“I’m going to consider that a compliment,” she said with a grin. “I know they don’t come very often from you.”
“I don’t want to hear you downing yourself.” He dropped any hint of humor from his voice. “There’s nothing wrong with you.”
She reached over a stack of clothes to place her hand over his. “I appreciate that. But believe me, I know. It took five years and a lot of soul searching, but I’m no longer struggling with those insecurities.”
Her hand slowly slid away from his. The soft glide of her fingers reawakened the stirring in his pants. Kareem flipped his over and took hold of her small wrist. Patrice’s pulse tapped against the palm of his hand, and she sucked in a breath.
“Why did you insist on sharing a room with me?”
“We’re supposed to be engaged. If you were … anyone else we’d share a room.”
“You say that with a lot of certainty.”
“Because I am certain.”
He tugged on her wrist to make her lean forward—and also to get a better view down the front of her shirt. “You also said I’m not supposed to sleep with anyone else while we’re pretending to be engaged.”
“Like I told you, it makes our relationship convincing.”
Her lips parted in an unsteady breath. He’d never paid much attention to Neecie’s lips before; she had too many other parts worth studying. They were thick, full, and right now more inviting than a cold beer at the end of a rough week.
“I know of a better way to make this more convincing.” He pulled her forward again.
The pile of clothes fell over, and something heavy landed on the bed. Neecie’s gaze lowered. Her eyes widened, and she tried to break his grip. He looked down to an egg-shaped cylinder attached to a small black box with the words Magic Bullet written in gold. Blood rushed in his ears, and his body tightened.
Patrice reached for the sex toy, but he moved faster, snatching up the toy and standing on the side of the bed.
“Give that back.” She crawled across the bed.
He stepped out of her reach and held the beige cylinder up to study. “What’s this?”
“None of your business, now give it back.”
“I think I can make it my business.” Kareem looked away from the bullet to her. “I know of a few things I can do with this.”
Her tattooed foot twisted in the carpet, flexing the muscles in her sexy thighs. “Kareem, quit playing.”
He took a step toward her and switched the toy on, filling the room with a quiet buzz. Patrice’s nipples pressed through the material of her shirt. The need to possess her flooded his system, breaking the levees of decency that just tried to make her feel better. “I’ve got a feeling you’re thinking of a few things I can do with this, too.”
• • •
The look in Kareem’s eye sent a shiver down Patrice’s spine. She had to be the dumbest woman on the planet. Hiding her sex toy someplace more secure than between a pile of clothes on the bed should’ve been the first thing she’d done. Now the one thing she’d brought to curb the craving of pretending to be Kareem’s fiancée was in the long, thick fingers of the very man she shouldn’t crave.
“Tell me, Neecie,” he said in a deep, sexy voice. “What all do you think we can do with your bullet?”
He stepped into her space, surrounding her with the sweet smell of his cigars and the underlying scent that belonged to him.
“I thought you didn’t know what it was.” She aimed for a confident tone; instead her voice trembled like a hot and horny porn star.
“Why don’t you show me how you use it?” He placed the vibrating end against the base of her throat.
“I didn’t bring it to do personal demonstrations for you.” Desire throbbed through her veins with each pulse, heightening her awareness and arousal to a fever pitch.
“Too bad, because right now I want that personal demonstration.” He placed a hand at her waist and lowered his head to whisper in her ear. “Do you trail it across your body?” He dragged the sphere down her chest to the swell of her breast.
This is where she should stop Kareem and say they were going too far, before they got out of hand. Aching nipples begging for his attention and slick heat spreading between her thighs kept her mouth shut.
“Do you?” his rough voice demanded.
She swallowed hard, forced sound out of her mouth. “Sometimes.”
He groaned and brought the bullet to hover over her beaded nipple. “Do you touch yourself here?” He made slow circles around the protruding tip.
The pleasurable vibrations shot through her breast. Patrice’s hands clutched Kareem’s waist, and her knees nearly buckled. Stopping him no longer seemed an acceptable option. “Mmm, yes.”
His tongue quickly darted out to tease the shell of her ear. “Where do you go next?” His warm breath tickled.
She tried to pull back, to break the spell, but he moved forward with her. “Kareem.”
“Tell me.” He pulled the bullet away from her nipple.
Patrice’s body ached from the loss. Yearned for more of his game. “Down my stomach.”
Her breasts were heavy, her nipples hard and longing for more. The faint pulses hummed thorough her body as Kareem leisurely trailed the toy down her stomach.
“Like this?” He made lazy loops with the vibrator across her stomach. “I want to know what you like.”
Patrice sucked in a breath. “Yes … like that.”
The hand on her waist pushed past the waistband of her shorts and gently cupped her rear. When his firm palm contacted her skin he groaned.
“Then where?”
She squirmed against him. “Further down.”
He shook his head. “Say it.”
“Between my legs.”
He let out a soft chuckle. “You won’t talk dirty for me.”
Patrice’s face prickled with heat. Dirty talk made her sound stupid, not sexy. And right now she doubted she could get out anything other than low moans.
Kareem dipped the bullet into her belly button. Patrice’s stomach caved in. The vibration tickled and teased.
