Intensity (21 page)

Since I’d never tasted a man before, I was willing to give it a concentrated beginner’s effort, but a bout of shyness hit me. Unwilling to let this opportunity be missed, I swiped my finger over the dripping liquid and sucked it between my parted lips. A salty taste embodied with his distinctive scent infused my blood with a craving addiction. Delicious.

“You’re driving me fucking nuts.” He positioned the object still clasped in my hand to the spot I’d just been. “Condom on, now.”

Ha! Mr. Bossy Pants getting impatient. Served him right for torturing me for months, leaving me frustrated and horny.

Zeroed in and focused, my shaky hands unrolled it, covering him from tip to base. Now I was the one wearing the wicked smile extended ear to ear like a little girl who’d been waiting all year to ride her first loopty-loop, super-speedy coaster, discovering she superseded the restrictions.

Yeah for me!

“Beautiful,” he whispered, cupping my breasts and brushing a thumb over each pointed nipple. He leaned down and inhaled, coddling them against his cheek and then flicking his tongue once…twice…three times on each. I arched up, using his muscled biceps as my anchor. My moans alerting Mother Nature and every other creature in a five-mile radius to our carnal acts.

His slid his hand between my legs, pressing his thumb on the nub. My hips pumped up and down, repeating the same as my wordless mouth—more, no less—more, less—definitely
more
. Then out loud. “Please.”

“What do you want? Tell me.” He gazed into my eyes and waited for my response.

Caught up in the emotions, it took me a while to form coherent words. “Give me you.
All
of you.”

“Tell me again,” he whispered, clasping our hands together and placing them above my head, and in the same breath he slid his shaft halfway inside me.

Somehow I knew what he wanted and needed. In response, I set my mouth to his temple and professed, “I love you.”

At his lips, I murmured, “I love you.”

Melded to his heart, I pledged, “I love you” at the same time, I lunged my hips up with all my might, driving him home—right where he belonged.

Mylaynee’s witty and comical attitude had me busting a gut half the time. Add Fallon, Paulette, and Sage to the mix and we didn’t have a dry eye in the Fab Five group. Being with them had fulfilled my life in ways I never could’ve anticipated.

After everything that happened yesterday I needed some girl time. Instead of jumping head first into invoicing facts and figures, I rounded up the crew at first light. Relaxing in lounge chairs, one beside the other like an assembly line, the yelling out and trash-talking resembled a rowdy classroom.

“I have news.” My announcement delivered at megaphone level, while I teetered on the edge of my seat, a fist pressed to my upper lip, barely able to contain the giddiness bubbling inside.

Silence. Geez, they never shut it that fast before.

“Uh, okay, this one’s for our jinx-vault—not a word or you’ll be cursed for life.
”
We extended our knuckles to each other for a fist bump, and at the same time I made them promise not to tell anyone. In unison they agreed, completing the ritual.

“I told Linc I love him.”

Each registered different expressions. Mylaynee: breaking open the piggy bank smile. Fallon and Paulette: clapping hands and high fives. Sage: a scrunched nose and tongue stuck out, wiggling her eyebrows up and down, including a lascivious motion with her fingers and thumb.

When they settled down, Paulette revealed, “We knew that a long time ago. Took you how long to say it?” She glanced down at her arm and imaginary watch and then fake smacked me in the head.

As they giggled at my expense, I plunked back in my seat and crossed my arms. “Fine! See if I tell you guys anything anymore.”

They roared even louder.

Mylaynee broke through the revelry claiming, “Just remember—
I
was the one that introduced you.”

Damn, I loved that girl. Crushing bear hugs all around, the uproar that followed resembled an assembly full of teenage girls’ catcalls and indecent ribbing about the hottest boy in school.

Riding the high, I gave myself a mental pat on the back. That wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.

Until Sage said, “Did he tell you too?”

Chills rocketed up my spine, giving me an instant brain freeze. Entangled in all the discoveries and emotions yesterday, it didn’t compute until now.

“Serena…” Mylaynee called my name, but it sounded far off, even though she sat right next to me. A buzzing in my ears drowned her out and bile rose in my throat. My rapid swallowing didn’t help keep it down very well. “Are you all right, honey? You look pale. Do you need to lie down?”

She clasped the side of my face, inspecting my eyes. “Sage, go get her some water.” Her hands moved from my cheeks to my shoulders and down to my ice-cold hands. She kneeled in front of me and held them tight. “Talk to me, sweetie.”

A water glass appeared in my view. Sage placed it to my lips. “Open up. Drink.” She insisted like a mother trying to force medicine down her child’s throat.

Breathe.

Inhale deep. Exhale slow.

Repeat.

That helped get my stomach somewhat under control. I shook the fuzz from my head and grabbed the glass, drinking it to the bottom and plunking it down on the table. “Sorry, I’m not sure, I’m, uh…not feeling well.”

They looked at each other. Sage, Paulette, and Fallon left. Mylaynee remained crouched at my knees. After a few seconds of studying my face, she nodded and yanked me up from the seat and tucked me into bed.

