by Kayla Perrin
“My God,” he said. He turned her over, slowly, as if there was no reason to rush. He was clearly going to take his sweet time with her.
As she landed on her back, she watched his eyes. She was fully naked now and exposed to him, and she wanted to see his reaction to her.
His eyes widened, his desire flashing like fire. Then there was that flicker of emotion again, mixed in with the lust. Tenderness.
She’d wanted this to be simple sex. Hot sex, of course. But uncomplicated. But as Malcolm held her gaze, she felt it again. Her heart going flip-flop.
“I just want to look at you all night,” he said, rising from the bed. “Admire you like a piece of art.” His gaze roamed over her body. “But there’s no way I can be that disciplined.”
“Good. Because I want you to do a lot more than look.”
He removed his belt and unzipped his pants, taking them off. Now she could return the perusal. Good Lord, he was one fine specimen of a man. The hard ridges and planes of his abdomen, the powerful arms. Those muscular thighs. His erection strained against the fabric of his black briefs, and the sight made her catch her breath.
His lips curled in the slightest of smiles, the look on his face saying that he was enjoying the way she ogled him shamelessly. His eyes locked on hers, he stripped out of his jockeys. His shaft sprang free.
She sucked in a sharp breath. He was large, impressive. And for tonight, at least, he was hers.
Desire pulsed between her thighs. She licked her lips, anticipating that strong, hard body against hers …
And then he did something completely unexpected. He wiggled his eyebrows at her, coupled with a goofy model-type strut. Tasia erupted into a fit of giggles, and he followed suit.
“You’re crazy,” she said.
“Crazy for you,” he countered.
The fact that they could laugh together at a time like this filled her with warmth. It was so easy being with him. So perfect. It could be like this forever … She quickly pushed that thought to the back of her mind and concentrated on the here and now.
He turned toward the dresser. Tasia raked her gaze over his body, her eyes settling on his taut rear-end. His physique was perfectly honed. She couldn’t wait to explore that body with her mouth and fingers all night long. She bit down on her bottom lip, shocked by the lustful thought even as it turned her on even more.
The condom wrapper crinkled as he tore it open, and he took another moment to put it on. Tasia sat on the bed propped up on her elbows, one leg bent slightly at the knee. A sexy pose. At least she hoped. She’d never been much of a vixen, but Malcolm had her wanting him to see her that way. Desirable. She wanted to believe that when he looked at her, he saw the most enticing woman he’d ever laid eyes on.
He turned and walked back to her. Her heart began to race. Oh, wow. How sexy could a man be?
Malcolm eased over her on the bed, capturing her lips once more. The kiss was slow and hot. Deep and explosive. As their tongues tangled, he positioned himself between her legs. His fingers searched for and found her center once more, sliding easily through her damp folds.
With a deep groan, he guided his shaft inside of her. He moved slowly, steadily, and oh God, the sensations as he filled her nearly brought her to the brink. Gasping, she tightened her arms around his neck. He put a hand around her waist, keeping her partly upward as opposed to fully on her back. He inched forward slightly, continuing his slow and luxurious invasion of her body until he filled her completely.
“Malcolm …” she moaned long and loud, then clamped her mouth on his shoulder blade to silence her passionate cries. The feeling was so intense. So utterly blissful.
“Yes, baby.”
The deep timbre of his voice was like gasoline being added to the fire. It sent a jolt of explosive heat coursing through her body. She’d never heard that tone from him before, and knowing it was because of her made her feel wanton. Powerful.
She kissed his neck, ran her tongue along the underside of his jaw. Then she nibbled on his jaw line. As he withdrew and plunged into her again, she cried out. Her limbs becoming like jelly, she fell backward onto the bed. He immediately positioned himself over her, and she locked her legs around his waist. Her desire like an inferno, she moved her hips to meet his thrusts, pushing hard against him. And soon, they were moving wildly together. And for the first time in her life she felt in sync not just physically, but emotionally.
