by Donna Hill
He briefly glanced up at the grandfather clock standing in the far corner of the spacious office, and his mind turned to the business at hand. In less than an hour he was due in court. This case was really taking its toll on him. The press had hounded him from the first day. There wasn’t a day since the jury selection began that he hadn’t been photographed, questioned, or misquoted. Well, if he wanted notoriety, he certainly had it with this case. The district attorney’s office was watching his every move.
He gathered his notes and prepared to leave.
Then, just as he reached the door, an idea struck him. The perfect touch, he thought, a boyish light filling his eyes. He walked back to the phone and dialed information.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The brilliance of the setting sun cast orange and gold hues across the skyline. The light appeared to dance off the glass window, highlighting it in a rainbow of effervescent color.
Rising from behind the desk, Khendra stretched her tight muscles and strolled toward the window. Her luminous eyes spanned the horizon, allowing the magnificence of the evening to soothe her harried spirit. With the day finally drawing to a close, she knew she could no longer put aside the issues that were wreaking havoc with her thoughts. She had successfully avoided Sean and Alex all day, she could not hibernate in her office forever. Turning away from the window, she prepared to leave, when there was a light knock at the door.
“Come in.”
Leslie came through the door, her arms laden with a huge arrangement of roses, Khendra’s eyes widened in surprise.
“These just arrived for you, Ms. Phillips.” She gingerly placed the flowers on the wide windowsill.
“Who on earth could these be from?” Khendra asked, more to herself than to Leslie.
“There’s a card,” Leslie offered, her own curiosity piqued. Khendra was labeled “the ice lady” throughout the office. She had turned down every request for a date in the past three years, so to receive flowers made Leslie feel warm inside. Deep down she knew that Khendra was one of the nicest people around. She was just glad to know that someone else thought the same thing.
Khendra reached for the card and silently read the scrawled inscription. “I’m sorry. I hope you’ll give me a chance to apologize.”
Khendra’s heart filled to near bursting. A warm smile formed on her lips.
“Anyone interesting?”
Khendra looked up and smiled. “Quite,” she said softly, a faraway look in her eyes. She took a shaky breath. “Well…it’s getting late. I’d better be going.”
Leslie got the hint, and knew that her curiosity would not be satisfied. “See you in the morning, Ms. Phillips.”
Khendra didn’t hear Leslie’s words or see her leave. For countless moments, she reread the words on the card and stared, hypnotically, at the beautiful arrangement of yellow, white and red roses.
He had gone out of his way to apologize. Maybe something did happen to him on Saturday after all. She gently stroked one of the budding roses. Could she have been that wrong? Or was this another one of his ploys? She shook her head in confusion. Well, there was no way of knowing until she spoke with him. This time, if he offered, she would at least listen.
She gathered up her belongings, switched off the lights and headed for the garage.
Sean paced nervously. He checked his watch.
She should be down any minute. Then the elevator doors to the garage slowly opened. His muscles tightened when he saw her. It was now or never. But suppose she wouldn’t listen? I’ll just have to make you listen, won’t I?
He waited until she had reached her car and inserted the key in the lock. Quietly, he walked up behind her. “Hi.”
She turned, startled, then was immediately relieved. “Do you always sneak up on defenseless women?” she asked coyly, a soft smile outlining her full lips.
Sean’s heart raced. “I’m really quite harmless.”
He moved closer, encouraged by her response. “I’ve been trying to tell you that.”
“You’ve been trying to tell me a lot of things. I guess I just haven’t been listening.” She lowered her eyes, then looked up at him, a hopeful light filling the warm pools.
“This may not be the right time to ask for a favor, but could you give me a lift?”
Khendra’s eyes rapidly surveyed the garage.
“Where’s your car?”
“I had a little accident on Saturday on my way to the club.”
Khendra’s heart caught in her throat. Haunting images of Tony’s lifeless body flashed through her brain, and the ceaseless feelings of guilt rushed to the surface. “Was anyone hurt?” she asked in an unsteady voice.
“Only you and me,” he said softly, a bit shaken by the look of anguish that darkened her eyes. “I’d like to change that, if you’ll let me.”
Khendra’s heartbeat slowly returned to normal, as she forced the visions of Tony back into her subconscious.
“I think I have some making up to do myself. How about dinner, at my house?” She startled herself at the spontaneity of her words, but was happy she had made the decision.
“I can’t think of anything I’d rather do.”
Khendra, too nervous to drive, handed him the keys and walked around to the passenger side of the car. “You drive.”
As Sean eased into the car, Khendra’s body tensed with the nearness of him.
“I really thought you’d never speak to me again,” he said, maneuvering the car around the winding turns.
She took a calming breath before answering. “You were almost right. I have a bad habit of jumping to conclusions.”
“I hadn’t noticed,” he quipped with a teasing smile. “But I dialed your number so many times over the weekend, your phone number was singing to me in my sleep.”
“I turned my machine off. I had a problem,” she said, somewhat thrilled he had tried repeatedly to reach her.
“I was sure I was doomed. I didn’t think you’d believe me. I even thought of camping out on your doorstep.”