Without another word, she left me alone.

Exactly what I needed.

“Serena? Wake up.”

As my dream of a knight in shining armor galloping away from a crying fair maiden disappeared into the fog, a deep and worried voice pulled me from the mist.

“Are you okay?” A gentle hand brushed through my hair and a solid heat pressed along my back, waking me. I turned my groggy head and came head on with Linc. Worry lines creased his forehead and around his mouth. My stomach clenched at the unknown concern and my brain began to register my surroundings. The sound—boats honking; the smell—woodsy-citrus; the sight—gorgeous and distressed.

“Linc,” I croaked, clearing my throat, “what’s wrong?” I cupped his chin and brushed my thumb along his frown.

He removed a few strands of hair from my eyes and tucked them behind my ear, surveying my prone body. “You sick?”

“No, why?” The clock indicated it was noon. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to…I have something…we need to talk.”

My chest tightened as early morning memories clamored in my head. My legs tingled not from falling asleep or lack of blood flow but numbness from his ominous and halting message. I stayed silent. Thoughts casting me back to my fading dream. Did telling him I loved him freak him out?

“It’s important.”

I sat up and leaned against the headboard, waiting to find out my fate.

He sucked in a deep breath, diverted his gaze to the windows, and said to himself, “Okay…” After what seemed like forever, he locked his sight on me and foretold my future. “I want to make some changes around here, with you.”

Oh, God he’s gonna get rid of me. Fire me. Kick me out.

A new medical term needed to be classified for a heart’s death-defying leap, head first into a bottomless pit in my stomach. I’d be a prime candidate for the case study. Bile once again rose in my mouth, almost gagging me.

Straight-faced and with a serious business demeanor, he declared, “I’ve been thinking about a lot of things, but I need…want you to hear me out first, without interrupting.”

I hadn’t said much yet. How could I? This had bad
news written all over it. All I could manage was a dip of my chin, so I wouldn’t expel the entire contents rolling in my belly.

“I own several night clubs, not like this one. I’ve been handling the books, but I don’t like it. I could’ve hired someone before, but I like control.” A sly smirk pitch-hit in the corner of his mouth, and the dimple, hidden most of the time came out full force, along with his blushing cheeks. His deadpan expression switched to puppy face adorable in an instant.

“I thought, maybe…I could hire you.” He shrugged his shoulders and pulled my hand into his. “If you want, I’d like you to schedule the appointments too.” My mouth dropped open, and he rushed through the rest. “I’d pay you. I think it’d be good for everyone. You wouldn’t have to bartend or go to the lounge, if you don’t want to.”

He bent down, kissed the top of my hand, and when he glanced up his shoulders relaxed and twenty years seemed to vanish, lightening his features. “What do you say?”

“Why?” I blurted, since it was all I could get my brain and mouth to put together.

He whispered, “You really don’t know?”

I shook my head, returning to my mute state.

“Hmm…” He slid me onto his lap and set my head on his comforting shoulder. “Do you remember when I told you someday you’d have what you wanted?” I nodded. How could I forget? Until recently, it replayed in my mind on permanent rewind. “My someday came yesterday, Serena. A gift and honor you gave—to
me
.” My arms squeezed his ribs hard, and I looked up, needing to see his face. He smiled and pecked me on the nose. “Many are the stars I see but in my eye no star like thee.” His sincere gaze and deep baritone recited the verse like a ballad composed and sung just for me. “Did you hear me say it before?”

“Yes,” I whispered, brushing my fingers across his lips.

His smile increased a hundredfold. “So you do listen to me?” For that smart-ass comment, I stuck my tongue out at him. He chased after it, sucking it into his mouth.

Our bodies repositioned, me underneath him, his hair draped both sides of my face, creating our own private haven. “When you came in for the interview…” He paused and shifted his hand through my hair, twirling the strands around his fingers. “Destiny granted me a wish…one I’ve never spoken out loud.
Ever.
If I did, temptation would somehow alter fate’s hand.”

He set his temple on mine and continued to melt my heart. “There’s a poem that reminds me of you, and when we met.” I didn’t even know what it would be yet, and my eyes moistened, realizing the rarity of such revelations from this private and reserved man. “It goes like this… once, not long ago, a shooting star so brilliant and magnificent appeared in the daylight. The rare and once in a lifetime vision ignited my heart and captured my soul…a wish fulfilled, when your light transformed me at first sight.”

Too overwhelmed to respond, I chose a more universal expression—making love to a tune created from two different styles, yet harmonized as one.

The melody—this man—inscribed on my heart for all eternity.

I reversed the tables. “We need to talk.” The echoing words sounded so menacing, but this time maybe they were. He grasped my chin and tilted it so I had no choice but to look up at him. As much as I wanted to avoid his eyes, I didn’t. I needed to put my big girl pants on and ask once and for all. “Where does this leave me? I mean, I’ll accept your offer. But what about the other thing?” Okay, maybe I still wore training pants.