Late Nights (8 page)

Sterling never confessed to anyone why he really moved away from home at such a young age. He allowed himself to believe over the years his father was the cause. However, it had everything to do with his father’s girlfriend, Heather.

He had been home on one of his school breaks and had gotten out of the shower. He walked back into his bedroom and found her waiting for him on the bed, completely naked. He had told her to get out of his room, but she ignored him.

Heather whined about how much she would rather be sleeping with a younger, hotter man instead of his old father. He tried keeping the look of disgust off his face as he listened to her. Just the thought of sleeping with a woman who had slept with Victor turned his stomach. He told her the same thing. Why should he lie to her? She was the one who had crawled into his bed naked thinking he wanted to fuck her.

As soon as the words had left his mouth, she wrapped a sheet around her, then jumped out of his bed and rushed out of his bedroom. She ran straight into his father’s arms and spun the story so he was the one coming on to her. She completely made him look like the aggressor instead of her lying ass.

Of course, when he tried to tell his side of the story Victor hadn’t believed him. In addition, his father told him that if he could throw him out of the house he would, but since he wasn’t eighteen he would have to deal with him for another year until he was legally an adult.

After he had become successful beyond belief, he spent about three years sleeping with women to dull the pain. One day it hit him that he was becoming the one person he hated most in this world—his father.

The last woman who shared his bed was picture perfect in every sense of the word, from her ultra-long legs, dark chocolate brown hair, and huge, cat-like green eyes. The sex between them was more than hot enough to burn the sheets, but after two weeks he had grown tired and dumped her. He was still getting over his broken engagement from Kourtney and trying to fill the void with Danielle didn’t work at all.

He sent her on a trip with six of her girlfriends to lessen the pain and she went without a single argument, as he knew she would. Danielle hadn’t been the woman he wanted to share his deepest secrets with. He had never felt more alone and needy for some affection in his adult life.

Now, he was alone because not one of his ex-girlfriends had touched the part of him that he kept hidden from the world. He was grown man and had been one for years now. He shouldn’t be looking for warmth and comfort, but he couldn’t help it.

Most of his friends back in Key West told him there were men who would kill for what he had, but they didn’t understand what he was searching for. Everything they were into involved material possessions that anyone with enough money could buy.

Of course, he was doing well and had more money than he could probably spend in three lifetimes, but it took hard work and dedication on his part to get here. None of those items prized by other people were making him a happy man.

Only his best friend Holden realized how he wanted more from his life now that he was older, and he recognized Sasha could be the woman to give it to him…
if
he could only fix things between them.

His buddy was the only person to whom he had confided about his feelings for Sasha because he considered Holden a brother. They had become friends when he bought Holden’s failing hotel over ten years ago. Instead of bad blood between them, they had sparked up an instant friendship and it had stayed that way.

When Holden had needed help starting up his own car flipping business, Sterling loaned him the money to do it. His best friend was a horrible hotelier, but when it came to knowing his way around a car Holden was the best he had ever seen. There wasn’t a problem that he didn’t know how to fix.

Their friendship grew stronger because he genuinely respected Holden’s opinion, which was one of the reasons he was pursuing Sasha. If his best friend could see how much he wanted Sasha then she was the one for him. He was going to do everything in his power to make sure she understood there wasn’t another man out there for her.

Yeah…Sasha was in for a special treat.

Smiling to himself, Sterling headed for his closet to pick out something to wear for his date. Tonight, he would make sure this would lead him towards being a part of Sasha’s life.

Hopefully, she would allow what they had to build into something more, but he didn’t want to get ahead of himself. He still had to get through tonight’s date first and make plans for his next move afterwards.

Chapter Twelve

“You know you don’t have to go out with Sterling tonight. You can cancel your date with him. He can’t force you to do anything you don’t want,” Akisha pointed out. “I can call Sterling and tell him to take a hike if you don’t have enough nerve to do it.”

