Hailey paced the bathroom floor. Her emotions were on overload. Since Garrett picked her up, she was spending too much time concentrating on Garrett and not enough time on Trevon. That had to be it. That had to be why she was feeling the way she was feeling. She was getting wrapped up in her own scheme.

She reapplied her lipstick before exiting the bathroom. Trevon was nearby talking to a group of people. She spoke to everyone and looped her arm through his. "I came to steal him away for a few mintues."

She got no complaints. Trevon removed her arm and followed her outside to the balcony. The cool wind sent a chill down her spine. "Nice party," she said.

He grabbed her by the arm and swung her around. "Stop with the games Hailey."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She batted her eyes and faked her innocence.

"The hell you don't. You knew coming here would cause problems."

"I had no idea that your fiance knew about me."

"Why wouldn't she? We've been seen in just about every entertainment rag over the years."

"Well, we're a thing of the past. At least that's what your mouth says." She used her hand and ran it down his chest.

He grabbed her wrist. "Stop. This isn't the time or place." He looked around to make sure no one was coming through the doors.

"Why Tre, I thought you liked living life on the edge."

"Stop it."

"I'm not doing anything," she responded.

"Oh and another thing. This little game with Garrett is not going to work. I'm not jealous."

"This thing with Garrett. It is what it is."

"And that is?" he asked.

"It doesn't concern you."

He jerked away. "I can't believe this. My best friend and girl are screwing behind my back." He walked to the other end of the balcony.

"I'm not your girl."

He walked back to her. "You'll always be my girl."

Hailey could feel him weakening. "All you have to say is one word and I'll leave Garrett alone."

"This is some bull. I'm not falling for your tricks. I'm getting married and either you accept it or not. Nothing has to change for us. We can still meet up."

Hailey felt her heart breaking into smaller pieces as she listened to Trevon go on a rant. She never meant to let him see her cry. Tears flowed uncontrollably. Apparently, he felt a little something because he stopped talking long enough to pull her into an embrace. She jerked away from him and ran back into the building, bumping into Shareeka.

She ran past her and back into the restroom. She splashed some cold water on her face, not carrying whether or not her make-up washed off. She patted her face with a paper towel. Shareeka stood right outside the ball room door. She started to turn and go another way, but opted to hold her head up high and continued walking towards the door.

"I need to talk to you," Shareeka said, as she neared.

~ 14 ~.

Hailey stopped and turned to face her enemy. Shareeka gestured for her to follow her in a different direction. "For a little privacy," Shareeka stated.

She followed her to the left of the ballroom; where there were fewer people entering and exiting.

"I only walked over here because I really don't need everybody up in my business," Hailey said.

"Good. So you won't cause a scene after I tell you what I have to say."

Hailey tapped her foot. "What happens between me and Garrett shouldn't concern you."

"You know good and well, it's not about Garrett. I know who you are and what you mean to Tre?"

Hailey held up her hand. "You're the one wearing the ring, not me."

"But it's not stopping you from flirting with my man every chance you get."

"Dear. I think you're a little paranoid. The only man I've been flirting with tonight has been Garrett and I don't see him complaining not one bit."

"He doesn't have good taste."

Hailey licked her lips. "So what is it? Are you jealous because Tre and I have a past or are you jealous because I'm here with Garrett?"

"Now who's the one being paranoid?"

"I'm just saying. Looks like you should be more concerned about your man running behind me than Garrett."

"Tre doesn't want you. Get over him."

"If I wanted Tre, I could have him."

Shareeka walked closer and although she wasn't as tall as Hailey got as close to her face as she could. "I would advise you to back off my man before it gets ugly."

"If you don't back up, I'm going to show you ugly."

Shareeka stood for a second, but Hailey didn't back down. Shareeka backed up. "You better be glad my family and friends are in there."

Hailey crossed her arms. "Or what? Don't let the designer dress and make up fool you."

"Ladies, there you are," Garrett said. He wrapped his arm around Hailey's waist. "I've been looking for you."

Hailey rolled her eyes at Shareeka. "We were just having a little girl talk."

"But I think I better get back to my other guests."

"Do that."

"What did I interrupt?" Garrett asked.

"She was concerned about me flirting with her man. Sadly though, I don't think she really meant Tre, because I've only been flirting with you."

"You must have misunderstood."

