Jamaica Dreaming (Caribbean Heat) (24 page)

“You’re so kind…” It was what she’d said before. Sebastian gritted his teeth to keep from telling her he was nothing of the sort. In fact, right now he’d have liked nothing better than to tear Earle, limb from limb. He had no idea what the man had done to Julissa, but the effect it had on her would have been obvious to the blind. And, when it came to Julissa, Sebastian definitely wasn’t blind, or made of stone. Even as he stroked her back he could feel his arousal stirring. He’d wanted her for so long and, finally, here she was in his arms. He felt intoxicated by the scent of her hair, the feel of her smooth, firm body.

“Julissa.” He tried to disentangle himself before she could feel the effect she was having on him.

“I—”

“Yes, darling?”

“I don’t want to be alone, tonight.”

Sebastian’s heart swooshed around in his chest.

“I mean.” Her eyes met his and then slid away. “Not sex. I just want to be held and not have to think.”

“Come, baby.” He steered her to his front door and ushered her inside. “Would you like anything to drink or––?”

She shook her head. Now they were inside, he could see that her mascara had run and her eyes were red and puffy. It was the expression on her face that really tore at his heart, though. Pulling her to him and keeping his arm around her shoulder, he led her upstairs and, through his bedroom to the bathroom, where he pulled out a couple tissues and gently wiped her face.

“I look a fright,” she said, the corners of her mouth wobbling as she tried to smile.

“A beautiful woman can never look a fright.” Sebastian kissed her forehead. “Only, perhaps, a bit less stage ready.”

“A bit less, yes,” she said, drily. “That would be an understatement.”

“Spare towels are in that closet.” He pointed. “If you look in one of those drawers, you should be able to find an unused toothbrush or a new head for my Braun.”

“Thanks, Sebastian.” She gave him a watery smile.

“No problem. I keep new pajamas in that closet, too. You can use any you like.”

He left her and went downstairs to pour himself a brandy. As the familiar heat of the drink spread through him, he thought about how good and perfect Julissa felt in his arms. She belonged there. He knew that, and he thought she was growing to know it, too. He knocked back the rest of his drink and was about to return upstairs when his cellphone buzzed. Sebastian unclipped it from his belt, wondering who it could be at that hour. It was close to eleven.

An email had come in for him but he didn’t recognize the address. [email protected]. Then he read the subject line. “You think you’ve won” it read. He opened the email. “But you haven’t. Julissa’s body is covered in horrible scars. She’s not the perfect beautiful woman somebody like you wants by your side. She’s damaged goods. I know when you see her body, you’ll discard her and then she’ll see who really loved her and she’ll come back to me, begging me to take her in. You don’t care about her like I do. You just want another acquisition to add to those you already have.”

A white hot heat surged through Sebastian. Earle must have gotten his email address off the company website. He should never have let the bastard go so easily. He should have given him the trouncing he so richly deserved and seen who he’d have called ‘damaged goods’ then. Sebastian tried clearing his mind. His father had always warned him never to respond to a communication in anger. What the elder Chung had said made good business sense… but this wasn’t business.

Sebastian’s thumb flew over the pad. “You have eighteen hours to get out of Jamaica or I’m coming for you. And Julissa won’t be able to stop me next time.” He pressed Send, waited a couple minutes to be sure it had gone and then turned his phone off.

“Sebastian?” Julissa had appeared at the top of the stairs in an emerald green pair of his pajamas. A lump formed in Sebastian’s throat. Julissa. Here with him. Wearing his pajamas. He forced himself to walk, not run, up the stairs toward her. Did she know how she made him feel? Could she tell his heart was quivering like a lump of jelly and entire swarms of butterflies had taken flight in his stomach?

“You look lovely,” he said when he reached the top step. She did. The green of the silk pajamas suited her coffee–bean complexion.

“Is everything all right? You looked furious standing there.”

“It was nothing.”

“It’s not a problem, is it? I mean, my staying here?”

