Promises to a Stallion (Kimani Romance)

by Deborah Fletcher Mello

  Pulling both her knees to her chest, Tierra wrapped her arms around her legs, her chin resting atop her knees. “I could get used to this,” she said softly, her gaze skating across the wealth of color that decorated their view. “It’s so pretty here.”

  Travis nodded but said nothing, his own stare focused on the woman’s beautiful face as she continued to talk about herself. As Tierra drew him in, describing the sense of accomplishment she felt teaching children the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic, he was taken aback by the sheer enthusiasm expressed in her tone. He suddenly found himself asking her question after question, marveling at her answers and the passion she exuded.

  “Doesn’t that take up a lot of your time?” he questioned, as Tierra detailed the student advocacy program she’d initiated to help parents of children who were considered at risk.

  “It does, but it’s necessary. So many of these mothers are just children themselves. Many of them barely made it out of school, and suddenly they’re faced with dealing with the same school administrators who had them as students. A few are intimidated by the whole process. What my program does is match a parent and her child with a mentor who is willing to attend parent-teacher conferences and serve as an advocate for that child and the family.”

  “It sounds like a lot of hand holding.”

  Tierra nodded, her wistful look suddenly pulling at Travis’s heartstrings. “Sometimes, we need someone to hold our hand to help us get through those rough times.”

  “Yes, we do,” he responded softly, his deep gaze melding with hers.

  There was no denying the attraction he felt for her. Being with Tierra felt like the most natural thing in the world for him to do. He thoroughly enjoyed her company even when one of her mood swings had her defensive and difficult.

  The wealth of emotion that had suddenly consumed him was unsettling, like nothing the man had ever experienced before. He liked her. He liked her more than he was willing to admit to himself, her energy so nourishing that his own spirit was soaring sky high. Travis suddenly realized that there was a four-letter word for what he was feeling, but he couldn’t fathom himself using it to describe the intense emotion.

  Tierra smiled sweetly as she turned her head to stare at the landscape surrounding them. For a brief moment, Travis was tempted to lean in for a kiss, but he stopped himself, biting down against his bottom lip to quell the longing. Restraint was difficult because he suddenly wanted the woman more than any woman ever before. But this was different, not just lustful desire pulling at him, but something else he’d never known before having wrapped a death grip around his heart.

  Tierra Braddy was like an intricate present he was privileged to unwrap. There were layers and layers to her personality, each one revealing her vulnerabilities and her immense strength. She was compassionate, spirited and sensitive. There was also an aura of innocence about her that he found wholeheartedly refreshing.

  Above them, the sky had darkened, nightfall coming quickly. Before either realized it, they were lingering beneath the glow of a half moon and the incandescent outdoor lights, conversation still raining between them.

  “It’s getting late,” Tierra said, casting a glance over her shoulder. “They’ve turned off the lights inside the house.”

  Travis looked down to his watch. “Would you believe it’s almost two o’clock?”

  “In the morning?” Tierra exclaimed, her shocked expression moving him to laugh. “Yes, ma’am.”

  She shook her head. “You’re bringing me into some really bad habits, Sergeant Stallion. It’s well past my curfew, and I need my beauty sleep.”

  “It’s a good thing you don’t need much then, isn’t it?”

  Tierra smiled, pretending to be amused by his sense of humor.

  “I’ve had a very nice time, Travis. Thank you.”

  “So did I, Tierra. I look forward to doing it again.” The man’s deep smile warmed her, his eyes dazzling with light.

  Rising from her seat, she hesitated momentarily as Travis stood with her, taking a step in her direction until they were practically toe-to-toe.

  “Do you really have to say good-night?” he asked, reaching for her hand one last time. His fingers gently caressed the center of her palm.

  Tierra nodded, suddenly taken aback by his touch. She was flush with heat, her breathing coming in short gasps as she sucked in air. The temperature felt like it had risen tenfold. She took two steps back, widening the space between them.

  “Sweet dreams, Travis,” she muttered softly as she excused herself. Fighting not to look back, Tierra almost broke out into a full gallop as she retired to her room for the night.

