Chayton's Tempest Read online

  they moved towards her silver SUV.

  “Something like that.” More like I don’t want to be that

  close to you. One they were in her vehicle, Tempest wasn’t sure

  this was any better. He dominated the interior with his size and

  presence alone.

  “Where are we going?” Maverick asked, sensing her

  discomfort.

  “Do you like Mexican?”

  “Sure do.” He wiped his palms on his jeans.

  Tempest kept her own counsel as she drove them to the

  restaurant. She could feel her heart softening toward him and

  she wasn’t sure she liked that. Her anger had suited her just

  fine over the years.

  Once parked, they walked into the restaurant side by

  side, Maverick putting his hand on the small of her back. The

  greeter smiled at them both as a waitress appeared to lead

  them to a corner booth that was pretty private.

  Tempest watched him as he looked over the menu. I

  want to know your game, James Lonetree. He really was a very

  handsome man with beautiful yet extremely masculine facial

  features, perfect skin, and teeth. His hair was gorgeous and

  thick. Not to mention the man had more muscles than she

  could ever dream of a man having.

  “You know you can ask me a question if you have one,”

  he said without glancing away from the menu. “Unless you just

  want to stare.” That time he did look up.

  “I don’t know what you are talking about.” She forced

  herself to meet his gaze directly as she spoke.

  Maverick held her gaze. One eyebrow rose but he didn’t

  dispute her. Seconds before he opened his mouth to speak, the

  waitress returned to take their order. He gesticulated for

  Tempest to order first.

  Maverick’s dark eyes never left her as she ordered her

  food. Watching her, he compared how different she was now to

  how she’d been as a child. Tempest had grown into a very

  stunning woman. And from what he’d seen, she was one hell of

  a mother.

  “And you, hon, what can I get for you?” The waitress

  grabbed his attention again. Maverick placed his order and

  then glanced back across the table at Tempest. She was waiting

  with a bland expression on her face.

  Maverick realized in that moment it was going to be

  very difficult to gain this woman’s trust. Not to mention her

  affection.

  The meal was delicious but the company was merely

  polite. Nevertheless, the lunch had been a step in the right

  direction, he believed. Although, Tempest had been very tightlipped

  when he’d asked her questions about herself. When the

  questions had been about Dakota, she’d been a tiny bit, more

  open in her responses. Maverick wasn’t ready for the date to

  end, so he’d suggested they’d go for a walk. He’d refused to

  take no for an answer and insisted that they do something like

  this. Her agreement had been reluctant despite the longing he’d

  seen in her gaze each time he touched her.

  Maverick watched Tempest as they strolled through the

  Rio Grande Botanic Gardens. His sharp hearing picked up the

  light chime of a phone. Tempest reached into her purse and

  pulled hers out, answering immediately.

  “What?” her astonished voice questioned. “He’s there

  now?” A nod before she said, “Tell him I’ll be there as soon as I

  can.” She hung up.

  “What’s up?” Maverick queried.

  “I have to go. I apparently have a delivery of alcohol

  waiting for me at the bar. I will drop you off at your bike first.”

  It took him less than a second to respond. “That’s fine.

  I’ll tag along with you. I don’t mind at all.”

  Tempest wanted to argue but in truth, it would add a bit

  over an hour for her to go home and back to work again. “Let’s

  go,” she acquiesced in a flavorless tone.

  “Right behind you,” he told her.

  Driving quickly, she whipped into the back of the bar

  and halted her vehicle by the door. The truck was already there

  and so was Dakota. His eyes widened as he saw Maverick with

  her but he remained silent about it.

  It didn’t take long to unload the truck. Tempest worked

  hard alongside her son. Maverick helped move the stock

  around in the cellar.

  Dakota had said a polite hello to Maverick before kissing

  his mother and getting to work. He made no mention of having

  stopped off to see his father at the hotel and Maverick didn’t

  say anything about it, either. As he stood in the cellar, his father

  walked up the steps. His eyes narrowed. I’m not gonna let you

  hurt my mom.

  Maverick strode through the doorway and toward the

  bar where Tempest was doing some restocking. Setting the box

  on the bar, he went behind the counter.

  His black eyes skimmed over the body of the woman

  back there. Each time he looked at her, he saw something

  more—more grace, more beauty, more elegance. More

  everything.

  “Here’s the last box,” he said softly.

  Tempest jumped. “Oh, jeez, you scared me! I didn’t hear

  you. Thanks for the help.” She spun around and grabbed the

  heavy box, lifting it to where she wanted it.

  “I would’ve done that.” His reprimand fell like a gentle

  rain on her skin.

  “That’s fine. I’ll be done soon; sorry about the delay.

  I love being around you. “No prob, I can wait.”

  “There’s no need for that.” Dakota’s voice broke in. “I’m

  more than happy to take you back to the house and your bike.”

