Love UnCharted (Love's Improbable Possibility) (26 page)

As Rayna looked over to me I noticed Yazmine’s eyes stayed on her. Rayna gave me a dubious gaze. I remained impassive, just relieved that she came. She looked damned good. I’d started thinking of ways I would fuck her later on.

“Oh, I wouldn’t have missed this for all the tea in China,” Rayna stared me dead in the eyes when she shot back the same line I’d use on her at her job’s charity ball when I had first encountered that prick, Brian Thompson.

“Are you okay, beloved? You needed to stop at the drugstore…?” Yazmine didn’t skip a beat.

“Oh, yeah,” Rayna looked uneasy, almost as if she didn’t want to discuss it. “I’ve had a rough day. Work was, well…
work
. I’ve had back pains and the like since I woke up this morning. I ran out of pain meds earlier this afternoon and had to pick more up before I got here and suffered my way through dinner. I’ve been looking forward to finally seeing you. I’m sorry it’s taken this long,” she offered a warm smile.

Damn. Rayna’s period symptoms never crossed my mind today. She suffered from cramping, bloating, neck and back pains among other symptoms, each cycle. Some months were worse than others.
No ass for me tonight
.

Rayna continued, “I remember my first time out here. I was overwhelmed with the difference in energy from the East Coast. What have you done so far?” Rayna gave her a soft smile. I was taken by her eagerness to converse with my mother.

“Mir done sent me to the zoo yesterday. The big one in San Diego. Today, I went to see Hollywood,” Yazmine informed her.

Rayna’s eyes shot over to me as she said, “Oh, he took you on the
tourist excursion
as he referred to it when I’d told him I’d never been around town when we first met.”

Ha! She recited word for word from our first “date”. Just then, my Blackberry went off, when I checked it I saw it was Shayna Bacote hitting me up.

Hey, Azmir. I had my godson’s recital tonight so I wasn’t able to call but I wanted to reach out to you regarding the reputation and intention of Taylor & Bacote Planning and Public Relations Corp. I’ve taken notice to Dawn’s attraction to you and must admit I’ve grown disturbed. I hope you don’t take that piece of detail to mean that we are not a viable firm with your best interest at heart. If there’s something that you view as a conflict of interest, I hope that you’d make me aware of it before dismissing our bid to represent your brand indefinitely.

I knew what she was hinting at. Shayna had an idea of how strong Dawn was coming on. I could tell that she didn’t want the backlash of it, if it came to that.

Thanks for your concern and professionalism Shayna. I’ve spoken to Dawn about the parameters of our affairs. If a problem arises I’ll be sure to give your preemption consideration. Overall, you guys are doing well
.
I typed back.

The waiter came by and took our orders. Yazmine ordered iced tea and I ordered a Grand Marnier for me and an herbal tea for Rayna. I could see she wasn’t herself no matter how much she lent herself to pleasantries for my mother’s sake.

Shayna texted back,
 
I’m glad to hear that. But Azmir I need you to know that I take my job seriously and I appreciate that you took us on when celebrity friends of mine that I’ve known since childhood blew us off and never gave us a thought. This has been a lifelong dream for me so please do me the favor and let me know the minute you aren’t pleased with the “affairs” o
f 
Taylor & Bacote Planning and Public Relations Corp. Dawn is a unique individual whose determination can be so strong that it works against her. She’s a dear friend but in business I need to be objective. Give me a holler before you make any final conclusions. Please.

Indeed
.
I was taken by Shayna’s blatant cry. I was also impressed that she was able to see Dawn’s risky behaviors could potentially affect their business. Once again, the essence of Dawn was lurking at the time that I was with Rayna. My thoughts were ruminate when I heard:

“Beloved, I don’t know how you deal with him being on that phone all the time,” from my mother. “You know when I was with his dad, my competition was with the newspaper.”

Rayna gave a bellyful laugh, it was so hard that she winced. It struck me hard.

“You okay, Brimm?” I asked.

