Whispers of Winter: A Limited Edition Collection of Winter Romances

by Nicole Morgan

  Jericho drifted down the bar to help serve drinks to the crowd forming there. Hemi swiveled on his bar stool to look out over the crowd of dancers, deep in thought.

  He needed to approach Kamiya as a friend. Rekindle their friendship and from there build into a relationship on which a marriage could be built on. He watched the dancers without really seeing them as he formulated a game plan. Maybe he should visit her at her charity and offer to walk her home from work. Nah, that was too high school boyfriendish. Hmmm, he could wait for her outside of her building and accidentally bump into her and then offer to walk her home? Fuck. That idea trod the fine line of stalker. God, this was going to be harder than he thought. How did one grovel? He was pretty sure that it was physically impossible for Hemingways to grovel. Well, one thing he could do was to show interest in her charity. That would give him a place to start.

  His eye was drawn to a body swaying in the middle of the dance floor. Someone was dipping and swaying with the music. It was a beautiful sight. Such carefree movement in rhythm with the beat pounding out of the massive sound system. As Hemi watched the dancer, his eyes focused more on the small, slender form, a sense of familiarity came over him.

  He knew that dancer.

  “What the fuck?” He stood up abruptly.

  “Ahhh, noticed her, did you?” Brad sipped his drink watching the dancers too.

  “Grrrr,” the growl escaped Hemi as he watched men approach the dancers. Especially the one that caught his eye. It was hard to miss the sensual movement in the barely there dress she was wearing. Compared to some of the other clothing the women were wearing her dress appeared to be very modest until she started dancing. The way the little cut out in the dark dress gave tantalizing glimpses of her cinnamon colored flesh was enticing. It was also attracting the attention of several vultures circling her.

  The bright red sash she wore across her body drew the eye to her pert breasts. He wondered if she was wearing a bra under that thing. Probably the same thought as every other male in the vicinity.

  The closer he got to her the clearer the message on her sash became. “Most likely in need of a good pounding.”

  The fuck you say.

  Chapter Seven

  Kamiya loved to dance. It was one of the few pastimes she was able to indulge in during her time in the Peace Corps. She learned many of the native dances the villagers enjoyed. No matter the scene, she always managed to lose herself in the music. To let go and be free.

  Tonight, was no different.

  She was pleasantly surprised when her friend invited her to a Girl’s Night Out Party at Club Envy. She had heard about the club from various people familiar with the club scene. It was always a subject of conversation when people discovered she had family in Colorado. They were always disappointed when the found out she had never been to the club.

  I am going to need to send a mass email to all of my Peace Corps friends. Let them know Club Envy was better than they thought.

  She followed her fellow bridesmaids to the dance floor and just let loose. Her body gyrating to the beat. She got lost in the sound of the music as it moved through her, directing her body. Dancing was a way to express the joy and anger she felt. She was still angry at Hemi. She couldn’t believe the audacity of him in asking her to marry him. Was he high?

  She remembered slamming out of his office and stomping her way to the nearest bus stop. She was surprised there wasn’t a trail of fire behind her as she made her way. The anger hadn’t abated when she got home, or even after she cleaned her whole loft.

  It was in her conversation with her mother. Though talking to her at least caused her to look at the whole situation from a different perspective.

  Kamiya lost herself in the music letting her mind drift back to the phone conversation with her mother.

  “So are you pissed off because Hemi offered to marry you, or because he offered to donate two million dollars to your charity if you married him?” Kameron Anderson inquired through the phone.

  Kamiya could hear the sound of a whisk hitting the side of the bowl. The familiar sound was soothing, indicating her mother was in the kitchen whipping up something decadent and delicious.

  “Both.” Kamiya spat through the phone. She was pacing around her home unable to stop the restless energy plaguing her.

  “Why?”

  “What do you mean, why?” Kamiya stopped pacing. It should be obvious why she was pissed. It was insulting Hemi offered to pay her money to marry him.

