Trouble (28 page)

Jamal sauntered back around his desk and sank into his chair. “Fine. Tried to get the doctor to excuse me from work for a few months, but no dice.”

Dara laughed. “Too bad a major head trauma didn't improve your attitude at all.”

“Yeah, well,” he said, grinning. “And I'll have to wait a few more weeks before I take the GED exam, but I'm not crying about that. So what's up with you and Mike? He practically skipped off to court this morning, he looked so happy.”

Dara emitted a ridiculous giggle before she could stop herself.

“Nothing! We just … well, you know.” She ruffled her hair. Adjusted an earring. Giggled again. “We talked. A little. Nothing. It's really nothing.”

Jamal gave her an incredulous look. “Y'all been doing a lot more than talking.”

The receptionist's voice came over the intercom on Jamal's desk, saving her from spouting further gibberish.

“Dara? You in there?”

“Yeah,” Dara said quickly. “What do you need?”

“Sean's here.”

Sean? Not
again
.

He'd called and texted several times over the weekend, and she, totally immersed in being with Mike, had blown him off. As she and Mike had agreed, they wouldn't tell Sean about their relationship just yet, so she'd have to pretend everything in her life was the same as ever.

“I'll come down,” she said, rolling her eyes and sighing.

“You need to cut him loose,” Jamal said darkly.

“Cut him loose? Why would I do that to a good friend?”

“‘Friend?'”
Jamal's mouth twisted with open disdain. “Sean doesn't want to be your friend, and you know it. And you're sending him mixed messages by spending so much time with him.”

She frowned. “Why would you say that? Sean knows what the deal is.”

“Why don't you
think
?” He tapped his temple with his index finger. “Sean thinks he can change your mind. And Mike doesn't like this ‘friend' business, especially now. You mark my words. This ‘friend' stuff is gonna blow up on you.”

“That's ridiculous,” she said, dismissing the idea with a wave of her hand. “I'll see you later.”

Down in the waiting area, Sean sat on the sofa chatting with some woman. Pausing on her way down the stairs, Dara took one look at her and immediately felt like an ugly duckling. She was exceptionally beautiful, with flawless toffee skin and gleaming spiky black hair that framed her oval face and perfectly accentuated her sharp cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes. She wore a pink and black plaid Chanel suit, and her long, shapely legs stretched out for miles before ending in spectator stiletto pumps that cost four hundred dollars if they cost a dime.

Just then the woman laughed at something Sean said, revealing a toothpaste commercial grin.

Dara's steps slowed with dread.

Sean saw Dara and got up, smiling. “Hey, gorgeous.”

Dara walked closer and tried to smile. “Hey, Sean.” She turned to the woman, determined to find out who she was and what she wanted. “I don't believe we've met.”

The woman's amusement faded as she stood up to her full height—which was somewhere in giraffe territory—and eyed Dara speculatively. Her cool gaze slid over Dara's pretty but plain brown wool wrap dress and brown pumps, clearly assessing and dismissing her as competition.

“Lisa Parker,” she said smiling politely but coolly as she extended her manicured hand. “And you are … ?”

Dara took the witch's soft hand and kept her voice sweet. “Dara Williams. Are you a client of the firm?”

Lisa smirked. “I'm a friend of Mike's.”

Friend. Riiiiiight
.

And Dara was Beyoncé in disguise.

They might have stood there appraising each other as Mike's romantic rivals forever if approaching footsteps hadn't distracted them. They all turned to see Mike stride down the stairs. His sharp eyes flickered to Dara, her hand still in Lisa's, then to Sean, where they narrowed.

“What's up, man?” he said, shaking his hand. “What're you doing here?”

“Trying to take Dara to lunch,” Sean told him, shooting a questioning look at Dara.

“Well, I don't—” she began.

“How are you, Mike?” Lisa cooed, dropping Dara's hand. She sidled up to him, kissing his cheek. Mike started but kissed her back, his gaze immediately reverting to Dara and Sean.

“I'm good.”

“Have you got a few minutes?” Lisa asked him.

“Uh … Sure.” Frowning, he turned to Dara. “Are you leaving for lunch?”

Seething, Dara nodded. She certainly wasn't going to stick around while this beyotch tried to seduce Mike right under her nose.

“Yeah.”

“I'm thinking pizza,” Sean said.

“You are coming back this afternoon … ?” Mike called after Dara.

Dara did not for a second think it was anything other than a command. Well, she was in no mood to be commanded, especially by Mike, who still had that woman's hand on his arm. And she knew exactly what he was saying: he wanted her to know they were still on for dinner tonight, and he expected her to meet him back here at the office when her afternoon classes were over.

Yeah, no.

“Not today,” she said pleasantly. “I'll see you
tomorrow
.”

Mike's jaw tightened, but he didn't argue. And as Dara ran to get her purse, she heard Lisa's sultry laughter in response to Mike's murmur and wanted to commit murder.

At seven fifteen that night, a loud knocking on her door startled Dara out of her deep concentration as she studied on the sofa.

After lunch with Sean, she'd gone to class, then come back to her apartment to wallow in her jealous misery.

