She reached for her sketch pad, busily capturing on paper in black and white the beautiful vision that filled her mind’s eye. The phone rang and, she cursed, hating the interruption when her creative juices were flowing so sweetly. She cursed again, snatching the receiver up on the fifth ring, prepared to let her thunder roll on whoever was on the other end, however, before she could utter a word, she heard music to her ears as butterflies began to tap dance in her belly.
“Hello, sweet Perri,” Barrington Knight’s voice was playful over the phone.
Elated, Perri laughed out loud. “Hello,” she tried her best to sound simple as Simon. It only lasted a minute before she heard herself say, “Man, I thought you’d forgotten about me.”
Barrington chuckled, wishing he could see his woman’s beautiful face. “How could I forget about you? Why would I forget about you, Perri Milan?” He shrugged and smiled as if she could see him. “Granted, I’ve been on the road for the past eight months, but out of sight didn’t mean you weren’t on my mind. I’m home for a minute now,” he said, excited to taste her luscious lips.
“Why didn’t you warn me? I could have prepared dinner for you.”
Barrington loved that Perri made him a welcome dinner whenever he came home from a long tour on the road; it meant she cared. But he wanted to surprise her and cook for her this time. “Because I knew you’d slave away at a hot stove all day, and honestly, baby, I just wanted to chill with you a couple hours before we eat.”
“You just wanna get me on my back.” She chuckled when he laughed out loud.
“You are not right, girl.” He loved her sense of humor. “Why do you always say that?”
“Because you never know what to say when I knock you off your game,” she teased.
Knowing it was pointless allowing his mind to rest in that area since they’d yet to have their first sexual encounter, he chuckled and changed the subject. “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“No, you’re fine. I’m just sitting around sketching.”
“Is that right?” he drawled.
Perri smiled into the phone envisioning his golden tan face with a head full of beautiful golden blonde curls that she was now dying to sift her fingers through. “That’s right,” she said dreamily.
“What were you sketching?” It dawned on him this part of her life she didn’t share with him.
Perri glanced down at her paper. Every detail of his face was picture perfect. She looked around like someone could really see her. “Just some images floating around in my head.” There was a knock on the door. She wasn’t expecting anyone. “Can you hold on for a sec, please?”
“Don’t leave me hanging too long,” he said playfully.
Perri ran down the hallway to the door anxious to get rid of whoever it was; it didn’t matter because they wouldn’t be staying. She was more than a tad put out that someone, anyone dared to infringe on the little precious time she had with her man. Oh, yes, someone was about two feet away from receiving a royal cussing out. Not bothering to check the peephole, she snatched the door open, catching a glimpse of her unexpected visitor as a surprised gasp escaped her. She gazed up to Barrington’s six-four inch muscle-bound frame, itching to run her fingers through his feathery soft golden blonde locks as her eyes came to rest on his gorgeous yellow-green orbs.
Letting his eyes drink in Perri’s five-six inch hour-glass form, Barrington instinctively reached out to tuck a stray brown curl behind her ear, allowing his eager fingers to linger on her deliciously rich honey brown face. Chuckling at his baby’s shell shocked expression in her expressive chocolate brown eyes, Barrington rushed in, taking her in his arms. Without further ado, or even a chance for her to make a move, he kissed her once . . . twice . . . deepening the kiss the third time.
Perri was lost inside his kiss; her body feeling warm and tingly. She moaned in his mouth as he used his skillful, probing tongue to retrace the path inside her mouth that he’d claimed for himself the first time they’d ever kissed on that beautiful snowcapped mountain he’d surprised her with a trip to, over a year and a half ago, when they decided to move their relationship from the friend zone into the dating scene, where they’d both been actively pursuing their perspective roles in each other’s lives ever since.
This kiss was like none other she'd ever experienced, except for with this special and unique man. Perri tried to catch her breath between kisses only to find it was a hopeless feat trying to steady her flush body under the bone thrilling assault of his potent and wonderful fingertips as his warm hands began to roam over her body as if he knew by heart every secret about each and every crevice his fingertips delved deep into. Perri couldn't do a thing but stand there and take it as his mouth found its way and reacquainted itself to her ears and neck while his hands took on a whole other escapade of their own, feeling their way to places that were strictly still virgin territory.
“Barry,” Perri panted, grinding her core into his probing hand. His mouth came back to hers.
His hands played with her soft, brown tresses, massaging her scalp, knowing it stroked her stress away. “Don't you know it's dangerous to open the door without asking who it is?” he asked, kissing, nibbling, and teasing her upper and lower lips.
“Huh?” Perri returned the pleasant kisses. “You expect me to think right now?”
Barrington chuckled as he decided to give her time to regain her good senses. He licked his lips just to taste her honey one more time. Squeezing her waist, his hands traveled down to cup a handful of her ass, as his baby was blessed with just enough junk in her trunk. “Seriously, Perri, you need to be more careful.” He shook his head. “Don't ever answer the door unless you ask and know who it is first,” he instructed her like he was reprimanding a small child.
Perri folded her arms and looked up at him. “Then maybe you should have thought about that before you showed up here unannounced.”
