A Tempting Proposal (Kimani Romance)

by Sherelle Green

  With every movement she made, her body demanded that he release himself physically and emotionally. Ever since he’d met Imani, he’d had a hard time telling his body not to react to her the way it did, and apparently, tonight was no different. He’d think about the consequences later.

  Hair plastered all across her face and sweat glistening off her forehead, he knew she was close. Her thighs clinched together, forcing him to go even deeper than he already was. Two strokes later, all thoughts ceased as they both experienced an indescribable feeling of pure, unrestrained lust, releasing all their inhibitions and fears of what was yet to come.

  Together, they rode out their throes of passion, as the electrifying currents tore through them. As the waves of pleasure subsided, Imani smiled that smile meant only for him and passed out on his chest in exhaustion. In that instant, as he held her, all he was thinking was that he’d never experienced anything so fulfilling in his entire life.

  Chapter 17

  Slowly opening her eyes the next morning, Imani stretched out her body and felt her muscles ache in satisfaction. It had been five years since she put them to good use, and she didn’t regret one thing. After four rounds of lovemaking, it was a miracle she was even up at all.

  As they lay there, spooning like they had after every lovemaking session, she glanced over her shoulder at Daman and watched his eyes slowly open. Making love to him felt right, and the way they connected sexually was stronger than anything she’d ever experienced.

  “I understand how you feel because I feel the same way.”

  All she could do was smile at Daman’s response. She hadn’t even said anything, yet they were so in tune with each other that he’d read the look in her eyes.

  She glimpsed out of the side window at the beautiful sunrise overlooking the calm water. “I can’t believe it’s morning already, can you?” she asked, as she glanced from the window up at Daman’s face.

  Their bodies were tangled in the sheets, and the intense look Daman was giving her made her want him all over again. They had fallen in and out of sleep throughout the night, yet she felt more relaxed than she would have if she had slept an entire eight hours.

  Daman gently pushed her disarrayed hair out of her face. He wanted to go another round. She could feel it. He pulled her into him and placed a soft kiss on her lips, obviously not affected by their morning breath. She knew the type of man Daman was, but so far he had completely surprised her with how attentive he was during intimacy.

  “What are you thinking?” Imani asked after he broke the kiss.

  He was quiet for a second before asking her another personal question. “Why do you release a feather into the air sometimes?”

  Imani sat up in bed with the sheets still wrapped around her. She knew he would want to know that eventually. “You’re full of questions, aren’t you?”

  Daman laughed, and she thought she’d never quite heard that laugh before. It was both sexy and raspy, making him even more desirable.

  “Stop stalling and answer the question.”

  She couldn’t recall ever telling anyone besides her cousins or Mya the meaning behind releasing a feather into the air, but she wanted to tell Daman. After all, he’d caught her so many times, he deserved to know the reason.

  “Gamine always loved to visit new places. She visited everyone who was important to her, and she always had a new story to tell us at the next family gathering. When she passed away, I wasn’t ready to let go, even though I knew she would always be in my heart. So I decided that every time I went out of town to someplace I’d never been before, I would release a feather into the sky and hope that it reached her in heaven. That way, she always knows where I was and that I was thinking of her. I know it’s silly and childish, but it helps so I shared it with a few other members having a hard time dealing with her death. And all those places she wanted to see...now she can, through us.”

  Daman was silent for a few seconds before responding. “I don’t think it’s silly or childish to do something to honor a loved one. There are things that I do to let my father know that he will never be forgotten.”

  Imani placed her hand on Daman’s arm. “It must be hard for you to hear me talk about Gamine this way. I don’t want to start thinking about your dad and make you sad after we had such a great night.”

  His hand grazed her cheek.

  “You have nothing to be sorry about. There are times when I have entire conversations with my dad. You know, to keep him updated on my life. Some people may say that’s childish and silly because he can’t talk back, but I couldn’t care less what they think. The only thing that matters is that I feel better talking to him.”

