Malissa wiggled her toes in her sandals. “Just because he doesn’t wanna be involved doesn’t make him guilty.”
“The man threw a fit in the middle of the store when I asked him a simple question.”
“That’s not how it went, Kay. You got loud and accused the guy of being involved in front of all his employees and customers.” Malissa yanked the rubber band off her hair, releasing her ponytail. “I’d have thrown you out too. It’s one thing to talk to someone but you can’t go around accusing people.”
“Whatever.” Kayla let out an exasperated sigh. “I doubt you’d be taking up for Liron if your bother had been hacked to pieces like a fish.”
“I’m not taking…” Malissa huffed. “Could you please cool the attitude for once today? You on your period or something?”
“No.” Kayla slammed her eyes shut, wiggling her neck. “You’re just getting on my damn nerves. I don’t need your two cents.”
“Fine.” Malissa stood. “I took time out of my life to come here and help you because I care.” Her voice cracked. “But, you’ve turned into such a bitch so why even bother.” She turned to leave.
“Malissa.” Kayla jumped up, grabbing her. “I’m sorry.”
She sighed.
“I’m so sorry, honey.” Kayla kissed her cheek. “I appreciate everything you’re doing for me. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Then why have you been so bitchy today?”
“Come on and sit down.” Kayla pulled her back onto the sectional. “I’m wound up about Tate. So much confusing shit going on in my head.”
“Because of that Jewel woman?” Malissa looked in her drink. “You believe him when he says it’s over?”
“I want to.” Kayla nibbled on her thumbnail. “But, is it because I want an excuse to be around him? I keep getting this nagging feeling I should be careful around him.”
Tate sauntered into the lounge in white shorts with a sharp crease in the front and sneakers without socks.
“Shit.” Kayla dropped her head.
“What?” Malissa saw Tate and gaped. “Damn, does he have radar or something?”
“I’m not ready to talk to him.”
Tate caught sight of the women and approached.
Malissa gnawed on her straw. “Doesn’t look like you have a choice.”
“Hey.” Tate stood in front of them, wide-legged.
“Hi, Tate.” Malissa smiled.
“How are you?” He returned a smile. “Can I talk to you, Kayla?”
“If it’s about Jewel, I don’t want to hear it.”
“Please, let me explain.”
“I’m not your girlfriend or anything.” She got her drink and lowered it to her lap. “You don’t owe me anything.”
“I want to explain.” The turquoise T-shirt brought out the green specks within the blue of his eyes. “What Jewel said was a lie.”
“I’ll be by the pool.” Malissa stood. “I’ll see you, Tate.”
“Bye.” He sat in her spot.
Malissa winked at Kayla as she left.
“I was hoping you’d calmed down once you slept on it.”
Kayla sat against the pillows. “You confuse the hell out of me.”
“I swear Jewel is lying. I’m not seeing her. If I’d made plans to see her would I’ve invited you back to my place?”
She sipped her drink. “You have a point.”
“I can’t get those things you said about me out of my head. I want to be more than sex, but I don’t want to pressure you.”
She pursed her lips. “I appreciate that.”
“Did you mean what you said about how I make you feel?”
“Yes. I love being with you. You rescue me from everything I’ve been feeling.”
“I want to see how far this can go.” He touched her leg. “Please, don’t be afraid of me, Kayla.”
“I’m not afraid.” She rubbed the top of his hand. “Despite how upset I was last night, I regretted leaving.”
“We were about to make love.” His eyes twinkled. “I’m glad we didn’t though.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t wanna rush you. I want to make sure this is what you want.”
“It is. That’s why it’s so scary.”
“You don’t have to be scared.” He scooped her into his arms and kissed her, relieving her of any doubt she had concerning Jewel. “You want to go out tonight?”
She tingled. “Where?”
He kissed her, winking. “On another adventure.”
She smiled.
CHAPTER 12
“ Goodness gracious.” Kayla’s sandals caught twigs and branches as she crept through the forest that night. “Is this the surprise?” She waved away tiny flies. “Because a simple dinner would’ve sufficed.”
Tate glanced back with a smirk, his curls combed into flat waves. “We’re almost there.”
“Almost where?” Kayla tripped on a tree root. “Shoot.” She held the skirt of her white dress to keep it from getting dirty. “I wouldn’t have worn this dress if I’d known we were going on a Safari.”
He guffawed. “Stop whining will you?” He pulled on her hand, his touch reminding her of what she’d endure to be with him. “You’re gonna love it.”
“Why?” She touched a tree as they continued through the forest. “What adventure do you have in store for me now?”
“This is it.” Tate stood in the middle of the clearing, specks of dirt on the tip of his sneakers. “Ta da. You like it?”
Kayla checked out the spot encased by trees. “There’s nothing here.”
“What are you talking about nothing?” Tate pointed to the radiant, ebony sky. “See those stars, woman?” He inhaled and exhaled. “Smell that? It’s earth. Mother Nature at her finest.”
Kayla sniffed, her nose catching the smell of his musky cologne and the tree moss that surrounded them.
“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Tate pinched her cheek. “You said anything with me was an adventure.”
“It’s nice.”
