Beale Street Blues

by Angela Kay Austin

  "That wasn't about you." She wanted to leave before he told her some stupid lie to get her to leave. He'd told her he wasn't married, but that didn't mean he didn't have someone somewhere. That night had been such a rush of emotions. The carriage ride. The dance. The drinks. He'd given her more romance than she'd received from her ex the last years of their marriage. It was a fantasy. One she'd thought could never be anything more than what it had been.

  "I've had a lot of one-night stands. I'm usually the one leaving…not the woman." He remained just out of her reach. "You didn't tell me anything. Just dressed and left."

  "Oh, I hurt your ego?" A man like him couldn't be used and forgotten by a woman like her.

  "Of course, what man wouldn't be? You make love to a beautiful woman and the next morning, she practically runs from your bed. But, when I found you again…I thought maybe we could—"

  "What?" she asked. "Pick up where we left off?" How would that work? Walk into the boss' office for lunch and have a little noon-time quickie.

  "Dumb. Yes, I know, but I couldn't stop thinking about you…no matter who I was with or what I was doing."

  "Not just sex or the excitement of screwing your employee."

  "Screwing my employee. Damn." Anger and disappointment crossed his face.

  Maybe, she was pushing him further away, but she needed to know. "But, is it true?"

  "No. I've never slept with anyone who works for me. To be fair, when we were together, you didn't work for me."

  Even as she spoke her next words, relief spread through her body. "None of this matters because I do now." She let her head rest against the glass of the passenger side window. "It would all be too complicated." She watched her breath fog the window and fade with each word she spoke.

  "It matters if you want to be with me." He paused. The touch of his hand against her thigh pulled her eyes to his. "Do you want to be with me?"

  Something inside of her kept tugging her heart toward him. No matter how much she wrestled with it, she lost more and more ground. "I don't know."

  He looked at her with disbelief. "Don't know or scared?"

  Each word he spoke cleared her thoughts and set her on a path she didn't think she could control. "Jaxon, I've been hurt so badly. How many times can hearts heal, completely?"

  Jaxon stared into the brown eyes of the woman who was quickly beginning to take over his every thought and action. The frown lines that creased the beautiful dark skin of her forehead betrayed the words she spoke. "Darling, I'm uncertain, too, but I need you to be honest with me. I don't know what to do if you don't tell me something other than lies."

  "Lies?" The beautiful dark lashes trimming her eyes fluttered as she blinked away tears.

  Jaxon never wanted anything more in his life than he did in that moment. He wanted to hold her. To kiss away the tears in her eyes. To always be the person she'd turn to when she wanted to be held. He needed to be that person. "Yes. I think you know what you want, but you're scared to admit it."

  "You think you know me well enough to call me a liar."

  He leaned closer and she jumped in her seat. "Yes." He smiled. "Where you afraid I was going to kiss you?"

  "No." She frowned.

  "Good." He leaned in again, but this time, he did kiss her.

  The stiffness of her body melted away, the longer he kissed her. She pushed her body into his asking for more and more.

  The more she wanted, the more he gave. Grass, earth, hickory, smoke and something else…vanilla flooded his senses. The softness of her breasts against his chest made his body burn. The memories of their night together burst into his mind.

  The small fingers of her hand stroked his thigh massaging its way closer to the sensitive tip of his penis that longed to be caressed by her tongue. At the gentle touch of her fingers to the fabric restraining the delicate tip of his organ, he grabbed her hand and held on tight. He broke their kiss and whispered against her ear. "Let's go to my hotel." His voice came out husky and promising.

  Darling didn't respond to him, but instead, took his mouth as she slid her fingers free from his grasp. Shoving away the cotton of his shorts, she pushed her hand along his thigh until she found what she wanted. Gently, she dragged her nails over the tip of his penis.

