Everyone laughed at Kelly’s comical remark.
“Mama Carolyn fixed every bit of this food, daughter. Like I said, I did call and get some tips from Mama Tilley.” Carolyn’s eyes softened. “It was important to me to do this just for you, Kelly. I’m glad I’m making good grades.”
“You get an A on everything, Mom. Thanks for wanting to do this for me.”
The visit with her parents couldn’t have gone any better under the current circumstances, Kelly thought. Both Carolyn and Jared had been extremely attentive to their only child. It was as if they’d found a way to anticipate her every need.
Kelly had to admit that she’d loved being the center of their attention. It wasn’t a place she’d found herself in very often. When two people were totally wrapped up in their professions and in each other, they ignored everyone and everything else around them. She couldn’t count the times she’d been made to feel like an inanimate object by her mom and dad. This evening had been a completely different experience.
Kelly laid her head back on the leather headrest. Both she and Houston had been quiet for the past twenty minutes or more. Jazz with vocals played nonstop on the radio channel. She’d worked hard to stay awake for the last few miles to her office knowing she’d have to be alert to drive home.
Houston rested his hand on Kelly’s thigh. “The exit to your office is coming up, but I’d like you to spend the night with me. I can drive you to work in the morning.”
She looked down at her clothes, apparel she’d changed into at the office just before Houston had picked her up. “Sounds tempting, but I don’t have office hours until late afternoon. I don’t want to be without my car.”
“You can take this one. I have an SUV and a Mercedes.”
“A Mercedes, huh? Maybe I want to roll in it.”
He laughed. “Any one of the cars you want. Please just say yes to my offer.”
She gave him a sexy smile. “Yes!”
Chapter 12
There was something strange yet wonderful about Kelly spending the night in his home, in his bed. He was excited about it, as he turned back the comforter. It wasn’t that he’d never spent an entire night with a woman, it just hadn’t occurred in their homes.
Houston’s mother, sister-in-law and Lanier stayed there overnight in guest rooms, when it was his turn to host holiday festivities. All holidays had once been spent at their parents’ ranch. A few years back, the guys had decided to take on some of the workload, in view of their mom and dad growing older. Entertaining was a lot of work.
Houston sat down on the edge of the mattress. “Come here.”
Walking across the room, Kelly took slow but deliberate strides, lightly swiveling her curvy hips. The tone of Houston’s voice had been low and seductive and she didn’t want to seem too eager. Dropping down on her knees, right in front of him, she looked up at him, pursing her lips in a sultrily pouting way. “You summoned?”
Grinning, he reached down and removed her jacket, carefully laying it aside on a nearby chair. Keeping his eyes trained on her lovely face, he slowly undid each button on her white silk blouse before completely separating it from her luscious body. Then he slipped over her head the lacy camisole.
The red-and-white candy-cane-striped bra was physically pleasing to Houston, making him wonder if her panties matched. If so, maybe they were edible ones that tasted like the peppermint candy he loved. The provocative pattern revved up his sexual desires.
Houston popped open the button on the waistband of her red trousers. After she stood, he unzipped them, thoroughly enjoying sliding the slacks down over her hips, thighs, legs and feet. The panties did match the bra.
Instead of stripping Kelly of her sexy underwear, Houston picked up his freshly laundered shirt and helped her into it. “Since you don’t have a nightgown, my shirt will help keep you warm. The heat from my body will do the rest.” Stretching out in the bed, he reached back and guided Kelly down beside him. “I can’t get over how beautiful you are. I love being intimately close with you.”
With her eyes glazed over, Kelly appeared dazed. She liked how he clarified things for her. “I’m all excited now. How will I ever get to sleep?” Sleep was the furthest thing from their lust-filled minds, she knew.
Houston grinned wickedly. “I can definitely help you out with that. Just lie still and let me work my magic, girl. I know how to relax every single muscle on your sexy body. Leave it all up to me.”
