Admission of Love

by Niobia Bryant

  He knew he had been hard on them, but he didn’t care. It seemed as if everywhere he went Chloe Bolton was the talk of every man, and frankly he was sick of it.

  ∞

  Chloe was just about to walk closer to the house when she saw nearly all the men on the site stop working to stare and wave in her direction. She had even seen Devon look her way from where he had stood on the ladder. Her heart had jumped into her throat when she saw him almost fall, but he had corrected himself and climbed down easily.

  When she heard him yell at a group of men standing near his truck, she immediately assumed he was mad because of the distraction she was causing among the men. She was just in the middle of deciding whether to wait until the crew left to inspect the house or to enjoy her right as the owner of both the land and the burgeoning house to visit whenever she pleased. She chose the latter.

  Some of her bravado faded when she saw the murderous look Devon threw in her direction before he stomped up the stairs into the house, pulling on his T-shirt as he went. But then she got angry. Who was he to make her feel unwanted on her own property? Just how much of his bullying was she going to take?

  After two weeks of smoldering over their unfinished argument, Chloe was ready to do battle with him and this was the perfect chance to throw down her gauntlet. She marched toward the house, unaware of the tantalizing sight she made with her eyes blazing in anger and her hair billowing in the air behind her. The long strides she took emphasized the toned muscles of her thighs, and her breasts bounced, straining against the thin material of the cotton.

  She ignored the whistles and catcalls of the men as she took the brick stairs by two. Only one man was on her mind . . . Devon Jamison. Once she laid her eyes, and preferably her hands, on him, it was on!

  “Devon!”

  ∞

  He saw her coming from where he stood, and he hated the way his loins tightened at the impressive sight she made. She marched as if going to war. He couldn’t help but wonder what she was stirred up about. It wasn’t until she yelled his name like a banshee that he realized that he was her target.

  “Aw hell,” he muttered. He wasn’t in the mood for another battle with the woman.

  Before he could dash and hide from her, she appeared in the doorway of the living room where he was. She looked very out of place among the wooden framework. With much more cool than he actually felt, he glanced in her direction and then purposely glanced away, a clear dismissal.

  “I don’t know what crawled up your rear end and died, but you need to get it out and get over it!”

  Devon almost laughed as he pretended to measure the window frame, his back to her. But he didn’t allow it to fall from his lips because he knew it would only ignite her anger further. “What can I do for you, Ms. Bolton?”

  His voice was calm, too calm, and Chloe was spoiling for a fight. “You can stop making me feel like I’m not wanted on my own damn property. What are you trying to do, hide shoddy workmanship?”

  His body tensed and Chloe felt a perverse moment of triumph that she had hit a nerve. But then his shoulders relaxed and he faced her with the most polite and complacent expression. “Jamison Contractors has a fine reputation for building quality homes. We welcome any of our homeowners to visit the site as long as no harm could possibly befall them.”

  He sounded like a commercial! He wouldn’t rise to the occasion. He wouldn’t argue back. She felt like she was near the breaking point with anger, and he was so calm and cool. She wanted to get some reaction out of him after two weeks of him acting as if she didn’t exist. She wanted him to stop treating her like she was invisible.

  She was Chloe Bolton!

  Okay, no, she didn’t head trip often but he was one of the first men to be totally blasé toward her. And this was one time she wished her beauty and fame worked in her favor. The man was a definite blow to her ego.

  “In fact, Ms. Bolton, I’ll walk you through now if you like.”

  She was more than surprised at his request. Devon Jamison was offering to be in her company. And with the offer he effectively took away her reason for being mad in the first place. But the last thing she wanted was to be in his company. When it came to Devon Jamison she was always in a foul mood. “No thanks, I’ll have Deshawn walk me through when he has a chance,” she said with a snooty air.

  Devon instantly got angry at that. “Look, if you have designs on seducing my brother . . . forget it!”

