Cappuccino Kisses

by Yahrah St. John

  * * *

  Sunshine was beaming in from the deck when Mariah finally awoke a few hours later. For a moment, she had no idea what day or time it was. Thanks to the throbbing in her center, all she remembered was making love to Everett all night and most of the morning, until they’d fallen asleep again.

  She smiled naughtily when she thought of the way she’d woken him before sunrise, with his manhood in her mouth. Mariah had no idea what had come over her. She’d always wanted to do it, but it hadn’t been her ex’s favorite. He’d never been willing to lose control and give up his power by coming in her mouth.

  Everett had. He’d trusted her with the most intimate part of himself, and because of it their love-making last night had been incredibly pleasurable and the most thrilling she’d ever had.

  The door to their suite opened and Everett walked in carrying a cardboard tray with foam cups of coffee, and a paper bag. “Good morning, or should I say good afternoon?”

  Mariah sat up, allowing the sheet to fall from her bare breasts, and reached for a cup. “Good afternoon and thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Everett sat beside her on the duvet cover and lightly caressed her cheek. “I enjoyed last night immensely.”

  “So did I.” She took a sip of coffee. It wasn’t Myers Coffee Roasters, but it would do in a pinch and covered her nervousness. She’d never woken up next to a man other than her ex-husband and was unsure of the proper etiquette. Was there one after they’d just spent all night making love and discovering each other’s bodies?

  Everett’s expression turned serious and contemplative. “I hope you know that I didn’t quite intend on coming on so strong. I’d planned to take you out and—”

  Mariah placed her index finger over his mouth. “Don’t apologize for being spontaneous. We were both living in the moment, which is clearly not something either of us do in our everyday life. Last night, this morning, couldn’t have been more perfect.”

  That brought a wide grin to his gorgeous face, “About this morning...” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, as if remembering how brazen she’d been in taking his shaft in her palms and making him come inside her mouth. It had felt not only erotic, but empowering, knowing that she could please Everett. “I didn’t expect to wake up...”

  “With you in my mouth?” she offered devilishly.

  For once Everett was the one blushing, and his smile broadened. “Yeah.”

  “You’re always the one giving,” Mariah responded. “This morning was for you, about you.”

  “Has anyone ever told you you’re incredible?”

  “Not lately.”

  Everett plucked the coffee cup out of her hand and placed it on the nightstand. “Well, then, allow me to enlighten you.” He slid the covers away and lowered her to the pillow.

  * * *

  By early evening, they were back in Seattle after a short ride on the ferry from Bainbridge Island. They were on their way to Everett’s parents’s place to pick up EJ. Everett hadn’t turned toward her apartment, but was heading to his folks’ home.

  “I’m not properly dressed to meet your parents, Everett.” She squirmed beside him in the passenger seat.

  “Hogwash, you look spectacular.” He eyed her in the tight white jeans, green turtleneck, scarf, denim jacket and riding boots.

  “I’m severely underdressed to meet your family.”

  He patted her thigh. “You’ll be fine. They’ll love you.” As I do, he almost added, but refrained. He couldn’t give too much of his feelings away before Mariah was ready to hear them.

  They pulled up to a wrought-iron black fence with a keypad. After he punched in several digits, the gate opened.

  “This is where you grew up?”

  He could hear the amazement in Mariah’s voice. “Not entirely,” Everett answered, even though he’d spent most of his teens here. “It’s about ten thousand square feet, with five bedrooms and six and a half baths.”

  She gave him a curious look, but said nothing as he drove up the long, tree-lined path before pulling into the circular driveway of the large brick house set on more than an acre of land. Four pillars in front made it look like a plantation right out of the South.

  “We’re here,” he said, turning off the engine and disembarking.

  He was at Mariah’s door in a flash and was glad he was, because the front door opened almost immediately. EJ came out and flew into his arms, shouting, “Dad, Dad!” followed closely by his parents.

