Some Like It Hot (22 page)

Another groan rumbled deep within his chest as he clutched her body tighter into the fit of his and shuddered from the force of his own climax. Instinctively she wrapped her legs tighter around him as he continued to thrust into her, causing her body to be swept up in an earth-shattering release for a second time. And she knew as the waves came crashing down on her yet again, that she wasn’t alone. The man who’d been an active participant in her dreams for over a year was there with her, once again tumbling through the boundaries of total fulfillment.

Tyrone stared up at the ceiling, physically sated and mentally drained. Sydney slept peacefully beside him with one of her legs thrown over his. He had watched her face during her first orgasm, and the expression there had been so utterly and incredibly beautiful, he had wondered how any man could deny her such a rapturous moment. He had been overwhelmed by the depth of her pleasure. Clearly her needs had not been met for far too long. Even now he was tempted to wake her up and make love to her again but decided she needed her rest.

And he needed to think.

He would never admit it, but making love with Sydney had scared the daylights out of him. He didn’t think he had ever felt that way with another woman. He’d been so caught up in the scent and feel of her that he’d almost forgotten to use a second condom. If she hadn’t mentioned it, he would have engaged in unprotected lovemaking, something he had never done with any woman.

And he had never allowed a woman to put a condom on him before. He preferred doing something that important himself just in case his partner didn’t do it right. He didn’t believe in careless accidents, and the last thing he wanted was to father a child, at least not at this stage in his life. But for once in his life the desire to have a woman was overriding his common sense, and all he could think about was making love to Sydney, over and over again. As a matter of fact, he was just waiting for her to wake up so he could get back inside of her.

He scrubbed a hand across his face. The last thing he needed was to complicate his life by becoming attached to any woman. Having Sydney in his dreams was one thing, but dallying with the real McCoy was another. He had to make sure he got things back in perspective and didn’t let his emotions get wrapped up in what was nothing more than great sex.

He closed his eyes and wondered what had pushed him over the edge. God knows his body had suddenly seemed to become addicted to her. It was as if being inside of her with her body clenching him was the way things should be. After making love to her, the thought of making love to another woman was sacrilegious. He wanted Sydney and no other woman would do.

He released a deep sigh, knowing he needed time alone to think. Easing her leg off his, he slipped out of bed, left the room, closing the door behind him, and went into the sitting room. Picking his jeans up off the floor, he put them on, went into the office, and closed the door. He picked up his sax, needing to hear the sound of it. Sitting in a chair, he began playing a soft tune, one he had composed over a year ago. He closed his eyes thinking, this is what he needed to clear his mind. His music always had a way of soothing him, of helping put things in perspective.

He couldn’t recall just how long he’d been playing when suddenly, Sydney’s scent wrapped itself around him. He opened his eyes and saw her standing naked in the doorway. He wondered how long she’d been there, watching him and listening to him play. He ended the tune, placed the sax on the desk, and watched her watching him. His gaze swept her from head to toe. She was a beautiful woman and he appreciated the fact that she didn’t have any hang-ups about being nude in front of him. He liked a woman who wasn’t ashamed of her body, who wasn’t embarrassed for her man to see her in all her natural glory.

Her man.

He shook his head. He was getting way ahead of himself.

“That was a beautiful piece, Tyrone,” she said softly, breaking the silence that had engulfed them. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard it before.”

He smiled. “And you wouldn’t have,” he answered. “It’s a number I composed over a year ago.”

She nodded, her gaze lighted up in admiration for his skill as a musician. “What’s it called?”

Tyrone’s gaze left hers and went to the sax on his desk. It was one of his prized possessions, a gift on his eighteenth birthday from his parents. It was on that sax, the very night of the day they’d met, that he had sat in his darkened bedroom, closed his eyes, and composed the piece that he had simply titled “Sydney.”

When he met Sydney’s gaze again, he didn’t want to think about the significance of what he’d done that night and he didn’t want to give her false ideas by sharing it with her. “The name of it isn’t important. I’m just glad you liked it.”

She nodded. “I do. It has such a soothing and romantic melody. While listening to it I could imagine being swept away in peaceful surrender,” she said breathlessly.

“In peaceful surrender?” A heady rush of need flooded him as his gaze moved over her nude body.

