“Cory!” cries Samantha, elbowing him in the side. “You’re going to let them win!”
“Sam, shut up,” he says in his quiet way, “and let me concentrate.”
“Ugh! Just hit it already!” Samantha goads and smacks Cory on the butt.
“Sam, keep your hands to yourself. We’re in public,” Cory scolds, but a smile twitches his lips. He hits the ball and it goes in the pocket.
“Yes!” screams Samantha, jumping into Cory’s arms. “We win! Losers!” She points at Nate and me and sticks out her tongue.
Nate shakes his head at me. “Sore winners.”
“Samantha’s like that,” I say with a smile. “Some things never change.”
After Samantha and Cory, well just Samantha, comes down off her winner’s high, I turn to her. “Samantha, give me your phone number and email. I don’t want to lose touch once I go back to London.” I mean it too. Tonight showed me how much I missed my old friend, and only I can be blamed for us falling out of touch. She communicated some in the beginning, but after a while I stopped replying. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to know her anymore, but instead I was trying to leave my past behind. I realize now I was dumb. I can be old and new Sloane. Not one or the other.
“Oh, of course!” she chimes and sways. Cory puts a steady arm on her. Too many drinks for Sammy. She grabs a napkin and then looks around blindly for a pen.
“Here,” I say, and hand her one from my purse.
“Thanks!” she exclaims way too excitedly over a pen.
She hands the pen back and I scrawl my information on the bottom of the napkin she used. I then tear it and hand her my information.
“It’s been so good to see you.” She throws her arms around me. I stumble under the sudden assault and Nate steadies me. I don’t flinch this time.
“I missed you, Samantha. Don’t forget to call me,” I remind her. I release her death grip and then hug Cory. “Take care of her,” I warn.
He smiles smugly. “I always do.”
“Ready?” asks Nate motioning to the door.
“Yeah.”
He opens the truck door for me like a perfect Southern gentlemen.
“I’m really glad you came to dinner with me.”
I laugh. “I’m glad I did too. Just don’t tell my mother. All I’ll hear is, ‘I told you so, Sloane.’”
He laughs at my imitation of my mother. “You sound like her.”
“I am her daughter,” I chime.
“Yeah, I guess you are,” he says, still chuckling.
All of the awkwardness with Nate is gone and I think maybe I might have even made a friend. He pulls in the driveway and I scribble my email address down on a piece of paper stuck in my purse.
“Just in case I don’t see you again before I leave,” I tell him. “I’d really like to stay in touch, Nate.”
He smiles. “I’d like to be friends.”
“Great,” I say and kiss him on the cheek. “Thanks for the date.”
He laughs. “I didn’t even buy your dinner.”
“Thanks for the un-date then.” I shrug.
His laugh echoes behind me as I make my way to the door. Before I can turn the knob it swings open to reveal my mom jumping up and down on the balls of her feet and clapping her hands.
“How was it?” she asks. “Did you have fun? Oh, please tell me you were nice to the boy?” She pulls me toward the couch.
“It was okay. We’re better off friends. Remember, I have a boyfriend, Mom. And of course I was nice. Does that answer all your questions?”
“Friends why? He’s such a nice boy,” she pouts. Obviously, not all her questions have been answered.
I groan and roll my eyes. “Because I have a boyfriend.”
She sighs. “Can I at least see a picture of this boyfriend?” she asks.
“I don’t have one,” I admit.
She narrows her eyes at me. “Does he even exist, Sloane?”
“Mooooom!” I drawl out the word. “Of course he exists!”
She puts up her hands and says, “Okay, Sloanie. Don’t get defensive.”
“Where’s your computer?”
She points to the coffee table where her laptop resides. I power it up and bring up Google Images. I type in Siva Kapur.
Immediately, pictures of my amazing, brooding, arrogant, moody man pop up. He stands in one of his trademark suits in front of the modern backdrop of his business. Whenever I ask Siva what his business is he always sighs and says, “Sloane, it’s lots of things. I’m involved with publishing, oil, real estate, lumber, fishing, I’ve got my finger in everything.”
In the picture, he has his arms crossed over his chest and a broody look on his face. His black eyebrows narrow at the camera as if daring it to take a bad picture of him.
“That’s him?” asks my mom.
“That’s Siva,” I inform her. “The way most people see him. With me … he’s so different. Happy.”
“He’s … handsome,” she admits reluctantly.
I look at my mom like she’s crazy. “He’s way more than handsome.”
“And he’s Devak’s brother?”
“Yeah?” I say but it comes out as a question. “Where are you going with this?”
“It’s … oh, honey,” she says, patting my knee. “Do you think maybe you’re attaching your feelings to Siva because you miss Dev? The next best thing,” she adds with a pitying look.
“No,” I say vehemently, shaking my head. “I love Siva. I’m in love with Siva. He’s … he’s everything to me, Mom. I love him so much it hurts. I never felt like that with Dev. I loved Dev but … this is different, so different. You have to believe me.”
