by Nana Prah
His lips rose in a smirk that made her stomach dip as another agile step brought him even closer. “A woman I recently met. I used to call her mountain woman. After experiencing how she handles a motorcycle, she’s now thrill-seeker.”
“Oh?”
She’d never had someone be so genuine and forward at the same time. Was she crazy to believe him, or had the charm he’d embroiled her in stolen all of her good sense?
“It turns out that she’s my number one fan, even though I would’ve never guessed it by the way she ignored me the first time we saw each other from across the room.”
That brought on an unstoppable grin. “Maybe she’d heard that stroking a musician’s ego never turned out well. Better to keep celebrities grounded.”
“Yeah, well, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her, and when she called me, I was so excited that I nearly forgot my own name.”
Her breath stuttered when he reached out and caressed her cheek with his fingertips. She really should back away.
“Things got even better when this amazing, smart, beautiful woman agreed to help me create a new brand of music. It took a lot of willpower on my part not to touch her while she sat within reach.”
Eyes heavy as desire flared, Lamisi stared at his mouth, watching his lips cease their speech as he lowered his head.
The first touch was electric as his lips glided over hers. Her lids closed as she savoured the softness of their firmness. The simple touch turned her inside out with its magnificence. Their lips nibbled and teased in exquisite sweetness.
She’d wanted this moment since the first time she’d lain sprawled on top of him on the mountain.
Blaise’s hands spread across her back, pulling her closer to the hard planes of his body. She moaned as she gripped his muscular arms to keep herself upright.
His tongue brushed against her lower lip, and she opened for him. What she’d considered extraordinary just moments ago became earth-shattering as his tongue slid against hers. She circled him, taking in his taste mixed with the fragrance of leather and citrus. A heady, enticing scent.
The earth could implode, and she wouldn’t care as long as he never stopped.
Wrapping her arms around his shoulders brought her flush against him.
She whimpered in protest when he slid his mouth to her cheek. The kisses down her jawline brought him to her neck. She stroked the back of his head as he nipped and sucked flesh she’d never known to be sensitive until that moment.
Sliding her hands to cup his cheeks, she raised his head until their lips met again. Passion ran rampant as their tongues swept each other’s mouths as if the secrets of life were hidden within.
Her body grew increasingly fevered with the need for more.
When Blaise slid his large palms up her ribcage and touched the undersides of her breasts, she moaned with encouragement. She didn’t think to question. Only feel.
His thumbs honed in on her nipples and flicked them, sending a hot flash of desire straight to her core. She lifted her leg to wrap around his thigh. His hardness meeting her centre ripped a groan from her throat.
She hadn’t been a virgin for many years, but she’d only just met him in person. It wasn’t her style to move so fast with a man. Months, maybe a year, would pass before deciding to make love to a man she’d dated exclusively. Sometimes not at all.
Her logical mind had shut down, replaced with instinct and raw passion. Her body found antiquated societal rules obsolete as she rolled her hips against him. Her hands roamed over the broad expanse of his strong back, gripping his shirt to give her leverage.
“Hey you guy—Oh my goodness!”
Precious’s sudden appearance brought reality back to the storm of pleasure.
With only one foot planted on the floor, Lamisi lost her balance when disentangling herself from Blaise. If he hadn’t still been holding her, she would’ve fallen. Another save for him.
When he released her, she smoothed her hands over her top to hide her exposed midriff and help control the jitters.
Mortified that she’d been caught kissing a virtual stranger, she avoided Precious’ gaze.
Precious wouldn’t let her get away with it. “Lamisi?”
The smirk she witnessed when she looked up matched the amusement in Precious’ voice.
She’d get her friend back one day, and revenge would be sweet.
She cleared her throat. “Yes?”
“I’m really sorry to disturb. You have no idea how much, but Aunty Vida sent me down to drag you two up for lunch.” The grin never left. “She said she’d be leaving early and wanted to make sure you both ate.”
Precious pointed towards the entrance. “I could tell her that you’re, well, busy.”
Lamisi would pay Precious’ hair dresser to wash her friend’s hair with bleach. That would be a good enough payback for the onslaught of humiliation she kept piling on.
“Please let her know that we’ll be there in a minute.”
Blaise’s voice sounded normal. Unaffected by the torrent of heat still raging through her body.
Rather than leave, Precious stood in the same spot, smiling as if she’d been handed a million Ghana cedis just for being there.
“Precious,” Lamisi hissed with a head tick to the side.
“Oh. I’ll see you two upstairs.”
The finger guns with the corresponding clicks enflamed Lamisi’s face even further.
Horrified at her behaviour, there was only one thing she could do. Spine straight, she turned to face Blaise. All shame washed away as she looked into his heated, hooded eyes. She swallowed the apology that had sat on the tip of her tongue.
She wasn’t sorry it had happened. His lips called out to her, and angels help her, she wanted to answer.
She took a step back to keep herself from catapulting herself at him. Or was it to give her a better running start?
“We’d better get up there.” She winced at her nervous giggle. “We wouldn’t want to take up Aunty Vida’s free time.”
