A Family Reunion

by Jackson, Brenda

  But not now.

  She was losing it and losing it fast. In truth, she had already lost it. She had never known this sort of agony before. The very center of her body, the area between her legs, felt hot, electrified, intensified, sensitized. In need.

  It took the last of her strength to make it over to her bed and sit down on the side of it. She tightened her thighs together as a throbbing sensation ripped through her loins. A deep, tortured moan escaped her lips, and she wrapped her arms around her stomach and bent her body to ease the ache, the pressure, and the desire that were pounding through her.

  “Taye? Are you OK?”

  The sound of Michael’s voice penetrated her feverish mind, her tormented senses. She could barely raise her head to look at him standing in the open doorway, but when she did, the look on her face and the way she was holding her abdomen must have alerted him that she was in some kind of pain. He began moving quickly toward her.

  “What’s wrong, Taye? Are you having a bad stomachache? Side ache? Bad cramps? What is it, baby? What’s wrong?” He sat next to her on the bed and gently gathered her into his arms.

  “Michael,” she said in a tormented voice, barely above a whisper. “I—I ache.”

  Total concern covered Michael’s features. “You ache where? Should I call a doctor? Take you to the emergency room? What do you want me—”

  “Michael,” she said in a deep, ragged voice, interrupting the panic she heard in his voice. Way past the point of feeling shame, she said, “I ache here.” Taking his hand, she pressed it against her gown to the area that ached between her legs.

  Michael inhaled deeply as he broke eye contact with her and brought his head down until it nearly touched hers. He pulled her closer to him when he realized what her torment was all about and just what part of her was aching. He breathed in deeply again as he continued to hold his hand pressed against her while she began trembling in his arms. “It’s OK, baby. It’s OK,” he said softly in her ear.

  Taye tried twisting her head away from him. No, it isn’t OK, she wanted to scream as she continued to lose touch with reality. Her body was beginning to feel hotter and hotter. His closeness and his touch, even through the material of her cotton gown, were pushing her over the edge and destroying her last hold on reality.

  “Michael…” His name was again forced from her lips. The sound was tormented, desperate. “It’s—it’s not OK. I need…”

  “It is OK, baby; I’ll take care of you,” he said soothingly as he eased her onto her back in the bed. “Trust me, Taye.” He looked down at her as he tried fighting his way through her desire-hazed mind. “Will you trust me to take care of you and know I’d never do anything to hurt you?”

  With the last shred of sanity she had left, she nodded. In her heart she knew that Michael would never hurt her, just like she knew in her heart that she loved him and had always loved him.

  Michael fought back his own rampant need as he lifted Taye’s gown up to her waist. He breathed in deeply and whispered her name as he eased his hand between her legs. At first she stiffened against his intimate touch and tried pushing his hand away. But he wouldn’t let her.

  “Trust me, Taye. Let me take away the ache, baby.”

  The sound of his voice soothed her mind but not her body. “Michael, I—I can’t help this. I need…”

  He leaned down over her. “I know, sweetheart. I know what you need. Just trust me, Taye,” he murmured before stretching out beside her and kissing her.

  He slowly began stroking her mouth with his, the same way his hand was stroking the sensitized flesh between her legs. She was wet, intensely so, and she was hot. He forced the thoughts from his mind of how it would feel with him inside of her as he felt himself get thick and hard. At the moment, her needs outweighed his. He was determined to release her body from the torment raging inside of her from having gone without for so long.

  So he continued to stroke the sensitized flesh between her thighs, touching her in the most intimate way a man could touch a woman without making her completely his, but giving her deep gratification nonetheless. Over and over his fingers pleasured her, pushing her higher and higher as he eased the ache within her. He watched her close her eyes as her body accepted his caresses, his tantalizing treatment. Her moans of pleasure touched him and made him fall in love with her that much more. And when she began lifting her hips against his hands he could feel sweat pop out on his forehead.

  “Michael,” she breathed slowly when the touch of his hand became more profound, stroking the heat inside of her into the greatest pleasure she had ever known, as she trembled, succumbing to her primal craving to be satisfied. She reopened her eyes and looked at him.

  “I want you inside of me, Michael.” She slid her hand up to his face, wanting him to join her in the mind-blowing passion she knew lay just beyond her reach again. “The ache won’t completely go away until you’re inside of me, because you’re the one my body is aching for,” she whispered as hunger flamed desire all through her once more.

  Michael closed his eyes to fight against her words, her plea. When he reopened them, he saw her looking at him with eyes heavily laden with desire. “Are you sure, Taye? What about your fear of getting pregnant? What about your fear of the family finding out about us? I got condoms to protect you, but I can’t have you for just tonight. If I make love to you, things can’t ever go back to being the way they were between us. You do understand that, don’t you?” he murmured hoarsely.

  Taye slowly nodded her head. She had waged a fight not to love him and had lost. In the end love had won. She couldn’t deny what she felt for him anymore. She couldn’t deny what she wanted with him. “Yes, I understand,” she whispered softly.

  “Are you willing to love me and to be with me regardless of whether the family gives their blessings or not?”

