Eternally Yours - Brenda Jackson [65]
“Clayton, you’ve been scarce lately. I’ve heard you’ve been taking quite a few trips out of town. Any reason why?” Kattie asked, her dark eyes twinkling.
Clayton’s eyes narrowed. His gaze went first to Kattie and then to Traci. “What I do does not concern the two of you. Remember that.”
Syneda’s stomach was in knots. Had Kattie and Traci figured out what was going on between her and Clayton? Did they suspect anything?
Clayton glanced at Syneda and couldn’t help but see the worried look in her eyes. He wanted to go to her and take her in his arms and wipe away that look. He decided to do the next best thing when he heard Freddie Jackson step to the microphone to sing. “Syneda, could I speak to you for a minute?”
“I hope the two of you aren’t going to start arguing about anything,” Caitlin said, smiling.
“Not tonight. I just want to dance.” He knew that dancing provided a socially acceptable way to be close to her. And he desperately needed to hold Syneda in his arms.
Not giving Syneda a chance to refuse, he reached out and took her hand in his and led her to the area where people were dancing. He took her in his arms as Freddie began singing, “You Are My Lady.”
Clayton’s arm tightened around Syneda and he whispered, “I missed you.”
Syneda relaxed in Clayton’s arm. She knew the members of his family wouldn’t think anything of them dancing together. They usually danced together at all the family functions. His family had commented several times on how well they danced together. “And I missed you, too,” she said truthfully.
“I’m coming to your room tonight, Syneda.”
She looked into his eyes. “No. Don’t. Someone might see you.”
“I’ll make sure I’m not seen, but I’m coming, so don’t ask me not to. I have to come. I want you so much I can barely stand it.”
She lifted her face upward seemingly to invite the kiss he wanted to give her, but both knew he couldn’t. “Don’t tempt me, Syneda.”
Syneda smiled and placed her head against his chest. Clayton pulled her closer to him. He wondered if she was listening to the words Freddie was singing. Syneda was indeed “his lady” and he would never let her go. She is my lady, he whispered in his heart. She is everything I need and more.
Dex was walking across the room to get another glass of punch for Caitlin when he glanced at his brother dancing with Syneda. He stopped walking. He had seen them dance together several times before, but never like this. It seemed they were so in tune to each other. There was such a look of possession in Clayton’s eyes as he held Syneda while they danced. And there was another emotion on his face, the same emotion he and Justin wore whenever they looked at their wives.
He had never seen that look on Clayton before. He glanced around the room to see if anyone else had noticed and found that no one else seemed to be paying any attention to them. Then he remembered the scene earlier with Clayton and the lies he had told Bernard Wilson. Now it all made sense.
A smile tilted Dex’s lips. He hadn’t thought he would ever live to see the day Clayton fell for a woman. And of all people, Syneda. He wondered how the two of them had stopped arguing long enough to connect. His smile widened. Apparently they had enjoyed more than the beaches in Florida.
Clayton saw Dex across the room watching him and Syneda dance. He had seen the exact moment when the truth had hit Dex, and he’d put two and two together. Their eyes met and the shock he’d noticed in Dex’s features gradually disappeared. He nodded to his brother and pulled the woman he loved closer into his arms.
Senator Lansing heard the knock on the door. “Yes?”
“It’s me, Senator—Braxter.”
Senator Lansing opened the door. “Come in, Braxter. I was about to go back downstairs.”
Braxter entered then closed the door behind him. He studied the senator curiously. “Are you all right, Senator?”
“I don’t know. I may have overreacted just a little. It’s just that that young lady reminded me