by King, Thayer
Only a year separated him and Sean. Though their personalities were drastically different, there was no denying that they were brothers. They looked too much alike. Occasionally, they had been mistaken for twins. They had the same good looks, thick black hair, and bright blue eyes.
Mystique was tall for a woman and model pretty. She had pale, creamy skin the color of a latte and large dark eyes. Her normally curly locks were straightened, and hung down to her waist in a shiny raven curtain. It was easy to see why his brother had become so obsessed with her even before they ever met. And she was sweet to boot. Keith liked to think she’d been a good influence on Sean. Sean was more grounded and happier than he’d ever known him to be.
Bear, tail wagging so fast it was almost a blur, stood on hind legs and put his paws on Sean’s middle, demanding attention. Sean gave him a brisk rub and a scratch behind the ears. “Hey, Bear! Aren’t you a good boy?” Having received the proper adulation, he sniffed Mystique’s shoes before flopping down in front of the television.
“Sean, Mystique, this is Imani.”
Sean was quick to fold her into a hug. “We’ve been hearing about you forever. I’m glad to finally make your acquaintance.”
When Sean released Imani, Mystique stepped forward for a similar embrace. As they parted, she held Imani’s left hand. “Is this what I think it is?”
Imani’s smile was shy as she confirmed their engagement. “Yes, Keith asked me yesterday.”
“Congratulations, bro! Why didn’t you say anything? We would have brought you Champagne.”
“We still can,” Mystique said.
Catching her meaning, Keith was swift to object before she could conjure a bottle of wine. “Whoa! That won’t be necessary. We’ll celebrate some other time.” They were all staring at him as though he’d lost his marbles. Mystique and Sean exchanged a look and he knew they were conversing through their bond.
Imani frowned at him. “Are you okay?”
“Fine. Um, why don’t you check on the roast while I show Sean and Mystique my garden?”
She shrugged. “Sure.”
Mystique and Sean followed him outside. Before he could say a word, Sean laid into him. “You haven’t told her?”
Keith winced at his accusatory tone. So he was a trifle defensive in his response. “When was I supposed to tell her? When she was refusing to date me or after she finally agreed, with the understanding that we would never have sex?”
Sean choked. “You haven’t bonded with her?”
Keith led them farther into the garden and away from the house. He was uncomfortable talking about anything so intensely private with even Sean. “We’ve begun the bonding, but she’s human. It may never reach the level of what you have with Mystique.”
“But you’ve asked her to marry you! When do you plan to tell her the truth?”
He never intended to, so he didn’t reply.
“You can’t go into a marriage with secrets, Keith,” Mystique added in a soft voice.
“What would be the point in telling her? Who knows how she would react? She has no experience with witches.”
“That’s one whopper of a secret to keep from your wife,” Sean pointed out. “Magic is a big part of your life. It would be like you’re pretending to be someone you’re not.”
“Trust me, Keith. Women don’t like feeling as though they’ve been deceived,” Mystique said. “Plus, there’s the added security of the bond, of knowing that the man you’re with will always be true to you. You can’t underestimate the lure of that for a woman.” She held her hand out and Sean took it. “You talk about the supernatural bond Sean and I share. That bond is strengthened by the way we share our feelings, our goals, and our thoughts. How can you expect to be close to Imani if you’re partitioning off what truths you tell her?”
He wanted to be close to her, but if all they could have was what they had now, he’d be satisfied with that. Not once had he considered revealing his abilities to Imani. She was human. What if she couldn’t accept what he was? What if she was afraid of him? No. He wasn’t taking that chance.
“Mystique, I appreciate your advice, but the situation between Imani and me is different than it was for you and Sean.” They looked doubtful and he knew he would hear more from Sean on the matter, but he changed the topic and began pointing out features of his garden.
Dinner went smoothly, though Keith could tell when Mystique and Sean were communicating through their link. It made him ache for that kind of closeness with Imani. It wasn’t that he wasn’t happy with her. He couldn’t imagine himself with anyone else. They were engaged. She seemed to be over whatever hang-ups she’d had over sex.
So what if he would have to tell her the occasional white lie to hide his magic powers? If he had a lifetime of happiness with her, how could that matter? He would be a faithful and supportive husband. She would never want for more.
After dinner, Keith and Sean closed themselves off in his home office while Imani and Mystique watched television. Keith was glad to notice that they seemed to like her as much as he did.
“She’s great, Keith,” Sean said, confirming his thoughts. Sean took a seat on the couch along the wall, the only other seating in his office aside from his office chair.
Keith opened his desk drawer and pulled out the manuscript Sean had sent him and then joined his brother on the couch. “Yeah, she is. She’s confident and intelligent.”
“Intelligent enough to figure out that your garden is totally impossible?”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You plant like a warlock. You totally disregard the natural seasons or zones for your plants. Suppose she happens to find out. I mean, she does work in a library.”
“She likes the look of them, but she’s not interested in gardening.”
Sean scoffed. “And when you live together, suppose she has a friend over who does know plants? What then?”
“You’re borrowing trouble.”
“And you’re being thickheaded, shortsighted, and unreasonable. That shit’s my forte.”
