Beau’s hands were on her body, molding her flesh. She worked the remaining buttons of his shirt open and spread her fingers, letting them tangle in his chest hairs. She nuzzled her nose against his chest, found an already taut nipple, and tugged at it.
“Easy. No teeth,” he growled.
But even as he said that she noted he pebbled.
Time to turn the heat up another notch or two.
Shayna caressed the spot where Beau’s pants had tented. He gasped, and his hands moved lower, slipping under the elastic waist of her leggings, to cup her buttocks. Together they fell backward on the bed.
Beau tugged at her leggings, sliding them down past her ankles. Shayna toed off the bundled mass and heard his sharp intake of breath as he spotted the red lace panties she’d impulsively picked. She tugged at his zipper and was surprised to find that he wore black briefs.
“Let’s get you out of these,” she said, sliding his pants down muscular legs then helping to peel off his shirt.
He was beautiful to look at. All Hershey skin and toned physique. His shoulders were wide, his waist tapered. Those black briefs held a definite promise of a sizeable package. The remaining buttons of her shirt were ripped open, the fabric pushed aside. With a deft movement Beau unfastened her bra and her breast spilled out into his hands. She heard him gasp even as his mouth paid homage to her nipples and his hands kneaded the surrounding cushioning.
Shayna responded to his caresses with an abandon she did not know she possessed. She needed him to stroke her all over and touch all the places where she pulsed. She rubbed up against him.
Beau’s hands moved lower, circling her belly button, outlining the tattoo of the hummingbird on her hip. He slid his hand under the elastic waist of her panties, his fingers moving, probing, exploring.
“Get rid of these,” he whispered, sounding like he was choking.
“Help me get rid of them,” Shayna challenged.
“So we’re going to play that game, are we?” He asked, snapping the elastic band playfully.
“Ouch. No, we’re going to play this game.” Shayna clasped him through the black material of his briefs, reached inside, circled his shaft, and squeezed gently.
“Ah, baby, that feels good.”
“This will feel even better,” Shayna said, pushing his underwear aside and bending to give his throbbing member attention.
“Oh, God, it does. It does.”
The vanilla scent of the candle filled the air. Beyonce’s sultry voice took them to another place. Shayna wanted Beau wrapped around her. She wanted to get lost in all that body heat. Her gut told her he would be a safe place to let all her raw emotions out. She was drunk on him and totally mesmerized. Even wine didn’t have this hypnotizing effect.. Every pulse point throbbed and she tingled in places she didn’t know she could tingle. Her heart pounded. There was a roaring in her ears. Beyonce provided an alluring background beat. Shayna was on fire and felt like she would spontaneously combust.
Beau gently nudged her onto her back. His tongue trailed her stomach, licking and nipping before diving into her belly button and tugging at the little gold stud. Then he moved south and she thought she had gone to heaven. Beau’s fingers stroked her inner thighs, and she clamped them shut, successfully trapping his hand in the moist, warm, heat that he’d created. Beau’s finger plunged, exploring until he found her nub. Satisfied by her urging and writhing against him, he inserted another and again she thought she would die.
The heat spiraled through her. Her body was burning up, aching for him to fill her and give her the release she craved. She writhed beneath him, urging him on and then claimed his other hand, positioning it where she wanted it. But even his hand on her breast was not enough to satisfy this all-consuming need to have him inside her. She was beyond
caring about whether they would work or not. She was living in the moment and wanting him more than she had wanted any man. Everything would work itself out, somehow. Beau was well on his way to a complete recovery. He could find himself another therapist In fact, she would recommend one. That would leave them free to pursue a relationship.
Beau paused to kick off the briefs trapped at his ankles. He returned to kiss her in all her sensitive pulsing places and bury his nose in her mound. He plunged into her with his tongue. Shayna wrapped her thighs more firmly around his broad back, urging him to enter her.
When Beau surfaced to catch his breath, he claimed her mouth. “You’re ready, hon.”
