Make You Mine (13 page)

“Of course.”

Warmth spread over her entire body at the sound of his voice. Something about his tone in those two simple words electrified her.

“You like your flowers?” he asked, finally rising from the chair and out of the darkness. His usually trimmed beard was fuller and rougher. It made him look wild and sexy.

She followed his line of vision and gasped in surprise at the half a dozen vases of white roses and helium balloons in front of the window. How had she missed them? “They're beautiful,” she gasped in pleasure.

“Not half as beautiful as you are, Caress.”

She turned her head again to look up at him. “My hair is all over my head and my mouth tastes—and probably smells—like rotten eggs,” she quipped, trying to cover the warmth and excitement his words evoked.

Julius laughed. “Dwayne actually went by your apartment for me and grabbed your bag. Tamara told us where to find it.”

“Thank…God. I need a tight bra to help with these milk jugs that used to be breasts—and a toothbrush. In that order.” Caress shifted her body up into a sitting position.

She tried not to notice how good his backside looked in his stiff denims when he turned to grab her bag from the small closet by the sink. She had to shift her eyes up quickly when he turned back to set the bag on the side of the bed by her legs.

“The baby and I had the mouth swabs done for the paternity test,” he told her, as he unzipped the bag.

Caress began to undo the shoulder snaps on the generic print hospital gown. She avoided his eyes as she used one arm to drape the gown over her full and heavy breasts.

“I paid for the results to come back tomorrow,” he continued.

Caress dug in the bag with her free hand and pulled out one of the bras she had packed.

“Caress.”

She looked up at him. “Yes, Julius?”

He locked those magnetic eyes with her own.

The semi-darkness of the room, with that crazy and undeniable buzz of electricity and awareness surrounding them, was powerful.

“I know this isn't something we originally wanted, but I'm happy about my son and I want you to know that.” Julius reached down to cover her hand with his own. “Thank you. Thank you for bringing my son—
our
son—into this world.”

She smiled a little as emotions made her chest tight. “I'm happy too and I know we will give him a better life than our parents gave us.”

Julius nodded as he returned her smile. “Definitely.”

That vibe flourished between them and they both shifted their eyes away nervously.

Caress cleared her throat and Julius looked over at her again. She used her finger to motion for him to turn before she dropped the gown to her waist and took her time putting on the bra. The nurses claimed it would help ease the aching of her swollen breasts. “I'm done,” she told him.

“You mentioned naming him. I like Justin for the first name,” he offered as he turned back to face her, his eyes dropping down momentarily to her newly lifted breasts.

“Kinda want to keep the
J
thing going, huh?” she teased as she settled back against the pillows.

Julius, ever the neat freak, grabbed the bag and set in back in the closet.

Caress looked over at the baby. “Justin Jones,” she tried out as she watched him suckle his fist. “Mr. Justin Jones. Justin Coleman Jones.”

Julius walked up to the bassinet and looked down at their son. “Coleman, huh?” he asked, shifting his eyes over her.

Caress licked her lips as sadness softened her eyes. “Every baby should have a legacy…a history. I don't even know my own to pass on to him. The only thing I have in this world to hint at who I am and who made me is my name. I'd like to pass it on to him somehow.”

Julius understood. “Justin Coleman Jones it is.”

Caress instantly forgot the list of names in her pregnancy journal.

The door opened and a head full of braids peeked inside before a petite woman entered the room. “You're awake. Good. I'm Nyla and I'm your nurse tonight,” she said, smiling up at Julius from across the bed.

Julius walked over to the window while the nurse examined Caress. He didn't move back to her bedside until Nyla left, pushing the baby out of the room to take back to the nursery.

Caress missed him already. “Everything is different now. All my life I just had me to worry about and now there's this little person who will rely on me.”

“On both of us,” Julius stressed.

Caress cocked her head to the side as she eyed him. “That's right. Both of us.”

“I just want to thank you for not tripping or holding it against me that I wanted a blood test,” he admitted, placing his hands on the side rail of the bed.

Caress picked up the wired remote control beside her on the bed as she diverted her eyes from him. The man was divine looking and distracting. She shook herself. “Uh…I, uh…I won't say I'm not a little insulted that you would think I would pass another man's child off on you…but I'm also a realist. I've seen enough
Maury Povich
and heard enough stories to understand any and every man wanting to be 100 percent sure. We really don't know each other and I'm partly to blame for this situation of ours.”

