She had no use for those kinds of men. They reminded her too much of her father, retired Atlanta Fire Chief, Lorenzo Perkins.
Taye, Monica and Sebrina’s mom, had become pregnant with Sebrina when she was seventeen and in her first semester at college. Although Gary Stevens’s wealthy parents had forbidden their son to marry Taye, they’d adored their granddaughter and Sebrina had spent every summer with her father and his family in New Jersey.
Three years later, Taye got pregnant again, this time with Monica. For years, Taye would not tell anyone—not even her parents—the identity of Monica’s father. Finally, after years of asking, Taye had finally told Monica the truth about her parentage when she’d turned fourteen.
Lorenzo Perkins had been a rookie fireman when he’d met Taye. At the time, she had been a single mother with a two-year-old. Taye had believed him when he’d told her that he was single and shared an apartment with another fireman. She hadn’t found out he was a married man until she had become pregnant with Monica.
When Taye told him about the baby, he suggested she get an abortion. If she decided to keep the child, it would be all hers. He didn’t want anything to do with a kid.
Taye didn’t get an abortion, and Mr. Perkins kept his word. Although they lived in the same city, she could count the number of times she’d seen her father on one hand. However, she had met his other three kids—Hansen, Pratt and Kelly. Only one of them—another daughter, Kelly—had been born during his marriage. Mr. Perkins’s wife had had the sense to divorce him once she’d found out about his affair with Taye—especially since Monica and Kelly had been born just two days apart.
Although Monica didn’t care about her father, she enjoyed a rather close relationship with her siblings. The one thing the four of them had in common was their belief that their father was a scumbag. He had not earned any of his children’s respect.
“I got a call from Kennedy yesterday. She wanted to know if we were interested in taking on another roommate,” Sebrina said, interrupting Monica’s thoughts.
Growing up in Atlanta, Monica and Sebrina had always been close to their two cousins, Kennedy and Victoria. Although the four of them had gone to different universities, after college they had moved with Kennedy to St. Paul, and had taken up residence in the house Kennedy had received as a graduation gift from her father. It was the same home Kennedy had grown up in for the first thirteen years of her life.
Monica, Sebrina, Victoria and Kennedy had been housemates for years. Then Kennedy and Victoria got married in double weddings, six months ago in June. Kennedy still lived in St. Paul with her husband Haddison Wolf, but Victoria had moved to Los Angeles after marrying Cortez Masters.
Monica took a sip of her iced tea and asked, “Is it someone Kennedy knows?”
“No. It’s someone Rae’jean knows.”
Monica nodded. Rae’jean was one of their older cousins, and they both adored her. When Sebrina had become a heart specialist, she’d been following in Rae’jean’s footsteps.
“Do you remember Grady Fitzgerald, that guy Rae’jean was engaged to marry when we were just kids?” Sebrina asked.
“Of course, I remember. Who could forget? The family was all up-in-arms about it. It would have been the first interracial marriage in the Bennett family. Why?”
“His nephew will be transferring to St. Paul General as a neurosurgeon and needs a place to stay.”
“Nephew? We’re talking about a guy?”
“Yes. Kennedy wanted to know how we felt about that. We’ve never had a guy living here with us.”
“How old is he?” Monica asked.
“Thirty-four.”
“Umm, is he good looking?”
Sebrina laughed. “I didn’t ask her. She just wanted to know if we would be okay with it.”
Monica shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t have a problem with it. In fact, it might be good to have a man around.”
“I thought so, too. Especially during the night, when I’m working and you’re here alone.”
Monica rolled her eyes. “Will you stop being such a worrywart. I’m quite capable of looking after myself. I lock the doors and turn on the alarm and then I’m good.”
“So, you’d be okay with him moving in?”
“Sure. We can give him Kennedy’s old room, the master suite. It’s downstairs with its own private bath. That way he won’t have to come upstairs or even deal with us unless he joins us in the kitchen, living room or dining room.”
The house, which had been Kennedy’s parents’ first home, was huge and sat on two acres of land. There were five bedrooms and four bathrooms, as well as a four-car garage. It had been perfect for the four of them, and Monica could see no reason why it wouldn’t be for three, even if the third person was a guy. Especially someone who was a friend of Rae’jean’s. Their cousin wouldn’t suggest that just anyone move in with them. And they trusted her judgement.
“Okay, I’ll let Kennedy know,” Sebrina said.
“Great. It’ll be fun.”
Hours later, once Monica had finished packing, she turned to her sister. “I’m going to miss you, Bree. Don’t let that hospital work you too hard while I’m gone.”
Sebrina grinned as she leaned against Monica’s bedroom door. “And try not to get too wild, even if you are surrounded by hot guys on that singles’ cruise.”
“Please…” Monica said, rolling her eyes. “I told you—I don’t need a man. As far as I’m concerned, sex is overrated.”
Though she was twenty-six, Monica had only been with two guys. Back in college, there had been Dusty. It had been her first time and he’d known it. Still, he hadn’t even tried to be gentle with her. Not only had it been an extremely disappointing experience, but a very painful one.
It had been years before she’d decided to try it again. And then she’d settled on a one-night stand. Halpern Carrolton had been a drummer. Her cousin Brandy had hired Halpern’s band as part of the entertainment for her husband Grey’s birthday party last year. The moment Halpern had winked at her, Monica had been a goner. She couldn’t wait to hook up with him later.
It had been a huge mistake. Although Halpern had been gentle with her, unlike Dusty, and the lovemaking hadn’t been painful, it had been all about him. He’d acted as if the only reason she was there that night was to please him, the selfish bastard. He’d never considered her needs or did anything to make it a satisfying experience for her as well.
Two disappointments had been enough, and she wasn’t anxious to try a third. As far as she was concerned, either something was seriously wrong with her or everyone was lying about how great sex could be. Her sisters and cousins had tried to tell her she’d simply had bad luck in finding bed partners. She just hadn’t slept with the right guy yet—the one who would rock her world. That might be true, but she’d never felt any of the sexual chemistry and physical attraction they’d told her she would feel. And it was starting to worry her.
But then...Monica couldn’t help remembering the guy she had met eight months ago at Zang Nightclub—Landon Chestnut. She still chuckled when she thought about the way he’d put Dusty in his place. And when he’d taken her hand, she had felt a jolt of sexual energy hit her, unlike anything she’d ever felt before. He’d been handsome, older and had a body that would put much younger men to shame.