She chuckled as it slithered to the floor. She turned to kiss him, but his eyes were devouring her bare breasts and the tiny scrap of delicate lace concealing the V at the apex of her thighs.
“God, do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?” he murmured, heat flaring in his gaze. “All evening, I’ve been imagining what you would look like, but my dreams didn’t do you justice.”
He lifted his eyes to her and reached for her, cupping his large hand behind her head and slanting his mouth across hers. Their breaths mingled and tongues dueled, and once again Shantel got caught up in the fever pitch. He gave a roar of triumph and picked her up, carrying her to the bed. Shantel watched with amazement and a bit of reverence as he rose to shed his shoes and clothes piece by piece until he stood before her proud and erect.
She swallowed nervously. She was no virgin, but she didn’t take going to bed with a man lightly. She’d only been with Bobby and two other men, both of whom left her feeling unsatisfied afterward. Shantel had worried it was her, that she was incapable of feeling passion, especially when her last lover advised her to read a book.
As if he sensed her anxiety, Roman leaned over and kissed her lips, his big hands threading through her hair to cup her head. Then he was lowering her backward against the pillows, and his mouth left hers so he could dip his head and draw one dark brown nipple into his hot mouth.
Her back arched as he suckled, sending pleasure straight to her core. Meanwhile, his thumb was passing back and forth over her already sensitive other nipple, teasing it into a tighter bud. She moaned and Roman moved to her other breast, opening his mouth so his tongue could circle, taste and tease the bud. Shantel melted with each mind-blowing stroke of his tongue.
“I want you so bad,” he murmured when he lifted his head from his ministrations long enough to peer at her.
Shantel flushed when she felt the hard evidence of his need pressing against her body, but she wasn’t afraid of it. She wanted him equally as much. “Roman…”
His hands curled into the sides of the scrap of lace at her hips and drew them down her legs. Intuitively, he knew what she needed, what she ached for. So when he slipped one finger inside her feminine folds, brushing past the tight nub of nerve endings, Shantel nearly came apart.
Oh, yes, she would give herself this. If only for one night.
*
Roman enjoyed seeing Shantel like this, completely undone, unraveled and at his mercy. She’d been so sweet, shying away from him before, but not now. There was no reluctance or hesitation. Is that why I feel such a raw, fierce need to possess her? From the moment he’d seen her tonight, he’d wanted to know how she would fit against him, and those soft curves fit perfectly. He couldn’t wait to feel them beneath his body and surround himself with her.
He continued pleasuring her with his finger. She was tight, but wet. She pushed her hips against his hands, signaling she wanted more, so he added another finger, stroking in and out, while pressing his thumb against her swollen clit. A sob fell from her lips and beads of sweat began to dot her lips. He lowered his head and allowed his tongue to glide over her skin in a teasing caress. She tried to shrink away, but he didn’t let her.
“Too much? Tell me what you like, Shantel, what works for you.”
She shook her head and lifted herself on her elbows. “I… I don’t know. I don’t usually enjoy this part.”
Roman frowned as he peered into her brown eyes. “Then someone was definitely doing it wrong. Let me show you how good it can be.” With the palms of his hands, he pushed her back down on the bed, dropping kisses along her belly and hip bone. His fingers lightly grazed her pelvis and inner thighs, and she quivered. He parted her thighs once again and with his mouth traced the delicate folds.
Shantel shuddered at every light lick. She was wet and growing wetter by the second. Roman used all of his skill set to stroke her with his tongue until she went over the edge and shattered into pieces.
He moved upward and pressed a kiss against her temple. “How was that?”
“Incredible,” she said, wonderment evident in her voice. “I had no idea it could be like that. But it’s not enough.”
“Tell me what you want.”
“I want you to make love to me.”
