Possessed By The Duke (Regency Romance)

by Kaley McCormick

  What I didn’t want to tell him was that my work visa had expired. I was going to be shipped out next week back to Nigeria. Not something that I missed or wanted to return to. I found the solution on the internet by becoming an e-mail order bride. The guy I got in touch with turned out to be a regular at my restaurant.

  Timothy was the one that told me that I had a gift and that I should pursue it and give the world a taste of what I had to offer. It wasn’t lost on me that he had a crush on me and that he looked at my caramel skin and wondered what it would be like to be with me. I might’ve been a little overweight, but it was nothing, as far as most were concerned. I was 5’10, 180 pounds and most of that was up front and in back.

  “I’m just glad that you convinced me to do this. I never thought that you would want to join, but I’m more than happy to have you. This whole thing was mostly your doing and it would be a damn shame that you lose out on some of the accolades. I’ve only been teaching you for the past two weeks and already I see potential to become a chef in your own making.” I stood there and admired him from behind, trying to bring about some kind of attraction that might turn things from something friendly to something even more explosive.

  If I didn’t have my chef outfit on, I might have taken matters into my own hands. There was no denying that Timothy had a body that just wouldn’t quit, but his attitude towards women didn’t exactly make him something that I wanted to try out myself. Maybe if I could gag him and stop him from making these insane remarks that put women down, I might be able to see clear about giving him one moment of bliss.

  “I think you know that he’s out there waiting for you. He ordered the Beef Wellington. He always gets the special and I think he might have a thing for you.” I knew exactly who he was talking about and this guy was a bit of a mystery wrapped up in a paradox. I saw him on several occasions come in and he wouldn’t say much, but he would constantly look at me and make me feel like he was undressing me. I had no choice and I had to throw out a proposition of marriage.

  “Holden Reynolds is a very accomplished businessman with a checkered past. He came back from Iraq and instead of wallowing in self pity; he opened up his own security agency. He has his own farm right here in Texas and I think his penchant for hard work and discipline comes from the navy. I’ve done my own research on the Internet and I found out that he was quite instrumental in bringing some of those very sought after terrorists to justice.” He wore his suits impeccably and there wasn’t a crease to be seen. Any time that I went out to see him to make sure that his food was good, he would only smile and nod his head politely.

  I probably wouldn’t know that he was even interested, except for the fact that he kept looking at me. I saw him in the mirror, stopped cold with his fork poised in the air about to go into his mouth. I think he was drooling a little over my posterior and wondering what it would take to ask me out. He found out that I was the one that approached him.

  “You really should go out and see him. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen you admiring the man and not do anything about it.” I didn’t even know that he noticed that, but it didn’t bode well, because if he did, then everybody else probably saw it written across my face in bold letters. “I think that I can handle things back here. When I’m done, I’ll close up and then we can compare notes tomorrow morning. I have a date and let’s just say that my hopes are up for breakfast in bed.” I was glad to see that he wasn’t pining after me. It did make me feel a moment of jealousy, but I had no reason to be. He had every right to date whoever he wanted and besides, I wasn’t even interested in him in that way.

  If I was going to approach him, then right now would be the right time and the right place. If I didn’t do it now, he would walk out and I probably wouldn’t see him, until next week. I didn’t know if I could go that long without doing something about this obvious attraction and heat between us. The arrangement of marriage had been made between the two of us, but he thought that was all I wanted…silly boy.” I had a delicious cheesecake that was to die for. It wasn’t even on the menu, but I had made it in hopes that he was going to come in tonight. It was getting late and he was always the last one to leave.

  I saw him dabbing his mouth with a napkin and I wondered how that would feel between my legs. I had to stop thinking like that, or at least give him a reason to see me, as more than just the chef behind the scenes.

  My sister was a bit of a handful and she was now working with me, as an accountant. She was good with numbers and I had to admit that she had found ways to make my life less of a problem when it came to government taxes. She used to be big into drugs, but she had recently cleaned herself up and I just hoped that she was going to keep it that way.

  My parents guilted me into hiring her, because they were worried that she was going to fall off the wagon. I had that same sinking suspicion and if she didn’t have something to do that would occupy her time, then it was possible that she would turn to old habits.

  I took a deep breath, steeled myself for the approach and then I walked out there with the cake in hand. “Excuse me, Mr. Reynolds. I was wondering if you had time for something a little sweet and decadent. I promise that it will be worth getting your teeth into something like this.” The obvious innuendo was probably lost on him, but he motioned for me to sit down with him.

  Each time that I came within spitting distance, I was almost putty in his hands. This was the kind of guy that looked like a gentleman, but you could see underneath that there was something forceful and demanding working just within the recesses of his mind.

  His body was like a work of art and I had to keep glancing away, because I just couldn’t stop staring at his baby blue eyes. He had this slight scruff, which only exasperated the issue and made me swoon for him in a more profound way. I constantly had to cross my legs, just so that could scratch that itch that was getting a little bit too hard to take.

