The Last Chance (10 page)
Authors: Darrien Lee
“Unfortunately, I am. It has it rewards, but my brothers are terribly overprotective of me.”
“I wouldn't expect any less. If I had a sister, I would be the same way.”
She laughed and said, “I understand, but you don't know my brothers. They can be quite extreme.”
He frowned and asked, “Why?”
Keilah smiled and said, “My brothers are ten-plus years older than I am. They basically raised me, so I think they look at me as not only their sister but their child as well.”
“I see,” Michael replied.
The waiter returned to the table interrupting them. “Sir, are you ready for me to take your order?”
Michael nodded at Keilah and she recited her order to the waiter. Michael gave the waiter his order as well before returning to his conversation with Keilah.
“Having older siblings can be difficult, and in your case I can see how it can be a little overwhelming. Are your parents able to make them ease up on you a little bit?”
Keilah lowered her head in silence. Michael immediately noticed her withdrawal from the conversation. “Keilah, are you OK? Did I say something wrong?”
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. She waved him off and said, “It's not you, Michael, I'm sorry. You see, my mother died of breast cancer when I was ten years old and I never knew my father. He was murdered before I was born.”
Michael reached across the table and held Keilah's hand to comfort her. “I'm so sorry, Keilah. I didn't mean to pry or upset you.”
“I'm fine, Michael. Enough about me, tell me something about you.”
“What do you want to know?” he asked.
“How old are you, Michael?”
“Thirty-five. What else do you want to know?”
“Have you ever been married or had any children?”
He sipped his wine and said, “No on both questions, Miss Chance. Now answer a question for me?”
“OK,” she replied.
With a gleam in his eyes, he asked, “Do you want children?”
“Of course I do, and since I was raised in a house full of men, I want at least two girls.”
“How many children do you want to have?”
Keilah blushed. “I don't know. I guess at least three. Now it's my turn. Do you want children?”
Michael smiled and softly said, “Yes, and as soon as possible. Whoever I choose as the mother of my children would have to start right away.”
Keilah frowned and said, “I see you're on a mission.”
He took a sip of champagne and said, “Most definitely. My mate would also have to be beautiful, intelligent, educated, and in excellent health.”
Keilah didn't know what to think of Michael's requirements. He actually spoke as though he was looking for a baby machine instead of a wife, so she decided to ask him.
“What about a wife, Michael? Aren't you looking for a wife too?”
He shifted his position in his chair and took a long sip of champagne. He sat his glass down and smiled. “Of course. Now, do you have other questions?”
Keilah giggled. “As a matter of fact, I do. Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
He raised his glass to her and said, “Luckily for me, I'm an only child.”
“It's not so bad having several siblings. I loved growing up in a big family. What about your parents? Are they still alive?”
“My father's deceased, but I still have my mother. She's in an assisted-living facility in Virginia. My mother and Aunt Teresa are sisters, but my mother is much older. Her health is not so good right now, but she's a tough old lady.”
Keilah played with the bouquet of roses in the center of the table. “Were you close to your father?”
“I was. He was a career military man as well.”
“Like father, like son,” Keilah said.
“I do. Losing someone you love is never easy, Keilah. Now, let's change the subject. This is supposed to be a happy occasion. Agreed?”
Keilah smiled. “Agreed.”
Michael and Keilah went on to enjoy a wonderful dinner and livelier conversation. Michael filled her in on his family, education, and military background. They didn't discuss past relationships, but the couple did share with each other their interests and hobbies before bidding each other good-night.
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That was the first of many dates between Michael and Keilah and with each date, they grew a little closer togetherâmuch to the approval of
Teresa Randolph and the disapproval of Ramsey. He was still skeptical of the relationship between Keilah and Michael, but he kept his opinion to himself. He missed Keilah terribly. Even though he was actively dating two other women, they could never measure up to the woman Keilah Chance was.
Three weeks into Keilah's relationship with Michael, she had to cancel a date with Michael to work late with Ramsey. Michael was disappointed but understood her responsibilities.
Ramsey met Keilah at her house after picking up dinner on the way. He handed her a container of food and tried to set things up in her kitchen, but before he could get everything out of the bag, Keilah said, “Bring everything into the living room. I have the files in there.”
“Slow down, Keilah, before you choke,” Ramsey joked as he followed her into the living room.
She looked over at him and smiled. “You don't understand. I am starving.”
He sat down on the sofa and opened his plate. His eyes widened as he viewed the baked chicken, macaroni and cheese and green beans. When he looked over at Keilah, her plate was nearly empty.
