Yield to Love

by Chanta Jefferson Rand

  Eventually, the horse’s handler had to intervene. He was a stocky man with long, greasy hair. “Oh, my lovely Carmella,” he cooed to the horse. “What has you so fired up this morning?” He stroked Carmella’s nose, and fed her an apple, which instantly calmed her.

  “No fair.” Marlowe pouted. “You gave her a treat. No wonder she likes you.”

  “I specifically selected this mare for you,” the handler told her. “Carmella is a very docile horse.”

  “Hah! Coulda fooled me,” Marlowe replied as she finally got situated in the saddle. She was out of breath from the effort. She adjusted the coat of her riding habit. She felt like a piece of boudain stuffed into the unfamiliar clothing.

  She twisted her neck to see what Roque was doing. He looked majestic sitting atop his dappled gray mare as if it were the most natural thing in the world for him to be there. The snug riding breeches he wore accentuated his muscular thighs. Despite her precarious position atop her horse, Marlowe felt a rush of warmth between her legs.

  Damn, that man is sexy!

  “Why is your horse so well-mannered, while mine seems to want to run away and join the rodeo,” Marlowe complained.

  Roque grinned. “First of all, you have to learn to relax.”

  “I am relaxed. Don’t I look relaxed?”

  “If the death grip you have on those reins is any indication, I’d say no, you don’t look relaxed.”

  Marlowe scowled and remembered she was supposed to be having fun. She couldn’t let a little thing like a stubborn horse throw a wrench into her plans. She rolled her shoulders and cocked her head from side to side, like a fighter. She could do this.

  “That’s it,” Roque encouraged. “Loosen up.”

  “Easy for you to say. It took me three tries to get on this horse. You got on yours the first time with no problems.”

  He shrugged. “I must admit I’ve never had a problem mounting any female.”

  Marlowe smacked her lips. “Oh, Roque Coleman has jokes. Ladies and gentlemen,” she called out, even though they were the only ones riding, “give it up for my favorite entrepreneur-turned-comedian.”

  “You have to show the horse who is master,” the handler interjected. “If she senses that you are nervous, she will take advantage.”

  “Well, I am nervous. So, sue me.”

  Roque steered his horse next to hers. “Baby, if this is too much for you, we can quit and do the other activity I planned—skydiving.”

  “Oh, hell no!” Marlowe gripped the reins again. “Are you crazy?”

  “Don’t tell me you’ve never been skydiving?”

  She smirked. “No, I never had a desire to be an organ donor.”

  His deep chuckle filled the air, putting her at ease. She liked when he laughed. The sound was so full of life. He wagged his finger at her. “I can see I have a lot to show you, woman. You haven’t even begun to live.”

  “So, you’re saying I was dead before?”

  “Pretty much, but don’t worry. When we get back to the villa, I’ll give you a little CPR—Clitoral Pampering Resuscitation.”

  Marlowe cracked up laughing. And just like that, Roque had managed to ease her tension. She was so busy laughing, she forgot all about her nervousness.

  They rode for hours, touring Costa Rica on horseback. The land really was beautiful. Marlowe and Roque navigated their horses through a variety of terrain, including rolling hills, pastures, and the rainforest. Carmella was behaving like the perfect lady, and soon, the steady rhythm of her hooves on the damp ground became a comforting sound instead of reason to be frightened. Marlowe inhaled deep breaths of the earth-scented air. She was enjoying herself. She was so glad Roque suggested this. Not just the activity, but the entire trip. She didn’t realize how hard she’d been working until she’d taken the time for a break. She hadn’t told her sisters where she was going; only that she’d be gone for a few days. It was better that way. Less questions. She wasn’t prepared to give answers about Roque right now. She only knew that when he asked her to fly away with him, it felt right. So, she did it.

  She glanced at him as he rode beside her. Yes, Roque Coleman was full of surprises. She had to confess, she was relishing the time they’d spent together. She smiled to herself as she recalled her first impression of him. When she’d first met him, she thought he was a man without passion. She was usually a good judge of character, but she couldn’t have been more wrong about him.

