by Emery, Lynn
All in all, Jamal Turner seemed to be Mr. Right. So why fight it? She tried to think of the logical reasons she had vowed to stay clear of a relationship. Those reasons were pretty good. She needed time and space after the knockout punches from Ellis. One of the social workers in the Chicago clinic where she’d worked had advised her to take time to regroup. She needed to feel good about herself again.
The truth was Andrea did not trust her judgment in choosing men. Ellis had seemed to be a stable kind of guy. A college professor who taught business, he talked endlessly about management styles and corporate culture. He dressed conservatively and talked about family values. Yet he’d turned out to be a dog in geek’s clothing. Like mother, like daughter? No way! She was not going to repeat Charlene’s pattern of hooking up with chumps.
Andrea gazed ahead at the rearview mirror and saw his lovely brown eyes again. She took a deep breath. As for Jamal Turner, he was not even in disguise. He smiled and women stumbled over each other to be near him. He was funny and a smart aleck. Women loved being near him, and he knew it. He was good-looking, a smooth talker. There was nothing conservative about Jamal. The clothes he wore weren’t flashy, but didn’t hide his fabulous body. There was nothing restrained about the animal way he walked, like a graceful panther, or the way he spoke his mind. Jamal Turner was definitely not the kind of man Andrea thought she wanted or needed. In short, he was the kind of man Charlene was drawn to. An excellent reason to run screaming in the opposite direction.
He smiled at her in the rearview mirror again and she automatically smiled back. On the other hand … why not accept that what you see is what you get? He’s a nice guy, go with it! Andrea sighed. She’d left Chicago convinced that she had the question of men and relationships settled.
“Gran, this is all your fault,” Andrea grumbled out loud. She turned up the car radio. Maybe loud music would clear her confused thoughts.
It was another hot day, typical for late June in south Louisiana. The China blue sky was cloudless. Andrea savored the heat, contrasting it to the bone deep cold she’d endured during those long Chicago winters. The road stretched ahead, with rich green grass on either side. Moss-draped oak trees grew tall and wide, their massive branches curved down to the ground. Egrets flew overhead, their snowy white bodies gleaming in the sunshine. It was hard to be in a grumpy mood on a day like today. They approached town and Jamal turned down the street leading to her new home.
Andrea looked at herself in the car mirror and nodded. “I’m in control. I’ll thank him and send him on his way.”
Following him into the lot, Andrea parked in the space next to the truck.
Jamal got out of the truck and stood with both hands on his hips, looking around. “Nice place.”
Andrea joined him. “Yeah, I really like the way it’s designed.”
The exterior’s wood walls were stained a dark reddish brown that blended with the surroundings. Palms and compact shrubs had been planted along the sidewalks. A cozy courtyard featured a fountain in the middle of a pond. The complex was deliberately small, only sixteen flats. Each building had two floors.
“It’s nice and quiet. My apartment is over here.” She got the keys out of her purse and led the way to her ground-floor flat.
“Hmm, you think this is a good idea?” Jamal walked around the comer of the building. “A second-floor apartment would be better for a woman living alone. But at least these windows look secure.”
“Sure they are. I checked it out,” Andrea said. “And the landlord has a security system installed, see?” She pointed to the control pad.
“Good idea,” he said, but continued to look around. “Not that I’ll need all the protection. But thanks for worrying about me, Dad.”
He grinned. “I get the point. Just wanted to make sure you were secure.”
“Thank you, sir.” Andrea made a playful curtsy. “You’ve saved me twice so far. Guess I’m lucky to have a knight in shining armor.”
“Yeah, guess so,” Jamal said softly.
They gazed at each other for a few moments. He took a step toward her and Andrea panicked. She unlocked the front door. Without looking back, she went inside the apartment.
“Okay, let’s start the fun stuff. I’ll turn on the air conditioner,” she said, and hurried ahead of him.
“It is pretty hot in here.”
Andrea turned around to find him only inches away. “Yeah, I’ll put it on high to cool things off.”
His lips parted slowly. “I like a hot climate,” he said.
“I do, too. But not this hot. Let’s lower the temperature so I can think straight,” Andrea murmured.
Jamal lifted a hand as though to brush her hair, then held back. He blinked like a man waking from a trance and took a couple of steps back. “I’ll, uh, start unloading.”
“Yeah, right, unload.”
She watched him walk away with a mixture of excitement and relief. There was no mistaking it; she’d seen desire in his eyes. Andrea found a tissue in her purse and dabbed at the sweat on her forehead. The next two hours or so would be a test, but she was determined to pass it.
It did not take long before the living room of her apartment was filled with boxes and bags. Andrea once again marveled at how much she’d accumulated. They unpacked the kitchen items first, and then tackled the living room. In no time they’d set up her compact disc player and arranged most of the books on a comer bookcase.
“Nice furniture. I like the colors,” Jamal said as he continued to unpack a box of CDs and cassette tapes.
“Thanks.” Andrea once again admired the sofa set. The fabric had an abstract pattern of cool blue, mauve, and green that matched the green carpet. “I find it soothing.”
