Prelude to a Seduction

by Lotchie Burton

  Just as she lifted her hand in greeting she was brought up short, startled by the sudden appearance of Shelia Preston directly in her path, her face marred and distorted in anger.

  “I want to talk to you right now,” Shelia hissed, her agitation blatantly apparent. “I know you’ve been sneaking around with David. I saw the two of you hiding behind bushes, kissing. And don’t try to deny it,” she snapped. “I can smell him all over you!”

  “That’s because he was all over me, not that it’s any business of yours,” Sarona stated calmly. “I don’t understand your concern, Shelia. It’s my understanding you and David are no longer involved. Not only has this been reported through the normal reliable gossip and grapevine resources, but I heard it from David himself.”

  Shelia’s ranting had drawn the attention of patrons gathered in the lobby, and people began to stop and stare. Sarona wasn’t exactly thrilled about the world witnessing her private involvement with David, but she wouldn’t back down from a fight either. Let the bitch rant, she thought. She’ll make herself look exactly like the fool she is.

  “Do you think he’s interested in you for more than sex?” Shelia seethed. “That’s not how he operates. I’ve got news for you; you’re just another notch in his bedpost! Every woman here knows the Broussard Method.” Her voice rose to the verge of hysteria. “You’re nothing more than an experiment; he’s probably looking to experience a little jungle fever.”

  “Well, if, as you say, every woman here knows the Broussard Method, then every woman here except you knows when the deal is done and how to accept when it’s time to move on. And as for his possible interest in jungle fever, my response to that would be — if a man like David feels he can achieve ultimate satisfaction by experimenting and stepping outside his normally tame parameters, all I can say is welcome to the jungle.”

  • • •

  Momentarily stunned, David stopped in his tracks as he witnessed the spectacle that was Shelia. A moment later, he was galvanized into action to rush to Sarona’s side, furiously protective and aggressive.

  He reached the two women and was attempting to pull Shelia aside when Sarona placed her hand in his chest and said, “Back off, Broussard. This is between Shelia and me. She obviously has a lot on her mind, and I want to hear what it is.”

  David’s arrival seemed to startle Shelia out of her singled-minded rage. It was as though she had suddenly come to her senses and realized where she was — in the middle of an upscale hotel lobby, being stared at and making an absolute fool of herself. Suddenly, she was speechless.

  “Are you done?” Sarona asked, exhibiting a cool and calm exterior that belied the fury within. When there was no response, Sarona shrugged her shoulders, turned, and walked away. In parting, she looked back over her shoulder and said, “You know, Shelia, I would think someone with your financial means would have invested in an education in manners or etiquette, since it’s obvious you weren’t taught either as a child.” And, as if in afterthought, she added, “And if I were you, I’d be careful whose bedpost your notch appears on. It may save you from other embarrassments in the future.”

  David let Sarona move some distance ahead before he turned to Shelia and said in a lowered voice, rife with anger and disgust, “If you ever come near me or Sarona again, I’ll have a restraining order issued against you in all fifty states!”

  He left Shelia standing where she was as he hurried to catch up to Sarona. She was nearly at the lobby exit when he reached her.

  The curious looks and murmurs of the crowd held no meaning for him. His mind and focus were on one thing only — getting to Sarona. He was aware of one thought — damage control. Would she still want to go out with him? Would she still want to be with him after such an exhibition?

  The look in her eyes was unfathomable. He had no idea what she was thinking, but he was encouraged by the fact that she was still standing there waiting for him. Without a word, Sarona stretched out her hand, offering him her wrap, which he dutifully took and draped around her shoulders. Placing his hand at the small of her back and pushing the door open ahead of her, he escorted her from the hotel, taking them both from the further scrutiny of curious eyes.

  David hailed a cab and gave the address of their destination. He then settled back and quietly held Sarona’s hand, gently and tentatively stroking the soft smoothness he found clutched within his grasp. The trip was a short drive made in silence, each immersed within his or her world of thought.