Houston never failed to make Kelly blush like crazy. Knowing what a special treat she was in for, she smiled, allowing her body to go lax. She could hardly wait to receive the mind-blowing muscle relaxants he’d prescribe for her and then expertly administer. He had a tongue made of silk and glowing embers for fingers. His hands were nothing short of bonfires.
Ready to take his lovely sienna-wonder to dreamland, Houston lit a candle and then turned off the bedside lamp. His eyes closed as his hands reached out and began tenderly caressing her body, showering her entire anatomy with featherlike kisses. Beneath his hands was a live one, a beautiful, sexy woman. He was extremely proud to have the incomparable Kelly Charleston in his life.
Houston recalled how making love to Kelly the first time had nearly brought him to tears. How blessed were they to be starting out in a wonderful relationship? Would they ever be crazy in love and eventually love each other enough to marry someday? How quickly his thoughts about commitments and nuptials had changed. Houston knew his sudden transformation was remarkably unbelievable to many, especially to him.
After Houston had taken his sweet time in removing the last article of her attire—the candy-cane-striped bikinis—he lay alongside her and brought her into his arms. As the foreplay heated up, Houston and Kelly laughed softly, nipping, nuzzling, kissing wildly and squeezing tenderly. All she could do was lie in wait for her fine hero to make hot, sizzling love to her.
“Stairway to Heaven,” an oldie by the O’Jays, had Houston’s mind filled to the brim with suggestive notions. Already halfway up the staircase to eternity, Houston kissed Kelly passionately, his tongue uniting hungrily with hers. While stroking her inner thighs, he unashamedly looked at her naked beauty, wishing he could forever capture her in this natural state of erotica. The glow of the candlelight made her appear angelic.
In Houston’s opinion, Kelly had the perfect sienna-brown body, the magnificently formed lips of a black goddess, thick and pouting, and the delicate hands of an angel. She was having tons of fun letting him teach her all the pleasurable things each physical feature was designed for.
Instructing her in the art of sheer erotica had him feeling as if his teaching methods showcased some of his finest talents. To make things even more exciting for Kelly and him, Houston reached over to the nightstand and picked up a book. Reading by candlelight a few paragraphs from one of Zane’s fire-breathing novels came next.
Not long into the readings, Houston and Kelly got even hotter and heavier into each other. She didn’t wait for him to place his hands where she needed them most. Lifting his right hand, she directed it to the moist, fleshy spot burning for him like an out-of-control brush fire. “Touch me deep inside, Houston,” she whispered in a throaty voice. “I want to feel hell’s fire all through me. Take me to where I want to go, high up on that mountaintop we’ve claimed as our own. I want you to lie deep inside me and slowly ride the rolling waves of fiery ecstasy.”
Houston didn’t need a second invitation. Mounting her sweet body would always be his pleasure. Kelly was getting more vocal in her requests to him, he noted. The first time they’d made love she’d only given him an idea of what she wanted, yet he hadn’t failed to give her exactly what he thought she desired.
“Girl,” he whispered in her ear, “I’m going to take you there right now. Draw me in deeper. Fasten your legs around me tightly, sweetheart. I don’t want you to fall off during the wild ride. We’re going to take everything to an entirely different level.”
With that said, Houston’s f
ingers slowly worked their way deep inside Kelly, paving the way for his grand entry. The teasing and taunting from his hands and mouth had her writhing in delicious agony. Once his tongue took over completely, she simply got lost in a haze of mindlessness. Moans, soft screams and incoherent babbling were all Kelly was capable of.
In one sleek, majestic move, Houston was inside Kelly, riding her up and down the mountaintop, hard and fast, slow and tantalizing, over and over again. He rocked back and forth in unison with the movements of her riotous body, riding fast and furious the waves of their wild fervor.
In climbing the last few steps to the stairway to heaven, he had them flying even higher up than she’d requested. Taking her to the mountaintop wasn’t high enough. As she loudly screamed out his name, twitching uncontrollably beneath his weight, he shuddered, whispering her name softly. The powerful release came the same exact time.
Houston rolled over and pulled Kelly into his arms. “Girl, you’ve got me whipped! What am I going to do with you?”
