Hot Like Fire

by Niobia Bryant

  She playfully wiggled her brows as she brought her hands down to the front of his shirt. “You have about a million of these shirts, right?” she asked coyly.

  “I wouldn’t say a million, but I have a lot—”

  “So you won’t mind me doing this?” Garcelle tore the shirt open, and the buttons flew, exposing his chiseled chest, lightly covered with soft and flat silver hairs. She lowered her head and circled one of his nipples with her very clever tongue.

  Kade swallowed a lump in his throat. “Nope. I . . . uh . . . I don’t mind at all.”

  Garcelle gave his nipple one last rollover with her tongue before she sat up straight, pulled her T-shirt over her head, and flung it over her head. Her bra followed next. She enjoyed the warmth of Kade’s eyes on her as she gave her free breasts a little shimmy and shake. “Last one in sucks big time,” she told him playfully.

  She lifted her leg back over to sit sidesaddle before she jumped down to the ground to continue stripping off her clothes.

  “Depending on what I have to suck, I might like to lose this one.”

  Garcelle flung her lace panties up to him with a flick of her foot. “That’s the same thing I was thinking.”

  Kade pressed her lingerie closer to his face to inhale deeply of her scent before he dismounted the horse and tied its reins to a bush. He stared at her as he removed his clothes and boots.

  Garcelle bit the side of her index finger as she watched Kade stride around in the buff like he knew just how damn good his body looked to her. Defined muscles other men dreamed of and most women wanted flexed as he reached into the saddlebag for a blanket. Wide shoulders. Strong back. Square buttocks. Toned thighs. Killer calves.

  And then he turned and stepped toward her. She swallowed hard as her eyes went back to work. Solid chest. Defined, rock-hard abs. Impressive . . . lengthy . . . solid . . . pleasuring . . . hard.

  “Don’t stare. It might drop off,” Kade teased.

  Her eyes jumped up from his crotch to his face before she stepped forward, pressed the length of her body against his, and snaked her arms around his neck.

  Kade brought his hands up to cup her buttocks as Garcelle planted smooth kisses along his collarbone. “I thought you wanted to cool off?” he said.

  “Later. Right now I like being hot,” Garcelle whispered.

  Kade kissed her deeply as they lowered their bodies to the plush blades of grass. Garcelle opened her legs wide for him as he settled his muscled frame atop her body. Soon their mingled cries of fiery passion drifted high up to the skies.

  Kade massaged Garcelle’s lower back as she lay atop his body. He felt her heart beating against his rib cage. He enjoyed the steady in and out of her breathing. He cherished the feeling of her body against his. “To think we . . . uh . . . thought this watering hole was only good for swimming,” he mused as he placed one arm under his head on the blanket.

  Garcelle lifted her head from his chest to look up at him, with a soft smile. “Which memory will you treasure more? Making love here or swimming here?”

  Kade caressed her face with his eyes. “Why not make a whole new memory?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Make love while swimming.”

  Garcelle looked contemplative before she suddenly jumped to her feet. “The bet is still on, you know,” she told him as she nudged his foot with her own.

  Kade looked up at her body, framed by sunlight, and he swore he’d never seen a more beautiful sight than her caramel skin, softly rounded shoulders, small but plump breasts, and deeply curved hips, with the most divine set of legs God ever blessed a woman with. She playfully stuck out her tongue at him before she tossed her hair from her face and turned to run and jump headfirst into the water.

  He loved her spirit. Her spunk. Her fire. Her passion. She wore her emotions on her sleeve. Be it anger, pleasure, happiness, sadness, or desire, there was no mistaking what Garcelle felt. Nothing was hidden. Nothing at all.

  Kade jumped to his feet and dived into the water behind her. It felt like cool silk wrapped around his body, from his head to his toes. He opened his eyes under the water and caught the image of Garcelle’s nude body as she swam to the top. He doubted there was a more magical sight than that.