“Do you play first or go straight for your clit?” Kareem’s thick voice rumbled in her ear. “Tell me, Neecie.”
Patrice spread her legs. “Both … I do both.”
She felt Kareem’s nod against the side of her head. He slid his hands past the elastic waistband of her shorts and underwear. Patrice buried her face in the soft cotton of his black shirt, and breathed in his scent. Anticipation tightened her body. Desire buzzed wet and wanton between her thighs.
Soft lips kissed her ear. “What would you do now?” Kareem gently ran the vibrator back and forth against the swollen wet folds of her sex. “Go for your clit or play with your lips?”
Patrice squeezed her eyes shut. This was not how the night was supposed to go. Her legs spread, allowing the back and forth motion of the vibrator to tremble across the protruding tip of her sex. Why fight? She wanted to sleep with this man.
“Straight for it?” she said.
His hand tightened on her waist. “For what?” His own need trembled in his voice.
Patrice swallowed. “My clit.”
“Eager, aren’t you?” Pleasure filled his voice. She barely registered his words because, thank the stars, he finally pressed the toy against her clit. Steady pulses vibrated her body. Kareem worked in fast, light circles—just enough pressure to make her push her hips forward for more. Her shaky legs spread further, opening her entirely to his pleasure. Kareem pressed his entire hand over her sex, sandwiching the bullet between his strong hand and her wet heat.
Tremors of pleasure cracked and sparked deep in her midsection and across her skin. Her body jerked. The orgasm hitting every nerve she possessed. “Ah, yes, yes!” She trembled all over, her hands clutched his shirt, and her head fell backwards.
Kareem’s mouth clamped down on her throat. He lightly bit her and sucked the soft skin. The movement was raw and shocki
ng. More trembles wracked her body.
The sound of their ragged breathing and the buzz of the vibrator echoed in the room. When her grip on his shirt loosened, Kareem removed his hands from her shorts and turned off the toy. The silence pressed in around them, bringing awareness of what they’d done. Kareem lifted his head to stare at her. She smiled, wonderment and pleasure seeping into her bones and making her feel as if she were floating in air.
A line formed between his brows and he glanced away. Uncertainty blew away her rosy afterglow. She’d seen the casual way Kareem had tossed aside his ex. Heat rushed up her cheeks; here she was thinking what happened meant something. For him what they’d done was just another sexual encounter.
She tried to step out of his embrace, but he held tight to her waist. “I’m going outside on the balcony for a few minutes,” he said.
“You didn’t want to …?” She glanced at the bed. Man, I’m such a weenie. Just ask the man to screw your brains out.
Kareem shook his head. “No. I need to clear my head.”
She wasn’t sure what that was supposed to mean. His arousal pressed into her stomach. Kareem wasn’t totally unaffected by what happened, but that knowledge didn’t stop her growing unease.
“Sure, I guess,” she said.
He continued to watch her. She lowered her gaze. The entire episode was so surreal. She was still in his embrace, her body still hummed with the aftermath of her climax. This was supposed to be the precursor to … something, but he needed to clear his head?
Kareem slowly let her go and took a step back. She glanced up at him. The heat in his gaze sent another tremble across her skin.
He closed his eyes and turned away, then spun back and brushed a thumb across her cheek. Kareem lifted her chin with his knuckle. “Not tonight, Neecie, but soon.” His voice was low, urgent.
He tossed the bullet on the bed, then stalked out on the balcony. Slowly, Patrice crossed the room to pick up the toy. Her hand rose to the spot on her cheek he’d touched. They’d gone too far, too fast. They wouldn’t be together forever, but from the way her body hummed for more, she wanted right now more than forever. Wanted the hot sex and to see the glimpses of humor Kareem let through. Lord help her, but she was going to make Kareem her lover.
CHAPTER 10
Kareem’s strong fingers gripped her hips and bent Patrice over the bathroom counter. Her legs spread wide, and he steadily drove in and out from behind. Her hands clutched the cool granite. The edges pressed painfully into her palms to keep her from falling over with the force of his thrusts. The mixture of pleasure and pain sent another rush of desire to her core. Too soon her body convulsed around his rigid cock. Her toes curled on the cold tile floor and her vision blurred.
Patrice’s eyes popped open. The green and white pillowcase on the bed greeted her instead of the reflection of her and Kareem in the bathroom mirror. Her heart thumped; the sticky aftermath of her orgasm throbbed with the beat. Morning sunlight brightened the room, meaning the third sex dream she’d had about Kareem had at least woken her up during the daytime. The other two woke her in the middle of the night and she lay staring at the dark ceiling of the bedroom waiting for sleep to return. Or for Kareem to join her. Not once in her fitful sleep had she woken to find him beside her.
She ran her hand across her eyes and groaned, rolling over to the side of the bed Kareem should have occupied, and froze. Kareem sat in one of the wingback chairs on the other side of the room. He’d turned the chair to face the bed, and was watching her. Powerful shoulder muscles were revealed by a dark sleeveless t-shirt. Thick dreads hung loose around his shoulders, begging for her to grab them and pull him down on her. All of the desire from her dream turned into a shiver across her body.