  Imani observed Daman as he continued to talk about his relationship with his father. She couldn’t believe how wrong she’d been about him. He was a proud man...that she knew. But he could also be kind and sweet. She could hear the strength in his heartfelt words.

  “So do you release a feather at every new location?” Daman asked, breaking her thoughts.

  “No, only the places that I would tell Gamine about if she were here. Each place where I release a feather holds a special moment, memory or person for me.”

  By now, Daman had moved closer to Imani and was already tugging the sheet away from her body.

  “I have to admit something,” Daman said in a low voice. “I’ve seen you release several feathers at places that I’ve been with you. Is it safe to say that I have something to do with a feather or two?”

  There was a knock on the front door, breaking the moment between them. Daman took the extra sheet that had been dismissed to the floor and wrapped it around his waist before leaving the bedroom.

  Imani was glad for the small window of alone time to process her thoughts. She realized too late that she’d mistakenly led him to believe that he could have been the reason behind the release of a couple feathers. Truth be told, she would have told Gamine about Daman if she were still alive.

  Did I subconsciously release a feather with Daman in mind?

  He returned to the bedroom with a piece of paper in his hand.

  “The butler said that the Walshes will meet with us in two hours for introductions before the brunch.”

  “Does that mean we have time for another round?” Imani asked, trying to divert Daman from the previous topic of discussion.

  “Yes, it does,” Daman said in a husky voice. “But first I want to know if you have an answer for my question.” He dropped the sheet and climbed back into bed.

  She watched him closely as she admired his aroused state. They were both leaning on their sides and had gotten closer to one another. His face was mere inches away from hers.

  “You may have had something to do with a feather, but I wouldn’t get too happy about it. You’re not that important to me,” she said playfully.

  “Ms. Rayne, I don’t believe a word you’re saying,” he said, gently kissing her face. She could feel his smile between kisses.

  After what they’d done last night, he didn’t have any reason to believe her. She wouldn’t even believe her. There was no use denying it.

  “Well, Mr. Barker, when you’re right, you’re right.”

  She didn’t understand this submissive side of herself, but she didn’t want to focus on it now. She would worry about her feelings later. For now, she wanted to direct all of her attention toward the man who was making her lose her self-control.

  When his hands were on her body, it made her feel alive. Every touch left a heated mark in its trail, and under his intense gaze and steamy kisses, she lost herself in their passion.

  “You have no idea how beautiful you are.”

  She looked into his eyes and saw the appreciation reflected in them. “When you stare at me the way you do, it’s hard not to feel beautiful.”

  Leaning down, she kissed him with all the emotion that had been buried inside her for years. She always knew she was attractive, but Daman looked at her in a way that made her feel like he only
had eyes for her. She knew that wasn’t possible, since he’d made sure she understood that he loved women and had no intentions to commit to only one.

  Imani willed her thoughts to cease so that she could focus on the desire building inside of her. He put on a condom, and slowly, she eased him inside of her and began rocking her hips to the tranquil sounds of the water. Inch by glorious inch, he filled her. She clenched and unclenched when she rocked on his member. Daman rewarded her with groans of pleasure.

  The faster she rode, the louder their moans grew, mixing with the soft squeak of the bed. Daman grabbed her butt and lifted his knees, matching her movements in a rhythm created just for them. She knew Daman felt the exact moment he hit her sweet spot. The magnitude of pleasure she felt almost had her bucking off the bed, but Daman tightened his grip...refusing to let her go.

  She looked into his eyes, determined to plea for him to release her a little, but the eyes that stared back at her displayed no signs of remorse. He seemed ready for a strong orgasm and began to match her movements harder and faster. Her mind and heart told her to shut him out and control the situation. But when he smirked at her, fire burning in his eyes, her body refused to listen to her mind or her heart. Instead, she chose to give in to temptation and tighten her inner walls around him.

