Kendra made her way back to Michael. “Are you ready to leave?” she asked.
“Yes. Everyone is just lingering anyway. I’m sorry your sister couldn’t make it,” Michael said.
“Yeah, me too. Piero’s taking her to the doctor on Monday.”
“Yes, he told me. Let’s sneak out. I don’t feel like seeing anyone. I just want to be alone with my baby tonight,” Michael said.
* * *
Michael and Kendra had barely made it into the house before he pushed her back against the wall, and lifted her gown.
“I need you now,” he groaned.
“Take me,” she said, wrapping one leg around his waist.
Michael ripped the little thin material that acted as underwear in two, and dropped it to the floor. Taking a condom out of his pocket, he ripped it open, dropped his tuxedo pants and boxers at the same time, and put it on. “Hold on, babe,” he said, taking her lips in a passionate kiss before surging up and into her.
“Yes!” she cried, into his mouth. Their tongues danced together while their bodies tried to mold as one.
“I need you,” he said breathlessly.
“Umm,” she moaned, kissing him harder.
Michael continued to pump into her. Each stroke pushed her further up against the wall.
“Wrap your other leg around me and hold on to me tight, Kendra,” he roared.
Kendra wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his shoulders and held on.
“That’s it baby,” Michael said, lifting his lips from hers to rain kisses down her neck.
“Harder, Michael,” she screamed.
“As you wish,” he said and began to stroke furiously into her.
“I’m coming,” she said, and cried out her orgasm.
Michael pumped two more times before he threw back his head with a growl.
“Fuck, shit!” he cried. “Let’s finish this in bed.”
“Wait. I have something to tell you.”
“What?” he asked.
“I speak Italian. I speak four languages,” she rushed on.
“We’ll talk later about why you thought it necessary to keep that information from me, but right now, I just want you under me in bed,” he said placing a quick kiss on her lips.
Michael stepped out of his pants and carried her to the bedroom, where their joyful lovemaking lasted throughout the night.
* * *
A few days earlier
Nicco came awake with a start. “Where the fuck am I?” he whispered to himself.
“Be still, Nicco, before you pull out your I.V.”
“Sam?” Nicco questioned.
“Yeah, little brother. You’re in the hospital.”
“I thought I told Michael that I didn’t want to go to hospital!”
“You did. You lost too much blood for us not to call the cops and an ambulance, Nicco,” Samuel said. “You’ve been here for a few days, in and out.”
“Ah, yeah, I remember now,” Nicco groaned, and then laid back against the pillows. “I remember talking to the police, too.”
“Don’t you mean talking at them? You didn’t give them much information, Nicco,” Sal said, dryly, from across the room.
“Ugh, why are you here Sal? Oh, don’t tell me? You wanted to make sure I was dead or something,” Nicco said sarcastically.
“Why don’t you tell us what happened, Nicco?” Sal said.
“I got shot, Salley,” Nicco said. “What, are your eyes going in your old age?”
“Stop being a smartass and tell us what happened. The truth this time,” Sal barked.
“Come on Sal, lighten up,” Samuel replied. “He is drugged, no?”
“Yeah, and we have the parents ready to go on the warpath. Tell me, does this have anything to do with Marcello’s death, Nicco?” Sal asked.
“When can I go home?” Nicco asked no one in particular.
“Not for a few days,” Samuel answered. “Why won’t you answer, Sal, Nicco?”
“Because I don’t feel like it. Trust me, my being shot has nothing to do with you all whatsoever. AND, that’s all I’m saying,” Nicco finished and looked up at the ceiling.
“You’re a stubborn ass, Nicco,” Samuel said.
“Yeah, well, I learned from the best, big brother. Where’s my cell?”
“In that thingy there by your bed,” Samuel said.
“I hate hospitals,” Nicco said, reaching over, pulling the bedside drawer open, and taking out his phone. He looked and saw that he had a few missed called and voicemails. “I’ll check these later.”
“Well, now that we know you’re okay, I’m going for coffee. I will stick around for the night, just in case, Nicco,” Sal said.
“I’ll go by and sit with the folks. Ma is giving Papa a fit over her ‘boy,’” Samuel snorted.
“Can you stay out of trouble for 20 minutes while I go get a coffee, Nicco?” Sal asked.
“Fuck off, Sal. Where am I going? I have these tube things in one arm, and the other is bandaged up,” Nicco snapped.
“Yeah, well, be glad that’s all that’s bandaged. You were lucky, cousin. This time. Either whoever shot you was a bad shot, or they didn’t shoot to kill, just to warn. Which brings me back to some questions you need to answer when I get back. So think very carefully on how you answer me Nicco, and make no doubt about it. You will answer every last question,” Sal said.
