Chapter 11

            Scott, Clay, and Regina had just finished dessert. The guys had gobbled up the food like they hadn’t eaten in days. Normally, she would have leftovers for two days. Not with Scott and Clay. Both of them had two helpings. Scott had two pieces of cake.

            They walked to the living room.

            “So, Clay, what do you want to do now?” she asked.

            “Do you have a PlayStation?”

            “No, but I think I got something just as good. Let’s go downstairs.”

            Scott’s eyebrow kicked up.

            They quietly followed her to the basement. Regina opened the door and let Clay walk in first. His eyes lit up when he saw the Pac-Man and Donkey Kong arcade games. An old-fashioned pinball machine was a few feet away from them. “Whoa. Cool,” Clay said with wonder.

            Scott’s attention went to the burgundy felt pool table in the middle of the room. There was a large mahogany bar on the side of the room. “This is impressive.”

            “Can I play them?” Clay asked with a begging tone.

            “Of course. That’s why I brought you down here.”

            Clay jogged to the games.

            “Who built the bar?” Scott asked as he walked to it. He studied the carvings on the corners.

            “Don’t know. It was here when we bought it nine years ago. The pool table came with the house too.”

            “It’s fine workmanship,” he commented.

            Noise came from the Pac-Man machine. They looked over at Clay who was mesmerized by the game. They smiled.

            “So, you want to play a game of pool?” Scott asked.

            “Sure, but keep in mind I haven’t played in years.”

            “Good. I got a chance at beating you,” he joked.

            They played for forty-five minutes, and Regina only got a few shots in. Scott was a pool shark.

            “All right, that’s it. I’m tired of watching you beat me,” she said as she walked to the wall to put the cue in the holder.

            A light, raspy laugh escaped from him. “It’s starting to get late anyway. Clay, finish up, buddy, so we can go home.”

            Clay turned around. “Aw, Dad, I just got on the Donkey Kong machine. Can we stay a bit longer?”

            Regina could tell Scott was thinking about it.

            “Fifteen more minutes, and then we’ve got to go,” Scott said.

            “Yes, sir,” Clay said and turned his attention back to the game.

            “Do you want to go upstairs and have a drink? Unfortunately, I haven’t been down here in ages, so the bar isn’t stocked with anything.”

            “Sure,” he said.

            They left Clay alone to play and went to the living room.

            “Do you want a beer? Wine? I have gin and vodka in the minibar.”

            “I’ll have what you’re having,” he said.

            “White wine it is.” Regina walked to the cabinet and opened it to expose the minifridge. She grabbed a bottle she had opened last night and two wine glasses. After preparing their drinks, she carried them to the sofa where Scott was sitting.

            “Thank you,” he said as he took a glass from her.

            She sat down next to him on the sofa.

            “Dinner was fantastic,” Scott complimented. “And the cake. Did you get that from a bakery, or did you make it yourself?”

            “I baked it. It was my mother’s recipe.”

            “Is your mother still alive?”

            Regina looked down and then she gazed back up at Scott. “No. She was killed – by my father.”

            His body jarred back. “Oh my god,” he mumbled.

            “Yeah, that’s what everyone else said when it happened,” she stated solemnly.

            “I’m sorry. We don’t have to talk about this.”

            “It’s all right. It’s not a secret, and I don’t hide it. It’s something I have lived with since I was twenty. My mother came home early from church one Sunday. According to one of the ushers, she wasn’t feeling well and had decided to go home. When she got there, she found my father in their bed with another woman. An argument ensued, and my mother slapped my father in the face. He lost his temper when she did that and hit her back. He hit her so hard that she went flying down the stairs. Her neck broke.”

            “My god,” he mumbled.

            “He swore up and down it was an accident. That he didn’t mean to kill her. The jury took that into consideration and found him guilty of involuntary manslaughter. He still had to serve time though.”

            “What about the other woman? What happened to her?” Scott sipped his wine.

            “Don’t know. I didn’t even know her name. She had run off when my mother caught them. My father wouldn’t even tell the police what her name was.”

            “Is he still in prison?” Scott sipped some more of his wine.

            “No, he was released two years ago. From what I understood from my friends in Orlando at that time, he was looking for me. All they would tell him was I had gotten married and moved to New Jersey.”

