Make You Mine (20 page)

“Hi,” they said cheerfully in unison, obviously oblivious to the cold.

“Aren't they cute?”

Caress turned and smiled at Ahmad walking down the stairs. “Your daughters?” she asked, digging her face down deeper beneath her scarf.

Ahmad made a face like that idea was impossible. “They're my nieces. They're spending the night with their favorite Uncle Ahmad.”

“You're our
only
Uncle!” they exclaimed in unison, like they were used to playing that game with him.

Ahmad just chuckled.

“We're making a snowman.”

“And then we're going to the movies.”

“And then to get pizza.”

Caress's eyes widened as they talked in rapid-fire succession. “Wow, you ladies are keeping your Uncle Ahmad very busy,” she said squatting down to scoop up a handful of the brilliantly white snow.

“Yup,” they said in unison.

Caress thought they reminded her of Jordan and Mia's twins Aliya and Amina. Although those girls were in their teens, Caress bet they had been just as adorable as these two.

Ahmad squatted down beside them and started shoveling snow into a bucket Caress just noticed he was carrying. “Wanna help?” he offered, looking over at Caress with a smile.

“Sure,” Caress said, accepting the miniature toy shovel one of the girls handed her.

Soon the winds and the softly falling snowflakes took second to the fun Caress had with Ahmad and his nieces. Their pitiful snowman sat lopsided atop the little hill in front of the apartment. A soft ball of snow accidentally thrown at her led to a snowball fight that really took Caress back to her days growing up in this city.

She ducked to avoid a clump of snow Ahmad flung at her and countered with one of her own, laughing as it hit Ahmad square in the face, dissolving into snow dust as it did.

“Ah hah, Uncle Ahmad,” one of the twins teased.

Caress's eyes widened as Ahmad came rushing at her. She squealed and took off around her snow-covered car.

“Run, Miss Coleman,” the girls yelled, jumping up and down excitedly.

Ahmad was tall and one of his steps equaled two of hers so he caught up with her easily, wrapping one arm around her waist as he scooped up snow.

“I hate to interrupt.”

Laughing they both looked over their shoulders.

Caress's eyes widened and her laughter faded as she eyed Julius standing there with Justin in his arms. She broke free of Ahmad's loose hold and made her way through the calf-high snow to them. “Look at my baby!” she exclaimed, ignoring the disapproving look on Julius's handsome face.

“I can bring him back later if you're busy,” he said sarcastically as he handed their son over to her.

Caress looked up at him, hating that she was so aware of how good he looked in the charcoal-fitted cap and leather pea coat. “I'm never too busy for my son, Julius,” she snapped, just low enough for his ears only.

“Humph.”

Caress eyed him strangely before turning away from him. “Ahmad, I'm going to head in, but thanks so much for a fun time y'all,” she told them genuinely.

The girls waved good-bye before going back to their play.

Ahmad bent down to smile at Justin. “Hey, man,” he said, laughing when Justin led out a healthy belch and then smiled.

Caress gave him one last smile, aware of Julius's stares, as she headed up the stairs and into the apartment building. She was surprised when he followed her inside, but she refrained from arguing with him in front of her neighbors. She couldn't help but be aware that her behind was almost directly in line with his face as they climbed the stairs. When they reached her apartment door, she turned. “Thank you for dropping him off,” she said coolly, avoiding looking at him as she reached for Justin's baby bag. Good-bye.”

“Is that your new man?” he asked.

Caress frowned, finally leveling her eyes up on him. “
That's
none of your business.”

“Humph.”

Caress released a heavy breath. “Julius, I'm sick of arguing with you—”

At the sound of the downstairs door opening Caress swallowed the rest of her words. Moments later the twins preceded Ahmad up the stairs. She smiled at them as she switched Justin to her other hip and watched them pass by to climb the stairs to the third level.

Caress turned her eyes on Julius as soon as she heard his apartment door open and close behind them. “You've dropped off our son and I got your check in the mail yesterday—which I will be cashing. What else do we have to talk about?”

“So Big Foot lives upstairs?” he asked. “You two make one helluva pair.”

Caress held up her hand as Justin began to whine. “Jealousy ain't a good look for you, Mr. Jones,” she told him sarcastically, before turning to put her key in the lock to open her door.

“Jealousy?” he balked. “I'm just interested in what men you have around my son.”

Caress looked over her shoulder to roll her eyes at him before she walked into her apartment. “Negro, puh-leeze,” she drawled, attempting to close the door but Julius stepped inside behind her.

“I have every right to know who is around my son.”

Caress sat down on the sofa and worked to get Justin out of the snowsuit and ignore Julius. “How is mama's baby?” she cooed to him as he continued to cry.

Julius opened the baby bag he was still holding and pulled out a bottle, striding with it to the kitchen.

Caress quickly removed Justin's jeans and unsnapped his onesie to change his diaper. She was relieved to see and smell that he was fresh. Julius obviously had changed him regularly and bathed him well.
But of course, what else would a neat freak like him do?

She was sitting a still-crying Justin up on her lap when Julius handed her the slightly warmed bottle. She eyed him briefly before taking it from him. Their hands touched momentarily, and she jerked away from the sparks she felt. “Thanks,” she mumbled, before giving it to Justin whose tears instantly dried up as he sucked away.

“Teamwork works, Caress,” Julius said, coming around to remove his hat as he sat on the edge of the chair. “We used to be in this together.”