“If you say so, Sal,” Nicco said, eying him and his brother. These two were something. Nicco had to admire his big brother and his cousin. They still thought that he had to listen to everything they said. And he did to an extent, but he was also his own man and he did as he damn well pleased. Nicco watched as they opened the hospital room door and walked out. He would have laughed if he weren’t in so much pain. “Damn, this hurt like a son-of-a-bitch,” he murmured, and leaned over to put his phone back in the drawer.
The door to his room opened almost as soon as Sal and Samuel walked out.
“Wow, that was quick,” Nicco said wryly, looking up.
“Really, Nicco? So you were expecting me.”
“No. What are you doing here? Did Sal and Samuel see you?”
“No. I made sure of that.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Sal’s coming right back. Leave. I’ll call you later,” he groaned out.
“Make sure you do. Or, I’ll be back when they are here.”
“Is that a threat?” Nicco smiled menacingly.
With that his visitor turned and left the room.
“Damn, what have you gotten yourself into now, Nicco?” he whispered aloud. The large hospital room offered no answers.
Other stories by Serenity King:
A Tryst at Midnight (Book One: The Alesi Men series)
Simply Beautiful (Book One: Cameron Trilogy)
Through the Fire (Book Two: Cameron Trilogy
SINJIN: You Give Me Something (Book Three: Cameron Trilogy
A Race For Redemption (The Powell’s Book One)
Samantha: Never Say Never (The Powell’s Book Two)
The Men of Whiskey Creek: Dillon
Diamond’s Seduction (Part of the Cameron series)
Let’s Ride
Memories Unleashed
Peaches and Cream
Claiming Sydney
A Night to Remember
My, My, My (a short flash)
Someone to Watch Over Me
Mocha Memoirs Press:
The Princess & the Professor
All stories are available at:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Apple iBooks
All Romance Ebooks
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author Serenity King has been reading romances ever since she was sixteen years old and her auntie first placed a Harlequin in her hands. Now King writes interracial/multicultural contemporary romance and erotic romance that feature her fierce devotion to resi
lient women and strong passion for family-oriented Alpha men who live, love, and fight for their women.
She currently lives in the New York area with her husband and children. King loves feedback and welcomes readers to e-mail her at:
[email protected].
Blog: http://serenitykingexpressions.blogspot.com/
Web Site: http://www.serenityking.com
Last Call
Bridget Midway
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission by the author.
Last Call
Copyright © 2014, Bridget Midway
Cover Artist: Niki Browning
Editor: Kathryn Lively
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to eStore and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Eminence Dutton is at a crossroad. At work, she’s up for a promotion that’s she’s not sure she can do. Her love life with her librarian has hit a wall. She gets an invitation from her former best friend to a new night club opening. Each decision has her shaking in her sensible shoes. The only thing that would complicate her life more would be to see her old high school boyfriend.
Keys “Tank” Tanksley can’t believe it when he sees Eminence standing in line at Epitome.
He takes that moment and his temporary bit of power as the security company owner to give her a very thorough and intimate search that brings up old, familiar feelings–feelings he never stopped having for Eminence but that she must have abandoned a long time ago.
Tank has changed, most notably, his foray into BDSM. No longer an unsure high school boy, this man does not plan on letting this woman go without being heard or without her experiencing the sting of his whip.
When Tank tries to rekindle the relationship with Eminence, one where he asks her to make
a huge change, she has to wonder what’s important: her dream or her heart.
Chapter One
Touch me. Just touch me.
Eminence Dutton chewed the inside of her cheek to punish herself for reverting to a childhood habit of wishing for something in her head, hoping to change her outcome. She shouldn’t have had to make that prayer. Desperation didn’t suit her.
As she stood next to Les Hill at another one of his library functions, she wondered why she had to even wish for a small morsel of affection. Compromise had to be a part of any relationship. At least Eminence had included that aspect on her wish list on what she wanted in a man and in a healthy, long-lasting union.
At thirty-two, Eminence had to be practical when it came to all facets of her life. Despite these celebrities having babies well into their forties, she didn’t want to be a part of that trend. She had a plan. As she glanced at her date for the evening, she figured her life seemed to be on track to how she wanted it to go, quiet and smooth. She just had to convince this man that they could be the ideal African-American couple.
Eminence held her cup filled with red punch in one hand and lowered her free hand down to her side closest to Les. As he spoke, she allowed her fingers to brush against his hand, hoping he would take the hint and hold it, touch her. She rubbed her thumb over the pads of her fingers, hoping the soothing touch would calm her tightening belly.
She’d styled her hair in soft curls surrounding her face and had sprayed her body with a light, flowery scent hoping to entice Les. Her mother would have been so proud of her efforts to retain a man, especially with her parents’ rocky breakup and divorce.
