by Tiana Cole
“Because I saw you at his apartment. The company sent me down here to set up his security. I didn't tell you because I was going to surprise you. I guess I did, all right,” Bruce scoffed. “I was in front of his apartment when you arrived in a taxi. I saw you go in. I could see the two of you sitting in his living room talking. When you left, I watched you kiss him in the doorway when you left, and it wasn't any peck on the cheek, either.”
“I wasn't there, Bruce!” she pleaded. She could see he was angry, his temper on the verge of boiling over. “I have no idea what you saw, but I was at the office and then here. I didn't go to his place—I've never been there.”
“Why are you lying when I've already told you that I saw you?”
“I’m not lying!” she insisted. “You didn't see me.”
His face was red, his body tense. Those were the warning signs and she waited for the explosion, half expecting he might hit her—his expression said he certainly wanted to. Instead, he turned and walked away.
After he’d sped off in his SUV, she took the elevator up to her hotel room, hurriedly unlocking her door and rushing inside. She tossed her purse aside and collapsed on the couch. Her heart pounded and it was hard to breath. How on earth had Bruce convinced himself that he’d seen her kissing Kenneth Steele? She’d told him the truth—she hadn't been near his apartment. She hadn't seen it yet and didn't even know the New Orleans address, although she could get her hands on it easily enough.
The answer came to her then: Bruce had seen Audra. She’d almost forgotten she now had somebody in her life who looked so similar to her. She was thinking of Audra as Kenneth’s woman, not the woman who could pass as her double. Kenneth must have invited Audra to his apartment for a talk, and apparently it had gone well.
Not only had she forgotten that people confused them, she’d forgotten that Bruce didn't know she existed. Mentioning Audra and how Kenneth had confused them hadn't been something worth explaining to Bruce since telling him about the mix-up in Brazil would have likely made him angrier. Bad enough he knew Steele had kissed her—if he knew that Steele had been under the impression he’d slept with her, it might confuse things even more. If she’d tried to explain that… Well, she’d worried he might insist she quit her job, and they really needed that income since they planned on buying a house. No, she’d thought it best to keep the whole ordeal to herself, and now it was all a botched mess. She had to find a believable way to explain to him that she had a double, that this double had coincidentally slept with Steele, and that it was probably her that he saw at Steele’s apartment. It didn't even sound convincing to Myeisha, yet she knew it was true. Blurting it out would sound fabricated and Bruce wasn't in a mood to listen to reason, much less something that sounded so ridiculously farfetched.
She debated using his job to help him see the truth. If he was working on Steele’s security, maybe she could find an excuse to bring the four of them together in one place. He’d have to believe his own eyes if he saw her side by side with Audra, and then he’d know that the thing he was so sure he saw hadn't really happened. Of course, this assumed she could get them all together before his anger, his sense of betrayal, made him do something that couldn't be fixed; she’d seen his rage growing, and if he snapped it wouldn’t be good. This also assumed that Audra was the woman he saw, and she couldn't be certain of that. It was at night, after all, and she didn't know how good a view he’d had. It was in keeping with Kenneth’s style that he’d had a woman there, and it wouldn't be all that unreasonable for him to find another slim black woman to aim his affections at if things weren't working out with Audra. She knew what she had to do: she needed to call Audra and ask if it had been her. If it was, then she could call Bruce and tell him about his mistake. If things went well, they could even laugh about the silly mix up.
What a crazy situation, she thought with a deep sigh. All she knew for certain was that her lover thought he’d seen her kiss another man. A man that she’d professed no interest in, nonetheless. She understood his pain… and she worried. If he nursed this sense of betrayal, it could poison things between them forever. Echoes of that mistrust wouldn't go away easily. She needed to move fast.
She picked up her phone and found Audra’s cell number in her contacts. If she could have Audra call Bruce now and explain to him that she’d been the one kissing Kenneth, he might agree to meet her to see if her claim was legit. Then the three of them could be in one place and he’d see his mistake. He had to.
