Take It

by Francesca Penn

  Kalilah woke up with a gasp at the sudden intrusion. Nick rolled them to their sides and continued to thrust. He felt her relax when her brain caught up with her body.

  “Oh, Nick.”

  She moaned between thrusts. Her hand reached behind her to rest on his hip. Nick reached around and grabbed one of her jiggling breasts. His bedroom was his new favorite part of the house, especially in that very moment. The room smelled like their lovemaking, and the usually quiet space was filled with skin smacking against skin and moans.

  Nick rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Kalilah responded by thrusting her hips back. Pleasure shot straight to his heart and shaft. The end was coming. The tingling in his spine and tightening of balls gave him an ultimatum. Cum with her or without her.

  She whimpered in protest when his hand abandoned her nipple. His questing fingers found her clit and began to rub it in a circular motion while he nibbled on her back. She switched between “oh, shit” and “fuck” until he repositioned himself to find that magical spot again. Without being able to see her face, he had to rely on her body language to tell him when he found it.

  He received his cue when her body stiffened and she moaned helplessly. Fantastic. Nick started to pound her harder. He couldn’t last much longer; he need her to melt now! His thrusts became jerky, and he started rubbing her clit in tune with hitting her spot. He applied more pressure on top while hitting the bottom of the spot.

  “Oh, shit! I’m cumming.” Her walls clamped down on him, and he felt her moan travel through her whole body. She reached behind and threaded her fingers into his hair as she rode out her orgasm. Nick’s orgasm blindsided him, and his cum gushed into his favorite tunnel. The heat from his cum and the sensation of his body filling hers sent her into another orgasm. Nick would have smiled if it didn’t feel like all the life was just pulled out of him.

  They lay there for a moment, both lost in their own thoughts, their bodies heaving in syncopating breaths. Kalilah was the first to break the silence.

  “Nick?”

  “Hmmm?” he asked as his thumb rubbed lazy circles in the soft skin of her arm.

  He was content. Well, almost fully content; he was slightly sad when his now flaccid member slid out of Kalilah’s body.

  “Two things. No, three. One, happy birthday. Two, this is the only reason you are ever allowed to wake me up this damn early on a Saturday. Three, your cum is now slipping out of my body onto the bed.”

  Nick chuckled. “One, thank you, baby. Two, noted. Three, that is the sexiest thing anyone as ever said to me.”

  It took a lot of negotiating, but Kalilah managed to successfully get Nick groomed, dressed, and in the car. She eventually made him drive so he could keep his hands to himself. He tried everything in his power to get her to stay in bed with him all day, but they had brunch plans. She needed to get out of his lair so she could clear her head. The feelings she tried to suppress mocked her. She couldn’t make love to him all day and send him off to his birthday party with close friends and family without her. She wasn’t invited.

  Kalilah’s brain tried to convince her heart to not be delusional; they were not a couple. He didn’t acknowledge her as a more than a colleague at work. Her brain told her that he didn’t want to break the fraternization policy, but her emotions called bullshit. They’d spent a lot of time together to get him to this point. She was briefly living with him; his dad could show up at any moment.

  Her brain argued that she’d met Dex, which had to count for something. Because he showed up to Nick’s house while you were there, her emotions mocked. Part of her thought she should ask, and the other part didn’t want to look needy. She stared out the window, watching buildings blur as they passed them. He was on another “happy birthday” call and she couldn’t say anything. This sucks.

  Kalilah shook the thoughts out of her head. It was his birthday. It wasn’t time for her to sulk. It was time to show him a good day, well part of the day. Okay, that was her last negative thought. Besides, she shouldn’t miss out on the opportunity to have more sex with him while she could.

  The first time went as she expected. The next few times were incredible and baffling. How did he get so good so fast? She considered calling Guinness because that had to be some sort of record. She felt the stirrings of arousal. He was turning her into a ball of hormones.

  The movement of his hand caught her eye as he pushed his fingers through his short, soft waves out of habit from when it was longer. Kalilah fought the urge to recall how his strands slipped between her fingers while his head was between her legs.

