“And as always, so do you,” she replied as a slow smile touched her lips.
“So, what do you have to tell me?”
All thoughts of telling him anything had fled her mind the moment he had taken her into his arms. It had been six months since she had last seen him and she didn’t want to waste time talking. Taking his hand she led him over to the bed. “We’ll talk later.”
The smile he gave her let her know she didn’t have to make the suggestion twice.
Christopher rode her like a madman yet she refused to put an end to such excruciating pleasure. This was high-intensity lovemaking, uncontrollable sex and her body jerked again, for the third time that night, as the pleasure inside her reached its maximum exploding point.
She screamed out with the force of her climax from a throat already raw from earlier screams, as she clawed at his shoulder, his back, and his buttocks, whatever part of him she could grab. She then felt his body reaching its own orgasm as he thrust deep into her one last time before finally collapsing on top of her.
As routine, he only lay on top of her for a few seconds before rising from the bed and going into the bathroom to discard his condom and put on a new one. She smiled. He took birth control seriously. He’d once told her that he had no intentions of ever fathering a child which was fine with her since she had no intentions of ever mothering one either.
She inhaled deeply. It had become her intention to tell Christopher that she had gotten married since the last time they’d been together. But once she had seen him and he had taken her into his arms, the only thing she could think about was making love with him. And now as she thought more about it, she decided that maybe she shouldn’t tell him anything and run the risk of him ending the relationship they shared. There were some men of the mind not to be involved with a married woman and Christopher might be one of those men. He might not understand, nor even care that her husband, who was thirty years older, could not fulfill her needs in the bedroom and that the only reason she had married him was because he had money, lots of it, and being his wife afforded her the respectability she’d always wanted.
Moments later Christopher came out of the bathroom walking toward her naked with a body that was lean, sleek, and superbly toned. He was in outstanding shape, she thought, as he sat on the bed beside her. “So, what is it you have to tell me? he asked.
“Umm,” she murmured, still barely able to catch her breath as she thought of what she could tell him since she’d decided not to tell him that she had gotten married. Not when her body was primed to make love with him again. “That piece I was working on about Blacks living in Europe has gotten the attention of a major publisher.” At least that wasn’t a lie.
He smiled. “Tori that’s great news. I know you must be pleased about it.”
“Yes, I am.”
“I think that calls for a celebration. We’ll order champagne with our dinner.”
She nodded. She had worked up an appetite. “Champagne with our dinner sounds fine.”
Tori was stretched out on the bed. Her skin was still warm, glowing and sweaty from the sex marathon they had just participated in. And just looking at her was turning him on again, which he was sure was her intention. He was tempted to give her just what she wanted again but decided they needed to eat. “I’ll order room service while you shower.”
Tori nodded as she watched him cross the floor to the closet, slip into one of the hotel’s courtesy bathrobes before walking out of the room into the sitting area to use the phone.
Christopher stared across the table at Tori and wondered what made women tick. Especially the highly independent, high-sexual-maintenance ones like she was. They were the kind who believed that they did not have to depend on a man for anything other than a good night of sex. That night when they had met at a business function, and their gazes had met across the room, he had known that she’d only wanted one thing from him like he had only wanted one thing from her. Once they had gotten to her hotel room they’d mated like two wild animals. Now three years later, nothing had changed. Between them it had all come down to sex. But then…wasn’t that the same with every woman he came in contact with? Going on the class reunion cruise would do him some good since he intended to use that time to rest and relax.
“Why are you staring at me like that, Christopher? You’re not thinking about taking me back to bed, are you?”
Tori’s question brought Christopher out of his thoughts. A smile played at the corners of his mouth when he answered huskily. “Could you handle it if I were?”
She gave him a lazy grin. “I’d like to think that in the morning I’ll be able to walk out of here to catch my plane and not have to be carried out on a stretcher.”
Christopher laughed. “Making love to you again isn’t what I was thinking about although it sounds like a wonderful idea. I was thinking about the western Caribbean cruise I’ll be taking.”
Tori lifted her brow and took a swallow of her champagne. “A cruise? For business again?” She remembered he had taken a business cruise to Alaska sometime last year, almost four months ago. It had been about the same time she had gotten married.
“No, this is strictly for relaxation purposes.” He saw no need to tell her that it was for his ten-year class reunion, guaranteed to give some of his former classmates the shock of their lives when they saw him.
“When is the cruise?”
“Next month.”
Tori gazed at him thoughtfully. An idea suddenly popped into her head. Umm, she wondered…It would definitely be a gamble but as far as she was concerned well worth the risk. She could tell her husband that she had to go on a cruise to cover a story. Chances were he would probably believe her since he was such a trusting man. “I haven’t been on a cruise in a while. Would you like some company?”
She could tell from the look in Christopher’s eyes that he’d been momentarily taken aback by her question. Their relationship had never been any other than what they spent in a hotel room.