He captured her lips for a deep, sensual kiss. As he pulled back, she looked up into his eyes. And she felt … something overwhelming. Unfamiliar. Warmth came over her, spread from her heart through to the rest of her body. This wasn’t just a lustful connection between her and Malcolm. It was more.
This felt like …
His mouth came down on hers, claiming it with a ferocity. All thoughts fled her mind, and all she could do now was feel. Feel the exquisite sensations of this gorgeous man inside of her.
“Look at me,” he whispered hotly into her ear.
She did. And she saw the emotions laid bare in his eyes. Lust, tenderness, wonder, and something she was too afraid to interpret …
Malcolm slowed his pace. He withdrew, plunged deep. Slowly, tantalizingly. Then he did it again. And again. Faster and faster. Cupping her face in his hands, Malcolm held her gaze captive and thrust deeply into her once more. And that was when Tasia let go, her body bursting in a sea of pleasure.
Arching her back, she rode the blissful wave of her climax. “Malcolm … baby …”
“I know,” he whispered. “I’m there, too.”
A groan rumbling in his chest, he picked up the pace. And then she knew that he too was falling over the edge, joining her in that magical place the two of them had created.
“Yes, baby,” she whispered. Then she kissed him on the underside of his jaw, wrapping her arms around him as he shuddered, enjoying the feel of him surrendering to his fulfillment.
Their breathing heavy, their bodies slick, he eased his head back and gazed into her eyes. He kissed her lips softly.
A warm, fluttery sensation spread through her.
I love you.
Her lips parted to say the words … then a ragged breath escaped her. What was she thinking? And yet, as she continued to look at him, her heart filled with love.
But that made no sense. She couldn’t love him. It was far too soon. She’d had incredible sex with an incredible man. She was just mistaking that bliss with love.
And yet, the way he was looking at her … Tasia could swear she saw love in his eyes. And for a long moment, it looked as though he wanted to say something too.
But instead of speaking, he tenderly kissed her lips. The kiss deepened, became a slow, languid kiss between lovers who weren’t holding anything back from each other.
Her feelings of love for him seemed to grow with each stroke of his tongue over hers, each warm breath on her cheek. All she wanted right now was to stay in Miami, to stay here in his arms.
Because in his arms she’d found something incredible. Something she wasn’t sure she would ever find again.
Chapter 14
Tasia had stayed with Malcolm the entire night, and after the hottest, most spectacular sex she could have ever imagined, they dozed off for a few hours—then they did it again. Even in sleep, they’d remained connected, their naked bodies pressed together. She hadn’t been able to get enough of him, and the subsequent two rounds of lovemaking had been as earth-shattering as the first.
And yet when she awakened in the morning to Malcolm’s warm lips against her cheek, fear paralyzed her.
“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” he said, brushing a lock of hair from her face. The edges of his lips curled in a soft smile, his eyes regarding her with both lust and fondness. Last night, she’d wanted nothing more than to believe that Malcolm saw her as the most desirable woman in the world. Today, the fact that he was looking at her exactly that way scared her to death.
She was already in love with him. And because
of that, he had the power to shatter her heart.
“Morning,” she greeted him.
He stretched a leg over hers, as though he sensed in some way that she wanted to flee. Had he seen something in her eyes?
“Last night,” he said, his warm breath fanning her cheek. “Wow.”
“It was incredible,” she concurred.
He cupped one of her breasts, and her nipple hardened against his palm. Just like that, she was aroused again. He had the power to make her lose all reason and perspective.
Making love with Malcolm had been mind-blowing, her wildest carnal dreams come true. But in the light of day … How could Tasia ignore reality? Her life was in Atlanta. Not Miami. She had a great job there. A comfortable home. Besides, was she really in love with Malcolm, or was that just great sex mixed with emotional vulnerability?
