"Oh, she's that bad?"

"Girl, it's gossip city up in this place," Elsa said as she thought of Baron. "By the way, did you call Mr. Chavis?"

"I've been trying to think over whether I should call him or not."

"I'm glad you didn't follow my advice and call him. I was dead wrong for that. Don't bother to call him; he's messing with Aniyah. That's Mr. Houston's new daughter's name."

Tessa sat down in shock. Her deceased daughter's name rang in her ears. "You say her name is Aniyah. What does she look like?" Tessa wondered.

"I hate to say it, but she sure looks like you. They say we black folks all look alike, but I guess it goes for Mexicans, too. She's got the long dark hair and features like you-those pretty dark brown eyes."

"Oh, Elsa, what has my niece done?"

"Your niece?"

"Yes. Her first name is Rosie. Aniyah is her middle name, the same name I named my baby girl."

"Hush your mouth," Elsa said.

"Yes, Rosie ran away at sixteen. My family hasn't heard from her. Her mother almost died from a broken heart. She had a heart attack a few years back."

"Well, now that I know it might be your niece, I didn't mean to talk about her the way I did. But I saw her and Mr. Chavis with my own eyes." Elsa was eager to tell the story. "He showed Aniyah, Rosie, whatever her name is, to her bedroom. I tried to be nice and welcomed her with a gla.s.s of sweet iced tea. I got to the room door and it was slightly opened. I peeped in and there they were, sloping all over each other."

Tessa was hurt from the news. "My niece made love to Mr. Chavis?"

"Honey, I'm sorry to say, but yes. I don't think it's love on her part because there's more to the story."

"What else?" Tessa called as she took an aspirin out of her purse. She had a headache just that fast.

"Lord as my witness, as fast as Mr. Chavis left, I went back up to the room to check on her. Lord, G.o.d, strike me if I'm wrong. The girl had Pete, the new young helper, under her covers. I rest my case."

Tessa was upset with how her niece had turned out, but surprised at Baron's actions.

"I must come and see her for myself. In my heart I know this is my Rosie. I must stop her before she winds up in jail. Mr. Chavis-I never expected him to be this way."

"I didn't either but, you know the strange thing is," Elsa recalled, "he asked me to escort her to the room. She demanded that he take her. Now that I think about it, she might be holding something over his head. Lord, Tessa, I don't know. Folks is nuts these days."

Tessa cried, "Please, Elsa, I beg you not to say anything about my Rosie not being Mr. Houston's daughter. I'll get her out of there. I'll make her give back the house to the girls. Nothing good ever comes to those who steal from other's fortune. I'll call Mr. Chavis. I hope he won't lie to me. Tell me the truth. You know, I thought his heart was with me. I guess too many years have gone by and his heart faded away from mine."

"Maybe it didn't. He may see you in your niece. That might be the attraction."

"See you soon, Elsa. Thanks for telling me all this. I don't want Rosie to be put in jail. Please keep quiet."

"Girl, don't you worry. Just like I know how to spread gossip, I sure know how to hold on to it, too." Elsa laughed.

Tessa found the number to the Chavis Law Firm. Sara, the receptionist, answered, "Baron Chavis' office, may I help you?"

"Yes, my name is Tessa Sanchez. May I speak to Mr. Chavis?"

The receptionist a.s.sumed by her name that she was Aniyah Sanchez's mother. "Hold on for a minute."

Sara came back in a second. "I'll connect you."

"Baron Chavis," he said.

Her legs weakened as she said, "h.e.l.lo, Mr. Chavis. This is Tessa Sanchez."

"It's so sweet to hear your voice. You sound the same as the day I first met you."

"I wish, at times, I looked the same."

"I saw you at the funeral," he said. "You're as pretty as ever."

She smiled from the compliment he gave her.

"I didn't see you. I guess I was so busy talking to the Houstons."

"You disappeared the same way you did years ago-just broke a man's heart." He flirted with her.

She couldn't believe he would flirt with her after being intimate with her niece.

"I need desperately to talk with you alone. Could you come see me at my hotel room?"

This is the invitation I've wanted for years-to be alone with you, not held hostage by your daughter, he thought.

"I can stop what I'm doing now and come."

"Thank you so much," she said.

"Tell me where you're staying?"

She explained to him her whereabouts. Baron never mentioned Aniyah to her. He wanted to keep her name out of their conversation for now. After all, he probably had lost any chance of having a relationship with Tessa, but his hopes were to keep her close to him as a friend.

Baron sped down I-20 to get to her. His phone rang off the hook. Between Aniyah and Noelle, he felt like he was in a tug of war. Noelle was no problem, but Aniyah might show up on his doorstep.

He knocked on the door. Tessa appeared at the door dressed in a mid-length floral skirt to match her yellow blouse.

"Good to see you, Mr. Chavis. Come in."

"Please call me Baron," he said as he made his way into the room.

She smiled. "Baron, it is. Have a seat."

