by Nicki Night
Blake wanted her bad but wouldn’t push it. He couldn’t pinpoint what it was about Cadence that made him want to be the perfect gentleman. When he had her it would be because she gave of herself willingly. Blake kissed her one last desperate time, ending with slow soft pecks on her engorged lips.
“Let’s get back,” he said, still breathless.
“Yes. Let’s do that.”
Just to feel her one last time, Blake pulled her into a tight embrace and held her for a few moments. She felt good in his arms and he wished he never had to let her go.
Hand in hand, they walked back over to the bike. Blake helped Cadence into her helmet before putting his on. On the bike, Cadence pulled up to the back of Blake until there wasn’t enough space for a strand of hair to settle among them. She held his chest and nestled the side of her head into his back.
Blake looked up toward the sky with hope in his heart, before kicking back the stand and starting the bike. He’d had his share of women and had experienced every kind of relationship, from one-night stands to serious connections, but something in Cadence made him want to be a better man.
Blake turned the bike around and rode back into the night, smiling. Blake would have all of Cadence soon enough. Not just her body but her heart, as well.
Chapter 16
It was almost quitting time and Blake was ready for his evening with Cadence. Leaving a few minutes early, Blake decided to pick up a bouquet of flowers from the gentleman selling them out of a bucket at the corner of Forty-Second Street and Sixth Avenue. He stuck the Chick-O-Stick that he’d purchased for her earlier in the center. Cadence had previously indicated that it was her favorite old-school candy, so he thought it would be the perfect complement to their picnic under the big screen and evening sun as they watched The Karate Kid on the great lawn in Bryant Park.
Blake spotted Cadence from halfway down the block, keeping his eyes glued to her swaying hips as she made her way toward him. He pulled the flowers from behind his back and kissed her lips gently.
“Aw, thanks!” Cadence sniffed the flowers and smiled.
“I’ll do anything to bring a smile to those luscious lips.” His chest lifted.
Blake and Cadence made their way to an open spot on the grass and spread out their blanket. They exchanged stories about their workday until the colossal screen came to life with images and saturated the area with music.
“Oh! Wait!” Blake said, alarming Cadence. “Look inside your flowers.”
Cadence cast him an inquisitive gaze before sticking her face in the flowers. When she pulled out the Chick-O-Stick, she threw her head back and laughed. “Oh my goodness! How did you know?” Immediately, she peeled the wrapper off and took a bite, dropping her head back, seemingly taken by euphoria.
Blake laughed. “I remembered you said it was your favorite old-school candy.”
Cadence laughed as she chewed, and wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you!” Cadence nestled close to Blake as he sat with his arm resting on one raised knee and the other around her shoulder.
When the movie ended, Blake and Cadence held hands as they meandered through the busy New York City night. Blake was glad that he had decided to drive in today and was even happier that they left the city way after rush hour. They had hit some traffic but nothing like the slow drudge that would have crippled their commute a few hours before.
Blake had held her hand through most of the ride home and now that he was sitting in front of Cadence’s house, he didn’t want to let it go. Like the gentleman that he was, Blake got out, helped her from the car and escorted her to the front door.
Just as he was about to kiss her good-night, she held a finger to his lips. The look in her eyes was smoldering. Blake’s groin responded to the penetrating stare and the soft touch of her finger. He took a deep breath in an attempt to get his longing in check.
“I want you to come inside.” Her whisper was thick.
Blake swallowed and cleared his throat. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She looked directly into his eyes.
Blake’s core tightened. Involuntarily he licked his lips, lowered those hooded eyes as they journeyed from her beautiful brown eyes, pouty lips, perfect mounds, curvy hips to the center of her thighs.
“Open the door,” Blake ordered. Cadence obliged instantly.
Blake picked her up and carried her over the threshold in his arms, never breaking his piercing stare.
“Where to?” Blake asked on the other side of the door.
“Wherever you’d like.” Cadence batted her eyes and Blake felt a twitch in his groin.
Blake found his way to her bedroom. He’d been waiting for this opportunity.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said. His voice was loaded with desire.
Blake had literally dreamed of making love to Cadence. Placing a handle on his craving, he vowed to take his time. He wanted this first time to be just right. Something they could savor in each other’s absence. Careful not to apply too much pressure, Blake lowered himself over Cadence and gave her the lightest kiss.
“Thank you,” he said, kissing her. “For trusting me.” Kiss. “With your body.” Kiss. “I’m going to take my time with you...” Kiss.
A gasp so sweet to Blake’s ears escaped Cadence’s lips that he wished he could have captured it to treasure later. The rising temperature between them warmed his neck. He reveled in how his words had affected her. Cadence squirmed underneath him and he longed to fulfill her yearnings.
Blake teased her with another kiss, licked her sweet lips and captured her mouth all in an instant. Her kiss felt like the flow of fresh springs after a trek across the desert. He couldn’t wait to enter her. True to his word, he planned to take his time, exploring every inch of Cadence. Her pleasure was his priority.
