A Bundle of Joy 4: Secret Baby Seduction (BWWM Interracial Romance) (6 page)

“Reasonably?” Dayna sighed, stood and walked away.

Aron took another sip of his beer. “Man! I don’t know how you managed to survive a second divorce. I could barely function after the first.”

“Practice makes perfect,” Graham quipped. He glanced at the door Dayna just closed. “So, you and Dayna, huh? Still can’t believe it.”

“Yeah, me too. But she’s the one. Always was and always will be. I guess it was stupid of us to break up after high school…but circumstances were such that we both felt that we had no other option.”

“It was tough, even for her. I saw her around, especially…” Graham stopped, raised his bottle and gulped down what was left of his beer. “I mean, we met a few times and I could tell that she was having a hard time. But I guess it all ended well.”

Aron got the unmistakable feeling that Graham had been about to say something but changed his mind in mid-sentence.

Before he could question his friend, Dayna strolled back in. “Your idea of cleanliness differs greatly from mine,” she told him with a loud sniff. “I’m going to get you that number ASAP.”

“We should go.” Graham stood. “I’ve made reservations.”

With that, the moment passed. Later, Aron would wonder what his friend had been about to say, but it didn’t cross his mind to question him anymore. It couldn’t have been anything important. The dinner was delicious and the company more so. It felt nice to hang out with mutual friends. Graham knew Dayna as well as he knew Aron and it made the comfort level easier to manage among the trio.

Several hours later, they dropped him home and then he took Dayna back to the apartment she moved into two days ago.

While Aron parked the car, he thanked whichever higher power that had motivated him to come to his high school reunion. Everything looked good. He felt sure that this time around, he would make a success of his relationship with Dayna.

CHAPTER NINE

D
ayna flipped wayward strands of hair from her face as they entered the apartment. The painting she’d recently purchased decorated the front wall. The studio apartment was tiny, but sufficient for her needs. The bedroom area was separated by a half-wall from the lounge that extended into the kitchenette with marble counters. “What did you do with the painting you bought?” She took out her cell phone, put it on the side table and placed her bag in its proper place in the cupboard.

“I got it shipped back home. No sense keeping it here,” he answered.

Dayna turned to face him. “I can’t believe you’re going to leave in a while.”

“My plans are fluid.” Putting his arms around her, he drew her forward. “And you know that I would love for you to come with me. But if you want, I could work from here.”

“I wouldn’t want you to make such a big change for me, when I’m not even sure what I want to do next year. I suppose we could decide in a couple of months, if you’re still around?”

“Oh, I’ll be around,” he promised. Drawing her closer, he deposited a kiss on her lips.

As always, the light, gentle touch kindled desire within her gut. Dayna couldn’t believe how close she’d come to having a fight with him over an issue that he certainly didn’t understand. How could he know his comment about a son opened her old wounds? She’d given up her—no
their
–son for adoption. Aron didn’t know about it. Again, she wondered how important it would be for him to know he’d fathered a male child. Would he curse her for not telling him?

When his hands moved over her back and he wound his fingers in her hair, she forgot everything except the sensations he invoked in her body. Goosebumps flitted across her skin when he opened the zipper on her dress and took it off. His tongue thrust through her lips, tasting her mouth with abandon. Dayna surrendered without pause. She could never get enough of him. Their clothes came off in a flurry of wild activity.

When she pressed her hand around his hard on and pumped it up and down, he picked her up.

“The bed is that way.” She pointed.

“Screw the bed,” he whispered breathlessly, “
Demasiado caliente.
You’re way too hot for me to wait.”
Then he claimed her lips again.

Dayna slipped her fingers inside his thick hair while his tongue mingled with hers in an erotic dance. His lips trailed down to kiss the pulse beating at the base of her throat. She was startled when he held her against the counter, her butt resting on the ledge. “Here?” She trailed a line of kisses down his throat and onto his shoulder. When she nipped his skin between her teeth, desire undulated inside her. Then his hand closed around her breast and he took the delicate bud in his mouth, as she groaned and arched her back. His tongue flicked over the sensitive nub while he caressed and stroked until she squirmed with need. Dayna panted when his mouth moved to the other nipple. Her hands dug into his shoulders, urging him to quench the hunger burning bright like fire inside her
.

I’m hot? He’s going to burn me up!