  Everett bent down and scooped him up. “How’s my boy?”

  “I’m good,” EJ said, wrapping his small arms around Everett’s neck and giving him a hug. “I missed you.” Then he looked behind him. “Did you bring me something?”

  Everett glanced behind him as Mariah exited the vehicle. “You know I always do. Babe,” he called out to her, “can you get EJ’s gift from the backseat?”

  “Babe?” his mother said incredulously from the doorway.

  Mariah gave him a hesitant smile. “Of course.” She opened the back door and produced a puzzle she’d discovered on the island. “What do you think of this, EJ?” She held out the box as Everett placed the boy back on his feet.

  “Thanks!” EJ bent down to start opening it.

  “You can do that inside,” Everett scolded.

  “All right.” EJ picked up the box and rushed inside, curious to see what they’d brought him. Everett had told her EJ enjoyed puzzles and she hoped he like the gift.

  Everett walked over to Mariah and placed his arm around her waist. He could feel her trembling, and he wished she wouldn’t worry, because his parents were pussycats. “Mom, Dad, I’d like you to meet Mariah Drayson, my girlfriend.”

  Mariah glanced up at him in surprise, but didn’t correct him.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mariah,” Stephen Myers said, smiling at her.

  “Please come inside,” Gwen added. “There’s a chill.”

  They ended up in the European-style living room, where Everett’s father had already started a fire. Mariah noted the plastered beam ceilings, limestone floors and high-end light fixtures, while EJ disappeared into the room his grandparents had set up for him for overnight stays.

  “Brandy, son?” Stephen inquired, walking to the wet bar in the corner.

  “Love one,” Everett responded, as he sat on the plush suede sofa.

  “I was just having a glass of Bordeaux, if you’d like one, Mariah,” his mother offered.

  “I’ll have the same,” Mariah replied, joining Everett on the sofa. Gwen wasted no time pouring a goblet and handing it to her, then sat on the chaise.

  “How did you two meet?” Everett’s father asked from the bar.

  Everett turned to smile at her. “At Mariah’s bakery.”

  “Oh, so you’re the young lady my son told me about,” his mother commented.

  Mariah seemed surprised and turned to him. “You’ve been talking about me?”

  Gwen laughed. “Yes, nothing but good things. So how was your trip?”

  “It was wonderful,” Everett reached for Mariah’s hand. It was cold and a bit clammy, and he wished she would relax. His parents didn’t bite. Especially with him by her side. “Bainbridge Island is a hidden treasure.”

  “Oh, didn’t we visit there once, darling?” His mother glanced up at his father, who was returning with two brandies in hand.

  Everett accepted one and sipped generously.

  “We did,” Stephen responded, sitting beside his wife on the chaise. “It’s a great spot for lovers.”

  She coughed dramatically, as she’d just taken a sip of her wine.

  “C’mon, Gwen, we’re all adults here.” His father laughed. “Don’t act so surprised. Plus, it’s high time the boy brought a woman home after nearly five years o
f celibacy. It’s a breath of fresh air after losing Sara.”

  Everett rolled his eyes upward as he felt Mariah stiffen beside him on the sofa. He wished his father hadn’t brought up his deceased wife. “Well,” he said, then finished the rest of his brandy in one gulp, “I think we should grab EJ and head on home.” He prodded Mariah to rise from the sofa and she placed her wine goblet on the table beside his glass.

  “Everett, that’s fine brandy you have there. It was meant to be sipped,” his father reprimanded, sitting upright.

  And boy, did he know it. Everett could feel the sting of the burning liquid going down like molten fire in his belly. “Sorry, Dad. We have to get EJ home and ready for school tomorrow.”

  “Oh.” His mother frowned. “We’d hoped you’d stay awhile. We’d like to get to know Mariah.”

  “And you will,” Everett said, speaking for Mariah, who’d suddenly gone as quiet as a mouse. He placed his hand on the small of her back. “I promise. We’ll arrange for a dinner real soon.”

