Slow Seduction (17 page)

An hour later, the usually well-groomed and punctual Clinton Campbell was walking into his own meeting without a tie. His staff didn’t say a word. They just smiled at their boss and waited for him to take his seat at the head of the conference room table.

A single red rose slid under Jenisha’s face. “Baby, you’re going to be the death of me,” Clinton whispered in her ear. “I almost couldn’t keep up with you last night,” he admitted.

“What are you talking about, Clinton,” Jenisha asked in a surprised voice. She took the rose from his hand. Bringing it to her nose, she took along whiff of the sweet fragrance then spun around in her chair to look at him.

She gasped when he handed her the other eleven beautifully cut roses. “Oh, they are so gorgeous.”

“Not as gorgeous as the woman sitting in front of me,” Clinton said, running his finger along her jaw.

“What did I do to deserve them?” She got up from the chair and headed toward the kitchen for a vase.

Clinton followed behind Jenisha, enjoying how she made his house seem more like a home. “You made me feel happiness again.” He stood in the doorway and watched Jenisha move around in his house like she had lived there for years.

“Would you ever leave Los Angeles and move here?”

Jenisha looked at him over her shoulder. “I have so much in California. I would have to think about something that life changing. I did leave once for a job in Texas, but it didn’t work out.”

“I can’t believe tomorrow is our last day together,” Clinton complained. “I want more time with you alone.

“Do you have anything exciting planned for our last day here,” Jenisha asked, searching through his cabinets for a vase. Finding one, she filled it with water from the sink and placed the flowers in the middle of the kitchen table.

“Yes, I want us to go out dancing and to a romantic dinner for two,” he replied, enjoying how she looked at the flowers with amazement in her eyes. He had to remember to bring his lady love flowers more often.

“Clinton, I didn’t bring any dancing or romantic dinner clothes with me,” Jenisha complained, looking down at her white T-shirt and torn blue jeans.

“Baby, don’t you know I’ll take care of everything? I have several boxes upstairs waiting for you in the guest room.” Jenisha didn’t know that he had to come through the back door and snuck upstairs so she would see him with the boxes.

Chestnut colored eyes got huge in a perfect oval face. “Can I go and look at them?” He loved being the man that could bring that look to Jenisha’s face. He was the only man for her and he was going to prove it. Before the redesign for the school was over, Jenisha was going to be his wife.

“Not right now,” Clinton said, shaking his head. “I want you to go outside to the garage with me.” Grabbing Jenisha by the hand, he tugged her behind him out the back door toward the garage. “There’s something I want to show you.”

Taking his car keys out of his pocket, he pressed the remote to open the garage doors and revealed his pride and joy to Jenisha. “Baby, I want us to go for a ride,” he said excitedly.

Jenisha slowly eased away from Clinton with a horrified look on her usually happy face. “Are you crazy? I’m not getting on that thing!”

“Precious, this is a custom made Cyril Huze Oriental Blue motorcycle with silver and black design. This was my first love before you,” Clinton muttered, looking at her and back at the bike.

“Well, I’m very happy to hear I rank above a motorcycle,” she laughed and then sobered up. “You don’t look like you would ride a motorcycle, baby.”

“I love the freedom it gives me after a long day at the office. Sometimes I want a different image than the suit wearing, rule making Clinton Campbell. Having this bike allows me a little more self-expression and attitude to my usual structured life. I feel I can do anything I want when I ride this bike.”

Moving away from her, Clinton ran his hand down the side of the bike. “Do you know I was on this motorcycle when I realized I was in love with you?”

She walked over to his bike and slowly ran her hand down the same path that Clinton did. “I’ve never been fond of these things,” she confessed. “I think that they are way too fast. If I decided to get on this for you, it will be a huge challenge on my part.”

Clinton had such an eager look on his face she had to ask. “How long do we have to be out on it?”

