Take It

by Francesca Penn

  Dex’s face beamed like a proud papa. “Good job, Lee Lee! I knew you could do it! How was it? Do I need to give him pointers?” His questions were serious.

  Kalilah shook her head. “Surprisingly, no. He seems to be a natural and…uh…well researched.” Dex clapped proudly.

  “Fan-fucking-tastic! The Sinclair legacy continues!” Dex sobered momentarily. “Can I name my future niece or nephew?”

  Kalilah blanched as conflicting emotions ran through her body. Fear from being pregnant from a guy that didn’t want a relationship, hope at the idea of having a family with Nick, and humor that Dex felt she would get pregnant that easily all collided in her mind.

  She tried to scoff, but she sounded more like a startled cat. “What are you talking about, Dex? I am on birth control you know.”

  Dex raised an eyebrow. “Fifty bucks says he gets you pregnant. He has been a virgin for thirty years. That has to be some industrial strength semen.”

  Kalilah punched his arm. “Are you sure you haven’t talked to him already? That man pounces on me every chance he gets. It’s a miracle we made it here.”

  Dex looked proud and amused. “Again, see my comment about being a virgin for thirty years. Besides, be happy you’re dealing with Nick; I would have had you walking funny for weeks.”

  Damn. Dex was extremely sexy, and that statement didn’t help. She believed him without having to stretch her imagination. She knew Dex would be an animal in the bed, and she had much respect for the woman that would capture his heart. That reminded her…

  “Dex. I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and not label you as a playboy. But, if you plan to pursue my sister. Do not treat her like a piece of ass…”

  Dex stood and pulled her into a big hug. She hated when he did that. It was distracting being against his hard body.

  “Thanks for the faith. I am not looking for a fling. Those are easy. I’m currently reevaluating life. I respect you enough to respect your sister. If, and that is a big if with a capital ‘I.F.’, I try to date your sister, your threat is duly noted.”

  Dex grabbed her hand and led her out of the office.

  “Leave your empty plate on my desk. I’ll take it to the kitchen. Let me get you back before Nick kicks in the door.”

  Kalilah giggled and allowed herself to be led by Dex and noticed the death glares from several members of his staff. He turned to her before they were visible to his patrons and placed a hand on each shoulder. He pulled her closer and looked her in the eyes.

  “Kalilah. I really do consider you to be my best friend.”

  He kissed her on the forehead and sent her back to her table. Nick was currently entertaining Cayla and Natalia with funny stories while opening the gifts they’d bought for him. Dex was right. He was a lot more relaxed.

  It took everything in Nick’s power not to severely break the speed limit on the way back to his house. There were at least three moments when he’d almost asked Dex to borrow his office. Nick knew, without a doubt, that Dex would have let him. He was dying to kiss and touch Kalilah, and three hours without contact were three too many. Nick almost sighed with relief when his house came into view. His dick did a happy dance because he wanted to make up for lost time.

  It was amazing what a little sex could do to a man’s confidence. A week ago, had Kalilah disappeared with his brother like she did, Nick would have been pacing in the hall outside of Dex’s office. Today, he trusted them, like he did before, but there were no doubts asking him if he was right to trust them. Nick knew Dex well enough to know he wanted to grill Kalilah about his skills. He also knew Dex only questioned her to see if he needed to offer tips and or advice.

  Dex would definitely try to get the actual details from him. But, none of that mattered. Later, he would give Dex shit about lying about going out of town and not telling him he had opened a restaurant. Right now, all that mattered was getting Kalilah naked and tasting every inch of her. Kalilah had been uneasy about something ever since that morning, and he planned to find out what that was after sex.

  Nick watched as she slowly climbed out of the car. She was buzzed from all the brunch alcohol; her steps were deliberate and measured. Her sexy hips swayed more with her practically drunk walk. She ended the call with her mother and tossed her phone in her tote purse. Her dress was one of the causes of his distraction. It had a halter top that he’d been dying to untie all morning. Her back was completely exposed, her skin glowing in the sun. The soft material started again before the crack of her ass and stopped a little above mid-thigh. The cobalt blue material also cut a deep V on her cleavage which made Nick wonder how he was able to eat.

