Samiyah looked off into the distance. “That’s when she told me that he’d had a massive heart attack.” Samiyah’s eyes watered and she flickered an invisible piece of lint off her shoulder. Quickly she swiped her eyes. Jonas drew her in, his arms circling her for protection. She tried to compose herself but was too far gone to stop the trail of tears that stained his shirt. He felt her body vibrate and kissed the top of her head holding on to her for dear life.
“He passed away. The doctor’s said his brain went without oxygen for too long before help arrived.” More tears ran down her face, and she cried audibly.
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.” Jonas stroked her back and kissed her forehead, his hold never wavering.
She allowed him to cuddle her and relaxed against him. Although she’d cried when it happened, Samiyah never expressed how she felt about the whole ordeal. After another minute, Samiyah straightened herself enough to calm down.
“I’m sorry about that,” she said shyly.
“There’s no reason to apologize. I can’t help but feel that you blame your early birth for your parents’ separation. But you shouldn’t. That is on them, not you.”
“I’m sure you’re right, and I’ve never shown anyone how I felt.”
“Not even your ex?”
“Especially not him. He would just say, what are you so sad about? It’s not like you really knew him.”
She shrugged, “In a way he was right, but it didn’t mean I didn’t love him and it hurt that he died without me having the chance to have him in my life.” She wiped her eyes.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I feel privileged to be the shoulder you cry on.”
“You said you and your brothers were thick as thieves, are you not anymore?” Samiyah was happy to change the subject.
Following her lead, Jonas slipped an arm around her shoulder and they proceeded to walk down the beach.
“We are still close; we’re just grown now and have our own endeavors. We all own our own businesses, and Jaden is the brother I see on a regular basis. He’s an investment banker. My right-hand man.”
“What about your parents,” she asked. There was a fleeting look of despair that crossed his face.
“My father Christopher Lee Rose is retired. He lives in Chicago in a home big enough to house us all, with our housekeeper, Norma. He won’t get rid of it because it holds so many memories. I swear he thinks one day we’ll all move back in.”
He chuckled. “Before he retired, my father purchased Gemz.”
“The chewing gum company?” Samiyah asked.
“Yeah. I thought he wanted it as a side hobby, but then he told me, the purchase had everything to do with Josiah, my younger brother. Right now, Josiah is the only one of us that doesn’t own a business, but he’s in his prime and holding a steady gig as a top salesman at Infiniti.”
“So your father plans to give him the company?”
Jonas smirked, “I wouldn’t say give. Josiah will have to work for it. I’m not sure exactly what my father has up his sleeves. But whatever it is, Josiah will have to compromise to get it.” Jonas stopped walking and turned to Samiyah. “Let’s do something fun.” He said suddenly.
She smiled joyfully, “What did you have in mind?”
“Follow me.”
Grabbing her hand, Jonas led Samiyah back to the hotel and into the casino. Sounds of slot machines dinged, music played, and people cheered as they tried their luck with various games. Waitresses walked around with trays displaying white and red wine.
“I’m not dressed for this.” Samiyah halted.
Jonas looked Samiyah over; she was wearing a sleek purple sundress that hung loosely to her mid thighs. Her flip flops were black with purple flowers and remnants of sand sat in between her toes.
“I think you look absolutely beautiful.”
Samiyah gazed into his hazel brown eyes and almost lost herself. She removed the sun hat and stuffed it back into her beach bag, finger combing her hair. With one swipe over her shoulder, her hair hung to the side. Jonas loved it when she flicked her hair like that. It was becoming his favorite thing. He licked his lips.
“Mr. Rose,” someone yelled. One after another, heads turned their way. Some people pulled out their cell phones and took pictures from a distance while others flat out recorded them.
With her hand still in his, Samiyah squeezed tightly as the barrage of people crowded around them. Was this what it would be like to be with him on a regular basis? She didn’t like it one bit. It was too overbearing and suffocating.
Well, it’s a good thing this will only last the weekend.
Samiyah felt a bit of sadness at that thought, but she had to keep her mind straight even if her heart was trying to tell her something else.
Jonas slipped a look at her and saw the uncomfortableness in her demeanor. “Are you okay?” he asked. “If you want to leave we can go.”
She exhaled a deep breath and braved the crowd, pulling Jonas through the onslaught of people snapping pictures and trying to get an autograph. They pulled up short to a craps table and watched as the dealer turned the hockey puck to ‘OFF.’ A guy standing at the front of the table placed his bet, twenty thousand. He picked up the dice and shook enthusiastically then yelled out, “Daddy needs a new pair of shoes,” before throwing the dice down. All eyes followed the pair as they rolled to a slow stop landing on a combined three points.
“Awe!” The crowd cried, and the dealer secured the man’s chips.
“Daddy needs another drink now.” The man mumbled walking away from the table. The crowd laughed, and another man stepped up. When he rolled, one dice landed on a seven while the other took a second to fall flat on a five.
“Oh come on!” he yelled losing his ten thousand. A waitress approached Jonas with a tray of chips.
“Mr. Rose, these are complimentary from the owner.” The woman smiled and winked never giving Samiyah a second thought.