When she felt like she couldn’t take it anymore, he put his hands around her waist and pulled her down. She wrapped her legs around him as he slid inside her with ease. The musky, spicy fragrance that always enveloped him hit her nostrils. She wanted to savor and relish this moment, have him inside her forever. Dayna also yearned for release from the storm brewing inside her.

Aron moved her body up and down and himself in and out of her as she clung to him for dear life. She rode him, hard and good while he pounded deep inside her with each thrust. Momentum built sharply, carrying her along a wave of ecstasy. She felt the current take her on a blazing ride, only he could give to her. His lips found hers just as the orgasm rippled through her. Her breath hitched in her throat as the climax made her curl her toes. Her muscles shuddered and trembled in the devastating aftermath. When he came a few seconds later with his mouth still on hers, she felt his seed spill inside her. While she put her arms around his neck to anchor her body, Aron put his hands on the counter to brace himself.

Both of them couldn’t move or catch their breath for a few long minutes.

Finally, he put his arms around her waist, picked her up as if she was a bag of feathers and carried her to the bedroom. After they both lay down on the bed, he pulled the covers over their naked, sweaty bodies.

Dayna lay down, savoring the moment. They both slept with their arms around each other.

….The next morning Dayna prepared breakfast.

Aron cocked an eyebrow at the egg and bacon that she put in front of him, along with coffee. “I could get used to this.”

“Well, don’t. I was in the mood today, but I may not be tomorrow.”

“We could take turns. I know how to cook.”

Dayna paused and glanced over, as always she felt amazed by his hidden talents. “When did you learn?”

“In college. I got tired of eating out and decided to take the plunge. After umpteen calls to
Mamá
every time I got stuck, I finally got the hang of it. I have a housekeeper who comes in three times a week, but I do manage to make something for myself whenever the urge strikes.”

“Good,” she said. “You’re on breakfast duty tomorrow.”

“Sure. That reminds me, I need to pick up my clothes from the hotel.”

She sat on the stool. “Seeing as you’re spending the nights here anyway, why don’t you just stay here?”

“Are you asking me to move in?” He widened his eyes. “Really?”

“Don’t get so excited. This is a temporary house.” She poked him in the arm. “It’s not as if we’re moving in forever.”

“Ah,
Maldita
! How romantic! I didn’t know you had it in you,” he stated with heavy sarcasm as he devoured the eggs.

Dayna shook her head. “Come to think of it, it might not be such a good idea—”

“Too late. You made the offer and I accepted.”

“I didn’t hear an acceptance speech.”

Picking up the plate, he walked over to the sink to rinse it. “I’ll email it to you after I move in.”

Dayna hid her smile at his humor and then she let out a sigh. What the hell was she dreading? They were good together and as it was, they were practically spending more than half of every day together. She still hadn’t started working and he did most of his work from home. “All right, but before we go to your hotel to check you out, we need to pick up some groceries. I’m running out of food.”

“Sure thing.” He deposited a sweet kiss on her mouth. “Let’s go.”

Dayna cleaned the counter and put the dishes into the dishwasher.

“I have a feeling that you’re a cleanliness freak.”

She winced. “Slight OCD.”

“Ah! Glad to know it. Don’t worry. I’ll try to keep up.”

Dayna laughed as she picked up her purse. It just felt so easy to fall into a rhythm with Aron. He made it seem as if everything was a piece of cake. How lucky she was to have found him again! The idea that she might lose him sent fear skidding down her spine. It is time to tell him about their past. Tonight, after they settled down, she would tell him everything.

At the supermarket, Dayna strode in with Aron close behind her. She gave him half the list. “It’ll save time.”

After he disappeared, she picked up the stuff she wanted: fresh vegetables, fruits, cleaning products and napkins. Now, that she had her own place, she debated picking up some crockery but then discarded the idea. She would have to leave it all behind when she left, so there would be no point in gathering all this stuff.

“Hey! Look who dropped in. What a lovely surprise,” a voice called out that made Dayna close her eyes for a moment.

Damn her, for forgetting who prowled these aisles. Hadn’t Jamie warned her? Turning, she smiled. “Hi, Erin. How nice to see you again.”

“Yeah, yeah!” Erin’s eyes darted to the shopping cart overstuffed with things. “Having a party?”

“Oh, no. I’m renting an apartment…so just picking up the basic items.”

Erin tugged at the jacket of her red and white suit. “I didn’t know you’d moved here permanently.”

“It’s not forever, but maybe a year.”

“How nice! Well, you could pop in here whenever you wanted groceries or just wanted to chat with me.”

