The Sweetest Love (Love Conquers All Book 5) (15 page)

Roxy’s mouth watered. The yummy smell of brisket and onions, baked macaroni and cheese, cream spinach, and peach pie permeated the air. It had taken her all day, but she had prepared some of Adam’s favorite foods. Well… she hadn’t done it alone. Wanting to please him she called his mom for help.

Brenda had been a sweetheart, running down a list of foods he enjoyed. Immediately Roxy felt overwhelmed. It wasn’t that she couldn’t cook; she didn’t want him to be disappointed with her versions of his favorite meal. She hadn’t hesitated in asking his mom for assistance.

Bless Ms. Brenda’s heart. The woman jumped in her car and came barreling through Roxy’s door with enough pots and pans to cater a small dinner party. At the alarmed look on Roxy’s face she assured her, “Baby, you need certain pots and pans to make your food come out right.”

“Oh, alright,” Roxy said filing that bit of information in the back of her mind for the next time she purchased some cookware.

Beaming at her, the older woman clapped her hands. “Let’s get started!”

“Okay, Roxy I’m going to get ready to get out of here. I’ll come back later to get my pots and pans.”

Snapping her fingers she joked, “Aw, shucks! I thought you were giving them to me.” The cookware was way superior to the ones she had in her cabinets from Target.

The older woman chuckled. “Maybe one day I’ll buy you a set.”

Roxy giggled. She did not miss Ms. Brenda’s subtle message. Shoot… truth be told she’d jump at the chance to get those pots and pans tomorrow!

She smiled at Roxy as she picked up her purse. “Let me get out of her before my son catches me and think I cooked for you.”

Laughing Roxy said, “Once he tastes everything he’s going to know you had a hand in it some kind of way.” Hovering over her like a momma bird, Brenda had coached Roxy step by step with instructions on how to prep and season the food.

“Hush chile, and come give me a hug goodbye.” Folding Roxy in her arms, she rubbed her back. “You did real good, and I’m so proud of you. I’ll show you how to make some more of my boy’s favorite foods.”

Roxy squeezed her tight. “Thanks Ms. Brenda. I appreciate it.”

Walking to the door, Brenda winked at Roxy. “You know what they say about a man’s stomach.”

Roxy blushed. “Yes, I know.”

Opening the door, they hugged again. Roxy just shook her head. Ms. Brenda had actually done a little jig as she walked down the carpeted hallway.

Biting her bottom lip, she refused to cry. Adam was supposed to be here hours ago. Each time she tried calling his cell it went directly to voicemail. She tried texting and he never responded. At first she was worried and then as the time passed she became angry.

Too upset to eat, she had put the food away and taken a shower. Converting the sleeper sofa into her bed she fluffed up a pillow. Picking up another pillow she began to pound it pretending it was Adam’s head. “Get on my nerves… urrrrgh!”

After everything she had gone through to make the evening perfect, he had stood her up. As soon as she saw him again she was going to tell him about his stank, inconsiderate self.

Last night she had gone to bed late because she took the time to paint her toes fire engine red. Stomping over to the tiny bistro table, she snatched the candles that had long ago burned out off the table and threw them in the trash. She didn’t even like red nail polish! She’d only done it because that stupid magazine said red was a passion color and it turned men on. “Well you won’t be getting turned on anytime soon buddy!”

And to think she called his momma to satisfy his palate. Her hands balled up into fists just thinking about how sweltering her tiny studio had gotten as she slaved over a hot stove. It’s a good thing she hadn’t had time to blow dry her thick curls out and flat iron her hair. With how humid her kitchenette had gotten her curls would have snapped right back.

Like a child throwing a temper tantrum, Roxy stomped her bare foot against the floor. The brisket she’d purchased had been super expensive, a high quality cut from a kosher butcher shop in Jenkintown.

Too disgusted to sleep, she grabbed the remote from the end table and cut on the small flat screen. Not wanting to be bothered with anyone, Roxy turned her cell phone off. Settling down on the bed she began flicking through channels. Maybe she’d find something worthwhile to watch to get her mind off of being stood up.

Adam rushed up the walkway to Roxy’s building. The day had been one headache after another. First the hotel shuttle driver left his luggage on the curb. This wasn’t discovered until they arrived at the airport. Going back to the hotel to get his luggage nearly made him miss the plane. Luckily for him traffic wasn’t too bad and he made it back and through security check before his plane departed. Great, Right? Not really. The plane sat on the runway for three hours, something about a mechanical problem was the reason given for the delay. Adam wanted to blow a gasket when he realized his phone battery died. He needed to let Roxy know he was still coming for dinner no matter how late he would be getting in.