  “What are you smiling about,” he asked.

  Caught, she made up something. “I was wondering when I’m going to see that volcano you promised me.”

  He nodded. “Glad you asked. Coming right up.”

  They took about an hour to ride around the Arenal Volcano. The mound of earth and hardened rock jutting into the heavenly blue Costa Rican sky was simply amazing. Thank goodness, it wasn’t an active volcano. She didn’t think she could handle the excitement of hot lava and spewing ash.

  Afterward, she and Roque followed the guide to a spot where a large group of tourists were walking on foot.

  “What’s going on?” she asked.

  “They’re visiting the waterfall,” the guide answered.

  “A waterfall? Oh, are we going, too?”

  Roque grinned. “Since it took you so long to get on that horse, I wasn’t sure you’d want to get off again. We’d have to dismount and hike to get to the waterfall.”

  She laughed. “I’m up for it if you are.”

  Minutes later, they dismounted. Marlowe was almost sad to be rid of Carmella. Almost. She and Roque hiked down to the waterfall to take in the views of the spectacular cascade of fresh rainforest water. Thick vegetation surrounded the waterfall. She found a spot away from the other tourists where she could have a moment of reflection to herself. A cool breeze wafted through the air as she stood watching a rainbow that stretched across the water. “Beautiful,” she murmured. She could stay here forever feeling the water spray her and the sunshine warm her.

  Roque came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned against his strong chest and savored the feel of him nuzzling the back of her neck.

  “I wish we could make love here,” she purred.

  “I’ve got connections, but not like that.” He chuckled. “But don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you.”

  For the ride back, their guide secured a roomy Land Rover. The driver took them to a cozy restaurant off the beaten track. Colorful tablecloths lined the rustic wood tables. For lunch, the two of them dined on the traditional meal called casado. The overloaded plate of rice, beans, tortillas, carne asada, salad, and plantain was almost as colorful as the vibrant decor. The food was bursting with flavor. They washed their meal down with local Costa Rican beers. Then they spent the rest of the day sightseeing and strolling among the colorful shops. Marlowe bought a few souvenirs for her sisters and Toye. She could shop for hours on end and never tire of it. But she decided to give Roque a break. Besides, she was ready to strip out of her riding habit and step under the soothing needles of a hot shower.

  By the time they got back to the hotel, Marlowe’s backside was sore from her horseback ride. She wanted to take advantage of the spa, but she was too tired to do anything but shower. Thankfully, Roque told her he had a few things to take care of. He promised to join her in about an hour. She peeled off her clothes and washed the horse musk from her body. She was out like a light the minute her head hit the pillow.

  ###

  Roque sat in a wicker chair in the main room of his suite and checked his messages. Only one call was important enough for him to return. He dialed the number for his attorney, Clive Markland.

  “I wanted to give you the bad news,” Clive told him.

  Roque growled. “I hate when someone starts a sentence off like that.”

  “That’s because you so rarely hear it, you don’t know how to react.”

  “No one but you has the balls to do it. So what is it?”

  “Crowne is backing
out of the deal.”

  “They can’t do that. We have a contract.”

  “Which can be found null and void if there are unforeseen circumstances that would inhibit the progress of the project or add excessive expense.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about? What unforeseen circumstances are there?”

  “Termites.”

  “What?”

  “Those properties are overrun with termites, Roque. And the biggest nest was in LaReesa Jones’ unit. With those houses so close together, it was easy for the bugs to spread to the other woodwork.”

  “Okay, so, we treat them. Or demolish every existing frame.”

  “When there are termites like that, we need a deeper level of treatment. It’ll take weeks to ensure they’re all gone.”

  “How much money are we talking?”

  “One hundred thousand.”

  “Goddamn! I want to get rid of them, not send them to college.”

  Clive laughed. “Well, even if you did eradicate those suckers, Crowne is a little shy about investing now. And they can legally get out of the contract.”