Barrington chuckled. “So, you're not happy to see me?”
Ignoring his question, she said, “And furthermore, if you were so concerned about my safety and well-being, why'd you just push your way in and immediately pounce on my body?”
He laughed out loud. “It wasn't your body, it was your mouth.”
“Same difference, it’s still part of my body.”
“I beg to differ.” He pulled Perri back into his arms. “If I were gonna pounce on your body, baby, it wouldn't be like this.” Barrington tasted her lips again, kissed her, slowly slipping his well-placed tongue into the sweetness of her mouth, and finding her tongue again, he mated with her like a savage beast.
Unable to help it, Perri slid her hands around his neck and caressed his scalp as she expertly ran her fingers through his gorgeous locks, letting out a deep sigh of surrender.
Just like that, Barrington ended the kiss.
“Anyway,” she playfully pushed at him, “what are you doing here?”
Looking back at the door, then her, he grinned. “You just gonna leave that door open? You want me to discuss all our personal business where your nosy neighbors can hear?” he teased.
Perri closed the door behind him and led him into the living room. “So?” She pivoted around to face him.
“So what?”
Perri huffed. “Don't play with me, G-Man. What are you doing here?”
“I came to see my woman. Is that all right with you?”
“Fine time to be asking now that you’re here.”
He chuckled. “You still got that smart mouth I see.” He reached out and fingered her lips lightly. “I like that, though,” he admitted. “Don't change.”
“I hadn't planned on it,” she informed him, trying to stifle the smile that so desperately wanted to come out of hiding.
“I see,” he drawled.
“You don't see anything, Barrington. If you did, you'd know I was just playing hard to get.”
He grinned. “Does that mean I got you if I want you?”
She grinned back. “Does that me
an you want me . . . if you could have me?”
He had to laugh. “Why you always answer my questions with a question?”
She laughed, too. “Why you always ask questions that need answers?”
They laughed at each other.
Barrington shook his head. “You got such a damn smart ass mouth.”
“No need to worry since me and my mouth are none of your concern.”
Stepping closer to her, he lowered his head until his forehead touched hers. “See, now, Perri, that's where you're wrong.” He lightly brushed his lips against hers. “Things are different now.”
Fighting the desire inside, Perri said, “I don't know how you figure that.” Her eyes fluttered shut as his mouth did things to the inside of her mouth that she knew she had no business allowing herself to enjoy when he was making her feel this hot and bothered.
“Well, now, I could tell you.” He kissed her deeply again. “But you'd probably have more fun if I showed you.”
“No, you'd have more fun if I let you show me. But if you can't even tell me, Barrington, why should I trust you to show me? Why would I even want to see?”
“Some things, Perri, there aren't any words to describe. You have to feel it in order to believe it's real.”
“And some things, Barrington, have to be explained in some detail in order to make up your mind if you want to proceed any further or not.”
She surprised him with that remark. “This is true.” He chuckled.
“I know it is,” she smirked.
“Oh, don't go getting all confident now. I could shake things up for you a bit.”
“So do what you feel,” she suggested not bothering to hide her amusing grin.
“Careful what you ask for, girl, I just might have to give it to you.”
“You're assuming I'd let you.”
“You underestimate me, Perri.”
“Meaning what?”
“You assume you'd be able to resist me.”
“I done a good job so far,” she patted herself on the back.
“That's only because I haven’t really put my personal touch on you yet.”
“Now who's sounding cocky?”
“Not cocky, baby,” he denied. “I just know my capabilities.”
“In the bedroom, no doubt,” she said dryly.
“Bedroom, living room, dining room, bathroom; it don't matter to me where because with my level of skill, you still won't be able to compare me to another.”
“That’s a high level of boasting for someone who has yet to back his claim up.”
“Well, if you'd let me show you, baby, you'd see the proof is in the way I put my back in to it,” he teased and laughed when her mouth fell open.
Catching her off guard she didn't know what to say, so she said nothing. Truth being told, right now, she was having a hard time looking in his eyes.
“Don't tell me I finally rendered the great Perri Milan speechless.”
She rubbed the back of her neck just to have something to do with her hands. “I'll be back in a minute,” she announced and turned to leave before he could question her.
Inside her bedroom, Perri hung up the phone then sat on the edge of the bed, trying to regain her composure before rejoining Barrington in the living room. Leaning back on the bed, her hand brushed against her sketch pad. She'd forgotten she even had it out. Getting up, she grabbed it, looked at the sketch of Barrington one last time and, unable to help it, she smiled her butt off.
“So, this is what you were sketching when I called.”
Perri jumped, startled because she didn't hear him come into her room.
“Easy, baby girl, it's just me.” He grinned as he steadied her by the elbow. Taking the sketch pad from her hands, Barrington admired what he saw. “You're really good, you know.”
“Thank you.”
“You're welcome.” He shook his head in awe. “Everything is so detailed. It looks just like me, he mused, amazed at her creative skills.” He looked at her then back down at the picture he held in his hands. “This is really something else, Perri. I mean . . . it's beautiful, my baby.”
