“I’ll just go put Emma to bed,” he whispered while she punched in a phone number.
She stopped in mid-dial. “How is she?”
“What—are you kidding? She’s with me.” He winked and smiled.
Her anger cooled a few degrees. “Thanks, Garrick. I really appreciate you coming to the rescue. You’ve been doing that a lot. I don’t know how or if I will ever be able to repay you.”
He hesitated and then glanced down at Emma. “I’ll be right back.” He nodded to the phone. “You better make your call.”
Something warm and wonderful fluttered in her belly and Leila turned her back to resume dialing. Ciara and her husband didn’t answer, but Leila left a brief message about what had happened and urged Ciara to call her first thing in the morning.
When she hung up, Garrick’s presence filled the room.
“I put our little girl to bed. How did it go?” he asked.
The wild fluttering returned. “They weren’t home. I left a message.” Leila didn’t hear him coming up behind her, but she knew if she turned she would be in his embrace.
On the television screen above the fireplace, the countdown for the new year had begun.
“Nine, eight, seven…,” the announcer’s voice cried out from the television.
She said nothing as Garrick slid her fur coat from her shoulders and tossed it on the sofa. “I love your dress.” He glided a finger across her bare shoulder.
Leila shivered at the feel of his breath against the back of her neck.
“I also love it when you pin up your hair.”
“Four, three, two…”
Slowly, Leila turned and found her mouth inches from his. She looked into his eyes and could think of nothing but the desire reflected in them as she closed the minuscule distance between them.
“Happy New Year!” The crowd from Times Square cheered.
At that moment, Leila’s and Garrick’s lips met in a soul-searing kiss.
Chapter 14
Leila moaned as Garrick’s mouth roamed over hers with silent authority. She pressed against him and enjoyed the feel of his manhood straining against the lining of his pants. There was something about his guttural groans that heightened her excitement and induced more fog into her brain.
“We shouldn’t be doing this,” she muttered when she’d mastered enough strength to pull away.
“I know,” Garrick agreed. He recaptured her lips and drove her mouth wide to accept his foraging tongue.
She backed up and bumped into the end table. The lamp toppled over and crashed to the floor.
Leila and Garrick froze. Both waited and strained to hear whether Emma would wake. After a few long heartbeats, the couple looked at each other and laughed.
“Maybe we should slow down?” Leila said, easing away and then around him.
Disappointment etched into Garrick’s features, but he managed to nod. “You’re right.” He licked his lips and ran a hand across the top of his short-cropped hair. “I guess I better get going,” he said, yet it sounded more like a question.
“Go?”
He held her gaze. “If that’s what you want.”
Every system in her body went haywire beneath his dark stare. She, too, licked her lips and loved the way his eyes followed her tongue. “The only place I want you to go is to the other room to the bar. I would like some wine.”
A mischievous smile ghosted around his lips as he winked. “I have an idea.” He strolled out of the room in long, languid strides.
When he left the room, Leila caught her breath. The man was amazing. If he affected her this way with her clothes on, she couldn’t imagine how it would feel with them off. She turned toward the fireplace and turned up the gas. Upstairs, she unearthed a comfortable chenille blanket and returned downstairs to lay it out before the fire. Then it suddenly occurred to her what she was doing.
“Am I going to sleep with him?” she asked herself. She glanced up to see that Garrick had returned in Olympic time. Her eyes roamed over every inch of his fine body and her answer was a resounding: hell yes.
“How about champagne?” he asked, holding up a bottle and two glasses.
“Perfect.” She walked around to the front of the sofa and found the television remote buried in one of the cushions. She shut off the television and faced him again while he unwrapped the foil on their bottle.
“You look nervous,” Garrick said.
“Me? I’m never nervous. Why would I be nervous?”
Leila’s pulse jumped when the cork popped and a stream of champagne ejected from the bottle and spilled out onto the carpet.
“No reason,” he said. The same sly grin hugged his lips.
Leila swallowed and crossed the room to stand before him. “You know this is crazy don’t you? We hardly know each other.”
“I know enough.” He filled the two glasses and then handed one to her. “What about you?” He stepped closer.
Suddenly, she didn’t trust herself to speak and instead nodded.
“Good. Should we make a toast?”
“What…” She cleared her throat. “What should we toast to? To a happy New Year?”
“Or…we can toast to us.” He held up his glass.
Leila hesitated as she nibbled on her bottom lip, and then finally clinked her glass against his. “To us.”
Both took a deep gulp of their champagne.
Garrick never took his eyes off her and Leila’s body flushed with awareness. This crazy dance they performed drove her crazy, yet at the same time, she anticipated his next move.
“Had enough?”
“I’m sorry?” Her voice cracked.
Garrick only smiled and reached for her glass. “I think you’ve had enough.”
She released her glass and watched as he walked over to the coffee table and set them down.
“Nice blanket.” He returned to her side. “Maybe it’s time that we made ourselves a little more comfortable.” He glided his fingers lazily across her shoulders.
Delicious chills raced through Leila as her eyes grew heavy with passion.
