by D. Camille
A few minutes later, he returned and sat on the edge of the tub. “Are you relaxing?”
Danielle looked at him. “Not really.”
He frowned. “Why not?”
“I’m trying to keep myself from locking you away and keeping you here,” she told him.
“You want to keep me Queen?”
She nodded and he stood to begin undressing. Danielle held her breath as he revealed all of his glory. Sliding behind her in the large soaking tub, he wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear. “You can have me.”
“But I’m a package deal,” he finished.
She smiled. “Are you kidding? I’d take that cute little boy in a heartbeat.”
“He asked if you would make him cookies?” Khalil told her.
“If his Daddy would allow it, I’d make him cookies every damn day.”
Khalil moved her twists aside and kissed her shoulder. “Not every day. I told him once in a while.”
She glanced over her shoulder at him. “That works.”
Khalil gathered her hair and twisted it up in a loose bun on top of her head. When he was done she turned to him in question. “I have a twin sister, remember?”
“I helped Khayla with her hair and she’d cut mine when we were in college since we had to live on a budget,” he explained.
“You two are very close,” Danielle commented.
He nodded. “My sister is everything to me.”
Danielle turned back around and laid back against him. “What did she say to you about us?”
“How do you know she said anything?”
“I saw her face yesterday, Khalil.”
“She was concerned about your job,” he told her.
“Because I’m a judge and she knows how you feel about ‘performers for the system’?”
Khalil stroked her bare arm. “Yes.”
“And what did you tell her?” Danielle asked quietly.
“I told her that I liked how you saw things differently from me and how you aren’t afraid to tell me about it. I like that you don’t change or try to be what you think I want,” he answered.
“Is that what happens with you? Women try to be what you want?” Danielle questioned.
“I have a very strong personality and many are forced to either retreat or conform,” he confessed. “You’ve managed to uncover a middle ground that didn’t previously exist.”
“I won’t do either of those,” she told him firmly.
“And this is why I find myself here with you after hastily dropping off my son with his Aunt and Uncle,” he admitted.
Danielle snuggled closer. “Thank you for spending this time with me.”
“You have me for the entire night,” he whispered in her ear as he began to caress her body underneath the water. He gently stroked the scar across her stomach before moving lower. Spreading her thighs apart, Khalil touched her softly in the space that was much warmer than the water in the tub.
Danielle leaned her head back against his chest and enjoyed the slow stroking of his large hands below and on her breasts. Closing her eyes, she allowed her sense of smell and touch take over. Transported to another place, she simply enjoyed his treatment.
When she could take no more, Danielle turned to him quickly, causing water to splash over the side of the tub onto the floor. Placing both hands on his shoulders, she placed her mouth on his and their tongues began to duel hotly.
Khalil guided her hips until she settled over his solid flesh and they both sighed loudly at the pleasure of the coupling. Danielle tightened her hands on his muscles and began the sensual underwater ride. Up and down, round and round they went, oblivious to the puddles that were gathering on the floor.
The sound of the waves was overridden by the sounds of passion. Khalil kissed his name from her lips as she arched into his length and made him thicker, completely filling her feminine inner sanctum. This woman in his arms, connected with his body, had taken him to another space and time. One that he wanted to remain in for as long as he could.
When Khalil growled her name in her ear, Danielle came apart with a shout and a moan. She held on tightly as the enchantment continued and ended in a subaquatic explosion. They sat joined together, quietly in their own thoughts as they regained their sanity.
Finally, Danielle lifted a wet hand and caressed his face. “Wow!”
“What happened to all those synonyms?” he teased.
“Shit…damn…fuck!”
He nodded. “That’s along the lines of what I was thinking.”
She laughed and hugged him close with his face against her breasts. “I think we should get out now before I flood my bathroom.”
Khalil looked over the side and saw the water. “I’ll get that…later.” He returned his face to her breasts. “Right now, I’m focused on other things.” His mouth latched onto her nipple and she held his head.
“Ahhh…I’m afraid of what’s in that bedroom,” she breathed and he paused slowly.
“You should be,” he said returning to his task.
Chapter 11
“I should feed you,” Danielle said lazily lying against Khalil’s chest in bed a few hours later.
“You did Queen.”
She smiled. “I mean some food, baby.”
Khalil stroked her back. “I’m good right here.”
Rubbing a gentle hand across his bare chest, she responded, “Me too.”
Smiling some more, she recalled the events of the last few hours. “So do you always carry around a bag full of aphrodisiacs, oils, herbs, candles and incense?”
“No. That’s a special bag for my Queen.”
“What was the liquid, again?” she asked.
“Ashwagandha, an African herb that has a calming effect on the nervous system and it enhances potency in men and women.”
She nodded. “Well it definitely works. I don’t think I’ve ever been that uh…amorous.”
“Maybe it’s just me.”
Danielle glanced up at him. “That is possible too, King.”
