Earl shook his head. “No. I need to be leaving.”
"Okay. Well, thanks for dropping in to say hi.”
"I'll see you another time.” Earl's gaze didn't waver as he began walking backward. He walked until he bumped into a table before finally turning around.
Amani held her breath until he disappeared through the door. She watched him walk out of the view of the windows, then rushed to the front of the store. She turned the lock on the door.
"Oh, man.” She buried her face in her hands, feeling frazzled. Perhaps she was overreacting where Earl was concerned, but she was glad he was out of the store.
Merely minutes after she went to the back of the cafe to put the pastries in the fridge, she heard banging on the window. Startled, she jumped, then relaxed when she saw Aaron's face.
Aaron.
Their eyes connecting, he motioned for her to go to the front door.
Of course. She'd locked it.
Her fear ebbing away, she hustled to the front door and unlocked it. The moment she opened it, Aaron pulled her into his arms. “Are you okay?” he asked, concern lacing his voice.
"I am now,” she told him.
His gaze swept the entire cafe. “What happened?”
"Well . . . nothing, really. Someone I know came in, and I guess ... I didn't like the vibe I was getting from him. I feel kind of silly now. I overreacted.”
"I thought you weren't going to be alone.”
"I sent my worker home early.”
"Amani.” Aaron shook his head. “I don't like the idea of you being here alone. This is a big city. You're right downtown. You need to take precautions to keep safe.”
"I know.” She slipped her arms around his waist, snuggling against him. “You got here fast.”
"I was worried.”
"You must not live far.”
Aaron pulled back his head to look down at her. “Is that a not- so-subtle way to try and find out where I live?”
She giggled softly. “No.”
"I live near Yonge and Bloor.” He paused. “Did you drive?”
"The subway's right underneath us, and from here it practically takes me to my door.”
"I'll take you home.”
"I live in North York.”
"So?”
"Bathurst and Wilson area.”
"What else do you need to do before leaving?”
"Stick a few more things in the fridge. Do a final count of the cash, which isn't that big of a job because I already got through most of it and left only a small float in the till. But I'll at least be fifteen or so minutes. Too long for me to expect you to wait for me.”
"Can I help you?”
"Aaron.”
"I'm not going anywhere, unless you're with me.”
Inwardly, Amani beamed. She was secretly thrilled at Aaron's protectiveness toward her. “All right. I'll be quick.”
The drive to her place had been quiet for the most part, except for the sounds of jazz playing on the stereo and the occasional sprinkling of conversation. Nothing deep. Nothing personal. Amani had gotten the impression that Aaron was tired, or deliberately holding back. After all, he'd joked earlier about her keeping him up all night when he had to work tomorrow.
"This house right here,” Amani told him, pointing.
Aaron stopped his late-model Mercedes. The gold-colored car drove like a dream, and Amani almost regretted having to get out of it. Nonetheless, she pulled her purse from the floor onto her lap. “Thanks a lot,” she said. “I really appreciate the ride.”
"You thank me for everything.”
"That's the way my mother raised me.”
"Which is fine. I'm not saying that. But I get the impression that you don't expect a lot from a man.”
"Meaning?”
"Amani, I care about you. The least I can do is give you a ride home to make sure you're safe.”
Amani's shoulders rose and fell in what she hoped was a nonchalant shrug. “I guess I'm just not used to that.”
"Tell me your ex would have at least made sure to pick you up if you were scared.”
"My ex?” Amani laughed. “Now there's a joke.”
"He wouldn't?”
"Carl didn't. . . well, I guess he didn't care. Although I didn't know that at the time.”
A beat, then, “I know your mother passed, but what about your father? Is he around?”
"He was never around. He walked away from my mother even before I was born.”
"Aw, Amani. I'm sorry.”
"Why? It's not your fault.”
"I wish you'd had at least one man who treated you right.” He reached across the seat and took her hand in his. “I want to treat you right.”
