by Mia Madison
Table of Contents
Dilayla’s Prologue
Nick’s Epilogue
Dilayla’s Epilogue
Dilayla
Nick
Exclusive Preview: Let Me Kiss You
About the Author
Let Me Keep You
An Older Man Younger Woman Romance
Mia Madison
Contents
1. Dilayla’s Prologue
2. Dilayla
3. Nick
4. Dilayla
5. Nick
6. Dilayla
7. Dilayla
8. Nick
9. Dilayla
10. Nick
11. Dilayla
12. Nick
13. Dilayla
14. Nick’s Epilogue
15. Dilayla’s Epilogue
16. Exclusive Preview: Let Me Kiss You
About the Author
Copyright © 2017 by Mia Madison
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.
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Dilayla’s Prologue
“Damn, that was amazing.” I yawned and stretched, pleasure filling my spirit. I was in bed with the sexiest man in the world, and we had the sexiest time ever. Without any sex involved.
Nick folded his arms behind his head as he pulled away from me. The smirk on his face said everything. “Really?”
“Yes.” I rolled onto my side and faced him. The gaze in his eyes was half-lidded. He looked like he enjoyed himself as much as I had. “That nap… I haven’t slept that good in a long time.”
It was true. I found peace in Nick’s arms, and slept like a newborn in her mother’s arms. Nick’s arms were impeccable, his scent comforting, and even his snores aided the slumber process.
Nick’s hand cradled me as I spread my hand against his chiseled chest. I loved a man with a great torso, and Nick’s body was as solid as they came. The way my deep butter pecan complexion looked against his bronze skin was also beautiful.
“Well, I’m glad I could assist,” he said, blissfully. “I slept nicely also.”
I grinned and he leaned forward, lips pursed and kissed me on the forehead, making me giggle like a schoolgirl.
My phone buzzed, and I reached over on the nightstand to unplug it from the charger. I didn’t talk to many people, so I knew it was a text from my best friend, Raquel.
I unlocked the phone and saw there was an attachment in her message. Excited to see what she’d sent, I sat up just enough to draw Nick’s attention.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“She’s married,” I gasped.
“Who?”
“Raquel. Nick and Raquel just got married.”
“What?” Nick sat up with me.
I made the picture larger so he could see. Kenny and Raquel’s rings sparkled with matchless detail. I’d never seen a diamond so large and exquisite. Kenny’s diamond band matched perfectly, like a true baller.
“This is crazy…” Nick’s tone was full of awe. “He’s really in love with her.”
“Well, duh,” I retorted. “She’s my best friend.”
“My bad, I didn’t mean it like that,” Nick said. “It’s just that I’ve known Kenny all my life. I knew he really liked her, because he told us she was different from the beginning. I just figured he would have taken it slow, given the circumstances.”
“Oh, like a month instead of a week?” I said, making light of the situation. I knew Nick hadn’t meant to insult Raquel. Truth be told, I was shocked also. Raquel was never the type to play with her heart or move fast.
“Maybe a little longer, sweetheart,” he smirked, appreciative of the way I lightened the room with humor.
“This is way crazy, though,” I agreed with him. “But I’m happy for them. I’m happy for her.”
Whatever Raquel found with Kenny, it had to be real, so real they had no reason to wait a moment longer. My best friend wasn’t rash or impulsive, which meant her decision to tie the knot was genuine.
I leapt out of bed and looked for my shoes.
“Where you going?” Nick asked.
“To Raquel’s house,” I spoke excitedly as I gathered my purse and charger. “I need details. Now.”
Dilayla
I texted Raquel on the way down to my car. Nick’s penthouse was on the highest floor and overlooked the city of Miami. It was a beautiful view, but the tradeoff meant spending thirty seconds getting to the first floor from the elevator, and I was antsy to get to my car.
Raquel texted me back, letting me know she would meet me at my place. Good. My fridge had two extra bottles of Rinaldi wine, and I had no interest in sipping any of Raquel’s endless supply of Fiji water in celebration. Besides, I needed to shower. My hair was a mess, and I smelled like Nick’s Creed cologne.
I smiled as I thought about my afternoon with him. Nick and I met only days ago, but the spark was instant. He was at King of Diamonds with Kenny and their friend Dom.
Kenny was Raquel’s new love interest at the time. He saved her from the humiliation of being stood up on a date, and they ended up hitting it off beautifully. He also intervened when the prick that stood her up confronted us at King of Diamonds. The jerk, Alex, tried to punch me in a drunken stupor and I smashed a glass over his head. Before anything could happen, security came, as did Kenny, to save us.
I should’ve known something was different about him; the first thing she did was melt into his arms like butter on a biscuit. Raquel wasn’t huge on public displays of affection, nor was she open with her heart.
Again, I should’ve known that he would be the one to take her off the market—should. But I was too entranced by Nick. Our eyes locked from the second I walked toward their VIP area. He was surrounded by a couple of women, all of whom were literally drooling in his presence, but that didn’t stop him from shaking them off to approach me.
