Before the Storm (The Cochran/Deveraux Series Book 9)

by Melanie Schuster

  Paris eventually went upstairs. She had decided to sleep with Corey so that Julian could have the guest room. Kasey settled down on the floor at the foot of the bed and in a short time they were both sound asleep. Julian finally stopped studying the scrapbooks. They were beautiful and, as Paris said, they had been created with a lot of love. Who the love was for he couldn’t say; he had to assume it was Maya’s love for Corey that had led to their creation. In any case, he could feel his headache coming back. He decided to take a quick shower and go to bed. He was going to need a clear head in the morning because there were a lot of things to be discussed and a lot of decisions to be made. He’d need his wits about him tomorrow and he was never at his best without at least a few hours sleep.

  He showered rapidly but thoroughly, using some of the bath gel he found in the shelf unit that was hanging around the showerhead. He wished he hadn’t because it smelled so much like Maya. He lathered his long, lean body over and over again, thinking about Maya the whole time. Baths and showers had come to mean something very special and erotic in their household. He had to choke back a laugh as he remembered Corey’s comment about baths earlier. He had told her he was going to give her a bath and she’d looked surprised. “But daddies don’t give baths, only mommies do,” she’d told him. “Boys can’t give girls baths, Daddy.”

  As he rinsed the fragrant suds from his body he was once again in a time and place when everything was beautiful with him and Maya. He toweled himself dry and wrapped the towel around his waist, then went into Maya’s bedroom and sat down on the side of her bed. He was remembering the first time they’d made love and how delighted she was to discover the joys of bathing together.

  ***

  After he knew Maya was a virgin, Julian did everything in his power to keep his hands off her. He wanted to take it slow and easy with her because she deserved to be treated with tenderness. He was determined not to rush her into anything she wasn’t emotionally prepared to handle, but it was harder and harder to resist her alluring femininity. They would kiss good-night and still be kissing an hour later. Julian would go home so frustrated and overheated he thought he would explode, but it never occurred to him to stop seeing her. The worst part for him was the fact that Maya was a willing participant; she was more than willing to give him everything because, as she told him one afternoon, she wanted him to be her first lover.

  They had been sitting on the sofa in his apartment with the French doors open to allow in the soft summer breeze. The music was soft and inviting, there were scented candles and she was straddling him, her blouse open so he could see her round, smooth breasts ensconced in a pretty pale blue bra. He was holding onto her hips and his self-control was leaving the building; she was so sexy and tempting he wanted nothing more than to bury himself in her for hours and hours, but he was trying hard to resist. She wasn’t making it easy for him, though.

  “Julian,” she purred as she kissed him gently. “I’m not a child, you know. I’m a fully grown adult and I know what I want. And what I want is for us to be lovers. I don’t think my being a virgin should matter to you. I want you to be the first man to make love to me.”

  Julian could still remember the primal fury that had overtaken him at her words. He’d reacted with that same fury, he recalled. It was a wonder he hadn’t scared her to death on the spot. He had set her aside on the sofa, getting up so he could pace around like an angry lion. “What do you mean, the first man to make love to you? Are you planning to have a lot of lovers, Maya? Because that ain’t gonna happen, not as long as I’m alive. You’re my woman, and I’m your man and that’s the end of it. You and I are getting married tomorrow and that’s going to be the end of this discussion. First man, my ass,” he’d roared. “I’m your only man, Chocolat, and you’d better get used to the idea.”

  Instead of being terrified like most women might have been, Maya had laughed at him. She got into a kneeling position on the sofa and looked at him with love shining out of her eyes. “So is this a proposal? Because I haven’t exactly heard the right words,” she reminded him. And it seems to me there should be some going down on one knee and a ring or something,” she’d added with a sexy smile.”

  Julian had stopping pacing at once and looked at her, her hair mussed and her deliciously rounded body showing just enough for him to have what was beginning to feel like a permanent erection. She looked so adorable he couldn’t remember why he’d gotten so angry. He went back to the sofa, where she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist and they were once again tangled up in each other, kissing madly.