She darted her eyes over to me, oddly causing my erection again. “You know…what comes along with the territory,” she muttered uncomfortably. I immediately knew that was code for her discomforts were associated with her period. I knew that I could soothe her if she agreed to be with me tonight.

Dinner was pleasant and the conversation flowed well. Rayna didn’t eat much of her dinner, but cleared her dessert.

She ate nearly all of her assorted dessert tray. I knew this was the time of the month when she didn’t deny herself of any sweet indulgences. I loved the way she put food away unabashedly. It made her practical. I needed that. 

“I don’t know how you eat like that and stay so fit,” Yazmine observed.

I wished that I could have said
outside of the workouts I put her through, the only other man who worked her body comparably was my fitness trainer
. But that would lack decorum. A rush of yearning came over me like nothing I’d ever experienced. I needed to solidify things with Rayna. I wanted her back in my bed where she belonged. I didn’t want to waste any more time trying to let her figure it out. I had the urge to force her hand.

“Brimm, I was telling Yazmine how you so graciously offered up your house in Redondo Beach to her
indefinitely
,” I murmured over the table while zooming in on Rayna’s eyes, bracing myself for her reaction. Her eyes widened and mouth swung open momentarily. She caught herself and reeled it in. She opened her mouth to say something and closed it again.

Yazmine took notice of all of it and said, “I told Mir that I’m like a stranger to you and know you don’t want no stranger staying at your house.”

Prying her eyes away from mine, Rayna pivoted in her seat towards Yazmine. “You are no stranger to me at all. You’re Azmir’s mother. Don’t mind me, it’s just that we spoke about this so long ago that it’s caught me off guard.” She turned her glower to me and said, “We should discuss the details of that over the next few days.” She was blowing me off.

“What’s there to discuss? The property is vacant,” I goaded her.

“It’s not empty. I have things there,” she scolded me with her eyes and then turned softer ones over to Yazmine. “Things that I’m sure you would want removed so that you could be comfortable and feel at home.” She cleaned it up well, speaking to Yazmine. I didn’t stop there.

“Okay, it should only take a day to get your things out.” I sat up in my chair and readjusted myself.

“It may take a little longer.”

“Why?”

“Because I’d have to figure out where I’d store them.”

“Whatever can’t fit into the marina we’ll put in my storage space. No biggie.” Rayna didn’t respond. She was vexed and couldn’t determine her next move. I didn’t give a damn. She was coming back home. “Yazmine, have your things packed and ready to go by Thursday. We’ll get you in there and take another day to buy whatever personalized décor you’ll need make the place your own before the weekend. Perhaps you can host us for dinner on Sunday,” I said in jest, garnering a chuckle from Yazmine, but a blank look from Rayna.

Oh. Fucking. Well.

“You just let me know what you need to feel at home there and we’ll take care of it,” Rayna murmured dryly, but with a scent of sincerity to Yazmine.

We were all adults and Yazmine at best could surmise that I was pushing Rayna faster than she had wished.

“Excuse me, I have to use the restroom.” Rayna rose from the table and I followed suit. As I did, she gave a small smile to Yazmine, but rolled her eyes at me and turned on her heels for the bathroom.

As I took back to my seat, I heard Yazmine’s raspy voice note, “You’re in love with her.”

My eyes darted over to her. I wasn’t expecting that. I adjusted my tie on my chest and abdomen. I gave her the flick of the eyebrows. “Is that what we’re calling it?” I was not prepared to go there. This topic had been on repeat in my relationship with Rayna, causing me undue stress.

“What do you call it?” Yazmine came back, wearing a gentle smirk on her face.

I exhaled, “I call it well-placed companionship.”

“Is that all you feel is going on between you two?”

“I care about her very much.”

“Beloved, what I been watching since that young lady walked through ‘dis place is your heart come alive and be on display. You a totally different person when she around. You try to play cool when deep down inside I can tell you burning for her real bad.” She giggled, “It’s just like when you was ten and had a crush on Otischa from the projects. Every time her momma brought her to Momma D’s you be tense on the outside, but jumpy as hell on the inside.” She paused to read my response.