"I'll stay standing. I've been sitting at my desk most of the day." He admired her. "Tessa, you haven't changed in looks either."

"A few gray strands."

"Join the family," he said as he patted his head.

Baron took his chances and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She blushed, but kept looking down at the floor.

"Hold your head up. Let the world see your beauty," he said as he lifted her face up.

"You always knew how to make a lady feel great."

"Tell me what's on your mind."

"Aniyah!"

Baron knew this conversation had to surface. "What about your daughter? You want to move in with her?"

Tessa dropped her head and shook it from side to side. "If this girl is the girl I truly think she is, she's not my daughter. She's my niece. Her real name is Rosie. Aniyah is her middle name and the name of my baby girl I had by Mr. Houston. But my Aniyah, born two months premature, only lived for a week after birth."

Baron couldn't believe what he had heard. All the time he thought he was sleeping with her daughter.

Tears flowed down Tessa's face. Baron took her in his arms for a few seconds, then he let go of her. He grabbed a chair and sat down.

"Mr. Houston changed his will for your niece. Everyone thinks she's his and your daughter. She looks just like you."

"Everyone in Mexico always thought I was the mother of my niece instead of my sister, Julia. Rosie was a troubled girl."

"I have a picture of her at my office in Mr. Houston's file. I wish I had brought the picture with me."

"What am I thinking?" Tessa said as she ran over and searched her purse. She pulled out a photo of her niece at age sixteen. She held the photo in front of him.

He studied the photo. The girl in the photo had on a long, wide floral skirt. She dressed so innocently, but her face looked the same, just without lots of makeup.

"That's Aniyah," he said.

Tessa cried. "I must go and see her for myself. I'm going to try to make her give back what doesn't belong to her. I need your help. I don't want her to go to jail."

As an attorney, Baron knew that Aniyah could spend time in jail for fraud. But he had his own reasons as to why he could not go after her.

"I'll have to see how I can handle this," he said, puzzled.

Tessa went over to him. She put her hand on his shoulder. "I've heard the news about you and Rosie."

He jumped up and blabbed off at the mouth. "It's not what you think. She came after me. She's crazy. She has this picture of Noelle and me making out. I mean, she fixed the picture to make it look like we were having a thing, but we never had s.e.x. I promise you, just a peck on the lips-no s.e.x. I only did that to get back at Houston for having what I really wanted, and that's you."

"Is that all there is to the story?"

Baron stared in her eyes. He couldn't lie to her. "Okay, your niece and I had s.e.x, but it's because she has the picture. I don't want her to embarra.s.s Noelle or send the picture to the press. I need to get it from her."

"You're a grown man, Baron. You owe me no explanation. I could see the fire in your eyes that night when you saw Mr. Houston and me. We hurt you."

The attorney stood up. He brushed her hair with his hands. "Houston did what he did to spite me. I could never hold that against you."

"All is forgiven," she said as tears flowed down her face again.

"Don't cry, my love." Baron pulled her into his arms and kissed her, allowing his hands to gently caress the small of her back. As the kiss intensified, his heart hammered as he wrapped his arms around her tighter, drawing her deeper into his chest. He circulated his tongue inside her mouth before letting up, giving her pecks of kisses on her lips.

When the kiss ended, an overwhelmed Tessa touched her bottom lip with the tips of her finger. He grabbed her from behind and nibbled on her neck, caressing her full, ripened b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

She leaned back against his chest, her head tilted over her shoulder as she locked lips with him in a pa.s.sionate kiss. She turned to face him, staring into his l.u.s.tful eyes. "It's time. I have fantasized about you for a long time."

"I've always wanted to feel your flesh against mine."

"We wait no more," she said, as she went over and closed the blinds to bring darkness to the room.

Tessa turned around and removed his clothing. In return, he dropped her clothes to the floor as she stepped out of her skirt.

Baron reached around her and unhooked her bra. Releasing her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, he took one for his pleasure. The bra fell to the floor as she removed her underwear.

He lifted her up and took her over to the bed.

Baron laid her down and explored every inch of her body. Together the rotation of their hips danced in harmony.

After a night of pa.s.sion, Baron woke up to see the table in the room was set for two. The delicious aroma of bacon and eggs made him crave for food. Tessa was awake. She went out and brought breakfast back for them.

"Hungry?"

"For you," he said, yawning.

"I mean for a morning meal."

Baron got out of bed, went over to her, and pulled her close to his naked body. He held her tight. "Thanks for looking out for my stomach."

He let go of her and headed to the bathroom to freshen up for breakfast.

Returning to the room, he joined Tessa at the table. She noticed that he wore his underwear, covering up the muscle she loved most.

Baron took a bite from a strip of bacon, and then he took a swallow of the orange juice that she poured for him.

"Tessa, my love, what do we do now?"

"I have to go and straighten out my niece. My plane leaves in a few days to go back to Mexico."

"You can't go back," he said as he reached over and held her hand.

"I have no reason to stay here. I have work in Mexico."

"You have me; please don't leave."