  “I didn’t intend to propose like that, Maya. I meant to take you someplace beautiful and do it the way you’re supposed to with champagne and roses and a great big ring, but I can’t wait. I love you, I love you more than anything or anyone in the world and I always will. Will you please, please put me out of my misery and marry me?”

  “Well, I don’t know,” she mused. “You’re really cute and you’re gainfully employed and you kiss real nice, so maybe,” she giggled. “You have a terrible temper but we’ll probably have some cute babies, so I guess it’ll be okay.” The giggles turned into full-out laughter as Julian began tickling her.

  “Say you love me,” he demanded. “I poured my heart out to you and you’re making fun of me. Say it!”

  “I do love you, Julian,” she said, smiling into his eyes. “You’re the kindest, sweetest, most thoughtful man in the whole world and I love you. I love you,” she whispered. “I’ll always love you. You’re my Prince Charming, didn’t you know that?”

  “Yeah, I figured I was, but I like to hear it,” he growled as he began kissing her neck.

  ***

  He stretched out on the bed, crossing his arms behind his head. They had indeed gotten married the next day. In Louisiana the normal seventy-two-hour waiting period after the issuance of a marriage license could be waived by a city judge, and since Julian was an attorney, albeit a new one, he had the advantage of knowing several judges who looked upon him kindly since his father was a superior court judge. It was a tiny wedding, with only Minoo and Wade as witnesses. Julian had picked Wade because he was the most closemouthed of all the Deverauxes. They planned on having a big ceremony later, with all their family and friends in attendance, but for now, this would suffice. They were man and wife and that’s all that mattered.

  He wore a nice navy suit, and she had on a pretty white dress. Her hair was pulled off her face with gardenias and she carried a small bouquet of gardenias and ivy. To this day the fragrance of gardenias had a powerful effect on Julian; whenever he smelled them he thought about his wedding day. And that always made him think of his wedding night, the most perfect, most passionate night in his memory.

  He had taken Maya to a beautiful private guesthouse that was normally booked months in advance. It just so happened that there was a cancellation and since he’d known the owner for years, it was a simple matter for him to take advantage of the facility. When he drove into the circular drive in front of the house, he stopped the car in front of the door and turned to Maya, looking serious and very loving. “This is it, Mrs. Deveraux. This is the beginning of the rest of our lives,” he’d told her.

  She returned his look with the sweetest smile he’d ever seen and she took his hand. “Let’s get started, Mr. Deveraux.”

  He’d insisted on carrying her across the threshold in the traditional manner and was pleased that she didn’t offer up a protest; she went along with it willingly and kissed his neck and ear while she told him how much she loved him. When he finally set her on her feet in the small foyer they were both dizzy and yearning for each other. They walked through the perfectly furnished love nest and were delighted by the ambiance. There were fresh flowers and lush green plants everywhere among the highly polished antique furniture and an abundance of candles in heavy glass holders. French doors on either side of a fireplace led out to a private walled garden that had a big double hammock with a canopy.
There was a big fishpond with koi swimming around and it looked like the perfect place for a tryst, with big oak and magnolia trees creating a private oasis safe from prying eyes.

  Everything was in shades of blue from the walls, which were covered with pale blue watered silk wallpaper, to the deep blue damask sofas and chairs. Julian didn’t know damask from burlap, but Maya supplied him with details. All he was really interested in was the bedroom, all done in ivory and gold. The bed was a reproduction of an antique, a huge four-poster with a canopy and sheer curtains. Maya told him it was a reproduction because it was king-sized and real period beds weren’t that big. Julian knew that Maya was talking so much because she was nervous. Despite her eagerness to share herself with him and despite the fact that they were now man and wife, she was as nervous as any other bride. Julian took her face in both hands and kissed her tenderly.

  “Come on, Chocolat, let’s take a bath together,” he said in the softest voice he could manage.

  “A bath? You mean at the same time? We can’t do that,” she whispered.

