Back to Your Love

by Kianna Alexander

  “I will, Mama.”

  Alma nodded, seeming satisfied for now. “Come on downstairs. I’ll make you something to eat.”

  “I’m not really hungry.”

  Her mother cut her a look that told her she would eat whether she wanted to or not.

  Knowing better than to argue, Imani followed her mother out of the study and closed the door behind her.

  * * *

  When Imani entered Copeland Jewelry, she was surprised to see how thin the crowd was. Though it was early November, the store was already decked out in Christmas finery and displaying signage touting their holiday specials. It was holiday shopping that had brought her there. With everything going on in her life, she needed a little retail therapy, so she’d decided to take some time to shop for Christmas gifts for her mother and Maya.

  Copeland was the best place in town for custom jewelry, especially tennis and charm bracelets. It occupied a storefront in Brier Creek Commons, the upscale shopping center abutting the wealthy neighborhood of the same name. Fighting traffic from the other side of the city to reach Copeland’s wasn’t something she enjoyed, but she’d been shopping at the family-owned store for years and wouldn’t dream of purchasing from one of those cookie-cutter chain stores.

  Imani moved toward the tennis bracelet display, eyeing a setting she’d been thinking of getting for her mother. Bracelet settings were available in a variety of metals and finishes. The store allowed buyers to customize the bracelet with their choice of stone, and Imani wanted to have one made for her mother that contained three birthstones: Imani’s, Alma’s, and that of Alma’s late husband.

  She was still eyeing the selection of settings when someone walked up next to her and rang the bell on the counter. Turning toward the sound, she was surprised to see Cassidy standing there. “Hi, Cassidy.”

  Cassidy turned her way with a smile. “Oh, hey, Imani. How are you doing?”

  “Pretty good. Just trying to get a jump on the Christmas shopping. How about you?”

  Cassidy’s smile brightened, her lashes fluttering dramatically. “I’m picking up a little gift from my man.”

  Imani smiled but didn’t say anything. She remembered how Cassidy had spoken of her mystery man when she’d first come to Grant Dermatology. Since the details of Cassidy’s relationship were none of her business or concern, she chose to simply mirror Cassidy’s expression.

  A clerk appeared, and Cassidy gave her name. “I’m here to pick up an order that was placed for me.” She produced identification from her small handbag.

  “Ah yes. I have it for you right here, ma’am.” The male clerk turned to remove a long box from a locked cabinet and handed it over to Cassidy. “We hope you’ll find it satisfactory.”

  Imani watched as Cassidy opened the box. The gold-and-diamond tennis bracelet inside had so much bling, Imani found herself squinting.

  Unable to hold back, Imani said, “That’s one hell of a bracelet.”

  Cassidy squealed in delight. “I know! But you know what they say about diamonds being a girl’s best friend and all.” She snapped the box shut and slipped it into her purse.

  Imani continued to stare in Cassidy’s direction as she signed for the bracelet, not knowing what to say. Whoever Cassidy was dating right now apparently made very good money. Still, Imani couldn’t imagine why a man who’d dropped that kind of cash on a piece of jewelry wouldn’t want to be with his woman when she received it.

  Cassidy turned back toward her as the clerk departed. “You know, back in college, I dreamed of owning something like this. Who knew I’d get it from my man without even having to break a sweat?”

  Imani released a little nervous laugh. “Yeah. Who knew?” She couldn’t help thinking how the brightness in Cassidy’s voice seemed false, even rehearsed.

  “I’ve gotta go. It was good seeing you again. Good luck with the shopping.”

  “Thanks.” It was all she had a chance to say as Cassidy strolled out of the store. Shaking her head, Imani went back to picking out her mother’s gift.

  Chapter 15

  Friday evening, Imani reclined on her sofa with a magazine. As she flipped through the pages, a knock sounded at her door. A smile touched her lips as she went to answer it.