  “It should be obvious to you why it is insulting! I am not a whore.” She snapped out at her mother.

  “But that is my point. Hemi didn’t offer you money to have sex with him,” Kameron pointed out, practically, “he offered you money for the use of your time. Or try this one on for size. Maybe he offered you money because you would have to put up with him for a whole year. Fake at caring for him. Think of the chore it would be to have to kiss him in public, hold his hand, fake affection for him. Or would it be fake,” Kameron slyly asked. “At least that is my interpretation. You need to be compensated for the length of time you would be unable to date in some way or provided me with grandchildren. Or would you have done it for free?” there was a teasing tone in her mother’s voice.

  “It doesn’t matter I wouldn’t have done it.” Kamiya cried through the phone.

  “Prude,” her mother muttered through the phone.

  “Did you just call me a prude?”

  “For two million I would do it,” murmured Kameron, “Hell just for the off chance of seeing him coming out of the shower once in a while naked I would pay good money. I bet you could bounce a quarter off of his ass. Buns of steel.” Kameron wolf whistled through the phone expressing her admiration at Hemi’s assets.

  “Mother.” Kamiya didn’t know if she was scandalized by her mother’s comment or if it was that she agreed with her? “What would dad say?”

  “Hey, I am married not blind. Hemi is one fine guy.” Kameron drawled.

  Kamiya giggled to herself as she continued to dance around the dance floor with her friends.

  A blond man tried to sidle up to Kamiya as she danced. “Hey baby, mind if I join you?” he reached out trying to put his hands on Kamiya.

  “No thank you,” she twirled away from him, putting several people in-between them.

  Unfortunately, he didn’t get the message. She had to do the same thing several more times. It was starting to get annoying. Not everyone who came to the club was looking for a hookup. And when someone is told no, they should accept that answer and go away.

  Kamiya lost herself to the music again, when she felt hands on her arms, sliding down her body. She turned quickly ready to blast the person who dared touch her. “Oh,” she said at the sight of Hemi, behind her dancing, his eyes blazing with desire as his hands pulled her close to him.

  She spun out of his arms. She was here to feel the music not to be trapped in someone’s arms. She danced around Hemi as he stayed in place. Spinning and swaying to the music, ignoring him as she lost herself in the familiarity of a song echoing across the dance floor. She laughed, letting go as the music affected her, submerging into the beat. Her body bobbed and swayed occasionally she brushed up against Hemi as she danced. She didn’t care. It was the price he paid for dancing so close to her. A small groan escaped her when Hemi pulled her firmly back against him.

  Her head hit the middle of his chest. It was the perfect spot. She was cocooned in Hemi’s arms as he rested his chin on top of her head. Her body heated up every time her ass rubbed against Hemi’s bulge.

  The proximity made it impossible to ignore the desire sparking between them. Kamiya closed her eyes. Drifting to the sound of the music and the feel of Hemi’s hard muscles brushing up against her with each move. Shivers stroked her spine at his touch. A small burning started in the pit of her stomach, smoldering. Her head dropped forward at the touch of his lips skating across the back of her neck. Little kisses covered her inch by inch.

&
nbsp; Teasing her.

  “Please,” she begged when his lips touched the sensitive spot behind her ear. Her eyes closed as he licked, running his tongue over the spot. Her body was slowly growing hotter. He trailed his fingers down her sides. Tracing her curves with a light, barely-there touch. Enough to flame her passion into a burning inferno. Her lips were pouty wanting more of him. She ran her tongue across her lip in anticipation of his touch. She couldn’t reach him in this position.

  Kamiya spun in Hemi’s arms, brushing aside his hand until she faced him. Her hands reached up, firmly gripping his hair, pulling his head down to her. She wanted to taste him for years.

  Now her time had come. Kamiya swept her tongue across his full bottom lip.

  Licking.

  Luxuriating in the smooth taste of him.

  Her mouth locked onto him.