“Complimentary?” Samiyah said. “Impressive. Do people always give you whatever you want?”
A superior smile adorned his lips. “Always.” His brows jumped, and she laughed. The sound of her delightful voice sent shivers through him and that tug he’d felt all day was back. Jonas put his hand in hers and guided her to the top of the table. The dealer turned the hockey puck to ‘OFF,’ and Jonas took the fifty thousand dollars worth of chips and sat them all on the table placing his bet.
Incredulously Samiyah said, “All of them?”
Jonas smirked and grabbed the dice juggling them back in forth in his hands. He held them up to her lips.
“Blow,” he said. His words sent a tremble down her spine. As Samiyah watched him watching her, she leaned in close enough to kiss his fingers and blew softly. The wind from her lips set his fingertips on fire, and his eyes sparkled. Absentmindedly, he tossed the dice across the table but kept his eyes on Samiyah. There was a tense silence around the table before the crowd went wild yelling, SEVEN! Jonas was awarded another fifty thousand dollars, but while everyone cheered around them, Samiyah and Jonas were still stuck in the depths of their captivating gaze where no one belonged but them.
Chapter Thirteen
The day went on with Jonas and Samiyah making two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Every time they won more, Jonas would put it all on the table and Samiyah would take half of it away.
“If you keep this up I’m going to have to appoint myself as your financial advisor,” she would say.
He’d laugh at her. “Money is no object, my love.”
“Un huh, we’ll see if you’re singing that same tune when you’re sixty-five going into retirement.”
“By then I’ll have enough to take care of a village for the rest of our lives.” He was giving her that piercing stare again making her stomach flip flop.
What was this OUR business he mentioned, she wondered but tried not to look too deep into it.
Finally, they cashed in their chips. At the window, the lady asked him how he�
�d like his winnings. He asked her for a pen and a piece of paper. She handed him a notepad with the casino’s logo on the front and an ink pen with the same logo. He wrote something down and slid it back to her.
“As you wish,” she smiled delightedly.
He turned to Samiyah, “I want you to see something. The night is still young, would you mind spending a little more time with me?”
“Not at all,” she responded affably.
Jonas led her out of the resort to valet. The young man approached him, “On second thought.” Jonas said getting her undivided attention, “You might want to grab a change of clothes.”
Samiyah lit up with curiosity. “Why would I need a change of clothes?”
He smiled a devilish grin, “because where we’re going, you’re going to get wet.”
Uncontrollable heat ran throughout her, festering around her center. She gave him an untamed look. “Well I’m wearing my bikini underneath this dress, so in that case, I could just remove my clothes and leave them in my beach bag.”
His gaze was now piercing her soul; he ran a slow examination from her head to her toes; the thin material doing nothing to hide her womanly curves. Slowly, his tongue traced his bottom lip, and he bit down tightening his jaw. Valet stood there watching the exchange, and a small grin appeared on the man’s face. Jonas gave the valet a ticket, and he happily ran off.
Three minutes later a Ferrari California pulled to the curb. It’s black shiny exterior gleamed in the nightlight. As she sauntered up, Samiyah couldn’t help but have an appreciation for the sports car. The top was down showing the Ferrari’s red leather interior which gave it an air of spunk. Jonas opened the door for her, and she slid in. Samiyah gave an approving glance over the car and wondered if it was his vehicle.
They pulled off and cruised onto the nearby highway.
“Is this your car?” She had to know.
A mischievous grin covered his face. “It is.”
“Do you have a different car everywhere you go?”
“As I said, I’ve been coming here for years; this is like a second home to me. So, of course, I have more than one vehicle and a house on the beach.”
Her eyes rose in surprise.
“Would you like to see it?”
That grin was still on his face.
“Sure,” she replied coyly.
Jonas tried to keep his eyes on the road, but it was getting harder by the second. Being with Samiyah felt so right to him, and Jonas wanted to keep her around him as long as she would permit.
“Why are you staying at the resort?” she asked.
He leaned her way resting his elbow on the middle console. “I wanted to be where you are.”
She gave him a sultry look her eyelids faltering. Since she’d been with him, Jonas said things that kept her wondering. Samiyah didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but he was making it hard for her. It could’ve been as innocent as, I wanted to make sure you got here safely or I wanted to welcome you to San Juan.
But that’s not what he said.
Samiyah had to remind herself that she shouldn’t overthink it constantly. She shouldn’t even care. Samiyah hadn’t been divorced for a month. To have such thoughts was ridiculous. She looked down at his hand on the gear shift, smoothly shifting with ease. His other hand lay languorously on the steering wheel.
“Did you bring a change of clothes?” she questioned him.
“I don’t mind getting a little wet,” he said with a wink.
Samiyah crossed her legs and shifted in her seat. Jonas watched her movement. “Are you okay?” his baritone voice slid over her body like a second skin coating her with a warm heat.
“Yes.”
His lips spread into a thin smile and he shifted gears. They pulled up to Las Cabezas, a fishing village found on the northeastern tip of Puerto Rico. Parking and exiting the Ferrari, they made their way to the beach. When they approached, an Eco adventure guide moved toward them.
