Love UnExpected (Love's Improbable Possibility) (40 page)

I had held my mother for what seemed like an eternity. Momma D brought over a glass of water and Rayna handed
Yazmine a few napkins to help with her tears and mucous. We must have gained attraction because out of nowhere, I heard Momma D telling her customers to look the other way, nothing bad was going on there.

Yazmine eventually found the rhythm to her breathing and broke our embrace.

“Perhaps we should go some place more private,” I suggested. 

“
You guys can have my office in the back,” Momma D suggested.

By this time
, Rayna was giving me short comforting strokes on my back. 

“
Nah, that's alright, beloved. We good here. Im’ma calm down,” Yazmine assured while wiping her face as she turned to sit. 

“
Im’ma get y'all some coffee. Just sit and relax,” Momma D commanded.

Suddenly
, I felt soft tugs at the hem of my T-shirt. I turned to see Rayna with a look of strong regard.

“
Azmir, I'm going to have the driver take me back to the hotel. Marcus can stay here with you and I'll be fine alone there,” she whispered. Her eyes shifted with concern and I knew she was pleading with me.

I wasn't expecting that. “Are you sure?”

As the words left my mouth
, common sense hit that Yazmine and I would likely discuss sensitive matters concerning Big D and our business that should not be done in front of Rayna.

I didn’t want distance from Rayna. I’d grown that dependent on her energy.
My manners kicked in amongst the myriad of emotions that I was experiencing.

“
Before you leave, let me introduce you,” I whispered before I turned to Yazmine and said, “This is a friend of mine, Rayna. Rayna, meet my mother, Yazmine Jacobs.”

Rayna’
s brown round eyes slowly left mine and traveled over to my mother’s with a polite smile in tow. She appeared discomposed. 

“Hi, beloved
,” Yazmine greeted. She looked up at me and asked, “Is she your girlfriend?” 

“
Nice to meet you, Mrs. Jacobs. The resemblance is amazing,” Rayna abruptly greeted, not giving me an opportunity to answer, as they shook hands. Suddenly, I'd wished that we were in a perfect world and Rayna knew every detail of my life, eliminating the need for her to leave. I wanted her next to me.

“
She's beautiful, Mir!” Yazmine beamed. 

Damn. Do I know
.

Coincidentally, my mother knew that Rayna and I shared an intimate relationship. This shit was crazy.
I was feeling emotions that were so unfamiliar to me and I didn't know the protocol. I had my Earth, whom I hadn't seen since I was sixteen years old, here before me. Then I had this frustrating woman who suddenly showed more substance, support and grace than I thought she was capable of and thought I'd ever need in my corner at such a vital time. It was something to behold. 

“
Thanks,” I responded to Yazmine as my gaze was pinned to Rayna who begged me through her eyes not to fight her on this. 

I turned to
face Rayna, as an act of privacy, “Okay. But if you need anything just pick up the phone,” I heeded.

“
Agreed. Go have your moment,” she bade before leaving me alone with Yazmine.

I turned to watch Rayna’s gait out of the restaurant. On her way out she paid rave reviews to Momma D on her culinary
talents and told her she had hoped to be back soon. My chest squeezed as she hit the door and walked out to the car. Rayna frustrated me like none other, but the lowliness I felt from watching her leave me at this critical time scared the shit out of me. It spoke things that I could no longer deny or defer to time. Time had caught up and I could no longer refute the fact that she owned my heart. Suddenly, I had desperately wanted her to be in my destiny as well.

Fuck!

“Just a friend?”

I turned to find my mother’s
dubious eyes on me. I knew it was fucked up for me to give Rayna that nondescript title, especially with the feelings I’d just uncovered. I glanced over to Yazmine and offered a slight smile, embarrassed by my nonchalant introduction.

“
Friends don’t have you standing here watching her like you debatin’ if you want to be without her for the next few hours, beloved. Only love do,” Yazmine muttered before she sipped her water.

She’s right. How could I have missed it all this time?
I don’t get this shit.

I watched the car pull off before resuming my
seat now across from my mother, telling myself that as soon as I returned to L.A. that I would do some hard thinking about this thing with Rayna.

“It’s good to see you.”

Yazmine nodded very humbly. “It’s good to be seen by my only child.”

I could tell she was choking back a cry. Time had lapsed without either one of us knowing what to say. I still hadn’t dealt with what having my mother back in my life
actually meant. I mean, I didn’t think she’d been dead all these years, but the truth of the matter was I didn’t know. At some point in life I put my need of her and the questions I had about her hasty departure from my life somewhere in the recesses of my mind. I’d been so focused on building an empire that I didn’t consider what I didn’t have. I made it my mission to obtain those things that I
could
control like money, power, and prestige.

I didn’t need people for emotional purposes, just for functional ones
, which is why Rayna had my head fucked up.
How could my mother service my needs?
This is the question I asked when vetting people for my life—to enter into my realm.

“Have you had her long?” Yazmine broke our silence.

My eyebrows met my forehead when I realized
that
was a question that had a simple answer. Rayna wasn’t that simple, but the answer of how long she’s been in my world was.

“No. Just a few months.”

Her eyes closed in pain and her forehead wrinkled in disgrace. I didn’t understand—what had I said wrong?

“Who’
s been in your corner? Daryl’s wife?” Yazmine sounded desperate.

As I pondered her question
, I shook my head. I immediately understood what she was trying to gauge; who was serving in a maternal capacity in her absence. But my answer brought revelation even to me in the wake of my response to Rayna’s leaving the restaurant just a few minutes ago.

My eyes flickered as I murmured, “No. No one.”