Speech was beyond her and she could only nod. Beau reached onto the nightstand, found a condom, and slid one on. Propping himself up on his elbows, he used his knees to ease her legs apart, positioning himself to enter her. White heat engulfed Shayna as his hot breath warmed her face. Beyonce’s voice dipped and soared in the background and the scented candle mingled with the pungent smell of sex. There was no turning back. Beau was inched himself inside of her and she was loving that feeling of him stroking, stoking a fire and letting the rhythm build. Although he didn’t know it, he was driving her wild. She clutched the bedclothes and tried not to scream out his name, but even so she couldn’t help herself.
“God, Beau,” she said, stuffing a curled fist in her mouth. “I want every inch of you inside me.”
Every entrance and exit made Shayna want him even more.
I love the touch of your skin, baby,” Beau whispered in her ear. “Can you feel me inside you? I love the way you smell. I love you. Say it, baby, say it. Tell me you feel the same way.”
“I love you, Beau.”
“Oh, baby. That’s music to my ears.”
He slammed in and out of her and in again, pounding away, demanding what she wasn’t quite ready to give; her total commitment. Not until after the trial, not until she knew how things shook out.
“I love you, Beau.” Was that her really saying that?
She’d never have guessed he could be so intense. So good at making love. He called out her name again. “Shayna.”
She now matched him move for move, oblivious to anything else except his body wrapped around hers and the driving heat that kept building. The muscles around her vagina clenched, trembled, and spasmed. She exploded in a white ball of fire, choking out one last sentence. “I love you, Beau.”
“And I love you,” he gasped, before he too exploded.
Somewhere in the background a phone rang and voicemail eventually picked up. The requisite greeting came on before a woman’s voice came over loud and clear.
“Beau-Beau, I’m back. Missed you like crazy, baby. Ice the champagne. Get out the caviar. I’m coming over.”
“Better get dressed,” Beau ordered, breaking their connection abruptly. “That was Chandra. She’s still got my key.”
Reality had returned rudely in the form of the woman, supposedly his former lover.
Chapter Twenty-one
Chandra’s call couldn’t come at a worse time, not when he was finally making headway with Shayna and was attempting to convince her he loved her. She’d told him she loved him too.
By expressing that sentiment she’d granted him a very special gift. Hope! He felt as if anything was possible now, that soon he might even ski again. Beau bolted upright, that abrupt action successfully dislodging Shayna, who was cuddled up against him.
“Get dressed,” he repeated, dousing cold water on any shred of after-lovemaking intimacy. He was already scrambling for the clothing he’d tossed on the floor. He flung items he thought were hers at her, found his pants, struggled into them, minus underwear, and helped her button her shirt. Shayna still hadn’t uttered a word.
“I’m sorry, babe,” Beau said. “Let me get rid of her.”
She eyed him as if he were a lunatic, words finally pouring out of her. “Don’t do it on my account, I’m leaving.”
“What? Why? I said I would get rid of her.” He found his shirt and buttoned it quickly.
“I should never have allowed this to happen,” Shayna said, looking at him like she want
ed to take off his head. You’re a liar. You told me you and Chandra were over.”
“We are,” he said, kissing the back of her neck.
She jerked away from him. “Don’t touch me.” Shayna’s voice was as cold as ice chips.
“I didn’t know she would come over uninvited,” Beau argued, attempting to touch her arm.
Shayna faced him, looking ready to spit “The woman has your key,” she enunciated. “That implies she’s welcome here anytime. Men don’t give women keys unless they’re important to them.”
“At one point she was,” Beau admitted. “But she no longer is. We’re over. I just didn’t have time to get the key back.”
Shayna shook her head and turned away from him. “Tell that to someone else. Is there another way to get out of here?”
The sound of the front door slamming got both of their attentions.
“Shit,” Beau repeated. “Shit.” It was the only word that seemed fitting for the pickle he’d gotten himself in.