“Ha, ha. Sean, I’m doing what I believe to be best.”
Sean ran his hand through his hair. “I want you to be happy, but I’m afraid you’re going to fuck this up. Did you even listen to Mystique? Women don’t like being lied to.”
Keith clenched his jaw. He knew he was right. “Sean, can we just discuss the script?”
“Depends. Are we making a movie or not?”
“Depends on how you answer my questions about your script.”
Sean growled. “Whatever happened to good old fashioned nepotism? You can’t just give me a break already?”
Keith laughed. “No. You take your craft seriously, and so do I.”
“All right, but let’s be quick about it. Mystique and I are practicing making a baby. I can’t wait to get started.”
“Are you guys really thinking of starting a family?”
Sean’s shrug was nonchalant but his smile was excited. “Maybe.”
“Good luck.” Keith shook his head. Viewing Sean as a responsible adult was still new to him. And now he was talking about raising a kid of his own. “Wow.”
“What?”
“I was thinking, you’re the same guy who used to go to parties with one woman and leave with another. Mom and Dad were beginning to despair of you ever settling down.”
“As you know, I needed to meet the right woman.” He paused, smiling. “Congrats again on your engagement.”
“Thanks, bro.” Keith flipped through the pages of the script, stopping at the first area he’d flagged. “Okay, here I was wondering what type of special effects you were thinking of using to bring this scene to life. It’s a pivotal scene and it has to be exactly right if you want the story to be believable.”
It was close to eleven when Sean and Mystique left for their hotel. Imani helped Keith to clean his kitchen despite his protests. He could have set it to rights with a mere thought, but he wasn’t going
to turn down the opportunity to spend more time with her. Even if that involved hand-washing dirty dishes, with food stains she deemed too tough for his dishwasher.
“I should go,” she said when the last pot had been put away. She wrinkled her cute little nose. “I have work tomorrow.”
“I’ll drive you in and pick you up after.”
She grinned. “Are you suggesting I spend the night again?”
“I can never get enough of being with you.” He took her hand and led her out to the den. He sat down and pulled her on top of him so that she straddled his thighs.
“And what will we do? Play games?”
He pretended to ponder her question. Tapping a finger against his chin, he said, “Oh, I don’t know. We could watch a movie….”
“Sounds like a great idea!” She rolled off him and turned on the television. Flipping through the channels, she hummed a zippy tune, her teasing smile a sign that she knew exactly what he desired to do with her tonight. “Oh, look at this! Have you seen this before?”
He tore his gaze from her beautiful profile to glance at the television. He winced when he saw a ponytail-wearing Julian Sands filling the screen. Warlock didn’t portray witches in the best light. The idea that witches needed to kill unbaptized children to gain the ability to fly was absurd and horrifying. Where the hell did humans get such bloodthirsty ideas? “Um, yeah.”
“I forgot about this one. I should have listed it among my favorites.”
Keith choked on an inhaled breath.
“Are you okay?”
He nodded but couldn’t answer her. Imani turned off the television and rushed to the kitchen. Seconds later she returned with a glass of water. He swallowed half the cold liquid in a single gulp before setting the glass on the coffee table.
“Better?” she asked, concern filling her lovely dark brown eyes. Hovering over him, she brushed his curls back from his forehead.
“Much,” he said. Keith grabbed her and pulled her beneath him on the couch. “And getting better.”
She gasped. “Were you faking?”
“No. I’m just taking advantage of the moment.” He covered her mouth with his. She moaned and immediately speared his mouth with her tongue. He’d discovered that she truly enjoyed kissing, so he kissed her long and deep.
He slid his hands beneath her, arching her body into his. Imani wrapped her legs around his waist. She sucked his tongue and dug her nails into his buttocks. He thrust into her so that she would know how much he wanted her. She whimpered and rolled her hips into his. They established a heated rhythm that only served to fan the flames of his desire for her.
Breaking their kiss, he levered himself off of Imani. He grabbed the back of his shirt and whipped it over his head. Then he gripped the hem of her shirt and eased it over her head. He reached behind her to undo the hooks on her bra. There were four. He couldn’t wait to feel her skin against his. It occurred to him that he could magic their clothing away. But that wasn’t possible, so he shoved the tempting thought away.
Filling his hands with her breasts, Keith groaned and his cock jerked in his pants. She was so beautiful. Her nipples pressed into his palms. Longing to have them in his mouth, he bent and licked the dark chocolate peaks. “Keith,” she moaned his name and arched into his kisses. He took his time licking and sucking her nipples. Her sounds of pleasure went straight to his cock. Confined inside his jeans, his penis was painfully swollen and damned uncomfortable.
As though reading his mind, Imani inched her hands between their bodies and undid the snap to his pants. He shifted to give her more room. He groaned against her breast as she unzipped him and took him into her palm. Curling her fingers around his shaft, she squeezed him. Keith shuddered as she ran her thumb over the moist head.