As soon as he landed at Philly International, he raced to his car and immediately began charging up his phone. He let out a string of expletives. Roxy wasn’t picking up her phone or responding to his texts.

“Yo man! Hold that door!” he yelled out to a teenager going into Roxy’s building.

“Shhh! Damn man be quiet! You gonna get me in trouble with my moms!” the teenaged boy sneered, clearly annoyed with Adam.

“My bad.” Reaching in his back pocket for his wallet, he snatched out two twenty dollar bills and handed them to the boy. “Just in case I woke your moms up.”

Taking the money, the boy grinned and held the door open. “Dat’s whas’up partna.”

Shoving his wallet back in his pocket, Adam took long strides, making his way to Roxy’s door. He rapped lightly. When she didn’t answer, he cursed under his breath. He tried knocking a little harder without drawing attention from the other sleeping tenants.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the locks disengaging. That relief was short lived as Roxy angrily glared at him through the tiny crack in the door.

“Baby, I can explain,” he rushed out.

“Explain what, Adam? That it’s after two in the morning and you’re seven hours late!” she shrieked, not caring if she woke up the entire building.

“Lower your voice,” he snarled through clenched teeth. He was just as irritated as she was and was in no mood to be yelled at.

She hissed back at him, “Don’t you tell me to lower my voice!”

“Let me in Roxy.”

“No!”

Adam scrubbed the top of his low cut head with the palm of his hands in frustration. He wasn’t going to stand in the hallway and argue with her. “I’m coming in.”

Roxy went stumbling back as he forced his way into her apartment. Regaining her balance, she got up in his face on her tippy-toes, poking his chest with a manicured finger. “You can’t come in here. Now get out!”

The soft light streaming from the television made it less difficult to scan her supple body clad in an ivory silk teddy. Though she was pissed with him, her body told another story. Adam immediately became hard gazing at the puckered nipples beneath the flimsy material.

“I said get out!” Roxy yelled, pushing him with the palms of her hands on his massive chest. It didn’t do any good though. The sucker didn’t budge, and this infuriated her. Before she could push him again, Adam snaked his large hand around the back of Roxy’s neck, pulling her to him.

Crushing his mouth against hers, the kiss was anything but gentle. She tried to resist by pounding on his chest. This did nothing but make him dip his tongue farther into her mouth, causing all of the fight to seep out her body.

Sliding her hands up his chest, she wrapped her arms around his neck and melted into his body. The huge bulge in his pants sent a spark down south, igniting a heavy pulsing between her legs. Walking backwards, she guided them to the bed.

Her mind told her to stay mad at him, but her heart and body refused to cooperate. Curling her fingers around the front of his shirt, she eased down on the bed, bringing him to rest his weight on her. Oh… he felt so good.

Breaking the kiss, he slid the thin strap of the teddy off her shoulder. In between tender kisses along her neck, he pleaded his case. “Baby, the plane was grounded for three hours. And my phone battery died.”

“Uh-huh,” came her breathy reply.

Nibbling his way down the column of her neck, he suckled the satiny, beating flesh at the base of her throat. His hot, moist tongue laved a lazy path along her collarbone, swirled around one areola and then the other. She squirmed when his tongue took a dip in her navel and glided down and over to her hip bone where he stopped to look up her.

Their eyes locked and held. The passion burning in their gazes was unmistaken and would not be denied.

Lowering his mouth mere centimeters from her aching flesh, he murmured deep and sexy, “I came to you as fast as I could.”

If it hadn’t been for Adam firmly gripping her hips, Roxy would’ve bucked off the bed from the sweet contact his mouth made with her nether lips. He had loved her good the first night they’d spent together and then again the next morning. But he hadn’t loved her like
this
. This new wondrous thing was consuming every pleasure cell in her body. Her hips began to undulate in sync with his mouth. It didn’t take long for the first tiny shock to ripple through her as he started sucking on her exquisitely sensitive nub.

Eyes closed tight, prisms of brilliant light exploded as an orgasm of epic proportion splintered throughout her body. Adam didn’t stop his lapping until the last quiver left her body, leaving her as limp as cooked spaghetti.

Coming to his feet, Adam quickly undressed. Reaching for his pants he cussed under his breath.

