Solid Soul (Kimani Romance)

by Jackson, Brenda

  Deciding she would soon find out, she crossed the room to him.

  “Lift your leg in my lap so I can take off your shoes.”

  She did what he asked and he took off her shoes one at a time. When she was about ready to place her foot back on the floor, he kept it in his lap, resting against his hard erection while he slid his hand up her leg a little farther, going underneath her dress to touch the center of her thighs, only to discover her panty hose was a barrier.

  Apparently deciding a pair of Hanes wouldn’t stop him from doing what he wanted, he placed her foot on the floor then eased to the edge of the sofa and reached both hands under her dress to work the panty hose down her hips. She stepped out of them and then kicked them aside.

  “Now put your right leg back in my lap.”

  Again she did as he requested and this time he was able to slide his hand a little farther up her leg than before. She moaned out loud when his finger touched her center and slowly stroked her.

  “Ahh, just as I thought,” he leaned in closer to say. “You aren’t wearing any panties.”

  His words hardly registered. All she could think about was the feel of his fingers inside of her, making her even wetter.

  “Let me see just what else you aren’t wearing tonight, Kylie.”

  Before she could gather her next breath, he reached up with his free hand and yanked the top part of her dress down. Her breasts spilled free right in his face.

  “Place your hands on my shoulders, bend your knee a little more and lean toward me.”

  The moment she did so, he captured a breast in his mouth and his tongue stroked it, just like his fingers were stroking her.

  She clutched at his shoulders, unable to hold back just how his mouth and fingers were making her feel. Chance definitely knew how to work both ends at the same time. She was melting from the inside out. If he continued doing this for much longer she doubted even his shoulders would be able to support her.

  He let go of her breast and leaned forward. “Are you ready for me, Kylie?” he whispered hotly in her ear.

  Unable to answer, she nodded.

  “That’s good because I’ve been ready for you all day. And tonight at dinner it was hard for me not to spread you out on the table and make you the only entrée I wanted to feast on.”

  At his words an all-consuming need raced through her body and she cried out his name when she felt the first sign of an explosion on the horizon. “Chance, I need you.”

  “And where do you need me, baby?”

  “Inside of me,” she whispered.

  He suddenly lifted her in strong arms, and she closed her eyes and pressed her face against his chest.

  Her eyes opened when she felt herself being placed on a hard, solid surface. He had sat her on his kitchen counter. “Chance?”

  He smiled as he began taking off his shirt and removing his pants. “When I saw you in here today, standing in this very spot, I knew I had to do this. I want to take you right here. Right now,” he said, quickly putting on a condom.

  “Here? Now? Are you serious?”

  “Oh, yes.”

  He then pulled her dress over her head and tossed it to the floor to join his own discarded clothing. Before she could say another word, or let out another breath, he took hold of her hips, opened her thighs and guided his shaft inside of her.

  And then the thrusting began. She wrapped her arms around his neck as delicious sensations began engulfing her. “This is insane,” she said, leaning forward and nipping the corner of his mouth.

  “No,” he said in a husky voice as his body continued to mate with hers. “This is a dream come true. A fantasy in the making. So enjoy.”

  And she did. He drew her closer and she spread her legs wider to accommodate him. He kissed her deeply. Then he released her mouth to pay homage to her breasts again, flicking his tongue across each nipple, sucking one and then the other, causing a sensuous tension to coil deep within her womb.

  “Chance!”

  The explosion hit and she cried out, dug her fingers deep in his shoulders as sensation after sensation engulfed her. She thought she would die then and there from consuming so much pleasure.

  And then she felt his body jerk and knew he was experiencing one hell of an orgasm as well. She reached out and held him as he shuddered uncontrollably with his release.

  It was awhile before either could catch their breaths, and when they did, neither seemed inclined to move. So she inched closer, and with as much strength as she could muster, she tightened her legs around him, enjoying the feel of him still buried inside of her. When he was finally able to lift his head to meet her eyes, she gave him a sated smile. “I’ve heard that things can get pretty hot in a kitchen, but this is a bit much, don’t you think?” she whispered with barely enough breath.

  He reached out and caressed her cheek. “And this isn’t as hot as it will get for us.”

  That bit of news made her inch even closer to him. “It’s not?”

  “No, it’s not. You haven’t seen or experienced anything yet.”

  Kylie wondered what else there was. They had made love in a bed, in the shower, on the kitchen counter…

  “You ever do it in a hot tub?”

  His question got her immediate attention. “No.”

  He smiled. “Good. Then this ought to be fun.”

  Late Sunday afternoon after returning home, Kylie stood in front of her bedroom mirror and gazed at her reflection. With her messed up hair, kiss-swollen lips and hickeys on both sides of her neck, she definitely looked like a woman who had let go and indulged in her sensuous side. Naughty was too mild a word to describe how she had acted this weekend. Wanton and loose were probably better.

  “Hey, what are you doing? Looking for a spot that I missed?” Chance asked, entering the room. He walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her and settled her body back against his.

