Sultry Storm (Kimani Romance)

by Norfleet, Celeste O.

  “Sure,” Mia said, pivoting slightly, just enough to watch him walk away and climb down the steps. She bit her lip in ardent admiration of his tall, broad shoulders, tight rear and narrow waist. The man had a hell of a sexy walk. Immediately, the image of him shirtless came to mind, followed closely by the feel of his hardness pressed assuredly against her stomach. The attic, already sweltering, got even hotter.

  Mia grabbed a folder from on top of one of the boxes and fanned herself. She leaned back, half sitting against the edge of the desk while looking back down the empty hall. Stephen was long gone, but the mere thought of him made her stomach quiver. She wondered what might have happened had she not stopped herself earlier.

  “Hot, butt-naked sex would have happened,” she whispered.

  The off-the-wall, out-of-character, Nya-like comment made her smile. There was no way her stepsister would have backed off. She’d have enjoyed every minute of him, using every one of her books to illustrate exactly what she wanted him to do to her. Mia blushed. Bold wasn’t her. She’d read the books Nya had sent her, but there was no way she could do half the things it listed. Could she?

  Suddenly the idea of practicing what she’d read the last few months made her curious. Having meaningless sex with a willing partner was probably exactly what she should do. Neal called her cold, frigid and sexually repressed, but she knew she wasn’t. Being with Stephen was proving it. Maybe now was the time to put all her newly acquired knowledge into practice. Stephen just might be the perfect practice subject.

  Once again a quick retreat was the only thing Stephen could think to do. Seeing Mia standing there wet and tempting was killing him. Touching her, holding her, kissing her, feeling their bodies pressed too close wasn’t going to work. He wanted her too much. It was the second time that evening they’d come close. He didn’t realize how difficult this would be. But he gave his word and he intended to keep his promise.

  He stood in the center of the mudroom. His body was still tense, his heart still pounded and it had nothing to do with the storm outside. It was Mia, his Mia, the woman he’d been dreaming about for months. The woman Leo talked about for a year, the woman who had no idea who he really was and what he really wanted. This had gone beyond turning into a simple attraction; it was a near obsession.

  Women had never been a problem for him. He loved them and they loved him. Although he’d never been particularly serious with any one woman, he’d had more than a few romances in his time. Yet none of them was serious enough to even consider that long walk down the aisle.

  His last date was with an attractive woman. She was smart, funny and sexy. They had dinner, hung out and then she suggested they return to his place. For the first time in his life he turned a woman down. All he kept thinking about the entire evening was Mia. He wrongly compared her to Mia, or better yet his idea of Mia.

  He clenched his fists and slowly licked his lips, hoping to taste the last remnants of her kiss. She was sweet and luscious and everything he’d imagined she’d be. He could only imagine tasting the rest of her body. Every fantasy he’d had in the past few months had come back to taunt him. She came, just as he knew she would and she was just as intoxicating as he imagined.

  Even now, moments later, he was swept up in his passion of wanting her. He turned to the large mirror over the sink. His weathered face looked back at him. Fighting for control over his passion, he turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on his face. It helped, but he needed more than this. He removed his shirt, grabbed a towel and washed up in ice-cold water.

  In a few minutes he would walk back out there and his fantasy would be waiting for him. He was getting aroused again just thinking about her. He splashed more cold water on his face. The icy splash made him shudder as it ran down his neck to his chest.

  He blamed Leo for this. For months as he recuperated, he talked about nothing else. Mia was his heart and the one thing that he said he’d done right in his life. At first Stephen just listened to an old man’s ramblings, and then he slowly began to take a greater interest. He asked questions about Mia, and Leo was more than willing to answer. Slowly she’d become a dream, then a fantasy, then the unattainable woman of his desires. And now she was here.

  But none of this was supposed to happen. He’d promised Leo that he’d watch the house until Mia arrived, then he’d watch out for her when she came. He never expected that she’d stay on his mind for the last nine months. The result was that he’d fallen for her and meeting her only added to his deepening feelings. He cupped and splashed more cold water, dried off and grabbed clean clothes from his bag.

