Her orgasm began to build, the most delicious sensations sweeping through her. Collin struggled to contain his own. He pulled his mouth from hers to whisper in her ear. “I need to be inside you!” he gasped. “Or I’m going to pop right here in my pants.”
London gasped. “We can’t...can’t have that happen,” she panted, still rubbing her body against him. “I just... I just need...one more...one more minute...” And then she erupted, her body convulsing with an intensity that surprised her. Wave upon wave of unbridled pleasure fired from her nerve endings. She bit down against her bottom lip to keep from crying out as her orgasm dampened her lace panties. It was sheer bliss and he let her ride it out, wave after wave pushing her intensely against him.
They left the theater abruptly, candy and popcorn abandoned where they rested. They practically raced down the stairs, through the lobby and out the door. Collin pulled her anxiously by the hand to the car, her laughter ringing sweetly through the late-night air. The ride back to London’s apartment was fraught with sexual energy. Despite his best efforts Collin couldn’t resist stroking himself as she maneuvered the car through downtown Dallas. One hand was lost down the front of his slacks, stroking the length of his manhood, as the other played in the length of her natural hair, the curly strands entwined around his fingers.
In the elevator to the penthouse apartment her hands replaced his, gently kneading the fullness of his erection. The warmth of her palms felt exhilarating, the length of each finger clasping him firmly. He was nicely engorged, and both knew it would take very little to bring him to climax. Their kisses were passionate, deep and tongues entwined. Lips sliding like silk against satin in their own private erotic dance.
Before the door was locked behind them he was stepping out of his pants as they tore at each other’s clothes. They were an amalgamation of arms and legs and mouths moving with desperate intensity. London dug into the bottom of her purse, finding a condom lodged in the corner of the lining. Tearing at the wrapper with her teeth she sheathed him quickly as he dropped to the carpeted floor and rolled onto his back.
London straddled him a second time, plunging herself down against him. His member was like a piston, plunging up and down, and then he arched his back as he thrust himself into her, the last of his energy exploding with a vengeance.
* * *
London lay sprawled on her back, staring up toward the ceiling. Collin lay in the bed beside her. They were holding hands, fingers locked tightly together. Neither had any idea of the time as they lay talking.
“I remember the first time I voted. You couldn’t tell me anything. I strutted into that booth like I was the king of the walk. Then I stood there for ten minutes because I didn’t have a clue what I was supposed to do after I ticked all the right boxes.”
London laughed, “You kill me! You are so funny! I know you knew what to do.”
“Trust me. I was completely lost.”
“Well, I wasn’t. I’ve been working at the polling sites as a volunteer since I was old enough to be accepted. I work voter registration drives, stuff party envelopes, whatever I can to help with the voting process. I was a champ the first time I voted! Swept in, made my voice heard and bam!”
The exuberance in her voice made Collin laugh. He squeezed her fingers.
She continued, “I do a lot of volunteer work. When the holidays get here, you’re going to have to work with me down at the homeless shelter.”
“I look forward to it. I’ve got a mission trip scheduled later in the year. Maybe you can join me? I work with a church youth group and we’ll be building homes in Haiti.”
“I would really like that!”
“Then let’s definitely plan on it. I’ll get you the details.”
London slowly drew circles in the palm of his hand as a blanket of silence billowed between them. She took a deep breath. “I’m surprised that I like you as much as I do, Collin. You just keep surprising me.”
Collin laughed, “Why is that?”
“I don’t know,” she said, shifting her body so that she was facing him. “Most men turn out to be a disappointment after the first few dates. But not you.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It was meant to be.”
“Is that why you’re not interested in a romantic relationship? Because you’re afraid of being disappointed?”
“It’s more than that. I just...” She paused, falling back against the mattress to stare back up at the ceiling.
Collin shifted onto his side, propping his head on his hand and elbow as he stared down at her. His brow was raised in curiosity.
London gave him a look before she continued. “The only man I was ever in a serious relationship with turned out to be a monster. He had this public persona that let you believe he was good and decent but behind closed doors he was the complete opposite.”
“How long were you together?”
She took a deep inhale of air, holding the oxygen in her lungs for a brief moment. “Two years. He was a visiting law professor when I was in school. He was older, established, prominent in the community. I was completely enamored. We were engaged to be married and then...well...” She hesitated. “It just didn’t work out,” she concluded.
The expression that washed over her face gave Collin pause. Clearly, the memories were a source of consternation for her. Something about her ex and their relationship had left an indelible stain on her heart. She’d built a wall around herself, determined to shield her emotions. He understood that she was being protective, her defenses miles high. She was only so forthcoming with information, so he didn’t push the issue. Instead, he traced the line of her profile with his index finger and changed the subject.
“I’ve had my heart broken twice,” he said.
“You’ve been in love twice?” London laughed. “Just how young were you?”