  His hand cupped her dress-covered pussy. Sliding down further until he could slip is hand under the front of her dress. His thumb grazed across her pussy. Lust sparked his eyes at the touch of bare flesh. There was no barrier to stop him. His thumb brushed against her, pushing its way to her clit. She moaned at his touch, as every dance move applied pressure to her clit. She grew damp with every wiggle of her hips to the rhythm of the music. Helpless whimpers of desire escaped her, so soft only Hemi could hear.

  As the beat of the music changed so did the pressure of Hemi’s thumb on her clit.

  The world faded away as they became locked together in passion, Kamiya continued to gyrate against Hemi’s thumb as he stroked her clit with every movement to the music she made. The dance floor faded away. Her world became centered on Hemi as everything cease to exist except for the sensations that drove the flame in her hotter. Their lips tangled. The essences of Hemi was drawn into her with every breath. The taste of Bourbon lingered on his tongue as her tongue swept through his mouth devouring him. Kamiya’s nipples harden into diamond points with every brush against his chest.

  Hemi’s arms wrapped around her gathering her close to his body, his hard cock pressed into her.

  “You have a wicked mouth,” Hemi whispered to her.

  “You have wicked hands,” she responded before pulling his mouth back to hers.

  Kamiya was only able to focus on the feelings in her body that he created. She rose to her toes as his mouth slanted over hers. Dominating her. Her body burned at his touch. Damn, he could kiss.

  Hemi took the kiss deeper. His mouth controlling hers. He basked in the glory of her kiss. He knew she would taste of dark spice and cinnamon, a flavor he would crave for eternity. Kamiya felt right in his arms like she belonged there forever. He didn’t want to let her go.

  Having her before was an abstract concept, something right for him, but also for his Dad. Now that he had tasted her, he knew, he would be keeping her forever.

  She belonged to him.

  He was unable to stop his hands from stroking her clit. Every moan of pleasure that she released made his cock harder. She was turning to liquid desire in his arms as he learned her curves. Her silky skin felt warm to the touch; he wanted to taste it.

  He couldn’t stop touching her.

  Stroking her.

  He pulled her closer to him groaning. He loved the feel of her soft frame pressed against his hardness. The contrast of his hard body against her silky softness was intoxicating.

  The desire to possess her burned deep in him.

  He felt powerful when she whimpered at the loss of his touch on her clit. He raised his hand to his mouth and slowly licked his thumb. Savoring the taste of her. “Come with me.”

  A hand gently pressed against her spine, as he leads her from the dance floor in the direction of Jericho’s private VIP tent.

  Screw waiting, he was going to have her.

  He needed more than just a taste of her lips. He needed to mark her all over. To let these other men know she was his.

  “Woah there, buddy,” a feminine hand grabbed his arm, pulling him to a stop. “I don’t know where you think you are going, but no guys allowed to crash Girl’s Night Out. Back to the party, we go.” A tall brunette whisked Kamiya out of his arms.

  Before he even knew it, she was surrounded by a group of women who were ushering her in the direction of the VIP tent the Girl’s Night Out party occupied.

  He watched stunned as Kamiya looked over her shoulders and mouthed, “Sorry,” to him before she disappeared into the tent.

  He stomped over to the bar. Jericho slid a full glass of Bourbon in front of him.

  “Woman. The worst kind of cockblockers.” Jericho said before moving down to another guest.

  Chapter Eight

  Kamiya was sitting at her conference table sipping some great coffee. She loved the space they were able to rent for the offices of the Global Heart Foundation. They were located downtown in an old school that had been repurposed into office space. She had found it one night when she was out for a stroll. It was perfect for the charity.

  But it was the surprise delivery that had her smiling. This morning a Hemingway Industries employee dropped off several containers of their premier coffee. The note attached to it was the source of her grin.

  This hot coffee is almost as hot as our kiss was. I hope you remember it with every sip.