  The movement caught him off guard because seconds later he threw back his head and grunted her name in an unrecognizable voice. Together they soared over mountains and valleys as they were hit with orgasms so strong, they felt like they were neither here nor there, but in a place all their own.

  * * *

  As Imani sat on a chair wearing Daman’s discarded T-shirt, she marveled at the beautiful Sunday sunrise. Brunch with the Walshes yesterday had been successful, and she eagerly texted Vicky that the Walshes agreed to sponsor two events for this year’s pre-gala parties.

  Taking a sip of her coffee, she glanced over at Daman still asleep in bed. Even though the sheet was covering his body, she still admired the shape of his strong thighs and tight butt. That man had no right to look that damn fine. He was definitely a sight she could get accustomed to seeing every day, which triggered that voice inside her head warning her that she was in danger of falling even harder. She’d hoped to remain sleeping with him in bed until they caught a flight back later that day. But she wasn’t so lucky.

  She’d been receiving texts and calls all morning and was trying her best to keep her emotions at bay. Today was her grandmother’s birthday and undoubtedly one of the hardest days for her every year. She’d been so focused on not falling for Daman, that she’d forgotten how monumental the day was for the Burrstones.

  Her family always turned to her for comfort, oblivious of the fact that there were some days she’d rather be the one receiving the comfort. She missed everything about Gamine and it was days like today that took her back to that sad and tragic day five years ago when she found out that the one person she’d loved most in the world, was no longer physically here.

  The morning Gamine passed away, Imani had known something was wrong. She felt it in the chilly April air around her and her day seemed to move in slow motion.

  The moment she’d walked through the front door of the Burrstone home, she could hear the heart-wrenching sobs and quiet whispers of neighbors and close friends echoing through the large household. Her immediate family was nowhere in sight, and everyone that she passed refused to make eye contact with her.

  As she’d rounded the doorway leading to the dining room, her mother was the first person she saw. Hope was hunched in a chair, crying uncontrollably, while Imani’s father and Cyd stood close behind. Imani immediately went to her mother and cradled her pained face in her hands. The redness of her mother’s hazel eyes disguised their true beauty as they tenderly stared into Imani’s face. She had never seen her mother look so upset and her mother’s words that day would forever be imprinted in her mind.

  “She’s gone, Imani. My heart is breaking because no one can bring my mother back to me. I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye. Why her?” her mother had shrieked as she looked up toward the ceiling. “Dear God, why her?” Imani’s aunts had rushed to her mother’s side, cradling her in their arms, as they cried together for the loss of their mother. Hope may have been her mother’s name, but Imani had never seen her look so hopeless.

  Imani’s thoughts were broken when she heard the ruffling of the sheet. She glanced over at Daman again, but this time he was staring right at her. He tilted his head to the side, studying the stressed features on her face. She saw the question in his eyes and realized that he probably noticed the tension in her eyes caused by unshed tears. She momentarily forgot about the importance of the day as she watched him walk toward her in all his naked glory.

  “Is everything okay?” Daman asked, placing her coffee on the table while lifting her from the chair. Once they reached the bed, he laid down and motioned for her to lie down, too.

  “I’m fine,” Imani lied. “I just couldn’t sleep.”

  Daman looked at her questionably, not believing her answer. “I heard your phone ring and vibrate a few times. Are you sure everything’s okay?” Stroking her cheek, he gazed into her eyes, continuing to comfort her without words.

  “You’re right, I’m not fine,” Imani replied after a few minutes of silence. “Today is Gamine’s birthday.”

  Daman’s eyes squinted together in understanding. “I see...” As he pulled her closer to him, Imani leaned into his chest relishing in his comforting touch.

  “I’ve tried for years to forget that day, yet on Gamine’s birthday every year, my family calls on me for support and just when I think I’ll be able to get through the day without having my own emotional breakdown, my emotions fail me.”

  She shivered at the possibility of that happening again and pulled the sheet over her body to slow down her quivering.