  Xavier stepped inside a few moments later, bringing with him the spicy, masculine scent that always clung to him. He wore a pair of black slacks and matching loafers. A kelly-green shirt covered his muscular torso, and he loosened the knot of his solid-black tie as he spoke. “Hey, sweets. I got your text and I came straight here from work.”

  She gave him a peck on the cheek. “Nice suit. But where’s the sport coat?”

  “In the car.” He entered the living room fully, using his foot to push the door closed behind him. “I didn’t want to waste any time.”

  “What do you mean?”

  By the time the last word of her question left her lips, his strong arms were encircling her. “I’ve been thinking about making love to you all day long.”

  She pressed her open palms against his chest, felt his muscles flex beneath the soft fabric of his shirt. “Xavier, that sounds wonderful, but we have to talk.”

  He lifted one hand from her waist. Spreading his fingers, he speared them through her hair and tilted her head. “We can talk after.”

  His lips crashed down against hers, and in an instant, she forgot everything she had planned to say.

  He eased her back toward her tan couch. “I’ve missed you so much,” he murmured into her neck, placing his warm kisses there.

  As they fell down on the soft fabric, she felt her resistance waning. “Xavier, I should have been more open.” Her voice sounded weak in her ears, but she was putting up all the fight she could muster at the moment.

  “I agree.” His hot eyes held hers as he undid the buttons running down the front of her blouse. “And you will be. Later.”

  Imani started to form another weak protest, but his full, warm lips touched hers, and all thoughts dissolved into the haze of desire. He teased her a bit, placing short, fleeting pecks on her lips. As passion grew, he followed the curve of her mouth with his tongue until her lips parted. Her arms wound around his neck, pulling him closer as she fed on the potency of his kiss.

  When he pulled away to slip the now-open blouse off her shoulders, she could feel herself trembling beneath his touch. Heat filled her blood as the heady, attractive aroma of his cologne wafted up her nose, increasing the heady nature of her desire for him. He let his palms graze her nipples through the thin white camisole and white lace bra she wore, and they answered his call by hardening with need.

  A loud, persistent buzzing momentarily broke the spell. “Xavier. Is that your phone?”

  “Don’t care.” The words were punctuated by his caress, moving over her torso like a whisper. “God, I’ve missed you.”

  The buzzing ceased, or at least she didn’t hear it anymore.

  Her eyes slid closed as he eased the camisole down around her waist, then reached around her to unhook her bra. When his fingertips grazed the bared nipples, a moan slid from her throat. His lips replaced his hands, and as he delighted the hard peaks of her breasts with slow, hot kisses and licks, her back arched in response.

  The buzzing started again.

  This time, Xavier only murmured “I’m busy” against the bud of her taut nipple. That said, he continued to work his magic.

  He finally moved away from her damp, pleading breasts, but before she could catch her breath, she felt his lips trailing humid kisses down the plane of her stomach.

  She could hear her own sultry croon echo in the silence as he raised her hips, freeing her of the pushed-down camisole. Next, he unclasped her slacks and, swirling his tongue around her navel, tugged them down. Her white satin panties soon joined them, and she was left nude and buzzing with arousal and anticipation.

&nbs
p; His phone buzzed a third time. Xavier, his jaw tight, reached into the pocket of his slacks. “I’m turning this damn thing off.” Once he did, he tossed the phone to the floor. It bounced as it hit the carpet.

  He stepped away to strip out of his own clothing, and she tried to gather herself. Imani knew how good Xavier was at this, and that made it hard to contain her anticipation. This interlude seemed more like a slow, deliberate attempt to render her insane, or at least mindless enough that she would do whatever he asked.

  With little effort, he lifted her up onto the padded back of the sofa, so that she sat atop it. He knelt on the sofa’s seat, parted her thighs with gentle but firm hands, and leaned in.

