She cast a wary look at Erik who was keenly observing his daughter and her brother as they talked and laughed as if they’d know each other for years. He turned his head and his eyes caught and held hers. The warmth she saw spilling from him made her heart ache with need.
The doorbell chimed, breaking the intangible web of memories spinning between them.
“Peter is here!” Precious deserted her new uncle and raced to the door.
“The real man of her dreams,” Erik murmured. “Even I come in second to this Peter guy.”
“So I figure you haven’t met him yet?”
“Not yet.”
Robert laughed as he took the martini glass from Erik.#p#分页标题#e#
Michelle left the men, but by the time she got to the foyer, Yasmine and Peter were already inside.
“I saw Robert’s car outside, I hope we’re not late,” Yasmine said.
“You’re fine.” Michelle hugged her friend. “I asked Robert to come earlier. I had to talk to him about something. You look good, girl,” she added, taking in the little black dress her friend was wearing. “I know you didn’t wear that for Erik, so it must be for Robert.”
“Robert? Please.” Yasmine tossed the absurd statement aside with a swipe of her wrist.
Michelle laughed. Robert and Yasmine never mixed well. He used to call her a sassy-mouth little minx, and she’d called him a stiff-shirt prude—all in teenage jest of course. “Come on, the men are waiting,” she said as Precious and Peter raced back to the formal living room.
“Smells great in here,” Yasmine said.
“We’re having roast quail for dinner.”
Yasmine smacked her lips. “Lead me to the kitchen, now.”
As they entered the room, Michelle saw Erik standing tall and imposing over poor little Peter, a devilish look on his face.
“So, you are the young man who’s been courting my daughter? Keeping her out at all kinds of ungodly hours. Well, let me tell you, young man, I won’t stand for it.”
Peter literally trembled in his little sneakers. “I… I didn’t coat her,” he stammered, backing away from Erik. “I… I just play with her. I… I didn’t keep her out late.” He turned frightened eyes to Yasmine. “What’s coating, Aunt Yasmine?”
The adults burst into laughter.
“Well, if you have to ask, I guess you’re on the up and up.” Erik tried to keep a straight face. “Just remember, she’s my baby, so you better treat her right.” He ruffled Peter’s curly black hair. “Now, run along. Precious is anxious to show you her fish. And keep the noise down,” he called, as they scrambled up the stairs.
“Wow, talk about pressure.” Yasmine fanned her flushed face with her hands. “You almost made that poor little boy wet his pants.”
“He’s practicing for the real thing when Precious is old enough to date,” Michelle said.
“That’ll be about thirty years from now.” Erik chuckled.
Michelle noticed Yasmine eyeing Erik up and down, practically sizing him up. If it were any other woman, she would wrap her hands around her hair and rip it from her scalp. But she knew her best friend would never make a move on a man she was interested in, much less her husband. Yasmine was just trying to figure out if he was worth Michelle’s trouble.
Michelle stepped forward and introduced them.
“Nice to finally meet you, Erik.” Yasmine smiled sweetly.
“Yasmine,” he said simply, shaking her hand.
“You have a very lovely home.”
“Michelle will be delighted to give you a tour after dinner.” He gestured for them to sit.
“Michelle has told me a lot about you,” Yasmine kept up the conversation as she sat down next to Michelle on a burgundy divan.
“Really?” Erik cast a questioning glance at Michelle.
“Just what a brilliant doctor, devoted father, and marvelous employer you are,” Michelle chirped. Was he being cool toward Yasmine because he thought she’d told her about their marriage and night of passion? Men assumed their women talked to each other about such private matters. She hoped Erik knew her well enough to know she’d keep their intimate relationship a secret.#p#分页标题#e#
“Would you care for a drink, Yasmine?” Erik asked.
“Yes, Chardonnay, please.”
“I know what you want,” he said, his eyes softening as he gazed at Michelle.
Yeah, I bet you do, she thought at the loaded statement.
“Help yourselves to the hors d’oeuvres, ladies,” he said on his way over to the rolling bar cart.
“Where’s Robert?” Michelle asked, as she and Yasmine reached for plates and began filling them with the delicacies on the long low table in front of the divan.