“Is that all?” she asked suggestively with a lopsided grin. She lowered her hand to his bare chest. “And the fact that you’re not wearing anything is because—?”
One side of his mouth lifted with mild amusement. “I’m not naked. I took off my shirt because you decided to launch your dinner all over it.”
“Likely story,” she said with a loud, disbelieving laugh. She encircled his neck with both arms, and sat up to press her wet body against his muscular chest. “Whatever you say, dream lover.” She kissed the lobe of his ear.
“Oh, is that what I am?” He laughed.
“Are you complaining?” She kissed him and enjoyed the feel as, at first, his tensed lips relaxed. A glorious ripple of pleasure swept through her. She moaned again as her mind took flight.
Miles’s strong arms dipped into the tub and, in one impressive lift, pulled her wet body out.
She shivered when the room’s cold air hit her body.
Ignoring the loud slosh of water, Destiny and Miles’s lips refused to part.
Destiny felt a surge of empowerment at hearing the sound of Miles’s moans of pleasure. Then again, she’d always enjoyed these wonderful dreams of making passionate love to him. It was the only time when she allowed her mind to act out all the feelings of her heart.
Miles tore his lips from hers and whispered raggedly, “I can’t do this.”
Disappointment flared her determination and she pressed her body even closer. “Why? Don’t you find me attractive?”
“Extremely,” he answered in the same husky baritone she’d always loved. He lowered her legs to the floor so she could stand up. He led her to the sink where he prepared her toothbrush and handed it to her.
“Brush,” he instructed.
Again, she did what she was told. When she was done, she turned toward him. “Then why won’t you make love to me?” she asked, pouting.
He wrapped a bath towel around her. “Because you’re drunk. And because when I make love to you I want you to remember it.”
She kissed the small dimple in his chin. “I’m not drunk—just a little tipsy,” she said, and with a flip of her wrist, the towel fell and pooled at her legs. “There’s no point in fighting the attraction between us, so why bother?” She rocked back onto the heels of her feet and became fascinated by his taut small nipples jetting out at her. She favored one with a slow lick.
Miles flinched as if she’d burned him, and then settled his large hands on her shoulders. “It’s not going to happen. You’re drunk.” He retrieved the towel from the floor, but she blocked his efforts to cover her nudity. “Please, don’t make this any harder than it already is,” he pleaded.
She stopped squirming and responded in a sly purr, “I wasn’t trying to make it harder. I was trying to make it fun.” Her arms encircled his neck again. “Don’t we always have fun together?” She smiled at the exquisite feel of his erection straining against his pants. “Well, at least there’s one part of you excited to see me.”
“You’re not playing fair,” he said.
Destiny saw longing in his eyes. “Forget fair. Kiss me.”
He did as he was told and leaned down to capture a kiss that rocked both of them to their core.
Blissfully, Destiny closed her eyes and allowed his lips to transport her onto lofty clouds of ecstasy. To date, this was the best dream she’d had of Miles. The tingling sensations from his feathery caresses blossomed feelings she was afraid to put a name to.
Again when his mouth withdrew, she experienced another stab of disappointment. “You’re a terrible tease.” She sighed and laid her head against his chest. As she listened to his rapid heartbeat, she thought how ironic it was that its pattern matched her own.
“I better get you into bed,” Miles said, thickly.
She smiled. Finally, this erotic dream would get started, she thought. She kissed his chest. “Will you be joining me?”
He drew in a deep breath, and then kissed the top of her head. “No.”
Instantly annoyed, Destiny slapped a hand against his chest and turned abruptly. She had every intention of storming off, but her brain and her leg muscles weren’t in sync and she fell. But, before she hit the floor, a pair of strong arms enfolded her and once again, she was airborne.
“You’re just determined to break your neck, aren’t you?”
“What do you care?” she sulked, while nestling her head against his chest. “You probably like the idea of getting rid of me.”
He laughed. “Now, where did you get a crazy idea like that?”
She drew in a deep breath, but didn’t say anything. At the moment, she loved the feel of his arms wrapped around her. They made her feel safe and secure—nothing could ever harm her as long as Miles was around. He’d helped her build a successful law practice, taught her about health and fitness, and even how to enjoy life.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, and then yawned.
He chuckled. “For what?”
“For being drunk.”
“Oh, so you’re finally admitting it?”
She nodded and tightened her grip around his neck as he continued to carry her. When he laid her down, she recognized the velvet against her skin as her bedspread. She smiled and stretched her arms out to him in invitation. “Lie down with me.”
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” He folded the comforter over her.
With a deep sigh of contentment, she curled into a fetal position. “Well, can you at least sit with me for a while?” She waited through his loud exhalation, and then smiled again when the bed dipped beneath his weight.
“Just for a little while,” he agreed.
Gazing lazily through the mesh of her eyelashes, Miles looked more angelic than human. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she admitted.
His smile was like Jesus to a child as he brushed a few strands of her hair from her face. “Actually, there’s no place I’d rather be.”
