by M. Skye
Mia saw how composed he tried to remain after getting the news of her death, but she also witnessed the breakdown he thought was private until he looked up and saw her standing behind him. At that point, he cried on her shoulder and confided in her his true feelings. They grew closer but soon lost that comfort when Mia left Tyree. Miguel took her leaving hard and practically refused to accept her calls when she was in Paris. He was never good at letting someone in, and to have her leave put a strain on their relationship. They had gotten back to friendship, but he wasn’t near as open as he once was. Mia knew she only had herself to blame. Next to Tyree, he had become one of her best friends, and she lost that.
Arriving home, Mia was greeted by the sight of her son on the couch, doing his homework. She had finished her day, but the appointment still rang fresh in her head. It had only given her more questions, and she had been put through more tests. They had been told she would get a call when most results came in, but she was anxious.
He dropped his book and raced over to hug her when he saw her. “Mama, you’re early. Where is Dad?”
“He has some things to wrap up, and he will be home after that. How was school?”
“Okay. I’m just glad it’s Friday.”
“I’m glad your day was good. What would you like for dinner? Dad and I are going out.”
“You don’t have to cook for me, Mama. I can just eat out. I know you are probably tired.”
Mia smiled and ran her hand over his cheek. “You know I don’t mind cooking for my favorite guy.” Kyan had always been a fan of her cooking and wasn’t used to eating out. No matter how busy she got in her life, she tried to keep things pretty routine for him. She made sure he had a set time for bed on school nights and a regular study session, and she always cooked when she got home from work. She knew both Tyree and Kyan loved this about her, so she did her best to spoil her boys.
“I love you, Mama, and I love your cooking, but please just this one time order me a pizza.” He flashed her a goofy grin, and she nodded in agreement. “Thanks! Who’s coming over to watch me tonight?”
“Amy is coming, and she is going to watch you, Meelah, and Jonathan.”
“Cool. I’m gonna go finish my homework and then video games until they get here. Is that okay?”
“Sure.”
“Thanks.”
Entering her room and stripping off her clothing, she was in a trance, running her fingers through her long, dark locks when she heard a whistle. She turned to find Tyree standing in the doorway, gazing at her. She fought back the blush appearing on her cheeks and was amazed that he could still make her giddy like a schoolgirl. His golden-brown skin and intoxicating brown eyes always gave her shivers. He still took her breath away.
She watched his movements as he made his way to her. His eyes told her everything she needed to know, and ever so slowly, she slid her hand down his neck, past his chest, and down to the ever-present bulge in his pants. He swelled tremendously under her touch, and just when his lips met hers, she pulled away.
“Not right now, babe. We have to get ready.”
Tyree sighed in obvious frustration and gripped her wrists tightly. “Why would you start something knowing you couldn’t finish? That was cruel.”
“Whatever you say.” She smirked. “I’m getting in the shower and locking the door. Don’t try anything funny.”
She swayed away from him, making sure to start up a rhythm with her hips that would drive him crazy. “The only thing funny will be when you come to me wanting it later tonight and I don’t put out,” he yelled just before the bathroom door closed.
Hearing his comment, Mia pulled the door open and flashed him a sneaky grin. “Oh, is that so?”
“Yeah, kitten. Try all you want, but you won’t break me down. No sex for you tonight.”
She made her way to him and bit down on her lip gently. “Really, now?” She dropped her remaining article of clothing, pressing her body against his. She could feel his heart beating rapidly and saw a slight tremor in his hands. “So you’re telling me”—she ran her tongue down the side of his neck, and he drew in a deep breath—“that if I wanted you right now, I couldn’t have you?” Tyree’s breath hitched when her tongue began circular rhythms, and her hand found its way back to his zipper. He shook his head. She could tell he wanted to speak but thought better of it.
“What’s that, baby?” She pulled his zipper down and put her hand inside his boxers. An involuntary moan escaped his lips, and she could tell he was cursing himself for it. “It’s okay to admit you can’t deny me. I swear I won’t hold it against you,” she whispered in his ear, stroking his hardened flesh.
She could tell something flickered in him, and he stepped back, removing her hand from his pants. “Nice try, kitten, but I think I’ll take my shower in the other bathroom now. You really should get started with yours. Wouldn’t want to keep everyone waiting now, would we?”
Mia stood amazed as he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. He had never been able to stop her during a sexual advance. The moment he walked out, she knew he was playing a game he had no intention of losing. She knew he was ready for war. Now, the only question was, when would he make his move?
Chapter Seven
Just as Tyree expected, Mia taunted him on the way to the restaurant. She had really tried, and he had to admit he almost caved. When they were at a stoplight, she unzipped his pants and pushed her hand inside, stroking him slowly. He assumed that when the light changed, she would stop, but to his surprise, she kept going, almost causing a wreck on his behalf when his foot slipped off the brake in a traffic jam. He could tell how amused she was by his lack of restraint, and he focused back on the road, fighting the moans that almost escaped his lips.
After a few minutes of no response on his behalf, she withdrew her hand and flopped back in frustration. Tyree laughed to himself and counted it as a round in his favor. He had every intention of getting to her first and couldn’t allow her to get one up on him.
