Her Christmas Wish ; Designed by Love

by Sherelle Green

  Kyra demanded attention whenever she walked into a room and since he was constantly at the Reed house, she walked in and out of plenty of rooms while he was there. He didn’t think he could ever forgive himself for making her feel like she was anything less than special to him back then; however, it was true what they said. Men took longer to mature than women.

  “I’m close,” she whispered, tossing her head back, her moans teasing his ears.

  “Me, too.” He gripped her hips even tighter and angled his so that he could sink deeper into her wetness. The move must have been just what they both needed because she cried out at the same time that he groaned.

  Kyra’s orgasm hit her first, her convulsions bringing him even closer to the edge. Using all the strength that he had, he reached between them and found her nub, teasing her in a way that he hoped would make her come again despite the fact that she’d just had a release.

  A few minutes later, Kyra was bucking in his lap, her moans turning into screams of passion as she rode out another pleasurable wave, this one bigger than the last. Luke couldn’t hold on after that and he soon followed her, releasing his own pleasure, his grunts loud and foreign to his ears.

  “I think we’re getting the hang of this,” she said breathlessly after they both began to come down from the climax.

  Luke laughed. “Pretty sure no one does it better.”

  She smiled, gently nudging her head underneath his neck. “Pretty sure you’re right.”

  There was so much more that Luke wanted to say. Like the fact that the reason it felt so freaking good was because when it was right, it was right. Kyra was the woman he was always meant to be with—it just took him a while to get on board. Now all he had to do was convince her it wasn’t too late for them, but rather, they were right on time.

  Chapter 14

  “I don’t like it,” Kyra said for the third time that day.

  Luke rubbed his forehead. “I’m starting to think there isn’t anything you will like.” It was the third condo he’d shown Kyra that morning and just like the others he’d shown her earlier, and the day before, she didn’t care for it.

  They’d gotten back from St. Lucia four days ago and even though their dating life had been great so far, their Realtor-and-client life was anything but.

  “What’s wrong with this place?” he asked.

  Kyra glanced to the ceiling. “Do you hear that noise?”

  “What noise?”

  “Those heavy-footed neighbors.”

  Luke stopped talking and listened, barely hearing a footstep. “They aren’t that loud.”

  “To me they are,” she said. “Nope, this won’t do. What’s next?”

  Luke glanced at the time. “Kendrick mentioned watching tonight’s football game at his place. Not sure what the women are doing, but I’m bringing Nash so he can meet them. Did Nicole mention anything to you?”

  Kyra nodded. “Yeah, we’re supposed to hang out at her place, too, but while y’all are in the basement, we’ll be catching up on Grey’s Anatomy. It’s kinda our thing.”

  Luke laughed, pulling her toward him. “I’m glad we’ll be in the same vicinity tonight. Is it cool if I stay at your place again tonight, or do you want some time to yourself?”

  She looped her arms over his shoulders, her lips close to his. “I’m not tired of you yet, Mr. O’Connor, so you should plan on spending tonight and tomorrow morning in bed with me.”

  There was a smile on his lips as he kissed her the way he’d been doing since they finally started dating. And as much as he hated to admit it, she was right about the condo. Luke would never let anyone interrupt him kissing his girl, but even consumed in Kyra’s bliss, he could hear the neighbors upstairs walking around.

  When it got even louder, he broke the kiss. “What the hell are they doing? Jumping around?”

  “I told you,” she said. “It sounds like a stampede up there.”

  “Let’s get out of here,” he suggested. “I have a feeling the fellas want to ask me about you and I’m sure Nicole and Aaliyah want to do the same.”

  “You really think Kendrick and Bryant are going to ask if we’re together?”

  “Yeah, because Kendrick was already asking me a million questions when he called about the game.”

  “Do you think they’d tell my brothers?” she asked warily.

  “I doubt it since they don’t talk that much, but I’ll mention it just in case.”

