Malcolm shook his head. “Man, you’re something else. You’re right, it’s your business. I’m just saying this whole situation may blow up in your face.”
“I doubt that. I’m going to take my time with her and make it good. It’ll just be this one-time thing, and then we’ll move on.”
“Sure, I’ll believe that when I see it.”
Jared was tired of the conversation. “Look, man, I’ve got to get back to my workout. Did you want anything else?”
Malcolm sighed nodded. “Mom’s birthday is coming up. I wanted to rent out the community center in the old neighborhood and have a party for her. Sixty-five is a big deal.”
Jared smiled tightly while inwardly he cringed. Pretending an interest in their mom was nothing new. Malcolm never questioned why he always had to relay messages between the two, and Jared had no plans to change that. He’d rather let Malcolm assume he was a less than stellar son than reveal they had a less than stellar mom.
“Sure, man, that’s a good idea. Just let me know what you need.”
Malcolm nodded and headed toward the door. “Don’t work out too hard. You might tire yourself out before you can deflower your virgin.”
“Ha ha, very funny.”
“I’ll holla at you later.”
Jared waved his brother out the door before going back down to his gym, but he no longer felt like working out. Malcolm’s announcement had killed his energy. His brother was getting married. It felt like it came from nowhere, but he should have known. They did seem perfect for each other, so maybe it could work. But his parents had seemed perfect for each other too, and he knew that had been a damn lie. Hopefully Malcolm would be luckier.
His cell phone rang and he walked over to pick it up. Monica’s number popped on screen under a new name: Clingy Snoop. He ignored the call, noting that it had been her fourth call for the day.
He crossed the gym to his home office. He needed a distraction, and the work on his desk would do. He was finishing up a fitness manual based on his exercise philosophy, and he needed to call Cassandra, his public relations manager in Los Angeles, for an update on her trip to his production facility.
After work he would decide how to handle Tasha’s first time. He meant what he’d said to Malcolm — she did deserve better than just one night in his bed. Even though they wouldn’t be together afterwards, he wanted her to look back with a smile for the rest of her life.
CHAPTER 5
Tasha parked in the circular drive of Jared’s California style home at 6:59. She sat in the car taking several deep breaths as she stared at his door. Her body hummed with desire after leaving him yesterday. It was a new experience that thrilled and frightened her. Although she’d been attracted to men in the past, she’d never experienced it at this magnitude. He made it too easy to forget why she’d been a virgin for so long.
Feeling this way thrilled her, but the fact that it was for Jared worried her. Even though they’d worked together, she only knew him superficially. How could she desire him so much after one encounter? Why did his slight tremble at her touch yesterday keep her awake for hours? And why, when she had slept, she’d dreamt about feeling his erection without his pants in the way.
She would have to tread carefully to make sure she remained in control of the situation. She couldn’t afford to lose herself, and if she forgot the reason for sleeping with him, Jared could make her lose all thoughts of self-preservation.
She got out of the car and went to his door. With a reassuring breath, she rang the bell. She’d never been to Jared’s house before, but hadn’t had trouble finding it. She’d gotten his address from the Rec Commission files before leaving the day before. She’d been nervous that if she called him for the address he would tell her over the phone he wasn’t going to grant her favor.
Jared opened the door and Tasha’s mouth went dry. He wore nothing but basketball shorts low on his hips. Her eyes ran over his body, taking in the broad shoulders, well-toned chest, and rock hard abs. His sinewy biceps gleamed in the late afternoon sun. A tattoo of an eagle with its talons out was on his left one. Her eyes followed the light sprinkling of hair covering his chest down his abs to where they disappeared in the waistband of his shorts. She skipped the shorts to take in thighs and calves that looked as if they were carved from granite. Even his feet were sexy.
When she finally dragged her eyes back up to his, he smiled as if he knew his body was an awesome sight to behold. He flexed his pecs and winked at her. Desire shivered through her and she squeezed the muscles between her legs.
“Like what you see?”
She cleared her throat and tried to appear calm. Control, she had to and maintain control. “Do you always answer the door undressed?”
“I’m perfectly decent … for now.” He flexed his pecs again and Tasha wanted to run in the opposite direction. This was too much for her. A smart woman would turn around, go home, and forget the whole damn thing. But at the moment she didn’t feel very smart. She only felt hot and horny. She hoped his words meant he was accepting her offer.
“Does that mean you’re going to relieve me of my problem — tonight?”
He reached out, took her hand, and drew her into the house. “We’ll talk about that in a second. Come in and make yourself comfortable.”
Tasha took her eyes off of his body to look around. White marble floors in the foyer opened up to a sunken living area bathed with sunlight from large French doors connected to a patio. Sunlight sparkled on the surface of a pond visible through the doors. The living area was surrounded by four white pillars connected by wrought iron railing. A marble and wrought iron staircase led to the second floor. Neutral colors, yellows and greens adorned the walls and furnishing which combined with the windows and view of the lake to give it an open feel.