Tossing his keys to the valet as they pulled up, Tyree made his way over to her door and opened it, reaching his hand out for her. Mia accepted his gesture and fell into his chest while exiting the car. Tyree chuckled and stabilized her, sliding his hands down to grip her waist. “A little clumsy there, aren’t we, sweetheart?”
She rolled her eyes and tried her hardest to pull out of his embrace. “Asshole,” she mumbled playfully.
“That hurt,” he whispered, allowing his cool breath to travel down her neck. He allowed his lips to linger next to her milk-chocolate skin, and he felt her trembling. He still had her pressed against him until a couple walking up distracted him, giving her the opportunity to break free and dart into the building. “Dammit.” He followed her and saw the hostess leading the way to the main seating room. Once in the room, he discovered they were the first of the party to arrive.
“Come on.” She smirked, walking swiftly behind the skinny girl leading them to their table.
Tyree shook his head and sprinted up and caught them just as they reached the table. Mia reached for her seat, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the chair. “I got that.”
“Such a gentleman.” She kissed him, and he ran his hand down her back. After taking his seat, he reached across the table and grabbed her hand. “Looks like everyone is on CP time tonight.” She scanned the room while he continued to hold her hand. She was still looking around when he placed his lips on her skin. He saw the flustered reaction her hazel eyes held, and he continued his torture. “Stop,” she hissed, and it only fueled him further.
Doing as she requested and dropping her hand, he slid closer to her and placed his hand on her exposed thigh. He leaned in and swore he could hear her heart beating in her chest. The amusement he felt was present in his eyes, and she huffed. Instead of pulling back, he moved in farther. With slow, lingering glides, his fingertips took on more of her exposed skin, and he felt her breathing hitch.
“What are
you doing?”
“Nothing,” he whispered, finding a stopping point at her throbbing center. “Nothing at all.” He had been focusing so hard on not caving, he had forgotten it had been an entire day since he made love to his wife. The teasing was exhilarating and slowly turning him on. As agitated as she was, he found himself swelling, and his slacks felt tight. Caressing her covered center with his fingertips, he took a deep breath before pushing past the barrier. Pushing in one finger at first, he felt her tense, and her eyes flew open.
“Ty,” she hissed quietly, “you can’t do this here.”
“Shh,” he warned, and she bit down on her bottom lip as he pushed in another finger. “You got to have your way with me. Now I’m just having fun.”
“We’re in public, Ty. Your mom is on the way, and so is my brother.”
“Well, just keep it down then.” Watching her grip the tablecloth, he moved his fingers in and out and took pleasure in the low, short moans escaping her. He knew he shouldn’t be doing this, not out in the open in a roomful of people with their family on the way, but he couldn’t control himself. As good as it was making her feel, it made him feel so much better. He loved watching her writhe around because of him. He loved having that unspoken power over her body.
Tyree continued to stroke her flesh until he felt the quakes of her orgasm vibrating against his fingers. Just as she was approaching the ultimate release, he withdrew, and her eyes fluttered. Her breathing slowed down, and he slid his fingers into his mouth. “Mmm, you taste good, baby.”
“You’re an ass,” she whispered.
“And you’re easy, kitten. If I wanted to, I could have stripped you and taken you right on this table.”
“Easy? I’ll show you easy.”
Tyree stood and leaned over, kissing her cheek gently. “I’ll be waiting.” With that, he turned and walked toward the restroom, and her eyes followed him. He could feel her watching as he disappeared behind the large door. He found himself in front of the sink. He quickly washed his hands and studied himself in the mirror. He was well past worked up and needed a release only his wife could give. How he had gotten to this point, he would never know. Wanting her so badly was taking over all his senses.
Finding his way back to the table, he saw she was still alone and took the chance to feed his desires by claiming her mouth in a kiss. He found his hands drifting from around her face back to her thighs. He began to explore her body once more until he heard a throat cleared behind him.
He saw Mia’s eyes widen when she looked up and saw his mother, Karen, grandmother, Kiyoko, and stepfather, Rock, standing behind him. Karen smiled, and Rock gave Tyree a nod before he stood to hug his mother and grandmother. Mia stood and gave Karen a hug and Rock gave Tyree a firm handshake, pulling him close enough to whisper in his ear.
“Good to see you two haven’t gotten bored with each other.”
Karen had moved back to Hong Kong after everything with John came to a head, and surprisingly to everyone, Rock joined her. After two years of claiming to only be friends, they announced that they were dating, and things escalated from there. After spending nearly two and a half years in Hong Kong, they came back home married, bringing Kiyoko back to live with them. It was an exciting change for Tyree and his siblings because they hadn’t seen her in years. They had a lot of catching up to do.
“Never,” Tyree chuckled. “I’ll be old and gray still finding out new things about this one.” He wrapped an arm around Mia’s waist, and she leaned into him just as Asha and Terence entered with the rest of the group trailing behind them. Tyree studied the people trickling in and noticed one guest was missing: his little brother, Miguel.