  Kylie thought him missing a spot was impossible. It had started out very innocent with them enjoying a bowl of ice cream after lunch. Then for no reason at all he had squirted caramel topping all over her, and moments later began licking every inch of her skin to get it off. And she had reciprocated, squirted him and licked every inch of him. She had to admit that for once in her life she had thrown caution to the wind and yielded to temptation.

  “What are you thinking about, sweetheart?”

  She met his gaze in the mirror and leaned back against him when he tightened his arms around her. “You. Me. And what a wonderful weekend we had. I wish it didn’t have to end.”

  “It doesn’t.”

  She shook her head and grinned. “Yes, it does. Have you forgotten the kids will be back tomorrow?”

  “No, I didn’t forget but that shouldn’t have any bearing on us.”

  She turned around to face him. “Of course it does. Surely you don’t expect us to still swap beds with the kids around?”

  He frowned. “No, but I do expect us to continue to see each other. And if we have to be discreet whenever we do share a bed, then we will.”

  “And what about the kids?”

  “Tomorrow we can tell them that we’ve decided to start seeing each other.”

  She took a step back. “No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  Chance rubbed his hand down his face. “Don’t tell me we’re back to that again.”

  “As far as I’m concerned we never left it.”

  “Then what was this weekend about, Kylie?”

  “It was about us indulging in our fantasies. But now it’s time to return to the real world, Chance, and there’s no way I can let Tiffany know that I was involved in a weekend affair with you.”

  Angrily, he reached out and gripped her shoulders. “A weekend affair? That’s all this was to you?”

  She yanked away from him. “Why? Was it supposed to be something else?”

  “I had hoped so,” he said quietly, trying to get his anger and frustrations under control. “The start of a committ
ed relationship was how I saw things.”

  “But I can’t become involved with anyone until Tiffany leaves home.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I can’t!”

  “Then let me tell you what I think is your reason, which in my opinion is a damn poor excuse. Your parents have convinced you that getting pregnant at sixteen was a bad thing, and every since then you have worked your ass off trying to be a good girl in their eyes. So much so that you won’t allow a man in your life. At first I thought it was all about the men in your life letting you down and not being dependable, and that still may be a part of it. But since you claim you trust me, why are you so afraid of letting me into your life?”

  “I have to set an example for my daughter. Why can’t you understand that?”

  He frowned. “And not having a real life, not having a man around to show her how two people can share a loving relationship is setting an example for her?”

  “There’s more to life than people getting involved, Chance.”

  “What about people falling in love? Would it mean anything if I were to tell you that I love you? That I fell in love with you probably the first time I saw you that day?”

  Kylie’s eyes widened and then she shook her head and felt the tears that stung her eyes. “No, it wouldn’t matter because I could tell you the same thing, Chance. I love you, too. And I probably fell in love with you that day as well.”

  “But then—”

  “No. You loving me and me loving you won’t make it okay. We still have to put our kids first. They think they’re in love, too, and we can’t downplay their feelings just because we’ve discovered ours. Just think of how it will look. The father loves the mother and the daughter loves the son. How dysfunctional can that be?”

  His frown deepened. “So what are you suggesting? That we wait to see what becomes of our kids’ romance before seeking our own? Well, I don’t plan to do that. If you love me, and I mean truly love me, you’ll know that we’ll work things out together. But you have to be willing to step out on love and believe it.”

  She bowed her head and took a deep breath and then she looked back at him. “No, it won’t work, Chance. Please try to understand. There are times in life when sacrifices have to be made.”

  “Well, if you’re willing to let your love for me be the sacrificial lamb then it must not be the real thing, Kylie, because I can’t think of anything that will ever stop me from loving you and wanting a committed relationship with you.”

  Without saying anything else he walked out of the room, and moments later Kylie heard the door slam shut behind him.

  Chapter 14

  “Mom?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  Kylie pulled two bottles of apple juice out of the refrigerator before turning to her daughter. “I’m okay, sweetheart. What makes you think I’m not?”

  Tiffany lifted one shoulder in a dainty shrug. “I don’t know. It’s just a feeling I have. Every since you picked me up from the airport yesterday you’ve been quiet.”

  “Well, I guess I have a lot on my mind, but I’m okay.”

  “Why are you still wearing that scarf? You usually don’t wear scarfs.”

  Kylie’s hand automatically went to the scarf around her neck, the one she was wearing to hide the two hickeys that Chance had placed there. “My throat had gotten sort of scratchy with the changing of the weather, I guess. I thought I’d take all precautions. The last thing I need to catch is a cold.”

  “But you’re wearing it in the house.”

  Kylie gave Tiffany a pointed look. “I’m aware of where I am Tiffany. Is wearing a scarf in the house a crime?”

  “No, ma’am.”

  “Okay, then.”

  The kitchen got silent and Kylie regretted having gotten upset with Tiffany when she was only showing her concern. With a mantle of guilt on her shoulders, Kylie crossed the room and sat down at the table opposite her daughter. “Hey, how about you and I going to a movie this weekend?” she asked, trying to reclaim the easy camaraderie they’d started recently, at least before this past weekend.