His intensity was the first thing I noticed. His eyes were molten with focus, and the rakish smile on his face flatlined as he approached me.
“Hello, beautiful, I’m Nick.” He grabbed my hand as his hazel eyes peered into my soul. I felt my panties melt, but I held my nerves.
“Dilayla,” I replied coolly. I refused to let this man see he shook me up, even though the first touch of our hands sent a shockwave of pleasure through my body. “I’m Raquel’s best friend.”
Nick pushed the other girls to the side and found a space for me in the booth. He placed himself so the other girls, who were now forced to the end of the booth, didn’t have access to me. Raquel sat right next to me, and Kenny sat on the other side.
Nick kicked the other girls out of the VIP section when they became disrespectful towards me, and ordered a bucket of champagne on ice. Kenny busied himself with Raquel. Dom, who was painfully withdrawn, played with his phone while he occasionally glanced at the performances.
Our chemistry was off the hook. We had a seamless conversation from beginning to end. The connection was beautiful. I almost forgot that we were sitting in a strip club until the DJ announced my cousin’s performanc
e. Morelli was a club headliner, and I supported her with every fiber of my being.
There’s this belief that dancers are slutty and stupid. Morelli was anything but. She was just blessed with innate sex appeal and an intense love for money and exhibition. She actually had insane computer skills, and was a master of social media. She built her own website, and her own brand via social media marketing. She was a low-key genius, and aside of teaching me how to dance, she planned to help me do the same for myself as soon as I was ready to launch my own PR business.
When it was time to leave, Nick and I hugged, and he made me promise to return his texts. The yearning look in his eyes was the alcohol, I rationalized, but I realized he was serious when I got a “Good morning, beautiful” text from him the next morning.
I mean, besides the “Good night, beautiful” message I received when I informed him that I got home safely, per his request.
When I got to my house, thankfully Raquel hadn’t arrived yet. I jumped in the shower, taking the time to wash all over two or three times before getting to my hair. My long, jet-black, curly hair hung to my butt, and I had a very specific conditioning regimen to keep it in top condition. I would comb through it with a Tangle Teezr and loads of Pantene Pro-V or Dark ’N Lovely and put it in two thick braids and let it bake in while I sat in the sun. It was Friday afternoon, and I’d taken a half-day from work to soak up the good vibes of the weekend, and spend time with Nick.
It was about four p.m. when Raquel arrived. By then, I’d thrown on a pink crop top and shorts from Fashion Nova. Morelli made fun of my addiction to that brand, but I didn’t care. Their clothes were inexpensive yet high quality. I’d actually found lingerie from Frederick’s of Hollywood on there, way below the premium price.
Frugality wasn’t a shameful way of life. I made really nice money as a PR specialist for the Miami Heat, but Raquel and I were living smart. Our plan was to learn how to invest so we could live financially free and enjoy every aspect of our lives as opposed to working forever and retiring when we were in our sixties.
I opened the patio of my apartment and let the warm air in. The fresh balmy breeze of Miami filled my home, pushing the aroma of my Island Waterfall candle around the living room.
I pushed play on TIDAL and let Kevin Gates’ “911” fill the atmosphere as I stepped on the patio. My hips swayed as I danced around to the song on Instagram, letting my followers know it was Friday and a beautiful start to the weekend. I was just getting to the hook when the door knocked.
“Hey, girl!” I squealed, pulling her in.
The excitement was all over my best friend’s face as she entered. Raquel was a generally laid-back, peaceful, positive woman, but today she glowed like Glinda the Good Witch.
“Well, aren’t you glowing like the Fairy of Happiness,” I remarked. Raquel stood before me in a simple pink and teal sundress, with bronzed skin and golden-pink lips. Her brown eyes sparkled with the delight of romance, and I couldn’t help but feel intoxicated by the light that filled her presence.
She held up her hand, showing off that sparkly diamond on her finger. We squealed and jumped up and down.
“Bitch, have a seat and gather your facts.” I gestured to the couch. “I’m getting some wine for us to toast and sip as we celebrate.”
I hurriedly made it to the fridge and poured two glasses of Rinaldi Brachetto d'Acqui. It was my favorite red wine, and at about twenty dollars per bottle, it was affordable.
I set out two coasters and placed our glasses on top of them. After grabbing the bottle, I set it on another coaster, and lifted my glass.
“Okay, let’s toast first. To finding the love of your life.”
“To finding the love of my life!” My best friend squealed as our glasses clanked. We took a sip of the delicious wine, and then I waved my hand to signal my readiness.
“Hurry up… tell me everything!”
“So basically… you were right,” Raquel said. “Angela had a fake pregnancy test. When his lawyers requested another test at their office, she folded and admitted she wasn’t pregnant. She was required to record a statement admitting that she wasn’t pregnant by Kenny, and she’s been ordered to stay away from him and cut off all contact to avoid any legal repercussions.”
