He ripped his eyes away from Gerald and gazed intensely down at Rakell. “What are you doing, Rakell?” Paralyzed by his disappointment, she said nothing. Jerzy’s glare whipped back over to Gerald. Jerzy pushed past her into the house. He rushed toward Gerald. The Brit flexed his muscular chest, ready for a fight. “You grimy motherfucker,” Jerzy growled. “Didn’t you do enough damage to this woman in thirteen years?” he spat.
“Jerzy, that’s not Marshall,” Rakell called out.
He paused. His eyebrows furrowed. He looked Gerald up and down. “Then who the fuck are you?!”
“I’m Gerald. You?” he responded, his voice dripping with annoyance.
Jerzy imitated the British pronunciation of Gerald’s name. “Who’s Gerald, Rakell?”
Rakell shut the front door and leaned her back against it. “I met him at the club.”
He bellowed in disgust. “Are you serious?”
Rakell looked away, down at the floor.
Jerzy looked back at Gerald. “Hey, Gerald? Keep your hands off my wife, man! Get out of my house!”
“Your wife?”
“Jerzy!” Rakell admonished.
Gerald pulled his shirt back on. He nodded at Jerzy. “My apologies, yeah? I had no bloody idea.” He walked toward the door. Rakell opened it for him. He brushed past Rakell on the way out. “You could get a man killed, lady,” were his harsh words. She closed the front door behind him. Rakell walked slowly back to the living where Jerzy, still keyed up, was running his hand through his dark hair. Rakell and Jerzy stood staring at each other in silence for a moment. Rakell was so happy to see his face and look into his eyes, to have him standing in her house right in front of her, so close, but she was also very angry that he had the nerve to barge into her home and kick out her guest. “Who the hell do you think you are?” she finally said.
“Why are you doing this me?” His reddened green eyes were fierce with hurt and anger.
Rakell swallowed. “You don’t own me, Jerzy. We’re not married. There was no wedding in Poland and no honeymoon in Paris,” she needled. “You’re not allowed to get comfortable in my life as though you’re my man if you can’t really stand up and be my man. So leave! You’re so damn good at it!” Her eyes brimmed with tears. “You’re not about me anyway!”
“I’m all about you, Rakell! All I think about is you! I can’t imagine being with anyone else but you! I told you that in the letter, but you never believe what I say if it’s anything good! You think I could live with myself if you lost your career?! The reason I left the way I did was so that you could keep your job. I heard the assistant dean talking to you in your office, Rakell. That receptionist admitted to me that she alerted the assistant dean about us. I don’t want you to be humiliated and have your name in newspapers or on TV for sleeping with your student. I don’t want what we have together to be ridiculed by people who have no clue how much love is between us. The last thing I wanted to do was to leave you or hurt you, but leaving was the first thing I had to do to make sure you had a happy future, with or without me.”
Rakell hugged herself. Tears ran like rivers down her face and over her trembling mouth. Her eyes searched his. “What letter?” she whispered.
His shoulders slumped. “You didn’t get my letter? I left it in your office…I slipped it under your door.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t get it.” Rakell gasped. “The cleaning lady must have thrown it away. Dammit! I hate that lady! I never got your letter, Jerzy. And I had no idea you knew about the investigation. All this time I thought you didn’t...” She closed her eyes and cried. “I’m so sorry. I’ve been calling you some very, very bad names.”
Jerzy chuckled and finally went to her. He wrapped his arms around her and clutched her to him. Rakell’s fingers gripped at his back. Their bodies relaxed and became warmed with contentment. To be in each other’s arms was a precious reprieve. Experiencing each other’s touch again caused the stirrings of need they’d been suppressing to surge full force. Rakell trembled when she felt Jerzy’s mouth press behind her earlobe. His lips skimmed her cheek as he made his way to her mouth. He gently kissed away the salty tears from her lips until he could appreciate the natural sweetness of her mouth to which he was addicted.
Rakell parted her mouth for him, willing to give herself to him completely, trusting him more than anyone she’d ever known. Never before had her body and her heart been afire with such penetrating amour. I didn’t realize how empty my life was until I met him.
Jerzy pulled his lips away and cupped her face in his hands. “This isn’t your fault. I should’ve left the letter at your house or something, or gave you a call from another phone, but I was so freaked out. I’m sorry. I’m stupid sometimes.”
A small smile brightened Rakell’s face. “Not more stupid than I am, Baby. I want us to be together.” Her voice quaked with emotion. “I missed you so bad.”
Jerzy sighed, disappointed with himself for causing her any sadness. He caressed her cheekbones and her jawline with his thumbs, remembering how empty he’d felt inside when he wasn’t able to touch her. He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I’m so sorry you ever thought I didn’t love you.”
Her mouth opened in surprise. She breathed his name. “Jerzy…”
Jerzy kissed her forehead.
“I love you, too,” she whispered.
“Let me show you how sorry I am. Let me show you how much I love you.” Jerzy’s hands dropped to her bottom. He rubbed his large hands up and down her curves through the silky material of her red dress. “Put your arms around my neck.”
Rakell smiled and followed his instructions.