“I was twelve the first time. Candice Baker was my reading partner and she promised to give me a kiss if I did her book report. It was on The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien and I even read the whole book! And that thing was like three hundred pages! Then I wrote the best damn book report for her. She got an A!”
“And you didn’t get your kiss.”
“Nope. She left me hanging. She kissed my friend Michael instead because he lied and told her he was going to take her to Six Flags.”
London laughed, “And the second time?”
“Now, that really hurt! I was seventeen and Lisa Wiles was my first real girlfriend. I gave her my virginity. We had big plans. After college we were going to get married, have kids, the whole nine yards. She went to school at Spelman and our freshman year she left me a voice mail message to say she couldn’t do a long-distance relationship. She’d met someone at Morehouse and didn’t want to have anything more to do with me.”
“Ouch!”
“Ouch is right. She broke my heart.”
“And since then?”
“Since then I’ve dated, but nothing serious. Not until now.”
She rolled her eyes. “I thought we agreed we weren’t looking for a relationship. We said we would be friends with benefits but that’s all.”
“That’s a serious undertaking. Woman, you have been wearing my body out!”
“Me!”
“I haven’t been giving my benefits to anyone else.”
London laughed. “You are so stupid!” she said teasingly.
Collin’s smile lifted in an easy bend, his bright smile lighting up the room. “I like you, too, London. I enjoy every minute we spend together. I can’t imagine myself giving anyone else my benefits and it’s important you know that. As we continue to get to know each other I hope you’ll be open to whatever might happen between us.”
“Like what?”
“Like redefining our relationship when it feels right, and you feel comfortable doing so.�
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“You think I’m crazy, don’t you?”
“I think whatever has happened in the past has made you guarded and that’s okay. I’m a very patient man.”
“So, you’re saying you really want a relationship, with the titles and the responsibility and everything that being a couple requires?”
“I’m saying that as we continue to get to know each other I hope that you will remain open to the possibility of our being more than friends.”
“So, you want more than just the great sex?”
“Don’t you? Not that I’m dismissing the great sex because I thoroughly enjoy what we share. I love making love to you. But whether you’re willing to admit it or not, there’s already so much more between us. Personally, I like that, and I don’t want to lose it.”
Collin watched her as she dropped into thought, contemplating his statement. Her eyes were closed, and it felt as if she were pondering every one of life’s mysteries. Time seemed to be ticking slowly, as both were suddenly lost in their own feelings. London opened her eyes, turning her head ever so slightly to stare at him. Their gazes locked and in that moment, something between them shifted. Something both sensed, and neither was ready to express.
London gave him the sweetest smile, a wealth of joy shimmering in her eyes. “So, for now, can we just say we’re best friends with privileges?”
Collin laughed, the wealth of it rising from deep in his midsection. “For now!”
As she reached out, he leaned to kiss her lips. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to her. His body sheltered hers as he eased himself above her. Their loving was slow and steady, a gentle melding of his body and hers until it was impossible to know where one stopped and the other started. It was golden and intoxicating, a thing of sheer bliss. Collin loved her like it was the first time and London held on to him as if her life depended on it. It was gratification that seared deep into the core of their spirits and made it impossible for either to ever turn back.
Chapter 7
London rolled to the opposite side of the bed, stretching her body out against the cold sheets. Collin had risen sometime in the wee hours of the morning, kissed her goodbye and left her. Now she was missing him something fierce and none of it made an ounce of sense to her. She hated that everything seemed to be happening so fast. Faster than she was able to control. And London hated not having control.
But there was something about Collin that had her wanting more and she had never wanted more from any man. Collin had a kind, gentle spirit. He was grounded in his faith and he stood for everything that was right in the world. Despite his sometimes quiet demeanor and laidback personality, there was a spirit about him, an energy that others fed on. He had drive and a determination that spoke volumes. He was headed for bigger and better and everyone who met him could see it.
London blew a soft sigh. Despite Collin’s best efforts to put her at ease and engage her, she hadn’t been able to tell him about her past. Not all of it. Not those things that had hurt her the most and still haunted her memories. She hadn’t been ready to share everything. Some things were better left unsaid and buried. The nightmare of her past relationship wasn’t something she cared to dig up and breathe life back into. That had been a hurt she would never wish on her worst enemy.
But it was important to her to be as open as she could be with Collin. She didn’t want to hold back or have secrets between them. He deserved the best of herself that she could offer and for the first time in a very long while, she was willing to let her guard down and let a man in. Let him in. Most especially since she’d welcomed him so readily into her bed.
Her alarm clock sounded just as she threw her legs off the side of the bed and stood up. She’d only taken three steps toward the bathroom when her phone rang. The dedicated chime had her shaking her head. Patricia Jacobs calling so early in the morning meant a lecture was coming and for the life of her London had no idea what she’d done or how to prepare herself for what was surely coming. She answered the call on the fifth ring.
