Because You Love Me ; Journey to My Heart

by Terra Little

  A slow-tempo song started, and Tracee liked the tune. “Who is it?”

  He smiled. “Atlantic Starr, ‘Let’s Get Closer.’ It’s a classic. My brothers and I used to sing it when we had our band. The music was real easy.”

  Tracee took note as to how close Laurent was sitting to her on the floor during the song. “I like the music, and it does scream old-school.”

  He laughed. “Yeah, I told you I’m pretty well versed in that area. How about this one.” He sat with his back against the chair and placed his phone on the floor between them.

  Tracee immediately recognized Maxwell’s voice. She smiled and closed her eyes.

  “That one’s ‘Till the Cops Come Knockin’,’” Laurent said.

  “Oh, I know that one,” she said. Her body rocked in time with the music. Then she heard Laurent singing. She opened her eyes, surprised that he had a really smooth voice.

  He stopped singing and looked at her.

  “You have great taste in music,” she said.

  He smiled. “So do you. Play me another one.”

  Tracee selected a couple more CDs and continued to entertain Laurent with more of her favorites. She didn’t know how it happened, but somehow she and Laurent ended up next to one another when he pulled up “Burn Slow” by Ro James.

  Tracee’s body leaned back into Laurent’s chest, and she closed her eyes as he wrapped his arms around her. Their bodies moved in time with the groove, and she lost herself in his arms. The moment put a smile on her face. This man wasn’t hers, but she wanted him. Maybe if only for tonight.

  Laurent brushed her hair away from the side of her face and leaned down to kiss her on the temple. His kiss was soft and suggestive. She fought to keep her hands to herself, but he was making it difficult for her. She ran her hand along his forearm that embraced her. His hairy, strong arm was warm to the touch.

  The song went off too soon, but the one that followed turned Tracee on even more. “Permission,” another Ro James tune, had Tracee turning around in Laurent’s arms. He released his hold on her body and brought both hands to her face. He held her face while he kissed her long and hard.

  Tracee’s body was on fire with desire. She wrapped her arms around Laurent and kissed him back with an unabashed shame and thirst like she’d never had for any man before. Her head spun as he released her lips and kissed a trail down to her neck. She threw her head back and bit her lip—his kisses were driving her crazy. He reached around and pulled her legs toward him and rested her head in the palms of his hands. She relaxed as he lowered her to the floor. Her breath caught in her throat as he gently bit at her nipples through her sweater. She shuddered as she caressed the back of his head.

  In one fast move, he stopped and pulled her sweater over her head, tossing it onto the chair. Tracee lay on the floor staring up at this beautiful man with fire in his eyes. He then pulled his T-shirt over his head and tossed it with her top. He came down on one elbow and ran a hand along the side of her cheek, down her breast and around her waist. The music switched to another slow R&B song, and she could have sworn he’d set that up.

  Tracee was soaking wet.

  Then the oven buzzer went off.

  Laurent jumped. “Oh, man.” He exhaled before dropping his head between her breasts.

  It took everything Tracee had inside her to not just let those cookies burn.

  Chapter 10

  Laurent sat up on his elbow, and his eyes met Tracee’s. “The cookies?” he asked.

  She closed her eyes and nodded.

  He inhaled a deep breath and fell over on his back. Tracee lay still for a moment, waiting for the nerve endings in her body to stop tingling. She finally sat up as the music on his phone changed to the next track.

  “I’ll be right back.” She got up and walked off to the hall bathroom.

  Laurent closed his eyes and tried to steer his thoughts to something other than Tracee for a minute. But it was useless. He could see her big smile, her beautiful eyes and her curvy body against his eyelids. Whenever she laughed, it warmed something deep inside him. He was so comfortable with her he could lie on the floor with her all night sharing something special to the both of them.

  He heard her moving around in the kitchen and opened his eyes. She had cookies to pack up, and he was keeping her from that. He sat up, forcing himself to remember that baking was her livelihood and at this point, he might be in her way. He reached for his T-shirt and decided it was best to leave before they went too far. After pulling his T-shirt and sweater back on, he picked up his phone and stopped the music.

  “What are you doing?”

  He turned around, and Tracee walked across the room in her jeans and that black lace bra that had captivated him so much a few minutes ago. He swallowed hard and hoped she’d stop before she reached him. If she touched him, he’d have a hard time doing what he knew he needed to do. “I think I better go.”

  “Why?” she asked with an innocent look on her face.

  “I’ve taken up enough of your time, and I know you have things you need to do.”

  She stood close enough for him to pull her into his arms, but he clenched his jaw and kept telling himself to leave now, before it was too late.

  She put her hands in the back pockets of her jeans and shrugged. “I’m finished with what I needed to do tonight, but if you have to leave, I’ll understand.” She walked past him, bumping against him in the process, and put on another CD. When she turned around, she ran her hands up and down her crossed arms.

  He was going to leave, but he couldn’t get his feet to move toward the door. Instead, he stood there holding his phone in one hand and his keys in the other. She reached for her sweater, and he decided he couldn’t let this moment pass, so he beat her to it. “Are you cold?” he asked as he held out the sweater.

