Key To My Heart (Love Conquers All)

by Wells, Victoria

  That was Christina’s cue to look up at Ava. Both women mentally sized up the other. Reaching her hand across the desk, Christina offered it to Ava. “I’m Christina. How are you?”

  Accepting the hand, Ava smiled. “I’m Ava, and I’m doing fine, thank you.” So this is the Christina that Dragon Lady brought up in here to try to take my man. It ain’t happening. Just as Ava thought that, she released the other woman’s hand. “Is Langston in?”

  “Yes, I’ll intercom him,” Christina offered, picking up the phone.

  “No, don’t,” Ava said, stopping Christina. “We want to surprise him.”

  Standing, Christina said, “I’ll show you to his office.”

  “I know where it is.” Smiling down at her daughter, she gently tugged on her tiny hand. “Come on, my Zoe, let’s go see your daddy.”

  Watching them disappear down the hallway, Christina took her seat. From the look Ava gave her, Ava knew what Christina’s original purpose for being at Warrington & Warrington was all about. “Sista looks like she don’t play,” she mumbled to herself as she clicked the mouse on her computer to print another document.

  eee

  “Come in,” Langston called out to the knock on his door as he stood, rounding his desk. He hoped this wasn’t an appointment he’d forgotten about. It was one thirty in the afternoon, and he hadn’t had a thing to eat all day. He was just about to head to the deli on the corner.

  Zoe gently opened the door, peeking her head in. She knew she had to be quiet just in case daddy was on the phone. When she saw he wasn’t on the phone, she burst through the door and ran toward him. “Daddy!”

  Stooping down, Langston held his arms open for her to run into. “Love Bug! Where have you been? You’ve been gone a gabillion years!”

  Zoe giggled at her daddy’s silly exaggeration. “Daddy,” Zoe huffed, rolling her eyes, “I wasn’t gone a gabillion years. Just two days.”

  Langston chuckled. Getting more like your mother every day. Squeezing her tightly, Langston kissed her cheek. “It sure felt like it.” Releasing Zoe from his embrace, he whispered in her ear, “I better go say hi to your mommy. I missed her too.”

  “OK, Daddy.” Zoe tugged on his shirtsleeve to keep him from standing. “Mommy said she missed you too,” Zoe whispered in a secretive tone.

  “Is that so?” he whispered back.

  Bobbing her head up and down, she said, “Uh-huh.”

  Ava lifted a suspicious arched brow. What are they over there whispering about?

  Langston smiled as he stood and crossed the room to stand in front of Ava. “Hi.”

  Looking up at Langston, Ava’s heart skipped a beat or two. His mouth was curved in the sexiest smile. “Hi yourself.” She smiled back.

  “A little birdie told me you missed me,” he said, resting his hands comfortably on Ava’s waist as if they belonged there.

  “Is that right?” Ava asked, tilting her head to the side, and loving the feel of his hands touching her.

  “Mmm-hmm, sure did.” Leaning in close, he whispered against her lips, “She told me to do this too.”

  Zoe covered her eyes with her tiny hands when her daddy kissed her mommy. After a few seconds, Zoe spread her fingers and peeped through them. Her mommy and daddy were now hugging. It was safe for her to take her hands down now, because Grandmom and Grandpop always hugged each other. Grandmom told her some people hug because they love each other. I hope Mommy and Daddy love each other so they can live together all the time like Grandmom and Grandpop.

  Breaking the hug, Ava slid her hands up the solid wall of Langston’s chest. “Did you miss me?”

  A wolfish grin spread across Langston’s face as he pulled her closer. “Dump the kid and I’ll show you just how much,” he whispered close to her ear before striking his tongue quickly like a cobra, hitting the sensitive spot behind her lobe.

  Ava released a startled gasp, nudging Langston away at the feel of his bold manhood pressing hard against her. “How about I dump you, you dirty old goat,” Ava hissed. She could not believe Langston was acting like a horny teenager with Zoe in the room! Granted, his back was to Zoe and the child had climbed up in her father’s chair, swirling around and not paying them a bit of attention. Still, that didn’t mean he could get her all hot and bothered and not be able to do anything about it.

  Langston chuckled. “You know you want me.”

  “Shut up, Lang,” she mumbled under her breath, mad at herself because she did want him.

