by King, Thayer
“I’m open to suggestions.”
“How about nature names? Like Flower for a girl and Rain for a boy.”
“Oh, I love those.” He grinned and her breath caught at his handsomeness. Dear God, had she ever been so aware of a man? She didn’t think so. They finished lunch and though they were supposed to be watching a movie, they returned to her office so that Keith could continue to play Sims 2. Before they knew it, an hour passed. During that time, their miniature selves found jobs and got several promotions. Keith made improvements to the house and furnishings as they made more money. And though he chose not to have them have children for financial reasons, little Keith and Imani made love every night.
Imani couldn’t help but comment. “Do you think that’s realistic?”
He shook his head as he went into buy mode to add more lighting to the house. He didn’t look at her as he said casually, “No, I don’t think it’s very realistic. They always fall asleep after. He never wants seconds.”
“That’s not what I—” Taking a breath, Imani decided to let the subject drop. What was she thinking? Discussing sex with the man? It was like picking at a scab. She would only exacerbate their potential issues. “Anyway, now you understand the nature of my addiction.”
He saved his game and stood. “Yeah, I do.” He stretched his arms over his head. Imani admired his physique as his shirt stretched taut. She even caught a glimpse of his hard belly. Good grief, she was beginning to feel like one of his groupies. When he pulled his hands down, he checked his watch. “Wow, I can’t believe how late it is. You shouldn’t have let me play so long.”
“I was as caught up as you.”
“That was fun, but it would eat up all my productive hours. Tomorrow, I’m taking you out to dinner.”
“I’m not going to argue.”
“I’d better go.” She walked him to the door, where they stood awkwardly for several seconds before Keith leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I had a good time tonight.”
When he would have exited, she stopped him with a hand to his arm. She touched his cheek, feeling the stubble along his jaw, before sliding her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. Bringing his face close to hers, she studied his lips. They were full and pink and she knew they would be soft against her own. He whispered her name just as their mouths met.
She moved closer when the initial contact wasn’t enough. Ever the gentleman, Keith’s hands settled firmly about her waist and moved no lower and no higher. He even kept a respectable distance between their hips. Imani smiled against his mouth as she sucked his lower lip into her mouth. He gave a small groan and his fingers tightened briefly. But he gave no other reaction. It made her feel safe with him, to find that he had such self-restraint.
Maybe that was what made her daring enough to slide her tongue into his mouth. She licked the corners of his lips until he gave her entrance. God, he tasted good. At the first thrust of her tongue, he shuddered and his hands closed into fists over the cotton of her shirt. Stroking her tongue along the side of his, she coaxed him into playing with her. Every step of the way, he allowed her to take the lead. Where she led he followed. She liked that. It gave her a sense of control even as the kiss made her weak-kneed. Even as the caress of his tongue against the roof of her mouth made her nipples ache. Even as his moan made her pussy clench.
Finally Keith pulled back. His eyes seemed brighter than usual and his mouth was red and wet. She immediately wanted to kiss him again. “Better go,” he said, his voice thick and deep with lust. He cleared his throat. “See you tomorrow.”
She nodded and watched him leave. Asha wound her way around her leg, snapping her out of her stupor. She’d been simply staring at the door. Imani shook her head and laughed at herself. Well, she’d never minded kissing, but she couldn’t recall ever liking it so much.
She bent and gave Asha a good rub. “Bedtime, girl.” Brushing her teeth, she examined her reflection. She was wearing what she considered her library clothing, shapeless sacks. Her beige blouse skimmed over her breasts and stopped at her hips so that the indentation of her waist was not visible. Her pants were so large that they didn’t really touch her thighs. She wore no makeup and her hair was scraped back in a rigid bun as always.
Imani spit out her toothpaste and rinsed. She’d been dressed this way the last two times she saw Keith. She could do better. She would do better. Obviously, he didn’t care about such superficialities, and conversely, it made her want to be pretty for him.
As she slid into bed, she realized she was smiling. She pressed her fingers to her lips. He was a really good kisser. She sighed and rolled onto her side.