            “I see. So you didn’t stay in contact with him?”

            “Nope. The last time I saw him was the day he was sentenced. I had my own apartment at the time. When he was sent to prison, I ended up with the house, but I couldn’t keep it knowing that my mother died in it.” She sipped her wine and placed it on the table.

            “Do you have any siblings?”

            “I had a baby brother who died of SIDs when he was three months old,” she answered and picked up her glass. She sipped a healthy portion of her wine.

            “My god.”

            “It’s okay. I barely remember him. I was four at the time. But I do remember my mother being depressed for a long time afterwards.”

            Scott gulped the last of his wine and sat the glass on the table.

            “Would you like another?”

            “No, thank you,”

            Regina nodded. “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” She sat her wine glass back on the table.

            “No, I’m an only child.”

            “And Clay is an only child?”

            “Yes. I had wanted another, but it just didn’t work out that way.”

            She nodded.

            “It appears that Clay has really taken to you. He doesn’t . . . cuddle with strangers,” Scott said with a smile.

            She giggled. “I’m glad he likes me. I adore him,” she admitted. “I enjoyed his company today. Thank you for bringing him.”

            Scott turned his body to her. “You seem to like children.”

            “I do.”

            “How come you didn’t have any?”

            Regina hated this question, but luckily, she had years of practice deflecting it and not letting it show on her face. She shrugged. “Well, unfortunately, things are sacrificed when you’re building a salon empire and establishing residual income for the future.”

            He nodded. “I understand, but you still have time. You’re still young.”

            “Maybe,” she whispered.

            They were quiet for a moment.

            “I think you’re a hell of a woman, Regina.”

            She was surprised by the compliment. “You barely know me.”

            “I know, but you’ve been through a lot in your life, and you were still able to carve a life for yourself and a business. You didn’t let you past affect your future. You didn’t let your past tragedies hold you back. You have strength and character, and I respect you for it.” He placed his hand on her knee.

            Wow. “Thank you,” she whispered as she placed her hand over his. She couldn’t believe she reached out to him like that, but she didn’t regret it. It had been so long since a man had complimented her. She couldn’t even remember the last time Sidney had given her a compliment.

            They looked into each other’s eyes. She wasn’t sure who moved in first, but they were kissing. His touch was light, tentative. Regina squeezed his hand as her lips parted. Scott intensified the kiss. The tip of his tongue slipped between her lips. He slowly grazed his tongue into her mouth as he wrapped his arms around her. Scott leaned her backward against the cushions of the lavender-colored sofa.

            Regina’s hands rested on his hard shoulders. His gentle teasing made a wanting whimper seep from her. His tongue plunged into her wet warmth and then seductively swirled in her mouth. Her hand cupped the side of his face. It felt so good to have a man take his time kissing her. His body felt solid and strong against hers. His lips were experienced and soft. Regina moaned against his mouth. Scott slowly pulled his tongue back and started to sensually lap at her lips. He groaned as he gave her lips one final lap. They were both breathless.

Scott’s nose was a millimeter from hers. He looked down at her. “Do you have plans tomorrow night?”

“No,” she answered softly.

“Do you want some?” he asked with a crooked grin.

She giggled. “Yes.”

****

            Clay was looking out the window of the truck as Scott drove down the highway.

            “Did you have a good time tonight?” Scott asked.

            “I did, but I think you had a better time than me. You’ve been smiling since we left,” Clay said.

            “I have?”

            “Yeah. I hope we can go back to Ms. Regina’s again. She’s nice.”

            “Yes, she is, and with any luck, we will go back,” Scott said. And if I’m luckier, I’ll get to kiss her again. His mind started to drift to Regina’s luscious lips and her taut body.

            “She’s a great cook, and she has great lookin’ legs,” Clay commented.

            “Clay!” Scott said with wide eyes.

            “Well, she does.”

            “You didn’t say that to her, did you?”

            “Not the leg part.”

            “Good. Don’t,” Scott said seriously. “When did you start noticing girls’ legs?” He was in shock. He didn’t start noticing girls’ looks until he was twelve.

            “When I saw Ms. Regina’s.”

            Scott snorted with amusement. “I can see I’m going to have to start coaching you on girls earlier than I originally thought. Ah, boy,” he sighed and glanced at his son.

            Clay was smirking.