Khalil smiled a sexy grin. “I’m very uh…amorous with you too, Queen.” He leaned down and kissed her softly.
She placed her head back on his chest and listened to his strong heartbeat. “When I get back from New York, I’d like to take you out.” She heard him say quietly.
“I don’t like that you’re going there, especially not having any information on this man. I don’t trust Melody and she could be setting some type of trap,” Danielle told him.
“You sound like Khayla; she doesn’t trust Melody either.”
“She hasn’t given any reasons to so far, that’s for sure.”
Khalil sighed. “I know, but she says that she’s in trouble and she may be.”
“I know that she’s your son’s mother, so I won’t interfere,” Danielle told him. “But I won’t let you do anything stupid either.”
“I’m taking Malachi and Corvus with me, to watch my back with Spencer,” he explained.
“And who’s watching Melody?” she questioned.
He rubbed her neck gently. “I have to find out what this dude wants with my son.”
Danielle shook her head and shivered. “I’m almost afraid for you to find out.”
Khalil turned her over onto her back and looked down into her face. “Let’s talk about that later. I don’t want to waste our time together discussing Melody.”
“What do you want to discuss?”
“Us.”
“What about us?” Danielle asked looking up at him.
“How we’re going to transition into being a couple,” he told her.
Danielle rubbed his face. “I know you want things to move slowly for Kyros, so that he can adjust.”
“I told him that we’re dating.”
Her eyes widened. “How did he feel about that?”
“He asked if you were going to be his new Momma.”
Danielle sat up. “What did you say?”
; Khalil shrugged. “I asked how he would feel about it. He said you were nice and pretty.”
“Are those the qualifications?” she teased.
“To him, I guess…and he wanted to play with Kam.”
Danielle laughed. “He’s so damn cute.”
“So now I need to ask you, how do you feel about being a mother to my son?” Khalil asked. “I know your situation with having children of your own.”
She held his gaze. “If I could have a son, I’d want him to be just like yours.”
Khalil touched her cheek. “And if my son had a mother, I’d want her to be just like you.”
“Do you think Melody is going to come back into his life?” Danielle asked.
“The jury is out on her right now, but even if she did, it wouldn’t affect us,” he assured her.
Danielle nodded. “I’ll follow your lead on this one.”
“Thank you.” He kissed her again and she wrapped her arms around him.
“You know I’m falling so hard for you,” Danielle whispered.
“And I will never let you touch the ground…” Khalil replied.
******
Melody answered her phone frantically. “Spencer, where the hell are you?”
“I’m in California on some business,” he answered. “What’s wrong love?”
She frowned. “Did you try to hurt Khalil?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“Somebody shot at Khalil yesterday,” she explained.
“Is he dead?”
Melody froze. “Why do you sound like you want him to be?”
“Melody relax; I didn’t do anything to Khalil. I’m just saying, it would make things easier.”
“Easier? Hurting or killing Khalil, would get us murdered!” she yelled. “You don’t understand who you’re dealing with.”
“It’s Detroit,” Spencer told her. “I’m sure this isn’t the first time he’s been shot at since he works at that Center in the middle of the hood.”
“Tell me why you want Kyros,” she demanded.
“You know why, so that we can be a family,” he insisted. “You told me it’s what you wanted too.”
Melody shook her head. “I’m having second thoughts. You’ve taken this too far.”
“Too far?”
“Yes! Too. Damn. Far. It’s out of hand now and it’s beginning to look very strange. I went along in the beginning because I wanted to get married, but now I don’t know about any of this,” she told him.
“Well it’s too late to turn back now!” Spencer snapped.
“When are you coming back?” Melody questioned.
“Have you set the date to meet with Kyros?”
She sighed. “No, it was quite an ordeal yesterday and Khalil is very angry right now.”
“You’ve dropped the case, so now I need you to get to the boy.” Spencer told her. “We have to change plans.”
“We’ve changed plans several times. Let’s just drop it for now,” Melody suggested. “We can give Khalil time to calm down and try again in the summer.”
“I don’t have until the summer!”
Melody jumped at his words. “Spencer, you’re scaring me.”
“I still have business here so while I’m gone, work on setting that meeting with Kyros. I’ll check in with you in a couple of days,” he instructed. “I’m counting on you Melody.”
“Okay Spencer, I’ll talk to you soon.”
“I love you.” His voice came through the phone and Melody frowned before replying, “I love you too, baby.”
******
Danielle sat across from Khalil in her black nightie while he sat in dark pajama bottoms. They slowly ate the meal she’d prepared earlier and watched each other in the darkened room.
Danielle sat her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her hand, examining this King who’d exerted his power over her and made her a willing captive of his potently masculine intensity. Her eyes traveled from his intelligent eyes down to that firm mouth surrounded by a perfectly groomed goatee that matched his precision haircut, down a broad neck and shoulders, to a firm well-defined chest. Although her eyes couldn’t see any lower because of the table, her mind knew exactly what he looked like down below as well. Just as beautiful and perfect as the rest.