  He swam toward her and wrapped his arms around her as they broke the surface of the water together. The water plastered their hair against their heads. They took deep breaths and looked at each other. His heart surged as he kissed her, and they moved their bodies backward. The water intensified the already smooth feel of her body as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He pressed her against the bank, and her hands came up to rest lightly on his shoulders.

  “Garcelle,” he moaned against her lips and then her cheeks.

  “Yes,” Garcelle whispered, with a small gasp, which let him know that everything he did was just right.

  He kissed her chin.

  “Yes.”

  Her neck.

  “Yes, Kade. Yes.”

  Her shoulders . . . from the left to the right.

  “Yes.”

  Her collarbone.

  “Umm.”

  Her lips again.

  “Oh.”

  And again.

  “Ooh.”

  And again.

  “Kade.”

  And again.

  “Kade.”

  He deepened the kiss as the temperature of the water seemed to change from the heat of their bodies. “Garcelle, we used the condoms I had. I’m all out.”

  She dropped her head on his shoulder . . . several times.

  He chuckled as he pressed the side of his face against hers. “Come on. I have to get back, anyway,” he said, with obvious regret.

  Garcelle lifted her body up onto the edge of the bank. She bent her legs in front of him. Kade’s eyes smoldered as he moved forward in the water. At the water’s edge, he kissed Garcelle, blazing a trail from her knee to her core. Garcelle stood up quickly and then pressed her foot to his forehead and sent him flying backwards into the water. “We have to go, remember?” she teased as she raced around the small pond to their pile of discarded clothing.

  She was bending over, drying her legs off with the blanket, when Kade walked up to her. He slapped her bottom soundly with his palm before he reached into the saddlebag for another rolled-up blanket. They eyed each other mischievously as they finished getting dressed.

  “So swimming or making love?” she asked him in a breathy voice as she dropped down to the ground to pull on her socks and sneakers.

  Kade wiped his hands over his mouth before he stepped forward to help her to her feet. He immediately pulled her body against his and bent his head to nuzzle her neck. “Definitely making love.”

  Garcelle laughed.

  He helped her climb onto the saddle before he untied the horse and climbed on behind her. “Ready to head back to the real world?” he asked as he turned the horse around.

  Garcelle turned and gave the pond one last look before she glanced up at Kade. She nodded. With one final kiss, she turned back around in the saddle. “I wish we could have a picnic right here.”

  “We can come back another day.”

  “Promise?” she asked.

  Kade settled his hand lightly around her waist. “I promise.”

  In just another week, her position as Kadina’s nanny would end for the summer as Kadina returned to school and Garcelle resumed her university classes. Of course, the end of the summer position didn’t mean the end of their relationship, but he felt saddened by it, anyway. He was going to miss her presence around the house.

  They rode in comfortable silence through the emerald green lands and towering trees to the uncluttered and open plains before the noises of the ranch began to reach them.

  Kade allowed himself one last sniff of her hair as he trotted through the ranch to the main house. He dismounted, then helped Garcelle down off the horse, with regret. Even after three hours of being with her, he already missed her. So quickly, sh
e had become so important to his life. He wished for the comfort and ease of being able to offer his woman a kiss as they parted, but he just stepped back from her

  Kadina raced out onto the porch to meet them. His mother and sister followed at a slower pace. “I thought y’all wasn’t ever coming back,” Kadina said, moving down the steps to throw her arm around Garcelle’s waist.

  “I was showing Garcelle the ranch,” Kade said, climbing back into the saddle.

  Kaitlyn and his mother shared a brief look before they both murmured, “Uh-huh,” with obvious disbelief.

  “Kadina, let’s get ready to go,” Garcelle said, ignoring the women’s teasing smiles. “We still have to go by Uncle Kahron’s, remember?”

  “Bye, Nana. Bye, Auntie,” Kadina hollered over her shoulder before she climbed into the back of Garcelle’s convertible.

  “Bye, everyone,” said Garcelle. She gave Kade one last look and a half smile before she climbed into the driver’s seat and reversed in a semicircle, then accelerated down the driveway.

  Kade waved as Kadina turned in her seat. “Don’t be late, Daddy,” she called to him.