  Travis’s stomach was aflutter with anxiety as he stared after her, sweat beading across his brow. It had taken everything in him not to follow behind her.

  Hours later the house was still, quiet wafting through each room. Travis sat alone in the family’s posh library. As he reclined in the leather executive’s chair, he twirled a tumbler filled with cognac between both palms. Inhaling the rich aroma of the copper-colored liqueur, he was reminded of buttered toffee, anise and dried fruit. He chuckled softly to himself, thinking about the cheap, locally brewed beer he’d been sipping on just weeks earlier, one of the few times he and his men had been off duty and able to steal away for a few hours of rest and relaxation. It didn’t compare to the expensive drink he was now sipping.

  He hadn’t wanted the night to end, and now, unable to sleep, all he could do was fantasize about him and Tierra being together. As they had stood together on the terrace, what he had wanted most to do was sweep Tierra up in his arms, carry her upstairs to one of the empty bedrooms, lay her across a king-size bed and make sweet love to her.

  The time the two had shared had heightened every one of his senses, and as his thoughts ran back to her naked form reclined in the bathtub, blood surged through his groin, lengthening a rock-hard erection in his pants. He gulped the remainder of his drink, palmed his crotch and blew a deep sigh.

  Tierra pulled a pillow between her legs, pressing her knees tightly together. After two cold showers she still couldn’t stall the throbbing that was pounding at the cusp of her genitalia. The pulsation was vibrating throughout her entire body, quivering up through her abdomen to the top of her head and down her limbs, curling her toes.

  By the time she’d made it back to her room, locking the door behind her, she’d been a complete and total mess. She couldn’t understand why she was reacting so wantonly to a man she barely knew. But every time she was near Travis Stallion she wanted him, and not just for a few minutes of casual conversation. It had taken everything in her not to pull the man in behind her, leading him to her room for a private, one-on-one têteà-tête. She would have opened herself to him willingly, her desire for the man so intense that it was all she could do not to implode from the heat of his touch.

  And he had touched her, holding tight to her hand as his fingers had caressed her own. As they’d walked through the magnificent gardens her shoulder had pressed against his arm, bare flesh touching bare flesh. Even in the innocence of the moment, it had been the most erotic thing she’d ever experienced.

  They’d bantered back and forth easily, and, watching him as he spoke, Tierra had become enamored with his mouth. Travis had the most beautiful mouth, she thought as her mind floated to the image of his full, succulent lips. With each word that he’d spoken she’d been focused on the line of his mouth, the curve of his lips, his perfect, snow-white teeth with their slight gap and the length of tongue that would occasionally slide like silk over marble when he licked his lips.

  She had wanted nothing more than to be able to kiss his sweet mouth, and she’d even allowed herself to imagine those lips caressing every square inch of her body. Tierra heaved a deep sigh, rolling from one side of the bed to the other.

  She would have given anything to ease the heat that was trying to consume her. Tossing the pillow aside, Tierra rose from the bed and moved to the windo
w to stare out into the darkened night. She desperately wanted to believe that fantasizing about her and that man really wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

  Chapter 7

  When Tierra woke the next morning, the sky was overcast, the hint of rain billowing through the early morning air. She pulled the cotton sheet up and over her naked body, tucking it beneath her chin. She’d cast off every stitch of her clothing in the night. Her tank top had been thrown across the foot of the bed just after midnight. Her satin sleeping shorts had been abandoned on the floor at three o’clock in the morning. She didn’t have a clue when she’d slid out of her panties or even where they might be.

  All she could remember was dreams of Travis Stallion haunting her sleep most of the night. She rolled onto her side, drawing her knees close to her chest.

  She didn’t have a clue what she planned to do for the day. If she had her choice, she wouldn’t bother to get out of bed at all. But Travis had made it clear that whatever she’d be doing he planned to do it with her. She didn’t imagine that inviting Travis into her bed for the day would be a good idea. Then again, she pondered, a slight smirk pulling at her mouth.

