In the Light of Love

by Deborah Fletcher Mello

  “Do you know what that is?” Talisa asked, peering down into the pot of red sauce.

  Jericho shrugged, his shoulders sliding up toward the ceiling. “I don’t have a clue. Smells good though.”

  Looking about the space, Talisa was impressed. The kitchen was very modern, with stainless steel appliances against a backdrop of dark cherrywood cabinets. The counters were clear except for the few utensils the woman had just been using. An intimate dining area had been created just off the kitchen space with a settee covered in raw silk with leopard-print pillows just beneath a large window. A pedestal table with a polished-chrome base and leather-like top sat in the center of the space, with two additional upholstered chairs surrounding it.

  From the kitchen, they went back into the living room. Jericho’s tastes were very simplistic, Talisa thought, admiring the minimalist design. A black leather sofa, glass coffee table, and two oversized ottomans sat atop a large, abstract carpet in a flaming shade of red. Beneath the carpet, the floors were planked, a dark ebony-stained shade of hardwood that Talisa found appealing. A large fireplace occupied an opposing wall, complemented on the other end by a wall of bookcases packed floor to ceiling with books.

  Jericho watched her as she stopped to search the titles.

  “Have you read all of these?” Talisa asked, turning to stare at him.

  He nodded. “Once or twice. I like to read.”

  “It’s an amazing collection, Jericho. And everything is so beautiful!”

  “My mother helped me decorate. I’d still be sitting on cardboard boxes if it wasn’t for her.” He laughed.

  He extended his hand, reaching for hers. From the living room, Jericho guided her down the short length of hallway into the master bedroom. As they opened the door and stepped inside, Talisa was only slightly disconcerted by what they found.

  “Well, I think she had plans for you two tonight,” she said, her gaze sweeping over the multitude of unlit candles and the grand floral arrangements that had been meticulously placed around the room.

  Jericho nodded, scanning her face as he stepped farther inside. He peered into the bathroom and noted the bath beads and rose petals lying in preparation on the edge of the oversized whirlpool tub.

  Talisa was silent, standing in the center of the room staring at the king-sized bed draped in black satin bedding. He moved to her side and wrapped his arms around her, leaning to kiss her cheek.

  “I’ll throw it all away if you want,” he said, lifting her chin to look her in her eyes. “If you want me to, just tell me.”

  “It’s kind of creepy, seeing all this stuff here and knowing it was meant for you and another woman,” Talisa answered. “I’m not sure how I feel about it, Jericho.”

  The man nodded as he pointed to the upholstered headboard. “My mother picked out this bed three months ago. No other woman has ever slept with me in this bed. No other woman will ever sleep with me in this bed. This is our bed. Yours and mine. The rest of it, the candles, the flowers, none of it means anything to us if we don’t want it to.”

  As Jericho stared into her eyes, Talisa could feel herself falling into the depths of his gaze. He smiled sweetly and suddenly every thought of Shannon Porter flew right out of her mind. Jericho reached to take her hand in his, lifting her fingers to his lips. The scent of her perfume trailed along her wrist and he inhaled, gently flooding his senses with the sweet aroma.

  He raised his eyes to look into hers, then turned her hand, tracing a soft trail over her inner wrist down to her palm with his tongue and lips. Talisa whimpered ever so softly as he kissed each of her fingertips. With slow determination he took each finger into his mouth, sucking and licking them down to the knuckle. When he was done with one hand, he reached for the other. By the time he was finished, Talisa’s eyes were closed and her breathing had quickened with anticipation.

  Taking a step back, Jericho called her name, whispering it softly into the air-conditioned room. As Talisa opened her eyes to meet his gaze, he began to slowly unbutton his shirt. She watched him as he loosened each button, finally reaching out to help him glide the cotton fabric off his shoulders, letting it fall down to the floor.