“I feel like we know each other now,” Julius said.

“Yeah, me too.”

“I believe he's my son, Caress.” Julius's voice was clear with his belief.

Caress pressed her head back against the pillows as she looked up at him. “Yeah, me too,” she teased, her eyes twinkling.

Julius just shook his head and laughed. “I love you, Caress.”

Time went completely still.

Julius looked as shocked by the words that seemed to slip from his mouth as Caress was to hear them.

She opened her eyes a bit as her heart raced. “What?” she asked in a small voice.

Julius's face slowly changed to seriousness as he slid his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “I love you,” he said simply as his eyes pierced her.

Caress closed her eyes. Breathed deeply. Counted to ten. Then she opened her eyes to look up at him again. “Julius, listen. I understand with the baby and everything, that emotions are running on high. And…and we don't have to live up to some stereotype to be his parents. You don't have to tell me you love me—”

Julius bent and swooped his head in quickly, covering her mouth with his and swallowing the rest of her words. As he covered her mouth with a thousand tiny kisses, Caress melted. She brought her hand up to lightly hold the side of his face as she welcomed his affection.

Moans that were filled with all of the pent-up emotions, regrets, and unfulfilled desires that they shared, filled the air around them.

“I love you, Caress,” Julius moaned against her mouth a dozen times in between electrifying kisses.

Caress felt dizzy as she opened her eyes and looked up at him. “Julius—”

“Do you love me, Caress?” he whispered against her lips.

Of course
, she thought, but the words would not leave her mouth even as her heart pounded with so much love for him that she felt like she would explode.

A twinkle filled his eyes as he smiled at her with all of his Julius Jones charm. “I know you love me,” he told her with the utmost confidence.

“Oh, you do?” she asked, as her eyes darted down to take in his mouth.

Julius tasted her lips again as he nodded. “Uhm hum. Don't you?”

Caress's hand rose to lightly grasp the back of his head. “Huh?”

Julius suckled her bottom lip into his mouth. “Don't you?” he demanded again in a soft, teasing tone.

Caress leaned her head back from him and met his stare boldly. “Yes, I do, Julius Jones. And?”

A grin as smooth as butter spread across his handsome face but Caress couldn't deny that even as he continued to bless her with his tender affection one nagging question remained:
Now what?

Week One

Caress removed the last piece of chicken from the pan of grease. She looked over her shoulder as Julius walked out of the bedroom with the baby monitor in his hand, quietly closing the door behind him. “He's sleeping?” she asked, as she turned the burner under the mashed potatoes down to low.

“What else? Does he do anything else?” Julius asked as he walked up behind her and placed a kiss on her neck.

Caress shivered and laughed at the same time. “Soon I'm going to wish he'd sleep more.”

“Like those nights we want to run around naked chasing one another,” he whispered near her ear before biting her lobe hotly.

“You are a perv,” Caress teased, turning to wrap her arms around his waist as she leaned back a little to look up at him.

Julius eyed her mouth as he placed his hands on the counter behind her. “I am horny as hell too,” he admitted, with desire in his eyes.

Caress made a mocking sad face. “Nothing I can do for you for at least six weeks,” she told him, planting a kiss near the corner of his subtle mouth.

Julius made a pained expression. “Pray for a brother,” he said, dropping his head to lightly rest on top of hers.

Caress laughed. “Hell, pray for a sistah. Remember the last time we both did it was that night.”

“Let's eat and talk about something else,” he said, moving away from her to grab dishes from the cabinet over the fridge.

Caress eyed him, still unable to believe that they were trying the relationship thing. She was ready, but she couldn't help wondering if he was. Did she love him? Definitely. Did he love her? That's what he said.

Since she was released from the hospital they had spent each evening together at her apartment. A couple of times he had even stayed the night, seemingly content just lightly holding her in his arms as they slept.

Everything about their love affair was so jumbled and out of place. She was still getting adjusted to this new step. Her heart was his, she just wished she could believe his emotions weren't just based on their son. Still she loved him. She had missed him terribly after she moved out of his house. She wanted them to be together.

Julius lightly touched her back as he moved past her in the small kitchen and she looked over at him. He looked up suddenly and smiled at her. Her heart swelled.

She wanted this to work.

Week Two

Julius leaned back in his leather chair as the sounds of sultry jazz filled his office. He cast his eyes out the window before picking up his shot of brandy to sip. He bopped his head to the bass line as he thought about Caress and Justin. Love like nothing he had ever known filled him and he smiled.