“What stopped you?” An amused look danced in soft brown eyes.
“I knew that if you saw me sprawled there and just stepped over my body, I would never recover from humiliation. You do have an air of indifference about you.” He turned to her and smiled.
“It’s just that it’s not often that I—” she hesitated, then shrugged.
“Get involved?” he said, completing her sentence.
“Something like that.” She lowered her eyes.
“That’s going to change,” he said assuredly. Khendra’s heart skipped a fraction of a beat. “I can guarantee it.”
“You’re not only beautiful and intelligent, you’re a great cook,” Sean said as he took the last mouth-watering forkful of steamed red snapper and sautéed rice and washed it down with a long swallow of sparkling cider.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it, sir.” She gave a mock bow as she rose to clear the table.
“Let me help you with those.” Sean collected the glasses and silverware and followed her into the kitchen.
He never ceases to amaze me, Khendra thought, as she filled the sink with hot, sudsy water. He didn’t appear to be the type of man who would be handy in the kitchen, or even want to be associated with one. His somewhat arrogant exterior belied the caring man underneath. Khendra’s heart smiled at the revelation and wondered in anticipation what other surprises Sean Michaels had up his sleeve. They worked in companionable silence, the misunderstanding of the weekend having been explained and put behind them. The only sounds were the rushing water and the soft beat of the stereo as Anita Baker’s throaty alto voice embraced them with her hit, “Rapture.”
The intimacy of the moment, the good food and soft music intensified in the sultry atmosphere. Intermittently, their fingers brushed each other’s, and with each contact, electricity charged the air.
Khendra’s heart beat erratically in her chest, while Sean tried valiantly to control the mounting desire he felt for this
tantalizing woman. He turned to her. She held her breath. He slowly reached over and wiped away a spot of soapy water from the cleft in her chin. The brief contact sent rivers of fire rushing through her veins.
Sean searched her eyes as if wanting to enter her soul. Then, before she knew what happened, he lowered his head and gently brushed her lips with his own. He instantly felt powerless to control the surge of emotion that flooded his being, and without thinking any further, he pulled her possessively into his arms, his mouth locking with hers.
Khendra felt her spirit leave her body as she gave in to the delight of their first kiss. Slowly, she lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck, pulling him closer. Primitive, dark, and erotic feelings soared through her with the nearness of him. She could feel every muscle, every fiber of his being as he pressed urgently against her, filling all the dips and curves of her body with his own.
His strong, large hands stroked her waist, then her hips, pulling her even closer. A soft moan of raw pleasure slipped through her lips as Sean’s expert fingers trailed up and down her spine. He ran his fingers through her thick, auburn hair as he slid his velvety tongue into her waiting mouth.
An uncontrollable tremor raced through her body as the heated fluids of arousal filled her to near bursting. Her mind swept through an array of conflicting emotions—desire, longing and fear. Was this what she really wanted? Hidden doubts crept through her brain, like miniature thieves in the night. But the flame of indecision was quickly extinguished when Sean lifted his head and his smoldering gaze bored through her. In that instant, a silent agreement was made. She realized their relationship was on the brink of taking on a new dimension, and her pulse quickened in expectation. He took her hand and led her out of the room.
Khendra reached for the door to her bedroom, but Sean gently pulled her in the opposite direction.
“But Sean, I—”
“Shh. Come with me.”
He led her into the bathroom, closed the door and turned on the shower. Khendra stood silently in wide-eyed wonder, as the room quickly filled with steam.
Sean moved toward her, an untamed light filling his eyes. He pulled her to him, and his hot, moist lips smothered her own.
“I want you,” he groaned in her ear, his tempting tongue taunting the cord of her neck. He slipped his hands under her white silk blouse and threaded his fingers through the clasp of her black lace bra. Her swollen breasts seemed to cry out in release as their heaviness was cupped and kneaded with tender, loving hands.
Khendra tossed her head back in surrender, as in one smooth motion, Sean pushed up her blouse, tempering his hunger on the succulent fruits. The contact was explosive. Sean visibly trembled while Khendra’s breathing escalated into rapid, panting gasps. She wanted to scream, but then his mouth captured hers again.
His hands skillfully slid down her back and unzipped her skirt, letting it fall around her bare feet. Dizzy with a desire, she thought was long buried, she began to unbutton his shirt and loosened the button of his slacks. Her slender fingers traced the outline of his broad, muscular chest, while his hands eased around the elastic of her black slip, and it, too, fell to the floor. Then, raising her arms above her head, Sean removed the sleeveless blouse and pulled her solidly against him, his own blooming desire hard and demanding.
The steam from the shower enveloped them, covering their near-bare bodies in a fine mist. Khendra’s hair hung loosely around her shoulders, and Sean reached down to sweep a wispy tendril from her face. Then he caught the look of doubt and confusion clouding her eyes. He stroked her face.
“What is it?” he asked, his throaty voice filled with concern.
