Aja stood on wobbly legs, searching the floor for her panties. “I am not going back upstairs bare-assed, Jackson. You tossed them, you gotta help me find them.”
He continued to lie on the top of the deep freezer, giggling like a crazed fool, completely unbothered by her frantic request. Realizing her distress seemed to amuse him further, she pulled her skirt from around her waist and walked the few steps to the basket of folded towels sitting on top of the dryer. She removed two hand towels and threw one at him. “If you won’t help me, at least go in the half bath near the back of the stairs and clean up.”
He sat up, grabbing the towel in one hand. “Darlin’, I can’t seem to get mad at the thought of your walking around bare-assed under that skirt.”
“Jackson,” she called out as she continued searching the floor for her undergarments. “I cannot walk around with no panties on while serving guests food and drinks. My aunt and uncle are upstairs.”
“True. But only you and I would know. Having that kind of secret running through my mind every time I looked at you would be better than a slice of your pineapple coconut cake. And you know how I love that.”
The sound of his delicious words did more than entice her, they aroused her. She turned around to see the naughty smile gleaming in his dark eyes. Everything in her wanted to give in to his request.No one would know. Just you and that gorgeous hunk of man.
“If I were wearing pants, maybe. But not with a miniskirt. If I bend over the wrong way, there goes our secret.”
Another flash of mischief lit up his face, leaving Aja wondering what carnal thought was crossing his mind when he huffed as he pushed his hand in his pants pocket.
“I guess you’re right,” he acquiesced before pulling his hand free of his pocket and tossing her panties at her.
“You had them the whole time?”
He laughed again and headed for the bathroom when she balled up the remaining towel and pulled her arm back as if she were preparing to pitch in a championship baseball game.
When he was out of sight, she let the amusement she was holding in for his benefit bubble to the surface. She looked at the crime scene, a.k.a. the deep freezer, and went to a cabinet where she knew there was a bleach cleaner and sponges.
When Jackson returned from the bathroom, Aja was bent over the freezer, spraying and scrubbing the top with furious circular motions. “You keep scrubbing at that thing that way, and you’ll take the paint off it.”
“If Aunt Jo finds out your naked ass was sitting on top of her deep freezer, she’s gonna take a switch to both our hides. I’m not going out like that.”
He shook his head, looking at her as if she were losing her grip with reality. “It was closed, and I’m sure the meat inside is vacuum-sealed in thick plastic. Besides, don’t you own the land and the houses built on it? Doesn’t that technically make this your deep freezer?”
“You obviously don’t understand. She is the matriarch of my family. It doesn’t matter that I own the deed; that kitchen and everything that goes in it is hers when she’s on the property.”
“Are you as territorial as your aunt? It could be fun if you are.”
She shook her head and put her hands on her hips. “You can take your chances with her if you want. Me? I’m cleaning it so there are no questions later.” When she was done, she tossed the sponge in a nearby trash can, returned the cleaner to its hidden spot in the cabinet, and washed her hands in the mudroom sink. She grabbed the hand towel she’d picked up earlier and headed toward the bathroom. “Oh, don’t forget to grab a few bottles of wine from the racks on that wall to the far right. That is what we supposedly came down here for. Right?”
He tipped his imaginary hat and gave her a wide smile and a hearty “Yes, ma’am” before heading to the wine rack. A spark of happiness danced inside her belly, and she wrapped her arms around her middle as she embraced it. Whether it was because of his smile or the way he’d made her lose herself in ecstasy a few moments ago, Aja was content. No matter what happened after this, nothing could rob her of the serenity these shared moments with him in her dark basement had brought.
* * *
Aja carried an armful of wine bottles carefully in a crate. Did she really think they needed the crate she carried, plus the one Jackson held in his hands? Nope. And the lifted brow Seneca shared with her when she caught sight of their bounty said she thought they’d overdone it too. But this was Aja’s story, and she was sticking to it. If her courtroom days had taught her anything, it was that the appearance of propriety was much more important than actually being proper.
Jackson placed his crate down and then reached for hers, placing it on the counter alongside his. “Did you get everything you wanted in the cellar?”
Aja held up a finger, suspending Seneca’s shady question while she turned to Jackson. “Would you mind getting me a glass of my special iced tea from the fridge? It’s in a thermos that has my name engraved on the front.”
“Sure thing.” He left the two ladies at the counter together and made his way toward the fridge.
She gave Seneca a conspiratorial smile before she answered. They both might know Aja and Jackson’s cover was flimsy, but she would not concede defeat to Seneca’s attempt to snoop. “Everything.” Her answer was accompanied by a hand on her hip and an easy smile. “I found reds, whites, and even a few blushes in the mix.”
“I bet you did.” Seneca put a hand on Aja’s shoulder. “Girl, I want details.”
“People in hell want ice water, too, but you don’t see them getting it.”
“You are so selfish. First you’re making special batches of iced tea for yourself, and now you won’t kiss and tell.”
“You know folks only want sweet tea here. It’s a great drink, but mixing alcohol in it is horrible. Long Island iced teas, on the other hand, mix wonderfully with booze.”
Seneca shook her head. “So selfish. Stamping your name on everything, including Jackson. It’s like sistah code to share details about a man as fine as him.”