“Yes, it has that sort of an effect on me. It reminds me of some sort of love ballad. I can imagine a man playing that tune to the woman he loves, telling her with music just how much she means to him and just how much he wants her in his life.”

Tyrone nodded and then, unable to help himself, he crossed the room to her, pulled her into his arms, held her close. Her naked body felt warm and soft against his, and he wondered what would become of him when their time in New York ended and they went their separate ways.

Not wanting to dwell on that, he stepped back, unsnapped his jeans, pushed them down his legs, and stepped out of them. He reached out for her and pulled her back into his arms. He kissed her as if he were a starving man and her mouth was the only food he’d had in months.

Moments later he pulled back, needing to be joined with her in another way. He reached out to gather her into his arms and she quickly placed a condom packet into his hand.

“You almost forgot again,” she said smiling sensuously at him. “It’s a good thing I brought one out of the bedroom.”

Tyrone could only nod and then took the time to do what was needed to protect her, again thinking how little control he had around her. He would hate for her to think that he wasn’t a responsible person, because he was.

Picking her up in his arms, he carried her to the bar stool and placed her on it, widening her legs as he did so. As soon as her bottom touched the seat he was there between her legs, seeking entry inside her. He clenched his jaw as he slid into her, leaning her back in his arms so he could go deeper, wanting to feel his body flush with hers.

She wrapped her legs around him, locking him in place when he began moving. “Sydney,” he said her name as he pushed hard and began thrusting deep inside of her.

When he felt her body milking him the only thing he could do was press forward and let her take whatever she wanted from him.

He tried holding back, not ready for it to end, but she was clenching him too tight, her body’s demand was too forceful. Then in a deep, shuddering release, he gave her just what she wanted, what he wanted. And when he felt her come apart in his arms, he pulled her closer to him and his mouth devoured hers as sensation after sensation washed over him.

A soft whine and an insistent scratching outside her bedroom door woke Sydney. She blinked, then realized that she was in her own bed and Denzel was on the other side of the door, letting her know that he needed to go out. She blinked again. It was barely morning, and Tyrone was sound asleep next to her.

After making love again at his hotel, they had dressed and gone home to take care of Denzel’s needs. Then they had changed for dinner and, later that night had gone to a play. Afterward, they had stopped by his hotel only long enough for him to throw a few things into an overnight bag.

As she slipped out of bed, everything they had done yesterday and last night came back to her in full force. She inhaled deeply as she put on her robe, thinking that if she never made love again to a man, Tyrone had definitely given her enough to last her a lifetime. Last night she had slept soundly—relaxed, sated, and peaceful.

Now she realized with full clarity just what she had been missing during the year she had spent with Rafe. Even in the beginning, when their relationship was new and passionate, she had never felt the way Tyrone had made her feel yesterday and last night. Tyrone had shown her what a monumental mistake she’d made by letting Rafe control things in the bedroom. That was not how lovemaking worked. A woman was supposed to reap just as many benefits out of it as a man.

Each time she had been with Tyrone, he had gone out of his way to make sure that she was right there, sharing in the pleasure with him.

When she reached the dresser, she glanced at herself in the mirror. Her hair was tumbled in disarray around her shoulders, her cheeks were flushed, and her mouth looked as if it had been thoroughly kissed. She looked just like the woman she was, a woman who’d been made love to practically all night by the man she loved.

Sydney whirled away from the mirror, her heart pounding. Love? There was no way she could use that word to describe what she felt for Tyrone. They had only spent two days together, so there was no way she could love him. Hadn’t she decided after Rafe that she would not fall in love again, at least not for a long time? What she was sharing with Tyrone was just a fling, nothing more. Now was not the time to get lust confused with love.

Yet, as she slipped out of the bedroom and reached down to pick up Denzel, she knew she was only fooling herself if she denied her true feelings. She did love him, she had fallen in love with him the day they had first met. In a burst of clarity she knew that she had fought having any feelings for him because of Rafe and how he had disappointed her. She also didn’t want to admit how quickly she had fallen in love with Tyrone. Truthfully, she had stopped loving Rafe months before she’d given him the boot. His overinflated ego had begun playing on her nerves and she had begun losing whatever feelings she thought she’d had for him.