  Talisa’s eyes raked longingly over his chest, bringing a flush of heat to his brown skin when her fingers followed. When she leaned to press her lips to his nipple, capturing it gently between her teeth, Jericho tried to steel himself from the inevitable shiver that surged from one end of his body to the other. Tilting her head upwards, he leaned to kiss her lips, trapping her mouth hungrily beneath his own. Her fingertips brushed against his flesh, scratching at the length of his broad back. She paused for only a quick moment when she touched the scar line that would forever remain a reminder of their experience in Africa.

  Pulling at the cotton T-shirt she wore, Jericho motioned for her to lift her arms as he glided the garment up and over her head. A pale pink bra edged in fine lace caressed the lines of her breasts and with one swift motion, Jericho unhooked the clasp, sliding it from her shoulders to fall with his shirt on the floor. Kicking shoes to the floor, he eased her down to the bed, their mouths locked, melded, as if magnetized, lips parted, tongues softly stroking, causing both to murmur in ecstasy, the delightful moans long and deep.

  Jericho hovered above her, grinding his pelvis against hers. With his hips pushing against hers, Talisa slowly eased the length of her legs around him, her heels resting just below the cheeks of his buttocks as her thighs clasped tightly around his waist. The sensations were overwhelming, release shuddering through them both. Talisa moaned with pleasure, the sound fueling Jericho’s frantic need. Shifting his weight to his side to stare down at her, he gently caressed one breast, kneading it beneath the width of his palm, and then the other, his hands washing attention over every square inch of her.

  Jericho’s eyes widened at the sight of her, enamored by her reaction to his touch. Her body was fully aroused, her nipples turgid against the soft tissue, eyes clenched tight with desire, heated cheeks, inflamed lips, her mouth open, breath coming in short gasps. She was beyond beautiful and his wanting surged into a towering erection straining to be released.

  When Jericho pulled at the snap to her pants, everything except the warmth and feel of him against her was lost. Talisa’s desire had puddled moisture in every crevice of her body, her skin glistening with damp anticipation. Opening her eyes, she met his gaze, his desire colliding with her own. As she reached for the waistband of his pants, pulling at his zipper, their motions were almost frantic. Together they were fighting to remove the last of their clothes, jeans and slacks kicked to the bottom of the bed.

  A rush of giggles consumed them both as Jericho knocked everything from the nightstand onto the floor as he reached for a condom out of the bedside drawer. With laughter painting her lips, Talisa opened herself to receive him, welcoming him back to her as if he’d been gone a lifetime. Time stopped as Jericho screamed her name and when his cries died away, his body slumping down on top of hers, Talisa could feel the warm tears of mutual joy on his face and on hers.

  Jericho didn’t have a clue how long he’d slept. When he opened his eyes, the hot rays of an afternoon sun were still shining brightly in a clear sky. Turning to see the digital clock on the nightstand, he noted that it was almost three o’clock. He’d been sleeping for most of the morning and half the afternoon. His bed was empty and he lay alone, a warm blanket wrapped around his naked body. Talisa had lit one of the scented candles on top of his bureau, a fresh floral aroma dancing in the air. Taking a deep breath, Jericho inhaled the fragrance, stretching his body lengthwise against the mattress, before lifting himself upward. There was just a mild twinge of tightness across the muscles in his back, a faint reminder that just weeks earlier he’d had a bullet lodged only inches shy of his spinal cord.

  Making his way to the bathroom, he splashed his face with cold water, rinsed his mouth with mouthwash, and then passed a dampened washcloth over his body. Taking note of the candles and rose petals for
a second time, he shook his head at the absurdity. He reached for a plush bath towel and wrapped it around his waist, securing one end on his hip.

  As he made his way down the hall and into the living room he could hear the radio playing, soft jazz from one of the local college stations playing over the airways. Talisa stood in his kitchen wrapped in his terry bathrobe, shifting items in his refrigerator.

  “Hey, you,” he said, leaning against the doorframe, his arms clasped across his chest.

  Startled, Talisa jumped, dropping a plastic container of margarine to the floor. “Jericho, you scared me! I thought you were still asleep,” she said, leaning to pick the dropped item up off the freshly washed tile.

  “I can’t sleep when you’re not there.”

  Talisa laughed. “Oh, really? I couldn’t tell by the way you were snoring in there.”

