Temperatures Rising

by Brenda Jackson

  “Thank you, Debbie. I’ll take over from here,” he said, taking Sherri’s hand.

  Debbie nodded before walking off, leaving Sherri alone with Terrence. He looked at her and smiled. “Thanks for joining me tonight.”

  She felt the nervous tension in her stomach from just the feel of her hand in his. “Thanks for inviting me,” she said.

  He then looked down at her from head to toe before returning an appreciative gaze to her face. “You look nice.”

  “You look nice, as well.” And she meant it. He was definitely one fine-looking man.

  He tightened his hand around hers. “I promised you a tour, so let me show you around.”

  “All right.”

  “The club is really divided into three sections. When you first enter you have the bar with the big screen for sports enthusiasts. There we not only serve drinks but sandwiches, salads and appetizers. The area across from the bar is where the music is set up so it can be heard in all parts of the club.”

  They stopped walking and he gestured to where the band was still setting up. “We have live music on Tuesdays, Thursdays and the weekends. A huge dance floor separates these two areas from the restaurant, which overlooks the ocean.”

  She glanced at the huge glass wall that covered the length of the back of the club. “Nice setup.”

  “Thanks. It was designed to take into consideration all age groups, from the twentysomething up to the fifty-and-over crowd.” They walked slowly back to the dining area. “This part of the club is my favorite. I tried capturing the Key West flavor while maintaining a classy opulence,” he said proudly.

  She glanced over the restaurant. “And I think you succeeded.” On each of the mahogany tables sat a hurricane lantern on top of an ocean-blue tablecloth. The chairs, padded with contoured backs, were shaped like seashells. The design of the chairs and the ocean on the other side of the glass window combined to create a seashore atmosphere while maintaining a high level of classiness.

  He then gave her a tour of the kitchen and the rest of the club. “What made you decide on the name?” she asked when they returned to the restaurant area.

  He smiled. “Two reasons. First, I played football for the University of Miami Hurricanes, and second, this area is susceptible to more hurricanes than any other part of Florida. I was in my first year of college when Hurricane Andrew blew up. Let’s just say hurricanes have given me a whole new respect for Mother Nature.”

  “Hurricanes and all, you do like it here.” It was more of a statement than a question.

  He chuckled. “Yes, I like it here. I enjoy going back home to visit, but as far as putting down roots, I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

  He glanced at his watch. “I hope you’re hungry,” he said, keeping a firm grip on her hand while leading her toward an elevator.

  Sherri nervously glanced around. “Yes, but aren’t we eating here?”

  Another smile touched Terrence’s lips. “No. For space and privacy, my suite upstairs will be better. Do you mind?”

  She glanced up at him, searched his face for any indication that she should mind. There was still chemistry between them, she couldn’t deny that, but she didn’t feel threatened at the thought of being alone with him. She forced herself to relax. “No, I don’t mind.”

  They stepped into the elevator, and after Terrence pressed a button, the door closed. She’d never noticed just how intimate the inside of an elevator was until now. Nor had she known how hard it was to resist temptation until now. Terrence stood looking at her but saying nothing. He didn’t have to. His eyes said it all.

  What she hadn’t read in them before stepping into the elevator was clearly in his gaze now. That longstanding desire she had tried to ignore was obvious. Whether it was because he saw her as a challenge or just the new woman on the block that he had to have a piece of, she wasn’t sure. But there was no doubt in her mind that he wanted her, and, if given the opportunity, he wouldn’t waste any time getting her.

  That’s where temptation came in. She was tempted to give in to Kim’s way of thinking: that her constant rejection of his advances was absurd and that women with their heads screwed on right didn’t hesitate to date someone like Terrence. As far as Sherri was concerned, even being here tonight spoke volumes, but she wasn’t ready to throw all caution to the wind. She had a tendency to take things slow, wade in the water before actually taking a dive. But still, all she would have to do now was to reach out and touch him. Feel his muscles. Taste that smile right off his lips.

  Before desire could play havoc with her common sense, the elevator door swooshed open. His hand touched the center of her back as he led her out of the elevator, and it took everything within her not to moan from his touch. Her breasts suddenly felt tender. Her nipples felt hard against the fabric of her blouse. And the body heat emanating from him was stirring sensations deep inside her.

  They stepped off the elevator into a brightly lit hall, and with his hand still firmly placed on her back, he led her to a room that had a balcony facing the ocean and a table for two had been set. Candlelight and soft music told her they would be sharing a romantic evening.

  She glanced around and saw a king-size bed against the wall. When her gaze met his, he read the question in her eyes.

  “It’s needed,” he said softly. “On weekends the club stays open until two and it’s easier for me to crash here instead of going home. You’re free to take a look around and enjoy the view of the ocean from the balcony while I phone the kitchen so they can deliver our food.”

  She nodded and gave an appreciative glance around the room, making sure her main focus was no longer on the huge bed. As she walked toward the balcony she couldn’t help but be impressed. Just like downstairs, the suite was immaculate. The only difference was that the furnishings in here were modern.

  “Would you like something to drink while we wait?”

