by S. K. Lessly
The memory of that night surfaced in Andrew’s mind and he shook his head. He had been called by Brody’s lovely wife to come and get his crazy brother before she kicked his ass. When Andrew arrived at Brody’s house, Brody had been over the top. He was waving his arms erratically going off, and at first, Andrew had thought that his wife, Mary, had done some egregious act.
That was until she yelled, “Seriously, Brody. How many times do I have to tell you? We never had curtains up, you idiot. They were vertical blinds.”
“The point I’m trying to make,” Brody continued, “is that you sat me down and told me about my shit, after you set my ass straight.”
Andrew looked at his two other brothers before he smirked. “Is that what you three are planning to do? Set my ass straight?”
“If need be. But, I don’t think it will come to that. Think about your shit, AP. This woman of yours knows nothing about your life. She is clueless on who you are and what you are. If you go to her all caveman-like and beat her in the head with your controlling shit, you’ll lose her for good. This situation is cause for a little finesse. And, as you know, I’m all about finessing the ladies.”
Andrew knew his brothers meant well, he did. Also, he knew Cedric had told them to make sure he stayed away from Nyla at all cost. In spite of that, the longer he stood here messing around with his brothers, the stronger this sense of loss he had felt grew. Damn it felt as if his whole world was beginning to crash down on top of him. He wouldn’t lose Nyla.
“Brody, I really don’t have time for your shit. I have some place to be. So, if you don’t get out of my way…” He let the rest of his statement hang in the air. He allowed his thoughts and ridged body finish the rest of his sentence.
Needless to say, his brothers didn’t step aside.
Andrew gave each of his brothers the once over. He had to give it to them. They seemed so serious and dedicated to keeping him in line. Unfortunately, for them, his need to get to his woman overshadowed their need to protect.
In the end, they had done their best to prevent him from leaving. They had presented a valid argument on why he shouldn’t leave. They had explained the ramifications of his actions if he didn’t wait for word from the elders. Threats were thrown out there by his brothers. It even got a little physical between them. But their efforts were for naught. His brothers couldn’t keep him from his woman no matter how hard they tried. Andrew had managed to get into his car twenty minutes after he had emerged from his apartment and rushed out of the parking lot, hoping like hell he wasn’t too late.
As he drove to Nyla’s apartment, he drafted a plan. He told himself that if she was home and he saw her, that he was going to suggest that they talk. He wouldn’t bully or try and control the situation. Instead, he would be diplomatic about everything. He would listen to what she had to say before he imposed his will on her. Most of all, he would stay focused and in control. He would prove to his brothers that they didn’t know him as well as they thought they did. He wasn’t going to let anyone dictate his behavior.
Once he saw Nyla, however, all of that shit went out of the window. He couldn’t think straight, much less speak. And what the fuck was she wearing?
Andrew stepped away from the car and walked purposefully toward the three ladies. While in stride, Andrew removed his hood and forcefully raked his fingers through his hair. No one moved or breathed, it seemed. And no one made a sound. Even the night melodies that typically serenaded the darkness stilled, as Andrew moved. It was as if he commanded overall silence by the sheer weight of his presence alone.
Nyla felt tightness in her chest. She could see just how pissed Andrew was from where she stood. She even felt his anger. It seemed to wrap around her like a bear hug, preventing her from taking in a much-needed breath. The only thing Nyla could do was get ready for the wrath that was to come.
“Don’t you heffas leave me,” Nyla whispered as Andrew approached.
“We got you,” Melody whispered back. Latricia didn’t reply.
Finally, Andrew stopped right in front of Nyla, his fierce blue eyes bearing right through her. Nyla didn’t move or say a word as she met Andrew’s stony expression. She was too busy trying to keep her cravings in check. Apparently, she was the only one keeping it together. She heard gasps of breath from both women next to her, as Andrew got closer, and the whispered words, “Good God Almighty,” from Latricia that matched her sentiments exactly.