So far Les had been a perfect gentleman with her. His mother must have taught him well. Aside from opening doors for her and pulling out her chair, he remained reserved with all types of bodily contact. Her body craved more.
As soon as the back of her fingers brushed against his hand, Les lifted it in the air to fully animate the story he told. Eminence heartbeat slowed with his subtle rejection. Her best laid plans had failed. Making herself more appealing to him hadn’t worked in her favor.
Four dates created a great base for a solid relationship. However, Les could hardly qualify as a boyfriend or even a partner. By that definition, she’d been dating her Chinese takeout delivery man for four years. Eminence snickered, which turned to a snort. Les halted his conversation and glared at her through his dead, nearly black eyes.
“Something funny you want to share?” Les addressed her like a scolding school teacher.
The idea of that and the nature of his tone sent a twinge through her head that she knew would be the start of a mammoth headache. She deserved to be treated like an equal and with some respect. Without respect and trust, any relationship would fail. She’d been through that heart-wrenching experience to want to go through that again. Just the thought of it now caused her to shiver.
Les turned his stocky body to her to direct his full attention to Eminence. He crossed his arms over his chest, covering yet another one of his colorful knit sweater vests. He reminded her so much of that affable morning show weatherman who dropped a lot of weight. Unlike that man, Les kept his smile hidden.
Eminence smiled before taking a sip of the punch she’d retrieved as soon as they had arrived to the afterhours function. Damn. She tasted strawberries, cherries, and grape flavors all swirling around in the red beverage, but not a drop of alcohol. What had she expected with this bunch?
Safe. Eminence sought that in her life and in her man. She couldn’t be upset that she’d caused a kink in their fortress and had to explain her verbal intrusion.
“I was just thinking how strange it is that here we’re eating and drinking in a library, and I remember as a kid being told to never bring any food or beverages in here.” Eminence smiled to sell her story. She even attempted a little giggle, which didn’t suit her personality.
A couple of people standing around her smiled. She thought she had even heard one person giving her a polite chuckle. Les on the other hand smirked. Eminence figured the only way to sell her story would be to keep her stare directly on Les. She did, almost daring him to look away first, for him to back down and let her have her due.
The rotund man wouldn’t have been her normal man to date. She’d been out with tall, gorgeous men of all different shades who ended up breaking her heart. She decided that looks couldn’t drive her decision. She had to think about the total package. A safe man with a safe job would ensure she would have a secure future.
“We can only eat and drink in this area.” Les swung his stubby arms around their space. “We can’t go near the books.” He pointed to the shelves of colorful books as though he had to show Eminence.
Eminence slid her foot over the carpeted floor. She’d worn the flats to make Les more comfortable so that she didn’t tower over him. Compromise. She recognized that her obliging attitude would only take her so far. Right now, she would use it to give Les his space.
“I think I’ll get some of those cookies I see over there.” Just like Les, she pointed to a platter full of cookies near the door.
Eminence didn’t think it could be possible that Les’s dark skin darkened even more as he watched her walking away. Then he gleamed his million-dollar smile that attracted her to him in the first place. Of course, he reserved that pleasant expression to the group around him.
Les turned away from her and faced the other librarians. He continued his dull tale of the ebook wave and
catching teenagers making out in the reference section.
Of course as a teenager, Eminence had never done that. Too afraid of the possible repercussions had she gotten caught, she stayed away from risky behaviors like that. What could she gain from taking a chance on the unknown? The query had her thinking about her old high school flame who never left her thoughts even after fifteen years.
Just thinking about Keys Tanksley had her skin tingling. Thanks to his love of all kinds of sports, Keys had a massive body, tall and full of muscles. Keys certainly hadn’t been the only white man she’d dated. Eminence had dated other white boys and boys of all other races before Keys. Keys, with his blue eyes, had kept her body humming. Her flesh warmed every time she thought about him, then and now.
His hands. No matter how long she lived, Eminence would always remember his large hands that gave her both pleasure and a bit of pain.
The pain had her insides quivering. Keys had a way of questioning what she wanted. A simple kiss and taking his large hand and coasting it down her body would turn into something more.
He would stop his hand on her breast and circle his thumb around her nipple. As soon as he got it hard, Keys would pinch her nipple, increasing the hardness until she screamed. She hadn’t screamed from being hurt, but pleasure, a strange reaction considering it made her question what romance and satisfaction should be.
Other times, Keys would simply hold her hand and do this thing that drove her crazy. In the union of their joined hands, he would curve his middle finger and stroke her palm, away from nosey stares. No one knew about him brushing his fingertip over her palm except for the two of them. The sensation tickled her at first, making Eminence smile. The more he dragged his thick middle digit over her sensitive flesh, the more she imagined him doing a similar stroke with his cock inside her.
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