He kissed the inside of one bared thigh, then the other. “I’ve been waiting to touch you again,” he murmured as his big hands slid beneath the rucked-up dress. His thumb brushed over the tiny bud between her thighs, pressing against it through the thin fabric of her silk panties. She gasped, and as he continued to stroke and entice her, her hips rose and undulated to the rhythm of his caress.
Deftly, he slipped the panties down her legs and tossed them aside. She felt his breath on her as he spread her thighs apart. A second later, she felt his tongue, and her head dropped back like a rag doll. Sheer pleasure radiated from her very center, and she could barely breathe from the joy of it.
A strong arm pulled her forward, until she was dangling off the bed’s edge, but she didn’t care. His other hand opened her even farther as he treated her to scalding licks, sucks, and kisses that were driving her closer and closer to insanity. She could hear her own guttural cries echoing through the dimly lit space. In that moment, he was the whole world; there was nothing beyond the sweet fire he was building inside her. The flames rose higher and higher still, and as an orgasm gripped her, she let out a hoarse scream, feeling the tears streaming down her cheeks.
* * *
Hearing Imani’s cry, he eased away from her sweetness. Watching her weep and twist as an orgasm swept over her was the most beautiful sight Xavier had seen in many years. She was the woman who filled his very soul, and to his mind, she deserved to be pleasured this way on a daily basis. He was so hard, he knew standing would be difficult to impossible, looking at her lovely face as she took her pleasure.
When she quieted, he stood. Shucking away his remaining garments, he gently sat her up and helped her out of her dress, white lace slip, and blue bra. Bared for his eyes, she lay back on the bedspread, presenting an erotic sight he would remember forever. Fiddling around in his pants pocket, he found the foil packet he sought. Once he’d covered himself with the protection, he joined her on the bed.
Looking into her smiling, damp eyes, he asked, “Are you ready?”
She nodded, drawing him on top of her. Soft hands stroked his chest, his waist, and his hips. “Yes, Xavier,” she whispered.
Her surrender fueled his desire even more. Eyes locked with hers, he rose a bit between her open thighs and slid inside her. Bit by tantalizing bit, he edged in, hearing her gasp with each advance. He held himself in check as he moved deeper, seeking all she could give him, until he filled her completely. Her eyes closed, and as he began to move, she wrapped her long, lithe legs around his waist.
As much as his body would allow, he took his time. The channel gripping him was so tight, he struggled to keep his strokes slow and even. Her sighs and soft moans spurred him on, so he increased his speed. Grasping her luscious hips in his hands, he let loose and thrust into her with all the pent-up passion he felt.
Her moans grew louder, more guttural. He could hear his own grunts competing with the sounds she made.
“So good,” he ground out, his hips moving like a piston.
He could feel her shaking beneath him. Then, in a pleasure-filled voice, she called out his name. Her muscles gripped him even tighter. She was coming, crooning and shivering beneath him. Her reaction was so tantalizing, he couldn’t hold back any longer. With a roar, he succumbed to his own powerful orgasm.
Only their harsh breathing broke the silence in the room as he let his body drop to hers. Resting on her soft curves, with the last remnants of pleasure still lingering, he felt more relaxed than he could remember feeling in a long while. He could feel the lure of sleep calling to him.
“Xavier?”
“Hmm?”
“You’re crushing me, honey.” Her voice was quiet and laced with humor.
Hearing her refer to him that way made him smile. Chuckling, he rose so she could scurry from beneath him. While he pulled back the covers and crawled between them, she stood beside the bed, waiting.
She was a vision of loveliness, standing nude in the dim light, with a light sheen of perspiration glistening on her silken skin. With a finger, he beckoned to her. She didn’t protest. Sliding into the bed next to him, she pressed her back flush against his chest and settled in. He threw the covers over them and relished the feeling of having her where he most wanted her to be: in his arms. The ice around her heart seemed to be melting, and he wanted her warming his bed for the rest of his life.
Chapter 12
Imani’s eyes fluttered open, and she knew right away she wasn’t in her own bed. The mattress beneath her felt as soft and light as a cloud. Beyond that, a strong, muscular frame pressed up against her body.
A sliver of sunlight flowing in between the floral curtains across from her fell on Xavier’s face as he snored next to her. His big arm lay draped over her in a possessive fashion.
Memories of last night’s loving broke through her morning bleariness. The remembered sensations of his touch still singed her skin, and a sleepy smile spread across her face. The feeling of waking up with him, wrapped in his embrace, made warmth bloom in her belly and radiate out to her limbs. She felt safe, cared for, and, most of all, satisfied.
Still a bit groggy, she slipped from beneath his arm and stood. She stretched and padded across the carpeted floor to the bathroom. Once she’d taken care of her morning needs, she returned to the bed…
And found him sitting up watching her.
Feeling heat rush to her cheeks, she got back into the bed and used the sheet to cover her nudity.
He laughed in response to her show of modesty. “You don’t have anything to be ashamed of, sweets.” His gaze swept appreciatively over her, even as she held the sheet up beneath her bare shoulders.
“I’m not the one-night stand, walk-of-shame kind of girl.”
