Cameron divided a speculative gaze between Lexia and Khalil, and then followed Khalil over.
Lexia sent up a silent prayer that the impromptu interview would go well. She noticed that the three people occupying the table were at the counter. She cleared the table and took the dishes to the kitchen.
Sam followed her a moment later. “Is Cameron grilling Khalil?”
“No. I think Khalil is talking to him about working as the manager in his new gym.”
“Seriously? I thought he had a manager.”
“He did until Saturday.” She shared what Khalil had told her. “He said he knocked him out.”
“I would’ve knocked the hell out of him, too. I can’t believe he was taking equipment.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what’s wrong with people today. Just crazy.” Sam propped a hip against the sink. “So, are you ready for your weekend?”
“I guess. From what Khalil said, many of the people attending are connected to the modeling and entertainment business. I hope they’re not like the ones on those reality TV shows.”
“Well, if they are, I know you won’t have any problems putting them in their place. But that’s not what I mean. I’m talking about you being in a hotel room with that gorgeous man for two nights. It’s been a month since his accident and he looks like he’s healing nicely. Are you ready for what’s going to happen?”
More like what’s already happened. Lexia busied herself with scraping food off the plates and didn’t comment.
Sam took the plate and observed Lexia. “Did you...?” She clapped a hand over her mouth. “You did.” She put the plate in the sink, grabbed Lexia’s hand and nearly dragged her down the short hallway to Lexia’s office. She closed the door and folded her arms. “Spill it.”
Lexia dropped down in her chair. “Yeah, we did.”
A smile played around the corners of Sam’s mouth. “See, now aren’t you glad I told him about the cooking show? Did he take you back to his house after I left you two? What does it look like?”
“We didn’t go to his house afterward. I went to my place and he went to his...and he doesn’t have a house, he has a condo. A penthouse condo. The views are to die for—the marina and ocean from the kitchen, living room and his bedroom. There’s one wall that’s made up of windows and—” She groaned inwardly. She hadn’t meant to say all that.
“If you didn’t go to his house on Saturday...”
“I went to visit him a couple of weeks ago. He asked me to help him learn sign language.”
Her mouth dropped. “You slept with him two weeks ago and didn’t tell me?”
She threw up her hands. “No, Sam. I did not. We practiced a few letters and I had planned to leave, but we ended up watching a movie and he cooked.”
Sam’s brows knit in puzzlement. “Okay. I’m confused.”
“It happened last weekend...at his gym,” she mumbled.
“Oh my. That must have been some workout.” A wide grin spread across her lips.
“Shut up. I don’t know what happened. One minute he was showing me some exercises, the next we were naked and...you know.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“Girl, can the man bring it or what?”
Every detail of their encounter had replayed in her mind all last night with vivid clarity. She didn’t think she would ever be able to do those exercises again without thinking about what happened. Even now, the memory of his thighs surrounding hers as he thrust deeply when he’d asked her to push against him made her core pulse.
“Lexia!” Sam snapped her fingers in Lexia’s face.
She jumped. “What?”
“I asked you a question, but I already know the answer. Just looking at the way he moves says he can more than bring it.”
“And he did,” Lexia confessed.
A knock sounded on the door and Sam reached behind her to open it. She stepped aside so Khalil could enter. Behind his back, she mouthed, “You go, girl,” and exited.
Khalil handed Lexia her phone. “So what did Sam say behind my back?”
She went still. “What makes you think she said anything?”
“I could feel the air from her voice.”
She burst out laughing. Sam was only a few inches shorter than Khalil and she was close to his shoulder. “Are you ready? How did it go with Cam?”
“So, you’re not going to answer my question?”
“It was nothing. Well?”
Khalil paused a beat. “Cameron is pretty impressive on the financial and management side, but he’s never done anything in the fitness field. I have three more interviews to do next week before I decide. He seems like a nice guy.”
“He is.” She wanted to plead Cameron’s case, but knew it wouldn’t be fair to ask Khalil to hire him any more than it would be for Khalil to ask her to hire someone who lacked some of the experience she was seeking.
“He also shared some of the same things you did about helping the homeless community. I told him we’d talk more when I get back next week.”
Lexia’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Yes, really. How much more do you have to do?” He glanced down at his watch.
“Sam’s going to close up, so we can leave anytime.”
“Good. I’d rather be early than late. Are you ready?”
She took a deep breath. “Yes.” Or at least she hoped so.
Chapter 15
Lexia stepped out of the town car on shaky legs and stared up at the hotel. She couldn’t believe they were staying at the Ritz-Carlton. Or that they’d made it in one piece. Even at midnight, there was still some traffic and the way the driver had woven in and out of the lanes nearly gave her a heart attack. With this being her first trip to New York, she wanted to see all the sights, but the man had made her so nervous, she’d ended up closing her eyes for a good portion of the ride. Khalil, on the other hand, hadn’t even flinched.
“Are you okay, Lexia?”