“What has you looking so goofy?”

Julius looked over his shoulder as Kendrick walked in. “What's up, man?” he greeted his friend, reaching out with his fist to offer him a pound.

“Nothing, man.” Kendrick settled his large frame in one of the chairs in front of Julius's desk. “You ready?”

Julius leaned back in his chair and fingered the rim of his glass. Tamara was throwing Caress a baby shower and had enlisted Kendrick to keep him out of their hair. “Where we headed?” he asked, looking out the window at the setting sun.

“Wanna catch a movie?” Kendrick asked, reaching for
The Star Ledger
on the edge of Julius's pristine desk.

Julius cut his eyes over to his friend. “Uh…no. I'm not going to the movies with a dude.”

At that moment Dwayne strolled in with his hair in a spiky Mohawk and his slender frame damn near choked in his black skinny jeans. He set a huge shopping bag on the desk. “This is for Justin. Be sure to tell Caress to call me after she opens it,” he said.

Julius eyed the bag and then shifted his eyes to Kendrick. With Dwayne, anything could be in that bag. “I'll tell her,” he said.

Dwayne dramatically turned to leave, but paused at the entrance to turn back and point a long and slender finger at both of them. “I don't see anything wrong with two grown men going to the movies together.”

Kendrick's and Julius's eyes locked over the rim of the paper partially covering Kendrick's face.

“Matter of fact, I can take you to a theatre where there ain't nothing but men—”

“I don't think so, Dwayne,” Julius said, as Kendrick frowned deeply.

Dwayne laughed as he pushed past the leather curtain and left the room.

Kendrick shook his head as he folded the paper. “No movies.”

Julius laughed.

Week Three

Caress watched Tamara as she changed baby Justin's diaper. “You better hurry, girl, he has good aim.”

Tamara smiled down at the chubby-cheeked angel. “You wouldn't dare pee on your godmother,” she said to him in baby talk.

“Humph,” said Caress who was sitting on the sofa, folding baby blankets.

Tamara took the hint and finished up quickly. She scooped him up to her shoulder as she settled back against the chair. “I might have to have one soon,” she cooed before nuzzling her face in his neck.

“He's a good baby.” Caress pressed the folded blankets down into the hamper near her foot.

“And how's the daddy?” Tamara winked at Caress playfully.

“Counting down the days—if you know what I mean.”

Tamara laughed. “Awww, poor little horny baby.”

“I'll tell you what. Every day I feel better and better.” Caress raised an eyebrow as she looked at her friend.

Tamara leaned the baby forward to burp him. “So Julius ain't the only one doing some counting.”

“Three weeks, two days to go,” Caress said without hesitation.

“Awww,” Tamara sighed with a laugh.

“It's been a
looong
time, Tam-Tam.”

Tamara made a comical face. “Okay,
that's
TMI but I understand.”

Caress eyed her son, seeing more and more of both her and Julius in him everyday. “I just wish I didn't feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

“Listen, Caress, if you live life looking for something bad to happen then it will. If you and Julius love each other everything will work out if you just let it.”

Caress watched as Tamara gave baby Justin the rest of his milk. “Think you're ready to baby-sit all night?” she asked.

Now it was Tamara's turn to lift her brow. “Let me guess, in about three weeks right?”

Caress smiled big as day. “You got it.”

“And you gon get
it
, huh?”

The ladies laughed together.

Week Four

Julius eyed Caress as she moved about his living room picking up the baby's things. It was hard to tell that she'd just had a baby a month ago. Her belly was back to its pre-pregnancy state and the black leggings she wore with a fitted tee hugged snugly to her petite and curvaceous frame.

His eyes dipped down to her buttocks as she bent over to pick up the container of baby wipes. He couldn't deny the hardening of the muscle between his thighs. Her body wasn't a picture of perfect proportions, but he liked every bit of it. He liked it and he was ready to feel it.

Julius smiled when Caress turned and caught him checking her out. She dropped the items she held into the baby bag before she walked over to lie down beside him on the couch. “I can see what's on your mind,” she said, looking pointedly down at his erection.

Julius wrapped his arms around her and pulled her body close to his. “Those pants are giving me hell, baby,” he moaned into her ear.

“I thought you hated all my sweats?”

“I thought so too.”