He needed to be inside her again. He stood and pushed his briefs and pants down. “Panties off, baby.” She obeyed immediately, shimming her pants and panties down her hips. “God, you’re so beautiful,” he said, his voice thick with desire. He helped her to stand. He couldn’t resist tracing her curves with his hands. Her breasts were full and her waist incredibly small. She was enough to make a grown man weep for want of her. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She elevated herself onto her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. “Now make love to me.”
“Plan to.” He nudged her until she turned around then gently guided her into position, her knees on the couch cushion, her hands braced on the arm of the sofa. He climbed on behind her, leaving one foot on the floor.
Despite having taken him last night, she was still incredibly tight after such an extended period of abstinence. Sliding in, he had to grit his teeth at the moist heat and suction. With only the head in, he already felt on the verge of losing control.
“Please,” Imani whimpered, spreading her thighs wider and backing into him.
Keith gripped her hips, and buried half his length in her. He slid back and then pumped into her again, this time not stopping until he was in to the hilt. She gave a startled cry. “Okay?”
“Oh, God, yes.” But she was trembling.
“More?”
“Please, yes.”
He thrust deep and hard. Once, twice. Imani came apart in his arms, crying out his name, stunning him. Her pussy clamped down on his cock, sucking him deeper. He halted his movement until she was no longer convulsing beneath him.
“I’m sorry,” she said, sounding embarrassed. “It-it was just so intense. I’ve never done it this way. I wasn’t expecting it.”
He chuckled somewhat breathlessly. “Don’t apologize for your pleasure. That is the whole point.” He sat back on his heel. “Sit in my lap.” He wrapped his arms around her waist. Kissing her neck, he cupped her breasts and teased the tips. “Do you think you could do that again?” He pumped up into her body.
“Oh, yes,” she breathed.
Keith snaked a hand down her belly and between her thighs. She was so wet. His fingers slipped over the tight bud of her clit as he started fucking her again. Hard and fast. Her soft cries filled his ears. She flung her head back over his shoulder. Pleasure skated up his spine as he took her pussy.
Their sweat-slickened bodies collided together endlessly. She ground her hips into him, skewering herself on his cock.
“Oh, damn, baby,” he groaned into her neck. “Your pussy is perfect. I could fuck you all night.” But he was getting close. He held Imani tight so that with each thrust, he buried himself as deeply as he could go. Imani’s cunt was clamped tightly around his member. His breath caught at the exquisite sensation of having his woman come on his cock. She moaned his name and dug her nails into his thighs. That small bite of pain was all it took to push him over the edge. His cock swelled right before jerking. He couldn’t stop moving his hips as he filled her with his seed.
He felt slightly lightheaded with euphoria. He hugged Imani. As he rested his head against hers, a prickling sensation slithered over his body from his scalp down to his toes. He recognized it as a tentative building of their bond. The connection was faint, barely a whisper, but he was so happy he could have cried.
Chapter Twelve
Imani hummed as she gathered her belongings at the end of the day. Other than locking the front door, she was done. Steph had just left. She opened her purse and took out her engagement ring. Simply the sight of it made her smile. When she’d shown the ring to Thea, the two of them had jumped up and down and squealed like little girls. As she was sliding the glittering ring on her finger, the door opened and Steph breezed back inside. “Forgot my phone.” The other woman stopped as she drew abreast of her. “What’s this?” Steph’s gaze immediately zoned in on her ring.
Imani groaned inwardly. She hadn’t been comfortable wearing the impressive yellow diamond at work, the main reason being Steph. The woman was continually asking about her relationship with Keith. She’d seemed to expect they would break up. And anytime Imani did say anything about Keith, Steph would make a negative comment. “It’s my
engagement ring.”
Steph frowned. “What? The two of you have barely been dating a minute. Are you crazy? The man could be a wife beater or a serial killer.”
“Thanks, Steph,” Imani snapped, having had enough of Steph’s blatant jealousy. “Would it really kill you to just say congratulations and leave it at that?” She zipped her purse and headed outside. Steph could lock up behind herself. She was in such a hurry that she bumped into a woman who was about to enter the library. “Oh, I’m sorry!”
“It’s not a problem. In fact, I’m glad that we bumped into each other. You’re exactly who I wanted to see.”
It was Harlow. Why was this woman still in town? “I don’t want to talk to you.”
“Please. I want to apologize.”
Imani’s eyebrows rose. “Why? You’ve made your intentions quite clear.”
Steph chose that moment to exit the library. “You’re still here?” Her keys jangled as she pulled them out and locked the door.
“Not anymore.” The last thing Imani wanted was to introduce Steph to Harlow. Who knows what ideas she’d get if she found out Harlow was Keith’s friend. But apparently, they’d be the same thoughts Harlow herself had harbored. Harlow dogged her steps to her car. Imani climbed behind the wheel with the intention of driving off and ignoring the woman.
Harlow grasped the doorframe, preventing her from closing the door. “Imani, please, listen. It was a mistake.”
She glared up at Harlow. As usual, Harlow wore all black. It was like her wardrobe was modeled after Morticia Addams. “You didn’t seem to think so at the time. In fact, I recall you encouraging me to leave.”
Harlow shrugged. “You can’t blame me for wanting Keith. I tried and I failed. I’d like us all to be friends.”
