Her arms moved from the center of his chest to snake around to the back of his neck,
tangling her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. Mark couldn’t get close enough to her small sweet curves; the answering moan she gave him only heightened his response to her.
Gradually, the sound of a husky throat clearing made its way into his consciousness.
Slowly breaking contact with the lush fullness of her lips, he lifted his head in frustration to glance around at the intrusion. A tall woman stood outside her door in a long floral housecoat wearing a deep frown, her lips pooched out in obvious disapproval.
Mark cursed low in his throat as he discretely adjusted Maya’s clothes as well his jeans.
He leaned his forehead against hers to give himself time to gain his composure.
As Maya too gained awareness, he saw the guilt and shame cross her face, and swore
again. When he’d first kissed her, his only motivation had been to soothe, but it had quickly changed direction. He had every intention of kissing her from the first moment he set eyes on her.
But not tonight, and definitely not under these conditions.
His gaze swept over her swollen lips and downcast eyes. He didn’t want her first intimate
experience with him to be something she was ashamed of.
He turned to the unknown woman standing in the open doorway of her apartment. “If you
don’t mind, could we have a moment?”
The woman glanced at Maya with a questioning look. After being given a small nod, she
turned away and said nothing as she returned to her apartment. He turned his attention back to Maya.
“Thanks for bringing me home. I’m sure that I’ll hear from the police in the near future.”
She’d probably said the first thing that came to her mind. He understood her feelings, but
still wasn’t about to allow her to retreat from the incredible experience they’d just shared. He wouldn’t let her pretend it hadn’t happened.
“Yes you’ll hear from the police soon Maya. You’ll be hearing from me even sooner. I’m
sorry for your loss, I really am. Right now you need to go inside and get some rest. I don’t want to add to your stress. But I will call tomorrow to see how you are.”
With that, he kissed her softly on the corner of her mouth, his hand lightly caressing her
smooth cheek before leaving.
Maya unconsciously placed her hand on the spot Mark had kissed, her eyes glued on his
large frame until he’d climbed inside the big SUV and drove away.
When she finally let herself into her apartment, her first reaction was overwhelming
relief. She realized how tense she was, and the beginnings of a migraine were returning with a vengeance.
She kicked off her shoes and tossed her bag on the overstuffed chair in the corner, and
then made her way into the kitchen. Reaching into the cabinet, she took out a small package of her herbal tea that was touted as being designed for soothing the nerves.
Maya decided that she definitely needed her nerves soothed. With a weary sigh, she
leaned against the counter as she waited for the other shoe to drop.
“Mazyte Sesute, where are you, dear?” Maya’s assistant, friend and confidant called out.
Or better yet, the proverbial other shoe.
She loved Dalia, but all she wanted to do was drink her tea and curl up in the fetal
position and sleep. Weary and resigned, Maya reached for a second cup and placed it on the
small table as she waited for her.
“So, who was the gentleman that you were involved in the lip-locking with, Sesute? ”
Dalia came into the large airy kitchen, and with long-standing familiarity, went directly to the pantry in search of a snack to go with the tea Maya was brewing.
“That was Detective Mark Halstan with the SAPD.” Maya was well acquainted with
Dalia’s direct manner of speech, and her odd way of phrasing. Dalia had emigrated from
Lithuania as a teenager and was now well into her fifties, and yet her voice still carried the lilting tone of her youth.
“Oh Maya, was the one from the television indeed your Allison?” Motioning for Maya to
sit down, Dalia took over pouring the coffee.
“Yes, it was Ally. I wouldn’t like to ever have to relive that experience. Detective Halstan was the officer who took me to identify the body.” After filling her in on the details, Maya felt so worn out she thought she’d fall asleep at the drop of a hat.
“You are exhausted, Maya. You run your bath water, and I will clear these small dishes
away. Go on, dear, and I will bring your tea in for you to drink as you relax.”
“Thanks, Dal. I think I’ll do just that,” she told her friend with a weary smile. As she left the kitchen and walked through her house, she took pride in her surroundings. She’d inherited the house from the grandmother she’d never known. She’d also received a substantial monetary inheritance from her grandmother, which had allowed her to supply the initial funding for Imani House.
After the initial shock of her inheritance had worn off, Maya had fallen in love with her
new home. She knew she would never feel comfortable in the sheer massiveness of the mansion; therefore, she divided her new home into three separate units, each one still large enough for a family to enjoy.
However, the most precious inheritance had been in the videotape and package that didn’t
really hold any monetary value. Not knowing what the videotape and package may contain, she had opted to wait before delving into its contents. Once she did, the tears had run unchecked down her face.
Her grandmother had begun by introducing herself as Catherine Elizabeth Rutherford-
Spaulding, of the Atlanta Rutherford’s, and that she was the mother of Elizabeth Chris
Spaulding-Richardson, her Lizzy, and the