Starting with her lips, Blake traced a moist trail of kisses all the way down to her feet, slowly removing any piece of clothing hindering him from getting next to her supple skin—at last doing away with her shoes. Blake repeated his path of kisses again. He admired her natural glory, exhibiting his adoration by running his hand across the lines of her neck, breasts, stomach and thighs.
Blake carefully removed his clothes. Holding himself over her, his gaze met hers again and he winked. After another greedy kiss, he watched Cadence as she watched him. Lowering to her perfect mounds, he teased each nipple before taking one in his mouth. Careful not to give one more attention than the other, he went back and forth between them, tweaking, sucking and pulling until they stood firmly at attention. Her groans were like his cheering squad, egging him on. He flicked his tongue, discovering and revisiting the ways that generated the most response. Cadence’s back arched and Blake could hear a moan start in her belly.
He explored the depths of her navel before sinking his face between her thighs. Parting her legs, he continued to plant tender kisses around her hairless folds before dipping his tongue into her center. Cadence gasped and her back arched hard and high. With the flat of his tongue he toyed with her bud, gently took it between his teeth and teased it. Then he covered it with his lips and lapped until she cried out his name.
Hearing his name from her mouth in a cry of ecstasy was a beautiful serenade. He feasted on her until she convulsed and scampered from his reach, panting his name in rapid succession. When the quivering in her legs ceased, Cadence reached for his erection and took him in. The guttural sounds emanating from Blake surprised him. He bit his bottom lip trying not to go over the edge too quickly.
Pulling himself from her warm lips, Blake sheathed his erection and slowly pressed it between her folds. Her cushioned canal tightened around him. He felt himself become even more rigid and was rendered immobile for one glorious moment. Moving deliberately so that he could savor the feel of her and defer his excitement, Blake pressed deep, long strokes into C
adence. They rode that way until their pleasure intensified into fiery blasts shooting through their bodies. Groping for each other, they filled the room with the sounds of their ecstasy, collapsing into a crumpled mound of mingled, satisfied bodies.
As Blake floated back to full consciousness, he hoped that Cadence would always remember this because he knew he would never forget.
Chapter 17
Cadence’s alarm clock had been going off, but she thought it was part of her dream—the one where she was still in Blake’s arms. Realizing the nagging noise was outside her subconscious, she jumped up and grabbed the clock off the nightstand.
“Oh my goodness!” Cadence leaped out of bed. Her train was scheduled to leave in twenty minutes. There was no way she would make it to work on time.
As she raced around snatching clothes from her closet, she thought of what to tell her boss about her impending lateness. She’d just tell him the truth—that she overslept. Of course she’d leave out part about Blake ravishing her body and leaving her to wallow in the afterglow a few hours before sunrise.
Cadence jumped into the shower, standing still for a moment to let the pulsating water cascade over her and wash away her fatigue. The delicious ache between her legs reminded her of why she had overslept. The remembrance of Blake’s skillful hands roving her body and the agile way he satisfied her every whim caused an instinctive shudder to ripple through her. Cadence groaned and licked her lips.
Blake was growing on her. She did a mental list of things that she liked the most about him. He was always the perfect gentleman. He paid attention to the small things. He was considerate. Granted, all of this could have been part of his plot to get her into bed, but Cadence truly didn’t feel as if he was just another playboy trying to score. There was more to her and Blake. She could feel it. However things worked out, she’d had fun these past few weeks. Alana would be proud.
Cadence hopped out of the shower, grabbed a towel and ran to her bedroom to get dressed. Her phone buzzed. She had missed a call from Blake. Cadence dialed him back.
“Hey,” he greeted. His sexy voice sparked a surge of yearning in her core.
“Hey, yourself,” Cadence said. When she noticed that she was twisting her naked frame from side to side, she shook her head and stopped, planting her feet firmly into her plush pile carpet. “What’s up?”
“Just checking on you. I had a great night.”
“Thanks. Me, too.” A sheepish grin warmed her cheeks. “As a result of that great night, I overslept and now I’m running late. I’ll have to give you a call back later, okay?”
“Me, too!” he laughed. “Have a good day.”
“You, too.” Cadence hung up the phone and before returning to her frenzy, she stood for a quiet moment wondering if Blake could possibly be the one. “Slow your roll, sister. It’s only been a few weeks. We probably haven’t even met the real Blake yet,” she said to herself and laughed.
After Cadence dried off, she reached for the remote and turned on the television so she could listen to the news while she dressed. She hoped that the Long Island Rail Road trains weren’t running late.
Cadence was slipping into her trousers when the anchorwoman announced in breaking news that Congressman William Banks and a possible ring of other politicians and business owners were named in an alleged scandal involving his nonprofit organization, Billy’s Promise.
Reaching across the bed for the remote so she could turn up the volume, Cadence looked up at the flat screen hanging on her bedroom wall. A picture of Congressman Banks and four other men filled the screen. Then the broadcaster said something about misappropriated funds and his last campaign. Cadence wasn’t sure if she’d heard correctly because of what she’d just seen on the screen. Her hand went limp and the remote fell, crashing to the floor. She covered her gaping mouth as she stared into Blake’s face. He was being named as part of Banks’s alleged ring.