Dayna promised herself that she would
never
come in here again. The two women had never gotten along, and it was hard to forgive old grudges. “Yeah, thanks. Well, I guess I better go now. Take care.”

Even as she turned, she heard Aron’s voice behind her, “There you are. I got everything except the fabric softener. Can’t find it.”

Erin’s mouth gaped open as Aron joined her. “You—two are going out? Living together?”

“Not living together. No!” Dayna denied, a little too loudly. She didn’t want Erin to know about the extent of their relationship. The woman was like a piranha. If she found a weakness, she would latch on to it until she drew blood.

“Yes, Dayna and I are going out,” Aron answered as he glanced at her quickly, then he looked back at Erin. “How are you doing, Erin?”

Her face scrunched into a scowl and a vicious gleam came into her eyes.

In high school, Dayna would have braced for a nasty tirade, but Erin had become sophisticated over the years. “It’s nice to know that you two can put the past behind you and move on so easily.”

Dayna felt the undercurrents of an alarming feeling swish through her gut.
This isn’t going to end well.
“We need to leave,” she urged. Even to her own ears, her voice sounded desperate.

Aron held his ground. “We haven’t found the fabric softener.” He glanced at Erin. “And yes, I suppose we did put the past behind us. A high school breakup isn’t such a hard thing to get over.”

Erin reached forward to take the list from his hand and read it. “I’ll get the softener for you.” She smiled sweetly at Dayna. “And I would have thought giving up your child would have been a hard thing to get over, but who am I to judge? Why don’t you guys go up to the billing counter. I’ll get the softener for you.”

Dayna’s blood froze. Her heart stopped beating. What could she to do now? She sure as hell hoped Aron didn’t hear Erin’s remark about the baby, but she knew that would be wishful thinking. She grabbed hold of her cart and hurried to the counter. How the hell did Erin know about her pregnancy? Dayna had made an effort to keep it a secret, but of course, a few close friends knew. Jamie wouldn’t have told anyone, but maybe word got leaked through some other people who knew. Maybe Erin didn’t know what exactly she was doing when she aimed that barb. Maybe she’d only meant to bring up the past to curdle their good mood, but the wound she made went much deeper. She could feel Aron’s eyes on her back as she paid for the groceries.

“I’ll pay for these,” he said in a tight voice as she attempted to pull the cart forward. “Half and half. We share everything, right?” After Erin brought the softener, he added it to his bill.

Perhaps sensing that she’d already done enough damage, Erin left without saying anything.

Outside, they carried the bags over to his car and dumped them in the trunk.

Dayna took her seat.

“What the hell was she talking about?”

Dayna gulped as she swiveled to grab a hold of her seatbelt and clipped it.
Shit!
She should have told him earlier, but how was she supposed to know the truth would come in such a massively outrageous manner? “Can we talk about it when we reach your hotel?”

When he shot out of the parking lot, she worked out the right words she wanted to use when she told him everything. Of course, nothing could change the fact that he’d found out through the worst possible person. She should’ve been the one to tell him! It shouldn’t have been delivered in such a nasty and callous way, but the damage was done and it would be up to her to minimize it.

Instead of going to his hotel, Aron went to her apartment. They unloaded the groceries and went in. After Dayna unlocked the door, he dumped the bags on the counter. “What the hell was that about?”

“I meant to tell you.” She walked behind the counter in order to put some distance between them. “I swear I was going to tell you the truth, but after we ran into each other, I thought I would tell you—and then we started going out, and I got scared that it would run you off.” The words were not coming out right. She wanted to tell him how guilty she’d been feeling for keeping this fact from him, and how desperate she’d been to explain everything. How scared she felt that he would leave her if he found out.

His face looked like granite, hard and unforgiving.

She’d never seen such a terrible look in his eyes.

“What will run me off?” He raked his fingers through his hair. “Damn it, Dayna! Spill it out!”

“I was pregnant and I put the baby for adoption,” she blurted it out.

He didn’t speak or move. “After high school? Whose baby was it?”

Dayna shook her head.
He hadn’t gotten it yet.
“After you left, I found out that I was pregnant. I had no way of contacting you. We’d already broken up. It was over and I didn’t know what to do. My parents and everyone told me that given the circumstances, it was best to put up the child for adoption. For his betterment, so he could get the best care, I gave him up for adoption to a well-to-do couple who were desperate for a child.” It all came out in a massive jumble of words. She couldn’t tell if he understood.