She leveled a glare at the departing car service driver, looked up at Khalil and shook her head. Her heart still beat double time in her chest and her hands shook.
Khalil chuckled. “Come on. Let’s get you settled in, baby.”
A bellhop collected their luggage and she followed Khalil to the registration desk. Other than having to ask the clerk to repeat information twice so he could understand, the process went smoothly.
They took the elevator to the twenty-second floor and entered an elegant one-bedroom suite overlooking Central Park that was larger than her condo. After getting up early and traveling all day, Lexia was bone tired, but she was also starving. She dropped her purse and tote on a chair and fell across the bed.
Khalil chuckled. He came and stretched out next to her. He pushed her hair back and lowered his mouth to hers.
Lexia’s fatigue melted away and desire flared. She reached up, hooked her hand behind his head and pulled him closer. She ran her other hand over his shoulders and down his muscular arm. He slid his hand beneath her top, caressed her spine, torso and around to her breasts. A knock sounded. She groaned and tapped Khalil on the shoulder.
He lifted his head and frowned. “What?”
She spelled door, sat up and adjusted her clothes.
He sighed, scooted off the bed and went to let the bellhop in. He gave the man a tip, closed the door and came back to the bed. “Now, where were we?”
She gave him a sultry smile and crooked a finger.
He grinned and kissed her back down onto the bed.
Lexia forgot about being tired, hungry and everything else, except the delicious sensations coursing through her body. In a matter of moments they were both naked and she was riding him in the middle of the king-size bed. His hands gripped her buttocks as he moved w
ith deep, steady strokes. Her head fell back and she held on to his shoulders as each thrust drove her closer and closer to the edge. He reached down and pressed his thumb against her clit, taking her higher with slow, sensual circles.
Their breathing grew ragged, echoing loudly in the otherwise quiet room. Khalil lifted his head and pulled her into a kiss so erotic it made her head spin. He plunged faster and faster until she convulsed all around him, spasms of ecstasy rocketing through her body.
Khalil followed her over the edge, thrusting so deeply that she came again in a rush of pleasure so strong she almost toppled off his body.
Lexia collapsed on top of him as their bodies shuddered intensely and he held her tightly. Neither of them moved for several minutes. She started to get up and he stayed her. She tried to tell him that she didn’t want to cause him any pain, but he didn’t loosen his grip.
He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “I’m fine, Lexia. I just want to hold you, sweetheart.”
Her breath caught upon seeing the tender look on his face and she lost a piece of her heart. Afraid he might read her thoughts, she laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Now what? She certainly couldn’t tell him. Her breathing slowed and she drifted off to sleep.
Lexia woke up bleary-eyed and alone in the bed. She shifted to see the clock on the nightstand. Only an hour had passed. She glanced down at the sheet covering her body, puzzled. Had Khalil picked her up and put her under the covers? Shaking her head, she left the bed, dressed and went in search of Khalil. He was standing shirtless in front of the window in the living room with his hands in his pockets, seemingly deep in thought. She slipped her arms around his waist and leaned her cheek against his back.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” Khalil shifted, brought her in front of him and wrapped his arms around her.
At length, she turned in his arms and signed that she was hungry.
“We can order room service.” He walked over and found the menu, brought it back to where she stood and opened it.
The hotel had quite a few selections that looked good, but with it being so late, she didn’t want anything too heavy. She pointed to the chicken noodle soup.
“I’ll have the same.”
She called in the order and they resumed their position at the window. They stood staring out at the black velvet night and lighted park. And just like when they sat out on his balcony, contentment rose in Lexia so sharply it scared her. She was in too deep.
* * *
Khalil jerked upright in bed. He swore he heard something. The same thing had happened two days ago while at the gym. The muffled sound of weights dropping had caught his attention, as did intermittent snatches of voices during his conversation with Cameron yesterday. His heart pounded in his chest and his breathing increased. He glanced over his shoulder at Lexia sleeping soundly. During his doctor’s visit, Dr. Moyer had told Khalil that the tear in his left ear was healing nicely and that he might begin to hear some sounds. However, there had been little change in his right ear. He rose silently, crossed the carpeted floor and stood in the middle of the dark room, straining his ears. Nothing.
He went into the bathroom, closed the door softly and braced his hands on the marble sink. What if that’s all he’d ever hear—just bits of muffled sounds? The fear that he would never regain his hearing came back full force. He lowered his head and pushed the negative thoughts aside. The tear is healing. He said it’s coming back. You’re not going crazy.
Khalil straightened and turned on the shower. He searched through his toiletry bag for the earplugs that he hated having to wear, inserted them and stepped into the warm spray. While washing up, his mind drifted to Lexia. After eating the soup, they’d had a second round with her bent over the bed as he took her from behind. Totally spent, they had promptly gone to sleep. He hadn’t planned for them to have sex fifteen minutes after arriving at the hotel, but when she gave him that sexy smile and kissed him with a passion that sent electricity through his body, he’d lost control. She was the only woman who had ever been able to penetrate his ironclad will and his feelings were getting more complicated by the minute. He told himself that he could keep his body and heart separate—he’d never had a problem before—but each touch, each kiss and each time he entered her body chipped away at the invisible wall he had built and blurred the lines until he could no longer tell the difference.