Two steps, and he was within reach. “To be honest, all I want to do is kiss you again.”
The flutters in her stomach couldn’t be mistaken for hunger. She dropped her gaze to his chest. The same one which had been pressed so firmly against her breasts.
“There’s no point.”
No longer because of her dissertation. The kiss had disqualified him from including him in the paper. It would be impossible to listen to his voice on the recording of their interview and not remember this encounter. Her work would be filled with bias.
He hooked a finger under her chin and raised it so they were once again eye to eye. No hiding from him.
“Why not? I like you. And I know you like me.” One corner of his mouth rose. “You’re bad at hiding it. I can see it in your expressive eyes.”
Once again caught up in a haze of need, she fought it and removed herself from temptation.
“Deola aside.” No, she wouldn’t let that issue go. “We’re too different.”
He cocked his head as his gaze remained steady. “How can you tell? We’ve only had a couple of days to get to know each other, and most of that time was spent working. I want the chance to acquaint ourselves. Obviously, our bodies know what they want.”
Even then, her core throbbed with the desire to be with him. Why was she fighting it so hard? What was she afraid of? Would it be so bad to learn more about him?
“How about if we take things slow?” he offered.
A corner of her mouth tucked between her teeth, she narrowed her eyes to study him. “What do you mean?”
“We go on dates. Chat on the phone. See how things go between us. Just as long as you don’t close me out.” He sighed as if the truth weighed on him. “I like talking with you, Lamisi. You’re interesting and real. When you laugh, it makes my heart do somersaults, and all I want to do is make it happen again. And again. I like seeing you happy, and I’d appreciate the chance to understand you better. And
to have you do the same with me.”
The man had a way with words, but then after falling in love with his lyrics, she already knew that.
“Can you guarantee that you’ll keep me out of the media?”
He shook his head in outright refusal. “Are you kidding? After catching this small glimpse of who you are, all I want to do is show you off to the world. You’re amazing. We can keep our personal lives as private as possible, but I can’t hide you. It would be like concealing a masterpiece of artwork when all it longs for is to be appreciated. Impossible.”
She got lightheaded with the pleasure his declaration induced. Who could say no? Certainly not her. “I can accept slow.”
He lifted her. Feet dangling, arms clutching him while she giggled, he swung her around.
“Slow it is.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
For the solid, down to earth man Blaise considered himself to be, he’d somehow transitioned into light and airy since Lamisi had agreed to date him. Even gravity had released its hold to allow him to float. At least in his mind. Magnificent sensations bemused him, eliciting fresh songs that he took the time to jot down when they came to him.
What had happened in the studio with Lamisi before lunch had blown him away. Their honest conversation had changed everything between them. They’d been on fire. From her skittishness, he got the sense that ketchup from a freshly opened bottle would get to its destination long before their relationship got beyond the friendship level.
What was she afraid of? Had someone hurt her?
He’d discover and eradicate her uncertainty. At least, she hadn’t shied away from the chance to get to know him.
If only he could use his power of persuasion to influence her in speaking French with him. “Your garden is peaceful and lush.”
He snapped out of his thoughts as Lamisi’s sweet voice brought him back to the outdoor sanctuary she’d lead him to after lunch.
“Thanks. Being out here gets my creative juices flowing.”
She plucked a leaf from a plant next to her when they settled on the wooden bench. “Let’s hope it has an impact on your French. Since I’m stuck with you after Precious and Amadu’s temper tantrum when I told them we’d leave, we’ll try again.”
The glimmer in her eyes and the slight upward lift of her lips softened her words.
Did going slow mean he couldn’t lean in and kiss her cheek at random moments when he found her adorable? Only one way to find out, so he brushed his lips along her soft skin.
She smiled and touched her fingertips to her face. “What was that for?”
“Because you’re beautiful.”
A snort wasn’t what he’d expected.
“You’re going to have to tone it down with the flattery. I know who I am.”
Her denial hit harder than a punch to his solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him. He lifted her hand and placed it over his chest.
“I’m not one to flatter anyone, Lamisi. What I mean, I say. Who you think you are and who I see you as seem to be two different people. Your eyes draw me in the same way looking at the ocean does, deep and unfathomable, yet gorgeous to behold. Your nose—”
She waved her free hand in front of his face and sniffled. “That’s enough. I don’t want to cry in front of you again.”
He rested his forehead against hers. “These are tears of …”
“Overwhelm and happiness that you think I’m beautiful when there are gorgeous women who—”
He cancelled the rest of her words with a quick kiss to the lips. He pulled back so she could see the sincerity he presented.
“Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. You are gorgeous, intelligent, witty, strong, and all other sorts of things that I can’t wait to find out about. I’m not trying to drive you away, but I know for a fact that you can get someone better than me. I just happened to find you first.”
“I doubt that. You’re pretty impressive.”
He rolled his eyes. “Now who’s being charming?”
She giggled and shocked him by tapping her finger on the tip of his nose.
“Do you want to practice your French or not?”
“Not.” He laughed. “Let’s do it.”