  The sensation rocketed through his body. He needed her touch too much to have her tease. "Darling, I—" The sliding sound of his zipper stopped his words. His cock twitched at the touch of her small hand. He grew harder as her fingers wrapped around the thickness of his rod and possessively stroked him into a hazy fog. He stopped kissing her and stared into her eyes. "You sure you want to do this here?" He didn't have enough restraint left to continue to control himself or the situation.

  Her cloudy eyes tried to focus. "I want you."

  Jaxon couldn't pull his eyes away from her full moist lips pouty from kissing. "Get in the back." The words were almost a command.

  She knew it. A grin crossed her face as she looked into his eyes.

  Damn, her mouth kept teasing him. Before the night ended, he'd be sure he showed her how much he loved it.

  She scrambled from her seat to the back, but he had to exit the car after tucking himself back into this pants.

  In the backseat, she'd stripped from the shorts that had teased him all night and her t-shirt.

  Jaxon stood where he was and watched as Darling took two fingers of one hand and slowly slid them along her clit before pushing them into the warmth of her body. She smiled at him as she arched her back and moaned. Her slit glistened as she pulled the fingers out exposing the beautiful shaved folds of her body to him. Her chocolate skin had the subtlest touch of pink.

  His hand fell to his cock. He massaged it through the cloth of his shorts as his eyes drank in the woman waiting for him.

  Intoxicated by the sight of her body, he crawled into the back seat. As he kissed her, he let his hand explore the soft wetness of her body. With each push of his fingers, she breathed a warm breath into her kiss. When her legs tightened against his hand while she began to grind against his fingers, he broke away and unzipped his pants. Propped against the seat, he pulled her on top of him. The need growing inside of him set his pace. He slipped the soft sensitive tip of his rod into her. The feel of her wet warm body as it stretched to sheath him excited him and he pushed harder, deeper.

  His memories of her didn't compare to this reality, and he couldn't control the urgency within him to take her. He drove into her…hard. With her mouth open and the power of his thrust, Darling threw her head back. There was so much he could do to that mouth. As he imagined her full lips wrapped around his full erection, he thrust harder and harder. The temptation of her mouth forced him to reach a hand behind her head, and pull her mouth to his. Wet and warm, her tongue battled with his until she pushed him into the car seat, and trailed kisses down his neck to his torso.

  She focused on his mouth again, but he leaned her back against the seat behind her, and took one of her nipples into his mouth. The sound she made when his tongue brushed across her distended nipple excited him, quickening his rhythm and thickening him inside of her. With her nipple in his mouth, he slowly relaxed against the seat behind him, and she followed pressing the full weight of her small full breast into his mouth for his pleasure and hers.

  He couldn't hold on much longer. The slow forceful circular motion of her hips pushed him over the edge.

  She stared into his eyes as she pushed her hands against his shoulders and rocked against his body.

  He gripped her butt and pulled her against him, hard and tight.

  Arching her back, she teased him with the sight of her breasts as she reached her hands over her head and used the seat behind her to assist her as she gyrated her body against his.

  "Darling…"

  Harder and harder, she rode him.

  He took one of her breasts into his mouth again and her whole body trembled in his arms. The feel of her uncontrollable spasms around his rod excited him and he thrust dee
per inside of her, releasing his own orgasm.

  She collapsed against his chest breathing heavily and he wrapped his arms around her. He held on because even though she had nowhere to run, he never wanted to let her go.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Jaxon wrapped his arm around Darling's warm naked body as she lay sleeping beside him. He'd known that if he ever gave in to what he felt…it would cripple him. And damn, if it hadn't. Every morning he woke since the night of the cookout, he thought he would wake alone, but not yet. The fear of her walking away had the power to crush his heart. She'd asked him how many times a heart could heal. He didn't know and didn't want to find out, if it meant he would ever lose her.

  He kissed her softly on the cheek. "Breakfast?"

  She wrapped herself tighter in his arms. "Please," she mumbled. "I'm really hungry," she said as she kissed the wrist of the arm closest to her mouth.

  "Waffles and eggs?" he asked.

