“If she takes me back.”
Mr. Henderson rapped his knuckles on the table. Fredrick looked back at the satisfied smile on the man’s face. “I think she will.”
Janiyah skipped into the sunroom, a hesitant smile on her full lips. She wore a fitted plaid shirt and shorts that barely covered her fantastic backside. He tried not to stare at the enticing image she made. The ponytail she wore along with her exuberance over her father being home made her look delicious, further increasing his craving to taste the soft skin beneath the outfit.
“Daddy, can I talk to Freddy for a minute?”
Roger slowly stood and both Fredrick and Janiyah rushed to help him up. “Thanks,” Roger said, though his voice sounded like he wasn’t happy to need the help. “I’ll go in the living room and let the boys pester me now.”
“Do you want to talk out here?” he asked after Roger left.
“No, let’s go to the pool house. Otherwise someone will interrupt us.”
• • •
Janiyah shoved her shaking hands into the pockets of her shorts as they walked to the pool house. She could feel Freddy’s gaze boring into her back on the way. She was not going to throw herself at him. She was not going to ask him to take her back. She understood his fears, and had realized that her trying to become what she thought he wanted was one of the reasons they’d broken up. She couldn’t take another rejection.
But she did want to thank him for being such a good friend, and apologize for pushing things. Having him here made her realize she missed his friendship. She wanted that back.
The minute the door closed she second-guessed the location. They were too far away from everyone. She should have just stayed in the sunroom.
“Um … I wanted … want to say thank you for being here for my family. I know you missed the Satterfield meeting because of it.”
“You don’t have to thank me, Janiyah. I’ll always be here for you, and your family.”
She swallowed hard. He’d be here for her and her family. “I know, but I want you to understand that I appreciate it. You prepared for weeks for that meeting, then missed it because of me. I never wanted you to make that choice.”
“The choice was easy.”
“But I didn’t want you to be in that position. I hope that despite what happened, we can still be friends.”
“I want more than that.”
She shook her head and looked down at her feet. “Don’t say that. I’ve accepted that we won’t be together. That we don’t work.”
“Yes, we do.”
She turned away and paced back and forth. Her heart beat sporadically in her chest, shooting her up with that anticipation cocktail that made her rush into decisions.. She really wanted to believe him.
“No, we don’t, remember? I’m a threat to your livelihood. I might tempt you to throw away everything you worked for. What happened with the Satterfield meeting is exactly what you were afraid of.”
He took her elbow to stop her pacing. “What happened was that when I thought of you in pain and upset, nothing else mattered except being there for you.”
“Fredrick, stop.”
He pulled her close. “I won’t stop. I messed up. I never should have said that to you. I used my dad’s bad decisions as an excuse to push you away. The truth is, I wasn’t worried about losing myself. I was worried about losing you. You wanted me once when you were too young to know what you were asking.” He held up a hand. “Don’t interrupt, because we both know if I would have taken your virginity back then, it would have been disastrous all the way around. After that, you teased and flirted with me, but you didn’t show that interest again. You became this beautiful, fun-loving person who dated guys far more interesting than an accountant. Instead of admitting that I was jealous and unsure if I could make you happy, I put the blame on you. I’m sorry.”
“You’re the one I always come back to. I keep putting my feelings out there, and you keep tossing them back. I can’t do that again. I’m nothing but a joke to men like you.”
“You’re not a joke. You’re the excitement in my life, the person who reminds me that there is more to life than work.” His hand lifted to her neck where his fingers lightly traced along the vein pounding on her throat. “We balance each other out. You shake things up and I’m your occasional voice of reason.”
“I can’t be the person I tried to be when we dated.”
“I don’t want her. I like the Janiyah who eats my cereal, changes the channels on my television, and helps our next-door neighbor sell sex toys.”
“You know about that?” He couldn’t have seen it in her budget; she hadn’t charged Mrs. Driggers for anything. Mrs. Driggers said she’d find Janiyah at least two paying customers for all of the help she’d given her for free.
“I saw one of Mrs. Driggers’s flyers in the common area. It had your design logo in the corner. I’m proud of how you helped her.”
Her body hummed with the need to trust him. But they needed to be clear. She couldn’t go down the same path as before.
“I’d never want to see you lose your business, especially because of me. I watched my dad build his automotive empire and work hard every day to keep it. I respect what he did, and I respect what you do. Why would you think I’d spend all your money? I couldn’t care less about your money.”
“I know. I shouldn’t have implied that you did.”
“You say that, but do you really mean it? You should think about this—away from me and my family—and be sure this is what you want.”
“I know what I want” His voice was low, sure, and steady.
She took a deep breath and prepared to ask the hard question. “Are you still afraid to love me?”
He didn’t blink, only moved closer and slid a hand around her waist as he stared into her eyes. “No. I am afraid of losing you.” He lowered his head to kiss the side of her neck. He hit her spot, and her knees gave way. “Give me a chance to make this right.”
