Perfect Timing

by Brenda Jackson

  He gazed at her thoughtfully. “None of those had any action in it.”

  “My point exactly. My taste in movies is evidently quite different from yours.”

  Christopher slipped a video into the VCR thinking how comfortable it felt having Maxi here with him like this. “Would you like me to get you anything before the movie starts?” he asked her.

  She glanced over at him. “Anything like what?”

  “There’s some microwave popcorn in the kitchen, and if you’re thirsty I can fix you something to drink.”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  The movie began playing and they both got quiet. A good twenty minutes later, Maxi, Christopher soon realized, was all into the movie with her eyes and ears glued to the television screen. For someone who claimed she didn’t enjoy action-packed movies, she sure was all into this one, he thought. She seemed to enjoy watching Steven Seagal kick butt. She was into the movie so much that she didn’t notice when he stood to turn off all the lights, making the room dark except for the light from the television. Nor did she notice that he had scooted closer to her on the floor. And when a scene came on with Steven Seagal kissing the leading lady, her eyes stayed pinned to the screen the entire while.

  “That’s all fake you know,” he decided to tell her.

  “Umm,” she responded without taking her eyes off the television. “You think so?”

  “Yes, you can tell there isn’t any tongue interaction going on. What good is a kiss without tongue?”

  The room got silent. The only sound was that from the movie of the two people on the screen sucking face. “Christopher”?

  He glanced over and met Maxi’s gaze. “Yes?”

  “I enjoyed kissing you that time on the ship.”

  He smiled a seductive little smile, pleased that she had. “Did you?”

  “Yes.” No sooner had that single word left her mouth Maxi discovered Christopher had moved closer to her on the floor, almost hovering over her.

  “What exactly did you like about it?” he asked as he continued to look at her. He thought about all the tongue interaction they had shared that night.

  “Probably everything.” She couldn’t quite help herself when she smiled at the memories of that night. “I’d never done anything like that before.”

  He knew what she was alluding to but wanted to hear her say it. He wanted to hear her explain. “You’d been kissed before.”

  “Yes, but never like that and never to the point where I…” She released her gaze from his and tried her best to turn her attention back to the movie, deciding she had said enough. Probably too much. When she glanced over at Christopher moments later, he was still staring at her, with dark penetrating eyes. She inhaled a deep, quick breath when the room went pitch black. He had used the remote control to switch off the television and VCR, plunging the room into total darkness.

  When he reached out and pulled her into his arms, she couldn’t help herself, and went willingly. And when he covered her mouth with his, she knew she was lost. For the second time in four years, fire was being ignited in every part of her body as once again he made her remember just what it felt like to be a woman.

  He kissed her with the same hunger that he had that night on the cruise, making scandalous love to her mouth, eliciting groans from deep within her body as she latched onto his tongue and held on. But he was having none of that and a duel began. He released her mouth only when they needed to breathe and then they were back at it again. A surge of hot, frenzied excitement raced through Maxi and she recalled what Mya had told her on the cruise. Kissing led to other things and when she felt Christopher’s hands at the waist of her pants, tugging them down she knew she had to stop him. They had plans to do this next week, and that would be soon enough for what their bodies craved.

  But she wanted him now.

  He pulled back and looked at her, as though expecting her to say something that would put an end to what they were doing. But she didn’t. Because she couldn’t.

  “Christopher.” His name left her lips, a seductive plea of unadulterated wanting and desire.

  He heard the sound of her voice and knew its meaning. Without wasting any time he continued to remove her pants then tossed them aside. He then gave all of his attention to removing her top, which he managed to execute without much trouble. He sat back on his haunches and looked down at her, dressed in bra and panties.

  Maxi knew he was giving her a second chance to stop him. “Do we do it now or do we wait till next week…until you are ready?” he asked her in a quiet, husky voice.

  The first thing that came into Maxi’s mind was that she could be dead by next week, and her body was more than ready. She wanted him and she needed him and if she got pregnant tonight then it would be all right.

  “Say something, for heaven’s sake!”

  Christopher’s outburst made her realize he was waiting for a response. Deciding she could show him better than she could tell him, she slanted him a rueful smile as she reached up to remove her bra. He watched her every moment with deep, dark eyes. After finishing the task she tossed the bra aside and went to remove her panties while Christopher was pensively quiet as he continued to watch her. Maxi kind of liked the thought of him watching her close and she deliberately made it worth his while.

  “You’re getting quite a kick out of teasing me aren’t you?” he asked her hoarsely, moments later.

  Her smile was slightly sheepish when she responded honestly, after tossing her panties aside. “Yes.”

  Christopher moved his gaze down the full length of her body, appreciating everything he saw, every single inch of her.

  “So, are you going to stay dressed?” she asked, trying to sound casual when she felt anything but casual.

  Shaking his head, he began removing his shirt. A few moments later he tossed it over to where her bra and panties were. He stood to remove his pants. Maxi bit her bottom lip as he watched him. Her gaze didn’t waver. Not even when he stepped out of his pants and reached for the waist of silk boxer shorts. Her eyes glittered with passion when he peeled the pair of shorts down his legs. “Like what you see, Maxine Chandler?”

