“Not tonight. It’s late already and I think a hot compress might help. If it doesn’t get better, I will go in the morning.”
He ran his hand through his hair then stood and placed his hands on his waist in thought. He seemed undecided on the doctor situation. “I cannot leave you alone like this. Can any of your friends come over?”
I shook my head without hesitation because I hadn’t kept touch with any of my friends since John…well, not enough to stay with me for a night. He sighed, his neck hung low while he ran his hand on it.
“I will stay,” he announced as he walked into the kitchen.
Then, it struck me. He was staying over tonight. And from the sounds in the kitchen, he had made himself quite at home.
CHAPTER SIX
LIAM
I stood alone in her pale green kitchen and felt like I’d run a marathon already. Touching her to see if she’d been hurt had been torture. Yet, her cute yelps made me more protective. I forced myself into staying. This wasn’t how I wanted my first night at her place to be. But I didn’t have another option. She couldn’t walk without pain. I opened the freezer and bundled a block of ice in the kitchen towel I found on the counter. I took a deep breath, then walked back into the living room. She now sat up with her feet propped on the couch. She smiled tentatively at me, her eyes didn’t quite meet mine. I guess she realized I was staying. I kneeled on the floor and gently put the ice on her swollen ankle. Another cute yelp and my heart skittered.
“Thank you,” she said, almost a whisper. I looked up to find her staring at me, her face so soft, I ached to run my hand on her skin. I nodded, unable to trust my voice. After a few minutes of the cold treatment, I gently moved her feet again to test its mobility. She winced again but seemed to have a better control. Or maybe she was better prepared for the pain.
“I...I will carry you to the bedroom so you can change and then I’ll camp out here on the couch,” I said, standing up. I gazed at her while she laid on the sofa. Something stirred in me. I longed to take her in my arms, and make her my own.
“Oh, I think I can walk. Don’t worry about it,” she said, trying to sit up. She lifted her hurt ankle slowly and set it on the ground. Her face scrunched up, fighting the pain while she stood using the couch. I held her arm and helped her but the moment her ankle felt the full force of her weight, she stumbled into my arms again. She touched my chest with her other hand, balancing herself and mumbled apologies but all I felt was her hand on me. Before she could say another word, I cradled her in my arms and walked toward her bedroom.
To say I was curious was an understatement. What man didn’t imagine his woman’s bedroom? I walked in with her in my arms, and found a queen-size bed in the middle of a decent sized room. The simple, white, wooden bed had pale blue covers and apart from a dresser and full-size mirror, the room was empty. For a tiny NYC condo, Aisha kept her place minimal. It fit my tastes.
I set her at the edge of the bed gently.
“Do you need help with getting your clothes from the closet?” I asked. She shook her head rather quickly. I didn’t know how she would make it to the closet and change but decided not to pursue it.
“Okay. I’ll be in the living room then. Call me if you need anything.” I took one last look at her then strolled out of the room. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done…to walk away from her sitting on her bed, vulnerable in the beautiful red dress she’d chosen for me. All I wanted was to walk back and kiss her senseless while stripping her of that dress.
Before I did anything stupid, I closed the door behind me and sighed. Tonight, would be a long night.
***
Her scream woke me. Fearing the worst, I bolted toward her bedroom and forced it open. I found her on the floor, her hand on her ankle sobbing. I ran to her, and sunk on my knees to check her ankle.
“Hey…hey…it’s okay. I will get the ice, baby,” I said soothingly, while hugging her with one arm. My heart raced thinking it could have been worse. I bundled her in my arms and returned her to the bed. I quickly got more ice from the kitchen and sat at the edge of the bed with her ankle on my lap. The first touch of ice made her wince, and she hid her face with her hands.
“What happened?”
She shook her head, chiding herself perhaps. “I forgot to switch off the bathroom light and it was bothering me. So, I got up but I forgot about this stupid ankle and fell.”
