“But…you can’t…just...”
“Good luck in your future endeavors, Ms. Jones.”
Dumfounded, Candace stared at the phone. No, it wasn’t a dream. Yes, the woman had hung up on her. Well, she’d said goodbye, but she’d effectively shut the door on everything Candace had accomplished. All that hard work gone down the drain. The opportunity of a lifetime had just slipped through her fingers. She’d lost her deal, her man, and her family member.
Lord, can my life get any worse?
She forced back the tears that threatened to steal her joy. She’d cried enough yesterday. And it hadn’t resolved a damn thing. New day. Same problems.
She dialed Ronnie’s number. Her big sister always had the power to make her feel better. Ronnie never let circumstances keep her down. She’d survived the death of her husband and her mother, and she was handling single-motherhood like a pro.
“That girl has some explaining to do!” Ronnie declared when Candace told her about Toye and what had happened last night. “I’m calling her ass right now.”
“She just came by and apologized.”
“And what did you tell her?”
“The truth. It’s going to take time to get over this. I really liked Gabe. I thought I had found my Mr. Right.”
“Well, I’ve heard the best way to get over your old man is to get a new man.”
“I don’t think I can handle another man right now. I just want to bury my head in the sand and forget this whole thing ever happened.”
Fat chance! There was no way she’d ever be able to forget Gabe Hunt. The man left a lasting impression on her mind and body.
“Sister, the best thing to do is to jump back into your work. Don’t let this setback deter you from your dream. If Zion Realty doesn’t have the good sense to keep your contract, start lining up another client. I can talk to my boss. He represents a property management group. They may have some ideas too.”
“Thanks, sis.”
Candace felt her mood lift a little, but she still felt her carefully crafted dream slipping from her grasp. She glanced out the window again. The sky was ominous. It looked as if Miami would get some much-needed rain. She’d better go check on the house and put the For Sale sign back up.
# # #
Gabe drove his truck through the pouring rain. Relentless needles of water pelted his windshield. High winds rocked his vehicle. He gripped the steering wheel, trying to keep the truck from hydroplaning on the slick, rain-soaked streets. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to go for a drive after all. Normally, driving was the one thing that soothed his mind. After a sleepless night, he’d found himself traveling along I-95 this morning with no planned destination. He hadn’t even bothered to turn on the radio. He must have driven over a hundred miles. Just thinking about nothing in particular. His life. Candace. Finally, when he was sick of listening to his own thoughts, he turned back.
Now, for some inexplicable reason, he found himself headed for the neighborhood where Candace’s rental property sat. Maybe he wanted to see it one last time—the place where they’d first made love.
Dammit, man! Why are you torturing yourself?
He should have headed home instead of battling the elements. The weather had taken a turn for the worse. The sky was an eerie shade of pink with wisps of purple. This was no ordinary storm. He flicked the knob on the truck’s radio.
“…everybody to seek shelter immediately. This is not a time to be outdoors. Once again, we are under a severe hurricane warning. Everyone is advised to get indoors.”
Gabe skidded around the corner a little too fast, fishtailing in the process. He’d just replaced all four tires on the truck two months ago, but the heavy tread was no match for this flooding. He mashed the accelerator, and hauled ass down the street. The truck slid, almost colliding with a curb. He had to get inside, fast!
Finally, Candace’s property came into view. The renovated house stood out like a shiny new penny. A For Sale sign jutted from the manicured lawn. Gabe spotted Candace’s car parked in the driveway. He hopped out of the truck and was drenched before he made it to the porch. He banged on the front door.
Candace opened the door at the same time a loud crack of thunder boomed overhead.
Gabe pushed his way inside. “What the hell happened?” he demanded. “Why is there a For Sale sign up?”
Candace’s dark eyes roamed his frame from head to toe before finally meeting his eyes again. “I lost the contract.”
“What? I don’t understand. Why?”
Everything was up to code. All the inspections had been passed. There was no reason for Candace not to have won the contract.
