Blueprint for Love

by Chanta Jefferson Rand

  “Oh, wait,” she started. She cracked the door behind her and lowered her voice. “Um. My sister is having a birthday party for her fiancé, Gabe, this weekend. It’s just some close friends and family. Would you…? If you’re not busy…”

  She struggled to find the right words. She glanced at her bare feet then up at him. His amused gaze focused on her. She could do this.

  “We’re celebrating Gabe’s birthday down at the marina,” she said. “It’s casual attire.”

  “What time?”

  “Seven p.m.”

  “I’ll pick you up at six.”

  “Okay.”

  Butterflies fluttered in the pit of her stomach. She was a woman in charge. She helped run a profitable business. She dealt with men all day. So, why was this one rattling her nerves so much?

  Ronnie shut the door and leaned against it with her eyes closed. Vic was a take-charge guy, too. He’d sensed her shyness and immediately figured out what she wanted. She liked the idea of a man who could read her mind. She was tingling from her toes to her fingertips. She smiled. For the first time in years, she had a date! They hadn’t agreed it was a date. But it was a real date.

  “Hey, Mom?”

  Her eyes flipped open at the sound of Jovan calling her. She jerked her head upright to find him staring at her.

  “Yes?” she answered.

  He shot her one of his smart-aleck grins. “I haven’t figured out what all women want, but I know what one woman wants.”

  Her breath caught. She was mortified her son noticed the spark between her and Vic. She fumbled with an explanation, but before she could come up with anything believable, Jovan laughed and jogged off toward the kitchen, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

  # # #

  Saturday came sooner than Vic expected. He’d worked hard all week. He was ready for some down time. This was supposed to be the day he took Andrea bowling. He’d surprised himself by asking if he could take her on Sunday instead. It worked out, since Andrea wasn’t feeling well anyway. Normally, Vic wouldn’t have made the suggestion. He knew Andrea looked forward to getting out of the house. Maria was very particular about who she kept company with.

  Vic’s change of plans was due to Ronnie. Standing at her door earlier this week, Vic was mesmerized by her shapely body and long legs. She’d looked so vulnerable, working up the nerve to ask him to go to the party. He couldn’t say no to her. And he didn’t want to say no either.

  He’d never felt this type of slow burn for any woman. No, it was more than a slow burn. What had started off as a harmless spark had grown into a full-blown blazing attraction.

  The question was, what were they going to do about it?

  There was so much more to the Ice Queen than what was on the surface. She was warm and compassionate inside. She cared about people. He liked her spunk. Her sassy tongue. The way she kept him in line and didn’t crumble at his sexual innuendos. He’d like to think he’d had an effect on her ability to let loose, too. The other day she actually made a joke. The woman was making progress.

  Vic owned plenty of shorts and t-shirts, so finding something to wear to the party was no hardship. He picked Ronnie up in his Explorer at exactly six o’clock. After he’d opened the door to the passenger side for her and slipped behind the wheel, she laughed.

  “The view certainly looks a lot different from the front seat,” she said.

  He chuckled. “You can ride in the back if you want, but that section is strictly reserved for changing clothes.”

  “No, thanks. I’m good.”

  “Great. ‘Cause I think you look amazing in that outfit.”

  She pulled on the hem of her short, pale blue dress. “Thank you. Let’s just hope what happened last time doesn’t happen tonight.”

  His eyes met hers and he felt the heat of her gaze. Was it embarrassment or passion? In either case, he wanted her to feel at ease. “You don’t have to worry,” he promised. “As much as I enjoyed the show, I’ll make sure no one else gets to see what I saw.”

  “Did you say you enjoyed the show? Goodness, that’s two compliments from Vic Romano in the span of sixty seconds. Let me put this on the calendar.”

  He’d wanted to tell her how hard his cock had been for most of the drive home that night, just thinking about her. But that was too much power for any woman to have over him. He had to keep his feelings in check.

  Instead, he said, “Oh, yeah. I very much liked what I saw.”

  She crossed her shapely bare legs, drawing his attention to the nude high-heeled wedges cradling her pretty toes, accented with vibrant red toenail polish.

  He smiled when she remained silent. “What? No smart ass comments?” he asked.

