“She’s upstairs. First bedroom on the left. But I guess you know that.” She wrinkled her nose at him, her mouth quivering with amusement.
“Thanks.” Jaden’s ears burned, imagining what kind of conversation Denise and Sara had while he was absent. He headed upstairs, dodging boxes that lined the steps and hallway. “Denise?”
Two identical faces popped out at him from the master suite. He walked toward them, sure that he was also the topic of their discussion. Their huge grins and exaggerated assessment of him as he entered the room provided the evidence.
“Jaden, meet Asia and Athena, my sorors. We pledged together.” Denise lay on her side across the bed, her hand propping up her head.
Grateful that they didn’t dress alike or have similar hairstyles, he shook their hands.
“Did I leave a lot of stuff to clean up at the apartment?”
“I could handle it. I brought three boxes and several of the framed prints.”
“I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted.”
Jaden nodded. Her sorors unnerved him with their chuckling. He felt as if a neon sign were flashing over his head saying he had made wonderful, glorious love with their line sister.
“Well, we’re going now. Sara is ready to go.”
“Thanks for coming by, ladies. Make sure everyone leaves with you. I’ve paid them all.” Denise stretched and yawned. She groaned, scrunching her face in pain.
Asia patted him on the arm and left the room.
“Next time, you’d better stretch. Wouldn’t want her to suffer a muscle pull.” Athena giggled and left.
Jaden moved to the chest of drawers and leaned against it. Denise looked at him with a small smile.
“You’re so incredibly sexy standing there, tall, dark and drop-dead gorgeous. You can wear the heck out of a pair of jeans. I love a man with a grabable ass.”
“There is no such word.”
She swung her legs over the side of the bed and scooted over to him. Then she pulled him to stand between her legs. With a bold, saucy wink as his only warning, she placed her hands on his buttocks and squeezed. “Grabable.”
The minute her hands molded around his butt cheeks, Denise wanted more. She looked up at him, melting into the dark pools of his eyes, sending her message through the slight pressure of her fingers. And just in case he didn’t understand the urgency, she rubbed her cheek against the bulge in his jeans.
A grin of pure pleasure crossed her face. His arousal acknowledged the personal attention. She planted a kiss in gratitude.
“Don’t you want to make sure your guests leave?” Jaden sounded as if he’d been sprinting and had broken a world record.
Denise shook her head. “That adds a certain somethin’ somethin’.” This time she cupped his arousal, deliberately sabotaging any analysis of the moment.
When he placed his hands on her shoulders to push her back against the bed, she squirmed free. Instead of waiting for him to lavish her body with attention, she wanted to pay homage to his. He’d eventually get what she wanted, to take the lead. But right now, this very minute, with guests calling up the stairs to tell her they were leaving, she wanted to erase the frown she’d seen when he entered the room. She wanted to kiss away the tightness around his lips. She wanted to stroke him into relaxed submission for the moment when she would mount him.
“You’re deliciously wicked.”
“Not so fast. I’ve done nothing to get that indictment…yet.” Moving off the bed to stand behind him, she pulled his shirt over his head, alternating between kissing and licking in swirls along his back. His frenetic twitching egged her on. She ran her hand up to the back of his head, holding him in place. Her tongue greeted his flesh along his neck, down to his shoulder to the middle valley of his spine.
Jaden’s groans had replaced his protests. His hands reached back for her. She remained elusive, except to move in and bathe his back with her tongue.
“Take off your jeans.”
He obeyed.
“Everything. Then lie in the middle.”
Again, he obeyed.
She climbed on the bed, standing over him. “I want all of you.”
He reached for her leg, but she pushed his hand aside.
“You don’t get to touch.” She moved off the bed and walked over to her dresser. She removed four scarves from her dresser and returned to Jaden.
“May I?” She snapped a scarf taut between her hands.
Alarm showed on his face. But then he relaxed and nodded.
Denise tied each wrist and ankle to the corners of the head-and footboards.
“Is this some sort of test?”
“You could say that.” Denise hadn’t orchestrated any of this; instead she was going with whatever her body craved. What she was about to do was more of a test for her than Jaden. Could she mute her analytical tendencies for pure decadent joy?
She pulled the curtains, softening the harsh light. Although the rest of her boxes hadn’t been unpacked, her mood candles had been the first things to be found and placed in her bedroom. Now, she lit the various clusters of candles.
In the soft shadows of the room, she undressed, not going out of her way to allow Jaden to witness her disrobing. He craned his neck to help his vantage point, but had to drop his head back onto the bed when the effort proved to be futile.
Naked, she moved close to the bed. Her body was equally aroused and craved his attention. All in due time, she figured. Following her whim, she straddled him, but lowered her body onto his stomach.
His arousal was moist with anticipation. She looked forward to sheathing his raw desire. Her fingers nestled along the curled hairs of his chest, down past his stomach, disappearing into a thick mass of unruliness.
“You’re going to pay for this.” He writhed between her legs, his teeth clenched, fingers curled and uncurled.
She leaned down and kissed him, savoring the feel of his lips between hers before succumbing to the erotic dance with his tongue. “You’ll pay soon enough.”