  Her head fell back as his mouth made contact with her most intimate place. She clutched the cushions around her to maintain her upright position as he licked, sucked, and loved her with such ardor, she could barely breathe. Her soft sighs soon turned into cries of ecstasy as he pushed her closer and closer to the edge of her sanity. His big hands reached around to cup her behind, and he pulled her closer to allow himself even more access to her treasure. She could feel herself shaking under the fiery stroking of his tongue. The power and majesty of it grew and grew until an orgasm ripped through her. Shivering and crying out his name, she bloomed in the sunlight only he could give.

  She felt him tugging her down and let him do it. Whatever this man wanted, he could have. He laid her on her belly on the sofa, with her knees resting on the plush taupe carpet.

  “You’re mine, Imani,” he whispered as he kissed the indentation of her spine. “All mine.” He fiddled around in his pocket, and she heard the foil packet tearing.

  She felt his hardness probing her. Welcoming the iron feel of him, she arched her back, raising her hips in welcome. Before her next heartbeat, he filled her, and she moaned low in her throat, relishing the feel of every inch of him inside her.

  He began to move, and the glowing bliss radiated from her very center. Her nipples ached, hardening as she met him stroke for stroke. He was so wonderfully thick and filled her so well, she didn’t think she could hold out much longer.

  She heard him grunt as he wrapped a strong arm around her waist and began stroking her harder, faster. The rhythm built and grew, his hips pistoning until she was sure she was impaled on the root of heaven itself. Everything in her world centered on his loving, and she never wanted it to end. Never.

  She felt the searing, persistent opening notes of orgasm building inside her, and before she could react, she was gone. The force of her ecstasy ripped a hoarse scream from her throat as her world exploded into brilliance.

  He kept up his pace until a few moments later, when he stiffened and groaned. The low, rumbling sound filled the room around them.

  Xavier let his manhood slip from her, then sank onto the floor.

  Too sated to do anything else, she followed him and let his arms encircle her.

  When she came around again, she was still sprawled naked across her living room carpet, but she was alone.

  She sat up, looking around for any sign of Xavier.

  He emerged from the hallway with one of her teal bath towels wrapped around his waist. Droplets of water clung to the rippling muscles of his chest and arms. “I took a shower. I didn’t think you’d mind.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t mind.” Getting up, she gathered her scattered clothing and scurried to her bedroom.

  He followed her. As she tossed the clothes in the hamper and pulled a sleeveless cotton nightgown out of her drawer, he stood in her doorway. “Imani, you said you wanted to talk.”

  Imani’s heart pounded in her ears. She slipped into a pair of panties, the nightgown, and then went into the closet for her robe. He was right; they did need to talk. But he had no idea of the subject matter they were about to cover. “I agree. But you should dress first.”

  “Why?”

  She didn’t want to tell him it was because she was afraid he’d storm out the minute he heard what she had to say. Dread rose within her, but she knew she’d put this off long enough. “Because I won’t be able to concentrate with you wearing nothing but my towel.” It was a true statement. She would need her wits about her to tell him her secret.

  He chuckled with obvious male satisfaction. “Fair enough.” He left to retrieve his clothes from the living room, and she pulled on her robe and tied the belt tight around her waist. Barefoot, she went back into the living room and waited on the sofa for him to cover his muscular, distracting frame.

  While he dressed, she spoke. “You know, I really want to try to be open and honest with you. I understand now that’s what you need from me.”

  “I’m glad to hear it.” He made the remark as he buttoned his slacks.

  “That’s why I wanted to talk to you about something really important.”

  From its spot on the floor, Xavier’s phone buzzed again.

  Now dressed, but with his shirt still hanging open, he squatted to retrieve it. The move gave her a wonderful view of his powerful thigh muscles, flexing beneath his slacks.

  His brow furrowed. “Excuse me, Imani.”

  She watched him disappear into the hallway, wondering what had suddenly taken his attention away from her.

  * * *

  Standing in Imani’s bedroom, Xavier swiped his fingertip across the screen of his phone. Once it unlocked, his eyes grew wide at the number of notifications waiting there.