Roman didn’t need further invitation. He reached for the protection in his pants and rolled the condom on before moving over her. She caressed his shoulders, urging him on. Resting his weight on his arms and taking care not to go too fast, he nudged her entrance. She felt so good that he surged forward, propelled by his own lust. Her body welcomed him, so he went deeper. His thrusts were slow and measured at first, but then Shantel arched her hips just right. They both groaned simultaneously, and soon their bodies found an easy rhythm all their own.
They began moving like wild things, their mouths kissing and scraping, their hands clasped together as they soared higher. It was no wonder that when quivers rippled through Shantel’s body, they brought on the most powerful orgasm Roman had ever had in his life, and he erupted. A loud groan tore from his lips as Shantel stroked her hands over his back and shoulders. They continued shuddering together as pleasure burst through them. Roman fell forward on top of her.
Their bodies were damp, their breathing labored. Quickly he rolled to his side and moved away to dispose of the protection and then came back. Shantel immediately curled forward into his chest, and Roman had to admit he enjoyed being able to stroke his hands from the swell of her breasts to her waist and hip and back up again. Usually after lovemaking he was ready to shower and leave, but not with Shantel.
She was different. Special. She stirred beside him. “I guess I should go home now,” she said, but there was a question in her tone.
“No, the night is still young,” Roman responded. “We might as well make the most of it.” He pulled her into his arms and gave her a long, passionate kiss. Soon he was inside her, filling her, making them one again.
But in the back of his mind Roman knew.
This one was trouble.
Four
Shantel woke to sunlight slipping through the gaps in the curtain. A deep sense of satisfaction coursed through her veins. She’d never before felt the pleasure she felt in Roman’s arms last night. She reached out an arm, searching for the source, and came up empty. The sheets were cold.
What the…?
Shantel bolted upright. “Roman?” she called out, her eyes scanning the bedroom, but there was no one. She glanced at the chair where he’d flung off his clothes in his eagerness to be with her, but it too was empty, along with the carpet where his shoes had been.
“Roman!” She called louder this time. Swiping back the covers, Shantel padded, naked and barefoot, to the other room in the suite.
He was gone.
So this is what a one-night stand feels like? She’d heard girlfriends talk about it, and Shantel had vowed to never be like them. She’d done well, until now. At thirty years of age, it had finally happened. She’d been suckered into thinking the night might have meant more to Roman. The way he’d held her in his arms and made love to her not once, not twice, but three times last night.
Christ! She thought about how shamelessly she’d allowed him into her body and to take liberties with her she’d never allowed another man, and she’d done the same to him! But she had no one to blame but herself. She’d gotten caught up in the moment—in the allure of a magical night with a handsome man who knew exactly the right words to say.
Heading back to the bedroom, she sat on the edge of the bed and glanced at the clock. It was nearly 11:00 a.m. She would at least shower before she left and took the walk of shame in last night’s dress to the garage. Thank God she hadn’t used valet parking.
Propped next to the clock was a handwritten note. Shantel felt sick to her stomach, but reached for it anyway.
Shantel,
I want you to know how much I thoroughly enjoyed the evening we spent together. You’re an amazing woman.
; Roman
It wasn’t the brush-off she’d been expecting, but his message was quite clear. Thanks for the hot sex and it was on to the next woman. Shantel was mortified. She’d rather he’d left without any note. Perhaps then their night together wouldn’t feel so sordid.
She should thank Roman Lockett for the lesson, because never again would she put herself out there only to be slapped in the face.
Last night was a memory, an aberration that Shantel one day hoped to forget.
*
“Hello, Bachelor,” Giana greeted Roman when he came for Sunday dinner at their family’s ten-bedroom estate in Atlanta’s Tuxedo Park later that evening. He’d spent the majority of his day trying to forget and downplay the events of the night before. And how he’d lost his mind in the arms of a caramel-eyed beauty named Shantel.
“Hey, Gigi,” Roman said. He kissed her cheek. Then he glanced around the room. “Where’s everybody?”