Khalil shut off the water, grabbed the towel he had placed outside the door and dried off. He brushed his teeth, then padded naked back into the bedroom and dressed in sweats and a long-sleeved tee. Lexia still hadn’t stirred. He wrote a note letting her know that he was going for a run and placed it on his pillow, then stuck his phone, wallet and room key into his pocket and quietly left the room.
Not working out for over a month had tested his patience and he couldn’t take it any longer. Once at the park, he took a minute to stretch. A brisk breeze kicked up and, though the sun peeked through the clouds, the temperatures were still cool. Khalil finished his warm-up and started a slow jog. Though it was seven thirty on a Saturday morning, several people had the same idea. He forced himself to take it easy and stopped after a mile. His cardio sucked and he hoped it wouldn’t take long to build his endurance again.
When Khalil got back, Lexia was sitting up in bed with the sheet covering her. “Good morning, sunshine.”
Lexia gave him a look and reached for her phone. “It’s Saturday and you said this thing didn’t start until seven this evening. Why are you up so early? And are you supposed to be running?”
Khalil grinned. “I only jogged a mile...a slow jog.” He folded his arms. “I take it you’re not a morning person. And I rarely sleep in. I guess it’s probably from all the years of modeling. I had to be up early for a lot of the photo shoots or when traveling to back-to-back assignments.”
“I get to the café every morning around five, so I take full advantage of my weekends. You should learn to do the same sometimes.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” he said with a chuckle. She stretched and the sheet dropped slightly, giving him a flash of her full breasts before she tightened it. His body reacted with lightning speed.
“So, what are we doing until the event?”
He shrugged. “Whatever you want to do since it’s your first time in the city.”
She angled her head thoughtfully. “We have to go to Central Park, of course, the Empire State Building and, maybe Times Square. I need to have some time to do my hair, so I want to be back a little early.”
She had mirrored pretty much every place he had in mind. “Okay. I need to shower again. But you can go first, if you want. Or...” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“Or you can use one bathroom, while I use the other. I want to see the city, remember?” Lexia asked, shaking her head.
“Can’t fault a brother for trying.” If they showered together, they’d never make it out of the suite. “We’ll go down for breakfast when you’re ready. Make sure you wear your walking shoes. You can take this bathroom and I’ll use the other one.” Khalil gathered his clothes and toiletries, then left her alone to get dressed. The memories of their last shower together remained crystal clear in his mind and it took everything in him not to turn back.
To save time, they ate a light breakfast in the hotel. On his past visits to the city, Khalil typically walked the seventeen blocks to Times Square, but after the run, he didn’t want to overdo it and arranged for transportation through the hotel. The driver dropped them off at Junior’s Restaurant on Broadway and he smiled at Lexia’s excitement.
Lexia turned in a slow circle with wide eyes. “This is fabulous.” She took several pictures and had Khalil take one of her with the crowd of people in the background. Because of the noise, they decided that she would use texting for communication. “I can’t believe I’m on Broadway.”
<
br /> He took her hand and they strolled up the street. When they got to the corner, she stopped short. Khalil glanced down to see her staring. “What?”
“Is that where they drop the ball on New Year’s Eve?”
“Yes.”
“We have to take a picture.” She held her phone up and moved it around, apparently trying to get a good angle. She frowned. “You’re too tall. All I’m getting is your chest.”
He laughed. “I could always pick you up.”
She leveled him with a glare that dared him to try it.
“My arms are longer. Let me do it.” He took her phone, squatted down and held it up. As he snapped it, instead of looking into the camera, he impulsively kissed her cheek. Being around Lexia brought out a playful side in him that only his family saw. She whipped her head in his direction and, taking full advantage, he placed a kiss on her lips while taking another picture. Lexia touched her fingers to his lips and it sent a jolt straight through his chest. Fighting to keep the intense emotions at bay, he said, “We have a lot of ground to cover and a short amount of time to do it, so we’d better keep moving.”
They were able to hit Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building and take a carriage ride around Central Park to round out their mini sightseeing tour.
When they got back to the hotel, Lexia yawned. “Thank you so much for the tour. I especially loved the carriage ride.” She came up on tiptoe and kissed him. “Since it’s only a little after three, I think I’m going to lie down for a while. My time clock is all messed up.”
Khalil circled his arms around her. “You’re welcome. What time do you want me to wake you?”
“Four thirty, if I’m not already up. What are you going to do?”
“I brought some work with me.” Though he’d read what she said, he had caught a couple of words. However, he decided not to say anything to anyone until he could hear consistently. Right now, the sounds came in and out—more out—and he didn’t want to get excited just yet.
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