by Imari Jade
Next, Emily made the appointment for her hair and nails, and then she tackled some of the real mail piling up in her in-basket. There were loads of fashion magazines and books. Most of it belonged to her father, but he insisted she go through the mail for him because he was much too busy. Emily smirked. Yeah, right. He was probably on his phone lining up a dinner date for the evening. She couldn’t recall the last time he’d eaten at home. She sighed. Maybe the big mansion was a bit lonely now that she’d moved out. She wasn’t much of a cook either, but she tried to eat dinner at home five nights out of seven.
After sorting and putting away the mail Emily pulled out a tablet and pen and began composing a grocery list. She needed lots of milk and some fresh fruit and vegetables. And liver. Emily made a face. Doctor Kim said she needed iron and protein, but she hated the heck out of liver. Emily surfed the Internet for a substitute and found oysters and chicken to be good sources. She quickly scratched liver from the list and added oysters and chicken. Then she went to her favorite book-buying site and ordered a book on pregnancy. She’d learn everything she had to just in case she decided to keep the baby. She groaned. She could barely take care of herself.
Emily finished up and then left her office to check on a supply order. Her plans were to leave on time, grocery shop and then go home to take a relaxing bubble bath before turning in for the evening.
* * * *
What were the chances of her running into Bekim in the supermarket? Granted they did live near each other but their paths never crossed before.
“Are you following me?” Bekim asked once he recognized her.
“No, I can barely tolerate you during business hours, so why would I follow you on my free time?”
“Emily, dear, why are you refusing to admit you are infatuated with me?”
Emily turned her nose up at him.
“I’m just teasing.” He gazed over into her cart. “Ooh, oysters. Are you expecting company?”
Emily frowned at him. “No, why?”
He pointed to the oysters. “They’re supposed to be good for the libido.”
“No, only you would use them for that purpose. They’re also a healthy source of protein.”
“So you’re trying to be healthy. I understand. Well, you’re giving it a pretty good start with all that milk, chicken and fresh fruit.”
Emily gazed over into his basket. He had bottles of wine, cheese and crackers, and a box of condoms. “Are you expecting company?”
“Non!” he said, using the French term for no. “I’m just restocking my supply. Dinner tonight will be shrimp and crab fettucini.”
“You can cook?”
“Why would you ask like that? Of course I can cook. I don’t go out to dinner with pretty ladies every night like some people assume.”
Emily sneered at him. “I just assumed you have someone come in to cook for you. Where are your ingredients?”
“Still on the shelves,” Bekim said. “I was just on my way to the seafood counter.” He paused. “I have a splendid idea. Why don’t you join me for dinner tonight?”
“What? Why?” Emily asked.
“So I can show off my superb culinary skills, and so we can discuss Fashion Week.”
She didn’t want to have dinner with Bekim and have to be there to hear his phone ringing off the hook. But she really wanted to see his place. She bet the much-together designer was a slob at home. No one could be so perfect. He had to have some faults besides being a womanizer. “Okay,” she said, just to appease her curiosity.
The stunned look on Bekim’s face probably meant she’d shocked him by accepting.
“But I need to finish shopping and go put away my groceries. And I can’t stay late because I need my rest.”
“Spoken like a true princess. I’ll see you in an hour,” he told her. “Let me give you the address.”
“Don’t bother,” Emily told him. “I already know.”
Bekim raised an eyebrow, but did not comment. “I’ll see you soon,” he said, walking away.
Chapter Three
Emily rode the bus down to Bekim’s apartment, got off, and walked down the street with throngs of people. Bekim lived in a swanky high-rise building. A doorman allowed her to enter and Emily found the elevator and rode up to the tenth floor. Bekim lived in apartment 1012, at the far end of the hall. She exited the elevator, found the apartment and rang the buzzer. Moments later Bekim opened the door wearing a Kiss the Chef apron along with a pair of gray Armani slacks and a matching short-sleeved pullover shirt.
“You’re right on time,” he said as he stepped aside and allowed her to enter.
Emily ran her gaze over the hardwood floors and the expensive furniture. Custom-made drapes hung from the curtain rods and the place had adequate lighting. “I like everything I see so far.”
“Do you also like my apron?” Bekim asked, leading her to the kitchen.
“It’s very cute,” she said, as she had admired the warm tan and brown colors and the splashes of yellow and green as soon as she’d stepped through the door. His eye for color and design transcended to his home and she found the place orderly and homey. “Something smells delicious,” she said as they entered the kitchen.
“Dinner should be ready in a moment,” Bekim said.
“Where can I wash up?”
“The bathroom is down the hall, second door on the right.”
Emily walked out the kitchen and found the half-bathroom. There were little duck motifs on the walls and matching accessories like a duck–shaped soap dispenser and ducks on the guest towels.
Emily used the toilet and then washed her hands. She found Bekim stirring a pot when she walked back into the kitchen. Moments later they sat across from each other at a table set intimately for two. He poured a glass of wine for himself but she stuck to bottled water. She sampled the food. “Oh my gawd, this is delicious.” The shrimp and crab creation melted on her tongue and the noodles were tender. The cheese sauce didn’t overpower the seafood. Halfway through the meal she smelled something sweet. “Are you baking something?”