So this Lisa person was Mike's “classmate” and “friend,” according to Sean, who'd greeted Dara's unprecedented interest in Mike's personal life with an uncomfortable dose of sharp-eyed suspicion. During Dara's questioning over lunch, he'd admitted that he thought Mike and Lisa hooked up periodically. That made Lisa a friend
with benefits
in Dara's book.

Lisa
.

Whatever.

Bitch.

Totally unfair, Dara knew. Lisa might be a lovely person who rescued puppies and orphans during her spare time. Anyway, how could she blame her for wanting Mike? Who wouldn't?

Not that the fact stopped Dara from seething.

Of course, she'd known someone like Mike could have any beautiful woman he wanted, but it was something else again to be confronted with one of them. Did Lisa have to be so amazingly beautiful? Why was that fair?

And here Dara was, too scared to even sleep with him! What on earth did he want with
her
—a nervous near-virgin—when he could have a woman like
that
?

Another knock.

Pissed, Dara got up and stalked to the door. Honest to God, if that was Sean popping up again, she thought, checking the peephole, she was going to—

Oh, God. Mike.

Bracing herself, she swung the door open.

Mike walked in, trench coat covering his suit, his face carefully neutral.

“Let's go.” He checked his watch. “Our reservation's at eight.”

“Not tonight.” She brushed past him on her way back to the living room. “I really need to study.”

Mike was right on her heels. “Is there a problem you'd like to discuss?”

She shoved her hands in the back pockets of her jeans and sulkily watched him. Had he gone to lunch with Lisa? Had they made plans for one night this week? Her heart twisted into sickening knots at the thought.

Still, she had no intention of letting him know she was jealous. Her mother had trained her better than to wear her heart on her sleeve. She and Mike had no claims on each other, and, like Antonio before him, he'd certainly made her no promises.

“No.” She attempted a smile that made her cheeks hurt. “No problem.”

He glowered, yanking his arms out of his coat and throwing it across the chair.

“Cut the sullen, passive-aggressive crap, Dara,” he snapped. “If we're going to be together, we need to figure out a way to work these things out. We had plans for tonight, and I'm not going to let you ruin them like this. Tell me what the problem is!”

“Oh, all right!” she exploded, marching up to stand in his face. “Who's your little
friend
? You sure you don't want to spend tonight with
her
?”

Mike sighed but held her gaze. “Lisa is a law school classmate of mine and a woman I occasionally hook up with.”

“‘
Occasionally
?'” she cried, astonished that he hadn't bothered to deny or at least sugarcoat it. “Well, when was the last
occasion
?”

His jaw tightened. “About a week before I met you.”

“Right.”

He snatched her arm, pulling her up against him. “Yeah,
right
! I haven't had sex with her—or anybody else—in months, because, in case you haven't noticed, the only person I want to have sex with is you!”

“But you're not having sex with me!” Dara shouted, jerking her arm free.

“All in good time. Until then, I can wait.”

Slightly mollified, Dara took a deep breath and tried not to pout.

Mike watched her, one brow raised.

“Why was she there today?” Dara asked because she couldn't help herself. “Did you call her?”

Mike's lips twisted with annoyance. “No, I didn't call her! She showed up wanting to get together, I listened politely, wishing she was you, and then I sent her on her way, wondering what I'd ever seen in her to begin with! What kind of a jerk do you take me for?”

Dizzy with sudden relief, Dara rubbed a hand over her pounding heart.

“Well … You and I just started dating, and we never said we were exclusive, so—”

“Bullshit.” His harsh voice was like a slap across her face.

She flinched, too stunned to argue.

“I'd never expect you to sleep with me if you thought there were other women, so let's clear this up right now. There's nobody else, and there won't be anybody else as long as we're together. Do you understand me?”

Somehow she nodded.

“And before I forget, I just loaded up on condoms. For me and you. But not until you're ready. Okay?”

“Okay,” she said, her head spinning.

“Let's get something else straight.” Muscles flexed in his jaw and his eyes glinted dangerously. “I want you, and I don't share what's mine.”

“Am I yours?” she asked breathlessly, thrilled.

He paused, his cheeks flushing. “Yes.”

She moved to touch him, but he stepped back and held his hands up.

“Don't get too excited. I don't like you spending so much time with Sean.”

“Why? You know I'm not attracted to him like that.” Why would Mike ever feel annoyed by something as harmless as her friendship with his brother? Surely, he didn't expect her to just dump Sean as a friend.

“Let me ask you something,” he said, giving her a pointed look. “Would you want me spending a lot of time with Lisa when you know she wants to sleep with me?”

The idea nearly made Dara's head explode right off her shoulders. “Of course not!”

“Exactly.” He stroked her cheek, smoothing her ruffled feathers. “And that's why I sent her packing today.”

A lightbulb finally went on over her head. A giant, lighthouse-sized lightbulb.

She would have to tone things way down with Sean.

“I get it.”

She stepped forward into Mike's arms, clinging tightly to his neck. He held her close enough that she could hear his heart thundering.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered. “I'm sorry. I don't like to fight.”