by Candy Caine
Chapter Twelve
Raven dressed casually in black slacks and a white silk blouse. As she brushed her thick, black hair into place, she realized she’d nearly forgotten to put the music CD in her purse. She looked forward to listening to it with Lucas at his townhouse in Carle Place. She allowed her mind to drift as she graphically pictured how she’d like the night to turn out. Just thinking about it made her hot and extremely horny.
Dottie called to her, interrupting her pleasant reverie. “Lucas is here.”
Putting the final touches to her face, Raven smiled about her secret thoughts and went to greet Lucas. God, he looks great, she thought, taking in the bad-boy leather bomber jacket and jeans. She actually hoped he was wearing a tight-fitting tee under the jacket, but knew if they were going out for dinner, he’d be in a nice buttoned-down shirt. He was definitely a man with good fashion sense. Then a stray thought occurred to her. What if under all that niceness, Lucas had several tattoos? That crazy thought nearly made her giggle.
Lucas broke into a huge smile when she appeared. She went over and kissed him hello and he helped her into her jacket. Just the touch of her sent his mind reeling to one of the times he’d pleasured himself, imagining it had been she touching him. Had Dottie not been there, his greeting might have been a great deal different. It was a good thing he was a patient man. However, even the most patient of men had their limits.
“Have fun!” Dottie said.
Lucas drove to a small, but very popular Italian restaurant not too far from his townhouse in Carle Place. It looked like the place was packed. There wasn’t a parking spot to be found in the rear lot behind the building.
“Doesn’t look like this place is much of a secret. Is the food that good?” Raven asked.
“Trust me. It’s well worth the wait. If you don’t mind the walk, there’s another municipal lot a block and a half from here.”
“No. I’m fine with walking.”
Lucas found a spot toward the back of the lot. Ironically, just as they reached the restaurant, two cars were pulling out of the lot. He shook his head and shrugged. “It happens every time.”
“And if you had waited for the spot, the people wouldn’t have left the restaurant as quickly.”
It was a twenty-minute wait before they were seated, but it turned out to be well worth it. The food was excellent and the company even more appealing. Lucas was truly an intelligent man who could have a discussion on any subject. Raven found it just as refreshing that his life wasn’t centered on sports.
After their veal parmigiana dinners, they were too stuffed for dessert. Lucas paid the check and they left the restaurant. As they walked toward his car, it began to rain. In seconds, the rain became a torrential downfall soaking the both of them.
“Hey! Did we miss the ark?” Lucas shouted as he opened the car door for Raven.
“Yup. That ship has sailed.”
Lucas broke into a gale of laughter as he slid into the car. Raven joined him and they both laughed until their tears joined the rivulets of rain dripping down their faces. He had to catch his breath before he could start the car and drive.
“I feel like such a drowned rat,” Raven said.
“You’re much prettier than a rat.”
“Too bad I’m not drier, as well.”
“Luckily my townhouse is only a few minutes away,” Lucas reassured her.
Five minutes later, he turned off the road and drove up to a gatehouse. He clicked a remote that sat in the well of his console and the heavy wrought-iron gate slowly opened. As Lucas drove down the private road, Raven counted off three blocks of attached townhouses before he made a right turn. His place was the last one in the row.
Lucas turned into his driveway, and clicked the remote clipped to his visor. The garage door lifted and he pulled inside and shut off the engine.
“We’re going to make a mess inside,” Raven said, getting out of the car and eying the wet seat.
“Don’t worry. I’m armed.”
Raven looked at him inquisitively.
He noticed and smiled. “I have a mop and a pail.”
“Do you do windows, too?” she asked.
“Now that’s just crazy.”
Lucas opened the door and they both stepped out of their shoes. “You’re soaked through, so we better get you out of your clothes,” he said.
Raven nearly smiled as she thought of the implications.