  He chatted away happily on the Bluetooth in his ear while his right dimple teased her. Those wonderful fingers of his resumed tapping the steering wheel. His stomach jerked when he laughed unexpectedly at something. His jean clad thigh flexed when he moved his foot from the gas to the brake.

  Kalilah felt the mood shift before their eyes met. He was still on the phone, but his attention was focused on her. His gray eyes were intense and questioning.

  “Yeah,” he said absently into the headset, obviously not paying attention to what was being said.

  He raised an eyebrow and twirled his finger in a circle, silently asking her if she wanted him to turn around. His eyebrow was quirked while he waited for an answer. His eyes made a lot of sexual promises.

  She shook her head. Her mind said, “No.” Her body screamed, “Hell yes! Or at least pull over.” Nick’s eyes scanned her body intently, and she crossed her bare legs to tame the throbbing. She suddenly felt naked in her thin sundress. As much as she would love to be in the sex coma his eyes promised, they had a schedule and people waiting. Plus, she needed time to wrap her mind around the new level of their relationship.

  The new restaurant, The Food Lab, came into view, and Nick pulled into a parking spot.

  “Okay, thank you. Bye now.”

  Nick said to his caller and put his SUV into park. He covered her mouth with his before she could take off her seatbelt. His talented tongue slid into her mouth, immediately igniting the hormones she was desperately trying to control. She moaned into his mouth and pulled him closer not caring that he was kissing away her lip gloss. She momentarily wondered just how tinted his windows were until Nick’s roaming hand shut off her brain.

  His hand moved up her dress and between her thighs to cup her intimately. His fingers lightly pressed against the triangle of fabric.

  “I knew you were wet for me.”

  Her phone rang – Cayla’s ringtone; she was probably waiting inside. He nuzzled her neck before meeting her eyes again.

  “To be continued.”

  He gave her a peck on her lips before heading into the restaurant. In their usual fashion, they didn’t hold hands or perform any PDA that was indicative of being a couple.

  She instantly missed his touch, and her heart was still trying to return to its normal rhythm when they entered the restaurant. The aroma of delicious food was a much-needed distraction from her hormones. Kalilah and the girls had cyber-stalked this place for the last two months.

  The Food Lab had opened two weeks ago, and the reviews were exceptional, although there wasn’t much information on the owner or company behind it. It promised fresh farm-to-table food on a full-service menu. Depending on the time of day, the menu ranged from breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. Her mouth watered as they were ushered through posh tables by an impeccably dressed hostess.

  The restaurant was bright and modern enough to feel exclusive, yet traditional enough to feel welcoming. The walls were huge window panes surrounded by steel with picturesque views of the waterways in The Woodlands. It was clean, simple, and breathtaking. Cayla and Natalia waved from their seats. They both hugged and kissed Nick and Kalilah on the cheeks before everyone returned to the table. It was just the four of them since Kalilah did not know the other people in Nick’s life, and they didn’t really speak to anyone else at work.

  “Happy birthday, Nick,” Both beamed i
n unison.

  “Thank you,” Nick accepted their wishes and flashed them both a megawatt smile, dimples and all.

  Kalilah smirked when both women flushed a little; they were still getting used to Nick’s enhanced look and personality. Kalilah was glad she wasn’t the only one.

  Nick opened his menu, and Kalilah glanced at Natalia in time to see her fan herself while mouthing, “Told you. Lady Killer.”

  Dex Sinclair watched from the kitchen as his brother entered the restaurant with his fine as hell quasi girlfriend. He shook his head at the thought, if a woman like Kalilah was interested in him, she would be locked in a relationship and probably pregnant. Nick was still dancing around the idea of closing the deal and it, aggravated him. Dex knew without a doubt that they loved each other, but both were scared to make it official.

  Dex scoffed inwardly was he watched their body language. They walked side by side not touching. He saw Nick reach for her then retreat several times, and Kalilah would stare longingly at him when he wasn’t looking.