  “Big brother, there’s nothing that interesting around this ranch that takes three hours to show anybody,” Kaitlyn said, very tongue in cheek. “What on earth were you two doing?”

  “Yes, son,” Lisha added. “Your father called looking for you. He said one of the calves is about to foal—”

  Kade tipped his baseball cap to them. “Then, ladies, I better get back to work.” He smiled as soon as his back was turned to them.

  “I been dreaming about fish, Kade,” his mother called behind him.

  “It’s not me, Ma,” he called back over his shoulder as he trotted away.

  15

  One Week Later

  Kahron and Bianca laughed as her stomach growled quite loudly. It seemed to echo in the interior of his vintage Mustang. “Hungry, baby?” he asked her as he reached over to squeeze her thigh.

  “Starving,” she answered, with emphasis. “I begged your daddy to make me some okra stew. I am dying for some good okra stew.”

  “I’m dying to know what their big news is.” Kahron eased the car around the turn leading to his parents’ home. “And if it’s about her fish dreams, I’m going to scream.”

  “Oh my God. Your mother has called me every day for the last week, talking about fish and babies and prenatal vitamins!” Bianca covered her face with her hands. “Yes, I don’t want to hear nothing ’bout birthin’ no babies.”

  Kahron laughed as he pulled the car to a stop in between Kade’s SUV and Kaeden’s silver Mercedes Benz. “She is hell-bent and determined that there is another grand on the way.”

  “Well, it’s not us,” Bianca said as they climbed out of the low-slung car.

  “Not yet, anyway,” Kahron added. “But soon.”

  Bianca looked at him as he jogged up the stairs. “Real . . . soon?” she asked in surprise.

  Kahron turned, his face framed by the porch light as he looked down at her. “Hell, yeah. Right?”

  She smiled as she nodded and slipped her hand into his. “Right.”

  Kade looked up from watching a sports news show on the television as Kahron and Bianca walked into the house together. His brother hugged his wife close to his side before he kissed her forehead as they greeted everyone.

  Kade literally ached for Garcelle to be there with him. She should have been there with him. They had plans to meet up and go to the movies later, but right now he missed her there with him, enjoying the fun and craziness of his big family. Just being close to him.

  He just didn’t know if he was ready to inform the world about his business. For so long, his family and friends had worried him about getting back into the dating game. As soon as they knew about Garcelle, it would be all about marriage and more babies. Hell, his momma was already talking to him, of all people, about fish dreams. Up until a little over a month ago, he’d been celibate for the last few years. And now that he was putting his skills back to use, he always practiced safe sex.

  “Why does Kaleb always have to be late?” Kael grumbled as he walked over to look out the window. “I’m hungry as hell.”

  “Cool your heels, Kael Strong. You think I don’t know you been sneaking in the kitchen, picking at the food?” Lisha shot back at him calmly.

  Their children all laughed as Kael suddenly belched and then looked contrite.

  “Hungry my ass,” Lisha grumbled.

  Kahron dropped down onto the sofa, beside Kade. “There’s talk you and Garcelle were looking mighty cozy riding a horse together last week,” he said for Kade’s ears only.

  Kade shrugged. “Small-town talk. Small-town assumptions. Welcome to Holtsville, little brother.”

  “Funny thing about small-town talk and small-town assumptions . . . Sometimes they’re right on point,” Kahron drawled as he took Kade’s beer from his hand to take a sip. “Whether we want them to be or not.”

  “Hey, Ma,” Kade called out, just as calm as could be. “I bet Kahron and Bianca are the reason for those fish dreams.”

  Kade ignored his brother’s swear and the evil eye Bianca shot him as he picked up the remote to flip through the channels.

  “You two have something you want to say?” Lisha asked as her eyes darted back and forth between Kahron and Bianca.

  “No!” they shouted out emphatically in unison.

  Kade bit back a smile.

  The front door swung open, and Kaleb strolled in. “What’s the deal, family?”

