by Katie Dowe
“Or it could be that I'm just being a good brother by helping out,” he told her with arched brows. It was almost the end of April and yet the cold weather persisted, inadvertently delaying spring.
“Yeah right,” Julia said with a snort. “Okay, see you on Saturday.”
James packed up and watched out for Kennedy. It had been a week since he'd made his move and told her that he might be asking her out on a date, but he knew she wasn't ready so he'd shifted gears. A few minutes later the room had cleared and she sat at the table lacing up her sneakers. He realized that it was a tactic for her. She waited until they were all gone so that she didn't have to make small talk.
She looked up as he approached her and her smile came and went. “I hope I'm not keeping you.”
“No.” He went over and locked the doors. She looked at him curiously.
“I have plans for us.” He walked swiftly. “I had to hide this from my nosy sister.” He plucked out a bottle of wine and two glasses and put them on the table there. “How about a drink with me?”
Kennedy stood up slowly. “If I get drunk it's on you,” she said as she approached.
“It’s Costa Light, a blend of fruits grown at Costa Land and a dash of alcohol. It’s fruity and delicious,” he told her as he poured the light pink liquid into the glasses, absurdly happy that she hadn't run from the room. He handed her the glass and she took it, sipping it experimentally. “This is wonderful!” she said, her eyes widening.
“I could get you a bottle.” He reached out a hand and she took it. He guided her to the sofa, releasing her hand even though he didn't want to.
“James, I can’t—”
“Can't accept a bottle of wine from me?” he teased her.
“I can't be in a relationship.” She stared down into the wine, her mood changing.
“Tell me>” His voice had her lifting her head.
“He abused me physically as well as emotionally>” Her voice was flat, as if she was trying to keep the emotions out. “For two years I went from being a confident woman to one who couldn't function unless he told me what to do. I got out and he's now dead, but I have nightmares—”She bit her lip and looked away.
He didn't say anything, even though he wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her that he would make it right. That he understood what she was going through because he'd been there himself.
She looked up at him and there was sheen of tears in her dark brown eyes. “I can’t.”
“Can you be friends?” he asked her softly. “I want us to be friends.”
She stared at him in surprise.
“Why?” she asked him huskily.
He downed the wine before answering her. “We both need it,” he told her lightly. “Drink.” he urged.
She did as she listened to him tell her about the restaurants and hotels he owned.
“You go into each one at different times to dine?” she asked him.
“They never know when I'm coming. It keeps them on their toes,” he told her with a smile, happy to see that she looked relaxed and not in the least bit sad. “I want to observe them and find out whether they're treating the customers the way they should be treated.”
“Your dad started the restaurants. He must have loved cooking.”
He felt his face tightening. “My father was a businessman through and through,” he told her. “He came from China with little more than the clothes on his back. His uncle sent for him and he started working in a restaurant they owned. He saw the opportunity to make it better and his uncle took the suggestions. He made him partner a few years after that and he continued to make the business strive. His uncle left it to him. He decided soon after that he was going into the hotel industry as well. He bought his first hotel and renovated it.”
“You took over from him when he passed.”
James nodded. “Tell me about the chocolate business.”
“It’s not as exciting and certainly not as successful as yours,” she told him with a laugh. He stared at her, noticing the parted lips and the whiteness of her teeth and how the laugh transformed her face.
“Tell me,” he told her softly. Kennedy stopped laughing.
She put the glass away and got to her feet. “I have to go,” she said a little breathlessly.
“Kennedy don’t run.” He'd stood up with her. “Please don’t run from me. I'm not him. Just let me be your friend.”
Kennedy stared at him. “I'm not running,” she whispered.
He put his glass away. “Good. I'm coming towards you now. I just want to touch you. Please don’t run away.”
She stood stock still as he came towards her. In her sneakered feet he was head and shoulders above her. His t-shirt stretched across his chest and his muscles rippled. They were alone in the big conference room and she should be afraid but she wasn't. He tilted her chin up. “I will never hurt you,” he told her softly. “I will never do anything that you wouldn't want me to do. I saw you that first time and something pulled me to you. I want to be your hero, the one you run to when things get rough. But I also want to be the one you talk to when you're scared. I'm not him. I will never be him and I want you to know that.”
*****
She stared into his intense dark eyes and could not move. “James,” she whispered.
“I'm here.” His thumb caressed her chin. “I want to kiss you but I'll wait until you're ready.”
“No.”
He went to move away, misunderstanding her negative response. She reached up and held onto his wrist. “I want to.”
His dark eyes flared as he looked down at her. “Please be sure.”
“I am,” she said, trembling.
He bent his head slowly, trying not to spook her. His breath fanned her face and she closed her eyes. “Open your eyes and see me.”
She opened them just as his mouth touched hers gently. He didn't put any pressure into the kiss. It was like a warm breath stirring her, but it was provocative enough to have her drawing nearer and opening her mouth to him. His tongue darted in slowly as if testing the territory. Her tongue touched his back as if in wonder. He didn't move closer to her, as if he knew that she wasn't yet ready for full body contact.