  He had a buzz cut and there was just the shadow of hair, but he had the weight of at least 200 pounds of pure muscle to pull it off. His shoulders were huge and I wanted him to sweep me up in his arms and become my knight in shining armor. Wait he already did that by agreeing to marry me for convenience. His chest was massive and I could tell that years of practice in the gym had given him a regiment that was worth its weight in gold.

  “I was just about to leave, but I guess I have time to try something that’s not on the menu, especially since it is from my wife to be.” I wasn’t sure, but maybe he was getting the general idea that I wanted more than just this give and take flirting. “There seems to be a bit of a storm.” I followed his gaze and leaves were now splashing up against the window. The rain was teeming and then there was the strike of lightning. Thunder boomed and made the entire place shake with the dishes on the table making this clanging racket that caused me to grab it. I made sure that it didn’t fall to the floor.

  The cake danced across the table, but it did not reach its final destination. “That was pretty close. If that had gone on the floor, it would’ve been a damn shame. I’m really looking forward to finding out what you think of this latest creation. It’s a four fruit cheesecake.” I didn’t realize it, but he had instinctively reached out and grabbed my hand. His finger was stirring up something to the surface and I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to react to something like that.

  “I’m sorry; I don’t mean to be this forward. I would take my hand away, but I really don’t want to. I’ve been attracted to you for a long time, Avril. I know that this marriage is not going to be real, but maybe I want it to be.” He was staring at my breasts, which were pressing up quite obscenely against the uniform. It was probably because I’d taken off my bra and let the natural wonders speak for themselves.

  “Normally, I would love the attention, but my eyes are up here.” I was only teasing and I loved that he was taking an interest in my more prominent assets.

  ’I just never met a woman quite like you. You not only carry yourself with confidence, but you
cook like someone that has been doing it all of her life. I just wish that I had found this place a long time ago. After my wife passed, I’ve been eating mostly takeout and you can imagine how old that gets in a hurry.”

  “I do hope that you coming here is not just because the food. I would hate to think that all of this flirting was for nothing. I would like some kind of payoff for paving the way for us to be together. If I’m not getting my point across, then let me be perfectly blunt. I would like to fuck you and leave you wanting more.” He almost choked on the cheesecake, sputtering little bits onto the plate. He stared at me for some time and I wondered if he would make a move, when suddenly the lights flickered and then went out.

  Chapter two

  The only light was the brief flashed of lightning. For the most part, it was complete darkness and then I felt a hand touching my breasts from across the table. “If that’s not you, Holden, then whoever it is better be prepared to get a swift kick in the balls.”

  “I’m just having my cake and eating it too. I love that I can touch you and eat this cheesecake at the same time. It’s almost too decadent for words. I know that you don’t normally do this with your clientele and I feel kinda special that you would even give me a moment of your time. Marrying me is like the icing on the cake” I was going to give him more than that and the way that he was rubbing my nipple had certainly opened my eyes to the possibilities. “I just want you to know, Avril that I’m seriously considered investing in you. This is not sexual and I’ve seen your success and I want to be a part of it.” I’d never even considered taking on investors, but now that he had brought up the topic, it could be something to pursue.

  “I think that if you continue what you’re doing that I might consider your proposition. After all, you know that sex sells. We’ve all seen it on television, in the movies and even on the Internet. I would call my creations better than sex, but since I haven’t had a good orgasm in quite some time, I can’t really compare the two.” Again, he started to choke and it was at that moment that a strike of lightning showed his face and the way that it was beaming with anticipation. “I’m glad it was you that I found and not some dirty old man with only one thing on his mind.”

  “You really do have a mouthful…I mean, you really said a mouthful.” This was my time to be embarrassed. “I’m not talking about your body, although there is more than enough to go around. I just think that it’s time that you think about opening up a new restaurant. I have a place in mind and I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to pull the switch on the deal. It has everything that you’ll need to make it a growing concern within the community. I’ll even foot the bill for advertising, although I doubt that you’re going to need all that much when they get a load of what you can do in the kitchen.” If he was trying to heap praise on me and I had no problem letting him.

  I got up even though I couldn’t see where I was going, I followed the emergency lighting of the exit sign leading towards the kitchen. I had him in hand and his other hand was now cupping my ass and squeezing it.

  “Damn, I’ve been begging for chance with my eyes for a long time to have you like this. Avril, I find you absolutely stunning, but I have to tell you that I’ve been dealing with some issues. I think you know that I’ve had some problems mentally speaking. When I came back from Iraq, I found myself lost and unable to manage on my own. I get these moments of panic, but I’m taking medication. It’s just that my mind is always running at tiptop efficiency. I’m always looking for dangers and sometimes I perceive them when there isn’t any.” I had no idea why he was telling me any of this, but maybe he needed me to know that he was not perfect.

  “I know about what you did overseas and I commend you on your service to your country. You were one of the best soldiers. I would even call you in the elite few that could do something that others couldn’t.” His hand tightened on my fingers, like he wasn’t quite sure how to react to my assessment of the situation.

