by Donna Hill
She reached out a hand to touch his face, as if to wipe away the reawakened pain. “You don’t have to talk about it anymore,” she said softly. “I know it had to be hard on you.”
“But it’s over now,” he said with urgency. “You have to believe that. Carol is weak. She always has been. I guess that was part of the attraction.” He gave a humorless chuckle. “I thought I could be her strength. But she had other ideas.”
“Why is she here? What does she want after all this time?”
He briefly looked away from her probing eyes.
Do I dare tell you that she has an apartment and plans to stay? He couldn’t tell her that—not yet. There’d be plenty of time later. “She says she was in town for a few days and she just wanted to see me. I said okay.”
The next question burned in her throat, but she had to know “How did you feel…when you saw her again?” Her heart skittered in her chest.
He looked at her, then looked away, his eyes sweeping the room as though searching for the answer. Then his eyes rested on her face, steady and clear. “I…still care about her, Khen. But I’m not in love with her.” He shook his head as he spoke. “We went through a lot together. She says she’s clean now, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t believe in going back. She knows that.” He took her hand in his and gently squeezed it.
The flickers of a smile tugged at her lips, as a sense of relief slowly crept through her veins. “You could have told me, Sean,” she said without rancor. “I would have understood. I spent too many years with secrets and misunderstandings. I don’t want that to be the pattern of our relationship, too.”
“You mean Tony,” he said softly.
She nodded. “I never really knew what he was thinking or what he was thinking about me.”
She took a deep breath. “When I did find out, it was too late to change anything. We let too many outside forces and misconceptions come between us. I never had the chance to—” Her voice broke.
“Shh. It’s okay. That won’t happen to us. I swear to you it won’t,” he said, praying that his words would remain true. He pulled her from her seat on the sofa and onto his lap, cradling her head against his broad chest. “I swear it won’t,” he whispered against her mouth.
She gave herself up to the pleasure of his lips, letting his persuasive fingers, once again, unleash the well of desire that lay just beneath the surface. It was going to be difficult, she realized, as her fingers traveled over his chest. She was going to have to learn to trust again, to open her heart and love again, and Sean was the man she wanted to experience those things with. But most of all, she had to let him know he could trust her as well, with all of his heart.
She let him know with her touch, so gentle, yet firm that she felt a shiver run through him. A low moan slipped through his lips as she felt his arousal surge through him.
She moved against him, impelled by her own passion, and gasped when his rock-hard body moved over hers.
She looked up into his eyes, trying to convey all that burned inside of her heart, inside her soul. And in a moment of frightening clarity, she realized the only words that came close to expressing what she felt. She had thought she would never utter them again. She tenderly whispered, as her heart pounded against her chest, “I…love you, Sean.”
A light of pure joy glistened in his ebony eyes, and a euphoric elation danced within his soul. He crushed her against him, wanting to absorb her into his very being. His hungry lips seared hers, his tongue delving into the warmth that had become so delightfully familiar. Never before had those simple words meant so much, and he promised himself, at that moment, he would never make her regret them.
Slowly, and with infinite care, he slid her blouse off her shoulders, then eased aside the pink lace bra. He felt her quake beneath him as he stroked her, taunting her with fiery kisses along the cord of her neckline down to her waiting breasts. His hot lips caressed her with scintillating possessiveness.
She instinctively curled into the hard contours of his body, lifting her hips to ease off her skirt and the sheer, pink panties beneath. His hands lightly traced a path over her body, igniting every inch he touched, creating a burning course of unstoppable desire. He grasped her hand, urging her to explore, wanting to again experience the explosive sensations she caused with her touch. His world rocked with sweet agony as her satiny-soft hand enveloped him and the floodtide throbbed between her gentle fingers.
She felt powerful and completely uninhibited as she boldly guided him within her honey-drenched walls. Sean willingly descended into the volcanic heat that called out to him, plunging into the rippling valley, delighting in the sublime pleasure, while Khendra’s long, sinewy legs entwined his waist, her breathing coming in long, shuddering moans with his every stroke.