She looks at me in sympathy. “Oh, sweetie, you do love him, don’t you? That look on your face … wow.” She whistles. “My eyes lit up like that whenever I talked about your daddy. I miss him,” she says softly.
I hug my mom. “Is it supposed to hurt this much, Mom?” I ask.
“My sweet Sloane,” she says softly in the way only a mother can. “True love hurts the worst.”
***
“Bye, Mommy,” I say, hugging my mom goodbye at the airport. I rarely call her Mommy anymore, but it’s what I grew up calling her until I was in high school, and right now I feel like I’m saying goodbye to my mommy not my mom.
“It’s so good to hear you call me mommy. It’s like you’re five years old again,” she says with a wistful smile. “And Sloanie?” She holds me at arm’s length. “Be sure and let the boy know how much you love him,” she warns, and pats my cheek.
I swallow. “I will,” I say, finally finding my voice.
“I love you, baby girl.” She hugs me again.
“I love you, too.”
She hugs me once more and then starts to walk away. She turns back and says in a soft pleading tone, “Please try and visit more.”
I smile. “I will.”
I mean it too. Even though this trip was short it showed me how important it is to come home and spend time with family and friends. Our roots are important, and no matter how hard you try you can’t ever fully cut them away.
She smiles too. “And bring that man of yours this time,” she adds in a warning tone.
I laugh. “Of course.”
She waves once more and then is gone.
The plane touches down in London. It’s good to be home. Home. This is my home now. Savannah, Georgia may have been my birthplace, the place I grew up, but London is where I belong. I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. But another one replaces it. An even heavier one. Siva.
We depart the plane and I go to get my bags. Once that headache is complete I head for the exit planning to get a taxi. But that isn’t what fate has in store for me.
He stands leaning against a column. Hands stuffed into his designer jeans and a loose gray sweater hugs his shoulders. His black hair, normally slicked back, is now around his head in disarray but I think it only serves to make him more be
autiful. He’s looking at the ground as if he wants to melt into the wall and never be seen. He’s imperfect and perfect all at the same time and I wouldn’t have him any other way. Scars and all.
As if sensing my presence he looks up and his violet eyes meet mine. He smiles hugely but his smile soon turns to a frown as he remembers our last encounter and what prompted it.
I walk toward him. I seem to have no choice in the matter. My feet carry me right to him like we’re magnets and when we get close enough we have to connect.
“What are you doing here?” I gasp, still in shock. I keep expecting him to disappear like a mirage in the desert.
A small smile tries to quirk his lips but he shoots it down. “Making the big gesture,” he says softly.
“Coming to get me from the airport is a big gesture?” I ask with a laugh.
“Well, when you put it that way,” he says and smiles a real smile.
But that doesn’t mean the giant pink elephant isn’t still in the room. I decide to clear the air.
“Siva, I said I believed you and I’m sticking by that.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “In your heart do you believe that or are you just saying it?”
“In my heart,” I vow, and put my hand over my chest to further my point.
“I would never hurt you like that. At one time it was my way; I’m not going to lie. But now? No, never. You mean too much to me. You’ve changed me. For the better,” he adds and puts his hand on my wrist.
I look around the airport and then at him. “Can we go home?” I beg quietly.
He grins. “Home? As in my place?”
“Well, yeah.” I shrug like it’s no big deal. “That is the place I’ve been living for almost six months.”
“But you called it home,” he reminds me.
I smile. “You’re my home.”
“You’re full of great one-liners aren’t you?” he jokes and hearing the lightness come from him feels good.
“I don’t know about that.”
He laughs, puts one arm over my shoulder, takes one of my bags, and leads me from the airport.
***
“Siva?” I begin, that night during dinner.
“Yes?” He raises a brow after he swallows a bite of fish.
“I’m going to quit my job.” I blurt the words out there, getting a feel for how they sound, and it’s as right as I thought it’d be.
He chokes on his wine. “What? Why?”
I shrug my shoulders nonchalantly. “It doesn’t make me happy. I need a change of pace,” I explain. He knows this already, of course, but I’ve been so adamant on not quitting.
“Do you want me to set up an interview for you?” he asks once he recovers.
“No,” I say. “I appreciate it but I want to do something completely different. I’m sure I’ll go back to journalism and take you up on your offer but not right now.”
“Why the change of heart?” he asks. “I thought you loved writing.”
“I do,” I sigh. “But … I guess sometimes I feel like my life is passing me by. I want to do something different to say I did.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“So, you’re okay with it?” I asked.
“Of course. It’s your life. I’m not going to try and control you.”
I smile up at him. “I love you.”
He grins like a fool. “And I love you.” He pauses. “Can I take you to bed now?”
I laugh and nod my head. Last night he wouldn’t touch me, saying he wanted to make sure I was one-hundred percent over the Alexa thing. I truly am. I believe what he told me, and she got fired for it, so there’s nothing to worry about.
He grabs me up in his arms and carries me up the steps bridal style. I wrap my arms around his neck.
Most days, I can’t believe we ever got to this point. Things were so strained between us in the beginning. I never in a million years would’ve thought then it would turn into the greatest love of my life.
“I thought you were hungry?”