  She blinked remembering those same words he had spoken one day in school during physical ed. when she had seen him wearing a pair of gym shorts, and he’d caught her staring just like she was doing now. “Yes, I like what I see,” she admitted unashamedly.

  He smiled. “Then that makes two of us. I definitely like what I see.”

  Maxi swallowed. The physical attraction radiating between them was stronger than it had ever been. The heat, the passion, the desire completely filled the air in the room. He slowly came back down to her, kissing her again in a deep, drowning kiss that rocked her entire body. When he released her mouth, his name sounded from her lips. “Christopher.”

  Instead of answering her, he stood with her in his arms and carried her into his bedroom. He stopped before placing her on the bed remembering the women he had shared this same bed with. He didn’t want Maxi to be just another woman who slept with him. She meant more to him than that. She would be the one and only woman to ever have his baby.

  Maxi moaned softly, deep in her throat when he placed her on the bed in the guest room she had slept in the night before. He then joined her there, pulling her into his arms and once again she melted into his kiss. He broke off the kiss to trail his mouth along her neck and throat, while his fingers found their mark in the haven between her legs, touching the sensitized area there.

  Her body automatically responded to his touch, his intimate caress and something clenched tight within her. She sucked in her breath when she felt his mouth capture a nipple between his teeth and gently began bathing it with his tongue. She wasn’t sure how much of this she could take. How much longer she would last. “Now,” she whispered huskily, when fragments of sensations started passing through her.

  Breathing hard, Christopher made a low guttural sound when he placed his body directly over hers, betwee
n her legs, placing the tip of his manhood to the opening of her femininity. Eyes locked with hers, he slowly began filling her, breathing even harder when she lifted her hips to take him all the way in. The first thought that entered his mind was, damn she felt hot. And the second was that he could get addicted to this. When he didn’t think he could go any further inside her, he lowered his head to her.

  Maxi raised her head to meet him halfway, wanting another kiss as much as he did. And the second their lips touched and she had wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, the hardness of his thighs held her in place when he thrust deeply into her. Her moan was captured in his mouth as he continued kissing and began pumping his hips with urgent intent into her, stroking every part of her body, increasing his rhythm as he thrust in and out of her.

  For the first time while making love to a woman, Christopher let his every emotion escape as he reveled in the sensations that being inside her was bringing him. Making love to her this way left him bare, vulnerable, crazed. His entire body shook with the need to possess her, totally, completely. And when he felt the waves of pleasure right there, within both of their reach, he increased his rhythm, rapidly, at a fast pace, thinking he didn’t ever want to stop.

  He broke off their kiss, intent on working his body into hers any way he could to give both of them maximum satisfaction. He slipped his hand beneath her hips, lifting her to him to go deeper. And as much as he didn’t want it to happen just yet, an orgasm shook him, sending thick, liquid warmth shooting right into her womb, so much so that he could actually feel it happening. He thrust into her one final time, enjoying the feel of his heated release exploding inside her. He held her in place as his body continued to fill her to capacity, giving her a part of him no other woman had claimed. And when he felt her body reach the pinnacles of sexual delight, he came again—a second time—automatically, unabashedly inside her.

  When it was over, he collapsed on top of her, being careful not to press his full weight onto her. Barely able to catch his breath he lay still, completely drained from the force of his release—two orgasms back to back. That had never happened to him before.

  “Christopher—”

  “Umm,” he responded as his hand continued to rub the slippery soap over her body with one hand while his other hand was caressing her breast under the steady stream of water from the shower. Maxi’s heart was pounding against his hand, and the heat between her legs had sensations flowing all over her body. They were sensations the water from the shower couldn’t drown out.

  Christopher had backed her against the shower wall with her legs wrapped around his waist. Water cascaded over them when his mouth crushed down on hers with a hunger that had her melting under him. She gripped his shoulders to hold on for the ride she knew he would give her.

  When he drove into her, her inner muscles were ready, clenching at him for dear life, holding him tight inside her. But he was having none of that. And he pulled out only to thrust back in again, fast, deep. Over and over again.

  Maxi screamed out her release when she felt him explode inside her, coating her insides with his semen, signifying his own climax as he held her body in place with his. She deliberately squeezed her inner muscles around him, milking him dry.

  He released her mouth and stared at her as water ran over both of their faces, knowing what she was making her body do to his, feeling exhilarated that she wanted his seed planted deep within her. He found joy in the fact that Maxine Chandler wanted all of him, especially this, the very thing he had withheld from any other woman. And he was determined to give her as much of him as he could. He grabbed her hips and thrust again, pushing as deeply inside her as possible. He watched her gasp, and her eyes widened when she felt him getting hard inside her all over again.

  And then he was starting over.