The exquisiteness of their union stirred him deep within his soul. And as he gathered her into his arms, locking them in body and spirit, he quietly whispered in her ear, “And I love you, too, Khen.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
As she prepared breakfast the next morning, Khendra realized she had never felt so alive. The very air she breathed seemed to take on a new vitality. She moved through the sunny kitchen as though walking on air, her heart light, her soul uplifted. And all because of the man whose voice was now crooning a soothing tune over the sound of the gushing shower.
The aroma of scrambled eggs, French toast drenched in maple syrup, and sizzling bacon wafted through the kitchen. Khendra hummed a tune of her own as she set the table, adorning its center with a scented candle in a copper holder.
As she worked, visions of the previous night bloomed hot and full, sending jet waves of wanting running through her veins. She thought too, with a sense of serenity, how comfortable she felt talking to Sean. His easy manner and the sincerity in his soul-stirring eyes enabled her to open up to him. She had finally told him about Alex and his subtle threats, and her determination to win the partnership based on merit. Sean was extremely supportive, and had even offered her some advice on how to handle Alex. “Don’t back down,” he’d warned. “If you do, you’ll never get out from under his thumb.” She had every intention of taking that advice. If she didn’t get the partnership, it certainly wouldn’t be because she hadn’t worked hard. If she maintained her standards, she could always hold her head high.
She was so engrossed in her own newfound happiness she didn’t hear Sean sneak up behind her, and she squealed when his cool hands slid under her pale blue satin kimono and caressed the bare skin beneath.
“Sean Michaels!” she screeched in feigned offense, spinning into his waiting arms. “How do you expect a person to get anything done if your hands are always in the way?”
“Then find a place for them,” he said in a husky voice, sliding the pads of his thumbs over the rising tips of her breasts.
“I’d be more than happy to,” she said, her voice shaky against his moist lips as she struggled to suppress the tingling sensations he had caused to erupt, “but first we eat.”
His eyes roamed seductively over her curves, which were barely hidden beneath the sexy sheath. “I know what I want on my menu,” he teased.
“Don’t even say it.” She giggled, bathing in the heat of his gaze. “We have a long day ahead of us, so we’ve got to eat something.” She gave him a hard kiss and backed away, her eyes filled with warmth.
“All right, I give up,” he said, reluctantly releasing her and throwing a long leg over his chair as he sat down at the table. “Everything smells great!” he enthused, eyeing the feast. Almost before she could sit down good, Sean had devoured five slices of French toast, two helpings of eggs and bacon, a tall glass of milk, and sat looking at her as though he was still hungry. A flash of amusement danced in his dark eyes as he looked at the astonished look on Khendra’s face.
“For someone who acted like he didn’t want food for breakfast—”
“Your womanly pride isn’t bruised, is it?” he teased, looking at her over the rim of his second glas
s of milk.
“Not hardly,” she countered with a cool confidence.
“Hmm, ’cause good lovin’ always gives me a ravishing appetite.” His eyes burned a path across her face.
“Is that right?” she asked in a throaty whisper, rising slowly from her seat and slipping out of her kimono as she stood. She felt the hot flush of desire surge within her as Sean’s eyes instantly lit with desire. Smooth as a panther, he rounded the table and pulled her into his arms, his mouth crashing down on hers, hard and demanding, his hands stroking her curves.
“Looks like we’re going to be here a while,” he said in a raspy voice.
“That’s just what I was thinking—”
Khendra’s Volvo sped across the freeway, while Sean’s ever-moving fingers gently caressed the back of her neck as she drove. As the landscape unfolded before him, the darker realities of his dilemma crept in, distorting the scenic beauty.