“Okay. This time, we’ll start saying the words instead of singing them.”
As ready as a star pupil wanting to please his teacher, he nodded and waited for her to present the words.
“S'il te plaît, ne me casse pas les oreilles.”
“What did you say? I understood please.” He pulled at her earlobe. “And ears.”
“I said, please don’t make my ears bleed.”
He laughed. “So that’s how it is? I see.”
“Oui.”
She repeated the sentence.
He mimicked her words.
“Again,” she ordered.
Her mouth broadened into a smile after the tenth round of say and repeat.
“That last time sounded just like yours.”
She waved her hands like a football match referee calling for the stop of play. “Not at all. It was terrible, but I now understand your problem. You’re trying to speak like we do Hausa or even Twi.”
“I don’t understand.”
“French is a soft language. If you don’t produce the r’s in the back of your throat as if you’re rolling it, it will sound flat. And you need to keep your mouth small when you say the vowels.”
“I still don’t get it.”
In her enthusiasm to get her point across, she grabbed his arm. The tingles from her touch distracted him.
“Ewe! To my ear, French sounds more like the language of the Volta Region than any of our other language in Ghana. At least the ones I’ve heard.” Narrowed eyes focused on him. “I’ve only heard you sing in Ewe once. Do you speak it?”
“As if I was born in Kpando. That’s what I spoke with the tour guide on Mt. Afadjato.”
She grunted. “I must’ve missed it when I was trying not to die.”
“You made it. At least, you can claim that as your badge of honour.”
The removal of her hands left his skin cool. He preferred her warmth, so he entwined their fingers.
Her hand stayed in place. A good sign.
“Say something in Ewe.”
He obliged.
“You are a lovely woman who I could stare at all day.” He stroked the back of his fingers down her cheek. “Your skin is as soft as the petals of an orchid.”
Unable to stop the draw pulsing between them, he brushed his lips against hers and let his breath fan them as he continued in Ewe. “And your mouth causes me to lose concentration and focus on the pleasure of tasting you.”
She squirmed out of his arms after her telling shiver and placed both hands against the sides of her face.
“Yeah. Well … Um.” She shuddered out a long breath. “Your Ewe is perfect. And …” She shifted her eyes to the side and then returned them back to his. “Thank you for the compliments.”
***
Amadu’s blessed presence in the car on the way home prevented Precious from talking about what she’d witnessed in the studio. Her grin hadn’t faded for the whole ride. Amadu had inquired about the lunatic expression, but neither of them had explained.
“Tomorrow. Meet me at The Cake Boutique at four,” were Precious’ parting words when getting out of the car. No option to decline.
The next day, Lamisi adjusted herself on the turquoise seat cushions before taking a sip of the cookie dough and brownie milkshake. None of it made it to her mouth as she drew in her cheeks to suck harder. Giving up, she went into the shop and requested a spoon for the viscous drink.
In the minute it took her to get back to their table, Precious had finished her caramel cupcake.
“Mmm hmm,” Precious hummed as she chewed.
Lamisi’s eyes drifted closed as the sweet spoonful of milkshake hit her tongue. Precious had made the right call to meet there. It’d been a long time since they’d gotten hyped up on
sugar together.
Her phone rang. An unknown number flashed on her screen even through the TrueCaller identifier. Since it could be her supervisor, she picked the call. “Hello.”
“Lamisi Imoro?” the feminine voice asked in a harsh tone.
When would people learn basic phone etiquette? “Who is this?”
“Don’t worry about it. Are you Lamisi Imoro? Never mind. I know you are. My sources are never wrong.”
Sources? She sat up straighter. Could this be related to the heavy breathing calls she’d been receiving? Refusing to confirm the caller’s suspicions, she repeated in a sterner voice, “Who is this?”
“All you need to know is that if you keep seeing my man, I’ll make your life miserable.”
What the hell?
“I have no idea who you are or what you’re talking about?”
Precious raised her brows.
“Don’t play dumb. You know exactly who I’m talking about. I’m tired of your nasty home-wrecking behaviour. I won’t have it. Leave him alone, or completing your dissertation on time, if at all, will be the least of your worries.”
Before she could respond to the threat, the line went dead.
Not one to tolerate nonsense, Lamisi called the person back. Beeping sounded before an operator informed her of the number being out of service. She tried once more and got the same response.
She glared at her phone wondering what had just happened.
Her heart beat loud and fast in her ears. Hands trembling, she placed the phone on the table. “That was odd.”
“What’s going on?”
She relayed the conversation word for word. “I have no idea who she was talking about.”
“Could her man be Blaise?”
Lamisi discounted him after the discussion they’d had. She’d believed him when he said he wasn’t seeing anyone. “She called me a home-wrecker. I figure the guy is married. Besides, we only just met up again, so no one would ever connect us. Her mention of my dissertation makes me wonder if it’s about a guy I assisted with a postgrad course last semester.”
“Could be,” Precious said with a single shoulder shrug. “Or the woman’s man is cheating on her with someone else and she thinks it’s you.” She leaned in. “Is it you?”