She looked extremely endearing. I focused on the cold ice in my hand, and forced my body not to react to her this way tonight. Then I noticed her bare legs. She was in one of those long t-shirts that fell to her knees. It was a deep blue with writing all over. I dared not look and took a deep breath to calm my body.
“...too loud…”
My head snapped. “What?” I asked, stupefied. Had she been talking to me all this time?
She hesitated. “I’m sorry I woke you up. I was too loud.”
“No. Remember that’s why I’m here. How are you feeling now?” I asked, clearing my throat. Focusing on talking was difficult while she laid on the bed in her sleepshirt.
“Confused,” she whispered. That got my full attention. Laying her leg gently on the bed, I knelt next to her head. I couldn’t stop myself from touching her hair and brushed the stray strands away from her face.
“What’s bothering you, baby?” I never wanted her to feel pain. She’d had enough. I caressed her hair, lightly touched her forehead with the back of my palm. Her skin was so soft.
“It’s you,” she said, her voice barely audible.
Her lips were the right shade of pink, so ripe. My throat dried as I remembered the last time her lips were on me. “What about me?” I asked, my voice gruff with hunger for her.
“I didn’t...I didn’t think I would need you so bad”.
As her eyes met mine, I only saw the desire in them. My hand stilled, while her gaze moved to my lips. That was all I needed before I crushed my lips on hers. Such was her sweetness, I cupped her face in my hand while I kissed her with all I had. Her taste intoxicated me. I climbed onto the bed without breaking our kiss and cradled her.
Her hands roved over my body while mine never left her face. I needed her mouth, those sweet, innocent lips on me until every inch of my desire was satiated. When her tongue licked my lips, it undid me.
I opened my mouth letting her in, while she did the same for me and our kiss deepened. My hands caressed her bare legs, the same ones that had been torturing me for the past few minutes. I cupped the back of her thighs and she let out a sigh, breaking the kiss. I kissed under her chin, moving under her ears earning another husky sigh from her. My hand moved further up her sleepshirt, tracing goosebumps along her skin while she planted soft kisses on my neck. When my hands grazed her panty, her hands stilled.
I kissed her shoulder, the crook of her neck while my hand moved further up. All I touched was bare skin, and my hand stopped just below her soft breast. She wore no bra. Hot need raced in my veins and I moved on top of her. Taking care to not hurt her ankle, I lifted her into a sitting position. It was the first time since we started kissing that our eyes met. Her heavy breathing told the same story of want and I couldn’t wait to get her naked under me.
I pulled her sleepshirt over her head. I sat there and stared at her naked curves in the soft glow of the night. She fell back on the pillow and allowed me to savor every detail of her naked body. She held her hand out, inviting me closer. I was still in my trousers, with my shirt untucked. My skin burned to meet hers. I unbuttoned my shirt watching her nipples harden under my gaze. She had turned my favorite shade of pink. With my shirt off, I bent to kiss her lips gently.
“You are so beautiful...more than I ever imagined,” I whispered against her lips. She let out an involuntary shudder, pushing me down gently. I eager to taste her. I left a trail of kisses on her neck, moving to her firm breasts. They waited for my mouth. I squeezed them gently and gave a gentle lick to her right nipple. She rewarded me with a moan meant to drive
a man insane. I waited no more as I sucked the beautiful pink bud while listening to her pleasurable moans. I kneaded her other breast, getting it ready for my mouth.
I felt her hands on my trousers, trying to open them urgently. She was so demanding. I stopped her fumbling hands and instead opened my pants myself. She watched as I slipped them off and stood there in my boxers.
“Boxers, too,” she said, biting her lips.
I almost came at her demand. I moved on top of her again, encircling her in my arms. “You are a sweet little hussy, aren’t you?”
She met my eyes with a shy smile, desire pooling in them. “I just need you so bad,” she added huskily.
“You will be the end of me, baby,” I kissed her lips roughly, “but first I want to see you without a shred of cloth hiding this sinful body of yours.” As my hand went to claim her panty, she stopped me and shook her head. My heart stopped. If she had changed her mind, I didn’t know how I would go back to the other room and spend the night. I moved to her side and watched her face, trying to figure out what had happened. Her hands moved to her panty, her fingers hooked onto the sides. She pulled them down slowly while her eyes never left mine. She threw her panty off the bed and said “Your turn.”