She succumbed to the rush of anticipation flooding her system. This time she didn’t question it. Her chin lifted, giving him better access. His tongue flicked against the soft skin of her neck, and any doubts quickly turned to desire.
“We haven’t made up,” she said.
His hands deftly unfastened the snap of her shorts. “We’re getting close.” He lowered one hand to the back of her shorts to cup her butt. He pulled her close until his dick pressed firmly against the front of her shorts.
“I’m serious, Fredrick.” Her voice trembled.
He lifted his head and stared into her eyes. “That’s twice you’ve called me Fredrick.”
“It’s how I think of you. When we’re together like this. But my family is right next door.”
He stepped back enough to unbutton and spread open her shirt. His eyes narrowed into seductive slits as he took in her breasts in a plain, white bra. Lust pounded through her veins, concentrating wetly between her legs.
“It’s just us in here,” he said.
He pulled her hair out of its ponytail and caressed her scalp. He went back to kissing her neck. Her hands gripped his hips. “I love the way you smell, Janiyah. It makes me want to lick every inch of your body. Say you’ll give us another try, and I promise to do just that.”
That was it. She was through talking. Her head twisted to kiss him. He groaned and pushed her shorts and underwear down. She quickly released the button and zipper on his pants to take his rigid flesh in her grasp. His body trembled, or maybe it was hers. It really didn’t matter.
He made short work of removing her bra. Almost immediately he lifted her up and took one aching nipple into his mouth. Her legs wrapped around his waist, putting her slick center right on his erection. She twisted her hips, pleasuring herself and covering him with the sweat of her desire.
“You’re like a dream come true,” he said against her lips.
He gently lowered them both to the floor, and slid inside of her at the same time. Their lovemakin
g was fast. She wanted him so badly her orgasm was upon her almost as soon as his body joined hers. She writhed in pleasure, alternating between panting his full name and biting his shoulder to keep from screaming out like she wanted. When her body clenched around him, he came right after.
“I love you, Janiyah,” he said into the crook of her neck, words he’d never uttered during lovemaking before.
CHAPTER 31
Fredrick watched Janiyah work the room at the young professionals mixer. Everyone in the room wore safari hats that clashed with their business suits. The Mardi Gras themed mixer she’d put together before was such a hit that they asked her to come up with a theme for each one. Even in her khaki dress and safari hat, Janiyah managed to be the brightest spot there. He was a big fan of her choice in dresses. Every time he looked at the V-neck his mouth watered to explore the soft swells beneath. The skirt stopped in the middle of her slim thighs. He let his gaze drop to the camouflage stilettos. She’d keep those on when they made love tonight.
She’d taken over the event planning for the group as part of the re-launch of her business. He wasn’t surprised when she’d brought him a business plan to expand her virtual assistance work into a consulting service. Now she offered event planning, scheduling assistance, and document preparation for small businesses that couldn’t afford to have someone in-house handle things. She said Mrs. Driggers gave her the idea when she referred her to a friend trying to start a business.
He’d never doubted she could do it, especially after she updated his office in a matter of weeks. If anything, he was proud she found a way to take her business to the next level.
“How’s it going, Fredrick?”
He suppressed a sigh as Evan walked up. “Going well.”
“Janiyah looks great tonight,” Evan said.
They both watched her and Liz talking to a group across the room. Janiyah slid one of her new business cards out of the pocket of her dress and passed it to one of the ladies in the group. He smiled; she knew how to hustle her business.
“She does.”
“Are you two still sleeping together?”
Fredrick turned from Janiyah to scowl at Evan. “Pardon me?”
Evan smirked. “I knew there was a reason you’d hire someone like her. Those after-hours perks are hard to deny.”
“What perks?”
“Come on. I heard you two one night in your office.”
Anger surged through every crevice in Fredrick’s body. “I didn’t realize you liked to listen at doors.”
“I didn’t have to stand too close. She’s a firecracker, that one.” Evan looked across the room at Janiyah. “Maybe send her my way when you’re done playing.”
He moved to block Evan’s view of Janiyah. “I’m not playing with Janiyah. And if you ever talk about her like that again, I don’t care where we are, I’ll knock your teeth down your throat.” His fist clenched to do just that.
Evan’s eyes widened. He held up his hands. “I meant no harm.”
“Neither do I. I’ll look for your resignation tomorrow.”
“You can’t fire me.”
“I can, and I just did. Good night.” He turned his back on Evan and strode across the room to Janiyah.
He alternated between fury and disbelief. He no longer cared who knew he was with Janiyah. But to think that Evan, and probably other men, thought he was just having some fun made him want to break something. It was too close to the belief Janiyah had before they broke up. Inwardly he groaned. He’d once asked her how long they would be together. Even though they’d moved on, what if she still thought he felt the same?
He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. Her eyes filled with surprise and then delight. It was time to break his rule of no public displays of affection. He’d end any whispered conversations about what might be going on between them.
“How are you?” he asked.