As she hit the send button, Myeisha’s heart thudded. Her world was coming apart, yet she hadn't done anything wrong. She hated that things were so unfair.
***
She opened the door and saw him standing on her porch holding out a bouquet of flowers and looking a bit uneasy.
“Ken? Didn’t I just leave your place?”
He nodded. “Yes, but… Hell, we talk so reasonably when we’re together. I can force myself to be practical and look at things in logical terms,” he laughed nervously. “Unfortunately, the moment you’re out of sight, I find I’m worrying that I might lose you.” He held out his hands. “What was supposed to be a good night kiss turned into something that made that night in Brazil come back inside me with all the fire and excitement… the sense of discovery and sheer lust that I felt then. I was feeling it all again. I forced myself to let you go.”
“Why?” Audra asked.
He shrugged. “I’m supposed to be a sensible businessman. But after you left, the passion was still there. I couldn't think straight. I suddenly realized that by stalling, by considering the important aspects of the situation, I risked losing you.”
She ushered him inside and gestured for him to take a seat on her sofa. “You can’t lose what you aren't even sure you want.”
“Words,” he said. “It’s all goddamn words.” He grabbed her, pulling her body against his. He was powerful, compelling, warm, and she looked up at him longingly. He kissed her deeply, pressing warm lips on hers and forcing his tongue in her mouth. The heat of his desire rushed through her like a wild animal.
Until that moment she’d been nursing an anger towards him, trying to put up a wall to protect herself from her feelings. She knew he’d been coldly examining the details before, but now he was trying—working hard, even—to be a different man than she knew him to be. And for what? The kiss quickly dissolved any lingering anger—melted it all away in an instant. The alchemy of lust turned her iron resolve into a flame of passion and desire.
“Yes,” she uttered without knowing what she was agreeing to.
The cell phone sitting on her coffee table suddenly signaled a call.
Not now. Not fucking now.
She picked it up in annoyance. Looking in his eyes she saw that there was a moment, a brief opening in the here and now. She would seize it, and Terry, or whoever it was dialing her, could damn well wait. She grabbed the phone, powered it off, and tossed it behind the couch.
Ken moved up behind her and took her in his arms, his hands exciting her as his lips tasted the nape of her neck. He fumbled with the buttons on her blouse, skillfully undoing them. The jolts of electricity sent by his fingers aroused the nerve endings in her entire body, and when he undid her bra, his hands cupped her tender breasts, holding them prisoner. His body was warm against her back.
This was the man she knew, the man who spoke directly to her body with his. She felt the bulge of his cock, hard against her ass, and it excited her even more. He did want her, it was blaringly obvious, and the idea made her breathless. No matter how much she’d dreamed of it, the reality was more potent and her head spun as he continued undressing her there in her living room.
She was in a waking dream as her blouse, her bra, her skirt took turns falling into a puddle on the floor. His hands explored her body as if he’d never touched her, as if it was their first time. She turned in his arms and savored the touch of his hands caressing her ass through her panties while she began undoing the buttons of his shirt, running
her hands over the hard muscles of his bare chest. She dropped to her knees and eagerly undid his pants, her hands trembling with excitement. He finished pulling off his shirt and tossed it aside, and she wrapped her fingers around his swollen cock, gently pulling it out of his pants and kissing it. He guided her to her feet and his lips met hers once more, then he sat on the couch and pulled off his shoes and his pants.
“The bedroom,” he insisted hoarsely.
She reached out to him and he watched as her slender brown fingers disappeared in his large, white hand. She forced herself to breath as she turned to lead him toward her bed where she hoped he would make love to her. Without warning he picked her up, scooping her into his arms and cradling her. He carried her to the bed and stretched her out on it. She stared up at him and he returned her lustful gaze.
“Beautiful. Absolutely stunning,” he breathed.