Kelly smiled devilishly. “Exactly what you just did. Encore, lover!”
Houston looked surprised to see Lynton half-naked when he stepped into Kelly’s house for an evening of fun and relaxation. He hadn’t seen her in a few days due to her busy schedule. She had also been on-call. Her friend had far too much nerve, especially when he was only a houseguest. Answering the door without a shirt on was rude and totally inappropriate. Houston thought back on the phone conversation he and Kelly had had several days ago about the problems he had with Lynton living there.
“Hey, Carrington, what’s up? You don’t look too happy. Is Dr. Kelly giving you a hard time? Better get used to it. She’s good for that.”
To avoid a verbal retort, Houston bit down on his lower lip. He didn’t know what Lynton meant by his remarks and he didn’t care to find out. The last thing he wanted was to get into a verbal confrontation or physical altercation with anyone. If he was to so much as raise his hand toward another human being, a lawsuit would be filed. Athletes and celebrities were prime targets for people to sue. It was a lucrative practice.
Instead of taking the latest bit of unsavory bait Lynton constantly dangled before him, Houston headed toward the hallway leading to Kelly’s private suite.
“You’d better get out of this relationship while you can. Kelly’s playing with your heart, just like she’s done with mine,” Lynton yelled after Houston. “Do you really think we live here together in a platonic way? If you believe that, you’re dumber than you look. Kelly wants her cake while she eats it. She loves keeping a string of men on hold.”
Turning quickly on his heels, Houston came at Lynton, fists balled tight.
“What’s going on in here?” Kelly asked, having heard Lynton’s loud ranting and raving. When she saw Houston in the room, it was all too easy to figure out.
Kelly’s voice made Houston stop dead in his tracks. Silently, he thanked God for intervening. She hadn’t arrived at that precise moment by accident. He believed that with everything in him. In saving him, she had also spared Lynton a serious beatdown.
Kelly rushed over to Houston and took his hand. “Let’s go to my room. I’m glad you’re here.” She cut her eyes sharply at Lynton, giving him a hotter-than-angry look.
Houston hated asking himself inwardly what was going on with Kelly and Lynton. He didn’t believe she was this cheating demon her friend had painted her as. But why would he say those vile things? He has his answer in the next instant.
Jealous people were deadly and desperate. Desperate folks lived out their desperation through ill accusations, near tangible threats and nasty deeds.
Once she was in her master bedroom, Kelly threw herself across the bed. “I’m sorry about this situation. Lynton living here is no longer working. I know that, but I still haven’t gotten up the nerve to tell him he has to leave.”
Houston shook his head. “It hasn’t worked from day one.” As much as he wanted to, he refrained from telling her what Lynton had said about her. He already had an idea how she might feel about it. The ugly remarks would hurt her. “If you hadn’t come into the room when you did, the good doctor might have a busted face and a broken nose. I don’t like him, Kelly. I can’t tell you what to do about your friends, but his constant presence in our life is starting to affect our relationship.”
Looking perplexed, Kelly sat up straight. “What are you saying, Houston? Better yet, what aren’t you saying? I knew he was getting to you, but not like this.”
“How in the world could you not know how bad it’s gotten? He’s rude as hell to me every time I come here. The only way to miss his bad attitude, you’d have to be blind. Even then, your other senses would be heightened to the point you’d feel his exploding animosity. I’m tired of the interference, sick of the tension.”
She pursed her lips. “What do you suggest?”
“It’s not up to me to recommend anything. You said you’d handle it. What do you want to do about it? What do you feel needs to be done? He’s not living at my house.”
Kelly rolled her eyes. “Don’t be a smart-butt. I know where he’s living. I invited him to stay here out of his need and not out of any desire on my part.”
Houston threw up his hands. “I can’t advise you. All I can do is let you know how it’s affecting me and our relationship.” He turned toward the door. “I should go now. I can’t stop thinking about beating him to a pulp.”
Kelly winced. “What would it solve?”
“Nothing. But it sure would help relieve all this tension.”