  “I’ll call them. Talk some sense into ‘em.”

  “Your prerogative, but they’ve already decided to buy elsewhere. They want to stay on schedule. Between you and me, I think they got tired of waiting on your holdout, Marlowe Jones. You, of all people, should know in this business, time is money.”

  Roque had already hung up. He scrolled through his contacts for the number to Crowne Industries. When he connected with Leonidas, the older twin reiterated what Clive had said.

  “We can’t take a chance on that infestation coming back,” he told Roque.

  Roque fought the growing irritation burgeoning inside him. He’d done all that cajoling to get all those residents to sell for nothing. “This is extremely disappointing. If I’d known you and Patrick were going to bail and leave me holding the bag, I’d never have bought out the other residents.”

  “Don’t take it personal, Roque. These things happen. I’m sure there will be more fruitful opportunities for us to work together in the future.”

  It was all Roque could do not to snarl into the phone.

  “You could always develop this property on your own,” Leonidas suggested. “You’ve done it before. Listen, I’ve got to go. I’m catching a plane in about an hour.”

  Roque hung up. This whole venture had been a colossal waste of time.

  No, it wasn’t a complete waste of time. If not for this project, you would have never met Marlowe.

  Roque was stunned by the thought. There was no use in denying it. He was attracted to Marlowe. Something about her drew him in like a star to a black hole. It wasn’t just her stimulating conversation. Nor her sexy, lush body. And certainly not that wide sensuous mouth that he’d had the pleasure of ravishing. Marlowe was the kind of woman a man could think about settling down with. He shook his head. He couldn’t believe he’d thought that. He had no right to even think of her like that when he had other…obligations.

  Shit that he should have taken care of years ago.

  There was a lot about him she didn’t know.

  She deserved to know.

  He never thought this would be an issue. Never figured Marlowe would be anything in his life other than a spoiled client. Now, there was the possibility of something more. And he wanted to explore it.

  He made a few more calls, and then checked on Jade, but she didn’t answer her cell phone. He didn’t expect her to. She was probably enjoying herself in dance camp. He was glad she was finally hanging out with other females. She seemed so isolated after her mother had left. His little girl was growing up, and it wasn’t easy. The fact that she’d reached out to Marlowe was a sign that he couldn’t be everything for his daughter, no matter how hard he tried.

  Roque stripped off his clothes and took a shower in the bathroom of his villa. Warm rivulets of water cascaded down his body as he washed the grime from the morning off him. He thought of the last shower he’d taken—it was with Marlowe. He’d lathered soap across her luscious curves, unable to restrain himself from touching her most intimate places. And why should he? He could tell she loved being stroked just as much as he loved stroking her.

  His cock swelled thinking about their erotic escapades. It had been almost two hours since he’d seen Marlowe. He couldn’t wait to get back to her. Knowing she was in the adjoining villa set his blood on fire. He stroked the length of his throbbing manhood. He had to have her. Right now.

  Roque hurriedly dried off and slipped on one of the silk robes the hotel provided its guests. He stepped into the adjoining villa intending to surprise Marlowe. But she was already awake. She was lounging on the patio in a silk robe too. It seemed they had the same idea. She sipped from a flute of champagne as she watched the sunset. Deep reds and purples shrouded her silhouette.

  “I’ve been waiting on you,” she told him. “I saved a glass for you.”

  He glanced at the chilled bottle of Dom Pérignon resting in the ice bucket. An empty flute sat next to it. He poured himself a glass and dropped into the chair beside her.

  “You disappeared. I was worried you were with your girlfriend.”

  “I don’t have a girlfriend. Besides, you’re more than enough woman for me, Marlowe. I don’t think I could handle anyone else.”

  Her playful smile warmed him from head to toe. “I never pegged you for a one-woman man.”

  “I never pegged myself either. But every man has his kryptonite.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re getting soft on me, Superman.”

  He raised his eyebrows suggestively. “Oh, I’m never soft around you, woman. I think I’ve proven that over and over again.”

