He could no longer maintain a grip on his control. He bucked and jerked wildly against her; his heart slammed into his chest and heat spread through his body as the intensity of his release spun him out of control. “Iris!” he growled between clenched teeth. The involuntary tremors of ecstasy shook him to the core and a guttural howl ripped through his lips, overpowering all other sounds in the room.
Sated and out of breath, he collapsed against her, careful to bear most of his weight as he struggled onto his back. An aftershock of their lovemaking then rocked him to the central part of his being and he shuddered, pulling Iris tightly into his arms.
He lay panting next to her, their chests heaving against each other, delighting in the aftermath of the most amazing sex he’d ever had. Never had he ever felt a connection, both mentally and physically, with anyone the way he did with Iris at that very moment.
As her breathing slowed, she threw her arm across his waist and snuggled closer, his chin resting upon her head. Nash held her against his body, sighing with pleasant exhaustion, as his eyes drifted closed.
Chapter 11
Hours later, candlelight flickered in the cozy bathroom, soft jazz flowing through the overhead speaker. Iris sighed with contentment as she leaned against Nash, enjoying their romantic bubble bath. She sat between his legs, bubbles up to her chest, her head resting against his shoulder, loving the feel of his body behind her.
After eating in bed, they had made love again, then dozed off. She didn’t think she would ever get enough of him. His skilled hands and lips, and the way he worshipped her body, had given a whole new meaning to rocking her world.
“I love that you’re a screamer,” Nash said out of nowhere. Iris swallowed hard and stiffened in his arms. “I didn’t say that to embarrass you. I like that your body responds to me with so much passion and that I’m able to make you scream.”
“I didn’t know I was a screamer,” she said quietly, not sure how else to respond. “It’s never happened with anyone. I have never felt...” she started, but stopped, deciding that she didn’t have to tell him about her pitiful sex life. “I won’t ever forget tonight.”
“Me, either.”
Neither of them spoke again until Iris said, “I’m going to have to do something very special for Ms. D., Tania and Macy,” she said as Nash nuzzled the side of her neck. He dragged the sponge from the water and raked it across her chest and around her neck.
“Yeah, me, too.”
She closed her eyes and moaned when he took the sponge lower, making circular motions near her most intimate area. “You know, a girl could get used to a handsome man like yourself bathing her and showering her with all of this attention.”
“Is that right?” Iris could hear the humor in his voice and loved how comfortable he made her feel.
“Yep. Maybe I can hire you a couple of times a week to be at my beck and call.”
“Sweetheart, you don’t have to hire me. I’ll always make myself available to you. And since we’re on the subject, let’s talk about your reason for avoiding me lately.”
Iris sighed, not wanting to ruin the moment with this conversation. Noelle’s words had crept into her mind a couple of times during the evening, but she’d been able to push them back and focus on the here and now.
“Nash, we’ve already talked about this. It’s not a good idea for you and me to date right now.”
Except for the rain hitting the windowpane, silence suddenly filled the dimly lit space.
“How can you make a decision to stop seeing me based on some stupid photo? I actually liked the picture. It captured the fun we were having that evening and it showed how much we enjoy each other’s company.”
Nash pulled her closer against him, her butt rubbing against his groin, making it hard for her to think. She couldn’t believe she was actually taking a bath with a man. The fact that the man happened to be Nash Dupree, who was arguing his reasons for wanting to date her, made it feel more like a dream than reality.
“Iris, I don’t give a damn about the tabloids. There will always be paparazzi lurking around, butting into my business...our business...but I don’t care about all of that. All I want is to be with you.”
He lifted her hair from her shoulders and placed a kiss on the side of her neck. “The paparazzi don’t rule my life. I have always marched my own beat and there is no way I’m going to let some pests come between us.” He turned her slightly so she could look at him. “Are you concerned what people will think of you hanging out with me?”
“Yes,” she said simply and turned fully in his arms and onto her knees, her hands resting against his chest. “Nash, technically you’re going through a custody battle. It might not seem that way, but that’s exactly what it is. Until you prove to the courts that you’re a fit parent, they will not allow Tania to return home.”
His gaze zoned in on her bare breasts and he pulled her closer until she was flat against his chest. Nipping at her ear, he groaned. “I can’t think straight with your naked body tempting me like this.”
Iris’s eyes drifted shut. Her moans filled the space as his hands caressed her bottom and slowly worked their way up her spine. When her arms eased around his neck, she caught herself.
“Wait. Stop.” She pulled back and folded her arms across her chest, obstructing his view of her breasts. “You’re the one who started this conversation, so let’s finish it.”
Nash closed his eyes and rested his head against the tiled wall. Iris took that opportunity to climb out of the bathtub and grab one of the thick towels that she had laid out for them.
