Josiah licked and sucked my areolas, going from one to the other, then putting them both together to tease them concurrently. My eyes closed, and I was transported to a place where only we existed.
I love you, baby… My eyes shot open as the words branded in my memory, and my breath quickened. Josiah’s lips left my breast to trail up my chest, neck, collar bone, and face. When he made it to my chin, I closed them again as he sucked my lips into his warm mouth. My hunger for him was pronounced. I leaned into him and moaned, reaching down to remove the robe completely. I was naked underneath, and when Josiah’s eyes got a clear look, he drank in my nudity with thirst.
“Have I told you how beautiful you are?” his gruff voice asked.
“Yes,” I responded.
“Today?” he questioned with eyes traveling over my heated skin.
I giggled. “Not today, silly.”
“You are so fuckin’ beautiful, Santana.”
I reached for his shirt and pulled it over his head then I stood to my feet.
“Where are you going?” he inquired.
I smiled seductively. “Where do you want me?”
Josiah stood to his feet and removed his boxer briefs. His manhood sprang out, and I had to wonder if I was seeing things. Was it that big last night? I must have looked stricken because he chuckled and said, “It’s okay. You can handle it. That I’m sure of.”
I touched my throat, not so sure if he was correct in that statement. He reached out to grab me, and I squealed again as I climbed into his arms. Vigorously, Josiah grabbed my derriere and drug the head of his penis over my vagina before thrusting into me savagely.
“Oh… My… God…”
Josiah nibbled on my lips. “You’re okay. I got you.”
I was afraid I’d put him in a choke hold with the tight squeeze my arms had on his neck.
“I want you on top,” he said, coasting back to the sofa to sit.
His lips fused with mine, and I moved up and down his shaft carefully. My womb opened to accept his stringent erection, causing me to bite down on his lip and draw blood. I gasped.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!”
Josiah lifted a brow. “Not as sorry as I’m about to be.” He held my waist and pumped in and out of my wet heat with propelling thrusts. My head fell, and I shouted out a scream each time my ass met the base of his shaft. My hands clutched his shoulders as more tears streamed down my eyes, except this time they were not because of uncontrolled laughter but unbridled passion. The all seducing pleasurable pain rocked my soul, and I was crazy enough to help him kill me by pulling my feet up to brace my weight as he plunged into me.
A territorial growl fled from him. “Shit!” he barked. “This pussy is so sublime,” he said.
I delighted in his words and offered my own sentiments. “And this dick is the best I’ve ever had.”
He pounded into me, shooting us to the moon and stars above. We were no longer in my living room but in space, floating around the planets. My nails dug into his shoulders, and I bit down on my jaw while simultaneously crying and shouting his name.
“Baby, I can’t hold it too much longer,” I said with an apology on the tip of my tongue.
Josiah pulled out of me and the moment of bereft left me empty and searching for him the same as it did last night. Standing up with me in his arms, Josiah flipped me and bent me over the couch. I braced my arms over the top and arched my back while standing on my feet. At the same time, I felt his naked skin, I felt his engorge shaft immerse in me.
“Oh!” I sang and my toes instantly curled as a heat wave shot down my leg and stirred in the arch of my feet. “Aaaah!” I moaned as Josiah plunged with long strokes bringing me to the brink of a wicked orgasm. This feeling was euphoric, and I didn’t want our session to end. I held on to my climax while Josiah pushed inside me bluntly. His massive hands rode up my waist, back, and around to grip my neck. He coached me down to my knees and my bottom bounced off his shaft as the slaps from our love clapped around the room. A rush of tingles shot to my clitoris and my mouth opened as my head fell back.
“Oh God…” I moaned. “I never want to be touched by anyone else again,” I blurted.
Josiah released my throat and covered me with his arms.
“Oh yeah,” he said. “Me either,” he whispered in my ear as his strokes became tumultuously dangerous.