“Yes, there’s another way out.” He grabbed Shayna’s shoulders and steered her toward the French door at the rear of the bedroom. “Cross the patio and you’ll come out at the back of the house. I’ll call you later.” He tried a quick kiss, but she glared at him, making a fist as if he repulsed her.
“Don’t bother.”
Shoeless, she took off.
Footsteps headed his way. Too late Beau realized that Shayna had left her bra and panties on the floor. He picked up both garments and stuffed them in his pocket.
There was a pounding on his door.
“Beau. Open up.”
“Can’t a man have his privacy?”
“Beau, it’s Kelly. Is everything okay?”
His sister, thank God. The fight went out of him.
Beau yanked open the door and faced Kelly. She made a moue. “Uh,” she said. “Uh, do I need to give you time to get decent? Yes, I see I do.”
Beau looked down and realized his fly was still open. He yanked his zipper up. “Sorry. What was it you wanted?”
Kelly didn’t blink an eye. “I think you’ve got a red flag trailing from your pocket.”
It took him a while to comprehend. He pulled Shayna’s underwear from his pocket and sent both items sailing across the room.
“Come in.” He yanked the door wide. “I could use some advice. I screwed up this time really badly.”
“Where’s Shayna? Her car’s out front,” Kelly said as she walked into the room, eyeing the rumpled sheets, and the candles still burning. She wrinkled her nose. “Smells like sex in here.”
Beau thought it best to ignore the comment. He gingerly made his way to the window, opening it. A gust of fresh air blew in, stirring the curtains. “Better?”
Kelly wrinkled her nose again. “It’ll take a while.” She sat gingerly on the Queen Anne chair, one eyebrow raised. “Okay, bro, fess up. Where’s she stashed? Closet? Bathroom? Under the bed?”
“Neither. She’s gone, through the back door.” He knew he sounded miserable.
“Your, uh…performance scared her off? Or was it your dimensions?” Kelly chortled heartily.
“It’s not funny. This is serious, Kell.”
His sister’s expression changed from playful to serious. “Okay, let me see if I understand this. You had your therapist here?”
“That’s correct.”
“You banged her.”
“Made love to her, Kell.”
“Okay, you made love to her. Thanks for correcting me. It means you’re serious. What’s the problem?” She frowned at him. “So why do you need me?”
“Because now I’ve pissed her off.”
“You’re not making sense. You banged…no, made love to her. She walked out on you. You’ve lost your touch, little brother.”
Exasperated, Beau yelled, “Listen to me. Shayna left because Chandra’s on her way over.”
Kelly blew air through pursed lips and squinted her eyes at him. “Why is that ho.. uh your ex coming over? I thought she was in Europe and you’d gotten rid of her.” Comprehension finally dawned. “You two-timing bastard, now you’re expecting me to bail you out?”
“No. No. It’s over with Chandra, Kell. I love Shayna, but Chandra still has my house key.”
Kelly stood up abruptly. “So she’s invited herself over. Pretty dumb not to get your key back. Sounds like your sorry butt’s going to have to do lots of explaining. I want nothing to do with this.”
“I need advice from a woman,” Beau pleaded.
“Grovel. That’s my advice to you. Kiss butt big time and pull out all the stops.” Kelly tossed her blond ponytail over her shoulder and stomped out, shaking her head. “You got yourself into this mess, now get yourself out.”
“Big help you are,” Beau muttered to her back.
The front door banged open and a woman’s voice called, “Beau-Beau, Your baby’s here. Hot, ready, and waiting to make love.” A rustling sound followed.
Kelly turned back to him, rolling her eyes. “Baby’s back, all right. You sure know how to pick them.” She danced off and must have run into Chandra.
“Who are you?” Chandra demanded.
“Who are you?” his sister came back with. The two had never met. “Any reason you’re standing in my living room half naked?”
Beau ran a hand across his cropped head of hair. Better get out there before the two killed each other. He tucked his shirt in his pants made sure his fly was zipped, and grabbed his cane. No wheelchair tonight, he needed to make a dignified entry.