He touched the side of her face with the back of her fingers. “I usually stay on for a while just to relax my body and mind. But, since this will be your first time, I won’t keep you out that long.”

Clinton grabbed a helmet off the shelf and handed it to her. “Baby, put this on. I would die if something happened to you.” He put his on. After she got on the bike, he roared the motorcycle to life and pulled out of the garage. Jenisha held on tight, praying she would get back in one piece.

Hours later Jenisha stood up in the shower and let the hot water wash the dirt from her body and the shampoo from her hair. Picking her favorite conditioner for African American hair, she lathered it up and ran her fingers through her thick curls. She had been back a couple of hours from her bike ride with Clinton.

He had taken her to a very cute restaurant to get an early dinner, and later they had gone to see a movie. Clinton loved watching all the action flicks, and she didn’t mind in the least. It just felt so good to go out with someone she loved so much. At that moment he was downstairs talking to Hayward on the phone about information he wanted sent back to his house in California.

Her mind was clouded with worry about how to tell Clinton the truth about her infertility problem. She could tell how much he wanted to make her pregnant. Every time they made love he didn’t want to use the condom and aside how he would love to have a child with her. How did you tell a man who has wanted children most of his life that the woman he was in love with couldn’t give them to him?

Hopefully their love could overcome this little problem and he wouldn’t mind adopting a child if they did decided to get married. Jenisha leaned her head back to rinse the conditioner out of her hair. Turning off the water, she grabbed a towel for her hair and pulled a robe on her wet body. Standing in front of the mirror, Jenisha started to towel her long hair dry.

“Damn, I guess I’m too late to join you,” Clinton mumbled from the doorway. Jenisha pulled the towel off her hair and looked at him in the mirror.

“Sorry, baby, if I had known I would have stayed in longer.” Jenisha’s mouth watered at the sight of Clinton’s hair covered chest. She loved his body; everything about it was so deliciously sexy. “Honey, why are you up here? I thought you were on the phone talking to Hayward.”

“I was until True wanted him to see something one of the boys did. I can’t believe how fast my nephews are growing up. Hayward wants another baby, but I don’t know if he can talk True into having another one. She thinks they might have twins again. She keeps telling him she just has this feeling.”

Clinton walked up behind her, easing his large warm hands inside her robe. He laid them flat on her stomach. “I can’t wait until I see our baby growing in your body. I’m glad you’re the woman in my life now. I wouldn’t want to have children with anyone else.”

She removed his hands and tied her robe closed. “Clinton, what would happen if you weren’t able to have children? Would you feel disappointed?”

“Sweetheart, you don’t have to worry. I may be a little older than you, but everything is still working. I’ll be able to give you as many kids as you want,” he said, kissing her on the cheek. “I better go and make sure I have everything packed for our trip tomorrow.” Clinton kissed her again and left the bathroom.

Jenisha brushed her hair back off her forehead and stared at her lying face. “What if you aren’t the one who’s the problem,” she whispered. A single tear fell down her face and hit the sink.

“How long have you been here?” Robin looked up from her desk at Mark standing by the edge of it.”

“I got here about twenty minutes ago,” she answered, wondering what Mark wanted with her.

“Have you seen Jenisha or Clinton this morning?”

“No, when I walked past her classroom it was still dark,” Robin answered.

“I drove into the parking lot the same time as Becky,” Mark said. “Jenisha is supposed to come here this morning with some papers to sign. Please send her in as soon as she gets here.”

“Yes, sir,” Robin said.

Mark glanced at Robin with surprise. He was very happy she paid attention to their conversation. They might be able to have some kind of relationship after all, Mark thought. He continued into his office with plans for the day coursing through his mind. He couldn’t wait until he saw Jenisha. She stayed in his mind all over the Spring Break.