Caress closed her eyes against a pang of hurt and regret. “Yes, until you accused me of being a bad mother and sued me for custody,” she countered, ignoring the sound of Tamara's voice echoing:
Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?

“And I can hold it against you for keeping me away from my son…but I want us to get along. Let's both admit we made mistakes and move on.”

Caress took the bottle from Justin's still-puckered mouth as he fell asleep. She said nothing as she rose and walked into her bedroom and laid him down in his bassinet. She dropped down to the edge of the bed and leaned in close to lightly rub circles and pats on his back lovingly.

“So are you and your boy from upstairs…”

Caress looked up to find Julius leaning in the doorway. It reminded her of the many days he would stand there and just quietly watch as she put Justin to sleep. Good times. Before the kidnapping.

Do you still love him, Caress?

She really wanted Tamara out of her head.

“The same way you're jealous and we're not even together, don't you think he would mind you're being here?” she asked, looking for a diversion from her thoughts and her feelings as she rose to leave the room.

Julius reached out and lightly touched her waist as she attempted to pass him. She looked up at him. “What are you gathering evidence for the custody battle?” she asked sarcastically, still fighting the undeniable pull she felt toward him.

Julius's face immediately closed up as he released her. “You really don't think much of me, do you?” he asked, his fresh and cool breath fanning down against her face.

“Just like you don't think much of me,” Caress countered.

Julius laughed as his eyes dropped down to her mouth. “I don't think much of you? I love you, Caress.”

Her heart pulsed crazily and slammed against her chest at that, but she just shook her head and walked away from him with a wave of her hand.

“Why are you doing this to us?” he called behind her.

Caress whirled in the center of the living room to look at him. “Why is everything my damn fault?” she asked as she frowned.

“How was your weekend, Caress?” he asked out of the blue.

That threw her off. “Why?”

“How was it?” he asked again as he walked up to her.

“What's your point, Julius?”

“You and Justin made it through him being at my house all weekend. He's fed. He's clean. He's happy. He's well taken care of,” he told her. “You can say what you want, Caress, but you've damn near been on a vigil since he was returned to us. The break
had
to do you some good.”

Caress shrugged. “Okay, fine. Yes, Julius, but I missed my son.”

He smiled at her as he applauded. “I only had him one weekend and I'm tired as hell,” he admitted with a big toothy smile.

Caress's heart tugged.

Julius stepped closer to her and extended his hand. “Even though we can't seem to work out you and me, I'm willing to cease this war for the sake of our son.”

Caress eyed his hand warily. “What exactly does that mean?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I just want to be able to see my son, Caress, and if we can work this out between us then we don't need the courts in our business.” Julius reached out and tugged the ends of her hair. “You have to trust me.”

“I do trust you…with Justin,” she added.

“But you don't think I love you?” Julius asked, incredulous.

Caress bit her bottom lip but stopped when those intense eyes dropped to watch the innocent habit of hers. “Not enough. No, I don't,” she told him honestly.

Justin let his hand fall to his side. “I never cheated on you. I never mistreated you. I never put my hands on you. I did all the romantic things women read about in books. I begged you to move back in with me. I put it down in the bedroom each and every time. And I'm a damn good father to our son.”

“I never denied that.”

“I've done the work, and I've said the words. Why in the hell do you think I don't love you enough?” he asked, obviously exasperated.

Caress felt that crazy energy between them slowly building and she stepped back from Julius. From it.

“You think Shaq will love you more than me?” he asked huskily, stepping close to her.

“He is not my man, Julius,” she stressed, running her hands through her hair.

“Do you want him to be?”

Caress shook her head.

Julius looked at her. “Seeing his hands on you messed me up, Caress,” he admitted.

Caress foolishly let her eyes meet his and suddenly she felt like she was drowning in the black depths.

“It made me realize that I love your crazy ass, Caress. And you know what? You love me too.” Julius placed his hands on her hips and pulled her body close to his. “Don't you?” he whispered to her huskily as he lowered his delicious mouth close to hers. “Huh? Don't you?”

“You scare me, Julius. This scares me,” she admitted aloud to herself for the first time.

“It scares me too. I have never felt like this before, Caress.”

She swallowed over a lump in her throat. “I have never loved someone as much as I love you and that is saying a lot because I cosigned for a car for my last man.”

Julius frowned comically. “His credit was worse than yours?” he joked.

Caress swatted his arm. “Shut up.”

“Listen,” Julius said, regaining his seriousness as he brought his hands up to massage her neck as he stared into her eyes. “Love is about taking chances, Caress. I'd rather take the risk than continue on without you in my life. These last two months have been…different without you. You are worth the risk, Caress.”

He pressed kisses to her open mouth and Caress raised up on her toes to get closer to the pleasure of it all. So many emotions gripped her…but it all felt like it was happening too fast and too soon. So many words and hurtful actions had passed for this head first fall back into a relationship.

Caress allowed herself one last passionate kiss that was everything: arousing, dizzying, shattering, and numbing; before she broke the kiss and stepped out of his heated embrace searching for space and clarity before that familiar chemistry between them overcame reason and good judgment.

Caress held up both her hands as he stepped closer to her again. “I need to think. I need time. I…please, Julius. Give me a minute to breathe.”

Julius closed his eyes and Caress could feel his frustration and see his clear erection. “Come on, Caress, why are you making this so hard?”