“Oh my God, Josiah… Oh my God!” I panted as I was covered in an array of hot tingles. “I’m coming now! I can’t— Josiah!”
Josiah sucked on my earlobe as I creamed down his manhood. My inner walls pulsed as an orgasm shot through my body. Josiah’s speed increased and a scream tore from my throat. My body continued to rock as my orgasm continued to rain down on him. It was mind numbing and cataclysmic.
When Josiah came, he let out a string of profanity that sent chills down my skin. He held me tight, and our breathing calmed, but the elevation I just experienced left me deaf for seconds after. I knew I would never find another lover like Josiah, and I hated to think one day we wouldn’t be together. But for now, I delighted in the closeness of our hearts and imagined that maybe one day what we pretended to have could be real.
Chapter Fourteen
Josiah didn’t go to work. Nor did he see Samantha Lean. We spent the entire day together watching movies, being flirty, and talking about our plan for the family barbeque this weekend. After eating dinner, Josiah had prompted the question about why I’d taken a leave of absence from work. Needless to say, he was more than upset when I gave him the answer.
“You’re finding another job,” he demanded.
“Josiah, it’s not that simple.”
“Yes, it is. I’ll call in some favors.”
I pursed my lips and strolled up to him.
“You’re so sweet, but I don’t want you to do that. I’d feel responsible if you owed anyone anything.”
“Santana, the last thing I care about is owing someone a favor when my lady is being harassed at work. What would you have me do, beat his ass or call in a favor?”
Josiah had just rattled me even more. I didn’t think he even noticed that he had called me his lady. Or maybe he did, and he was just keeping up with our plan. I couldn’t deny that his protectiveness turned me on. The more time I spent with him, the more I wanted only him. For real.
“Tell me this,” I began, “what should we tell our close friends about us? I’m asking because last night at The Dream Lounge Carla showed me a picture of us on social media. We were at the restaurant going to our table. They all wanted to know what was up with you and me. So, what should I tell them?”
“What did you?”
“I told them we were just friends and if there were anything more, they’d know when I knew.”
“Good diversion.” He chuckled wryly.
“When we get to this barbeque, we won’t be able to hide our relationship. So should we just let them assume we’re together?”
“I think so,” he said. “And I should also meet your parents.”
Taken slight back, I stuttered, “My-my parents?”
“Yeah,” he crooned. “That’s what people do when they get serious about each other, right?”
I gave him a quick smile, “Right…”
“You don’t want to tell them?”
“No. I mean, I didn’t think that part through.” I tapped my top lip with my finger in thought. Suddenly my stomach was in knots, and I wasn’t feeling so well. When it came to Barbara and Nathan Summers, they had asked me for years when would I start dating someone. I think at one point in time my mother thought I was gay. But I was focused on my career and men were at the bottom of the totem pole.
“You look sick,” Josiah said. “I get the feeling you’re not happy about me meeting your parents.”
“It’s not that, it’s just… I know they’ll be excited. They’ve waited a long time for me to bring a man home.” The thrill in my voice dropped. “I just always thought it would be tangible a
nd not counterfeit.”
Josiah placed his hands on my shoulders and drove them up my neck to cup my face. “What you’re doing for me, Santana, is bigger than you’ll ever know. I don’t want you to worry about bringing home a fake boyfriend,” he said. I gave him a questionable look. “Let’s make it official.” Josiah took my hand and led me to the couch where we sat.
He leaned toward the end table and lifted the notepad and pen that sat on top. I watched him scribble something down then he handed the note to me. The words Will you be my girlfriend? were written, with Yes and No beneath it, each with a check box. I threw my arms around my waist and giggled.
“Josiah,” I laughed, “what is this?” I held the notepad out with a cheerful smile on my face.
“What does it look like? I asked you a question.”
I laughed some more and covered my mouth at the serious expression on his handsome features.
“You’re so sweet,” I said. “You don’t have to ask me to be your girlfriend to keep my parents happy.” I giggled more at his cute attempt to make our situation lighter.