His right eyebrow went up. “Trust me, this was no one-night stand.” He scooted closer, raised her chin for his kiss. His lips brushed fleetingly against hers, and more memories of the night they’d shared rose in her mind. Breaking the contact, he asked, “Are you hungry?”
She nodded. “Starving, actually. And with good reason,” she chided, softly elbowing him in the ribs.
He wore a look of feigned innocence. “I’ll order room service.” He turned away to use the phone on the nightstand next to him, and she sank back against the stack of pillows behind her.
As he placed their breakfast order, her thoughts spun in several different directions. Regardless of where their interlude led, she could not deny that she’d enjoyed his thorough, skillful loving. The few encounters she’d had in college had been marginal at best. When she’d entered medical school, she’d become celibate, so she’d have no ties to distract her from her studies. Her passionate interlude with Xavier on that warm summer night had broken a long chain of nights free of physical gratification. After almost four years of going without, being with Xavier was quite a refreshing experience.
He placed the phone back in its cradle and turned toward her. “Should be here in forty-five minutes.”
She peered over the edge of the bed, saw her underthings and dress strewn around. “I’d like to be dressed when they get here.”
Apparently he agreed, because he got out of bed and began searching out his own tossed-aside clothing. They dressed in relative silence, and as she slipped into her clothes, she continued to replay her memories of last night. Letting things between her and Xavier progress naturally was the only thing that made sense. He brought a lightness into her life, a sense of joy that she craved. Another smile touched her lips, because she knew her feelings toward him were growing in intensity. She was now willing to admit that she was falling in love with him. She couldn’t remember ever being so thrilled to have been wrong.
So much for keeping things casual.
As if reading her mind, he announced, “You realize you’re mine now.”
She looked in his direction and found him fully dresse
d except for the coat and bow tie. Heart racing, she nodded.
He appeared pleased with her acquiescence. Sitting down at the circular wooden table occupying one corner of the room, he grabbed the remote and flicked on the television. She smoothed the wrinkles out of her dress as best she could and sat down on the edge of the bed to await the breakfast delivery.
They watched a few minutes of a program on a sports network before a knock sounded on the door. “Room service,” the visitor announced through the whitewashed wood.
He rose to open the door, and a short, young, blond girl, dressed in the same uniform as the waiter in the Marquis the previous night, carried in a tray laden with food. As she set the tray down on the table and presented Xavier with the slip to sign, she gazed up at him with wide eyes. “Aren’t you Xavier Whitted?”
Smiling, he signed the slip. “Yes. Do I know you?”
“I’ve seen your campaign commercials and signs all over town,” she gushed. “Wow.” Her eyes fell on Imani, as if she’d just noticed her presence in the room.
Imani saw a gleam in the girl’s eye that made her downright uncomfortable, but she offered a quick wave anyway.
The young girl nodded to her. “Ma’am. Have a nice day.” Taking the slip and pen from Xavier, she left in a hurry.
After she’d gone, Imani sat down at the table across from him. “There was something a little weird about that girl.”
He shrugged as he looked beneath the lids covering the plates. “Probably a little starstruck. If she’s a potential vote, I’ve got to be nice.”
She supposed she understood that, but the look in that girl’s eyes still lingered in her mind. There was something suspicious about the girl, something almost predatory. Who knew what was going on behind that creepy stare of hers?
Turning her mind away from Ms. Creepy Hotel Employee as best she could, she opened the lid on the plate Xavier had set before her. Inside were strips of crisp bacon, a pile of scramble eggs covered with shredded cheese, seasoned potatoes, and a fat biscuit slathered with butter. “What a feast,” she commented as she grabbed a fork.
“There’s fresh fruit, too,” he said between mouthfuls. Lifting the lid on the last remaining dish, she found it filled with bright, dewy strawberries, sliced oranges, green apples, and chunks of pineapple.
Starting in on her own food, she couldn’t help smiling. Pushing away all other thoughts, she concentrated on enjoying the food and the company.
When they’d finished eating, she wiped her mouth with a white linen napkin. “I’m stuffed.”
He nodded his agreement. “It’s almost checkout time. Are you ready to go?”
A glance at the digital clock on one of the nightstands confirmed his words. “Sure. Just let me grab my purse.”
They gathered their things and left the room. As the door closed behind them, she felt a small amount of disappointment at having to leave their private paradise. She didn’t linger on the feeling because she knew there would likely be many more pleasurable interludes in their future.
He kept his eyes focused on the road as he drove her home. Still, the atmosphere in the car held a charge. It was different from the anticipatory air of last evening but noticeable nonetheless. Breaking the silence, he said, “I’d love to introduce you to my campaign staff.”
She was taken aback by that. “Really? Why?”
“Because I’ve been talking about you for weeks, and I’m sure they’re curious.” He glanced at her long enough to wink before turning his eyes back to the road. “Besides, what man wouldn’t want to show off a woman like you?”
His words flattered her, and she could feel her face warming. She offered a soft smile. “Maybe. I’ll think about it.”
“That’s all I ask.”
She sat back in her seat and watched the familiar scenery go by.
