Black Magic (The Black Diamond Series Book 1)

by D. Camille

  “Did you just say hoochie jumpoff?” he said laughing.

  “Oh...it's funny?” she said not laughing.

  “Yeah, it is.” He was still laughing.

  Sage ignored him. “Anyway like I was saying I need my own space. You know Ray isn't really into letting my male friends stay with him when they plan to come and visit, so I need to get my own spot.”

  That stopped Jordan's laughing with a quickness.

  “What did you say?” he asked leaning his head towards her. “Because I swear I did not just hear you say you wanted your own place so some dudes can stay the night.”

  “I said Jordan, that I have male friends who may come to visit and I'd like to have a place for them to stay instead of a hotel,” she reiterated.

  “So you think you're going to sit here and tell me that you're going to be having random dudes staying overnight at this alleged apartment?” He was flabbergasted.

  Sage stood up. “They're not random dudes Jordan. They're friends I have met all over who may come and visit with me,” she said defensively.

  Jordan leaned forward and spoke calmly. “Okay we're about to nip this in the bud right damn now,” he began, “ain't no way in hell that I'm going to stand by and let you have dudes sleeping at your place.”

  “Now these dudes can get a hotel room or stay their asses where they are.”

  Sage threw her hands up. “The Gods, Jordan, you sound just like Ray!”

  “Because that's common damn sense Sage!”

  She took a deep breath. “If you had a female friend who came to visit you from out of town, where would she stay?” Sage asked.

  Jordan tilted his head at her. “If we're not having sex, she's staying at a hotel,” he said simply.

  “Jordan you just asked me to move in with you and we aren't having sex,” she pointed out.

  “Because at some point Sage, I do plan on having sex with you.” He looked confused.

  Sage narrowed her eyes and plopped down on the sofa glaring at Jordan.

  “Sage it's just not going to fly with me baby. I know that you have a different outlook on things with relationships and all that, but I could never let that happen.”

  “So you don't trust me?” she accused.

  “I don't trust them. I don't know them and don't want to know them. When a man sleeps over at a woman's place it's about sex.”

  “I don't want some dude dressing and undressing at your place.” He frowned as he thought about it.

  “Hell no!” He shook his head.

  Calming down he said, “Baby I support you wholeheartedly in getting your own spot. I'll have Sean get some listings for you to look at.”

  She looked over at him. “I would trust you Jordan.”

  “Listen to me...these dudes that are your “friends”, really want to be your man. You just didn't let them. You're beautiful, smart, sexy, talented and sweet. Believe me I'm a man, they want to smash.”

  “All men don't want to smash Jordan.”

  “The hell they don't.”

  “So when you first met me that's what you wanted?

  “Hell yeah. When I saw you in the airport that's all I thought about,” he said honestly.

  Sage looked shocked and hurt. At her face Jordan continued, “But... from the start you took my heart and you changed my world,” he said softly looking at her. “And now, you're my baby.”

  She smiled at him.

  “But I still want to smash,” he said laughing.

  “You are so not funny Jordan,” she said as he came over to her.

  “Listen Sage, if your friends want to visit, I will pay to put them up in hotels,” he offered pulling her into his arms. “But I'm the only dude that will sleep over at your place.” He kissed her gently.

  “What about Ray?” she said against his lips smiling.

  “Hmmmm....I guess,” he murmured still kissing her. “Just not at the same time I'm there. That would be awkward as hell.”

  Chapter 10

  Later that night after ordering in some dinner and relaxing, Jordan prepared to take Sage home for the night. She was laying on the sofa watching another one of those documentaries that she so loved. He watched her and marveled again at how beautiful she was. Her hair was down around her face and those lips that he loved to taste so much were in a relaxed pose. She was lying on her side with her elbow supporting her head in her hand. She was wearing some skinny jeans and a loose printed top in an ethnic pattern. Her feet were bare and she looked completely at home. He reached for her foot.

  “Time to take you home pretty girl.”

