A Los Angeles Passion

“Where did they go?” he asked, looking behind him.

“Kyra pulled them away a few seconds ago as she muttered some inappropriate things,” Kiara said. “Therefore, I won’t dare repeat them.”

Trey laughed, remembering how Kyra had introduced them. “I’m guessing subtlety isn’t her strong suit.”

Kiara shook her head. “Not at all. I doubt subtlety is even in her vocabulary.”

“We all need at least one friend like that,” Trey said. “And I’m glad she introduced us. I’ve been trying to find you all night.”

“I doubt that,” she said.

“I was. Ever since I walked in and spotted you from across the room.”

Kiara glanced away. “I’m not interested.”

Okay, maybe that last line was a little cheesy. But it’s true. “You’re not?”

“No,” she said, meeting him with a cold stare. “It may have seemed like I was staring, but it was only because I was trying to figure out who you were.”

Trey studied her eyes for any sign that she wasn’t being honest. Ever since Reginald had been expelled from Prescott George, he’d run into a few women who knew the story and treated him as if he were his father. It only took one look into Kiara’s eyes to realize she’d heard the story and was also passing judgment.

But she genuinely looked interested earlier tonight,he thought. No way I imagined the look she had in her eye. Trey could admit that he’d once misjudged a woman’s interest in him, but that was way back in college and it had only happened that one time. Tonight, he’d felt the way Kiara had been staring at him all the way to his bones.

“He’s adorable,” Kiara said as she looked down at Matthew. “And he’s getting fussy.”

Trey bounced a little in place to try to calm down Matthew. “Yeah, I think it’s past his bedtime, but I can’t get him to fall asleep. He’s my nephew and I’m babysitting him for a couple weeks, but I have no idea what I’m doing.”

On cue, Matthew started wailing, gaining attention from people standing near them. Trey tried to remain calm, but he couldn’t figure out how to console him. Finally getting an idea, Trey reached in his pocket to pull out a pacifier, but Kiara swooped in, pulled Matthew out of the carrier and was already calming him down.

“Do you have a blanket or anything for me to cover my dress?” she asked.

Trey fumbled with the baby bag and pulled out a blanket. “Here you go.” He draped the blanket over her shoulder. “It took me over an hour to put that carrier together, and you unsnap him from it like it’s a piece of cake. You’re really great with babies.”

“I should be,” Kiara said with a laugh. “I own LA Little Ones Daycare and Preschool, so I’m around babies all day.”

“I’ve heard of LA Little Ones,” Trey said. “Quite a few folks in the film industry take their kids to your day care.”

Kiara looked up from Matthew. “You work in television?”

“I’m a screenwriter,” Trey said, as a thought came to mind. “And you may be the answer to my prayers. I only have a couple weeks to finish my screenplay, and it’s hard to do that with an infant. Placing him in a day care for the daytime would help me tremendously.”

“I would love to help you out, but I can’t. The current wait for an open slot in my day care is twelve months.”

“You’re kidding me,” Trey said. “A twelve-month wait? Any chance you can make an exception? I know we just met, but you’d be doing me a huge favor.”

Kiara was shaking her head before Trey finished his plea. “Sorry—wish I could. But if I make an exception for you, I’d have to make an exception for others.” Once Matthew was completely calm, Kiara placed him back in the carrier.

“I understand,” Trey said, deflated. “I apologize for asking for special treatment. That usually isn’t like me. It’s just been a stressful few months, so I’m not completely myself.”

Kiara’s eyes softened. “I know it’s not my place to ask, but is your stress because of what your father did?”

Trey frowned. He’d suspected her hot-and-cold behavior toward him was because she’d heard about the suspension and knew Reginald was his father, but it didn’t make having her ask any easier. “Unfortunately, yes, Reginald is my father, but we aren’t that close.”

Trey blinked, surprised that he’d shared that fact. He usually kept any thoughts about Reginald to himself.

“It must be even harder since you aren’t that close,” Kiara said. “I assume that if you were, you’d expect for people to associate you with your father. But since you aren’t, you’re guilty by association with a man you don’t have a close relationship with.”

