Hot Like Fire

by Niobia Bryant

  “Daddy, whatcha doing?”

  He looked up as Kadina walked into the den in her Dora the Explorer pajamas, wiping the sleep from her eyes. His heart swelled with love for his child. “Just chilling. You had a good nap?”

  She nodded. “I always get sleepy when it’s raining,” she told him as she climbed up to sit on the wide arm of the chair. She hooked her feet beneath his leg.

  “You got that from your mama.” Kade turned his head to look at his daughter. “A day like today? She could sleep all day.”

  “We don’t talk about her a lot.” Kadina reached for his hand to play with. “Does it make you sad, Daddy?”

  “Not as much,” he answered truthfully. “Does it make you sad to talk about her?”

  Kadina shook her head. “Talking about her makes me remember stuff about her, and that don’t make me sad at all, Daddy.”

  “Then I think we should talk about her more often.” Kade tickled her sides, and the sound of her laughter filled him with joy.

  “You know what, Daddy?” Kadina asked as she reached up to twist her fingers around his naturally curly silver hair.

  “What?”

  “I like when Garcelle and Aunt Zorrie are here, or when my uncles and auntie come over, but I like when it’s just me and you.”

  Kade raised himself a bit in the seat to kiss her forehead. “Me, too, cupcake,” he told her. “In fact, Aunt Zorrie was supposed to come by and bring some movies for us to watch, but why don’t we call her and tell her we’re gonna chill out tonight. Just me and you.”

  Kadina’s eyes lit up. “Can we order pizza?”

  “We can do whatever you want.” Kade reached in the pocket of his sweatpants for his cell phone.

  “Are you calling Aunt Zorrie now?”

  Kade nodded. “Unless you’ve changed your mind.”

  She shook her head. “At first I thought Aunt Zorrie was here to see me, but I think she just wants to see you.”

  From the mouths of babes.

  First Garcelle and now his daughter. Couldn’t a man and a woman just be friends?

  11

  Garcelle used the rubber band on her wrist to pull her hair up into a ponytail before she reached into the dryer for the warm load of clothes. She dumped them into the basket and made her way through the kitchen and up the stairs to Kadina’s bedroom. “Excited about spending the weekend with your grandparents?” she asked as she sat the basket on the end of Kadina’s twin-size bed.

  Kadina was sitting on the lavender window seat, looking out at the clouds. “I guess,” she said, with a sad tone in her voice.

  Garcelle folded the last piece of Kadina’s clothes and pressed it down into her rolling overnight case. She sat on the window seat, beside Kadina. “Something wrong?”

  “I hate leaving Daddy all by himself.”

  Garcelle reached out to stroke Kadina’s head before she lightly tugged on her ponytail. “Trust me. Your papi will be just fine for the weekend while you’re in Walterboro with your abuelos.”

  “I tried to get him to go to the horse race with Uncle Kahron. Uncle Kahron always says he has fun.”

  Garcelle nodded. “Yes, my father, uncles, and my little brother went as well.”

  “I wish Daddy woulda went.”

  “I’m sure your father will be just fine,” Garcelle said.

  “I guess.”

  Garcelle rose and moved back over to the bed to zip Kadina’s overnight case and sit it by her bedroom door. “This is a nice picture,” she said, picking up the five-by-seven picture frame holding a photo of two teenage girls and a teenage boy.

  “Auntie Zorrie gave it to me.” Kadina pulled her knees to her chest as she picked at an old scab. “It’s my mama, Aunt Zorrie, and Daddy when they were younger.”

  Garcelle lightly touched Kade’s smiling face with her index finger. It was odd to see him young and thin, with jet-black curls. He was younger, but the promise of his handsomeness in his adult years was already there. She sat the frame back down on the corner of the dresser. “They’ve been friends for a long time,” she said before she went over and straightened the few wrinkles in the comforter on Kadina’s bed.

  “Aunt Zorrie said she was there when Daddy met my mom,” Kadina said. “She used to always tell me a lot of stuff I didn’t know about my mom. They were best friends.”