  Kael jumped to his feet and rubbed his hands together. “Dinner’s the deal,” he said over his shoulder as he made his way into the dining room.

  Lisha shook her head as she rose to follow him. “Lord, that man.”

  Kade and Kahron were the last to follow the family out of the living room. “You and Garcelle disappearing in the woods for hours at a time?” said Kahron. “You best mind those fish dreams ain’t all about you, big brother.”

  “Curiosity killed a nosy-ass cat,” Kade drawled as he took his seat at the table, in between Kaeden and Kadina.

  Kahron just laughed as he took the seat across the table, next to his wife.

  Lisha walked out of the kitchen, carrying a huge platter. She sat it in the middle of the table, amid side dishes of macaroni and cheese, okra stew, white rice, and corn bread. She cleared her throat as she took her seat.

  “Lisha Mae Strong, now enough is enough!” Kael roared as he looked down at the big platter of fried fish. “I thought you said you were frying chicken.”

  Lisha cocked her eyebrow as she eyed each and every one of her children.

  Kade shook his head before he reached over to kiss the top of Kadina’s head.

  Bianca and Kahron looked at each other before they paid way too much attention to fixing their plates.

  Kaitlyn reached in her purse and slapped her birth control pills on the table as she calmly poured a glass of lemonade.

  “I wish somebody would go ahead and piss on the damn stick,” Kaleb grumbled before he focused on piling his plate high with food.

  Kaeden reached in his pocket for his inhaler.

  “Daddy, what’s with all the talk about fish lately?” Kadina whispered to him.

  Kade scooped rice onto her plate and then topped it with a spoonful of okra stew. “We’ll talk about it later,” he whispered, praying like hell they didn’t attract his mother’s attention. The woman was on an all-out mission.

  “Papa Kael, thanks so much for making the okra stew,” said Bianca. “I have been—”

  “Craving?” Lisha asked delicately as she glanced at Bianca before taking a bite of her food. “I remember each time I was pregnant, I would crave cheesecake. Had it so bad each and every time that Kael would start buying Pampers as soon as I started asking for cheesecake.”

  Bianca just massaged her temples with her fingers.

  “Anyway, we brought you all here because we have good news,” Kael said, igno
ring his wife as he rose to his feet. “In December your mother and I are going on a two-week cruise to Negro, Jamaica—”

  “Negril, Jamaica,” Lisha corrected him around a bite of food.

  “Yeah, right,” said Kael as he rubbed his hands together. “It’s time I really start enjoying my retirement full time. So, Kade, I’ll be relying on you more than ever, Son.”

  “No worries, Pops,” Kade said. “It’s well deserved . . . for both of you.”

  A round of questions about anything and everything concerning their trip followed, and then Kade watched as Kahron rose to his feet, with his glass raised. “Here’s to working hard and learning how to play even harder. It is time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor—”

  “And the fruits of my children’s loins,” Lisha added.

  Kael dropped his head in his hand as everyone at the table dropped their forks and released a long, heavy breath.

  Garcelle glanced at her watch as she sat in her car in the parking lot of the movie theater. Kade was running late for their date. “Humph, date,” she said, only slightly sarcastic. “For a real date, the man picks the woman up at her house, and they ride together to the movies. They don’t meet in separate cars, like two bad-ass adulterers.”

  She watched the couples arriving and walking into the movie theater together. It irked the hell out of her. I must be PMSing, she thought as she picked up her ringing cell phone.

  “Hey, you.”

  “Kade, I’ve been calling you for twenty minutes,” she said, sitting up in the seat of her car.

  “I must have turned the volume down on my phone.”

  “Where are you?” she asked as she scratched an itch in the palm of her hand.

  Knock-knock.

  She nearly jumped out of her skin as Kade bent down to look through the driver’s side window of her car. She slapped the phone closed as he opened the door for her. “Come on. The movie’s started.”

  Kade frowned. “Are you mad?” he asked, obviously confused.

  Garcelle forced a smile as she looked up at him. “No . . . no. Of course not. I just wanted to see the movie. Can we . . . go see the movie?”