“Not anymore. At least not for food but I’m starved for you,” he says.
He lays me down on the bed and stands back unbuttoning his shirt. Inch by delicious inch his brown skin is exposed. The tiny scars are a lighter color, but I think they only make him more beautiful and unique.
He bends his body over mine and presses his lips to mine. “I never knew I could love someone like I love you,” he murmurs.
“I feel the same,” I breathe.
I thought I knew what love was, but Siva showed me it’s the complete opposite.
“Lift your arms,” he commands, and I do as I’m told relishing in the heat in his steely gaze. He removes my shirt and it joins his somewhere on the floor. My chest heaves with each breath I take.
Even though this isn’t our first time together, somehow it feels like it is. After what happened before I left for the States this feels monumental somehow. Like a step into new territory, taking us in a whole new direction.
He takes my hand and pulls me up so we’re both standing now.
He ducks his head into the crook of my neck placing a tender kiss to the sensitive skin.
“Sloane,” he murmurs, then bites the skin. “Mine,” he growls.
He places kisses all over my chest and then pops the claps on my bra letting it fall down my arms. I let it fall and before it can hit the ground he palms my breasts, his mouth latching onto one of the stiff peaks.
“Oh, my God,” I moan, feeling my body clench from the pleasure.
He drops to his knees and looks up at me as he undoes the button on my jeans and tugs them and my panties down my hips. He drops kisses on the inside of my thighs, down to my knees and calves. It’s like he’s determined to kiss every surface of my body.
“Lie down and spread your legs,” he commands, and I do.
I’m so lost in him right now I’ll do whatever he says.
“Oh, my God, Siva,” I gasp a moment later, my fingers pulling on his silky dark hair when his mouth latches onto my center. He kisses me there like he’s starved. I moan as he swirls his tongue. He’s way too good at this. He barely has to do anything and I’m ready to go off like a rocket.
He works his tongue against me like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Like he could do this all day long.
When my orgasm hits my whole body shakes with the force of it and his head surfaces with a too pleased smile.
“Your turn,” I say, sitting up with a smirk.
He shakes his head and pushes me back down with a steady hand on my stomach.
“No. Tonight is all about you. You deserve it.”
I watch as he strips out of the rest of his clothes, highly enjoying the show. His tall body is lean and slightly muscular. He’s strong in a way that isn’t intimidating. Though he can certainly be that way if he wants to.
He grabs a condom from the drawer, rolls it on, and grabs my legs, pulling me toward him.
“Eyes on mine,” he commands.
I raise my eyes to his and gasp a second later when he thrusts inside.
My lips part and a second later his cover mine stealing all the oxygen left in my lungs. Somehow, even while he takes my breath away he also breathes life back into me.
Our bodies move together in sync, like we were made to fit together like two puzzle pieces. It’s magic. We’re magic.
“I never knew I could love someone like I love you,” he murmurs, and my heart soars.
I don’t think I’ll ever grow tired of hearing him tell me he loves me. Love is the most powerful feeling that exists and Siva’s love burns with the power of the sun. Maybe it’s because he hasn’t loved much in his life, but when he does love he does it fiercely.
He kisses me again, tugging my bottom lip between his teeth and letting it go with a pop. He glides his hand down my body, finding the tight bundle of nerves and begins to rub.
“Siva,” I pant. “Siva, oh … oh, my God.”
�
�Let go,” he urges. “I’ve got you.”
And I do, because I know he does.
My hair hangs in waves down my back. It’s chilly today so I slip on a pair of jeans and a thick grey sweater. Siva comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my body. He kisses my cheek.
“Quitting today?”
“No time like the present,” I sigh. I’m nervous, this is a big risk, but not nervous enough to not do it. This feels right.
He smiles. “Good luck. Not that you need it.”
I take in his pajama-clad body. “Are you going to work?”
“No. I’ve got something planned for tonight.” He grins mischievously.
“And it’s going to take you all day?” I raise a brow.
“It has to be perfect.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “What do you have planned?”
“It’s a surprise,” is all he’ll say.
“Okay. I’ve got to go.” I stand on my tiptoes and kiss him.
Instead of taking the elevator to the garage I go to the lobby. I stand outside the lobby and hail a taxi. I’m surprised Siva is letting me take a taxi. His mysterious plans must be very important.
I hand the driver some cash when we arrive at Avid News and head into the building.
“Hey!” calls Lyndi.
“I’ll be right back,” I say to her. She frowns but sits back down. She’s going to be so sad when she learns I quit.
I knock on April’s office door.
“Come in,” she calls.
April is seated behind her desk tapping violently on her keyboard. Her blonde hair is pulled back into a severe bun. A wrinkle has formed between her brow as she concentrates. I hate letting her down but this must be done.
“Sloane, what do you need?” she asks, looking up.
This is hard. I’ve worked here ever since I finished college. Avid News is familiar to me, the people my friends, and I’m about to say goodbye to it all.
“Well as you know I went to visit my mom and it gave me some time to think about things.” I clear my throat. “April, I’m quitting.”
Temptation Page 18