Andrew stood before her in a sleeveless hooded sweat jacket that was unzipped; partially revealing a bare chest and muscled biceps that made her mouth water. From the little bit she could see, Andrew’s body was spectacular, which wasn’t something she didn’t know. She had remembered that fact from the passionate night they had shared together. However, as she stared at his naked chest, she had forgotten just how good his body looked.
Nyla’s mouth began to water as her heated gaze continued to shamelessly roam his body. Her eyes traveled from his butterscotch Timberlands, all the way up his bare chest to his unwavering, hard blue eyes. She was fighting desperately to keep her composure. The fact that his sweatpants hung low on his hips wasn’t helping either. Her eyes caught some of the V-shaped muscle that she knew led right to a place that had given her pleasure after pleasure until she cried out in mind-blowing ecstasy. Nyla felt her control slipping as they stared at each other. If she didn’t get it together, she was definitely going to jump his bones right here in the parking lot.
“We need to talk,” Andrew stated calmly, however, Nyla could clearly see that wasn’t the case. Nyla’s eyes drifted to his mouth and fought the urge to lick her lips. Damn, that mouth of his… “Nyla, did you hear what I said? We need to talk now.”
Again, Nyla didn’t reply. She was too busy thinking about what had happened that night in her apartment. She floated back down memory lane and remembered how good he had made her feel. The way he’d taken charge of her body and expertly satisfied her desires. It blew her mind that he knew just what to do to bring her indescribable pleasures. The experience had been exceptional, to say the least. It was something that she had never felt before and her body wanted to feel it again. In fact, as she stood before him, her body began to call out to him. Craving for his touch, longing for him to take command of her body and make her scream his name over, and over, and…
“Nyla,” Andrew called out to her again but louder this time, successfully bringing her out of her lust-filled thoughts into reality. His blue eyes suddenly turned cold; the frost from them traveling down her spine. He then moved his eyes to Melody then Latricia and Nyla actually witnessed his eyes grow even darker.
Andrew didn’t say a word, but he didn’t have to. It was all in his monstrous glare and clenched jaw.
Melody blinked a few times then blurted in a matter-of-fact tone of voice, “Right, um Nyla, we’ll be right here. Right behind you girl, literally.”
“Yeah, girl,” Latricia added, slapping Nyla’s back before backing away. “We got your back. Handle your um… Yeah…”
Nyla closed her eyes as her so-called friends disappeared from view. So much for support, she thought. You don’t need them anyway. She then reminded herself, You got this!
Nyla took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She narrowed them and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
“I thought we agreed we’d talk about this tomorrow,” she replied, a bit of frost in her voice.
This time it was Andrew who found it hard to speak. It was his turn to dip into his thoughts as he raked his eyes along her curves. He hadn’t expected to see her when he first pulled up. He had expected to bang down her door until she answered. He was even prepared to deal with the cops if she called them. What he wasn’t ready for was what was standing in front of him; Nyla looked stunning, absolutely ball-squeezing gorgeous. The dress, albeit too short and tight, showed off her body flawlessly. His desires and unfiltered needs were starting to take over his mind. He couldn’t concentrate for shit. Also, he felt her desires for h
im; he could smell just how turned on she was and it was doing crazy things to him. Hell, he couldn’t even remember his own fucking name, much less why he was here.
All he knew was that he wanted her.
He met her dark eyes and in that moment frowned, realizing that when he pulled up she was walking away from her apartment building and not to it.
“Where are you going?” he asked her harshly.
Nyla, not fazed at all by his tone replied equally as harsh, “Out! Answer my question. Why are you here?”
Andrew moved closer, ignoring her cold eyes and tense stance, determination driving his movements. “If you think I’m going to just sit around waiting, you’re highly mistaken. You and I have some things to talk about. It’s evidently clear we need to get some shit straight.”
Nyla placed her hands on her hips as she regarded him bitterly. “Actually, we don’t need to get anything straight. I’ve already said what I needed to say. We’re through, that’s it.”