  She shook her head, a mischievous grin pressing against her glossy lips. “No comment needed. You’ve said it all.”

  He laughed and put the car in drive. This was going to be some kind of interesting night.

  The party was just getting started when Vic and Ronnie got there. There was a small crowd, consisting of Candace and Gabe’s family and friends. Some funky, upbeat music played at a respectable level. People mingled freely, dancing and eating barbeque. Ronnie introduced him to her sisters, and her cousin, Toye, the lady he’d met the night he dropped her at the Eden Roc. Vic thought the way Toye’s grey eyes boldly raked him over from head to toe was a little flirtatious, but he reserved judgment. Maybe she was just being friendly.

  Other than that, from the moment Vic set foot on the boat, he felt at ease around everyone, especially since the event was casual. Shorts and flip-flops. He’d been to places where he’d felt like he didn’t belong. He was glad this wasn’t one of them.

  He finally met the guest of honor, Gabe Hunt. Candace’s fiancé was a down-to-earth guy who welcomed Vic to the company and the party.

  “I’ve heard really good things about you,” Gabe told him.

  “Likewise,” Vic answered politely. He thought back to the day Ronnie told him about how some guy named Gabe had made sure she had a spare in her car now. This was the dude he’d thought was her man. He was glad to learn Ronnie was free and single. “Thanks for taking care of Ronnie’s spare,” Vic told Gabe. “She told me how you handled up.”

  Gabe nodded. “Those jerks at the dealership won’t be screwing with her anymore. She has free oil changes for the next two years.”

  Vic chuckled. “Way to take care of business.”

  “Thanks. And by the way, congrats on your promotion to crew leader. Just be careful,” Gabe warned. “When you’re good at something, these ladies won’t let you live it down. It’s like drawing blood from a turnip. They’ll suck you dry, man!”

  The three sisters stood in a circle around the two men, laughing and making good-natured comments. Candace playfully punched Gabe in the arm. “Don’t scare Vic away,” she teased. “You make it seem like we keep you locked in the basement working on home improvement projects.”

  “Besides,” Marlowe laughed, “you’re the one who makes us take on half the projects we bid for, Gabe.”

  “And you know you love it,” Ronnie added.

  Gabe grinned. “True.” He looked at Vic. “I forgot to tell you, you can’t win when all three of them gang up on you.”

  Vic laughed. “So, I see.”

  “But I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Gabe admitted.

  Vic watched as Gabe grabbed Candace around the waist and planted a brief but loving kiss on her lips. Anyone witnessing them couldn’t help but see the love flowing between them. The two made a good-looking couple. It was obvious Gabe had fallen hard for Candace.

  Vic liked Gabe. He was obviously wealthy, but he didn’t flaunt it. Plus, Ronnie held him in high esteem. She had a lot of nice things to say about him, so the guy couldn’t be half bad.

  And Ronnie’s family was nice too. Her sisters treated him with respect. They took time out from mingling with the other guests to chat with him. Within a few minutes, he had their personalities figured out. Marlowe
was the baby of the family. The way she talked non-stop about clothes and the finer things in life let him know her big sisters had spoiled her rotten. Candace was the middle sibling, and the ringleader of the group. Her sisters were in the construction business because of her. With her sassy blonde bob and no-nonsense attitude, it was easy to see how she’d become a business-owner. Ronnie was the oldest and most levelheaded. And in his opinion, the sexiest. The more time he spent with her, the more he liked being around her.

  Dangerous feelings for a guy who didn’t know where he stood in life. He had to remind himself to take it one day at a time.

  He was just beginning to relax when a familiar face approached. Vic didn’t recall his name, but he remembered the guy from the night he dropped Ronnie at the Eden Roc.

  “Ronnie, would you care to dance?” the man asked.

  “Vic, you remember Allen,” Ronnie prompted.

  Yeah, he remembered him all right. He didn’t care for the guy. Didn’t like the possessive look in his eye. Vic grunted. Well, he was possessive too. Ronnie had invited him to this party, not Allen. If she’d wanted to dance with the man, she would have invited him instead.

  “Sorry, dude.” Vic stepped between them. “She’s with me tonight.”