Her eyes narrowed. “Do you really have to ask, Gabe? After last night, Leap of Faith Industries said they could not deal with clients who had questionable morals. After all, it is a faith-based organization. They made a call to Zion Realty. I’m no longer in the running.”
“That’s bullshit!” he exploded. “Just because you had a public disagreement doesn’t mean you’re a floosy or something.”
She pursed her lips. “Yet you accused me of being one last night.”
His stomach clenched. Yeah, he sure did. That was last night. He’d come to his senses today. What the hell had possessed him to say those things?
“I’m sorry, Candace. I had no right to talk to you like that.” He caressed her cheeks with his wet palms. “I just got so upset when I saw you with that guy. I was jealous. I finally find the woman I’ve been looking for all these years and to see you with someone else…”
The loud peal of her cell phone pierced the air with an alert. It was the same kind reserved for Amber Alerts. Candace rushed to her phone to read the message. All the color drained from her face. “Oh my God. It’s a hurricane alert. It says to seek shelter now!”
TWELVE
Candace felt the reassuring tug of Gabe’s hand as he grabbed hers and raced to the bathroom. Good thing it was an interior room with no windows. He stepped into the new porcelain tub and pulled her in with him. He sat down and placed her securely in his lap. Her backside pressed firmly against his manhood. She tried to ignore the delicious thrill that ran through her body. She leaned against his chest. Her hands trembled in his.
“It’s okay,” he cooed. “We’re going to be all right. We’re safe in here.”
“What if the house is ruined? All the hard work we put into it will be for nothing.”
He glanced at the upgraded bathroom with its black tile floor and chrome fixtures. “It’s only material things. All of this can be replaced. Your life can’t.”
“What if we don’t make it through this?” Her mind was concocting all sorts of scenarios. The sound of the howling wind raging outside was deafening. She wanted to burrow beneath Gabe’s button-down Henley. Breathe in his manly scent. Be transported to happier times with him. Thank God, he was here with her. She didn’t want to go through this alone.
“The bathtub is the safest place to be,” he told her. “I know from experience.”
“You’ve been in a hurricane before?”
“No. But I grew up in Oklahoma. We had tornado drills all the time. It’s pretty much the same drill for all natural disasters. Seek shelter in an interior room with no windows.”
She realized this was the first time he’d talked about his home. There was so much she still didn’t know about him. Would she ever get the chance to find out?
“I’m sorry about last night,” he told her. “I was wrong, Candace. I treated you so bad, when all I really wanted to do was take you in my arms and hold you.”
She nodded, warmed by his embrace. “I never used you, Gabe. I was attracted to you from the moment I met you. I should have told you I knew about your true identity.”
“No.” He rubbed her shoulders. “I should have told you who I really was. Then, none of this mess would have happened.”
“I figured you had your reasons.”
“Yeah, but none of them were good reasons.
I just wanted to make sure you wanted me for me. The man I am.”
“You had every right to be cautious. Sometimes, past experience will drive us to do certain things.”
“I was a jerk about it.”
Candace smiled. “Your intuition was right about me. Initially, I was very judgmental. But then I realized what a nice guy you really were.”
“Ugh. Why do I have to be labeled a nice guy?”
She laughed. “I didn’t mean it like that. You made quite an impression on me. I couldn’t believe my luck finding this great guy who treated me like a queen. Good looking. Wealthy. Nice. I guess that’s why I never prompted you about your identity. I didn’t want to rock the boat.” She was glad Gabe couldn’t see her face. This was like going to confessional.
“I want you to know your remark about my integrity cut deep. I was hurt after what Toye told me. And for the record, nothing happened between us. She came onto me and I rejected her. She invited me to Area 31 last night knowing we’d run into you. I guess she had no idea things would turn out so badly.”
Candace nodded. “She told me.”