She lowered her eyes. “Thank you, Barrington. I'm glad you like it.”
“Like it is an understatement, Perri,” he said, his expression puzzled. “So, why'd you brush it off when I asked you about it earlier?”
“I didn't want you to know.”
“Is that right?”
She grinned. “That and the fact you ask too many questions.”
Barrington laughed. “Speaking of questions, I got just one more.”
“Oh, brother,” Perri rolled her eyes, “what now?”
He grew serious, gesturing to the sketch still in his hands. “Can I have this?”
Perri blinked several times trying to decide if she'd heard him right. “You seriously want it?”
“Yeah, I want it, Perri, if you're willing to part with it.” He reached into his pocket. “Tell you what, baby. I'll even buy it from you, be your first customer.”
“You don't have to do that, Barrington. It's not that great.”
Barrington laid the sketch pad down on her bed. Lifting her chin, he said, “Don't you ever put yourself or your work down again, because you're too good to ever doubt your talent, girl.” He glanced at the sketch and added, “Way too good.”
She smiled up at him, feeling all gooey and whatnot. “You really think that.”
“No.” He chuckled as her sweet smile faded. “I know you're that good, Perri.” He laughed again when her face lit up with that beautiful smile once more. “So, which do you like better, backup dancing for the locals or designing?”
Perri didn't have to think about that, “Designing.”
“Really? Why?”
She shrugged. “Just do.”
“Come on, Perri, it's more to it than 'just do’ so do share.”
She thought about it. “Don't get me wrong. I love to dance but designing is my passion.” Her hands got to going, gesturing and projecting meaning into every word. “The one thing I'd do even if I couldn't do anything else,” she went on to say, and could feel the creative juices flowing. She chuckled lightly. “Sound crazy?”
Amused and caught up in her excitement, Barrington said, “Only to someone who doesn't have a dream.” He smiled. “I'm proud of you, baby. You know what you wanna do. Now you just have to make a plan, stick to it and just do it.”
She laughed. “Forever the optimist, aren’t you.”
“There's nothing wrong with ambition, baby; gotta have it if you plan to succeed in life.”
“And you think I have it?”
“I know you have it, baby.” He pulled her into his arms. “Now how about giving me some of it?” Barrington kissed her deeply then stared down into his favorite pair of eyes.
Perri snaked her arms around his narrow waist and sighed. “How long you home for?”
“Don't know. Right now it's up in the air. I do have to be ready to go at a moment's notice, though.”
“Oh,” she swallowed back disappointment.
Feeling her vibe change, Barrington asked, “You okay, baby?”
Perri forced a smile. “I'm glad you're here, baby boy,” she said, burying her face in his chest, inhaling his cologne and manly scent, the combination causing her head to feel woozy and dazed with unbridled lust; she squeezed his waist affectionately, her body making her feel as if she wanted to do so much more with and to Barrington.
“Are you really now?” he asked playfully squeezing her ass. Barrington knew he needed to quit teasing Perri because his hard-on for her was becoming painful.
“Very much so, G-man,” Perri confirmed, burying her face deeper in his chest, wishing she could step inside of his gorgeous athletic body. She had the strange urge to climb his physique like a lizard scaling a wall. Her body involuntarily shivered in his arms and she held him tighter.
He kissed to the top of her head. “So what do I get in turn for filling you with gladness
?”
Perri knew he was playing with her when she pulled back to ask, “What do you want?”
He framed her face, sighed, and kissed her forehead. “I know I better get my horny ass back out in the living room.” His eyes scanned her bedroom, coming back to rest upon her big, spacious, empty four post bed. “Fast,” he said and turned to leave. His breath caught when he felt her hand quickly grab his, stopping him.
Was that desperation he felt?
Slowly, Barrington turned back around and regretted it the moment he did. Perri was so damn beautiful he wanted to take her in her bed hard and fast without protection, emptying his seed inside her so damn bad it was a crying shame. And truth be told, he felt like crying, knowing he couldn't have her, at least not in the way his body was yearning to have her now.
“You don't have to go, G-Man.” Perri smiled up at him seductively, longing to feel her man’s hands all over and inside her body at once.
Barrington watched her lips curve into that beautiful smile, rendering him weak in the knees. He swallowed hard, “Yeah, Perri,” he gently detached his hand from hers, “I do.” He took a step back, blowing out a puff of air, releasing his pent up sexual frustrations with it.
Perri boldly advanced forward. “I don't want you to go, Barrington.”
To that, he closed his eyes and counted to ten. He knew he had to be going. “Perri, this is no time for true confessions,” he snapped, surprised by the annoyance he felt. But he also knew it was only due to the fact that he wanted her so bad he couldn't stand to be in her presence another minute without taking the necessary steps to delve deep inside of her sex. However, he knew she was still an innocent and fresh petal—in bloom—but not yet deflowered. He could tell that the first time he'd talked to her. Perri was a backup dancer true to the game, but she didn't carry herself like someone who knew the ins and outs of bedroom foreplay. Although she was the biggest tease he'd ever met—virgin or not.
If I'd Only Known (Milan Women Series Book 1) Page 2