  “It’s no problem, really,” Maverick said.

  “I insist.”

  That time, Maverick caught the hint of aggression in his

  son’s voice. Well, I definitely have a lot of ground to make up with

  this one as well. “Sure, thanks for the offer.” Now wasn’t the

  time to further piss off his child.

  Maverick placed his attention on Tempest, who was

  busy counting bottles. “Thanks for lunch, Tempest.”

  Those brown eyes looked over at him. The smile was

  hesitant but arrived on her face. “You’re welcome.” That was

  all she said before she returned to work.

  Maverick met his son’s gaze. “Let’s do this.”

  Dakota gestured for him to go ahead. “I’ll see you later,

  Mom. Love ya.”

  “Bye, Dak,” she hollered as he walked out the back door.

  Being in such close proximity to Maverick had been

  hard. The way he kept staring at her and forcing eye

  connections was more than a bit disconcerting, to say the least.

  “I just don’t know what to make of you, Maverick,” she

  told her empty establishment.

  Shaking her head, Tempest went back to work.

  Determined not to focus on that hunk of a man with whom

  she’d eaten lunch and gone to the gardens.

  Dakota’s black eyes burned him hotter than the sun ever

  could. Maverick felt his razor-sharp gaze.

  “Something you want to say to me?” Maverick asked,

  meeting and holding the intense glare.

  Unlocking the ca
r doors, Dakota jerked open the driver’s

  side door. “I don’t want you messing around with my mother.”

  “I’m not messing around with your mother.” No matter

  how much I want to strip away her clothes. Maverick opened his

  door much more gently.

  “See that it stays that way. If you want to know about

  my childhood, ask me; leave her alone,” the young man

  snapped as he climbed in the car.

  Putting his large body in the car, Maverick thought

  carefully about his next words. “I will leave your mother alone

  if she asks me to. I know you don’t trust me, and I wouldn’t if

  our positions were reversed. All I can tell you is that I don’t

  want to hurt her. I want to get to know her. I want to know

  both of you.” He pulled the door shut.

  Dakota scoffed. “Why, do you think we’re going to be

  one big happy family?”

  “Anything is possible,” Maverick responded softly,

  testing the waters. Eyes identical to his own widened and then

  narrowed.

  “So is the chance of hell freezing over,” Dakota

  mumbled under his breath, unaware that Maverick could hear

  him just fine.

  I know you long for a father figure, Dakota. I just have to

  figure out a way to gain your trust. “Tell me about you, then.” He

  chose to stay on the relatively safe path.

  With a huge sigh, Dakota nodded. “Okay. I’m in college

  here at the University of New Mexico. I’m double majoring in

  African-American Studies and Anthropology.”

  Maverick was impressed, and then the thought of how

  much money it was probably costing them made his stomach

  churn with disgust, disgust at himself and both sets of parents

  for not allowing them the chance to be together.

  For the rest of the ride back to where he’d left his bike,

  Dakota talked to him and Maverick listened. He asked a few

  questions here and there, but for the most part remained quiet

  and learned about his son.

  As Dakota pulled into the driveway, they both noticed

  another car was there. A very pretty black woman was leaning

  against its door. Maverick noticed the possessive smile that

  crossed his son’s bronzed features. “I take it you know that

  lovely woman,” Maverick observed.

  The second smile Maverick had been blessed to see

  crossed Dakota’s face. “That I do. That is my Shelia.”

  One black eyebrow arched. “Your Shelia?”

  A faint blush appeared on Dakota’s dark skin. “My

  Shelia. She is an amazing woman.” He got out of the car and

  headed over to where she remained waiting.

  Maverick climbed out slowly, his gaze watching the easy

  way Shelia moved into his son’s embrace. They made a very

  attractive couple. Her skin was dark brown and her hair was in

  short, springy curls. She had big brown eyes and delicate facial

  features.

  The slam of the car door brought their attention back to

  him. A smile was on her face as Shelia nodded at something

  that Dakota told her. Then she patted him on the arm and

  approached Maverick.

  “Hello,” she said in a melodious tone. “I’m Shelia.”

  Taking the soft hand in one of his, Maverick smiled

  back. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Shelia. My name’s

  Maverick.”

  “It’s nice to finally meet Dakota’s father.” At the slight

  raising of one eyebrow she laughed, a gentle soothing sound.

  “Please. I can see the resemblance, especially with the eyes;

  although yours seem much more haunted.”

  Maverick took a really good look at the woman before

  him. Her eyes were wise beyond their age. “It is an honor to

  meet the love of my son’s life.”

  This time she blushed. “You have an amazing young

  man as a son.”

  He nodded. “I’m beginning to realize that myself. It was

  a pleasure to meet you, but I have to get going.” Lifting his

  head, he placed his gaze upon the suspicious one of his son.

  “Thanks for the ride.”

