Comfort of a Man (Arabesque)

by Byrd, Adrianne

  Suddenly, she was curious about what prompted this line of questioning. “I doubt it.” She watched him as he nodded. “Why do you ask?” This time when he shrugged, she didn’t believe his act of nonchalance. “No reason.”

  “You,” she said with a weak smile, “are a bad liar.”

  “So my best friend keeps telling me.”

  Her lips widened while she waited for a real answer.

  “Your ex-husband’s guess of our true relationship gave me the distinct impression that he was jealous.”

  “Our true relationship?” Brooklyn repeated, lowering her fork so she could bridge her hand beneath her chin. “What exactly is our true relationship?”

  Isaiah cocked his head as he maintained eye contact. “I think we fall into the category of lovers.”

  “One night—”

  “So far.”

  Brooklyn’s body jerked from the impact of his words and try as she might, she couldn’t pull her gaze away from his intense stare.

  His smile turned devilish and the room’s temperature increased another ten degrees. “Of course, this is totally up to you.”

  “Are you telling me that you only asked me out for a repeat performance of our time in New York?”

  “Isn’t it the same reason why you accepted?”

  Cornered by the question, Brooklyn slid on a brave face, though she couldn’t help but feel a flicker of disappointment. “We did have a nice time.”

  “Just nice?” An infectious rumble of laughter filled the space between them.

  “Okay, it was better than ‘nice.’”

  “I’d like to say it was earth-shattering.” His brows jiggled playfully above his twinkling gray eyes.

  She crossed her arms. “Mind-blowing.”

  In a blink, his amusement faded into seriousness. “It was amazing.”

  “Incredible.”

  Heat radiated between them, transforming the room into a sweltering sauna. Isaiah controlled his primal urge to pounce, but his desire to have her heaving passionately beneath him did propel him to his feet.

  Brooklyn stood. Her gaze followed him as he neared. Her entire body ached to be touched. When he stopped before her, she could only hear the blood rushing into her head.

  He cradled her chin between his fingers. “I’ve missed you.”

  She leaned into his touch; the wondrous fusion of fire and ice sucked the air from her lungs. However, he didn’t wait to hear her response. He leaned toward her. The precious few seconds it took for their lips to connect felt like an eternity.

  The familiar taste of him was like a sweet homecoming to her feral emotions as her arms encircled and drew him closer.

  Their kiss grew hungry, neither seemingly able to get enough of the other.

  As his hands traveled down the length of her back, a quiver of pleasure followed in their wake. His hot mouth nuzzled the column of her neck and she couldn’t stop the tremor in her knees.

  She nipped at the lobe of his ear and smiled wickedly at his sharp intake of breath. He wanted her as much as she needed him. Why should they continue to pretend otherwise?

  He unzipped her dress.

  “I want you.” His husky proclamation penetrated the thick cloud of desire that encircled her brain.

  “I need you,” she answered in honest, careless abandonment. She brought her hands down against his muscled chest and experienced another heat wave.

  Isaiah bent forward and before she knew it, he’d swept her up into his arms. “Where’s the bedroom?”

  If she was going to protest, this would be the time to do it, she realized. “Upstairs. First door on your right.”

  He rewarded her with another breathtaking smile, and then kissed her again with the same mindless passion before carrying her out of the dining room and up the stairs toward her bed.

  RELAX AND ENJOY THE RIDE

  Chapter 16

  Isaiah lowered Brooklyn onto the bed. The sweet nectar of her kisses pushed him near the edge of madness. She tasted too good and felt so right lying beneath him. No other woman had ignited this fire—this longing within him.

  He nuzzled her neck, the gentle slope of her shoulder, and then grew hard at the sound of his name tumbling from her lips. With a patience he didn’t feel, he peeled the thin straps of her dress from her shoulders and pushed the gown down and off her luscious body.

  He sucked in a breath at the sight of her red satin and lace lingerie.