  She nodded her head. “Thank you.” She placed another kiss on his lips, but it was cut short when they heard the footsteps start back again. Kyra rolled her eyes. “You’re right, let’s go.”

  * * *

  “I knew St. Lucia was going to be amazing,” Nicole said. “And your first date on the beach sounds really romantic.”

  “You can tell he’s so into you,” Aaliyah added. “His face was glowing when the two of you walked in.”

  She’d only been at Nicole’s place for the past half hour, but it seemed Grey’s Anatomy was the last thing on their minds. They’d begun questioning her and Luke the moment they walked into the house.

  Nash hadn’t helped them out at all and had even decided to introduce himself to the group so that they wouldn’t have to divert their attention away from grilling her and Luke. It had worked for a couple of minutes, but then, the group became engrossed with getting to know Nash and, not surprisingly, he fit in perfectly.

  “I can also tell how close you and Nash are,” Nicole said. “I know you just met, but I would have believed you if you’d told me y’all had been friends for years.”

  Aaliyah nodded. “I agree. He treats you like a sister already.”

  “He’s a pain in my side,” Kyra corrected. “Like the brother I never wanted because I already have two of those.”

  Nicole adjusted herself in her chair. “Speaking of brothers, when do you plan on telling yours that you’re dating one of their friends?”

  Kyra sighed. “Honestly, I doubt Ajay will care. Sometimes he treats me more like an adult than Taheim does. However, I’m dreading Taheim finding out. I haven’t told Luke this because I don’t want him to freak out any more than he already is, but I’m really nervous about this coming between them. Taheim was clueless about my feelings for Luke growing up and he treats me like a little girl sometimes.”

  “Luke doesn’t seem like he’s freaking out to me,” Aaliyah said.

  “He doesn’t, but I know him. Taheim is his best friend. And the last thing he’d want to tell his best friend is that he’s sleeping with his sister.”

  “Well, yeah, if Luke says it like that, it won’t be good,” Nicole stated. “But anyone around the two of you can tell it’s more than that, so if he handles it the correct way, Taheim will understand.”

  Kyra sighed. “He has to understand because it has taken me way too long to get to this point with Luke for Taheim to mess it all up.”

  “I’m loving this new you,” Aaliyah said, waving her hand up and down at Kyra. “Before you left for St. Lucia, you were so confused about you and Luke. And now you’re ready to defend your relationship with your mind to anyone who comes between the two of you, whether it’s your family or not. It’s so Romeo and Juliet.”

  Kyra leaned to Nicole and whispered, “Uh, has she been watching more classic romance movies lately?”

  “It’s the worst,” Nicole confirmed. “She was bad enough before she was pregnant, but Bryant said all she wants to do is watch sappy films and cry about you. And we both know Bryant is not the type to watch that cheesy mess.”

  Aaliyah waved a hand. “Hey, I’m right here. I can hear you both, you know.”

  “We know,” Nicole replied, deadpan.

  “For the record, Bryant can be a sap sometimes, too, so he happily watches those movies with me.”

  “No, he doesn’t,” Kyra said with a laugh.
“But he loves you and your sappy romantic pregnant self, so your husband is willing to do whatever he can to make you happy.”

  “And I make him happy in other ways, too.” She grinned and shook her feet like a little kid. “You know, pregnant sex is the best sex.”

  Nicole shook her head. “Kendrick and I tried that and it didn’t go too well once I got to be six months pregnant.”

  Aaliyah perched up in her chair. “There’s a trick to it that helps him get deep without your stomach being in the way. As soon as Bryant and I figured it out, we’ve been making love that way ever since.”

  As Aaliyah and Nicole dived into a conversation about pregnant sex and post-baby sex, Kyra took the time to let her thoughts breathe for a moment. She hadn’t had a chance to really think about everything that transpired in St. Lucia since they’d returned, but her gut was telling her she needed to have a plan of action for when she and Luke went to Chicago next week.