***
In the dream, she lay in Keith’s arms. They were in his garden gazing up at the stars. The ground was cool and slightly damp beneath them. The night air smelled of his flowers and freshly cut grass. He was telling her the myth surrounding the zodiacal constellation of Capricornus. She suspected that he was embellishing the tale quite a bit with his own imagination, but she didn’t care. She was simply enjoying being in his arms and listening to his voice.
When he fell silent, she rolled toward him. With a fingertip, she traced his brow, his nose, and his sensual lips. He was very handsome. “Kiss me,” she ordered and his breath shuddered on an inhale. Imani smiled.
His blue eyes captured hers. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Don’t you want to kiss me?”
“More than you know.”
“Then…that’s all that matters.” She slid her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck and pulled him on top of her. Of course, she couldn’t have done this if he’d been truly opposed to the idea. He balanced his weight on his elbows and settled his legs, one on the outside of hers and one in between hers. She lifted her face to his and captured his mouth.
His lips moved over hers meticulously and slowly as though he were keeping himself in check. She sucked his tongue and he grunted, shifting his hips away from hers. But it was too late. She’d felt his erection, knew he wanted her. It didn’t scare her––it thrilled her. This was Keith. He wouldn’t demand more than she was willing to give.
When he broke the kiss, he buried his face in her neck. His breathing was labored. It was hot and ticklish against her sensitive skin. “I like kissing you,” she whispered. His response was muffled. “Hmm?”
He kissed her check. “I like kissing you, too.”
She gasped. His eyes were so bright blue they were glowing. But before she could comment, his head whipped to the side. Imani followed his gaze as a woman dressed in a black gown with long flowing midnight hair stepped out of the shadows.
Imani jerked awake. It had been such a pleasant dream up until that last bit. That was just weird and creepy. Though the woman’s face was not visible, just the fact that she was watching them during such an intimate moment seemed menacing. Asha lifted her head to glare at her for interrupting her sleep. Standing, she arched her back and jumped off the bed, exiting with her tail held high.
Chapter Eight
Imani rubbed in the strawberry-scented body butter as she listened to Keith moving around in the hotel room. They had been dating for two months. Had anyone told her she would have agreed to go away with him for the weekend even a few weeks ago, she would have thought they were crazy. He’d wanted to show her around some of his favorite sites in Seattle. He’d seemed so excited about showing her around and it had been a while since she’d gone on any type of vacation. Today they had gone to the Seattle Great Wheel. Afterwards they had visited the original Starbucks. The plan for tomorrow was to visit the Space Needle and hopefully have dinner there.
She would have been nervous about sharing a hotel room with him, but he’d made it clear that they would have separate beds. She couldn’t help smiling. He was so damn sweet. She never felt uncomfortable with him. In her wildest dreams, she wouldn’t have imagined that she would find a man who would accept her and her limitations.
They�
�d gotten very close and were practically inseparable. If he wasn’t at her house for dinner, then she was at his. When he was working, she would read. Being together was what was important. She’d introduced him to Thea and Dwayne. They’d gone out with the other couple. And though she didn’t need the second opinion, she was ecstatic when Thea had given her enthusiastic approval after meeting Keith.
She glanced down at her pajamas. The deep blue satin long sleeved shirt and pants left much to the imagination. Though she’d stopped wearing her library “sacks” and even ditched the glasses, they hadn’t gone past kissing. And Keith always kept their make-out sessions to a minimum. He never got handsy. He was a total gentleman. Perversely, it made her want to test his limits. Whenever they kissed, her breasts swelled and her nipples ached. She longed to feel his hands on her breasts. But he didn’t attempt it, his palms never straying from her waist. Even in her dreams, he’d gone from trying to make love to her to talking to her about science fiction flicks. Mostly the Alien films. They’d seen all of them.
“Bathroom’s all yours,” she said as she exited. Keith was flipping channels on the television. He nodded. “Wait!” She hurried to his side and sat on the couch next to him. “That’s The Craft. I haven’t seen it in years. Have you ever seen it?”