Patricia was extremely nice to me and always met me with a soft hand, but I’d always felt that was because she wanted me for her daughter. Her motivation was for her daughter’s future and lifestyle, not for my benefit.

“Allah as my witness, Mir, if there was something I could do I would’ve.
There wasn’t a day in there that I didn’t think about you or miss you. I swear it to you,” she pleaded.

On a deep exhale and with raised hands I said, “It’s okay.”

Immediately, I felt that was an inappropriate and inadequate response. My mother was apologizing for her extended absence and begging me to accept that she missed me and I spoke to her in the same tone that I speak to my assistants. I didn’t mean to be formal in my response but couldn’t find any other way to express my forgiveness of the situation.

“I’ve had a very fortunate life. Once I got my head around not having parents
, I learned how to survive without. I am a blessed man.” I implored with my eyes as they bore into hers. “I just don’t want to quickly get us into a place where you feel you have a debt to pay to me. I’m sure your conscious is loaded with far more pressing things. As it turns out, you were set up and put in a situation where you were separated from me. We know this. Now we spend this time agreeing what we move on to.”

Yazmine’s
tears began to spring again. I didn’t think I was being too forceful.

“I know, baby. You’re right. I’m glad you forgive me. Now I need to forgive myself for getting so caught up back then and putting us in a situation where you had to live a life without me and here I’ve been breathing all this time.” She sobbed.

It really was okay. I’m sure I could recall when things weren’t okay right after she disappeared, but today I was okay. I’ve seen and accomplished more financially at the age of 18 than most men do in the their entire lives. I’ve worked hard and long and probably at the expense of having those core relationships, but I have no regrets. Though, I now fear mistakes moving forward. More specifically, I feared mishandling this thing with Rayna.

On the one hand
, I wanted her more than I wanted every penny I had. I craved her. Adored her. Worshipped her. But on the other hand, I didn’t want to fuck up what we were building by giving it a generic title of girlfriend or love. I’ve done that shit in the past and neither of them worked. What I feel for Rayna goes beyond what I could give a name to. It’s more than what my heart has ever held. The shit felt so good it hurt.

“I hate that man just as much as I do the devil
,” Yazmine hissed, snatching me from my trance.

I chuckled. “Let’s talk about Daryl Harrison and
how you’d like to see him dealt with,” I suggested in an attempt to properly navigate this meeting. Yazmine’s eyes darkened, filled with contempt. We spent the next few hours discussing things we
could
control and not braising in regrets.

~~~~~~~~~~

I rushed into the suite in search of her. I’m not sure why I acted as if she wouldn’t be found there. It was where she agreed to be until I returned. She was right in the living room packing up my paperwork. As I turned the corner off the foyer, I halted in my strides. I took a minute to adjust my eyes to her beauty. I stood there just staring at her. 

“
Ummmm...when I realized you'd be late I thought to start packing. We leave so early in the morning,” Rayna offered up nervously.

She wore the hotel’
s plush robe and her hair in a high ponytail. My eyes were fastened to her as if she was my lodestar. 

Continuing her anxious gapin
g, she asked, “Did all go well?”

I exhaled and gave a calm nod.

“Did she answer all of your questions?”

I give another nod.

“Are you feeling satisfied having spoken to her?”

I nodded, this time more emphatically.

“Well, what's the matter, baby?” she asked with grave concern in her tone.

I shot my chin towards her.

“Me?” 

I swallowed, “
I've been neglectful...a little malicious even.”

She inhaled deeply
and her eyes fluttered in relief. She caught the reference immediately. “You...you haven't touched me in days.”

I launched at her w
ith remorse twisting in my chest. I needed to make things right. Grabbing her, I swung her around, gently pulling her head to the side as I nibbled on her neck and across her clavicle. I felt her shiver against me as I untied her robe with her back still against my chest.

“
I thought there was someone else,” Rayna blurted out breathless. How ridiculous a thought.

I pulled the robe down until it hit the floor exposing her bra and underwear, pink lace. With soft and wet lips
in tow, I gently scraped my teeth down her back and unhooked her bra. Her breathing grew uncontrolled, further twisting my guilt. 

As I removed her bra and clasped her b
reasts, I whispered directly in her ear, “I’m sorry. I’ve been so upset, feeling that I’m not good enough for you in spite of my hard work over the years to build an empire. You can’t penalize me for having money,” my voice was rasped as I was making a plea.

She reached back and grabbed my
wood, catching me off guard. She was in need. I was ready to deliver. I turned her over to face me, picked her up to spread her on the desk where I removed her panties. Pulling them up to my face, I inhaled her personal fragrance and grew further aroused. Rayna was overcome by my passion as her eyes slanted naturally. I pulled her face into mine and kissed her ferociously. I placed my index finger inside of her trying to test her waters. I moaned at the touch of her moisture. She was so ready causing me to insert a second finger as we were still intertwined in an oral embrace.

With her arm she hooked my head and shoulders forcing me
into her. I pulled back to lower my head down to her full breasts, softly pulling her nipples into my mouth.
Shit. She tastes so good.
Rayna thrust her pelvis into my hand as I continued plugging my fingers in and out of her, around and around.

“Ah!”
she yelped sharply. I felt her stiffening around me and withdrew my fingers. When I pulled away from her grasp, she looked up at me confused and wanting. 

“You’ve missed me?”
I needed to know and would soon learn how much.

“Yes
,” she breathed as I unbuckled my pants, slowly freeing my cock. I stroked it, teasing her and she was taken. Her eyes shot down to him as she lustfully licked her lips.