  Their relationship was really beginning to take shape and, yeah, she wanted to act like a big girl in front of her friends, but deep down, she was also coming to terms with the fact that she’d been running from serious relationships since Luke’s rejection.

  Now that he was texting throughout the day and randomly dropping off lunch to the shop, or letting her talk to his mom via FaceTime when she called and they were together, everything was beginning to feel very real.

  Tread carefully, girl. She’d spent years giving her friends advice and convincing them to follow their hearts, so it was time for her to do the same. If only she could stop her inner thoughts from creeping in just when things were starting to get good.

  * * *

  “Yeah!” the men yelled when the team they were rooting for made a touchdown. Since he’d arrived, they’d been engrossed in the game, which Luke appreciated since he hadn’t expected to walk right through the door and be questioned about his relationship with Kyra.

  However, now that it was halftime, he noticed Kendrick and Bryant exchanging looks and Nash smirking like he knew what was coming.

  “I’m guessing St. Lucia was really good for you and Kyra,” Kendrick said.

  Luke nodded. “Yes, it was pretty good. No complaints.”

  “So y’all are together, right?” Bryant asked. “Dating and all?”

  Luke laughed. “Yeah, man, we’re together. It’s been a long time coming if you ask me.”

  “He’s downplaying it,” Nash said. “At first, this dude was stumbling over his words when we picked up Kyra for the airport and the awkwardness continued until the two of them finally acknowledged that what they had was more than friendship. I’m telling you, fellas, I felt like cupid out there.”

  “Bro, you didn’t do anything,” Luke said. “Except annoy Kyra.”

  Nash shook his head. “Not true. I gave her some good advice on this trip. I was something like a counselor.” Kendrick and Bryant laughed.

  “We should have left you back in St. Lucia.”

  “You already know I loved it there, so that would have been fine.”

  Luke smiled at Nash’s statement since he had wanted so badly for his brother to enjoy St. Lucia and, luckily, everything had worked out. His mom had even told Nash that he felt like a son to her since the two of them bonded after spending the day together. Uncle Ralph and Trista had expressed the same sentiments. St. Lucians had welcomed Nash with open arms and even though he didn’t get some of the answers he’d wanted, Luke saw a sense of acceptance and appreciation from Nash that he hadn’t seen before. Which is why you need to be honest about everything. Luke knew he needed to circle back to Nash about their father, but things had been going so good, he’d been putting it off. But seeing Nash fit in so well with everything in his life, Luke knew the longer he waited, the harder it would be to talk to Nash.

  “Have you told her brothers yet?” Kendrick asked.

  “Nah, I haven’t. Kyra and I are going to tell them next weekend after her parents’ anniversary party.”

  “I heard about that,” Bryant said. “My dad and Aaliyah’s aunt are going.”

  “I’m not surprised,” Luke said. “Folks tend to move out of Chicago, but y’all know how it is. We tend to stick together regardless.” Luke cleared his throat. “Which brings up the fact that I hope you fellas can keep my relationship with Kyra under wraps until we can tell her family?”

  “Say no more,” Bryant said. “We’ve all been there. That’s your business to tell, not ours.” Kendrick agreed and Luke thanked them both.

  “Seriously, though, I’m proud of you for making things right between you and Kyra,” Nash said. “I may tease you both, but it’s nice to see you together. Don’t worry about what her family will say because anyone can tell you two are good together.”

  Luke smiled. “Thanks, man. I’m still surprised we’re together after all this time. This feels differently than my other relationships. It feels like I’m finally with the woman I’m supposed to be with.”

  “I know the feeling,” Kendrick said. “It was like that with me and Nicole, too. I fought my feelings for her for a while, but when I finally accepted them, there was no turning back.”

  “Aaliyah and I were a little different,” Bryant stated. “I knew she was it for me a while before she even decided if she liked my ass or not. I still fought it when my feelings slapped me in the face, but I’m so glad she’s mine.”