Chapter 22
Destiny stretched in her bed and half expected to bump into Miles. When she didn’t, her eyes fluttered open to the empty space beside her. What a wonderful dream she’d had; she’d been sick and Miles had come to take care of her. Of course, she’d always enjoyed her fantasies of him, but she’d rather die than to admit such a thing to Lu Jin.
She smiled and adjusted her head against the pillow. What would it be like to actually wake up next to Miles, she wondered. The thought caused her smile to broaden. She’d never thought it possible when she’d first met him, but she truly believed now that Miles would make some lucky woman a great husband.
In the years that they’d become friends, he’d shown her such kindness and tenderness.
She sat up in bed, peeled back the bedspread and was surprised at how cool the room was. Scooting to the edge, she swung her legs over the bed and stood up.
When the room tilted, she quickly remembered the bottles of wine and Jack Daniels she’d guzzled down. “Bad idea to mix liquor,” she mumbled and plopped back onto the bed.
She drew in a deep breath and struggled to control the spinning in her head. With her eyes closed, a wicked shiver coursed through her as visions of her and Miles in a bathtub came to mind.
Deciding against another attempt to get out of bed, she reached for the bedspread and huddled again beneath its warmth all the while keeping her thoughts focused on Miles.
For every reason she had for pursuing a relationship with him, there was another preventing it. For example, if things didn’t work out between them, it could cost them their partnership. Their partnership! She bolted upright.
“The meeting!” Her gaze darted over to the clock and she moaned miserably at seeing it was three a.m. “I don’t believe it.” She scrambled out of bed. As she rushed to find her robe, she paid no attention to the baby-blue bath towel that fell to her feet.
Her robe wasn’t in the adjoining bathroom and she thought to check the laundry room. Naked, she sprinted out of her bedroom, but stopped dead when
she reached the living room and came within inches of smacking into Miles.
His eyes twinkled as he smiled and said, “Well, I guess you’re up.”
Her mouth fell open and a shriek of horror burst form her lungs as she made an about-face and dashed to her bedroom—which she reached in a time that would have been the envy of any Olympic sprinter.
She slammed the door and fell back against it as she heaved in big gulps of air. What the hell is Miles doing here?
“Desi?” Miles questioned through the door.
Her heart plunged to her knees while her mind raced with questions with no answers.
“Destiny, are you all right?” he probed, and she felt the doorknob turn against the small of her back.
“I—I’m fine,” she answered. Her eyes darted around for something to put on.
He tried the door again. “Then let me in,” he ordered with concern edging his voice.
Images of her wanton behavior in the bathroom flashed from her memory and shame burned her face as she closed her eyes and moaned, “I thought you were a dream.”
The knob stopped twisting, but she wasn’t fooled into believing that he’d moved away from the door.
“I take it you’ve sobered up, then?” Miles asked.
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. Had there been a hint of laughter in his voice? “This is not funny, Miles,” she snapped, her embarrassment dissolving into anger.
“On the contrary. I think this is very funny. By the way, nice backside you got there.”
At the sound of his rumbling laughter, Destiny kicked the door with the back of her heel. “Stop being an ass!” She bolted away from the door and over to the chest of drawers and found a long flannel nightgown to put on.
“An ass—me?” Miles continued to carry on the conversation from the other side of the door. “A few hours ago you said I was sweet and caring.”
She jerked open the door and glared up at him. “Yeah, well, a few hours ago I was drunk.”
“And horny,” he added with a smirk, then noticed her outfit. “What—no Victoria’s Secret?”
Her mouth dropped open, but her larynx choked off any hopes of a snappy comeback line.
“That’s okay. You know how I feel about flannel.” Miles pushed her chin up to close her mouth. “I don’t believe it. Something has finally rendered you speechless.”
“Oooh!” She smacked him on the chest and stormed past him. “I want you to leave.”
He followed her. “Why, because you’re embarrassed? Give me a break. Nothing happened.”
“That’s not the point,” she said, still storming toward the front door. “Something could have happened because I was intoxicated and believed that you were just a dream.”
He rushed in front of her, just before she reached the door, and blocked her path. “Which means you must have erotic fantasies about me pretty often, huh?” He crossed his arms and stared down at her.
“It was the alcohol,” she insisted.
He smirked and looked as if he wasn’t buying it. “Then I guess it was lucky for you that I didn’t take you up on your offer, isn’t it?”
“Leave!”
He tossed up his hands, but still appeared to be amused about the situation. “Fine, fine. Lord knows I don’t want to be anywhere I’m not wanted. Our clothes are in the dryer, you can just give mine to me in the morning,” he said, turning toward the door.
Fear clutched her heart. She grabbed his arm to prevent him from turning way. “I thought you said nothing happened?”
He laughed. “It didn’t, unless you want to count your transformation into Regan from the Exorcist.” At her deepening look of horror, he relented in his teasing and pulled her stiff body into his arms. “Look, Destiny. I was worried about you when you didn’t show up for our meeting with Mr. Michaels, so I came to check on you. You were sick and I took care of you. I swear that’s all that happened.”
