Sweet Sacrifice

by Crystal V. Rhodes

Sash was on a roll and Brandon loved it as she threatened to call Michael and give him a piece of her mind. She recounted how Michael tried to dominate her.

  Oh, oh. That sounded familiar. That was a mistake he no longer intended to make.

  The more Brandon heard about Sash’s opinion of her relationship with Michael the better he felt. Michael Ramuba was definitely not a barrier to his pursuit of Sash, but that didn’t mean that another man might not be in the future. He didn’t want any other man in Sweet’s life, nor in Sash’s either. This was a woman whose love and care for his son was absolute. She was strong and smart, to say nothing of being beautiful. Any man would want her, but he was determined not to give any other man that chance.

  “I’m glad to hear that Michael is out of the picture,” Brandon confessed once Sash ran out of steam. “I was worried when I heard you on the telephone with him. I was jealous.”

  Sash stilled as the atmosphere in the room began to shift. “Jealous? Why would you be jealous?” Her voice wavered at the possibilities.

  Brandon turned up the heat, moving closer to Sash. He left little room between them and no doubts about his intentions. “Because you have a history with him and I want you to have a beginning with me.”

  She could hardly breathe. “Oh yeah? On what terms?”

  “On any term you want.” Brandon whispered. “I’m willing to compromise.” Hands still at his sides, he planted a light kiss on her tempting lips.

  Sash filled her lungs with air, then expelled slowly. “Why have you come to this conclusion so suddenly?”

  Brandon brushed a stray lock away from her face. “There’s nothing sudden about how I feel about you. It’s been growing steadily each day.” He took a breath of courage. “I love you and I want you to know it.”

  Sash was speechless. She felt as if the world suddenly stopped spinning.

  Brandon continued. “As a matter of fact, I have a little something for you.”

  Sash watched as if in a fog as Brandon crossed the room and withdrew a small package from the pocket of his jacket. It was wrapped in gold foil and tied with a red satin ribbon. Returning to Sash, he handed it to her.

  “I brought it to the house to give to you as a peace offering the day I came to pick up Sweet, but you were preoccupied.”

  Still recovering from Brandon’s earth shattering confession, mechanically Sash unwrapped the package. She opened the wooden box beneath the wrapping, inside, resting on a velvet lining lay a gold plated Cartier writing pen. Her name was engraved on it in script. Sash’s hand flew to her chest.

  “Oh, Brandon! It’s beautiful.”

  Brandon grinned at the pleasure on her face. “It’s just a little something to replace the pen the authorities couldn’t find at the house where they kept you. A new pen for what I hope can be a new beginning. I’m sorry about what happened in the past, Sash. I never meant to disrespect you. I do love you. I love everything about you. I hope that you can forgive me and that we can start over.”

  Sash examined the exquisite gift, touched by the thoughtfulness behind the gesture and the sincerity behind his words. Brandon was letting her know that he was ready for a relationship based on mutual respect. That was all she had asked for, all that she wanted. If he was willing take a big step forward, so was she.

  Closing the gap between them, she kissed him with a thoroughness that left them both breathless. “I love you too, Brandon, and I’m more than ready for a new beginning. And it can start by your telling Sweet that you’re his Daddy.”

  “He’s my Daddy?”

  The small voice from the doorway propelled both adults to whirl around to pinpoint its source. Sweet stood in the living room entrance holding a tennis shoe in each hand. His eyes were as round as saucers as they traveled from adult to adult. The debate as to when to tell Sweet about his parentage was over. Like it or not, it had been taken out of their hands.

  “I thought our Daddy was in heaven, Sash?” he asked, his gaze finally settling on her. “How can Mr. B be my Daddy? He’s not the man in the picture.”

  His reference was to the picture of James and Mildred Curry that sat on Sweet’s nightstand. Each night after saying his prayers, his ritual was to kiss the picture. How was this drastic change in his young life to be explained to the child? Sash stood rooted, unsure of what to do or say.

  It was Brandon who took the lead. Going over to the child, he picked him up, carried him over to the sofa and sat down. Settling Sweet on his lap, he took one of the shoes out of his hands and began the mundane task of putting Sweet’s shoe on his foot. Snapping out of her trance, Sash joined them on the sofa where Brandon handed her the other shoe, a silent signal for her to follow his course of action.

  “I’m sure that Sash, can explain the picture, T.” Brandon nodded, encouraging her to do so. As she did, her approach to the delicate subject became as casual as the action of working Sweet’s foot into his shoe.

  “The Daddy in the picture was the one you and I shared before he went to heaven,” she explained as she went about her task.

  Brandon worked the little boy’s foot into his other shoe. “And I’m your Daddy right here on earth from now on, yours alone. You’re my son.”

  Sash confirmed Brandon’s words with a smile. “That’s right, sweetheart. Our Daddy who went to heaven with our mother took care of you until Mr. B could come and get you.”