“If you leave, you’re letting him win. Is that what you want, Houston?”
Houston hurried across the room. Dropping down on the bed, he reached up and pulled Kelly on top of him. “Being with you, spending time together, making love to you is what I want. Having Lynton here restricts us. We should be able to walk around the house, nude if we want, raiding the refrigerator together after a bout of passionate lovemaking. With him in the house, everything we do feels guarded. He probably spies on us. Wondering if he’s peering through the keyhole is not a comfortable feeling.”
Kelly laughed. “Thinking like that is a bit eccentric, isn’t it?”
He rolled Kelly off him, giving her a stern look. “I wouldn’t make light of my feelings if I were you. I don’t toy with yours. This situation isn’t funny to me. Lynton says the relationship between you two is not platonic. What do you say to that?” The hurt in her eyes struck his heart. He’d done exactly what he hadn’t wanted to do, what he’d tried so desperately to refrain from. His simply spoken question had floored her.
Kelly appeared genuinely horrified. “He said that?”
“Would I lie to you?”
The honesty of his statement was visible in his eyes. “Never. If anything, you’re too honest. I don’t know why Lynton says these things, other than to make you jealous. He’s definitely envious of you. I will keep my promise about getting a move-out date, but not until after we get back from the cruise. His place won’t be ready before then.”
“He can go to a hotel. The man’s a doctor. He’s not destitute. If he can’t afford a hotel stay, I’ll pick up the tab. It’s time for you to have him move on.”
“Are you telling me what to do in my own home, Houston?”
His jaw muscles clenched. “It wasn’t my intent, but I guess that’s what I did. Do whatever you want about Lynton and I’ll do what’s best for me. In the interest of keeping me out of jail for assault and battery, I won’t come back as long as he’s here.”
Kelly looked dumbstruck. “Are you saying we won’t see each other again?”
“What I said is I won’t come here. You’re welcome at my place anytime. When a man knows he’s being tempted, especially into committing an illegal act, he won’t let himself be controlled. Lynton wants me to hit him so he can sue me. It’s not happening. Staying away from here while he’s present is what’s best for me.”
Kelly sucked her teeth. “I think you’re
acting unreasonable, but it’s your call.”
“Damn right it is.” With that said, Houston walked out. If Kelly didn’t understand him or what was happening to them, only God could help her get it.
Unable to believe what had just occurred, Kelly stared at the door Houston had nearly slammed off its hinges. She buried her face into a pillow, muffling her moans. This wasn’t the wonderful evening she had planned with him. As she thought about the cruise, tears came to her eyes. The sailing was only a few days away. He hadn’t said anything about it, but she couldn’t help wondering if he still wanted her along.
After giving more thought to the situation she and Houston were in, she knew what part of the situation she could blame him for. As for her part in it, she had been rebelling against what others wanted for her ever since she was old enough to make decisions. Her parents hadn’t been able to force her into a career in cardiology and Houston had failed at making her choose between him and Lynton.
No, she thought, Houston hadn’t been asking her to choose. He only wanted to rid them of the tense confrontations Lynton created in their lives. She owed Houston an apology. Before she did that, she’d have to act on the very issue threatening to separate them forever. Houston wouldn’t believe she was serious if she didn’t give Lynton a notice to move. However, she knew she couldn’t do it without feeling guilty.
If she was on or off the cruise was all up to Houston. She wasn’t backing out of the deal. One way or the other, he had very little time to let her know exactly what he wanted. This was Houston’s call.
Why was this birthday cruise such a flip-flop issue with them?
Kelly got up off the bed and ran into the bathroom. After giving her hair a few brisk strokes with the brush, she refreshed her lip gloss and rushed out. She went downstairs to take care of business.
From the doorway of the living room, Kelly quietly watched Lynton. As he put on the shirt he’d just picked up off the sofa, she wondered about it. Had he taken it off just to greet her guest? He’d only answered the door because she’d yelled out to ask him to do so. She’d had no idea he was shirtless, but he had known Houston was expected.
Kissed by a Carrington Page 19