  Garcelle looked up at her. “Used to?”

  “Now she changes the subject when I ask her things about my mom. She always wants to talk about Daddy.”

  I bet she does, Garcelle thought as she tooted up her mouth. “Let’s head to the ranch.”

  Kadina jumped to her feet and slid her book in the side pocket of her overnight case. “Garcelle?”

  Garcelle led Kadina out of the room and down the stairs. “Yeah?”

  “Are you and my daddy mad?”

  Garcelle paused as she held the front door open. “Uh . . . no, of course not. Why?”

  They continued down the stairs and out the front door. “You guys don’t talk much,” Kadina said as she got into the backseat of Garcelle’s car.

  “Your dad and I are cool as ever, sweetheart,” Garcelle lied. She and Kade had deliberately not shared each other’s immediate space since that day in the rain. “Top down?”

  Kadina buckled her seat belt. “Sí. Gracias.”

  Garcelle smiled at her as she worked on lowering and securing the manual convertible top.

  “I wouldn’t want you and Daddy to be mad,” Kadina continued.

  Garcelle hopped into the car, and soon they were headed down the long and bumpy drive to the main road. “Me, either,” she said, more focused on checking for oncoming traffic before she made a right turn onto Highway 17 and headed to Walterboro.

  “You two should kiss and make up.”

  Garcelle eyed the little girl in the rearview mirror, with an alarmed expression. “Grown-ups don’t kiss and make up.”

  “Grown-ups who like each other do.”

  Garcelle said nothing, wanting the whole conversation to end.

  “Everybody knows you and Daddy like each other like girlfriend and boyfriend.”

  Garcelle nearly slammed on the brakes. “I work for your father. That’s all.”

  She felt the tension finally ease from her body as Kadina fell quiet on the subject. She turned on the radio and sped toward their destination.

  “Garcelle, if you was my new mommy, would I speak Spanish like my friend Maria?”

  Oh my God. This little girl is a pit bull about this.

  Garcelle pulled the car to a stop in front of the spacious brick home of Kael and Lisha Strong. “Okay, we’re here,” she said cheerfully, with way too much enthusiasm.

  The front door opened, and Lisha stepped out onto the porch, dressed in a long jean skirt and a lime green T-shirt. “There’s my grandbaby!”

  Garcelle grabbed Kadina’s overnight case as the little girl went flying up the stairs to fling her arms around her grandmother’s waist.

  “Garcelle, you better put that hood up. The weatherman is calling for rain,” Lisha called down to her.

  “I wasn’t staying—”

  “Of course, you are. It’s lunchtime. Come on in,” Lisha said over her shoulder before she followed Kadina into the house.

  The scent of well-seasoned food mingled in the air with the natural aromas of the ranch. The smell of the food won out, and Garcelle’s stomach growled in frustration. A stop at Taco Bell will take care of that, she thought as she glanced up at the sky and saw the dark storm clouds overshadowing the blue skies. She decided that putting up the top while she was stationary was a good idea.

  After moving to South Carolina, she had learned early that rain was a natural occurrence. It could be blue skies and sunshine one moment and grey skies and rain the next.

  At the sound of horse hooves, she turned and saw Kade and his father ride up together. She had to force her eyes off the impressive sight Kade made in the saddle.

  “Hola,” she gr
eeted them as she snapped the hood of her car in place as they both climbed down off their stallions with ease.

  “How have you been, Garcelle?” Kael asked as he handed the reins of his horse to Kade.

  “Real good. And you?” said Garcelle.

  “Just fine . . . just fine,” said Kael as he climbed the stairs of the porch. He turned on the top step and looked down at her, with assessing eyes. He turned his head a bit to give his son a long, meaningful, hard stare before he walked into the house, with a shake of his silver head.

  Garcelle thought she heard him say, “Never thought I’d have a mule for a son. Damndest thing.”

  She tried her best to ignore Kade, but she felt him standing there, looking at her. “Tell your mom I couldn’t stay for lunch, but thanks, anyway,” she said in a rush to Kade before she jumped into her car and sped away like she was driving a race car.