In one fluid move, she replaced her lips against his mouth with the tips of her breasts. His neck arched and his mouth opened, in anticipation of her nipple. She balanced herself, lightly brushing his lips until his tongue flicked a blazing path around her nipple before fastening on with a strong suction.
Her eyes squeezed shut and it was her turn to suck air between her teeth. What Jaden awakened had been buried deep under layers of cynicism and behind heavy drapes of insecurities. The powerful swell of desire started like a soft rolling wind rustling and nudging her sexual appetite.
Rubbing against the full length of his body, feeling his arousal next to her skin, sliding along the length of his thighs—she escalated the forces of her desire into a raging gale with an overpowering strength that surged to a climactic peak.
“You can’t be so cruel,” Jaden complained. The powerful long muscles in his thighs contracted. His toes cracked as he flexed them.
Denise couldn’t take credit for being merciful. She slipped on the condom, looking forward to the immediate future.
She untied him.
They panted, exuding a calm that warned of a stormy union soon to come.
Her hands encircled him as she lowered herself onto him, taking him fully into her. She was sure that he would see her heart pounding against her ribs. The hunger between her legs sought its satisfaction as she rocked against Jaden. Their rhythm resembled dancers partnered in a sensual tango of fluidity and grace with their hips locked into place.
And there she stayed until Jaden signaled his readiness by squeezing her hips. She willingly followed him, holding on to his shoulders as the orgasmic waves rolled and pounded over them, like they were powerless survivors against an incoming tide.
Denise hung on for dear life. The power of speech had been seized. Even if she could open her eyes, she doubted that she’d be able to see. The roar of their passion defeated her. Only her sense of touch remained, enjoying the play of his muscles
under her fingers.
“Please don’t let this be over anytime soon,” her mind cried out.
Chapter 6
Jaden entered his parents’ home, a cozy ranch-style bungalow where they hadn’t needed to handle stairs. They had recently moved into a senior living facility that looked like paradise. A large flowing fountain greeted residents and visitors at the main entrance. A huge community center took center stage, surrounded by condos, bungalows, town-homes and duplexes.
His mother had pushed for the change of residence. His father’s health had always been rocky. She didn’t want to deal with a large house and his health emergencies.
“Jaden, good to see you. I had my doubts that you’d show up.”
“Why?” He kissed her cheek and entered their bungalow, inhaling the wonderful scent of home-cooked food.
“Calvin said that you probably wouldn’t be here. He mentioned a new friend named Denise.” His mother wiggled her eyebrows. Her shocking white hair was pulled into a ponytail. “How come I haven’t met with your young lady?”
Jaden took a deep breath for patience at hearing of his brother’s involvement. “Calvin doesn’t know what he’s talking about. She’s just a friend.” He headed to the family room, which he knew his father had staked out as his haven. Right about now he wanted in.
He opened the door and stepped in but stopped short. Calvin and his father were playing chess. They both looked up at him. Jaden wanted to back out but stood his ground. Maybe he could get through the evening without a battle that had no purpose.
“Hi, Pop.” He patted his father’s shoulder, noticing how frail his body felt under his fingers. “Hey, Calvin.” He nodded to his brother, immediately noticing the glass of amber liquid. His father always kept a bottle of Scotch, although he had long since stopped drinking because of his prescription drugs.
“Is dinner ready?” His father peered over his reading glasses at him.
“I’ll go check.” Jaden sought to escape, feeling like an intruder.
“Need any help?” he asked his mother as he entered the kitchen.
“Did they kick you out?” His mother patted his arm. “Calvin and your father haven’t had a special time like that in a while. It pleases my heart to see them together.” She handed him a stack of plates. “Set the table, please.”
Preparing the table for their dinner allowed him the time to chat with his mother. She always liked to hear how the houses had been renovated. Occasionally he took her to the sites to see his projects.
“Looks like we’re ready to eat. Get your father and brother.”
Jaden headed back to the family room. He opened the door in time to see Calvin take a wad of cash from his father. They both started when Jaden announced, “Dinner is ready.” He glared at his father, who defiantly glared back. He didn’t bother to look at Calvin, knowing there would be no sign of remorse.
Dinner proceeded smoothly, or as smoothly as possible. Jaden kept his conversation on the weather, his projects and the change in the neighborhood. His mother chatted about her herb garden, her neighbors and his projects. His father barely spoke and when he did his attention was on Calvin.
“I’ll help with dessert, Mom.” Calvin followed his mother into the kitchen.
Jaden couldn’t take it any longer. He leaned over to his father. “Why would you give him any alcohol? You’re not helping the problem.”
“He is my son. As long as I have breath in my body, I will help him. It was just a celebratory drink. He’s going to stay here and get better.”
Jaden straightened up when his mother returned. She looked at him and then at his father. Her mouth pursed but she said nothing.
Calvin carried a yellow cake with icing drizzled over the top. The scent of lemon hinted at the flavor.
“Mom, I’m going to move in for a little while.” Calvin grinned but was too old and haggard to pull off the little-boy routine.
“Oh.” His mother’s reaction alerted Jaden that she hadn’t been consulted on this latest development.