  Tiffany smiled. “Oh, that’ll be neat. Will it be okay to invite Marcus and his dad?”

  Kylie’s body tensed with her daughter’s question. The last person she wanted to be around this weekend was Chance. “I was hoping we could make it a girls’ thing. We could even invite Lena to come with us.”

  “That sounds like fun, Mom, but I was hoping I could get to see Marcus this weekend.”

  “Didn’t you see him at school today?”

  “Yes.”

  “And won’t you see him again tomorrow?”

  “Yes.”

  “And the next day and the day after?”

  “Yes, Mom, but you and Mr. Steele promised that we could have supervised outings and it’s been almost three weeks since we went camping.”

  Kylie sighed. A part of her regretted having made that promise but at the time both she and Chance had known it was the best thing to keep the budding romance between their offspring under control. “Okay, then I’ll take the both of you. There’s no need to bother Chance this weekend and—”

  “Mom, if you take us, it’ll seem as if you’re babysitting us. If both you and Mr. Steele go then it will be a foursome and it won’t be so obvious that you’re there to spy on us.”

  Kylie rolled her eyes. “I’d be there as a chaperone, Tiffany.”

  “Same difference.”

  Not wanting to get into an argument with her daughter, Kylie stood and said, “Have Marcus check to see if his father is free this weekend. Chance is a busy man and might have made other plans.”

  Later that night Kylie lay in bed and every so often she would glance over at the phone. Chance had made it a habit to call her around this time every night, but she knew after Sunday chances were that he wouldn’t be calling any time soon, if ever. And a part of her thought maybe it was for the best. He thought he had all the answers, but he would never understand the guilt trip her parents had placed on her shoulders after she’d gotten pregnant.

  As she cuddled under the covers she thought about the weekend she had spent with Chance. There was no denying that it had been a fantasy come true, and heat flooded through her just thinking about all they had done. In fact today at the florist when she’d been alone her body actually trembled with the memories that were so vivid in her mind.

  Their first date had been everything a first date should be, and what he probably hadn’t even realized was, although it had been their first date, it had been her first date period. She and Sam had been too young to actually date and she hadn’t gone out to dinner with any other man. So in reality, Chance had been her first in a lot of ways.

  Tears blurring her eyes, she glanced over at the phone. She might as well get used to him not calling her ever again.

  Chance threw onto his desk the document he’d been reading and glanced at the clock. Not that he was counting, but it had been three days, sixteen hours and forty-five minutes since he had last seen and talked to Kylie.

  After what she had said to him on Sunday evening, she should have been the last person on his mind. She had decided that love or no love, there would not be a future for them.

  Chance leaned back in his chair and hooked his hands behind his head. Dammit, he didn’t want that. He wanted a life with her, a life that included marriage. Kylie was being more than stubborn. She was being downright difficult.

  He couldn’t help but remember their weekend together, and the days and nights they had shared. Those memories would sustain him in the coming months. He would need them.

  He walked over to the window and stared out at Charlotte’s skyline. It was almost two in the afternoon. Kylie would be at her shop. Was she thinking about him the way he was thinking about her? Probably not.

  But she had admitted that she loved him.

  He should have known that when a woman gave herself as completely to a man
as Kylie had done to him this past weekend that love was involved. One thing was for certain: there was still Marcus and Tiffany to deal with, and because of their kids, Kylie couldn’t put distance between them regardless of how much she might want to.

  Whether she liked it or not, she hadn’t seen the last of him.

  “I don’t know what, but something happened this weekend between our parents, Marcus,” Tiffany whispered.

  Marcus, who was sitting across from her in the library, glanced around to make sure Mrs. Kennard, the librarian who had a strict no-talking policy, wasn’t anywhere close by. “Yes, I know,” he whispered back. “This weekend was supposed to get them to together, not pull them apart. What do you think happened?”

  Tiffany shook her head. “I don’t know but I do know they spent time together this weekend.”

  Marcus lifted a brow. “And how do you know that?”

  “Because Carly Owens said she saw them together at the grocery store.”

  “The grocery store? What were they doing at the grocery store?”

  “Carly said they were actually shopping together. They didn’t see her but she saw them. She said my mom had her cart and your dad had his, but they had come together in the same car.”

  “And she’s sure it was our parents?”

  “Yes, she’s sure. She’s met the both of them before but at different times.”

  “Umm, I find that interesting. If they were friendly enough to go grocery shopping together then what happened?”

  Tiffany sighed. “I don’t know. And there’s also something else.” She leaned in closer to make sure the students sitting at the other table didn’t hear her. “My mom had a hickey on her neck and I think your dad put it there.”

  Disbelief flickered in Marcus’s eyes. “You’re kidding.”

  “No. She’s been wearing a scarf to hide it, but I saw it anyway when she took the scarf off thinking I wasn’t around.”

  Marcus nodded. “That means they had to have kissed.”

  “Right.”

  “Then what happened to make them start acting funny?”