by Donna Hill
She had to touch him. Needed to touch him. Purposefully, she reached out. Her fingertips brushed the smooth skin. His hard member jumped in response. She wrapped her fingers around him and ran her thumb along the thick vein that throbbed on the underside of his sex. Power filled her when she heard his deep groan and felt the weight of his member pulse in her palm. She stroked him, slow and steady, letting only the tips of her fingers graze him. Each stroke stiffened him further. She could just make out the subtle tremors of his inner thighs. She ran her thumb across the dampened head, and he gripped her wrist.
“No more,” he rasped. The dark embers of his eyes moved painstakingly slow across her face. Her fingers released him, and he kneeled on the side of the bed. “Turn over,” he demanded.
Bailey’s eyes widened. Her lips parted.
“Turn over.”
She couldn’t resist the command and did what he asked. Hot blood pumped through her veins. And then he was above her, his legs straddling her supine form. The tip of his erection brushed the curve of her spine. She gasped. Her body stiffened.
His tongue flicked that soft spot at the nape of her neck. He clasped her arms that were at her sides and gently raised them toward her head and held them there.
Justin leaned forward and placed a kiss behind her left ear then her right. Her body shuddered. His tongue played with the tender skin, drifted along her collarbone and then slowly down the center of her spine. The nerves beneath her skin jumped and fluttered in response every time the wet heat of his tongue teased her. He blew his hot breath against her damp flesh, and the sensation was electric. Her soft whimpers aroused him as he continued down along her back to the dip then across the firm globes of her rear to the backs of her thighs. He teased her behind each knee and tenderly nibbled the strong calves. She shuddered and pressed her face into the downy fluff of the pillow.
“Don’t hide. I want to hear you want me,” he said. He spread her thighs and slid his arm beneath her, lifting her to press against the throb of his cock. Bailey flinched. He reached around her and stroked her slick split with his fingers.
“Ahhh...”
He teased the hard knot of her stiffened clit, and her entire body quaked. The sounds of her whimpers intensified and charged through his veins. He groaned, rose up and turned her onto her back.
Dark hunger sparked in his eyes. “Only if you want me,” he said in a ragged whisper. “Tell me.”
“Yes,” she managed. She spread her legs and drew her knees upward.
Justin’s jaw tightened as he held back the explosion that threatened to undo him. He rested back on his haunches, reached over to the nightstand and pulled out a condom packet. He tore it open and gave it to her.
Bailey’s fingers shook as she slowly unrolled it over the length of him. He held his position above her and continued to finger her until her head thrashed against the pillow, and her hips rose and fell.
Justin braced his weight on his forearms and lowered his head to taste her mouth. The mixture of wine on her lips and tongue and her own sweet essence fueled him. His tongue danced with hers, savoring the flavor. She thrust her hips against him. He pulled back.
“Not yet.” He captured one dark, full nipple between his lips and teased it with his teeth until she cried out in sweet agony then cupped her round rear in his palms and kneaded it until she trembled.
She was simpering with need, and that only intensified his want of her. He pressed the head of his sex against her slick opening. She gasped and gripped his shoulders. He pushed just a little to open her to him, and she cried out as her body gave way, and he pushed long and deep inside her wet walls.
Justin hissed through his teeth as the hot, wet warmth of her enveloped him.
The length and heft of him filled her in ways that she’d never before experienced. The fullness stole her breath and made her heart tumble in her chest. Shock waves jolted through her limbs as he began to move slowly in and out of her. By degrees her body adjusted to the feel of him, and she began to meet him stroke for stroke, lifting and rotating her hips, drawing groans that rose from his belly and tumbled from his lips. His body grew damp, as did hers as the pace escalated, and the sound of flesh slapping against flesh mixed with their moans and cries.
Justin rose up on his knees and pulled her hips tight against him as he plowed into her. Bailey gripped the sheets in her fists and bit down on her bottom lip, but it didn’t stop her scream that vibrated through him.
The tremor started at the balls of Bailey’s feet and scooted up her legs. Justin’s buttocks tightened, and his sac filled and tightened. Bailey thrust her pelvis against him, and he blew like a volcano while her insides flexed and contracted in an orgasm that exploded in hundreds of white-hot lights.
“Oh, Goddddd...” Her neck arched. Her body vibrated as if hit with a bolt of lightning.
Justin’s growl of release bordered on animalistic before he collapsed on top of her, breathing hard. He pushed her damp hair away from the sides of her face before cupping her cheeks and tenderly kissing her wet, swollen lips.
Bailey caressed his damp back, felt the hard tendons flex beneath her fingers. She had no words for the riot of feelings that poured through her. Thoughts and images of the two of them ran in a kaleidoscope through her head. Whatever she thought making love with Justin would be like, she was wrong. The empty space that lived inside her no longer echoed. The sound was dull and distant, receding into the background. She felt alive, vibrant, happy. Maybe it was only the effects of sexual release and afterglow. Whatever it was, she wanted to hold on to it for as long as she could.
She nuzzled Justin’s neck, and she felt his smile. He lifted his head and gazed down at her.