“Yeah. You’ve got a really nice place here.”
“Once I get all this junk organized.” Andrea pushed back a tendril of hair from her eyes. “It could take months with the hours I put in at the clinic.”
“I’ll help,” Jamal said promptly.
Andrea cleared her throat. “I’m sure you’ve got enough to do in your time off.”
“Not really. I know how it is to live out of boxes. I’ve done it twice.” Jamal spoke matter-of-factly.
“So you live somewhere in Bayou Blue?”
Jamal did not answer immediately. “No, in Harahan.” “You drive a long way. Why not work closer to home?” Andrea kept her tone conversational. Still, she was fascinated to finally find out more about him.
“Because I found a job in Bayou Blue. This is beautiful.” Jamal had unwrapped a small wooden sculpture of a woman and child. It was carved from mahogany.
“I found it in a small shop on the island of Saint Maarten.” Andrea walked over to where he stood. “That started my collection.”
“I love going to the Caribbean. Brazil is another favorite.” He carefully placed the piece on the shelf of another bookcase. Then he unwrapped other figurines and arranged them artfully.
“You’re a world traveler, huh? Lucky you.” Andrea watched him take care with the position of each piece. “And an artist at heart, it seems.”
Jamal smiled at her over his shoulder before turning his attention back to his task. “I’ve got my own modest collection of Haitian and African art. There you go.” He put the last piece on the third of four shelves.
“Perfect.” Andrea smiled at him.
“So when were you on Saint Maarten? Maybe we bumped into each other.”
“On my honeymoon almost ten years ago. My husband met his future mistress that week,” Andrea said. She frowned and pushed the memory away.
“Oh,” Jamal mumbled. “Well, at least you got some good art out of it, right?” He wore a cautious smile.
Andrea looked at him for a few seconds in stunned silence, and then burst out laughing. “I never thought of it that way. You’re so silly. How did you know I wouldn’t punch you?”
“I counted on your great sense of humor. Plus I can move pretty fast.” He laughed with her.
“Uh-huh. Now let’s see how fast we can both move. I can’t stand all this clutter.”
They traded jokes for the next two hours as they worked. Andrea gave him directions on moving the furniture once most of the boxes were empty. They hung up pictures, put her bed up, and threw away mounds of newspaper used to cushion her belongings. By one o’clock they were both tired and hungry. Andrea collapsed on the sofa with a groan.
“My back aches, my feet hurt, and I’m sweating like a construction worker.” Her head fell back on the cushion and she closed her eyes.
Jamal sat next to her. “Well, at least you’re a cute sweaty construction worker.” He sniffed the air. “And not too stinky.”
“Hey!” Andrea smacked the top of his head with a small throw cushion. “You’re supposed to tell me I’m completely wrong. You flunk the southern gentleman test.”
“C’mon, give me some credit. I did say you were cute and sweaty.” Jamal ducked a second swing at his head.
“I forgot that sense of humor could be used for evil purposes.”
“I give up.” Jamal raised both hands. “The truth is you’re not cute.”
“You’re asking for it.” Andrea raised the cushion again.
He closed one large hand around her wrist. “You’re beautiful.” His gaze swept over her. “All the time, in every way.”
Pleasure surged through her body at his touch. Instantly she forgot about keeping distance between them. In fact, she wanted him closer. As though pulled by a powerful magnetic force, he leaned toward her. Andrea dropped the cushion and met him halfway. He gave her one light kiss, then another, then another. Andrea closed her eyes as his tongue traced a fiery trail along her bottom lip before tasting the inside of her mouth. His gen-de probing continued until they both moaned softly. Andrea felt a shiver begin at the base of her spine and fan out until every part of her body seemed to vibrate.
Jamal’s hands slid from her back to her hips. Andrea savored the heat from his body beneath the cotton T-shirt. She gasped when he kissed her neck. His lips brushed down the open neckline of her short-sleeved shirt. She wanted him to touch her everywhere. Andrea undid the top four buttons and tilted her head back. He eagerly nuzzled the soft mounds of exposed flesh above the pink lace bra. The only sound she heard was their heavy breathing. Andrea buried her fingers in curls of dark hair as he continued to kiss her breasts.
Jamal found the front hooks and opened the bra. Andrea gasped as he nudged the fabric aside with one hand. Jamal circled one nipple with his tongue delicately before taking it in his mouth. The sensation of his teasing caress made her ache for more. It was a sweet mixture of pleasure and pain, a sexual hunger that gripped her with a vengeance. From a distance Andrea heard a voice that seemed not her own but had to be.
“Here, please,” she whispered, and offered her other breast to him.
“Yes, baby.”
He opened the last buttons of her shirt. Andrea watched in ecstatic fascination as his head bent down toward her erect nipples.
The phone rang. Neither moved as it jangled five times.
Jamal gripped her tighter. He nibbled one nipple gently with his full lips, then moved to the other. “Ignore it,” he said hoarsely.
“Yes,” Andrea breathed. She had no intention of answering the phone.
