“Hey, I’m on my way home, what’s up?”
“Pack a bag and meet me at my place in one hour.”
Claudia pursed her lips. “You know I can’t just jump up and leave all willy nilly!”
Samiyah chuckled. “I’ve got it covered. Mom’s being taken care of. Just pack a bag like I said, no more questions or concerns. I wouldn’t tell you to if I didn’t have everything under control.”
Claudia wondered what her friend was up to. “See you in an hour,” Claudia said.
There was a limousine parked in front of Samiyah and Jonas’ three-story brick stucco house. Grabbing her bag and exiting her Uber, Claudia strolled passed the limo when the door opened. Her heart lurched upon seeing Jaden’s long, athletic frame pull out to stand before her. He was dressed in a comfortable short sleeve button down that kissed the undertones in his chest. The blue jeans he wore hung just slightly off his hips, and suddenly, Claudia was jealous of the denim material.
Her eyes roamed back to his cinnamon smooth skin, strong jawline, sexy lips and honey brown eyes that held a twinkle of mischief.
“Good evening, chérie.”
His dark voice sent a wave of goosebumps threading down her skin. He took an uncalculated step toward her and cuffed her hand in his.
“Follow me.”
And she did. God help her, she would follow this man to the moon and back. Sliding inside the limo, Claudia kept her eyes on him as he moved in beside her and tapped the partition. The limo pulled away from the curb and Jaden reached for her hand, sliding his fingers inside hers.
Claudia cleared her throat and found her voice. “I was supposed to meet Samiyah at her house.”
Jaden pulled her hand to his lips, the soft moistness of them making her shiver. “You were meeting me,” he said. “Since I’ve been unable to reach you, I thought maybe you would respond better if Samiyah called.” His voice was smooth and inviting.
“So, you set me up?”
Jaden pierced her with a feral gaze. “Whatever it takes.”
Claudia’s heart leaped, and she frantically searched for the power window’s button to let in some air.
“Where are we going?”
“Wherever you want to.”
“Just like that?”
He inclined his head. “Why are you sitting over there, are you afraid to be near me, Claudia?”
Hell yes, she was, but instead of voicing that expression, she only swallowed and offered him a small smile.
“Of course not.” She scooted next to him, and he placed a comfortable arm around her.
“Much better.”
Claudia relaxed into Jaden side. She could get used to this. You should tell him how you feel. Shaking the thoughts, Claudia made up her mind to enjoy this time. If he went through the trouble of tracking her down to be with her again, then she’d enjoy their time together. When they pulled into the airport, he’d sparked her interest. The chauffeur opened their door, and Claudia grabbed her lone bag and purse. Jaden reached over and took it off her hands.
“It’s just one bag; I can carry it no problem,” she said.
“I’m sure you can.”
Claudia realized he was being a gentleman. “I’m sorry, I’m used to doing things on my own.”
“Hmmm, we’ll have to do something about that, too.”
“Oh yeah, what do you propose?”
Jaden leveled her with a sexy grin. “Punishment.”
Claudia’s belly flopped. “In that case,” she said, “I’ve been a very bad girl. You should punish me hard, Mr. Rose.”
A low rumble bellowed from him, and the strain against his pants was painful. He glanced down then back to her. “Look what you did.”
Claudia was looking, and it tickled her fancy that she could discombobulate him just as much as he did her.
“Well,” she purred, “We’ll just have to do something about that, too. Won’t we?”
The dark hunger in his eyes told her that she would pay for being a tease. He took a step forward pinning her against his chest and the limo. For several suffused minutes they stared, drowning in one another. Claudia’s breathing was laboring on un-control, and they were merely standing, feeling each other’s vibes. Translucent but strong. So potent that if he touched her, she would surely crumble in his arms. But he didn’t. Stepping back from her, Jaden took in a heavy breath.
“We should get going, or we’ll miss our flight.”
Coming out of her trance, Claudia smoothed her hands down her sides in an attempt to regain her emotions.
“You never told me where we were going.”
“Vegas.”
Claudia gasped pulling back a broad smile. “As in Las Vegas, Nevada?”
