She rolled her eyes and folded her arms. “I can’t believe you’re giving him all my giggles, my kisses and my snuggles, Yasmine.” Simona reached over and tickled her. “Little traitor.” She socked Donovan playfully on the arm. “And I don’t appreciate you coming in here stealing my hugs and kisses.”
Eve burst out laughing. “Looks like you’ve been replaced, Simona. Hi, Donovan.”
“Hey.”
“Don’t you have some studying to do?” Simona asked Eve.
Eve raised her hands in surrender. “I’m going. Donovan, nice to see you again.”
“Nice seeing you, too.”
“Donovan, I’m going to walk Eve to the door.”
“Take your time. Yasmine and I will be just fine.” He turned the baby to face Simona. “Tell your mom we’re good. See you later, Eve.”
“Bye, Donovan.”
Hearing him call her mom stopped Simona in her tracks. It was the first time anyone had referred to her as such, and a riot of emotions bubbled to the surface. They locked eyes, and he smiled.
“Okay. I’ll be right back.”
“Are you all right?” Eve asked when they stood at the front door.
“Yes. It’s just the first time someone has referred to me as Yasmine’s mother. I’m not sure how to feel. On one hand, I’m ecstatic. On the other, I feel like I’m betraying my sister if she calls me Mom.”
“You are her mother. I know you’ll tell her all about your sister one day, but you will always be her mother. Now, what happened with Donovan?” she whispered. “It looks like you two have patched things up.”
“For now.”
“I hope it works out for you. He seems quite taken with Yasmine.”
“He does, but we’ll see how it goes.”
“See you in the morning.”
“Night.”
Simona reflected on Eve’s words. She could see how easy it had been for Donovan to take to Yasmine—everyone had. What concerned her was Yasmine’s response to him. Simona didn’t want her little girl to get too attached to him just in case he changed his mind.
But after being with Donovan tonight, and watching him interact with Yasmine, Simona didn’t see how she could keep it from happening...for either of them.
Chapter 14
Donovan cradled Yasmine in his arms and rocked her as she gazed up at him contentedly. She seemed small for a one-year-old and he guessed it was because she had been a preemie. He inhaled her sweet baby scent and tried hard to remain emotionally distant, but he couldn’t help himself. She had tugged on his heart that first night, but the moment she turned those big brown eyes his way and smiled at him, he was a goner. He kept up the gentle rocking, and her eyes started to close. He didn’t realize he’d been singing “Jesus Loves Me” until he was somewhere around the chorus.
A smile curved his mouth when Yasmine drifted off to sleep. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and whispered, “Sleep well, sweet baby girl.”
“I didn’t know you sang. You have an incredible voice,” Simona said quietly behind him.
Donovan turned. “I don’t know about incredible, but I can hold a tune okay.”
“You also do that pretty well,” she said, pointing at Yasmine.
“What? Putting her to sleep?” When she nodded, he said, “That’s good to know.” He planned to do the same to Simona. “Should we put her down?”
“Come on.”
He followed Simona down a short hallway and stopped at the first door. She turned on a small night-light, and he made out a dresser and small toy box on one side of the room and a crib on the other. A rocking chair sat at the end of the crib. Donovan shifted Yasmine in his arms and carefully laid her in the crib. He stepped back, and Simona covered her with a light blanket, then motioned for him to follow her out.
“Will she sleep all night?” Donovan asked as they walked back down the hall and to the kitchen.
“Yes.” Simona flipped a switch in the kitchen. “I’m starving. I made some chicken salad this morning. You’re welcome to stay and have some if you want.”
“That would be great.” He wasn’t ready to leave just yet.
“You have a choice of croissant, French roll or regular sliced bread.”
“I’ll have whatever you have. Do you need any help?”
“Nope,” she answered. “It’ll only take me a few minutes.” Simona gestured to the kitchen table. “Have a seat.”
Donovan sat at the table and watched her move around the kitchen. His eyes were glued to the skirt stretched tight across her bottom as she bent and pulled two containers and a head of lettuce from the refrigerator. His hands itched to touch her and hear her scream his name again. To distract himself, he asked, “Do you cook every night when you get off work?”
“Most nights. Then there are those times when I’ll have a salad or sandwich, like tonight. Do you cook?”
He laughed. “I can cook a few things. My eggs are no longer brown, and my steaks aren’t as hard as a brick, so I consider that a success.”
She turned from the counter. “You can’t cook? Then how have you been eating all these years?”
“I have a housekeeper who cooks most of the time. Before that, I ate out...a lot, and Terrence used to take pity on me when I showed up at his house. The boy can throw down.”
Simona shook her head. “That’s pitiful, Donovan.”
He grinned sheepishly and shrugged. “It’s just me at home, so...”
She brought two plates to the table and went back for napkins and forks. “I have apple and orange juice, and water. Pick your poison.”
“Orange juice.” After placing the items on the table, she took a seat. “Thank you. This looks good,” he said of the chicken salad sandwich on a croissant and fruit salad.
“You’re welcome.”
They ate in silence for a while. “What time do you have to be at work tomorrow?”
