A Designed Affair (14 page)

“Taija are you sure you’re going to be okay if I fly out to California to take a look at how the new office is coming along? I know you’ve been sick and I don’t want to leave you.”

“Duron I’m fine. It’s morning sickness and it’s natural. I’m only six weeks along and I’ll be fine. I still can’t believe I got pregnant on our honeymoon. I thought it would take a while for me to get pregnant after being off of birth control just one month.”

Duron was shocked as well.

“I told you I was ready to start our family as soon as you were and it looks like our sooner came very soon. You’ve made me the happiest man around,” he said pulling his wife into his arms.

“I’m happy too and wasn’t sure what I would continue to feel once the doctor confirmed my pregnancy, but I’ve been extremely happy and excited even with the morning sickness. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine while you’re gone. Remember Victoria is coming in from Boston for a few days for a meeting and she’ll be around while you’re gone so stop worrying.”

“Okay babe. This is my first baby so I don’t know what to expect. All I see is you running to the bathroom to throw-up at the mention of food. If you say its normal, then I’ll go with that, but if you need me, I’ll be a cell phone call away and I’m glad Victoria will be here with you just in case.”

Duron kissed his wife as if he were experiencing his last supper. He knew he would never get enough of kissing her. He couldn’t believe that after all they went through, she was now his wife and was pregnant with their first baby. They agreed to wait before telling their families. Taija wanted to tell Victoria because she knew Victoria would figure it out during her visit if Taija continued to suffer from morning sickness. Still, he had reservations about leaving her for a few days to fly to California. He couldn’t do much to help lessen the effects of the morning sickness, but he liked being able to get her ginger ale and crackers to calm her stomach and keep a cold wash cloth handy to wipe her forehead.

As the kiss began turning into more than just a casual kiss, Taija pushed Duron away, knowing if they continued he would miss his flight.

“That’s enough lover boy. Get going before you miss your flight. Did you call Mike to let him know you were visiting the California office while he’s out there too?”

Duron continued packing.

“No I didn’t. I’ll stop by the office and catch him when I get there. It’s early in the morning right now in California, too early to call him. He knew I would be coming out soon; I just didn’t tell him when. I want to go now because I have several big meetings coming up that I need to be here for and I won’t be able to get away again anytime soon.”

“Have fun with Victoria this week. I’ll call you when I land to check on you. If you’re still going in the office this afternoon, don’t overdo it. My baby basting in the oven wants you to take things slow and easy.”

Duron leaned over to kiss Taija’s still flat stomach though he knew his child was growing daily. He couldn’t wait to meet him or her. It didn’t matter to him what they were having as long as the baby was healthy and looked like his beautiful wife.

“I love you babe,” Duron said heading out of the door.

“Love you too,” Taija hollered at his back as he left.

~~~

Loren and Mike were finally stirring after a night of love making that left them exhausted. As daylight began to pour through the windows of Mike’s house, Loren moved to get up first. As she was about to put her feet on the floor, Mike reached over and pulled her back towards him, kissing her shoulder blades as he pulled her back down on the bed. He attempted to roll her under him for what Loren assumed was another round of passion.

“Not so fast. You’ve had me trapped in this bed all night long and remember there comes a time when a body has to relieve itself and my time is now. I have to go, so let go.”

Loren heard Mike laugh as he let her go and watched as she ran to the bathroom.

After she closed the bathroom door, he leaned back on his pillow and thought about how happy he was. He was glad he was able to have Loren with him in California and not just for work purposes. He loved that she was invested in making sure the interior of his home was exactly how he wanted it to be, but he wanted time with her where they were not talking about work. He only wished they didn’t have to continue to keep their relationship a secret from her family. It was getting tricky and complicated finding time to spend together, especially when they were in Atlanta. He was running out of excuses of why he would suddenly start showing up at Knight family functions, more than he usually would. Luckily her family had always considered him family so it wasn’t odd for him to be around as much as he had been lately.

He was happy that they could go out publicly and go on actual dates, kiss in public if they felt like it and enjoy each other’s company without having to look over their shoulders wondering if anyone spotted them. He was worried that soon things would get even more complicated with his move. Loren had promised him that she would talk to her brother when she got back to Atlanta. He wanted to be there with her for the conversation so that he could help Loren explain the long term secrecy. She wanted to do it on her own and he was going to respect her wishes. All he knew was that soon, he would be free to love her anytime and anyplace he wanted. If there were any reservations from her family, he had no problem reassuring them that he wanted Loren and he would do anything for her and anything to keep her.

Loren needed a hot shower. Her body ached, in a good way from the passion that she and Mike shared throughout the night. They can’t seem to get enough of each other. It wasn’t just the sex either. For years she knew him as Mike, Duron’s best friend, but now she gets to know Mike on a more personal level and everything she’s learning about him she likes. They have a lot in common.

They both love football and are die hard Baltimore Ravens fans even though he’s from New York and she’s from Atlanta, two cities that also have their own football teams. Who couldn’t love a team that had Ray Lewis?

They each love scary movies and the scarier the better. She didn’t always like them, but now that they were together, she loved being scared around him knowing that when she reached out in the night, he was there to soothe her.

Loren exited the bathroom after her shower to find Mike in the same position she’d left him in. He was giving her that look that let her know that he would rather she joined him back on the bed instead of him getting out of it. She could see something making a tent of the blanket on the bed, an obvious sign that he had sex in mind. The man was an animal, always ready and didn’t need a break or a nap in between. His sexual appetite was insatiable and she was more than happy to accommodate his every desire.

“So I see what you have in mind for us this morning,” she said looking at him with the same lust-filled look he was giving her.

Mike never said a word. He simply pulled the blanket off to show her he was already throbbing, hard and waiting just for her and that’s all the invitation she needed.

Loren dropped her towel.

Mike knew he would never tire of seeing Loren in all of her gloriously nakedness. Just the sight of her sent his pulse spiraling out of control. He watched as she took her time, seducing him with her sexy walk towards the bed. When she reached him, he reached out and pulled her to him, tumbling her down on the bed. It never amazed Mike just how unglued he became around her. His body had come to know hers so well and was always ready to mate with hers.

Loren was enjoying the kissing and caressing, but at her current heightened state of arousal, she wanted more. In between Mike kissing and caressing her, she uttered, “Condom, now Mike!”

After Mike sheathed himself, he rejoined Loren on the bed. When he covered her body with his, Loren rocked her body into his letting him know she was ready. When she spread her legs, he answered the invitation and entered her body in one long, hard push.

He knew he wasn’t going to last long when Loren started muttering that she wanted him to go faster, that she needed more, that she needed it harder. Her musings sent Mike’s love making to an all new level of raw abandonment. His thrusts were firm and deep and Loren matched him stroke for stroke. They were both surging to completion. They were dancing to the sound of music that only the two of them could make.

Every nerve ending in Loren’s body was on fire. She was clawing, clawing, clawing to let go. She urged him on with her sighs of pleasure. She couldn’t help, but say his name over and over again. She needed him to know what he was doing to her and that she loved all of it. She knew what was at the end of the race and she needed it. She could only feel this way with Mike. His moans of her name were her undoing as she experienced an out of body experience. Her release shook her entire body as if she were going through convulsions.

It was only after Loren was satiated that Mike allowed himself to join her as he shuddered through his potent release.

Loren felt his orgasm and helped prolong his pleasure by clinching and tightening her muscles around him as he continued to fill her with his unrestrained passion.

This release for Mike was blinding. He could feel the pulsing behind his eye lids as he waited for his body to calm after the raging storm he’d just experienced. He couldn’t speak, he couldn’t move, he couldn’t do anything, but kiss Loren over and over because what they shared went beyond mere words. If things were always going to be like this between them, he was ready to sign up to be on board for life.