Gabe wrapped his arms around Candace and held tight. He nuzzled her neck. Warmth flooded straight to the spot between her thighs. “I want you, Candace. Like no other woman. I’ve been driving aimlessly, wondering what my next step should be. I’d be lying if I said I could walk away and forget you. It’s impossible. But if you don’t wanna have anything to do with me, I understand. I’ll give you whatever space you need.”
She turned to face him. A reproachful smirk lingered on her lips. “Oh, no you don’t, Gabe Hunt. You’ve gotten under my skin. You aren’t getting rid of me now.”
Gabe chuckled as he gazed into Candace’s captivating eyes. “That’s the Candy I know.”
A loud, howling noise ripped through the room, setting his teeth on edge.
Candace shrieked as she clung to him. Gabe held her tightly against his chest. He said a silent prayer. Lord, keep watch over us and keep us safe. And Lord, if we make it outta here, I’m going to tell Candace what I really want to say. I love her.
The two of them huddled together as the tempest raged around them outside. The racket was so horrible; Gabe imagined nothing would be left standing in the aftermath. He’d never endured the ravages of a hurricane before. He was grateful he’d get to spend it with a woman he cared deeply for.
She curled against him, her soft hair tickling his chin. She looked damn sexy in her denim leggings and oversized top.
“I’ve been thinking of expanding my business into other areas,” she said.
“Such as?”
“I’ve made a lot of contacts through my flips. I think I could create my own construction company. I’d bid on small jobs to start out.” She shrugged. “Maybe not right away, but I see that as an attainable goal in the near future. I’ll call it Three Sisters Construction. 3SC for short.”
He caressed her shoulder. “Love the name. And from what I’ve seen of your tenacity, you can do whatever you put your mind to. With some careful planning, it could definitely work.”
“So, you don’t think it’s crazy?”
“The only thing that’s crazy is being too scared to try.”
A loud, creaking noise made her huddle closer to him. “Tell me a joke,” she murmured. “Anything to take my mind off this storm.”
“I told you all of my good jokes. The only other ones I know are bad ones, not fit for a lady’s ears.”
“Chauvinist pig.”
He grinned. “Okay, you asked for it. What did the hurricane say to the coconut palm tree?”
“I don’t know.”
“Hold on to your nuts. This is no ordinary blow job.”
Candace burst out laughing.
After last night, Gabe never thought he’d hear that melodious sound again. It was music to his ears.
“That was so crass,” she admitted between giggles.
“I warned you. I’ve got more where that came from.”
“Tell me another.”
His heart swelled with joy. Not because Candy wanted to probe the depths of his dirty mind, but because she was here in his arms laughing with him. It didn’t get much better. He spent the next twenty minutes telling her jokes and regaling her with stories of his youth. He’d succeeded in taking both their minds off the squall outside when Candace’s cell phone blared again. Another alert. This time it signaled the storm watch had ended. The violent wailing had stopped. It was eerily quiet now.
“I think we can leave the bathroom now,” Gabe said. “Looks like it’s safe to go out.”
Moments later, they walked outside to assess the destruction. Other than debris and someone’s car smashed by a tree, there was minimal damage. The house was fine. Candace was lucky; the only visible damage was her orange hibiscus flowers that had been flattened by the rain.
“Amazing,” Gabe sighed as he stared at a bright rainbow arching across the now blue sky.
“Yeah, by the looks of things, you’d never know there was a typhoon less than twenty minutes ago.”
“I think this calls for a celebration,” Gabe said.
“I’m all out of beer and vodka.”
“I’ve got a different kind of celebration in mind.” He led her back toward the bathroom. “We forgot one small detail.”
“What’s that?”
“We’ve got to christen every room in this house. And there’s no better place to start than here.”
He eased into the garden tub and pulled her onto his lap as he’d done when the storm first started. Now, the only sounds were the elevated murmurs of their breathing. Candace straddled him. He ran his palms along her hips and beneath her loose shirt. The feeling of her supple flesh against his fingertips made goose bumps pucker on his skin.