  “Pathetic.”

  “What was that, Boss?” Dex inwardly cringed. One, he didn’t like being called “boss.” Two, the person that was currently talking to him constantly invaded his space.

  “Nothing, Daniella.”

  He reluctantly turned to face her knowing he would find her ogling him. Again. Yep. She was making inappropriate promises with her eyes.

  “What’s up?”

  She shook her head. Her dark waves flowed around her. She was a pretty girl. Big hazel eyes, full lips, and striking looks. She was also a spoiled party girl that had just turned twenty-one. Granted, it was only a five-year age difference between them, but mentally and emotionally, they were light years apart. He’d traveled the world, learned new languages, built and sold businesses, and had all the “fun” he was willing to have. She only cared about the next best happy hour. And his restaurant supplied that; he didn’t owe her anything.

  At best, she was good for a one-night stand, while he was looking for forever. She pouted her pretty lips and stuck out her full breasts, a move that probably hooked plenty of men, before answering him.

  “I just wanted to make sure you didn’t need anything.”

  Dex fought the urge to roll his eyes when she put emphasis on “anything.” Dex nodded, and she beamed.

  “Yes, see that table twenty-two gets our top two most popular appetizers on me.”

  She pouted again; her hope fell. God forbid she actually did her job. He needed to fire her before she got out of hand. Her eyes molested him slowly, pausing for an uncomfortable amount of time at the crotch of his slacks, before she acquiesced. Dex shuddered slightly; he needed a shower after that.

  It looked like they would be the first people in his very small circle to know about his new project. Dex always dreamed of returning home and opening a restaurant in a promising location and couldn’t pass on the opportunity. It was a personal goal he hadn’t shared with anyone. He was confident in his culinary skills, but he knew the restaurant industry was finicky. He wasn’t in the mood for an “I told you so” from his dad. He would prefer to fail in incognito, but that was no longer an option. Dex took a deep breath and decided to rise to the occasion.

  They ordered a carafe each of Bellinis, Mimosas, and Sangria. He personally made them and told the server to bring their order to him. He wanted to prepare it himself. He pulled on an apron and started to crack eggs, separating the yolk for Natalia’s egg white omelet. He moved around the staff and poured Nick’s waffle batter onto the waffle iron; his deft fingers chopped chicken and spinach for the other woman’s frittata. Dex smiled as he reviewed Kalilah’s order: steak, breakfast potatoes, eggs, and French toast. That’s what he was talking about. He made one small change to Kalilah’s order.

  Once he had the waffle topped with freshly whipped cream and berries. He sprinkled his powdered sugar and cinnamon mix on the French toast and sent it out with their server. After a quick stop in his office to freshen up, switch shirts, and check his appearance, he made it to the table in time to see Kalilah slice her steak.

  “I wanted it well done,” she whined.

  Dex smiled at her back and walked up behind her and put his hands around her. He felt her stiffen then relax. He smiled in her hair. She knew him well enough to instantly know it was him. He grabbed her fork and knife and finished cutting the piece she started.

  “Trust me, sweetheart.”

  He put the fork to her lips, and she accepted it. Fuck, this would be sexy if she wasn’t his brother’s woman. She moaned about how good it was and looked up at him with warm brown eyes. Her lips were slightly parted and if this was his woman, she would have been thoroughly kissed. Nothing pleased him more than a beautiful woman enjoying his food. One of his hands dropped to her bare back, and she scooted out of the chair and pulled him into a hug.

  “I’m happy to see you,” she whispered into his ear and hugged him tighter.

  Dex felt warm all over. It wasn’t for sexual reasons. She was the first non-relative female that made him feel welcome and warm inside. Dex understood Nick’s obsession. Her sweetness was addictive. She was truly happy to see him, and it wasn’t for selfish reasons. She pulled back and beamed up at him.

  “You! The Food Lab. Like Dexter’s Laboratory. I love it.”