  He ignored the fake ass smile on Allen’s face as he steered Ronnie away with his hand on the small of her back.

  “I didn’t know you could dance,” Ronnie whispered in awe.

  “I can’t,” he admitted. “I just never learned to share.”

  “So, you have two flaws. You’re too blunt and you don’t share well.”

  “That guy, Allen is an amateur stalker.”

  “I thought I was the only one who noticed.”

  “I think he’s so blinded by your beauty he can’t think logically.”

  “And you’re not blinded by my beauty?”

  He chuckled. “Not blinded. Just slightly sight impaired.”

  She shook her head and laughed.

  They wandered to an empty corner on the boat’s upper deck where they shared a plate of ribs and two glasses of iced tea. A brilliant red sunset reflected off the ocean’s shimmering surface. The boat remained docked, but the backdrop was still spectacular. Vic enjoyed the way the sun highlighted Ronnie’s reddish-brown hair.

  The woman was gorgeous. No wonder Allen was sniffing at her skirts like a rabid dog.

  The two of them sat on one of the boat’s built-in benches and talked business for a while. After Vic updated her on the progress at the site, they watched the sun dip low on the horizon and finally transform into the dark purples of dusk.

  Ronnie drained her glass of iced tea. “I need something stronger than this,” she announced.

  Vic wasn’t much of a drinker. Living with an alcoholic mother who’d wrecked her marriage was a strong deterrent against liquor. But he would get Ronnie whatever she wanted from the open bar downstairs. “What did you have in mind?” he asked.

  Her pretty brown eyes lit up. “Chocolate.”

  His deep chuckle mingled with her light-hearted giggle. He stood and grabbed her hand. “That’s one request I believe I can fulfill.”

  Ronnie wasn’t sure what it was about Vic that pulled her like a moth to a flame. Maybe it was the unspoken edge he had to his personality. The fact that he had the chiseled body of a Greek god didn’t hurt either. They slipped, unnoticed, off Gabe’s boat and walked along the pier where vendors sold everything from tourist souvenirs to food.

  They held hands. His palm felt good against hers.

  They looked like a couple on vacation. She, in her blue sundress. Him, dressed in khaki cargo shorts and a navy blue t-shirt. The tan sandals he wore cradled his long toes. He had great calves.

  Just once, Ronnie wanted to let her hair down and relax. Stop going through analysis paralysis with every situation. At this moment, there was no work to worry about. No crises to be averted. No child to take care of—Jovan was with the babysitter.

  It was time for her to indulge in some much-needed recreation.

  “Look.” Vic pointed to a brightly painted ice cream truck in the distance. “Seems like your wish has been granted.”

  It looked as though the vendor was closing up shop, so Vic dashed to the truck. By the time Ronnie got there, he’d ordered a scoop of chocolate ice cream for her and two scoops of strawberry for him.

  “Hey, why do you get two scoops, but I only get one?” she teased.

  Vic handed the cone to her. “’Cause I’m a big guy,” he said. “And I doubt you’re hungrier than me.”

  She played along, licking the ice cream seductively. “I don’t know about that,” she bantered. “I’m pretty ravenous right now.”

  A wicked grin spread across his face. “Well, I’ll have to make sure to satisfy all your cravings.”

  The ice cream was cold, but the warmth in Vic’s gaze was hot enough to melt her panties.

  “Why do I get the feeling we’re not talking about ice cream anymore?” she asked.

  Vic’s masculine laughter filled the air.

  “Let’s sit over there,” Ronnie suggested, pointing to a nearby bench.

  It was a beautiful night. The dark sky was peppered with brilliant stars. She rarely got a chance to sit and look at the stars. She sat in companionable silence with Vic. A hint of his cologne teased her nostrils. God, he was such an Alpha male.

  Looked virile.

  Smelled manly.

  Talked with confidence.

  The more she hung around Vic, the more reasons she found to like him.

  “Umm,” Vic practically groaned. “This is so good.”

  “Oh, yeah,” Ronnie agreed. “The best things in life are usually sweet and simple.”

  “Can’t argue with that.”

  He took a huge bite of his strawberry cone, tackling it like a pro ball player. He devoured it in less than two minutes. Ronnie smiled at the strawberry smear on the corner of his upper lip.