  “Oh, but we can. You’re my wife and I’m your husband and we can do anything we want,” he told her, kissing the end of her nose.

  Their clothes had already been unpacked and put away by the highly efficient staff, so all they had to do was relax. Rather, Maya relaxed in the garden with a glass of champagne while Julian ran the bath and lit the candles. When everything was ready he came out to the garden to get her and once again carried her into the guesthouse. This time, though, he carried her into the bathroom. He set her down carefully, like the precious work of art she was. Maya looked around the big room with the huge claw-footed tub and the scented candles burning on the vanity and the shelves on the walls. The tub was full of steamy fragrant bubbles and the candles shed a warm amber glow on everything. She looked like a doll in her wedding ensemble, standing perfectly still with a look of wonder on her face.

  “Now what do we do?” she asked in a near whisper.

  He turned her around so he could access the zipper on her dress. “We get undressed and we get in. Then I’ll show you everything you need to know.”

  He didn’t want to admit it, but his hands were shaking a little as he unzipped her dress and helped her out of it. He removed her slip, her bra, pantyhose and her little bikini panties and when he looked at her lush dark beauty for the first time he felt a stab of desire so deep it was like a knife piercing his heart. He was about to help her into the tub when she shook her head.

  “Now it’s your turn,” she told him.

  She watched him get out of his shirt, his pants and his briefs, as he had already removed his shoes and socks. She looked her fill at him, especially at the huge throbbing erection that was all too evident. Now she allowed him to lift her into the tub and she sighed with pleasure as the hot scented water surrounded her body. He stepped in behind her and pulled her against him so her back was resting on his chest. Picking up one of the thick washcloths on the stool next to the tub, he dipped it in the water and squeezed it over her breasts while she made a sound of contentment.

  “See? I told you we could do this,” he murmured in her ear.

  She leaned forward a little, just enough to scoop her hair up and twist it into a knot, which she anchored with the hairpin holding the gardenia. Then she leaned into him again, this time arching her back so that her darkly desirable nipples could be seen over the bubbles.

  Julian took his time with her, using the scented bath gel and his hands to massage every inch of her body, starting with her neck and shoulders, then her arms and hands. He lingered over her breasts, massaging them in circles while he manipulated her nipples until she moaned his name aloud. He caressed her stomach, her hips and her thighs, stopping only to gently massage the area between her legs, which she parted at once to allow him easier access. When he gently touched her for the first time in the center of her womanhood, her nipples grew even more distended and she moved against his erection, sliding her wet body up and down against him. He told her to turn around and she did. She put her hands on his shoulders and leaned over to kiss him, her breasts rubbing against his chest for the first time.

  “Julian, this is wonderful,” she sighed. “I love this. Is this what making love is like?”

  He was massaging her back with his sudsy hands, stroking her sensitive rib cage and sliding his hands down around her rounded derriere. She had applied bath gel to him and was soaping his broad shoulders and chest when she asked the question. He pulled her even closer, so she could feel the strength of his desire for her. Her eyes widened and closed and she moved against him, gasping when she felt his tip about to enter her.

  “Yes, baby, this is all about making love. But we’re not going to do it in here, not tonight.”

  She moved again, her hips circling in a method as old as time, seeking that which would bring her the ultimate fulfillment.

  “If we’re not, we’d better get out of here,” she moaned. And in minutes they were wrapped in towels and holding each other in the middle of the huge bed with the feather mattress. Julian had used the handheld shower to rinse them off as quickly as humanly possible and carried her off to bed, where he intended to show her just what being his wife meant.

  At some point during his reminiscing, Julian had drifted into a sound sleep, still clad in only a towel, still lying on Maya’s bed. A deep-seated scent memory roused him from his slumber. It was gardenias, the sweet, cloying scent that brought him back to consciousness. He opened his eyes slowly and thought he was still dreaming because in the dim light from the hallway he saw a sight he hadn’t seen for five years; he saw Maya dripping wet with only a towel wrapped around her. He was jarred back into full alertness now because he had a problem. How was he going to let her know he was in the room without scaring her half to death?