  Dex smile grew even bigger. She gets him. Even though his name was just plain Dex, he could sympathize with the character. While he’d been trying to be great, his annoying older sister would bother him. He’d started calling Deidre “DD” for that very reason.

  “I always knew you were smart.” He glanced at Nick who hadn’t stopped eating since Dex arrived, then added. “And beautiful.” Nick didn’t flinch. Something was different. Dex spun her, “This dress is amazing by the way.” Kalilah smirked. She took the compliment but knew what he was doing. Nick stole a piece of Kalilah’s steak.

  “Not gonna work, Dex,” Nick said.

  Holy shit! Something was new. Dex winked at Kalilah and pulled Nick into a hug.

  “Oh, so now you know I exist.” Nick quipped.

  “Happy Birthday, big brother.” Then he whispered so no one else could hear. “I see Kalilah has already given you the ultimate birthday gift. Congratulations.” Nick quirked his eyebrows and Dex added. “You are more relaxed than you’ve ever been since birth.” He felt the rumble against his chest as his brother chuckled.

  Dex made his rounds. “Natalia, you are looking as lovely as ever.”

  She really was. He’d seen plenty of guys struck stupid by her looks, and today, with her in skin tight jeans, stiletto pumps and a figure hugging tank top, was no exception. They’d met over a year ago and hit it off, but not to the point of ever considering being a couple. They were meant to be amicable acquaintances. She smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek.

  Dex moved to the startling hazel eyes that he had unconsciously been avoiding and extended his hand.

  “And you are?”

  She studied him briefly. Her soft looking hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, her pretty complexion was smooth and unmarred. She wore pink lip gloss on her kissable lips and soft pink eyeshadow. She smelled delicious and like Kalilah, had an amazing body wrapped up in a tight pink patterned sundress. Finally, she took his hand and shook it.

  “I’m Cayla with a “C”.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Cayla. Enjoy your meal on me.”

  He disengaged before he embarrassed himself and grabbed Kalilah’s hand.

  “Nick. I need to borrow my best friend.” Kalilah followed him to his office, and he noted with a smile that she still held her plate. “You like it? I made it myself, I can officially say that I’ve cooked for you.” He waggled his brows for emphasis.

  Those enchanting lips pulled into a smile. “The food is delicious. And those appetizers were amazing! Cut the shit, best friend. What do you want to know?”

  Chapter 20

  K alilah watched as Dex’s smile curled like the Cheshire ca
t.

  “Dang, Kalilah, you just can’t let me be great. People hate my directness. I try to do small talk, and you want me to be direct.”

  Kalilah giggled. “I’m not like other people.” Some sort of emotion that Kalilah couldn’t decipher passed in his eyes.

  “That’s for sure.” The normal Dex returned. “So, Cayla is your sister, I take it?”

  Kalilah could tell that he’d meant for that to sound more casual than it did. She thought she saw awareness pass between the two but couldn’t be sure.

  “Yes…” she said slowly trying to see where this line of questioning was going. “Why?”

  Dex held his big hand over his chest.

  “Please express my deepest gratitude to your parents. You two are fucking beautiful.”

  Kalilah was warmed by the compliment. Dex saw plenty of women all over the world, and while Kalilah wasn’t much for ego, he still knew how to make a girl feel sexy. Then again, so did his brother.

  “Thank you, Dex, but you could have texted me that. What are you really after?”

  Dex steeped his fingers together like he was the Godfather – well, a much younger, blonde, and ridiculously hot Godfather. As he contemplated his next sentence, Kalilah used his thinking time to continue to eat his delicious meal. Her taste buds danced. She knew without a doubt that Dex would continue to be successful. She made a mental note to buy a bunch of steaks and invite him over.

  “So…” he said, interrupting her love affair with his food. “Nick looks very relaxed today.”

  Kalilah shrugged. “It’s his birthday.” She knew what he wanted to know, and she also knew that he had already figured it out. It didn’t hurt to let him sweat just a little bit. “Shouldn’t you talk to Nick about his…uh…level of relaxation?” she teased.