  “Mmm-hmm, you want me. You just called me Lang,” he shamelessly teased her, flexing his muscles like Mr. Universe and looking darn good as his dress shirt pulled taunt over thick muscles.

  “What?” Ava shouted as she laughed at Langston striking body-building poses. Charging after him, she said, “I’m…going…to…get…you…Lang…ston…Warrin…ton…the…third!”

  Zoe kicked her legs in the too-large chair as she laughed at her mommy running after her daddy around the office, swatting at him like a cat at a mouse.

  Ava stopped dead in her tracks when Langston’s gut let out a loud, angry growl. “Was that your stomach?”

  Laughing, he said, “Yeah, I was on my way out to lunch. Did you and Love Bug eat?”

  Leaning a hip on his desk, she said, “No, Zoe wanted to see you, so we came straight here.”

  “Zoe, huh?” he asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief. Why couldn’t she just admit she wanted to see him too?

  Sucking her teeth and rolling her eyes, she said, “Don’t start your stuff again, Langston.”

  Chuckling, Langston reached out, taking Ava’s hand. “Come on, Love Bug, let’s go get some lunch.”

  Jumping down out of the chair, Zoe ran around the desk, taking the hand her daddy held out for her as they left his office.

  “Aw, they make the cutest little family,” Grace said, smiling as the trio stepped onto the elevator while holding hands.

  Christina looked up. “Yeah, they do,” she admitted, watching Langston lean down and kiss Ava on her forehead as the elevator door closed.

  Chapter 37

  After lunch Ava and Zoe went back to the office and waited as Langston made a few calls before ending his day. Later that night they made popcorn and were watching a Sponge Bob marathon in the family room when the phone rang.

  Langston reached over, picking up the cordless phone off the end table next to the sofa. “Hello?” Recognizing the voice, he smiled. “Hey, how’s it going, Ms. Janet?” Looking down at Ava, whose head was resting in his lap, he said, “I’m good. You want to talk to Ava?” Langston laughed, swatting Ava’s hand as she reached for the phone. “She wants to talk to her granddaughter,” Langston told Ava.

  “Whatever,” Ava said, settling her head back in Langston’s lap as he handed the phone to Zoe.

  The color drained from Ava’s face when Zoe started jumping up and down and squealing. “Grandmom and Grandpop are taking me to Disney World!”

  “When?” Ava asked, knots forming in her stomach as she looked up at Langston. They had briefly talked about taking Zoe to Disney World over the Christmas holiday.

  Beaming like a ray of sunshine while skipping back and forth across the floor, she said, “Grandmom said on Monday.”

  “Monday?” Langston parroted, lifting a brow and looking down at Ava. Langston wasn’t used to making snap decisions. Janet calling and announcing to Zoe that she and Dominic were going to take her to Disney World in three days wasn’t sitting well with him. What happened to discussing things like this with the parents first?

  Ava mumbled, “Oh, boy” when Langston instructed Zoe to hand him the phone. He didn’t have to voice how annoyed he was with her parents. It was etched across his handsome, dark features.

  Before Langston could get a word out, Janet rushed into explaining how she and Dominic wanted to spend some time with Zoe before she started back to school. The woman had no shame as she stressed to Langston that she and Dominic had lived seven years wondering about thei
r only grandchild. And now that they were blessed to have Zoe in their lives, it was their obligation and duty as grandparents to make up for lost time.

  Langston was finally able to interrupt to tell Janet that he and Ava were planning on taking Zoe to Disney World during the Christmas school break, but apparently that was not going to help his cause. Langston could only roll his eyes toward the ceiling when Janet dramatically exclaimed, “Christmas! Oh no, no! Not Christmas, Langston, dear. Dominic and I are having a big family dinner. You, Zoe, and Ava must be here in South Philly for Christmas.”

  Initially Janet’s sermon had grated on Langston’s nerves. But the more the woman talked, he knew in his heart each word was spoken out of love for Zoe. How could he deny Janet and Dominic this request? Zoe deserved grandparents who loved and doted on her the way Ava’s parents did. Lord knew the child never had that from his parents. And besides, Zoe absolutely adored her grandparents. Spending a week with her grandparents would be good for her.

