feel like in his arms.
The only hitch was Todd Wainwright. Were they involved or something? Todd hadn’t made it to the open house because he was head of the trauma unit at John Stroger Hospital, and he’d been on call yesterday. They seemed to move as one person on the DVD, and the way he touched her and looked into her eyes during the dance was more intimate than Johnny liked. Was it part of the show, or was there something going on? He’d already made two wrong assumptions about Ayanna that had put him off the trail, and he wasn’t going to make a third. First he assumed she was too young, and then he assumed she had a husband because she had two sons. “Yeah, well, they say assumptions are the mothers of all screwups. I’m getting to the bottom of this ASAP,” he said aloud.
He tossed back the covers and got out of the bed, stretching as he did so. First a long hot shower, then a little grooming of his goatee and a shave of his cheeks. Then he’d get dressed for church before going downstairs to grill his sister about her brother-in-law’s intentions toward the delightful Ayanna. This time he was going to get it right.
Johnny came into the kitchen to find Billie and his mother at the table. He kissed them both, and after exchanging greetings, he got right down to business. “Billie, what’s the deal with Todd and Ayanna? Are they kickin’ it or what?”
Lee Phillips looked at her oldest child with equal parts amusement and amazement. “You sound rather territorial, dear. What’s going on? Are you interested in Ayanna?”
Johnny didn’t hesitate. “Yeah, I sure am. Why shouldn’t I be interested? She’s smart, she’s a great mother, her boys are well-mannered, well-behaved and intelligent and she’s gorgeous. Why are you asking if I’m interested? Don’t you like her? You think there’s something wrong with her?” He had a very defined scowl on his face, which neither woman had ever seen on behalf of a woman.
Lee and Billie exchanged glances before bursting into laughter.
“I think he’s serious, Mama,” Billie said. “I’m going to finish cooking breakfast before Daddy comes down here growling like a bear.”
“Come sit down, dear.” Lee invited him. “Have some coffee.”
“I’m not sitting down until you tell me why you don’t like Ayanna,” he said defensively. “She’s a lovely woman. What’s not to like about her?”
“Ooh, you’re really going off the deep end, aren’t you?” Lee’s eyes twinkled with affection for her son. “Now sit your lanky butt down, and let me drop some knowledge on you.”
Johnny sat down at the pub table in the spacious kitchen and crossed his arms on the table. Lee took a sip of coffee before speaking.
“Ayanna Porter is an outstanding young woman, and your father and I adore her. But she’s not like those gangly airheads you normally spend two or three weeks wining, dining, bedding and forgetting. She’s not for you, son. All you want is a good time, and she’s not a good time gal. So unless you’re willing to go the distance, you need to go away.” Her words were kind but firm.
“Don’t hold back, Mama. How do you really feel about it?” he said dryly.
Billie’s giggles could be heard as she took a tray of maple crisped turkey bacon out of the oven. “I guess she told you, big brother. But she’s right. I told you, Ayanna ain’t anybody’s play toy. If you’re looking for a playmate, I think I heard Davina in the shower. She got in late, but she should be rarin’ to go.”
“Well, thanks for the gratifying assessment of my personality,” Johnny said curtly. “I think I’ll just meet you at church,” he added.
“Oh, don’t get mad. I made stuffed French toast,” Billie wheedled. “It’s Ayanna’s recipe. We’re not trying to say that you’re a hound, but you haven’t had any long, sustaining relationships. Unless that’s what you’re looking for, Ayanna’s not the one for you. She deserves someone who’s going to love her unconditionally and permanently and that hasn’t been your pattern, you have to admit.”
Jason came into the room and kissed his wife before going to his mother-in-law and giving her a good morning kiss on the cheek. “I heard you all when I was coming through the dining room. Ease up off Johnny. I was a coast-to-coast hound before I met Billie. When a man meets the right woman, he becomes the right man for her. Am I right, baby?” he asked, looking at Billie.
“Yes, you are,” she answered. “Johnny, there may be hope for you yet.”
Johnny didn’t respond to her encouraging words. “Jason, maybe I can get a straight answer from you. Are Todd and Ayanna involved?”
Jason looked surprised. “No, not at all. They’re friends and occasional dance partners, but Todd is too wrapped up in his work to get into a relationship. If he was, I’d know because his mouth runs like water. They’re totally friends,” he assured Johnny.
Johnny’s face relaxed into its normal smile. “That’s good to know.”
The outside door opened, and Johnny’s father, Boyd, walked in with Sadie, who was glad to see everyone. “What’s good to know? Where’s my breakfast? My grand-dog and I are ready to eat.”
Johnny was fondling Sadie’s ears and didn’t answer. Lee was more than happy to fill in the details, though.
“Your son was finding out whether or not the adorable Ayanna Porter was involved. He’s happy that’s she’s available,” she said archly.
Boyd shrugged his broad shoulders as he went to inspect the spread Billie was preparing. “I’m glad to know that, too. It’s about time you settled down, son.”
Everyone waited for Johnny’s usual declaration that he was going to stay single forever, but it wasn’t forthcoming. “You could be right, Pop,” was all he said. “You want me to set the table, little sister?”
Lee and Billie were shocked by his laconic response, but Boyd and Jason acted as though nothing was amiss. Mother and daughter exchanged a look that said they’d be talking about this at great length once they were alone.
Ayanna’s peace was invaded once again when she saw Johnny at church. She had been enveloped in the serenity that always surrounded her every Sunday, when she got a tap on the shoulder. Turning around to find the source of the tap, she saw Johnny looking even better than usual in a fabulous gray suit. His shirt was pale blue and his silk tie had a rep pattern in shades of blue and gray and to make matters worse, he smelled terrific. He was smiling at her, too, which made her heart give a few extra beats. Great, fine, swell. Here she had just prayed the man out of her mind and here he was in the flesh, temptation personified. She mustered a smile and a greeting.
“I didn’t see you earlier. Where were you sitting?” she asked politely.
“We were sitting about two rows behind you. I saw you,” he said with that darned sexy smile. “You look good from the back, but even better from the front.”
Ayanna felt a bit of heat from his words. She always liked getting dressed up for church, and she’d worn a pink linen Ralph Lauren suit she’d gotten from the consignment shop. It was brand new, too; the tags were still on it. It was her favorite spring outfit, and hearing his compliment was nice but unsettling considering the blazing hot dream she was trying to delete from her mental hard drive.
He