  He saw the look in her eyes and knew she wasn’t sure they would give it, but then neither was he. But at this point, he was beyond caring. As long as their girls accepted things, and he truly believed in his heart that they would, he was determined that he would have a life, a truly rich and meaningful life, with her. “Are you willing, Taye?”

  She stared deep into his dark eyes and softly said, “Yes.”

  Michael breathed in deeply before withdrawing his hand and easing off the bed. Before sliding down his pants, he pulled out his wallet and got two condom packets. He looked down at her. “I really think one will work, but to ease your fears I’ll use two.”

  Taye’s throat was tight. She was deeply touched by his thoughtfulness. And because of it, she was no longer fearful of anything. “One is OK.”

  Michael held her gaze. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I’m sure.”

  He nodded. To be honest, he didn’t want to use one at all but knew they had to act responsibly. He wanted a child with her, but he also wanted things to be done right. He didn’t want her ever feeling guilty about getting pregnant with his child.

  Taye watched Michael prepare himself for her as the heat in her body began getting hotter and the need within her began getting fiercer. Moments later, after completely removing her gown, he came to her and the weight of his naked body pinned her to the sheets. Automatically her legs opened for him as his mouth found hers.

  The feel of Taye’s wetness as well as her tightness was almost more than Michael could stand when he slowly entered her. By the time he had gone as deep into her body as he could go, his body was wet with sweat.

  He sucked in a deep, agonizing breath when he felt Taye’s tongue lick a portion of the sweat from above his lips. That gesture pushed him over the limit, and he ground his body against hers, going deeper and claiming her in the most elemental way. She lifted herself to him, moaning, demanding fulfillment.

  And he gave it to her.

  With overwhelming intensity and an obvious concern with her ten years of celibacy, he made love to her with compelling tenderness. At least he tried being tender, but she wouldn’t let
him. She didn’t want him to suppress his desire to fulfill hers.

  So she whispered in his ear and told him exactly, in blatant erotic terms, what she wanted him to do to her. The flagrant crudity of her words surprised him but elated him, pushing him over the edge. He immediately increased the rhythm and the tempo of their lovemaking. “I’m going to do just what you’ve asked, baby, so hang on.”

  And she did.

  He tightened his arms around her, thinking that never before had making love been this good. Taye touched him in places he hadn’t known existed, which attested to just how much he loved her. Her body was accepting all he was giving, as well as giving fully of herself as she arched upward to meet his every hard thrust, grateful her bed had good springs and grateful still they were the only two people in the house. Both her body and her bed were getting a workout like they’d never had before.

  Taye and Michael continued straining toward each other, giving each other pleasure. He could barely breathe when she reached up and pulled his mouth down to hers, kissing him in a way that melted his insides.

  She let go of his mouth to scream out his name when a fierce climax rammed through her. But it didn’t stop there. He held himself back as once again he brought her body to a second climax, then a third, releasing ten years of sexual need stored within it.

  Finally, when he could no longer not give in to his own body’s demands, his head fell back as he pushed himself deep inside of her when a climax with more force than a freight train and tornado combined ripped through him, wringing groans from him. Passion, the likes of which he’d never experienced before, possessed him, took control of his body and his mind. His arms gripped her hips, bringing her closer to him as he felt her shudder again uncontrollably beneath him.

  Moments later, when his strength had been totally consumed, he took her face in his hands and looked down at her, touching her cheek with trembling fingers. “I love you, Taye,” he said in a voice made rough by what they had just shared as well as the deep emotion in his heart that he felt for her.

  He saw her smile. He saw the tears wetting her eyelids when she said, “I love you, too, Michael.”

  “Oh, Taye,” he said, slumping against her and pulling their sweat-dampened bodies together in a warm embrace. Closing his eyes, he held her in his arms, wanting to hold on to this moment for as long as he could. He slowly lifted up and looked down at her. “Because we love each other, we’ll be able to handle anything. Believe that, Taye.”

  She looked at him, knowing that somehow he would give her the strength to handle anything as long as he loved her. “I do believe it, Michael.” She then inhaled deeply. “That was truly amazing,” she said softly. “It was one soul-shaking experience.”

  He smiled. “You think so?”

  She looked up at him, smiling. “Yes.”

  He leaned in close and put his lips to her ears and whispered, “Want to soul-shake some more?”

  Breathless, her heart fluttering, her pulse racing, she said, “Yes.”

  With a deep groan from the back of his throat, he joined their mouths together in a long, passionate kiss. He then slowly pulled away. Upon seeing the questioning look in her eyes, he said, “I got to make a change before we do this again, baby.”

  When she still looked at him, confused, he said, “I need to put on another condom.”

  “Oh. I’d forgotten about that,” she said softly.

  He leaned over and brushed a kiss across her lips. “Umm, that’s OK. I meant it when I said that I would take care of you.” His voice was a warm caress that stroked across her body. “You’re going to be here when I get back?”