  Thrusting in and out, making love to the woman he had once considered his. A woman he’d thought he wasn’t worthy of ever having. He tried to remember how many times he had dreamed of being inside her like this. Making love to her over and over again, touching her in ways that only a lover could.

  She came again, screaming his name and with a loud grunt he gave one last thrust when an orgasm hit him hard.

  Moments later, barely able to breathe, barely able to stand, his gaze met hers and he leaned toward her and kissed her in a sweet and tender exchange that was different from any kisses they’d shared. When he released her mouth, he relinquished his hold on her and she shimmied downward off his wet body.

  He began lathering her all over again, then let her lather him. Moments later, they rinsed off. Emerging from the shower they toweled each other dry then he picked her up and took her into the guest bedroom.

  Christopher placed her on the bed and joined her there, gathering her into his arms. Closing his eyes as a serene peace settled within him and holding her securely in his arms, they both slept.

  Christopher walked Maxi to the gate after she had checked her bags at the terminal. A part of him regretted her leaving. After an entire night of making love they had awakened that morning, eaten the breakfast he had made, and had gone back to bed to make love again. “I enjoyed my weekend with you, Christopher.”

  “And I enjoyed my weekend with you as well,” he responded, tightening his hold on her hand. “I’ll call you later in the week after I’ve finalized the plans for Las Vegas, all right?”

  She nodded, then looked around at the people coming and going. She wished they were alone again so she could kiss him the way she wanted to.

  “I know what you’re thinking, Maxi,” Christopher said huskily, putting his hands on her shoulders and then running them down her arms.

  She looked up at him, trembling from his touch. “Do you?”

  “Yes. It’s the same thing I’m thinking, too.”

  Maxi sighed. She could believe that. She knew from his actions this weekend that he enjoyed kissing her, especially when he initiated a lot of tongue interaction. “Are you looking forward to this weekend?” she asked, moments later.

  “Most definitely.”

  She nodded. A few minutes later the airline receptionist called for passengers to begin boarding the plane. “I guess I had better go.” She stretched up and placed a light kiss on his lips. “I’ll see you this weekend.” Without waiting for him to respond she turned and walked away.

  She had gotten in line to board the plane when she made the mistake of looking back. Christopher was still standing in the same spot watching her. Without any thought to what she was doing, she pushed through the crowd of people trying to board the plane and ran back to him. He captured her in his arms and kissed her the way she wanted to be kissed. Long, hard, deep.

  “Bye, Christopher,” she whispered when he released her. Without looking back she ran to board her plane.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Mya keyed information into her laptop, grateful that her secretary had been able to book her a flight straight to Orlando. The plane would be landing in another hour or so.

  She glanced around the cabin at the other passengers, thinking she wasn’t the only one who was using a laptop. She then turned her attention back to the information she had pulled up on the screen. After she was satisfied with the figures she had worked up, she turned her attention to reading the information she had gathered on her newest client, Robert Noble, the thirty-five-year-old male wonder.

  Noble had graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Howard University and a master’s degree from MIT, at the top of his class. After working a couple of years for Microsoft, he had formed his own company, Noble Technology, becoming the largest black-owned computer software company in the United States. For years, the company she worked for, Monahan Investments, had tried wooing him away from Skylark Financial Services, and he hadn’t budged. Then, he had contacted Monahan unexpectedly one day and inquired about their services. It seemed that he and Skylark were parting ways. Of course, Mr. Lee had jumped at the chance to do business with the
wealthy entrepreneur. And because of her expertise in high-technology as well as her in-depth knowledge of her company’s many financial services, she had been not only selected, but had gotten promoted into the position of being Robert Noble’s financial adviser.

  The plane landed in Orlando a little past noon and, as planned, Mr. Noble had sent a car to meet her at the airport that would take her to the hotel. Their meeting was set for three-thirty.

  Once she had gotten settled in her hotel room she called home, speaking briefly with Mrs. Butler making sure everything was okay and leaving her number for Garrett. She was about to remove her jacket when the phone rang.

  “Hello?”

  “Ms. Rivers?”

  “Yes.”

  “This is Robert Noble. I’m just calling to make sure you arrived okay and that you like the accommodations that were made for you.”

  Mya lifted a brow. She hadn’t expected him to call to check on such matters himself. Usually businessmen of his caliber left that task to their secretaries. “Yes, everything is fine, Mr. Noble, and thanks for sending a car for me at the airport.”

  “You’re welcome, and I look forward to our meeting, however, I’m sorry to say there will be a slight delay. I’m still tied up in a meeting that should have ended hours ago and it seems there’s no end in sight, at least not before our three-thirty appointment. Is there anyway we can change our meeting time to later?”

  “That will be fine,” she replied, keeping the disappointment out of her voice. She had hoped they would cover as much business as they could beginning today, then possibly she could fly home a day earlier than planned.

  “I appreciate your flexibility. How about if I pick you up at the hotel at five? I’m sure we’ll both be hungry by then. Let’s plan on a business dinner.”

  “All right.”

  “I’ll meet you in the hotel lobby at five.”