  Maverick sent Shelia another smile and bowed over her

  hand before he headed to his bike. He waved one time prior to

  revving the engine and driving away, leaving the young couple

  alone.

  Dakota walked over and slipped his arms around Shelia.

  How perfect she felt in his embrace.

  “I like him,” she said quietly.

  That statement gave Dakota pause. Shelia rarely made a

  quick decision about anyone. It had taken her over a year to

  accept his proposal for a date. “Why do you say that?”

  Shelia turned in his arms so she could look up into is

  eyes. “He’s clearly devastated by what has occurred. Whatever

  drove him and your mother apart, it was not of his doing.

  That’s a man who has seen much death, loss, hopelessness and

  suffering, but none of that compares to what he’s feeling as he

  faces the fact he’s let the two of you down.”

  Dakota tilted his head down and stared back at her.

  “Are you sure about that? I don’t want him to hurt my mother

  again.”

  Shelia blinked slowly. “What do you think? What do

  you feel when you talk to him? There’s no maliciousness in

  him.” She paused. “Not when it comes to you. I can sense he’s

  a hard man, but his emotions regarding you and I would guess

  your mother are genuine, unfeigned, and they scare him.”

  He nodded, amazed by her perception. “You are one

  hell of a woman, Shelia.” His lips brushed lightly against hers,

  stirring to life the embers that never seemed to die with her in

  his life.

  “I know,” she replied with a teasing smile. “But, you’re

  not so bad yourself, Dakota Falcon.” Her body arched against

  his and for a moment they forgot they were outside in view of

  everyone.

  Dakota remembered and pulled Shelia into the house

  after him and down the hall to his bedroom where they

  stripped one another of clothing and proceeded to make love.

  Back in his hotel room, Maverick pressed the number on

  his phone that would connect him to the person he sought.

  “Hello?” He sank back down on the bed as the familiar voice

  reached his ear.

  “Hey, man,” Maverick said.

  “Mav, what’s up?” Hondo asked. “How are you doing

  down there in New Mexico?”

  “I need some advice.” he admitted as he reached for a

  cigarette and lit up.

  “What’s going on?” Hondo questioned. Maverick rarely

  requested assistance.

  “I need to find a way to gain someone’s trust.” Maverick

  took a long drag of his smoke.

  “A woman?”

  “Yeah. I’m at a loss at how to proceed here.”

  Hondo sat down heavily. This was not common

  Maverick behavior; women were never a problem for him.

  “You know I have to ask this. Who is this woman to you?

  Someone you want to fuck and she’s tossing up roadblocks? Or

  what?”

  Maverick narrowed his eyes as he growled low in his

  throat. Tempest is deserving of more
respect than that. “Well, she is

  tossing up roadblocks, but it’s more complicated than that.” He

  snubbed out his cigarette, not having the desire for it.

  “What aren’t you telling me?” Hondo asked.

  “We have a history,” he admitted.

  “Okay, what type? I’m assuming not the best if there are

  obstructions,” Hondo perceived.

  “You have no idea. She…she’s…she is the mother of my

  child,” Maverick blurted out.

  Nine

  Tempest sighed as she shifted her position. Yoga was so

  calming to her; it was the one time her mind could, and did,

  remain blissfully blank. No worries about anything penetrated

  her aura. It was nothing but calmness and serenity.

  Slowly getting out of the lotus position, she spread her

  legs wide and placed her body out flat on the ground, turning

  her face to the right. Her dark eyes remained closed as she

  continued her regulated breathing. Nice and slow. In. out. In.

  out. Deep, fulfilling breaths.

  As she finished up with her morning routine, she

  reluctantly opened her eyes. This was the part she liked the

  least; opening her eyes meant the session was done and it was

  time to face the rest of the day.

  For a quick moment, she just sat cross-legged on the

  yoga mat and looked around her backyard. It was a desert yard

  for sure, not much green, and she had an irrigation system put

  in so certain plants and trees were watered on specific days.

  There would be no wasted water in her backyard. There were

  apple, pear, and plum trees, as well as some roses and quite a

  few cacti like in the front yard.

  She looked overhead and smiled at the portcullis that

  covered her back porch area. It had a place where she could

  have an outdoor fire on cooler nights, or for parties; and vines

  covered the thick pillars that held up the portcullis.

  “I love my house,” she whispered as she pushed her

  body up from the mat. Bending over at the waist, she rolled up

  the mat and shook her head as a lone wolf whistle broke the

  peace of the morning.

  Looking over her shoulder, Tempest smiled as she saw

  her son leaning in the open doorway to the house. “You need

  to hush with that kind of talk, young’un.”

  “Hey, I can’t help it if my mama’s one hot woman. You

  know it’s not fair to the other moms on the block.” Dakota

  shoved away from the door and strode over to where his

  mother was stashing her yoga mat and handed her the cup of