These Arms of Mine

by Judy Lynn Hubbard

  Dear Lord, she couldn’t believe her thoughts! What was the matter with her? What had he done to her in so short a time and what would he do to her sense of self once they were married? Married! Her mind slowly repeated that word. Soon, very soon, she would be Mrs. Derrick Chandler. Her life would definitely change then, but for better or for worse?

  Alesha stood as the doorbell chimed. “I’ll get it.”

  She reached and opened the front door to Derrick.

  “Hello, sweetheart.” He smiled lovingly at her.

  His easy use of the endearment caused her heart to somersault. He handed her one of the bouquets of flowers he held in his hands. With his free arm, he encircled her waist and placed a firm, passionate kiss on her soft, moist, waiting lips.

  When he released her, she was breathing erratically. He whispered in her ear before escorting her into the living room with his arm still around her waist.

  “Try to look happy.”

  She nearly told him she didn’t have to try to look happy—she was happy to see him. Of course, that was only because he had presented a reason to escape from her disquieting thoughts, wasn’t it?

  “Derrick, how lovely to see you again.”

  “Thank you, Barbara. It’s nice to see you, too.” He released Alesha and bent to kiss her mother’s cheek while handing her the other bouquet of flowers. “Hello, Robert.”

  “Derrick.” Robert’s voice was clipped. “Excuse me. I need to make a call.” He shook Derrick’s hand before walking out of the room.

  Alesha sighed as she sat down in a chair near her mother. She could see why her mother liked Derrick—he was absolutely charming. He did know how to make a person feel special.

  “Thank you. These are lovely.” Barbara sniffed the flowers appreciatively.

  “I’m glad you like them.” Derrick straightened and sat on the arm of Alesha’s chair, his arm draped along the back.

  She tried to listen to the small talk going on around her, but Derrick’s nearness was making that impossible. His arm moved from the back of the chair to rest on the nape of her neck, absently massaging her tense flesh. Instead of soothing her, it had the opposite effect. He lightly caressed her soft skin, driving her to distraction. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how much his actions unnerved her. She didn’t have to because he already knew—a fact that was confirmed when she glanced up into his eyes.

  “Darling, you’re wearing your hair down, just the way I like it.”

  “You like her hair long?” Her mother’s query thankfully saved her from responding.

  “Oh, yes.” Derrick’s voice was a potent caress as he continued to lightly finger her silky tresses.

  “I tried to get her to cut it, but she said it would be too much bother.”

  They continued to discuss her as if she weren’t present, which suited her just fine. She didn’t think she could formulate a coherent sentence if her life depended on it.

  “I’m glad she didn’t—I love it the way it is.”

  He bent down and brought a handful to his nostrils, inhaling its fresh scent. Then he let it trail through his fingers back against her warm cheek, his fingers still absently playing with a handful of strands.

  She stopped paying attention to the conversation altogether at that point. Derrick’s nearness and actions banished any logical thoughts from her mind, replaced by desires only for him. She wanted to reach up and bring his satisfying lips down to hers, and once again feel the burning ecstasy of his kiss.

  “Isn’t that right, darling?”

  She glanced up at Derrick, who was smiling down at her lovingly and if she didn’t know better, she would honestly believed he cared for her.

  “I’m sorry, what?” She shook her head slightly as she forced herself to refocus on the conversation around her.

  “Baby, were you daydreaming about our wedding again?” His finger lightly trailed down her burning cheek.

  She swallowed the lump in her throat and forced a smile to her lips. “I’m afraid I’m guilty as charged, darling.”

  “Your mother was asking where we were going to spend our honeymoon, and I told her we had decided to go to my house in the country for a week and take a real honeymoon later on.” His eyes laughed at her once again.

  “Yes, Mom, that’s right.” She didn’t know how she managed to make her voice sound cheerful when she felt anything but. “Excuse me—I think I need to check on dinner.”

  “Sweetheart, you just checked.” Her mother frowned.

  “I—I know, Mom, but it was almost ready. I’ll be right back.” She stood and hurriedly left the room, but not before she caught a glimpse of Derrick’s mocking eyes as he followed her. No doubt, he knew exactly what she had been thinking and feeling. Damn him and herself!

  A short time later, they were all seated around the dining room table. Alesha, of course, sat next to Derrick. Her mother and Robert sat on the other side.

  “Sweetheart, tell me the full story of how the two of you met.”

  Her mother’s question took her completely by surprise. She had assumed her brief response weeks ago had satisfied her mother’s curiosity. She nearly choked on the piece of food she had just placed in her mouth and hurriedly took a sip of water before turning to Derrick.

  “Why don’t you tell her, darling?”

  “All right, baby.” He lightly kissed her lips before turning to her mother. “Well, Barbara, Robert sent Alesha to my office to pick up a check for a television spot.” He glanced at Robert who was silently fuming. “I was floored by her visit, but more so by her beauty.” He paused, this time to stare appreciatively at Alesha, and she grew warm under his burning gaze.