When he hooked his fingers in the waistband of her panties and began to tug them down, she realized she’d never felt so naked, so vulnerable. He was taking possession of her, stripping her naked, spreading her legs. The warmth of his breath on her thighs made her gasp, and he pressed them further apart, tipping her back, opening her up. He kissed her wet slit, tasted her, let his tongue lick the pink flesh between her nether lips.
She moaned with delight, her back arching off the bed. Encouraged, he explored her more, running his tongue the length of her and worming long, thick, fingers inside her. It didn’t take him long to find the amazing spots that fired off the neurons of pleasure that ignited sparks inside her. Relentlessly he plundered her with his fingers while his hot tongue flicked the hard nub of her clitoris. She squealed her delight, finding it impossible to remain quiet. She grabbed handfuls of his hair and pulled his hungry face hard against her, then exploded in an incredible orgasm that made her body shake as if she had a fever. It rippled through her—an agonizing, powerful, delightfully amazing explosion.
He moved over her then, his smiling face shiny with her juices. “I'll be careful,” he said, looking at her belly.
“It’s still safe,” she assured him.
He nodded and she gasped with his penetration, his hard cock sliding deep into her hot slit. He impaled her and she wished she could memorize the sensations of that moment when Ken’s hard shaft drove into her. It wasn't their first time, but this time they weren't strangers. Ken Steele wanted Audra Dawn, and he was fucking Audra Dawn with his wonderful cock.
He rocked into her and she wrapped her legs around him, thinking this could go on forever she wouldn't mind in the least. When he came, and she felt his seed rushing up inside of her, she tried to remember how it felt that first time. The time when he had filled her with his cum, and they had conceived the baby that was growing inside her now.
They slept for a time, and she woke to find him staring at her, his eyes lustful once more.
“I want you,” he said softly.
She reached for him and found his cock hard. “So I see.”
“That wasn't even what I meant,” he laughed. “But that way, too.”
Holding him, stroking him, she leaned over and kissed his soft lips. “Then show me, Ken. I want you to fuck me again.”
Chapter Ten
Bruce took the next day off. It wasn't really a good idea when he was trying to prove himself, but he was in no mood to worry about his job, especially protecting goddamn Kenneth Steele.
His work was pretty much done anyway; local men were watching the apartment and the office. Of course, all they were looking for was the possibility that someone might be casing the buildings or shadowing Steele. They were there to prevent an abduction or something else from happening to the bastard, not keeping an eye on his sleazy, cheating ways.
After he’d confronted Myeisha he’d gone back to check on Steele, arriving just in time to see him leave. He was easy to follow, and the fool led him to an apartment across town. Who’s apartment was it? He wasn’t quite sure, since he’d seen firsthand that Myeisha was in fact staying at a hotel. Sitting in his car, he saw Myeisha open the door—she must’ve gone straight there after he’d had it out with her in the parking garage. She probably called Steele the moment he’d left to warn him. She knew his temper, and probably worried that he’d beat the crap out of Steele. He sure wanted to.
She had to have called Steele and they clearly decided to meet. Of course they wouldn't go to Myeisha’s hotel room—she knew he’d likely be watching.
The bitch is clever, that’s for sure, Bruce thought as he glared at the apartment building he was parked a safe distance from. Myeisha had even sounded all sweet and innocent when she told him she was spending the night alone. Sure she was. Just like when she told him she was stuck in the office going over paperwork. Right. He watched her let Steele in the apartment. He couldn’t see much, but after a while the lights went out. Had Steele secretly set her up with an apartment they could hide their romantic trysts in? Perhaps this apartment belonged to one of Myeisha’s friends, but she didn’t know many people in New Orleans. He sat in confusion, a million thoughts running through his mind.