  She charmed him with a sly smile and while he was distracted, she tugged the belt of his robe, and then pushed the thick material off.

  He hovered above her while her arms looped possessively around his shoulders. A strobe of lightning flashed outside the window and enabled him to read so much in her sparkling gaze.

  His mouth covered hers and he was instantly drunk with passion. He cupped her breasts and his arousal heightened at the feel of their fullness.

  Brooklyn broke their kiss and drew in deep shaky breaths. “I need to ask you something.”

  Talk? She wants to talk? Lord, please say she doesn’t want to talk. He, too, drew in a deep breath and spoke in a feigned patience. “Okay.”

  “Do you have a condom?”

  Suddenly, Isaiah wondered if she would think less of him if he just started crying. He rolled off of her and dropped his head into his hands. “You’re not going to believe this.”

  To his amazement, she laughed.

  He shook his head. “I meant to stop by the pharmacy on my way—well, in case something like this happened. With the storm and everything I guess I forgot.” He sighed and cast a sidelong glance at her.

  Her laughter deepened.

  Isaiah shook his head. “I fail to see what is so funny,” he said in a near pout.

  “We are,” she announced. “I mean, even my son…”

  He frowned. “What?” There was something erotic and conspiratorial about the latest curve of her lips.

  “I’ll be right back,” she said, and then stood from the bed.

  Isaiah groaned with lustful appreciation of her beautiful legs clad in thigh-high stockings. The red garter belt and high shoes were a nice touch, too. Slowly, it dawned on him that she was about to leave the room. “Where are you going?”

  Despite the low lighting, he witnessed a slight flush to her golden skin.

  “I think I have the solution to our problem.”

  His brows rose in mild surprise and the hope that all was not lost galloped through his veins.

  “Stay here,” she said and slipped through the door.

  Was she kidding? Wild horses couldn’t drag him away. He smiled, leaned back, and crossed his arms behind his head. “I’ll be right here.”

  Brooklyn couldn’t believe what she was about to do as she walked into her son’s bedroom. Guilt told her she should be ashamed of herself while the other half of her conscience encouraged her to hurry.

  She crossed over to Jaleel’s chest of drawers and rummaged through its contents. A whiplash of disappointment hit her when her initial search came up empty. Her hands became a frenzy of movement and she literally jumped when she hit two boxes buried toward the back.

  Relief and disbelief assailed her. “I’m going to need counseling after this,” she admitted under her breath. “Orgasm control?” She shook her head and opened the new box. “Popular brand.” She withdrew two condoms, and then stopped before putting the package back. She and Isaiah had definitely used more than two the last time they were together.

  “I’ll just take a box and replace it later,” she decided and shoved her son’s clothes back into the drawer, and then rushed back to her bedroom.

  Isaiah sat up. “There you are. I was starting to worry.”

  She held up the box of condoms. “Jackpot.” His deep rumble of laughter warmed her and she smiled back at him in the semidarkness. She turned and moved toward her dresser and found the lighter she kept in a glass bowl.

  “I think we need some more light.” She walked around the r
oom and lit the lavender-scented candles that were strategically placed throughout the room. “There. That’s better.” She turned and faced him.

  Isaiah stood from the bed. The beauty of his naked form immediately thinned Brooklyn’s breath as he strolled toward her.

  He smiled when he stopped in front of her. “Do you still want to go through with this?” He slid a hand along the side of her face.

  She smiled. “You still talk too much. I’m just sorry I missed your undressing.”

  His soft chuckle was like a mild aphrodisiac. At his head’s slow descent, her knees weakened at the feel of his warm breath against her skin. When his lips pressed against hers, all thoughts vanished.

  Suddenly, his hands and mouth were everywhere and still it wasn’t enough. Soon, she couldn’t tell his ragged breathing apart from her own.

  Again, he swept her into his arms, carried her back to the bed, and burned a trail of kisses down the column of her neck. Then, he removed her bra with the skill of a magician.