*****
He felt the hardness of his erection, the shuddering of his heart, the prickle of awareness of his skin as his tongue met hers and explored. Her hand was still wrapped around his wrist. They were in privacy because he'd made sure of that. The hotel belonged to him so no one dared disturbed them. For the first time in his entire life he needed someone, and that someone was her. For the first time in his life he felt as if he could love someone. But he had to take it slow, he had to make her realize that he was never going to hurt her.
He ended the kiss, his breathing ragged, and his face intense with passion as he looked down at her. Her lips were parted and moist from the kiss. Her hair, in the familiar messy bun, had a few strands falling over her face. Her eyes had grown bigger and he felt the tremors from her fingers wrapped around his wrist. “Are you okay?”
“No,” she murmured.
“We should have waited.”
“I don’t want to.” Her meaning was clear. “I want this.”
“I want to wait until you're sure—”
“Please.”
“I have a suite upstairs,” he told her hoarsely.
“Take me there.”
He stared down at her for a moment before stepping back. Without a word he grabbed the wine and the glasses and they headed for the doors.
*****
He had the penthouse suite and she found herself wondering how many women he'd taken there. Not that it mattered to her because she was certainly not looking for a relationship. It had been so long since she'd been with a man and she wanted to prove to herself that she was over Conway. She wanted to exorcise his ghost from her. She wanted to start living again, and if it meant being with this intense, handsome man who admitted that he was drawn to her, then so be it. She was going
to start living again no matter what it took, but she could never enter into a relationship. At least not now.
“I'm sweaty,” he said ruefully as he turned to face her.
“So am I.”
“We could take a shower together,” he suggested.
“We could,” she said with a nod.
He took her hands in his. “Are you sure?”
She tilted her head up and looked at him. “No, I'm not. But I am sure I want to do this.”
“Will you at least tell me why?”
“I want to start living again.”
He stared at her for a moment and then, taking her hand, he led her through the elegant sitting room and into the bedroom where the champagne colored drapes were drawn. There was a bottle of champagne nestled into a bucket of ice and a king-sized bed that dominated the room. “I never really use it,” he answered her unspoken question.
“It doesn't matter,” she told him.
“It does to me.” His hands cupped her cheeks and he caressed the skin. “It’s crazy, this thing happening with me.”
“James—”
“Shh,” he whispered and then she gasped as he lifted her into his strong arms and took her into the bathroom.
The bathroom was large and airy, with a shower install that could probably fit six people comfortably. There was an old-fashioned bathtub in the middle of the room with steps leading into it. He set her down and stood there looking down at her. “How about that shower?”
She took off the oversized t-shirt she'd worn, to reveal the sports bra she had on. He didn't make a move to touch her. She peeled off the leggings she'd worn underneath, revealing black lace panties. She walked over to him and put her hands against his chest, feeling the warmth of him and the steady beating of his heart. She blocked out the memories of another time, another life in her past when the sex had been one sided and designed to humiliate her. She wanted something to replace those awful memories and had a feeling that this was it. He stepped back and took off his shirt. Kennedy moaned as she looked at his smooth, muscled chest. She touched the skin, her fingers wandering over the flexing muscles. He endured it for a long time before clamping a hand over hers, his body tensed. She pulled her hand away from his and unhooked the front clasp of her bra, letting it slide to the floor. She'd become used to hiding her body, become used to thinking that she wasn't attractive enough. But she felt gratitude and something akin to healing as she saw the flare of desire on his face. He cupped her generous breasts in his palms and stared into her eyes. “I need you,” he said hoarsely.
She nodded, giving him permission to take her. He stepped back and took off his loose sweatpants and then his underwear, letting his erection spring free. Kennedy shivered as she looked at the thickness of him, the dark hairs lying flat on his pubic area; the skin peeled, back revealing the tip of him. Without thinking she touched, letting her nail graze the skin and letting it linger. He stiffened and his body went rigid. He stood there while she tortured him with her touch and then, with a stifled groan, he took her into his arms and carried her over to the glass doors that led to the shower install. He opened them and set her down before closing the doors. He cupped her cheeks, his thumbs caressing her, his lean, muscled body close to hers. He bent his head and his mouth feathered over hers slowly, his tongue darting inside her mouth. Kennedy put her hands around his neck and clung, her body drawn to his, her skin feeling the flames that slowly kindled between them. It was different and heady and wonderful and she wanted more! He deepened the kiss slowly, his hands moving over her face to cup the back of her head. Her nipples, hard as pebbles, brushed against him as his mouth moved over hers. He broke the kiss, his breathing harsh as his lips wandered over her neck and down to the hollow of her throat. Kennedy arched her body, her head falling back as she gave him access to her.