  Chloe’s full bottom lip dropped in shock. “Designs on Deshawn?” Her voice was incredulous as she faced him. Sure Deshawn flirted shamelessly with her, but she didn’t take him seriously. She doubted if Deshawn ever took himself seriously. They were friends . . . nothing else!

  Devon was almost as shocked as she was by his accusation. Never before had the thought entered his mind, but the woman had a way of bringing the worst out of him. He knew Deshawn was slightly infatuated with her, but what they had was obviously a friendship that was purely platonic. He had made the comment just to be spiteful because it had irked him when she made it clear that she would much rather be in his brother’s company than his.

  But why should he care?

  Well, he couldn’t back down from the comment now and look like a fool. “Just do as I said.”

  “Go to hell, Devon Jamison!” she yelled.

  “I’ll see you there.”

  “Idiot.”

  “Witch!”

  She quelled the urge to walk over and kick him, and instead stormed out of the house, wishing there was a solid door to slam. Deshawn walked from behind the house just as Chloe descended the steps. “Hey, Deshawn.”

  “You and that brother of mine arguing again?”

  She sighed. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “My brother didn’t pick on you, did he?”

  She looked away from his friendly gaze. “Actually I started it, and I don't want to talk about it.”

  “I didn’t know you were coming today.’'

  “Neither did I. It was spur of the moment.”

  He looked up at the burgeoning structure. “Whatcha think so far?”

  “I love it,” she said with honesty, patting the hand he had placed on the metal railings. “I really would like a closer look at it, if I’m not too much in the way.”

  “Tomorrow is as good a time as any.

  Chloe nodded in agreement. “Okay, I’m gonna head on home now.”

  “You want me to drop you off?”

  “No, I’ll walk, but thanks. I’ll see you later.”

  She waved after she passed him and walked slowly down the driveway, eventually disappearing around the bend toward the house.

  ∞

  Devon watched her with narrowed eyes as she spoke to his brother, and when she reached out to touch his hand, his gut clenched, imagining the smoothness of her palms upon a man’s skin. He knew it was as soft as a baby’s bottom and could be as sensual as a lover’s touch.

  Thoughts of her forever intruded on his thoughts, but he refused to give in to the temptation. Not even if she had gained a few pounds that made her shorts look all the more inviting as she walked out of his line of vision.

  ∞

  Deshawn’s eyes also watched her, unaware that he and his twin were doing the same thing . . . undressing their houseguest with their eyes, although Deshawn was a bit more roguish in his perusal. He considered himself a connoisseur of women and this woman was top of the line.

  Only her constant offer of friendship kept him from getting too close to her. Besides he’d rather have her as friend. He was not interested in a serious relationship with anyone. So he kept thoughts of him and Chloe wildly making love on the floor in his dreams.

  ∞

  Chloe closed the mystery novel she was reading in her attic room and checked the time on the watch on her slender wrist. It was six-thirty P.M.

  She had seen both Devon’s and Deshawn’s trucks parked in the back about an hour ago, so she knew Nana Lil would be calling
everyone down for dinner soon. She could have easily helped her prepare dinner, but Nana Lil would not let her near her kitchen. She swore Chloe would burn something, not season it right, or break a nail into the food. She shook her head with a smile. If only she knew.

  Chloe decided to have a quick shower before dinner and moved quickly around the spacious area gathering her bath essentials. She knew Devon’s routine and he always showered as soon as he got in from work. The bathroom they shared should be free and clear. She removed her clothes and slipped into her navy blue cotton PoloSport robe before padding barefoot downstairs and into the bathroom through the hall entrance.

  She had found it odd that the bathtub and shower curtain were completely dry, but she quickly turned the water on to the right temperature. She stepped into the claw foot tub and pulled the shower curtain closed. She longed for a hot bath, but she always saved that luxury for when Devon was away at work, not wanting to intrude on his time.