  She smiled up at him. “You bet.” She then watched him get up out of the bed, pick up the other condom packet off the nightstand, then turn to walk, naked as a jaybird, into the bathroom. She sighed as a satisfied smile curved her lips. She wondered what Rae’jean and Alexia would think of her now. She had gone from celibate to totally wanton in a single hour. And she loved it! Just as much as she loved Michael. She refused to think about how the family would react when they found out. She would think about that tomorrow. Then maybe she wouldn’t think about it at all. Telling the girls first was the most important thing. Sebrina, Kennedy, and Monica had grown close over the past months. Taye wondered how they would handle the news that she and Michael were serious about each other. What if they were appalled at the idea, the very thought? She clutched the bedspread tightly in her hands. She refused to worry about anything tonight. The only thing she wanted to concentrate on was Michael. Loving Michael.

  “Ready?”

  The sound of his husky voice made her turn in the direction of the bathroom. He leaned against the door frame. She let her gaze rake over his entire body before returning to meet his eyes. “I see that you are.”

  He smiled as he slowly walked back over to the bed. “For you, always.” He reached out and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight enough to imprint his body onto hers. “This time we’ll take things slow.”

  “You think so?” she said brazenly, challengingly.

  He chuckled. “Just what have I unveiled here?”

  She shrugged her shoulders and grinned sheepishly. “A woman with a very hungry appetite, maybe?”

  His smile deepened. “I guess after ten years I shouldn’t really be surprised, should I?”

  Taye pulled him back down into the bed with her. “No, you shouldn’t.”

  Much later, after their bodies were satisfied once again, Michael gathered Taye closer into his arms and held her with his jaw resting against the top of her head while she peacefully slept. He made a silent promise that from this day forward her life would be filled with love and happiness.

  Total love and complete happiness.

  She belonged to him now, and their family may as well get used to the idea.

  Chapter 38

  Pretending to be asleep as she felt Michael’s attempt to kiss, stroke, and taste her awake, Taye fought to keep her eyes clamped shut. With the bright sunshine peeking through the bedroom window announcing it was a new day, it seemed he had plans to continue what they’d done most of the night.

  Boy, he’s determined, she thought as he gently kissed her eyelids before moving down to the corners of her mouth. Playing possum wasn’t easy, but she was curious to see just how far he would go to wake her up.

  Then again, maybe pretending to be asleep wasn’t such a good idea after all, she concluded when he rubbed his unshaven chin against the delicate skin of her breasts just moments before his tongue made a wet trail around the darkened nipple. It took everything she had not to moan out loud from the sensation.

  “How long are you going to pretend to be asleep, Taye?” he whispered.

  She opened her eyes and smiled up at him. “How did you know I wasn’t really asleep?”

  Amusement played around the corners of his mouth. “That little catch in your breath when I touched you here gave you away,” he said, reaching down and again touching the very essence of her. “If you were really asleep, you wouldn’t have been able to feel a thing.”

  She looked up at him, almost breathless again, when he continued to intimately caress her. “I seriously doubt that.”

  He chuckled. “Why were you pretending to be asleep? Am I boring you already?”

  “Hmm, definitely not. I was curious to see just how far you would go to wake me.”

  Propping himself up on one elbow, he leaned over and kissed around the corners of her mouth again. “Do you really want to know?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I’ll tell you.” He leaned closer and whispered something scandalous in her ear. She actually blushed. “Michael! You wouldn’t have!”

  He chuckled again. “Oh, yes, I would have, and enjoyed every minute doing so. Wanna see?”

  She tried backing away from him. “No, you can’t.”

  He stopped her retreat and pulled her back toward him. “Wanna bet?”

  Taye’s breath caught
in her throat as she watched him lick his tongue across his firm, full, and determined lips before moving closer and closer to…

  The sound of the doorbell interrupted his intent. He pulled back. “Expecting someone, sweetheart?” he asked, refusing to remove his hand from between her legs just yet. He liked touching her that way.

  She released a little moan from the back of her throat before answering, “It’s probably the paper carrier collecting his weekly fee.”

  “Umm, you know that for sure?” he asked as his hands continued to stroke her.

  “No,” she replied in a throaty whisper. The only thing she was sure about at the moment was how he was making her feel. The man was a master at foreplay. Whenever he touched her this way it was immensely reactive, to every nerve cell in her body.

  “Then I’d better check,” he said, moving away for what Taye hoped would only be a moment. She was enjoying all the wonderful things he was doing to her body, she thought, watching him walk, totally unself-conscious of his nakedness, to the window. He eased the curtain aside.

  “Does your paper carrier drive a late-model black Olds Ninety-eight?”

  Taye closed her eyes and snuggled under the covers when the doorbell chimed again. “No.” Seconds later she snatched her eyes back open when she suddenly realized just who did. She quickly sat up in bed. “What color is the interior?”

  Michael turned around and looked at her curiously. “You expect me to be able to tell that from way up here? My vision is good, Taye, but not that good.”

  Already she was scrambling off the bed, grabbing her robe, and coming to the window to join him. She almost passed out when she saw the car. “That’s Mama’s car! Good grief! What’s she doing here! She seldom comes to visit.”