The phone stopped, but then the door chimes played a musical tune. Andrea’s head began to clear ever so slowly. “Wait, I…” Her effort to swim out of the haze of desire was blunted by his insistent tongue on her nipple again, this time faster.
“No, they’ll go away.” To make the point how much he wanted her, Jamal put his hand between her legs.
Andrea bit back a loud moan. “It could be Gran.”
The door chimes rang again and a female voice called out, “Miss Noble, Shirley Sharp, the manager. I wanted to give you the checklist.”
Jamal continued to nip at her flesh hungrily. “She’ll get tired and leave.”
Andrea pushed Jamal’s face away from her body with great reluctance. “Just a minute,” she yelled back.
“It’s obvious she knows I’m in here,” she whispered.
“Damn!” Jamal muttered, and took a deep, shaky breath as he sat back. “I’ve gotta throw cold water on my face … and a few other places.” He stumbled to the half bath a few feet down the hall.
Andrea hastily fastened her bra and buttoned her blouse. She checked herself in the mirror, combed her hair with her fingers, then went to the front door.
Ms. Sharp was buxom, well past thirty-five with hair dyed a deep copper that matched her brown skin. And she was apparently very curious about her new tenant.
“Hi,” the woman said as she peered past Andrea into the apartment. “Uh, I didn’t mean to inconvenience you and your friend. I guess you had to climb over boxes and all.”
“No problem,” Andrea said in a bright voice. “Come right in. We were in the back bedroom—putting things in the extra closet,” she added quickly when the woman’s auburn eyebrows shot up.
“Right.” She wore a knowing smile. “Anyway, I forgot to give you this list. Mark anything that needs repair. That way we can catch problems early.”
“Thanks, Ms. Sharp.” Andrea almost snatched the paper from her hands. “I’m sure everything is just fine.” “Yes,” Ms. Sharp said without moving. She glanced around. “You’ve really done a lot in a short time.”
“Hard work and determination, I guess.” Andrea smiled at her and cleared her throat. “But we’ve still got quite a lot to do.”
“Of course, having your furniture delivered the other day helped.” Ms. Sharp lingered as her gaze darted to the hallway. It was obvious she wanted to see more.
“It certainly did.” Andrea rolled the two page checklist into a tube and tapped it against her thigh. “Is there anything else? We really want to finish and get some lunch.”
“No. Just be sure and get that to me within the next five working days.” Ms. Sharp seemed reluctant to leave.
Andrea almost cried out with joy when the phone rang again. “Well, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Certainly, of course. I… Oh my,” Ms. Sharp blinked when Jamal strolled down the hall. She stared at his chest.
He nodded to her. “Hi. I’ll get it.” He went down the short hallway to the kitchen and picked up the cordless phone on the counter.
“I’ll be sure and bring the checklist no later than Tuesday.” Andrea fought the urge to push the woman out.
“Good.” Ms. Sharp patted her hair and batted her eyelashes. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“We’re doing fine, thank you,” Andrea said crisply, annoyed at the way she ogled Jamal.
“I’ll bet,” she said with a sigh that reeked of envy. “Well, goodbye.”
“’Bye.” Andrea ushered the woman out and shut the door behind her with a firm thump. “Some nerve,” she muttered under her breath.
“What was that?” Jamal came out holding the cordless phone.
“Nothing.” Andrea tugged at her blouse.
“It’s your grandmother,” he said. He held it out to her without walking closer.
Andrea took the phone. “Hi. On your way?”
Andrea fervently hoped so. Gran would add a much needed buffer zone. True to her devious matchmaking intentions, Gran made an excuse. She gaily twittered that she was sure Andrea didn’t need help. But help was the one thing Andrea needed most. Being alone with Jamal proved one thing: she could not trust herself to think rationally.
“But you’ve got more of my things and … A club meeting you forgot about, huh? Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Andrea punched the off button. Awkward silence stretched on for what seemed forever.
“Listen, about what just happened between us,” Jamal started, and then stopped.
Andrea shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “It’s obviously a bad idea. I mean, we work together. I’m the boss.”
“It was my fault. I kinda got o
ut of hand when you smiled at me. You’ve got the prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen and—”
“Don’t go there again.” Andrea stepped back. She took a deep breath and let it out.
“Of course. I mean, it would just complicate things at the clinic. No way would it ever work.” Despite his words, Jamal looked at her with a question in his dark eyes.
Her breasts tingled with the tactile memory of his caress. He’d known just the way she wanted and needed to be touched. She forced herself to look away.
“Exactly. It could affect staff morale,” Andrea replied.
He walked close to her but kept both hands at his sides. “Maybe not.”
“You know better. The last thing we need is a hot romance interfering with our working relationship. Not to mention, the board would question my judgment, and they’d be right.” Andrea rubbed her eyes. “I must have lost my mind.”
“Then we’ve got an even bigger problem. This thing between us isn’t going away, Andrea,” he said softly. “It just keeps getting stronger. What do you suggest?”
“I don’t know.”
“If you want me to resign, I will,” Jamal said solemnly.
“No!” Andrea said forcefully, then cleared her throat.