  "That sounds good, but can you add steak…yeah, steak and eggs, and grits with sugar and butter." She turned to look into his eyes and gave him a good morning kiss.

  He loved the way her dark hair spread across her face in the mornings. He always knew which side she'd slept because that side would be slightly puffier than the rest of her hair, if she didn't hide it away in a scarf. He definitely preferred it just as it was, because when he held her at night he could bury his face in her hair and be reminded by the wonderful hint of vanilla that she wasn't a fantasy. There were even a few nights when she hadn't been there that he'd asked housekeeping to leave everything alone, so that vanilla scent of hers wasn't erased from his pillow cases or sheets.

  He rolled over in bed, grabbed the phone and placed their orders. If he'd ever done anything right in his life, it'd been to book a room at The Peabody, which was legendary for many reasons. One of them was its brunch.

  A half hour later and amazed at how much food such a small woman could put away, Jaxon watched Darling finish her plate before she stole a forkful or two of his with a smile.

  She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know I guess I was really starved." She smiled. "It's your fault. You wouldn't let me sleep last night."

  He kissed her on the cheek as he headed toward the bathroom to shower. "I don't plan on letting you sleep tonight, either." That was a promise. Now that he could have her, he wanted her all the time. Why wait? "I'm going to hop in the shower before I pick my mom up for tennis." He looked over his shoulder. "Join me."

  The smile that broke across her face as she stood shot straight through him. Could he ever get used to not seeing that smile when he woke? He didn't want to think about it; instead, he focused on the beautiful wild-haired woman walking toward him wearing nothing but a smile. This was going to be a really good morning.

  Darling stepped under the warm spray of the shower. The power of the water beat down on her shoulders relaxing her even more than the tasty eggs and steak. Jaxon stood at the other end of the shower waiting for her; his naked body enticing her. Lately, it didn't seem like she needed much, but Jaxon's desire always welcomed her advances no matter where or when.

  His touch to her sensitive breasts sent a shiver through her body that she couldn't remember feeling before, but she wanted to feel it again and again. No matter how many times she told the man not to get her hair wet, he did; but, this time she didn't care. He lifted her and leaned her against the shower wall. Hot water from the shower matted her hair to her face and shoulders, but he brushed it away as he kissed her cheek and neck. The touch of his lips against her skin heated her more than the steam from the shower.

  He held her tight as she bucked against him and the warm shower tiles. Jaxon filled her so completely, but still she craved so much more. He placed her on the tiles of the shower floor, and lowered himself down on top of her.

  The wait for his touch made her reach out for him and pull him into her kiss.

  His moans as he deepened his thrusts inside her increased her need and to satisfy it, she wrapped one leg around him and took every powerful thrust. The ache in her breasts assisted by the hard warm spray of the shower tightened and firmed her nipples, begging for the warmth of his mouth and the tenderness of his tongue. A subtle push of his head gave him the signal he needed.

  She ran her fingers through the wet strands of his hair, holding him tight to her as she kissed him. The weight of his body on top of hers comforted her. She never wanted to lose it, or him. Her leg tightened around him locking their bodies together as her orgasm burst through her, followed by the pulsating thrusts that told her he'd climaxed. Her need for Jaxon was more than sex. Her heart was losing the battle against him. She wrapped both legs around him, and let the water beat down on them as she listened to the rhythm of his breathing.

  How could she ever let him go?

  Dressed in her tennis whites, Jaxon's mother lobbed tennis balls at him with the strength of a woman half her age. A couple of matches a week had become part of their normal routine since he'd been staying in Memphis. Especially with Rodney back, he didn't need to be in the office as much. His relationship with Darling was easier to conceal with one of them out of the building.

  "Mom, let's take a break," he yelled across the court.

  She waved her racquet as she responded, "Okay."

  He grabbed his towel and they walked to a canopied table to order drinks. But, before he could have the first taste of the cold glass of tea in front of him, his mother asked, "Son, how much longer are you going to drag your feet with Darling, and fabricate reasons to be in Memphis?"