“Iris, I’ve done everything I’ve been assigned to do.” He lifted his head and met her gaze, not bothering to move from his position in the bathtub. “I have relinquished Tania into your care, gone through the individual counseling sessions, and Tania and I will be starting family counseling in the next couple of weeks. All of this to prove to some judge, who thinks of me as an unfit parent, that I’ve been a better father to Tania than some fathers are to their biological children.”
“Honey, I know it doesn’t sound fair, but unfortunately you have to prove it. The judge based his decision on the information he had—Tania’s recent trouble with the law, the issues she was having at school and the not-so-favorable photos of you in the tabloids. You being seen socializing with me, a person who is technically your child’s guardian, might not look good to the public. And you know reporters are great at twisting the truth of a story in order to sell more copies of their trashy magazines.”
He rose from the bathtub and Iris’s breath hitched in her throat. His well-toned body, glistening with water dripping from every muscle, was doing wicked things to her. It took everything she had to stay put and keep her hands to herself.
Iris grabbed the towel and handed it to him. She watched as he haphazardly dried himself, not taking his gaze from her. He stepped out of the tub and, instead of wrapping the towel around himself, he dropped it to the floor and approached her.
“I can’t even begin to tell you how much you mean to me.” His long arms snaked around her waist. “I know it’s only been a short time, but I feel a connection to you that I have never felt for any other woman in my life.”
“Nash.” She placed her soft palm against the light stubble on his cheek, trying to ignore the fact that his naked body was rubbing up against her. “I feel the same about you, but you’re a celebrity in Atlanta. Just because you don’t want the outside world all up in your business, doesn’t mean that’s how it’s going to be.”
“No one knows about this custody thing with Tania or the trouble she’s gotten herself into.”
“Not yet, but you know how resourceful these reporters are. How many times have you been in the tabloids over the past six months?” When he didn’t respond, she continued, “Enough times for you to know that if they wa
nt to find something out, they will.”
* * *
Days later, Iris walked into her apartment to the smell of Pine-Sol and Pledge furniture polish. “I’m home,” she called out. She decided to carry her briefcase and purse to her bedroom instead of leaving the items near the door as she usually did. Tania had called earlier, asking if she could invite some friends over, and Iris didn’t want to clutter the apartment.
“Hey, Iris,” Tania said when Iris stopped by the kitchen before heading upstairs.
“Sorry, I’m a little late. Glad to see that I beat your friends here.”
“They probably won’t get here for another half an hour. Lauren is picking everyone up and she’s always late.” Tania poured herself a glass of lemonade. “Want some?” She held up the pitcher.
“Sure.” Iris placed her items in one of the chairs at the small kitchen table and took a seat at the breakfast bar.
She didn’t know how she was going to be able to return to a normal life after Tania left. Having someone to come home to reminded her of just how empty her life had been. Until recently, her career had been her top priority, but Tania and Nash had her thinking more and more about having a family of her own.
“So, who’s all coming over?” Iris sipped from her lemonade and squinted, wondering how Tania could stand the drink to be so sweet.
“Lauren, Sarah and Megan.” Tania said, standing on other side of the bar.
Iris nodded. “Do you remember the first day we met and you said someone planted those drugs on you?” They hadn’t talked much about the marijuana found on Tania, but it was never far from her mind, especially since Tania was determined to find the person who set her up.
Tania nodded.
“Do you think it was one of the girls you’re inviting over?”
Tania stared down into her glass of lemonade, running her finger around the top of the vessel. “Maybe.”
Iris knew Tania was too smart to be completely clueless about who might have planted those drugs on her. Though Noelle had met with the parents of the students who were in the car with Tania, so far, no one had come forward about the drugs.
“Well, we’ve never talked about this, but there are a few things I do not allow.” Iris stood and added some water to her glass of lemonade before returning to her seat. “There’s no alcohol, drugs or foul language allowed here. I expect your friends to treat our home the way you and I treat it. Do you understand?”
Tania nodded. “Yes.”
“I’ll hang out upstairs while they’re here, so you guys can have your space. If you see someone doing something they shouldn’t be doing, or they are not following the rules, come and find me. Okay?”
“Okay.” Tania walked around the counter and over to Iris. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me...and I just want you to know that if my mother was alive, I’d want her to be just like you.”
Within seconds, tears filled Iris’s eyes. “Oh, baby,” she said, pulling Tania into her arms. She placed a kiss against her cheek. “If I had a daughter, I’d want her to be just like you. I love you, sweetie.”
“Love you, too.”
They were both wiping their eyes when the telephone rang.
“I’ll let you get that. It might be Rob calling to let you know your friends are downstairs.”
“It’s them,” Tania said when she hung up the phone. “They’re on their way up.”
“Okay. I’m going to run my things upstairs, but I’ll be down shortly to meet them.”
Minutes later when Iris walked back downstairs, she was greeted with lots of laughing and loud talking. It brought back fond memories of when she, Janna and Macy were kids. How many times had Mama Adel threatened to put them out of the house if they didn’t tone it down?
“Hi, girls,” Iris said when she walked into the kitchen, where they all were grabbing snacks and drinks.