  His lips claimed an aroused nipple and Brooklyn writhed beneath him, convinced she would drown in an ocean of euphoria.

  Mindlessly, her hands roamed across the span of his back, while a small flame ignited within her.

  “I love the way you taste,” he moaned.

  The erotic praise emboldened her to do her own tasting. She kissed his shoulders, his chest, and then flicked her tongue across his hard nipples.

  He sucked in a breath. “Good Lord. You’re going to be my undoing.”

  “Promise?” She joined him in his amusement as she slowly rolled onto her side, and then over to claim the top position.

  Their familiar dance for dominance became a titillating performance they both enjoyed.

  While she continued to pay homage to his muscled chest, she was more than aware of his hands unsnapping the hooks of her garter belt and relieving her of her panties.

  She relinquished the top position without protest and when his magic fingers dipped between her silky walls, she could only manage a gasp of pleasure.

  Isaiah’s tongue invaded her mouth. In no time at all his fingers and mouth collaborated to work in the same mind-shattering rhythm.

  After a long while, Brooklyn tore her lips away to cry out her body’s orgasmic explosion—and still his hands didn’t stop. She inched up the bed while she locked her hands against his arm in a vain attempt to stop his sweet assault.

  She tried to beg him to stop, but failed. Another orgasm gripped her, but her cries were muffled by Isaiah’s mouth.

  He reached down on the bed and retrieved the box of condoms.

  “Why don’t you help me?” he asked huskily.

  “With pleasure,” she responded in a tone that rivaled his own. Tenderly, her hands teased against his hard shaft before she actually slid on the condom.

  When she’d finished, he grabbed her hands and locked them above her head.

  “Oh, you’re going to pay for that,” he warned.

  “Promise?”

  His response was the gentle entrance into her body.

  Brooklyn sucked in as much air as her lungs would allow as the sheer size of him filled her completely.

  He kept her hands pinned above her while their hips began a slow rock.

  She locked her legs around him and met his movements—thrust for thrust in a competition they both intended to win.

  Music played in her head. It was the same orchestra from that long ago wintry morning. This was paradise—she was sure of it.

  For Isaiah, he was positive he’d returned to heaven. The simple smell, taste, and feel of her were like no other homecoming he’d known.

  After long minutes of slow, deliberate moves, his passion took over and his tempo quickened. He plunged deeper and reveled in the sound of her moans as they grew louder.

  Tears slid from the corners of her eyes. She was overwhelmed by his sweet torment. Her head thrashed in wanton abandonment against the pillows and soon a familiar fire lit within her intimate core, and then blazed into an inferno.

  Isaiah sucked in a breath through clenched teeth; his thrusts had transformed into a frenzy of jerky movements as he neared the finish line.

  Together, their bodies shook with a violent eruption as his roar and her cry of release blended into a unique crescendo.

  He fell limp against her, and then carefully rolled to her side. For a long moment, neither spoke. Well aware of the other’s stamina, they both knew that this was merely an intermission before the next act. Taking advantage of the calm, Isaiah pulled Brooklyn against him. This woman had captivated his heart and mind like no other. And he vowed that this time, he would never let her go.

  Chapter 17

  Brooklyn awoke cocooned in a mesh of arms and legs, and this time gave thanks for last night not being a dream. She smiled and stretched against Isaiah, but stifled her movements when she brushed against his arousal.

  “You’re finally awake,” Isaiah said from behind her.

  Her smile widened as she wiggled her rump against him. “I can tell you are, too.”

  He kissed the back of her head. “Don’t start anything you can’t finish,” he warned with mild amusement.

  She wiggled again and laughed out loud when he threw the covers back and flipped her over to face him.

  They were both naked, compliments of their early morning shower. Their skins were soft, too, thanks to an even later baby oil contest.

  “I thought by now you would’ve had enough,” Isaiah said, capturing a kiss.

  Brooklyn melted and greedily accepted all he had to offer. When his lips withdrew, she gave him a timid smile. “I don’t think I can ever get enough of you.”