She relaxed and shook her head against his chest. “I’m sorry. I know you’d never take advantage of me like that. I’m more embarrassed than angry.”
Miles kissed the top of her head. “I know that, too. Would you like for me to make you some coffee?”
Sighing, she allowed herself to be grateful for his presence. “That would be nice.”
He gave her a tight hug, and then headed toward the kitchen. “Black, right?”
“You know me so well,” she said, smiling. She watched as he disappeared into the kitchen before she drew in a breath and exhaled it in a long weary sigh.
A few minutes later, the apartment was enriched by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Destiny collected herself and joined her good friend in the kitchen. But the wonderful sight of Miles rustling around with his muscled chest exposed had a heady effect on her.
She eased onto a stool at the breakfast bar with a subtle smile hugging her lips.
Miles caught a glimpse of her smile as he poured her coffee. He set the cup in front of her, and then braced his weight with his hands as he leaned toward her. “I’m glad to see you’re in a better mood.”
“Well, a girl could easily be spoiled by such good service.”
He lifted an inquisitive brow. “Any girl or just you?”
Blushing, Destiny thought it was safe to give an honest answer. “Probably just me.”
The smile he gave her made his eyes twinkle. “That’s good enough for me.”
She laughed and took a sip of her coffee. “Mmm. This is good. Thanks.”
“You’re more than welcome,” he said, and then watched as she sipped at the hot liquid. “Mind if I ask you a question?”
“You just did,” she teased, lowering her cup. “But you can ask me another if you’d like.”
His beautiful eyes settled on her with an intensity she’d only witnessed with him in courtrooms. “What’s going on with you?”
She shifted uneasily in her seat and pretended to misunderstand his meaning. “My head is spinning and my stomach hurts, other than that—nothing.”
His gaze refused to leave her. “You know that’s not what I meant.”
“I know.” She lowered her gaze as she took another sip.
“I saw some newspaper clippings in the living room while you were sleeping,” he went on.
Destiny closed her eyes and felt her emotions tremble with fear of exposure.
Miles continued, “Your brother’s suicide still haunts you, doesn’t it?”
She drew in a deep breath and struggled to respond. “I—
I really don’t want to talk about this right now.” She opened her eyes and looked pleadingly at him.
Miles nodded, but looked disappointed in her answer.
“It’s just painful for me,” she added.
“It’s painful for me to see you do this to yourself,” he said. His eyes again locked on her. “I’ve never seen you like that before and to be honest with you, it scared me.”
Destiny read nothing but concern in Miles’s expression and in his voice, and she was more than touched by it. She weighed her reasoning for not sharing this particular part of her life with him and concluded that it was time she did.
“Come on. Let’s go sit in the living room. This may take a while to explain,” she said, picking up her cup.
Miles poured himself a cup and followed her to the living room where her precious newspaper clippings still lay on the table.
Destiny settled on the sofa and Miles sat next to her.
“Adam and I had always been close. I’ve read studies of how some people suspect that twins share a certain bond. Their emotions are somehow connected.” She braided her fingers for emphasis. “You know what I mean?”
Miles nodded.
“Well, I’ve always thought it was true—especially when it came to Adam and I. In fact, we used to tease each other about it all the time. Like, he would call me just when I was reaching for the phone to call him—that sort of thing.” She exhaled from nearly saying all of that in one breath. “Which is why
I can’t understand how I didn’t know about the strain he was feeling at his new job—or the fact that he was feeling depressed about anything.” She shook her head and looked over at Miles.
“I should have picked up on it. But no matter how many times I replay those final days in my mind, I still come up empty. Every time I saw him, he was smiling and seemed more concerned about things that were going on in my life than in his own. I don’t know—maybe that should have been my clue. He never talked about himself.” She sipped at her coffee, her mind still wandering in yesteryear.
When Miles spoke, his clear baritone voice pulled her back to the present. “You’ve got to let the past go, Desi.”
She smiled and closed her eyes. “My brother used to call me that.”
Miles leaned over and set his coffee down on the table. “Did he now?”
She nodded. “There’s a lot you do that reminds me of him.” She set her coffee down, as well, and continued to shake her head. “I just can’t get over how much I miss him.”
Miles opened his arms and she slid comfortably into their folds. He held her while her tears trickled on his chest. He kissed the top of her head and murmured softly against her ears of how everything was going to be all right.
Destiny tilted up her head and stared into his eyes. “Thanks for being here for me tonight. I really appreciate it.”
He didn’t respond, instead his gaze lowered to her lips.
She didn’t bother to question the feelings she was experiencing, but gave in to the magnetic force that pulled her forward.
Their lips sealed in a tender passion that caused Destiny’s heart to beat in double-time as she melted against him. A moan escaped her at the gentle invasion of his tongue. Soon, she was consumed with the taste of him and she eagerly participated in the ancient dance their tongues performed.
Miles leaned forward to lay her flat on her back against the cushiony sofa. And even through the thick material of her flannel nightgown, the fire of his touch branded her.
His lips withdrew, but it took her a moment to desert the lofty clouds inside her head and open her eyes.
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