The Look of Love

by Crystal B. Bright

  She reached for his jeans and started undoing them. “I think if I don’t get you naked in a few seconds, I’ll be shredding your clothes with my fingernails.”

  “Can’t have that, can we?” Gunnar opened his dresser drawer for his condoms.

  As Eboni reached in his boxers to pull out his erect cock, he opened a package. He found that his hands had a steadier touch than Eboni’s, which shook as she touched him. After rolling the thin membrane over his shaft, Gunnar scooped Eboni under her firm ass and placed her on top of the dresser.

  Eboni pulled down her thong panties and kicked them to the floor. He pushed his jeans and boxers down to his knees and hooked one arm under her leg as he guided the head of his dick to her awaiting, wet channel. Before plunging himself inside, Gunnar teased her, rubbing the tip up and down her slick nether lips. The sound of her wetness cut in between their panting breaths.

  Eboni stared directly into his eyes. She embedded her fingernails into his shoulder. She used her other hand to remove the ponytail holder keeping his hair back. His hair fell around his face. As long as it didn’t block his view, he didn’t care.

  He eased himself inside so slowly he thought he’d stopped breathing for a moment. He enjoyed every titillating inch he managed to slide into her. From the way her legs coiled around his body, Eboni must have liked it as well.

  She moved the hand she had on his shoulder down to his ass cheek, squeezed it and held him close, as though anything could have pulled him back from her at this point. Gunnar braced one hand on the top of the dresser as he gave her slow and easy thrusts. Although they’d started kind of franticly, he wanted to make this experience last.

  Gunnar cupped her breast. Still keeping his stare on her, he rotated his thumb around her nipple, which caused her legs to thrash.

  “So good.” Eboni kissed the side of his neck.

  He felt her slick channel constrict around his shaft, which prompted him to increase his speed until he heard the telltale hitch in her breath. Eboni clutched his shoulders and released a cry that she tried muffling against his arm.

  For that, Gunnar couldn’t help but laugh. “I don’t think you were loud enough for my mom to hear you.”

  Eboni smiled. “Then don’t stop until all of Virginia Beach can hear me.”

  Gunnar, still inside of her tight core, lifted her from the dresser and carried her to his bed. “Don’t dare me.” He placed her on her back while staying nestled between her succulent thighs.

  If she could just break away from what held her here in Virginia Beach, Gunnar would love her to be with him.

  “I love--” The words choked in Eboni’s throat.

  Gunnar’s heart raced as he stared into her eyes.

  She continued. “I love the way you make me feel.”

  His heart broke into a million pieces as he plastered a fake smile on his face. “Then let’s not stop.”

  Gunnar didn’t just mean for the night. For now, he would take that.

  Chapter 14

  Eboni had hoped to get away from Gunnar, get away from his bed, his apartment, his intense hold over her and her heart, without him noticing. In the still of the night, just snowflakes dancing over the windows, she lifted his sizable arm from around her body and scooted to the edge of the bed.

  No time for a shower, she threw on her discarded clothing that had landed on various parts of the floor. By the time she pulled on her sweater, a voice stopped her in her tracks.

  “I know you weren’t going to leave without saying good-bye.”

  Eboni didn’t want to jump, but she did. She turned around and saw Gunnar propped up on his elbow.

  “I have to get home.” She continued on her quest to find her personal items. As she slipped on her coat, she said, “I can’t leave my aunt two days in a row.” She turned to him. “I’m sure you understand.”

  Gunnar moved to the edge of the bed. Even in the darkness of the room, and with his blond hair twisting wildly over his head, he looked sexy. Damn. She had to get away from him or she would strip down again and let him have her.

  “I do understand. But if you think I’m going to let you go out in this weather alone, you’re crazy.” He stood.

  In the small apartment, he appeared so immense.

  “I’ve driven plenty times in the snow.” Eboni turned her back on the nude man to keep herself from staring at his cock.