  He dressed in a T-shirt and sweats, but lingered in the mudroom longer than necessary. He needed time to think. Never in his fantasies had he imagined being with Mia in the middle of a hurricane. He saw Leo’s old generator boxed against the far wall. He went over, pulled it out and busied himself with a distraction. Unfortunately, Mia still stayed on his mind.

  Chapter 7

  She tried her cell, and surprisingly, the call went through. “Well, it’s about time you called,” Nya said. “What happened? We expected to hear from you hours ago. We even tried to call you, but the call didn’t go through.”

  “I’m here, too,” Janelle said, picking up the extension at Nya’s house. “What’s going on?”

  “I’m fine. I’m here at the house. The phones are having problems because of the storm. You’re fading in and out. I can barely hear you,” Mia answered.

  “What happened with the cop? Did you get him medical attention?” Janelle asked.

  “No, actually, he’s still here. He’s better.”

  “Janelle told me about your new hurricane friend. Is he cute?” Nya asked.

  “Nya,” both Janelle and Mia said.

  “I’m just saying. Look, Mia’s been on and on about wanting to change her life and shake it up. She’s been reading all those books so maybe it’s time to do a road test.”

  “Nya,” they repeated.

  “Well, this might be a possible start. That’s if he’s at least physically attractive.”

  “Oh, he is attractive, very attractive.”

  “In that case, you can get started tonight. Find a chapter in the book and then just do it.”

  “It’s not that easy, Nya, at least not for me. I can’t just walk up to a man, rip his clothes off and jump him.”

  “It’s easier than you think, believe me. Did you pack the goodie bag I sent you?” Nya asked.

  “Oh Lord, not the goodie bag,” Janelle said, “What did you put in it?”

  “Don’t ask,” Mia said, “and yes, I packed it, but I don’t know what half the things are.”

  “Don’t worry about that. You’ll figure it out when the time comes,” Nya said, chuckling.

  “If the time comes,” Mia stated firmly.

  “Whoa, what about your master plan? In case you forgot, Ms. I’m-Tired-of-Being-Called-Frigid-and-I’m-Ready-to-Do-Something-About-It, you have a month-long bungalow on Paradise Island waiting for you. Not to mention a few dozen men to sex up.”

  Mia chuckled. Of her two stepsisters, Nya was by far the most outrageous.

  “Nya,” Mia chastised, “woman, you are too shameless.”

  Nya ignored her and continued. “No, I’m honest. White sand beaches, breathtaking sunsets, duty-free shopping and if that weren’t enough, the place is brimming with drop-dead gorgeous island men every three feet.”

  “Well, she does have a point there,” Janelle added. “I wish I could get away from the clinic and go with you. I could use a few weeks off.”

  “Ditto,” Nya added wishfully. “Hmm, weeks with nothing to do but sample the island’s pleasures, shopping, men, food, men, shopping and more men.” The three laughed at Nya’s usual singled-minded focus. “I still can’t believe what that jerk said to you,” Nya added. “I get mad just thinking about it.”

  “Let’s not even get into that again,” Janelle said. “Mia, just remember to drink plenty of fluids and d
on’t overdo it.”

  “What kind of advice is that?” Nya asked her sister. “Of course she should overdo it. She needs to overdo it, let loose, have fun and get that idiot man’s stupid remarks out of her head. And Paradise Island is exactly the place to overdo it.”

  “I still can’t believe you guys talked me into going.”

  “You need it, so just let go and enjoy,” Nya advised.

  “I hope you didn’t send her anything too outrageous,” Janelle said calmly. “Remember, Mia’s not like you, Nya.”

  “Honey child, nobody’s like me,” Nya quipped provocatively.

  “She’s got a point there,” Janelle added, chuckling.

  “But there’s nothing wrong with Mia picking up a few of my more interesting idiosyncrasies.”