Keith made a choking sound. “Um. Once.”
She curled her feet up beneath her and leaned against his side. He settled back and placed his arm around her shoulders. They watched for several minutes in silence. “This is one of my favorite films about witches. I can’t decide if I like this or The Witches more.” Keith made a noncommittal noise. “What’s yours?”
“Um, The Covenant?”
She laughed. “Are you asking me?” She snuggled closer to him.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never given…um, witchcraft films much thought.”
“Let’s see… There are a slew of Harry Potter films. Then there’s Practical Magic, Hocus Pocus, The Witches of Eastwick…”
“You watch too many movies.”
“And you should, too. If you let your brother make your book into a movie, your film will be compared to these.”
“He’s coming out to see me next week to try to talk me into it. I’d like it if you met him.”
“Of course. I’d like that.” She lifted her face to his and he kissed her. It was light, sweet, and over all too quickly. “More,” she whispered and Keith moaned. She crawled on top of him, straddling his hips. Taking his face in her hands, she slanted her mouth over his.
***
God, she was going to be the death of him. Keith gripped the sofa cushion so tightly that his knuckles turned white as Imani’s tongue slid into his mouth. His cock was as hard as stone. He would swear the woman took great delight in torturing him.
Truly, he enjoyed kissing her. But there was only so much he could take. Her fingers slid into his hair and angled his head so that she could deepen the kiss. Keith groaned. She moved closer to him and his hands flew to her hips, holding her back. He couldn’t take the feel of her pressed against his erection. The few inches that separated them were the only things keeping him from exploding in his pants.
His hands slipped on the slick satin of her pajamas and he gave a strangled moan as she fitted their pelvises together. She gasped, but didn’t move away. The pressure made his hips jerk involuntarily. He gripped her shoulders and broke the kiss. “Imani, please….” His voice was rough and husky. “I-I need to change for bed.” It was lame, but it was the first excuse that popped into his mind. Hell, he was lucky he could think. All his blood had rushed south.
As he waited for her reaction, he kept his eyes averted. With the intensity of his emotions, his irises had to be glowing. His breathing was ragged. Imani stroked his chest, her own breath coming in small pants that aroused him further. He let his head fall backward onto the couch. “Please, Imani, I want to keep my promise to you, but you’ve got me close to begging.”
“Keith, you have no idea how much I admire you. Being with you…I’ve never felt this way before. It doesn’t mean that I’m ready to make love with you. That still scares me, but I would like to take this farther.”
While he was encouraged that their relationship was different from those she’d had before and that she trusted him, he had never been so aware of his personal limitations. Even so, he couldn’t help but ask, “What do you mean?” In response, she took his hands and placed them on her small waist. She pushed them higher and higher until he cupped her breasts. Damn! She wasn’t wearing a bra.
He went still. “This is such a bad idea,” he muttered even as his hands flexed over her soft flesh. He had large hands and she filled them to overflowing. Her stiff nipples stabbed his palms. He flicked them with his thumbs. Imani’s reaction was immediate. A moan escaped her lips as her head fell back and her hips undulated upon his. He bit his lip to hold in a howl.
Imani clenched his shoulders. “Oh, that feels so good.”
He tugged her nipples between his thumb and forefinger. Her breath hitched and she squirmed as though she couldn’t stay still. “I want to suck these. Would that be okay?” A whimper was her only response. Deciding that meant yes, he latched onto one breast while he continued to stroke the other. He nibbled and suckled until her shirt was soaked. Frustrated with the cloth hiding her skin from him, he yanked until the buttons slipped from their holes. She gave a startled cry as his mouth closed over her nipple again. But she didn’t stop him. Her fingers slid into his hair and held him close.
“Oh, God, Keith!” She was practically writhing in his lap, riding his erection. He could smell her arousal. After several hot minutes, she leaned back, her wet breast popping from his lips. Her breathing was choppy as she slid off his lap. “That’s-that’s enough. I-I…Thank you.”