  Just as she was imagining the possibilities, there was a knock on her bedroom door. Tierra could tell by the persistent rap that the person on the other side was anxious for her attention.

  Standing out in the hallway Travis stood with his ear pressed to the door, listening for Tierra to respond. “Tierra, are you awake?”

  “Go away, Travis!”

  “Not until you let me in. Are you interested in some breakfast?”

  “Excuse me?” Tierra leaned up in the bed, straining to hear the low tone echoing out in the hallway.

  “I brought you some breakfast,” Travis said, his voice chiming a little louder. “May I come in?”

  “I don’t think—”

  Before she could get the words out, the door swung open. Travis stood in the entrance, a tray of breakfast foods balanced in one hand.

  “Your eggs are getting cold,” he stated matter-of-factly.

  Her eyes widening, Tierra clutched the sheet tightly around her bare form. “What do you think you’re doing?” Tierra quipped. “I’m not dressed yet!”

  Travis shrugged. “Sorry, but I couldn’t hear you.”

  Tierra inhaled sharply. “I’m not dressed yet,” she repeated through clenched teeth.

  Resting the tray on the nightstand, Travis plopped down onto the bed beside her. “So I see,” he said as he passed her a white cloth napkin. “And since it’s not often that I get to serve a woman breakfast in bed, we’ll just ignore that indiscretion. I expect you’ll do better next time.”

  Tierra shook her head in response to his bold words. “Look,” she started, “This really isn’t…”

  Her voice trailed off. The words seemed to catch in her throat as Travis suddenly reached both of his arms around her torso to plump the pillows behind her back. As he leaned in close, the aroma of his cologne wafted past Tierra’s nose. She inhaled swiftly, filling her lungs with the scent of him.

  As he fluffed the pillow against her for support, his forearms grazed her bare shoulders. They both tensed, Travis’s gaze melding with hers.

  “Sorry about that,” he muttered softly, drawing his body away from hers. He gestured with a quick nod. “Lean back and make yourself comfortable,” he commanded as he reached for the wicker tray and sat it on her lap. He smiled sweetly.

  “Bon appétit,” he exclaimed as he pulled the silver lid from the plate.

  The meal was an epicurean delight of scrambled eggs, thick bacon, pecan Danish and a bowl of fresh fruit. A large glass of sweetened pineapple juice and a single red rose completed the presentation.

  Travis’s flamboyant removal of the paper wrapper from a plastic drinking straw made her smile and seconds later, still clutching the bed sheet in front of her, she couldn’t suppress the laugh that suddenly followed.

  Hearing the deep chortle that rose from her midsection brought a wider grin to Travis’s face. The sound was pure music to his ears, and he couldn’t help but laugh with her. Reaching out a large hand, he touched her face, drawing his fingers along her profile. His thumb lightly caressed her cheek, and he was mesmerized by the downy softness of her skin. In that moment he would have given anything to cradle her in his arms and never let her go.

  He’d known he was taking a chance when he’d pushed the door open before being invited inside, but he’d been anxious to see her. He’d barely slept, his dreams consumed with thoughts of her. And his instincts had told him that Tierra had really wanted to see him, too.

  As she tried to hide her nakedness beneath the covers, he found himself enamored with the idea of the two of them together. The woman excited him like no other woman ever had before. And in that moment he was visibly excited. Needing a minute, he sat down in a chair that was next to the bed. He crossed one leg over the other to hide the fullness that had begun to swell hard in his jeans.

  “This is crazy!” Tierra said, fighting the last of the giggles that had consumed her. “None of this makes an ounce of sense.”

  “It makes great sense. Now eat up, get dressed and be ready to rock and roll in thirty minutes. I’m anxious to get going. I’m sure we have lots to do today,” Travis said as he came to his feet. “So figure out what it is we have to do today, okay?” He continued to smile down at her.

  Tierra nodded. “I don’t imagine you’re going to let me say no, are you?”

  “The word no is not in your vocabulary today, Ms. Braddy.” Travis moved back in the direction of the door. He turned an about-face to stare at her, softly calling out her name. “Tierra.”