“She’s a beautiful and bright woman.” Enough said.

“Yeah,” she nodded in agreement. “‘Dat she is. And you want her living with you. You gon’ marry her?”

Yazmine didn’t see Rayna coming upon us. But she realized she’d returned when Rayna accidentally hit Yazmine’s chair with her purse and excused herself. I rose until Rayna was seated and watched, a little unnerved by Yazmine’s observations and Rayna’s apprehensions.

“It’s currently under consideration,” I responded to Yazmine’s last question to let her know that I wasn’t running from the topic. I signaled our waiter for the check.

Yazmine shot me a nod just before looking over to Rayna and asked, “You okay, beloved?”

“Oh, yeah. I drank a lot of that delicious tea, I had no room left in me for more,” Rayna answered with a smile.

Once the check was cleared, we all went out to the wait area of the restaurant where the ladies said their goodnights. Rayna turned to me not knowing what to say. I hadn’t told Yazmine about our recent separation. It was in the past as far as I was concerned. Fucking over. Rayna looked at me through her lashes, which told me she was stuck between being upset for my pushing the moving out issue and trying to be polite and play nice for my mother’s sake. I didn’t let her think too long.

“I’ll have Ray take Yazmine back to her hotel and drive you home.”

“No, that’s okay. You see your mother to the hotel. I’ll see you later.” I didn’t know what Rayna’s
later
meant, but one thing was for damn sure and that was we wouldn’t be sleeping apart tonight and I preferred the comforts of my bed at the marina.

Thankfully, Yazmine chimed in, “No, beloved, you two done had a long day. Y’all go home. ‘Dis was real nice and all. I need to go back to the hotel and relax. I’m good alone,” she said with the wave of her hand.

Once again, deadlocking Rayna, and to her dismay. I kissed my mother goodnight and parted ways. Rayna and I made our way to Interstate 405. 

When Rayna noticed we were exiting off 52 instead of staying on for exit 43 she said, “Why are we getting off here?”

“Because we’re going home, Ms. Brimm.”

“I can’t stay at the marina, Azmir.”

“You can and you will.”

“Did you forget about Azna?”

Damn.
I did. “I’ll have Ray swing by to get your keys and then go and pick him up.”

“Azmir, that’s ridiculous. I’d have to pack some things for him. Besides, I could use an overnight bag myself.” Her grimacing gaze seared my profile. I made a U-turn and jumped back on the 405.

We picked up Azna, Rayna grabbed a few things for work the next day, and we were back at the marina in under an hour. I ran her a bath as she played with Azna out in the living room. I was irritated, my mind raced a mile a minute as I sat at the lip of the whirlpool and returned a few e-mails. When the water was done, I set out for the living room to grab Rayna.

“Ready?” I asked her, interrupting her playtime with the pooch.

Rayna’s head shot up and the smile…the pure, unadulterated, and natural glow of her smile caused a tremor in my chest. It slowly dissipated while she looked my way.
Damn
. She rose to her feet, but not before giving Azna a final rub and mirthful giggle. I waited for her to continue back down the corridor.

She maintained a few steps ahead of me, but when we past one of the bedrooms I yelled out, “Hold up.”

She arrested her stride and turned her head for answers. I turned the nob and opened the door, prompting her to enter in the room. She slowly ambled toward the door and once she arrived, she craned her neck to take a peek. Once she caught a glance of the room, her mouth collapsed and her eyes fluttered. Rayna stepped into the room holding her face. She looked around to observe the bars attached to mirrored walls and angled her head to ceiling to see the high fans. Her eyes darted to the floor to observe the hardwood sprung material. She eventually transferred her gaze over to the two flat screen televisions that mounted either sides of the room and then she landed her attention on the stereo that operated the surround sound speakers, suspended on the walls throughout the room. It was her own personal dance room. At the marina. With me.