Safe Place Series

by Shani Greene-Dowdell

  “No, I’m talking about last night. Did we?”

  “Oh, we did, and when I woke you up for round two, it was even better than round one.”

  “Round two? Don’t you mean four or five? I lost track.” She winked at me, and I laughed.

  “That sounds about right.” I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her against me. My lips met hers as her hand swept across my chest. “I don’t want you to leave this room,” I said. “I want more.”

  She pulled back. “I have to go. What time is it?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe six. Maybe seven. Maybe eight. Who cares? It’s time to stay in bed,” I said.

  She fell back against me and smiled.

  “We had a deal, Jeb.”

  “I know. No one is to know.”

  “At least, not yet,” she said, looking at her phone. “By the way, it’s after ten.” She jumped out of bed and started getting dressed.

  “You wore me out, baby.” I chuckled. “I never sleep later than seven a.m.”

  Tameka tossed me a look as she slid her panties on.

  “What was that look for?”

  “They’ll be home soon if they aren’t already. Do you want them to catch me in your room?” she fussed.

  “Tameka, we’re grown. But I will do what you want. I don’t care if they find out,” I said.

  I watched her scramble to finish dressing, looking at me as I watched her.

  “It’s easier this way, Jeb.”

  I brushed a light kiss against her lips then pulled her on top of me and kissed my woman the way she deserved. “I’ll be your sidepiece as long as you know I don’t have a problem telling the world about you. I don’t care who knows.”

  “Thanks, Jeb,” was all she said before she sashayed out of the room.

  As much as I hated to see her go, seeing her go was a beautiful thing. She was a sexy woman, and my cock sprang to life at the sight of her hips swaying.

  ***

  Tameka

  After Kemara and Channing were back at the house, Jeb and I made the most of the time we had together, sneaking kisses in the nick of time or making secret love in his room or mine. It was our little fling that felt special. Most relationships are beautiful until other people’s opinions get involved. A part of me wondered if I’d ever want to share the news with anyone.

  I didn’t think Kemara and Channing would ever go to bed on our last night in Aruba. I snuck into Jeb’s room as soon as they retired to their bedroom, and he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me deeply.

  “Just one more night,” he whispered.

  “Whatever will we do?” I teased, pulling my t-shirt over my head and kicking out of my shorts and panties.

  “Oh, baby, I love the way you think.”

  Jeb dragged his lounge pants down his legs and took them off. With one hand working on removing my bra, he walked me back to his bed. He hovered over me as I grabbed onto his boxers. His kiss heated me to my core. Pressing me down into the soft bedding, Jeb’s tongue lovingly took over my mouth. I snaked my arms around him and held on tight. I didn’t want this moment to end.

  I slipped my fingers into his hair as he eased inside of me. I clung to him as he rocked me steadily. My whimpers echoed off the walls. The sounds of our lovemaking were sensual as my moans intermixed with his. Every plunge inside of me elicited pleas for more.

  “Yes…yes!” I cried out as Jeb crashed into me, and we both burned.

  I planted a kiss on his neck and smiled. There was no guarantee we would be together once we landed back in the states, but for now, we were connected in the most intimate way.

  “That was amazing,” he said.

  “What was?”

  “That kiss. It’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”

  I decided to see if I could one-up that kiss. I pulled the covers back and scooted to the foot of his bed to a position where his beautiful erection was staring back at me. It’s a lovely thing when a man has a beautiful dick, and Jeb had just that.

  I trailed a finger down his long, smooth shaft. I giggled when he shuddered. I lowered my lips to cover his pretty mushroom and ran my tongue along his shaft. I massaged his sac as I smoothly rode my tongue up and down his erection.

  “Oh, Tameka,” he said, releasing a groan. “Holy fuck!” His big hands gripped the sides of my head, and he held my face in position as he stroked the inside of my jaw with slow, delicious thrusts.

  I suctioned his big cock into my mouth. Determined to take the length of his manhood all the way in, I felt a slight gagging sensation hit me, so I held onto his waist for stability.