~~~

Duron landed at the airport and headed straight to the new office to see how far the construction had come along. He appreciated the pictures Mike had been sending him, but he wanted to see everything for himself.

After picking up his rental, he drove straight to the site. There was a three hour time difference than where he boarded in Atlanta so it was actually eleven o’clock in the morning and he was happy to see the men busy at work, diligently working to meet the deadline of when they needed the office up and running. The project they were obligated to begin was on a tight schedule and if they were going to begin, they needed the office space to work out of up and running as well. From what he could see, things were moving along very well. He exited his vehicle and went in search of Mike. Not finding him, he asked around for the foreman.

“I’m Duron Knight, one of the partners here at Pioneer. Looks like your men are making good time, which is great. Any chance you’ve seen Michael Bailey, one of the other owners around here today?”

The foreman thanked him for complimenting the men on the work done so far.

“I haven’t seen Mr. Bailey around yet today. He did mention he may be around a little later than usual today. The final work was done on his house yesterday so I believe he was hanging around there today to be sure everything was to his liking.”

“Great, I’ll head over there and get my first look at this west coast mansion I’ve been hearing he’ll be living in. I’ll be around later and I’d appreciate it if you could make the time to walk me around the complex and show me what still needs to be done when I return.”

“Yes sir. I’ll be here all day,” the foreman said.

Duron shook hands with him and headed back to his car while dialing Mike’s cell phone to let him know he was in California.

Mike didn’t answer his phone even after he tried reaching him a few times. He decided to leave a message to let him know he was in town and was on his way out to the house. He entered the address in the GPS and hoped Mike was there when he got there.

~~~

Mike and Loren were enjoying a breakfast of champions at his new black marble island in his newly redesigned kitchen. Her only attire was one of his t-shirts that was three sizes too big for her, but she liked being in his shirts. Mike was still walking around in the towel he had donned after coming out of the shower after their last session of early morning marathon lovemaking. They were careful to stay in the kitchen area since they were clad in little clothing. There were still members of the construction crew around working on the lower level of the house doing finishing touches.

“We are so domesticated, Mike,” Loren said while enjoying her western omelet and buttermilk pancakes.

Mike muffled some type of response, trying to talk with his mouth full of food.

She laughed at his attempt to eat and talk, finally swallowing he replied.

“Does this domesticated scene scare you?” he asked.

“Not at all. I’m starting to get use to what we have.”

“Enough to finally let your family know about us?”

He could see his comment surprised her. He hated that he needed to constantly remind her that it was time to let go of the secret and tell everyone. He was determined to get it resolved.

“I told you I would tell them when I got back and I will.”

She nervously bit her lip and Mike knew there was more.

“I hear reservation and I see it in your face and in the way you’re nibbling on your lip. What is it?”

“I may not tell them as soon as I get back. I want to feel them out first, but I promise I will. I’m going to start with my mom and she what she thinks the others will say, especially Duron. She knows all of us better than we know ourselves. I just don’t want to rush into it.”

“Rush Loren? It’s been months and I wouldn’t call that rushing at all. In fact, I see you stalling and I don’t understand why you still have a problem with this. Do you still think I’m seeing other women? You think I’m not serious about wanting to commit to you? To us? If that’s the case you’re wrong. I’m not seeing anyone else, nor do I want to. I think I have proven myself beyond all of the reservations you had in the beginning about my ability to be with just you and no other women.”

“I don’t have reservations about you at all. I trust that you meant what you said when you said you wanted to prove to me that you wanted me and only me. My one and only issue is still the reaction from Duron. I love what you and I have. I am ready to share it with the world. I just want to do it the right way.”