  • • •

  They’d reached the restaurant in a matter of minutes, and were quickly seated and served drinks. The silence they’d shared inside the cab still lingered, and had now stretched beyond his point of tolerance. He was worried. Worried that Sarona would let Sheila’s outrageous scene change or interfere with what was developing between them. He could have strangled Shelia with his bare hands! And, depending on the evening’s outcome, he still might do it! For now, he was glad Sarona was still willing to have dinner with him. He didn’t know if that was good or bad, but if need be, he was ready to defend himself, to plead his case.

  She seemed distracted, deep in thought — of course, with good reason. The showdown with Shelia had to be uppermost in her mind. Unsure of how to proceed, he took a deep breath and decided to plunge right in. He reached across the table and took both her hands in his.

  “I know what happened has probably caused you to second guess what’s obviously developing with us, but please, Sarona, don’t let what she did interfere and ruin something that could be so good between us.”

  Staring at how the flickering candlelight accented the contrast of their intertwined hands, David was captivated by the unexpected beauty of their colors mixed and mingled together.

  “David, why do you think I would let anything Shelia said influence what or how I feel? Shelia is a bitter and vindictive woman, angry because she can no longer enjoy the status of being seen with you. She can’t walk around and show you off as her prized possession anymore, and it burns her ass. Her wanting you back has nothing to do with sincere feelings. She simply misses being the talk and envy of every woman within a hundred mile radius. Don’t worry — I don’t blame you for Shelia’s delusions of grandeur.”

  He was stunned by her comment and by her perfect perception of exactly who Shelia Preston was. Her statement said everything he himself had thought and felt — that to Shelia he was nothing more than a status symbol. A year ago, it wouldn’t have mattered, because a year ago he was nearly as superficial and shallow as Shelia. It had taken nearly a year of abstinence and soul searching to help him discover he wanted something more out of life. And yes, as cliché as it may have sounded, he wanted something more meaningful. He had weighed and measured his life and found that he desperately needed to let go of his playboy persona to find what life had to offer beyond a superficial and shallow existence.

  “So, are you saying you’re willing to forget about Shelia’s tirade?”

  “Of course I won’t forget about it, but I’m not going to let her have the satisfaction of thinking she can ruin our plans to be together for the evening. So you can stop looking so worried, David,” Sarona continued, smiling and taking a sip from the glass of wine she’d been toying with idly.

  “Shelia didn’t reveal anything about you I didn’t already know. I think she was betting she could shock me with her petty revelations of your less than stellar reputation. What she doesn’t know is that I’ve discovered more about you in a few short days than she could ever know. Sure, there’s no doubt you’re a walking definition of the phrase ‘playboy’. It’s an image you’ve perfected and personified. But in your defense I have to admit I’ve learned there’s more to you than just another pretty face,” she teased. “In light of our stimulating conversations and your creative use of those moments when there was nothing to say, I’ve decided that you may have some redeeming qualities after all.” Sarona chuckled. “In spite of your scandalous reputation.”

  He was relieved to
hear her joke about his questionable character. It meant she hadn’t let Shelia get to her and give her reasons for second thoughts about where they were headed. He relaxed and breathed easier, and settled into the meal and the remainder of the evening, enjoying the night as it was intended, talking, laughing and getting to know each other.

  Chapter 7

  They stood in front of Sarona’s suite. He leaned around her to open the door and lightly brushed her arm as he reached for the handle. Then he stopped and reached for her instead, pulling her to him, hard and insistent.

  Sarona silently watched as his face and lips slowly descended toward her. Time stood still as her lungs refused to breath and her mind went totally blank. The feel of his full, soft lips on hers was heart-stopping. His tongue teased and swept across her lips. His mouth, soft and firm, covered her mouth with a persistent and demanding need for entry, and she opened to receive him. His tongue delved, stroked, and cajoled to elicit a moan of pleasure from deep within, and her ears scarcely recognized the sound as her own pent up passion.