  “It was lovely to have met you,” his father said, grasping both Mariah’s hands.

  “You both as well.” She finally spoke as Everett led her to the foyer.

  “I’m going to get EJ,” he said to her. “I’ll be right back, okay?” He hadn’t liked the turn the conversation had taken and was eager to get back on the road with EJ and Mariah, and away from painful memories.

  * * *

  Mariah watched Everett climb the winding staircase to the second floor. She’d sensed his unease in the living room and his need for a quick getaway.

  “I hope we didn’t upset you, dear,” his mother said from behind her, “when my husband mentioned Everett’s wife, Sara.”

  “Deceased wife,” Stephen corrected, from her side.

  Mariah spun around. She hadn’t heard them enter the foyer.

  “No, no, of course not.” She feigned a smile even though her stomach was knotting. It wasn’t that she was jealous of Everett’s dead wife. How could she be when she knew nothing about her? That’s the part of him that Everett kept to himself. He hadn’t confided in her even after she’d learned they’d shared a child. Did he not think he could talk to her about Sara?

  “It’s just that Sara was a big part of this family,” his mother continued. “Had been for years, and losing her so suddenly, so tra—” her voice broke slightly “—tragically was a big blow to us and to Everett. He was so devastated—”

  “Mother...”

  The commanding tone coming from behind them caused them all to turn around. The scowl on Everett’s face as he held EJ to his side was unmistakable.

  “I’m sorry, Everett,” his mother murmured, clearly embarrassed at having been caught discussing a forbidden topic.

  Everett’s lips pursed together. “It’s fine.” He turned to his father. “Thanks for watching EJ for me.”

  “It was no trouble at all.” Stephen Myers lowered himself to EJ’s height. “We enjoy having our grandson around. Makes us feel young, right, Gwen?” He looked up at his wife, who had unshed tears in her eyes, but she merely nodded in response.

  EJ gave his grandfather a hug. “Bye, Grandpa.”

  “Mariah?” Everett looked in her direction.

  Mariah touched his mother’s shoulder. “I’ll see you again, sometime soon?”

  “I would like that,” Gwen whispered.

  Mariah followed Everett and EJ out into the night. The air was chilly, but that was nothing compared to Everett’s somber mood on the ride to her apartment. He was quiet, leaving EJ to chatter nonstop about the days he’d spent with his grandparents. Mariah couldn’t understand why Everett was so upset that his mother had shared that part of him with her. They were dating, after all. Gwen probably assumed they’d spoken of Sara. Perhaps if he’d been more open and forthright, Mariah wouldn’t be so desperate for the tiniest scrap of information about her from his parents.

  Instead of turning off the engine when they reached her apartment, Everett kept it running as he pulled her suitcase out of the trunk and walked her up the stairs. “You don’t have to see me to my door.” She glanced behind him at EJ. “It’s not good to leave your son in the car by himself with the engine running.”

  Everett nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” He asked it more as a question instead of making a statement. How could he wonder, when they were so much more than business partners now? He brushed a kiss across her forehead.

  “Of course,” Mariah responded. She watched him turn to leave and couldn’t understand what had just happened. They’d shared one of the sexiest, most romantic nights of her life and she couldn’t let it end on a sour note.

  Mariah dropped her suitcase and ran after Everett, catching him at the curb. She didn’t care that EJ was sitting in the car, staring at them. When she reached Everett and he spun around to face her, she circled her arms around his neck and kissed him hard.

  She kissed him passionately, using her mouth, her teeth and her tongue, and pressing her body into his groin to remind him of the mind-blowing sex they’d shared. She pulled away slightly to stare into his dark brown eyes and saw the man she’d been with yesterday. And kissed him again. He responded and pulled her even tighter to him.

  Several moments later she could feel his erection pressing firmly against her core. Everett was the first to retreat and step backward. “W-what was that?”