I would never be the same. Tonight, I surrendered my heart to her, forever.
CHAPTER SEVEN
AISHA
For the past three years, I woke to an empty bed. My bed was empty today too but the sounds from the kitchen reminded me I wasn’t alone. Images of last night strolled through my mind and I smiled at the memory. Suddenly I realized I was naked under the blanket which made me very happy.
The delicious smell of eggs wafted into the room and my stomach grumbled in response. I was hungry—for food and for Liam. I put my feet on the floor and tested my ankle for pain. It hurt but not as bad as yesterday. I limped my way to the bathroom to freshen up. The sight in the mirror shocked me. My hand moved over the love bites on my neck and breasts. Desire threatened to overtake my senses again. I shook my head and smiled at how different yet happy I looked. The need to see Liam immediately pulsed inside me.
I took a quick shower and changed into fresh shorts and t-shirt. When I finally opened the bedroom door, I found Liam at the stove in his boxers. He had not seen me yet, so I took the opportunity to appreciate how handsome he looked in my kitchen. His hair still mussed. His jaw sported a darker shadow than yesterday which made me long to trail kisses along his jaw. He had an athletic lean build, with chest hair that marked an enticing trail down his belly. His sky-blue boxers sat perfectly around his waist. He whistled a tune. My focus was on his sinful lips and what they had done to my body. My soft sigh of pleasure brightened the dull, cold morning.
“Are you done staring?” he asked, startling me.
I averted my eyes as his smiling ones met mine. How had I not remembered how hot his gaze could be? “I wasn’t staring,” I replied crossing my hands.
He laughed nodding, his eyes moved slowly from my wet hair to bare feet. When his gaze reached my legs, he frowned. He pointed to my legs with the spoon he held. “How’s your ankle today? Is it better?”
I nodded and made my way to the breakfast table. His eyes never left me while I took a seat.
“You are still limping a little. I think we should go get it checked out at the very least.” His light mood had turned to concern.
I loved watching him fuss over me. I had missed it without ever realizing. “If you say so,” and when his eyebrows shot up in surprise, I added, “What are you making?” I don’t think he expected me to give in this easily.
He placed a plate in front of me and transferred the contents of the pan onto it. They were the most delicious smelling omelets I had ever seen. I took the fork and sliced it out to take a bite. The moment the hot, flavorful eggs touched my tongue, I was in heaven and let out a moan of pleasure.
“If you keep moaning, I’ll have to eat you first,” he said, kissing the side of my lips.
I ached to feel his touch again. “And if you keep kissing me, I can’t finish my breakfast,” I said, my voice gruffer than I expected.
His lips trailed kisses to my ears. “Then finish it so I can eat you for breakfast,” he whispered.
I breathed in his scent. I had a busy day ahead.
CHAPTER EIGHT
AISHA
It’d been an amazing three weeks since our first date. Every waking moment, he was in my thoughts. We met almost every day since that night I twisted my ankle. He’d finish his lectures at Princeton and take the train to Manhattan. Every evening, he’d help me at the restaurant. I loved having him with me, working alongside as a team. After the delightful breakfast he always created when he stayed over, I considered hiring him as a chef for the restaurant. Of course, I couldn’t pay what his new permanent position at Princeton would but then, a girl could hope.
Afterward, we’d close down the restaurant and walk to my place. Hints of spring in the air made our late night walks more pleasant. He always held my hand which warmed me from head to toe. I loved being with Liam. He’d become a habit, one of those things you do so often that you don’t notice doing it anymore but enjoy it nevertheless. Those habits make you—become a part of you.
Tonight, I asked Kiya to close for me as we decided it was time for me to check out his bachelor pad. He had assured me it looked nothing like the horror stories I’d read about. Of course, I would be the judge.