  She tried to unlock the door with the spare set he gave her, but her alcohol-addled brain was slowing down the process. Nick sidled up behind her and started to kiss her back as he slid the keys out of her hands. She was gyrating her hips against his erection, and Nick struggled to concentrate on the lock. Once inside, he pushed her against the door and swallowed her mouth in a hot kiss. They licked, sucked, and nipped at each other, too horny to go slow. He pressed his leg between hers, and she started to grind against his thigh in response.

  Nick gripped her hips underneath her dress and started to slide his hands down once his thumbs hooked the fabric of her underwear. He nibbled down her neck and between her breasts as he moved in the same direction as her panties. He fell to his knees as Kalilah kicked off her panties. The scent of her arousal beckoned him. He lifted her dress enough to find his treasure.

  Nick’s erection was straining hard against his jeans, and it was starting to hurt. He unzipped his pants and pulled it out. The cool air of his home hit his tip, and he moaned at the relief. His dear Kalilah put her right leg on his shoulder giving him more access to her body. Not one to waste time, Nick slid two fingers down her slit and pushed them inside. Kalilah moaned his name. He rubbed her juices on her clit before sucking it into his mouth. He savored the taste of her as he lapped up the evidence of her desire for him.

  “Nick...” Kalilah moaned. “You’re so damn good…”

  He felt her body quiver before she could finish. She grabbed his head and rode out her orgasm on his tongue. Nick didn’t think it was possible to be more turned on than he was, but Kalilah riding his face was one of the sexiest things he’d ever experienced. His heart swelled in his chest when he looked up at a partially sated yet very aroused Kalilah.

  Her hair covered her face in wild waves that fell to her shoulder – light brown waves as she’d changed her hair color again. Her pouty lips, void of gloss, but moist from his kisses, were slightly parted and beckoning him. Her half-lidded brown eyes studied him with so much unfiltered lust that Nick was briefly stymied. No one had ever looked at him with such concentrated intensity.

  Kalilah gripped his shirt at the collar and started to pull up. Nick stood and finished removing his shirt. He reached behind her and tugged at the bow that taunted him all morning. He watched Kalilah shudder as the smooth material slid down her body; leaving her just as he always wanted her – completely naked. His palms tingled with the anticipation of touching her body.

  “You, me, and this door have unfinished business.”

  She grinned before pulling him closer and wrapping her legs around his waist. Nick pushed inside of her hard and fast. His dick gave a celebratory twitch when her incredible body hugged him like a glove. He could live inside of her. Their moans echoed in his foyer which was now his second favorite place in his house.

  Nick gripped her tightly, his fingers digging into her ass cheeks as he thrust with the urgency of a man in lust and love. His knuckles grazed the cool wood of the door and his muscles burned, but the way Kalilah was nibbling on his neck gave him all the motivation needed to keep going. Kalilah weaved her fingers in his hair.

  “Nick…” Kalilah panted. “I love…”

  Nick’s heart skipped a beat. Hope flooded his body. Winning her love would fulfill his ultimate goal and he couldn’t think of a better b
irthday present. Although, the one he was currently getting was also close second.

  “I love…how you feel.”

  His disappointment was short lived when Kalilah pressed his head against her breasts. He sucked her nipple in his mouth and lightly tugged as he felt the telltale signs of his pending orgasm.

  “Cum with me, baby.”

  He hooked her left thigh in his right arm and lifted her leg higher. Nick’s mind was focused on one goal as he thrusted deeper and harder to get both exactly to where they wanted to be. Kalilah clenched, and the delicious pressure or her body clamping down on his was the last imaginary straw his dick was willing to take. A surprise gasp escaped his lips before he could stop it or the cum that was currently filling up Kalilah’s body.

  “Oh, yes!” Kalilah moaned right before she shuddered in his arms.