  She stopped walking and glanced over her shoulder. He stood there, braced against a table, his eyes unerringly on her. Her body responded. Just that simple. Just that easy. She wondered if he could gauge her response to him. “Yes.”

  “White wine okay?”

  She saw his gaze lower to her legs, and instinctively she smoothed the hem of her short skirt along her thighs. “That would be fine. Thanks.” She turned around and continued walking, knowing his eyes watched every step she took. A part of her wished he wouldn’t pay so much attention to her body. Then another part, the one that appreciated the fact she was a woman, didn’t mind at all; in fact, that part was glad he noticed. He was a man, after all. It would be up to her to stay in control and keep things in perspective.

  Before stepping out on the balcony she glanced over at his bed once more, wondering how many women he’d had between those sheets and deciding right then and there that no matter how much sexual magnetism he transmitted, she wouldn’t be one of them.

  With two wineglasses in his hands, Terrence moved toward the balcony then suddenly stopped when he glanced ahead and saw Sherri. She leaned against the balcony’s rail while the wind gently blew in her hair. He sucked in a deep breath, felt his body get hard and quickly decided it would be best to stay just where he was for the time being. No problem. She hadn’t noted his presence, which gave him the opportunity to notice hers.

  She looked sensational, sexy and hot all rolled into one. She was tall, around five-eight, curvy, with a small waist and dark hair that billowed around her shoulders in soft, bouncy waves. Even now her outfit made sweat bead out on his forehead. She had the perfect legs for her short skirt and the perfect breasts for her low-cut blouse and he would love the chance to taste both legs and breasts. If ever there was a reason to call a woman delectable, then this would be it. He could just envision starting at the soles of her feet and working his mouth upward toward her lips, taking time to fully savor the feminine part of her in between. He knew that degree of lovemaking would come later. Right now he needed to work his way up to a simple kiss.
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  He smiled then, thinking that when they kissed there wouldn’t be anything simple about it. It definitely wouldn’t be anything close to a brush across the lips or a light smooch. He intended to make up for lost time. Work his tongue in her mouth in a way that she would know, would always remember, that he had been there.

  Sherri turned when she heard the sound of Terrence returning. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. He was just a man. A man who, if given the opportunity, could change her life forever…but not for the better. She refused to let that happen. She had given one man total access to her heart and she would never do so again.

  “Here you are,” he said, handing the glass of wine to her.

  “Thanks.” She glanced back at the ocean. “This is such a beautiful view from here. So peaceful.”

  He followed her gaze. “You should be here to see it one morning at sunrise.”

  She looked at him over the rim of her glass. Was he issuing her an invitation? If so, it was definitely wasted. Instead of responding to what he’d said, she decided to change the subject. “Tell me about Terrence Jefferies.”

  He lifted a brow. “What do you want to know?”

  “Anything you want to tell me.”

  He took a sip of his wine, and it was a few moments before he spoke. “My family lives in Atlanta. There’s my father, my older brother, Duan, who is thirty-six, and my sister, Olivia, who got married last month. Olivia is twenty-seven.”

  “What about your mom?”

  She saw the way his jaw tensed when he said, “I don’t have a mother.”

  She felt bad for asking. Thinking his mother had evidently passed away, she said, “I’m sorry.”

  He lifted a brow. “Why? You didn’t do anything.”

  “I shouldn’t have asked about your mother,” she said softly.

  He stared back at the ocean before meeting her gaze. “My mother isn’t dead, if that’s what you’re thinking. She and my father split when I was ten, Duan was twelve and Olivia was only three. She gave my father full custody of us, kept walking and never looked back.”

  “Oh.” Sherri didn’t know what to say. Her parents were still happily married after thirty years, and she couldn’t imagine a woman not keeping in touch with her children. Deciding she needed to change the subject yet again, she said, “How long have you owned the club?”

  “About four years. I purchased it right after an injury caused me to stop playing for the Dolphins and I decided to settle here instead of moving back to Atlanta.”

  “What made you decide to remain in South Florida?”

  “Close friends from college, Stephen Morales and Lucas McCoy. We attended the University of Miami together. Stephen is a deputy sheriff and Lucas renovates houses. Another reason I decided to stay is that I like the area, especially the beaches.”

  As he spoke, she noticed his gaze had shifted from her eyes to her lips. A second of silence passed before he said in a deep, husky tone, “There’s something I’ve wanted to do ever since the first day I saw you.”

  She fought to quell the sensations flowing through her. “What?”

  “This.” And then he lowered his head, skimming her lips lightly a few times before capturing them fully with his.

  She felt the room tilt when he masterfully deepened the kiss, deliciously tempting her to submission. She moaned when his tongue roamed freely everywhere in her mouth before grasping hold on hers, toying with it, mating with it, feasting greedily on it. Her control crumbled in the intense and sensual assault of his mouth.

  She felt the hardness of him pressing against her middle, and at that very moment her senses, the ones still operating, were thrown into overdrive, and her body felt like it was actually overheating. As shards of pleasure cascaded through her, her stomach tensed. Her nipples pressing against his chest ached. Heat flared between her legs and her pulse beat relentlessly.