  “Yes?”

  “You are incredibly beautiful when you wake up,” he said, his eyes shining brightly. “Now, get a move on it. We will be leaving on time!”

  As Tierra pulled her car onto the highway, a wide grin filled Travis’s face. Cutting an eye in her direction, he reached for the radio. Tierra could tell by the look he tossed her that he was half expecting her to complain, but she refused to give him the satisfaction. The man was like a five-year-old as he depressed the buttons to find the perfect song. This time he chose a mix of reggae and Latin beats.

  “So, what’s on our agenda today?” Travis asked, finally leaning back in his seat. “Have we canceled the band?”

  Tierra rolled her eyes skyward then refocused on the road, refusing to give him an answer.

  “No band, huh? I didn’t think so.”

  “What do you mean you didn’t think so? Why wouldn’t I have a band?” Tierra asked, annoyed with his tone.

  Travis smiled. “I imagine you would have hired an orchestra for the ceremony. A few violins, some flutes, maybe a cello or two.”

  “You’re so smug! Since you need to know so badly, we had a harpist, and I’ve already called her to cancel.”

  “A harpist! How did I guess?” A wide grin rolled across his face a second time as he changed the subject. “So, where are we off to?”

  This time Tierra smirked. “You wanted to ride shotgun, Sergeant, so ride. Today, you’re going to get what you asked for.”

  Travis’s eyebrows rose ever so slightly. “Should I be scared?”

  The beautiful woman beside him chuckled warmly. “Now that’s an understatement!”

  Minutes later, Tierra pulled into the driveway of her grandmother’s home. The small cottage was a welcome sight, with its bright arrangements of flora that decorated the landscape. Her grandmother’s gardens were the pride of the neighborhood. Even beneath the graying sky, the saltbox architecture gleamed with light and warmth.

  Deloriann Braddy was standing at her kitchen’s sink when the two entered the immaculately decorated home. She was a robust woman dressed in a floral housecoat and satin bedroom slippers. From her large eyes and full cheeks down to her thick legs and wide ankles, everything about her was round in a pleasant, soft dough kind of way.

  Her personality filled the room with a vibra
nt energy. The warmth she exuded was almost contrary to the new stainless-steel appliances and rich ebony color of the granite counter tops. Deloriann Braddy was more like the exterior of her home, with its brightly painted shutters, sweeping porches and massive floral beds, each conflicting with its newly redecorated interior. Tierra noted the look on Travis’s face, reading his mind.

  “My brother and I had it gutted last year. We gave her new bathrooms and a chef’s kitchen. She wouldn’t let us change the home’s footprint or the exterior, though.”

  The woman’s gregarious voice boomed warmly. “Didn’t need all these bells and whistles, but I can’t tell you young people a thing. Y’all think you know it all.” She turned to focus a curious eye on Travis, wiping her hands against a cotton dishcloth as she did.

  “So, who’s this young man?”

  “Good morning, Mama Dee,” Tierra said, reaching to kiss the woman’s cheek. “This is Travis Stallion. Travis, this is my grandmother, Mrs. Deloriann Braddy.”

  “But everybody calls me Mama Dee,” the matriarch said as she wrapped Travis in a large hug. “It’s a pleasure, Mr. Stallion.”

  “The pleasure is all mine, ma’am, and please, call me Travis.”

  The woman paused briefly, still studying him before she responded, ignoring his request. “So, Mr. Stallion, how do you take your coffee?” Mama Dee asked, reaching for an empty mug and a freshly brewed pot of caffeine. “You do drink coffee?”

  Travis smiled ever so slightly as he nodded his head. “Yes, ma’am. Cream and sugar, please.”

  “Sit down and make yourself comfortable, son,” she said as she poured hot coffee in the cup she held in her hand and set it and a saucer down on the table in front of him. She pushed a container of milk and the sugar bowl toward him as she sat down with her own cup, sipping lightly at the hot fluid. “So, how do you and my granddaughter know each other?” Mama Dee asked.