  Nine missed calls and fifteen text messages? All of them were from Tyrone, and the sheer number of times his friend had tried to reach him was concerning. He swiped over the screen again, scrolling through the texts.

  The phone buzzed in his hand with an incoming call. He answered immediately. “Tyrone. What the hell is going on that has you calling me this many times on a Friday night?”

  “Didn’t you read any of my texts?” As always, Tyrone’s tone of voice conveyed his mood. He sounded agitated, on edge, and ready to snap.

  “I was trying to, but you called.”

  “What the hell have you been doing all night?”

  Xavier rolled his eyes. “Handling my business. Now what’s going on? Somebody need bail money or something?”

  Tyrone sighed. “I wish it was that simple. You need to get over to the News and Observer website right now and search Imani’s name.”

  He felt his brow hitch. “Why?”

  “An article came out today about her, and you need to see it. I would have called you earlier, but I was tied up in court until past seven.”

  “Ty, are you sure it’s all that serious?” Xavier chuckled, hoping he could get Tyrone to lighten up. It was the weekend, after all.

  Tyrone’s answer was flat, lacking any humor. “Xavier. Read the article.” Without another word, he disconnected the call.

  Xavier shook his head. Rather than go back into the living room, he took a seat on the edge of Imani’s bed and opened the Internet browser on his phone. Navigating to the newspaper’s website, he ran a search for Imani’s name and sorted it by most recent.

  Two articles came up. One was the one he’d seen a few weeks ago, published after she’d made her visit to his campaign headquarters. But the other, newer result had a title that made his heart stop.

  Dr. Imani Grant—Power Player or Pariah?

  He clicked the headline and began scanning the text. Several phrases jumped out at him, and by the time he reached the third paragraph, his jaw tightened.

  Dr. Grant, while well-off in her own right, seems to always place herself in the company of men in power. Before her current romance with city council hopeful Xavier Whitted, Grant is believed to have carried on an affair with current councilman Aaron Givens. Records of Grant’s association with Givens were discovered when Givens’s personal finance records were accessed in accordance with campaign rules, and a harassment suit between Grant and Givens, with a s
ubsequent settlement, was revealed. The Givens campaign couldn’t be reached for comment, but pollsters expect the incumbent’s numbers to suffer in light of these revelations. The settlement amount is undisclosed…

  Xavier’s grip on the phone went lax, and he almost dropped it. Closing his hand around it again, he got up and stalked back into the living room.

  Imani remained on the sofa, sitting with her legs tucked beneath her. Looking up at him, her smile faded.

  Apparently she could read his stormy mood from the expression on his face.

  Her tone cautious, she asked, “Xavier? What’s wrong?”

  He held up his phone, the article still displayed on the screen. “You were involved with Givens, and you didn’t tell me?”

  Her eyes grew large, round. “Involved with him? I was never—”

  “That’s not what the paper says, Imani.” Xavier could feel the blood boiling in his veins. He tossed the phone at her and sat on the arm of the sofa farthest away. Arms folded over his chest, he gave her a few moments to read what was there in black and white.

  “Oh my God. Who would do this?”

  “Why didn’t you tell me, Imani? I can’t believe you would keep something like this from me.”

  She let the phone drop from her grasp. “I couldn’t because I’m under a gag order.”

  Xavier shook his head. “Do you really expect me to believe that now?”

  “Xavier, this is the truth. We were never involved. He…assaulted me.” Her voice wavered, and tears stood in her eyes, shimmering like jewels. “I reported him to Human Resources and he tried to pin the whole thing on me.”

  “A gag order means you can’t speak on something publicly. There was no reason for you to hide this from me.” Anger burned so hot inside him, he feared he might explode. “Givens…touched you?” He could hear himself shouting but couldn’t seem to reel in his emotions.

  She shouted back through her tears. “He forced me! Whether you believe me or not, it’s the truth.” Her eyes glistened as they filled again.