“I’ve missed you, Candy.”
“I’ve missed you more.”
He pulled her into his embrace and claimed her lips. His tongue delved deep, plundering her mouth and branding her lips with his. She tasted so good. His hand roamed her flat stomach, traveling over the warm flesh and finally settling on the soft curves of her breasts. Through the lacey material of her bra, her nipples hardened beneath his touch. God how he’d missed this. He’d missed how her body responded to his. His own body reacted as though set on fire. A spark spiraled through him, barreling straight to his dick. In seconds, he was hard as a rock.
Only Candace had the power to bring him to his knees like this. Soft mewls of pleasure escaped her lips as he hungrily devoured her mouth. He couldn’t get enough of her. It was more than carnal desire. He’d never felt with any other woman what he felt when he made love to Candace. He suckled the delicate skin at her earlobes and the column of her long, graceful throat. He put his stamp of passion all over her.
“I need to be inside you,” he rasped.
He tugged on the waistband of her leggings. She clawed at his belt. Within seconds, they were both free of their clothing. His rigid erection was pressed against the wet entrance of her pussy. He thrust inside her, digging his fingers into the soft skin of her hips.
She cried out. He knew the pleasurable pain. He’d heard it many times when he was bringing her to orgasm. The same way he intended to do now. Their coupling was frantic, almost feral as though making up for lost time. He pumped hard into her as she rode him. Her ass slapped against his balls as she straddled him, meeting him stroke for stroke.
They’d barely had time to work up a sweat before he felt the white-hot sparks of an orgasm erupt inside him. He didn’t stop his frantic thrusting. He pumped harder, determined to make Candace ride the wave with him. She threw her head back.
“Yes! Yes!” she yelled. “I’m coming.”
So was he. Pleasure ripped through him, seizing him in an erotic vortex. It flooded his body. It rendered him immobile. He hung on as wave after wave of pleasure gripped him. Candace clung to him, her loud gasps ebbing to pleading whimpers. This was where he was meant to be. With her. Inside her. Lov
ing her.
He couldn’t believe he’d almost lost her. First last night, and then today with the storm. Suddenly, he remembered his prayer. He pulled back, his thundering heartbeat finally slowing.
“Candy, I need to tell you something.”
“What?”
He gazed into her dark eyes. There was no other way to say it. No preamble. No great speech. It was now or never. “I love you,” he said simply.
Her face brightened. It was amazing to see the transformation from rapture to realization. “I love you, too.”
He kissed her again, this time a gentle acknowledgement of the depth of his love for her.
“I just have one question,” Candace asked when he’d let her up for air. “Are we going to christen every room in this house?”
He winked and gave her what he hoped was his most lecherous grin. He’d missed his woman something fierce. He was going to make love to her whenever and wherever it suited them both. This house was just the first of many places. He claimed her lips again. He’d never met anyone like her. Never felt the emotions he’d felt when he made love to her. Never wanted any woman as bad as he wanted Candace. And he’d damn sure never worked as hard to prove himself worthy. An image of the ‘Man At Work’ sign flashed through his mind. Yeah, he was putting in work for Candace Jones, and she was worth every minute of his time.
EPILOGUE
“When you asked me to dinner, I had no idea this was what you had in mind.”
“Isn’t this better than some ole stuffy restaurant?”
“Yes, it is.”
“And may I say you are looking mighty fine in that bikini?”
“Yes, you may. And may I say you are looking damn good in those swimming trunks?”
“Yes, you may.”
Sanibel Island off Florida's west coast was a funky little place with colourful clapboard houses, cutesy cafes serving pancakes for breakfast, and diners enjoying ceviche and rum cocktails. Candace gazed at the stretch of endless white sands. From her lounge chair aboard Gabe’s Catalina boat, she relaxed as the salt air tiptoed across her bare shoulders. Only two hours from the hustle and bustle of Miami, this seemed like a quaint paradise.
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