  “Uuooh—” he growled when he hit the back of my throat. “Fuck baby, I’m going to explode.” Jeb pulled my hair in his grasp and, moments later, his hot seed gushed into my mouth. As I swallowed every single drop down my throat, I smiled at my handiwork.

  ***

  Jeb

  Morning light crept into the room, and it was a bittersweet feeling. I didn’t want this moment to end, and I damn sure didn’t want Tameka to move from my bed.

  “Don’t leave me, baby. Stay right here for one more hour,” I said, fearing once we got back home to Alabama the magic of the last few days would end.

  “In two hours, we’re heading home. I need to get out of this bed and pack,” Tameka whined as she reluctantly pulled away from me. She grabbed her clothes from the floor and started to get dressed as I watched her every move. I wished there was something I could say, anything, that would make her climb back in bed and stay for one more hour. Once she was fully dressed, she turned to me with a smile on her angelic face and said, “Jeb, this week was…” She paused for a moment. “I’m trying to think of the perfect word to describe it.”

  “Hot…amazing…sexy…hot…?” I asked.

  “It was all of the above. But most of all, it was unexpected.”

  “It was unexpected for you, but I expected us to end up together. I must admit I didn’t think it would happen at one point, but it turned out great,” I admitted.

  “Yes, it did. I’m glad you came on the trip.” She blew me a kiss. “See you later, Jeb.”

  I bounded out of bed and reached her before she opened the door. I pressed Tameka against the door and stared into her brown eyes that were clearly one foot beneath mine. Staring back at me, she looked so vulnerable. My lips inched to hers, and within seconds, we were enraptured in each other’s essence.

  “Jeb… I have to—” she whispered. She placed her hand on my chest to keep me from devouring her again.

  Her hand gesture was futile. If I wanted her, I would pin her to this wall and take what I wanted, what we both wanted, and there would be nothing she could do about it. Yet I digressed and opened the door for her.

  “We’re picking this up when we get home, Tameka.”

  She nodded and walked into the hallway, looking back at me.

  “Tameka?” Kemara yelled with surprise in her voice as she bumped into Tameka.

  “Kemara!” Tameka replied frantically.

  Kemara rolled her neck in my direction, and I humped my shoulders. We were busted, and I didn’t care.

  “I didn’t expect to see that this morning,” Kemara said and turned away from me to look at Tameka. “So you guys are hooking up?” she asked.

  A cool draft blew through the hallway and landed directly on my balls. That’s when I looked down and realized I was butt-ass naked.

  “Oh shit,” I mumbled, closing the room door. I could hear their muffled voices as I dressed. I hated that I’d just flashed Kemara with my goods, but I was glad me and Tameka’s secret was out the bag.

  Kemara’s laughter penetrated the door, and I breathed a sigh of relief that they weren’t arguing about me and Tameka being together. When I reopened the door, I was wearing boxers and a t-shirt. I stepped out into the hallway, and Kemara quickly turned her head away from me as if she was still embarrassed by what she saw earlier.

  “Sorry about that, Kemara. I didn’t mean for�
�”

  She held up her finger. “As long as you treat my sister right, you’re good.”

  “You have my word.” I raised my hand over my heart and swore on it. I had no intention of mistreating Tameka. In fact, I had no intention of letting anyone mistreat her from this day forward, so it was time to put Rodney on notice.

  Kemara headed down the hallway, and I waited for Tameka’s response to her sister finding out about us. When she started laughing, I relaxed.

  “Since the cat’s out the bag, it looks like we have a little more time,” she said, pushing me into the bedroom and closing the door behind us.

  ***

  An accommodating passenger switched seats with me, and I rode back to the United States beside Tameka with her soft hand in mine. When we arrived at the airport in Atlanta, we exited the plane and met up with Channing and Kemara on the way to get our luggage.

  “Do we have to put up with you two being lovey-dovey from now on?” Channing asked as he picked up his luggage bag with a look of surprise on his face.