“That’s the one.”
She squealed elated, and he grinned reaching out to pull her into the safety of his chest. They walked, linked arm and arm. The plane ride from Chicago to Las Vegas was a smooth one; no turbulence, and Claudia slept leaning into Jaden for the entire ride. When she woke, the fasten your seatbelt light dinged.
She glanced around and stretched. “We’re here already?”
“Yes, chérie, you slept like a baby. Working hard I suppose.”
Claudia nodded. “Being at home with Desiree hasn’t been the easiest these days. But I don’t want to talk about her, we’re in Vegas!” she squealed again. “I suppose this trip will be completely different from my all girls trip, but,” her voice dipped. “I’m confident it’ll be much better.”
“Are you now?”
“Yes.”
The flight attendant’s voice sounded through the speakers as Jaden reached for Claudia’s chin with a simple caress.
“I think you may be on to something.”
She sucked her lip between her teeth. Jaden’s fingers roamed down her neck, and she arched her neck reveling in the simple pleasures of his touch. Her heart raced as he applied pressure, and rubbed an affectionate thumb in a circle on her skin.
Her eyes closed and she purred. “Mmm, Jaden…”
When she reopened them, the desire she saw back at Chicago’s airport resurfaced. Jaden was not trying hard enough to keep his hands to himself, and he was paying for it dearly as his libido screamed. Why did he want Claudia so bad? Why was their energy undeniably stimulating? When his hands touched her skin, it sent a blaze coursing through his veins that was mind bending. And having her all to himself for the next three days would prove difficult if he wanted to stay on his mission to show her what they had going on was not only physical. Damn, he thought. This was going to be harder than he thought.
Chapter Fifteen
When the door to the Palazzo Hotel opened, Claudia’s mouth dropped. She’d stayed at her fair share of luxury hotels, but the upscale opulence of this resort was flawlessly decorated with plush carpet, modern furnishing, and marble bathroom floors.
“This is incredible,” she said. “I don’t know if I brought enough clothes for this trip.” Claudia began to mumble to herself. “Samiyah didn’t say how long we’d be staying or anything, just grab a bag we’re going on a trip,” she mimicked.
Jaden chuckled. “No worries, chérie, we’ll go shopping.”
Claudia’s eyes brightened. When she was in college, her spending was limited on her all girls trip to Vegas. However, now that she co-owned and operated her dream business, Claudia reasoned she had a few thousand she could throw away. She squealed, and Jaden approached her. He laid a warm kiss against her temples.
“I’m going to freshen up, and I’ll be back for our shopping extravaganza.”
“Wait, where are you going,” she asked reaching out for him.
Turning back to her, Jaden slid his hands into his pockets. “To my suite, chérie.”
“Oh, so you’re not staying here with me?”
Jaden smirked, knowing if he stayed they would not make it out of the hotel room. “This suite is yours; however, I’m only next door in the adjoining room if you need me.”
But C
laudia didn’t want him to leave. She’d been trying to figure out what it was she said that made him pull back from being sexual with her. And it was becoming increasingly difficult for Claudia to abstain from jumping his bones.
“Oh, okay, I guess.”
Jaden took her chin in his hand. “Whenever you want me, I’m just a knock away.”
Claudia wanted him now, and although she wanted to tell him to stay, she was afraid of what he might say. So instead, she shook her head up and down.
“Okay, I’ll freshen up, too.”
Jaden leaned in and placed another kiss on her forehead before taking his leave. When the door closed behind him, Claudia fell back on the bed with arms wide. Oh my God, I can’t believe I’m here with this man. She rolled into the sheets stuffing her face into the fresh linen’s fragrance. Her legs swung as she kicked with excitement. Calm down girl; you act like you’ve never been out of the city. But Claudia couldn’t calm herself. Her upbringing in the hood of Chicago wasn’t a pleasant experience. Sometimes their family would go hungry on days their mother had to pay the rent and electricity. Now that she had the funds to enjoy herself a little, it never dawned on Claudia to live it up a bit. She was too busy saving every red cent, making sure to secure her future and her mother’s retirement.
