All You'll Ever Need (3 page)

“Do you have any siblings?” Zack dipped her. A tiny chirp of surprise flew through her lips before he pulled her back into his arms.

Okay, now he’s just showing off.
But she had to admit, she liked a man who could talk, dance, and dip a woman without missing a beat. Her mind wandered to a naked Zack, hovering above her in bed. Would he bring the same confidence and suaveness to her bedroom? Could he kiss and make her body hum the way…
Wait!
She shook her head slightly.
Now where did that come from?

“Jada?”

Her eyes shot up. “Oh, I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“Do you have any siblings?”

“Oh, yeah, I … um have two older brothers. What about you? Any siblings? Kids? Uh … a wife, ex-wives?” Remembering her ultimate goal of marrying rich, and quitting her job, she started her mission of getting to know Mr. Potential.

He smiled. “I have two brothers also, one younger and one older. And I have an older sister. I don’t have any children, but I would love to have enough to make at least a basketball team of my own.” He winked. “Oh and I don’t have an ex-wife
or
a wife, but I’m looking.” He spun her and pulled her back into his arms, his mouth only inches from hers. “Any more questions?”

Jada stared at his lips. A brazen warmth attacked her body. The desire to kiss him so strong it took everything she had not to reach up and pull his face closer.

“Uh, what do you do for fun?” she finally asked, forcing herself not to act on the lustful thoughts running rampant through her mind.

“I love the outdoors. Camping, snowboarding, zip lining, sports – especially football. All of it. If it’s an outdoor adventure, I’m all in. I also enjoy anything where I can use my hands.” His voice dropped an octave, and he pulled her closer. It wasn’t hard for Jada to figure out he was talking about more than just outdoor activities.

“I see.”

“How do you feel about those types of activities?” He glanced down at her.

“I’m pretty much a go with the flow kinda girl.” She lied. She hated the outdoors, especially if it meant she’d get dirty or sweaty.

“Heeeeyyy.”

Jada startled, hearing her cousin Toni sing out when the DJ played the next song. Justin Timberlake’s voice pumped through the speakers and by the sound of the crowd, the song was a favorite.

Jada glanced to her right in time to see Toni rush Craig out onto the dance floor. She hoped Toni’s new husband knew what he was getting into. A huge Justin Timberlake fan, Toni always sang along with him – as loud as she could. Too bad she couldn’t carry a tune if it were packed in a bag and strapped to her back.

Zack sang along to Timberlake’s “Not A Bad Thing,” his baritone voice caressing Jada’s ear, sending sparks of desire to every nerve ending in her body.

Ah, hell, and he can sing?
Jada shivered.
That’s it. I have to get away from this man. I need to regroup.

Zack slowed and loosened his grip, but didn’t let go. “Maybe you and I can go out sometime.” A slight smile graced his tempting lips.

“Uhh…”

“Excuse me.” Christina’s voice came out of nowhere and Jada’s body flooded with relief from the interruption. Her cousin stood next to them. “I’m so sorry to intrude, but Jada, duty calls. Peyton needs our help.”

“Oh, okay.” Jada could kiss her cousin. Normally Christina’s timing was awful, but right now, Jada couldn’t get away from Zack fast enough. He unsettled her in ways she couldn’t explain.

She glanced at her handsome dance partner and pulled away. “I’m sorry. A bridesmaid work is never done. Thanks for the dance.” She grabbed Christina’s arm and hurried away from the dance floor.  

***

What just happened?

Zack stood in the middle of the dance floor, staring after Jada. Had he moved too fast? She ran from him as if he had threatened her life.

Damn
.
Maybe I shouldn’t have asked her out yet.

He rubbed his forehead, turning to leave the dance floor. Everything about the woman was perfect. A construction worker who loved the outdoors, a volunteer worker, family oriented, and she was one of the most beautiful women he’d ever met. If that weren’t enough, she fit perfectly in his arms, like a missing puzzle piece, created especially for him. And damn if the exquisite scent of her perfume didn’t have him wanting to chase after her.

When Zack glanced up, Donny still stood where he had left him earlier. If the grin on his face was any indication, Zack knew his friend had witnessed Jada running off.

Zack cursed under his breath again. The last thing he needed was for Donny to start giving him a hard time about chasing a woman away.