  The room got quiet, each man thinking about the woman who’d stolen their heart, until Nash broke the moment when he said, “Damn, y’all could be the poster men for dudes like me who don’t want to settle down for fear of becoming soft. These women have y’all in here talking about feelings and emotions during halftime instead of drinking beer and catching up on sports news.”

  Kendrick looked to Bryant, who shrugged. “You’re right, man,” Bryant said, taking a swig of his forgotten beer. “Aaliyah is hormonal right now and I swear, I found myself changing as a result of all the things she’s been experiencing. I even caught her crying in the bathroom the other day because she had to kill an ant, and after she gave a moving speech about why the ant should have lived, I found myself damn near in tears.” All the men laughed.

  “Nicole was like that when she was pregnant, too,” Kendrick said.

  “Where is your daughter, anyway?” Luke asked.

  “My mom took her to Europe for some work she’s doing,” Kendrick said.

  “I swear, that little girl travels more than I ever did,” Bryant added.

  All the men nodded their heads in agreement as Kendrick explained, “Nicole has been giving me the hint that she’s ready for more kids. She’s also been making me take all these love-language quizzes,” Kendrick admitted. “She said it will make us feel more connected to one another. I knew it was bad when I almost texted you guys to ask you what your love language was.”

  Luke laughed. “Kyra and I are just starting out, so I haven’t been faced with any of that stuff yet.”

  “Beware, my brother,” Kendrick said. “It’s coming.”

  The game continued and Luke appreciated having men he could talk to about Kyra, considering he couldn’t talk to some of the other men in his life. Soon, the doorbell rang and Kendrick stood to get it, but he stopped when he reached the stairs.

  “I got it,” Kyra yelled down to the basement. A couple of minutes later, she came downstairs with a carton of drinks in tow.

  “Who was at the door?” Kendrick asked.

  “I had some veggie juices delivered for the ladies. We love this stuff and can’t watch Grey’s Anatomy without it.” She took a sip of her drink and walked over to Luke. “Here, try some.”

  Luke eyed the green concoction and shook his head. “No thanks. I think I’m good with beer.”

  “I get it,” she said. “I used to hate it at first, but it’s good for you. Much more nutritious than beer.” She leaned down to wh
isper in his ear so that the others wouldn’t hear. “And word has it, this juice increases your stamina in the bedroom.”

  Luke lifted an eyebrow and took the cup, taking a large sip. “Hmm, that’s actually better than I thought it would be.”

  “Good,” she said with a smirk. “Because I brought four. That one is for you.” She took another cup out of the carton and took a sip as she winked at him and went back up the stairs.

  “This really is good,” he said to himself. He turned his head back to the game and sipped the juice. When he noticed the room was rather quiet, he turned to see three sets of eyes staring at him curiously.

  “Told you it would happen sooner than you think,” Kendrick said.

  “And Kyra can’t whisper at all,” Nash added.

  “Is it really good?” Bryant asked. “Aaliyah has been trying to get me to try that for months.”

  “You should try it,” Luke said. “It takes a couple sips to get used to it.” The conversation once again turned to a topic that made Nash groan in frustration.

  Chapter 15

  “How in the world is it time for Chicago already,” Kyra said as they made their way to the restaurant her parents owned where they were meeting the family for the anniversary dinner. They’d closed the entire place for the occasion and although, normally, Kyra would have come into town early to hang out with her family, she hadn’t been ready for all the questions she was sure she’d get about Luke.

  The past few weeks with him had meant more than she’d ever imagined, and now they were in the city they both grew up in and all Kyra could think about was trying to keep her distance from Luke so that her family wouldn’t pick up on anything.

  “It will be fine,” Luke said, placing a soft kiss on her lips. “It’s your parents’ fortieth anniversary. Everyone in attendance will be busy congratulating them and celebrating. They won’t have time to think about us.”

  “I hope you’re right,” she muttered as they arrived at the restaurant and parked. Walking around the corner, Luke continued to say encouraging words, but it wasn’t working. She’d feel better once they got through the dinner and told her close family that they were dating.