“You have a beautiful home,” she said.
He smiled, drawing her eyes to his sensuous lips. “Thanks, it was already decorated when I bought it. I thought it made the place feel open so I left it the way it was. Come on around to the kitchen.”
He took her hand in his and led her to a spacious kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. It looked like a kitchen from Food Network and her fingers itched to use the commercial grade stove. The small kitchen in her home was pitiful compared to his.
“Do you cook?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Not often. I have someone come in and prepare my meals for the week. Why?”
“The kitchen is beautiful. It looks like it was made for cooking meals for a large family.”
He laughed. The sound sent an unfamiliar shiver down her spine. “Not here. Fortunately, I don’t have to make up my protein bars and shakes anymore. There’s an entire production facility for that. Do you want something to drink?” He let go of her hand and she clenched her fist to hold onto the warmth.
“Yes, thank you.”
He reached under the cabinet into a wine cooler and pulled out a bottle of wine. “I hope you like Chardonnay.” He took two glasses out of the rack above the bar.
“I just want water.”
“It’s no problem. I was going to open this anyway.” He opened the wine and poured her a glass.
“What if I don’t like white?”
He rubbed his jaw and grinned. “I have red, if you prefer.”
She did prefer white, but she didn’t like that he’d ignored her request for water. “I’d prefer water.”
His smile remained as he turned to get a bottle of water out of his fridge. When he came over, he stood so close she was engulfed by his spicy scent. That combined with his near nakedness, made her skin tingle with anticipation.
“Your water.” His eyes bore into hers, desire and amusement rolling in the chocolate centers.
She cleared her throat and took a step back. “Do you plan to
put on some clothes?”
He took a step forward. “Do I really need to get dressed?”
She blushed. It was true, if he agreed to her favor then he really didn’t need clothes. Something about the idea that it could happen so soon caused her stomach to flutter. She fought the urge to wipe her now clammy hands on her pants. Instead she opened the bottle and gulped. “So you’re ready to do it now? Okay, just give me a … second to, you know, get used to the idea.”
He chuckled and stepped back. “I’m not going to take your virginity on my kitchen floor, Tasha. Although once it’s gone I might make love to you on the counter.”
She swallowed loudly. A picture of him lifting her up onto his counter filled her head. As erotic as the thought was, she pushed it aside. Once her virginity was gone there wouldn’t be another time. It was a one-time deal and that was all. For her sanity she would have to stick with that.
He grinned. “I’m teasing you, Tasha. You actually caught me as I got out of the shower. I lost track of time and didn’t realize it was so close to seven. If you give me a second I’ll change and we can talk.”
She gave him what she hoped was an impassive look before nodding. “I’ll wait for you here.”
“You can follow me to my room. If you’d like.” There was a teasing glint in his eye, which only made him sexier.
She may be less sophisticated than the women he usually dealt with, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t handle his game. Actually, you can’t handle it, but you’re going to pretend that you can.
She raised her chin. “I need to see it sooner or later.”
If he was surprised by her answer he hid it well. “Follow me.”
With another reassuring breath, she walked behind him and froze at the door of his bedroom. In the middle of his room was a mahogany four poster bed. It was raised at least two feet from the floor. A black satin comforter and sheets gleamed in the recessed lighting that shined down as if it were a monument.
If Jared noticed she’d stopped at the door he didn’t acknowledge it. He disappeared into his walk in closet. Blinking her eyes rapidly she looked around his room. He had a large flat screen television on one wall with a small sitting area around it. A matching mahogany dresser and chest of drawers took up the other wall. There were a few black and white landscape portraits on chocolate colored walls.
Her attention went back to the bed. It couldn’t be ignored. She walked over to it. At five feet four inches she considered herself average height, but she would need a stepstool to get on it. How many women had he slept with in that bed? Probably dozens. The thought excited her. She wanted to experience what other women had with him, and she wanted it in that bed. She ran her hands along the smooth comforter and closed her eyes, imagining herself naked, sliding on the sheets.
“Do you like my bed?”
She snatched her hands away as if she’d been burned. She turned to the closet where Jared stood, watching her. He’d put on a loose fitting pair of jeans and a black shirt he hadn’t buttoned. His feet were still bare. She definitely liked what she saw.
“It’s a nice bed. Is this where we’ll … ” Although she knew what she asked she couldn’t say the words.
He walked and placed his hands on the bed, trapping her between it and him. The heat from his body radiated toward her. Time seemed to freeze as the force of her attraction buzzed within her. If she was going to do this she couldn’t be a ninny. She hesitated, before lifting her hands and placing them on his chest. His skin was surprisingly soft over the hard muscles underneath. He flexed his pecs and she jerked. Her pinky finger accidentally flicking over his flat nipple and his breathing pick up.
He lightly ran a finger down her cheek. “My plan was to wait, but you’re making it very difficult.”
Tasha shivered as he gently traced her earlobe. “How?”
