INDISTINCT SOUNDS CLUTTERED my dreams. Still, I hung onto my semi-sleep state. Not wanting visions of gray eyes, dark brown hair with tints of gray, and a delicious smile kissed by a salt and pepper light scruff to dissipate. Just a moment longer, I wanted that scent of sandalwood mixed with hints of spice to linger, to tease my senses in memory. His calloused fingers trailed a delicate line down my thigh, from knee to hip, before sinking under the waist—
“Happy birthday to you.” The soft singing cut through my dream. I opened my eyes with a start and sat up, squinting at my cousin. Ruvash knelt beside my bed and held out a cupcake lit with a single candle. “Happy birthday, sweetie.”
“Thank you, Ru.” I brushed my hair out of my eyes and accepted the cake.
“Make a wish. A nice one.” He winked.
I grinned, closed my eyes, made the same wish I always did, for happiness, and blew out the candle.
“This is for you.” He held out a box.
My eyes wide, I accepted it, giggling like a teen. “You got me a gift?”
He rolled his eyes. “When have I ever forgotten.”
I wrinkled my nose at him and untied the ribbon. Impatient to see my response, he pulled off the lid. I fingered the silky material and took it out of the box. It cascaded to the comforter. “It’s beautiful, Ru.” I stared at the blue-green dress. Jumping off the bed, I held it against my body. With its ribbed off-shoulder style, sleeves cut through to meet at the wrists, nipped at the waist with soft pleats, and just above the knee flared skirt, it was gorgeous. “I love it.”
“It’s a day and night kind of dress, and these complement it perfectly.” He held up white heels that were hidden under the tissue paper. I gaped at the beautiful shoes. “Now you have something new to wear and the perfect date for it.” Ruvash dropped to the edge of his bed.
I arched a brow at him. “Are we going out?”
“No,” he moaned. Despite the early morning sun peeking through the curtain, he was dressed to kill. In snug-fitting white denim, pink shirt, and a champagne-colored jacket, his dark hair styled to perfection as always. He looked like a model. “You’re going to meet that Prince of yours, remember?” Before I could respond, he wagged a finger at me. “He gave you two days, sweetie and yesterday you spent the day doing God knows what. The man probably bit his nails in desperation when you didn’t pitch.” He snorted. “Did you even unpack anything?”
I faked a smile. Caught up in the euphoria that had settled over me since meeting Prince at the bar, I couldn’t function and spent the day going through my things. Even though Ruvash offered to share his bedroom with me, which came with half his closet space and twin beds, I hadn’t unpacked yet. “You’re going tonight, even if I have to kick your ass from here to there. He gave me his famous no-nonsense look.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea.” I folded the dress and placed it back in the box.
“Why not? You can consider him your birthday present to yourself, and we both know you could do with one.” I laughed at his suggestion. “You plan on going back to sleep?” Ruvash stood.
“No,” I replied, shifting boxes around until I found the one with my clothes and toiletries. “Shower, coffee, unpack. My day today.”
“Sia?” I looked up from the bag I was digging in to catch my cousin’s solemn smile. “You need this.”
I straightened. “What?”
He neared me and ran a gentle hand through my hair. “A moment in time to just unwind, not be yourself for a day, and let a stranger treat you like a woman. Given the last couple weeks of hell you’ve been through, I’d say he’s a Godsend.”
His lips widened in a gentle smile. I had no idea what I would’ve done without him since my father’s passing. Even when I moved into his mother’s house, his caring had allowed me to endure her exploitation.
I squeezed his hand between mine. “I will.”
“Great. I have a couple of appointments, but I’ll be back in time to help you get ready. Okay?” I nodded as he pulled out something from his jacket pocket. “Here.” He opened my hand and placed a card on it. I read it, choking on sudden tears. “The guys and I got you a salon treatment with the works. Hair, nails, skin. So, go spoil yourself, and when you meet that hottie tonight, you’ll feel like a million dollars.” He grinned.
“Oh, my God, Ru, you guys are awesome. What would I do without you?” I flung my arms around his neck, holding him in a tight hug until he untangled himself with a laugh.
“Thank me by going tonight.” He dropped a quick kiss to my cheek and left before I could argue.
I stared at the card, set it on the nightstand, and walked toward the bathroom. It took a couple of minutes for the shower to heat up. Under the strong spray, I relaxed into the heaven of privacy I hadn’t had back with my aunt.
Shutting my eyes, I thought of Prince. Still unable to discern how I’d met a man like him. As I lathered the soap over my body, my core tightened at the recollection of his touch and kisses. Despite the hot water, another kind of heat scorched my skin, making me shiver in delight. A kiss was one thing, but having sex with him sat on a different level entirely. Every cell sparked in anticipation. Who was I kidding by not going? I wanted the man since that encounter at the airport, and if fate intended throwing him my way more than once, then who was I to deny the inevitable?
Drake
I STARED AT MY WATCH for the tenth time since entering the bar. The bartender placed a whiskey in front of me without asking. I gave her a small smile, glancing at her badge. “Thank you, Lisa.” The drink did nothing to calm the thrum of desire coursing through my veins at the thought of seeing Sia again. Admittedly, I was disappointed she hadn’t pitched yesterday, but I pushed myself to believe she would today. Still, the minutes ticked by and with it my dwindling confidence.
“She will come.”
It took a moment for Lisa’s words to register. “Am I that obvious?”
“No. But a man who stares at his watch as you’ve done yesterday and today is definitely waiting for someone.” She held the glass she wiped up to the light, inspected it for a second, then set it down on a shelf behind her. “Anyway, she’d be an idiot not to. You’re a good-looking man and judging by the hanging mouths of those women—” She pointed to the opposite side of the bar. Three women, ranging in ages, either waved or wiggled their fingers at me. “Any one of them would be willing to go home with you tonight. I don’t think they’d mind a foursome either.” Lisa grinned.
I uttered a low chuckle. “Thank you for the compliment.”
“A man always knows, though.” She picked up another glass.
I lifted a brow. “Knows?”
“When he meets the right woman.” She turned away to help another customer.
I stared at my drink, her words ringing in my ears. The right woman. Meeting Ella—Sia, I laughed at my error. While I hadn’t expected to see her again, catching sight of her on the curb with a torn skirt, her shoulders slumped in dejection, was indeed a pleasant surprise. Only as I drove away did I kick myself for not taking her number as well and found myself patiently waiting for her to call me. It never came.