“I like that,” his baritone interrupted her perusal.
“You like what?” Her eyes met his.
“The way you look at me and your beautiful eyes tell me that you like what you see,” he answered.
Danielle smiled. “I do like what I see. It’s magnificent.”
Khalil returned her smile. “And what I see is breathtaking.”
“Are you enjoying your dinner?” she asked.
“It doesn’t compare to what I had earlier, but it’s delicious as well.”
Danielle looked down at her plate. “I like that.”
He lifted a brow and she continued. “I like how to you tell me that you enjoy me…in and out of bed.”
“You’re enticing in both places.”
The pair looked up as Khalil’s phone rang in the other room. Looking across the table, he said, “Kyros is supposed to call before bed.”
Danielle nodded and he went to retrieve his phone. When he saw the number, he frowned as he walked back to the table.
“How can I help you Melody?” he answered and Danielle froze at the sound of the woman’s name. She watched quietly as Khalil took his seat across from her.
“Spencer called.” Khalil put the phone on speaker to Danielle’s surprise and they looked at one another.
“Where is he?” Khalil asked.
“He says that he’s in California on some business.”
Both Khalil and Danielle frowned. “What kind of business?” he questioned.
“Honestly, Khalil, I don’t know what Spencer does. He lives mostly off of his trust fund,” Melody told him.
“When is he coming back?”
“He says that he’s going to call me in a few days, but I’m supposed to be getting you to set a meeting to let me visit with Kyros.”
Khalil shook his head. “Melody, what have you told him about Kyros?”
“I showed him some of the pictures you’d sent me and I told him that you had custody. Believe me Khalil, I never instigated coming to get Kyros. After all these years, why would I want to do something like that?”
Danielle watched the anger cross Khalil’s face as he listened and reached over to take his hand. He looked at her as Melody continued, “Spencer wanted us to be a family. He doesn’t have any kids of his own, and he wanted to include Kyros in our wedding.”
“But now he’s acting strange,” she finished.
“You’re just noticing that all of this shit is strange?” Khalil demanded.
Melody sighed. “Look, I didn’t tell him about going to New York. I need to find out the truth for myself.”
“Melody, if you’re playing some type of game, I swear…”
“I’m not Khalil! This is my life!” she protested.
“I see that Kyros is still not a priority to you.” He pointed out.
Melody’s eyes narrowed. “Look Khalil, you have your life. You’re living your dream in your city. I’m still trying to find my dream.”
He shook his head. “It seems you’re looking in the wrong place.”
“No just at the wrong men!” she snapped.
Danielle reared back and lifted a brow at her statement.
“I agree.” Khalil told her firmly. “Now be ready on Monday morning. I’m not for any of your shit, so don’t get it twisted.”
“I know how you like to disappear,” he told her.
“I’ll be ready,” Melody confirmed. “Just know that this is a business trip.”
Khalil looked confused. “What that hell are you talking about?”
She laughed. “I saw how you looked at me in the courtroom.”
“Like I wanted to kill you, because that’s all I wanted to do t
o you,” he corrected.
Danielle shook her head in amazement at this woman.
“Well, I’m still engaged so I’m just putting it out there.”
“Okay Melody, now you can put it away. We won’t have ANY problems in that department.”
Melody chuckled softly. “I’m not the only one who’s still single, Khalil.”
Khalil looked over at Danielle with a smile. “A beautiful Queen is taking care of that.”
“What?” Melody asked.
“Monday morning, be at the airport at nine.” Khalil disconnected the call and placed the phone on the table.
“She is out of her damn mind,” Khalil said shaking his head.
“Apparently.” Danielle agreed. “Because I was in that courtroom and I was afraid for you to get near her.”
“Melody was able to play me once, and for some reason, she thinks she can again. I’m not the young dude I was when I met her. I had to grow up real fast when Kyros was born. I had to face my parents and tell them that not only had I gotten someone pregnant, but I was about to become a single father before I’d finished school completely.”
“I think that was the hardest day of my life. My parents had expectations for me and I also had them for myself, and I’d let us all down.” He paused. “Khayla stood by my side the entire time, although she’d disliked Melody from the start.”
“But I wouldn’t let that stop me from fulfilling my purpose and serving my people. It took longer than I’d anticipated, but I still did it and raised my son,” he finished.
“And you’ve done a remarkable job,” Danielle said squeezing his hand. “Some would have let it deter them.”
Khalil looked at her. “I had a great support system especially when I returned to Detroit.”
“Your parents are amazing along with the Negus. I knew Brandon, of course, because of my connection to Judge Williams, but the others are interesting as well,” Danielle said amused.
“Those are my brothers. They get on my last nerves, especially Lance and Corvus with their antics, but we would die for one another. We’ve been together for years and nothing can break our bond.”