Oh, why did everything have to be so complicated? Every man in her life had hurt her. If she fell for Malcolm, well and truly, would he do the same? So far he’d proven himself to be everything her heart could desire. But they’d only just met. How would life be day-in-day-out in a relationship? That’s where things tended to fall apart for her.
“How about you stay here for the day?” he suggested. “I have a few projects to oversee, but I can be back here in a few hours. He gave her a peck on the lips. “I’m sure we could come up with something to do this afternoon,” he said in a growl as he nuzzled the side of her neck.
“Actually, I’ve got to get going.” She sat up, pulling the bed sheet over her torso as she did. “There’s a lot I’ve got to do. More stuff to pack up, some calls to make.”
He planted feather-like kisses along her collarbone. “I can help you with that … later.”
“I see what you’re trying to do,” she said, chuckling. “But I really do have to go.” She got off the bed and crossed the room to the chair in the corner, where she’d left her clothes last night when they’d taken the first break from lovemaking. “There are calls I have to make to a couple of real estate agents … house stuff that I need to figure out. But I’ll see you later.”
As Tasia slipped into her underwear, Malcolm made his way toward her. Her pulse raced as she stared at his magnificent, naked body. Oh, Lord, she wanted so much to stay with him.
He circled his arms around her waist and pulled her close. “That a promise?” he asked huskily.
“It’s a promise,” Tasia replied.
*
And it was a promise Tasia had intended to keep. Another magnificent night with Malcolm. Of course, she wanted that. But back at her mother’s house, when she found herself packing up her mom’s knick-knacks and books, she started to feel overwhelmed again.
Thoughts of Malcolm consumed her all day … She wasn’t thinking about the upcoming cooking competition and the possible menu she would create. She thought only of Malcolm, of their deep connection and physical chemistry, of how much she’d come to rely on him in such a short time.
And that was the key issue, wasn’t it? Everything had happened between them so quickly, and already she was fantasizing about a possible future. It was easy to imagine herself sharing his house, making it a home. But her fantasy was illogical. What was she going to do, quit her job and move back to Miami? Put her career goals on hold for a man she hardly knew?
Yes, her heart told her. But she couldn’t follow her heart. She was too smart for that. She knew all too well that wishing and hoping and loving only set a person up for pain.
Sitting on her mother’s bed, Tasia’s eyes wandered around the room. There were pictures of her and Andrew on the wall, her mother with friends … A memory came rushing back to her, and her eyes filled with tears.
One day, after her father had left, Tasia went into her mother’s room and found her crying. She approached her mother and put her arms around her, trying to comfort her while asking what was wrong.
“He’s stopped sending money, baby,” her mother had sobbed. “I have to get a job. I can’t lose this house.”
“He hates us, doesn’t he?” Tasia asked. “He doesn’t care what happens to us, because he hates us.”
“Don’t think that, sweetheart. He’s lost his way, but he doesn’t hate you.”
“Why do you always defend him?” Tasia screamed. Her mother still had a family photo of them on her dresser, taken during a trip to the zoo. They looked like a normal, happy family, but the picture was a lie.
Tasia snatched the framed photo and smashed it on the floor. Once the glass was broken, she stripped the photo out of the frame. Glass tore into her skin, but the pain didn’t stop her, nor the blood. She ripped her father from the picture, and tore his smiling face into tiny pieces, blood oozing from her fingers, tears falling from her eyes.
And suddenly she was in her mother’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably. The two of them sat on the bed for hours and hugged each other and cried. The next day her mother removed every picture of her father from the house.
Tears poured down Tasia’s face as she shook off the memory. All that pain caused by the one man who was supposed to love her and protect her.
Her ringing cell phone made her jump. Tasia glanced down at it on the bed beside her, her heart fluttering. Malcolm calling to say hello?
Instead, she saw a 212 area code. New York City. She drew in a breath and answered the call.
“Hello?”
“Tasia Montgomery?”
“Speaking.”
“This is Rachel Dupere, a producer from Battle of the Chefs. We’ve corresponded by email. I’m taking care of your travel arrangements for New York.”