“Because right now all I want to do is take your clothes off, throw you on that bed, and get deep inside you.”
Oh, God, what am I doing? Despite her fear she said, “Then … then do it.”
He stared at her for what felt like hours before he closed the distance between them and kissed her. Fire spread throughout her body, so hot she was sure he could feel it. His lips were firm and demanding against hers. When his tongue reached out for entrance into her mouth she quickly obliged. He immediately filled her mouth with his tongue and Tasha’s hands clenched against his chest. He groaned, kissing her harder.
His hand came up to caress her breast through her shirt, softly massaging her aching flesh. When his thumb brushed across her nipple she trembled as liquid heat replaced her bones. His other hand clutched her waist, pulling her against him. He reached around to cup her behind as he pressed his erection against her.
His mouth left hers, leisurely kissing his way to her ear. “I’m going to touch you,” he said, his hand leaving her butt to pop open the button of her shorts. Excitement and fear trembled within her. It was happening to fast.
His tongue played with the curve of her ear. “Tell me to touch you.” Her zipper released, and his hands skimmed along the waistband of her panties. All reasoning left.
“Touch me.”
She felt his smile against the side of her neck before his lips returned to hers. At the same time his hand broke the barrier of her underwear. His fingers gently played with the hairs covering her sex, each pull sending a shockwave of desire through her. She knew she was soaking wet, and was almost embarrassed by it until he finally slid his finger against her clit. She gasped, pulling away from his kiss to drop her head back. He groaned and kissed the side of her neck.
He was devouring her. She could hardly breathe she was so engulfed by his passion. It was raw, hot, and overpowering. It was actually about to happen. She was going to lose her virginity.
But she wasn’t in control. He was making her feel out of control, and very unsure. This was happening too fast.
The doorbell rang, bringing reality back to her. She pushed against his chest. “Jared, someone’s at your door.”
His head jerked up. He stared at her, searching her eyes for something while his hand slowly slipped out of her underwear. Her body thrummed and she fought between asking him to continue and thinking she needed to escape. Bewilderment and passion swirled within his eyes. Had he noticed her panic?
The doorbell rang again. He slowly stepped back, took a deep breath, and buttoned his shirt.
“I ordered dinner. That’s probably it. We can eat in another part of the house,” his eyes flicked to the bed and back to her, “where it’s less volatile.”
He strolled out of the bedroom and didn’t wait for her to follow. She was making a mistake. Jared had awakened an inferno of desire within her she didn’t know how to control. Even now, with him out of the room, the wetness continued to flow between her thighs and her breathing was ragged. She couldn’t go through with this. It was too much. He was too much. She would have to find someone else to take her virginity. Someone who didn’t make her feel as if she were riding a roller coaster of desire.
With shaky hands she buttoned and zipped her shorts. Her face burned as she remembered his hands against her. She wanted it again. Okay, so sex with Jared wouldn’t be bad. In fact, it would probably be awesome. But could she really do it without losing herself?
She rushed out of his bedroom to the front door. Jared’s back was to her and she could hear a woman’s voice on the other side. She couldn’t make out what the woman said. Jared’s shoulders were tense. He glanced over his shoulder, saw her, and cursed.
“Not today, Monica,” he said and slammed the door.
When he turned to face her he at least had the decency to look guilty. “Sorry about that.”
She held up a hand. “Don’t be. No need to apologize for who you are.” Her words were strong, but inside she was embarrassed. Common sense w
ould have told her he was seeing someone else, but it didn’t ease the pain of having another woman show up at his door while they were pressed against his bed. “I think I should go. This was a bad idea.”
He frowned and took a step toward her. “Because of that?” He pointed to the door. “That was nothing.”
She shook her head. “No, that’s the reason I chose you. No commitments, no chance of love. But you’re too much, what happened in your bedroom was too much. I thought I could handle it, but I’m not sure anymore.”
He relaxed and smiled. “Tasha, what happened in my bedroom was normal. You want to feel that type of passion with whoever you have sex with.”
“Does it always feel that … overwhelming?”
He walked over and took her head in his hands. “With the right person.” He kissed the side of her mouth.
She froze. “But you’re not the right person.”
He rolled his eyes. “The right person in bed isn’t always the right person to marry.”
“But — ” she started, but he interrupted her with a kiss. She forgot what she was about to say when his arms encircled her. With a sigh she wrapped her arms around his neck and let him deepen the kiss.
When he pulled away he smiled at her. “I want to take you to Charleston for your birthday.”
It took a second for his words to penetrate her brain. “You want to spend the weekend with me in Charleston?”
“It’s not very far so we can get there in a day, and we don’t have to worry about people we know seeing us together. You mentioned that you wanted discretion.”
She frowned. “But my family and I get together for my birthday.”
“You’ll be thirty, Tasha. They will be okay if you miss a year.”
She tried to pull away. “That’s too much. I can’t do that.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
Southern Love Page 28