  Jericho rolled his eyes. “I’m not the one who snores, remember?”

  He moved to her side, wrapping his arms around her. “So, what are you up to?”

  “I thought I’d salvage this meal so we can eat something. Aren’t you hungry?”

  The man shrugged. “I could eat. Did you figure out what it is?”

  “It’s some kind of chili with sausages and black beans, I think. And,” Talisa said pointing to the counter, “all the fixings for chicken fajitas. I take it you like Mexican cuisine or was your friend just taking a chance?”

  Jericho smiled. “No, it’s my favorite.”

  Talisa shook her head, her eyes rolling in jest. “I figured as much.”

  “Why?”

  “Because if it were me and I wanted to surprise you, I would do it with all your favorites as well.”

  Jericho nodded slowly, a grin filling his face. He pushed the terry bathrobe to expose her shoulder and leaned to kiss the soft flesh. “Did I tell you how much I love you?” he asked, reaching up to plant a second kiss on her mouth, gently brushing his flesh over hers.

  Talisa smiled. “Yes, you did, but I will never get tired of hearing you say it over and over again.”

  Jericho moved to take a seat at the table, slowing easing his body into a chair. Talisa noticed the momentary quiver of hurt that registered across his face, concern washing over her as she moved to his side. “Are you feeling okay? Does your back hurt?”

  The man shrugged. “It was just a spasm. Nothing for you to be concerned about.”

  Talisa shook her head. “Your father told us to behave, that you needed to get your rest.”

  Jericho chuckled. “Making love to you was the best rest I could have gotten.”

  “But—” Talisa started before Jericho interrupted her.

  “But nothing. I know my own body and as a doctor I know what I can and cannot do,” he stated, his tone firm.

  Talisa’s hands fell to her hips. “You’re also stubborn and just a touch hardheaded,” she said, a smile growing across her face.

  Jericho could only shake his head and Talisa leaned to kiss his forehead. He changed the subject. “After we eat I think we should go visit with your parents. I would really like to meet them.”

  Talisa hesitated, dropping onto the cushioned seat beside him. “I don’t know if tonight’s a good idea. My mother wasn’t feeling well yesterday.”

  Jericho scrutinized her face, noting the wave of tension that creased the woman’s brow. “What happened?” he asked.

  Talisa inhaled, a deep breath of air filling her lungs. “She stopped taking her medication. She was in one of her bad moods.”

  Jericho nodded, reaching to take her hands between his own. “It’s going to be rough for a while, Talisa. Patients sometimes have a difficult time adjusting. You’re going to have moments when the medication is working well. And then there will be times when her metabolism will be off and the medication will have to be adjusted.”

  “But she just stopped. For no reason.”

  “She is learning to understand the difference between herself on the medication and herself off the medication. When she’s on and she’s feeling really good, she may convince herself she doesn’t need them anymore. It will go back and forth until she settles into a comfortable routine. Having you and your father to support her will definitely help.”

  Talisa sighed. “I was mean to her. I told her I wasn’t going to put up with her ugliness anymore. That if she didn’t take her medication I didn’t want to be around her.”

  Jericho nodded. “Baby girl, you have every right to feel that way and you have every right to tell her how you feel.”

  “But she’s my mother.”

  “And, you love her. But you don’t have to be abused if her illness is causing her to be abusive and you don’t have to take it without saying something.”

  The pot on the stove suddenly erupted in a spray of tomato sauce, spewing red down the sides of the container onto the stainless steel stovetop. Talisa jumped from her seat, shutting down the flames beneath the pan to stop the sudden splatter.

  Jericho burst out laughing. “Well, I think our dinner is ready,” he said, rising to help Talisa clear up the mess.

  Talisa laughed with him. “I’m wondering if maybe we should eat some cereal instead.”

  Chapter 27

  The meal was filling, ending with a dessert of pineapple sherbet and angel food cake topped with fresh whipped cream. When Jericho smeared the last of the whipped topping across Talisa’s right breast and proceeded to lick the sweet nectar from her skin, dessert moved from the kitchen table, through the living room, and back to the bedroom.