  It crossed her mind, as it frequently did when she used the bathroom that Devon was on the other side of the door in his bedroom. She knew he could hear the shower running and thus knew she was in there.

  He probably wishes I would go down the drain with the water, she thought as she lathered her loofah with Pleasures perfumed bath gel. She laughed as she began to rub her upper torso with it.

  Once she felt like she had touched every inch of her body with the loofah and then followed it with her wash cloth, Chloe rinsed off and remained standing in the shower, inhaling the steam as a sort of mini-spa technique she frequently used. She felt a pang of loneliness that she tried to push away.

  After her debacle of a love affair with Calvin, Chloe had successfully steered clear of becoming involved in another relationship. The pain of Calvin’s betrayal had scarred her deeply, and the wounds were just beginning to finally heal. She wasn’t going to open herself up to be hurt again.

  There had been many men who tried over the years, from the rich and famous like herself to the delivery boy from caterers during photo shoots, with everything else in between. She had been wooed by flowers to actually being kidnapped by a friendly but adventurous photographer in his loft.

  All attempts failed.

  So maybe it was a blessing in disguise that Devon hated her guts because never had she felt so instantly drawn physically to any man.

  Why did he dislike her so?

  Why did she want his body?

  Who knew the answer to either question . . . only God above. And no matter how rich and famous Chloe was, that was one powerful connection she didn’t have!

  ∞

  Devon slammed the office’s cordless phone onto the base in anger. He’d been on the phone for more than an hour, along with Alicia, trying to find out what happened to the shipment of imported terra-cotta tiles from Spain. The tile was ordered six months ago for Chloe’s foyer and hall, and should have been delivered yesterday. When Alicia had called the company to inquire about the shipment this morning, it was MIA: missing in action.

  If the suppliers didn’t find where the costly, handcrafted tiles had gone, then they would have to reorder. That would delay the completion of the house. That meant more months of Chloe living in the attic above him.

  That was a no-no.

  Could he take any more of her?

  No!

  She was clouding his thoughts, arousing all his senses, and filling his body with desire for her against his better wishes. He didn’t want to want her. She was another Elissa, and he wasn’t giving in to that again.

  Besides they always fought like cats and dogs or ignored each other—

  Wait!

  He refused to finish his line of thought. He refused to even rationalize or contemplate the relationship he had with Chloe Bolton.

  Alicia jumped up and down excitedly in her seat, the phone clutched in between her ear and shoulder. He focused onto her side of the conversation as she jotted down information.

  “And your name . . .” She scribbled it down on the notepad. “Well, Warren Berkeley, Jamison Contractors is holding you personally responsible for getting our shipment here first thing Wednesday morning . . . uh huh . . . your number again . . . okay. No problem.”

  He sat up straight in his chair when he began to realize that Alicia had found the shipment. As soon as she hung up the telephone, Devon picked her petite frame up out of her chair and gave her a big bear hug with a kiss on the cheek.

  Alicia melted on the inside from the feel of his body pressed into hers, and she wished it was one of promise, desire and love, instead of gratitude and friendship.

  “Thanks Alicia, you’re an angel.”

  She smiled and warmed under his appreciation. “Just doing my job, boss man.”

  “Well enough work for today. Will you stay for supper? I’ll follow you home if it’s late. I know how that car acts up on you.” His eyes searched hers.

  What else could she say but a breathless, “Yes!”

  “Come on, let’s walk over together.” He put his hand to her elbow, helping to guide her steps, after they cut off the lights and locked up the office.

  They laughed over Devon’s expression when she first told him the shipment was lost. Soon they entered the house through the kitchen entrance in the back. Nana Lil was at the sink taking her medicine, comfortably dressed in a cotton caftan of bright yellow. Her face warmed at the sight of them.

  “Alicia’s gonna stay for dinner.”

  She smiled with pleasure. “That’s fine. As a matter of fact I’m gonna put you to work.”