Trey nodded. “I’ve never heard someone put it so clearly. Yes, that’s exactly it. And honestly, I don’t care for the man. To be investigated and have my character questioned was embarrassing and infuriating. To top it off, Reginald called all his sons to claim his innocence and asked us for our help to prove it. Why he feels privileged enough to even contact us is beyond my understanding. But of course, I will probably agree to help because what type of son would I be if I refuse to help him and prove that I’m no better than he is?”

The words were out of his mouth before he had a chance to reel them back in. Trey’s frustrated eyes caught Kiara’s understanding ones. Why the hell did I just tell her all that? He really needed to take a vacation after he turned in his screenplay because he had no doubt he was slowly losing his mind and, apparently, losing his filter, too.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m usually a more private person, but like I said, it’s been a stressful few months.”

Kiara reached out her hand to touch Trey’s. “It’s okay. I’m glad you told me.” Her fingers began moving in small circles over his skin, the heat from her touch making him wish he could keep her hands right where they were, all night.

“Tell you what,” she said. “This one time, I’ll make an exception and accept Matthew into LA Little Ones for the next two weeks.”

“Thank you,” Trey said with a grateful smile. “You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”

Kiara laughed. “Don’t thank me yet. You don’t know how much it costs. LA Little Ones isn’t cheap.”

“I had a feeling it wasn’t.” Trey leaned closer to Kiara, immediately soaking in the sweet scent of her perfume. “I’m willing to pay whatever it costs because I’m grateful for your help.”

“You’re welcome, but I’m not only doing this for you.” Kiara looked at Matthew, who was now sleeping soundly. “I’m doing this for Matthew’s sake.” She tugged at the contraption holding up the infant. “The BabyBjorn is inside out and a couple clips are configured wrong. At this rate, there’s no way you can babysit by yourself.”

Her eyes were teasing, but Trey also knew there was some truth to what she was saying. He hoped that she realized he didn’t care if Matthew was the real reason she’d agreed to help him out, because accepting Matthew into her day care meant that she would be seeing a lot more of him whether she wanted to or not.

Chapter 5 (#uf9c0a983-393c-5dd2-b842-63ef6184ecbb)

“Here we are, M-dog,” Trey said as he pulled into the parking lot of LA Little Ones. Trey wasn’t sure what he suspected, but the upscale day care was a lot larger than he’d thought it would be.

When Trey walked through the doors of the place, he smiled as he was immediately greeted by the sweet smell of baby lotion. The lobby was painted in soft pastels, and although he couldn’t really see past the front desk, he could tell the colors and design were constant throughout.

“Welcome to LA Little Ones,” the receptionist said. “Do you have an appointment?”

“Yes,” he said. “My name is Trey Moore. Kiara Woods is expecting me at this time.”

The receptionist typed a few keys. “I see your appointment, sir. If you wait here, I’ll call Ms. Woods for you.”

Trey only had to wait a couple of minutes before Kiara arrived. “Hello, Mr. Moore. You can follow me to my office.”

“Of course,” he said, trying to maintain his composure. Trey wasn’t sure what it was about this woman, but Kiara’s beauty kicked him in the gut in a way a woman never had before.

Today, she was wearing a flowy peach dress and brown sandals, giving him the first peek of her French-tip-painted toenails. Matthew made a gurgling noise, reminding him that he was here for his nephew and not to soak in Kiara’s beauty.

“On our way to my office, I’ll give you a quick tour,” Kiara said as she glanced over her shoulder. The move instantly made Trey envision her spread on all fours, glancing over her shoulder in the same way. Okay, so maybe I’m here to soak in her beauty as well.

“Here’s the main room for our newborns and infants.” Kiara pointed to a room with crisp white cribs all lined in two rows and a cream-colored wall. In one corner were several rocking chairs, and in the other, a plush rug and huge stuffed animals. “Through those double doors are two additional rooms for infants and it’s equipped with its own large bathroom.”