“Hi,” they chorused.
“This is Iris. She’s my uncle’s girlfriend,” Tania said without missing a beat.
Iris stood, dumbfounded, staring at Tania. She hadn’t officially named her role in Nash’s life, but if she had to be honest, Iris liked the idea of being his woman. Considering the amount of time they’d been spending together, and the fact that she had been his date to a few events, Iris could see where Tania would get that idea.
A few hours passed. Iris had tried getting work done while the girls were watching their movie, but she couldn’t concentrate. She hadn’t dated often, and could only remember one relationship that had the potential of leading to the possibility of marriage. The idea of being Nash’s woman swam around in her head, but could she really handle being his girlfriend? His lifestyle? The women? Rarely did they go anyplace where he wasn’t recognized or approached by some bold woman.
“I think I’m going to go to bed,” Tania said, interrupting Iris’s thoughts.
“All right, have a good night. Uh, Tania?” Iris said, catching her before she walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
“Yes.”
“What made you tell your friends that your uncle and I were dating?”
Tania hesitated and then said, “Ms. D. always says that if you want something to happen in your life, claim it and have faith that it will happen.” Tania shrugged. “So I did. See you in the morning.”
For the second time that night, Iris was left speechless. The thought of having Tania—and Nash—in her life forever felt like too much to hope for. After all, no one got everything they wished for, and that kind of happily-ever-after was just too much to hope for.
Chapter 12
Iris scanned the dimly lit room from the table where she sat with Macy in the VIP section of Platinum Pieces–Midtown. She had seen the new club, but tonight, to celebrate her birthday, Nash had invited her to his swanky Midtown Atlanta location. The mellow sounds coming from the band that graced the stage, the chatter from the crowd that was growing by the second and the intimacy of the space reminded her of a blues-and-jazz club she visited during a trip to New Orleans.
Unlike the new location, this space had a juke-joint feel. An antique jukebox on display near the bar held a couple of people’s attention, while a few others grooved on the dance floor to the smooth tunes of the house band. Iris bobbed her head to the beat as she continued to glance around, noticing for the first time that some of the walls were made of exposed red brick and decorated with artwork with figures from the history of jazz. The industrial-like ceiling and painted concrete floor brought everything together beautifully. Whoever had done the decor had done a fine job. The establishment was the perfect spot to kick back and unwind after a hectic week.
From Iris’s vantage point at the side of the stage, she could see most of the people in the club, including Nash. He had shown her and Macy to their table earlier, but had since been working the room, greeting, shaking hands and allowing kisses on the cheek from more than one woman.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Macy whispered near Iris’s ear. “He’s working. Just because women are all up in his face doesn’t mean he’s interested.”
Iris glanced at her. “What are you, a mind reader or something?”
Macy laughed. “No, but when it comes to Nash, you wear your feelings on your face like a glaring neon sign reading off-limits in bright green letters. You might want to start using the game face you use when going head-to-head with opposing counsel, because the jealous, insecure frown you’re exhibiting now is not very becoming.”
Iris turned back to where Nash stood now talking with yet another woman. Macy was right, but Iris couldn’t help it. She and Nash had only been seeing each other for a short while, but her insecurities reared their wicked heads from time to time. He was the Nash Dupree: multimillionaire, Atlanta’s most eligible bachelor and a notorious playboy according to the media.
As if sensing her eyes on him, Nash glanced at her. Iris’s pulse quickened when he winked. The sexy grin on his face was one he flashed often, which made her palms sweaty and her panties wet. Her gaze followed him across the room and onto the stage, where he accepted the mic from the lead singer. Just the sight of him, standing there in his dark gray double-breasted suit, sent her pulse running wild.
Nash tapped the mic to get everyone’s attention. “Good evening, all,” he said in that deep, sexy voice that still made Iris’s heart beat double time. “Thank you for coming out to Platinum Pieces and celebrating with us tonight. I have a birthday surprise for a very special lady tonight, so you picked a good evening to join us for some live entertainment. A very dear friend and world-renowned performer is here to celebrate with us. Please join me in welcoming R&B/neo-soul singer-songwriter Mikale.”
Iris’s mouth fell open. Oh, my God! Nash is friends with Mikale? He was only her all-time favorite R&B singer, one she had a major crush on. She had all of his CDs and had seen him perform on more than one occasion.
“Your man’s coming this way,” Macy whispered. “And whatever you do, please don’t overthink tonight. Just go with whatever he proposes.”
The band started playing the first few notes of “My Life with You,” and Nash weaved his way through the crowd until he stood before her. “I understand that this is one of your favorites. Would you do me the honor of dancing with me?”
“Nash...” How did he know this was her favorite song?
“Just one dance.”
“Well, if she won’t dance with you, suga, I will,” a woman from the table next to Iris’s, who looked to be in her mid-fifties, leaned over and said. “I’d never pass up an opportunity to dance with a hunk like you.”
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