  Her arms automatically reached to draw him closer, hold him tighter. Her body, held tightly against his, came into direct contact with the long, hard length of him, pressed firmly in the cradle between her legs. He pressed her body back against the door as he took the kiss deeper. One hand reached to cup her rounded bottom and pull her tighter against his hard arousal while the other hand held her head still for the invasion of his tongue.

  The kiss seemed to go on forever until the need to breathe forced them reluctantly apart. David pressed little butterfly kisses along her lips, her throat and jaw. His tongue gently laved and caressed her ear lobe as his warm breath teased the lose tendrils of her hair. His voice, husky with lust and need, whispered suggestively in her ear, “Why don’t we move this inside where we can be more comfortable?”

  “Umm?” was her barely audible response.

  “I said, why don’t we move this inside where we can be more comfortable?” he repeated.

  Sarona pulled back. Looking up, she immediately felt the sensation of being pulled, falling and drowning, into those irresistible brown eyes.

  Gently stroking both cheeks with his thumbs, he asked, “What do you think, Sarona?” his eyes searching, wary with concern, awaiting her reply.

  Here it is, she thought, the moment I’ve both dreaded and longed for. There’s no more time to waste with uncertainty or self-denial. It’s time to decide. It doesn’t matter if it’s just for tonight. Just for tonight will be enough. Tomorrow can take care of itself. Sarona reached up and stroked his face, letting her fingers trail his jaw line to his mouth, then slide lingering caresses along his lips.

  “What do I think?” she softly whispered, still entranced from his touch, intoxicated by his scent, and spellbound by the perfection of his full, soft lips. “I think you’re a fantasy. A figment of my imagination contrived to haunt me, to make me long for impossible possibilities. It was a lie, you know? I pretended not to see you, and to seem uninterested. It was a precaution, my poor attempt at self-preservation, because I knew then what I know now; you would flood me with terrifying desire and passion, and I would drown in the deluge.”

  With her eyes fixed upon his lips and her mind finally made up, she smiled her decision. “Yes, David.” Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. “Why don’t we take this inside?”

  He didn’t hesitate. He reached for her key card and quickly unlocked the door, pressing her body backward into the room. His arms entangled with hers, he pulled her against him and held her close, pushing his face against her neck and inhaling deeply to breathe her in.

  “I want you, Sarona,” he said with his face still buried in the crook of her neck, his lips skimming the skin just below her ear. “I’ve wanted you for a very long time; maybe not since day one, but pretty damn close. You’ve always represented a challenge to me. I freely admit that in the beginning it was purely sexual, because let’s face it, you are one hot, attractive, sexy lady. You turn heads, fire a man’s imagination, and feed fantasies you don’t even know about.”

  Sarona practically choked on her laughter as she blurted out, “You’ve got to be kidding! Where would you get an idea like that? No one sees me that way!”

  He touched her cheek, gently letting his fingers slide across her soft, full, protruding lower lip. He sighed and gave her a look that stirred her soul. “Sarona, everyone sees you that way, trust me, I know, I’m a man. Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t so.”

  She allowed him to draw her near, press the entire length of his body against her own, and cradle her in his arms. His arousal was apparent, his touch was gentle, and his caress so tender that she was once again sinking into sensation, drowning in desire, falling into fantasy, and positively purring with expectation.

  “So, this is what it’s like,” she mused aloud, leaning back to give an intense and inquiring look into those oh, so expressive and captivating eyes.

  “What?” he asked, his responding stare just as intense, just as inquiring.

  “Riding a roller coaster and losing yourself in the thrill of the ride … trying to catch your breath only to find there’s no air way up there.”

  He smiled, a genuine smile tinged with a hint of laughter that slowly turned serious. “You take my breath away every time I look at you. You make me ache.”

  She smiled at his admission and took his hand and laid it upon her breast, and softly said, “Please, David, don’t let tonight be part of some game. Play your game another time, but tonight … let tonight be something special. Let tonight be just for me.”