  She smiled and turned up her lips. “Yes, I am.”

  He tossed the sweater, along with his keys and phone, over onto the couch, farther away. Her mouth widened in surprise. “Let me keep you warm.” He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her body, and then whispered in her ear, “How’s that?”

  She let out a deep breath. “Perfect.” She returned the hug, wrapping her arms around him as well.

  “Look, Tracee, I don’t know how long I’m going to be in town—”

  “You’re not leaving tonight, are you?”

  He bit his lip and loosened his hold enough to look down at her. She stared up into his eyes, and his need for her grew stronger. He didn’t say another word. He shook his head. They understood the stakes, and they still wanted one another.

  She pulled out of his embrace and grasped the hem of his sweater. He raised his arms, and she pulled the sweater up and over his head. His T-shirt was next. If there was a chill in the air, he didn’t feel it. His body was on fire again. While his clothes lay in a pile on the floor, Tracee reached for his hand and led him to what was no doubt the staircase to heaven.

  At the top of the stairs was a room fit for a queen. Her bed had a tall headboard that, like the rest of the room, was draped in rich, royal colors and gold tones. She turned around, facing him when he reached out and tugged at the waist of her jeans. For a moment, he stared at her beautiful body, noticing her shiver. He stroked his hands up and down her upper arms. The heat in his hands quickly doused her chills as their gazes collided and her body relaxed.

  Her lips parted, and his breath quickened. She lowered her gaze and slid her hands up his chest, forcing him to let go of her arms. Her fingers slowly traveled up his chest, and his breath caught in his throat.

  “You have protection, don’t you?” she asked.

  “Yeah, I do.”

  She smiled up at him with big eyes. “Great.”

  She went for his belt, and in a matter of seconds they’d stripped their clothes off and lowered themselves to her bed. He tried t
o kiss every square inch of her body while she giggled with delight. When he brushed his lips across her nipples, he felt them harden. Her breasts rose and fell as she drew in quick breaths. He sucked a breast into his mouth, and she squirmed and moaned underneath his touch, causing him to go weak with need. He was hungry for her and spread her legs with one hand before caressing the velvety softness beneath his fingers.

  “Oh, God, Laurent.” She slid her hand around to caress the back of his head, while holding his mouth to her breast.

  When he released her, he looked down at her hardened nipple and licked it until the throbbing between his legs forced him to stop. Heart pounding, he moved up and looked down at her succulent lips. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered before capturing her bottom lip between his teeth.

  He brought his hands around to her firm butt cheeks and squeezed. She kissed him hard, with a hunger that set him on fire. They clung to each other, stroking and sucking, desperate to douse the fire that had consumed them. He reached a point when he was so hard he couldn’t take it any longer. He had to have her.

  Tracee straddled him, his erection mere inches from where he wanted to be. He thrust his hips up, letting her know what he was ready for.

  “Wait.” She leaned closer and placed her palms on his chest as she caught her breath.

  He looked up and met her gaze. He prayed she wasn’t changing her mind. Not now.

  “Where’s the condom?”

  He breathed a sigh of relief. “In my wallet.”

  “Don’t you think now would be a good time to get it?”

  He smiled. “I didn’t forget it. I just want to look at your beautiful body for as long as I can.”

  She leaned closer with her smoldering eyes and kissed his chest, which nearly took him over the edge. Before he could climb out of bed and pull the condom from his pocket, the doorbell rang.

  She sat straight up.

  He looked up at her and tried to hide his crushed feelings. “Expecting company?”

  * * *

  “You know you’re wrong for that,” Mae said through the phone.

  “Wrong for what?” Tracee asked, giggling. She was straightening up the CDs she hadn’t been able to put away last night.

  “Shoving that box of cookies out the door at me. You could have at least let me say hello to the man.”

  “Child, please, you’re lucky I answered the door.”

  Mae laughed. “I know that’s right. Girl, I can’t say that I wouldn’t have left your ass out there ringing the bell my damned self. What time did he leave?”

  “I don’t know, sometime this morning. It was still dark out.”

  “And you made it to church this morning, after all that fornicating last night?”

  “Let she who is without sin on this phone cast the first stone. And what did you and John do when you got home last night?”

  “Okay, the both of us need to go to Bible study this week. I got horny just sitting there watching the two of you look at each other like you hadn’t eaten in years.”

  Tracee laughed. “Was it that bad?”

  “Hell yeah. So, what’s up for today?”

  “I need to deliver these cookies and then stop by Corra’s to—”

  “That’s not what I’m talking about. Are you going to see Laurent today?”

  “Oh, I don’t know, we didn’t make any plans. He might be doing something with his friend Sam.” Tracee had enjoyed Laurent’s company so much last night, but she understood it was a temporary thing. Any day now he would be returning to California. Besides, she wasn’t trying to set herself up for another heartbreak.

  “Did he say when he’s leaving?”

  “No, but maybe I’ll see him again before he does. If I don’t, I at least have something wonderful to remember him by.”

