Every Beat of My Heart Page 8

He placed his hands on either side of her waist and pulled her rigid body close to his. “I don’t want any of them, baby. You’re the only one I want. And if you don’t believe me, then let me show you.”

  Her stiff body softened within his embrace, as did the hardness in her eyes. She tilted her head, looked up at him. “And how do you plan to do that?”

  He leaned down, bringing his lips close to her ear. Softly, he declared, “By making love to you so thoroughly, you’ll never doubt me again.”

  A visible shiver shot through her body.

  A moment later, when his lips touched hers, she put up no protest. He held her close, and she wound her graceful arms around his neck. He kissed her with all the passion he held inside, his tongue sweeping through the sweet cavern of her mouth. She’d been drinking champagne during the show, and he tasted the lingering tartness of it as he devoured her mouth.

  When he finally pulled away, a few silent beats passed as they simply stood near the building, gazing into each other’s eyes.

  Finally, she spoke. “I went back to my maiden name a couple of days ago.”

  “I’m glad to hear it.” Though he didn’t know why she was telling him that now, he was pleased to know she’d severed that tie to her past. “So what do you want to do now?”

  “Follow me to my house.” As the words left her glossy lips, her fingertips lightly played through his dreadlocks. Then her hand dropped away, and she fixed him with a come-hither stare so potent, his groin tightened.

  Not needing to be asked twice, Rashad got his case and strode to his car.

  Chapter 9

  Lina couldn’t remember the last time she’d driven so fast, but as she twisted her key in the lock of her front door, she didn’t have a care. Rashad must have been going just as fast to keep up with her.

  The solid mass of Rashad’s body, pressed against her back, removed all interest in regret, or in anything that wasn’t related to getting him naked as soon as possible.

  Once the door was shut and relocked behind them, she only had a moment to get her breath before he swept her into his strong arms. His lips crashed down on hers with such intensity, only his embrace kept her from swooning and hitting the floor. One of his large hands wove its way into her curls, massaging her scalp, while the other firmly gripped her behind. Both touches were possessive, insistent and oh so sexy.

  He separated the seal of their lips, backing her up against the wall of her entryway alcove. The space was occupied by nothing more than a painting on the wall and a small console table. As he swept her dish of potpourri on the floor and set her down, she discovered the table was just wide enough to accommodate her hips. Once she was seated, he moved in, his soft lips trailing hot kisses over her neck, shoulder and collarbone. When he tugged down the top of her dress to reveal her breasts, she gasped. But as his warm mouth captured one of her nipples, she could do nothing but moan while he melted her insides. Liquid warmth pooled between her legs, dampening the lacy swath of her panties.

  Once he’d given the same devoted attention to her other breast, he drew back for a moment. Through hooded eyes, she watched him take off his fedora and sport coat, hanging them on the antique coatrack she kept by her front door. Loosening and removing his tie, he then stripped away his button-down shirt and the tank beneath, revealing the rippled musculature of his chest and abdomen.

  Her eyes traveled to his low-slung trousers. They sat on his waist in such a way that she could see the cuts in the muscle where his thighs met his pelvis, and as far as she could tell, he wasn’t wearing any underwear. She sucked in a breath as she saw the bulge of his hardness, imprinted against the dark fabric.

  Clad in only the trousers, wing tips and socks, he eased back toward her, dropping to his knees on the carpeted floor.

  She’d been down this road with him before, and when she realized what he was about to do, her whole body began to shake of its own accord. He inched closer and closer, until his chest touched her knees.

  “Open up for me, baby. Let me show you how I really feel.” He placed an open palm on each trembling knee, but didn’t press her.

  Her legs parted on their own, as her hips lifted from the polished surface of the table. He reached up to raise her dress. Then he proceeded to tug her cream-colored lace panties away from her body, tossing them aside.