Last night he had stayed up last in his office mapping out a plan of attack against her. Later today he had a meeting with the Griffins. He needed to make sure they would keep their mouths shut. He was very concerned with Stephanie always asking so many questions. She was trying to gain control over her husband William, and that would ruin all of his plans. To make this work, he needed all the players, Robin, Stephanie and William Griffin, and, of course, himself.

Going into his office, Mark closed it behind on the prying eyes of Robin and he sat behind is desk waiting for Jenisha to make her appearance.

“Good Morning, Curls,” Clinton moaned, kissing Jenisha’s neck as she unlocked her classroom door while his hands roamed all over her still aroused body.

Jenisha closed her eyes, getting caught up in the power of Clinton until she realized they were sanding in the school’s hallway. She slid her body hurriedly away from his. “Clinton, you can’t do that here,” she whispered, looking around. T
hank
God the hallways were still empty because most of the children were in the cafeteria eating breakfast.

“Can’t do what?” he questioned, moving back to nibble at the back of her neck.

“Kissing and licking on me in the school’s hallway,” Jenisha said, trying to hold back a moan from working its way up her throat. If Mark or anyone saw them she would be in so much trouble on her first day back from Spring break. She didn’t need Principal Kimball lecturing her before he signed the permission slips. Clinton was slowly working her way to the sensitive spot below her earlobe. If she didn’t move right then, she would be so hot for him in the next few seconds.

Moving quickly, Jenisha pressed her weight on the door, causing it to fly open with Clinton right behind her. She laid her satchel on her desk and tossed her keys beside them. Placing her hip on the desk, she gave Clinton a stern frown, hoping to throw him off, but it didn’t work.

Teasing green eyes trailed down her body, destroying the mood she was trying to set. Clinton pushed the door shut behind him and strolled at her across the room. She didn’t half to guess what he wanted from her.

Jenisha held up her hand, trying to warn Clinton away. “Stop. I can’t let you do this to me, not at school. I don’t mind us playing around at your house or mine, but my job isn’t the place for this. Do you want me to get in trouble for dating you?”

Clinton paused in front of her, shock taking over his body. “Would Principal Kimball really give you a problem about our relationship?”

“I honestly don’t know what his mind is thinking half the time. One minute he can be very nice and agreeable, then in the next second he can become really strange,” she admitted. “I think while we are at work maybe we should tone down all the affection,” she suggested.

Clinton frowned at her. “Are you saying while we are at work you want to keep us a secret and that you only want to be with me outside school? I thought we had something here, but if you want to hide it from everyone else, maybe I’m wrong,” he threw at her.

“Are you embarrassed by me or something,” he asked. “When you’re ready to let me completely into your world, please let me know, okay?” Clinton turned away from her and flung open to the door. He stormed out of the room, almost knocking down Becky. “Sorry, Becky,” he apologized, storming toward the office in search of Principal Kimball.

Jenisha stood in front of her desk, startled by Clinton’s outburst. She didn’t know what had come over him. But surely he knew by how much she loved him by now with all the time they have been spending together.

“Wow, what’s wrong with green eyes?” Becky asked, easing into the room.

“I think I might have hurt his feelings without even knowing it,” she muttered, coming out of her daze. “Do you think you can get the school room set up while I go find him?”

“Go on. The kids don’t start coming in for another thirty minutes,” Becky answered with a wave of her hand.

“T
hank
s.” Jenisha hurried out the door, praying that she could find Clinton.

She found him further down the hall getting a drink from the water fountain and he still looked upset. “Clinton, can I please talk to you,” she asked.

Clinton took one more slip of water before standing up to look at Jenisha. He loved how she looked in her long, white flower dress he bought for her on their last day in Stamford. She had braided her hair this morning, giving herself a younger look. He loved her so much that his heart beat faster every time he saw her. “What is it, Jenisha? I have a meeting with Mark in a few minutes and I don’t want to be late.”

His dismissive tone stopped Jenisha from moving any closer; she could still see the hurt he was trying to hide from her. “You misunderstood what I said back in the classroom.”