  They clung to each other until Nick’s lungs stopped burning. He peppered her face with kisses and murmured endearments until they both had the energy to move. Kalilah grabbed her dress and ambled towards his room, still completely naked. If he knew her like he hoped, a good shower and nap were in their near future and he couldn’t wait. He grabbed her discarded purse since her phone was in it and made sure the door was locked.

  Nick looked at his door again and grinned. He would never look at that door the same again.

  Kalilah suppressed the one hundredth deep sigh for the day and her 1000th inner pep talk forced her to smile. This is Nick’s day, she told herself for the gazillionth time. It wasn’t working. Nick was true-to-life getting dressed and asking her opinion on several different outfits with no intention of inviting her. The worst thing was, she had no grounds to be upset. He’d never promised her anything past sex. Hot, toe-curling sex, but sex nonetheless. The only reason she was here watching him get dressed was because her house was inhabitable until Wednesday.

  Kalilah felt her stupid body flush with arousal when the muscles in Nick’s naked arms flexed from the effort to put on his final shirt selection. He winked at her then started buttoning the sky-blue shirt. Bastard. He was fully aware of what he did to her, sexually at least. Nick didn’t appear to realize that he was currently hurting her feelings, but that’s an issue for a different day.

  He tucked his shirt in his charcoal slacks and buckled his pants and belt. He opted not to wear a tie and pulled on his blazer instead. Kalilah wanted nothing more than to pull him on the bed and take off every piece of clothing covering his body.

  Enough was enough; she refused to be the mopey, freshly showered yet naked woman lying in his bed waiting for him to return. Time for an emergency girl’s night. She needed to remind him that she had a life outside of him and this agreement. Kalilah flipped open her suitcase and pulled out some sexy underwear. The task didn’t require much effort since she made sure every pair was sexy until Wednesday. She slipped into her coral, transparent bra and snapped it in the front. Her brown nipples were still easily visible since it wasn’t created for coverage.

  Kalilah made sure her back was to Nick when she slid into her thin lacy, see-through boy shorts. She wanted him to see how the cheeky bottom cut high on her ass almost like a thong. Once dressed in lingerie that covered nothing, she shimmed into a tight, knee length dress. It was navy blue, long sleeved which revealed nothing in the front. The back was v-cut and had a silver zipper that ran from the back bottom slit up to the V of the back.

  Nick was eying her hungrily. She wasn’t surprised that her request for him to finish zipping her dress resulted in him placing a bunch of hot kisses on her back and neck. Her pulse spiked, and her body prepared to do what they’d been doing all day.

  “You’re killing me Kalilah,” Nick growled in her ear.

  His warm breath sent shivers through her body, but her goal wasn’t to seduce him right now. She wanted him to miss her.

  “I have a little more time…”

  He groaned when she bent over to apply her lip gloss in the mirror. His heat warmed her ass as he pressed closer.

  “Where are you going?”

  His question almost didn’t register because her body was completely focused on his finger sliding down the exposed part of her spine.

  By some miracle, she managed to apply her mascara and gloss without error. Satisfied, she moved out of Nick’s reach and dabbed a little perfume on her body.

  “Out with the girls.” She shrugged. “I’m sure we can find some trouble to get into.”

  She ran her fingers through her hair to make sure it fell into flirty waves around her shoulders. Silver stiletto pumps finished her look and she was ready. Her heart pleaded for him to ask her, and her brain told her not to be clingy.

  She was wearing almost the outfit she’d picked in hopes of being invited; she would have worn more conservative underwear of course. Nick would never know because she would deny it to the end. Even if she couldn’t go, it would be a shame to let a good outfit go to waste.

  “Have fun at your birthday party, Nick.” She pecked him on the lips.

  Nick gripped her tightly and deepened the kiss. His tongue slipped past the seam of her lips and toyed with hers. Kalilah wrapped her arms around his neck and savored the kiss. Her overactive hormones convinced her that getting naked again would be the proper thing to do; it was his birthday after all. Nick broke the kiss and pressed his forehead against hers. His eyes promised sex, and his body agreed. His voice was husky with arousal.