“Good morning!”
“Good morning, baby! You aren’t still in bed, are you?”
“No, ma’am. I was just about to step into the shower. What’s got you up so early in the morning?”
“Your daddy has a doctor’s appointment. You know how he is. Had to be the first one through the door. That man has truly started to work my last nerve lately.”
London smiled into the receiver. Her parents were celebrating some forty-plus years of marriage, and nothing about their relationship surprised her. To her, they felt like the last of a dying breed, having married young, weathered more than their fair share of storms and still standing firmly on the love they had for each other. Deep down, London hoped to have that for herself someday, but no one wanted it for her more than her mother.
“I was hoping I could persuade you to come to church on Sunday.”
“Church?”
“London Jacobs, don’t act like I’m speaking a foreign language. You know darn well what church is!”
London laughed, “No, the question just surprised me. It’s been a while since I last went to service.”
“That’s because you always have an excuse! Either this week isn’t a good week or you have to work, or you have plans out of town. It’s been excuse after excuse after excuse.”
“I haven’t been that bad.”
“Yes, you have.”
“Well, I promise to do better,” London answered, knowing her mother was right and not wanting to admit it.
“Service starts at eleven o’clock and this Sunday I’m being honored. I was selected Woman of the Year. So, start by doing better this Sunday.”
“That’s great news, Mom! Congratulations!”
“It’s not a big deal but I would like to have all my family there to support me. Especially my wayward daughter that I’m always talking about, whom my church family barely remembers.”
“So, you actually called to guilt me into coming to church with you on Sunday.”
“It was either that or let your father call and order you to come. Which I will resort to if necessary.”
London laughed, “No, don’t do that. I’ll be there.”
“Wonderful! I hope Sister Hinton’s sons are there. The oldest is a doctor and I’m not sure what business the youngest is in but he owns his own home.”
“You’re really planning to torture me like that?”
“It’s not torture to introduce you to prospective partners, London. You really need to think about your future. Don’t you want a family? A husband and children?”
“What I don’t want is to have this conversation. I have to get ready for work.” Annoyance shaded London’s tone and she struggled to keep the attitude from her voice. “I’ll call you later, okay?”
“That’s fine. You know your daddy and I just want the best for you, right, London?”
“I do. It’s fine. I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”
“Well, I’m going to worry. It’s what I do.”
There was a moment’s pause before London responded, “Would it be okay if I brought a friend with me on Sunday?”
“Bring both the girls! They’ve planned lunch after service and you know I’ll have plenty of food here at the house.”
“I’m not talking about Paula or Felicia. This is a new friend. Someone I just recently met.”
“Well, you know any friend of yours is welcome anytime.”
“Thank you. Then we’ll see you and Daddy on Sunday, Mom. I love you.”
“I love you, too, baby!”
Disconnecting the call, London sighed, a heavy gust of air blowing past her lips. Once again, her mother wanted her to meet someone’s son, whom she hoped would be the one. For a brief second London thought about canceling at the last minute, making up some excuse not to show. And the
n she changed her mind. If she could convince Collin to join her, she would bring him home to meet her parents. Maybe then they’d be happy she had a man and she’d be more open to the possibility that maybe, just maybe, she had found the one.
* * *
“Collin!” Jake shouted and waved excitedly as his big brother came through the door.
Their mother was standing at the kitchen stove, flipping pancakes. Their father sipped coffee as he perused through the pages of Forbes magazine. Collin didn’t miss the look the two exchanged as he entered the room.
“Yo, dude! What’s up? Where you been?” Jake questioned as he and Collin slapped palms.
Collin grinned, amused by Jake’s exuberance. “I’ve been working, dude! Doing that grown-up thing!”
“Bummer!” Jake exclaimed as he turned back to the food on his plate.
Collin leaned to kiss his mother’s cheek as he passed by her. “Good morning,” he said.
Katrina nodded. “Good morning. Are you on your way out, or are you sneaking back in again?”
Matthew laughed, lifting his gaze to give his wife and son a look.
Collin’s smile was slightly goofy as he met the look she was giving him. “I’m headed to the office. I was hoping I might get a cup of coffee and maybe a few slices of bacon.”
There was a moment that passed between them as his mother seemed to be considering his request. “Do you want pancakes, too?” she finally asked.
He nodded. “Yes, ma’am. Thank you.”
He moved to the kitchen table and took the seat across from his brother.
“Mom says you have a girlfriend now. Is she pretty?” Jake eyed him curiously.
Collin laughed, “I have a friend who’s a girl, and yes, she is very pretty.”
Jake shot a quick look in Katrina’s direction. He leaned forward to whisper in his brother’s direction. “Remember that girl I told you about? The one with the cookies?”
A Stallion Dream Page 9