She placed a hand on his chest and leaned into him. “Great. I was just talking about my plans for the next mixer. I’m thinking a Vegas theme with card tables and door prizes from the businesses in attendance.”
“Sounds like a great idea.”
“She’s going to make these events the highlight of the professional community,” Liz said, grinning between the two. “Leave it to Janiyah to get everyone wearing Safari hats on a Tuesday night.”
The group chuckled their agreement and touched their hats. He smiled down at Janiyah, making sure his dimple came out. “That’s why I love her.” Her lips parted and her fingers clutched the front of his shirt. He followed his instinct and lowered his head to kiss her quickly. “I’m going to leave early. I’ll see you when you’re done here?”
“I’ll be there in about an hour. Are you sure you won’t stay?”
He shook his head. “Long day, but you enjoy yourself. You can fill me in on everything later.” He leaned down to kiss her cheek. “And I’ll fill you in on what your legs and those heels are doing to me,” he whispered in her ear.
She shivered and grinned at him. “I look forward to that.”
He turned to Liz and the rest of the group. “You all have a good night.”
He gave her one last squeeze then walked away. He glanced at his watch. It was getting late, but he had one last stop to make.
• • •
“If you check the time again I’m going to scream,” Liz said, pulling off her safari hat and smoothing her hair back.
“There’s nothing wrong with checking the time.”
“What’s killing me is that you’re hanging around here pretending to have fun when you’re dying to get to Fredrick’s and follow up on that look he gave you. I’m totally hating because I’m in a dry spell, but it’s hard to hold on to it when you’re so obviously happy.”
“I am happy. It’s different this time. We’re still us, but just together. If that makes sense.”
“It doesn’t, but I can see the difference,” Liz said before tilting her head to the door. “Go on, have a good night.”
Janiyah gave Liz a hug. When she pulled back she caught the eye of William, the guy she’d volunteered with at Conversions. She waved him over. Liz’s eyes lit up while Janiyah made the introductions and William did a double take when Liz smiled at him. Bingo. Just as she’d thought, they were perfect for each other.
She stopped to talk to one of the committee members who put on the mixer on her way out the door and made up some excuse to leave. The knowing look in the young woman’s eye meant she probably knew Janiyah was running off to be with Freddy. She knew there were rumors she was a fling for him, the up and coming successful businessman having fun with the young party planner. It didn’t annoy her. Not much anyway. She knew there was more to her and Freddy than that.
“Oh, Janiyah, can you give me a second?” Diana stopped her.
Diana wasn’t in a safari hat, and looked impeccable in a black pinstripe suit with her hair pulled back into a sleek bun.
“Sure, Diana, what’s up?”
Diana shifted from foot to foot and studied her manicured nails. “I heard about your new consulting business and while I usually can handle things on my own, it never hurts to solicit help.” She stopped shuffling and met Janiyah’s eye. “Do you only work for businesses, or do you help individuals as well?”
“I’ve helped individuals.”
“Normally, I can manage my schedule just fine. I’m just so busy with work, and the kids, and everything else. I tend to forget things like birthdays and anniversaries. My oldest wanted a party at the zoo and it just slipped my mind.” Tears misted her eyes. “I’d like to avoid disappointing him again.”
Janiyah pulled a business card out of her pocket and handed it over. “Send me all of the important dates. I’ll forward a questionnaire about their interests and you can send more information to me as they come up. I’ll schedule the parties, order the gifts, and get the invitations out. Don’t worry, everyone can use the help of an assistant every once in a while.”<
br />
Diana slipped the card in her purse and sighed. “If we can keep this between us. I don’t want my husband to know that I can’t keep up with this type of stuff.”
“It’ll be our secret,” Janiyah said with a smile.
She left Diana and hurried to her car. She grinned all the way to Freddy’s house. She was doing it. She was actually growing her business into something tangible. Maybe one day, she’d have a real office—with flexible hours. It felt good, and real. She’d gone from a joke to an entrepreneur, all on her own. Something she never would have thought she could do only a few months ago.
Surprisingly, Freddy wasn’t there when Janiyah arrived at his house. Knowing him, he’d left the party and gone to the bookstore first. He was probably taking his time, thinking she wouldn’t be there for a while. She wanted to take off her shoes and put on a pair of his pajamas to lounge on the couch. But his comment on her legs in her heels meant she was keeping everything on. It would be more fun to have him take it off later anyway.
She pulled a bag of grapes from his fridge at the same time his back door alarm chimed as he came in.
He grinned, full on dimple, and came over to pull her in his arms. “You’re here already?”
“I can leave and come back later.”
“Oh no, you’re here and I’m keeping you.”
He kissed her and she easily let her body melt into his. She would never get tired of his kisses.
“Mmmm, what was that for?” she said in a breathless whisper.
“A precursor to what I want to do later.”
She grinned. “While I’m wearing these shoes?”
“Nothing but those shoes.”
“Promises, promises.” She kissed him again, then slipped away to get the grapes. “I’m surprised I beat you here.”
Just My Type Page 22