“The fuck it is!” Andrew growled and took one step toward her, capturing her face between his hands right before he devoured her red lips.
He couldn’t take it anymore. Her defiance was both pissing him off and turning him on at the same time. Her lust-filled thoughts and ravenous scent weren't making things any better. He couldn’t take standing this close to her and not touching her. He needed to touch her. Most of all, he needed to taste her. Damn if he wasn’t going to explode from the withdrawal he felt. He needed to get himself together and the only way to do that, to gain control of himself, was to plunge his tongue down her throat.
Nyla cried out in surprise, completely caught her off guard and that’s what he wanted. She thought she was in control, telling him it was over and that they weren’t meant for each other. That was bullshit. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that Nyla was made for him. Now, he had to prove it to her. By any means necessary, he was taking what was his.
The moment his lips crashed into hers and his arm wrapped around her waist, Nyla’s hands instinctively went to his chest trying to keep distance between them. Except, when she felt his smooth skin underneath her hands, she instantly melted into him. That’s when he deepened their kiss. The stroke of his tongue, the death grip of a hold he had on her, and his undeniable animalistic control overpowered Nyla completely. She had no choice but to wrap her arms around his neck and meet his tongue stroke for stroke.
Andrew controlled the kiss effortlessly, kissing the fuck out of his woman, demanding her submission. He picked her up, wrapping his arms underneath her ass, without breaking their fierce lip lock. He walked toward the steps of her building, plunging them into the shadows, just in case he wanted to take more than her breath away he could do it without prying eyes. When he finally let her up for air, he placed her back on her feet, resting his forehead against the top of her head. He kept her body close to him, though, never releasing her from his hold.
“Damn, baby, I’ve missed you,” he said softly before he inhaled her addictive scent and sighed. He moved his hands along the sides of her body and up her arms. He caressed her anywhere he could, touching her exposed warm skin and soft body as much as possible.
He leaned back from her, only slightly, and met her eyes. Each of them was fighting to gain control, their breaths quick and shallow. He swiped his thumb underneath her bottom lip, wiping away smudged lipstick. Any excuse to touch her would do.
He asked breathlessly, “Why is it that I am unable to control myself when I’m with you?”
Nyla didn’t respond. She rested her head against his chin and did her best to catch her own breath.
“Nyla, look at me.” He waited until she met his eyes before he continued. “I’m not perfect.”
Nyla’s eyebrows narrowed and she started to speak, but Andrew placed a lone finger on her lips to stop her.
“No, let me say what I need to say.”
He took a deep breath and traced his finger along her jawline before he continued. “In no way am I perfect. I can admit that. I also have a lot of shit with me, if you haven’t noticed this fact already. And I guarantee that you will get pissed off and very frustrated with me a lot. But, I also guarantee you that the make-up sex we have will be off the fucking chain.” He grinned and squeezed her closer to him, making Nyla smile slightly and shake her head in spite of herself. Then, just like that, his grin fell. Seriousness suddenly invading his blue eyes as he confessed, “I want you, Nyla. Do you hear what I’m saying? I want all of you, every last part of you. I don’t give a shit what you do for a living. I couldn’t fucking care less about what you have or don’t have to offer me. You are enough. I want you because of how you make me feel. I want you because your smile brightens my day. When I hear your voice, it makes me feel complete. I think about you nonstop. You’re beautiful and sexy as hell. You drive me fucking crazy, but I don’t care because you’re mine.” His grip grew tighter around her waist to bring home the possessiveness he felt. “Your taste, your touch… everything is mine.”
Andrew then rested his forehead against the top of her head again and closed his eyes. He felt the tension in his body grow as he stood before her. His jaw was clenched so tight that his cheeks started to ache. Despite everything, his soul seemed to relax now that he had her in his arms again. It felt like home to him.