“You okay?”
She nodded. “You?”
He chortled deep in his throat. “I passed okay a long time ago.” He brushed his lips against hers, tasted the salty skin and sighed into her mouth. “Humph. Woman...you could easily become my guilty pleasure.” He eased up off her and turned on his side. He braced his head on the palm of his hand. His eyes were at half-mast, only lifted by the satisfied smile on his lips.
Bailey ran her fingers down the length of his arm. Her eyes didn’t leave his. “You never told me what you were celebrating.” She took his hand, lifted it to her lips then drew the tip of his index finger into her mouth.
His breath hitched, and she sucked a bit harder. The dark pupils of his eyes grew larger.
“Tell me.”
“What? That you’re making me hard again sucking on my finger?”
“Oh, that.” She tickled the tip of his index finger with her tongue. “What I asked you was to tell me what your surprise was,” she said between little sucks.
He slowly extracted his finger from her mouth, turned onto his back and tucked his hands under his head.
“Well, I handed in my resignation today.”
Her head snapped toward him. “What?”
“Yep.” He glanced at her.
“But...why?”
He drew in a deep breath and exhaled. “It’s been a long time coming. Today only sped up the process.” He told her of the showdown with his boss as a result of his firmly telling Jasmine they had no future and how he’d come to his decision. “Things would only get worse at the firm if I’d stayed, and this way at least I can walk away with my head up and can move on to pushing my dream forward. Which is what I’ve wanted to do all along.”
Bailey was a breath away from asking him if he could afford to leave his job when the reality of who he was kicked that thought to the curb. He was a Lawson. He could do what he wanted. Money was no object. The realization unsettled her. The fact that he could walk away from his job and pursue his dream was a stark reminder of just how different they were; how far apart their lives would remain.
“Something wrong?” Justi
n traced the outline of her ear.
She shook her head and forced a smile. “Nothing.” She turned to face him and slid her leg between his. “It was wonderful,” she whispered, easing close.
“It was more than wonderful.” His eyes moved slowly over her face while he caressed the rise of her hip. “I want you to get used to having me in your life and many more amazing days and nights like this one.”
Her heart thumped. She swallowed.
He leaned in and kissed her. His mouth moved over hers firm and insistent, sucking and teasing her bottom lip until her lips flowered, and his tongue dipped inside to savor her taste. And whatever notions she had in her head about their differences were pushed into the back of her mind as she welcomed him deep within her.
Chapter 10
Justin’s eyes flickered open against the morning light that sifted through the draped windows. His body flexed and ached in a good way as memories of his night with Bailey rushed back. He turned his head. She was curled on her side, her wild hair shielding her face from him. Just looking at her got him hard. He stroked his shaft wanting to put it where it could find release—buried inside her.
Bailey stirred and sighed softly. She stretched her legs and arched her back. Justin was about to lose his mind watching her. He stroked a little faster. Bailey turned on her back and stretched her arms above her head, causing her full breasts to rise. The sheet slid down revealing her heavy mounds and the dark, hard nipples, and Justin’s cock jumped in his hand. This was better than any strip show. Bailey moaned while she slid her hand down her body and between her legs. Justin nearly lost it. Sweat dampened his skin. He gritted his teeth as he watched the totally erotic show, imagining her fingers in all the slick places that his had been.
Bailey’s lips parted. Her breathing escalated. “Ohhhh,” she moaned. Her eyes fluttered open, and she turned to him. Her skin was flushed. “Justin,” she said in a hoarse whisper. She reached for him, grabbed his hand and put it where hers had been. Her hips arched, and her eyes slammed shut.
Justin fingered her then put his slick fingers in his mouth to taste her. He pulled her on top of him. He cupped her breasts in his palms while she rose up on her knees and positioned herself before lowering her hips to suck him inside her.
“Good morning,” she whispered before covering his mouth with hers and riding them both to satisfaction.
* * *
“Hope you like omelets,” Justin said from his spot at the stove. He glanced over his shoulder and nearly dropped the spatula when he glanced at her barely covered in a towel and her hair dangling in wet tendrils around her face. “Hey.”
“Hey yourself.” She sauntered closer and stopped at the counter that separated them. Her gaze took in the broad bare back that curved into a perfect V, and the drawstring pajama pants that hung low on his narrow hips. She tugged on her bottom lip with her teeth.
“Coffee or juice?” He turned away to keep from doing something other than fixing breakfast.
“Coffee would be great.”
“Help yourself.” He ladled the omelet onto a platter and placed it on the center of the counter along with a bowl of fresh-cut fruit.
Bailey took the coffeepot off the heated inset on the table and poured coffee into a mug. “You want some?” She held up the pot.
The corner of his mouth rose. “That, young lady is a loaded question, especially with you standing in my kitchen with nothing on but a towel.”
Bailey innocently glanced down at her scanty attire as if seeing it for the first time. “Oh...I can go change.”
“Don’t. I like the view.”
Her cheeks heated. She lowered her gaze and slid onto a bar stool. “Now that you’re unemployed, what are your plans?”