  "Am I that obvious?"

  "To anybody watching."

  "She's been through a lot." He finally had a drink of his sweet tea. "If I push too hard, she'll run."

  "What about you?" His mother stared at him with a look of hope.

  He grew more confident every day in what he wanted. "I want to be with her, but…her ex-husband…Their divorce finalizes soon. He and his new wife are keeping the house he built with Darling to raise their new family."

  His mother squinted against the sun as she watched another match on the court in front of them. "Poor girl," his mother said with a shake of her head.

  "They tried for kids for years, but nothing worked. Now, he has a new family and raising it in the house she dreamed their family would live."

  "That's a lot for you to fight against." His mom rattled the ice in her glass of tea emphasizing her words.

  He knew it would be difficult, but wasn't that the mark of anything worth having? "I want…her."

  His mother's glass of tea slipped from her hands against the table and cracked on the ground.

  He pushed up from his seat, but his mom waved him off. "Mom, are you okay."

  One of the waiters hustled over to the spill and for some reason, apologized to them for his mother's spill as he cleaned it up.

  "I'm so sorry," his mother said. "My son surprised me," she said to the waiter with a smile. "Son, I've been waiting so long to hear you say those words about someone, but do you want her because you love her?"

  "I've loved her for a long time. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but every moment I spend away from her gets harder and harder." He sipped from his tea. "I don't want to scare her away," he paused. "But, I've never felt this way about anyone."

  His mother's hand covered his. "Son, as long as you're honest with her, you won't scare her." Her eyes fell to the ground before locking onto his. "Be honest. Be patient."

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Darling cursed the chef at the dive near the office as she rushed to the bathroom. The green tea she'd wolfed back did nothing to calm her stomach. Straddling the toilet, she promised to never eat there again. Her stomach cramped in agreement at the memory. "Ugh," she moaned as she leaned her head against the stall door. She was thankful Jaxon had a great cleaning staff; otherwise, it could be a whole lot worse. The smell of pine actually helped to soothe her stomach.

  "Who's that? Are you okay?" The question was filled
with curiosity, more than concern.

  Go away! "I'm fine."

  "Darling?"

  She stood and flushed the toilet. Wiping her mouth with a huge wad of tissue because the freaking roll wouldn't stop, she tossed it into a nearby garbage can as she focused and eased to the sink on wobbly legs. "Barbara, I'm fine. Thanks."

  Darling didn't have to look at Barbara to know that her eyes scanned her whole body. She could feel it.

  "What's wrong with you? Are you contagious?" Barbara's eyes drilled her as she took a few steps backwards.

  "No, I'm not contagious. I ate something bad at lunch." She tried to force a smile.

  "You sure. You don't look well at all." Barbara frowned.

  "Thanks, but I'm okay." She splashed some water on her face. "But, I think I might go home early. Can you handle the office?"

  Barbara didn't say anything. She kept staring like she knew something that Darling didn't. "You sure you're not pregnant?"

  "What?" Pregnant! She hadn't thought of that. There was no way she could be. She and Steve had tried for children for years. She'd wanted to try IVF, but Steve said it wasn't worth it to spend so much money. According to him, they were too old and should focus on everything else, instead of wasting money on children.

  People would think we are our own children's grandparents. Guess that was not the case with his new wife.

  "No. I'm not pregnant."

  I'll buy a pregnancy test on the way to my parents' house.

  Hours later, surrounded by plastic wrappers from three pregnancy tests tossed without care around her tiny room and shreds of the inconspicuous little brown bag that shielded them from her parents' eyes as she'd carried them into the house, Darling cried. Curled up in the middle of the bed she'd slept in as a kid, she wept until her body shook the mattress beneath her. How had they been so careless? How could she be pregnant at her age? Her divorce wasn't final. She lived with her parents and she was sleeping with her boss.