Jerzy hugged her waist and lifted her off her feet. Rakell wrapped her legs around him. Jerzy smiled. “Good.”
Rakell studied Jerzy’s face with curiosity when he started walking them to the dining room. She was too eager for him to make love to her to ask any questions.
His hands pushed the hem of her dress up to her hips before he sat her on top of the wooden dining table. “Lie back. I want to make you feel good.”
With her ankles crossed behind his thighs, she reclined onto the table top. She arched her back and raised her hips for Jerzy to pull off her black thong panties. He handed the panties to her. She balled them up in her hand and lay there, fidgeting in anticipation. Her eyes fell to his black leather belt, wanting to see him undo his pants next so that she could be filled with him as soon as possible. Rakell watched him and whimpered as he kissed the side of her knee and made his way down her inner thigh. His kisses trailed lower and lower, sucking at her skin, nearer and nearer to her wet petals. A panicked gasp sounded from Rakell’s mouth when she realized where Jerzy’s mouth was headed. Her entire body trembled and burned. Her cry of protest was cut off with her own loud moan of pleasure once she felt his lips press against her aching clit. He opened his mouth and began to suck and slather her clit with his hot slippery tongue. Pleasure shot into her toes. “Fuck, yes!” She had never experienced this intimate favor before. The sensations were reducing her to a howling writhing fiend.
Rakell tightened her legs around him and grabbed onto a handful of his hair as his tongue danced in circles all around her thrilled nub. He moved down to her entrance and thrust into her with his tongue. He lapped at her warm nectar. “Oh! Oh! Yesss!” Every flourish of his tongue said “I love you. I love you” to every cell of her body. “I love you,” Rakell whimpered in return. His tongue returned to her clit. She reached her peak and screamed out in ecstasy.
Bliss brought tears to Rakell’s eyes. She’d never felt a love so raw and deep before. Jerzy lifted his face and licked his lips. He smiled and kissed her mouth. When he broke the kiss Rakell cupped his cheek. His low facial hair tickled her fingers. “No one’s ever done that for me before.”
“Really? No one’s ever eaten at this dining table before? But it’s such a nice table.”
Rakell laughed. She gave his cheek a few pats. “Way to ruin the moment.”
She yawned, and then smiled with hooded eyes.
Jerzy chuckled. Rakell was worn out. He picked her up from the table with one arm around her back and one under her thighs. Rakell rested her head against his shoulder. Jerzy carried her to her unlit bedroom. In the dark, he undressed her, taking off her stiletto heels, kissing the top of her foot as he went, opening the zipper on the side of her dress and pulling it over her head, and lastly removing her bra. He stopped himself from kissing her breasts. Instead, he stood and pulled down the covers on her bed. He tucked Rakell in before removing his shoes and getting in bed beside her. They were facing each other. Something about her completely bare dark skin pressed against his fully clothed body made Jerzy’s heart skip a beat. Jerzy stroked her hair, enjoying the new style. “As soon as the semester ends, I’m ending my enrollment. Then we can be together.”
“Why do we have to wait? Everyone already believes we’re together, so why should we put us on hold?”
“Because I don’t want this to be like when you left your family back in Texas.”
Rakell’s eyes squinted in confusion.
“You moved on to better things after you left home, but there will always be a dark place in your heart because you still have anger and still feel rejected. If you got fired and then started a new life, the shame of repeatedly running away from a dark past would linger. I want you to feel free and have no regrets about leaving this time.”
“You’re right. You’re always thinking of me,” she admired.
His green eyes softened even more. “Always.”
“My mind’s made up to leave the college no matter what. I already gave the school my letter of resignation. I’m done at the end of spring. I want to explore my options. I want to see more of the world, you know?”
“Yeah. That’s great, Sweetheart. You should travel and discover more things that make you happy. If you ever need help with that, money, anything at all, I’m here.”
Rakell kissed him. “Thank you.”
“Until the semester ends, we can’t visit each other, no calls unless it’s from someone else’s phone, no emails, nothing that could be used against you. Okay?”
The thought of being apart from Jerzy again made her anxious. “I need you,” she whispered.
“No you don’t. You’re strong. Look at you. You’re so confident now. The way you dress, the way you walk with your head held high. You didn’t need me for that. That was in you all along.” He rubbed her back. “We can do this. Three and a half more weeks, Baby.” They kissed again. He sighed. “I should go home now.”
Her fingers crushed the fabric of his shirt. “Please stay a little longer.”
Captivated by her brown eyes, he was unable to say no. “Okay. But I have to leave before sunup. We need to be careful. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Happily, Rakell snuggled against his chest with her head under his chin. Jerzy held her close. He listened to her breathing. It slowed and she soon slumbered. He felt his own eyes start to close. It was time to go. He gently—and very reluctantly—untangled her arms and legs from around his frame, kissed her forehead, and slipped out of the house as the horizon began to yellow.
VIII
On the last day of school Rakell finished entering grades and cleaned out her office. All of her personal belongings fit into one medium sized brown box. The vice dean’s investigation found nothing. Rakell was making a clean break. She talked to a few good colleagues who wished her well and gave her cards, homemade cookies, and books for leisure and inspiration. She shed a few tears as she said her goodbyes, but her heart was light with love and optimism. As Rakell walked down the hall from her office for the last time, she was startled to see Alisa with tears in her big blue eyes. Rakell stopped at the reception desk holding her box of belongings. “You okay, Alisa?”