Sydney glanced at the clock on the dresser. She needed time away from Tyrone to think, and walking Denzel was just what the doctor ordered. Tyrone had told her last night that he had a class at ten this morning. She decided to prepare breakfast for him so that he wouldn’t have to worry about making a stop along the way. That was the least she could do for him.

And there was no way she would let him know how she felt about him. He had told her up front that what they shared was not a prelude to love or to a commitment since he wasn’t interested in either. No matter how she felt, she had to respect his wishes and his feelings.

Tyrone leaned in the kitchen doorway and watched Sydney as she stood at the stove doing something that looked very much like cooking pancakes. He smiled, liking what he saw of her from behind. Need was like a living, breathing thing inside of him as his gaze centered on the curvaceous body beneath her short silk robe.

He decided he could stand here and watch her like this all day. However, Denzel let out a rambunctious bark and raced over to him and Sydney quickly turned around and smiled.

“Good morning.”

He returned her smile and crossed the floor to her. “Good morning.”

She automatically tilted up her face and he leaned down and kissed her. He had intended to just brush his lips across hers, but the moment she opened her mouth beneath his, the kiss turned heated as he savored her taste while running his hand down the smooth valley of her spine, pressing her closer to him.

He released her when Denzel barked again. “What’s his problem?” he asked, nibbling at the corners of her mouth. “Hasn’t he been fed yet?”

Sydney chuckled against his moist lips. “Yes. I guess he’s jealous.”

Tyrone smiled. “Then I guess he’d better find himself a female of his own. Do you know if there’re any available ones in this neighborhood?”

Sydney shook her head. “No, and besides I think he’s been fixed.”

“Ouch!”

Sydney burst out laughing. “Yes, a typical man would say that.” She then returned to the stove. “I hope you like pancakes.”

He cradled her from behind, enclosing her gently in his arms. “I do. I also like making love to you.”

She turned around to him. “And I like making love to you, too. Thank you.”

He raised a dark brow. “For what?”

“For making it special and for proving that all men aren’t inconsiderate like Rafe.”

Tyrone’s gaze hardened at the mention of her ex-boyfriend. “Most of us aren’t. You just picked a bad apple with that guy.”

“Yes, I see that now.”

His expression softened and he stroked her cheek tenderly. “Good, and let’s not talk about him anymore. All right?”

“All right. If you’ll have a seat I’ll serve you.”

He shook his head. “No, let’s serve each other. Tell me what I can do to help.”

She smiled. “Okay, since you’re so eager to help, you can take down the glasses and pour the orange juice.”

She drew in a shaky breath when he left her to walk over to the cabinets. She wondered how in the world she was going to handle downplaying the feelings she had for him for the next two weeks before going back to Memphis. A heavy feeling settled in her stomach.

“Sydney?”

She glanced over at him. Their gazes met. “Yes?”

“Thank
you
for yesterday and last night.”

She chuckled. “And just what did I do?”

He leaned against the counter. “After a solid fifteen months of celibacy, I got just what I needed and from the person I wanted it from. You’re some kind of a lady.”

She remembered all they had done and laughed. “A lady?”

His smiled widened as those same memories flickered through his mind. “Yes, a lady. A very sensuous lady.”

Sydney’s heart leapt at Tyrone’s words. Rafe had never complimented her in bed although she’d known she’d pleased him. Words were important and evidently Tyrone knew that. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Sydney discovered that even after their day and night of wild abandon, there was no awkwardness between them. Together they set up breakfast, then sat down to eat, chatting amiably about Linc and Raven’s plans to leave D.C. so Linc could return to Memphis and pursue a political career.

“My family is excited that he’s returning home,” Sydney said. “Everyone in the family works in our law firm, and when he left there was a huge void.”

After breakfast Tyrone helped clean up the kitchen. Somehow, something as simple as sharing breakfast had been a complete turn-on. Sitting across the table from her and knowing she had nothing on underneath her robe had almost driven him out of his mind.

When he watched her reach up and place the last dish back in the cabinet, he pulled her into his arms, wanting her again. Their mouths met, the kiss was hot and explosive, carnal. Picking her up into his arms, he carried her to the bedroom and placed her down on the unmade bed. Immediately his hand began fumbling with the opening of her robe, and when he opened it and saw her naked body, his mind and his senses suddenly went over the edge.