  “It does my heart proud to know that my efforts were not in vain. We took down several of terrorists and most times they didn’t even know that we were there, until it was too late. There were times that we had to kill with our own bare hands and not from the safety of our rifle and the crosshairs leading up to the kill. I have blood on my hands and I think that you can see that I’ve been throwing myself into my work. I don’t go out in the field anymore, except to consult, but still I have those memories and sometimes they come back and bite me.” I grabbed his hand and I bit into his palm. I licked the surface and gave him every reason to trust me with all of his hidden secrets.

  “You don’t have to fear me and whatever you have to say will stay in the vault with the key thrown away.” I think he wanted to let me know what I was getting myself into, but I already knew that. I didn’t know the extent of what he went through, but I had a cousin that had come back a little different. He was always caustic, but now he was sarcastic and didn’t mind getting into trouble just because. I could sense that Holden had that same penchant for violence, but he wasn’t allowing it to get a hold of him like my cousin did.

  “I’m glad that you understand. It’s just that sometimes I feel alone and I look for anything that I can find to make those nightmares go away. I’m not sure that you’re going to believe me, but I feel that you and I have a connection. You’re first one that I’ve ever found that has taken me out of my comfort zone. I look at you and all those thoughts about danger and destruction washes away in an instant. I can’t explain it and I don’t think that I will ever be able to. Trust me, it’s not the main reason why I come here every night, but it is part of it. I would’ve written back to you, even if I didn’t know who you were.” I found myself bumping into the stove and the emerging lighting in the kitchen gave this eerie red glow that made me feel like I was doing something that was naughty.

  I took off his jacket, folded it neatly and placed it on the metal table that had already been sanitizing clean by Timothy before he left. I undid his buttons, seeing one scar over his left pectoral that made me grow weary with concern. I kissed it, hoping that I would make it better, but knowing that it was just a metaphorical kind of healing process.

  “I have to tell you, Holden that I’ve been thinking about this for some time. Maybe I shouldn’t be admitting this, but I’ve never felt all that attractive growing up. Kids can be cruel and I have a condition that makes it impossible for me to lose weight. I don’t gain any and I stayed between a certain amount. I see the way that you look at me and it makes me feel wanted and sexy. That is a feeling that I don’t get often from men of your color. I don’t mean that to be prejudice, but I found that brothers of my own skin tone are where I get the most attention.” He was allowing me to set the pace, going after his belt and taking it off, before wrapping it around his neck to pull him down for a kiss that had him almost breathless.

  “I guess I’ve always had a fetish for women of color. I never really considered somebody with more to offer, but I find you absolutely irresistible. I can’t even think straight and sometimes I feel tongue tied and unable to speak to you. This blackout is a godsend and it gave me a reason to reach out and do something about what I was feeling.” He kissed me and we tangled with each other, until finally I had my hand down his pants.

  His equipment was a good 9 inches and thick enough that it was going to give me a ride worth my money. I was in for a good time, but I didn’t know how much, until he moved to his knees. I easily stripped off the apron, pulling down my pants by releasing the string and letting it fall with gravity. I stepped out of it and then he pressed his face against my mound. He gave me light kisses with his tongue touching me to get my attention in a big way.

  “Holden, you don’t have any idea how long it’s been, since somebody has done that. I’ve been… Oh my god…so caught up in my work…yes, just a little bit more. Never mind, you’re doing it exactly the right way. You don’t need me telling you what to do like some sort of teacher with a student that has fal
len behind in his grades.” His tongue had moved in for the kill and I could feel it getting ever deeper with each movement of his face against me. My juices were now coating his scruff and leaving behind white paste, as a reminder of how excited he made me. I had not cum yet and that was just a prelude to a more explosive discharge. “I hope that you know what you’re doing. Like I said, you have a talent and you don’t need me telling you what to do.” That last word was punctuated with a moan that made me throw my head back with my hair now slapping back and forth.

  My screams were animalistic and primal, something that you would hear in the wild when animals were now attacking each other in mating season. I had one leg over his shoulder, the meaty thigh hanging there, while he was administering to my oral needs. He didn’t even stop and most guys, even brothers would find that one orgasm was more than enough foreplay. He was not of that same sentiment and he was now pushing the boundaries, until I was on the edge and ready to go over it again.

  “You taste like fine wine on a hot afternoon. You might be too much for me to handle.” With those words, he continued his exploration of my flesh. He deserved all the credit in the world for learning from whatever mistress had given him a road map to the female anatomy. Those plans were secret and only a few select knew exactly what they were doing in that department. I lost it and I grabbed his head and force fed him my juices, making him suffocate and unable to breathe for at least a minute.

  I pushed him away with my hands, oversensitive by what he had done and looking down at his smiling face and the way that his tongue was now licking the excess off his lips. There was no denying that this man in his forties had a unique understanding of what it took to make me into his personal plaything.