She let Garret lead her back into the ballroom. Hailey sensed more was going on that Garrett wasn't telling her. She saw Trevon talking to Shareeka. Shareeka looked in their direction and pulled Trevon into a lip locking session.

"Let's blow this joint. I've had enough," Hailey said.

"Me too," Garrett responded. "Wait here and I'll go let Trevon know that we're leaving."

Garrett said his good-byes and before long he and Hailey were on their way back to her place. He wasn't in the mood for much conversation so he turned the volume up on his system. It didn't seem like Hailey was up for talking either, because she didn't attempt to talk either. They drove almost the entire hour without conversing.

"What's your password?" Garrett asked as he pulled up to the gate at the end of the entranceway to her house.

"It's 1999."

"I forgot you were a Prince fan," he said, as he entered the code and waited for the gate to open.

"You know it."

Hailey didn't wait for him to open her car door. She was walking towards the front door before he could get out of the driver's side.

"Want to invite me in for a night cap?" he asked.

"I could, but I'm not in the mood for being sociable," she responded.

"Neither am I."

She flipped the light on and deactivated her alarm. "Make yourself at home. I'm going to get out of this dress."

Since he helped design the new security system, he was very much familiar with the layout of her house. He went to her kitchen and found a few cold drinks. He used the icemaker on the refrigerator to fill up two glasses.

He was flipping through her CD collection, when she returned. He knew she had entered the room because he inhaled her fragrance. "I have a question," he asked, without turning around.

"Shoot."

"What is that you're wearing? I've been wanting to know for awhile."

"You mean this old thing."

Garrett turned around and his eyes widened at the sight of Hailey in a red two piece laced lingerie wearing a laced robe that didn't hide anything. His mouth watered as his eyes were mesmerized by the rhythm of her chest moving up and down.

"Hailey do you know what you're doing?"

She held out her hand beckoning for him to come closer. He took her hand and moved closer to her. "You know you want to." She wrapped her hand around his neck and pulled his lips on top of hers. His tongue darted in and out of her mouth.

"If you don't stop, there's no turning back," he said, while trying to catch his breath.

"It's too late for that. I want you. You want me. Let's do it." She led him up the stairs.

Hailey laid across the bed. Garrett turned around and undressed all the way down to his boxers. He heard some strange noises. He turned around and all he could do was laugh at the sight of Hailey sprawled across the bed in her sexy lingerie with her eyes closed and her mouth wide open snoring.

He picked her up and placed her under the covers and slid in the bed beside her. He turned his back to her and was dozing off until she threw her arm around him and snuggled her body closer to his.

"This is going to be a long night," he said out loud; attempting to keep his libido in check.

~ 15 ~.

Hailey yelled. "What happened? Did we?" Hailey blurted out question after question. She was not expecting to see Garrett naked in her bed. She looked under the covers and saw that he had on his boxers.

Garrett stirred. "What time is it?"

"Time for you to go. I can't believe I let this happen."

"Fortunately, I'm not looking for you to validate my ego."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out the way it did. I had one too many drinks. I didn't mean for us to."

Garrett laid on his back and crossed his arms under his head and seemed to stare into her soul. "What?"

"Was I good to you?" Hailey didn't like the smirk on his face.

"Baby, you were fantastic. Those tricks you do with your tongue. Oh my. Had me over the edge," he teased.

"Wait a minute. It's coming to me. I was laying here. You were standing over there." She picked up a pillow and hit him upside the head. "We didn't do anything. And you would have had me thinking we did."

Garrett leaned up on one elbow. "A man can dream can't he?"

"You're so silly. Well I can't stay in the bed all day and I suggest you put some clothes on because I'm not trying to go there."

"That's not what you were saying last night."

She grabbed her robe on the floor and put it on. "That was then. This is now. Now I want you dressed and out of my bedroom."

"A man's job is never done."

"Keep your day job because your jokes aren't funny."

"Ha. Ha."

Hailey left Garrett in the bed. She went to the bathroom and took a long hot bath. Garrett was fully dressed and downstairs by the time she finished taking a bath. She threw on a jogging suit and was surprised to smell food coming from the kitchen when she headed down the stairs.

"I think I might keep you around," she said, as she picked up a piece of bacon to taste it.

"Only returning the favor, but I don't want anything from you." He winked his eyes.

Hailey pulled up a chair and sat down. "I told you, you need to leave the jokes to the comedians."