Carol was going to be a problem. Even though she swore before he left New York that she would leave him alone, he felt sure trouble was on the horizon. He sent her money every month, but it never seemed to be enough. That was one of the reasons he had chosen to come to Atlanta. MC&P had offered him more money and prestige than the firm he was with, and the added income had certainly made life without Carol financially bearable. She was always hounding him for more money, and now she was there in the flesh.
A shudder of foreboding raced up his spine, and he tried to force thoughts of Carol out of his mind. He had allowed her to take away so many things that were important to him, he thought, an involuntary scowl distorting his handsome features. He would not let her do it again, especially if she in any way threatened his relationship with Khendra.
“Hey,” Khendra called, cutting into his thoughts, “where are you?”
Sean shook his head as though waking from a dream, then turned to her, his troubled spirit lightened by just looking at her. He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. “I was just thinking how happy I’ve been since I met you,” he said, his eyes caressing her as he spoke, “and that I’d do anything in my power to keep you in my life.”
“Anything?” she asked with a smile.
“Anything.”
From above, enormous Piedmont Park appeared to be covered with a brilliant human quilt. The wide array of colors and the collage of blankets heightened the festive air. Music blared from radios at every end of the park, competing with the loud talk, muffled whispers and raucous laughter of the growing crowd.
The bandstand stood proudly aloof, flanked by towering black speakers, a headdress of kaleidoscopic lights and a maze of wires. Technicians and engineers hurried across the wooden platform, barking out orders and testing the sound system, oblivious to everything except their efforts to achieve perfection.
A warm evening breeze gently stirred the blooming foliage and threaded seductively through the swarming masses, while the setting sun threw rainbows of orange and gold lights across the cloudless sky.
Khendra snuggled against Sean’s broad chest and munched on an apple while they waited for jazz great, Joe Williams, to open the show. “This is one of the biggest musical events in Atlanta,” she remarked as she scanned the crowd.
Sean stroked her unbound hair as he leaned on his elbow. “Do you come here every year?”
“I try,” she said in a dreamy voice, relaxing under his gentle caress. “I’ve loved jazz for as long as I can remember.” She gave a soft chuckle. “It was the one thing my parents and I had in common.”
“Do you keep in touch with them?”
“Pretty much.” She shrugged. “It’s just that they still refuse to accept what I do…seeing my name in the papers connected with some of the cases I’ve handled doesn’t sit well with them. Things like that. They just can’t see how I can make a living from other people’s misery.” She shook her head sadly. “All I ever wanted was for them to be proud of me.”
“I’m sure they are, Khen,” he softly assured. “It’s probably just hard for them to admit.”
“But I’ve worked so hard.” She turned large, sad eyes to him. “That’s why this partnership is so important to me. They’d have to see that it was all worth it.”
Sean gathered her in his arms and dropped comforting kisses in her fragrant hair, his eyes drifting off in contemplation. What would it be like to have his woman as his superior? The vision vaguely troubled him, but was quickly extinguished when the stage lights glared on and the crowd roared its approval.
“The show should be starting pretty soon,” Khendra yelled over the din.
No sooner had she spoken than the emcee ran on stage and began pumping up the crowd for Joe Williams’ performance, to be followed by Roy Ayers, and then Grover Washington, Jr., accompanied by song stylist, Phyllis Hyman. The crowd stomped and cheered, while vendors hawked their wares among them, the air filling with the aroma of hot dogs, spicy mustard and butter-drenched popcorn.
Sean repositioned himself, leaning against a huge weeping willow tree, then braced Khendra between his hard thighs, hugging her to him with powerful arms. Looking over her head toward the stage, his breath suddenly stopped short. Then surprise quickly switched to annoyance, as the figure approached them.
“Sean, are you okay? Your whole body is stiff as a board.” Khendra twisted her body to look at him, but before he could respond, a shadow fell over them and Khendra looked up into a smiling face.
“Hi, hon,” came the childlike voice, which in no way fit the figure that came with it.
Carol Gordon-Michaels was anything but a child.
