Jay snapped resentfully.
In a voice that scared all those hearing it by its lack of emotion,
Scott spoke again. “I said, sit down.” He never raised his voice; it just
grew colder than ice.
Harrier's Healer
43
Swallowing, Jay did as he had been told. He glared at the white
man sitting at his cousin’s table. “I’m sittin’. What you gonna say,
Casper?”
“First, what goes on between Alexis and me is none of your
business. I think it’s great you want to protect her. But
don’t… don’t …ever try to strong-arm me. Second, I know what you and
your friends did to me. You can give me the money back and we will
forget it happened.”
Jay started to protest, but a shake of the blond head kept him si-
lent. “If you lie to me, it will only make it worse. Just give it back to me
and no one will have to know. I don’t like being kicked when I am
down and I don’t like people lying to me. You play hard at being a man,
so act like one.” Scott leaned forward to rest thick forearms on his
thighs.
The young man nodded. “All right. But tell me why you are af-
ter my cousin.”
“I like your cousin and have since the day I met her in Norfolk.”
His eyes were direct as he spoke.
“I don’t want her hurt or in trouble. You dig me, Casper?”
“I have no intentions of hurting her and I would do nothing to
get her career in trouble,”Scott answered. I will just have to make sure we
aren’t in the same command.
“Not the trouble I was talkin’ ’bout. I’m talkin’ ’bout the one that
comes along about nine months after you go just a bit farther than you
were trying to in the kitchen today.”
A kid! What would our child look like? “I don’t think either of us is
ready for children.”
“Well, just so you don’t want her money. She’s a doctor, but she
ain’t rich.”
“I don’t need her money. I have plenty.” He cocked an eyebrow.
“Anything else you have to say to me before she comes back out?”
“When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Good.” Jay walked off.
Scott sat alone, lost in a stare at the grill, and his thoughts re-
turned to the time he was in the Belizean jungle and he’d asked his
friend Tyson if he were ready to deal with an interracial relationship in
the States. Tyson had seemed so sure. Scott knew he was sure, but what
about Alexis? Was she?
44
Aliyah Burke
“What’s the matter, Commander? You seem mighty pensive.
Come on, loosen up! The party is about to begin.” Alexis’s rich voice
broke into his memories.
With a smile his head turned to her and he froze. Holy shit, look
at her! “Wow,” he breathed as he rose fluidly to his full height. “You
look…incredible.”
Half of her mouth gave him a smile. “It’s just an old dress.”
“If that is old, then it is a good thing you are a doctor because
when I see you in a new one…I’m gonna need CPR.” He took her hand
and bowed low over it before kissing her knuckles as his eyes sent her
molten promises.
Alexis blushed. Scott held her hand and twirled her around for a
better look. Her dress was greenish-blue in color, falling to just below
her knees. It flowed about her with every step she took. The straps were
wide and offset on her smooth shoulders. It was low-cut in the back,
stopping right above her tailbone.
Her hair was gathered back from her face and cascaded down
her back in thick waves. Her skin was soft and supple and he could
smell the fresh heather as she twirled under his arm. On her feet she
wore flat sandals so she could walk on the grass with ease.
Before he could say anything else, around thirty people flowed
in through the gate. Within moments the place was blaring with music,
food was cooking on the grill, and people were talking and laughing.
Most of the time Scott was included; the guests went out of their way to
make him feel welcome, but the times he was off by himself his gaze
always found its way to Alexis.
Her
In a voice that scared all those hearing it by its lack of emotion,
Scott spoke again. “I said, sit down.” He never raised his voice; it just
grew colder than ice.
Harrier's Healer
43
Swallowing, Jay did as he had been told. He glared at the white
man sitting at his cousin’s table. “I’m sittin’. What you gonna say,
Casper?”
“First, what goes on between Alexis and me is none of your
business. I think it’s great you want to protect her. But
don’t… don’t …ever try to strong-arm me. Second, I know what you and
your friends did to me. You can give me the money back and we will
forget it happened.”
Jay started to protest, but a shake of the blond head kept him si-
lent. “If you lie to me, it will only make it worse. Just give it back to me
and no one will have to know. I don’t like being kicked when I am
down and I don’t like people lying to me. You play hard at being a man,
so act like one.” Scott leaned forward to rest thick forearms on his
thighs.
The young man nodded. “All right. But tell me why you are af-
ter my cousin.”
“I like your cousin and have since the day I met her in Norfolk.”
His eyes were direct as he spoke.
“I don’t want her hurt or in trouble. You dig me, Casper?”
“I have no intentions of hurting her and I would do nothing to
get her career in trouble,”Scott answered. I will just have to make sure we
aren’t in the same command.
“Not the trouble I was talkin’ ’bout. I’m talkin’ ’bout the one that
comes along about nine months after you go just a bit farther than you
were trying to in the kitchen today.”
A kid! What would our child look like? “I don’t think either of us is
ready for children.”
“Well, just so you don’t want her money. She’s a doctor, but she
ain’t rich.”
“I don’t need her money. I have plenty.” He cocked an eyebrow.
“Anything else you have to say to me before she comes back out?”
“When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Good.” Jay walked off.
Scott sat alone, lost in a stare at the grill, and his thoughts re-
turned to the time he was in the Belizean jungle and he’d asked his
friend Tyson if he were ready to deal with an interracial relationship in
the States. Tyson had seemed so sure. Scott knew he was sure, but what
about Alexis? Was she?
44
Aliyah Burke
“What’s the matter, Commander? You seem mighty pensive.
Come on, loosen up! The party is about to begin.” Alexis’s rich voice
broke into his memories.
With a smile his head turned to her and he froze. Holy shit, look
at her! “Wow,” he breathed as he rose fluidly to his full height. “You
look…incredible.”
Half of her mouth gave him a smile. “It’s just an old dress.”
“If that is old, then it is a good thing you are a doctor because
when I see you in a new one…I’m gonna need CPR.” He took her hand
and bowed low over it before kissing her knuckles as his eyes sent her
molten promises.
Alexis blushed. Scott held her hand and twirled her around for a
better look. Her dress was greenish-blue in color, falling to just below
her knees. It flowed about her with every step she took. The straps were
wide and offset on her smooth shoulders. It was low-cut in the back,
stopping right above her tailbone.
Her hair was gathered back from her face and cascaded down
her back in thick waves. Her skin was soft and supple and he could
smell the fresh heather as she twirled under his arm. On her feet she
wore flat sandals so she could walk on the grass with ease.
Before he could say anything else, around thirty people flowed
in through the gate. Within moments the place was blaring with music,
food was cooking on the grill, and people were talking and laughing.
Most of the time Scott was included; the guests went out of their way to
make him feel welcome, but the times he was off by himself his gaze
always found its way to Alexis.
Her
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