  “What idiosyncrasies?” Mia asked knowingly.

  Nya elaborated in full detail as Mia chuckled and listened to them continue discussing Nya’s varying appetites. Her free-spirited personality was the exact opposite of Janelle’s crusader personality, putting Mia right in the middle.

  All said and done, Nya was right. There was nobody like her. She was bold and brash, outspoken and opinionated. At twenty-eight, she was the managing editor of a national women’s magazine and a celebrated publishing dynamo with enough clout to start her own successful publishing enterprise. Janelle, on the other hand, was more into service. At twenty-nine, she’d worked for the Peace Corps and Doctors Without Borders, garnered major awards and had just recently returned to open her own partnership practice.

  Mia, at twenty-eight, was the exact opposite of both her stepsisters. As an English literature professor, she was far more introverted and reserved. Having grown up in Atlanta with her social maven grandmother, Mia was used to polite conversation and distant emotions. She kept everything bottled up inside, including her feelings. No wonder her ex-fiancé told her she had as much feeling as an iceberg.

  The conversation eventually turned to more detailed Paradise Island adventures. Her sisters had visited the island the year before and stayed at Nya’s bungalow. The stories they told when they returned were outrageous. There was no way Mia would ever do anything they suggested, yet the idea of testing her boundaries did intrigue her. But Mia only half listened. She was thinking about Stephen.

  “Mia, I hope you’re not using this as a way of backing out of this vacation like you did last year. You’re not with Neal anymore, so there’s no reason to back out.”

  “Not going last year had nothing to do with Neal. Well, mostly nothing. Anyway, I’m not backing out. I’m just postponing it a few days. I have every intention of leaving for Paradise Island as soon as this is over.”

  “Good,” both Nya and Janelle said.

  “So where are you now?” Janelle asked.

  “In my old bedroom with a deputy sheriff downstairs changing his clothes,” she said, knowing it would start a myriad of questions. It did. When she’d told them what had happened, their advice was simple: start her vacation early.

  Chapter 8

  By the time Mia came downstairs, Stephen had cleaned up and changed into a police T-shirt and sweats. He looked even more tempting than before. Maybe she was tired, maybe she was distracted, or maybe it was just exactly what she needed, but whatever it was, she was definitely feeling him. Actually, she was more than feeling him. She was hot for him. Everything he did, everything he said pushed her closer to wanting him more.

  She stood a moment at the open mudroom doorway and just watched him as he worked. How many fantasies come to life like this? Mia wondered. This vacation was supposed to be about letting go and enjoying life and everything that came with it. She looked down at the man working diligently. Being timid had gotten her nowhere in the past. She needed to be bold, take what she wanted, and right now she wanted him. Even now, seeing him bent over trying to fix the generator had her nearly salivating.

  “Hey,” she said, interrupting his tinkering, “need a hand?”

  He turned around and she smiled. According to the expression on his face she’d apparently chosen the perfect outfit. He looked her up and down, licked his lips then quickly looked away speechless. He obviously approved.

  “Need a hand?” she repeated. He still didn’t respond. She tilted her head questioningly as she moved closer. Maybe he didn’t approve.

  A halter top sundress got the deciding vote. It was the dress her stepsister Janelle had given her for her birthday, early bohemian with a generous sprinkling of erotic sex appeal. After a quick cool shower, she rifled through her bags and pulled it out. It was sexy without being too obvious, and the gossamer material was perfect for an island rendezvous. It was also just as perfect for a relaxed and comfortable evening at home. The idea of going barefoot with just her anklet and toe ring came from a chapter in her book. “Stephen?”

  “Ah, no, no, I’m good,” he finally said, turning around again. His expression was perfect. “You look nice,” he said, then turned away.

  She smiled. “Thanks, so do you. How’s your arm and forehead? Need me to put on another bandage?”

  “No, I took care of it,” he tossed over his shoulder.