“Why didn't you eat lunch?” he asked. “You know you get a little crazy if you go too long without eating.”
She wiped her mouth and said, “I know, Ramsey, but I didn't get hungry until around two o'clock, so I just ate a breakfast bar. Besides, I thought I was going to be eating dinner by six o'clock, remember?”
He shook his head and said, “Poor baby. Listen, I have to go to court next week for that shooting incident at that club.”
She giggled as she got up to throw her empty container in the garbage. “Did that kid really call you Rambo?”
“Yes, he did. I wanted to smack him,” Ramsey replied as he admired her heavenly figure. She was dressed in a short, navy blue skirt with a light blue silk blouse. When she returned to the room she caught him staring at her. She smiled as she sat down next to him and opened her laptop.
“What are you staring at, Stone?”
“You,” he answered casually as he took a bite of his food. “You look good ... I mean happy.”
She opened a folder and without making eye contact, she said, “Thanks, and good luck in court.”
“So, Miss Chance?”
She looked over at him again. “So what, Mr. Stone?”
“Are you happy?”
She thought to herself for a moment. “I'm good.”
He frowned and sat his fork down. “What does that mean?”
“It means I like Michael very much.”
Still frowning he asked, “That's it?”
Keilah tilted her head and look at Ramsey. “What do you really want to know, Ramsey?”
Ramsey had the weirdest expression on his face, which was a cross between angry and confused. He stood up, removed his tie, and unbuttoned a few buttons on his shirt, then looked down at her. “I want to know if you're happy with this guy. Is he treating you good? Taking care of you?”
Keilah blushed. “Michael is a gentleman, Ramsey. He's tender, attentive, loving, and compassionate. What can I say? I guess you can say I am happy.”
“You guess? Either you are or you're not, Keilah.”
She reached over, took his hand, and caressed it. “What's really on your mind, Ramsey?”
At that moment, Ramsey realized that Keilah could see right through him, but he wasn't about to give her the satisfaction of confirmation. He pulled his hand away. “Never mind, Keilah. Forget I asked.”
“Are you upset with me about something, Ramsey?”
He stood up and took his food into the kitchen without responding. When he returned, Keilah was standing with her hands on her hips. “Talk to me, Stone.”
He ignored her, sat down on the sofa, and picked up a folder. She sat down next to him, snatched the folder out of his hand, and laid it on the coffee table. “I said talk to me.”
Keilah's perfume caressed his nostrils, and his skin was starting to heat up. He tried his best to ignore her, but she continued to try and force him to open up to her. Ramsey was winning his battle until Keilah cupped his face and made him look her directly in the eyes. The warmth and softness of her hands on his face made his body heat up several degrees. Keilah caressed his cheeks and then tenderly kissed him on the lips. In that instant, Ramsey's hands were everywhere on Keilah's body.
“Ramsey,” she panted as she clung to his body.
His kisses were electrifying her as he tore open the front of her blouse and unhooked her bra. Ramsey only stopped kissing her so he could consume her nipples. Keilah cried out louder as he licked and kissed her rigid peaks before moving lower. Keilah sat up momentarily only to rip Ramsey's shirt off his chest so she could have access to his toned abs. The minute her lips came in contact with his skin, he trembled with anticipation. The couple worked so feverishly with each other they didn't realize they were about to roll off the sofa. The moment they hit the floor, Ramsey pulled off her skirt and tossed it across the room. All that was left was her navy thong, which was no match for his muscular hands.
“Wait,” she begged. “I want to undress you.”
Ramsey swallowed hard as Keilah unbuckled his belt and lowered his pants and briefs. The moment his clothes were free he parted her legs and dipped his face between her thighs. Ripples of heat and desire radiated throughout her body. She writhed and moaned, knocking the mounds of folders and her laptop off the coffee table and onto the floor. Ramsey devoured her until her body quivered and she begged for mercy. “Ramsey ... my God ... please.”
He towered over her and whispered into her ear. “I'm trying to, sweetheart.”
Keilah's eyes fluttered as she wrapped her arms and legs around Ramsey's powerful frame. He was inside her in one swift motion and their bodies went up in flames. The rhythm of their hips was full of vigorous and searing passion as Ramsey plunged deeper into her abyss. She ran her tongue across his neck and kissed his ample lips until she felt his body stiffen. Keilah could see the veins in his neck as he struggled to hold his composure, but the moment she stuck her tongue in his ear, he lost it. The instant she felt him release his essence, she climaxed and screamed out his name like she'd never screamed it before.