Caress laughed huskily as she massaged her hand up and down the hard length of Julius's strong arm. “I'm so glad we found a good day care for the baby. I go back to work in two weeks.”

“Uhm hum.” Julius brought his hand up from her waist to palm and then massage one of her breasts.

Caress mouth shaped into a
O
as his touch made her entire body tingle. Nearly one year since that night and the chemistry between them was still stirring. Magnetic. Undeniable. She was finding it hard to ignore the warmth filling her core as Julius shifted his body to place kisses on her neck.

“Yeah, me too, baby.”

She gasped hotly as his fingers teased and tantalized her hard nipple. “Julius,” she said, starting to protest.

He lifted her shirt, exposing her lace-covered breasts. “This is nice,” he said, even as he skillfully undid the front snap. “But this is nicer.”

Caress arched her back from the couch as Julius licked a trail from one hard nipple to the other. “Julius,” she said, in pure pleasure.

He circled the nipple with the tip of his tongue before suckling it into his mouth. “Caress,” he moaned against her moist flesh as he felt her hands release his hardness from his pants. He arched his hips at the first feel of her soft and hot hands surrounding him and stroking him. Teasing him and squeezing him. Pushing him near the edge of free falling into a speedy climax.

He suckled one breast deeper as he teased the nipple of the other. He reveled in the shivers of her body and the sweet sighs of pleasure she released into the heated air as she massaged the sensitive tip of his length. “You're gonna make me cum, Caress,” he groaned, feeling the pressure rising.

She looked down at him as he continued to ravage her breasts. “That's fine,” she whispered huskily.

Julius's eyes shot up to her with his tongue resting on her nipple.

She licked her lips as she increased the speed of her stroke. “You'll just owe me one,” she told him with glazed eyes.

Julius shifted his body back up and kissed Caress deeply as she stroked him to a mind-blowing climax that was just a hint of the pleasure he knew she had to give.

Week Five

“You look beautiful,” Julius whispered into her ear.

Caress tilted her head back onto the sofa as the lighthearted chatter of their guest surrounded them. “Is it the make-up?” she teased, batting her mascara-covered lashes at him.

Julius covered her mouth with his own.

“Oh, good God. Get a room!” Tamara exclaimed.

Caress broke the kiss slowly. Raising her hand to wipe her sheer gloss from Julius's lips she eyed Tamara, Kendrick, Jordan, and Mia. “Sorry,” she said sounding anything but.

“Jordan, remember when we used to be all over each other like that?” Mia asked, running her manicured hand through her newly cropped mass of curly hair as she sat on the arm of the club chair where he sat.

Jordan wrapped his arm around her waist and then playfully swatted her full bottom. “You mean last night?” he asked, with boast.

Mia laughed as she presented her wine glass to him in a mini-toast. “You got that right,” she said in her husky voice before bending down to taste his lips.

In the weeks since she and Julius had the baby, Caress had fallen for the clumsy but sexy writer, his take-no-bull wife, and their children. In fact, their teenaged twins, Amina and Aliya, were babysitting Justin upstairs.

Jordan crossed his legs as he continued to hold on to his wife. “Love is a wonderful thing. It's a powerful thing. And I don't know about all of you but I'm glad to have it in my life.”

Mia smiled warmly at her husband with her eyes. “To love y'all,” she said. “Black love.”

Tamara and Kendrick touched their glasses before they shared a kiss.

Caress felt good sitting next to Julius and surrounded by their friends. She leaned back against the sofa to look up at him. “I—”

Julius shook his head. “This has nothing to do with our vibe, or our son, or anything except I think you are a strong, smart, independent woman who makes me laugh and makes me forget all of my rules.”

Caress blinked away the tears his words evoked. “What am I going to do with you, Julius Jones?” she whispered against his mouth.

“Love me,” was his simple reply.

 

Week Six

Julius walked into his studio, with his briefcase and monogrammed camera case hanging from his broad shoulder. “Morning, Dwayne,” he greeted his assistant.

“Morning, boss.” Dwayne handed him a stack of phone messages. “And there's some packages on your desk.”

“Thanks.” Julius headed for his office with his eye on the clock. He wanted to wrap up whatever work he had so that he could head out to Caress's apartment as soon as he could.

“One of the packages is from Karina,” Dwayne called behind him.

Julius stopped short. Karina. He knew without a doubt that it was drama. He hadn't spoken to her since the photo shoot in Jamaica.