He downed the contents of his wineglass, set it back on the table and slowly stood. “No, I don’t think that would be a good idea.” He then checked his watch. “I have to go.”
Tori released a deep breath when she realized her mistake. The one reason their relationship had lasted for nearly three years was because of distance, no demands, no strings, no expectations. She’d never hinted at the possibility that she wanted anything beyond their chance meetings every four to six months.
Until tonight.
Her heart accelerated and she had a sinking feeling he intended this to be the last night they spent together. “Can I call you the next time I’m in town?” she asked as she watched him put on his jacket.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, making him more handsome than ever. “Yes, you can do that.”
But Tori knew that didn’t necessarily mean he would come and see her. She slipped out of her chair and walked across the room to stand before him. Rising on tiptoes she placed a light kiss on his lips. A hint of regret was in her smile. “Goodbye then, until the next time.”
He let his gaze linger on her for a few moments before saying, “Yes, until the next time. Come walk me to the door.”
She did and when she opened it they gave each other what she knew was a farewell kiss. She would definitely miss their quiet dinners, their intimate evenings—but more than anything, she would miss him.
She arched her body into his as he kissed her in an exchange that she would remember for a long time. Moments later when the kiss ended her hand reached up and her fingers rubbed softly against his cheek. “Take care of yourself, Christopher.”
“And you take care of yourself as well, Tori.”
He then stepped back and turned around to leave. Tossing one final glance over his shoulder, he walked down the corridor toward the elevator. Tori closed the door when she could no longer see his tall form.
Both Tori and Christopher were so caught up in their own individual t
houghts that neither noticed the slow opening of another hotel room door, nor the small lens from a miniature high-powered camera that had captured their heated kiss on film.
CHAPTER SIX
Mya Rivers’s mind went blank. She couldn’t believe what her boss, Mr. Lee, was saying. She looked at the man again. “Excuse me, sir. Would you repeat that?”
She shifted uncomfortably in her chair when he smiled. Mr. Lee never smiled. “Why certainly, Ms. Rivers. I said the reports from the past six months have been so impressive that my partners and I agree that you should be promoted, and we’ve decided to do just that. Therefore, effective today you are now Senior Financial Analyst. Congratulations.”
Mya took a deep breath. Mr. Lee had just handed her the position she’d been aspiring to since coming to work for the company, and one that normally took two years at most to achieve. And that was only if you had landed and retained some big name accounts.
“Can I assume that you’re happy about this promotion, Ms. Rivers?”
A smile covered Mya’s face. “Yes, yes. I’m very happy about it, sir. You’ll never know how much.”
“I’m glad to hear it. As you know, with this promotion comes a new territory.”
The smile on Mya’s face dimmed. The territory she was presently working included New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. They were states that weren’t too far from Texas and required little travel time. “Do you have any idea what my new territory will be?”
“Yes, we’re assigning you to handle one of our newest accounts on the east coast. The company is located in Orlando and is an account we want to give special attention to and feel you’re just the person to handle things.”
Mya nodded. She didn’t want to think about how she would break the news to Garrett about an increase in travel when he really didn’t want her traveling at all.
“Will the increase in travel be a problem for you, Ms. Rivers?”
Mr. Lee’s question interrupted her thoughts. Evidently the expression on her face had been a dead giveaway. “No. I’ll have to make arrangements with my children’s nanny. As you know my husband plays major league sports and sometimes he has to be gone away from home a lot, especially when football season begins. I need to make sure the lady who keeps my sons will always be available.”
Mr. Lee nodded. “And if she isn’t, you may want to find someone else. With this job comes a fifty thousand dollar increase in your annual salary, not to mention the bonuses you’ll be able to earn.”
Mya nodded. The promotion was a dream come true. She stood. “I appreciate the company’s faith in my abilities.” She then turned and walked out of Mr. Lee’s office.
Later that evening Mya heard the hollering and crying the moment she entered the kitchen from the garage. She took one look at the kitchen and knew the Rivers boys had misbehaved. Tonight was Mrs. Butler’s night off and Garrett had come straight home from football practice to feed the twins dinner. Evidently while he’d been preparing their meal, the two precious darlings had decided to throw the eggs she had boiled that morning against the wall.
“I’m home,” she called out.
Garrett entered the kitchen with one son under each of his arms, like a sack of potatoes. The angry look that met hers challenged her to say something, anything. She refused to do so. She didn’t even walk across the room to take her screaming sons from their father’s clutches.
“Just look at the mess they made, Mya.”
She glanced around. “I see. And I think the best thing to do is to make them clean it up. Don’t you?”
Her voice had been soft and calm. So soft and calm that her sons immediately stopped screaming. Thinking it safe to do so, she walked over to Garrett and kissed his cheek. “Rough day, huh?”
“You don’t know the half of it.”
She looked up at him. What he wasn’t saying and what he was probably thinking was that she should have been at home cooking dinner and watching the boys. He always claimed they behaved a lot better for her anyway. “How about if you leave these two with me and just go in the bathroom, run water in the tub, and relax. Let me finish dinner.”
