“We won’t, but I couldn’t resist you, and I’ve waited a long, long time to see you again.”
His soft tread on the carpet made her raise her gaze to his. He stopped before her, and she stiffened. Whatever he had planned, she’d resist him this time. There was too much at stake.
“Fridays, right?” he asked.
“Right,” she answered.
He reached behind her and picked up a small notepad and pen. He scribbled something on the pad, tore off the sheet, and then tossed the pad and pen back onto the credenza. He extended the sheet of paper.
Naphressa looked at it. “What’s this?”
“My address. Be there next Friday night, bring an overnight bag, and don’t wear your ring.”
“Just like that? What if I don’t show up?”
“You’ll show up.” He planted a quick, hard kiss on her mouth and started toward the door.
“How can you be so sure?” she called after him.
Axel paused, his gaze scrolling over her in a knowing way. “Because you want this as much as I do.” He opened the door and left.
Naphressa pressed her fingertips to her throbbing lips. Damn, he was right.
Arrogant ass.
7
She was really doing this.
Before knocking on Axel’s door, Naphressa glanced around the neighborhood, taking stock of the quiet, tree-lined street. Shrubs flanked either side of the stairs leading up to the front door of the two-story home made of stone and brick. It looked like the kind of place a family of four would occupy—not a bachelor arranging weekly sexcapades.
When Axel came to the door, he lifted her left hand to check for the ring, which she’d left at home. He dropped her hand.
“Satisfied?” she asked.
“Yes. Welcome.” He took the overnight bag from her shoulder and placed it on the first step of the staircase leading to the second floor.
She half expected him to get down to business immediately. Instead, he showed her around the first floor, made up of large rooms, including a formal dining room, an office, and a full bathroom. Very neat and without clutter, the design concept was modern with a homey feel that made her want to take off her shoes and curl up on the tan sofa in the living room.
Axel had clearly showered right before her arrival. Water droplets glinted under the light in his damp hair, and the fresh scent of pine soap commingled with the earthy aroma of his cologne. He wore a ribbed cotton long-sleeved shirt with three buttons that stopped mid-chest. Speaking of chest, the soft fabric outlined his perfectly, molding to the contours of his hard pecs and tempting her to touch. Combined with a pair of dark slacks that flattered his tall frame and thick thighs, the man was a delectable tease, making her almost pant in anticipation for the night to come.
Naphressa paused in the open doorway of the kitchen. “I didn’t expect all this,” she said, walking in and gesturing at the set table.
“What did you think? That I’d bumrush you at the door and tear your clothes off?”
She laughed, licking her dry lips. “Nothing quite so barbaric.”
“But close,” he said with a hint of a smile around his eyes.
“Yes. After all, we both know why I’m here.”
“Yeah, and I’m struggling to keep my hands to myself right now.”
Naphressa took the compliment in stride, her walk a little more confident as she strolled to the table. It was set with covered dishes and white plates with a gold strip around the circumference. Fresh cut tulips sat in a glass vase, and the scent of roasted meat perfumed the air.
“But,” he added, “I decided I better feed you. I hope you haven’t eaten.”
“Only a light snack.”
“Good. Have a seat and eat as much as you like.” As she settled in the soft chair, he bent to her ear. “You’ll need the calories for the long night ahead.”
The back of his fingers touched the side of her neck ever so slightly. His touch was sensual and already way too familiar. She drew in an involuntary breath, her stomach contracting with need.
“A man who can cook in the bedroom and in the kitchen. You’re like a unicorn. That’s very rare,” she remarked.
“Not as rare as you think, but I’ll take the compliment. Wine?” He held up a bottle of Sauvignon blanc.
She shook her head. “Water, if you have it.”
“I do.” He filled a glass. “I remember you didn’t drink in Belize, either. Mind if I ask why?”
“Not at all. I don’t like the taste of alcoholic beverages.”
“I can understand that.”
She sipped her water, watching him sit across from her and spread a white napkin across his thighs. “What is all this, Axel?”
He looked up. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, all this.” She made a sweeping gesture with one hand. “Wine, a home-cooked meal. I thought I was coming here to have sex.”
“Can’t wait, can you?”
She glared at him and he laughed.
“We will have sex, but like I said, I need to feed you first. Later, we’ll burn off all those calories.” He flashed a sexy grin, his teeth looking especially white and brilliant because they were surrounded by the black hairs of his groomed beard and mustache.
He lifted the dome off a serving dish with a flourish and revealed a cut up roasted chicken dribbled with gravy. “Chicken and roasted potatoes. I hope you like rosemary.” He lifted the glass cover off a white bowl and then off a large wooden bowl. “And a fresh salad, tossed with my own honey, lime, and garlic dressing.”
“You’re going to spoil me.”
“I hope so. Bon appetit.”
If he went to all this trouble for a women he only wanted to screw, how did he behave when he was in love, when a woman received his devotion and attention? Was Axel the kind to stay loyal and respect his vows, or would he turn into a fraud like her ex?
There was no way to know for sure, but right now, he was doing a helluva good job convincing her he was husband material.