  After he knew he had made her thoroughly uncomfortable, he said, “I was surprised when she wanted to discuss my campaign strategy. I had taken one look at her and my brains flew right out of the window. I asked her out to lunch, and she accepted.” He kissed her cheek before continuing, “One meal with her wasn’t nearly enough. I knew I had to see more of her, and we began to date. It became apparent that we were both swept away. The rest, as they say, is history.” Derrick finished his tale and, much to her mother’s delight, picked up Alesha’s left hand and brought it to his lips.

  “That’s so romantic!” Her mother eyed them both with pure happiness.

  “Yes, Mom, so much so that I almost can’t stand it.”

  Thankfully, her sarcasm was lost on her mother. Derrick merely smiled and gave her hand a little warning squeeze. God, how she amused him! His eyes strayed to her tantalizing mouth and he resisted an almost irrepressible urge to capture those tasty lips with his own and spend untold minutes feasting on every sweet curve. He couldn’t wait until they were married, until she was legally his wife and intimately his woman.

  “Why did you wait so long to tell me you were seeing Derrick?” Her mother directed the question toward her.

  “Tell her what you told me, darling.” Derrick’s eyes danced with mischief.

  “Well, Mom, it was because…because everything happened so fast and we wanted to be sure about how we felt before we said anything.” Alesha rattled off what she hoped sounded like a plausible answer.

  “I understand.” Barbara sighed as she glanced approvingly at the loving couple before her.

  I’m glad you do, Alesha silently thought. Would this dinner never be over with? All she wanted was to get away from Derrick’s disturbing presence, her alarming reactions to him, Robert’s understandably sulky mood and her mother’s glowing countenance as she bought into every shameful lie and half truth they fed her.

  “It’s partly my fault, too, Barbara. I was just getting to know Alesha, and I wanted her all to myself. I hope you can forgive me.” He placed a lingering kiss on the corner of Alesha’s mouth.
/>   “Of course I can, Derrick.”

  Robert couldn’t take another second of this nauseating display and quickly stood. “I hope everyone will excuse me, but I have to leave.”

  “So soon?” His mother frowned.

  “I’m sorry, Mom. I thought we’d be through with dinner by now, and I have other plans.” If he stayed here another second, he would surely throw up.

  Derrick took everyone by surprise as he stood up, too, and said, “Robert, I was going to ask you this later, but since you’re leaving, I’ll just do it now.”

  “What is it, Derrick?” Robert tried to hide his dislike of the man for his mother’s sake.

  “Alesha and I have thought a lot about this, and we want you to be the best man at our wedding.”

  “What?”

  Derrick thoroughly surprised everyone present. Robert and Alesha stared at Derrick in absolute shock.

  “Oh, Derrick, how wonderful,” Barbara said with great enthusiasm. “Isn’t it, Robert?” She prompted him to respond to Derrick’s offer.

  “Are you sure, Derrick? Don’t you have someone else you’d rather have stand up for you?” Robert tried to gracefully decline.

  “Of course I’m sure. After all, you were instrumental in us getting together.” Derrick smiled as he took Alesha’s hand, causing her to stand before pulling her close to his side. “If it wasn’t for you, we never would have become engaged.”

  “What about Cam?” Robert searched for a way out.

  “He’ll understand why I want you.” Derrick refused to relent. “What do you say?”

  “Sure.” Robert glanced helplessly at Alesha who shook her head in resignation. “I really have to go now.” He bent down to kiss his mother’s cheek, and then dashed out the door.

  “Derrick, that was so nice of you.” Barbara continued to sing his praises, much to Alesha’s dismay.

  “It was nothing, Barbara. As I said to Robert, he’s the reason Alesha and I are getting married. I can’t think of anyone who deserves to be my best man more than he does.”

  Alesha stared at him, trying as hard as she could to hide the anger consuming her. He brought out such a range of emotions in her—one moment he could make her feel intense longing and desire. In a millisecond he could elicit a feeling of understanding and deep friendship. Just as quickly as he did now, he could spark a flame of anger, burning so brightly that she thought it would consume her. Her eyes blazed fury into the smiling, mocking depths of his.

  At this moment, she was convinced that his sole purpose on earth was to bring chaos and disorder into her family’s lives. His smile intensified, as if reading her mind, and somehow she resisted an urge to pick up her fork and use it as a weapon against him.

  After dinner, Derrick sat on the sofa as Alesha paced angrily back and forth in front of him. Obviously, she was angry and he knew why.

  She spoke to him in hushed, incensed tones. “You really enjoyed yourself tonight, didn’t you?”

  “Very much.” His eyes followed her tense body as she walked away from him.

  “How could you ask Robert to be your best man? You deliberately placed him in an untenable position.” Her voice was angry, yet deliberately low enough so as not to disturb her mother.

  “He could have said no.”

  “How? Momma would have become suspicious if he had.”

  “I hardly think Robert is the injured party in any of this.”

  “You’re right about that.” She stepped away and took several deep breaths. “Derrick, please reconsider. You don’t want to marry me.”

  He stood at her words and walked over to face her. “On the contrary, I do.”