“I told you so,” I said knowingly. My eyes bugged with disbelief when her Instagram posts first spread through the Internet. I knew a groupie when I saw one, and Angela was entirely too obvious. Any woman who only has one picture with a man—and one that’s over six months old at that—is reaching beyond her means.
Raquel rolled her eyes at my taunt. “He showed me the video of her confession.”
“Okay, so how did you get to marriage?” I was excited to get to the point. “Did ya’ll fuck?”
“Girl!” Her eyes widened in mock disbelief. Her diamond sparkled obscenely as she covered her chest and gasped as if she couldn’t believe I asked. “Of course, we didn’t.”
“Biiiiiiish, stop playing. He married you without any sex involved?”
“Can I finish?” she replied, slightly annoyed and chuckling.
She told me about the rest of Kenny’s confession, including his admission that he and Angela simply messed around here and there. I wasn’t surprised to hear about Angela’s plan to trap him, and neither of us were too upset to learn he had allowed her to perform oral as of recently.
“I can’t blame a man for taking advantage of an eager woman,” I said. “But the fact that it stopped when he met you? He truly fell for you.”
“Yes, it’s not something I wanted to think of, but men are men,” Raquel said. She matter-of-factly shrugged and continued, “Unlike most women, men have the ability to compartmentalize pleasure from emotions. I can’t blame him for what he did before he met me, even if it was only days before.” She shook her head. “I just couldn’t believe you were so on the money about her. I wouldn’t lower myself to be as crazy as that girl. No man is worth it.”
“Let’s not dwell on her. The girl is now a non-motherfuckin’-factor. You’re married and I want THOSE details. Tell me about the wedding, the ring, and the dick! Ahora!” I slapped my thighs and my Dominican accent surfaced.
“You’re so dramatic,” Raquel sighed, and ran her diamond-encrusted finger through her hair, making me squeal again. Lord, that ring was so big, beautiful, and perfect.
“We spoke last night, and he told me he wanted me, and that I was all he wanted from the moment he first saw me. We ended up messing around, and he gave me that ‘apology head’ you love to speak of so much. It was his first time eating pussy—so he said—but it was so good I slid to my knees and returned the favor.”
I gasped, this time truly in shock. “Girl!” Raquel refused to sleep with anyone, and she only gave head when she really liked someone. “Damn, he must have been phenomenal.”
“My toes never curled so hard,” she admitted. “And his dick has such a superb curve to it, I had to give in and taste him.”
“No sex?”
“Tonight,” she said. “Wedding night.”
“How did a blow job lead to marriage, though?” I said. “You got that Superhead going on?”
“Well, after he came, we both fell asleep. I woke up in the bed with him, and that’s when I confessed that I was a virgin. He told me, ‘Raquel, that doesn’t matter. I want you. And you’re my wife, and nothing can change it.’ We ended up getting showered, but I had to go back to my place to change clothes, because… you know.”
I nodded. She didn’t plan to stay. She planned to slay his heart and leave.
“After I got dressed, he took me to the best jeweler in Miami, demanded the biggest ring in the store—” She flashed it for me to see —“and proposed right then and there.”
“How did it feel?” I asked. “Were you ready?”
“He told me he loved me, and I said it back so naturally.” Tears of joy filled her eyes as she spoke. “He paid for the ring, picked out a matching band, and we went straight to the Ju
stice of Peace. Everything happened so fast, I couldn’t blink.”
Raquel continued to fill me in on her day, which included meeting Kenny’s family. They were understandably shocked to see him married so quickly, especially since his mother just chastised him for being single without any word of a girlfriend.
“The best part was how welcoming they were,” Raquel said. “You know it’s scary meeting someone’s parents for the first time. Especially a mom. They’re so protective. But Lorraine is so sweet. She immediately told me to call her Mom. His sister Gibson and I wear the same shoe size, and her makeup is as good as Beverly’s.”
“Beverly… damn.” I had forgotten all about that girl. She was Alex’s girlfriend, the one he stood Raquel up for the night she and Kenny met.
Life had a funny way of making things happen.
“That was one fated night, man,” I sighed. “Just one week ago, you were about to cry your heart out into a pint of ice cream and swear off men forever. Today, you’re married to a man who was desperate to give you the world in exchange for a taste of you.”
“You wax so poetic,” she says. “But I’m going to be honest. I’m scared.”
“Why? He’s everything you ever wanted.”
I’d met Nick only days ago, but in a way, it felt like it’d been forever, so if she felt that way about Kenny, who was I to judge? He seemed wonderful, to be honest.
“Oh, he is… that’s not why I’m scared. It’s the sex… You know I’ve never had sex. Won’t it hurt?” Her face flushed, and I couldn’t help but giggle. Raquel was used to being sexy and sultry, but she was the epitome of being sexy without the sex.
“Get yourself something to drink,” I said. “Drink a nice amount of wine. Don’t get drunk, but relaxed enough to ease into the process. Take your time, go slow, and wear something nice. You have something nice, right?”
She fished in her purse and flashed a black American Express. “He told me to go buy up the mall and get ready for tonight.”