“It isn’t.”
“It is,” Kiara said. “Trey, it’s so clear that you want to be a father.”
“Kiara, I want you and only you. I didn’t bring up M-dog to make you upset. I was just saying how I didn’t know my heart could love a little person so fast. That’s all I meant by it.”
Kiara studied his eyes and saw in them a man who may say he never wanted to be a father, but deep down, probably craved fatherhood most of all. You’ll have to give him up eventually, Kiara. He’ll start to want things you can’t give him.
Kiara turned and began hiking the way they were originally going. Even if Trey didn’t want to acknowledge what was so clearly written in his eyes, she could decipher his feelings on her own. But giving him up doesn’t mean it has to be today. She couldn’t even end their relationship now if she wanted to. She was too far from home and way too invested in Trey for it to end based on her hypothetical assumption.
Her thoughts ceased the minute she reached the top of the cliff that opened into level ground and revealed the most beautiful trees and turquoise water she’d ever seen.
“This is magnificent,” she whispered when she felt Trey stand beside her.
“It’s my favorite part of the Southern Alps,” Trey said, placing his arm around her shoulders. “I’ve gotten some good writing done in this place. Plus, I swear the air smells fresher up here.”
Kiara closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I think you’re right. The air definitely smells better.”
Trey kissed the side of her neck while her eyes were still closed. The way he kissed her made her feel like they hadn’t just had a disagreement. And the fact that he could move on from it, instead of making it a bigger issue, touched her heart.
Just another reason I’m falling in love with this man. Her eyes flew open at her thought. She’d already admitted she was falling for him, so typically, that meant falling in love, not that she just liked him. However, the fact that she’d thought the word love so effortlessly meant she’d say it just as easily in front of Trey. Hell, she’d already spoken some thoughts aloud in front of him before.
Trey wrinkled his forehead in concern. “Are you okay?”
“Um, yes. I’m fine. This place is just breathtaking.”
“Almost as breathtaking as my current company.” His eyes dropped to her lips. “I made us get out so early because it’s always pretty empty around this time. Come on. Let’s go for a swim in the natural pool before anyone else arrives.”
Kiara tossed her mini backpack next to Trey’s. She hesitated when her hands went to her blue jean shorts. “I didn’t wear a bathing suit,” Kiara said.
“Who says you need one,” he said as he removed his shirt and basketball shorts, leaving him in only his blue boxers. Boxers that did nothing to tame Kiara’s naughty thoughts.
Trey was jumping off the ramp and into the water before she’d even removed her shorts. Once she’d removed her clothes, she walked over to the edge of the ramp. She was amazed at how see-through the water was and immediately noticed the rock, coral and fish in their natural habitat.
“Uh, how deep is it?” She’d snorkeled before and enjoyed it. However, the fact that she could see everything was making her a little nervous. She glanced up when Trey hadn’t responded to her question.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, unable to read the look on his face.
“That’s what you choose to wear underneath your hiking clothes?”
She glanced down at her peach panties that were cut out on the sides with three strings attaching both sides and the matching crop-top bralette. “If you remember correctly, you never told me we’d be doing this much hiking. Had I known, I would have worn something more appropriate.”
“I’m glad you didn’t,” Trey said, treading the water. “That’s the sexiest lingerie I’ve ever seen. I’m worried even the fish will want you, as good as you look in it.”
Kiara laughed at Trey’s corniness. With Trey, she was doing things she’d never done before. Having experiences she’d never had before. Facing fears she would have sworn she’d never face. With Trey, she was learning more about herself than she had with all her exes combined.
Getting over her nerves, Kiara took a step back, then ran and jumped into the water close to where Trey was. She surfaced quickly, but Trey was right there beside her, brushing her hair out of her eyes and asking her if she was okay.
“I’m okay,” she said with a big smile. “What do we do next?”
Trey laughed. “You just got in, and already you’re up for another adventure.” Kiara nodded.
“Okay,” Trey said. “Follow me.”
They swam to the corner of the natural pool, and Kiara could tell by the distance of the coral underneath that it had gotten deeper.
“You okay?” Trey asked as he pulled back some long vines that were hanging into the water.
“I think so,” she said. “I’m just trying not to think about how deep it is or how much bigger the fish are over here.”
“They won’t bite,” he said, taking her hand. “It’s going to be dark for a couple seconds. Then it will lighten up. If you get nervous, just grip my hand harder.”
When it darkened, Kiara was too nervous to even open her eyes. She just stayed close by Trey and ignored anything she felt graze against her leg in the water. Within seconds, she felt the floor of the natural pool signaling they could stand up.
“We’re here,” Trey said, leading them out the water and onto a smooth black surface.
“Is this a cave?” Kiara asked as she glanced around at the rocks and holes in the top that allowed for sunlight to shine through.
“Yes, it’s natural black rock and it’s been like this for decades. A couple locals showed me this place years ago, and any chance I get, I come up here.” Trey motioned for them to sit on the rock.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Kiara said. “The blackness of the rock makes it appear harsh, but it’s the smoothest rock I’ve ever felt.”