  Mae laughed. “Sure, if you say so. Girl, I know you’re trying to have this nonchalant attitude, but I see through that shit. You might like to have a good time and all, but you let that man stay the night! The Tracee I know only does that when she’s really feeling somebody. Which hasn’t happened in a while.”

  Tracee hated to admit even to herself that Mae was right, but she was. And she didn’t want to address any feelings she was having for Laurent. She wanted to be able to have a fling with this guy if she wanted to. “Whatever, Mae. Girl, this isn’t anything serious. I’m just going to enjoy myself for a minute. Any law against that?”

  “None whatsoever, I’m only making sure you don’t get hurt.”

  “Child, please, he can’t hurt me. He’s something to do for a week or so, that’s all.”

  “Uh-huh. Well, keep telling yourself that. Anyway, I’m in the car now headed to Richmond for the day, but there’s another reason for my call. I know we’re scheduled to meet with Mr. Patel tomorrow morning, but I’m not going to make it.”

  Tracee let out a deep sigh. “Mae, you missed sitting down with him last time. I looked forward to you making this meeting so he’ll know my partner is in this with me.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry. But my boss asked me to head up a customer visit on his behalf. I’m flying to St. Louis first thing Monday morning. You’ll do great, but I’ll be with you in spirit.”

  “It’s not the same thing,” Tracee said with no enthusiasm. “But I totally understand. You have to do what you have to do. I’ll call and update you after the meeting.”

  “I want an update on Laurent, too.”

  Tracee laughed. “Sure. If I see him again.” She hung up hoping deep down in her heart that last night wasn’t a one-night stand. She also tried to shake the growing uneasy feeling about Mae canceling on her. She prayed her friend was still as invested in the business as she was.

  * * *

  Monday morning, Tracee pulled up to the Rival Hotel and immediately looked around for Laurent’s dark blue Elantra, but it wasn’t there. She hoped he hadn’t left town without saying goodbye.

  Once inside, she met up with Raji, who happened to be an old classmate of Kyla’s. He was dressed in a suit today, which was unusual for him. Seconds later, his father, Mr. Patel, came out and escorted her into a small conference room that was set up banquet style.

  “Would you like a cup of coffee?” he offered politely.

  “Sure,” she said, as she set her purse and folder on the table before joining him at the coffee station against the wall. “Thank you for giving me a little time on your schedule this morning.”

  “Not a problem.” He handed her a cup. “Decaf?”

  “Yes, please.” While he poured the coffee, she gathered her sweetener and cream. Once prepared, they took their cups to the table and sat down. She could sense a change in the air. Mr. Patel was more relaxed than she’d ever seen him. With her he was always professional, but he’d never offered her coffee before.

  “So, how is everything with Tracee’s Cake World?” he asked. “I thought your partner would be joining us today?”

  She blew on her coffee and chose her words carefully. “Business is good. Sales were up this summer, and now I’m getting ready for the holiday season. Unfortunately, Mae had an emergency out of town, so I’m flying solo today.”

  “Well, I’m happy to hear that business is good. The unexpected does happen, so I understand.”

  “Mr. Patel, I want to thank you for everything you’ve done in support of our business. If you hadn’t let us use your refrigerator a couple of times, I probably would have lost some of my biggest orders. And I more than appreciate the free meeting rooms.”

  He sipped his coffee. “I’m happy to do whatever I can to support you. I didn’t see any reason to charge you for use of the room when you only want it for an hour or two. Little things like that I love to do for the community. The relationship we’ve had with the Coleman House over the years has been a beautiful one. This whole community has been very good to me a
nd my family. I’m sure your café will be a great asset to the hotel.” Then he cleared his throat.

  She opened her folder, ready to talk business.

  “Before you do that, there is something we need to discuss.”

  He set his coffee cup down and clasped his hands together on the table in front of him. Tracee swallowed the knot in her throat. She didn’t like the serious change in his tone of voice.

  “The future of the Rival Hotel will be changing. At this point in my life, I’ve decided to retire from the hotel business. I’m selling all of the locations except one.”

  Tracee’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding.”

  He shook his head. “I’m afraid not. I’m currently in negotiations with two separate companies. I’m sorry I couldn’t have shared this information with you sooner, but we weren’t close enough to a deal.”

  “And you are now?” she asked, with a sinking feeling in her stomach.

  He smiled. “Yes, we’re closer. Nothing has been signed as of yet, but negotiations are going well.”

  She took another sip of coffee, then pushed the mug aside. “I think I already know the answer to this, but will Tracee’s Cake World be a part of the deal?” she asked.

  He chuckled. “If that were possible, I’d do it. However, I’m afraid it’s not.”

  She pressed on. “So, who are you considering selling to?”

  He raised his brows. “I’d rather not share that information, considering we’re still in negotiations. But I will mention the café when discussing the sale.”

  Tracee took a deep breath before taking one last sip of the coffee she was sure he had hoped would soften the blow. “Once you make a decision, I hope you will let me know, so I can approach the new owners about the space before someone else does.”

  He smiled. “Of course. And I’m very sorry I didn’t have better news for you today.”

  “So am I. But all’s not lost. I know you, Mr. Patel, and I’m sure you’ll keep me posted.”