“I’ll get you a robe to wear while your clothes dry. You can change in the bathroom down the hall. Here, give me your jacket.” Lucas took her jacket and hung it along with his jacket in a small mud room off the garage. “I’ll be right back.” He then peeled off his socks before heading upstairs to the second floor.
Several minutes later, Lucas reappeared wearing a bathrobe. He had another draped over his arm. “Here, get out of your wet things and put this on.”
Raven followed Lucas to the downstairs bathroom and took off her wet clothing. After belting the bathrobe, she gathered her wet clothes and went to the mud room to hang them up. She went in search of Lucas and found him in the kitchen.
“I hung up my things in the mud room,” she said. “You really have a nice place here. It’s quite roomy.”
“That’s what sold me on it. I didn’t want a house because I had no family to fill it with, so a townhouse was the next best thing. However, I wanted something more than four walls and a ceiling.”
“It’s definitely more than that.”
“Now that we’re dry would you like some wine? We can sit in the den and listen to the music.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Raven said.
“Go make yourself comfortable and I’ll bring everything in on a tray.”
As Raven looked around her, she realized a man’s home spoke volumes the man himself. The townhouse was just as nice inside as it was outside. The hardwood floors were covered with beautiful Persian rugs, and the den furniture boasted a matching leather couch and love seat. In one corner stood a magnificent, baby grand piano, which contrasted to the rest of the modern furniture in the room. There were framed pictures on top of the piano, and Raven drew closer to look at them. In one, a small boy stood in front of an older boy standing next to a man and a woman. It appeared to be taken in the Central Park Zoo. The woman was stunning. She had golden-brown hair and fair skin. The man, who appeared to be much taller than she, had black hair and bore a striking resemblance to Lucas and the older boy.
“That’s me and my brother, Michael, with my parents when I was four.”
Raven hadn’t heard him enter and turned to face him. “Your mother was beautiful, but your dad obviously cloned you and your brother.”
He chuckled and handed Raven a glass.
“Your brother seemed to be a great deal older than you.”
“He was sixteen years older to be exact. And he’d inherited my mother’s musical talent. I was a change-of-life baby and quite unexpected. Would you care to hear one of her CDs?”
“I’d love that very much,” Raven said as she walked over to the tan leather couch and sat down. It was soft and comfortable. “The Persian rugs are beautiful, by the way.”
“They belonged to my parents and are authentic. They picked them up during one of her concert tours in Morocco.”
Raven sipped her wine as Lucas selected several CDs from a rack. He picked up a remote and aimed it at a small Bose system that sat on a shelf beneath his TV. Almost instantly, beautiful music filled the room, giving the illusion of being in a concert hall.
“This CD showcases the music of her youth in Russia. Some of the pieces are from lesser-known Russian composers. The one you’re listening to now is the Piano Sonata # 2 from Aleksandr Scriabin.”
“It’s beautiful. What a talent she must have been.” Raven closed her eyes and let the music envelop her.
Lucas placed the empty CD cases on the coffee table for Raven to look at before he sat down next to her. He was glad that she was obviously enjoying the
music. He loved his mother’s music, and these CDs had given him some solace after she died.
“What is this piece called?” Raven asked.
“Islamey, Oriental Fantasy for Piano. It was composed by a man named Mily Balakiren.”
Raven leaned forward to pick up one of the CDs. Her robe parted, allowing Lucas quite a view of her breasts. She sensed his gaze, but Lucas blocked her attempt to close her robe.
“Don’t,” he said, drawing her toward him, “they’re beautiful.”
Lucas buried his face in her chest, repeating her name. His voice, now thick with desire, caused her insides to turn to jelly. As she was processing this, he tugged open the sash that held his robe closed and shucked it off.
Raven’s eyes widened as they dropped to his fully extended cock as he pulled her down on the couch underneath him. Now his captive, he covered her mouth with his. The kiss throbbed with a passionate message only her lips could decipher. As Lucas continued to ply her mouth and neck with kisses, he pulled Raven’s robe completely open. Though she’d dreamed of this moment many times, the anticipation of what might happen next caused her blood to surge from her fingertips to her toes.