Beau walked onto a scene that had potential for violence. He hovered at the entrance of the living room as his sister faced his ex-girlfriend, fire flashing from her eyes.
Chandra’s shirt was unbuttoned. Her breasts hung heavily through the opening, nipples taut.
“You still haven’t answered,” Kelly demanded. “Why would you just barge into someone’s home? I don’t know you.”
Chandra dangled the key in front of his sister’s face. “In case you missed it, I have a key. You’re Beau’s latest?” She wrinkled her nose. “Can’t account for taste. Get out of my way.”
Kelly planted her feet firmly and refused to budge. “This is my house. Where do you think you’re going?”
“To find Beau.”
“No, you’re not.”
Chandra was close to pitching a fit. Her breasts jiggled freely as she placed fisted hands on her hips. How had he ever thought himself in love with her?
There was charged silence as the women sized each other up. Time to intervene.
Beau hobbled into the room. “Time out, ladies.”
“Beau,” Chandra said, flying at him, completely uncaring of her exposed chocolate-tipped lobes. She rubbed her breasts against his chest and began kissing his face.
“Oh, Beau-Beau, you’re walking again, not perfectly, but you’re walking. Tell that woman she needs to go. That she means nothing to you.”
The humor of the situation suddenly struck him and he decided to play with Chandra a bit. “Kelly and I go back a long way. We live together.”
“What! You love me, Beau-Beau, not her. You love these.” She cupped her breasts, offering them to him like a snack.
“Pathetic,” Kelly muttered. “The poor thing has to use sex to make up for a horrible personality.”
“Button up, Chandra,” Beau ordered.
“You’re embarrassing the man,” Kelly said, linking an arm through Beau’s.
“You’re living with a cripple,” Chandra shouted, tears falling freely now. “He can’t even make love.”
“I beg to differ. My cripple is virile and delivers,” Kelly said smugly. “You’re here hot, ready, and waiting, so he must have something going on.”
Beau couldn’t control himself. He laughed so loudly he almost split his pants in two.
“Shut up,” Chandra screamed, giving Beau a murderous glare. “You’re a nobody you can’t afford to be so mean.”
“This nobody is now a
sking you to leave.”
Beau saw the too-short skirt, the open blouse, the distended nipples, and realized how desperate Chandra must be. Kelly was right. Chandra was pretty pathetic. How had he not seen that before? He’d been seduced and had fallen for her act, hook, line, and sinker. This was the way she’d always been. Superficial.
“While you were gone you had a very public affair,” he said. “Now you’re expecting me to take you back.”
“Franco meant nothing to me. My agent thought he’d be good for my career and would get me more media coverage.”
“And he did,” Beau finished. “It also woke me up. I want nothing to do with you.”
“But I’m not done with you,” Chandra fumed, flouncing off. I’m done when I say I’m done.”
“You’re forgetting something,” Kelly called after her. “We need our key.”
Chandra dug through her purse and flung the key at them. Beau was forced to duck to avoid getting hit in the head.
“You’ve got lousy taste in women,” Kelly said, loud enough for Chandra to hear.
When the door slammed behind Chandra, they collapsed on the couch, howling.
“Oh, Beau,” Kelly said when she was able to speak. “How could you have gotten involved with that woman?”
Beau wiped away tears. “I should have been declared temporarily insane.”
It was time to put this chapter of his life behind him. All of his effort now had to be focused on winning Shayna back. It would be a difficult task but he was determined to go after the woman he wanted.
* * *
A week went by with no word from Shayna. Beau had tried calling numerous times and had left messages, but there’d been no return call. He’d even spent time at Hill Of Dreams, hoping that Reggie would intervene and plead his cause, but the teenager remained adamant about not getting involved.
“You don’t know what Shayna’s like when she’s pissed off,” Reggie informed him. “Nothing I say is going to make a difference. You better figure out some way of winning her back.”
“How can I do that when she doesn’t seem to want to talk to me?” Beau had said.
His Golden Heart Page 19