As they passed the shopping center at Cameron Village, she saw a large woman step out of one of the boutiques, laden with bags and packages.
It was Lorna Givens.
Their eyes met for a split second, and the older woman’s glare made her displeasure very plain.
Shaking off the chill that went down her spine, Imani turned away from the window.
* * *
At eleven thirty Monday morning, Imani knocked on the door of Xavier’s office suite. Flattery had gotten him everywhere with her, because she’d given in to his request that she meet his campaign staff. The office suite he leased for his accounting business had several rooms, one of which currently housed his campaign headquarters.
The Whitted Accounting suite had an exterior entrance shaded by the branches of two weeping willows. She stood on the sidewalk by the door, tightening her coat to fend off the October chill, which intensified with the breeze. Blue and green signs posted on the windows flanking the office door were emblazoned with the slogans “Win with Whitted” and “Whitted for City Council.” Her eyes raked over the signs as she waited for someone to open the door.
The door swung open, revealing Xavier’s smiling face. “Hi, Imani. I’m so glad you could make it, sweets.”
She returned his smile. “I knew you’d keep pestering me if I didn’t come by, so here I am.”
“Whatever works. Come on in.” He linked arms with her and led her inside, letting the door swing shut behind them.
While they walked the corridor, she enjoyed the view—not of the office decor, but of her handsome escort. He wore a coal-black tailored suit with a canary-yellow shirt and black-and-yellow patterned tie. Clearly, he possessed impeccable taste, because every well-cut suit he wore seemed to thrill her. She swallowed, not wanting to be caught drooling.
I’ve got to get myself together. Between the raging hormones brought on by being in Xavier’s presence and the nervousness she felt about meeting his campaign staff, she knew the odds were pretty good that she’d do or say something she’d regret. Taking a deep breath, she clung a bit tighter to Xavier’s arm.
“Campaign headquarters is in here.” He made the announcement as he guided her toward the last room on the right side of the carpeted corridor. The door was propped open, and she could hear muted conversations from inside.
She stopped abruptly.
Xavier stopped as well, turning confused eyes on her. “What’s the matter?”
She looked up into his eyes, stammering, “I…I’m not sure if I’m ready to meet them yet.”
He grazed his fingertips over her jawline. “Trust me, it will be fine. Why are you so nervous, sweets?”
Her mind raced. In his quest to find out what troubled her, he’d essentially given her the opportunity she needed to come clean, to tell him what she’d been keeping from him for so long. She drew a deep breath. “Xavier, I have to tell you—”
“Hey, Mr. X! Who’s the newbie?”
Imani’s mouth snapped shut. Both she and Xavier turned toward the source of the question.
A young man had appeared in the doorway and now watched Xavier expectantly. He looked to be about twenty-one, with light-brown hair, deep-blue eyes, and an average build.
Xavier chuckled. “Hold your horses, Kevin. We’re coming in.”
“If you say so.” Kevin ducked back into the room.
Turning back to Imani, Xavier quipped, “As you can see, my staffers are nosey. So come on in and meet them, or else they’ll all find a reason to come out here.”
Imani nodded, taking a deep breath. What she had to say would just have to wait. “Okay.” Her arm still linked with his, she let him lead her into the room.
The space was of reasonable size, large enough to accommodate a ten-person conference table. The long, rectangular table was centered in the space. The walls were papered with campaign signs similar to the ones she’d seen outside, as well as an array of charts and graphs she assumed to be pertinent election-related data.
Only fou
r of the seats at the table were occupied, and Imani was grateful for that. At least she didn’t have to worry about being gawked at by an entire room full of people.
“Imani, this is my campaign staff—well, all the full-time people, anyway.” Xavier continued to hold on to her arm, using his free hand to gesture at the folks around the table. “You already met Kevin, the go-getter. This is Sam, Jacki, and Katrina.”
“Hi, it’s nice to meet all of you.” Imani offered a smile and wave to the group.
Katrina, pushing a pair of round glasses up her nose, asked, “Is Imani joining the campaign?”
Xavier chuckled. “In a way, but no. She’s my—”
“Old friend,” Imani interjected, lest Xavier start tossing around labels. “But Xavier definitely has my vote. I know he’s going to do great things for Raleigh.”
Katrina and Jacki exchanged a look, but neither of them spoke.
Xavier and his staff began chatting, and Imani could feel the twinge of anxiety speeding through her body as she observed their interactions. Did he expect her to just hang out with them for the rest of the day? She had to be back at her practice after lunch; she had three more patients to see before the day ended. Rapidly tapping the toe of her black pump on the carpeted floor, she waited for this official meeting to be over.
Xavier stopped talking and turned to her. His expression told her that he sensed how uncomfortable she was. “Okay, y’all. I’m sure Imani needs to get to lunch. I just wanted to make sure you all met her.”
The youngsters around the table waved as Xavier and Imani departed.
In the hallway, Imani commented, “Wow. Your staffers are really young.”
“As they should be. They have the energy and the drive to really move this campaign, and they keep me on my toes.” Xavier gave her shoulder a squeeze.
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