Lucas began to make his way down Raven’s body, fondling and kissing her bare skin, progressing at a snail’s pace. She gasped in delight as shock wave after shock wave of pleasure pulsated through her body. It was just as she had imagined making love with Lucas would be and more. Her breathing became labored and more audible. She realized the more Lucas roused her passion, the stronger his became. His cock grazed her body as he moved, tantalizing and teasing her. She arched her back, attempting to rub herself against it, but he remained just out of her reach. For her, that was exquisite torture.
Lucas moved up her body to reclaim her mouth with his, and Raven threaded her restless fingers through his hair. What she really desired was to run her hands up and down his hard body. The kiss seared their lips together in a fiery union. While their tongues dueled, their hands roamed, touching and stroking.
Raven’s arousal had reached a feverish pitch and she felt herself drowning in her own juices. She could wait no longer to feel him inside her, and acting on this impulse, she reached down and guided his rod to the opening of her sex. But before he could penetrate her, Lucas pulled away and reached for a condom. Raven took the foil packet from him, tore it open, and slid it over his straining erection. He shuddered as her fingers gently stroked the condom into place, leaving a space at the top of his sex. Lucas thought he was going to explode. Quickly, he moved over her body and Raven sighed with pleasure as she felt her body stretch to accommodate him.
He dropped his hands to Raven’s smooth, honey-toned thighs and held them open wide as he rhythmically pumped in and out of her. The pleasure was pure and explosive as she moved her hips to keep pace with him. Every stroke increased her rapture. It wasn’t long before she felt herself sucked into the tidal wave of an orgasm, which finally detonated in a downpour of fiery sensations. Realizing she was climaxing, Lucas let himself go, emitting a low, guttural sound deep from inside him.
Spent, Lucas collapsed half on Raven, half on the floor. Uncomfortable, he remained like that only until he caught his breath. Then he lifted her into his arms and carried her to his bedroom. As he placed her gently on the bed, his voice was soft and sensual.
“You were well worth waiting for.”
She smiled, but her face formed a question.
“I feared rushing into things for both our sakes,” he said, stroking her cheek. “Sometimes people aren’t who you think they are.”
Raven realized he might be referring to someone from his past, but pushed the thought aside. The present belonged to her, and she didn’t want to waste a single moment.
Lucas had propped himself on his elbow and looked into her glistening eyes. “Though in this case, I might have made a mistake.”
“And what might that have been?” she asked, drawing closer to him.
“Waiting this long.”
“Oh, Lucas,” Raven said before their lips collided in a fervent kiss.
Chapter Thirteen
Dottie made no mention to Raven about her not coming home on Saturday night. Raven tried to act nonchalant about it, even though it was quite obvious that she’d spent the night and greater part of the next day with Lucas. It was times like these she wished she had her own place. Perhaps it was finally time to leave her aunt and get a place of her own.
As for Dottie, she knew it was best not to say a thing. She’d already complained that Raven was behaving like a nun. Now she couldn’t turn around and criticize her morals. Besides, Raven was a responsible young woman molded by Dottie’s upbringing. She had to have faith in her niece. And most of all, she liked Lucas Lusk and considered him good husband material in her book.
History certainly had a way of repeating itself. Deanna, Raven’s mother, had dated both black and Caucasian men before ending up with the latter. Raven, though, should have an easier time of it. Aside from the societal stigma of her interracial marriage, Deanna had to spar with her own parents. They were not at all happy with Deanna’s decision to marry Philip Gould. In fact, they threatened to disinherit her if she insisted on marrying him. Dottie couldn’t understand her parents’ poor attitude. Philip had been a good man. He’d tirelessly helped their cause for equal rights, and they’d repaid him by treating him like a leper.