Sasha loved that her little sister was so protective of her, but this was something she had to do on her own. She couldn’t lie. She had thought about canceling her date with Sterling, but changed her mind. She couldn’t back out now and then think about it days later. Isn’t this what she had been dreaming about for months? It was finally here, so why wasn’t she happier?

“Akisha, thanks so much for your help. I think it’s wonderful you want to help me. However, I don’t need you to cancel my date for me. I’m going out with Sterling. Everything will be okay.

“I don’t want you or Genise worrying about me tonight. Sterling only wants to talk and I’m going to give him the opportunity to get whatever it is off his chest. I
need
to be able to put him in my past, so I can move on to someone else. I’ve wasted too much time on a man who isn’t ready to commit.”

“I still say Genise or I should be there as a backup plan just in case he tries to trick you into believing he cares about you.”

Sighing, she shook her head. “No, that isn’t a good idea. It’s my life so let me live it, please,” Sasha said, coming out of the bathroom to look at her sister sitting on her bed.

Walking to a chair by the bay window, Sasha sat down, hoping to calm her racing nerves. She had been on dates before but her apprehension had never been this bad. She was happy she told Sterling she would meet him at the restaurant instead of him coming here to pick her up. She wanted to make sure she had everything under control before she saw him.

She wasn’t about to tell Akisha about her nervousness, for her sister would use it as another excuse to watch over her tonight at the restaurant. She didn’t need any help dealing with Sterling. She had to make him understand she wasn’t easily swayed by well-placed words. He had hurt her feelings and he needed to understand he just couldn’t get by with doing it. She had never been a coward when it came to standing up for herself and she wasn’t about to start now.

“Sasha, are you sure that you’re okay?” Akisha asked, frowning at her from across the room. “You have this troubled look on your face.”

Groaning, Sasha tried her best to hold her tongue, but in the end failed. “Can’t you just be supportive and wish me luck? I’m going to give up a man I have been wanting for months tonight and it’s going to hurt like hell. I know that I’m not as close to you as Rachelle and Genise, but God, at least pretend you are hurting for me.”

Akisha got up off the bed and came over to her. Bending down, her sister grabbed her hand and looked her directly in the eyes. “I’m not trying to be a bitch by telling you how to act on your date. I only want you to be happy. You are always so supportive of me and Genise, like Rachelle.

“If Sterling apologizes, listen to him and think about giving him another chance. Men are so hard to figure out. One minute they don’t want anything to do with you and in the next breath they are trying to prove how much they care about you. Just don’t be blind to what could be right in front of your face.

“I don’t want my opinion of Sterling to tarnish your views of him because I’m not the one who wants a relationship with him, it’s you. I still believe you can’t get all of your dreams from Mr. Hamilton. He doesn’t seem like a man who knows how to stay with one woman, but I might be completely wrong.

“Anyway, I’m not to best person to give you advice when I can’t even get the man I want. I work with Ethan every day and he doesn’t have a clue how I feel. So, if you truly have a chance to try something with Sterling, do it. Don’t pay attention to any doubts I might have since I’m a little biased.”

Was her little sister really trying to give her some sound relationship advice? If she didn’t know body snatchers weren’t real, she sure as hell would think something had taken over Akisha’s body.

Sasha wasn’t sure if she should laugh at Akisha or be upset with her pointing out things she had already thought of herself.

“Why can’t you apply the same thing you told me towards Ethan?” she questioned. “You’re head over heels in love with the guy and not doing a damn thing about it.”

Akisha let go of her hand and eased away from her. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” she answered, pulling down her shirt.

“Come on,” Sasha said.

She couldn’t believe her baby sister was actually pretending like she didn’t know what she was talking about. “All of us know you’re in love with Ethan. Every single time you mention his name this look of happiness crosses your face. Don’t even try to deny it.”

Sasha wasn’t about to stand by and allow Akisha to pretend that she was the only Williams sister interested in her employer. No, that wouldn’t work at all…not with her.