From another man's lips, those words could be construed as simply suggestive. But this was Aaron, the man who had held her in his arms as she'd cried about her mother's death. The man who had whispered her words of support when she'd needed them. She knew he cared.
This seemed so right, being with him. When she had fallen for Carl, a part of her had always known that he was a way out of her lonely situation. She had moved in with an eccentric aunt and uncle when her mother's death had left her orphaned, and after a few short months, she'd thought she would go nuts there. Carl had offered a happier future, and Amani hadn't hesitated to take him up on it.
But Aaron had always been the man in her heart.
Amani looked at their joined hands, then lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. “Good night,” she murmured.
"No. Not yet.” And with those words, Aaron kissed her.
His lips captured hers softly at first in a tender kiss good-bye, but after a few moments, it was clear that neither one of them wanted to pull away. So the kiss deepened, became more urgent, until the sounds of their heavy breathing filled the car.
Aaron's hands went to her face. He sucked the tip of her tongue, her bottom lip. Then opened his mouth wide and delved his tongue into her mouth again, driving Amani insane with lust.
"I don't want to stop,” he whispered.
"You don't have to. You can come inside.”
The offer itself was a big step for her. Amani never brought a man home. That way, if she didn't want him to stay the night, she could be the one to walk away. Like she had done with Earl. She preferred it that way.
But she was engulfed in a fireball of desire, and going anywhere but straight to her bedroom was out of the question.
Aaron trailed his fingers down both sides of her neck, then across her collarbone. Had anyone ever touched her like this?
"I promise, I won't keep you up all night.”
Oh, but I want you to, Aaron thought. Twenty minutes or an hour with Amani just wouldn't be enough.
He didn't tell her that, though, because he was still debating her offer. Debating how sensible it was to lose precious hours of sleep, versus finally satisfying his carnal feelings for the utterly desirable Amani Milford.
"Aaron?”
Forget thinking. He reached for his car door and flung it open. By the time he stepped into the cold night, Amani was also out of the car.
Aaron didn't say anything as he made his way around to her. Just reached for her hand, and she gave it to him.
Hand in hand, they walked up the short path to her small brick house.
8
.
The moment they crossed the threshold into her place, Amani threw her purse to the ground, spun around, and grabbed Aaron by the collar. She drew him to her so fiercely that she even shocked herself.
This wasn't about warm and fuzzy anymore. She wanted to get down and dirty.
She worked her mouth over his, her body growing hotter and wetter by the second. Lord, but the man had an incredible mouth. She could kiss him all day and never grow bored.
Aaron pulled away from her. “Is anyone else here?”
"No. I live alone.”
She flicked her tongue over his mouth at the same time her fingers reached for the buttons on his shirt. One bu
tton, two. She deepened the kiss. Three buttons. Aaron pulled at her jacket.
Skillfully, Amani maneuvered her arms out of it so that her mouth never left his.
When her jacket hit the floor, she reached for his, urging it off his broad shoulders. The sound of rustling leather mixed with their moaning and panting. Then Aaron's jacket also hit the floor.
His tongue working wonders inside her mouth, he wrapped his arms around her waist and walked forward, forcing Amani to walk backward. She freed his shirt from his pants just before her body hit the wall.
"Oh, baby.” Aaron pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it to the ground. “You're beautiful.” His hands covered her breasts. “Absolutely beautiful.”
Moaning softly, Amani leaned her head back against the wall. She jutted out her large breasts in invitation. She wanted them naked. She wanted Aaron's hot tongue on them.
But clearly he wanted to torture her.
He skimmed the mounds of her breasts with his fingers, the light touch stoking her fire. Then his hands went lower, down her belly to the waistband of her black tights. He dragged the soft material down her thighs. Dragged his fingers back up her legs, stopping them just before he touched her center.
"Can I touch you here?” he asked, his warm breath as erotic on her vagina as any stroke.
"Oh, Aaron, please.”
Amani gasped when his finger made contact with her through her thong. Back and forth his thumb went stroking her nub, making it swell.