The soaring trees stretched their branches out as if trying to grab Kayla and Tate.
“Come here.” Tate kissed her. “Are you disappointed?”
“No,” she lied. “I love looking at the stars.”
He laughed.
“What?”
“Okay, this isn’t the real surprise.” He headed into the trees and brought back a blanket. He lay the blanket on the ground and got a picnic basket and a bottle of wine from the same hiding spot.
“Wow.” Kayla grinned, slapping her hands over her mouth. “A moonlight picnic? Tate?”
“This is the real surprise.” He set the basket and wine on the blanket.
“This is so romantic.” Kayla fell to her knees on the blanket, grabbing him into a smothering hug. “I love picnics.”
“I guess I got lucky with the perfect idea, huh?” He opened the bottle of Chardonnay.
“Your hands are shaking.” She sat Indian-style, straightening her dress. “You nervous?”
“It’s difficult keeping my cool seeing you in that dress.”
Kayla’s cleavage hung from the fabric. “Too much for you?”
He passed her a glass of wine and then poured his own.
“You love surprising people, don’t you?” She giggled, the oak, buttery flavor of the wine seducing her senses.
“You hungry?”
“I’m starving.” Kayla lifted her head, squinting. “Not so much for food though.”
“Down, girl.” Tate laid out a small tray of tropical fruit, cheese, green olives and pita bread.
“Olives!” Kayla snatched a handful of olives.
“You said you loved them though I don’t know why.” He set a plate of plastic-wrapped sandwiches on the blanket. “They’re nothing but disgusting balls of salt.”
“Stick me in a house full of olives and let me eat my way out.” Kayla chewed the potent pellets. “Try some. They’ll awaken your palate.”
“I can’t s
tand those nasty things.”
Kayla stuck her lips out, devouring another olive. “You’re the most romantic man I’ve met.”
He stopped tending to the food and stared at her. “Romantic enough for you to take the chance and become more?” He stretched his legs and sat on his butt.
“Course I’ve been thinking about our conversation from last night.” She ate a chilled watermelon ball. “Even if I wanted to date you, how would it work? I live in Florida and you live here.”
“Long distance relationships can work.” He fidgeted as if unsure himself. “If you put in effort.”
“Long distance won’t work for me. I want a man I can be around, touch, and see.” She drank. “Why make something more difficult than it has to be?”
“So you want to stop whatever it is we’ve been doing?”
“No.” She touched his leg. “I wanna keep seeing you.”
“You can’t have it both ways, Kayla.” He licked pita breadcrumbs off his mouth. “Either we are together or we’re not.”
She stared at him, hoping he’d read the meaning without her expressing it.
“Oh, I see.” He nodded, tongue hanging out the corner of his mouth. “You want us to stay in touch here and there and then get together when you feel like coming to Jamaica? And then I can fuck your brains out once in a while and we go off to our lives until we see each other again?”
“Tate—”
“If that’s what you want then you can leave right now.”
“You’re putting a lot of pressure on me and it isn’t fair.”
“What’s not fair is you tearing my heart out.” The muggy breeze awoke the curls within his waves. “Why should it be on your terms?”
She huffed, avoiding eye contact. “You have no right to put me in this position.”
“Do you have someone in Florida?”
“No.” She set down her glass. “I swore I wouldn’t allow another man to hurt me like Reginald did. I considered you and I becoming more but then the Jewel stuff happened.”
“That’s over. What can I do for you to believe it?”
She scratched her naked shoulder.
“If you have doubts, why are you here, huh?” He leaned forward on his knees.
“Because no matter what my mind says, my heart is telling me something different. It’s saying to take a chance.”
“Which part are you gonna listen to?” He sucked her neck, arousal flushing through her. “Which part makes you happier?”
“I want it all, Tate.” She kissed him. “I want the adventure and the control.”
“I want you to be my lady.” He grabbed her neck, holding her still for his kiss. “We can’t keep going like this.”
“Take chances, huh?”
“Yeah.” He moved the trays out the way and laid her flat. “Wouldn’t you rather experience adventures with me than not?” He pushed his hands under her dress, tugging on her panties.
“No.” She moved, getting on her knees. “It’s my turn.” She planted delicate baby kisses on his neck, teasing his erogenous zones. “What makes you hot?” She bit his neck.
“Oh.” He moaned. “That right there is a start.”
Kayla gripped his semi-erect middle. “You like this?” She massaged him, his dick extending in her hand.
“Yes.” He breathed harder, holding her shoulders. “Rub me. Slow.”
She followed his command and continued kissing from his neck to his belt.
“Hm.” Tate dragged his tongue across his lips. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”
“You kidding?” She pulled down his pants, sniffing his skin as she did. “I wanted to go down on you the first day we met.”
He laughed. “When you came after me with those scissors? Boy, we had a range of emotions that day didn’t we?”
She kissed the furry mound above his long, veiny cock. She pushed him onto the blanket, kissing his member while stroking his nipples.
“Ooh.” He rocked, illustrating he needed more. “I’ve never had a blow job underneath the stars before.”
“How do I know?” She delivered sharp licks to the sides of his dick. “You might bring all your women out here.”