Bekim nodded. “Dessert. I am preparing a pineapple upside-down cake.”
Emily moaned. “My favorite.”
Bekim smirked. “Yes, I know. But if I knew I’d get a response like this from you I would have showered you in cake a long time ago.”
Emily smirked and shook her head at him. “I like this side of you.”
“What? My witty side?” He made his eyebrows go up and down.
“No, the human side. You seem so relaxed away from the office. And the phone hasn’t rung.”
Bekim twirled the noodles around on his fork. “I turned my cell phone off. I know you don’t like when it rings.” He put the tip of the fork in his mouth and sucked at the noodle.
Emily got the shivers just by watching him eat. “I don’t like it at work. I can’t control what you do on your own time. But thanks for turning it off.” She paused. “Oh, wait, what if there’s an emergency?”
“I have a house phone,” Bekim said after swallowing. “But to tell you the truth I’m not really a fan of the cell phone either. I find it quite annoying to listen to someone’s conversation while I’m shopping or on the subway.”
Emily nodded. “I find it rude too. Sometimes I like to read a good book on my way to and from work, but I can’t concentrate with all the conversations going on around me.”
The two of them continued to talk and before she noticed several hours had gone by. They moved from the kitchen to Bekim’s design room. She walked over to a rack of clothing. One dress in particular caught her attention immediately. It was a short emerald green after-five. Emily lifted it from the rack to admire it.
“Do you like it?” Bekim asked.
Emily nodded. “I like the color, and the beadwork is exquisite. When did you find the time to make something like this with your busy schedule?”
Bekim yawned. “I forgo sleep once or twice a week.”
“Po
or baby.” She actually felt sorry for him.
“Would you like to try it on?”
“It won’t fit,” Emily said, still running her finger over the beads. “And I don’t think Camille would like the idea of me trying on her dress.”
“This is not Camille’s dress,” Bekim said. “You can change behind the screen.”
Emily really didn’t feel like getting out her clothes after such a delicious meal. All she wanted to do was crawl into a nice comfortable bed and go to sleep. “Okay.” She walked toward the screen. “But don’t peek.” She didn’t have on a bra and things were complicated enough between them.
“I wouldn’t dream of peeking,” Bekim said with a yawn. “I’m too full of cake to budge from this spot.”
Emily chuckled as she undressed. She slipped into the dress enjoying the feel of the satin lining. Bekim really knew how to make a woman feel special. Emily tried to zip the zipper, but she couldn’t reach it.
“Do you need any help?” Bekim asked.
“I can’t zip it.”
“Come out and I’ll help you.”
Emily stepped from behind the screen and nearly walked into Bekim. “I thought you said you couldn’t move.” Emily turned her back on him.
“Oh my,” he said, gawking at her. “You look simply beautiful in this color.” He moved the zipper up with ease and then he escorted her over to a full-length mirror so she could see the dress.
“Wow,” she said, adjusting the straps on her shoulders. “It looks like it was made for me.”
“It was,” Bekim said. “I thought you might want something new for the fashion show.”
The material molded to every curve. Emily turned around slowly, checking the fit out from the side and back. Her butt looked huge. Emily scowled and tried to pull it in.
“That only works on stomachs,” Bekim teased. “Damn, your ass looks bitching.”
All the cool brownie points he’d scored this evening flew right out the window. “Unzip me please.”
Bekim unzipped slowly and then his hands slid the straps down her arms. He moved his hands to her shoulders and squeezed gently.
A thrill ran through her body as he moved in behind her. “What are you doing?”
“Carpe diem,” he said. “I’m seizing the moment.” Bekim placed a warm kiss on the back of her neck.
A shudder ran all the way down to her toes. “Don’t,” she said.
“Too late.” Bekim swept her up into his arms and carried her out the room before she could react.
* * * *
No excuses, no alcohol and no clothing. Bekim had the lovely Dragon Queen just where he wanted her...on her back and in his bed. This time he was going to make damn sure she remembered.
Bekim took her time tasting every inch of Emily’s shapely body. Her breasts were like two perfect pears with dusty pink nipples. He ran his tongue over both tips until they hardened. He suckled gently on one of them and then moved over to the other.
Emily gasped as he buried his face into her stomach. She had an ‘innie’. He tongued her navel and incited a giggle. “That tickles,” she said, continuing to giggle.
The rare sound warmed his heart and gave him strength to seek out her other treasure. Bekim kissed his way down to her pussy and stopped when the giggling stopped and Emily froze. Bekim lifted Emily’s hips and spread her thighs apart. He buried his face between her legs, savoring the sweet delicate aroma of her femininity.
Emily moaned softly.
Bekim sighed inwardly, tired from working so much overtime hours, but determined to give Emily the release she needed. He kissed the lips of her pussy and then rimmed the tiny delicate hole with his tongue.
“Oh!” Emily exclaimed as she tightened her thighs around his head.