  Oh, did she remember. Who could forget the hotter-than-hell kiss between them? Her mind was having a difficult time focusing on anything else. It made it harder and harder to hold onto her anger at Hemi. Especially after Club Envy. She was pretty sure if it hadn’t been for her friend’s Girls Night Out party she would have given in and gone home with Hemi. She might have emerged for air this morning, but probably not. She imaged being loved by Hemi was out of this world.

  Luckily, she had work to distract her from one Mr. Roman Fitzgerald Hemingway the Third. She and her team were planning for the charity carnival they were holding. In a few weeks, the summer months would be in full swing. A great time to get the outdoor activities going so they could involve the homeless teens they were trying to help. Several of them had agreed to man one of the booths. Her volunteers received safety training on handling the rides. She shifted through the paperwork spread out across the conference table, reviewing the rental contract for the rides.

  She ignored the ding of her cell phone.

  She knew herself. The first time she looked at it she would be compelled to check her social media page, then she would be lost in the Internet, and nothing she needed to finish would get done.

  She didn’t look up until Sandy Barnes, Financial Manager for the Global Heart Foundation stood next to her.

  She jumped about a foot when Sandy suddenly appeared. He was short with the start of a little paunch around his middle. His blond hair was already thinning away. Luckily, he wasn’t one of those guys trying to hang onto his hair by growing a long strand, so it covered the bald spot.

  But despite his looks, he was absolutely brilliant with numbers.

  He stood next to Kamiya, bouncing from foot to foot, a huge grin covering his face. “Kamiya…Kamiya…you did it.” Sandy spoke rapidly to her.

  “Did what?” Kamiya frowned. She had no idea what Sandy was talking about.

  “We got the money.” He waved a piece of paper in front of her face. Kamiya tried to read it, but he kept moving it. She grabbed ahold of his arm and stilled it.

  “Holy Shit,” she muttered, her eyes bulging as she read the paper. It was a check made out to the Global Heart Foundation in the amount of two million dollars. It was from the personal account of Roman Fitzgerald Hemingway the Third.

  She picked up her cell phone to find a text message waiting from an unknown number.

  Good Morning my lovely Kamiya. I hope you are enjoying the coffee. Please accept my apology for the offending you with my proposal. Please use this donation for your Global Heart Foundation. There are no strings attached. Your prospectus excited my Charity group and me. We look forward to working with you in the future.

  Kamiya sat quietly for a few minutes
processing. Sandy stood next to her vibrating with excitement.

  “We are going to be able to accomplish a lot with this donation. Think of a plan to create a trust so we can make the money work for us.” The words slipped out of her mouth as she smiled at Sandy as he started chattering rapidly, talking to himself about what he needed to do first. “The guys working on the soup kitchen are going to be so happy. Now they will be able to offer box lunches right away instead of in a few weeks like they were originally planning.” She walked him to the door.

  Once she was alone again, she returned to her seat. Leaning on her elbow, she chewed on her thumbnail staring at her phone. She reread it. Then did it again. Trying to understand what just happened. Her mind started racing a mile a minute.

  Should she accept his apology?

  Didn’t she already accept his apology when she told Sandy to come up with a plan for the check?

  Could she work with Hemi or would her feelings get in the way?

  What were her feelings for Hemi?

  Questions swirled around her head like an endless tornado. None of them had simple answers.

  I can sit here and think about it, or I can take some form of actions.

  Kamiya took a deep breath and touched the screen, tapping the call button.

  She didn’t have long to wait until the sound of his velvety voice came pouring through the phone affecting her the instant it touched her ears. Butterflies released from the cage they had been stored in in her stomach to flutter around exciting her nerve endings.

  “Hello, Kamiya.” Such a sound should be outlawed. It was detrimental to her libido.

  “Hi, Roman,” Damn she thought she had broken the habit of nibbling on her nails. Hemi was screwing with her in unexpected ways. She lowered her thumb that had started to rise to her mouth.

  She wasn’t going to let Hemi turn her into a nervous wreck. She knew too much about him to succumb to something as simple as a nice voice.