  She turned from the screen to look at him. “Already?” she complained.

  His hand moved up her leg. “Unless you want to spend the night?” he said suggestively.

  She smiled and opened her arms to him and he came willingly enfolding her in his embrace.

  She rubbed his beard and looked into his eyes. “I want to make love to your mind,” she whispered.

  Those dark eyes held hers. “Yes?” she asked.

  Slowly watching her he responded. “Yes.” She moved out of his embrace and stood. Sage held out her hand to him and he took it slowly standing.

  She led him out of the media room, down the hall, and into the living room. She flicked on the gas fireplace and the instantly the room was bathed in a warm glow.

  Releasing his hand, she grabbed two large pillows from the sofa and placed them before the fire. She sat cross legged on one of the pillows and motioned for him to join her. Jordan found his legs and joined her on the floor. Facing each other in front of the fire Jordan waited patiently. Sage reached out and touched the Jordan emblem on his shirt.

  “It must be nice to have your name on all your clothes,” she teased.

  “It works for me.”

  She continued to rub her fingers across the logo. “This is nice but do you mind taking it off?” she asked.

  Instantly he whipped the shirt over his head and gently placed it to the side. Sage took in his beauty and Jordan was beautiful. His mahogany skin looked smooth as silk. He was a runner and kept himself in excellent shape. Jordan ran every morning at five am when time permitted. His chest was a sculpted piece of art with defined muscles smooth and hairless holding flat dark nipples. Those strong arms that could hold her so gently were laced with cuts highlighting each muscle. She brought her eyes back to his face and he smiled at her as though he'd followed her thoughts.

  Sage reached for the hem of her blouse and pulled it over her head. She was wearing a blue satin push up bra that made her breasts sit up at attention. She watched as Jordan's eyes caressed her neck, then her shoulders, then her breasts down to her flat stomach.

  “Now,” she said softly as she climbed onto his lap wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. “Hold me,” she instructed. Jordan grabbed her waist and settled her on his lap.

  “Now watch me.” Their eyes locked and held. Again Sage thought he had the most beautiful dark penetrating eyes. They were framed with ridiculously long lashes. As she looked into his eyes she read passion, desire and something else...something she couldn't quite identify.

  “As I breathe out you breathe me in,” she said puckering her lips and exhaling. He breathed in as she breathed out. Her chest rose each time she inhaled as did his as he breathed in her spirit. Over and over they breathed with their eyes locked.

  After some time she leaned away. “May I touch you?” she whispered.

  Without breaking eye contact he responded. “Yes. Please.”

  Sage began by touching the waves in his precision cut hair. Slowly she moved down his face over the soft trimmed beard and over to the mustache above those full lips that gave her so much pleasure when he was kissing her. Her hands slid down the column of his strong neck to broad shoulders. His skin felt like silk over steel. Her fingers trailed down his arms and flexed, massaging the muscles beneath them. Back up his arms and over to his chest. Over tight pectoral muscles to smooth da
rk nipples and down to clearly defined abs that made her want to lick them. Never breaking eye contact she licked her lips.

  “You can touch me now,” she instructed.

  Following her lead he started with her hair digging his fingers into the silky strands. His eyes held her captive as his hands moved to her face, down her cheek to her mouth. He ran his thumb back and forth across her plump lips. They parted under his touch and her tongue touched his finger. She watched his eyes darken as he continued down her neck and around underneath her hair to the back of neck. He ran his hands down her back and she arched into him. Jordan's hands slid across her flat stomach and finally up to cup her breasts. She moaned as he gently squeezed the twin mounds.

  “Now breathe out and let me breathe you in.” Jordan took a deep breath and exhaled while Sage breathed him in. Slowly they continued to breathe watching each other. After an extended time, Sage moved her mouth to Jordan's. She slowly outlined his lips with her tongue. Slowly over and over she licked and suckled. She could feel the evidence of his desire beneath her and pressed into it. She moved closer and his hands on her butt locked her in place. She finished her gentle assault on his lips and whispered, “Your turn.”