  In the dim light cast by her entryway lamp, she could see his glittering eyes, and the smile touching the corners of his soft lips. His right hand left her hip, and before she could brace herself, his fingertips were playing through the damp vent between her thighs. Soft moans escaped her throat at his skillful touch. She had not been with a man since she and Rashad had broken up, and now she knew why. There was no other man on this earth who could touch her this way. And she knew from experience that this was just a warm-up for him.

  Her head dropped back as the magic of his touch overtook her. He slipped two of his long fingers inside her, and she nearly buckled at the charge of pleasure that ran through her.

  His deep, rumbling chuckle rose in the silence as he withdrew. “Don’t worry, baby. I won’t make you suffer for long.”

  He leaned forward and let the tip of his tongue sweep through her damp folds.

  The initial contact tore a long, shaky moan from her lips.

  His big hands lifted her thighs up onto his shoulders, then gripped her ass to stabilize her. While he worked his mouth on her, it was all she could do not to slide down the wall and onto the floor in a heap. Her back arched like a bow, and she laced her fingers into the dark length of his dreadlocks.

  It wasn’t long until orgasm shot through her. The whole world rocked, her hips rose from the tabletop as she screamed his name into the silence of the house.

  She was boneless and witless, but aware of him lifting her up and carrying her across the room. As her naked hips came to rest on the overstuffed sofa, she opened her eyes. She watched with rapt desire as he kicked off his wing tips, then rid himself of his socks. As he loosened his belt and tugged his slacks down, she saw that he was wearing underwear—low-cut black bikinis that barely contained his raging hardness. She swallowed as he snatched off the underwear, letting his manhood spring free. It was as long, thick and beautiful as she remembered, and just as hard and ready for her as it had been when he had visited her dreams.

  She watched him remove a condom packet from the pocket of his discarded pants, then open it. He unrolled it, covering himself, without ever taking his eyes off her face.

  She felt her tongue dart out to dampen her lips. This man is so fine.

  He reached for her, turned her around. “Now, as I recall, this is how my baby likes to be loved.”

  He was right, and she couldn’t be gladder that he’d remembered. She sighed with anticipation as she let him position her on her knees with her back to him. She draped her upper body over the back cushions of her sofa, feeling the seat beneath her give as he knelt behind her. He used his fingertips to open her once again, then slipped inside her in one long, smooth stroke.

  Having him inside her again was like the most welcome of homecomings. Her body bloomed to him, drawing him deeper, where she most wanted him to be. He groaned as her muscles clamped down on him. Soft sighs of ecstasy escaped her throat with every thrust of his powerful hips.

  She gripped the back of the sofa as his arms held fast to her waist. The loving he gave her now surpassed even the most erotic memories she’d had from their past together. He had her shaking, moaning, calling out his name. It was as if he were on a mission to make her lose her mind. If that were his goal, she’d fall happily into the pit of insanity. Do whatever he wanted, so the loving wouldn’t stop.

  He splayed a hand through her hair, drew her head back to whisper in her ear.

  “Only you, baby.”

  His declaration, delivered in that sex-drenched baritone
, pushed her over the edge. She cried out as another orgasm grabbed hold of her and tossed her up into the stratosphere.

  In the aftermath, she simply lay against the cushions, trying to get her breath. His hard body remained against her back. At first the only sounds were of their shaky breaths.

  Then he asked, “Do you believe me yet?”

  She swallowed, exhaled. Her mouth wanted to speak but her mind had been reduced to mush.

  “Then let’s go to the bedroom and ‘discuss’ this further.” He eased away from her.

  When she turned his way, she saw him standing there naked in front of her sofa, his hand outstretched. Reaching out, she took it and let him lead her into her bedroom.

  * * *

  Rashad took in the familiar sights and smells of Lina’s bedroom as he stepped inside, still holding her hand. He hadn’t been in this room in a long while, and he was glad she’d allowed him to reenter her world. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, he gestured for her to sit next to him.

