by Candy Caine
“No. I’m busy,” Raven said, dismissing him before looking down at her work. Why did he still look so handsome? Worse, why did she even take notice?
Gordon White ignored her reply, placed his tray on the table, and sat down. “Certainly you can make time to see an old friend.”
“Is that what you consider yourself? A friend?” Her eyes narrowed to slits.
“Why, of course. Time heals all wounds. Isn’t that what they say?” He winked and took a bite of his sandwich, washing it down with a sip of coffee.
Still so cock-sure of himself, but the smooth southern accent she’d once adored now grated on her nerves. Despite all the drama that had taken place following his wife’s discovery of his cheating, how could he still be so arrogant? Obviously, the word humility wasn’t part of his vocabulary. She should ignore him. He was ancient history, and she wasn’t going to allow him to hurt her again. Absolutely not. She wasn’t the naïve little girl she once was. Damn you, Gordon, for crawling out from under the rock you came from. She felt as if she’d suddenly stepped into quicksand and was losing solid ground. All the defenses she had thought she had in place felt as if they were about to crumble. She had to fight back.
“Did you get on the wrong plane? You’re not in California anymore,” she said in a snarky tone.
“I’m here on a case. Obviously, so are you.” He gave her another of his smooth trademark smiles. The kind that once had the power to wet her panties. “Perhaps we can catch up on things.”
Her jaw had tightened to the point where it began to ache.
“There’s nothing to catch up on. The only thing you need to know is that I have a shiny, new life that doesn’t need to be tarnished by the likes of you.”
Making the sign of a cross with his fingers as if to ward off evil spirits, he said, “Whoa, there. I’m a changed man, single and unencumbered by binding ties.”
“And I’m done here,” Raven said, gathering her things.
“Wait!” Gordon said, reaching out to grab her arm.
Raven tried to jerk out of his grip, but he held her tightly. For a moment she felt panic. How could he still upset her so much?
“I need to apologize for all the hurt I caused you. Let’s begin this conversation again.”
Raven took a deep breath. This was Gordon. Someone from the past. Surely he didn’t still have any power over her. She hesitated. There was something in his eyes she never expected to see—sincerity.
“I’m well aware that I can never undo what happened because of my lies, but I am genuinely sorry. I did care about you. You can at least let me apologize properly.”
Raven sighed and sat back down. “All right, counselor, I’ll hear your argument, but make it quick.”
* * *
As Raven headed back toward the courtroom, parts of the conversation she’d had with Gordon White replayed in her mind, disturbing her.
“I should’ve been upfront with you about being married. I honestly wanted to divorce her and marry you.”
“Why weren’t you upfront?”
“I feared going through a messy divorce—”
“Which you went through just the same and nearly destroyed me in the process,” Raven reminded him.
“True. Had I had the wisdom or hindsight, I would’ve done it differently and not lost you,” he replied.
“Easy to say now—”
“Because it’s true. Everything I’ve told you is true. Eventually I would’ve divorced my wife and married you.”
“Of course you would have. That’s what every cheating husband says to his mistress,” Raven spat.
“You’re wrong. It wasn’t like that. I loved you very much then. I still regret losing you. Sure, I’ve had plenty of one-night stands since then, but no one ever came close to replacing you.”
“Yeah. After he made me, the mold maker broke the mold,” Raven said, sarcastically.
Gordon placed his hand on hers and asked her to be serious a moment. She found his touch to be very disturbing. It had the effect of poking a bear in hibernation. Now too uncomfortable to stay, she fled from the restaurant. At least he had the decency not to follow her and make a scene. She was done making scenes.
Seeing Gordon again dredged up unresolved feelings that Raven was unaware she still had. She hated how her mind and body betrayed her. Why had she trembled when he touched her? And why had anything he said mattered? She wanted Lucas, not Gordon. So why was she even having this internal conversation?
Raven stopped before entering the courtroom. She removed her cell phone from her purse. She needed to hear Lucas’s voice and was relieved when he picked up.
“What’s up, babe?”
“I miss you.” Her words tumbled out quickly. “Is there any way you can meet me for dinner tonight?”
“You sound strange. Is everything okay?” Lucas asked.
Damn that psychologist part of him that sensed her feelings, she thought as she concentrated on how her voice sounded. “Of course, it is. I just miss you, that’s all.”
“Tell you what. I’ll pick you up at your office around six, and we can decide then where to eat. What you think?”
She hated to be calculating, but she needed to be with Lucas that night. “So we’ll eat in Manhattan? I think that’s a terrific idea.”
“Good. Envision some naughty thoughts,” he said. “I’ll see you later.”
Raven laughed, feeling better already, wondering how he always knew just what to say without reading her mind.
She entered the courtroom in a much better frame of mind.
* * *
Raven was downstairs waiting for Lucas at six. He pulled to the curb five minutes later, and she threw her tote onto the backseat of the car before slipping into the passenger seat. As he pulled away from the curb, a taxi slid into his vacated spot.
“I know the perfect place for dinner,” Lucas said, as she leaned over and kissed him before attaching her seatbelt.
“Which is?”