  Langston looked at Ava, who was nervously chewing on her thumbnail, and then to Zoe, who was still skipping around singing, “I just can’t wait to be king!” from the Lion King. He threw up his hands in defeat. Letting out a deep chortle, he said, “OK, Ms. Janet, I give up. What time Monday do you want Zoe ready?”

  When Monday arrived, Ava and Langston stood on the sidewalk and waved until the black Lincoln Town car was out of sight.

  “Are you sure you don’t mind her going to Disney World with my parents?” Ava asked, a touch of uneasiness in her voice.

  Ava loved her parents, but sometimes their spur of the moment wackiness drove her crazy. It wasn’t anything for them to suddenly jump up and say, “We’re going to the Caribbean, or Hawaii, or France, or Italy.” As a child, Janet and Dominic were always dragging Ava and Dom on some impromptu family vacation. And now it seemed that they were going to do the same with their first grandchild.

  Smiling down at Ava, Langston said, “I told you I was OK with it.”

  Standing on tiptoes, Ava gave Langston a quick peck. “Thanks for understanding, Lang.” Taking his hand in hers, she started for the front door. “I hope you know this is just the beginning of them pulling stunts like this.”

  “Oh, really?” Langston asked as he followed Ava into the house.

  Ava nodded and laughed. “Yup. Dominic and Janet Peretti are the king and queen of last minute vacationing. Don’t be surprised if you get a call from them telling you and Zoe to have your bags packed for a weekend at their cabin in the Poconos.”

  “Oh, hell,” Langston drawled, feigning annoyance. But on the inside it pleased him that he was becoming a part of a loving family.

  Ava laughed, elbowing Langston in the side. “Leave my parents alone. They mean well.”

  Chuckling, he agreed. “No doubt, no doubt.” Leaning down, he kissed the tip of Ava’s nose. “Listen, I have to get back to the office for a few hours. You want to go out to dinner tonight?”

  “Like on a date?” Ava asked, a demure smile playing around the corner of her lips.

  Wrapping an arm around her waist, Langston pulled Ava’s soft curves flush against his solid form. “Yes, like on a date,” he whispered as he tenderly kissed her lips.

  It was a good thing Langston was holding her, or else she would have ended up on the floor from the lightheadedness overtaking her. The kiss was so gentle it made her want to cry. Her voice quivered when she spoke. “OK, I’ll be ready when you come home.”

  “You do that,” he told Ava, wishing he didn’t have to leave her. As he drove back to the office, her words kept replaying in his head. I’ll be ready when you come home. Langston prayed he wasn’t imagining things, because Ava had said home as if that was where she belonged.

  Chapter 38

  Soft musical notes floating on the air and the smell of sandalwood scented candles greeted Langston as he entered the house. Setting his briefcase and keys on the table in the foyer, he walked through the dark, shadowy living room and hallway, illuminated only by the heavenly scented candles. Entering the brightly lit dining room, the air was literally knocked out of his lungs at the vision before him.

  Ava was oblivious to Langston’s presence as she filled the beautifully crafted crystal glasses with water. The table was already set. She had placed the tossed salad on salad plates and had the wine on ice in a silver bucket. Now all she had to do was wait for Langston to get home so she could serve the main course by candlelight.

  Tilting his head to the side, Langston’s took in every inch of Ava. Her tresses were piled up high, held in place by sparkly, decorative hairclips. A few spiral curls hung loosely, framing her lovely face. The red spaghetti strap dress she wore was perfectly molded from her breasts to her waist, flaring at the hips and stopping mid-thigh. Three inch heels made her shapely legs look temptingly longer. Langston had to stifle a groan as he imagined how they would feel wrapped around his waist as he made love to her. He whispered, “Oh, dayum,” at the sight of her red painted toenails. He wanted her. Bad.

  Weeks. Langston had waited patiently week after week to have her. After that fiasco with his mother showing her natural black behind, Langston had made a decision to allow Ava to come to him on her own. Although she was affectionate with him, she hadn’t made a move to take things any further. And then there was Zoe. They had chanced it the first time they made love with the precocious seven-year-old in the house. If she happened to wander during the night to his room—as she prone to do—she would have a million and one questions as to why Ava was in bed with him. But for tonight this was of no consequence, since she was in Disney World with the grandparents. The wait is over.