“Julissa, I’ve wanted you in my bed from the minute I laid eyes on you so, trust me, it’s definitely not a problem.”

“I—but, no sex, all right. I––. I just want––.”

“No need to explain.” He propelled her back into his bedroom and waved her to his king–sized bed. “I’ll be out in a few minutes. Make yourself comfortable,” he said, heading into the bathroom.

As the warm sprays of water from his shower jetted out over his body, Sebastian thought about Earle’s email. He had no idea what he’d do if Earle didn’t leave Jamaica or if he made contact again. Sebastian was prepared to go to any length to protect Julissa from the bastard. He had half a mind to show her the email and let her know just what kind of sick creep she’d narrowly escaped marrying, but he wouldn’t do that. It would hurt her too much. He’d do everything in his power to keep Earle away from her. The bastard would never hurt her again while Sebastian breathed. Tomorrow he’d make some calls. Earle would realize he’d messed with the wrong man but, tonight… tonight Julissa was waiting for him in his bed.

When Sebastian exited the bathroom, he found that Julissa had turned off the lights and, when his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he realized she was lying on her side under the sheet. Sebastian slipped in next to her, wondering what he should do, what she expected.

“Good–night, Julissa.”

“Good–night.”

Sebastian flipped on his side, threw his arm over her and spooned himself against her. “I love you,” he whispered.

She made a strange sound and he touched her face and felt the wetness on her cheeks. She was crying.

“Baby, tell me what’s wrong. It breaks my heart to know you’re in pain.”

With a wrenching sob, she twisted around in his arms and faced him.

“I can’t.”

“Why not? Maybe I can help.”

She gave a strangled laugh at that. “No. You can’t. I—”

She stopped and Sebastian took the opportunity to kiss her nose, her forehead.

“You know, it’s funny.”

“Yes?”

“Even in the beginning of our relationship, Earle…. He wasn’t really into me.”

Sebastian frowned. “What do you mean?”

“He didn’t try to have sex with me until after we were engaged. He said he’d had a strict Baptist upbringing and he didn’t believe in sex before marriage.”

“Okay.” He wondered where she was going with this.

“The first time we had sex, it was after we were engaged. And it didn’t happen often. I was usually the one who initiated it.”

Sebastian thought that only confirmed the man was a certifiable lunatic, but he didn’t understand why they were discussing this now.

“You know, it bothered me. In the back of my mind I wondered if he didn’t really find me sexy or attractive.”

“You’re the sexiest, most attractive woman, I’ve ever seen. Earle didn’t deserve you.” He would have said more but she placed a finger on his lips and he subsided.

“In a way, though, it also made me feel special because I thought I had a man who wasn’t all about the booty. I thought he wanted me for more than that. I didn’t realize he just didn’t want me because I wasn’t a man.”

It took a minute for what she’d said to sink into Sebastian’s brain. “Are you… You’re not saying Earle’s gay?”

“The night of The Event I’d gone to see him. I had a key to his loft so I let myself in. I caught him in bed with Tony, a friend of his.”

Sebastian didn’t know what to say. Had Earle looked gay? His features were somewhat effeminate, but that didn’t have to mean anything. If Julissa hadn’t said so, he’d never have guessed.

“I flew out of his place in a panic. In the car, I just kept crying and crying. We’d been together seven years and there he was with his friend’s dick inside of him. I’d thought he loved me. Anyway…” She sort of gave herself a shake. “I shouldn’t have been driving. I was in no condition to drive.”

“But why did you stay with him after the accident?” Sebastian could not imagine the emotional pain she’d had to work through while, at the same time, dealing with recovering from her physical injuries.

“I’d forgotten. I couldn’t remember anything at all about what happened that night. Nothing. The doctors said not to worry about it, that my memories might come back or, they might not.’

“Your panic attacks.” Sebastian suddenly remembered. “Do you think they were related? You hadn’t had any and then he came, and you had a bad one.”