  His gray eyes twinkled as he smiled. “I can’t tell you how good that is to hear.” This time when his head descended, his mouth settled on an erect nipple.

  Lazily, she closed her eyes and enjoyed his tongue’s playful teasing. In no time, her body came alive beneath his skillful sorcery. After a while, his mouth finished its quiet worship with her breasts and traveled lower along the length of her body, settling at the soft triangle of curls between her legs.

  Brooklyn bit her lower lip and ran her fingers through his hair. Then, her breath hitched and a jumble of words spilled from her lips.

  He slid his hands beneath her to give him better access and control.

  Her orgasm slammed into her with the force of a locomotive and she tried her best to wiggle away from Isaiah’s ravishing mouth. When it was clear that she couldn’t, she was reduced to begging for mercy.

  Isaiah released her. He laughed as he crawled up the bed beside her and slid on a new condom. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  For his remark, she gave him a hard smack against the shoulder. “You don’t play fair.” She swiped a pillow at his head.

  He ducked beneath another pillow and proclaimed, “All is fair in love and war.”

  “Is that right?” She climbed on top of him and tried to wrestle the pillow away from his face. When that didn’t work, she tickled his sides.

  He relinquished his hold and tried to grab hold of her arms.

  Brooklyn locked her legs at his sides while he bucked beneath her. Hit with a flash of inspiration, she stopped—just long enough to reposition herself.

  Isaiah removed the pillow from his face and was about to say something when Brooklyn attacked his sides again. At the first thrust of his hips, he slid easily into her. His eyes rounded in pleasant surprise.

  “All is fair in love and war,” she reminded him with a wicked smile and then leaned forward to steal a kiss.

  “You’re a quick learner,” he praised when their lips separated.

  “Well, let me show you what else I’ve learned,” she said, grabbing his arms and pinning them above his head. “Remember this?” In a painfully slow rhythm, she rocked her hips, and then flashed him a victorious smile when a low groan rumbled from his chest. “Damn, you are good,” he said. He watched her through the haze of his lash
es, while his thoughts turned to mush from the exquisite feel of her.

  Brooklyn took her time and relished the way he completely filled her. After a time, her gentle rocking quickened and she released his hands to submit to the glorious feeling building inside her.

  Isaiah’s hands settled against her hips as he now joined in and pumped in the same madding pace.

  Their breathing came hard and fast. Each clung to the other as though their very lives depended on their reaching this marvelous pinnacle together.

  Brooklyn’s cry of ecstasy overpowered his rough shout for the Almighty. And when she collapsed against him, they laughed at what had just transpired.

  “You’re trying to kill me,” he panted.

  “What gave me away?”

  He laughed and kissed the top of her head. “So,” Isaiah said and leaned up to place a kiss against her forehead, “what does a man have to do to get some nourishment around here?”

  She nuzzled closer. “Ah, the man wants breakfast.”

  “I can’t possibly be the only one. We both had quite a workout.”

  At that moment, a loud and long growl resonated from Brooklyn’s stomach and she winced with embarrassment.

  “I guess that answers my question,” he said, kissing her again.

  With a skill and grace that amazed her, Isaiah sat up and then stood from the bed with her body still clasped around him. She giggled and held on tight as he carried her to the adjoining bathroom.

  In the shower, Isaiah took his time washing her incredible body, not to mention the hard time he had remembering the object was to clean her and not muss her up again. And he would have been successful, too, had she not shattered his determination by teasing him mercilessly when it was her turn to wash him. In no time at all, he had her wet body pressed up against the tile.

  By the time they made it to the kitchen, it was really time for lunch. They started off with the greatest of intentions: to fix a couple of sandwiches. But after two bites, the kitchen counter was wiped clean and Brooklyn was laid out for a different kind of feast.

  Soon, only a few rooms were saved from their all-day sex-a-thon. The rain had returned with the setting sun, and the reacquainted lovers lay spent in front of the fireplace in the living room.