  It was the sound of a low growling that caused Ava to look up and see Langston gazing at her with passion glazed eyes. Just as she was about to tell him she wanted to stay home to have a romantic dinner, and perhaps go out for dessert, the words died on her lips. Dude was advancing on her like a wolf on an open chicken coop. Oh geesh, Ava thought as she took a step back.

  Langston only allowed her a split second to set down the crystal water pitcher. Curving a large hand around the back of her neck, Langston pulled her mouth to his. As he held her in place, plunging his tongue into her mouth, he used his other hand to remove the hairclips, dropping them to the floor, loving how her hair tumbled free.

  Ava eagerly accepted Langston’s plunging tongue as she reached up, her hands frantically working to loosen his tie. Breaking the kiss, she panted out, “Hurry up and take off your jacket.”

  After shrugging off the jacket, Langston’s hands worked at removing his onyx and silver cufflinks as Ava’s hands unbuttoned his shirt. Ava’s fingers glided up the ripples on Langston’s muscular chest and across his broad shoulders as she finally slid off his shirt.

  She had no intention of this happening. All she wanted was a quiet, romantic dinner. Something they hadn’t been able to do with Zoe around. Her intent had been for them to talk about where things were heading with them. However that little discussion was going to have to wait, because this man, her man, had her body on fire!

  Langston let out a stream of hot air when Ava started placing butterfly kisses across his broad chest. He groaned when her tongue circled his nipple. Traveling hands unbuckling his belt made him bite his bottom lip. When she reached inside to massage his already engorged manhood, he took a step back. Grabbing her wrists, he demanded, “Stop.” The caress of her soft, warm hands was too torturous. If he didn’t pace himself, he would lose it.

  When she started to protest, Langston silenced her with a deep kiss. Gently he slid each strap of her dress from the curve of her soft shoulders, causing the ultra sexy dress to pool at her feet. Ava shivered from the predatory stare Langston gave her as she stood in nothing but a lacy red thong and silver strappy stilettos. Oooh, this is going to be goooood! Ava thought. Langston was now looking at her like a wolf in chicken heaven.

  Ava wrapped her arms around Langston’s neck and her legs around his waist as he lifted her off h
er feet, cupping her soft but firm derriere. She let out a long moan as he drew a pouting nipple into his mouth.

  Backing up to the edge of the table, Langston never missed a lick as he switched to the other breast. Holding Ava up with one arm, he used the other to clear a path on the dining room table.

  Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and mushrooms went airborne, along with everything else in his way. The crashing and breaking of crystal, china, and an expensive bottle of wine, along with clinking silverware was of no concern as Langston lay Ava on the table. Tiny shivers traveled the length of her body as he took his time teasing her with tender nibbles, exploring her breasts and the valley between. Ava’s hips bucked off the table when he traveled lower, his tongue circling and dipping into her bellybutton.

  She became self conscious when his fingers gingerly stroked the faded stretch marks on the lower part of her belly. Just as she was about to tell him to stop, Langston’s kisses grew hotter as he set the inside of her thighs on fire. Her body trembled when he pulled her thong to side and began to intimately kiss her. Ava felt like she was floating on clouds as the only man she had ever known loved her so tenderly.

  There were times when others had tried to invade his space. However, with each attempt, before things went to a point of no return Ava’s heart, mind, and body would go on lockdown. Only Langston held the key to her heart, mind, and body. In spite of everything, she had never let go of her love for him . . . and I never will.

  Falling…falling…falling. Ava crashed into wave after orgasmic wave until her body shattered into a million pieces as she let out an ear-piercing scream, nearly rupturing her eardrums. Ava’s thighs were still quivering as Langston stepped back, yanking off her thong before kicking off his shoes and pulling off his trousers, briefs, and socks. Easing back between her legs, he firmly gripped her hips, bringing her to the edge of the table. Lifting her bottom, he entered Ava with such force that he growled and she screamed.

  Perspiration coated their bodies as they mated with reckless passion. Ava’s pelvis rose to meet each and every demanding thrust Langston’s hips delivered. She thought she would die when he untangled her legs from around his waist bringing them to rest on well-built, sturdy shoulders. Each thrust and stroke was deeper, stronger than the last, pushing her to the edge. Ava nearly lost her mind when Langston kissed her, his tongue imitating the motion of his hips.