“But I want you to be my girlfriend, Santana.”
My laughter faded, and I sat up straight, trying to grasp if he was joking.
“You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
He took my hands in his, and my eyes fell to the joining of them.
“You know if I’m your girlfriend then our pretending becomes real,” I said then shook my head. “No, not right now. Let’s just stick with our arrangement, and after that’s over, we’ll take it from there.”
“So that’s a no. You don’t want to be my girlfriend.”
“I don’t want to confuse things, Josiah. That’s all. I’d rather we do things one at a time. Let’s finish what we’ve started, and if you still want me to be your girlfriend, we’ll take it from there.”
I was repeating myself. I did that when I got nervous.
Josiah stood. “Okay then.” He reached for me, and I glided to him. “Come walk me to your door.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Did you want me to stay?”
“I just assumed you would since we’ve spent the day together. Hey, you aren’t mad, are you?”
“About what?”
I watched him carefully for a long second then shook my head.
“Nothing, it must just be me.”
Josiah bent forward and placed a gentle kiss on my lips and caressed my face.
“I’ll see you later.”
He strolled to the front door, and I trailed awkwardly behind him. Josiah didn’t glance back as he stepped outside and left the porch. I watched him climb into his Infiniti, and my stomach knotted. I didn’t like the lumbering feeling that sat in my gut. Had I upset him? Truthfully, Josiah and I got along so great I wanted a real relationship with him. But I didn’t want it to happen because he felt an obligation to me. I wanted what I offered him to be plain and simple. I didn’t see a problem with us waiting until things were clear before we embarked on a genuine relationship. But I was now beginning to think I’d made a mistake.
Josiah grinned and hit his horn than pulled off down the road. I closed the door and checked the time on the wall. It was close to ten o’clock. I turned out all the lights and took a quick shower, brushed my teeth, and tied my hair down before crawling into bed. However, Josiah’s scent had been left behind in my sheets. I knew I should probably change them, but I had no desire to. And I hoped like hell it wouldn’t be the last time I smelled his fragrance coupled around me.
The next day, I’d made myself busy doing things I did on a regular basis like spring cleaning. I’d changed into a pair of jeans I wore whenever I painted, which was not often. I wasn’t one to move around much, but the recent relocation from Houston to Chicago put me in the mood to paint every room in my house. So, there I was in paint-stained jeans, a T-shirt that held a few holes, with my hair tied up in a knot on the top of my head. I grabbed a bucket, some Fabuloso cleaner, a feather duster, and started in my bedroom. When I say I spring cleaned the house, I mean every corner, nook, and cranny. By the time I’d made it to the kitchen, my ankles ached and that was saying a lot.
I’d missed the whole day getting things straightened out, and I was sure the music coming from the MP3 earplugs helped with that. During this time, thoughts of Josiah were sporadic. I was trying to keep my mind focused on everything but him. Why? Because it was unhealthy not to do so. But every time the soft melodies of Musiq Soulchild, Raphael Saadiq, and Anthony Hamilton streamed through my plugs, I found my thoughts going right where I was trying to keep them from. Josiah. At the end of the day, I checked my cell to find I had a single text message from him.
Good morning, beautiful. You have an interview with the Chicago Chronicle and the Illinois Tribune tomorrow. Your first appointment is at 11 am with Lauren Hathaway. The second is at 2 pm with Van Stone. I know you’ll knock it out the park. Talk to you later.
I smiled and rubbed my thumb over the phone’s screen. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours, and already Josiah had managed to score me two interviews. My smile brightened, and my heart thumped thinking about how sweet he was to me. I hit reply and sent a message back.
Hey you, I just saw your text. I’ve been off the grid for a while but thank you, Josiah. You really didn’t have to.
I blushed and clutched my phone as I waited for his reply.
I told you I would. You’ll do great. Oh, and stay on the grid, woman. I won’t have you going dark on me.