Roxy giggled as she watched his hand freeze at his back pant pocket. Tsk-tsk, somebody forgot the condoms. Crawling out the bed, she went to the closet.

Standing on her toes, she reached for a pretty decorative box on the shelf. Lifting up the lid, she pulled out a foil pack between her fingers. “I’m ready for you, Mr. West.”

Grinning, Adam walked the short distance to her. She squealed when he swung her up in his arms. Sitting her on the bed, he took the condom from her fingers and deftly put it in place before positioning her in the middle of the bed.

Roxy stopped him as he tried easing her down on the mattress. “Wait. I want to try it this way.” Kneeling on her knees, she stroked his chest with her fingertips as she began to straddle his lap.

Licking her kiss swollen lips she moaned, “I’ve dreamed about us making love this way.”

And that’s when Adam lost it. Digging his fingers into the fleshy part of her hips he rammed her down on his hard length as he simultaneously thrust his hips forward.

The pain was so sweetly intense her scream got trapped in her throat. Squeezing the tightly corded muscles in his shoulders she eased up only to have him ram her back down again.

“Adam, stop… let me ride you,” she wantonly purred.

His chuckle was deep, smooth and sexy. “Sorry girl, you just feel so damn good.” Loosening his grip he sat completely still.

Roxy rewarded him with a kiss on the nose. “Thank you.”

Lifting her hips up she brought herself up his steel length until the tip was the only part of him left in her. The back of her throat vibrated from the purring it emitted as she slowly lowered herself down again.

She was killing Adam with the slow, torturous gliding up and down. Each time she went up her taut inner muscles contracted, squeezing him tight. And when she came down, she sensually rolled her pelvis. The torment she was putting him through seemed endless as he let her ride at her own pace.

Tightening her legs around his waist, Roxy took as much of him as she could stand. She had to bite down hard on her bottom lip to keep from screaming as Adam’s warm mouth latched onto her nipple. Her movements picked up at a frantic pace as teeth nibbled her sensitive flesh. So lost in a haze of passion, she didn’t care that he had started to move again.

Adam popped one breast out of his mouth and latched onto the other one. This time he didn’t bother with being gentle. He loved hearing Roxy’s quick intake of breath that came out in a high-pitched airy sound as he bit into her soft skin.

Engulfing her breast, he devoured her as she cradled his head flushed against her breast. The harder he sucked the harder he thrust his hips, driving as deep as she could handle.

Releasing her from his mouth, he buried his head between her breasts. “Roxy baby come on. I can’t hold out much longer,” he panted, sweat dripping off his forehead.

“Okay… Okay…” she gasped before taking one last hard plunge down his length.

It was difficult to tell whose body spasm was the hardest from the orgasm that lit fire in Roxy and quickly spread to Adam. But it really didn’t matter. Both lovers collapsed, fully satiated.

“You still mad at me,” Adam murmured in Roxy’s ear, his fingers lightly stroking the satin skin on her belly.

Roxy grinned in the dark, enjoying the touch of his rough hands. “I should be.”

Adam chuckled. He had to laugh at that. All the moaning, purring and whimpering she’d done definitely was not an indicator of her holding on to her anger. Snaking his arm around her waist he pulled her lush bottom to fit snug against his groin.

“But you’re not,” came his smug reply.

Sexually exhausted, all she could muster was enough strength to roll her eyes in the dark. Mad at him? Was he crazy? He’d totally redeemed himself for being hours late. Her body was still humming in post-orgasmic euphoria. But did he have to be so cocky?

“You could have at least asked somebody to use their phone,” she pouted wiggling her bottom against him. She smiled to herself from the feel of his erection coming back to life.

“Roxy, that’s disgusting. I’m not asking some stranger to use a phone they’ve been breathing all over.”

Rolling out of his embrace, she leaned up on her elbow to stare down at him. “So what’re you saying, Adam?

“I’m saying I’m not picking up some stranger’s germs.” The last time he used someone’s phone he ended up catching the flu and was flat on his back in bed for a week.

“Not even for me?” she teased, circling his nipple with a manicured fingertip.

Grabbing her fingers, he brought them to his lips and kissed them. “Not even for you, my sweet Roxanna.”

She snatched her fingers from his grip and pinched his nipple. “Ouch! Girl, that hurt.”

Sliding back down into his embrace she mumbled under her breath, “You lucky it wasn’t your balls.”