Chapter Eight
In Dennison, Luke walked into their casino office and found Genesis working hard on the computer. Luke looked suave and debonair in his gray designer suit.
“Hey, bro.”
Genesis glanced up and said, “Hey, Luke. Why are you so dressed up today?”
“I have a meeting with some potential vendors. How has everything been going today?” he asked as he took his jacket off and hung it in the closet.
Genesis rubbed his eyes and said, “Fine. I've just been going over the payroll.”
Luke opened the small refrigerator, pulled out a bottle of apple juice, and took a sip. “Have you talked to Keilah any more about coming out here?”
“She said she couldn't come home until after the holidays.”
Luke frowned and said, “That's some bull.”
“I'm just telling you what she said.”
Luke sat down in the leather chair in front of the desk and pulled out his cell phone. “Did you tell her about the grand opening for the new casino?”
Genesis stood up and stretched his long limbs. “Yeah, I told her, but not in any detail.”
Luke dialed Keilah's number and loosened his necktie as he waited for her to answer.
In the meantime, Keilah was still trying to recover from her recent sexual encounter with Ramsey when her phone rang. Ramsey helped her off the floor and gave her a playful pat on her bare backside before he started gathering his clothes. Keilah hurriedly slid into his dress shirt and answered her telephone. “Hello?”
“Good evening, baby girl.”
Keilah smiled and said, “Hey, Luke. What's up?”
He didn't waste any time tearing into her. “What's this nonsense I hear about you not coming home until after the holidays? What's going on? “
Keilah sat down on the sofa and watched Ramsey get dressed. “It's not nonsense, Luke butâ”
Luke interrupted her. “What's keeping you there? Can't Ramsey handle things for a couple of days?”
She rolled her eyes. “Ramsey's very capable of handling things by himself, but he shouldn't have to. We're stretched thin enough as it is and sometimes you guys act like my business is not as important as yours.”
Ramsey glanced over at her briefly upon hearing his name, then started gathering up all the items Keilah had knocked on the floor as they made love.
“That's not true, Keilah, but if you guys are stretched so thin, you need to look into hiring more people. This is our grand opening and it's important to the entire family.”
“I know it's important, Luke, but my employees still have to be trained, and it takes time. Ramsey can't do that by himself, and I won't ask him to.”
Luke looked at Genesis and shook his head. Keilah was being just as stubborn with him as she was with Genesis. It was difficult for them to realize that she was just like them: full of passion about her job.
“Just run it by Ramsey. I'm only asking for a couple of days, Keilah.”
Keilah held the telephone in silence for a moment. Even though Ramsey had given her his blessings on her trip home, she wanted to make Luke simmer for a few more days. “I'll see what I can do, but I'm not going to promise you anything.”
“Good. Now get back to me as soon as you can, because I can't stress to you enough how important this is to the family.”
Keilah scooted over closer to Ramsey on the sofa and massaged his neck as he powered up her laptop. Her subtle gesture weakened him once again. He whispered, “You'd better stop.”
She smiled and continued her conversation with Luke. “I'll let you know. Tell everyone I said hello.”
“I will,” Luke said. “I have to run to a meeting now, but call me back after you talk to Ramsey. I love you, and be careful.”
“I love you too, Luke. Good-bye.”
“Good-bye, Keilah.”
Keilah hung up the telephone and stared at Ramsey. He glanced over at her. “May I help you?”
She started massaging his neck again. “How did you know I needed a fix?”
“I didn't,” he replied. “Besides, I figured you and G. I. Joe had been burning up the sheets.”
She moved her massage from his neck to his back. “No, we haven't slept together yet.”
Ramsey was relieved and surprised by her admission. “You haven't slept with him? Why not?”
Keilah sighed and lay back on the sofa. “I don't know why, Ramsey. Things have gotten pretty hot between us, but he always stops himself at the last moment.”
Without looking at her he replied, “What's wrong with him?”
She buttoned Ramsey's shirt and said, “I don't know. He keeps telling me I'm the one and that he doesn't want to mess things up.”
Ramsey frowned as he typed on the laptop a little more. “The one? He's moving a little fast isn't he? Besides, I thought you two hadn't had a lot of time to hang out together, and now he's calling you the one?”
“We have had some time together, just not like it should be, and when we do get together it's only for an hour or two and then one of us has to run off to an assignment, meeting, or whatever.”
