The Arrangement

by Cassie Verano

  Xiomara burst forth into a loud peal of laughter, shaking her head. “Really, Lake? That’s the best that you’ve got.”

  “Well, I mean, I wanted to impress you, and we both have this one thing in common. We love the kids.”

  Xiomara took a step closer to me, resting her palm on my face. “Aw, that was so sweet, Lake. But...I wasn’t talking about that.”

  “Oh?” I asked, wrapping my arms around her waist.

  “No, I was talking about that ‘shooting your shot’ bit. I think you need to leave that lingo for the kids,” Xiomara said, laughing.

  The sound of raucous laughter rang out in the hallway.

  “That’s not my best shot. I’ll show you that after this afternoon is over,” I said, kissing her on the side of her neck, causing her to shiver.

  I had just dropped my hands away from her waist no sooner than Ariel appeared in the doorway, a group of laughing, chatty kids behind her.

  Xiomara took a couple of quick steps away from me, but not before Ariel smirked at the two of us and cleared her throat.

  “Children, I told you we have special guests today to help set up our art exhibition. You’ve worked hard with Miss Sheffield over the last several weeks to get your paintings created. Even though the classes ended, she still wanted to pitch in to help us with our exhibition today. So, let’s welcome her back along with Mr. Lake Chambers.”

  The children ran into the room after saying thank you and took turns giving Xiomara hugs. She basked in their energy, and under her attention, they all seemed to come even more alive.

  Xiomara and I spent the next two hours helping the children set up their art exhibits in the cafeteria and posing with them in front of their presentations with the professional photographer.

  When the actual adoption meet and greet started, we left so the children could meet with prospective parents in private.

  “All right, Mr. Tenderheart.”

  “Tenderheart?”

  “Yeah, you remember the orangish-brown Care Bear, he was the leader? He was my favorite.”

  “So, I’m your favorite now?” I asked, pulling her against my body as I leaned against my car.

  “I don’t think this is the place for this type of behavior, Mr. Chambers,” she teased, pulling back from my embrace.

  “Maybe our next destination will be?”

  Laughing, she shook her head. “I don’t know if I trust that. Is every part of this date going to be a secret?”

  “Wait and see,” I said, walking around to her side of the car with her and opening the door.

  She slid into the passenger seat, and I closed the door behind her.

  I pulled out from the parking lot and headed for the highway.

  “Any regrets, yet?” I asked, glancing at her.

  “None.”

  “So, if you don’t mind me asking...what softened your heart and allowed you to open up to me?”

  She held one finger up.

  “I just...I’m exploring a few things before my big day. Being true to me.”

  I squeezed her hand that I held in mine.

  “I’m sorry, I promised that I wouldn’t talk about that today. I’m just nervous.”

  “About?”

  “Today. Being with you.”

  “Why?”

  Shrugging, she said, “I don’t know what this day will lead to. Like...I have no answers, but I know I’ll have them all soon.”

  “Hope that works in my favor.”

  We pulled up to our next destination within forty-five minutes.

  “Come on; we’re here.”

  I slid out of the car, headed to her side, and took her hand before closing her door.

  “Where’s here?” she asked, looking at the entrance of a neighborhood.

  “I recall that a certain someone held a certain fascination with Christmas.”

  “She was,” Xiomara conceded with a growing smile.

  “And I know she’s all grown up, and this ‘changed woman’ now. However, I believe there’s still that little girl alive in there somewhere that finds excitement in the simple things,” I said.

  Xiomara threaded her fingers between mine as we began walking into the neighborhood ahead of us.

  “Lake!” she squealed after we’d walked almost a block and came to a street where the houses were lit up as bright as day.

  “Did I do well?” I asked, looking down at her.

  “You did very well! I’m impressed,” she said, laughing and squeezing my hand tighter.

  I struggled to keep my feelings under control. I wanted to grab her, pulling her body against mine, and kiss some sense into her. But this wasn’t the time or place for that.

  It was already risky coming out here in public with her. She’d asked that I be as discreet as possible in planning this date, and I knew that we’d be around other people. I banked on most of these people, not knowing who I was. I wore a baseball cap low over my head.

  House after house and trees lining the yards and street shone with sparkling green, red, and white Christmas lights and décor.

  We passed a group of carolers going from house to house singing, and other groups cheerily chatting about the festivities and the décor.

  Couples, families, and older people were all about, and everyone had the brightest smile on their faces.

  “I’m glad that you like it. I remember you being crazy about seeing houses decorated every Christmas season. My GM lives not too far from here, and he mentioned it. I’m told that we should see the bearded man out here, too.”

  “Really?” she asked, her eyes wide with wonder.

  “Yeah, but I’ve got something better than Old Saint Nick,” I said, leering at her.

  “I bet you do,” she replied cheekily.

  We walked from one street to another, checking out the decorations and exchanging “Merry Christmas” with others who visited the neighborhood.

  “Oh, look!” she exclaimed after we’d walked a couple of more blocks.

  The jolly old man himself was standing on the opposite side of the street handing out candy canes and little gift bags.