“No.” He moaned. “It’s only been you and this has never happened.”
“Well, I’d never been finger-fucked in a man’s backyard before either.” She licked from the base to tip and then locked her lips on his shaft.
He gave a light moan as if surprised at how good it felt.
Kayla rubbed his thigh for absolute pleasure.
He spread his legs wider, proving she was on the right track.
She wrapped her fingers around his cock, caressing it while sucking.
“Yes.” He touched her head. “That’s good, Kayla. Oh fuck that’s so good.”
Her nipples throbbed, so she gave them hand attention, her mouth keeping its stride.
“Your lips feel so good.” Tate gyrated. “You’re making me come.”
“That’s the point.” She alternated, sucking, licking, and caressing his hottest spots.
“Yeah.” Tate jerked, thighs trembling against her head. “Kayla,” he screamed so loud the entire island could hear. “Ah.” His dick turned red, its muscles deflating.
She fingered his balls and continued sucking.
“I’m coming.” He bounced, holding her head in place. “Let me come in your mouth.”
Kayla moaned.
“Yes…” Tate lifted his ass off the ground and burst between Kayla’s lips. “Ooh. Yes.” He let her head go, his legs shivering. “Fuck.”
Kayla spit the pleasurable glob and crawled on top of him.
“Come here.” He twisted her head left and right, shoving his tongue into her mouth. “Want me to fuck you?”
“Yes.” She rode him through her clothes. “All night long.”
“I can do that.”
She moaned as his hardness returned.
“Get these off.” He pulled her dress up and moved her panties to one side, tearing the elastic. “Want me to use a rubber or—”
“I’m on the pill.” She licked around his tongue. “I wanna feel your dick inside me, nothing else.”
He wrapped his arms around her, directing his dick toward her sweet spot.
Kayla held her breath, bracing herself for the upcoming taste of heaven when something buzzed from Tate’s pants.
“Shit.” He exhaled between kisses. “Is that my phone?”
“I hope so.” Kayla played tongue-tag with him. “Or something else is buzzing in your pocket.”
“Ignore it, fuck.” He forced her legs wider, positioning his dick again as the phone buzzed a second time.
“You need to get it.” She got the phone out his pocket and checked the ID. “It’s the police.”
“What?” Tate took the phone, panting as if he’d given birth. “Hello? Yeah.”
Kayla listened, holding her breath.
“You want me to come now?” Tate asked into the phone, tugging his ear. “Okay. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” He got off the phone.
“What’s wrong?”
“Inspector Wright wants me to come down to the station.” He raised an eyebrow. “He wants to ask me something about Kirby.”
“He probably wants to brush up on details and you’re the closest person to Kirby.”
“Yeah.” He stroked his mouth.
“You okay?” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I’m fine.” He kissed her. “Let’s go.”
CHAPTER 13
“Well, Mr. O’Keefe?” Inspector Wright clasped the desk, shoulders back. “Is it true that you and Kirby fought three days before his death?”
“Um…” He rubbed his thighs.
“What?” Kayla whispered next to him. “You fought my brother?”
“It’s not what you think.” Tate looked back and forth at Wright and Kayla. “I didn’t hide it.”
<
br /> “You didn’t disclose it either,” Wright said.
“Tate.” Kayla touched his shoulder. “What’s going on?”
“Friends have arguments all the time.” He dropped his head. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
“Kirby was stabbed fourteen times in an apparent fit of rage and you didn’t think it was important to tell us you’d argued?” Wright’s eyebrows collapsed. “This presents motive.”
“No, no, no wait.” Tate grabbed the edge of the desk. “You’re reading too much into it. You checked out my alibi which proves I wasn’t there when he was killed.”
“Okay, hold on,” Kayla interjected. “How do you go from an argument to saying Tate killed my brother?”
“He hid this on purpose,” Wright said.
Tate clenched his chest, jerking in the chair. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
“What about Kirby denying you a loan?” Wright asked. “Is that a big deal?”
Kayla gawked at Tate. “My brother denied you a loan?”
He stood, hitting the desk.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Wright asked. “Do you see how suspicious this looks?”
“You checked out my alibi.” Tate paced. “I didn’t kill Kirby. I wasn’t anywhere near his home that night. Kayla?” He rushed to her. “You gotta believe me. Please.”
“I do.” She took his hand.
“I’m the one you need to convince,” Wright said. “Tell me about this fight.”
“I went over to Kirby’s a few days before he was killed.” Tate sat, scratching his head. “Yes, he denied me for a loan. I have bad credit. Sue me.”
Kayla sighed.
“Kirby couldn’t get my loan approved. He promised me he would do all he could to help it go through.”
“And, when he didn’t you got upset?” Wright asked.
“Yeah, I was heated.” Tate wriggled his shoulders. “I was counting on that money to bail me out credit card debt.”
Wright nodded, rubbing his chin. “Did the fight turn violent?”
“A little.”
“What do you mean, ‘a little’?” Kayla asked.
“We exchanged a few blows, he threw me out and I left. It was just a fight. I didn’t hurt Kirby. He was my brother in every way.”
Wright tucked in his lips. “Okay.”
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