“Eleven. I get up at eight, though. Miss Yasmine will be up at eight-thirty and ready for breakfast.”
He checked his watch—9:45 p.m.—plenty of time. When they finished, he insisted on washing the dishes, since she had fed him.
“You really didn’t have to do the dishes,” Simona said as they settled on the sofa.
Donovan drew her against him and draped his arm around her shoulder. “It was the least I could do.” He traced the curve of her cheek with his finger and touched his mouth to hers, teasing the corners with tiny licks until she opened. Her tongue tangled with his, enticing and arousing him beyond any kiss he could remember. He lifted his head briefly. “You’re pretty good at this.”
“You think so?” She used her tongue to trace his bottom lip. “I’m just trying to keep up with you,” she said seductively.
“Oh, yeah? Well, let’s see how well you can keep up.” Donovan used a finger to trace a path from her lips, jaw and neck to the soft, ripe rise of her breasts, and followed it with his mouth. He hooked a finger in the strap of her top and slowly dragged it down to expose a gold strapless bra. “I like this,” he murmured, kissing the tops of her breasts and easing the bra down. “Mmm, but I like these even more.” He circled his tongue around a taut nipple and drew it into his mouth.
“Donovan,” Simona moaned.
He loved hearing his name on her lips. She grasped the back of his head and arched her body closer for more. He obliged, transferring his kisses to her other breast. Donovan repositioned their bodies until she lay flat on her back and he was stretched out over her, loving the feel of her body against his. “You are absolute perfection.”
She smiled up at him while unbuttoning his shirt. “I could say the same thing about you.” She ran her hands over his bare chest and abdomen. “Yeah, perfection.”
His muscles contracted beneath her s
earing touch, drawing a low hiss from him. He reclaimed her mouth, feeding on the sweetness within. She reached between them and cupped him through his slacks. Donovan groaned. “That’s dangerous territory, sweetheart. Doing that will get you in trouble.”
“Is that so? You said you wanted to see if I could keep up.” She moved her hand over his length and squeezed gently.
He sucked in a sharp breath. With blinding speed, he was up and had her in his arms. “Bedroom.”
“Third door on the left.”
Donovan strode down the hall to her bedroom and placed her on the bed. She made an alluring picture—hair spread out over the pillow, top down around her waist, breasts still glistening and her skirt open, sensually displaying her long, toned legs. Every nerve in his body throbbed with desire.
* * *
Simona lay on her bed, her eyes riveted to the strong, muscular planes of Donovan’s chest. Since that night in the hospital, she had dreamed of having her hands on him. Her gaze drifted lower to his washboard abs, trousers hanging low on a narrow waist, lean hips and muscular thighs. The expensive trousers did nothing to hide his straining erection. She jerked her gaze back to his face when he started speaking.
“If you don’t want everything I have to give, tell me now. Otherwise, I’m not leaving until I put you to bed,” he added with a wicked grin.
Her clit throbbed, and her nipples tightened. “Then put me to bed,” she challenged.
A feral gleam ignited in his light brown eyes, and he chuckled low and dark. He kicked off his shoes and socks, climbed onto the bed and moved toward her like a hunter cornering his prey. “Your wish is my command.”
She felt the heat of his mouth as he trailed a series of tantalizing kisses along her left ankle, her calf and behind her knee, on her outer thigh and inner thigh, then on her right side, rendering her mindless. He undid the tie on her skirt and it fell away, revealing gold boy shorts that matched her bra.
“Lovely,” Donovan said as he slid them down her legs and off. “Come here, baby.”
Simona sat up so he could remove her top and bra. She pushed his shirt off his shoulders, and he tossed it aside. She reached for his belt but he grabbed her hands.
“Uh-uh. Next time. I can’t take your hands on me right now.” He stood and shed his pants and briefs.
Her breath caught. His lean, rock-hard body was a work of art, and she wanted to explore every male inch of it. He dug his wallet out of his pants pocket and removed a condom.
With protection in place, he came back to the bed, beginning again. He gently kneaded and stroked her aching breasts and captured her mouth in a long, drugging kiss that set her aflame once more. Simona’s hands glided over his strong arms, the solid wall of his chest and his back. Her hands drifted lower to his tight, ripped belly and lower still. He shifted out of her reach, and she moaned in frustration, needing him inside of her.
“Not yet.”
Donovan continued to torture her with his mouth and hands—seemingly in no hurry—until she was almost delirious. She reached for him again, and he took her wrists and pinned them over her head with one hand. His other hand charted a path down the front of her body and pushed two fingers into her pulsating core. She bucked wildly and raised her hips as his fingers probed deeper. Just when she thought she couldn’t take anymore, he withdrew. She whimpered.
He lightly ground his body against hers and moaned. “I love how your body feels—so soft, so smooth.” Using his knee, he parted her thighs and teased the head of his erection at her entrance. “Look at me, sweetheart. I want to see your face when I enter you.”
With her hands still imprisoned above her head, their eyes locked and he guided himself slowly inside until he was fully embedded. She watched the play of emotions on his face—the look of pure ecstasy. Simona understood. She felt it, too.