Garrett studied her for a moment. He was tempted to do just what she suggested. But then he glanced around the room and looked at the mess the twins had made. “No, that wouldn’t be fair. You worked today just like I did. We’ll clean this up together then I’ll help you fix dinner.” He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “And once these two hoodlums are fed and in bed, you and I will both get in the tub, and relax. How does that sound?”
She smiled at him. “Sounds like a wonderful idea,” she said taking their sons from his arms. “You may want to consider the fact that the reason David and Daniel like throwing things is because they watch you throw footballs all the time and think it’s okay to throw whatever they can get their grubby little hands on.”
Garrett smiled at the thought of his sons trying to imitate him. “You think so?”
“Yes, but don’t get all giddy over it. We have to find a way to explain to them the difference between throwing a football and throwing other things.”
Garrett nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.” He reached out and took one of the twins, David, from out of her arms. “How was work today?”
Mya decided that now would not be a good time to tell him about her promotion. She wasn’t sure when would be a good time. Since she wouldn’t start traveling for another month or so, she decided to wait until after the cruise. “Work was fine. How was practice?”
“Things went okay. I think we’re going to have a good season. We’re going to try like hell to make it to the Super Bowl.”
“And you will.”
After David and Daniel had been placed in their chairs at the table with strict orders not to touch anything, Mya went into her husband’s arms for the kiss she knew awaited her. She didn’t like keeping secrets from him but the one about her promotion was a secret she was keeping in the name of peace.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Maxi Chandler buried her head in the pillow feeling sick. The ship had barely left dock and already queasiness had settled in her stomach. This was her first cruise and if she didn’t start feeling better it would definitely be her last. She hoped she wasn’t like some people who were sick the entire while. Seven days was a long time to be miserable.
She was counting on the medication the ship’s doctor had given her taking effect before dinnertime. If nothing else it was making her feel drowsy. She had not seen any of her former classmates and she was grateful for that. She didn’t want anyone to see her looking like she had a foot in death’s door.
Evidently the ship had given her an upgrade since the cabin was larger than she had expected. And she couldn’t help wondering why there was a double bed instead of two singles when she would be sharing it with a cabinmate, although she had no idea who the person was. That information had not been available when she’d checked in a few hours ago. Whoever the woman was, she must have decided to join the Bon Voyage party being held on deck. A party was the last thing on Maxi’s mind. Surviving this cruise was.
She buried her face deeper into the pillow when another bout of queasiness settled deep in her stomach. She hoped she wasn’t about to throw up. She doubted she had the energy to make it to the bathroom if she was. She tightened her eyes shut and hoped and prayed for relief, and at the moment she thought that nothing could get worse than this.
Christopher stood in the doorway of his cabin and gazed upon the woman who was in his bed. Lying flat on her stomach with her face buried in the pillow, he couldn’t see her features. But his gaze did a quick study of the delectable curves the shorts and tank top she was wearing couldn’t hide. Not a bad view, he thought.
He then shrugged. It seemed that women getting into his bed uninvited were becoming a norm. He walked into the cabin closing the door behind him and glanced around. The cabin was modest by most means and he had selected it that way intentionally. His former classmates not knowing that
he was now pretty well off financially would make the cruise interesting.
When he heard a slight moan he remembered the woman asleep on his bed. Or had she passed out from too much to drink? She must have begun partying before the ship had left Tampa. Somehow she had made it to the wrong cabin, and he intended to get her out.
He walked over to the bed, leaned over and tapped her on her shoulder. He thought about tapping her on her curvy backside then decided against it. “Hey, you. Wake up. I think you’re in the wrong cabin.”
Getting annoyed when he didn’t get a response, he tapped her again and repeated himself. Finally, he thought, when he noticed her body shifting as she tried raising her head off the pillow but had a hard time doing so. Christopher lifted a brow wondering just how many drinks she’d had. “Look here, lady, you can indulge in your hangover someplace else. I’d like to enjoy my cabin alone.”
When she didn’t give any type of response he decided to take matters into his own hands and flipped her over onto her back. He frowned. Even with her eyes tightly shut, her features looked awfully familiar. His gaze studied the roundness of her face, the firmness of her cheekbones, and the fullness of her lips. Christopher was caught off guard when at that very moment she forced her eyes open and looked up at him, straight into his direct gaze. Even after ten years recognition hit him immediately. It was hard for a guy to forget the girl he had fancied himself in love with through most of his adolescent years. “Maxi?”
Barely conscious from her drug-induced sleep, Maxi continued looking up at the man towering over her. She blinked once, then twice. He seemed to know who she was but at the moment everything appeared foggy and she couldn’t make out who he was and why he was in her cabin.
“Maxi, are you all right?”
The sound of his voice was soothing, assuring. She attempted to nod but couldn’t. She tried getting words out of her mouth but settled on the one word that described exactly how she felt. “Sick.”
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