*****
He was intent on giving and not taking. He was intent on showing her the way it should be and the way it would be between them. She gasped as his tongue swirled around her pebble hard nipple, pulling the tight bud inside his mouth, tasting and savoring the flesh. Kennedy moaned and dug her nails into his thick dark hair, her body vibrating with need. He took his time, determined to give her the utmost pleasure even at the price of his. His heart was hammering inside his chest and his body felt hot to the touch. He'd known she would be the one to thaw the ice inside him and had known it from the very first time he'd seen her. He lifted his head and looked down at her. The parted lips, the slumberous eyes. He wanted to give her everything. He pressed her against the wall, his hands wandering down her body until he reached her eager sex. He cupped her, letting his palm caress her softly, his eyes on hers, his body shuddering at the look of open desire on her beautiful, animated face. He used his fingers to open the lips of her vagina, running his fingers between the folds, his eyes flaring at her response. He eased a finger into her softness, feeling the tightness as he eased in further. She moved against him as he started to thrust into her, increasing the pace as she curled her fingers on his chest, her mouth open, the moans echoing around the glass enclosure. Her head fell back against the tiles and his mouth sought the soft skin of her neck, his tongue licking the hollow there. He could taste the orgasm even before she erupted and he pulled his fingers out quickly. He wanted her coming all over his dick. He wanted the juice she had lubricating him. “No,” she moaned feverishly, her body clamoring for release.
In answer he eased his penis into her and wrapped her legs around his waist. He pushed into her tightness, going in deep as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her body shuddering. He lifted her hands and held them above her head as he bent to her, searching and finding her nipple.
*****
Kennedy cried out as he thrust into her, his penis deep inside her, sending her into a spasm of intense pleasure, one that she'd never felt before. It could be this good, she thought hazily as her body fragmented. She moved with him, and when he increased the pace she followed him, the need almost tearing at her. She heaved against him, wanting more of him even though that wasn't possible. He lifted his head, his face ablaze with passion, and his body trembling. “Let go,” he told her softly.
In answer she brought his head down to hers, lips meeting passionately as their bodies melded together and the sound of their breathing echoing around the space. His body quickened and his movements spiraled out of control as the orgasm took both of them on a spin that threatened to engulf them. He released her hands and gripped her hips, his fingers tight on her skin as they both crashed headlong into infinity.
*****
He ran the sponge over her still trembling body, his movements so tender that she wanted to cry. He was a stranger in so many ways but she felt as if she had known him all her life. He'd made love to her with not only his body but his soul as well.
“James,” she whispered as he ran the sponge over her breasts.
“Yes?” His dark eyes met hers and his movement suspended.
“Again,” she whispered. “I want more.”
*****
He looked at her in surprise and then extreme pleasure. “Anything you want.” He was still hard and with her body close to his he'd gotten harder. It had been a while for him. He'd never had interest in casual sex and the few times he'd been with women he'd felt empty and dissatisfied so he'd left it alone. He bent his head and kissed her, the heat transferring to her as he gave her his body and everything else with it again.
She fell asleep in his arms, her fingers curled onto his chest, her face pressed against him. He stared off into the darkness as he thought about what this meant. For both of them. He knew they had a very long road ahead of them. The abuse had been too great and his body tightened with anger that the son of a bitch who'd hurt her so much was dead. He would have killed him for touching her like that. He wanted to erase the past for her and give her a better future. One with love and a family and so much caring that she would feel overwhelmed by it. He was thinking of permanence with her, he wa
s thinking of her being his wife, but he knew he had to tread cautiously so he didn't drive her away. His arms tightened around her body and she stirred against him, murmuring.
“Go back to sleep,” he whispered and felt when she drifted back.
*****
“I'm late for work.” She searched for her panties and found them bunched up in the bathroom. She stared at her tangled hair and bundled it up with a rubber band. She would have to head home to change and get ready for work.
“So am I,” he told her with a lazy smile as he watched her put her clothes on. He'd woken her up with lovemaking that had been slow and easy but had them moaning before too long.
“James, I can't find my bra,” she said looking around. He plucked it off the bed and brought it to his nose, inhaling her scent. Kennedy looked at him as if she wanted him again.
“I want to keep it,” he murmured. He was still lying on the bed, his long, lean body naked.
“James,” she groaned.
“Come here.”
“I'm late.”
“Please.” His hand wandered down to his erect penis and her eyes were drawn to the swell of flesh. He held it between his fingers and pulled the skin down. “Just one more before you go.”
“I can’t,” she murmured, but shaky legs propelled her forward. She climbed onto the bed and over him. He guided her onto him, his hands gentle as he thrust into her.
Chapter 5
She felt buoyant, as if she was walking on air. She'd arrived at work an hour late with the flimsy excuse that she'd slept late. She'd left the hotel swiftly, walking and wondering if the guests were all looking at her, and had slid into her car, a smile on her lips. She felt sated and wonderful.
She didn't have classes today so she wouldn't be seeing him.
“Okay, what gives?” Markeeta demanded as she went back into the office. “I have coffee with a special chocolate mixture to stir up the taste and a light fluffy pastry filled with cream and I'm all ears for about half hour.”