  Determined to keep to her goal to get out of his apartment, Eboni grabbed her purse from the couch. She didn’t expect Gunnar to wrap his arm around her waist.

  She didn’t want to touch him. She kept her hands occupied by holding on to her purse strap.

  “Wait for me to get dressed, and I’ll take you home.”

  She felt his deep rumbling voice through her coat. She hoped he couldn’t feel her heart racing. She swallowed hard.

  “That’s crazy. You need your sleep. I’ll be fine.” Eboni tried getting out of his grasp.

  He tightened his hold to let her know he hadn’t finished talking to her yet. “It’s two in the morning. You’re going to wake everyone in your home. Can’t you just call them in the morning?”

  “No, I really should--”

  “Don’t make me tie you down to the bed.” He nuzzled his face into her neck.

  Eboni couldn’t help but release a sigh. Even under her coat, goose-pimpled flesh covered her body.

  Why the hell was she fighting this? She knew Gunnar would be leaving. What he did for a living didn’t sit well with her. She couldn’t imagine being outside the ring or the cage or whatever he fought in while she watched some man punching and kicking him.

  “Don’t do this. I have to go.” She managed to get out of his grip. “This is not a part of our deal.” She turned around to face him. “Flings don’t spend the night.”

  “Remember I told you I wouldn’t treat you like a fling. Why are you running from me?”

  Before she could lie and say that running from him had been the last thing on her mind, Gunnar trapped her against the door. He put a hand on the door over her shoulder and faced her as she pressed her back against it.

  “I get it. You want to take care of your family. No one understands that better than me. But it’s early. You know the roads will be bad. If you really want to go, let me get dressed and I’ll take you home.”

  “That’s crazy. That means you’ll have to come pick me up in the morning for me to come back and get my car.”

  “Or you just let me play chauffeur for you for the day. I’ll come take you to work. When we get off, I’ll bring you back here. Of course, Mom won’t let you leave until you at least have dinner. Then, if it’s a decent hour, you can go home.” He placed his other hand over her other shoulder. “Unless there’s something else you wanted to do.”

  Eboni kept her stare on his eyes. She couldn’t break away from his hypnotic trance. When a tree branch buckled under the weight of snow and ice and crashed against the window, Eboni and Gunnar both broke from their gazes to look out the window.

  “Stay.” He kissed her forehead.

  Eboni loved the feel of his warm lips against her skin. Although her body desired more, she had to be strong.

  “I can’t.” She pushed against him to break free.

  “What do you think will happen if you stay longer?” he posed.

  Eboni didn’t want to answer that. With each day that passed, she became too comfortable with him. She’d been in that space before. What she thought would be forever had ended. This time, she had to protect her heart.

  “I’ll see you at work.” She gave him a quick kiss and managed to escape before he could convince her to stay. She ran down the stairs, burst through the garage door downstairs, and made sure to lock it behind her. Not that she thought it would keep Gunnar away from her.

  Eboni jumped in her car and started it. She turned her heat up to full blast along with her defroster. The time would allow her to think. Why had she allowed Gun
nar back into her life? She leaned her head against the steering wheel.

  “You can’t let him get to you again, girl. Be stronger than that,” she told herself.

  When she heard a scraping sound against her window, Eboni gasped as she lifted her head. She found Gunnar scraping the ice and new-fallen snow from her windshield. Looking to the side, she also saw his Hummer with headlights blazing in the driveway.

  Eboni powered down her window. “What are you doing?”

  “You won’t let me take you home. So I’m going to follow you to make sure you make it.” He finished off her windshield and stood by her door. “I’m your man. That’s what I’m supposed to do.”

  Without confirming or refuting his claim, Eboni powered her window back up and sat silently in her car. Only once Gunnar had her windows cleared of all obstructions, did he allow her to leave. It didn’t take her long to see his headlights in her rearview mirror.

  As much as she didn’t want to be impressed by his commitment to see her home safely, she did breathe a sigh of relief knowing if anything happened on her way home, Gunnar would protect her. That protection came at a price—her heart.