Adam’s head popped up. “What was that?”

Positioning her body in a feline stretch, Roxy yawned before snuggling back against his warm body. “Nothing, baby. I didn’t say anything.”

Yeah, right
he thought as his eyes grew heavy with sleep. The last thing he did before drifting off to sleep was to make sure Roxy’s hands were tucked far away from the family jewels.

Adam had gone out to the trunk of his car to get a fresh change of clothes from his luggage while Roxy was in the shower. And now he too was coming out the bathroom freshly showered. Immediately his nostrils flared. Was that beef? And did he smell peaches? A lazy smile twitched at the corner of his lips. She’d been busy putting food on while he was taking care of his daily needs. His mouth began to water at the savory aromas. His stomach agreed with an irritated growl.

“Somebody’s hungry,” Roxy teased from where she worked at the almost non-existent countertop. She happily stopped what she was doing long enough to give him a sweet kiss.

“You better know it,” he answered, pulling out a chair and taking a seat at the table.

“I guess you’re in luck. You get to have your last night’s dinner for breakfast and lunch.”

He glanced at his watch. It was one thirty in the afternoon. “I can’t believe we slept so late.”

Roxy placed plates and silverware on the table. “I never sleep past nine on the weekends. And you’re to blame.”

Stretching his long legs out and crossing them at the ankles, he cocked his head to the side and stared at Roxy. “You complaining, shawty?”

Roxy snickered. He made her think of those young guys at Dave and Buster’s the night of their first date. She rewarded him with a cheeky smile. “Of course not handsome,” she joked back as she gathered glasses and plates from the cabinets.

“Do you want some help?” he offered as he began to stand.

She waved him off. “I got it. Everything should be ready in about another ten to fifteen minutes. I wanted to heat everything up in the oven instead of the microwave.” Setting the plates down on the table, she wrinkled her nose up. “I hate microwave food.”

Taking the glasses she’d brought back over to the table from her hands, he placed them next to the plates. Lifting a thick brow he taunted, “Would that be because you and Abby almost burned the kitchen down using a microwave?”

Roxy was laughing so hard that she had to hold the cool pitcher of lemonade she’d taken out of the refrigerator close to her chest to keep from making a sticky mess.

She and Abby didn’t have the patience of a gnat when it came to getting their afternoon snacks. Brenda had given them explicit instructions not to cook the Jiffy Pop popcorn on the stovetop. At their pouting and whining she’d firmly instructed the two, “Wait until I put a load of clothes in the wash and fold what’s in the dryer. I don’t want you messing with the stove.”

After all of three minutes, Abby whispered to Roxy, “We can put it in the microwave.”

Roxy lit up like Christmas lights as she chimed in, “Then that way we won’t be messing with the stove.”

“Yeah!” Abby excitedly exclaimed as Roxy helped her drag a chair over to the wall mounted microwave.

The liquid splashed over the side of the pitcher as she plunked it down on the table. With the backs of her hands she wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. “Shut up, Adam! How were we supposed to know aluminum foil couldn’t go in the microwave?”

Adam, too, was now laughing. The stench of smoke was in the house for days. Every time his mom walked into the kitchen and saw the charred wall which once held the microwave, she’d start fussing at Abby and Roxy all over again.

“Oh God, me and poor Abby were so scared. That crazy microwave was making all kinds of popping and crackling noises before it burst into flames.”

“I bet that tail whipping you and
poor
Abby got was just as scary.”

Lord have mercy, Ms. Brenda put a hurting on them that day. Poor little Roxy thought she had gotten the worse of it until she got home that evening. Reba tore her tail up again. Screaming and crying about how she didn’t have money to repair the damage to the Wests’ kitchen the entire time she was spanking her butt.

“Shut up, Adam!” she laughed, trying to whack him in the head but wasn’t quite fast enough. He had quickly curled his fingers around her wrist and pulled her on his lap.

Giving her a bear hug, he kissed her forehead. “I did feel sorry for you little imps.”

Roxy laid her head on Adam’s shoulder. Yeah, that was one of the few memories she had of him being nice to her as a little girl. The next day he’d begged his father to borrow the car and had taken them to Baskin Robbins for ice cream.

“Yup, you did,” she quietly stated as she remembered her friend.

She figured Adam was remembering Abby, too, as he held her, tenderly stroking her back in an up and down motion.

“Do you think Abby can see us?”

“Yeah… I do,” he answered, giving her an affectionate squeeze.