  Tameka’s warm smile made me wrap my arm around her and pull her closer. “We want to be as close as you two. Can you handle that?” I asked as I waited on our bags to surface on the baggage conveyer.

  Channing chuckled. “I guess I can live with that,” he said, wrapping an arm around Kemara’s waist.

  “Good answer, babe,” she said, giggling.

  “See you guys later,” Channing said as he took his wife’s free hand and whisked her out of the airport.

  “See you later, sis,” Tameka said, waving goodbye as Kemara blew her a kiss.

  “Can I take you home?” I asked once I gathered Tameka’s luggage and mine.

  “I would like that. I rode here with Channing and Tameka, and they’re obviously leaving without me.” She laughed.

  “That’s because they know you’re in good hands.” I wrapped my arm around her and led her to my car.

  “You know. Since my divorce, when I’m dating a man, it feels off, but this feels right,” she said after I finished putting our bags into the trunk.

  I cupped her chin in my palm and stared into her deep-set brown eyes. I wanted to kiss every bad memory away until nothing was left but pleasant thoughts. As I drank from her succulence, Tameka’s moan reminded me we were standing in the airport’s parking lot. I opened the passenger door to let her in and willed my erection down as I walked to the driver’s side. The drive home was full of sexual tension. I wanted her, and there was no doubt about it.

  When we arrived at her house, the look in her eyes weakened me as a man. I lightly brushed a kiss on my favorite part of her body, her lips. Tameka grabbed my hand and pulled me into the house. As the door closed, I dropped her luggage onto the carpeted floor. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and we exchanged souls in her foyer. Her arms flung around me, my hands gripped her buttocks, and two sets of eager lips greedily pulled the other in. I pulled her into the living room where we fell onto the couch, and Tameka rested her head on my lap.

  “Are you tired from the flight? Or have I knocked you off your feet?” I asked with a chuckle.

  “Both,” she said as I trailed my fingers through her kinky hair. She stared up at me and asked, “You know what I miss most about being with a man?”

  “What do you miss, baby?”

  “Being able to just be with that person. Like what we’re doing now, just sitting here on the couch being…”

  “I like being with you,” I admitted.

  “Thank you.” She smiled. “When you have the right one, it doesn’t matter if you’re having sex or sitting on the sofa together. The emotional connection that comes with being with that person is enough.”

  “Can’t argue there,” I said, and we sat there for a while enjoying each other’s company in silence.

  Her eyes drifted close for a moment. Her tell that she was exhausted. We barely slept the night before, and the week had been a whirlwind of different activities in Aruba. I continued to stroke her hair, thinking she would fall asleep, but she surprised me by sitting up on her knees and facing me. She then leaned in and grazed her lips across mine.

  “Can I tell you something, Jeb?” she said, the words sounding more like a long, sweet moan that was meant to be seduction.

  “Yes.”

  “I do feel safe with you,” she admitted.

  I caressed her neck and pulled her into a deep and absolutely delicious kiss. Romance was ours as we shared an embrace that gave me life and took some away at the same time, a fair exchange of energy and heart with a woman I felt a strong connection to.

  She pulled back and leaned against me, laying her head on my shoulder with closed eyes. I closed my eyes too, thinking about making her mine. Before I knew it, we had both drifted into a deep slumber only to be awakened by her ringing phone.

  “Jeb?” she said lightly. “Is that an alarm?”

  “No, it’s your phone, baby.”

  “Oh!” She frantically looked around for her phone and found it in her pocket. She answered it in the nick of time, “Hello?” There was a long pause before she said, “Where are you?” Her mood shifted and anger covered her face. “I’ll be right there,” she said as she disconnected the call.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “I’m gonna kill him, and that’s all there is to it. I will have to kill him to end this shit,” she said, bolting from the couch and grabbing her purse.

  “Wait, baby, tell me what’s wrong.” I tugged her arm and forced her to look at me. “What is it?”

  “Rodney…I’m gonna kill him.”

  My temples flared from hearing his name. “What did he do now?”