“So wh—”

“Don’t say anything,” Zack said when he approached his friend. Donny handed him a beer bottle. “We didn’t get a chance to discuss going out before she was pulled away by her cousin.”

“Uh huh. It looked more like she was running away, which doesn’t surprise me. You probably bored her to death.”

“Whatever, man. I assure you, within the next two weeks, I will have a date with the beautiful Jada JJ Jenkins.”

“Yeah, we’ll see. Did you even get her digits?”

“Don’t need them.” Zack glanced in the direction that she’d disappeared. “I’ll find her.”

Donny shook his head. “I still think you’re getting in over your head man. She is out of your league. I know women like her.”

“What do you mean like her? Gorgeous? Construction worker? Black? What?” Zack got in his face, struggling to keep his anger at bay. “You think just because your skin is a closer shade of color to hers than mine that you know all about her?” Donny narrowed his eyes and took a step back. “Oh, so what, now you don’t have anything to say?”

“You know what? You’re trippin’,” Donny sipped the amber-colored liquor in his glass. “I’m going to give you a pass since I can tell you’re feelin’ this girl. But don’t you ever,” he pointed his finger in Zack’s face, “step to me like that again. I’m tryin’ to help your ass and you gon’ trip like this? Zack, man, a few months ago you almost lost everything to that gold-diggin’ heifer, Leslie. You’re my boy. Do you think I want to see you go through that shit again? This Jenkins woman might not be like your ex, but I’m telling you man, she’s not what you think. She
is
high maintenance and probably everything else you said you didn’t want in a woman. You’re just not trying to see it.”

Zack set his beer bottle on a nearby table and shoved his hands into the front pockets of his pants. He and Donny grew up together. Zack knew he had his best interest in mind, and he also knew that Jada wasn’t anything like Leslie — his gold-digging ex-fiancée.

***

Jada held on tight to Christina’s arm and pulled her into the bridesmaid’s room. “You care to tell me what that was all about?” Christina asked rubbing her arm. “I have never seen you behave so egregious toward a man before, especially a pulchritudinous-looking man.”

Jada rolled her eyes at her cousin’s constant use of words that no one knew the meaning of. She moved across the room and stopped to primp in front of a full-length mirror. “I didn’t behave egregaga … or whatever the heck you said.” She ran her fingers through her long curls and smoothed out her dress before turning to her cousin. “I walked away because you said Peyton needed us.”

“Then why’d you drag me in here? We’re supposed to be in Toni’s room,” she glanced at her watch, “in five minutes.”

Jada stared at her cousin wondering how much to tell her. Christina Jenkins, also known as CJ, was one of her best friends as well as her landlord. Jada had moved in with her a year ago, planning to stay only a few months until she saved enough money to buy a condominium. However, compulsive shopping prevented her from saving enough to get the place she’d been admiring in Hyde Park.

“I think I’m losing my edge with men.” Jada dropped into a striped upholstered chair near a bookshelf. “This guy Zack is a friend of Craig’s and there is something about him that unnerves me.”

Concern marred Christina’s face, and she pulled a nearby chair close to Jada. “What?” She brushed her out-of-control curls away from her face. “I can’t believe that any of Craig’s friends would be a jerk. He doesn’t—”

“Oh, no, no, no. He doesn’t unnerve me in a negative way. It’s more like just looking at him makes me sweat. And you know I don’t like to sweat. My heart rate kicks up, and my words get all jumbled, and when he’s close to me, I feel as if I’m hyperventilating.

Christina sat back and folded her arms, a small smile tilting the corners of her lips. “Well, I’ll be. I can’t believe Your Highness is affected by a man.” She giggled. “I’ll admit he’s attractive, but you’ve gone out with plenty of gorgeous men. So what is it about this guy? Is it because he’s white?”

She shook her head. “No, his race doesn’t matter.” The affect Zack had on her internally is what warranted concern. There was only one other man who had ever made her stomach churn in the way she had experienced tonight.
Dion Greely
. The only man she had ever loved and the only man who had ever ripped out her heart and crushed it into tiny, little pieces.

Her thoughts skittered back to Zack. He might not be another Dion, but she couldn’t ignore how being in his presence shook her to the core. Those twin dimples … those eyes. His list of attributes were so long she didn’t know if it was just one thing that made her a bumbling fool whenever he was near her.