“Babe, did you call Miguel?”
“Yeah, I called. He didn’t answer, but I assumed he would just show up like he normally does.”
“I don’t know,” Tyree sighed and ran his hand over his head. “He has been off lately. I haven’t been able to reel him in, and I just think he is going through a lot more than he lets us in on. I just wish I knew how to help him.”
Mia nodded, and Tyree saw something flicker in her eyes. He wanted to investigate it further, but the rest of the group greeting them threw him off. He made a mental note to ask her about it later and went on to converse with the table. Once they were all seated, the waiter came over and began taking their drink orders.
The evening progressed with laughter and plenty of embarrassing stories. Whitney and Jude had an especially funny story about catching Mia and Tyree having sex in her office after Karen and Rock revealed what they walked in on. To even the scores, and to get back at Asha and Terence for laughing, Mia shared a story about them in the copy room after business hours. Karen held a shocked expression, stating that she never knew her children were so out in the open, while the rest of the table rumbled with laughter.
The night was shaping up to be one of the best they had shared together in a long time, but Tyree couldn’t help but think something was missing. He missed his brother, and not just tonight. Besides Terence, Miguel was one of his best friends as well as his brother, and he felt like he had no clue what was going on with him. They had always shared so much of their lives, and now it was like his little brother was a stranger to him. That just didn’t sit well.
While Tyree tried to stay focused on the dinner and the people present, he felt his thoughts keep drifting back to Miguel. He laughed at their jokes and even attempted to share a few of his own, but he knew his heart wasn’t there. He figured he had nearly everyone fooled, everyone except the person who knew him better than anyone at the table. Mia had been watching him the whole time, and he knew she recognized that fake laugh and smile of his anywhere. She squeezed his leg, which he knew was to let him know she was there, and he loved her more at that moment. She always seemed to know exactly what he needed at all times.
Deciding to push everything but the here and now out of his mind, Tyree looked around the table happily. Despite everything they had all been through, they were still able to sit and enjoy their time together. He felt like even with all the bad, they were blessed to have each other.
Even though Tyree knew Richmond could make an appearance at some point, he chose not to let it affect his thoughts that they would all be okay in the end. He knew that whenever he decided to show his face, they would be ready, and now that Rock was around full-time with his mother, he didn’t worry as much.
Just as everyone was finishing up their food, Tyree heard a familiar song come on and a smile formed on his face. It was the same song he and Mia danced to at their second wedding. When he reached for her hand, she was halfway out of her chair as if she had read his mind. He pulled her out to the dance floor without saying a word, and she rested her head on his shoulder. He loved the closeness of their bodies.
“You know, you look gorgeous tonight, kitten. I mean, you look great every day, but tonight you look so damn amazing.”
She blushed and kissed the part of his neck closest to her lips. “Thanks for the compliment, baby. Any other night, I would be dragging you out of here to our bed, but I haven’t forgotten. You played a dirty trick on me, and it won’t go unpunished.”
“You’re harsh, baby. You’re sitting here with all this skin on display, smelling like you rolled around in a cloud of vanilla, looking so damn good every man in this place has their eyes on you, and you’re seriously telling me I can’t have you tonight?”
“I’m telling you that you won’t. You have to learn your lesson.”
Tyree chuckled and gripped her waist tighter. “I’ll have you in our bed screaming my name by the end of the night. Trust me.”
Just as Mia was about to protest, the song ended, and they were back at the table. The group was in a light chatter, and Asha stood, clearing her throat. “You guys, this has all been great, and we should do it again soon. Terence and I would like to cover the bill tonight as a thank-you to everyone for all your help with the business and our personal issues.”
Jus
t as she was taking her seat, Rick grabbed the check from her hand, objecting to her gesture. “I won’t hear of it. We invited you all, and it’s only fair that we pay.”
Asha was about to protest when the waiter walked over, making his presence known. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but the bill has already been paid. A nice gentleman in the corner over there paid and left a generous tip.” They looked to the corner, and the person he was referring to had a menu up to his face, blocking their view.
“Who is he?” Mia asked.
“He didn’t give a name.” He paused and shrugged his shoulders. “If you don’t need anything, I’m going to take these dishes to the back.”
“Thanks.” Mia nodded and leaned over, trying to see who the guy was. After a few moments of looking back, Terence stood and told them he was going over to thank him. Everyone watched as he approached the table and saw his expression drop. He had his hand extended, but when he saw who was behind the menu, he withdrew it and turned to hurry back to the table. Sitting down, he was greeted by all their confused stares.
“Who was it?” Asha asked with everyone waiting for his answer.
“It doesn’t matter. Actually, we need to go.”
“Go? Why?” Tyree asked, knowing something was extremely off.
“We just do. Trust me, okay?”
“No,” Mia said. “Tell me who it was. Was it my father? Is he here?”
“Let’s go,” Terence barked loudly. They were all stunned because Terence never raised his voice. He was usually always the levelheaded one. When he snapped, Tyree stood, pulling Mia by the arm.
“Come on, kitten, this isn’t the place. We just need to get in the car.”