  Eboni’s heartbeat slowed as soon as she pulled up to her apartment building. She got out of her car and turned to see Gunnar had stopped in his truck and watched her as she walked up to her building. Before disappearing into her apartment, she did turn and wave at him.

  Inside of her apartment, she pressed her back against the door. Through the door, she heard the rumbling of his massive vehicle motoring away. She had to smile at his obligation to her, to her safety.

  She needed to do the same. She had to keep her heart safe. Unless Gunnar decided to keep himself home, she couldn’t chance falling for him again.

  * * * *

  Gunnar sat in his vehicle behind the salon, shaking his head. “You should be home taking it easy.”

  His mother glared at him. “I’m not dead yet. I can come and see my folks for a little while. When I get tired, you can take me back home.”

  Gunnar shook his head. “Yes, ma’am.”

  He turned off his truck and got out so that he could open her door. He’d never thought any woman could be as stubborn as his mother. Then he’d met Eboni.

  It still surprised him that she’d left his bed, hoping to get away from him without him knowing. Not a chance. If she’d thought he would let her go home without an escort, she really must have underestimated him. Gunnar would never forgive himself if she’d gotten into an accident or had been left stranded.

  He helped his proud mother out of his incredibly tall vehicle and wrapped her arm around his as he walked her to the back door. Although he kept his attention on her, the fact that Eboni’s car sat in the parking lot didn’t escape his attention. It must have caught his mother’s as well.

  “I missed Eboni at breakfast.” Ice crunched under his mother’s steps.

  “She wanted to be home to take care of her aunt.” Gunnar crept to the door next to his mother.

  “Please.” Queen waved her hand in the air. “There’s nothing wrong with that woman. She has lazy children who want to rob her of all of her money. Eboni is trying to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

  Gunnar blinked at his mother’s candor but didn’t say a word. Eboni had mentioned that her cousin had tried sucking her aunt dry.

  He opened the door. Chatter inside filled the place. Eboni’s voice remained the only one he sought.

  “I guess he’s not going to show up for work,” he heard Eboni saying.

  “He’s here.” Queen Elizabeth pulled back the curtain and walked into the main salon.

  The group, which included Tillman, Tisha, Monica, and Eboni, stood and applauded their leader. As her moniker suggested, his mother held up her hand and gave them a very royal wave. The Queen Mum had entered the building.

  “Help me to a chair, dear.” His mother patted Gunnar’s arm.

  As instructed, he brought her to Eboni’s chair. Gunnar kept his attention on his mother until she settled into the stylist chair. Then he looked at Eboni, who looked like she wanted to avoid his gaze.

  “Welcome back, Queen.” Tillman approached the woman first and gave her a kiss on her cheek. “We’ve missed you around here.”

  “Yes, we have,” Tisha said above a whisper.

  The group got quiet as they stared at her.

  “What?” Tisha, now in jeans and a slightly more formfitting sweater, shrugged.

  “Baby, that’s the loudest I’ve ever heard you speak.” Elizabeth put her hand to her chest.

  Tisha kissed Queen’s cheek. “Gunnar helped me find my voice.”

  “You got a good boy there.” Monica, still sitting behind the receptionist desk, nodded toward Gunnar.

  “Sounds like you’ve done a good job in my spot.” His mother patted his hand. She turned to Eboni. “See. I told you it would be good for Gunnar to be here.”

  Eboni smiled and patted Queen Elizabeth on her shoulder. “Would you like some coffee?” She strolled by Gunnar to the coffee station.

  “Sure, dear. Plenty of cream and sugar.”

  Gunnar cleared his throat. He knew his mother had to watch her diet.

  Elizabeth screwed up her lips. “Fine. Decaf. No cream. A packet of that fake sugar if you have it.”

  “Sugar substitute, Mom. It’s not bad.” He kissed her forehead.

  “Don’t stand here. We have a business to run. Open the door.” She pointed to the front door.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Gunnar headed to the door and then stopped. “Wait. Where’s Shay?”