  “He left the kids alone, and Eva’s terrified. She says they haven’t eaten, and they haven’t seen their father since this morning. I’m about to go get my kids and then buy a bow and arrow to shoot Rodney in the ass with!” she said.

  “I’ll take you to get the kids, but we’re not going to buy a bow and arrow, Tameka.”

  She glared at me. “You don’t have to get involved with this, Jeb. This is going to get ugly fast, so I’ll understand if you don’t want to be a part of it.”

  “I’m going with you, Tameka,” I said sternly. “It’s obvious you need someone to stop your murderous intentions.”

  She grabbed her keys and sighed. “Let’s go, Jeb. I have to go get my kids.”

  Chapter 15

  Tameka

  On the way to Rodney’s house, I told Jeb what I knew. Rodney had sunk to a new low and left the kids at home, alone, while he and his fiancée ran off doing God knows what. He’d left that morning, and it was now after six p.m. I was livid.

  I called Rodney’s number, and he didn’t answer, so I called Eva back and let her know I was on my way. She sounded calmer after I talked to her again, but I regretted leaving the kids with Rodney. I did my best to honor the court orders, even though he didn’t at times, but this was the last straw. Our children shouldn’t have been home alone all damn day long with no cooked food to eat.

  I looked over at Jeb as he drove to Rodney’s address. I had one thing to smile about. I could count on him when it mattered. This wasn’t his battle to fight, but he was right there by my side.

  “It’s right there,” I directed him down Rodney’s street, and we pulled up in front of a huge brick house with a well-manicured lawn and water fountain in the middle of the yard. The house was something else Rodney couldn’t afford, but he went in debt to keep his young fiancée satisfied with a flashy lifestyle.

  The driveway was empty of cars, and the house was dark. It was after six o’clock in the evening, but there was no sign of activity in the house. I jumped out of the car and was halfway to the door before I could blink. I turned the knob, but it was locked. I knocked and waited, glancing at Jeb who seemed just as concerned as I was.

  After waiting a while for someone to open the door, the door cracked open, and I saw Eva. I entered the house, hugging her tightly. I was so relie
ved to see her.

  “Are you okay, honey?” I asked.

  “I missed you, Mama. Don’t leave us like this again, please!” she said, and a tear slid down her cheek.

  “Where’s Kevin?” I asked.

  “He’s playing video games. Dad gave him a new Xbox, and all he does is sit in the den and play games all day. He barely comes out to eat,” Eva said. She looked at Jeb with questions in her eyes. “Mama, who is that?” she asked.

  “This is my friend, Jeb. Do you remember Uncle Channing’s cousin?”

  “Hi,” he said.

  “Hi,” Eva said with a soft smile. “Yeah, I remember him now.” She led us down a hallway to the den where Kevin was sitting on the sofa, playing a fighting game.

  “Hey Mom,” he said, barely looking up. “Mom? What are you doing here,” he yelled when he realized I was really there. He sat the controller down and ran over to me.

  “Hey, bud. I’m here to get you, so get your bag and let’s go.”

  “Ah, man,” he argued. “Do I have to leave? I was just about to get to the next level,” he whined.

  “Afraid so. Your father isn’t here, and I’m not sure when he’s coming back.” I fumed over Rodney leaving a ten and six-year-old home alone all day long to fend for themselves. What was that crazy man thinking? It would be different if they were used to taking care of themselves. Eva was not ready to be responsible for herself and Kevin.

  “Awe man,” Kevin’s grumbling brought my attention back to him. He reluctantly turned off the game.

  “Go grab your things, and hurry up, Kevin,” I said to him.

  Eva already had her bag on her shoulder.

  Jeb and I headed back to the living room.

  “Does he do this often?” I asked Eva.

  “He leaves us here sometimes, but he tells us not to say anything to you or else we’ll get in trouble,” she replied, and I was beyond fed up with their father.

  As we waited for Kevin to come back into the room so that we could leave, I told Jeb, “I really do appreciate you being here.”

  He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me to him then kissed my forehead. “I’ll be here for you, Tameka. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” was his response and, for some reason, I believed he would really live up to his promise.