  Finishing the shoe-tying task with a flourish, Brandon made it all sound so simple. “You want to know something, son? Your other Daddy loved you and so did your mother, just like Sash and I do.” He hugged the boy to him and gave him a kiss. “Man, you are so lucky. God gave you two Daddies. Every little boy can’t be that lucky.”

  Sweet sat between them silently for a moment, appearing to ponder what had been said. Finally, crossing his arms across his small chest, he nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I am a lucky boy.” He turned to Brandon. “So, Mr. B can I call you Daddy too?”

  The request took Brandon by surprise. Too choked to reply, he nodded.

  As Sweet gave his new-found father a hug, Sash smiled at the two of them. Brandon’s words had been the right words. His approach had been the right one and Sweet had been accepting. Maybe things would work out after all.

  CHAPTER 20

  Sash sat in Brandon’s Monterey office watching him as he conducted the telephone conference with his staff in San Francisco. How different this visit was compared to the last one she made to his office. That was only three months ago, but it seemed like a lifetime. No longer were she and Brandon two frantic strangers reluctantly bonded together by the fate of a child. Things were much different now. As Brandon reached out, took her hand and tugged her from the chair in which she was sitting and onto his lap, the hard evidence of that difference was evident. She gave a little wiggle, followed by a sensual smile.

  “Tease,” Brandon whispered hotly in her ear as he nuzzled the slender column of her neck. The conference call on his speakerphone was all but forgotten.

  Sash proceeded to show him how much of a tease she could be as she took the tip of his ear lobe between her teeth and gave it a light tug. The slight graze of her tongue on the offended spot nearly brought Brandon out of his chair and her tumbling off his lap onto the floor.

  “Not appropriate for a CEO,” she whispered amused at his gallant efforts to bite back a groan of pleasure.

  “I love you,” Brandon mouthed, tightening his hold around her waist and drawing her closer to him.

  “I love you, too.” Sash mouthed back, wrapping her arms around his neck and snuggling against him. Thank goodness he wasn’t having a video conference.

  So much had changed in their lives in so short a time. The best of those changes had started the day that Sweet discovered that Brandon was his father. From the day Mr. B became “Daddy”, man and boy bonded as father and son.

  Brandon was a fantastic father, just as Sash knew he would be. He had even cut back on his workload to be with his son. He was there at every tu
rn for Sweet and the boy worshipped him.

  The question of Sweet’s custody was no longer an issue. She and Brandon shared that responsibility. They worked together to provide Sweet with the love and security he needed. In the process the love between Brandon and her grew. They saw each other nearly every day. There were occasional quibbles over minor issues involving Sweet, but when it came to the important ones in the child’s life, they were a well-oiled machine. Life was good. She had a new job as a staff attorney at the Poverty Law Center in Salinas, only a short drive from Monterey. With Brandon’s help she had a new apartment, located in nearby Carmel. The building was quiet, secluded and provided the security that made both her and Sweet feel safer. And, she had Brandon Plaine. She loved the man and he loved her and they both loved a little boy called, Sweet.

  Brandon felt Sash’s body relax against his as she sighed in absolute contentment. He could feel his manhood rise. Conducting a conference call with the woman that you love on your lap wasn’t something he would recommend, but who cared. The priorities in his life had shifted so dramatically since Sash and Sweet came into his life that work was far down on his list. The woman in his arms and the child whose love they shared had taken the place of everything else.

  As she cuddled up against him, Brandon’s hands roamed with purpose under Sash’s tee-shirt and caressed her hardened nipples. The voices coming over the speakerphone faded into the background, as he found the front clasp of her bra, and released it. Giving her a kiss that left no doubt as to where it would lead, he shifted her in his arms positioning her to straddle him. Damn the conference call! He could reschedule it. Brandon was about to push the disconnect button ending the call when Sash caught his hand.

  “Business before pleasure,” she whispered against his lips. Despite his muffled protest, she slid off of Brandon’s lap. Standing, Sash secured her bra. She had business of her own to attend to at the moment and if she stayed in his office any longer neither one of them would get anything done. She had left her briefcase in the secretary’s outer office when she entered the building and there were some papers that needed her attention. She threw Brandon a kiss as she breezed out of his office door. Catching it, he placed it on his lips with a smile that promised her that their personal business was far from over.

  Mrs. Joseph was busy at her computer as Sash entered her office space. She barely noticed Sash’s entrance. Finding her briefcase, Sash decided to conduct her business in the assistant’s office to give Brandon the opportunity to finish his call. She settled in one of the comfortable chairs reserved for guests.

  “How’s the new job going, Ms. Adams?” Mrs. Joseph’s eyes never left the computer screen.

  Sash was startled by the acknowledgement of her presence by the older woman. She was even more startled by the question. She’d only been working for a couple of weeks.

  “How did you know about my new job?” Sash asked. This was only the second time she had seen this woman in her life. She was certain that Brandon wasn’t spreading her business.

  “I saw the announcement in the Salinas newspaper the other day that you had joined the staff at the Poverty Law Center there. Congratulations.”