They both moaned. Keeping his gaze focused on her, he withdrew to the tip and slowly thrust back in, delving deeper with each rhythmic push. She wrapped her legs around his waist and locked her ankles behind his back as he kept up the sensual tempo. What he was doing to her felt so good, she didn’t ever want him to stop. His strokes came faster and harder, and she cried out with pleasure. She met and matched his thrusts, their breathing growing heavier and echoing in the quiet space. Shivers of delight spread through her and she arched up higher, yearning for release.
Donovan let go of her hands, slowed his movements and groaned thickly. “I could stay inside you all night.”
She moved her hips frantically and dug her fingers in his flexing butt, rocking against him, but he took his time. “Donovan,” she pleaded.
He pulled her legs down and placed his thighs on either side of hers, effectively immobilizing her. “Don’t move. Just feel,” he whispered against her mouth, just before twining his tongue with hers at the same erotic, unhurried pace as his lower body.
The sensations were so overwhelming Simona thought she might faint. She felt every hard inch of him sliding in and out of her, the deep subtle movements burning her up from the inside out. And suddenly her body was shaking, and she came with soul-shattering intensity. Only Donovan’s mouth, locked on hers, kept her from screaming loudly enough to wake the neighbors. She trembled uncontrollably for what seemed like hours, then felt him go rigid.
He tore his mouth from hers, threw his head back and let out a low, animalistic growl. His body shuddered above hers, his breathing harsh and uneven.
She closed her eyes and sucked in lungsful of air as spasms of delight rocked through her. Moments later, she opened her eyes to find him staring down at her with an expression so caring it brought tears to her eyes. He kissed her tenderly, softly and with an emotion that frightened her. In that moment, Simona knew she was in danger of losing her heart.
Donovan slid out of her and rolled over to his side, still touching and caressing her. “Where’s your bathroom?”
“Right through that door,” she murmured, pointing to the right while trying to keep her eyes open.
Minutes later, she felt the bed dip beneath his weight when he returned. He scooted behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Sleep well.”
She smiled and drifted off. Turned out he was just as good at tucking in big girls as little girls.
* * *
Donovan woke up an hour later and smiled. Simona was sleeping soundly beside him. She consistently took care of others, and he wanted tonight to be all about her. He tightened his arm around her and kissed the top of her hair. Something about this woman made him want to give her everything. And he was. As hard as he tried to hold back, he couldn’t, not when she had given him her all. His mind and heart were still at odds, but the scales were starting to tilt, and he hoped he wasn’t making a mistake in trusting her. He glanced over at the clock on her nightstand and sighed. For the first time in a long while, Donovan wanted to spend the night with a woman. In the past, he’d preferred to wake up in his own bed. Alone.
Moving carefully so as not to disturb Simona, he rolled over and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He retrieved his scattered clothing and dressed. Donovan quietly left the room and tiptoed into Yasmine’s room to check on her. She lay on her back with her arms spread and had kicked the covers off. He covered her with the blanket and for a moment watched the rise and fall of her little chest as she slept, then he went back to Simona’s room. She was sitting up with the sheet around her when he entered.
“I thought you’d left,” she said softly.
Donovan observed the uncertainty in her eyes. He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her onto his lap. “Baby, why would you think I’d leave without saying goodbye?”
Simona looked away. “Because they always do. They all promise one thing and do another.”
He turned her face toward his and tucked the braids behind her ear. “I will never do that to you, and I
will always keep my promises.” He rested his cheek on top of her head and held her protectively. Her vulnerability called to him, tempted him to undress and climb back into that bed to prove to her that he was not like the men in her past. Donovan battled with himself for several minutes. “It’s late, and I should be going. You have to work in the morning, and so do I.”
She nodded. “I understand.”
“Understand this—nothing has changed from what I told you earlier. I know men have lied to you in the past, but I meant what I said. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Okay. What time do you have to be at work?”
“Oh dark hundred,” he answered with a chuckle. “Six a.m.”
She scrambled off his lap, losing the sheet in the process. She snatched it back up. “It’s almost one in the morning. You’re going to be exhausted tomorrow.”
“Maybe, but tonight was so worth it.” Donovan rose to his feet and kissed her soundly. “Come lock up.”
“Let me grab something to put on first.”
He grinned. “Don’t get dressed on my account. I like what you’re wearing.”
Simona rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
“What? I know you’re not going to act shy, not after what we just did.”
“Donovan,” she whined.
“Fine, I’ll go wait.” He shook his head. “Get the goodies, then kick a brother out. Just cold,” he muttered. Donovan stalked out with Simona’s laughter following him. She joined him wearing a nightshirt that stopped midthigh and walked him to the door. She came up on tiptoe, wound her arms around his neck and kissed him with a passion that had him on the verge of carrying her back to bed.
“You sure know how to make a girl’s night. Next time, it’s my turn,” she added with a sultry wink, running her hand over his shaft.
Blood rushed to his groin. He closed his eyes, clenched his fists and inhaled deeply. He opened his eyes to find her leaning against the wall, arms folded, with a sly grin and a challenge in her eyes. “You little tease. Good night.”
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