Bruce waited for two hours before deciding they were sleeping together. No question about it. What else could they be doing for that long with the lights out? He considered pounding on the door and scaring the shit out of them, but he was tired and in no mood for Myeisha yelling at him about his anger shit. He started the car and headed for his hotel, stopping at a liquor store for yet another bottle of vodka along the way. He typically wasn’t a big drinker, but he needed to drown the mixture of fury, betrayal, and sadness he was feeling.
He managed a few hours of drunken sleep that somehow made him feel even worse. Images of Myeisha with Steele were nagging at him, and after a shower, he dressed, filled a hip flask with vodka, and drank what wouldn't fit. Against his better judgment, he then drove back to the apartment—the love nest Steele had likely arranged—and was thankfully he hadn’t been pulled over. He planned to follow them, take photos, and confront Myeisha with the evidence.
He wasn't sure why it seemed so important to make Myeisha admit that she’d been cheating on him. Maybe it was just that he’d always looked up to her and saw her as holding the high moral ground, when apparently she was just another cheating bitch. Just walking away from her wouldn't be satisfying without rubbing her nose in her own lies.
The two lovers emerged not long after he arrived. They came out arm in arm, leaving no question about how they’d spent the night. Lovers always looked like lovers, and these two were so wrapped up in each other that he didn't even have to work hard to stay out of sight while he followed them. They were oblivious.
That was a good thing, actually, as Bruce had downed a few more swigs of vodka while he’d waited. Considering that he hadn't even slept off the vodka from the night before, he had a lot of alcohol in his system yet he was still sharp and had his wits about him.
The more he thought about the situation, the hotter his temper got. His anger management techniques only went so far; he could manage things only up to a point before he exploded. He didn't like exploding, losing control, but what the fuck were you supposed to do when your fiancée lied to you, cheated on you with her billionaire boss, and wouldn't even admit it? If she’d just be honest, maybe they could work things out. He really did love her. Steele didn't… he was sure of that. Steele was a womanizer, and even Myeisha had admitted that much. So what was the allure? There had to be something, because there they were.
Steele and Myeisha got out of his car and began a leisurely stroll taking them through the French Quarter. Bruce followed, biting his lip at the sight of the bastard with his arm around her waist, and her bumping her hip against his looking pleased as punch.
The hip flask in the back pocket of his jeans called to him, and as the happy couple stopped and looked into a bar where a Dixieland band was blasting out some old tune, he took a long swig.
Bruce knew he’d been seriously wronged, and that his anger stemmed from his love for Mye
isha. He was wild about her, and had been since the first moment he laid eyes on her. That she could lie to him, pretend nothing had changed between them, was the source of his real fury. He could almost understand her falling for a handsome rich guy; they were constantly in close proximity and, okay, people were human. If she cheated on him when they were just getting together, maybe he could get that. She’d accepted his proposal, however, and played him for a fool. She was cheating on him it and lying about it.
He couldn't stand that. The question was what he could do about it.
***
“You’ll like Terry,” Audra said happily. “He’s moving to New Orleans, and this part of town with the old music seemed like the perfect place for you to meet him.”
“Any brother of yours is someone I fully intend to like, or at least do my best trying to,” he replied, grinning. “I’ll put on a charm offensive.”
“He’s excited to meet you too, but just be your arrogant self, Ken. Be the guy I love and I’m getting to know. He’ll like that a lot better than if you pretend to be something you aren't. After all, he already knows you seduced and abandoned his sister in Brazil, even if it was a mix up.”
“Just the abandonment part,” he protested. “As for the rest, If I’d known…”
She turned to him and looked up into those green eyes. “No ifs, Ken. Shut up and kiss me.”
He eagerly did as told, and it was as sensual a meeting of lips as she could imagine, taking her breath away just as it had before.
“Wow,” he smiled. “Touching you, being with you… it just keeps getting better.” He whispered in her ear, his breath warm and arousing. “You turn me on so fast. I’d like to fuck you right here.”
She looked around with a smirk. “Terry’s expecting us, and anyway, I don’t see a convenient doorway.”