Trey nodded. “The combination of the coral and water almost acts as sandpaper, carving down the rock until it’s smooth, and people like us are able to lie out here and enjoy one of the beauties of nature.”
Kiara scooted closer to Trey, glad that they were the only people around. “Have you ever brought anyone else here?”
Trey shook his head. “Never. You’re the first and only person I’ve ever wanted to bring here.”
Kiara ran her fingers down his chest. “And we’re pretty secluded in here, right?”
“I think so,” he said. “Usually when I’m here by myself, I can hear when other people arrive at the natural pool. I can’t hear anyone out there yet.”
“Good,” Kiara said as she motioned for him to lie on his back.
“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice huskier than it had been moments before.
Kiara curled her lips to the side in a smile. “What do you think?” She positioned herself in between his legs and got on her knees. “I’ve been waiting to taste you for a long time, Mr. Moore.” Kiara pulled down his boxers and curled her hand around his shaft. Trey’s eyes were focused on her every move, which only made her want to please him more.
“Kiara, you don’t have to...” His voice trailed off the moment Kiara’s lips touched him. Good, she thought. I can’t be the only one being brought to my knees in pleasure. Since the start of their trip, Trey had done anything he could to make sure she felt sexually satisfied, and it was past time that she returned the favor.
His groans were like music to her ears as she used her mouth and hands to set a nice rhythm in her pursuit to please him orally in a way she hoped he’d never been before.
Between the sound of the water and the sounds Trey was making, it was all the motivation Kiara needed to increase the movement of her tongue. A couple of minutes later, she
could feel Trey’s entire body tensing beneath her.
“Kiara, I’m close,” he said. Instead of backing down, she increased her rhythm. Trey said her name twice more as a warning, but she didn’t care. There was no way she was stopping. Seconds later, Trey’s entire body convulsed as he released an orgasm that caused him to lightly grip the back of Kiara’s head. Despite his previous warnings, Kiara didn’t release him from her mouth until she was sure he’d released every last drop.
When she looked up into his face, the look of satisfaction she saw reflected in his eyes was exactly the look she’d been waiting for.
“You’re amazing,” Trey said, lightly touching her cheek. “Maybe one of these days we’ll do something sexual in an actual bed.”
“Or not.” Kiara winked. “Beds are overrated. Maybe we should see how many more times we can have sex on anything other than a bed?”
The sly smile on his face was all the confirmation she needed. They only had a couple of days left of their trip, and Kiara planned on taking advantage of every moment.
Chapter 15
“Let me get this straight,” Kyra said. “You had sex in a lifeguard stand in the middle of a tropical storm, but your knees are all scraped up because you decided to pleasure him on some rocks in a cave?”
Kiara rolled her eyes. “When I agreed to meet you for lunch, I didn’t think the only thing we would talk about was my sex life.”
Kyra waved her hand. “Girl, please. The fact that you have a sex life now is definitely worth an emergency lunch. You’d been back for an entire day and hadn’t called to give me the details.”
Kiara laughed. “Even so, you can’t start making assumptions based on the few things I tell you. I didn’t mention anything about scraping my knees on rocks.”
“You didn’t have to,” Kyra said, after taking a sip of her water. “You walked into the café limping on one leg and I can tell through your dress pants that you have gauze pads on your knees. I assume you did too much damage to cover it with a Band-Aid.”
Kiara shook her head at how accurate Kyra was. To say her extended weekend with Trey was amazing would be a huge understatement. Right before they’d left the cave, he’d noticed her knees were bloodied from the rock. Apparently, it hadn’t been as smooth as they’d thought. She’d been so wrapped up in the moment she hadn’t even felt the pain.
Their descent down the Southern Alps had been a little tricky with her scraped knees, but eventually, they’d made it down safely, and back to the villa. Trey had catered to her the rest of the time and had been extra careful whenever they had sex after that. However, they’d kept their promise and had yet to have sex in a bed. It was almost a travesty to leave such a grand canopy bed like the one in the villa untouched, but Kiara liked the idea of them being unconventional. It was never a word she would have used to describe herself, but around Trey, she was learning to expect the unexpected.
“Okay, I’ve lost you again,” Kyra said, breaking her thoughts. “Listen, you don’t have to tell me any more sex details, but can we at least talk about what this means for the two of you?”
As if they spoke him up, Kiara received an incoming call from Trey. Kyra motioned for her to answer it.
“Hi, Trey,” she said, ignoring the quirked eyebrow from Kyra.
“Hey, beautiful,” Trey said. “How’s your day going so far?”
“It’s going okay. I’m having lunch with Kyra.”
“That’s nice. Tell her I said hi.” Kiara exchanged pleasantries between the two.
“I don’t want to keep you long, but there is a reason I called. Are you free tomorrow after work?”
“For a date?” she asked.
“Yes and no,” Trey said. “I’m working on this huge project for Prescott George and I could really use your opinion on a few things. Do you think you could meet me someplace tomorrow after work? I’ll even cook dinner for you later and change the bandages on your knees.”