  Mariah let out a deep, ragged breath. She was just as affected by the kiss as he was. “A reminder of how good we are. We’ll talk tomorrow.” She blew a kiss at him and spun on her heel and walked away.

  Chapter 15

  Mariah had never felt so good. After she’d given Everett a kiss that rocked both their worlds, she’d thought she’d have spent the night worrying about why he was finding it so hard to talk to her about his past. Instead, she’d fallen into a deep sleep, probably because she hadn’t gotten much sleep the previous evening after they’d made love all night.

  She awoke on Monday morning in much better spirits than she’d gone to bed, excited about the day ahead because construction was starting on the café. They’d finally settled on a contractor and Everett had submitted the final drawings for a permit.

  Thanks to Everett’s connections, the approval process would be fast-tracked. The contractor had received the okay for an early start so they could begin work, and now Mariah was sure she’d see Everett just about every day throughout the project. He’d indicated he would be very hands-on.

  So when he walked in later that morning in trousers and a button-down shirt, Mariah’s heart began hammering loudly in her chest. She hadn’t thought she’d still feel this giddy around him, but she did, just as she had the first time they’d met. Except this time they weren’t strangers. They were lovers.

  She watched as he donned a hard hat the foreman had given him. He smiled at her from across the room, causing her to tingle all over. She was so aware of him. How could she not be after the intimacies they’d shared on the island? She wondered if her brothers could tell. Chase and Jackson were both huddled in the storefront, whispering about something, while she openly ogled Everett while she acted as if she was stocking the display cases. Instead she was watching his every move.

  Once he’d finished with the superintendent, Everett walked straight toward her and, right in front of her brothers, pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She heard the hoots and hollers of Chase and Jackson from behind them, but all she could feel was the thud of her own heart and the warmth of Everett’s strong arms around her.

  When they separated, Mariah smiled up at him. She wiped some of her lipstick off his lips. “Good morning.”

  He smiled back. “Good morning.”

  “As much as I know you lovebirds would like another day off, this is a place of business,” Chase teased from behind her.

  Ever
ett let her go, much to her consternation. “We’ll continue this later,” he murmured in her ear. “How about dinner at my place with EJ?”

  “At your place? Sure.”

  They set a time and soon he was waving to her brothers and exiting the bakery.

  Jackson winked at her as Everett departed. Mariah couldn’t resist blushing, clearly confirming what he already knew: their relationship had blossomed.

  * * *

  Later than night, Mariah drove over to Everett’s. Because it was a school night it had made sense for her to go there, so she brought dinner with her since Margaret had called out ill earlier that day. Everett lived in an upscale part of Seattle in one of the high-rises. She had to be buzzed in by security downstairs, then entered an elevator that climbed to the penthouse floor.

  “Chinese food!” EJ yelled, and took the bags from her when she arrived. “Thank you, Miss Mariah,” he said over his shoulder as he disappeared in what she assumed was the direction of the kitchen.

  Mariah stepped inside and glanced around the elegantly decorated apartment. It was strange that this was her first time over. That’s when she realized that Everett had been doing all the giving, all the chasing, and this was the first time she’d made the effort to truly get to know him. No wonder he didn’t want to share more about his past with her.

  “Can I take your coat?” he asked from her side.

  Mariah turned around and allowed him to help her out of the denim jacket she wore over a maxi skirt, tank and crocheted sweater. She’d gone home after the bakery and changed before picking up dinner on the way.

  “So, welcome,” Everett said, as she walked farther into the living room and took in the modern decor, abstract art, flat-screen television and stunning glass dining table with parson chairs.

  She turned to face him. “You didn’t decorate this place, did you?”

  He stared at her for several long moments before he finally answered, “No, I didn’t.”

  Mariah nodded in understanding and quietly walked toward the French doors to the terrace. She opened them and stepped out to the railing, staring at the dark sky and stars overhead. She didn’t know why it hurt that Everett was still in the same apartment he’d shared with his wife, but it did.