The meal had been great, the conversation flowed smoothly, and Naphressa had a wicked sense of humor that kept him laughing throughout dinner.
Seated on the futon in his office with an after-dinner drink of rum and Coke in the hand resting on his knee, Axel’s eyes followed her as she glided across the carpet, gaze trained on the various trophies he’d won in basketball leagues with his friends Cole and Braxton. There were other awards, too—including one for community service and a humanitarian award given by the mayor for Axel’s work with the homeless.
“You’ve done a lot of good in the community,” she said, leaning closer to read the words on one of the certificates.
“I try.”
Standing across the room, her eyes found his. “Don’t be modest. All of these awards suggest you do a lot more than try. You’re rolling up your sleeves and putting in the work.”
“My parents ran a nonprofit for years, before they finally had to let it go because they couldn’t raise the funds necessary to keep the company afloat. I worked there off and on over the years, and I guess the desire to do more stuck with me. It’s rewarding work.”
“Is that why you ended up in Belize building a school while on vacation?”
“You could say that. I hadn’t planned to, but a member of the resort staff offhandedly mentioned they needed help at the school, and I wanted to help. Why did you participate?” He sipped his drink.
“Because you asked. But Belize was a spur-of-the-moment trip. I picked a place on the map and bought a ticket to escape.”
“Lucky for me.”
“Lucky for us both, I guess,” she said softly. Her eyes turned thoughtful. “Have you ever been married, Axel?”
“Never got that far, but I was engaged once.”
“What happened?”
“Trying to understand me?” he asked, shifting on the futon.
“Maybe. I feel like you know a lot about me, but I know very little about you. Why didn�
��t you make it to the altar?”
“Long story short, Rose, my fiancée, broke off our engagement.”
Her eyebrows flew higher. “She ended your engagement? Why?”
He laughed. “Now it’s my turn to take your surprise as a compliment. She got a job offer she couldn’t refuse and left the state.”
Naphressa rested a hip against his desk. “Do you keep in touch?”
“Nah. We did for a while, but after about a year, the calls fell off. I got a text from her for my birthday two years ago. Haven’t heard from her since.”
“How long ago did you split?”
“Four years this summer. How long were you and Byron married?”
“Five years. I was twenty-five when we met, still trying to figure out what to do with myself. I was a property manager at one of his parents’ apartment complexes. He came on site and did an inspection and we chatted, went to lunch. I didn’t think much about our interaction. I thought he was handsome and funny, but that’s it. I didn’t think he’d even noticed me. Two days later he called and asked me out on a date. I surprised myself by saying yes.”
“Surprised yourself?”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to mix business and pleasure.” She bit the corner of her mouth, eyes becoming heavy-lidded. “I’ve had a hard time sticking to that ideal, it seems.”
“I think you’re allowed to make exceptions. In my case, anyway.”
“Only in your case?” she said with a smile and one elevated eyebrow.
“Yes.”
His chest tightened as he continued to look at her. The dark jeans and off-the-shoulder pink blouse showed off the beauty of her dark brown complexion and all night had been tempting him to touch his lips to her skin.
“You’re a beautiful woman, you know that?” he asked, letting his gaze scroll down her figure.
“So I’ve been told.”
“So it’s not news to you.”
“Not at all,” she said loftily with an easy smile.
A few seconds ticked by. “Come here.”
He wanted to kiss her. Seven days had passed since he’d had the pleasure, but her taste was fresh on his lips. He could hardly wait to experience every inch of her naked skin against his when their bodies joined together again.
She set her glass of water on the table. Her chin tilted higher, eyes darkening as she approached and stopped a foot out of reach.
He looked her steadily in the eyes. “Undress for me.”
She seemed to hesitate for a minute. Unsure. Studying him. Then she unsnapped her jeans and pushed them down her thighs. She stepped out of her shoes and tossed the jeans to the floor. Next came the pink top, pulled over her head and dropped atop the jeans. A pink demi-cup bra covered her full breasts and matching lace panties covered the lower part of her body. She was all feminine curves and smooth, dusky-dark skin.
“All of it,” he said throatily, temperature rising as he watched her.
She smirked at him, the same smile that she’d shot at him numerous times during their trip. He liked her confidence. She was sexy personified.
She stood before him, totally nude, and he wished he could freeze this moment in time—this feeling of complete and utter satisfaction. This was the woman he’d been looking for, but how to convince her that he was the man she’d been looking for?
Axel lowered to his knees and kissed the trimmed triangle between her thighs. He flicked his tongue along her damp slit and groaned. As he continued to taste, she steadied herself with her hands on his head. Angling her hips, she pushed farther into his mouth.
But he refused to go deeper, laughing softly at her frustrated whine.
“Please, Axel.” Her voice trembled with desire.
He decided to show mercy and lifted her from the floor. With long strides, he took her to his bedroom and laid her across the bed. He stripped out of his clothes and then lowered his head between her legs again. His mouth simply hadn’t had enough, and he loved her taste. She cried out at the renewed contact and sent a shiver rippling down the center of his back.