  Chapter 20

  Maya’s eyes opened slowly. She fully expected this to be the worst morning of her life, seeing as how the previous night proved to be one of the worst in recent history. The emergency room had been a horrible mess of bleeding and severely injured people, all of whom needed drastic measures to save their lives. She stopped counting the number of patients she was dealing with and went on emotional autopilot. Triage the ones who had to go to the operating room, tend to those who could be treated and released and work miracles on those who couldn’t. What a wonderful night to end her tenure as a resident at John Stroger Hospital. She dragged herself home at six in the morning when things were once again quiet and still in the emergency room, and as soon as she pulled up in the driveway she had to fight an urge to put her head down on the steering wheel and sleep. She managed to come in the front door making a minimum amount of noise, and kicked her shoes off at once, frowning at the blood that had gotten on them. Making a mental note to throw them in the washer, she went wearily up the stairs.

  Her first stop was Corey’s room, where she raised an eyebrow. Kasey, the little dog belonging to Paris, was at the foot of the bed wagging his tail at her and Paris was clinging to the side of the double bed for all she was worth. That was because Corey was doing her usual number of spreading out all over the bed; sleeping with Corey was like sleeping with an electrified octopus. She pulled the child over to one side of the bed so that Paris would have more room. Kissing her on the forehead she whispered, “Mommy’s here,” even though Corey wouldn’t hear the words. She reached down to pat Kasey and got a wet kiss on the hand. Yawning widely, she almost staggered into the bathroom and stripped off her clothes so she could shower away the disinfectant smell that would always be associated with the ER in her head.

  When she was finished scrubbing away the stench in clouds of scented bubbles, she rinsed her body and wrapped herself in a towel. She entered her darkened bedroom and went to the dresser to take out a fresh summer nightie. She didn’t turn on the light; the dim light from the hall was sufficient and she didn’t want to wake anyone. Corey slept like a log, but she certainly didn’t want to wake Julian, whom she assume
d was in the guest room, or Paris, who might be her only ally come morning. She walked over to the bed to sit down so she could put on lotion, only to come in contact with Julian’s body. Julian’s naked body at that. Before she could open her mouth he had clamped his hand over it, whispering urgently, “It’s me, Maya, don’t scream.”

  She promptly bit his hand, making him stifle a shout. She jumped up from her awkward position and turned on the bedside light. She clutched the towel, which had naturally started to fall off, and glared at him, baring her teeth in a vicious snarl.

  “Scream? You’d better hope I don’t shoot you! What the hell are you doing in my bed, you dolt? Why do you think I have a guest room? It’s for guests which, until this moment, you were. Now you’re an intruder and I should call the cops on you. Get out ofhere!” she whispered fiercely.

  He didn’t move at once, which made her even madder. “Stop staring at me and get out of my room before I do something we’ll both regret,” she warned him.

  He finally found his voice and in a maddeningly calm tone said, “You already have, Maya. You kept my child from me. I can’t think of anything worse than that.”

  Unaware that the shifting towel was exposing most of her breasts, Maya clenched her teeth in pure rage. “Oh, no you don’t. That’s a conversation for the morning when we’re both fully dressed and you’re not in my bedroom, much less my bed. And if you don’t think I can do worse, use your imagination. Now get the hell out of here, Julian. Don’t make me say it again.”

  When he’d finally left, saying they’d talk in the morning, she’d put on her gown and tossed the bedcovers back, swearing under her breath. She’d learned some very colorful language over the years while she was becoming a doctor. And even though the words weren’t a part of her normal vocabulary, she knew what they meant and how to use them. The nerve of that big ape, coming into her bedroom, sprawling out on her bed and worse yet, he was watching her parade around half-naked! She got in the bed, trying to ignore the fact that she could still detect Julian’s scent on the pillow shams and trying very hard to forget that she’d seen his body. She tossed restlessly, remembering with exact detail how his shoulders looked. They had always been one of her favorite parts of his anatomy.