Holding the sheet to her chest, Patrice slowly sat up. “What are you doing?”
“Watching you.”
“For how long?” Edginess crept into her voice. There’d been a lot of moaning and groaning going on in her dream. If he’d sat there long enough he must have heard every one.
“Long enough to wonder what you’re dreaming about.”
She wished the sheets would catch on fire. “I don’t remember.”
“You remember,” he said in that no nonsense voice. He leaned forward in the chair and rested his elbows on his knees. “Tell me one thing. Were those good moans, or bad moans?”
His voice hadn’t changed, nor did his eyes give anything away, but she sensed that he was concerned about her answer.
“They were good moans.”
“Were you dreaming about me, or someone else?”
As if she could think of anyone else right now. “You.”
His nostrils flared and he gripped his hands together between his knees. “I’m not good at the sleeping together, making love, cuddling type of thing you deserve.”
The exact words that should tell her to pretend last night hadn’t happened. Forget all of her wild dreams about Kareem bending her over things, or how enticing the hard, demanding edge in his voice was. She wanted roses, and love songs, and cuddling one day.
Today, she wanted him.
Patrice bent her knees to hug them to her chest. “Right now I’m interested in the no strings attached you’re offering.”
His left knee bounced up and down and his eyes narrowed slightly. “There will be strings. We’re pretending to be a couple. No strings for me usually means I don’t see you the next day. Or ever again.”
Again, words that should scare her off. They didn’t. “Why can’t we have some fun while we’re helping each other out?”
He shook his head. “Neecie, you deserve all of the stuff those guys sing about in those love songs. Not what I can give you.”
Patrice’s back snapped straight. “Don’t tell me what I deserve, or need, or should want. I’ve had that my entire life, and I walked away from it. Now that I’m home, I’ll probably begin hearing what I deserve from my family all over again. I didn’t ask you here to give me the same treatment.”
Kareem’s leg stopped bouncing, but otherwise he didn’t react. Just watched her with those expressionless black eyes. Patrice fought not to fidget and met his stare head on. After several seconds, Kareem’s gaze dipped to her cleavage. He licked his lips, and the memory of the way he’d licked her ear then bit her shoulder added moisture to her already wet shorts.
Slowly Kareem rose from the chair and crossed the room to the side of the bed. “Fine.”
Patrice blinked. What exactly had they agreed to? That he wouldn’t tell her what she deserved, or that they would be doing more of what happened the night before?
“I don’t think your family is going to willingly help open the salon,” he said with a shrug.
She released her knees and sat up on her heels. She wasn’t sure if they’d settled the first conversation, but even she wouldn’t go so far as to beg a guy for clarification that he’d sleep with her.
“Beth wants to help.”
He strolled back to the chair where a black long sleeved t-shirt rested on the chair. “Your sister?” His voice had an I’m not impressed quality.
“Her fiancé is CEO of Chapman Bank, and his brother is president of the state chamber of commerce.”
Kareem stretched his arms to put on the shirt. The black undershirt lifted to expose a flat stomach and a trail of dark hair. Patrice’s tongue ran across her bottom lip.
“We join the chamber,” Kareem said, slipping on the shirt. “Make the connections we need, then go to your brother-in-law for help with the loan.”
“Umm … yeah, pretty much.” Better to get him on board with the plan before revealing one of the people they were relying on was her ex.
Kareem nodded and tugged on the edges of the shirt to straighten it out. “Your nephew knows everything there is to know about my past. I’ve got the feeling he’s going to make it known to anyone who’ll listen.” He crossed back over to the bed. A thick line formed between his brows. “Will that be a problem?”
“That’s not me.”
She grinned and held out her arms. “That’s why I’m your business partner. I’m the charming one, you’re the one with the big ideas. But I will need you to at least try to be somewhat approachable.”
His mouth quirked and a dash of humor brightened his eyes. “I get it. Smile, nod, listen to conversations about nothing.”
“And tell people about your idea. Now’s the time to sell the dream. Why your salon will be different from the barber shop down the street. Let them know the benefits of having a modern, masculine place that offers traditional grooming services but with style.”
The line came back between his brows, but not as deep. “You really did read my business plan.”
“I did, and I love your idea. But I can’t sell it by myself. You’re going to have to crack a few more friendly smiles.”
He gave her that stare she was starting to realize meant he processed her words but was unlikely to agree or disagree.
“I’ve got to go out for a while,” he said. “Will you be okay this morning?”
Patrice plopped back on her heels. “I agreed to the mother daughter spa day.”
“Good.” Kareem came closer and trailed his fingers down the side of her neck to the top of her cleavage. A line of sparks followed his fingers. He tugged on the hem of her shirt. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He dropped his hand and gently patted her hip, then turned to walk out.
Patrice frowned at the door, confused about what exactly was going on between her and Kareem.
CHAPTER 11
After spending the past few years styling other people’s hair, Patrice thoroughly enjoyed letting someone else take care of her. The stylists at the spa were amazing. Though at first she’d had a moment of panic when the owner Tina gasped at the sight of Patrice’s thick, natural hair. Tina had cut, relaxed, and grown Patrice’s hair since she was a little girl.
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