  She obliged, looking at him with wide eyes. “I don’t know if I can take much more of your convincing, Rashad.”

  He chuckled. Already his manhood was thickening just from being so close to her nude beauty. “When I asked if you believed me, you hesitated.”

  She shook her head. “No, I didn’t. I just couldn’t speak.”

  His eyebrow cocked. “Oh, really?”

  Her cheeks reddened, and she looked away, her long fringe of dark lashes lowering. “Stop teasing me.”

  He draped his arm around her shoulders. “It’s like I told you, Lina. I don’t want anyone else but you. And if you still have doubts, I have all night to show you just how serious I am.”

  And he meant it. Making love to her was a privilege, and one he was more than happy to exercise again, and all through the night. He loved the way she moaned, the way she sighed, the way her body rose to his touch.

  Damn. I love her.

  He’d always been a flirt, always enjoyed the chase when it came to women. But when it came to her, things were different. He encircled her with his arms, leaned down to place kisses on the soft, fragrant skin of her neck and shoulders, inhaling her scent all the while. The musical sounds of her sighs filled the room, and his manhood stiffened even more.

  She pulled away, sucked on her bottom lip. Her eyes held heat and desire. “Maybe I could use just a little more assurance.”

  He watched, enraptured, as she stood before him. She opened her palm and placed it flat against the center of his chest, applying the slightest pressure.

  Taking the hint, he lay on his back across the bed.

  From her bedside table, she produced a fresh condom. Doing away with the old one, she slowly rolled the new one down over his engorged manhood. Watching her cover him was an extremely erotic sight, one that made anticipation crackle through him.

  By the time she climbed atop him and sank down onto him, he had to restrain himself to keep the act from being over before it got started. The heated tightness of her body engulfed him, and he filled his hands with the fullness of her hips as she started to ride.

  He forced his hooded eyes to remain open, so he could watch the rise and fall of her beautiful body. She was a glorious sight. Her head tossed back, breasts bouncing, and her arms stretched above her head as she gave herself over to pleasure. The song of her moans rang sweet in his ears, mingled with his own groans.

  The sounds she made became longer, more intense and louder, until finally, her orgasm came with a sensual cry. The contractions of her inner muscles sent him into spasms of his own, and he gripped her hips and closed his eyes as his body splintered with release.

  She lay down atop him, her breasts pressed against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her. Holding her close to his rapidly beating heart felt right, natural. She made him feel complete, made him feel like he could do anything. What more could he ask for in a woman?

  Her soft snores let him know she had fallen asleep, so he remained where he was to avoid disturbing her. While asleep, she looked as innocent as a newborn. He knew better, though. She was as fiery and passionate a woman as he’d ever met. He felt he knew her well, probably better than some of her friends did.

  But she did not know all there was to know about him. Perceptive as she was, she knew he’d been keeping something from her back when they first attempted a relationship. He had been dishonest with her, but not about seeing other women as she’d thought. No, his secret was much more complex than that, and he had no idea how she would react when she finally discovered it. Because of that, he planned to sit on his truth for as long as possible.

  She stirred a bit, and he held her a little tighter. Looking at her, naked and sated from his loving, he knew he could never be unfaithful to her. What they shared was rare, special. He would never dishonor that by being with other women. He just hoped that tonight’s “convincing” had been sufficient means to show her that he was ready to commit to her, fully.

  “Wow.” She uttered the single word in a sleep-filled voice.

  A smile spread across his face. “So you liked that, huh?”

  The sound she made in response was like the sound someone made when they sank their teeth into their very favorite dessert—the sound of utter and complete satisfaction.

  “Glad to hear it.” He loved hearing her make that sound, loved knowing he’d shown her the heights of passion. If she’d let him, he’d be willing to spend the rest of his life gifting her with that pleasure, every single night.

  Those thoughts of forever gave him pause. He’d been ready to commit to her the first time they’d been in a relationship, yet she couldn’t see it. She let her mistrust come between them, and as much as he cared about her, he had no guarantee that wouldn’t happen again.