  With dinner and dessert behind them, Talisa felt deliriously satiated, every muscle in her body in a relaxed state of bliss. Jericho slowly glided a loofah sponge filled with vanilla-scented body wash over her, which Talisa reciprocated when he was done. As the duo stood beneath the warm spray of water that fell from the showerhead, neither could imagine being any happier than they were at that very moment.

  “When are you moving in?” Jericho asked, stepping out of the shower and into a large towel. He eyed her curiously as he used a second towel to brush the dampness from her flesh.

  Talisa chuckled. “Where did that come from?” she questioned.

  The man smiled, the warmth of it flooding the entire room. “I have no desire to sleep alone one more night, Talisa. I want you here with me or I can move in with you and your folks. I don’t care.”

  She laughed, shaking her head as she pressed the back of her fingers to his forehead. “You must be running a fever. I can just hear my mother if I even thought about you moving in with us.”

  “Which is why you need to move in here with me.”

  They moved from the bathroom back into the bedroom. Searching for her clothes, Talisa was still laughing at him.

  “What’s so funny? I’m not joking, Talisa. I’m very serious.”

  “So am I. I’ll be moving in with you right after I marry you.”

  Jericho waved his head up and down. “That’s fair.” He reached for his personal phone book, a leather-bound directory sitting in the top drawer of the nightstand.

  “Who are you calling?” Talisa asked, taking a seat against the edge of the bed as he reached for the telephone.

  “I have a friend who’s a judge. He can marry us tonight.”

  “Jericho! You’re crazy!” she said, grabbing at the receiver and hanging the unit up.

  Jumping onto the bed beside her, Jericho kissed her feverishly, his mouth racing a mile a minute over her lips and cheeks. “I am. I’m crazy about you!”

  After another hour and a second shower, Talisa and Jericho finally made it out the door of his home and back into Talisa’s car. Jericho sat quietly in the passenger seat, stealing quick glances in her direction as he replayed the entire day over and over again in his mind. He couldn’t begin to express the depth of emotion he had for Talisa. It was overwhelming, like nothing he’d ever experienced in his lifetime. Missing her didn’t compare to how much he wanted to be with her, how much he needed her, how totally entrenched
she was in his heart now that they were reunited. When he’d told his father he never planned to be apart from her for any length of time ever again, he had not been kidding. As they pulled into the driveway of her family home, he was more than ready to make sure her father and her mother knew that.

  When Talisa pushed open the front door, Herman looked up from his newspaper, the expanse of paper unfolded against the coffee table. As Jericho stepped into the living room behind her, the man nodded in greeting, pulling his reading glasses from his face as he rose to his feet. Talisa made the introductions.

  “Hello,” he said warmly, extending his hand to shake Jericho’s. “We’ve heard a lot about you.”

  “Hello, Mr. London. Talisa has told me much about you as well. It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”

  Herman called up the stairs for his wife. “Mary! Talisa is here and she has company with her!”

  Talisa reached up to kiss her father’s cheek. “Hi, Daddy. How is she today?”

  Her father nodded. “Better. Much better,” the man answered, his voice soft. He smiled in Jericho’s direction. “Come on in and have a seat,” he said, gesturing in the direction of the sofa. “Talisa’s mother should be right down.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Herman returned to his chair as Jericho took a seat across from him. “So, how are you feeling, son? We hear you had a rough ride there for a while.”

  “Yes, sir. I’m feeling much better. I’m glad to be home and even happier to be back with your daughter. I don’t know what I would have done without her.”

  Herman smiled, passing a look from Jericho to Talisa, who was smiling widely. Joy filled his daughter’s face and he suddenly couldn’t remember the last time she had looked so happy.

  Talisa glanced up the stairwell. “I should go check on Mom,” she said, excusing herself from the room. As she eased her way up to the second floor she could hear her father asking Jericho about his experiences in Africa, listening intently as Jericho responded. At the top of the stairs she knocked on her parents’ bedroom door. When there was no answer, she knocked a second time, then eased the door open slowly, peering inside.