  Chuckling, I teased her, “I suppose that you’d like to go over there with the rest of the kids and get your gift bag and candy cane.”

  “Hush!” she said, sending an elbow towards my side that I blocked.

  I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her forehead as I closed my eyes.

  I inhaled the sweet scent of lavender and honey that coated her skin.

  She tucked in closer to my side as we made our way across the street and a few houses down to where a line was forming in front of Old Saint Nick.

  I tugged my baseball cap with my team’s logo further down my brow as we neared the crowd.

  “So, what were your thoughts about the party at Prestige?” I asked, breaking the rule to not speak about it again.

  “I loved it, and I enjoyed myself. Never thought that I’d see the inside of Prestige.”

  Laughing, I replied, “I have another party happening soon.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes, but it’s a private party,” I said as we joined the line.

  Laughing, she said, “Let me guess. For two?”

  “Not quite. Just a party with my closest friends, my team, staff, and a few other business constituents.”

  “Oh.”

  “I’d like for you to be there,” I whispered against her temple as I pulled her into my arms.

  Tensing in my arms, she said, “You know that’s not such a good idea, Lake. This town isn’t that big, and I—”

  “No, it’s not like you think. I’m inviting you, but not as a date. Just as another guest. I promise not to put you in any compromising situations. I’d just like to have you there that night.”

  “What’s the special occasion?”

  “You.”

  “Me? You’re hosting a party for me that you don’t want me to be your date at?”

  “Yes. I’d like t
o see you in semi-formal attire. In a different setting where the night has a new ending. One where you remain behind after all the guests leave, and you stay the night. In my arms.”

  Xiomara chewed on her bottom lip. “It sounds so tempting.”

  “Then say yes, Z. Please,” I said, tilting her chin up and pressing a kiss to her lips.

  “You make it so hard to resist you, though I know that I should.”

  “Don’t.”

  “You know that this game we’re playing won’t have a happy ending.”

  “Liltee, I’m not looking forward to there being an ending at all. My only aim is to give you just enough to get you to agree to another date. And another. Until you’re mine.”

  A myriad of emotions rolled across her face as I spoke.

  “What makes you think that I’ll do that?”

  “Do you trust me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then, I only have one request.”

  “Okay.”

  “Enjoy your time with me and move with an open heart. Don’t get all in your head or place barriers around your heart. Just go with the flow of things. And when this is over, if you’re feeling free and strong, and if you love yourself the way you should...then walk away from everything you don’t want. Walk away knowing that you owe no one anything, not even me. I want you to be true to what your heart wants. Be true to you.”

  Xiomara cast her gaze down and away from me. When she remained silent, I pulled her to me. I kissed her softly before pulling back and looking into her eyes and said, “Do we have a deal?”

  With a smirk, she said, “Yes, I think we do.”

  CHAPTER 17 – XIOMARA

  OUR DATE DIDN’T END with the walk down Christmas lane. Afterward, Lake drove to his home, pulling into the backyard where he parked right near the lake.

  He’d planned a romantic picnic by the water with Italian subs and a fruit salad. We spent the evening reminiscing on our childhood and the summer leading to my leaving.

  “Hey,” he said, grabbing my hand in his after we’d eaten our meal.

  “Yeah?” my gaze remained on the water as I watched a bird skimming across the waters.

  “I never apologized to you. Hurting you was never my intention. I was immature and irresponsible, and I’m sorry, Z. You deserved better than that. I failed you, and there’s no other way to put it. But I’m asking tonight, can you forgive me? I want you to remember the fun we had as friends, the times we confided in one another. Can you recall the times I made you laugh when you were down or encouraged you in your dreams? And can we put this behind us and move forward?”

  Life was too short to hold on to bitterness, and I didn’t want that for my life. The friendship that we’d held in the past demanded that I let go of the pain, the failures, and disappointments of our past.

  No matter what happened between Lake and me, it was time to move on and focus on the future.

  “I’d like that, too. I just need you to understand that there are no guarantees or promises with me, Lake.”

  Leaning forward, he cupped my face in his hands and slowly lowered his head, and his lips brushed gently across mine as if asking permission.

  My mouth opened to Lake, giving him the access that he sought. Our tongues swiped across one another in a gentle lover’s dance. Slowly taking time to taste each other’s flavors, creating fresh memories while stirring up old ones.

  Lake’s hands cupped the back of my head as mine rested against his chest. Slowly my fingers dragged across the planes of his chest, searching out the muscles hidden beneath his sweater. I etched every line and detail of the contours of his body in my fingers’ memory as if designed just to touch him.

  Lake dragged his lips from mine, kissing my chin and dipping below to the hollow of my neck. I basked in the attentiveness that he showed, delighting in the feel of his lips at my throat before they dipped further to explore my cleavage spilling from the sweetheart neckline of my ribbed, knit sweater.

  “How do you pledge yourself to a man when you know that I’m the only one that can make you feel this way?” he asked, after pushing me onto my back.

  My hands gripped the back of his head, my fingers locking in the dark strands of hair that had grown a little longer since we last saw one another. Lifting my sweater, Lake kissed a path up to my breasts, licking my nipples through the lace.