He wanted to touch her everywhere and he did, making her moan with pleasure. His hands explored her, stroking her to a fever pitch. Then he leaned down and kissed her again. She returned his kiss hungrily, greedily, which made him that much hotter for her.

“Sydney.” He breathed her name and forced himself to pull back, remove his jeans, and prepare himself for her when he felt his sanity and control begin to slip again.

He quickly returned to her and gathered her into his arms, placing her beneath his throbbing body. He almost went weak in the knees when she grabbed hold of his erection and led him to her warm, moist center.

When she raised her hips to him, he flexed his body to go deeper into hers, wanting all of her, needing to claim every part of her as his. He reached out and caught her face in his hands and forced her to look at him, to marvel at what they were sharing.

“Look at me, Sydney,” he whispered huskily, needing to see her reaction each time he thrust inside of her, wanting to see her features contort with a passion he knew no other man had given her, and wanting to know from the look in her eyes that she enjoyed his being inside of her as much as he did.

When she tightened her feminine muscles around him, clenching him with all her might, he growled in pleasure.

“You like this, don’t you?” he asked as he slowly moved his body inside of her, setting a rhythm dictated by a particular tune that played inside of his head.

She sucked in her breath as he went still deeper. “Yes,” she said breathlessly, straining to hold herself back as Tyrone’s body leisurely pumped into hers, almost driving her crazy.

“Good, because I like this, too.”

He thrust into her deeper, relentlessly, almost taking her over the brink, then slowed the pace again to prolong their pleasure. When it became so overpowering that her eyes fluttered and closed with desire, he urged her again to look at him so he could know just how his lovemaking was making her feel.

When they couldn’t handle the exquisite sensations anymore, he sped up the rhythm, thrusting with a manic urgency. She cried out his name. Her face lit up with a climax so intense, the spasms that racked her body also racked his, pulling everything out of him and giving her more of himself than he’d ever given a woman. He screamed her name over and over, and when he thrust into her one last time, determined to go deeper than before, his world exploded and he knew that he could never get enough of Sydney, even if they were to make love every day for the rest of their lives.

A thought came to his mind as his body succumbed to the delight of her; how on earth was he ever going to walk away?

A while later, when he could find the strength to move, Tyrone eased onto his elbows and looked down at Sydney. She was looking at him with glazed eyes, flushed features, and a smile tilting her lips. “You are something else,” she managed to say in a breathless sigh.

He leaned down and kissed her lips. “No,
you’re
something else. I could make love to you all day and all night.”

The smile on her lips widened. “I’m up for it if you are.”

He chuckled. “Don’t tempt me.” He glanced over at the clock on the nightstand. “Besides, I need to get out of here if I’m going to make it to class on time. I don’t want my students to think I’ve gone soft.”

Sydney grinned when she felt his erection, hard as ever, pressing against her thigh. “Soft? I don’t think you know the meaning of the word.”

He laughed. “It’s all your fault. I’m going to have to shower again before I leave, or I’ll have the scent of you clinging to me all day, and I’ll never get any work done.”

Moments later, when he came out of the now steamy bathroom, Sydney was just where he’d left her, naked in bed. Her eyes were closed and he figured she had fallen asleep. He leaned against the dresser and stared at her, thinking once again that she was the most beautiful, senuous woman he had ever seen.

He knelt beside the bed and kissed her lips. Her eyes slowly opened. “You’re leaving now?”

He smiled down at her, liking the way her features still reflected the pleasures he’d shared with her earlier. “Yes. What are your plans for today?”

She smiled. “I’d thought about catching the subway downtown to do some shopping. But I don’t think I have the strength to move.”

He leaned down and placed another kiss on her lips. “Well, when you get your strength back, how about dropping by the Cotton Club later? A group of friends from Juilliard who live here in New York and I will be this evening’s entertainment. We’re trying to raise money for the Harlem Music Festival.”

She nodded. “What time?”

“Around five.”

She smiled. “I’ll be there.”

“Good,” he said, liking her quick response, and he knew she would be on his mind until he saw her again. He also knew that getting all wrapped up in Sydney was not the smartest thing to do, but for now he couldn’t help it. The woman had totally bewitched him.

He stood, knowing that if he didn’t leave now, he would climb back in that bed with her and make love to her all over again. “I’ll see you later.”

As he forced himself to leave her, he realized it was the hardest thing he’d had to do in a long time.