I smiled, and a tingle fled through my spirit. I love you…
I wanted to type it, but I had a feeling I was alone when it came to loving Josiah. It was another reason I hesitated when he asked me to be his girlfriend. If we were right for each other, it would happen, and Josiah would be as enamored with me as I was with him.
The next morning, I entered the Chicago Chronicle with my head held high. I’d chosen a high-waisted full navy blue and white polka dot skirt, ruffled blouse, and three-inch heels as my interview attire. In my hand, I held a briefcase and my recommendation letter from the Houston Report. As I sat in the waiting room, I crossed my legs and swayed with a light bounce.
“Ms. Summers,” a woman called.
I rose and smiled up at her.
“Follow me,” she said.
I made my way back into a large corner office overlooking the city. The Chicago Chronicle was the biggest local newspaper. Getting a position here could propel my career to its highest level. We sat, and Mrs. Hathaway offered me a cup of coffee. For the thirty minutes of the interview, we talked about my move to Chicago, my current job at the school, and my relationship with Josiah. I found it interesting that Mrs. Hathaway was intrigued by the way Josiah and I met. When I felt the conversation getting too personal, I switched gears and kindly edged our way back to my professional expertise.
I stood and strolled to her after pulling my portfolio out of my briefcase. I offered her a copy of the recommendation letter, which she gladly took.
“This is impressive,” she said, glancing over my credentials. Mrs. Hathaway looked to me. “We have an opening that we need filled immediately. How soon can you start?”
My eyes popped. “I’d need to give notice to my current employer, so I would say two weeks give or take.”
Mrs. Hathaway reached out to shake my hand. “You’re hired. If you have time today, we can start the paperwork and set your official hire date two weeks from now. Would that be a long enough notice to give your employer?”
“Yes. Certainly.”
“Good. You wouldn’t have a problem with a background check, would you?” she asked.
“No, definitely not,” I smiled.
“Fabulous.”
I glanced at the clock on the wall and thought about my second interview. Accepting a gig at the Chicago Chronicle was a no-brainer, but I didn’t want to stand off the second interview I had with the Illinois Tribune. Mrs. Hathaway noticed my mental struggle.
“I have another appointment at two. I just need to cancel it.”
“Oh no problem, I’ll have you out of here before then.”
“Oh great!”
I sat down and got comfortable while Mrs. Hathaway left the office to grab a new hire package. While she was away, I shot a quick text message to Josiah.
I got the job!
A second passed before I received a text back.
Congratulations, beautiful. I had no doubt you wouldn’t.
The smile on my face was large and in charge. I squealed inwardly.
What should I do about the second interview? It feels weird to cancel it.
Mrs. Hathaway re-entered the room and handed me so many forms I wondered if I was applying to work at the White House. The phone vibrated in my lap, and I glanced at the screen.
I’ll take care of it. We should celebrate, I’m taking you out to dinner tonight. Eight pm.
I smiled again but didn’t respond. I wanted to get this paperwork filled out and find something sexy to wear for our date. But why? I told myself I needed to be proper when we were in public. It was the perfect situation for me to show how much I cared for him without feeling ridiculous about it.
Leaving the Chicago Chronicle with my spirits high was everything. I got into my car and drove to the mall. I wasn’t too much experienced with dating, so my wardrobe could use a facelift. My phone rang, and I answered quickly.
“Hello,” I sang.
“Hey girl, what’re you up to? I haven’t heard from you in a few days.”
“I’m excellent now that you ask, Carla.”
“Sounds like you’ve got some juice, tell me about it. I could use some inspiration.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I think I’m just feeling blue about my job, girl.”
“Carla,” I said, “you haven’t been looking for another job?”
“Nooo,” she whined.
“Why not?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’m just hoping for the best.”
I scoffed. “Carla, if you know without a shadow of a doubt that your drug test will come back positive, then you need to be looking for something else.”
Fever (Falling For A Rose Book 4) Page 12