He planted gentle, hot kisses all over her sex. When she came, her honey dripped onto his tongue, and he greedily licked every drop from her swollen flesh.
He kissed his way up her lean torso and passed his tongue across her left nipple. She crushed his head to her, her moans filling the dark room as she smoothed her hands over his head in encouraging strokes.
Minutes later, he joined their bodies with a smooth slide between her thighs. Huffing at his thrusting hips, she clawed his shoulders and begged for another release.
His lips were on her arched throat, his hands gripping her soft bottom as he fucked her slow and steady, taking his time to savor the sweet, tight clasp of her sex around his dick.
“You feel so damn good,” he groaned.
“Yes, yes,” she hissed, breaths coming faster and her chin tilting higher toward the ceiling.
He felt the moment she came, her feminine muscles convulsing around him in rapid-fire motion. He barely had a moment to take a breath before he lost all control and pounded faster, spilling into the condom and winding his arms around her so tight he immediately let go for fear he’d crushed her.
Seconds later, their breathing slowly returning to normal, Axel held Naphressa in the prison of his arms so she couldn’t move and kissed her damp forehead.
Then he finally succumbed to sleep.
8
Following the tempting aroma of bacon and freshly brewed coffee, Naphressa sauntered along the downstairs hallway, stretching and yawning as she went. She should have left first thing this morning but couldn’t bring herself to leave the warm comfort of Axel’s bed and arms, only getting up ten minutes ago because he’d left and she missed cuddling with him.
She entered the kitchen where he was busy at the stove. He didn’t hear her enter, so she was able to watch him for a bit. He wore his pajama bottoms but no shirt, whistling softly to himself as he made pancakes to go along with the bacon draining on paper towels in a plate on the counter. With great difficulty she refrained from rubbing her face against the soft skin of his muscular back.
“Good morning,” she said, padding over to the coffee pot.
He glanced up and flashed her a pristine smile that brightened his face. Ugh, he was perfect, and the way his dark eyes scrolled down her body—adorned only in a white sleeveless tee and white panties—made her lady parts throb at the memory of how his lips had turned her inside out last night.
“Good morning,” he replied.
Naphressa prepared her coffee with a little sugar and then leaned a hip against the counter as she watched him pour pancake batter into a hot skillet.
“You’re too good to be true.”
He arched an eyebrow at her. “You don’t really believe that.”
“I do. Look at you. You’re shirtless and making pancakes from scratch, for goodness sake.”
He laughed and continued working. “They’re not from scratch. They’re from a box, and all I had to do was add water.”
“But I bet you could make them from scratch.”
“I can,” he confirmed with a slick smile.
Naphressa glanced around the spacious kitchen, complete with a smart refrigerator, double ovens, and a small island in the center. Natural light poured through the curtainless windows, brightened the opened space, and sent an invitation to come outdoors and enjoy the deck and large, sloping back yard.
“You get so much light in this house. It would be great for painting.”
“Any time you want to set up an easel and paint, you’re welcome to do it. The den would be a good spot.” He nodded at the space that opened into the kitchen.
She didn’t respond, not daring to read too much into the invitation.
“It was a suggestion, nothing more. Don’t overthink it.”
“I’m not,” she insisted.
“Uh-huh. I saw the wheels turning.”
“You think you know everything.�
��
“That’s because I do. I didn’t tell you? I’m a mind reader.”
“What am I thinking right now?” She stared at him.
He narrowed his eyes, pretending to concentrate. “You’re thinking…I can’t wait to get this man back into bed.”
She guffawed, the sound of her exaggerated laughter filling the room.
“I’m not wrong,” he said.
“You’re dead wrong.”
He used the spatula to place a pancake on a plate and then poured in the last bit of batter to fry. “Sure. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you when I get finished with this food.”
“I want to eat when you get finished, thank you very much. Then I’m leaving.”
“I was hoping you’d stick around for a while.”
“And do what?”
He shrugged. “Talk. Keep me company.”
“You don’t have anything to do today?”
“No. You?”
“I was going to head over to my sister’s for a little bit and watch the kids while she and her husband go out for lunch.” Naphressa cradled the mug and sipped her coffee.
“You help them like that a lot?”
“Every now and again, to give them a break. Hazel, my sister, usually has a babysitter, but I offered to do it for her so I’d get to spend time with my niece and nephews.”
“So the lady likes kids.”
“I like my niece and nephews,” she corrected.
“Like I said. You like kids.”
She laughed softly. “How about you? Do you like kids?”
“I do. I’m an only child, so I always wanted a big family.” He flipped the pancake.
“That explains it.”
“Explains what?”
“You’re an only child, so that explains why you’re so cocky and full of yourself. You experienced a lot of love and attention from doting parents, no doubt.”
“You got me, it’s true. And I’m really close with my parents, too. They live in Augusta, and I visit them sometimes on the weekends. They have a great marriage. Watching them love on each other after so many years is kind of…refreshing, you know?”
Love Me (Irresistible Husband) Page 5