“Look at me,” he commanded softly.
She complied, drowning in his eyes.
“I like touching you,” he whispered. His fingers shifted direction and now traveled down the center of her chest. “Your skin is so soft,” he praised.
Leila inhaled deeply and grew intoxicated by his clean scent. His mere touch crowded all other thoughts from her mind.
“Turn around,” he said.
Once again, Leila obeyed and then was surprised by this submissive side of her.
Garrick planted small kisses across her back while he unzipped her dress. “Lovely,” he whispered as he peeled the dress off and then let it fall to pool at her feet.
Leila stepped out and kicked the dress aside. She was pleased beyond words that she’d chosen matching satin and lace instead of a mismatched cotton and rayon.
“Do you want to undress me or should I do it?” he asked, drawing the lobe of her ear in between his teeth.
“I’ll do it,” she panted and turned to face him. She took her time unbuttoning his shirt and pulling his T-shirt over his head.
She roamed her fingers across his chest, loving the feel of his muscles dancing beneath her touch.
“You’re good at this,” he praised.
“I’m a fast learner.” She winked and reached for his belt buckle.
Their eyes locked when it came time for her to unbutton his pants. He looked as if he wanted to see how far she would go and she was eager to show him.
“A boxer man, huh?”
He drew her close again. “I hope that doesn’t disappoint you.”
“Not at all.” His bare chest felt wonderful against her.
“Good.” He whispered her name before kissing her again, then moved lower. With skilled hands, he unfastened her bra and moaned his appreciation when he freed her breasts.
Cool air and warm breath swirled over her nipple
s. His tongue danced over one peak and then he nipped at the other with his teeth. Leila rolled her head back and thrust her breasts as high she could get them. He rewarded her efforts by cupping both breasts and increasing the pressure of his suckling.
This was heaven.
Garrick released his hold and tugged at her panties. A second later, they, too, fell to her feet. He reclaimed her mouth, but stole her breath when his hard shaft branded her thigh.
Leila quivered as he backed her up against the cold bricks of the fireplace. She winced with pain and pleasure and then she heard the unmistakable rip of a condom packet.
He lifted her right leg and placed it around his hip, then gently reached for the other, supporting her weight with the greatest of ease.
Leila’s heartbeat was beyond erratic as he glided inside, filling her inch by inch. She dug her fingernails across his back, down his waist, and across his buttocks as they moved together.
Garrick’s sweet murmurings filled her head as he rocked her to new dizzying heights. She needed this; she needed him like no man before. She didn’t know when she’d started saying his name; all she knew was she couldn’t stop.
“Leila. Sweet Leila.”
His husky whisper finally pitched her over the edge and she released a low cry of release.
Garrick slowed, allowing her body to quake with several aftershocks. He rained kisses over her face, down her neck, and then once again over her breasts.
When her breathing finally returned to normal, he clasped his arms around her waist and showed remarkable strength as he carried her over to the blanket. Once there, he gave her butt a quick smack.
“Lay down,” he commanded.
Still eager and willing to please, Leila untwined her legs from around his hips and eased down onto the blanket. At this new angle, she was blown away at the sheer beauty of his chocolate body.
Garrick slid down beside her and tilted her chin up so he could gaze into her eyes. “How are you feeling?” The pad of his fingers rubbed her hard nipples.
“Wonderful,” she admitted.
He waited, and she sensed that he wanted her to take control for a while. Happy to oblige, Leila reached between his legs and stroked his rock-hard shaft.
Garrick smiled and leaned forward to steal another kiss.
She placed her free hand against his chest. “Lay back,” she said.
His lips slid wider as he did as she asked.
Leila climbed to her knees, and then swung one leg over and straddled him for the top position. She emitted a long catlike purr as she eased down on him and found her own rhythm.
After a long while, Leila’s breath hitched and her body stiffened as a swirling heat built inside of her. She dropped her head back as her rhythm increased in urgency.
Garrick’s hands fell to her hips while his own religious moans fell from his lips. They moved in unison, their hips rocking in unbelievable intensity.
Leila’s climax slammed into her and paralyzed her vocal cords. Garrick quickly rolled her onto her back and rocked hard and steady until he cried out her name in one last powerful thrust.
At long last, he collapsed on top of her. They lay melded together, heaving for air.
“You’re amazing,” he said, finding the strength to rain kisses along her collarbone.
“You’re not so bad yourself.” She pushed him onto his side, but didn’t separate their bodies. “I hope you had some spinach tonight. You’re going to need your energy.”
“Trash talking in bed. That’s unique,” he laughed.
“If you haven’t noticed, we’re not in bed.”
“Yet.” He winked.
Leila gasped at the feel of his sex hardening inside of her. “You’re ready for round two so soon?”
“Honey, I’m just getting started.” He pulled her close, and then proved that he was a man of his word.
Chapter 15
Leila woke with a smile on her face as she uncurled her body in a long feline stretch. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept so well. It had to have been at least—a week ago.