  Loving her and losing her once had hurt. If he had to go through that again, it would surely kill him. This time around, he planned to guard his feelings as best he could, because he didn’t plan to go out like that again.

  Chapter 10

  Taking a sip of her coffee, Lina flipped over the contract page she’d been poring over and moved on to the next. She gave the page her complete focus as she read through the clauses, separated by sections and bullet points. A client of hers had requested that she perform one last contract evaluation before the document was finalized. It wasn’t the most enjoyable task, but it was a vital part of the practice of employment law. Mondays always seemed to bring a bumper crop of new contracts and paperwork to be handled.

  She was so engrossed in the paperwork that she didn’t immediately hear the rapping on her office door. When she noticed it, she looked up. “Come in.”

  Mrs. Lerner walked in, holding a large cardboard box. “Good news, Lina. The new stationery finally came in. Want to see it?”

  Setting the contract aside, Lina stood. “Of course!” She got a pair of scissors from her desk caddy and cut through the packing tape.

  Mrs. Lerner flung the flaps open and pulled out several smaller boxes inside the large one. There were business cards, ink pens, folders and more. All were emblazoned with the firm’s new name: Lerner, Mitchell and Smith.

  Holding one of the foil embossed business cards in her hand, Lina could feel the smile stretching across her face. Seeing her name in gold foil, free of any ties to her past, felt wonderful. This was a dream come true, and a moment many years in the making. She’d come from humble beginnings, worked hard to put herself through school and to prove herself as an attorney. Now, she’d finally landed her first partnership, and she couldn’t be more ecstatic.

  Wearing a broad smile of her own, Mrs. Lerner asked, “How does it feel, honey?”

  “I’ve got to say, it feels pretty damn good. Thanks again for trusting me with the partnership, Gwen.”

  “I have the utmost faith in you, Lina.”

/>   “And I’ll make sure that faith isn’t misplaced.” She removed a box of business cards that had her name on them, as well as one box of each of the other stationery items, and stacked them atop her desk.

  With a nod, Mrs. Lerner gathered the larger box and left the office, letting the door swing shut behind her.

  After taking a few moments to switch out her old business cards for the new ones, and to put the other stationery where it belonged, Lina returned to her seat behind the desk. For a moment, she just sat back in the chair and took in the magnitude of the moment. Not only was she now a partner in a well-reputed firm in the Queen City, her new title had come with a considerable bump in her salary. With the infusion of cash in her account, she’d be able to finally take a long overdue vacation. She wasn’t sure where she wanted to go yet, but she knew it would be someplace warm and tropical.

  She remembered the approaching auction, and her smile softened. She felt pretty confident that she’d be able to outbid Rashad for Monk’s piano. She still had concerns about the wealthy widow who’d been present at the first auction, though. The mysterious older woman seemed to be very well-off financially, and seemed to want the piano just as much as she and Rashad. There was no way to know how much the widow was willing to spend, and Lina knew there was a chance both she and Rashad might be outbid, and lose the chance to possess the piano. There was also the matter of the call-in bidder, she wasn’t even sure if that bid had ever been verified.

  Her thoughts shifted from the auction back to Rashad. Friday night, he’d shown her passion like she’d never experienced with anyone else. Those hours of hot, body-shaking loving had all been brought on by his determination to prove his devotion to her. The memories of his loving had stayed with her throughout the weekend. After all he’d given her, she definitely believed him. Now there would be no more lip from her about his so-called groupies, because he’d made it crystal clear where his affections lay.

  And now that she knew just how he felt, she couldn’t help relaxing the vice-like grip she usually kept on her emotions. He’d managed to soften her, and now she knew it would only be a matter of time before she admitted to him that she’d fallen for him. As a cautious woman by nature, though, she’d try to hold on to her heart as long as she could.