“That's too bad. You both have demanding careers, so that will probably be the norm with you guys,” Ramsey pointed out.
Keilah stood and gathered up her clothing. “You're probably right, Ramsey, but a girl can hope for better, can't she?”
“Of course,” he replied as he watched her and thought she'd never looked sexier than she did at the moment in his dress shirt. Keilah smiled when she caught him staring at her once again. “Ramsey, are you upset with me about something? You seemed a little tense earlier.”
He shook his head and said, “No.”
“You might not be now, but you were acting like you were before we made love. Maybe you needed a fix more than I did.”
Ramsey stopped typing and ran his hands over his face. He smiled and said, “I'm cool, Keilah, and I'm sorry I gave you that impression.”
“Are you sure?”
He walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek. “I'm sure.”
Keilah watched his movements as he pulled a folder out of his briefcase. She knew something was going on with Ramsey but realized he wasn't going to tell her. He sat back down and opened the folder. “Are you ready to get to work now?” She giggled. “Yes, boss, but can I change clothes first?”
“No, because if you go upstairs you'll find something to distract you and I'll be down here working all by myself. Besides, you look hot in my shirt so keep it on.”
She giggled again, sat down beside him, and started working on their project. Little did Ramsey know just sitting next to him was distraction enough for Keilah. He was gorgeous, and every few minutes the scent of his cologne on the shirt made her mind wander back to their earlier lovemaking session making it hard for her to stay focused on the work at hand.
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The couple worked into the wee hours of the night. Keilah eventually fell asleep on the sofa while Ramsey continued to work on the fuel of a couple of Red Bull energy drinks. They were supposed to be taking turns napping, but Keilah just couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. Ramsey looked at his watch and rubbed his eyes. It was one o'clock in the morning, and he was exhausted from putting in a seventeen-hour day. He turned off the laptop and yawned. When he looked over at Keilah, she was still sound asleep and had the face of an angel, even when she snored. Ramsey decided to call it a night, so he turned off all the lights in the room before picking Keilah up off the sofa. He carried her up the stairs and into the bedroom, placing her under the warm sheets. He found it difficult to hold his eyes open any longer, so he removed his clothes and climbed into bed beside her. Keilah stirred slightly in her sleep as he pulled the comforter over them. Keilah spooned her hips against his body, snuggling close to him. Ramsey wrapped his arms securely around Keilah, but before falling asleep he whispered softly in her ear, “I love you, Keilah Chance.”
As soon as Ramsey closed his eyes, Keilah slowly opened hers. She stared into the darkness after hearing Ramsey's breathless confession. She laid there listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat for several minutes before succumbing to sleep once again.
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The next morning, Keilah decided not the tell Ramsey she overheard his loving confession. For one, she didn't know if it was a sleep-deprived utterance or if he really meant it. They'd told each other they loved each other before, but there was something different about the way Ramsey said it this time. They were in a compromising position and it sounded like he meant it in the most intimate way. She had to admit to herself that her heart thumped hard in her chest when she heard his loving words, and it also opened her eyes to things she'd been in denial about for several months now. Until she had a better understanding of what was really going on, she decided to go on with her life as usual, so she got dressed and went in to work like she normally did. Ramsey had to drive home to get dressed before heading out on an assignment with a new agent.
When Keilah got into her office, the first thing on her list was to call Luke and put him out of his misery and let him know she would be coming home on the twelfth of September. Needless to say, he was very happy with the news. She also reluctantly mentioned to him that she would be bringing a friend along for the trip in the form of Major Michael Monroe. She figured now was a better time than any for her brothers to meet Michael, and it was best they didn't know much about him ahead of time. Otherwise they would gang up on her as soon as she stepped off the plane. All she told Luke was that Michael was a thirty-five-year-old, single, career military man. Luke wasn't happy at all about the age difference, but decided to wait until he was face to face with Keilah and Michael before engaging in any more conversation about the new man in her life. Keilah prayed the trip home would give her the opportunity to sort out everything, especially her true feelings, before things progressed and possibly got complicated.
Ramsey wasn't happy at all when Keilah told him she was taking Michael home with her to meet her family. His only comfort was the fact that he knew her brothers well and found solace in knowing the Chance brothers would interrogate Michael to the fullest. If they felt like he wasn't on the up and up for any reason, they would make Keilah end the relationship before it had a chance to get started. That, he was sure of, and he prayed things would play out just like he hoped.
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