“How can a woman say no to that,” Kiara said with a laugh. “Sure. Just text me the address of where we are meeting.”
“Great—I will. Can’t wait to see you.”
“I can’t wait to see you, either. ’Bye, Trey.” Kiara disconnected the call with Trey and glanced at her phone.
“You can stare at your phone all day, but he’s not in there, you know,” Kyra said.
“I know that,” Kiara said, lightly swatting at Kyra. “I was just thinking about how five weeks ago, you couldn’t have told me I would be falling for a man like Trey Moore. Hell, you couldn’t have even told me I’d be dating, period.”
“That’s the best way for it to work,” Kyra said. “The best relationships happen when you aren’t searching for one. Trey may not have been in your plans, but that dude is here to stay. I have a good feeling about him, Kiara. He’s a good one.”
“He is.” Maybe a little too good. Did Kiara think that she deserved happiness? Of course. Did she think Trey could provide her with the type of relationship she’d always wanted? Absolutely. Did she think that her relationship with Trey was a little too good to be true? Unfortunately, yes. No matter how much she enjoyed the time she was spending with Trey, there was still the elephant in the room. Better yet, there was an elephant in her heart and she had to be honest with him eventually.
Their vacation in the French Riviera hadn’t been the right time to tell him. Tomorrow may not be the right time, either. However, sooner or later, she’d have to stop making excuses and start telling him the truth. Her mother always reminded her that honesty was the best policy. She just hoped that honesty didn’t result in heartbreak for her.
* * *
“I think the house looks pretty clean,” Trey said as he glanced around the first level of his home. “What do you think, M-dog?” As usual, the baby cooed as he played with a toy in his playpen. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
Trey kept a clean home and the only time it truly got messy was when he was on a deadline. Even though the house wasn’t exactly dirty, he’d needed to do some cleaning since he and M-dog had left the living room a bit untidy as they got back into a routine after he’d arrived back in the States.
Trey’s vacation to the French Riviera had been everything he’d hoped it would be and more. His relationship with Kiara had really grown during the extended weekend, and their vacation would be marked as one of his favorite trips to his villa for years to come.
Trey folded the blanket at the corner of his sofa and laid it neatly across the back of the couch. He glanced down at M-dog. “I can’t believe I’m cleaning my home for these knuckleheads.”
He’d briefly seen his brother Derek when he’d picked up his nephew a couple of days ago, but their visit had been cut short when Derek had gotten an unexpected guest. Trey had asked for both Derek and Max to stop over tonight. He wasn’t really surprised by how much he was looking forward to their visit. Even though they had to discuss Reginald’s business, he wanted to catch up with them.
The doorbell rang, signaling their arrival. “Hey, fellas,” he said when he opened the door to Derek and Max. “Thanks for stopping by after work. Did you both come together?”
“Nah,” Derek said. “We happened to arrive at the same time.” Derek looked past Trey to the playpen. “Hey, M-dog,” he said as he lifted him in his arms. “How’s my favorite little guy doing?”
“I bet he missed me more,” Max said. “Isn’t that right, M-dog?”
Trey laughed. “I take it that you both didn’t have a problem watching him while I was away.”
Both brothers nodded in agreement and Trey motioned for them to take a seat on the couch while he sat in his chair. They spent the next ten minutes discussing how easy Matthew had been to babysit while Trey was out of town.
“Man, don’t keep us in suspense,” Max said after a while. “How was your trip with Kiara?”
Trey si
ghed. “My trip with Kiara was amazing. We really needed this vacation to move our relationship forward, so I appreciate you both for suggesting the trip and watching M-dog for me.”
“Don’t mention it,” Derek said. “We’re just glad it worked out for you. Although that sappy smile you were wearing when you opened the door was enough to let us know that you enjoyed yourself.”
Trey’s smile grew even wider as he reflected on their trip. Although he hated that Kiara had bruised and cut her knees in the natural pool, the entire weekend with her had been memorable. He was already falling for her before they went out of town together, and now that they’d returned, he was pretty sure he was falling even harder and much faster than before.
“You’re whipped,” Max said, interrupting his thoughts.
“Damn right.” Trey glanced outside his front window as he imagined all the times he’d opened that door to her beautiful, smiling face. “I’m not trying to sound cocky, but that woman is consuming my thoughts, so she might as well get Mrs. Trey Moore tattooed on her ring finger now.” He looked up in time to see his brothers exchange a knowing look.
“Enough about me,” Trey said. “Did anything happen with the investigation while I was gone? I haven’t had a chance to contact Pete and figured I’d get an update from you guys today anyway.”
Max cleared his throat. “Well, as much as we’d hoped to have better news for you when you got back from vacation, unfortunately, we don’t.”
“Do you remember the security guard who quit the San Diego chapter right after the break-in when those historic artifacts were stolen from their chapter headquarters?” Derek asked.
A Los Angeles Passion Page 13