There was a short silence while Julissa thought about this. “It’s possible,” she said, at last. “I’ll have to speak to my therapist about it but, he hit me last night.”

Sebastian didn’t say anything. If Julissa wasn’t there, he’d have hurtled out of the house and gone looking for Earle. As it was, he prayed the man couldn’t find a flight. Sebastian had gotten into quite a few scraps in school when other boys thought they could tease him about being mixed–race. At first he used to lose, but then he’d gotten better. By the time he was in his final two years of high school, his reputation was such that he never had to fight again.

“That’s how I remembered.” Julissa’s voice recalled him to the present.

“What?”

“After he hit me… I don’t know. It was like it unlocked something inside me and I remembered everything. Remembered the watch I’d bought for him, the way their faces looked when they saw me there, the sound of the vase I threw at them crashing into the wall. It all came back to him. That’s why I made him get out.” She started sobbing again.

“Oh, Julissa, baby. I’m so, so sorry you had to go through all that.” He cradled her to his chest and let her cry herself out.

“I still––. I feel embarrassed.”

“What have you got to be embarrassed about?”

“It’s crazy. I know it’s crazy, but, all today, I’ve been wondering…” Her voice dropped to a murmur. “Maybe if I’d been more of a woman, sexier, he wouldn’t have been with a man.”

“If you were any more of a woman and any sexier your government would have had to lock you up to stop the fighting in the streets.”

Julissa didn’t say anything, and then her shoulders started shaking. “Fi—fighting in the streets,” she sputtered laughing. “Yeah, right.”

“You might think it’s funny, darling.” He stroked her hair back from her face, wishing the lights were on so he could look into her eyes. “I’d fight for you, anywhere. You’re the most desirable woman I’ve ever seen, Julissa. I want you. I love you.”

“Do you?” she asked, her voice faint. She wanted to believe him, she really did, but how could she trust her instincts when she’d been so wrong before?

There was a brief silence and then Sebastian grabbed her hand and placed it against his heart. “I love you,” he whispered. Then he moved her hand lower to the hardness he didn’t want to hide any longer. Julissa needed to know she was a desirable woman and she needed to feel the effect she had on him. “I want you. If you let me, I’ll spend each and every day of the rest of my life showing you just how much.”

Julissa drew a deep shuddering breath and pushed herself into him, her arms tightening around his neck as she pressed her mouth to his.

A hot melting pleasure coursed through Sebastian’s body as he gave himself up to the magic of her kiss. His mouth sought hers. Her lips had the softness of hibiscus petals. She whimpered deep in her throat.

Julissa’s body quivered as his tongue delved into the moist heat of her mouth. She moaned, so quivery with desire she could have wept. Her arms curled around his neck and she dug her fingers into the heavy silk of his hair and pulled him into her.

The sweetness of the kiss made Sebastian feel as if he were drugged or dreaming. His hunger for her was like a fire burning inn his soul. He drew one hand up from her waist to cup her breast and felt her shrinking and a twisting away. Through the silk of the pajamas he felt the rough terrain of scarred skin and knew she was trying to hide from him. He tore his lips from hers and pressed them over her mutilated flesh. She moaned and pushed at his shoulders. She wasn’t ready for that, not yet. He rained gentle kisses on her face and she calmed, her ardor returned. He fumbled, one–handed, with his buttons and pulled his shirt off.

Julissa’s hands went to his waist. The feel of her soft hands on his bare skin filled Sebastian with a fierce song. She pushed his pants off and then her hands closed around his shaft and it was Sebastian’s time to moan.

Julissa uttered a little cry of surprise. “You’re so thick,” she murmured, her hands gripping him tight.

He reached for her and found her pants in the way. Mad with impatience, he grabbed the flimsy cloth. Julissa heard a rip, and then his hand was on her wetness. Warm tingles shot through her body. His finger pushed into her and her back arched as she let out an involuntary cry.

“Take off your shirt,” Sebastian begged her.