“It’s been so long…and I don’t have…I mean I’m using—”
The light of understanding quickly filled his eyes. Without another word, he reached for the wallet in his pants pocket and retrieved a small packet, putting her fears to rest. He bent down and lightly kissed the soft smile that tipped her lips. Then reaching for the shower door, he opened it, urging her forward with just a look. They slipped out of the remnants of their clothing, marveling at the beauty of the other. Their tan and brown bodies, glistening with perspiration from the heat of the shower, resembled bronze statues after a summer’s rain. Together they stepped into the shower and closed the door behind them.
The steamy, pulsing water cascaded over them, cleansing them and arousing them with its beat. Sean took the bar of lavender-scented soap and trailed it across her breasts, making the tips rise in perfect unison. Khendra released a gasp of trembling yearning when the trail led down to the hollow of her stomach, then to the hidden darkness below. She braced herself against the tiled wall as Sean’s large hands slowly stirred the soapy lather over her throbbing body and all its hidden places.
She reached for him, uncertain but tender hands quickening the pulse that pumped through his tortured body. He was sure he could no longer contain the raw desire that hovered on the brink of eruption. He lifted her to him, the threshold of fulfillment only a heartbeat away.
“Khendra,” he groaned, his lips crushing hers. She couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, the surreal pleasure of him rendering her incapable of anything other than succumbing to the exquisite sensations that ravished her quivering body. She was lost in a world she never knew existed, and she never wanted to return to that place that had held her captive for so long.
Instinctively, she wrapped her long, shapely legs around his narrow waist, pulling him to her, inciting him with her wanton abandon. His powerful arms held her securely, moving her steadily against him. He desperately wanted to bury himself within the pulsing chasm that cried out to him for fulfillment. But he hesitated, knowing he wanted that irrevocable moment to be total perfection.
Sean opened the shower door and carried her out of the steamy room and across the hall to the moonlit bedroom. Their wet, dripping bodies instantly saturated the satin, lilac-colored sheets, as the brilliant moonlit sky shone down upon their entwined forms, capturing their outline as an artist’s sketch on canvas.
Khendra’s exotic beauty—her glistening, butter-soft skin, the arch of her large brown eyes, the swell of her dreamy breasts, and the curve of her waist that flared into firm, rounded hips—had Sean transfixed. As if in a trance, he cupped her face in his palms and slowly lowered his lips to her parted mouth. He felt her tremble beneath him as he stroked her luscious thighs, easing them down on either side of his body.
Inch by inch, his hungry mouth trailed downward, his tongue stroking the pulse that pounded in the hollow of her neck. Downward his searing lips traveled to suckle the jutting tips of each breast. Khendra bit back a cry of bittersweet surrender as the shivery thread of desire raced through her body. Her body arched spontaneously, pressing her heaving breasts against his tantalizing tongue. Surely someone must have lit a fire within her, she thought crazily through the haze of her mounting passion. What else could explain the unearthly heat that blazed within her? She clasped his head in her hand, running her fingers across the waves in his hair, willing him closer, begging him for release with soft moans of his name.
For the first time in his life, Sean felt an unparalleled desire to share with this glorious woman the most intimate moment of loving. Slowly, his hands threaded their way down her body, etching into his memory every inch of the satiny skin, until his searching fingers rested upon the moist bud that hardened at his touch.
Khendra’s hips rose spasmodically as the incendiary contact jettisoned throughout her body. She buried her face in her pillow to stifle the cries impelled by these unbelievable sensations that held her hostage. Never in her wildest imaginings could she have been prepared for the unbridled explosion that rocketed through her as Sean’s hungry mouth and hands transported her like a jet to far-reaching horizons of pleasure.
White, hot flashes of light filled her eyes. She heard strange sounds, incomprehensible words filling the room. It wasn’t until her throat was almost raw that she realized the cries were coming fr
om deep within her. Her body twisted and arched as if it had a mind of its own. She grabbed the sheet in her fists, sure that if she didn’t hold on for dear life she would plunge headlong into a world of no return.
Then she felt it. The slow, steady warming threaded its way up from her toes, making her thighs quiver, her stomach quake, her breathing quicken to panting breaths. Any moment now, the long denial would be satisfied, her dizzying ardor relieved. Her head swam as the pressure built to a savage pitch. She wasn’t sure how much more she could stand, then suddenly, without warning, she was filled to near bursting. A fierce and demanding heat climbed steadily upward until she was sure it had torn away her insides. Her eyes flew open and tears glistened as the briefest instance of pain quickly gave way to the undeniable power of their union.
Slowly, and with gentle care, Sean moved above her, wanting to bury himself within the liquid fire that had him weak and trembling. He searched her face, trailing kisses across her cheeks, her lips, her neck. He wanted to tell her what she was doing to him, but all he could do was rasp out her name over and over in a ragged, breathless voice.
Time seemed to stand still as they traveled to heights neither had ever experienced. Together they found a new rhythm—melodious, sultry, intoxicating and so perfect. Soft sighs mixed with low moans filled the room, building in intensity with each plunge and arch.
Sean gathered Khendra into his arms, his groans muffled in her neck. Quickening his pace, he crushed her lips with his own, mindless of the bruising, knowing only that he wanted to be everywhere within her at once. He didn’t want it to end, never wanted this incredible feeling to stop, but he was fast losing ground.