  She laughed at his suggestive remark. “Well, it’s nice to know I can bring the mighty Roque Coleman to his knees. And to think, you haven’t seen everything in my bag of tricks.”

  “Damn, you mean there’s more?”

  She giggled. “Oh, yeah. Much more.”

  His dick was still at attention. “Any chance I can see one of those tricks right now?” he asked.

  Roque held his breath as Marlowe slid off her chair and knelt in front of him. She placed her hands on his knees and parted his legs. Her palms slowly snaked up his thighs. When she unbelted his robe and pulled his dick out, it bucked wildly in her hands. Her fingers felt good holding the hot flesh. The head gleamed with beads of pre-cum. He was so fucking ready for her.

  “Damn,” she whispered in awe. “Your dick is even bigger up close.”

  So he’d been told by many women. The head was extra-large, narrowing into a thick shaft. He looked down, watching a throbbing vein on the topside. Soon his cock would be inside Marlowe’s hot, wet mouth.

  She gazed at it, a fascinated glaze coating her pupils. “What’s your fantasy, Roque?”

  “Lick it,” he ordered hoarsely.

  She started slowly, the tip of her pink tongue flicking over the head. He sucked in a breath as the heat of her mouth came near him. She was teasing him, letting those full lips with plenty of red lip-gloss linger near the tip. She flicked her long tongue again, taking her time licking the head.

  “Mmm,” she moaned. “Tastes good.”

  She repeatedly dragged her tongue up from the base of his nuts to the tip of his penis. Her rhythm increased, and soon, she was licking his dick like a snow cone on a summer day.

  “Suck it,” he commanded.

  Immediately, he felt the backs of her front teeth slightly graze his flesh. Then she took all ten inches of him into her hot mouth. His heart slammed against his ribcage. It felt like Heaven in her mouth. He was powerless to do anything but submit to the feel of her lips manipulating the ultimate pleasure from him. With one hand she rhythmically pumped the base of his cock. With the other, she fondled his balls.

  Damn! This feels so good!

  Marlowe’s expert fingers stroked him as her mouth worked a magic all its own. He watched her head bob up and down. The bronz
e flesh of his dick disappeared and then reappeared from her ruby-red lips.

  “Yeah, baby,” he groaned. “That’s it.”

  He grabbed her head and forced it back and forth, but not too hard so she didn’t feel like she wanted to gag. Her lips tightened around his dick. She constricted her mouth like it was a pussy, deep-throating him. He let her take control; he didn’t want to choke her.

  He moaned aloud. His legs shook from her oral onslaught. Sweat dripped from him like a faucet in the humidity. He wanted to fuck her, but he was caught up in what she was doing. He loved the feel of her lips on his dick. He looked down, watching the big head disappear in and out of her wet mouth until he finally had to close his eyes. She had his balls cupped in her hands. A spiral of heat built inside him, overwhelming him, shaking his body to the core.

  “I’m about to come!” he warned.

  She withdrew her mouth, but kept pumping his dick with her hand. A white-hot explosion erupted inside him as his body was racked with spasms. She moaned against him, clinging to his sweat-dampened shirt. “Fuck me, now,” she begged.

  He was happy to oblige. They didn’t need the bedroom. He took her right there on the balcony, doggie style. She stayed on her knees, bent over the chair he’d just vacated while he positioned himself behind her. He pushed the soft material of her robe up. Her smooth ass was like a tempting drug pulling him under the influence.

  He slipped two fingers between the cleft of her backside until he found the entrance to her pussy. She was wet and ready. She pushed her ass backward against him, letting him finger-fuck her.

  He thrust rapidly back and forth inside her pussy. “Damn, baby, you’re wet! You must want me to fuck you.”

  “Yes, yes,” she pled. “Fuck me hard. Make me come, Roque.”

  The mention of his name spurred him to action.

  His dick was hard again, ready for round two. He entered her roughly from behind, thrusting to the hilt inside her.