Bekim pushed his tongue in further, enjoying the taste of her. He grasped her by both hips and moved her down slowly so he could get more of his tongue inside. After a couple of seconds he removed his tongue and introduced two fingers.
Emily’s pussy sucked them inside.
Bekim only had to move his fingers in and out of her a couple time before Emily exploded, lifting her butt off the bed and drenching his fingers.
“Oh shit,” Emily said. “That was fantastic.”
Bekim rose over her. “You ain’t seen nothing yet, darling,” He rolled over and got a condom out of the nightstand. This time there would be no mistakes.
Chapter Four
Two months went by pretty quickly. Fashion Week had come and gone without a hitch and both Bucktell’s and Bekim’s designs were the hit of the fashion shows. Orders continued to pour in and Solomon was one happy camper with the outcome.
Emily on the other hand, was having a hard time hiding her pregnancy, and morning sickness was taking a toll on her. Today a few of them were going out to lunch to celebrate finishing up their work just in time for Thanksgiving. Emily pulled the most concealing outfit she owned from the closet and put it on before leaving for work. She grimaced, knowing she would have to see Bekim today. He hadn’t been himself lately since Camille had deserted him and hooked up with a guy she met during Fashion Week, and Gizelle was still angry with him for not getting her tickets to the same event.
His cell phone stopped ringing and the two of them never spoke again about the mind-blowing sex they had engaged in on the night he cooked her dinner two months ago. She had wanted so badly to tell him about the baby then, but couldn’t find the words. She’d already made up her mind to keep the baby as soon as she saw her navel protruding. Emily hadn’t figured out what she would do or how she was going to raise a baby alone. But right now she just had to get through today.
She barely made it to work before running to her private bathroom to throw up her guts.
Emily spent the rest of the morning in a meeting with her father and some of the senior personnel. Shane had returned to work and she’d been avoiding him for days because he wanted her to try on a dress he’d made for while he was recuperating at home. Emily didn’t want to appear rude, but she couldn’t undress in front of Shane because he would surely see she was pregnant. Halfway through the meeting she got nauseous again, excused herself and slowly walked out the conference room. She flew to her office, once again barely making it to the toilet. Emily brushed her teeth and gargled and then returned to the meeting.
“Emily, darling, are you okay?” Solomon asked.
Emily nodded. “I’m not feeling well.”
“You do look a bit green around the gills. Maybe you should take the rest of the day off.”
“I’ll be okay,” Emily said. “Plus I promised Deandria and the others that I would join them for lunch.”
“We can make it some other time,” Deandria said.
“Nonsense,” Emily replied. “Maybe I’ll go lay down in my office for about an hour after the meeting.”
“The meeting is dismissed,” Solomon said rising. “Go lay down. But if you’re not feeling well by noon I’m calling for the car and sending you home.”
Emily frowned. He picked a fine time to be a daddy.
Everyone left except Bekim. “Maybe you should listen to Solomon and go home.”
“She never listens to anything I say anymore,” Solomon said.
“I’m fine,” Emily assured them. “I think it was something I ate.”
“Or it’s the flu,” Bekim said, reaching up and touching her forehead. “You don’t have a fever.”
Emily rolled her eyes at him. “I’ll be fine by lunch. I don’t want to disappoint anyone or have them calling me stuck up.” In the past every time she got invited to an office function she’d found an excuse not to attend.
“They’ve called you worse,” Solomon said.
“You’re not funny, Father,” Emily said heading toward the door. “I’m going to my office to lie down.” She left the two men alone.
“Hold all my calls,” Emily said to Jasmin.
“Yes, Miss Bucktell,” the receptionist said.
Emi
ly walked past Jasmin and entered her office. Surely the morning sickness would be over soon.
* * * *
“Emily has put on some weight,” Shane said to Deandria as the two of them sat in the employee’s lounge drinking coffee and eating doughnuts.
“So it’s not my imagination,” Deandria said.
Shane shook his head. “She’s been avoiding me since I returned. I think Emily is embarrassed about it.”
“What’s Emily embarrassed about?” Bekim asked as he joined them at the table.
“The little weight she’s gained,” Shane answered.
“Has Emily gained weight?” Bekim asked.
Shane nodded. “Haven’t you noticed? Her face is fuller and the suit she’s wearing is fitting her snugger than it did when I made it for her.”
“Maybe it’s her time of the month,” Deandria said in her friend’s defense. “Women gain weight during this time.”
Bekim shook his head. He’d heard similar gossip recently about Emily but he never expected it from her two best friends. “I just think she’s sick.” He added sugar to his coffee. “But she’s too stubborn to go home and rest. Maybe we should cancel lunch.”
“Maybe,” Shane said, shaking his blond bangs out his eyes. “We’ll give her until noon.” He laughed. “Maybe she’s pregnant.”
“Who?” Bekim asked.
“Emily.”
“What Emily?” Deandria asked.
“Our Emily,” Shane answered.
Deandria laughed this time. “Be serious. Emily isn’t dating anyone, and I don’t believe she’d be chosen for the next Immaculate Conception because she curses like a sailor.”
Shane continued to laugh. “You’re so stupid. Maybe she has a man on the side no one knows about.”