  She moved closer, bending down beside him to get a better look at what he was doing. The fresh clean scent of his body was very enticing. She wholeheartedly approved. “So what exactly is wrong with it?” she asked.

  “Besides needing gas, I don’t have a clue. Mechanics isn’t my forte.”

  She chuckled. “Obviously, any man comfortable enough to use the word forte isn’t what I’d call a grease and oil kind of guy. But if it’s any consolation, you look like you know what you’re doing.”

  “Thanks.”

  She leaned in even closer. He obviously knew something about machinery because he had a few pieces disassembled and laid out on an old towel. “Doesn’t that long screw fit inside that hole?”

  “Yes.”

  “So why don’t you screw it in?”

  “I will, later.”

  “What’s that part for?”

  “Pumping action,” he said.

  Mia smiled and wondered if he noticed that the conversation had all the earmarks of a seduction scene. “Do you need a lubricant?” she added with a mischievous smile.

  “No, I don’t think so,” he said, picking up a small mechanical part and attaching it to the unit.

  “That’s the engine, right? How powerful is it?”

  “It’s pretty powerful,” he said.

  “So why don’t you just switch it on?”

  “Some things need to be handled carefully.”

  “And some things need to just be turned on.”

  “It’ll be worth the wait, trust me.”

  “Good, ’cause I’m looking forward to it.”

  He stopped working and smiled at her. Then they both laughed out loud. “Are we still talking about the generator?” he asked.

  “I wondered if you noticed.”

  “Yeah, kind of hard not to,” he said.

  “Maybe I should go look for the manual.”

  “Better yet, it’s late, so why don’t you check the kitchen for something to eat? We might be here awhile.”

  She stood and took a few steps back. “Good idea.” His back was to her, but she saw him shake his head. She went back into the kitchen and began opening cabinets. She found two cans of peaches, tuna fish, a half dozen bottles of water, a jar of marinated artichoke hearts and green olives. She pulled everything out and set it on the counter. It was a motley mixed dinner, but at this point making reservations was out of the question. She grabbed dishes and a couple of glasses and took everything into the living room. As soon as she cleared the coffee table and laid out the makeshift dinner, the lights blinked off. She walked over to check the switch as Stephen approached carrying a flashlight and two bottles of water.

  “I guess the electricity’s out again,” she said.

  He nodded and looked at the spread on the table. “Wow, when did you do all this?”

&nb
sp; “While you were busy with the generator. Any luck?”

  “Not working. I guess we’re gonna have to make do with candles and flashlight until morning.” He looked down at the table. “So what do we have here?” he asked.

  “Dinner, or rather, everything I could scrounge around in the kitchen and pantry. To tell you the truth, I didn’t expect to find this much. I expected everything to have been cleaned out by the management company.”

  “Management company?” he asked with surprise. He had no idea she’d hired a management company.

  “Yes,” she replied haltingly, “uh, a friend, an old friend hired them shortly after Dad died. He took care of everything up until awhile ago. I just found out two days ago that the house is in trouble. It’s in foreclosure.”

  “I know.”

  “That’s why I came down. I’m here to stop it.”

  “I assumed you didn’t want the property,” he said.

  “I do want it,” she said, unable to keep a pleading tone out of her voice. “I had no idea it was in trouble, that the payments weren’t being handled. Now I don’t know if I can even stop it. They mentioned that there would be an auction. This was my father’s sanctuary. I don’t want to lose this, too.”

  “I see,” Stephen said, slightly confused. “And this management company was supposed keep up with all the payments?”

  “Yes, plus clean out the house, or rather more like keep it livable. You know, mow the yard, pay the water and electric, and secure the windows in case of storms, things like that.” He nodded. “Anyway, enough about all that. Come and sit. We should eat.”

  He opened their water bottles as she divided the mismatched smorgasbord. They ate talking mainly about her father, the house and childhood memories.

  “I assume you live close since you know my father—knew my father,” Mia said.

  “I live fairly close.”

  “So you’re originally from around here?” she asked.