Lucas had insisted that everything would work out as far as Raven’s career went. She just might need time off to recharge. Dottie smiled. He’d been so right. Now her niece had what appeared to be a better job and a new man in her life. She couldn’t help but think about that age-old adage. God certainly did work in mysterious ways. Perhaps someone should suggest He take a less circuitous route next time. It would be a great deal less stressful for her.
* * *
Summer had become fall, and autumn in New York is a lovely time to be in Manhattan. However, Raven hardly noticed. Her life was now awash with new beginnings and love. Her new position at Straub, Rose, Gottlieb & Price had been a good fit for her. It had its challenges, but its rewards were greater. Most of all, she was back in court, litigating again, and relishing the adrenaline rush that fueled it. Raven felt that her father would have approved. Her aunt certainly did and didn’t hesitate to tell her every chance she got.
Raven’s relationship with Lucas blossomed with each new day. They texted and called one other during the week and spent the weekends together at his place. The little voice in her head had ceased whispering dire warnings in her ear. That shining white knight she’d watched save a little boy in the restaurant turned out to be the real deal, and now he belonged to her. And he was such a romantic at heart.
One weekend he’d surprised her with an impromptu trip to the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. They stayed in one of the beautiful deluxe King Sky suites. It was a huge suite with one-and-a-half bathrooms, a bedroom with a king-size bed, and a living room. The view from the room was breathtaking. And if that weren’t enough, there was a walk-in closet with automatic lighting and a huge, flat-screen TV in each room, which was all well and good if you didn’t spend half your time in the gorgeous marble bathroom with the sunken, heated tub or down in the casino.
Somehow, they were able to find time to enjoy the fine dining available and even gamble. Most of the time, they were locked in each other’s arms, which suited Raven, too.
Raven had once considered Gordon White to be a good lover, but he could not compare to the likes of Lucas. Not only was Lucas patient and thoughtful, he was also creative. They made love in all sorts of places and all sorts of ways. Of course, the bedroom was the most comfortable, but the shower had its moments, as did leaning over the kitchen counter. However, Raven really got a thrill bending over his dryer in the mud room while it was on the spin cycle. It felt like a giant vibrator. Life with Lucas certainly wouldn’t be dull.
* * *
Lucas decided to ask Raven to marry him. All the barriers between them had
been washed away with their love for one another. She told him about Gordon White, and he confided in her about Heather O’Neill. Together they would write the next chapter in their lives. He didn’t think a long engagement was necessary and certainly didn’t want to wait much longer to propose. From the moment he’d first seen Raven’s picture, not a day passed without his thinking about her. That dream he’d once had of a loving family living in the suburbs could still be in his stars. He didn’t think he could hold out till Christmas, so he opted for proposing on her birthday, which was November 3. He’d make it a birthday celebration she’d never forget.
* * *
It had been a long morning for Raven. She was at the Supreme Court–Appellate Division in Manhattan defending the Robertson Corporation in a negligence case and doing her best to remain awake as she listened to the second expert witness give boring technical testimony. Glancing at the jury, she was nearly certain that half were comatose and the other half asleep. When the judge stopped the proceedings for lunch, the courtroom cleared in record time. Her client, Carl Robertson, had several calls to make, so she made her way to the cafeteria alone to have lunch.
Raven munched on a turkey sandwich and took notes on a yellow legal pad as she read through the research provided by one of the paralegals. A shadow fell on her pad causing her to look up.
“I thought it was you.” Gordon White, wearing a navy blue suit and a blinding smile, stood in front of her holding a tray. “May I sit down?”
Her face tightened. Suddenly she was back in that pub again staring dreamy-eyed at the man she thought she knew and loved. Moments later his enraged wife charged over to their table and threatened her with a knife. Within moments her life—as perfect as she thought it could be—began to unwind. She had become the “other woman”—the home wrecker and marriage destroyer. She believed Gordon when he’d told her he wasn’t married, and it was her naivety that prevented her from suspecting otherwise. Her heart molded her life around him. When the truth came out as brutally as it did, she was left rudderless and lost without direction. She could no longer trust her own instincts when it came to men.