I put on my favorite dark jeans and a white sweater with little shimmer on it. I decided to apply light makeup in case we ate out before reaching his place when I heard the doorbell. Always on time. I opened the door to see Liam, leaning against the door.
“Ready, beautiful?”
Even with the light dark circles under his eyes, he looked handsome. I ran my fingers in his thick hair and planted a kiss on his lips. His eyes lit up, and he bit my lower lip.
“Cannot wait to take you home,” he whispered in my ear.
A slight shiver of pleasure ran up my spine. He knew how to make me forget everything. I grabbed my overnight bag as we headed down to the taxi. The ride was just about an hour. I had been to Princeton before but seeing it lit up at night was a different experience. It wasn’t as crowded as NYC but looked as lively.
He had held my hand the whole way in the taxi, drawing enticing swirls with his thumbs on my skin. It promised a sinful night. His townhome, in contrast to the old condos back in Manhattan looked newer and was just outside the university.
As we entered his home, I found a warm living room with an electric fireplace already lit. He helped me out of my jacket and hung it in the closet while I walked and took it all in. A modern kitchen sat at the far end of the living room with an open-space concept while stairs wind up to the second floor. I assumed the bedrooms were upstairs. I longed to end up there sooner than later.
He hugged me from behind, his rough skin on the jaw rubbing my cheek. I turned my head to kiss his cheek while holding him tighter.
“You like it?” he asked, kissing my ears. I nodded, trying to remain coherent.
“It’s not what I expected. Where are the playboy magazines and naked women?” I asked teasingly.
“They are all over my bedroom. You want to check it out?” His voice was rough with desire.
I turned around, and kissed him, claiming his lips. “I am a very jealous woman. Porn is ok but no other woman while I am here. You got it?” I asked with mock seriousness. But I did mean the exclusivity part. I couldn’t stand the thought of another woman with him.
His hand moved to my waist as he locked me in his arms. “There never has been another woman, Aisha. It has always been you, baby. Always.”
I soaked up every breath of his words on my skin. He picked me up in his arms. I wound my arms around his neck and kissed the crook of his neck, while he climbed the stairs. He pushed the door to his bedroom open with his leg. There weren’t any naked women but the room had a lot of character. The bed was huge and king-size,
all dark wood with white sheets and covers. There was absolutely no decor in the room except for the stone fireplace, a replica of what was downstairs. It should have felt plain but knowing Liam, the room seemed to fit him. He placed me on his bed, the same one that he slept in every day. I fell back, smelling his scent on the sheets. A happy ripple spread through my heart and I smiled goofily.
“What?” He watched me from the end of the bed, with his hands on his waist. He was so handsome.
“Strip,” I ordered.
He broke into a smile. “I love when you call the shots in the bedroom, my little minx.” He unbuttoned his shirt and tugged it from his shoulders.
I loved watching him get rid of his shirt. It hid his strong arms and even stronger heart. I longed to stay here forever. The thought caught me by surprise. Forever? Is that what I want with Liam? Do I love him?
He dropped his shirt on the floor and then pulled me by my legs to the edge of the bed.
I yelped in surprise as he lifted me up. I stood with him.
“Your turn now.” He tugged my sweater off. His eyes feasted on my low cut bra. With a flick, he opened it and let it slide off my arms. His hug was immediate and full. It wasn’t just our bodies that met but our hearts got tangled in this erotic play. My heart felt full with love, as if every corner was filled by Liam and his tender touches. I smiled, my happiness unsurpassed.
And just like that my world crashed down.
CHAPTER NINE
LIAM
I felt her body go still. I broke the hug and pulled her back. Her face had gone pale, paler than I had ever seen. Her eyes were fixed on something behind me. Her color reminded me of the day John died. Ghostly pale, without life. John. John. I whipped my head back to the fireplace mantle and found John’s smiling face in the picture frame. The only photo of him I had at my house and what Aisha stared at. I blocked her view and took her face in my hands
Valentine Kisses: A Kiss to Last a Lifetime Page 28