  “He’s going after her,” Lisha said from her spot at the left side of the living room window.

  “That mule-headed son of ours? No way,” Kael replied from his spot at the right side of the same window.

  “Go after her, Daddy,” said Kadina as she watched from her spot in the middle.

  They all peered out as Kade turned to eye Garcelle’s car as it sped away. He ran his hand through his hair and kicked the dirt with his boot before he turned amid the flying dust and climbed the stairs to the house.

  “Go . . . go . . . go,” Lisha urged them as they all scattered from the window before they were caught being nosey.

  It was after seven when Kade left Walterboro and headed home. Halfway down Highway 17, the skies opened up, the winds increased in velocity, and he found himself in the middle of a storm. As the rain made anything more than a foot ahead of him disappear, he slowed down to a creeping ten miles per hour.

  He was glad when he finally pulled into his puddle-filled yard and dashed into the house. Stripping off the wet clothing by the front door, he carried the bundle into the washroom, located off the kitchen. He took his cell phone and wallet from the pants before he dumped them into the washing machine. The wind rattled the house. Lightning and thunder fought for dominance.

  In his room he turned on the lights and hurried into an old pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. He used the remote to turn on the TV in the corner. He dried his hair with a towel as he listened to the latest weather update on the local Live 5 news.

  “There is a thunderstorm warning and a tornado watch in the following areas. . . .”

  “A tornado watch?” He dropped down on the bottom of the bed and watched the colorful maps.

  “SCE&G are reporting electrical outages. Nearly five hundred customers are currently without power. . . .”

  Kade frowned as he rose and grabbed a pair of socks from the dresser drawer.

  “Again, if you are in a mobile home, it is best to find more secure shelter, and if you are in a stable home, try to stay close to the center of the home in case the tornado touches down in your area. Wind gusts are currently up to . . .”

  Garcelle. His face became pensive as he thought of her alone in that mobile home when there was a chance of a tornado touching down in Holtsville. The thought nagged at him. He snatched up his cordless phone and dialed her home number.

  “Hello.”

  “Garcelle?”

  “Kade?”

  “Are you okay? I know you’re home alone in all of this—”

  The line filled with static, and then the call was disconnected completely.

  He tried to dial her back but got only a busy signal. He didn’t think twice as he rushed into a pair of sneakers and snatched up his keys, cell phone, and wallet. He flew down the stairs and out the door and into the storm.

  Garcelle gasped as the lights flickered off. Her family was away to attend the horserace, so she was home alone in the dark. She dropped the cordless phone, knowing it was useless without power. The wind whipped against the house, causing it to sway just a bit. She was alarmed. She was nervous. She wasn’t crazy.

  She already had candles situated throughout the house. She reached into her back pocket for the lighter. She decided to light only the candles in the living room, where she could keep an eye on them. With the swaying of the house, the candles could fall over and start a fire.

  She chanced a glance out the window. “Aw shit,” she whispered at the sights unfolding before her. Her mouth opened in awe and shock. The winds were causing the trees to bend until the tops touched the ground. Random items, like garbage cans, flowerpots, beer cans, and trash, soared through the air like Frisbees. A plastic lid to a garbage can was flung against the glass door, causing her to jump back nearly a foot before she scrambled to close and lock the big front door.

  She was wishing frugality hadn’t won out when she’d debated buying a cell phone when headlights flashed against the living-room wall. A car was in the yard! She jumped up from the sofa and peeked out the door. She flung it open wide at the sight of Kade’s Expedition. He dashed out of the vehicle, and she opened the screen door, wincing as the rain immediately pelted her legs, which were exposed in the shorts she wore.

  “Kade,” she said as he stepped through the door. He threw an arm around her waist and picked her up, pressing her body against his. She felt his heart hammering against her chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly.

  In that moment, being in his arms felt right.

  He pressed his face into her neck. “I was worried. Damn, the ride over here was the longest ride of my life.”

  She nodded as she felt him plant kisses along the length of her neck.