Alisa began to bawl. “I’m so sorry I did this to you,” she cried. Her shoulders shook with sobs. Rakell was moved by Alisa’s remorse. She sat the box on top of the desk and walked around to where Alisa was sitting. She bent and hugged the petite young woman. “I forgive you. I needed the push anyway,” Rakell sighed. She gave her a squeeze. “Good luck.” Rakell stood.
“Thank you,” she blubbered. Alisa yanked a tissue from the tissue box and blew her nose. “I love your dress, by the way. It’s ageless,” Alisa smiled and chuckled, intending the pun. She admired the classic gray sleeveless dress with a thin black and gold belt and the black round-toed patent leather pumps that Rakell was wearing.
Rakell laughed. “Thank you.” Rakell lifted the box. “Bye, Alisa.”
“Smooches.”
Rakell smiled. “Smooches.”
Jerzy was waiting outside for her. He stood up from a bench by the walkway when he saw her walking out of the faculty building. He went to her, his hands in the pockets of his slim dark Hilfiger jeans. His brown cashmere sweater clung to his muscular build. He smiled. “Hey, Beautiful.” He kissed her cheek and took the box from her hands. With his hand on her hip, they walked to his black Camaro. He dropped the box into the trunk. Rakell squealed with delight when he suddenly grabbed her up and swung her around in the parking lot, kissing her all over her face. It was the first time they’d engaged in such a display of affection out in public, in the light of day, and it felt good. He took her out to a Cuban place for lunch. He was free to reach over and touch her face and caress her hand on the table as they ate in the crowded restaurant. After lunch, he took her to the penthouse. They naturally found their way to his bedroom. Jerzy was very pleased to find that Rakell was set on returning a special favor.
“Ohhh, Rakell.” Jerzy smoothed her hair back and gripped gently at a handful as the pleasure became more intense. “Do you…do you want to swallow?”
She increased the suction of her lips on his solid erection. “Mhmm,” she answered.
The vibration of her voice teased his shaft. A deep moan escaped his mouth. “Rakell,” he breathed. “That’s so hot. You’re amazing.” He drew in a breath as she took more of him into her mouth. “But I can’t let you do it. You’re my lady, not a tissue.” Rakell swirled her tongue around his thick rod before touching the sensitive slit on the head of his member with the end of her tongue. He tensed and closed his eyes at the pleasurable assault. “Oh shit.” He was losing control. “Rakell…Let me finish inside of you, baby,” he panted. “No place else I’d rather be.” Rakell released him and crawled on top of him, urgently wanting him inside. Jerzy rolled her onto her back and found his place inside her. Because of Jerzy, Rakell now knew what making love and being loved felt like with a real man. He was very attentive and loving, but also strong and aggressive when she needed it, both inside and outside the bedroom. Gradually, Jerzy’s deep pounding rhythm took them both home.
Rakell rested her head on his chest while they both lay in bed, languid in the afterglow. She gave his skin a playful nibble. Jerzy chuckled. Rakell pressed her cheek against his chest again and he squeezed her affectionately. Rakell sighed. “Say I was leaving in…seven days, on a vacation through Europe, and I invited you along. Could you possibly go with me?” She lifted her head to see his eyes.
His green eyes brightened. “Yeah! That would be awesome. I’d make sure you had lots of fun. I have family all over. In Poland, the Netherlands, Russia, even some in Italy.”
Rakell grinned. She kissed his smooth chest, over his heart. “Perfect.”
******
More books by Renee Lewin A.K.A. Renee LaRuse:
Arizona Allspice
To twenty-year-old Elaine Roberts, the red-headed soccer jock Joey Kinsley is a hot-tempered womanizer with a maddening ability to catch her eye. In Joey’s eyes, Elaine is an intelligent, unattainable, military boot donning beauty whose skin color he affectionately compares to the aromatic allspice powder. Joey fears for her safety when, without hesitation, Elaine becomes caregiver to her mentally unstable father after her mother passes away. Joey is the only one who knows the secret Elaine’s mother took to the gra
ve. A scuffle between Joey and Elaine’s twin brother, Manny, escalates into a catastrophe that separates the Roberts family. As Elaine fights to reunite her family, she learns the history and depth of Joey’s admiration and must face that the lives of her brother and father, as well as her own, will have to change in order for love to grow.
Let’s Be Mature About This
Nineteen-year-old Sydney Lenton meets handsome Gavin Caselle after a minor shopping cart accident at the grocery store where Sydney works.The two are immediately attracted to each other, but their age difference and Sydney's faulty gaydar almost ends the romance before it can get started. Once the two begin dating they quickly realize they can't imagine a future without one another. Sydney's humor and sincerity is just what wary-hearted Gavin needs. However, both will have to make it through a shattering oversight to reach their happily ever after. Hilarious, sweet, startling and emotional, Let's Be Mature About This is a satisfying read.
Profess Your Love Page 12