“I thought there were rules about who could live in a senior living facility.” Jaden couldn’t help but push his point.
“That’s outrageous that they can tell me who I can have in my house,” his father blustered. “Your mother should’ve never forced me to come live in this prison.”
“He can stay up to two weeks.” His mother looked over her glasses at her younger son. “Then he’ll have to go.”
“That’s enough time, right, son?” His father smiled at Calvin.
Calvin didn’t share their enthusiasm. Jaden surmised the reason. He didn’t have a job and, in his condition, he would have a hard time holding one down.
“It’s not a good idea to test the rules. You just arrived,” Jaden advised.
“We wouldn’t have to step in if you would’ve helped,” his father replied.
His mother’s downward gaze was fastened on her slice of cake; Jaden wondered if she agreed with her husband’s summation.
“I wouldn’t want to impose on Jaden, considering he’s got a girlfriend who has practically made his house her second home,” Calvin said.
“This is the same young lady who hasn’t been introduced to us.” His mother’s disapproval landed squarely at Jaden’s feet.
“I don’t have a problem with Calvin staying with me, but only under certain conditions.”
“There aren’t conditions when you are dealing with family,” his father declared. “Your grandparents didn’t raise our family with conditions. You didn’t go outside the unit for help.”
“Those were different times,” Jaden replied. “I’m not going to change my mind. He can only live with me when he has his life under control.”
“And you’re a role model of structure and order.” Calvin disappeared into the family room and brought out a glassful of Scotch. “I figured we should have a toast to you.”
“Oh, dear,” his mother exclaimed and immediately started clearing the table.
Jaden ate his cake.
“I want to toast Jaden on his successful millionaire lifestyle. He’s got a babe magnet of a car. And when Charlene and her son got to be too much for him, he went and got a younger model.”
“Bring that girl to this house.” His father glowered at Jaden. “I’ll decide whether she’s a good girl or not.”
“I had no intention of hiding Denise. We are still getting to know each other and we are taking things slowly. I respect that.” Jaden pushed away from the table. “Looks like it’s time for me to get going.” He headed for the kitchen. “Thanks for dinner, Mom.” He kissed her cheek.
“Please don’t go. You know we love you.”
Jaden nodded. All this dysfunction in the name of love. He looked forward to going home and having a quiet evening. Regardless of the pressure that his father applied, he was not going to let Calvin into his house unless he was in a program.
He headed home, thinking about Denise. How could he possibly bring her into his chaotic family situation? His father’s attitude was unpredictable. His mother, with her blind optimism, acted as if she were stuck in the 1950s, and his brother could be counted on to be rude and boorish. No way was Denise walking into that mess.
When he got home, he unwound with a couple of laps in the pool. By the time he was done, he badly wanted to talk to Denise. When he finally settled into bed, he dialed her number. Hearing the sound of her voice and flirting outrageously with her ranked at the top of his list of great ways to fall asleep. The phone rang until the voice mail kicked in. He left a message, more than a little disappointed that he only had memories to keep him until he fell asleep.
Denise sat in her government-provided SUV waiting for the shift change to be complete. Her least favorite part of her job was playing stakeout in the late hours of the evening on a street where she’d never walk during daylight. However, production reports for this unit raised warning signals. Normally she’d delegate this to one of her senior supervisors, but since she di
dn’t know how deep this problem was, she’d opted to run her informal investigation.
The new shift showed up at the work site. The supervisors conferred, transferring information to their respective clipboards. The crew going back to the maintenance yard loaded up their trucks and vans and headed out. Denise slid down in the seat until they passed.
Now her vigilance counted. She pulled an apple out of her paper bag and munched as the new crew pulled out their equipment to do their work. So far, everything looked normal. Maybe the reports were false or involved a different crew. She was wasting a perfectly good night’s sleep for this.
She had eaten the apple down to the core before something caught her attention. A van filled with four employees departed from the site. They’d barely arrived on the site, so it couldn’t be their break time. Denise sat up, fully alert.
She started the car, deciding to follow them. Now, this was fun. The van ahead turned down several side streets, then pulled up in front of a liquor store. Denise pulled into an empty parking space and watched. She couldn’t believe the employees’ brazen act, walking out with a case of beer. They loaded up the van and returned to the site.
She waited until they’d parked the van and unloaded their treat before she strolled into their presence.
“Gentlemen, may I have your attention.” She pointed at her badge. “No, don’t bother, I’ve already seen what I needed to see.” She raised her hand to halt the stream of defenses thrown at her. “A new crew is on its way. You can pack up and leave. H.R. will be in touch with the necessary procedures.”
She walked back to her SUV and pulled off. Her undercover tactics wouldn’t endear her to the field crews. But she also had to show them that she was capable of hard business decisions. To allow a rogue crew to do whatever it wanted was inviting problems.
The payback for her trouble was lots of paperwork to be filed. She went to her office, opting to begin the process now rather than wait until the morning.
With the soft rays of morning breaking the horizon, Denise filled out the lengthy packet of paperwork, her cup of hot coffee near at hand. Whenever her thoughts deviated from the task, she took a long sip from her mug. This wasn’t the time to think about Jaden.
Gamble on Love Page 10