  Devon nudged Alicia playfully with his arm. “While you women do your job fixing dinner, I’ll go shower.”

  Lil sucked her teeth and Alicia rolled her eyes heavenward. “Careful I don’t get barefoot and have a baby right up in here!”

  She used both of her hands to push him out of the kitchen, with a playful swat at his backside. Devon raced up the stairs and almost collided with Deshawn, who was just stepping out of his room.

  “Hey slow your roll, Dev.”

  He did slow his tracks, but only momentarily. His skin felt like it was itching from the day’s worth of dirt on it, and he wanted to take a shower . . . bad. “Problem solved with the shipment of tiles.”

  Deshawn threw a thumbs up signal as he descended the stairs.

  Devon finished climbing the stairs, stripping off his work clothes as soon as he shut his bedroom door behind him. He balled the soiled items up and threw them into his laundry hamper. Naked, he walked over to the closed bathroom door and listened.

  No sound of the shower running and the door was unlocked. He thought he had made sure it wasn’t occupied by their house before he opened the door and walked in.

  ∞

  Chloe stepped out of the shower, the warmth now gone. She felt so refreshed and her flat stomach growled in hunger. Mentally she prepared herself to ignore Devon. She swore not to let him get to her. She reached for her towel but before she could get a grasp on it, the door swung wide open.

  They both froze in surprise as their eyes roamed freely over each other’s naked forms. The same electricity crackled between them as at their first meeting. The desire was so hot they both felt like they stepped in the very bowels of hell, but this could only be paradise ... the Garden of Eden. A man and a woman that were meant for each other . . . destined for each other . . . wanting each other. Their minds said no but their bodies said yes, and eventually how could they resist?

  ∞

  Devon’s eyes clouded with desire, missing no details, capturing everything for memory. The slender neck with a mole above her collarbone; shoulders that rounded above long shapely arms; beautiful pendulous breasts with round aureoles that oddly were large, with her nipples hardened into tight buds. Her waist was small with a strawberry shaped birthmark on one of her curved hips above long, shapely legs. The triangular bush that hid her rawest femininity was curly and black. He had a desire to play in it.

  How could his body help but react.
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  She was divine!

  ∞

  Chloe let her eyes devour every bit of the muscled man she saw, achingly aroused by the sight of his malehood surrounded by curly hairs, hardening and lengthening before her very eyes. Her pulse raced and her very center throbbed with desire for the thick, lengthy piece of him. His body was lean and hard, with his muscled neck and powerful chest. A desire to lick the contours of the washboard hardness of his abdomen filled her. She wanted to be held with his strong, sculptured arms and have her legs entwined with his.

  Jesus!

  ∞

  Only seconds passed, but it seemed an eternity. No words were spoken, but none were needed.

  ∞

  Devon turned and walked out of the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind him. He was surprised to find that his hands and body trembled with desire for her. His swollen member still stood erect and curved away from his body. His heart raced, his chest felt light and his stomach burned like hell.

  “Damn,” he swore. “She probably thinks I walked in on her on purpose.”

  Then he became embarrassed. The woman saw him naked for goodness sake! And his body had betrayed him in front of her. How could she not think he was a pervert?!

  He knew she had left the bathroom because he heard the door leading to the hallway close firmly, probably done intentionally so that he knew for sure that she was finished.

  Why didn’t she lock both of the doors? If she had, he wouldn’t be sitting on the edge of his bed with an erection, desiring a woman that was exactly the type of woman he didn’t need!

  ∞

  Chloe was prowling back and forth across the attic floor. Why hadn't I locked that damn door leading to Devon's room?

  She growled in frustration and embarrassment. The man had seen her stark naked and she’d seen . . . every glorious bit of him.

  How was she gonna face him now?

  ∞

  The informal seating arrangement for dinner did not help things for either Chloe or Devon. She had been the last one down to dinner and when she entered, her eyes had immediately met with Devon’s. They held for a few seconds before they both looked away.