"I love your scent,” Aaron told her. “Oh, baby. I need to taste you.”
Amani went perfectly still. She had experienced this in her fantasies, but only in her fantasies. Carl had never wanted to please her this way, and the other men she'd been intimate with had preferred using their fingers to please her rather than their tongues.
Her nub throbbed as Aaron pulled her underwear down. The foyer light was on, giving him a full, X-rated view of her, but Amani surprisingly didn't care the way she had with Carl and the others. Aaron's touch made her feel beautiful, sexy.
"Open your legs for me.”
Her knees wobbling, Amani braced herself against the wall for support as she spread her legs.
"That's it. Oh, yeah.” He kissed her mound. “You're already wet for me.”
Never had Amani been so exposed, yet she felt an incredible thrill. A rapturous moan spilled from her lips when Aaron touched her again. He moved his thumb over her nub in a circular motion, while his other fingers ventured along her folds. The pleasure nearly killed her when he eased a finger inside her.
"Oh yeah, sweetheart. That's it.”
Amani writhed around against the pressure of his finger, her body so taut with sexual tension that she wasn't sure she could last much longer.
His thumb still stroking her on the outside, Aaron eased another finger inside her.
"Aaron ...”
"You want more?” he asked.
"God, yes.”
"I want to give you more.”
And then Aaron's tongue replaced his thumb. Amani cried out and slammed her hands against the wall. The sweetest sensation rocked her at her core. His tongue against her was heat on heat, applying delicious friction. How long could she last before she exploded?
Aaron's fingers stroked her from the inside while his tongue stroked her on the outside. Amani could barely manage little gasps for air as the pressure built. And when Aaron took her in his mouth and suckled her, Amani finally vaulted over the edge and into a sea of mind-shattering bliss.
"Aaron . . . oh . . .”
She gripped his head as her orgasm rocked her body, moaning wantonly and thrashing her head from side to side. And still, Aaron didn't stop. He sucked and stroked her until her body was spent from pleasure, until her knees could no longer sustain her weight. They buckled, and she collapsed, falling against him.
Nuzzling her face against his shoulder, Amani held on to Aaron until her breathing calmed from its frantic pace. He held her, too, his strong arm like a security blanket around her. She had never been so vulnerable, never been so satisfied.
"Amani?”
"Hmm?”
"My hand.”
Her eyes widened with alarm as she realized that her knee was crushing his fingers. “Oh, gosh,” she said, moving herself backward onto her butt. Her pants were like shackles around her ankles, preventing her from doing much else. “I'm sorry.”
"No, don't be.” He paused. “You okay?”
"Okay?” she asked, her tone resonating with disbelief. “Aaron, I'm more than okay. I've never been this okay in my life.”
He stroked her face. “I'm glad.”
Amani freed herself of her pants and underwear. Then she got onto her knees and crawled toward Aaron. She wanted to kiss him again.
He indulged her, but only briefly. When he pulled back his head, Amani stared at him in confusion. “What's the matter?”
Aaron glanced at his watch, then back at her. “The time.”
"You want to leave me?”
"I don't want to leave you, but I think I should. Or trust me, I won't be leaving here for several hours.”
His comment made her body throb. He'd given her an explosive orgasm. She wanted to do the same for him.
"You can't leave.”
Aaron slowly stood. “Think of this as a promise of what will come.”
Amani scrambled to her feet. She threw her arms around Aaron. “Please, no. I want to satisfy you.”
"I want that, too . . . but I don't want to rush.”
Did he have restraint beyond belief, or could he walk away so easily because he didn't find her attractive? Self-doubt reared its ugly head, making her believe the latter.
She looked down, unable to face him.
"Hey.” Aaron gently lifted her head, forcing her to meet his eyes. “What's the matter?”
"I don't know,” Amani lied.
Aaron stroked her chin with his thumb. “My leaving now, it's the hardest thing for me to do. You have to know that.”