  “Do you want to talk more about that day?” Daman asked. “You talked about Gamine and your responsibilities a little on Friday, but I have a feeling you haven’t really talked to many people about it. It may help you deal with pain if you talk about it.”

  Imani didn’t dare tell him that he was right and that she hadn’t really talked to anyone about that day. Maybe opening up would help her deal with the emotions battling inside her.

  “The day she passed away, all I wanted to do was cry until I had no tears left and scream until I had no words left to speak. But I couldn’t do that. Gamine had groomed me, telling me that I was the nurturer among the grandchildren and that I would eventually have to step up in the family when no one else could.”

  Daman began gliding his hand up and down her arm. “That’s a lot of pressure to place on someone.”

  Imani nodded her head. “It was...it definitely was. And I hadn’t truly known what Gamine meant until that day. It’s easy to tell someone you understand, but it’s much harder to realize the true meaning behind the lesson until it hits you full force.”

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Daman added.

  When he didn’t continue, Imani realized that he wanted to give her a chance to continue speaking. But she wanted to learn more about Daman.

  “Did your father make you feel the same way?”

  “More or less. My father was a very determined man, and my mother is always very supportive. At a young age, they provided me with the tools they believed I would need to succeed. My father was big on integrity, and he made sure I realized that success has to be earned. No one will hand you your dreams on a silver platter, and throughout his journey for success, he never stepped on anyone’s toes to achieve his dreams. He always kept his integrity and never once changed his character to satisfy another individual.” Daman’s voice tensed slightly as if reflecting on a bad memory.

  Imani caught the edge in his voice.

  “What’s wrong?”

  After a few minutes, Imani wondered if Daman would answer her question. When he began speaking, his comforting eyes grew distant and serious.
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br />   “I remember being in the hospital after my father’s car crash, listening to the doctors tell my mother and me that they couldn’t stop the internal bleeding. I didn’t even stay in the hallway long enough to listen to the doctor explain how many hours we had left with him. There were a lot of things rushing through my mind that day, but the one that hit me the hardest was the fact that I’d just received my undergraduate degree and it was a day before my father would make me a permanent full-time employee at Barker Architecture. I’d worked there since I was sixteen so I knew the company better than most of the employees. Officially becoming a member of the executive team at such a young age was an honor and an experience I was excited to share with my father.”

  As Imani listened to Daman talk, she couldn’t recall ever hearing a story that related to hers so closely. Both had lost a loved one earlier than expected and by the tone in Daman’s voice, he was still dealing with the loss like she was.

  “My mother couldn’t even bear to tell my father right away so when we walked into his hospital room, she just broke down and cried. I watched my father gather all his strength to console her in a tight hug. As I looked into his eyes, I could tell he knew he didn’t have much longer. The crazy thing is, I didn’t even cry that day. I felt like I had to cry, but not one tear came out. It was almost as if I was watching someone else’s life and not my own.”

  “I know the feeling,” Imani added as she twirled her hand in soft circles on his shoulder.

  Daman pulled her even closer to the fit of him. “How did Gamine pass away again?”

  Imani sighed. “She passed away in her sleep. We aren’t sure what caused her death. During that time, the family members who wanted to know what caused her death outweighed the family members that didn’t.”

  “That’s terrible,” Daman replied. “Not knowing what caused her death. Do you feel like you’re missing a piece of an unsolved puzzle?”

  It baffled Imani how close Daman was to the truth. “All the time,” Imani answered. “Gamine and I were extremely close, but the day she died there was no time to dwell on my pain or ask God why it happened. My family was enduring a lot of anguish, and the initial shock was still present on each of their faces. I needed to remain strong that day and questioning grieving relatives who didn’t want an autopsy wasn’t an option I entertained. My parents were against it, as well, which made the decision even harder to accept. Gamine was my mother’s world, and it pained me to see her taking Gamine’s death so much harder than any of her siblings.”