“”You’re right, but Ethan is different from Sterling. He’s never once shown any interest in me. I’ve made a decision and I’m going to stick with it. I’m going to help him get this business up and running, then I’m going to quit.

“It isn’t like he won’t be able to replace in the blink of an eye. At least, that is the comment he tossed in my face the last time we got in an argument over the design concept,” Akisha snapped, walking away from her. She went back over to the bed and took a seat on the edge, facing her.

What was going on?

Her big sister senses immediately kicked in when Sasha heard the pain in Akisha’s voice. The last time she talked to Akisha things seemed to be good between her and Ethan. Akisha even hinted that they might be going out on their first date pretty soon.

“What’s wrong?” Sasha asked, pushing her earlier argument with her sister to the back of her mind. “Talk to me. If you need me to, I can cancel my date with Sterling after all. I will do it and stay here with you. I can throw on some sweats and we can order Chinese food. We can curl up on the couch and then you can fill me in on everything.”

Akisha smiled at her but shook her head. “No, I’m fine. Go on your date and have a good time. I shouldn’t have ever opened my big mouth anyway. I don’t want to ruin your dinner. My problem with Ethan will still be here tomorrow and days after that.”

Sasha still didn’t feel right about leaving her baby sister. “Are you sure? I can call the restaurant and leave a message for Sterling. I’m here if you need me to be. I want you to know that.”

“I know you are and I appreciate how you want to change your plans for me, but you don’t have to do it. I’m good. Please leave for your date. I will feel so bad if you didn’t go and see what he had to tell you. Besides, you look too gorgeous in that dress to be staying here with me. I swear to you I don’t need a shoulder to cry on.”

“If you’re sure,” Sasha hedged, standing up as she grabbed her purse off the chair next to her. “Do you need me to give you the code again for the alarm?”

Akisha waved her hand at her as she stood up. “Sasha, go before I shove you out the door myself. I know how to lock up your house. This isn’t my first time doing it and I’m pretty sure it won’t be my last. Now, stop stalling and get your ass out the door.”

Running up to her sister, Sasha gave her a hug and then kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for doing this for me. I love you and I own you one.” Spinning around, Sasha hurried from the bedroom and down the hallway.

****

Sitting in the restaurant, Sterling glanced at his watch for the fourth time, wondering where Sasha was and if she had stood him up. He wanted to pick her up at home but she insisted on driving herself. He didn’t understand her reasoning behind it, but he agreed since he wanted to do everything in his power to make up for his earlier mistakes.

He made a promise to himself on the drive over that Sasha was going to see a different side of him. He wasn’t going to be her boss, but a man enjoying a date with a beautiful woman.

Tonight would be about impressing Sasha. He wanted to take care of her every want and need. He would do everything he could to show her how much he wanted to move beyond the boss and employee relationship he shared with her.

Actually getting her to agree to this date with him was a lucky break on his part. He could tell when he asked her out she was still very upset with him. However, he already planned to wipe all of the bad memories from her mind. He had been more than a little nervous when he got here first and hadn’t found her waiting for him.

Yet, he hadn’t allowed it to bother him for too long. He hadn’t gotten through his horrible childhood and became a success by not fighting for what he wanted….and he craved every inch of the sexy Sasha Williams. After dinner was over, he hoped she would see him as more than her boss —as a man she could have in her life.

For years, Sterling had confidence in his ability to run a winning company—he could carry out any project with purpose and passion. He was raised by his father to think that work was more important than friends or family. His ability to understand how people responded to him through his work achievements only made everything more balanced in his world.

In his mind, one of the main reasons he was still single was his fear of allowing anyone too close to his heart. If he felt it happening, he would break things off and move on to the next woman.

Sometimes, Sterling almost felt like his second career was avoiding getting romantically involved with a woman. For more years than he could count, taking care of himself was his top priority and finding a good woman wasn’t a thought in his head until Sasha unexpectedly breezed into his world.