"Then why go?”
"I want to give you something to look forward to tomorrow night.”
"Tomorrow night?”
His lips curled in a grin. “Mmm hmm. Tomorrow is Friday. And I don't have to be up early on Saturday.”
His words were like a promise, and Amani's body shuddered. If he had given her a whopping orgasm in such a short amount of time, what would an entire night with him be like? He kissed her, and her eyelids fluttered shut. “Sweet dreams,” he said softly. Amani had absolutely no doubt that they would be.
"This is a first,” Suzette said as she stuffed the sheet of paper into Amani's hand. “Courting by fax?” “What?” Amani asked. “Read it.”
I'm anxious to see you. I can hardly wait. Will you do me the honor Of being ready by eight?
(Sorry. I'm not much of a poet. If you can't make this date, please call me at the school, 555-6790.)
Amani started laughing, “I can't believe this.” “And I thought Mitch was romantic. That man has clearly got it bad for you.”
"I think you're right.”
"You think? When a man resorts to corny poetry, you know he wants you.”
A smile danced on Amani's face, remembering last night. “Can I tell you something?”
Suzette's eyes widened as she drew in a sharp intake of air. “Amani . . .”
"I kinda got lucky last night.”
"Oh my God. Where? Here?”
Amani shook her head. She filled Suzette in on Earl's appearance last night and how he'd frightened her, how that had led to Aaron coming by. “Then, he gave me a ride home.”
"I'll bet.”
"It didn't get that far. But girl, we fooled around for a bit, and I have to tell you, if I never see him again, what we shared last night will be enough to satisfy me forever.”
Suzette covered her mouth to quiet her squeal of delight.
At the beginning of this month, Amani would never have imagined that she'd meet up with Aaron ag
ain, much less be intimately involved with him. Just when you got used to one hand, life dealt you another one.
"This is so . . . weird,” Amani said. “The whole thing seems like a dream. So out of the blue.”
"Girl, whatever you're doing, keep doing it. Because it's obviously working. And I know you've always wanted Mr. Too Fine Aaron Hayes.”
Amani couldn't deny it. She had always wanted him. Was this really her chance to have him?
The kiss in Aaron's classroom had been unexpected for both of them, yet they'd taken their relationship to a new level nonetheless. Tonight, she would discover what it was like to be skin to skin with him, making love for possibly hours. Aaron had promised as much, and Amani knew he would deliver.
She had felt something with him she hadn't felt with anyone else. A comfort level that had surprised her. It had come so naturally, you'd think they had been intimate with each other for years.
Amani was one hundred percent smitten with him, charmed by his sweet nature and old-fashioned charm.
It wasn't the first time she'd felt promise at the onset of a relationship. She had felt hopeful with Earl, but then her feelings had faded. She didn't want that to happen now.
As if! a voice in her brain screamed. You've only been hot for the man for how long?
To Suzette, she said, “We'll see how it goes.”
"How can you be so flip about this?”
"I don't want to get excited. Jinx myself, you know?”
Suzette rolled her eyes. “How about this. Don't worry about coming in until tomorrow afternoon. Provided we even open at all, considering the weather's supposed to get worse.”
Amani looked outside. It was snowing lightly, but the wind had picked up, blowing the flurries around with a vengeance. As a result, snow was piling up outside the door to their cafe. It looked miserable, but business was booming as a result. People were coming inside to escape the cold.
"Who knows?” Suzette shrugged. “Maybe Mother Nature will be on your side.”
"I'll be here by . . . ten.”
"Oh yeah, right! You expect me to believe that once you get your hands on the delectable Mr. Hayes, you'll come up for air before the morning?”
What an enticing thought. “Maybe eleven, then.”
Suzette flashed Amani a mock-scowl. “Whatever. I won't expect you until one or two. But I suspect the weather's gonna keep you in bed tomorrow, so that won't be an issue. That and at least six feet two of gorgeous black man.”
An All Night Man Page 19