  When he finally pulled his mouth away, she dropped her face to his chest and stifled another moan. Her defenses were all but shattered as the result of one kiss. She hadn’t expected it. Hadn’t been fully prepared for it. Her mouth had yielded for him in a way it had never yielded for another man.

  She lifted her head and met his eyes. The look he gave her was intense. Deep. Sensual. The air surrounding them actually seemed to thicken. She didn’t know what sort of tactics he’d used when he played on the football field, but here, right now, he was using his own sensual weapon to advance and he clearly was determined to reach the goal line with her before the night was over. She opened her mouth to tell him that it was not going to happen when she heard a doorbell.

  “Our dinner has arrived.”

  His words filtered through her chaotic mind, and before she could say anything, he had taken her hand and was leading her back inside.

  He intended to invade her territory.

  Although Terrence figured she wouldn’t like it, it would be done. He had gotten a taste of her, a taste that even a full-course meal later, he couldn’t let go of.

  Their conversation over dinner he’d dismissed as chitchat. She’d told him about being an only child with a lot of cousins and the only one of them interested in following in her uncle’s footsteps by working in radio. She’d told him about her best friend, Kim, who had decided to move to the Keys with her. She’d told him how she intended to go shopping for a new car by the end of the year. One thing she hadn’t mentioned was her love life, specifically the guy her uncle had mentioned, the one who supposedly had broken her heart last year.

  He glanced across the table. After a long, drawn-out silence while they’d enjoyed another glass of wine, he decided to stir up conversation again by coming out and asking point-blank, “Do you engage in affairs?”

  From the way her head snapped up and the surprised look on her face, he knew his question had caught her off guard. He watched as she regained her wits and released a long, slow breath. He even felt when the shiver passed through her.

  Then he saw a slow smile touch her lips when she said, “I understand that you do.”

  She hadn’t answered his question but had made a comment instead, one he fully intended to answer. “Yes, I do,” he murmured truthfully. “Short-term affairs. I don’t do long term.”

  “Commitment phobia?”

  “Not necessarily. I just decided very early in life that I would die single. Matters of the heart are not for me.”

  There was no need to tell her he felt that way because of the pain he’d seen his father endure after his mother had walked out on them for another man, nearly destroying their family in the process. Nor would he mention how as a child he had watched a once happily married man learn to cope as a divorced husband and a single father. A man whose life was filled with pain and sadness and for whom the only thing that mattered in his life was his children. Terrence was convinced to this day that his father had never gotten over the betrayal of his wife.

  Just like he had never gotten over the betrayal of his mother.

  “Then what about that article I read in the newspaper the first week I arrived? The one about your broken engagement.”

  He glanced over at her and decided to set the matter straight. “There was never an engagement. I don’t ever plan to marry, and she knew it. I can only assume that she was hoping I would change my mind.”

  Deciding he needed to make sure Sherri fully understood so there would never be any misunderstanding, he held her gaze and then added, “That is one thing I don’t intend to ever change my mind about. I will never marry.”

  Sherri could only nod. Terrence was making his position absolutely clear to her, and she appreciated it because she now knew how to handle him in the future. Virtually the same way she’d been doing in the past. She didn’t regret having dinner with him. It had been both enjoyable and enlightening.

  It would be easy if she were the type of woman who had no qualms in engaging in the same type of affairs that he did, but she wasn’t. Her parents were enjoying a relatively happ
y marriage, and although at this point in her career, marriage was the furthest thing from her mind, she still wanted the same for herself one day. A man who would love her and cherish her, give her his babies, his life, his world. Terrence had just told her in no uncertain terms that he was not the man for her. He lived for the moment, and the women he dated would never, ever get close to his heart. She wondered if the way his mother had walked out of his life was the reason. In a way, his take on things was no different from Kim’s. As a child, she had watched her father physically abuse her mother, and because of it, although Kim did on occasion indulge in what she considered a healthy relationship, she never intended to marry.

  Thinking the silence between them had extended long enough, she said, “Thanks again for dinner, Terrence. The steak was delicious. I commend your staff. It was the most incredible meal I’ve ever eaten.”

  He smiled at her compliment. “Thanks. We aim to please. I suggest you visit on a Wednesday night. It’s ladies’ night and our specialty dessert is a key lime pie that is to die for.”

  A smile touched her lips. “I think I will.” She glanced at her watch. “It’s getting late. I’m due in at the station rather early in the morning, and I need a good night’s sleep.”

  “You can always stay here for the night.”

  She took his kindness for what it was. An invite to roll between the sheets with him. “Thanks, but I prefer my own bed,” she said, getting to her feet.

  “You’re sure I can’t entice you to enjoy dessert before you leave?” he asked, getting to his feet, as well. His voice was low and husky, making her wonder just what kind of dessert he was talking about. She had a feeling it wasn’t anything his cooks could whip up in their kitchen. Rather, the two of them would be stirring up all the ingredients.

  “Yes, I’m positive. I do need to leave.” Either that or be tempted to take you up on your offer. Although she knew where he stood, he was still temptation, the type she was finding it hard to resist. Even now she could feel sexual tension flowing in the air between them, heightening her full awareness of him as a man.