  “I should take you with me...” Her heart filled with hope and she looked at him expectantly. “And lock you in the car until I’m finished.”

  Was he fucking serious? Hope and desire took a nose dive. They crashed into a million pieces and burned in an awful, fiery death. Kalilah took a step back and suppressed yet another sigh.

  “You shouldn’t keep your people waiting.”

  She headed towards the door, walking with a stiff spine. One of them were clueless, and Kalilah was starting to wonder if it was her. How did he possibly think it was a good idea to suggest locking her in the car like she was a pet he could put away until he was ready to play again? She felt it was her obligation to tell him in case this was the beginning of the end. She sighed and turned on her heel to face a somewhat confused Nick.

  “Nick, in the future, if you are having sex with a woman… it doesn’t matter if she is just a fuck buddy…” She pointed at herself. “Like me, or the love of your life, she will lose her shit if you offer to leave her in the car while you attend an event you didn’t invite her to.”

  Kalilah was out the door before he could reply. Her car was in drive before he made it outside. She drove off rationally, not slow enough where she would have to talk to him, but not fast enough to look upset. She saw him, as handsome as ever, standing at his front door with his hands in his pockets, watching her leave. It was hard to read the emotion on his face in the fading sun. Kalilah took solace in the knowledge that he could not see the tear that slid down her cheek.

  Chapter 21

  N ick sloshed his beer around in his glass, the amber liquid threatened to escape over the rim before settling back under the foam. This was supposed to be his favorite beer, yet he tasted nothing. He looked around the party – his family and friends, the usual people, all dressed up and having a wonderful time.

  The band played, and people danced. Servers walked around with trays of Nick’s favorite food and drinks, yet he had no desire to reach for anything. His parents’ mansion was beautifully decorated for his celebration. His mother usually spared no expense. She loved throwing parties, and her children’s birthdays were no exception. She’d ensured they had a birthday party every year since their first birthday. The themes updated with their ages.

  He smiled at his parents on the dance floor. They beamed at each other like they were the only two people in the room. Nick was happy and jealous. He wanted that badly. Worse, he wanted it with the one person who was not here. Kalilah. His stomach rolled again at the possibility of her being gone by the time he returned home.


  The idea scared the hell out of him. He didn’t know how he could exist in the place without her. She’d only been there twenty-four hours and the house finally felt complete. If it wasn’t for the stupid fraternization policy, she would have been here in his arms instead of…he had no idea where she was.

  Her iPhone was at his home, and he was big enough of an idiot to still not have her Android number. He couldn’t quite place her demeanor when she left, but he knew she wasn’t happy. Disappointed? She wasn’t angry, he’d seen angry. Defeated or hurt maybe? Yes, definitely hurt. Fuck. It was a bad joke.

  Nick should have thought about the implications. He’d questioned her all afternoon about her mood, and she insisted she was fine. Yet, he’d still felt uneasy all day preparing for a party that they both knew she wouldn’t be attending. He should have known that his joke would not go over well. Her words confirmed his suspicions. She wanted to go.

  The phrase “fuck buddy” felt like she’d stabbed him in the heart. Was that all he was to her? He thought they were, at least, very good friends. He wanted more from her. She already had his heart; he just needed her to accept it. “Fuck buddies” seemed so low on the relationship spectrum. He rubbed the pain out of his chest. He’d tried so hard to get her to see him as more than a guy that needed her for his own personal agenda, but maybe he’d missed the mark somehow. Maybe she wasn’t ready for a relationship, and he was spinning his wheels.

  “Did your date stand you up, son?” Nick’s mother studied him with maternal concern.

  “Date?” Nick asked, confused by his mother’s assessment.

  Amelia Sinclair’s brown eyes twinkled. “I’ve been dying to meet the woman in your life, but she appears to be a no-show.”

  “Woman in my life?” Nick asked coolly even though his nerves were raging. Had he been that transparent? If she knew about Kalilah, would she tell his dad?

  “Yes, son, you’ve been working out and changed your entire appearance. Only a woman has that much power.”