“Yes.” Tasia put on her best professional voice. “That’s right.”
“I was just calling to make sure you got the email with the flight and hotel info. I haven’t heard back from you.”
“I’m sorry. I—I’m not sure I did. Would you mind sending it again?”
“Cyberspace,” Rachel said. “I swear, phone calls and faxes are more reliable.”
“Absolutely.”
“There,” Rachel said. “I just re-sent it. Could you send me an email to let me know you got it?”
“I’ll check my email once I’m off the phone with you and do that right away. Thanks for calling.”
Tasia ended the call, then accessed her email. She saw the message from Rachel, and replied as she’d promised. Then she got off of her mother’s bed and went into her old bedroom, got her suitcase and started packing her belongings.
The phone call was a wake-up call. Her life was somewhere else. Not here. She’d had her plan already in place. She knew what she was doing. Then her mom died and she went off course for a bit. Being back in Miami filled her with bad memories, sadness, and vulnerability. How could she turn her life upside down for the possibility of a happily ever after? That only happened in the movies. Not real life. She had to leave, head back to Atlanta as soon as possible. It was time to get her head out of the clouds and concentrate on the cooking competition.
Only mere minutes after she started packing, her cell phone rang again. She knew who it was. Her hand went to her chest to quell her nerves and she felt a moment of indecision. Desire and fear fought for control of her heart. She almost didn’t answer the call.
But before the fourth ring, she snatched it up and swiped across the screen to accept the call. “Hey,” she said.
“Hey, beautiful. How’s it going?”
His voice was deep, soothing. Tasia swallowed before forging ahead to tell him her news. “Actually, I’m glad you called. I—I’m packing.”
“I can come over and help you. Your mom had a lot of stuff.”
“No. I mean I’m leaving,” she pressed on. “I have to head back to Atlanta.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and Tasia started to think the call had gotten disconnected.
But finally he broke the silence.
“What do you mean you’re leaving?” Malcolm asked. His confusion sounded through the line loud and clear.
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br /> “I’ve been down here for a while, there’s stuff I’ve put on hold.”
“Today? You’re leaving today?”
“Yes,” she answered, hoping her voice didn’t waver.
“When did you make this decision?” he asked. “This morning, you said you’d be here tonight.”
Her bottom lip trembled. Of course he was baffled. How could he not be? She could barely make sense of her own feelings.
She’d spent the morning both conflicted and blissful. Having sex with someone wasn’t supposed to be so confusing. But making love to Malcolm had been just that. An experience beyond anything she’d ever had before that had left her feeling unnerved.
Her heart. Her heart had gotten involved. Which, she told herself, was crazy.
It must be the emotional turmoil of the past few weeks. She was still grieving the loss of her mother and the first person who’d offered her comfort she’d fallen for?
She needed to leave Miami. Get back to reality. Back to her job. Back to where she could think clearly.
“I have stuff to do in Atlanta before I head to New York for the show,” she told him.
“And you have to leave right now?” Malcolm asked. “I was hoping I could see you tonight.”
The timbre of his voice made it clear what he was hoping, and Tasia’s body reacted to the suggestion. Heat suffused her body. Oh, she wanted that, too. So much. She could spend tonight, tomorrow and the next day in Malcolm’s arms, in his bed, and never want to go back to Atlanta.
Which was exactly why she had to leave. She had her career plan. Her work was everything to her. It had been her dream for so long to become a chef, and now she had this golden opportunity, she couldn’t pass it up. She owed it to herself and to her mother’s memory.
As much as she’d enjoyed being with Malcolm, she knew that it didn’t make sense for her to stay. Not really. He had been a distraction from her grief, a blissful one. And now that they’d made love, her brain was clouded. Her heart was urging her to stay, but her feelings were all wrapped up in sadness over her mother’s death and frustration about the house and finding that letter. But if she did stay, then what?