“Hey Jonas, it’s been a little while.”
Jonas smiled holding his hand out for a shake.
“It has, hasn’t it?”
“I’d say about four years.”
“Has it been that long?” Jonas inquired.
“I’d say so.”
“I don’t always have a reason to stop by.”
The man looked to Samiyah then back to Jonas, a broad smile sitting high on his face. “I see you do now.”
“This is Samiyah Manhattan, Samiyah this is George. He’s been the guide here for over ten years now.”
“Hello,” Samiyah said shaking George’s hand.
“Step over here, Miss. Manhattan.”
“Please call me Samiyah.”
“Alright, Samiyah it is,” George said.
“What are we doing exactly?”
“We’re putting on gear to go kayaking.”
“In the dark?” she questioned.
“You’re not scared, are you?”
“That would have to be a yes.”
Jonas chuckled. Samiyah held an incredulous scowl on her face. He reached for her chin his hand caressing her pout.
“Do you trust me?”
“What does this have to do with trust?”
“It has everything to do with it.”
The Eco Guide handed him a life jacket, rope, a whistle, and a night safety light. He pulled Samiyah to him putting on the life vest snapping the buckles snuggly. After securing his jacket they made their way to a kayak, and Jonas helped her in.
“Don’t worry; you’re in good hands,” Jonas assured her.
The lights on the kayak illuminated. Slowly Jonas started to row. They headed towards a hidden opening in the mangroves at the northern end of the beach. Once there, he rowed for a mile taking them to Laguna Grande. Samiyah gasped at the breathtaking scenery. The lagoon spread into a wide span of flowing water enclosed around a mangrove woodland. Mountains sat in the distance along with a waterfall.
“Wow,” she said.
The kayak floated smoothly through the dark waters. “The lighthouse on the left was built in the 19th century, but that’s not what I wanted you to see.”
He reached forward and shut off the lights on the boat, putting his paddles gently back in the water. Suddenly, the kayak around them lit up with an iridescent glow.
Samiyah gasped again clutching her chest. The sight was more beautiful than anything she’d ever seen.
Jonas moved closer to her. “Those are bioluminescent plankton.” He moved the row, and they continued to glow like a twinkling sky. He put an arm around her cuddling her close to him. Those were not the safety rules for the kayak, but he couldn’t help himself. Samiyah leaned into him, allowing herself to be comforted in his embrace. They moved softly and quietly through the water the plankton lighting a trail as they passed.
“Did you come here often as a kid,” she asked.
“Every chance we got, which was whenever we traveled here.”
“This is amazing, thank you for showing me this.”
“You’re more than welcome, I figured you’d like it.”
“You figured, huh?”
He chuckled, “I’m glad I was right.”
She gave him a warm smile. “That you definitely are.” And he was too right. Being with Jonas was becoming something she thoroughly enjoyed.
“Promise me something,” she said.
“Anything.”
“We’ll always be friends.”
She leaned her head back to look up at him. His eyes were intense and steady. His arms tightened around her waist. They both felt more than friendly for each other, but neither one was willing to admit it. Jonas kissed her on her forehead down to the tip of her nose then moved to her lips. She closed her eyes letting the heat from his mouth coat her in a delicious wave of euphoria.
Their kiss seared, Samiyah biting down on Jonas’ lips, pulling and licking not missing a beat. Soon audible moans could be heard coming from both of them as Jonas turned her
towards him. The kayak bobbed and rocked slightly with water creeping over the edges soaking them from the waist down. They paid it no mind as their kiss turned into a fiery passion. Samiyah made an attempt to unbuckle her lifejacket tugging at it to no avail. Jonas pulled back from her.
“Are you sure you want to come out of this?” his voice was rugged and profound.
“I trust you,” she spoke with bated breath. Her words sent a thrill of desire running through him. He unsnapped the jacket as if it was second nature. When it fell to the side, she removed the sundress revealing a two-piece bikini set that put her curvaceous body on full display. He gritted his teeth and removed his lifejacket and his t-shirt. Samiyah nibbled down on her lips and reached for his pants unzipping them slowly filling her hand with his girth. There was no way she could get used to his distended size. Samiyah pulled it out of his pants and moved her hand up and down his length.
“Take off your clothes.” He commanded. She did what she was told slipping out of the bikini top and bottom. He removed a condom from his pocket and wrapped himself. He grabbed her hips lifting her like she weighed nothing. She folded her legs back as he sat her on top of him. Her arms curved around his neck.
When they connected, her mouth fell open, and desire rippled through her core. Samiyah’s movements were slow but urging. Her head fell back as she lifted her hips up and down.
Every time the kayak moved, the waters around them lit up from the bioluminescent plankton surrounding it. Jonas encased Samiyah, his arms laying firmly around her with a fierceness that glued them together. Samiyah moaned and chanted for him to never let her go. His heart throbbed as they made love under the glow of moonlight surrounded by starry waters. He kissed her neck and sucked her breasts then made his way back to her lips. They rode into an orgasm so deep the kayak almost flipped from their shudders. They breathed heavy against each other’s skin their eyes plastered to their faces.
Safe With Me (Falling For A Rose Book 1) Page 8