Although tiny in stature, her fully formed curves and stunning legs could easily have evoked envy in any woman. “High yella” in complexion, her gray-green eyes and jet-black curly hair were a breathtaking combination. She barely wore any clothes. The little white shorts outfit she had on was merely a token, leaving little to the imagination.
Khendra realized with dismay that Sean’s heart was pounding against her back as he looked upon the familiar face. Her imagination went erratically wild. She snapped her head in his direction, but was quickly reassured when his smoldering dark eyes glared at the figure before him.
“I didn’t know you were interested in jazz, Carol.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Sean,” she replied in a bell-like voice, totally dismissing Khendra as her eyes hungrily raked over Sean.
Sean gathered Khendra closer. “Carol, this is Khendra Phillips. Khen, my ex-wife, Carol.”
Carol’s laughter tinkled in the warm air. “You say that with such distaste, Mickey.”
The endearing term sent a shudder of alarm racing through Khendra’s veins. She felt Sean’s thighs tighten around her waist. She unconsciously stroked his leg, her eyes never leaving the compelling face above them.
“It didn’t used to be that way,” she cooed, her eyes turning a smoky gray.
“Is there something in particular you want, Carol?” he asked, his voice taking on an icy edge.
“Oooh, aren’t we testy these days?” She turned her unusual eyes on Khendra and spoke in a conspiratorial tone. “I can tell you how to fix that.” She giggled, bending her hand at the wrist “After that he’s a pushover.”
Khendra’s jaw clenched, and she fumed at the intimate innuendo.
Sean felt Khendra was ready to spring, and he firmly planted his hands around her waist. “I’m sure you’re not traveling alone, Carol. Isn’t your escort going to miss you?”
“Of course, but then it’s always worth the wait,” she said in a sultry voice. “Now isn’t it, Mickey?”
There’s that name again, Khendra thought, seeing red.
“Well, see you two around…I’m sure.” She turned and sashayed away, leaving her soft scent behind.
Sean felt Khendra slowly relax, even as he let out a relieved breath. Khendra pulled herself out of his hold and twisted herself around to face him. She opened her mouth, just as Sean’s hand came up to stop her.
&n
bsp; “Don’t say it,” he said with an audible sigh. “Carol has got to be one of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made.”
“That wasn’t what I was going to say,” she snapped, alarming herself at her tone. She took a calming breath. “It’s just that…at first I thought…that you were really turned on by seeing her,” she blurted out.
“What!”
“Your heart was hammering so fast, I thought it was going to jump out of your chest,” she accused.
“Carol has a knack for bringing out the worst in me, that’s all,” he said in disgust. “Listen, we came here to enjoy ourselves.” He rubbed her back. “Let’s not let Carol ruin that.”
Khendra sighed deeply and reluctantly agreed to let the troubling subject drop. But even as the band smoothly slid into Joe Williams’ first number, the shadow of Carol’s presence hung heavy in the evening air.
“What do you wear to a yacht party, dah-ling?” Sean asked in a slow drawl. He stood in the doorway of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his narrow waist.
“I couldn’t tell you. This is a first for me too,” she replied, wondering briefly how Alex would react when Sean showed up with her.
She slipped into a pair of white rayon pants and gingerly stepped over the pile of law journals Sean had deposited in the center of his living room floor.
“We could just as well forget the whole thing and stay here,” he said in a husky voice as his eyes trailed over her half-dressed form.
“I think not,” she replied, snatching the towel from around his waist and giggling merrily as she quickly sidestepped his reach.
Sean was instantly at her heels, wanting nothing more at that moment than to make love to her. He was just about to grab the waistband of her slacks when the phone rang.
“Damn! Saved by the bell,” he growled. He picked the towel up from the floor and tucked it back around his waist as he strode toward the phone.
“Hello,” he barked into the phone, his mischievous eyes locked on Khendra’s face. Then the playful look was gone, and he slowly lowered his head, his voice muffled.