  “Pink is definitely your color,” she joked. “You have some on your top lip.”

  He flicked his long tongue, caressing the corner of his lips, but he still missed the blob of pink.

  She didn’t have a napkin, so she wiped the leftover ice cream with her thumb. Her heart kicked as Vic grabbed her wrist. Goosebumps puckered on her skin. The raw desire in Vic’s gaze communicated a message for her only.

  “I really am hungry, Ronnie—for you.”

  She heard her sharp intake of breath as Vic licked the strawberry ice cream from her thumb. The long, languid strokes of his tongue felt agonizingly good. A trail of liquid fire shot through her body and pooled like hot lava between her legs.

  Ronnie dropped her cone to the ground as Vic pulled her toward him. His lips found hers and within seconds, she was lost in his kiss. Nothing prepared her for the bold onslaught of his lips. He took total command, sweeping inside and dominating her mouth. His strawberry-flavored kiss was all-consuming. The taste of this tongue ignited an inferno inside her belly. She suckled and pulled in response, letting the feel and texture of his mouth overwhelm her senses. She pushed her fingers through the thick strands of hair at the nape of his neck. Since the day he swaggered into her office, she’d wondered what it would feel like to run her hand through his thick mane. Now, she knew.

  As their tongues battled in an erotic mating dance, Vic cradled her in his arms. His hands were everywhere. The rough pads of his thumbs felt like heaven as they stroked her cheeks, her chin, and the delicate flesh at the hollow of her throat. His tongue soon followed the path his fingers blazed, leaving a trail of fire everywhere he kissed her.

  She was helpless to stop the onslaught. Drunk with passion. Her nipples strained against the soft cotton of her sundress. A spiral of heat slowly uncoiled inside her. Her coochie throbbed mercilessly. Pulsating. Pounding. Begging for release.

  She lost herself in wild abandonment. She hadn’t felt wanted in a long time. She was at Vic’s mercy, dangling like a puppet at his erotic whims. Through the
passion-induced fog of her brain, she heard footsteps approach. She pulled away in time to see an old couple stroll by. The white-haired woman clucked her tongue disapprovingly at Ronnie.

  “Disgraceful,” the old woman told her companion. “You can’t even take a walk without seeing people fornicating in the streets.”

  “Indeed!” the old man answered. But unbeknownst to the woman, he winked at Ronnie.

  Ronnie’s jaw dropped.

  Vic must have seen it too because he laughed softly in Ronnie’s ear.

  The streetlights had come on. A nearby lamp illuminated them in the darkness.

  Mortified, Ronnie adjusted her dress. Somehow, her leg had found its way across Vic’s thigh. This was not funny. Not funny at all.

  “Oh, my God!” She stood, nearly slipping on remnants of the cone she’d abandoned earlier. She was not prone to public displays of affection.

  “Are you okay?” Vic asked.

  She nodded. But she wasn’t fine. She could barely catch her breath. All the nerve endings in her body tingled. Vic had turned her into a pile of mush with one kiss.

  She turned to him. The raw desire still glowed in his eyes. Apparently, being chastised by a senior citizen had no effect on his ardor.

  “Let’s get going,” she said. “It’s getting late.”

  Thank goodness that couple came along when they did. Otherwise, who knew how far she would have let Vic go? If he could make her feel this way from one kiss, what would he be like in bed?

  EIGHT

  “Yes, make that one dozen yellow roses,” Allen told the florist on the other end of his cell phone.

  A yellow rose signified friendship. Maybe he should have ordered white to signify he was thinking of her. Or red to let her know how passionate he felt.

  He hoped this worked. Maybe now, Ronnie would finally sit up and take notice of him. So far, she’d been impervious to his attempts to get to know her better. It hadn’t been for lack of trying on his part. He’d made it a habit to be everywhere she was. Endured boring business events. Suffering through her sister’s speeches. Invited himself to her family get-togethers. He had to, especially if he planned on being part of her future. He hadn’t wanted to push too far too fast. Each time he hinted at a possible relationship, Ronnie insisted she was too busy with her career and Three Sisters Construction.