“It depends on whether or not you have your emergency change of clothes in that oversized bag.”
“I do.”
“Splendid,” he said and flashed her one of his wide bad-boy smiles, the kind that hinted he was up to something. Then we’re having deli at Junior’s across from the Marriott in Times Square.”
“I couldn’t have suggested a better place. In fact, I’m already obsessing on a corned beef sandwich with a vanilla egg cream.”
“Ah, the power of suggestion,” Lucas said and patted her thigh.
Not to mention the restaurant’s terrific location, she mused.
Lucas pulled up to the Marriott and a valet opened the passenger door and helped Raven out. She took her tote from the back seat. Lucas got out and removed his overnight bag from the trunk. The valet handed him a ticket stub. Lucas thanked the young man and took Raven’s hand. Together they entered the entrance to the Marriott and made their way to the reservation desk. It was a short line, which was taken care of by the desk clerks quickly. Twenty minutes later, they were in their sixteenth-floor room overlooking the Hudson River.
Lucas stood in back of Raven as she sat brushing her hair. His gaze was as soft as a caress, yet it caused her heart to jolt and her pulse to pound. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and bent to kiss her neck. Raven’s insides rippled with excitement. Her eyes focused on his reflection in the mirror like laser beams.
“You do realize that if you continue to do that, we’ll never have dinner,” she said.
His blue eyes met hers. He gave her a mea culpa smile.
“You’re right, babe. Let’s go enjoy stacked corned beef sandwiches and egg creams.”
They were seated quickly and a busboy placed heaping plates of pickles and coleslaw on the table along with glasses of water. They were seated by a large mural of Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, the original home of the Dodgers before the team moved across the country to Los Angeles.
The waiter arrived to take their order.
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“There aren’t too many places to get a decent corned beef sandwich anymore,” Lucas said.
“Except on St. Patrick’s Day.”
“It’s cooked differently. My mother and father used to take Michael and me to a place on the Lower East Side that served fantastic corned beef and pastrami sandwiches. I wonder if the place is still there.”
“We could check it out if you like?”
Lucas shook his head. “It’s not that important. Perhaps if we’re ever in the area.”
“My aunt thinks that you’re really good for me and insists I’ve become mellower since you’ve been around.”
He chuckled.
“You find that funny?” Raven asked.
“With me, you won’t have to take Xanax if you become anxious.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Has anyone told you that one day your eyes will remain like that?”
“Yeah. My aunt. More times than I can remember.”
“You should try listening to her sometimes.” He plucked a pickle from the dish and began to munch on it. “Umm. The pickles are good. Have one.”
Raven chose a half-sour dill. “Has that young, troubled woman been back? You know, the one you have been concerned about.”
“Yes. The problem is, she comes for a session or two and then misses several. Sometimes I wonder if I’m doing her any good. I’m not certain what’s causing her anxiety. Something happened either to her or someone close to her when she was young by a person she wants to definitely hurt. But I’m not even certain if that’s true. She confounds me in more ways than one. And I can’t shake the feeling that we’ve met before.”
“Does she give you any reason for not keeping her appointments?” Raven wiped her hand on her napkin.
“Yes, but they’re lame. I just can’t bring myself to the point of cutting her loose. I’m too afraid she might do something drastic.”
The waiter brought their egg creams and sandwiches. Raven sipped her drink. “Why do they call this an egg cream when it’s made from milk, soda water, and flavored syrup, and not a single egg?”
“Don’t know, but it’s delicious and, because I had my first one in Brooklyn, I’ll always think of Brooklyn whenever I drink it,” Lucas replied.
They bit into their overstuffed sandwiches. Raven noticed the look of contentment on Lucas’s face as he relished his first bite of his sandwich. The reminder of the wondrous things he did to her with his sexy mouth nearly made her squirm. The same feeling swept over her once more when their hands met over a shared, heaping plate of French fries.
Every so often their legs would touch under the table, and a fresh jolt of pleasure would add to Raven’s building anticipation of the delights to come. She had such an urge to kick off her heels and run her foot seductively up Lucas’s thigh.
They finished their meal and made their way back to the hotel. By now Raven’s hands trembled slightly as she continually wetted her lips. She was tingling all over as her excitement increased. Just imagining what was going to happen when the door to their room closed nearly stole her breath away. Lucas had his eyes peeled to the lit panel over the elevator doors as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. She imagined it was an indication he was filled with anticipation, as well.
The elevator chimed, and the doors opened. Raven had the perception of floating to the door of their room. Her senses were now keen and on high alert. She could feel her heart pumping and that delicious tightening in her groin. She enjoyed having sex with Lucas. Using a slow hand, he often played her body like a fine musical instrument. Patient and putting her needs first, he was a wonderful lover.
They were now inside the room with the door closed behind them. Lucas took off his jacket and reached for Raven’s. He tossed both jackets onto a chair and pulled Raven into his arms.
“I’ve been thinking about this moment since I got your call.” He hungrily covered her mouth with his.
After their mouths separated slightly, Raven whispered, “Thinking about anything else?”
“Uh-huh,” Lucas said, nibbling at her lips.