  The group remained quiet.

  “Has she called? Has anyone called her?” Gunnar scanned the group for an answer. When they remained quiet, he pressed on. “Anyone have anything to say?” He stared at Eboni, who walked toward his mother with a white Styrofoam cup filled with coffee, decaffeinated he hoped. “Eboni? Have you heard anything?”

  She shook her head.

  Before Gunnar could argue with his mother about getting rid of the temperamental diva, the back door slammed.

  Shay, still in shades, stomped over to her station. She kept her back to the group as she stripped off her coat and purse. When she turned around she glanced at each of them.

  “What?” she asked.

  “You’re late.” Gunnar glanced at his watch.

  “Honey, let it go and open the door.” His mother pointed to the door, which held back about four waiting customers.

  “No, Ma. She needs to learn respect. You pay her to be here on time.”

  “Please. Open the door and let me work.” Shay got her station ready while keeping her back to the group. “I promise to be a good girl and eat my vegetables and behave all day.”

  Gunnar looked to his mother. She gave him a simple nod, which let him know he needed to drop this subject now and open the door.

  Gunnar blew out an exasperated breath. “Whatever.” He unlocked the door and ushered in a string of customers. “Welcome to Press ’N Curl.”

  Each customer went to their stylist, avoiding the front desk. Gunnar started to go toward Shay to continue their conversation, but stopped when he heard his mother’s voice.

  “Gunnar, will you help me into the office?” Elizabeth stood and headed to her office.

  By the time Gunnar reached her to assist her inside she’d already made it. He watched her glance around the space, probably looking for where he’d made changes. Wisely, as Eboni had suggested, he’d returned everything to its rightful place.

  Queen Elizabeth took up residence behind the desk. In her gold suit, she looked more regal than an entrepreneur.

  “Close the door and have a seat.” His mother pointed to the door and then the chair in front of her desk.

  Gunnar did as instructed. As soon as his backside hit the seat, his mother spoke.

  “Did you take my advice and try to get to know these people?” She took a sip of her coffee in a me
thod that didn’t ruin her perfectly painted red lips.

  “Yes. I took Tillman to breakfast so that we could talk.”

  Queen raised her eyebrows. “He must have really liked that.”

  Gunnar stared at his mother suspiciously. “You knew? You could have said something to me.”

  After placing her cup down, a frown settled into her features. “Tell you what? I don’t define my employees by their sexuality in the same way I don’t define our relationship on race. I taught you that. You don’t go around saying you have a black mama just like I don’t say I have white sons. Tillman is a really good employee.”

  Gunnar nodded, feeling stupid with the way he had previously thought about Tillman. “Yes, he is. The best. Very solid. He wants to do what you do. He wants his own shop.”

  His mother smiled. “Good to see he has ambition. And Tisha?”

  “She’s an excellent stylist. Quiet but so, so good. I’ve registered for the Atlanta hair show. I want her to present there.”

  This time, his mother blinked. “Are you serious? What did she think?”

  “She said she loved the idea. She’s coming out of her shell.” Gunnar relaxed back in his chair.

  “I’m proud of you, son. You did so well with those two. I need you to do the same with Shay.”

  Gunnar snickered and shook his head. “I’ve tried. Unless she’s asking me out for drinks and, uh, more, she doesn’t want anything to do with me. She didn’t want me here. She undermines me every chance she gets. She’s unpredictable.”

  His mother smiled.

  “Care to let me in on the joke?”

  “She sounds a lot like a young man I used to know. I would tell him to be home at a certain time, and he would stay out later. I’d tell him to clean his room, and he’d purposely trash it. He hated everything I cooked.”

  “Are you talking about your ex?” Gunnar spoke the words faster than he thought about how they may hurt his mother.

  Her stoic expression let him know his dig hit its intended target, her heart.

  “I apologize. You didn’t deserve that. But if you’re trying to say that Shay is anything like I was, you’re mistaken. She’s nothing like me.” He sat up and braced his elbows on his knees.