chestnut complexion glowed, and when she smiled, the room lit up.
He moved toward her, his gaze soaking in every detail. “It’s been a long time,” he whispered.
“Too long.” She rushed into his open arms, their lips instantly locking in an inferno of passion.
“I guess you two would like to be alone.”
The couple separated as Travis turned, laughing at his best friend. “I’d forgotten you were still here.”
“I see you weren’t the only one.” Smokey’s gaze landed on Val briefly, then he held his arms out to Nathan. “Come and tell your uncle Smokey goodbye.”
Nathan happily did as he was instructed. “Aren’t you going to stay for dinner tonight?”
“Nah, not tonight. I’ll try and stop by and see ya tomorrow.”
Travis, with his arm looped around his wife, walked over to his best friend. “Thanks, man. I really appreciate your coming to pick me up.” He tightened his embrace. “And I want to thank you for looking after my little family. It looks like you did a terrific job.” He held out his free hand.
Smokey’s smile suddenly appeared tight and forced, Travis noted fleetingly as his friend accepted his hand in a tight handshake.
“It was my pleasure.”
An awkward silence encircled the small group before Smokey spoke again. “I’ll catch you guys later.” He put Nathan down and left the apartment, the door slamming slightly behind him.
Puzzled, Travis stood looking at the door. “Did I miss something?”
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Val reassured him. She reached up and gently turned his face toward her. “Are you hungry? I made your favorite dish.”
He smiled. “I’m hungry, but trust me, it isn’t for food.”
“Behave. Don’t forget your son is still in the room,” she whispered. “But I think I can help you satisfy your hunger a little later.”
Days later, Travis returned home from the bank, disgusted that he had been unable to get a loan. As it had turned out, Val had lost her job nearly a year ago when the county had rezoned their old area and a few schools were closed. Since that time, she and Nathan had been surviving off welfare.
The army had already informed him that there would be a delay in his receiving his disability pay. But what bothered him most was the five-thousand-dollar loan Val accepted from Smokey. He didn’t know why the transaction bothered him. He’d been friends with Smokey since grade school. He should have been grateful that Smokey had helped his family. But he wasn’t.
When he closed the front door, his hackles stood at attention. His ears perked up at the explosive argument coming from the kitchen.
“What do you expect me to do?” Smokey barked. “I can’t sit by and watch you with him. It’s killing me. I thought that I could let you go because I love you and Nathan. I love Travis. We’re like brothers.”
Val muffled her sobs when her hands covered her face. “Don’t do this to us, Smokey. I’ve told you that I love my husband. What happened between us…”
Her sentence trailed off when she removed her hands and saw Travis standing just inches behind Smokey. “Oh, my God.”
Startled, Smokey jerked around. “Travis.”
Chapter 16
C arissa couldn’t sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, Nathan’s dark, soulful eyes stared back at her. Her heartbeat accelerated and her body grew warm as she realized that she was falling hard. It was the worst thing that could have happened.
Minutes later, she gave up on sleep and headed for the kitchen. She jerked open the refrigerator door and stared blankly inside. What the hell was she doing? Food was the last thing she wanted. She slammed the door and went over to the dining-room table.
As if on cue, the front door swept open and a singing Helena sauntered into the penthouse.
Carissa glanced at her watch. “It’s five in the morning.”
Helena turned toward her voice. “Good. That means it’s still early.” She spun around and danced with an imaginary
He moved toward her, his gaze soaking in every detail. “It’s been a long time,” he whispered.
“Too long.” She rushed into his open arms, their lips instantly locking in an inferno of passion.
“I guess you two would like to be alone.”
The couple separated as Travis turned, laughing at his best friend. “I’d forgotten you were still here.”
“I see you weren’t the only one.” Smokey’s gaze landed on Val briefly, then he held his arms out to Nathan. “Come and tell your uncle Smokey goodbye.”
Nathan happily did as he was instructed. “Aren’t you going to stay for dinner tonight?”
“Nah, not tonight. I’ll try and stop by and see ya tomorrow.”
Travis, with his arm looped around his wife, walked over to his best friend. “Thanks, man. I really appreciate your coming to pick me up.” He tightened his embrace. “And I want to thank you for looking after my little family. It looks like you did a terrific job.” He held out his free hand.
Smokey’s smile suddenly appeared tight and forced, Travis noted fleetingly as his friend accepted his hand in a tight handshake.
“It was my pleasure.”
An awkward silence encircled the small group before Smokey spoke again. “I’ll catch you guys later.” He put Nathan down and left the apartment, the door slamming slightly behind him.
Puzzled, Travis stood looking at the door. “Did I miss something?”
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Val reassured him. She reached up and gently turned his face toward her. “Are you hungry? I made your favorite dish.”
He smiled. “I’m hungry, but trust me, it isn’t for food.”
“Behave. Don’t forget your son is still in the room,” she whispered. “But I think I can help you satisfy your hunger a little later.”
Days later, Travis returned home from the bank, disgusted that he had been unable to get a loan. As it had turned out, Val had lost her job nearly a year ago when the county had rezoned their old area and a few schools were closed. Since that time, she and Nathan had been surviving off welfare.
The army had already informed him that there would be a delay in his receiving his disability pay. But what bothered him most was the five-thousand-dollar loan Val accepted from Smokey. He didn’t know why the transaction bothered him. He’d been friends with Smokey since grade school. He should have been grateful that Smokey had helped his family. But he wasn’t.
When he closed the front door, his hackles stood at attention. His ears perked up at the explosive argument coming from the kitchen.
“What do you expect me to do?” Smokey barked. “I can’t sit by and watch you with him. It’s killing me. I thought that I could let you go because I love you and Nathan. I love Travis. We’re like brothers.”
Val muffled her sobs when her hands covered her face. “Don’t do this to us, Smokey. I’ve told you that I love my husband. What happened between us…”
Her sentence trailed off when she removed her hands and saw Travis standing just inches behind Smokey. “Oh, my God.”
Startled, Smokey jerked around. “Travis.”
Chapter 16
C arissa couldn’t sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, Nathan’s dark, soulful eyes stared back at her. Her heartbeat accelerated and her body grew warm as she realized that she was falling hard. It was the worst thing that could have happened.
Minutes later, she gave up on sleep and headed for the kitchen. She jerked open the refrigerator door and stared blankly inside. What the hell was she doing? Food was the last thing she wanted. She slammed the door and went over to the dining-room table.
As if on cue, the front door swept open and a singing Helena sauntered into the penthouse.
Carissa glanced at her watch. “It’s five in the morning.”
Helena turned toward her voice. “Good. That means it’s still early.” She spun around and danced with an imaginary
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