Pulling away from the bed, Claudia rummage through her clothes. She had some pretty hot items; one’s that would flaunt her shapely figure, but none that she could just go shopping in. She needed hip hugging destroyed denim jeans and a belly revealing top. As an alternative, Claudia settled on a thigh high one-piece dress and three-inch heels. Sliding into the bathroom, she hummed a little tune while she took a quick shower. The heat and force of the showerhead held her mesmerized for longer than it should have. Turning it off and stepping out, Claudia wiped the bathroom mirror and commenced to applying light foundation on her face.
Though it had been a long day, with work and dear ole Betsy breaking down on her, the four-hour power nap Claudia had on the flight over had given her an extra ounce of energy. She was feeling optimistic about her time with Jaden. Her phone tuned and she recognized the ring as his familiar set tone. Claudia glided to her cell.
“Hey you.”
“Mi Amor, are you ready for me?”
The timbre of his voice sent a thrill of pleasure racing down her spine. Was she ready for him? Claudia’s mind popped with the many ways she could be ready for him. All she needed was five seconds to drop this towel.
Jaden cleared his throat and reversed the question. “What I meant was, are you ready, chérie?”
Claudia imagined him licking those moist lips she’d wanted to stick her tongue between since the night he’d kissed her on their date. Tingles fled down her skin, and she shuddered. Suddenly, her voice was soft and sultry. “I’ll be ready in five minutes.”
“Take ten,” his husky vocals rapped.
All I need is two seconds to drop this towel. Pressing her legs thinly together, Claudia was sure if this man didn’t make love to her before the night was over, she’d be in the bathroom with the shower head between her thighs. Lord have mercy.
After fifteen minutes, Claudia twirled and twisted in the full-length mirror getting a three sixty view of her scantily clad dress. She was outfitted for a night on the town, not for shopping. Maybe they could do that tomorrow. She grabbed her clutch and sauntered to the door. Since Jaden had called her when she wasn’t ready, this time she would be standing on his doorstep waiting for him.
But the action quickly dissipated when Claudia opened the door and found Jaden lying in wait; devastatingly handsome, in an all-black polo shirt that held two buttons, with the first one unhinged and a neatly folded collar. The casual short sleeves paused mid bicep and caressed his broad chest all the way down to his sculpted hips. The black trousers kissed his muscled thighs that rode down to a halt right above his ankles into a pair of loafers. A Rolex adorned his wrist, and sterling silver studs sat in each ear.
Claudia bit down on her lip. The confidence in his posture and the devilish gleam in his eye made her nipples pucker against the thin fabric she wore, setting off a flash of heat that journeyed to her panties. Jaden’s gaze swept the length of Claudia, giving attention to her expresso brown silk legs and peek of her thigh that sprouted just an inch below the sequin dress she wore. When his perusal made it to her puckered breasts, they lingered there and his irises darkened with frank appreciation.
“Shit,” he swore, reaching to gather her against his massive chest. Now with their lips separated by mere inches, Jaden spoke through a thick growl. “What are you trying to do to me in this dress?”
Claudia’s mouth opened then closed, her thoughts shaken by the desire in his eyes. “I didn’t bring anything casual to wear.” Her voice was daunting and seductive.
Jaden’s gaze faltered to her cherry lips, and Claudia could see an inner struggle swirling through his eyes like an earth-shattering hurricane. Claudia’s breathing quickened, and the need to be with him in an erotically splay of passion overrode her ability to stay calm. Unabashed, she stuck her tongue out and licked his lips. That seemed to slip his resolve, and his mouth crashed into hers in a kiss that left her melting and panting for more. Claudia’s hands slipped down to his trousers making haste to unbuckle his pants. Jaden reached down to cup her butt, lifting her in one effortless motion. He pushed past her door to the king size surface of the bed where he laid her down gently, with his mouth tasting her hungry lips as if she would be dinner tonight. His mouth trailed down her chin to her neck where he sucked her warm skin.
Claudia moaned, “I need you now, Jaden.”
Slowly he pulled back to gaze into her beautiful eyes.