“Behind you, boy,” his father, Josiah, boomed, causing Roman to turn around to see him and his mother. With his six-foot-five stature, his father towered over Roman at six feet. Josiah was an intimidating man with a wide chest and husky build, the exact opposite of him. His father had played in the league in his younger days and been sidelined by a knee injury, but he’d never given up his love for the game. Instead he’d built a successful career as an entrepreneur, which gave him the ability to buy the struggling Atlanta Cougars franchise thirty years ago.
“Hey, Dad. What’s going on?” He gave his father the strong handshake he required.
“I would ask you that,” Josiah replied. “Heard you made quite a splash with the ladies last night.”
“All my friends were texting me about you,” his mother added. “Seems like you caused quite a stir.”
His mother, Angelique Lockett, was the consummate Southern woman in a floral dress with a wide skirt, cardigan and fashionable pumps. She wore her jet-black shoulder-length hair flipped as she had for years. Her smooth peanut butter complexion was marred by a frown.
“He sure did,” Giana responded. “At fifty thousand dollars, Roman got the highest bid of the night.”
“Wow! That’s impressive,” his mother said, “but then again, all my boys have a way with the ladies.”
“Did someone say ladies’ man?” Julian asked, walking toward their mother. He pressed a kiss to both her cheeks. “How is the most beautiful mother in the world?”
“Oh, stop.” She wagged her finger at him.
Giana marched toward him with her arms folded across her chest. “And where were you last night?” she inquired. “I was supposed to have two Lockett brothers.” She held up two fingers. “At least Xavier told me in advance he wouldn’t make it. You were a no-show.”
“I’m sorry, sis, but something came up,” Julian said, his expression completely deadpan.
She rolled her eyes. “Sure it did. I could have raised a lot more money if it hadn’t been for you.” She pushed her index finger into Julian’s forehead.
While the two of his siblings bickered about what Julian should and shouldn’t have done, Roman’s mind wandered back to this morning when he’d left Shantel sleeping soundly in bed. He hadn’t meant to stay the entire night, but then again, they hadn’t gotten much sleep because they’d been too eager discovering each other’s bodies.
And what a body Shantel had. It was all soft curves, which Roman had enjoyed sinking into. He thought about how timid Shantel had been at first, but then she’d turned all fiery liquid in his arms. Throughout the night, she’d sizzled with passion and he’d lost his head, but when morning dawned, it had been clear to him what he had to do. If he allowed himself, Roman suspected Shantel was the type of woman he could get serious about, and he wasn’t ready to settle down, at least not yet. Plus, there was the matter of his baby brother, who might have something to say about Roman messing around with his best friend. It was better for all concerned if he kept his distance.
They hadn’t talked about seeing each other again. He was sure she understood, or at least in part, that their time together was one night only. So he’d left and purposely avoided those awkward postcoital conversations that, in the cold light of day, tended to be misunderstood. They’d both wanted each other and acted in the heat of the moment.
And now it was over. Time to move on. He’d stepped under the rain-head shower and let the water cascade over him before dressing and leaving Shantel a quick note. The problem was, all day, Roman had struggled to let go of the incredible woman he’d spent the night with.
“Everything okay, son?” his father asked. “You look a million miles away.”
Roman shook his head. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. A little preoccupied.”
“You need to get your head back in the game. The league’s combine is first of March with the draft not far behind in April. We need to secure Curtis.”
“I’m well aware.” As director of player personnel, he handled all major contracts and the club’s salary cap as well as recruitment for the team.
“We need to be ready to trade Dustin Payne so we can get a second, maybe even a third round pick.”
“Dustin is still a good running back,” Roman responded.
“He’s aging and he doesn’t run the ball like he used to. You have to be willing to trade him and get new talent.”
This was where Roman and his father disagreed. Dustin had been a loyal player for years. He’d helped them win two championships. How could they turn their back on him because he was getting close to forty?
“You need to be more cutthroat.” Josiah grasped his shoulders and tugged him toward him. “I didn’t raise you soft, boy.”
“I’m not soft. And I’ll do what’s best for the team,” Roman said. “I know you’re the GM, but I thought you were going to let me run lead this year. Or don’t you trust me?”