  “Why?” She was both flabbergasted and pleased to hear sincerity in his voice.

  “Because you amuse me.” He intentionally left unspoken the fact that she also inflamed, excited and captivated him.

  “How flattering!”

  “What do you want me to say? That I’m madly in love with you?” She remained silent and he continued, “You know why I’m marrying you, Alesha—it’s purely business.”

  Even as he spoke the carefully chosen, cold words, he knew he was lying to both of them.

  “How can I forget?” she hissed angrily. “You remind me every time I see you.”

  “You sound upset.” He placed a hand under her chin and forced her turbulent eyes to meet the piercing depth of his own.

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” She snatched her chin away, disturbed by his nearness and his insightful statements.

  Despite her vehement denial, she knew he was right—she hated hearing him refer to their marriage as nothing more than a business arrangement, even though she knew that was exactly what it was. She tried to walk around him, but he grabbed her upper arm, stopping her.

  “Maybe this is what you want to hear.” He paused for what seemed like an eternity. “I want you, Alesha, very much. I’ve wanted you for a very long time, and this time I’m going to have you—all of you.”

  Her breath caught in her throat at his blatant, unexpected admission and arrogant assertion. She tried unsuccessfully to quash the vivid erotic images that sprang to mind as a result of his confession.

  He moved closer until he was standing mere inches from her, causing her breathing to increase. Her heart thundered loudly in her ears as she continued to meet his scorching gaze. His hands reached out and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her body closer to his own.

  “There’s no one around to impress.” She silently cursed her voice for sounding expectant and aroused instead of angry.

  “I know that.” He shook his head in agreement. “I’m doing this simply for my own pleasure—and yours.”

  He made her wait for an eternity until his burning mouth finally covered hers. She promised herself she would not respond. However, she soon found that her traitorous body had its own agenda. His hands moved to her lower back, pressing her intimately against the rock hardness of his own body. His tongue barely touched her lips and they parted, allowing him unlimited access to the hidden, inviting caverns of her sweet mouth. His hot tongue scalded hers.

  Despite herself, she heard a moan of pleasure escape from her mouth and her arms slowly moved up his chest until they were entwined around his neck. He smiled slightly before pulling her up until she was standing on her tiptoes as he sucked her lips against his and massaged her tongue urgently with his own. Never in her life had she been kissed so thoroughly or devastatingly. Each kiss was different, yet achingly similar. When it came to arousing and satisfying a woman, Derrick Chandler was no novice, but then she already knew that. Without even trying, he could ignite her desire for him.

  The hands at her back moved to trail lightly up her sides, resting at her breasts before sliding between her shoulder blades, pressing her closer as he continued his devastating assault on her mouth. She felt a similar sensation to one she hadn’t known of until he had first kissed her, as the way he was now, building in pit of her stomach. It was a type of hunger, not for food, but for something entirely forbidden.

  Her fingers fastened behind his head, holding him close. Her lips opened wider beneath the insistent, maddening pressure of his. Their kisses deepened. God, she wanted… What? What did she want? Something she was afraid to name, something she knew only he could give her.

  Reluctantly, his lips slid from hers, and he stared deeply into her half-opened eyes. He studied the play of emotions dancing in their brown depths, and knew she was disturbed by her strong attraction to him. He himself was a little surprised and even troubled that, after all that had transpired between them, she still had the power to make him lose control.

  The reason he kept reminding her about why they were marrying was that he needed to be constantly cognizant of that. Still, regardless of how they had come
into each other’s lives again, he couldn’t wait for her to become his in every sense of the word. And though she would never admit it, he knew she was also anticipating the day when they would be husband and wife, but, more important, lovers.

  His lips claimed hers again in another scorching kiss. Her eyes closed against the blinding passion mirrored in his, and she sighed in rapture against his bruising lips as they continued to devour hers. His fingers entangled in her hair, pulling her mouth closer still as he continued to savor her enticing lips. One of his hands moved to pull the hemline of the burgundy blouse she wore from the waistband of the matching skirt, sliding beneath to caress the warm, satiny skin of her lower back. She gasped against his mouth at the intrusion, but instead of moving away, she wantonly pressed closer, suddenly wishing their clothes would disappear, leaving only their bare bodies. She didn’t know what was happening to her common sense, and at this moment, she didn’t really care.

  He felt her total surrender. He knew he could take her now and she wouldn’t resist. For that reason, he also knew he couldn’t, regardless of how much he longed to do so. He had silently promised himself not to consummate their relationship until they were married. He had convinced himself it was because he wanted to give her time to get to know him again, but the truth was that he was afraid that once he made her his, he would risk losing himself. He wanted… What did he want from her? Revenge, retribution or something simpler yet much more complicated and disturbing?

  “I can’t wait until we’re married.”

  His admission was whispered against her moist lips. His mouth was so close to hers, she could still feel its imprint. There was no mistaking his meaning, and that prompted her eyes to flutter open as she stared at him, embarrassed by her actions and the fact that she hadn’t wanted him to stop kissing or caressing her. Even now, her skin tingled from the light trails his fingers had blazed across it.