“You said, if I needed you, you were just a knock away. Well, I need you, Jaden, right now, right here.” Now that she’d made it clear what she desired, Claudia waited eagerly for him to respond.
“You are so beautiful,” he said. Jaden’s eyes roamed over the details in her features.
Claudia reached down and pulled her dress over her head, revealing a sexy lingerie set that exposed her chocolate nipples and freshly waxed mound. Jaden’s fierce glare torched her nerves as he stared at her crotchless panties with lethal savagery. Like an animal savoring the meal before him, Jaden inched down, the strength in his corded muscles straining against his polo shirt. He lifted her legs and pulled her thighs against his broad shoulders spreading them wide.
A growl simmered from his lips as he took her pussy full on in his mouth. Immediately, Claudia arched her back and dug her nails into the spread of the sheets. Jaden’s expert tongue lapped at her labia, going to and fro, relishing every drop of her.
“Ssssss, mmmm,” Claudia moaned.
Jaden sucked on her clitoris threading a profound tongue and circling the sensitive flesh causing her toes to curl.
“Oh my God,” she whimpered. Claudia’s heart was raging against her breastbone, and she held on for dear life as an orgasm set on course.
She cried out again, “Jaden!”
He knew what her sharp cry indicated; she was on the verge of a climax. Reaching down, Claudia held the sides of his face bringing her body to a ninety-degree angle. Jaden’s strong hands grazed up her thighs to the small of her back, and he kept his face between her thighs as he lifted her from the bed and hoisted her on his shoulders. With nowhere to run, Claudia moaned and purred, shouting and bucking. With ease, Jaden switched positions, glided to his back with Claudia now riding his face. His tongue held a never-ending whip on the folds of her erotic lips, and he smacked her ass.
A vibration of record breaking tremors assaulted her thighs, and Claudia’s head fell back as an ear popping orgasm split through her core.
“Oh my God!” she yelled as quakes tore through her entire soul. Jaden was in heaven; sucking and slurping her sweet essence until there was not a drop left. With smooth ease, he gripped her hips and flipped her once again onto her back where she slumped into the heavy covers. With her breathing rag
ged and frazzled, Claudia reached desperately for him.
Jaden kissed up her thighs to her navel, sending a hot wave of nerves on a crash course. At her breasts, he sucked in a swollen nipple, licking and swirling his tongue in circles. Cupping her other breast, Jaden squeezed them together to take both of her chocolate areolas in his wet mouth.
Claudia pulled and tugged at his shirt wanting to relieve him of it. She needed him inside her yesterday. The numbing sensation between her thighs yearned for him, and he was taking his precious time. Jaden didn’t want to disconnect from the warmth of her skin. He rejoiced in the fragrance of her flesh and the softness of her curves. He could lay between Claudia and sleep forever. He was drunk with lust, and the bulge in his pants was desperate to be inside her. But Jaden wasn’t the happiest with himself at the moment.
His resolve had weakened too quickly. Claudia was doing something to him that had never been done before. When he was on a mission, rarely did he ever break. But Claudia had evidently capsized his ship, and he’d sunk into the depths of her watery seas and drowned in her ocean. His body was on fire and he’d barely been able to control the beast that stirred his soul.
When Jaden made love to Claudia in Puerto Rico, holding back his savagery was difficult then, but now there was barely any willpower left, and the prerequisite to be with her spiraled off him in an upsurge of craving. Without saying a word, Jaden pulled to rest on the haunches of his legs. Quickly his shirt flew over his powerful arms across the room. With his pants half unbuckled from Claudia’s earlier ravishing, Jaden pulled the belt from his pants loops. It also went sailing across the suite.
Getting an eyeful of his powerfully male physique, Claudia bit down on her lip, her eyes dropping halfway. Jaden scooped her up in his arms and rolled her, pulling her back to his chest as they stretched out on the bed. As he spooned her, Claudia wondered if this was an intermission phase or if he was calling it quits and she was a bit perturbed.
Looking back into the pillar of his neck she spoke, “Is everything okay?” Claudia almost didn’t recognize the thick vocals in her voice.
Enough (Falling For A Rose Book 2) Page 10