Instantly, Cadence’s face was flush with anger. How could she have possibly fallen for someone trifling enough to take part in a political scandal?
“Oh my goodness!” Cadence covered her face. She took several deep breaths to regain her composure.
A gang of possibilities flooded her mind. Maybe he’s innocent. Maybe he’s not. What would she say to him the next time he called? She couldn’t date a man like him? What would her father think?
Cadence held up her hands as if she was telling someone to wait. “Hold on, Cadence.” She reeled herself in. “You’re a lawyer. You know how the media can blow things out of proportion.” She didn’t want to crucify him prematurely. He deserved a fair chance at communicating his side of the story.
Cadence plopped down on her bed. For a moment, she thought about just calling in. She needed time to process what she’d just seen on TV. Blake had really made an impression on her. No. Not an impression. She was falling for him—hard! She had given herself to him. Nonetheless, integrity, honesty and character were uncompromising characteristics for the men she dated. If Blake had the potential to be this scandalous, wouldn’t she have seen the signs? Blake could be innocent or guilty.
Cadence remembered that Blake had shared with her that Congressman Banks was his mentor and the founder of that organization he worked with. Maybe he was guilty. Maybe Banks was teaching him his scandalous ways. She had to end this thing with Blake immediately, but would that be fair? Being an only child, she knew what it felt like to feel alone. She wouldn’t want him to feel that way. As a lawyer, she knew what it was like for a client to be prosecuted by the public before having a chance to prove his innocence.
Cadence hoped he was innocent but knew his reputation could be permanently stained because of this. Could she afford to continue dealing with Blake when she was at a critical point in her career? Was she being selfish for even thinking this way?
Cadence shook her head violently. This was too much—especially after the things he had done to her body just hours before. She could still feel his touch. It still affected her, causing her core to clench. Why this now? Why him? Most important, what was she going to do about it?
Cadence’s phone rang again. Seeing Blake’s number appear, she sent the call to voice mail and silenced her phone. She couldn’t speak to him now. Did he even know that his face was being plastered across television screens throughout the metropolitan area—maybe even the entire country? Angst churned in her stomach.
Still half dressed, Cadence picked up her phone and tapped out an email to Adam explaining that she was running late. Then she sat back down on her bed staring out at nothing in particular as the television droned on in the background. It was times like these that she wished she could reach out to her mother. A single tear quietly rolled down her cheek. Cadence didn’t even bother wiping it away.
Chapter 18
“Have you heard?” Hunter asked frantically.
It took a few moments for Blake to answer as he paced around his living room couch. “Yes. How the hell could this have happened?” he finally said and flopped down on the black leather couch. The material squeaked under his weight as he dropped his head against of the back of the couch. “How did you hear about it?”
“I got an alert on my phone when I came up from the subway. Have you spoken to Mr. Banks?” Hunter asked.
“I’ve called several times and I keep getting his voice mail. On top of that, I get a message that his mailbox is full and I can’t leave a message.”
“Text him!” Hunter ordered.
“Don’t you think I did that?” Blake’s frustration was getting the best of him. “I’m sorry. I know you’re only trying to help. I tried everything—even called his office number and I’m not getting any answers.”
Hunter’s groan barreled through the phone. “Something has got to be done. He has to clear your name. You had nothing to do with this, right?”
&nb
sp; “Hunter!” Blake admonished. “You know I’d never do anything like this—and ruin the Barrington name. Dad would crucify me.”
“I’m sorry. I know you wouldn’t.” Hunter grunted. “This is bad. Real bad.”
“Who are you telling?” Blake heard a beep indicating that another call was coming in on his cell phone. He prayed it was Cadence. Ever since the breaking news hit moments ago, he’d been trying to call her, too, but each call went unanswered. Blake looked at the number of the second caller. “Hold on, Hunter. That’s Drew. I’m going to add him in.” Blake tapped the phone, merging the calls. “Hunter? Drew?”
“I’m here,” they said simultaneously.
“Blake! What the heck!” Drew’s voice had risen. “You’re innocent, right?”
“Of course I am!” Blake huffed.
“Sorry.” Drew apologized. “What are we going to do?”
As upset as Blake was, he could appreciate his brothers’ concern and the fact that they always had his back.
When Blake heard the anchorwoman’s voice as she announced the alleged scandal, he was surprised to hear that Congressman Banks was at the center of it. The shock of seeing his own face on that television screen had rendered him immobile. Blake stood frozen, mouth gaping for several moments before backing up to the sofa to sit before his legs gave out.
How had this happened? Blake and his brothers loved adventure but would never do anything illegal. They took great pride in being Barringtons. His father had worked too hard at building his business from the ground up for them to compromise their name. Blake couldn’t imagine how he could possibly be implicated in any kind of scandal.
“The media have your picture blasted across the screen of every news station in the city. How can we stop that?” Drew asked. His annoyance was resident in his tone.
“We can’t.” Hunter sounded more defeated than Blake at this moment.