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. He willed his erection away when all he wanted to do was toss her onto the bed and fuck her until neither of them could walk.
“Are you okay?” He couldn’t answer. Though he moved his lips, no sound escaped. “Keith, I’m sorry. I asked too much from you.”
She made a move to touch him and he flinched away. He swallowed. “Give me a minute. Just…I need a moment.” When he felt his eyes would no longer glow, he met her gaze. She looked worried and hurt. “Why don’t you get in bed? I’m going to take a shower.” As quick as his body would allow, he stood and made his way into the bathroom.
He stripped off his clothes and turned the water on. Cold, though he doubted it would make a difference. Nothing would ease him or satisfy him like being buried in Imani’s sweet pussy. He groaned. Thinking like that was not going to help.
Focusing on the promise he’d made to Imani, he stepped beneath the icy spray. He shivered as the cold water sluiced over him. After what seemed an eternity, he realized he was going to have to take matters in his own hands. Though there were two beds in their suite, he wouldn’t be able to sleep in the same room with her in his current state. He needed some relief.
Wrapping his hand around his thick erection, he recalled the feel of her breasts, the taste of her skin beneath his tongue, and the smell of her arousal as it wafted up from between her thighs. His strokes were firm and brisk. Imagining all the ways he wanted to be with her had him spilling into his hand. Sagging from the strength of his orgasm, he moaned her name.
He cleaned up and finished his shower. When he got out, he remembered that he hadn’t brought his pajama pants into the bathroom with him. He covered himself with a towel and hoped that Imani had taken his advice and gone to bed.
Though she was in bed, she wasn’t asleep. Lying on her side, she was facing the bathroom door so that she couldn’t possibly miss him when he came out. She’d turned off all but the bedside lights. His pants lay across the end of his bed. He maneuvered them beneath his towel without exposing himself and slid beneath the sheets.
He reached for his lamp to turn it off.
“Keith, are we okay?”
“I
promised you and I don’t go back on my promises.”
***
In the morning, Keith woke groggy and ill-tempered. Imani seemed wary, and well she should as she was the source of his poor night of sleep. Cognizant of the fact that they were sharing a bedroom, he’d decided not to visit Imani in her dreams. It would have been too risky. Of late, he’d been using the dreams to get to know her better and to forge a greater emotional bond. Ironically, Imani often steered their visions toward sex. They’d yet to make love because he felt it would be somehow breaking his promise to take her even in a dream.
Last night she had caught him off guard by initiating the visit herself. The woman kept amazing him. As a non-witch, she shouldn’t have been able to slip into his dream. And yet, she had. He’d been talking to his brother on the day of his wedding and Imani had come to him and taken him away to a fantasy garden filled with lush brightly colored flowers and sunshine. She was too vivid, too visceral to be anything but the real Imani. He’d let her lead him to a bench where she’d kissed him and touched him much as she had before they’d gone to bed. Once again, she’d wanted his hands and his mouth on her breasts.
It was no wonder he woke up cranky and with a cock as hard and as uncomfortable as a steel rod in his pants. The sun had barely risen when he went to shower to handle his wayward body. Imani was only beginning to stir when he came out of the bathroom. He mumbled an excuse about breakfast and made his escape.
In reality, he needed some space. He didn’t want to be one of those assholes who got pissy with his woman when he was denied sex. He’d never expected to sleep with her, but damn, this was harder than he’d thought it would be. Literally.
***
Imani pushed around the baby carrots on her plate. The view from the SkyCity Restaurant at the Space Needle was amazing. Her prime beef tenderloin was cooked to perfection. It should have been a romantic evening capping off their day of sightseeing. She’d been to Seattle many times but she’d never visited as a tourist. She’d enjoyed yesterday immensely. But today was different. Keith was stiff and preoccupied. Oh, he made a visible effort to behave normally, but she could tell he was upset with her about last night. She appreciated that he hadn’t brought up the subject of sex with her. However, if he was going to silently sulk about it, she’d rather he had it out so that they could address the matter openly.