  Sash flashed an appreciative smile. “Thank you. It’s what I was looking for in practicing law.” And it was. She could barely express the satisfaction she felt in fighting for justice for people who could not afford legal assistance. “And Brandon tells me that you’ll be moving back to the San Francisco office soon, Mrs. Joseph.”

  “Yes,” she nodded, still typing. “His regular assistant will be back from her leave of absence tomorrow.”

  Sash withdrew the papers from her briefcase. “Well, I’m sure Brandon will miss you. He says that you’re very efficient.” Sash took her special pen from its holder and began to sign the papers.

  “I’m glad that he thinks so.” Mrs. Joseph got up from the computer and crossed the room to the file cabinets. Opening the file drawer she glanced at Sash who was busy signing papers.

  “I see that you’ve got another gold pen.” Mrs. Joseph filed the folder she was carrying, then walked briskly back to her desk. She returned to the computer screen.

  Having completed her task, Sash gathered her papers, stacked them neatly in her briefcase and returned her pen to its honored place. Tucking the briefcase casually under her arm, she walked to Brandon’s door and re-entered without knocking. It wasn’t until she closed the door behind her that her shaking legs threatened to give way. Leaning against the office door, she shut her eyes to regain her composure. When she opened them again Brandon was staring at her looking worried. He started to speak when Sash put a finger to her lips silencing him.

  Tossing her briefcase aside, Sash hurried over to Brandon’s desk, scribbled a note on a piece of paper and with shaking hands placed it in front of him. Brandon read it. His eyes flew to Sash. There were a million questions in his eyes, but the look on her face caused him to spring into action. He addressed the employee in his San Francisco office heading the conference call. “Ross, I want you to contact John Nathan, ASAP. Tell him to get some security people over here to my office in Monterey fast! And I mean fast!”

  Disconnecting the call, he took a trembling Sash into his arms. “It’s all right, baby. I promise you, it’s going to be all right.”

  ****

  John glanced at Sash Adams as Mrs. Joseph was being led away in handcuffs. “That was some darn good detective work, Ms. Adams. We need you on our security team.”

  Brandon came up behind Sash and wrapped her in his arms. “I’m afraid not, John. I’ve got other plans for this lady.” He placed a kiss on her temple.

  “Oh, yeah?” Sash raised a curious brow. “Like what?”

  Brandon smiled at her mischievously. “Oh, a little something that involves a ring and roses. That is, if that’s what you want.” Brandon quickly amended. This compromising was still kind of new.

  Sash grinned. “We’ll see.”

  John smiled at them both. It seemed like these two might be on the right track.

  “Well all I know is that you put the cap on your brother’s kidnap case, Ms. Adams.” John continued. “I know that I didn’t suspect that Charlene Joseph was in on it. The FBI suspected that the abductors got Brandon’s private numbers through some glitch in the telephone company. It happens. We checked this Joseph woman out thoroughly and there was never any indication that she knew Monee Sherman or that she had a romantic relationship with Louis Carlton; but she confessed that she was in love with him. It looks like he was playing both women.”

  “Well, she was a cool one, that’s for sure,” said Brandon. “I know that it never dawned on me that she was checking on us when she came into the office the day we were here waiting for the ransom call. She sure fooled me.” He tightened his arms around Sash, “But this lady here sure hit the mark.”

  “Her big mistake was mentioning my gold pen,” Sash explained. “The authorities never found the pen. The media never knew about it. Either Mrs. Joseph was in that basement and saw the pen there, or one of the kidnappers had to tell her about my stabbing that man with it to escape. How else would she know? If she had kept her mouth shut about it she might have gotten away with everything. I wouldn’t have had a clue that she was involved.”

  After John and the authorities left, Brandon pulled Sash into his office to finish what they had started. Feathering her with kisses, his voice was a low sexy growl as he slid Sash’s tee-shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor. “Woman it seems that every time you come into this office you bring some drama with you.”

  “Oh yeah?” Returning his kisses, Sash wrapped her arms around his body and pressed herself against him. “I guess that’s a sacrifice you’re going to have to make for loving me, Mr. Plaine.”

  “I guess I will.” Brandon agreed walking them back toward the couch that they planned on using quite creatively. “And what a sweet sacrifice that will be.”

  THE END

  Crystal V. Rho
des is an author and an award-winning playwright. She is the author of five published romance suspense novels. Her titles include Sin, Sweet Sacrifice (nominated as a romance suspense book of the year), Sinful Intentions, (selected as a Black Expressions Book Club read) Singing a Song… (Black Expressions Book Club read), Small Sensations and Stillwaters…

  Her comedy fiction novel, Grandmothers, Incorporated, co-written with L. Barnett Evans, was selected as Best Book of the Year by two online websites. Written Word Magazine named Rhodes as one of the Ten Up and Coming Authors in the Midwest. As a playwright she is the recipient of the BTA Award for Best Original Writing for her stage play, Stoops. Rhodes has a Masters degree in Sociology and has written for newspapers, magazines, radio and television.

  Visit her web site at www.crystalrhodes.com

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