  Jordan needed no more encouragement. He started with little touches to her lips over and over until she thought she'd scream. He took her bottom lip and sucked it gently scraping it slightly with his teeth. Sage heard herself moan softly. That sound moved him swiftly into action and he took complete control of her mouth. Moving his hand into hair to the back of her head, he held her in place and made sweet love to her mouth. Sage thought she would pass out from the sheer pleasure. Eventually he moved his mouth from hers across her cheek to her ear. Then he whispered. “I love you Sage.”

  Sage pulled back. “What did you say?”

  Jordan looked into her face. “I said...I love you Sage.”

  She looked away. “Jordan, I..I don’t know...” she stopped. Slowly she removed herself from his lap and stood facing the fire. Jordan stood as well.

  After a while she spoke, “Others have said that to me, only to turn out not to be true.” she wrapped her arms around herself. “I don't take that lightly.”

  Jordan didn't move. “I've never said that to anyone...ever... before tonight and although I had not planned to say it tonight; it's true,” he confessed.

  Sage continued to stare at the fire taking in his words. This was not what she had expected; at all. Jordan loved her? And he'd told her. Although he hadn't intended to tell her, he'd repeated it to her when she'd asked. She looked back at where he stood in the middle of the room with his chest bare and legs braced apart. The pillows were at his feet and he was staring intently at the floor. She turned back to the fire.

  At her prolonged silence, Jordan retrieved his shirt. “I need to get you home,” he said. “I'll get my keys.” She heard something in in voice that she’d never heard before. It sounded suspiciously like…pain.

  ***********

  When Sage arrived home Ray was sitting on the sofa drinking juice.

  “Hey Sun God,” she greeted.

  He looked up. “Hey Baby Goddess, how are you?”

  She shrugged. “I'm okay.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “What's wrong?”

  The ride home with Jordan had been quiet. He'd put on some music and neither of them had really spoken much. She was still digesting what had happened tonight. He'd walked her to the door and kissed her goodnight before watching her go inside.

  She shrugged again and sat in the chair.

  “Sage, I'm still your brother. I may not like your relationship with Jay but you can always talk to me.”

  She looked up. “Jordan told me that he loved me,” she said quietly.

  Ray sat straight up in his seat. “What?!”

  Sage looked at him with sadness in her eyes. “I didn't tell him back.”

  “Do you?” he asked leaning forward.

  She sighed. “Honestly Ray, I don't even know if I know what it is to love someone. Guys have lied so much and tried to run game on me.” Ray frowned at that.

  “I can tell you one thing Sage, although I'm not cool with this thing between you and Jay, he's not the dude that would run that type of game on you.”

  To be honest Ray was shocked to hear that Jordan had told Sage he loved her. He knew a lot of Jordan's past and saying that he loved a woman, any woman, was not a part of it. Damn, what had his sister done to the brother? He looked back at Sage. Her hair was down, which he noticed always seemed to be the case was when she returned from being with Jordan. He frowned.

  “Thanks Ray. Also I'm glad you're here, I wanted to tell you that I'm going to be moving out. I'm-.”

  Ray was on his feet in an instant.

  “So dude tells you he loves you and now you moving in with him? What the hell Sage!”

  Sage shook her head. “I'm not moving in with Jordan, Ray. If you would let me finish talking I was saying that I'm getting my own place.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I'm adult and I can,” she answered. “Everything is on budget with the gallery and I have enough funds left over to get my own spot.”

  “So, is this because Jay wants you to get your own place?”

  She stood. “No. I want to get my own place. I can see why you and Jordan are such good friends. You're just alike.” She walked to the stairs.

  “Good night Ray. I've had enough of men trying to tell me what I can and cannot do for the night.” She disappeared upstairs.

  Ray put his hands in the air. “What the hell did I do?” he said to the empty room.