“By the gleam in your eyes, I’d say that this is a case of indubitable attraction. Yet, it has to be more than that to have you in here hiding out.”

“I know. There’s something about this man. I don’t know much about him, but already I know he’s different than the type of men I usually date. He’s genuine, confident without being arrogant and humble without coming off like a chump. He’s a great listener, and he’s not ruled by money or what he has.” And that’s what scared her. Arrogance and self-centeredness, she could handle. Sweet, kind, and the fall-in-love-easily type, she couldn’t handle.

“Hold up. I know you’re good, but are you telling me you figured all of that out with only one dance?”

Before Jada could respond, the door flew open. Martina Jenkins, MJ, stood in the entryway with her arms braced against the doorjamb and a scowl on her perfectly made up face. She had already been in a bad mood. Having to wear such a
frilly
dress with
too
-
tall
sandals didn’t help. Now the murderous glare she shot Jada and Christina would have made others take cover, but they were used to their cousin’s theatrics.

“Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you guys? What part of meet in Toni’s room at seven-thirty didn’t you two understand?”

“Ah, don’t get your grandma panties in a bunch. We’re coming,” Jada said.

They both stood and followed MJ out of the room. Jada turned to Christina and whispered. “I trust that our conversation stays between us.”

“Of course, but I want to explore your problem a little more when we get home,” she joked, sounding like a therapist.

Jada smiled and shook her head. As far as she was concern, there was no problem. As long as she stayed away from Zack Anderson.

Chapter Three

“You might as well pay up, dude. You owe me a thousand bucks.” Donny grabbed another slice of pizza and sat back in the leather, theater room seat to watch Monday night football. “It’s been almost two weeks and Jada Jenkins hasn’t given you the time of day. Pay up. Pay up now!”

“Man, please. I ain’t payin’ nothin’. I still have four days to convince her to go out with me.” Zack took a swig of Gatorade. “And I can’t believe you’re trying to get me to pay before the bet has officially ended.”

After receiving Jada’s telephone number from Craig, Zack had called her three times since the wedding reception, but she had yet to return any of his calls. Now hindsight, Zack wondered if maybe she would’ve been more receptive of his calls had he asked for her number directly.

 “I can’t believe you’re interested in this woman. Especially when you’ve shot down advances from others. Personally, I think you should give Monica a chance. She’s
fine
as hell and a real sweetheart.”

“I don’t trust her.”

Donny shook his head and laughed. “Man you don’t trust anyone. You act as if all women are out to take advantage of you.” Zack turned to Donny with a raised eyebrow. “Okay, I can see why you’d be a little leery considering your last two relationships. I’m still trippin’ that Leslie accused you of domestic abuse. Yet, at some point, you’re going to have to give someone a chance.”

“That’s why I’m trying to hook up with Jada.”

“I just don’t understand that.” Donny wiped his mouth and sat back in his seat, studying Zack. “That honey, has gold-digger tattooed on her beautiful forehead. I saw her in the lobby taking a picture when I left the reception. Peeking over her shoulder, hand on her hip, her leg flipped up with the heel of her expensive shoes touching that sweet round ass.”

“Hey, watch yourself!” A smoldering flame of desire crept through Zack just listening to Donny‘s assessment of Jada, but he couldn’t sit there listening to his friend talk about her sweet ass.

Donny held up his hands in mock surrender. “No disrespect, dude, I’m just sayin’.” He shrugged. “Seriously though, a construction worker salary didn’t pay for those high-priced shoes or that Rolex she was wearing. ”

His friend might’ve been right, but Zack couldn’t ignore how the air around him seemed electrified when she was near. He’d been with his share of women, but none affected him the way she had.

“Maybe Jada ignoring your calls is a sign for you to move on. The last thing you need is more BS from another tryflin’, money-hungry woman.”

“I’m not giving up just yet.” Zack ran his hand over his mouth and stopped at his chin, rubbing the scruff growing from not shaving in a couple of days. “I think I’m going to try a different approach with Ms. Jada Jenkins. Apparently I need to do something to get her atten—”

“Are you expecting someone else?” Donny interrupted. “I think I just heard your doorbell.”