Nyla had remained quiet as Andrew spoke to her. His caress, the feel of him was making her turn to mush. And that damn kiss… She’d felt his desperation, his anguish through his kiss. But she had to remain focused on what she had promised herself.
Nyla shook her head and whispered, “It’s too late.”
“Fuck that, Nyla,” Andrew said briskly. He brought his despairing eyes back to hers.
Nyla squirmed in his grasp and he reluctantly let go. She backed away from him, shaking her head emphatically. “You can’t come here like this, with…with your bare chest out and sweats hanging low and Tims...” She breathed out and pointed to his shoes, her eyes wide in disbelief. “I didn’t even know you owned a pair of Timberlands much less would wear them. It’s all confusing me.”
Nyla knew she was rambling. She couldn’t comprehend where she was going with her thoughts or words. It was that damn kiss! She closed her eyes and tried to make sense of her confused heart. Andrew took advantage of the moment and moved closer to her.
When she opened her eyes, she saw his longing for her in them. It was killing her and confusing her all at the same time. Isn’t this what I wanted, though? For him to show me that he wanted me? As she continued to stare into his dark eyes, she felt her resolve slipping. She had to remain focused.
“Andrew,” Nyla said softly and shook her head. “I don’t think it will change anything. You and I are two different people. We have different lives and different goals. We have nothing in common. How do you think you and I could ever work? Just think about the amount of times that we’ve spoken to each other. You know so much about me, yet I can’t say the same of you except that you have a sister that you don’t get along with and six brothers. I’ve been an open book to you, but you—”
“Baby, you want to know something about me?” he cut in quickly. “Then ask me. I will tell you anything you want to know, Nyla. Anything. Look, my purpose for coming over here was to talk. Why don’t we get out of here and you can put me on the stand and cross-examine me all night. Whatever it takes.”
Nyla stepped back, creating more distance between them. “No, Andrew. I can’t I…” she began the same time Andrew spoke.
“Baby, just talk to me.”
Andrew had spoken in a quiet tone; the sound of his voice penetrating her heart, weakening her resolve. In a blink of an eye, he was in front of her again, dispelling the distance in seconds.
“Nyla,” he whispered, coveting her soul.
He touched her wrist with the tips of his fingers then wrapped them around her wrist, stopping her from moving further away from him. Andrew kept his gaze on her, pushing everything he felt for her through his touch.
A shiver passed through her body. Her pulse thumped erratically underneath his hand.
Andrew brought his palm to the side of her face and tilted her head up when she looked away from him. He held her there until she met his eyes again.
“Let me show you how much you mean to me and you’ll never doubt me again.”
Nyla couldn’t tear herself from him even if the world was ending around them. He had her right where he wanted. Damn you, Andrew she cursed him silently. The side of Andrew’s mouth rose slightly into his cheek and the urge to tell him off grew within Nyla. She wanted to tell him how foolish she had felt for days, but her mouth wasn’t working the way she wanted. Oh, but it was working. It managed to attach itself to Andrew’s lips when he bent down to place a sweet kiss against them. And when he brought her hand up to the back of his neck and her fingers threaded themselves through his soft tendrils, she realized that her body too was betraying her.
Andrew wrapped his arm around her waist and brought her tight against him. She could feel his heart racing against her chest. His breath tickled the side of her neck and face as he bent down and gently placed his lips against her exposed skin. “Let me make it up to you nice and slow,” he whispered against the goose bumps along her skin. He lightly grazed his lips against the back of her ear. Nyla’s body trembled from his soft touch. “Let me prove to you how much you mean to me.”
She closed her eyes.
“Baby, just…” Andrew uttered softly.
He lightly bit down on her flesh, his teeth scraping a very sensitive spot. He sucked where he bit her. Nyla let out a gasp of surprise and desire as her knees instantly buckled.
She snapped out of the lustful trance he was putting her under and pushed away from him. Her eyes were wide and her heart pounding, she backed up to create much-needed space.
“I can’t, Andrew. Not now.”