  Sage entered her room and lay across her bed. Staring at the ceiling she replayed the night's events. Jordan. Jordan. Jordan. He constantly kept her off balance. He could go from making her want to punch him in the face to saying that he loved her. He could be so controlling and arrogant on one hand and so caring and compassionate on the other. He was handsome; so handsome. And he was sexy; so very sexy. He was kind and generous but she was afraid. Afraid that once she gave her love to Jordan she would lose herself. She was just now really finding and establishing her own independence. Jordan was a tornado. He touched everything in his path and could change course in an instant. If she wasn't careful she could easily find herself swept away with a broken heart left as the only evidence.

  In another part of the city Jordan entered his home and immediately noticed that it felt different without Sage. How did this happen and so fast? One minute he was engaging in what she called mind sex and the next he was professing his love? Who the hell does that? What has she done to him? He bragged about his Black Magic but it was nothing in comparison to what Sage possessed. Sage was a hurricane with winds tossing him to and fro. One thing Jordan didn't like was a loss of control. He didn't like to do things spontaneously without thought or plan and that's exactly what he'd done tonight and he couldn't let that happen again. His heart had been broken once and once was all it took. Sage may have made him fall in love with her, but he would not be blown away.

  Two days after Jordan had professed his love to Sage he'd left town for business. He'd been gone for two weeks and Sage was beginning to recognize the obvious. He regretted what he'd said and now he was pulling away. They'd barely spoken during his time away with him citing time zone differences and all day meetings and so forth. Sage wasn’t a fool, but she wouldn't pass judgment until she heard the words from his mouth. o she continued to work on the gallery setting the date for her Grand Opening for two months away on her birthday. That way she could have two things to celebrate at once.

  True to his word, before he'd left Jordan had Sean find some apartment listings for her and Sean had accompanied her when she'd gone for the viewings. If Sean knew what was going on with Jordan he gave her no indications. His loyalty was certainly impressive.

  She decided to go up and see Sean to tell him she'd chosen one of the apartments. He'd offered to help her negotiate the lease specifics. She walked over to securit
y and they escorted her upstairs. On her way to Sean's office she heard Jordan's voice coming from his office. She stopped. Jordan was here? He was back in town and hadn't contacted her? She turned and marched right past his secretary and into his office. The door was open and he was on the phone. He looked up and spotted her before his secretary came rushing in behind her.

  “Miss Parker, I'm sorry, Mr. Black is unavailable right now,” she said catching up to Sage.

  Sage put her hands on her hips. “Is that what he told you to tell me?” she snapped.

  Jordan hung up the phone. “Thank you Kelly. Its fine,” he said dismissing his secretary. She looked at Sage then turned to leave the office.

  “Close the door please,” Jordan called after her. She gently closed the door and Jordan turned to Sage.

  “Hey Sage.”

  “Hey Sage?” she repeated.

  “What?” he asked shrugging.

  “What’s going on Jordan?” she asked.

  He shrugged again.

  “Tell me to my face Jordan,” she challenged.

  “Tell you what?”

  So he wanted to play stupid now, Sage thought. Okay.

  “I haven't spoken to you in nearly two weeks Jordan. Now I find you in your office like a regular day at work when I didn't even know you were back in town.” She waited.

  He went to his desk and sat down. “I've been busy.”

  “You've been busy?” she repeated looking confused.

  “Were you going to let me know that you were back in town?”

  “Eventually,” he answered looking at her.

  Eventually? Sage took a deep breath. No more games. “So you don't want to be with me anymore.”

  Jordan ran a hand down his face. “I didn't say that Sage.”

  “Actually you haven't said a damn thing Jordan!” she said angrily.

  “I was going to call you Sage. I've just had things to do. I do work for a living,” he challenged.

  Sage had had enough. She walked over and slammed her hands on his desk.

  “You know what Jordan, you sit on your throne and you maneuver people like pieces on a chess board. Well, I'm not a part of your damn game! I’m not one of your loyal flock. Understand me?” she yelled.