She loved the way her body tingled and how her mind still lolled among the clouds. Had she ever felt this way before? Her lips slid wider as she rolled her body back into a fetal position.
She drew in a deep breath, catching a whiff of his cologne in her feather pillows. How would Garrick aka “Mr. All Night” feel about making love in the morning?
Leila stretched out her hand to find out; but her dreamworld shattered when she discovered the spot next to her empty.
Her eyes bolted open as she jerked up in bed. “Garrick?” She glanced around, and sure enough, the room was empty. “What the…?”
Had last night been a dream?
She peeled back the sheets and cool air sent an army of goose bumps charging throughout her body. There was only one reason why Leila would go to bed nude, which meant last night couldn’t have been a dream.
Quickly, she detangled herself from her tousled sheets and rushed to put on her robe. All the while, she had a horrifying thought of Garrick treating last night as a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am, which was usually her role.
Humiliation flushed through her body as she tore out of her bedroom and stormed down the hall.
“I see you’re finally up.”
Garrick’s warm baritone stopped her cold before the baby’s room. She turned toward the open door, stunned to see him in the rocking chair, feeding Emma her morning bottle.
She exhaled with relief and fluttered an embarrassed smile at him. “How long have you been up?” she asked, seeing him dressed in his pants and T-shirt.
“About an hour when this little lady started bawling for breakfast.”
“Oh, why didn’t you wake me?” she moaned and raked her hands through her hair. “I would have fed her.”
Garrick shrugged. “You looked so peaceful…and I figured that since I had a hand in that, I should be the one to take care of the baby.”
Leila grew warm as a familiar ache throbbed between her legs.
“I tried to feed Emma some oatmeal, but it seems to me she was more interested in wearing it than eating it.” He chuckled, winking at her niece.
She laughed. “Been there, done that.” Leila folded her arms and leaned against the door frame, fascinated by the sight of him with Emma.
“You really do love children, don’t you?” she asked suddenly.
“What’s not to love?” He glanced up and met her stare. “Children are an extension of ourselves—a little piece of immortality. Plus, they’re so darn cute.” He winked.
Touched, Leila’s heart squeezed with sadness. Slowly, reality drizzled and then flooded her brain. She and Garrick were polar opposites in every way and yet last night…
“Is something wrong?”
She tried to shake off her troubled thoughts, but the enormity of what had transpired between them continued to seep into her brain.
“Leila?”
Once again, their eyes met and she forced on a brave smile. “I think you’ll make a wonderful father one day,” she admitted. He frowned; but she turned away.
“Where are you going?”
To go sulk in a corner. “I’m going to make some coffee. Would you like some?”
Garrick stared back, wondering if he’d said something wrong. His lips constricted as he waited, studying her. “Coffee would be nice.”
Leila tightened the belt on her robe and strolled from the doorway.
Emma’s small hand grabbed the neck of Garrick’s T-shirt and returned his attention to the gurgling and cooing baby. He removed the bottle from her mouth.
“Are all the women in your family this difficult?”
The baby clapped her hands over her eyes and gave him a wonderful belly laugh.
“I’m going to take that as a yes.” He reached out for a burp cloth and swung it over his shoulder.
As he descended the stairs, he bounced and patted Emma’s back. However, he was unprepared t
o find Leila next to the coffeemaker, sobbing.
“Leila?”
Her head jerked up and, upon seeing him, she backhanded her tears. “Oh, um. I didn’t hear you come down.” She attempted to smile. “How would you like your coffee?”
Garrick strolled across the kitchen and settled Emma into her high chair before he faced Leila. “Tell me what’s wrong,” he urged, wiping a few missed tears with his fingers.
“Nothing,” she lied, trying to quell the embarrassment and panic mushrooming inside of her.
“Surely, you don’t think I buy that, do you?” He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her forward.
“Don’t.” Leila placed her hands against his chest and gained some distance—even if it was just a few inches.
He didn’t push, but he didn’t release her either. “I’m pretty stubborn, too, you know. I can stand like this all day.”
An awkward chuckle tumbled from her, yet she couldn’t quite bring herself to look him in the eye.
“What is it, Leila?” he whispered, and then peppered kisses against her forehead and temples.
Why did he have to be so wonderful? “I think last night was a mistake,” she croaked, the words sour on her tongue.
His hold loosened, but didn’t surrender. “I don’t,” he said.
“You will.” She closed her eyes, but a few tears managed to escape their confines.
“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”
When he laughed, Leila caught the slight titter of nervousness. Leila feigned bravado and lifted her chin in order to meet his eyes. “I’m not what you want—or need. I’m a career woman, through and through. I’m not going to apologize for it. I’m married to my job…and I don’t see children in my future.”
He was no longer smiling. “But you have little Emma—”
“Until tomorrow. My sister Roslyn will be back from Barbados and she’s agreed to take Emma.”
Garrick’s arms fell to his sides as he spoke resolutely, “I see.”
Suddenly the distance between them seemed wider than a mere few inches.
“Last night,” she continued in a shaky whisper, “was wonderful.”
She’s My Baby Page 9