“Are you men over here talking football?” his mother asked, joining them by the French doors overlooking the massive terrace and infinity pool.
“Not anymore.” His father quickly softened his tone and circled his arm around his wife’s waist.
“Good, because I want to talk about Xavier.”
“What about him?” his father said.
“Has anyone heard from him?” she inquired. “I’ve tried reaching out to him, but he’s MIA.”
“You know he gets like this around this time of year,” Julian said from across the room. “He goes off to sulk.”
Roman agreed. It was the off-season for football, which meant as a football commentator, their brother could vacation and relax until it was time for training camp and preseason. He wasn’t involved in the combine and draft, though that didn’t stop him from giving his opinion to their father and Roman on who they should consider. Perhaps they should give him more input. Maybe then he’d forget about how he’d once been the quarterback and accept his fate that he would never play football again. Xavier had injured his knee as quarterback for the team. It was so severe all the experts indicated he’d never be the same again, thus ending his career.
“That still doesn’t make it right,” his mother stated. “Someone needs to find him.”
“I will, Mama,” Roman said. As the oldest, he’d always taken the lead when it came to his siblings and nothing had changed.
His mother reached across the short distance and stroked his cheek. “Thank you, Rome.” His mother used his nickname.
“Who’s hungry?” his father bellowed. “Because I’m starved.”
Soon the Locketts were headed into the dining room for the weekly Sunday dinner. As they sat down at the table, Roman wondered what Shantel was up to. Is she okay? Is she upset with me for leaving her without saying goodbye?
He doubted she’d understand just how deep she’d burrowed under his skin in one night. With Shantel a part of Julian’s life, it was inevitable that one day their paths would cross again. Roman dreaded the day he’d come face-to-face with Shantel because then he would be forced to confront thei
r attraction and feelings he’d kept buried deep.
*
“So, are you going to tell me how you ended up bidding on Roman Lockett at the bachelor auction?” Her friend Vanessa immediately went in for the scoop when she stopped by Shantel’s cottage that evening with a bottle of merlot in tow. “Twitter is blowing up about the mystery woman who scooped the handsome bachelor up for a whopping fifty thousand dollars! I mean, where in the hell would you get that kind of money?”
“Roman gave it to me.”
Vanessa’s brow furrowed in confusion. “He bid on himself?”
Shantel nodded. “He didn’t want any of the other women to bid on him, so he asked me to.”
“Because he was interested in you?”
“Don’t make it sound like it’s beyond the realm of possibility.”
“I’m sorry, Shantel. I didn’t mean it that way.” Her best friend peered at her strangely. “Are you okay? It’s not like you to be so testy.”
Shantel glanced away and busied herself with opening the wine Vanessa had brought while they sat lounging on the sofa in the living room. “I’m fine.”
“Whenever you say you’re fine, I know something is wrong,” Vanessa replied. “Did something happen between you two?”
After uncorking the bottle, Shantel poured two generous glasses of merlot. “If you’re asking if we slept together, then the answer would be yes.”
Vanessa spit out the wine she’d been drinking all over her shirt. “Ohmigod!”
Shantel rushed to the kitchen for some club soda and a towel and handed it to Vanessa, who’d followed her. Vanessa began blotting the floral blouse she wore as she sat on a nearby barstool. Shantel knew she’d unceremoniously dumped this news in her best friend’s lap, but Shantel had no background on how to deal with this sort of thing. Her intimate relationships with men were practically nonexistent.
After Vanessa handled the damage to her blouse as best she could, she stared at Shantel. “Okay. Tell me how it came about you ended up in bed with Roman Lockett.”
Shantel sighed heavily and leaned against the bar. “I was at the bachelor auction waiting on Julian. He asked me to come, but he was a no-show. I had a beauty makeover to boost my confidence for the event. I suppose I didn’t look like my normal self.”
Consequences of Passion--A sensual pregnancy romance Page 3