Now breathless and barely able to speak, she said, “Show me.”
Lucas kissed Raven’s neck as he removed her suit jacket, lingering there only a beat before his mouth reclaimed hers. As her hands tugged clumsily at his belt, she rubbed the bulge of his erection, eliciting a low moan from somewhere deep in his throat. Their kisses grew deeper and more intense until they were sucking in each other’s breath.
Then in one fluid motion, Lucas pushed her up against the nearest wall and yanked up her skirt, pulling her panties down and off. Before she realized it, he’d lowered his jeans and pulled up one of her legs so that she was half-straddling him. Crouching, Lucas pushed deeply into Raven. Then he grabbed her butt and lifted her as he began to pump furiously into her.
The clitoral stimulation drove Raven’s pleasure into overdrive, causing her to match his urgency with her own fervent needs. Their lips now collided with savage intensity. Raven felt herself starting to melt from the inside out. Moments later her high-pitched shrieks of pleasure were joined by his grunts, and she collapsed into his arms. Stepping out of his jeans and kicking them aside, he carried her over to the bed and gently laid her down. He joined her on the bed and bent to kiss her.
Smiling, but still struggling for breath, Raven whispered, “You mind telling me what the hell that was?”
Lucas reclined next to her and flashed an inquisitive look. “You didn’t enjoy it?”
“Like it? I didn’t know you had it in you, Mr. Slow Hand.”
“Is that a compliment or a dig?”
Raven leaned into him and gave him a gentle kiss. “You really don’t know?”
He shook his head. “Not certain, but they say actions speak louder than words.”
Raven took that as a cue and pushed him down before straddling him. She planted tiny kisses on his face, neck, and chest. He cupped her breasts, then gently began fanning her nipples. Raven’s eyes closed as she lowered herself onto his erect phallus, letting out a long “Ah.”
She felt the pleasure start to flow through her, and she gyrated her hips slightly as she moved slowly up and down. For the moment, she was in control and loving every stroke as her passion grew stronger. Several minutes later she quickened her pace. Breathing heavily as the blood began to pound in her brain, Raven was once again close to reaching an orgasm.
Lucas grabbed her hips as she moved faster and faster. The loud creaking of the bedsprings and the sounds of flesh slapping against flesh joined the pleasurable grunts and groans to produce a raucous symphony of love belonging solely to them. The finale could have brought down any house.
Now thoroughly exhausted, they remained a heap of tangled limbs before eventually moving to a more comfortable position on the bed under the covers.
Lucas kissed Raven’s shoulder. “You wear me out, woman.”
Drowsily, she said without sympathy, “I know.”
“Oh, before I forget, don’t bring home any work the weekend of your birthday.”
Raven turned to face Lucas. “Why? What have you planned?”
“Not much. I just thought we’d fly down to Bermuda.”
“Just like that?” She searched his face for any hint of teasing.
“Uh-huh. I thought that would be a nice birthday gift.”
“Really?”
“You don’t think so?”
Raven pushed a stray lock of hair from his eyes. “I think you’re crazy,” she said. “A hundred percent certifiable.”
“Besides that, it’s okay?”
“More than okay. I think it’s fabulous,” she said, looping her arms behind Lucas’s head and kissing him hard. “That’s the nicest gift anyone has ever given me. But I still think you’re nuts.”
“Is that nice to tell a psychologist?”
“Who better would understand?” Raven said, kissing him again. “It truly is a wonderful present.”
“I’m glad you think so,” he said, returning the kiss. “Now if you’d really like to show your appreciation, you’ll let me get some sleep. I’m worn out, woman.”
Raven laughed and laid her head down on the pillow. Lucas snuggled behind Raven, breathing in her scent as he held her, and they both fell asleep nearly instantly.
Chapter Fourteen
Raven knew, despite Lucas’s offhanded way of breaking the news, that their trip would be a wonderful one she’d long remember. He tended to pay a great deal of attention to detail, and because of this, she knew he’d planned everything to as close to perfection as possible. As a result, the week that stood in the way of their departure was filled with building excitement and anticipation.
Saturday morning Lucas picked her up in a town car he’d hired to take them to the JetBlue terminal at JFK airport. The two-hour flight, filled with lots of laughter and drink, went by quickly. Landing early afternoon at Wade Airport in St. George’s, Bermuda, they disembarked, collected their luggage, and took a taxi to The Olde Inn located near Old Maid’s Lane.
Lucas hadn’t told Raven where they were staying in Bermuda. Getting out of the taxi in front of The Olde Inn was a real eye-opener. “Rustic” and “colonial” headed her list of first impressions. The gardens surrounding the two-floor structure were lovely and full of brilliantly colored flowers.
After they settled in, Raven threw her arms around Lucas and rested her head between his neck and shoulder. “Thank you, sweetie, for arranging this.”
Lucas tilted her chin so he could look into those fabulous hazel eyes that served as a barometer of her mood. They were soft and fluid. “Seeing you happy is enough thanks, babe.” He kissed her mouth and then whispered into her ear two words she wasn’t expecting to hear. “I’m starving.”