  I arched off the blanket, needing to feel his tongue against my skin. My body was on fire at his simple touch. Lake peeled back the cups of my bra, licking across the tops of my breasts before sucking my nipple into his mouth.

  He closed his lips around my nipple, sucking and biting the tips until I screamed out. Lake chuckled underneath his breath and then slid his hands into the waistband of my pants. I parted my legs for him and jutted my hips forth.

  It amazed me how open I was to making out outside with Lake the way that I was. I’d always been careful with my love, never exposing myself to voyeurs or the opportunity for anyone to see me in an intimate situation.

  Although we were outside on his private property, I’d never done anything so daring. Yet, I didn’t care. The only thing that I cared about was how Lake made me feel as his hands rubbed across my slit, juicing me up for him.

  Pulling his hand back, he slipped a finger into his mouth and sucked it, groaning.

  Jerking my leggings and panties down around my ankles, Lake lifted my legs over his shoulders.

  I hissed when he took a long swipe at my pussy with his tongue, his gaze pinning me in place. Using his thumb, he rubbed my clitoris in small circles, taking another long swipe.

  “Laaake,” I moaned.

  “Yes?” he asked, looking up at me before taking another swipe from top to bottom.

  “Not here,” I murmured.

  Smirking at me, he took another swipe before sticking a finger inside of me. I cried out in pleasure, opening my legs further as he began licking and prodding me with his tongue.

  My hips lifted off the blanket once more as I gave him unfettered access to my core.

  Lake used his tongue as if it were his dick, fucking me, slowly sliding in and out, grinding his flattened tongue against me, and then teasing me with the tip.

  It wasn’t long before I came with the sensation of the cool wintry breeze coming off the water and the heat of his tongue. Lake took his time cleaning me with his tongue until he’d lapped my juices clear.

  When he raised over me and lowered his head to kiss me, I shifted, awkwardly grabbing my pants and panties to pull them up again.

  “What’re you doing?” he asked, grabbing my hands when my leggings were halfway up my legs.

  “It’s cold. What do you think that I’m doing?”

  “Uh-uh. I want to fuck you outside, just like this.”

  “Lake, it’s almost winter. It’s cold out here.”

  “Liltee, you’re made of tougher stuff than this. It’s a nice fifty-two this evening. A rare occurrence that I want to celebrate,” he murmured against my lips.

  Laughing, I said, “No, we need to go somewhere no one will see us.”

  “I. Wanna. Fuck. Out. Here,” he argued between pecks.

  “It’s cold,” I whined.

  “We’ll create our heat,” he pointed out. “No one will see us. We’re on private property.”

  Lake’s tongue slid around mine, wrestling with it for control as he reached around and cuffed my ass cheeks, squeezing them, making me arch against him. Between the two of us, we worked my pants down once more.

  We continued kissing while he removed his wallet to retrieve a condom and then wrestled with his belt and finally his button and zipper to open his pants. Within a few minutes, he had himself covered.

  I watched as he took his belt and secured my wrists with it.

  “What’re you doing?” I laughed.

  “Controlling the moment, Beautiful,” he said with a wink. “You’re not allowed to touch me.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you must
learn self-control and patience,” he said.

  “Can I use my mouth?”

  “I love that wicked mouth,” he said, pressing a kiss to my lips before pulling back.

  Lake’s hands reached underneath me and pulled me closer to him as he slid inside of me, filling me inside. I clenched around his dick, welcoming him as he drove deeper.

  Despite the restrictions of our clothing, mine around my ankles, his just under his ass, our bodies merged as one. Up and down, back and forth, we writhed on the blanket, knocking over leftovers and gasping for air.

  I bit his shoulder; he bit my nipple. I bit his lip, and he bit my chin. A chilly breeze blew over us, but I didn’t shiver one bit. So consumed was I by the fire and passion we created that nothing else mattered.

  The future that lay in wait for me was nonexistent at that moment.

  We rode the clouds of ecstasy, clouded by our emotions of the moment, until a powerful orgasm rained down on me, catching him in the cloud of my thunderstorm. A roar thundered from Lake, signaling his climatic release.

  “Damn,” he mumbled.

  “That was...”

  “Yeah,” he agreed, pulling my lip into his mouth and suckling on it. We engaged in another deep, passionate kiss before ending it.

  A smirk pulled at his lips as he released his belt from my wrists.

  “What?”

  “Is that a sheen of sweat that I see on your forehead?”

  “Shut up!” I groaned, rubbing my wrists as I urged him to get up.

  The reality of my life and the intensity of the moment shone down on me like the blazing sun after a summer thunderstorm.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, his eyes chastening me for my impatient behavior.

  “Not really. I can’t believe that I just did this,” I moaned, pulling at my pants.

  “This wasn’t the reaction you had at the masquerade ball. Very different results.”

  “Yes, but we weren’t outside for the world to see.”

  Jerking his pants up and fastening them, he replied, “There’s no one here but us, Z. I always have your best interest at heart.”