  Kade brought his lips up to her cheek and then to her lips. “I need you, Garcelle. I’ve been trying fight it, but I do . . . I need you. I need you,” he whispered against her mouth.

  They stared deep into each other’s eyes as the candles flickered and the storm raged around them. In unison, they brought their heads closer to share soft and gentle kisses. It seemed like they shared a hundred of them. Maybe a thousand. Maybe more.

  “I have to have you in my life, Garcelle. I miss you when you’re not around the house. I think about you all the time.” Kade dropped his head to Garcelle’s panting chest. “You make me happy, and I deserve to be happy.”

  “Yes,” she sighed in pleasure as she brought her hands up to hold his handsome face. “I can make you happy, Kade. I want to make you happy. I want to be in your life and spend time with you. Make love with you. Have fun with you. But, baby, are your ready? Because I don’t want to be hurt.”

  Kade dropped to his knees, bringing Garcelle with him. He pressed her down to the carpeted floor, then slipped his hand under her T-shirt to squeeze her soft breasts. “I’m ready, Garcelle. I’m ready,” he whispered into her open mouth before he kissed her deeply as lightning flashed outside, briefly illuminating the house.

  Garcelle’s hands fumbled a bit as she tugged his damp shirt over his head. Her hips writhed as he grinded his hips against her, sending his hardness sliding up and down against the wetness of her core until she thought she would come. She placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed him back onto the floor. She shifted so that she straddled him. She sat up straight and lifted her shirt over her head. Her breasts jiggled a bit as she freed them.

  Kade’s breath caught in his chest as she licked her fingers before teasing her own nipples, with a purr. “What the . . . ,” he whispered.

  Garcelle bent her legs, exposing her core to him as she sat astride him. She slid her own hands down the length of her body to play in her slick, wet folds. One finger disappeared in the warm depths. She pulled it from her core, and it glistened before she sucked her own juices from that lucky finger.

  Kade felt a fine layer of sweat coat his body. Never had his clothes felt so restrictive. Never had he wanted to bury himself so deeply inside a woman’s walls.

  She writhed against the base of his hardness, and Kade winced a bit at the feel of her softness against his aching dick. His hands instinctively ros
e to grab her waist. Her skin was soft and warm. Perfect. She grinded against him until he felt the moistness of her intimacy dampen his pants. She looked down at him with clouded eyes. “Kiss me,” she demanded as she reached behind for his hands and slid them down to her buttocks.

  Kade felt caught in her web. His heart pounded, its beat distinct from the pulsating of his dick. He let his eyes drop to the fullness of her mouth. Yes, he would like to kiss her lips and her breasts and the rose petal–like lips and clit of her core.

  “You are beautiful,” he whispered into that intimate space between them as his chin rose. Never before had he felt so taken by a woman so quickly and so easily.

  The thick muscle between his thighs pushed deeply against her softness. It throbbed and ached to nuzzle between her lips and pink flesh until her walls clutched him.

  She laughed coquettishly before she bent down and brought her hands up to hold his face and pressed her lips to his.

  Kade’s control broke at the feel of her tongue probing his lips. He allowed her tongue to slip through his heated lips before she drew his own into her mouth with ease as she worked her hips like they were not under her control.

  “Make love to me, Kade,” she said into his open mouth as she looked into his eyes with clear intent.

  “I damn sure will,” he answered as he rolled her over and pressed her body down on the floor. He stripped her, with urgency in his movements, before he rose to his knees.

  Garcelle’s eyes caressed his features as he removed his clothing and stood between her open legs, naked and virile. He was beautiful. Strong. Sexy. Confident.

  She was consumed by the desire to push him back down to the floor and slide down onto every delicious inch of his rod until his hairs tickled her buttocks. She wanted to ride him until she drained every bit of hardness from him.

  Garcelle purred, feeling high with desire as she spread her legs wider, massaged the curves of her body, then played in the slick, wet folds between her quivering thighs. “I want you now, Kade,” she insisted, looking up into his handsome face.