  “It’s not a game, Sarona,” he whispered back, “and if it were, this time I’m not playing it simply to win. This time I’m playing for keeps. I don’t want it to end. You’re my obsession. I can’t think straight anymore because of you. There’s hardly a minute in the day that I don’t think about you. I can’t get you out of my mind. Believe me, I’ve tried.”

  Capturing her face in both his hands, allowing her to see deep inside his soul, he continued to pour his heart into his words. “I won’t lie and say this has nothing to do with sex because yes, sex is very much a part of what I think of, but there are so many things about you that excite me. You’re smart, beautiful, witty, and a hell of a conversationalist. You’re honest, you have a wicked sense of humor, and you don’t take crap from anyone. You make the whole getting-to-know-someone process fun. Believe it or not, I haven’t been with a woman since I started pursuing you.”

  She reached up to capture his hands beneath her own. “David, you started this almost a year ago! Are you saying you haven’t had sex in all that time?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

  “But … why?” she asked, completely shocked.

  “Why? Because I was tired of being the player and tired of sex without substance, but I didn’t know it until I started having those all too brief but wonderful encounters with you. You whetted my appetite for more and made me hungry to explore beyond the physical.”

  “Wow,” she whispered, awed by his revelation. “I had no idea.”

  “I know, and look how long it’s taken me to get you to listen,” he said with a wry grin.

  Sarona smiled and took his hand and led the way to the bedroom, openly anxious and excited to take him into her bed, into her arms, and into her body. This was it, she thought triumphantly; it was time to see this man in all his naked glory and discover if reality could in any way live up to her imagination.

  Standing next to the bed, he placed both hands upon her shoulders and, taking a deep breath, he slid his fingers beneath the thin spaghetti straps that held her dress in place, bending to caress, kiss, and gently tease the silky soft, brown skin he found there. His hands slid down her back and explored each toned muscle and lush curve.

  “Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?” he whispered as his fingers found the zipper and skillfully unzipped her dress and then eased the straps from her shoul
ders. He buried his nose in the hollow of her neck and breathed her in.

  “Yes, you did,” she responded with a soft, intimate chuckle, “several times over.”

  • • •

  As the material slipped from his fingers, his eyes were treated to a vision of perfection, wrapped like his very own present in black silk and lace underwear. Her figure was unmistakably that of a woman, her proportions generous, and her limbs toned, firm, and supple — a pure manifestation of feminine power and strength. He took great care and pleasure in unwrapping his present and gazing upon her flawless beauty. She looked like a goddess, an African or Egyptian Queen. Tall, majestic, and magnificent in her naked beauty, made for worship, made for loving. She wore her nakedness proudly and stood before him confident, certain, and unashamed. Looking at her brought an unfamiliar emotion to his heart, a choking sensation to his throat, and an incredible ache in his soul that demanded he touch her, take her, and claim her for his own.

  He sat on the edge of the bed still fully clothed. There was something unbelievably bold, erotic, and sensual about her nakedness while he remained dressed. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her forward to stand between his legs as he laid his face between her full, soft mounds. His hands cupped her breasts, thumbs stroking back and forth over her rigid and protruding nipples. His tongue toyed and suckled first one, then the other, licking and teasing her and pushing her toward rapture and beyond. His hands and mouth worked in harmony to elicit the moans he wanted to hear.

  Sarona threw her head back, exposing her throat in blatant invitation; an age-old call recognized in every species from mate to mate. She reached to explore, to take away and remove the offending clothing he still wore, bit by bit, layer by layer until he, too, was as naked as she. She took her time to taste him, using her tongue to lick and tease his lips, his ear, and his throat and seek out his sensitive zones of pleasure. Slipping her arms around his neck, she brought his face, his lips, and his body closer. Finally she kissed him, long and hard, and rubbed herself against him like a cat, purring her contentment, marking her territory.