hate whatever," he pointed to himself, "this is." "Shit man," Fallon said as he plucked at his beer mug, "she is just a woman. Like that one," he pointed to a woman standing at the bar, "that one, that one, and oh hey, that one." Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Fallon probably pointed out various attractive women but Dez didn''t look because he didn''t care. None of those women were like his. "Hell," he groaned again when he realized he imed Anna again. She wasn''t his. She obviously didn''t want to be because if she did, she would have left a damn number. "Look, man," Fallon said, patting him on the shoulder, "you have to shake this shit. A hot chick came into your life for a brief moment. That''s that." He shrugged. "You need to get over it. You''re acting like a WON." Dez sat up. The stare he gave his best friend was one of pure disgust. He was actually offended. He was no Wounded-One-Nighter. (Or am I?) Dez lifted his ss to his mouth and downed the remaining liquid, about half the ss of whiskey, in one gulp. (Dammit, I am.) "You boys want somepany?" Dez looked up to see the Karaoke Princesses standing around their table. Each of them, five total, was beautiful in her way. Yet, he wasn''t interested. But when the saucy redhead beauty with long hair,rge breasts, and round ass touched his shoulder then sat on hisp, Dez forced a smile. The first step of removing his WON tag was to forget and move on. He nced over at Fallon as he offered the other women seats. When Fallon smiled at him, Dez raised a brow but smiled back. His friend was right. There was no point in crying over something you never had. More than a month had passed since his unexpected night with Anna and he hadn''t heard from her. She knew where he was-Fallon reminded him of that fact often. If she wanted him, she... "So," the redhead whispered in his ear, "You like ying with fire." "Actually." Dez smiled. She wasn''t his brown skin beauty with hazel eyes but she was sexy. "I absolutely love fire." ---------- An absurd song butchered the silence, jarring Dez into a slight panic. The haze of sleep slowly lifted with a very horrid cry of words the "artist" bellowed. It didn''t matter what it sounded like, Dez thought because it served its purpose. He was awake. "Sorry." the tiny voice wasced with drowsiness. Dez''s eyes popped open as he pushed up and red at the woman beside him. It took him a moment to remember where and how, but he couldn''t for the life of him remember the what. "Don''t look so freaked." She said with a slight grin before grabbing her cell and touching her finger to the screen. With the rm silent, she threw back theforter and got out of bed. His bed. They were in his bed at his ce. "We didn''t do IT." She motioned to her body. Dez couldn''t help but stare at her perfection. She was average height; herrge breasts and pelvis were covered in the most amazing lingerie he''d ever seen. Her red hair looked like she''d just stepped out of a salon and her face...hell, her pale skin seemed to just glow with youth and vitality. "It''s Tabitha, right?" Dez rubbed the back of his neck, "I''m sorry." He raised his knees, resting his elbows on them as he watched Tabitha dress. At least he remembered her name. "No worries Dez. I enjoyed...talking with you. Besides, how many people get to meet, talk to, and sleep with an author they actually love? You can''t tell but I''m totally fangirling in my head right now." Dez met Tabitha''s gaze and in it, he saw understanding. "Tell you what." He threw off theforter and picked up his shirt fromst night and pulled it over his head. "How about I treat you to breakfast?" Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Tabitha frowned. "You don''t exactly have any food, I checkedst night." "We''ll go out," Dez said as he pulled his jeans up and buttoned them. He noted that Tabitha didn''t look too eager but he felt like an ass forst night...and to find out that he''d starved her too. He had to at least feed her for being amazing. "Come on... Who can say that they met, talked to, slept with, and ate breakfast with their favorite author?" "I never said you were my favorite author, Dezmond Rey," she chuckled. Dez sat on his bed and pulled on his socks, cursing that he didn''t do it before he put on his jeans. He looked over at Tabitha who was sliding into her heels. "Was it Silicone Blur? You hated it too?" he sighed. "My stars, Dez," she said walking over to him, "are all authors this..." She waved her hand over him, clearly looking for the words she wanted to say. "Broken," he said, looking up at her. "Assumptive," Tabitha corrected. "And no, I haven''t read yourtest book. Look, I''ll let you take me to breakfast but I get to choose where." She looked him over. "Are you wearing that?" Dez looked over his clothing. His shirt was a bit wrinkled but his jeans were good. He gave her a confused look. "You''re doing the walk of shame in yesterday''s clothes so I figured I''d trot beside you in mine." Tabithaughed long and hard as she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of his bedroom. Dez stepped into his shoes that he left in the hallway, grabbed his keys and cell phone off the dining room table, and locked the door behind him after ushering Tabitha through it. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Dez ordered the meaty omelet, pancakes, and coffee while Tabitha ordered fruit crepes and orange juice. The waitress grunted then turned without speaking a word. Dez found it amusing and actually laughed as the portly woman sashayed away to ce the order. "She''s a sweetheart once you''ve tipped her," Tabitha said then shrugged. "I bet," Dez said, as he continued to watch their waitress. He turned back to face Tabitha. "Youe here often then." "Not as much as I''d like." Tabitha moved her arm that was lying across the table to let the waitress sit a ss down. Dez read the name tag on the silent waitress''s shirt as she ced his coffee in front of him. Gene, their waitress, rolled her eyes then left. Again, without saying a word. Dez shook his head as he reached for the sugar and cream. "Is it the friendly conversation from the staff that has you wanting more?" "Gene didn''t speak to me until after I ate at one of her tables at least half a dozen times," Tabitha smiled. When he had his coffee just right, he took a long sip then sighed. "Well," he said, as he ced the mug back on the table, "the coffee is amazing." Tabitha shrugged. "Never had the stuff." She rolled her straw paper with her fingers. "So, you want to talk about this angel that flew away?" Dez groaned as he peered at Tabitha. Did he really refer to Anna as an Angel? "No," he said, with a tone of finality. He heard Tabitha''sugh before looking up into her face to see her eyes aglow with humor. "Lighten up," Tabitha grinned, "besides, you''ve already told me everything." Dez rubbed his hand over his head and sighed, "Everything?" "Being inside Anna was ''the tearing apart and the piecing together of my very soul,''" Tabitha said before she startedughing again. Shaking his head, Dez drank his coffee. He was certain he would need another two cups before breakfast ended. As soon as he finished his cup, the waitress returned with their food. He motioned to his cup but she said nothing as she walked away. "So," Tabitha fork cut her crepes, "do you think she was dating someone?" "I don''t know," Dez admitted. He buttered his French toast slices and proceeded to cut them. "I guess Anna wasn''t that into me." He yfully raised a brow. "Hmmm," she said as she chewed. "From what you''ve described of...her reactions, I think she was into you. Maybe life got in the way." Dez looked at Tabitha. Her long red hair was the perfect ent to her porcin tone. She was absolutely beautiful, had a sense of humor, and didn''t seem stuck on herself. Tabitha was totally his type and maybe... "I think you need a bit of distraction, anyway." Dez smiled, giving her the dimples women loved. "Are you volunteering to be that distraction for me?" "It''s my civic duty. Can''t have the great Dezmond Rey in a funk," Tabitha said as she winked. "Your writing will suffer and we can''t have that." Dez and Tabitha looked into each other''s eyes for a moment. Her expression was one of understanding, and it was something he found he could ept without feeling cated. "No." He smiled. "We can''t have that." Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ---------- SPRING The wheel of the shopping cart jammed for the third time, stopping Spring in her tracks again. She jerked the silver menace back and forth a few times then used her foot to remove the small cardboard piece of debris that was lodged under the front wheel. She sighed as she grabbed hold of the cell phone she had pinned to her ear with her shoulder. "No!" Spring said into her cell phone. She spoke so loudly that she nced around the supermarket to see if anyone was looking at her. A man close to her didn''t seem interested in her conversation at all. "Look, Troy, this isn''t a good time for me to talk but you can''te here." "It''s never a good time, Springy," Troy said on the other end. "You are always too busy to talk." Spring grabbed a bag of in chips then looked over the dip options on disy. She ced jars of ranch and salsa into the cart and started down the aisle again. "I promise I''ll call youter tonight, Troy, but I really have to go." She loved Troy. It was said that they were friends in their momma''s belly. But that''s all she ever wanted to be. But, Troy wanted more and it seemed that everyone in their small town wanted them to be a couple. So...she epted Troy''s attention when she really didn''t feel how he did. "Fine," Troy said then sighed. "But-" Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Spring mistakenly disconnected the call before Troy could get out what he wanted to say. She groaned as she came to a stop. Feeling guilty as she stared at her cell phone, she thought to call him back. Her finger hovered over the send button. She was lowering her finger when she nced away from the cell and something caught her eye. On a disy case directly in front of her was...her. Suppressing a squeal, Spring grabbed the issue of Time for Us magazine and studied the image of her and Brandi. She looked so different than her current homely appearance, dressed in short shorts and a small T-shirt with her hair no longer in braids. Spring had a bounce in her step as she pulled her cart to the checkout line. She ced the magazine on the conveyor belt first then piled the rest of her items on. That she hadn''t finished her shopping didn''t even register with her. "Hey," the cashier said as he held up the magazine, "this kinda looks like you." Spring smiled as she pushed loose hair from her high bun behind her ear. "You think so?" How she got from the market to her apartment, Spring didn''t know. Who she passed on the walk, if she spoke, or even how she got inside the door with her key, was a mystery. But as she jogged the groceries to the kitchen with the magazine safely under her arm, she continued to float on cloud nine. "Summer!" she called out. "Summer!" The sound of a loud thud then footsteps barreling toward her didn''t even register. Coming to a sudden stop in front of Spring, Summer''s eyes were wide and she was breathless. "What happened?" Her sister''s gaze swept over her with keen interest. Spring held up the magazine. "I''m on the coveeeer!" Summer frowned then focused on the magazine. "Oh...my...gawwd!" She grabbed the magazine then stared down at it. Spring gasped but didn''t try to grab it back. "You made the cover," Summer whispered. She looked over at Spring. "You made the cover," she said a little louder. "You Made the Cover, you beautiful bitch!" She cried out as she started jumping up and down. "I Made the Cover!" Spring yelled as she jumped up and down in unison with her. ----------- DEZMOND His heavy door weighed on his arm as Dezmond listened to Mrs. Marcum, an elderly woman who liked to vent to him about their neighbors in the building. Today, she went on and on about how she thought that someone must have a dog in the building. He tried to say his goodbyes whenever she offered an opening in her tirade to take a needed breath, but the opportunity was short and she kept talking. "I''m tempted to call the managementpany again. I''ve left three unreturned messages already," Mrs. Marcum huffed. "Hey there, Libby," Dez called out as he nodded toward one of the other neighbors on their floor. Libby Hughes, a young executive who lived alone, was nice enough. ording to Fallon, she was really nice. "Well," Mrs. Marcum said, looking over her shoulder, "I will talk with youter, Dezie. I have to catch Ms. Hughes before she disappears. You can never catch that one." (Talk?) He didn''t even engage, and she saw that as them talking. Mrs. Marcum started to step away but turned back. "Oh, I almost forgot." She ced a stack of magazines on top of his box from the bakery downstairs in one of the ground level shops, "These are for you and your fellow." She scurried off, catching Libby before she could make it to the elevator. Dez shed a sorrowful grin at Libby. She shot him a quick look that said that he was on her shit-list before turning her attention to Mrs. Marcum. He giggled as he pushed his door fully open. Libby would do something to get back at him but he wasn''t too worried. He would just have Fallon pay her one of his special visits. Inside, Dez ced his dry-cleaning that hung precariously off his two sore fingers on a hook on the inside of his front door. He tossed his keys into the junk bowl on his foyer table then locked the door. Walking further inside, Dez ced the bakery box on his dining table. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. His ringtone, the end credits theme to one of his favorite Anime shows, rang out before the cell vibrated. Dez nced at the screen before hitting the answer key. "Hey, Pop." "Dezmond, my boy. What''s a seven-letter word for cumming together?" "Try, arrives." "Nope...try again." Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Dez pulled out one of his dining chairs. He absently pulled the magazines off the bakery box as he thought of another word. He bought the steamy crossword puzzle book for his father as a gag gift. Never once did he consider his conservative father would actually like the thing. "Coition," Dez replied, dryly. He didn''t mean to sound so bored, because if his mother got wind of his mood ofte, she would have a dozen of his family and friends camped out in his loft, in full out intervention mode. She just discovered the television show that had several seasons under its belt. To her credit, his mother was just as conservative as his father, and reality television was one of her least favorite things. Yet, the older they got the more Dez saw changes in them. Ones he actually approved of. But he totally regretted getting them the sex crosswords. This new uninhibited nonsense had to stop. "Bingo!" his father yelled through the line. There was some scribbling then a giggle. "So, what''s it like living in the Devil''s yground ofte?" They could stand a bit more change. "You shoulde to visit and see for yourself, Pop. Granddad used to tell me how much you loved it here as a boy. Bring mom and I''ll make it special." "Not gonna happen. New York isn''t your mother''s cup of tea, so you can stop being a smartass and tell me how you''reing along." "Everything''s amazing, Pop." His father grunted. "What have you been up to? Getting out of that cubbyhole? Seeing folk?" Trying to sound more upbeat this time, Dez said, "Actually, Mrs. Marcum and I just had a nice chat in the hallway." "Does she still think you and Fallon are a couple? Why would she think that anyway?" "She can think what she wants. I see no reason to correct her." Dez shrugged, "Though...telling her the truth would stop her from giving me all of her fashion magazines that I just recycle." Dez pulled the magazine on top closer. He lifted the next off the pile then pped it down on top of the other as he listened to his father. When he came to the next one in the pile, his hand hovered over it as he furrowed his brows at the image in front of him. One of the models on the cover looked like... "Pop," he said, cutting off whatever story his father was telling him, "I have to call you back." Dez slowly ced his cell face down on his dining table without even disconnecting the call. He lifted the magazine and stared at the image. ---------- SPRING Lifting her hand, Spring chose one of several sses of champagne when the waiter lowered the tray. She lifted the rim of the ss to her lips and swept her tongue over it but didn''t take a sip. Her nerves were fired up and drinking might make it worse. "Well," Summer reached around her to take a ss, "I''ll drink for the both of us." Spring rolled her eyes but took a small sip. "Don''t judge me." Summer ced her manicured nails over her ample breasts that were on disy. "I would never judge you, Two. Besides, you scored the tickets to this shindig. I and my bank ount will be forever grateful." She winked. How she scored the tickets, Spring wasn''t sure. But here she was, at Wand''s Appreciation for the Arts Ball, with some of the most important people in the world. Two weeks ago, she found the invitation with two tickets in her mailbox. The shock of discovering those tickets was second to Summer''s excitement and promise of a slow and painful death if she didn''t get one of them. Spring still didn''t know who sent the tickets or why. She peered around thevishly decorated space for a familiar face. After a brief visual once around the room, she was no closer to figuring out the little mystery. A light tap on her elbow had her turning and tilting her head closer to Summer. When her sister didn''t say anything, Spring looked at Summer''s face then followed her sister''s gaze. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. A short distance away, Mr. Spencer, the photographer who took the amazing photos thatnded her the cover of a major magazine, and an attractive man were making their way over to them. As they came closer, Spring could see that the stranger''s attention was heatedly fixed on Summer. Maybe Mr. Spencer was responsible for her invite. "Spring," Mr. Spencer said as he touched one of his hands to her elbow, leaned in, then ced a chaste kiss on her cheek. "I''m happy you could make it with such short notice. This is Thomas Wand, our gracious host and one of my closest friends." Mr. Spencer moved aside. "Wand, this is Spring Lafayette, the gorgeous model I had the pleasure of shooting. The one I spoke of." (The one he spoke of. He spoke of me?) Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Summer had to hit her other elbow to get a shocked Spring to focus. "Hello, Mr. Wand. Your home is lovely," Spring said as she offered her hand. Mr. Wand took Spring''s offered hand and lightly kissed the back. "It''s pretentious, but it''s home." He turned his attention back to Summer. "This is Summer, my sister," Spring said with a smile. Summer nodded to Mr. Stanley but blushed when she met Mr. Wand''s gaze. "Mr. Wand." Thomas Wand, a tall gorgeous man with the most alluring dark skin and even darker hair and eyes, extended his hand to Summer. She ced her hand in his and he slowly raised it to his lips and kissed the back. After several beats of their obvious mutual attraction, he said, "Would you like a tour of Wand Mansion?" "I would," Summer said with a smile then looked at Spring. Mr. Spencer moved closer to Spring. "I''ll keep her entertained until your return." Spring nodded to her sister with a smile. Summer''s face lit up as she threaded her hand around Wand''s presented arm. "I didn''t notice your ent before," Spring said as she looked at Mr. Spencer. Now that she thought about it, she didn''t recall hearing him say anything during the shoot; he quietly ryed all his requests through his assistant. Mr. Spencer looked at her. They stared at each other. At first, he said nothing. The silence was so long that Spring began to fidget with her ss. When it was at the point of being unbearable, he said, "I was born in Australia. My parents raised me in Paris, and I now reside in America." He peered around the room then took her ss from her hands. "I really wanted you to meet someone but it seems he isn''t around. So, would you like to dance?" Mr. Spencer gave her no time to say no. He ced their sses down and took her by the hand to the dance floor. The way he ced his hand around her, grazing his fingers and thumb over her bare back, felt too intimate. The way he pulled her to him, pressing their bodies together... "I..." Spring started but stopped. She was about to embarrass herself. She was about to question his intentions. (It''s a dance, Spring. Calm down.) "How is Taylor, Mr. Spencer?" she asked instead. Mr. Spencer leaned back to look her in the face. "I would ask that you call me Stanley, please." He pulled her close once more. "Taylor is fine. Currently, she is preparing to go with me to California. The trip has her very excited." "I bet." Spring felt his fingers as they pressed into her side. Not painfully but... "Have you been?" "No. I''m a small-town girl. This is the most excitement I''ve ever had." Springughed. "Well, this and the photo shoot." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He spun them around slowly, leading her in the dance like an expert. "What a grand opportunity for the man who desires to make you his, to show you the delights of the world." (Is he flirting with me?) Spring looked down to hide her blush. "Mr. Spenc-" "Stanley," he whispered as his face slowly moved toward hers. (This cannot be happening...) ---------- DEZMOND Fallon smiled at a passing woman staring at him who happened to be with a date. He winked. The woman smiled but her date wasn''t as friendly. He red at them both then pulled her away. "I''d appreciate it if you''d act like you were raised with a little couth and," Dez pinched his fingers together, "just a pinch of the self-control your dear mother bestowed upon you." "Don''t speak of my mother when I''m in party mode. It''s worse than drenching me with a bucket of ice water. And I prefer the ice water." Fallon adjusted his tie. His friend looked like he belonged. His tuxedo was custom made to fit perfectly. His shoes were shined to reflect all light. His look was perfect and effortless. Perfectly effortless. Dez on the other hand, looked like he tried and was still in the process. His tux was new and nice but because he preferred jeans and afy shirt or sweater, he suspected he gave the impression that he was ufortable. He was. "Loosen up, or they''ll pounce. You know wealthy folk are like sharks when they smell fear." Fallon grabbed two champagne flutes off of a tray held by a passing waiter. He handed Dez one. "Down this, then tell me what we are doing here." Dez took the ss and did what his friend told him. He handed the empty ss to another passing waiter. "We''re socializing." Fallon chuckled. "Right. Tell me something, you''ve been getting these Wand invites for years and never once attended." "I had a change of mind." Dez took a moment to scan the area. (She''s here.) Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Or at least that was what the assistant to Stanley Spencer told him. It had taken a week to convince Stanley Spencer''s secretary to give him any information on the cover model featured on A Time for Us magazine. He was certain the model was her. The secretary didn''t know Anna by that name but said it wasmon for models to use pseudonyms, like authors. She was forbidden to give out information but did mention that she was sending the model he was inquiring about tickets to the Wand Event. All it took from there was to find his own tickets. "Mmm hmm," Fallon mumbled. "Well, I have to make the rounds. Would you like toe with?" Grimacing, Dez shook his head. He was here for one thing only. To find her. Surprisingly, that took no effort at all. He spied Anna a few feet in front of him, on the dance floor. She was breathtaking. Anna wore a ck floor-length sleeveless halter ball gown. Diamond-like stones covered the top half and the strap traveled around the back of her neck. Her breasts weren''t big, yet they were the perfect size and ideal for her model figure. When her partner spun her around, Dez saw that her smooth wless back was bare. Her make-up was minimal, only highlighting her natural beauty. The box braids were gone. Anna''s hair was up in some intricate twist, exposing her delicate neck. Dez didn''t realize he''d moved until he was almost beside her. Good thing too because Stanley Spencer was moving in on his woman. "Stanley." Dez smiled until he noticed that Anna jumped with a start. Why was she so nervous? Stanley sighed with thinly-veiled irritation as he met Dezmond''s cool gaze. That made Dez feel warm inside as he let out an internal giggle. "Prisci just asked me if I''d run into you." He looked around, scanning for the bull dog in heels. "I saw her by the terrace there," he said, grinning as he motioned. "Shall I call her over?" To his credit, Stanley maintained on his face the rxed look Dez was certain took him years of practice. Stanley backed away from Anna but made sure his arm around her waist lingered. She didn''t look around to see that it was Dezmond yet. "Is she?" Stanley asked, his tone the only indication that he was rattled. He looked to Anna. "If you''ll forgive me, Spring, something''se up. I hope to dance again before the night ends." (Spring?) Stanley leaned in and gave Anna a longer than necessary kiss on the cheek. Plus, he wasn''t asking, he basically told her that he was going to dance with her again. That wasn''t good. Not good at all. As Stanley rushed off, in a James Bond-ish kind of way, the cool as ice way, Dez slid his hand down the back of Anna''s bare arm, over her elbow, and locked his fingers through hers as he pressed his front to her back. ----------- SPRING One minute, Mr. Spencer...Stanley, was about to kiss her then the next he was rushing off, leaving her in the center of the ballroom, alone. All because some woman named Prisci was looking for him. Was that his wife? She didn''t remember seeing a wedding band on his finger. Shaking her head, Spring took a step in the direction Stanley went but a feather-light touch not only caused her to stop in her tracks, but it sent a shiver through her entire body. Then a warm body pressed against hers and a hand encircled her waist, pulling her back. "You left without saying goodbye, Anna." The voice she didn''t recognize dropped in pitch and all she could do was melt into the mystery man as he whispered her name in her ear. He was so close that his lips actually grazed her ear lobe. One of hisrge hands was positioned over her belly, his fingers spread out, applying pressure as if she nned to make a run for it. His other hand locked fingers with hers. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. (I should...make a run for it.) The thought was fleeting and barely registered as his delicious scent hit her. In panic mode, Spring swallowed in an attempt to push the lump in her throat down so that she could respond to the man she now suspected was Dez. "I know you enjoyed yourself. You...made that very clear." Dez shifted then turned her around to face him. He held her close and started moving. Spring figured that he was moving to the music, but her mind didn''t want to cooperate. Though her body swayed with him, she wouldn''t win any dancing contests. "Did I hurt you in some way?" He paused, looking her directly in the eyes. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 The windows to his soul said so much but what overpowered it all was the vulnerability she saw. But what was she to do? She slept with a man she wasn''t supposed to, on a job that wasn''t hers. "No, I..." Spring stumbled over several things to say before settling on repeating, "No." "Then why would you run off like you did?" Dez closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes, they seemed different. It was almost as if he prepared and steeled himself for an unkind response. "I just..." Heat crept up her neck. At a loss and not wanting to make a scene, Spring took Dez by the hand and pulled him off the dance floor. She looked around for Summer before she stopped in a quiet corner. Turning to face him, she said, "I will exin but I have to find my sister first." She stared at him then broke eye contact to look around him to the expanse of the room for her sister. "Can you give me that?" "Is something wrong, Anna?" Dez took hold of her other hand and held both in his hands. His expression was one of concern. Wow, Spring thought as she looked into his caring smoky gray eyes. She slept with him then ran away but instead of being angry, he was actually worried for her. "Yes...well, no, but I need to talk to my sister before I can give you an exnation." She sighed, waiting for his answer. Dezmond nodded. "I''ll be waiting here." "Thank you," she said then forced a nervous smile. Spring didn''t realize what she was doing until she touched her lips to his. Dez pulled her closer and pushed his tongue inside her mouth and backed her against the wall. The chill from the wall on her bare skin paledpared to the taste of him. Rich, smoldering, sweetness exploded inside Spring''s mouth. All she could do was submit to him. She moaned as she threaded her fingers through his hair and moved closer. Firm hands braced her hips. Dez eased out of the kiss slowly as Spring''s lips continued to move and her fingers grasped for purchase. When he gave her hips a tiny jolt, she opened her eyes wide to stare at him. Her face flushed with color as she peered into his eyes. "I didn''t mean to. I''m...I''ll be back," she breathed, rushing off. Spring touched her fingers to her lips as she sped away. Dez branded her again. Made her crazy with lust as it enveloped every inch of her. (How?) Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. How could a man she barely knew affect her in such a way? Troy didn''t. (Why?) Astonished by her behavior, Spring moved quickly through the crowd. Shebed over the guests'' faces, looking left then right for Summer. What she didn''t do was look back. She couldn''t. Dezmond had such a pull on her. So much of a pull that she waved caution to the wind and slept with him without knowing him at all. She needed to speak to Summer about what she could and couldn''t tell Dez. (What is wrong with me?) The thought was circling in Spring''s mind when she felt a hand firmly grab hold of her upper arm. Instinctively, she tried to jerk away. When she looked over at the man who was keeping pace with her, she opened her mouth to speak but he spoke first. "Rx," the man told her. "I''m Dezmond''s friend. Are you Anna?" Spring rxed a little but kept her arm that he held tense and her fist clenched. "Yes, but..." He pulled her to an empty room that looked like a sitting area. When he let her arm free inside the room, he closed and locked the door behind him. Spring looked around the room, taking note that there was another doorway on the other side of a seating area. The tall attractive man paced just in front of the door. "I knew he was up to something." He said but it seemed to her that he was talking to himself. (He''s crazy.) She backed up until the back of her legs hit an upholstered chair. "Look," he looked over at her, "you can''t tell him that you''re an escort." Dropping her shoulders, Spring sighed with relief. "You''re the client who paid..." "Yes, and he can''t know," the man interrupted. Someone outside the door jiggled the door knob but the man, Dez''s friend, had locked it. He looked over his shoulder at the door but didn''t move to unlock it. "Just..." "If you don''t open this door, I will call security." "Summer!" Spring moved forward. When the man didn''t readily move out of her way, she motioned to the door. "She''s not bluffing." Chapter 28 Chapter 28 The man huffed something under his breath but moved aside. Spring unlocked the door then moved aside as Summer shoved into the room. Spring only had a second to jump away as the door whipped in inches away from her face and mmed into the wall. Summer moved her eyes over Spring. Relief glowed in her hazel eyes before heat filled them. Her angry gaze sliced into the man. "Who the hell are you and what is your damage, dragging my baby sister into the men''s bathroom?" Spring whirled around, taking in the room, but there was nothing in the space to indicate that it was a designated bathroom. Except for the silhouette of a man on the door. "Oh." Spring scrunched up her nose. (Yuck.) But wow, a public bathroom inside a mansion. The man turned to Spring then to Summer. Spring noticed that he focused on her sister longer. "I''m her client," he whispered. Then he moved past Summer, bumping her out of the way. He took hold of the bathroom door, stuck his head out, looked both ways, then shut and locked it. Summer walked over and stood by Spring. "That," she pointed at the man usingly, "is Dezmond?" Her tone was one of disbelief and derision. "The stud you couldn''t keep your hands off of." Summer red at him. "He''s an ass." "No!" Spring and the man said at the same time. He rested his back on the closed door then folded his arms over his chest. "My name is Fallon. I procured the services for my friend." He then pinned Spring with a pleading look. "A friend who must never find out you are an escort." Summer spun to face Fallon. She put her hands on her hips then stomped her heeled foot. "And what''s wrong with being an escort?" Fallon looked up at the ceiling. He let out an exasperating breath. "Let me guess, you''re an escort too." Summer squared her shoulders. "Proud to be...," her right hand flew up in the air wildly, "and what of it?" Fallon''s jawbone tensed. If Spring had to guess, she''d say he ground his jaw when irritated. And he was visibly irritated. An attractive man, he was tall, dark skinned, and very handsome. To Spring, he looked as if he had money. Dez''s suit was nice but this guy''s suit was custom tailored to fit his body perfectly. Spring also knew that Summer noticed how attractive Fallon was, by the way, she stood with her breasts out and the arch in her back. Summer didn''t perform for just anyone. "There has to be some kind of client use," Fallon said, pushing past Summer, this time making certain he didn''t touch her. He stood in front of Spring and rubbed his temple as he closed his eyes. When he opened them, he said, "I know you people operate with some form of discretion." "You people," Summer hissed. "Summer?" Spring questioned as she looked around the imposing man to her sister. When Summer didn''t respond right off, Spring raised her brows. "Well." Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Summer twisted her lips then looked up at the ceiling. "Fine, sure, we have a privacy use," Summer huffed reluctantly. She walked around Fallon to stand by Spring. "So be gone...your dirty little secret purchase is safe." Fallon stared at Summer for several tense moments before his shoulders rxed and the fire in his gaze burned out...just a bit. Yeah, her sister kinda had that effect on people. Their grams often said that if you didn''t love Summer, you loved to hate her. He looked around Summer and said, "Just let him down easy. And for God''s sake, don''t do it here." Fallon didn''t give them a second look as he turned. He unlocked the door and left. "Wow," Summer said as she faced Spring. "Some friend your man has there. Why''d you let him manhandle you? Didn''t I teach you anything?" Spring ignored her sister''s annoyed tone and her nted eyes and asked, "What do I tell Dez?" "If you don''t n on seeing him after tonight, nothing. If you n on dating him after tonight, nothing. If you want one more roll in the hay but want to drop his butt like a hot potato, nothing," Summer told her. Spring sighed, "So..." "Yup...NOTHING." Chapter 29 Chapter 29 DEZMOND Minutes ticked away until Dez realized he was standing in the little alcove for over fifteen of them. He didn''t want to jump to conclusions but he couldn''t help wondering if Anna took off again. "She must think I''m some desperate nutcase," he said to no one in particr. "I sometimes do. I think it''s all that stuff you write." Dez swung his restless gaze to Fallon. "I''m waiting for someone, so if you don''t mind..." "So, you came here on a mission. I should have known youing here for just the hell of it was a pipe dream." Moving his hands through his thick hair, Dez pushed off the wall. "She''s noting back." "So, what if she doesn''t? You know nothing of this woman. She could be the serial killer going around," Fallon hissed. "You need to stop this crazy infatuation with aplete stranger before-" "It''s not like that," Dez bit out, cutting Fallon''s argument short. "This isn''t anything like Tina." "It isn''t?" Fallon tilted his head as he pinned Dez with a hard stare. Dez felt the weight of his friend''s words. This isn''t anything like Tina, he repeated in his head. It isn''t. Was it though? Dez turned his back to his friend. He needed to think without Fallon''s eyes digging into his head. (Tina...) Was he doing the same thing that almost ruined him? "Dezmond?" (Anna!) Her sweet voice was like a soothing balm on his troubled spirit. She came back. Turning around, Dez''s lips stretched into a smile as he took Anna''s hand. "Fallon, I''d like you to meet Anna." Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Fallon noticeably hesitated. Dez''s felt his inner smile beam brighter than his outer one. He didn''t usually get joy from his friends being wrong, but tonight he loved it. "Hello, Anna," Fallon said smoothly. He took her hand. Anna looked to a woman standing beside her for a moment. Dez didn''t know what was passing between them but he wondered if they were rted. The woman was just as beautiful but Anna held an innocence Dez found alluring. If he were basing his assessment on appearance alone, this other woman looked...experienced. (Would Fallon find her interesting? Double date maybe?) Anna looked to the woman with questioning eyes before saying to Fallon, "Hello." She turned her attention on Dezmond. "Actually, Anna is my middle name. My actual name is Spring," she paused for a few seconds, "and this is my sister, Summer." Dez''s smile faltered a bit. She''d given him a false name. But then, a woman had to be careful, didn''t she? "Those are beautiful names. Is there a story behind them?" Dez asked as he shook Summer''s hand. "None that needs sharing." Summer winked. Definitely Fallon''s type of woman, Dez thought. ---------- SPRING Spring felt she had some exining to do. Even though Dezmond wasn''t questioning her about her name, she didn''t like the lie floating between them. Though a much bigger lie was hovering over her head. She knew that it was crazy to want to resolve this small lie versus the huge lie of how they met, but she had no control over that one. Her name...she could exin. The problem was she couldn''t find the right moment. Apparently, Dez was a very popr man. After he found them a ce to sit, someone recognized him. A snowball effect took root and he was dragged away soon after by a small crowd. Spring smiled at the memory of his constant manners as he departed. Now it was just her, Summer, and Fallon alone...together. Spring smoothed out the folds of her gown as she nced over her shoulder to see Dez surrounded by a group of people who seemed to hang on to his every word. "What is it that he does for a living?" She kept her attention on Dez. "Why? What''s your endgame, Escort Barbie?" Spring''s face burned. She whipped her head around to face Fallon who was staring holes into her head. "What? I''m not an-" But before she could finish... Summer held her hand up and whispered, "What the hell is your problem, Jack Ass in a Suit Ken? Who cares she''s an escort. Are you suggesting that all Escorts want to bleed their client''s bank ount dry?" "You are one...aren''t you?" Fallon spat. Summer grinned. It was a grin Spring saw often. It wasn''t one made from happiness but more like a grin of total determination. Usually, the insults flew when they appeared. "Sounds like Basic Ken had a run in with a Gold Digger Barbie? Did she hurt your," Summer ttened her palm on Fallon''s thigh and squeezed, "wittle feelings? And yup...I''m one, too!" Spring cringed at her sister''s bitchy tone. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Fallon''s eyes lowered to Summer''s hand on his thigh. At first, he seemed taken aback as his eyes widened, then those brown almost ck orbs hardened like quick drying cement. He swatted Summer''s hand away so fast that Summer rocked forward. "Ah," Summer narrowed her eyes to slits, "you like it rough, huh Bareback Ken. I know a woman who will curl those uptight conservative toes of yours." "My name is Fallon," he spat. It was hard not to hear the disgust in his tone. "Look," Spring began but was cut off. "Oh, you don''t likebels or judgment. Hmm, go figure, Trust Fund Ken," Summerughed. "Please, just stop," Spring begged Summer. She nced over her shoulder to make sure Dez was still busy with his fans. He was still deep in conversation. Good...she sighed. "Look," Spring turned to Fallon, "I don''t want his money. We have...I don''t know, a connection. I don''t want to snuff it out before I know what it is. That''s all." Summer rxed back on the seat and crossed her arms. She pinned Fallon with a look that asked, "Do you want to continue?" Fallon looked as if he wanted to spitva all over Summer''s pumps but he eventually pulled his gaze from hers. "He''s been..." Fallon shook the words away then said, "Dezmond feels deeply. Things that some may find minor are huge to him." "He''s a grown ass man. And if that is the case, then you should tell him the truth now." Summer said as she threw her hand in the air, clearly frustrated. "No," Fallon damn near yelled. "He can never know," he said in a hushed tone. ---------- DEZMOND Dez tried to listen to the lovely woman who was telling him how much she wasn''t able to connect to the main character in his new book. Except, his eyes kept wandering over the head of his fans to where he left Anna. "Spring," he corrected himself out loud. "Spring? I thought it was set in a harsh winter climate." Dez almost let out a snort but held it in. He adored his fans even though he preferred interacting with them in the virtual world more than the real. He loved hearing about their likes and dislikes, and not only when rting to his books. He enjoyed discovering new things from following his fans just as vigorously as they followed him. But, right now he just wanted to get back to Spring. He leaned into the woman talking, kissing her on the cheek. She sucked in a gasp then ced her fingers on her cheek where his lips touched. "It was nice talking with you but if you all will excuse me," he said with a nod to everyone. Dez walked away before anyone else could ask him anything else about his published books or what was in the works. He kept Spring in his sights as he approached. She looked amazing. The fact that she was wrapped in Stanley''s arms when he first spotted her was a bit disconcerting. He might think them a couple if she hadn''t kissed him as she did. A shiver worked its way through his body as he considered that kiss. Dez heard Fallon''s voice mixed in with the others at the party as he got closer. What had his friend so animated, he wasn''t sure, but if he had to bet he''d say it was the long-legged beauty named Summer. "He can never know what?" Dez asked as he sat down beside Spring. ---------- Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. SPRING Humming with the music that filled the silence as she waited on hold, Spring absently tapped her fingers on the counter in front of her. The woman on the other side was looking at her with her brow arched in expectation. The tiny person with her, a girl who looked no more than seven or eight, had the sweetest smile on her pretty little face. Spring smiled at the girl, hoping her mother''s sour spirit didn''t wilt the little flower of sunshine that she seemed to be. "How long does it take to see if they have one pair of damn ballet slippers?" the woman asked. (Inner peace...inner peace.) "The representative is checking for you ma''am," Spring smiled. (Next time, maybe not wait a day before your daughter''s ballet ss starts...maybe.) If Spring smiled any harder her face was going to crack. Taking the woman by the neck is called assault, Springy, she reminded herself. "Momma, can I have yellow? I really like yellow better," the girl asked as she fingered the costume jewelry on the counter disy. "They don''te in yellow, Pria, and please be quiet for mommy." The woman rubbed her temple. The girl rocked on her heels, epting her mother''s words with a level of grace Spring rarely saw kids in this shoe store. Most would have had a fit by now. But not this little flower. Her nod was her only response. Spring looked at the woman, the mother. Really looked at her. The woman''s eyes were a little red with bags under them. Her hair was in two braids but pulled into a high ponytail. The clothing she wore looked a bit faded and loose as if she washed them too many times and maybe lost a bit of weight along the way. Spring looked to her hands...her nails were bitten down to the skin and her ring finger had an impression and discoloration but there was no ring. All her saltiness toward the woman melted away. She didn''t know this woman''s story but she was clearly struggling with something. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 When the other line clicked and the music stopped, Spring perked up. She nodded as she listened to what her sister store rep told her. Hanging up the phone, Spring ryed what she found out but added her little touch of sugar...to make this woman''s day a little brighter. "The shoes are there and avable. What I can do is have you pay for them here, that way I can offer you a special discount for your trouble." That perked the woman up. "What kind of discount?" Her eyes seemed hopeful. Spring smiled a genuine smile then. "Well...because you are our first customer on Fun-day Friday...which is rare, you get half off and...," Spring nced down at the girl, "a pair of free yellow hair bows to wear with your tutu." "Really?" the woman seemed confused. Pria, her daughter was all hops and giggles as she ran to the hair bows Spring saw her looking at earlier. "Yup." Spring shrugged, "But if you''d rather pay full price..." "No," the woman rushed to say. She pulled out her wallet, her confusion still showing through her eyes. She apprehensively handed over a debit card. After ringing up the woman for just the tutu, Spring swiped the card and handed it back. She then rang up the ballet shoes as a pickup order, quickly swiped her own card and told the woman it was a discount card, then gave the woman the receipt. "Give the receipt to the cashier and have a great day!" "Thank you..." The woman seemed as if she was going to say something else but she just took her receipt and smiled. "Thank you, prettydy," the girl said with a big grin. She took the bag off the counter then took her mother''s hand. "You''re wee, princess." After the two left the store, Spring walked over to the hair bows, picked up an exact replica of the yellow bows she ced in the girl''s bag and took it the register. She rang it up and paid for it with her own debit. "Between you buying Charlie lunch daily and doing stuff like that," Sammy said as she took the bows from her hand, "I''m surprised you haven''t asked to crash on my couch. Or do you have some kind of ''arrangement'' with yourndlord?" She ced the bows back on the disy. "Let''s just say that I have an arrangement with myndlord," Spring said as she closed the register. She ced her receipt in her pocket then leaned her hip on the counter and picked up the magazine she had hidden under the counter. Technically, she did have an "arrangement". Summer paid for rent and all utilities and Spring did the grocery shopping, which wasn''t too expensive because they both ate like birds. A symptom of their upbringing, she figured. Would she share that arrangement with Sammy? Nope. Her coworker was one of the nosiest people on the. Spring often wondered if she sold all the information she acquired topanies. An image of Sammy in a back alley whispering that her neighbor liked BDSM, to a reporter for a television network that ran ads for butt balm, shed in her head. She let out a little giggle then reread the third paragraph in the article again. "Oh my God, Spring!" The magazine Spring held in her hands shook and she had to fumble to keep hold of it before it hit the floor. When she stood up, ring daggers at the back of Sammy''s head, she realized her coworker was looking out of the wide window at a man... (Dezmond?) Spring hadn''t seen or spoken to him since the Ball a few nights ago. "What is HE doing around here? You know who that is...that''s Dezmond Rey, the author. He is awesome and dreamy but I think he''s gay. Never see him with a woman...just some even hotter ck guy." Sammy swung her arm haphazardly at Spring again, not concerned of what she hit. The counter disy wobbled but Spring was able to steady it as she nced out of the window. "He''sing this way," Sammy screeched. "Yup," she whispered, "he gay. As happy as a punk in Boys Town." "What in the world are you talking about" Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "You never heard that before...happier than a punk in Boystown? Basically, it means that he''s gay. I mean, what other reason would a famous author be heading for a Pay Source shoe store here in the Cross Keys shopping strip?" Sammy giggled. "He must not want his fans to see him shoe shopping." Spring tried not to channel the Summer side of herself. That spunky "put a bitch in her ce" side. Instead, she waited. When door chime rang out, Spring walked over toward Dez. He must have seen something in her eyes because he froze just inside the doorway. His brows furrowed as she stepped into him but rxed when she slid her hand up his chest and around his neck. She gave his head a gentle pull toward her and locked her lips on his. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 DEZMOND Dez handed the waitress his menu then watched her walk away. He rxed in his chair as he turned his attention to Spring. She surprised him when she agreed to go to lunch with him even though he showed up unannounced at her job. But the kiss she greeted him with surprised him more. "So," he fingered the condensation on his ss, "you like kissing." Spring''s head whipped up so fast he was certain she would feel an acheter. Her eyes fluttered and she looked away. It was such an innocent response to such a bold act. (A delightful mystery, Spring is.) "I''m sorry about that. It seems I keep..." "Keep what?" Spring looked down at something, maybe her napkin, but Dez waited for her response. He sat forward. Spring covered her face with her hand then sighed. "Honestly, I have no real excuse. I am sorry." Dez waved his hand dismissively. "Don''t be. I enjoy kissing you. I hope to do it often...but that depends, I suppose." Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! "On?" she asked. Dez rxed back in his seat. He could see the concern in her eyes so he didn''t make her wait for his response. But he wanted to. "On if you want to continue the ''No personal info'' use. I like you, Spring. I want to see more of you, get to know you. Will you allow me to know you?" He watched as she seemed to go over what he said in her head. She looked away a few times but when it seemed as if she came to some kind of resolution, Spring looked at him. He waited about as long as the suspense lover in him wanted to make her wait earlier, but clearly, he wasn''t holding the cards in this rtionship. He rarely held the cards. Spring extended her hands to him, avoiding their sses on the table. "My name is Spring Annalisa Lafayette of the New Orleans Lafayette''s." She smiled. A low chuckle came from Dez as he took hold of Spring''s hand. "Dezmond Rey, of the DC Rey''s." He squeezed her hand just a little before releasing it. "So, is your family one of the old prestigious ones in The Quarter? "Old maybe...prestigious?" she chuckled, "...maybe in spirit." "I would have never guessed you were from the south. I haven''t heard even a hint of an ent. Do you know French?" "No, you won''t find the stereotypical southern drawl there. They have a unique way of speaking," she informed him. Spring used her finger to hook some stray hair behind her ear but kept hold of the hair and started twisting it in her fingers. "Most folks don''t speak French regrly. I don''t speak it." Dez didn''t fail to notice the ufortable look on her face. He didn''t like it but was curious enough to continue on the topic of her origin. "Did you like growing up there, in New Orleans? I bet it was beautiful." Spring looked away from him and gazed around the restaurant. When she found his eyes again, she said, "I can tell you that even as a young girl, I felt as if everywhere I went had some kind of story to tell. I was intrigued by it all but...I grew up fast and one day, it was just another city to me." She shrugged. "Where did you grow up?" The waitress and a server chose that moment to appear with their lunch. They ced a sizzling te of chicken, cheese, and veggies in front of Spring, and his club sandwich with fries in front of him. He waited for the restaurant staff to leave before he started to recite his origins to her. "I grew up in upstate New York. My father''s family hails from Puerto Rico." He traced his drink coaster with his finger. "My father joined the US military, and during ayover found my mother during a town''s Wheat Fair in Kansas of all ces. She says that she was immediately attracted to him. My father has suggested that she was more into the uniform but he won her over in the end. They found their American dream through investing. My mom and dad are more by the book but my extended family are rebels, so my childhood could be described as well-rounded." Dezmond unwrapped his silverware and ced the cloth napkin in hisp. He took one of the paper napkins from the dispenser and lifted the two half slices of pickles off his te and rolled them in the napkin. He ced the rolled pickles off to the side of his te. When he looked up, Spring was regarding him with what he can only describe as a clinical curiosity. Like he was an experiment in ab. (Was it the pickles or the story?) "What about your parents?" Dez asked, looking at his food. "How was your childhood?" Chapter 33 Chapter 33 A brief, haunting look crossed over Spring''s exterior. Her demeanor seemed to reboot right in front of him and a look of indifference appeared. He was just about to tell her that she needn''t share but when she started to talk, he couldn''t help his interest. "My mother used to boast about our Cane River Creole heritage when I was younger; but I''ve only met a handful of her side of the family, so I know next to nothing of them. My father''s mother raised me and Summer. My paternal side is a potluck of African, French, and maybe Native American heritage." Spring tapped the table then raised her hand and rubbed the back of her neck. "Grams moved us away soon after Katrina. Her little antique shop didn''t get damaged too much; in fact, The Quarter only had minor flooding but she told us we all needed a change. We settled in a small cozy town in Virginia. Summer moved here three years ago and I followed," Spring said. Her tone, a little lost in the beginning, came off upbeat at the end. "That''s interesting. Maybe you may want to look into those family tree genealogy sites. I have a friend who speaks highly of the one with the leaf. I can''t recall the actual name right now." Dez pondered as he bit into his sandwich. "Oh, I don''t know. I think I like it being just our small circle of family, you know." Dez liked things small and uplicated too. He also kept his circle small. The smaller the circle the less bullshit to maneuver through. Spring forked some of her food and lifted the portion to her mouth. Dez watched her lips close over the fork as if she were the featured attraction at his favorite cinema. He had to shake himself just to look away from the basic, yet erotic, action. The half-mast and rising erection held at bay by his jeans and the table was going to be a constant issue. After a few minutes of eating, Spring broke the silence. "Dez?" Blinking away the troublesome lust he''d been nursing through the quiet, Dez focused on Spring''s eyes. (As if doing so is going to lessen my desire.) It didn''t. "Hmm?" "Are you happy being a famous author?" Her eyeshes fluttered over her eyes several times as she met his attention head on. "I just...those people the other night was bombarding you with attention and you seemed in your element. But on the night we met, I noticed you sitting in that booth alone. You looked...unhappy." Dez chewed thest bit of one-half of his sandwich then said, "I wasn''t happy then, Spring. But, I met you. And, I love writing." With the admission, Dez felt the truth of his words. A truth he hadn''t felt in some time. "What do you write?" Spring scooted forward; her fork hovered over her meal. "Where can I buy your books?" "I dabble in fiction, romance with a bit of action and suspense." He shrugged, then lifted one of his fries. "I''d rather you get to know me before you open up one of my books." He had the idea that if Spring found she didn''t care for his writing, she may look at him more critically. "Besides, I am more interested in you. Imagine my shock and great fortune when I saw you on the cover of such a huge magazine." Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Spring coughed...or rather choked on her food. She held her hand up to stop Dezmond from getting to his feet. It took a few more coughs and a drink for her to settle. "Are you alright?" he asked. "You saw that, did you?" She cleared a throat a few times. "I did," he said, unable to keep the concern from his tone. Spring twisted her lips and scrunched her cute nose. "I feel a little exposed. Did you see the entire spread?" Dez tilted his head to see into her downcast eyes. "Have you forgotten our night together, Spring?" ---------- SPRING Spring''s head shot up. That night was unforgettable. She hoped it was because of the mystery, the abandonment of her inhibitions, and the fact that she hadn''t been with a man in months. Whatever the case...that night was branded into her mind and so was the man. "Of course not." "Then know that I have reyed that night in my mind so many times that I know your body as if it were a novel of my creation. One in which I know every curve of every letter in every word. Each scene is reyed in such vivid detail that your body will forever be a treasured read for me." (Wow... That is...it is...) "Is there anything else I can get you folk?" (The waitress...thank goodness.) Dez kept her hostage with his gaze as he spoke to the waitress. "I have all I want. Spring, would you like anything else?" "No." The word came out like a breathless whisper. Spring felt the knowing eyes of their waitress move from Dez to her then back to Dez. "We''ll have our check then, thank you." He wiped his mouth with the cloth napkin he ced in hisp earlier in the meal. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Even though she gulped half her water down, Spring''s mouth felt as if it was filled with sand. She sat quietly in his passenger seat as he maneuvered through the strip mall parking lot back to the shoe store. He didn''t speak either, but he did nce her way more than once. His words...what he said about her body was the most beautiful thing Spring had ever heard. Those words made it difficult to keep him in the dark about how they met. Liking him...made it ten times harder. (And I do like him.) Which made no sense. Spring broke it off with Troy because she wanted to focus on her career. She wanted to give modeling her all. If it panned out then awesome. But if it didn''t, she would know that she gave it hundred and ten percent. Spring turned to him just as he pulled the vehicle parallel to the curve, just in front of her job. "Dezmond-" "Spring-" Dezughed then said, "You go first." Spring shook her head. "It''s fine...you go first." Her stomach trembled and fluttered, causing her to shift in the seat. The ultrafortable seat. A totally random thought-that the car was really nice-seemed to melt away some of her fear. Telling another man that you wanted to just be friends, was stressful. "Alright," Dez said. He shifted in his seat. The next thing Spring knew...was the intoxicating taste of Dezmond Rey. When he pulled away, he asked her, "What is going on between you and Stanley Spencer?" "Nothing," Spring answered, still woozy from the kiss.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Good, because I want you all to myself." ---------- Spring offered a slight nod to her coworker as she pushed through the door. The overhead chime was enough to end her haze-filled dreamlike state. Even though she was no longer floating on cloud nine, it was hard to let the kiss fade. If she thought that their chemistry, she felt that night was a fluke...that it was just her inexperienced sex starved mind making something that was moderate at best, into something explosive...she was wrong. "Wow! I guess he''s not gay." Sammy said. "Not at all." ---------- A few weekster DEZMOND Pulling into his usual parking spot on Fallon''s property, Dez unplugged his cell phone then got out of the car. He sent Spring a quick text as he walked toward the front door. Her response was immediate. He smiled as he stepped up on the porch. The door was pulled open before he even lifted his hand to knock. "Dezzie!" Dezmond looked up from his cell phone when he heard the familiar voice. "Winter!" Dez wrapped his arms around the tiny woman and lifted her off her feet. Inside the foyer, he spun in a full circle as he hugged her to him. "Dez," she saidughing, "you''re going to make me vomit." Dez ced her on her feet then took a good look at her. Winter was small in stature and a small build so he didn''t notice her small round belly until now. "I forgot. Sorry." he ced his hand on her belly as he kissed her on the forehead. "How far along are we now, five months?" "Exactly," she said, pping his arm yfully. "If only my brother could remember the important stuff like you do." "Where are my girls?" Dez asked as he looked around the open living room to the kitchen. "Girls," Fallon said with a hint of yful annoyance as he entered the kitchen through the French doors. "Yes, girls," Winter agreed in the same tone as they made their way through the living room. Dez followed Winter up the few stairs that separated the sunken living room into the kitchen. "Need any help?" he asked Fallon as he headed for the kitchen sink. "Andy and Rhea are waiting for you. They know you have gifts." Fallon opened the fridge and pulled out a small covered aluminum tray. As Dez washed his hands, he smiled as he watched Winter grab a cherry tomato off the top of the sd that Fallon uncovered then hip bumped her brother. It was nice to see the two together again. Winter and Jacob, Fallon''s closest and dearest childhood friend, married young. When the man Fallon loved like a brother died, Fallon took it hard. When Winter started dating Jacob''s military friend, Fallon saw it as a personal insult to his friend''s memory and cut contact with Winter while keeping in touch with Andrea-Andy-their daughter. Dez hated ying the go between for them. It wasn''t until they almost lost Winter a couple of years ago that Fallon reached out to her. Now, it seemed Winter was happily married to Cordero, a standup guy, who brought his daughter Rhea and his dog Onyx into their fold. "So, you think we''re getting a boy?" Dez asked Cord as he walked through the patio doors, drying his hands. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Cord pushed hisrge frame out of the patio chair and met Dez halfway. They did the universal male embrace/p on the back hug. "I hope so. I need more testosterone in my home, man. With Winter, Andy, Rhea, Val, and Onyx...I''m feeling like I''m trespassing." "Where is Val? She didn''t fly in with you guys?" "Uncle Dez!" "Dez!" Dez looked out over the yard, finding the girls in the pool. The two of them climbed out and came running toward him, dripping wet but with huge smiles. He hadn''t seen the girls in person for almost six months. Rhea got to him first, hugging his right side. Andy wrapped her arms around his left. "Girls," Winter said as she passed holding sd dressing in her arms. "You''re getting Dez all wet. Go. Get dried off so you can eat." Andy pouted but looked up at him. She crooked her finger at him so Dez bent low to the girl''s eye level. "Did you bring them?" Andy asked. "I did," Dez said. "The colors?" Rhea whispered. "The exact ones you''re requested," he said with confidence. "Love you, Uncle Dez," Rhea said as she kissed him on the cheek. "You''re the best, Uncle Dez," Andy sang, kissing his other cheek. The girls backed away and ran for the house, passing Fallon on the way in. As Fallon approached, he shook his head. Fallon twisted his lips and rolled his eyes as he and Dez walked to the patio table. "What did you buy them this time?" Dez sat beside Cord. "Hey, I''m not like you. I have to work hard for a girl''s attention." Cordughed. "Yeah," he said, "some of us almost have to die for it." Winter narrowed her eyes and said, "I fell before you almost died so stop lying." Dez chuckled at their light-hearted mention of the incident. Some folk can''t move on from trauma but Winter wasn''t one of them. "I hear you have a woman now, Dez," Cord said as he took a c from the cooler beside him. "Seems we have a Winter and a Spring now." Dez watched as Cord also took a few cubes of ice and handed them to Onyx, whoy at his feet. Onyx was a beast of a dog, and if she wasn''t so well trained he would have been apprehensive about being around her. "Dez," Winter said, frowning, "I thought you were bringing her today." He was. "She and her sister had other ns." Dez was a bit disappointed but he understood that Spring had a life before him. "I hope you can meet her before you fly back." "We are staying with Fallon for a couple more days before we fly out to Arizona to drop the girls off at Jacob''s folks for summer break." Cord shrugged then said, "Maybe we can all have dinner together." "What''s going on with this sister? Do you see a love connection with Fallon and her? I hear she''s a beauty too," Winter asked. "Yeah," Cord said. "Then we''d have three seasons in the family." "That shit ain''t even gonna happen," Fallon said as he opened a beer. Dez looked at Fallon. The fact that he told his family about Summer in the first ce was odd. When Fallon noticed Dez watching him, Fallon gave him his middle finger and a grin. Dezughed. (The man doth protest too much, me thinks.) ---------- A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER With fingers that may appear possessed, Dez tapped each key on hisptop with confidence. The words hadn''t stopped flowing. It was as if everything was clearer. His thoughts, his life, his goals. Everything made sense again. His flow was epic. So much so that when his cell started to ring, he almost ignored it. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Hello?" Dez answered, using his shoulder to hold the phone in ce while he continued to type. A clicking noise sounded. "Dezmond, my favorite author in the entire world! Tell me you''ll be at Muri''s tonight. I''m not taking no for an answer. Prick Percy is trying my patience again and if I don''t get a drink while you''re talking me down, I''m going to beat the ever-loving shit out of him." "Fallon, why are you still working there?" Dez''s cell slipped but he caught it, secured it with his shoulder, thenmenced typing again. "You can open your own agency and won''t have to put up with Percy." Fallon groaned. "Stop beingzy and make the plunge. Hell, you know I''ll sign with you." "Yeah, I know you got my back." Fallon sighed. He said nothing for a moment. "Are you writing?" "Why, yes I am." Dez let his smile free. "It''s like this new book is writing itself." "That''s what''s up, man. Sucks that the piece of shit Percy will benefit from this one after screwing you over with Silicone Blur." Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Dez stopped typing. He rubbed the back of his neck then peered out of his office window. A bird flew by. He let out the gust of air then said, "No, Silicone Blur was on me. You told me to rewrite it, that it wasn''t ready. I should have listened." Fallon fell silent for several seconds. So much had changed in the five years they discussed the terms of their friendship/business rtionship and decided that it was best for Dez to use someone else at The Hub Agency versus his best friend. They were older and wiser now. "No, man, what you should have done is listen to me when I told you to stay away from Bernadette''s taco dip duringst year''s Halloween Party. I bet your ass knows now." Dez also knew that fun loving Fallon hated when things got too serious. His friend was the turn tail and run from serious shit kind of guy. Always had been, probably always will be. "Pun intended, huh." "I''d say you punned all damn night," Fallonughed. "That''s enough pun for anyone." Dez held his cell away from his ear as Fallon''s boisterousugh red from it. "Ha-ha-ha, look funny guy, I have to go while I''m still in the groove. I''ll be there tonight-wait, I''m supposed to be meeting Spring tonight." "Can''t you meet up with her another night? Thest two months, you''ve bailed on me three times for Spring." Dez got to his feet. "Sorry, but she''s flying out to California for a photo shoot. This is the only night I''ll be able to see her for the next two weeks." He moved through his loft and into the kitchen. "Maybe I''ll see if she wants toe to Muri''s instead of dinner at Bastian''s." "Hell no. I don''t want to hang out with you two...kissing and shit the entire night." "We won''t be kissing. We haven''t even touched each other in these past two months. I''m taking it slow. You know, being as we kind of rushed things on that first night. I want her to know I am serious about getting to know her and that this isn''t just sex for me. Besides, you owe me for standing me up that night she and I met." He refilled his coffee mug "Maybe I shouldn''t have," Fallon said low and under his breath. Dez poured in a ton of creamer but paused after only one teaspoon of sugar. "What''s that supposed to mean?" "Whatever," Fallon said. "I''ll see the both of you at Muri''s. Tonight." "Tonight then." Dez hung up the cell and ced it on the countertop. He shook his head at Fallon''s comment. It was odd that his friend hadn''t warmed up to the idea of his dating Spring. Yeah, he swore off having a steady girl a few years back and never showed any real interest in a woman beyond a few rolls in the sheets. But Spring was nothing like his ex. Spring was different. He felt it the moment he kissed her cheek in Muri''s that first night. ---------- SPRING Summer moved through the doorway, her hips seductively swaying, her chest out, her back arched; it was her signature e hither" walk. Spring followed her sister inside the bar. She tried to keep her face expressionless as she rushed through the door. She nced at the young man who held the door and whose gaze was still fixed on her sister''s ass. "Thank you," she told him. The young man looked at Spring. He did a double take then whispered, "Damn, twins?" Sometimes Spring forgot how much she and Summer looked alike. "Not quite," she smiled but kept her pace. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! "So," Summer asked as she slowed, "why do I have to tag along?" Spring elbowed Summer''s arm. "Could you at least pretend to be a nice person?" Summer raised a brow. "I don''t like him. If you have advice for me on how to treat people you don''t like, please...share." Spring scanned the bar. She saw Dez waving at her from the same booth they shared when they met. She looped her arm around Summer''s. Pulling her sister with her, she whispered, "Well, I don''t know many people so you are stuck ying sidekick tonight. So, suck it up, Queen Bee." Summer pouted but actually smiled when they arrived at the booth. "Hello, Dezmond. And look, it''s Fallon, I was hoping you''d be here," she said with way too much sharine. Fallon red at Dezmond, who was kissing Spring on the cheek. "Summer, the fun time girl in the flesh!" He gave her a nod. "...and her partner in crime." He regarded Spring by holding his ss of beer in the air as if toasting her. "Don''t mind him," Dez said as he moved out of the booth to allow Spring to sit. Once she scooted in, he slid in beside her. "He''s having a bad day." Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Spring turned to Fallon, who sat in the booth on the other side of her but not close. His attention was glued to Summer. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "You want something, Two?" Summer asked as she handed her purse to Spring. Spring took the purse. "Something sweet." "Hey," Fallon called, "don''t you need your purse to buy drinks?" Summer stopped, turned, then leaned over the table toward Fallon''s side. Spring watched as Fallon''s dark eyes grew darker as he took in all the cleavage Summer pushed at him. "The day I buy my own drinks will be the day I have a ring on this finger." She held up her left ring finger. "...and a big strong alpha who doesn''t just beat the ass of any man who threatens me, but," and she whispered the rest just loud enough for only Fallon and Spring to hear, "knows how to make my kitty purr." Summer winked at him then walked away. Spring giggled as she watched Fallon''s eyes narrow. "I don''t know what she said but I''m thinking she likes him," Dez grinned. Springughed at that too. If he only knew. "What?" Dez asked, his brows crinkled with confusion. "Nothing." Spring shifted so that she faced Dezmond. "So, how is the new booking along?" --------- FALLON To say that he was pissed was an understatement. These "women" encroached on his day and time with his friend. Taking up quality bro time. It wasn''t as if he was jealous. Plenty of women joined them on their bro outings. Though, none of those women were professionals. This was inexcusable. He shot Dezmond a disgusted nce. His friend was falling for this chick''s bull like a schoolboy getting head for the first time. Yeah, she was gorgeous but she was nothing more than a prop. One he paid good money to entertain his friend for only...ONE damn night. He rolled his eyes skyward at the sound of Spring''s and Dez''sughter. (Who do they think they are?) Fallon knew exactly what Spring was. He fucking hired her to be what she was. He lowered his head and pinned the sister, Summer, with his hawkish gaze. She basically sat at the bar,ing over to the booth just to drop off drinks. He chuckled. She actually had some dumbass buy the table a round. Laughter beside him rang out again. It took all he was not to drop her fucking lie out on the table. (Their lie.) "Dammit," he groaned. "Why are you still sour tonight, Fallon?" Dezmond leaned around his date to make eye contact. "Nothing," Fallon grunted. He slid out of the booth and headed to the bar. "Hey," Dezmond pointed to Fallon''s arm, "what happened to your arm? Looks like you got into it with a tiger." Fallon nced down at his arm where four scratch marks were shed over his forearm. "Nothing," he said as he rolled his sleeve down over the scratches. He rolled down his other sleeve to match. As he approached the bar, he narrowed his eyes at Summer. (Look at her. Thinking she''s God''s gift to men.) He knew the type. Knew them well. He maneuvered himself between the stool Summer sat on and the stool one of her fans upied. "Hey, what''s your problem?" Fanboy asked. Fallon didn''t respond to the guy as he stared at Summer, waiting for her to acknowledge him. She knew he was beside her; he could tell by the way she tensed, but it took her a few seconds to look at him, then around him. "Excuse my friend here, Bo. He''s having a bad day and needs some Summer in his life," she smiled as she reached over and caressed the guy''s hand. "Will you excuse us?" Fallon looked over his shoulder and raised his brow in a challenge. (Bo?) When Fallon thought of the name Bo, he imagined a big ass linebacker from Kansas. This guy was small, pasty white as if he never seen a damn summer in his life and wore thick sses and a t-shirt that said "Mess with the bull. You get the horns". The picture on the T-shirt was a little guy calling in a cavalry of more little guys with a bullhorn. (Cute.) He almost felt bad for giving the guy the brow challenge. Almost. Bo wiggled off the stool and Fallon took his ce. The man gave aughable rendition of his badass brow threat before turning around and walking away. Fallon chuckled. "Now, Fallon. y nice." Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Summer''s voice, tone, and pitch, irritated him. With her sarcasm, it was like ws scratching down a chalkboard. "When is this game of fuckery you and your partner in crime have started, going to end?" Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. The look Summer gave him was vicious. It was one he saw often enough to know that in her mind, she was filleting him open to fry in boiling oil. Hers was impressive but he wasn''t moved to retract his question, the implied usation he added to it, or the heat he infused it with. (Fuck her.) "If by game, you mean the game of love, then my dear sweet BOY, I imagine it willst forever." "Just stop the shit." Fallon noticed Jeremy, the bartender, so he raised his ss. "What it is isn''t anything close to love. It''s a total money grab and you know it. What''s the n? Get Dez to fall in love with her then milk him for a few months before moving on? Or, are your goals more long term? Marriage, then take him for all he''s got in the divorce settlement?" "You know what''s scary about you?" Summer took hold of his cheek between her fingers and squeezed like one would do a baby. He pulled away so fast that her hand hovered in the air until she shrugged then lowered it. Summer continued, ignoring his move. "It''s that you actually believe the mess you dream up in your little ole head. Now, be gone. You''re messing with my chi." She flicked her wrist and started to turn, offering him her back. (This viper did not just dismiss me.) Fallon leaned back but was still swatted in the face by her long, pleasantly scented curls. He pasted a tight-lipped smile on his face as he tapped her on her shoulder. "Look, this may be just another client to the both of you but Dez is my friend and me-" Spinning on him, she closed and opened her fingers in the universal "hand talk" motion. "h h h, I know. He''s a good guy. You''ve watched his back for years. Your Bromance is legendary." Summer rolled her eyes. "Save it for the good girls. Us bad girls don''t really give a shit." She faked a gasp and covered her mouth with her manicured hand. Then Summer gave him her back again. --------- DEZMOND Watching Fallon as he walked back to their booth, Dez felt a tinge of guilt pass through him. In truth, he didn''t even notice his friend leave. Spring had him hook, line, and sinker. It was a feeling that had him wanting to run from the building with his balls in his hand, proiming that he didn''t lose them yet. But he also wanted nothing more than to go shopping for a leash, get his name embroidered on it, and wrap it all pretty to present to Spring. An image of him leaning forward with his neck extended, waiting for her to im him, filtered through his mind. "I''m gonna head out," Fallon said as he sat his ss on the table. "It''s still early," Dez said. Fallon saluted him and offered Spring a short wave then turned and walked away. After a moment, Dez turned to Spring. "I''ll be right back." He scooted out of the booth and followed the path Fallon took. Outside, Fallon stood at the edge of the curb with his hand up for a taxi. "Hey, wait." Fallon dropped his hand and faced Dez just as a cab pulled up. He grabbed the handle. "What''s going on with you?" Dez asked. Fallon opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but closed it. He shook his head and laughed. "Nothing. I''m tired. I''ll call youter." He opened the door to the cab and slid inside. At a loss, Dez watched the cab drive away. In all the years he''d known Fallon, his friend never left Muri''s early or threw away a moment of being around beautiful women. Strange, he thought as he slowly made his way back inside and to the booth. "Everything alright?" Dez rubbed the back of his head. He looked down then to the exit/entry doors. "I don''t know," he looked back to Spring, "but I feel like I need to find out." "Oh," Spring said as she looked up at him. "Can I see you home?" he asked. "I have to check on Fallon." Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Spring''s smile was hesitant but she inched out of the booth. Dez backed away enough for her to stand but offered his hand in assistance. "What?" Summer walked up. "You guys trying to dip without me?" Spring looked at Summer and made some sort of gesture with her hand and shook her head. Usually, Dez found insight and had fun watching the sometimes subtle, often obvious, secret exchanges between friends and family with interest. Usually... But with his mind upied with Fallon, he didn''t bother to dissect what transpired between Spring and Summer. "You don''t have to see us home Dezmond. We arrived on our own and we can get home just fine." Spring moved into him to give him a hug. Dez squeezed her tight enough to convey his disappointment, then let her go. And he was disappointed. He hoped that he could convince Spring to go home with him. He hated to admit it, but the need to feel her, to hear her alluring whimpers, and know that he was the one pleasing her was damn near overwhelming. Two months of not having her in his bed were torture. "Yeah," Summer said in agreement but her brows rose in question, "we''re big girls. We can see ourselves home." Dez nodded and chuckled out a halfheartedugh but didn''t move to leave. He didn''t want to leave them but... A soft hand caressed his cheek then left a heated trail as it moved behind his ear to rest on the back of his neck. His hands found her waist. She only had to give the slightest nudge for him to move forward and he willingly did so. When Dez touched and tasted Spring''s mouth, he actually sighed as he rxed into the kiss. That wasn''t nearly enough, heined internally when she pulled away too soon. He wanted so much more. "I''ll see you when I get back from California, alright?" Of course. "Of course," Dez said as he gave her hips a reaffirming squeeze. ---------- SPRING "He doesn''t like me." Spring flopped down on the foot of Summer''s bed. She sighed, with all the dramatics she could muster, a skill that she never fully mastered from the few years of living with her shiftless thieving parents. Thank goodness, Spring thought. She was happy she didn''t pick up too many traits from her parents. But still...even if she wasn''t skilled at ying up her innocence like she was taught-or ying up her sexuality like Summer-to get what she wanted, she had her own attributes. Spring waited a few seconds for Summer to respond but when her sister didn''t, Spring looked over at her. Summer sat at the top of her bed with her arms loosely wrapped around her legs and her eyes fixed on the television. The t screen sat on a shelving unit in the old apartment but was affixed to the wall in this one, thanks to the guy who lived across the hall. He didn''t speak much but that was because of his live-in girlfriend who wasn''t at all happy about him "helping out two single twats" ...her exact words. "Have you been keeping up with the news?" Summer didn''t look at her but continued to speak without even waiting for her answer. "This guy, they''re saying he''s a multi-state serial killer. They have already linked him to over a half dozen murders, and they suspect there are more." Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! That peaked Spring''s interest. She shifted to get a view of the television. "You mean the guy who killed ra Warner? They really think he is a serial killer...here?" Summer turned to Spring. "Not think, sweetie, confirmed." They both focused on the television. Neither spoke while the local news reporter continued the Special Report segment on the one they dubbed the Blue Candy Killer. Twenty some odd minutester the report ended, but Summer''s attention was still glued to the television. Whatever it was, either the fact that the killer was now in their city, or that she actually found something interesting about the macabre case, Summer remained reflectively silent. "Summer?" The concern in Spring''s tone was obvious. "Yeah," Summer answered. Summer kept her attention on the television but Spring was sure she wasn''t really watching it. "Summer," Spring said again. When her sister looked up, Spring said, "What''s wrong?" Summer shook her head. "It''s just...nothing." Her usual upbeat tone returned. "What''s wrong with you?" "Fallon," Spring sighed. "He doesn''t like me." "So." Spring pushed off the bed. "Well, if you don''t care..." She exited the room without looking back. "Wait," Summer called as she followed. "I care. I just find the mention of the jerk irritating. Fallon is an ass." "He''s Dezmond''s best friend, Summer." Spring walked into the kitchen. She pulled open the refrigerator door and lifted out her homemade sweet tea. After rinsing two sses, she poured some for herself and Summer. Summer reached for one of the sses and added ice. "Dezmond wants to wake up to you, not his butt turd of a friend." She shrugged as she took a sip of her tea. "I wouldn''t worry about it." "You don''t worry about anything," Spring mumbled. "I have to go pack." She grabbed the purse she took with her to Muri''s and made for her bedroom as she thought about how her night with Dez ended. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 He didn''t ask her to return to his ce since that first night. She thought for sure he''d ask tonight, especially since she was going out of town this week. But he didn''t. Spring tossed her purse on her bed, ced her ss of tea on her nightstand, then went to her closet to get her suitcase. She ced the suitcase on the bench at the foot of her bed and opened it. "I don''t know why you''re so worried. It''s not like he''s the one." Summer leaned on the panel of Spring''s bedroom doorway. She sipped her tea as she watched Spring pack. Spring didn''t respond. She knew that she should have but she didn''t, and that meant she was going to have to pay for her silence. Summer walked into the room. "He isn''t the ONE...is he?" All their life their grandma preached about the ONE. The one man who will have you willing to turn your world upside down but will encourage you to keep it right-side up. The one who loves everything you are just the way you are. The one who, when he looks at you, your very soul smiles. "It takes a special man to im the heart of a Lafayette woman," Grams would often say. "But the one who can and does will forever burn in your heart." Spring carefully ced her garment in the suitcase then faced her sister who sat on the bed. "I don''t know...I just...it''s kind of too early to know. I just don''t want to lose him before I find out, that''s all." Spring went back to packing, hoping Summer dropped the subject. She didn''t know how to exin how she felt to her sister. Summer wasn''t the "soulmate" type. Telling her that she was virtually in love with a man she only knew for such a short time and was intimate with only once, was like telling her sister that she was actually the Flying Nun. Though, Summer might just believe the Nun thing. When their Grams watched the old show, Summer used to tease Spring about how she would be a perfect fit for Nun-hood. "Where did you get these?" Spring looked over at her sister. Summer sat beside the purse Spring haphazardly tossed on her bed moments ago. Some of the contents were spilled out onto the bed. Among the items were clear wrapped blue candies which stood out against the white and yellowforter. Summer held up the one she held in her hand. "I don''t know, why?" "These are the same kind..." Summer''s voice trailed off. Spring walked over and took the candy from Summer. She turned the wrapped confection in her fingers. The wrapper was basic but the princess cut candy was remarkably made. "I could have picked it up anywhere, I guess." She tossed it on the bed. "He''d be stupid to use a little-known treat. Those would be easier to trace." Summer watched her for several heartbeats then said, "Yeah, just be careful out there in California. You and Brandi stick together at all times." Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Don''t worry so much. This guy hasn''t struck in California." Summer stood. As she walked out of the bedroom, she said, "They don''t know all the ces the freak has struck yet. He has them running around like idiots." Spring looked at her bed and the candies thaty on it. She really had no idea where they came from. When she swapped out purses earlier in the evening, it was empty, and she didn''t recall transferring the candy from her other purse. She would have remembered. (Wouldn''t I?) Just then, her cell phone rang. Spring looked at the screen. It was Troy. Spring smiled. He was so worried about her and she''d been too busy to actually talk. Until now. "Hello, Troy," she said. She swiped the candy and the rest of the contents that spilled out of the purse back inside it, then hung the purse on her door knob. The candy became a distant memory. "Springy," Troy said. His smile could be heard through the phone. "Come on Troy," Spring said as she flopped down on the bed. "Don''t call me that. What have you been up to?" "Same old stuff at the nt. I think Reggie is going to ask Mary to marry him. Being his younger brother, I know I am a shoo-in for best man. Me and Grams are finishing up on the bird house we started when you left." "You know, you don''t have to go over Gram''s house so much. She isn''t as lonely as you think. And tell the happy couple I said congrats. I want an invite." "Only if you will be my date." Spring smiled but it faded slowly as she thought of his words. "Of course. I wouldn''t have it any other way. We can go together as friends, Troy." "Springy..." Spring forced augh. "You know I hate it when you all call me Springy, Troy." "Right," Troy said with his usual good nature, "you''re a big-time model now. Do you prefer Ms. Lafayette?" Spring giggled, feeling more upbeat. "Yes...I actually do." "So, Ms. Lafayette. Tell me that it sucks there. That you miss home and us. That you are flying back immediately." "I love it here, Troy. It is amazing!" Troy groaned. "Well," he sighed, "I tried. So," he said with a bit more enthusiasm, "tell me all about it." "Well..." Spring started but stopped as her eyes fell on a surprising development that stood in her doorway. "Uh," she said to Troy, "can I call you back? Something just popped up." "I guess," Troy sighed. "Don''t forget me, Springy." Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Spring was lowering her cell phone and didn''t hear Troy''s words because her focus was on Dezmond. "Hi." "I couldn''t get ahold of Fallon. I wanted to see you." Dez walked inside and closed then locked her bedroom door. "I hope it''s alright, me stopping by unannounced. Summer let me in." Spring could only nod. "I didn''t want you to go away without exining to you the rules." Dez came to a stop in front of her. She had to look up to meet his gaze. "The rules?" "There are three." He lowered to his knees, cing his warm hands on her exposed thighs. "Three?" Spring asked. Her pulse was in overdrive as Dez''s hands slid under her short skirt and up the outside of her trembling thighs. "The first," he said. His voice sounded thicker, deeper. "You will be careful and take care not toe to any harm while away." His fingers took hold of the thin hem on both sides of her panties and pulled until she rose a bit. He eased them down her legs and let her lift her feet out of them. "Second?" her voice cracked. "Second," Dez said as he spread her legs. "Remain confident. You are truly beautiful." He ced his palm on her chest, gently pushing her back. "And third," he whispered. She felt his warm breath on her inner thigh as if he were just a few inches away from her... "Don''t let any other man touch what''s mine." He ran a finger over her clit just before he sucked the tiny nub into his mouth. Spring called to the heavens as her body shook with a sudden orgasm. Dez continued to suck and run his tongue through her folds but it was too much. "Please, I...I..." she tried to sit up as she pulled at his shoulders. It was too much to bear. "My woman, so sensitive, so wet," Dez said as he licked his lips and stood. The heated gaze he gave her as he pulled off his shirt and undid his jeans was so sexy Spring sucked her bottom lip into her mouth. She leaned back as he climbed over her. When he settled on her, she felt his heavy cock on her leg and another shiver ran through her. He was soon gripping it and running it through her wetness. "You understand the rules?" Dez asked her. It wasn''t fair. He was asking while her brain was shorting out. And when he pushed in just the tip, she grabbed his head and pulled him in, and took his lips. God, her scent smelled so intoxicating on his lips, his face. She kissed him hard as she lifted her pelvis. She needed him inside her. "Ah...Spring, baby, be patient and answer me. Do you understand the rules?" "Are you mine as well, Dez?" "From that first night you''ve owned me," he said, panting. It was then that Spring realized how tense he was. How intense his gray eyes were. He was serious. She thought for a few seconds. It was long enough to see worry filter through his gaze. His fear sent an ache through her chest that she didn''t like. "I understand," she said. Then she screamed out with pleasure when he pushed inside her. Her eyes rolled as he began to make sweet love to her. ---------- DEZMOND Dez walked through the lobby with a purpose, his footfalls echoing throughout. He checked in at the security desk before bypassing the elevators and jogging up the three flights. When the receptionist tried to stop him, Dez ignored her. When others attempted to converse with him, he nodded but kept to his destination. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. It was Percy, his agent, who stepped into his path. "I wasn''t aware we had a meeting scheduled today, Dez." "We don''t." Dez moved to go around him. Percy matched his movement, once again cing himself in Dezmond''s path. "I thought so. But while you''re here," Percy reached to ce his hand on Dez''s back. "I''d feel we should discuss your next project. You know, cross our T''s and dot our I''s." Dez lifted his hands as he backed away. "I''m not here on business, and when I want to talk Mr. Hayes, I''ll contact you. And by the way, I''d prefer you to call me Dezmond or Mr. Rey. Only my friends call me Dez." Dez watched Percy long enough to see the fake fa?ade of friendship fall away before he bypassed him. He knew the man was a snake, an entitled brat of the highest degree, but Percy was good at what he did. And that was getting his books to the right people. Fallon was, of course, better, but he swore to a sticky friendship rule that kept them from doing business together. Otherwise Dez would be working with the best. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Dez didn''t knock on Fallon''s door. He just entered. He strolled inside as he stared at his friend who was on the phone as if he owned the building. He took a seat in one of the chairs facing Fallon then crossed his ankle over his leg. "He''s here Rosaline, thank you." Fallen spoke into the phone receiver as he pinned Dezmond with a "What the Fuck" gaze. He ced the receiver on the hook then stood and walked over to his office door and closed it. "What are you doing here, Dez?" "Oh, I don''t know. If you would answer my damn calls I wouldn''t be here." It wasn''t as if he liked it here. He hated the recognition he got when he came to the office, and he actually tried to avoid in-office meetings as much as possible, opting instead for conference calls and next day post. "I''ve been busy." Fallon walked around his desk and sat in his high back chair. "Bullshit." Fallon sucked his teeth. It was a clear sign that Dez was right. Something was bothering Fallon, something he didn''t want to share with Dez. If his avoiding Dez for almost an entire week wasn''t proof enough, Fallon was also avoiding his mother. "Maddie says you''re not answering for her either. You always answer your mother''s calls." "I said I''m busy. What the hell don''t you understand about being busy?" Fallon picked up some documents from his desk and started reading over them. "Too busy for your own mother?" Dez dropped his resting foot to the floor and leaned forward. "Bullshit," he repeated as he pulled the documents from Fallon''s hands. Fallon grasped for his papers but Dez held them out of his reach. "What is your problem? I say I''m busy and you storm into my office like a child. You say you''re busy and I just have to ept it." Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Dez frowned. "This isn''t about me spending time with Spring, is it? She''s been gone a whole week and still, you''re avoiding me." "Give me the papers," Fallon demanded. "It is, isn''t it?" Dez ced the papers down. He sat back in the chair. "You didn''t mind when I blew you off for Audrey but, Spring you do. Why is it that you don''t like her?" "Audrey was better." "You hated Audrey!" Thest time he had Fallon and Audrey together the party''s fireworks were second to the explosive argument between the two. "I didn''t hate her. She and I were friendly enough," Fallon said. "But you can''t be friends with Spring?" "She''s different." "How so?" Dez watched as his friend''s expression changed from irritation to confusion. (What the hell is going on?) "Did you know her before I met her or something?" Fallon looked down then said, "Look, I have a meeting-" Fallon was acting as if... "Are you kidding me?" Dez stood. He rubbed his hand over his face, resting his palm over his mouth for a second before looking up at the ceiling. Laughing bitterly, he focused on Fallon. "You hooked up with Spring." Heughed again, feeling nothing akin to humor. "Tell me this, was it before or after the ball." "Really?" Fallon stood and pointed to his office door. "Get the hell out of my office, Dez." Dez walked around therge stainless steel and smoked ss desk and faced off with his friend. He couldn''t believe it. (Can''t I though.) Fallon wasn''t a saint. In fact, he was the man you didn''t introduce to your sister or mother. But Dez thought their friendship was beyond Fallon''s carnal desires. Man was he wrong. Sooner orter, everyone fucked you over. His chest drummed as he balled his fist. "Is Bad Ass Fallon Tate not going to own up to his shit?" Fallon moved into Dez''s personal space. Almost nose to nose, Fallon being the taller one, he said, "Get the hell out of my office, Dezmond, before..." Whatever he was about to say fell away. Fallon smiled, bit his lip, then moved to turn around but Dez took hold of his shoulder with one hand and swung with his other. Dez''s balled fist connected with Fallon''s lower lip and jaw. Fallon stumbled back as he clutched his jaw. His tongue snaked out and licked his bloody lip. "You fucking hit me. Me!" Fallon yelled, "Over a whore." Fallon moved toward Dez in a way Dez saw many times before. His ex-friend was in fight mode. "She wasn''t a whore until you touched her," Dez yelled back as he raised his fists to fight back. He wasn''t a brawler like Fallon, and ten to one he was going to get his ass handed to him, but he wasn''t backing down. Fallon stopped in front of Dez. His hands fell to his sides but his anger was evident in the nt of his brows and the curl of his lip. "You want me to own up, asshole," Fallon demanded. "Your perfect woman is an escort. I hired her to..." he threw up air quotes as he leaned into Dez''s face, "lift your fucking spirits. But she lifted that and your dick it seems." Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Dez felt the sting of betrayal pulse through him. He took a step back. He lifted his hand to his mouth then lowered it. "Yeah, I paid her," Fallon announced again. He didn''t have to repeat it. Dez got it the first time. He understood Fallon loud and clear. Spring was paid to "lift his spirits..." The first step he took felt clumsy and sluggish, but as he took the second and third he attempted to move with more precision. Dez pulled open the office door. He heard conversation around him, he noticed people standing in the aisles, watching him as he walked by them. "Lover''s quarrel," Percy sneered as he passed. The sound of amotion going on behind him didn''t halt Dezmond''s steps. Gasps and the sounds of furniture being moved didn''t stop him. He thought he even heard Fallon calling his name but he didn''t turn back. None of it mattered. Fallon no longer mattered. She was paid. (I''m a fool.) ---------- FIVE HOURS LATER The drive to his parent''s home in upstate New York didn''t even register. Hell, the truth was, Dez didn''t remember the trip in its entirety. He didn''t recall stopping at red lights or even merging onto the highway. All he was aware of was pulling up along the curb in front of his childhood home and parking where he still sat, staring at his steering wheel. The sound of tapping jolted Dez to attention. He turned to see his father bent over looking at him through the driver''s window. "Are you going to sit here all night?" What am I even doing here? he asked himself. "Get out of the car son." Dez sighed as he undid his seat belt. He waited until his father backed up before he opened the car door and stepped out. "Hey Pop." "Dez," his father said as he extended his hand. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Dez shook his father''s hand. It was the way Marcel Rey greeting everyone, including family. "Your mother is brewing some coffee. She made her famous cinnamon buns," Marcel said as they traveled up the walkway. Inside, Dez sat at the dining table with his hands around his coffee mug. His head hung. His chest still ached from being betrayed and lied to. "He should have called," Marcel whispered in the background. "We could have been...busy." Dez refrained from shaking his head. His father was one of those people whocked the ability to speak quietly. And to be talking about what he thought they were talking about... "Shh, he''ll hear you." "Toote," Dez said as he lifted his mug to his lips. Virginia Rey walked over to the table with one of her cinnamon buns. She ced it in front of Dez then sat across from him. "What happened?" she asked. "Spring..." he started but stopped. "What boy, is she pregnant?" Marcel demanded immediately. "No. She and Fallon lied to me. Apparently, she''s an escort and he hired her...to get me out of my ''funk''." Dez even threw up the quotation marks when he said funk. He looked at his mother when he realized the silence in the room was longer than he expected. Both his parents should be all over this, giving their conservative opinions and suggestions. But he heard nothing but silence. Virginia was peering at him like he''d grown a horn between his ears. His father seemed somewhat annoyed but not shocked or angry. "She''s an escort," he said again. His mother''s chair made a screeching sound as she stood. She said nothing as she left the room. "What?" Dez asked, confused. Marcel lifted the chair his wife vacated and ced it closer to the table then sat. "Do you like this woman?" Dez raised his brow. He worshiped her. "Do you feel she likes you?" Dez thought of the way Spring''s eyes lit up whenever she looked at him, how she seemed to be having fun when they were with each other. He thought of how in sync they were physically and how neither one of them seemed to be able to get enough of the other. "Then tell me, what angers you more? Them omitting her choice of employment or that there''s a possibility she may have given another man her body." Dez frowned. His father emphasized the word her. "Did you talk to her?" Dez shook his head. "So, you just left the city and came home, instead of talking to this young woman you seem to care about?" "I left her an angry message," Dez admitted. That''s when his father got up from the table. "What''s a seven-letter word for a personcking good judgment?" He left the kitchen. (Moronic.) Chapter 44 Chapter 44 SPRING Nothing bothered Spring more than when someone refused to catch a clue. The world had be socially inept in the past decade, her grams would say, and it was very frustrating. Apparently, there was a time when No meant exactly that. Today it meant, keep trying until you wear them down. Spring flipped the card over in her hand. There was no signature but she knew who sent the bouquet and an invitation to meet upst night. This was odd, because whenever she was around Stanley Spencer during photo shoots, he seemed so uninterested and only concerned with work. He was the one who contacted her to do the shoot in California. Well, he had Taylor, his niece /assistant, contact her with all the details for the all-expenses paid gig. He was nothing but professional throughout the entire week of the shoot. So, when she received the flowers with the odd invite, she was taken aback. "What are you going to tell him?" Brandi looked over her shoulder as they boarded the ne. Spring followed her as she stuffed the card back inside her book. It fell out when she went to put the ne tickets and receipts inside. "I don''t know. Do you think he''ll ckball me if I don''t go out with him?" Brandi shrugged. She maneuvered by a flight attendant then hiked her carry-on bag up on her shoulder. A man stood and smiled as he took the bag. Brandi smiled back and directed him which overhead bin she wanted it in. Through the entire exchange, Spring waited patiently for a reply. "Well?" she asked after they were seated andfortable. "Oh, yeah. I''ve never heard of him being an ass before. Everyone speaks highly of him and his team. His niece, Taylor, is amazing and Joe, the assistant photographer, is very skilled. Plus, he''s tasty." "I don''t know if Stanley Spencer should be described as tasty." "Not Mr. Spencer...Joe," Brandiughed. Spring hadn''t really noticed Joe. He didn''t speak to her much but when he did, he was sweet. "I guess...Joe''s sort of cute." "See, that''s because you have a man. If not, you''d recognize tasty. Like ole dude up there with the baby blue eyes. I think he can help me with more than my luggage." Spring shook her head. Brandi had two modes, work, and y. She did both of them with maximum effort. Just as Spring was about to take a good look at the man who helped Brandi with her, her cell phone vibrated. She lifted it and peered at the number calling. It was Dez. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Spring smiled. She hadn''t spoken to him all day yesterday and he didn''t return any of her calls either. She could only assume he was working hard. She frowned, then swore under her breath. They were giving the warning about electronics. She would have to call him when shended. "Shame you had to leave the flowers in the hotel suite, though. They were beautiful." Brandi rxed back in her seat. "Yeah," Spring said absently as she noticed the voicemail notification light up on her phone. Dez left a message before but she didn''t have a chance to listen to it. Spring felt a sense of dread move through her but turned her cell off, slipped it back into her pocket, and hoped all was well. ---------- SOMETIME LATER Spring held on tight to her cell phone. Her first instinct was to not drop it. Summer bought the expensive tech for her as a moving to the big city gift. (Even with the case, it is delicate. Wait...why am I thinking about a phone?) She gripped her phone a little tighter. "What''s wrong?" Spring focused on the cracks in the cement sidewalk. When she looked up, she filtered through all the people moving about to find Brandi. Her friend was watching her from the curb where she already gged down a taxi. Spring noted the man putting Brandi''s luggage in the trunk. (We are sharing a taxi.) That''s what they nned and that''s what they were doing...before she decided to check her voicemail. Spring nced around. She was mere feet away from the sliding doors, impeding a few people''s exit/entrance by the look on some of their faces. "Spring, what''s wrong?" Brandi... Her friend was in front of her now. When did she move? Spring attempted to shake the haze from her mind. Listing things always helped her cope. So, she recited it in her head. (Flew to California for a photo shoot that might change my life.) (Justnded at the airport.) (Listened to my messages.) (The one from Taylor, Stanley''s niece, and assistant, saying that he was very pleased with the way the photos turned out. One from Grams, saying that she had something important to discuss. Two from Troy, who had some news to share. And...one from Dezmond.) (Share a taxi with Brandi.) (Go home...crawl in a corner to cry.) "Spring, honey, what''s wrong?" Brandi''s tone, full of worry, pushed through to Spring. Soft hands touched Spring''s cheeks as brown eyes bore into hers. "Dezmond found out," she whispered, sounding mechanical and unemotional. "Oh no." Brandi embraced her. Spring felt the warmth of friendship surround her. She knew she should be focused on thefort and compassion offered to her but all she could think of was...not dropping her phone. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 SUMMER This shit has to end, Summer thought as she stood in the kitchen of her apartment. It''s been two weeks and Spring still looked like leftover shit on a stick and it was all that twit''s-Fallon''s-fault. God, why did the lord breed such pricks? From her father, a loser drug-addicted liar, to her first real boyfriend, a voyeur douche who manipted and used her, men were the scum of the earth. Though Summer only had one good use for them-as her personal ATM machines, her sister felt differently. Spring believed in Happily Ever After, and that meant she let men affect her. To do that meant being miserable and hovering from here to there like a ghost while dealing with their machinations, and then looking like a zombie when they broke you. (...and they always broke you.) Thank god she didn''t believe in love anymore. "Want to catch a movie tonight?" Summer leaned on the wall as she watched Spring fidget with the zipper on her shoulder bag. "Not really. Besides, I only have a few episodes left of the show I''m streaming." Spring finally zippered up the bag. She opened the front door to go to work. "See ya." "See ya," Summer said as she watched her sister slink out of the front door. "Yeah, this shit has to end." Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. With that in mind, Summer grabbed her keys and clutch purse then slipped her feet into her sneakers. She left her apartment, locking the front door behind her. ---------- FALLON Breathing a sigh, Fallon cursed then picked up his remote and pressed the pause button. He grinned at the frozen image on the screen as he walked through his living room to the foyer. His co-workers and management were the only people privy to him being home so he could only assume that he had a delivery. Maybe it was a certified letter of his termination. No Regrets, he thought as he unlocked the door and pulled it open. Fallon peered at the person on his porch stairs with equal amounts of intrigue and disgust. She wore yoga pants that hugged her curves perfectly, and a loose gray top that fell off her shoulders with a ck tank under it. Her long hair was in a messy bun on the top of her head and she didn''t seem to have on a stitch of makeup, which only entuated her natural beauty. Natural beauty that had no effect on him. Fallon had to force his eyes to stay in ce and not roll up into his head. He noted her stance, the crossed arms, the scowl on her too perfect fucking face, and her right foot forward as if she was squaring off. As mad as she appeared, he couldn''t find the fucks to give a shit. "I assume you got my address from your Madame or Pimp, but I see it as a breach of information and will be pursuing legal consultation because-" She pushed past him, bumping his shoulder and side as she marched into his house. For several seconds, Fallon stared at the spot where she was standing seconds ago. When the shock of her intrusion settled, he closed the door and went to retrieve his uninvited guest. He found her standing in his living room. Her was body stiff and standoffish, and she was clearly angry. He scanned the room for his cell phone in case he had to have her psycho ass removed from his property. It was still on the coffee table but she stood in his path. "Look, Brittney," he chuckled as he walked around the circumference of his seating area, giving her a wide berth, "wait, is your name Brittney Goings or Summer Lafayette? Both sound like porn star aliases if you ask me but hey, in your line of work, discretion is important." "My name is Summer you twit," she spat. "What the hell did you tell Dezmond?" Fallon lowered his eyes and slumped his shoulders but immediately stood straight then nted his eyes at the intruder. (Idiot.) He berated himself. Just because he felt guilty didn''t mean he wanted her to see it. "Get out. Scurry off to your next bedding because I haven''t the time, tenacity, or temperament to be handling you right now." He turned around with the intent to escort her out. The sound of jingling metal was his only warning as something colorful and shiny sailed by, inches from his face. Fallon followed the projectile as it fell to the floor and slid until it hit the base of the wall. Lord knew he neverid hands on a female but this one was special. He spun around. Only, what he saw wasn''t a woman ready to do battle. What he saw was a blubbering mess of a woman who was damn near on the verge of crumbling to his polished wood floor. She was soundless, and her heaving chest and flowing tears diminished his own anger. He lifted his foot to move forward but stopped and ced his foot back on solid ground. Helpless, he rubbed his head as he looked around his room for assistance from...hell, anyone, or anything. He decided to say something. "If your n is to get me arrested for assault-" A gasp left her as she stared at him. Her brows creased as she seemed to look deeper. "You really need therapy, you know that," she said then sniffed. She nced around then said, "My Uber left already. Can I use your bathroom?" Fallon considered telling her to go to the bathroom at one of the stores in town but ultimately pointed in the direction of his first-floor facilities. "Down that hall and to the left." "Thanks," she mumbled. Fallon watched her disappear down the hall. He rubbed his hands on his thighs. He moved to pick up his cell then started to dial Dez. His fingers moved on autopilot but before he pushed the send button, he paused. They weren''t friends anymore. He could call the Police. But what would he say? A hot escort refused to leave my house so I made her cry...though I don''t know how I did that... Unsure of what to do, he eased down on his sofa and stared at the still frozen image on his TV. (What the fuck just happened?) Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Coming to his house probably wasn''t the best idea. Summer realized that as she moved through the beautiful residence. When the taxi service pulled up in front of a house on the outskirts of the city versus an apartment, she almost instructed him to turn around and take her back home. But running away wasn''t going to solve her sister''s, broken heart. But...she felt all sorts of ufortable inside Fallon''s home. She knew he wasn''t married but he could live with his woman, and her showing up could be viewed as something it wasn''t. She found Fallon sitting on the edge of his sofa, no doubt ready to force her to leave. When he noticed her, he stood? She spoke before he could. "I''m sorry for barging in here but," she forced her shoulders back and stared him directly in the eyes, "you have to fix it. Springy is heartbroken over Dez and I don''t like it." "Is she heartbroken over Dez or that her payday will nevere?" Summer growled as she moved forward. She had every intention of pping the stupid off his smug dumb face but stopped inches away. Her hitting him might satisfy her, but it wouldn''t fix Spring and Dez. She sat down on the sofa and sighed. "Springy isn''t like me. She''s good and sweet. She believes in love and romance. Dez wasn''t her payday. He was her happily ever after." Summer looked up at Fallon. "And I''m supposed to believe that. You sell yourselves to whoever can afford you and I''m supposed to believe that Dez has changed her." Summer hung her head. "Not Springy. I said she''s not like me." She rubbed her hands together. Lying never meant a thing but admitting lies always made her nervous. "I got sick with the flu. I was the one you hired, not Springy. Going out with Dez was her helping me out. It''s just that when we met, you were so damn rude and judgmental that I let you believe that she was an escort...when she really isn''t." "Look Brittney, Summer, whoever you are, you can''t expect me to believe this shi-" Summer cut him off. "It''s true. Springy works at a shoe store while getting her modeling career going. She doesn''t work for Shush Escorts. Think-it was my picture you chose, not hers. She''s not even on the site." The cushion of the sofa sank, signaling to her that he sat down beside her. Summer tilted her head to see him. He looked perplexed as he stared back at her. "Then why the hell would you let me believe she was an escort?" Summer didn''t miss the disgust in his tone when he said escort. "Because of that. Listen to you. You can''t even say the word escort without dripping judgment. What I do doesn''t make me a whore or a bad person, but in your mind, I am both and a whole lot more. You don''t even know me. Didn''t your mother raise you to not judge others until you know them?" A look she would describe as hurt crossed over Fallon''s face but he quickly hid it. Just like he quickly hid the guilty expression Summer saw earlier. "She did actually." He sat back, his hands on his legs. "I''m sorry for judging you, both." "That doesn''t matter. What matters is that Springy was happy. Dez made her happy." "She really likes him, huh?" Fallon asked. Summer shook her head. "I''d say she loves him." They both shivered and blew out a sigh. Then they bothughed. "Well," Fallon chuckled as he got to his feet, "then I''ll have to fix it. Let''s go then." Summer smiled. She didn''t think this would work but it did. As she followed Fallon to the door, she picked up the keys she threw at his head earlier. Good thing she was shit at throwing. "Sorry about trying to hit you." She rubbed the back of her neck as she avoided looking at him. "No problem. Women like throwing things at me. Mostly themselves first, then their keys." "I bet. You driving?" She walked through the open door he held. "What''s the n? How do we fix this?" Fallon seemed to think it over as he led her to a ck sports car. It''s so like him to have an expensive sports car. He pointed to the passenger side and Summer rolled her eyes. Mr. Judgey was definitely not a gentleman. She shook her head as she opened the door and slipped into the car. It was just as beautiful inside as it was outside with all its shiny buttons and lights. She clicked her seatbelt and tried to rx. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! "I''m fixing this, right after I drop you off." He turned the engine over and pulled out of his parking pad. Aside from her giving directions, they didn''t talk while Fallon drove. Summer was content to just listen to the radio. When he pulled his car in front of her building, she wondered if him dropping her off was the best thing. Maybe she should go with him...to fix this thing with Spring and Dez. "Candy?" Fallon asked as he pushed in a littlepartment on his dashboard that opened with a low swoosh. Inside were clear wrapped blue candies, just like the ones... Chapter 47 Chapter 47 SPRING Turning her phone off was the best thing for her sanity, but Spring still felt the urge to look at her call log to see who tried to contact her. She hoped that Dez realized that he made a huge mistake in dumping her and was calling to beg her to take him back. The reality hit hard...two calls from Taylor, a half dozen calls from her Grams, and a dozen or more from Troy. The calls from Taylor were of no importance. She wasn''t interested in modeling or dating. Her grams just wanted to cheer her up. No doubt Summer told her about Dez. Dez, whose existence she didn''t share with Grams because Grams was Pro-Troy. And Troy, who probably heard from Grams that she was nursing a broken heart that wasn''t because of him. She didn''t want to exin to Troy, for the hundredth time, that they were better off as friends. Troy was a great guy, but he wasn''t her great guy. What wasn''t logged in her calls was a message from Summer. Which was odd because they talked at least four times a day. As Spring climbed the apartment building stairs, she hit the home screen on her cell for the hundredth time. It was nine in the evening and no calls from Summer. Not even a text. She hiked her bag higher on her shoulder as she put her key in the main building door. The door swung open before she could turn the knob. The sudden jolt caused her key to fall out of the lock onto the doormat. She bent to get her keys as a figure rushed by, almost knocking her over. "Hey," she called as she focused on the ck boots that descended the steps in an obvious hurry. She lifted her gaze to see which of their neighbors was the jerk but she could only see the back of what she assumed was a man wearing a loose hoodie rushing down the sidewalk. "Jerk." Spring picked up her keys then caught the building door before it closed and locked. She moved over the threshold, forgetting that she was somewhat worried about Summer. Instead, as she checked the mailbox, she thought of how Dezmond''s number wasn''t on her call log. It hadn''t been for two weeks. You''d think that spending time over the past few months and then suddenly not spending time with her, would leave a gaping hole of loneliness in his life. Like the hole that kept growing in hers. But...nope. Apparently, he was good. That angered her but even with being angry, Spring was still eighty percent hurt and twenty percent angry. Hurt still trumped angry. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. She carried herself and the mail up the flights of stairs with her head lowered. She didn''t want to talk so she kept her head down as not to make eye contact with anyone. When she came to her door, she noticed the wee mat was misaligned. Her eyes focused on the door. It was ajar. (Why...?) Spring used her foot to kick over the edge of the wee mat where Summer kept their spare key. The key was gone. She looked around the hallway. It was empty but not silent. The tenants across the hall were sting Pop music loud enough for her to make out the tone but not the words. Realizing her phone was still in her hands, Spring dialed Summer''s number. One ring and the voicemail picked up. She disconnected the call then eased the door open with her foot, looking inside from the hallway. It was pitch ck inside. Spring raised her arm and used her hand to feel around the wall for the light switch. The click of the switch and the illumination of the light were simultaneous. The glow in the room showed that everything was just like it usually was. She took one step, carrying herself over the threshold. Another step inside made it possible to close the door. But Spring didn''t. "You''re freaking yourself out, Two," Spring whispered. She nervously giggled at herself for whispering. She nced over her shoulder at the open doorway as she moved further inside, heading toward the back where the bedrooms were. (What are you afraid of?) As the thought solidified, something caught her eye. Spring stopped. She peered at a red smudge that wasn''t there before. The stain was stark against the white wall and when she looked closer, Spring ced her hand over her mouth and took a step back. It looked like a blood streaked handprint. "Summer!" Spring yelled. The mail fell from her hand and so did her cell. She took a shaky step forward when someone caged her arms from behind and pulled her back against an unyielding mass. "Let me go. Help," she screamed as she kicked and wiggled to get free. But it did nothing. Panic and fear took hold as her mind shut out everything around her but the feel of her being enclosed. Her ears filled with the sound of her drumming heart; her eyes saw nothing but red. This isn''t how she wanted to die so she fought harder. She twisted, kicked, and pushed against her capture until she fell to the floor. Without a backward nce, Spring crawled a few inches then pushed to her feet. (Get away. I have to get away.) Chapter 48 Chapter 48 DEZMOND He spun Spring around but she batted and swung at him with her closed fists. Shended several hits but her fight was hindered by her shoulder bag strap. Dez called her name again but he was certain she didn''t hear him. The fear he saw in her haunted eyes told him she wasn''t even aware that it was him. "Spring, calm down sweetheart. It''s me, Dezmond." He managed to get hold of her face. She started to push at his face and chest but he moved in so close that she could only beat at his arms and shoulders. "Baby, it''s me," he whispered as he kissed her face over and over again. "It''s me. I''ve got you. You''re safe." Dez sighed when her hits began to decrease. He eventually pulled back. What he saw damn near broke his heart. Spring''s wide terrified watery eyes regarded him with horror. Her hair was disheveled and strands were stered to her face. He felt each panicked breath she inhaled and exhaled over his skin. "Dez?" He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Yeah, it''s me. You''re safe." Dez saw the first tear blink from her eye before Spring shifted away from his hold on her face andid her head on his chest. Her arms wrapped tightly around him and she squeezed as if her life depended on how tight she held him. ---------- SPRING The heat from the coffee cup she held with both hands was moreforting than painful. She wasn''t a coffee drinker but the taste of the bittersweet concoction seemed to calm her. Spring raised the cup to her lips and took another long sip, enjoying the feel of the hot liquid traveling down her throat and filling her empty stomach. Earlier, when she found out the details of what actually happened in the apartment she and her sister shared, she lost what little food she was able to munch on today. It took about thirty minutes for the dry heaving topletely subside and still she feared the reflex would return. But the coffee seemed to help keep her sour stomach at bay. A sh of movement from beside her caused her to track Dez''s hand. He ced it on her thigh and started to stroke her leg in aforting caress. She looked over at him, their eyes meeting. His eyes conveyed understanding and a silent promise that he was with her. At least that''s what she wanted it to mean. Hers...she was sure sted fear and vulnerability. She hated being scared. She thought her days of living in fear were over when Grams took her and Summer to live with her. She hated being scared. "Springy." Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. The sound of Summer''s voice had her heart pounding in her ears and tears falling from her eyes as she frantically looked around the police station for the source. She felt, rather than saw, the coffee being pulled from her hands as she stood up. She was a ball of sobbing tears by the time she made eye contact with Summer who was running at full speed toward her. They hit hard, both of them visibly shaking as they embraced. Summer pushed away from Spring and did some kind of hand check over her body until she was cupping her face. Familiar hazel eyes stared back at Spring, and for the second time tonight, her world felt safe again. Even if only for a moment. "God, Two..." Summer pulled her in for another tight hug. "God, thank you." "I was so scared." Spring felt her sister squeeze her tighter. Summer pulled away then took Spring by the hand. They walked to where Dez still sat with her coffee. That''s when Spring noticed Fallon. He stood off to the side, not quite close enough to Dez, but not too far away. "What happened?" Summer asked. She motioned for Spring to sit next to Dez. Spring sat down but there was no way she could talk about it. Her throat felt raw and her chest started to ache. Just as more tears began to fall, she felt a soothing hand on her back. "From what we''ve learned, it seems that the Blue Candy Killer targeted Spring. He found your extra key and entered your apartment. The Police think he was lying in wait for her to return. They think that once he gained ess to the apartment, he returned the key under the mat." Spring felt Summer''s grip on her hand increase. "But it wasn''t Spring who showed," Dez said quietly. "It was your friend Troy Parker who dropped by, used the key, and-" "Troy?" Summer''s voice cracked. She looked at Spring. "Oh baby," she said as she pulled Spring into another hug. "He''s gone, One." The pain of it all returned with such force it threatened to smother her. "Troy''s gone." Spring whimpered into the crook of Summer''s neck. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 DEZMOND An unnerving quiet seemed to follow Dezmond as he moved through his apartment. Though, he felt a sense of relief because he had Spring safely tucked away in his bed. He also felt arge sense of gratitude that she nor Summer fought him when he suggested that they stay with him, for the night at least. Entering his darkened living room, Dez saw Summer asleep on the sofa. His n was to have her sleep with Spring. He looked at the green glow of numbers on his cable box and saw that it was after two in the morning. His need to see Springforted and asleep before leaving her side apparently took longer than he expected. He was a bit surprised that Fallon was still here too. They hadn''t spoken since the office incident. But if it weren''t for Fallon''s call, Dez wouldn''t have gone over to Spring''s apartment. "I gave her some sheets and a pillow from the linen closet," Fallon whispered from the chair he''d scooted closer to the sofa. Fallon eased his hand from Summer''s clenched hand and stood. "Can we talk?" He tilted his head in the direction of the front door, "Outside?" Dez followed Fallon out of the apartment and into the hallway of the building. He watched Fallon dig his hands deep in his pockets as he raised then dropped his shoulders with a sigh. "I fucked up," Fallon started. "But I''m not sorry for it. It seems that you got a great girl in there, ording to her sister. I just," he looked up at the brightly lit light fixture on the ceiling, "I''m sorry for not giving her a fair chance." "I can ept that." Fallon nodded. It looked as if he wanted to say something else, but instead, he turned and walked toward the stairs. Dez knew Fallon''s hang-ups. He also knew that his friend meant no harm. For that, he was thankful to have Fallon as his best friend. "Hey," Dez called. He felt a bit hesitant, but when Fallon looked over his shoulder he said, "I want to be avable for Spring if she needs me so I''m not sure if when we can meet up at Muri''s this week." The corners of Fallon''s lips rose and his ssic good-natured smile shone through. "Of course," he said, a bit more upbeat. "I''ll call you tomorrow...to check on Spring of course." Dez smiled back. "Thank you." Watching Fallon leave, Dez knew that they were friends again. Well, in all honesty, they''d never stopped being friends. He pushed open his door and moved through the living room as silently as possible. When he peeked around the dividing wall to his bedroom, he felt his heart sink into his stomach. Spring wasn''t in his bed. He walked around the wall and peered around the area. "I couldn''t sleep." Dez almost fell to his knees when he saw that she was safe. He made his way over to the window where Spring stood. He moved up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and rested the side of his head on hers. The window was open. The street lights lit the night up around the city, giving the scene an eternal beauty. "He''s out there somewhere." Dez felt the shiver that worked through Spring pass through him. She was terrified and that made him feel helpless. "I won''t let him hurt you," he promised. Spring sighed then slowly turned in his arms. Face to face, Dez saw trust reflected in her eyes. "I didn''t want to lie to you. And I didn''t sleep with you that first night because of money or obligation. I slept with you because you made me feel in a way I''ve never felt before. I wanted more. I''m guilty of wanting more." N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. He raised his hand to her cheek. Spring leaned into his touch and closed her eyes. "I should have talked to you. Not leave you that angry juvenile message on your voicemail. I was wrong, and I apologize." He was truly ashamed of his behavior. After Fallon''s call set him straight, he went to tell her so and to beg for her forgiveness. But instead of dropping to his knees in front of Spring, he went through the open door and found her frozen with fear in that apartment. Dez silently thanked God again that Spring completed a rare double shift that day instead of going home at her usual time. Spring''s eyes fluttered open. "I''ve missed you." "I''ve missed you more." Dez could see how drained she was. He lowered his head and ced his lips on her forehead. "Let''s get you to bed." Spring''s eyes widened and her body went rigid. "I won''t leave your side." When Dez felt her body rx, he led Spring to his bed. He let her get in and under the covers before he slid in beside her. He pulled her soft body into his then buried his head in the back of hers. "Troy..." she breathed, "he was my high school sweetheart." Dez kissed her shoulder. "I know." He knew because Summer told him when Spring was giving her formal statement at the police station. Apparently, Spring loved the guy but while her affection remained teen love, Troy''s continued to grow. Summer said Troy took the breakup well enough but he wasn''t nning on giving up on Spring. "He died because of me," Spring said. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 The ache in him grew with every sob that shook her body and rocked his. Dez sat up on his elbow, gently took hold of her chin, and turned her head so that she could see him. Her tears glittered in the re from the open window. "No," he urged her to understand with his eyes and the conviction in his voice, "That animal who took Troy is to me. Not you." He brushed his thumb over her lips. "Not you, now close your eyes." He waited for several seconds before Spring nodded, then closed her eyes. Before closing his own, Dez knew he would do everything in his power to protect and give his woman happiness again. "I''m never letting you go again," he whispered in her ear. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! "Promise," she whispered back as she nestled into him. Dez sighed with relief as he said, "I promise." (I''ll promise Forever when you''re ready.) ---------- SUMMER A monthter The heat from the bright lights above Summer made her quarter sleeve shirt feel constricting. She rubbed her hands over her thighs then reached for the water she''d been given. As she sipped the water, she focused on the desk she sat in front of. It was littered with papers, pens, and other office supplies. She felt a slight impulse to straighten the massive mess but kept her hands to herself. The first time she walked through this precinct''s doors was the night she thought her carefully constructed world had toppled. It was the day she could have lost Spring. Summer still kicked herself for thinking Fallon could have been the Candy Killer. He was an ass but not a killer. Hell, tagging him an ass was even wrong at this point. Not only did Fallon not get offended when she used him of being the killer when she saw those candies in his car, he drove her around town to look for her clutch that fateful day. Her ID, credit cards, and cell phone were inside the bag. "Thank you foring in today, Miss Lafayette." The voice was deep,manding. "How have you been?" The man walked into the office and sat down behind his desk and shifted some of the papers around. "Fine." Summer''s answer came out slow and questioning. "I''m Detective Burgess. I know that you''re confused about why I asked you toe in today." "Yes." She moved forward and ced her water on the edge of his desk then leaned back and crossed her legs. Her nerves started to settle. (You''re not a weak bunny.) "Being as your agency has been so tight lipped about everything and the person who stalked my sister and killed Troy is still walking around with his life and his freedom, yeah...I''m confused" "If it seems that we haven''t been forting, I promise you that it is due to the ongoing investigation." Detective Burgess found what he was searching for and held the stic covered item out to her. "This was found in your apartment the night of the murder but apparently got buried in evidence" Summer lifted her hand to take the item. Her fingers tingled and her chest drummed with nervous energy but she kept her hand as steady as she could and took hold of it. She had to flip the clear stic bag around to see that it was an image. One she knew very well but didn''t notice was missing when she packed her belongings up and moved out of that apartment. "We believe our killer has switched his focus," Burgess told her. It was a photo of her. What disturbed Summer was the red smudged circles that looked like dried blood around her face, fashioned like a bullseye. Until Summer arrives... The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!