Justin sat opposite her and scooped fruit onto his plate and then a portion of the omelet. “Actually, I’ll be going into the office for the next few weeks to clear up some pending cases and bring everyone up to speed on what I have on my desk.”
Bailey nodded her head as she chewed on a forkful of omelet. “Mmm, is this feta cheese?”
“Yep. You like?”
“Very much. So...tell me more about your business venture.”
His eyes lit up.
“It’s been something I’ve been working on for about a year now. Along with my buddy Carl Hurley. He was with me the first night I came to the Mercury Lounge.” He looked at her over the rim of his coffee mug. “I guess I need to thank him.”
“For what?”
“He was the one that insisted I stay after he had to leave for a meeting. If I didn’t, we may have never...gotten this far.”
Bailey blushed. She took a mouthful of food.
“Anyway, it’s called The Justice Project. Our goal is to handle cases for defendants that can’t afford high-priced attorneys and those who we believe have been wrongly convicted.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “That’s the plan. We had scouted some locations for a small office. And there are more cases than we will probably be able to handle.” He gave a slight shrug. “So this unscheduled departure is a blessing in disguise.”
“Well...how do you go about selecting which cases to accept?”
“It’s a process. Carl and I will review the case material, interview the defendant, any witnesses, and if we feel we can do some justice, we’ll take the case.” He angled his head in question. “Something’s on your mind.”
“No. I was just curious.”
“I’m sure we’ll need a staff,” he said with a raise of his eyebrow. “You already have some law school under your belt, and you plan to finish up, right?”
She focused on her plate and pushed her food around with her fork. “That’s the plan.”
“You don’t sound very sure. I thought that’s what you wanted.”
“It is.”
Justin studied her closed expression and decided to let it go. “So when do you go back to work?”
“Tonight. I should probably get myself together and go home.”
“Now?”
“Yeah, I have a lot to do. Aren’t you planning on going into the office?”
He heaved a sigh. “Around noon.”
She nodded her head. “Looks like both of us need to get in gear.” She pushed back from the table and stood.
Justin reached across the table and clasped her wrist. “What is it?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” She avoided looking at him.
“I feel like you did a one-eighty on me, and I’m not sure why.”
“I don’t know why you would think that.”
He released her. “My bad.” He took his plate to the sink. “Give me a few minutes to get dressed, and I’ll drive you home.”
“Thanks,” she murmured and walked out of the kitchen.
* * *
Bailey put on her discarded clothing then stood in front of the bathroom mirror to try to put some order into her hair. She’d spent the most incredible night with a man she’d had a wet spot for since the night they’d met. Her body still hummed with pleasure. She smiled at the memories. There was no doubt that there was more than a physical connection between them. They vibed on so many levels. But... Her smile slowly faded. She didn’t want to risk disturbing the magic, the one time in her life when there was someone for her—just her—by inserting the drama of her family life into the mix.
A sensation of guilt crept into her conscience. She couldn’t turn her back on her siblings. She was the glue that held them together. The reality of her situation angered her. She shouldn’t feel guilty for wanting her own life. But she did.
Roughly, she twisted her damp hair on top of her head and tucked it into an untidy knot. She turned away from her all-seeing reflection and returned to the bedroom to get her purse and shoes.
Justin was pulling a shirt over his head. Her stomach twirled at the sight of him, the way his muscles rippled when he stretched and moved. She shook her head to scatter the hot thoughts that tried to dominate her good sense—which was telling her to go home.
Justin tugged down on his T-shirt, and Bailey came into his line of sight. “Ready?”
She leaned against the frame of the door. “Pretty much.”
He nodded noncommittally, turned to his dresser and grabbed his wallet, keys and cell phone.
“Justin...”
He turned toward her with his brows raised in question. “Yeah... I... You were right.”
“About what?”
“I did do a one-eighty.”
“Wanna tell me why?”
She drew in a breath. “I want to...just not right now.”
“My mama raised me to be a gentleman. I’d never make a lady do anything she didn’t want to do.” He gave her that half grin that sent shock waves up her spine. He strolled slowly toward her, tucked a finger under her chin and lifted it. “There’s no rush...about anything. I don’t plan on going anywhere.”
Her heart knocked in her chest and for some reason, her eyes filled with hot tears. She blinked rapidly, swallowed the knot in her throat and nodded her head. “Thank you,” she whispered.
He pulled her into the protective arc of his arms and held her close. He didn’t say a word. He simply held her, and to Bailey that was the most intimate thing he could have done.
* * *
Justin helped Bailey into her seat and shut the door, got in behind the wheel and flipped on the radio. The Tom Joyner morning show was on and host Cousin Tommy made a prank phone call that had them both laughing out loud. The prank call to a local pizza parlor was followed by the news that spewed out one bad story after the other, including the forecast that predicted a major storm complete with dangerous lightning and flash flooding.
They drove in companionable silence, bobbing their heads to the music and laughing at the outrageous members of the morning show. Before long, they were coming up on Bailey’s street.