Sherelle Green - Nights Of Fantasy

“Someone better start talking or I’m going to answer the door myself.” When no one responded and Aiden was nowhere in sight, Danni got up to go answer the door. Even before she answered, she knew who it was.

“Honey, I’m home,” Jaleen said as soon as she opened the door. She didn’t even have time to react when he pulled her into his arms and kissed her on her cheek.

“Ew, gross. Let me go.” She lightly pushed on his chest.

“You know you like it,” he whispered before letting her go.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a pervert?”

“Has anyone ever told you that playing hard to get doesn’t work if a man loves to chase?”

“Who says I’m playing hard to get? You couldn’t get me even if you tried.” Normally their banter went back and forth like this for hours, but today, his silence caught her off guard. She turned toward him and placed her hands on her hips.

“What’s wrong, Walker? Cat got your tongue?” She would have said more but the mischievous look in his eyes told her to stop while she was ahead.

“I can think of a lot of things I want to do with my tongue and each and every one of those things would bring you the utmost satisfaction.”

She couldn’t help the hitch in her breath at his innuendo. Apparently she wasn’t thinking as quickly on her feet as she normally did. He glanced behind her before curling his hand around her waist and pulling her into a corner of the hallway. He leaned his forehead to hers in a way he never had before. The endearing gesture only made her breathing more staggered.

“I’m exhausted, but I needed to see you today,” he said in a low voice. “I wouldn’t have come if you weren’t here.”

Of all the years she’d known Jaleen, she couldn’t recall a single time when she’d heard the vulnerability in his voice. It was then that she noticed the look of fatigue on his face and the small bags under his eyes. Without second-guessing herself, she raised a hand to smooth over his cheek. He leaned into her hand and briefly closed his eyes.

“I needed this,” he said with his eyes still closed.

She wanted to say something back to him, but she didn’t know what to say. So instead she placed a soft kiss on his opposite cheek.

“Whatever is bothering you, it will be okay,” she whispered when she finally found the words.

He opened his eyes and instead of the guarded—yet playful—playboy she usually saw, she recognized the man behind the sarcastic comments and charming demeanor. She saw the troubled man who had more questions right now than he had answers for. Uncertainty was written across his facial features, combating with the small part of himself that was hoping for a solution to his problems to magically appear. She understood the feeling all too well. She saw it in herself every time she looked in the mirror.

“Are you two just going to stand in the hallway all night? Or are you going to come and play cards?”

Both Danni and Jaleen turned toward the direction of Summer’s voice. No one could see them, but she assumed they’d heard their footsteps when they’d stopped right outside the dining room.

“We’re coming,” Danni yelled as she dropped her hand from Jaleen’s face. He squinted in disappointment. She was two seconds away from telling him they would continue whatever the heck just happened later, before she caught herself.

“We’re playing Spades,” Danni said to Jaleen. “But this is our last round. I guess you and Aiden can play whoever the winner is.”

“Sounds good,” he said, studying her eyes. She wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but was relieved when he began walking toward the dining room.

At the end of the third round, Danni and Summer had taken the win.

“On that note,” Nicole said as she stood from the table, “I think I’m going to call it a night.”

“Me, too,” Aaliyah said, standing, as well. “I’ll see you ladies in the morning.”

After Nicole and Aaliyah left, Jaleen and Aiden took their spots.

“Jay, since you’re the newbie tonight, I have to warn you that Summer and I are a force to be reckoned with in Spades.” Jaleen gave Danni a funny look.

“What’s that look for?” she asked.

“You’ve never called me Jay. No other woman has ever called me that.”

She nervously bit her bottom lip. “Is that a bad thing? If you don’t like it, I’ll call you something else.”

“No, it’s fine,” Jaleen said with a smile. “You can call me whatever you want.”

“Great, thanks.”

Great? Thanks? Okay, Danni. Snap out of it!

When it came to cards, better yet, when it came to anything, she was competitive, not polite. However, thirty minutes into the game, it was evident that Jaleen was throwing her off her game. Not only were they barely talking smack to one another, but everyone was barely talking at all.

“Can you pass the pitcher of sangria?” Jaleen asked.

“Sure,” Danni said as she passed the pitcher. “Can you pass the pretzels?”

“Of course.” Jaleen passed her the bowl and a small plate to put the pretzels on.

“That’s it,” Summer said as she placed her cards facedown on the table. “Who are you guys and what have you done with the real Danni and Jaleen?”

“What do you mean?” Danni asked, although she knew exactly what Summer meant.

“Usually you both would have insulted each other at least ten times by now. Aiden and I are afraid to even speak because the sexual tension in the room is so high and, trust me, it’s not us.”

“Well, it’s kind of us, too,” Aiden said, winking at Summer. “But I agree with my wife. You two are sucking the fun out of the game. So how about we take a break? Summer and I will take a walk along the beach while you two work out whatever is going on.”

“You think you’re slick,” Jaleen said when Aiden helped Summer out of her chair. “My guess is your plan was to get Summer to take a late-night walk with you on the beach all along.”

“You have your methods and I have mine.” A look passed between the two men that didn’t go unnoticed by Danni.

Suddenly they were all alone with only the faint sound of the ocean in the distance seeping through the cracked window.

“What do you say we play two-person Spades until they get back?” Danni suggested. Anything was better than sitting in silence for the rest of the night.

“I’m game for that idea,” Jaleen said, reaching for the cards. “What if we up the ante with a friendly bet to start off our friendship journey?”

What is he up to now? “What kind of bet?”

He kept his eyes trained on her as he shuffled the cards. “As much as you hate to admit it, the chemistry between us is undeniable. So I propose that we do something about it.”

She adjusted herself in her chair, a little anxious about the turn in conversation. She’d spent the past few years trying to ignore their obvious attraction, so she couldn’t deny his words. “I’m listening.”

He placed the deck facedown on the table and popped a couple pretzels into his mouth. The act shouldn’t have been sexy, but even watching him chew was getting to her. “I want to take you out on a date.”

“That’s the bet?” she said with a laugh. “We’ve been on a date before.”

“I’m not talking about a date where all our friends are present. I’m talking about a date with just the two of us. Tell me something...” he said, standing to take the chair Aiden had just vacated so that they were sitting right next to one another. “When was the last time you were on a date with a man and truly enjoyed yourself?”

Almost never, she thought. “I’ve been on a few decent dates lately,” she said instead. The disbelief in his eyes was immediate. Soon, the disbelief turned to understanding. It took all her effort not to jump in her seat when he touched her hand.