BOMAW 1-3 (31 page)

He found renewed hope in that look. She might not say it, but he saw it in her eyes, she loved him.

“I…” She gulped, a tear fell, she lowered her forehead to his.

“What, baby…tell me,” he coaxed gently.

Rolling her head back and forth on his. “I can’t…” His hands moved up from her waist to her back, pulling her in closer. This time it was Sylvia who initiated it, the kiss; she had to, she just had to taste him. He was so close, smelling so good. Feeling so solid, warm, and masculine. His lips met hers halfway in the very short distance they had to travel. Very warm, nice and moist…hesitant and careful. The warm breath of him mixed with hers as they both took their time savoring the contact. Gentle pecks that turned her head this way and that, building steadily to something more urgent.

Strong hands gripped her shoulders, pulling her tighter, closer; he turned his head and couldn’t hold back, opening his mouth to fuse with hers he worked his tongue between her lips, through her teeth and found the tip of her tongue there waiting for him. They met and entwined, with a gasp, the kiss became devouring. Sylvia felt heat surge through her with maddening speed, her body took over.

She broke the kiss for a quick instant to straddle his lap; immediately, Shawn pulled her onto his hardening length, grinding it into the v of her heat, watching the expression on her face, he wanted her to know what she did to him, unable to resist, he brought her open mouth back to his as he rocked her on his throbbing erection.

Sylvia whimpered, her heart was pounding so hard she couldn’t catch her breath, then felt her hips gripped tightly in his hands as he pressed hard up against her, forcing her to grind down on him. He coached her to rock back and forth on his turgid length; for Sylvia, it had been so long.

Too long.

She knew it was going to happen, she was going to embarrass herself and climax any second, but it was now past the point of no return. She needed to, it gripped her at that point where she had to have it and he was about to make it happen. His tongue was solid and probing, filling her mouth as she sucked it in more. Another frantic, grappling, grinding, surging moment passed when suddenly, Sylvia’s mouth tore from his as her head went back.

“Ohhh god! Ohhhh…ohhh goooddd!” Her head tossed and turned as she bit into her bottom lip. Her mind and brain scattering images and thoughts in a blurry haze as her body shivered and trembled. Whimpering, mewling, wracking spasms still held her prisoner as finally, Shawn’s soft voice broke through to her sense of hearing.

“That’s it, baby, that’s it. It’s only the beginning…it’s only the beginning. Every time we make love— it’ll be like this, but better—much better.”

Her forehead was once again back on his, resting there, trying to bring her breathing down. “Oh my god, I can’t
believe
I did this.” His reply was to tilt his head back and kiss her once again, softly…lovingly. A moment later she pulled away looking him in the eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

He smiled. “For what?”

“Well, you…ummm…didn’t - really get anything out of that.” She went bashful on him.

He chuckled softly. “I got more than you'll ever know out of that - besides, it gives me something to look forward to, doesn’t it?” He gave her another peck on the lips.

“Come home with me. Don’t let me leave here without you.”

She looked into his eyes, thinking it over, when the door bell rang. “Mama!” She was off his lap in an instant.

“You get to the bathroom, I’ll let mama in,” he responded, moving fast as she was. “Oh, thank you. You think she’ll know?” He shrugged, “You better hurry or she will.

Shawn ended up staying longer than he intended. Once Lydia took him to the basement to show him what she was doing, that was it. His conscience would not let him leave her with the task that she was undertaking. Once again, he surprised Sylvia with another skill she hadn’t expected of him. Working together with his direction, they were able to get quite a bit done. She also noted that her mother didn’t argue with Shawn on how things were to be done, which she brought to her attention, with her mother replying, “But he know what he doing, you don’t…so you can’t tell me nothin’ when you don’t know.”

Sylvia’s response was to make a face behind her back.

The evenings, however, belonged to them, even though they had to part at bedtime, because Lydia wasn’t having it, them sleeping under her roof in the same bed. She made that point very clear; respectfully, they stuck to it. Long before bedtime arrived, they made the time in Chicago enjoyable. Winter didn’t hamper their fun. They saw shows at the Chicago theatre. Went to the movies, out to dinner, hit several live comedy houses and the most memorable night, was at a nightclub where they enjoyed drinks, dinner and dancing. Jazz, sexy and provocative. A saxophone, a piano, a soft drummer and a female vocalist who sang in a way that made a woman want her man in the best possible way.

Slowly they danced and swayed, taken away with sounds that meant to seduce, leading to one sure-fire way of ending the evening to make it simply perfect. He hailed a carriage to take them for a ride around the city lake shore. The night was cool and brisk, but not freezing. Perfect for a couple in love to cuddle close and snuggle up as the horse and driver contributed to a most perfect night.

“Are you okay?” Shawn asked with Sylvia held closely against his side, his arms comfortably around her. “Oh, yeah, this is nice,” she simpered then snuggled closer.

“You sure?”

Giggling, she nodded her head. “Very sure.”

“Good.” He sighed. “So now what, lady?”

She nestled her head in the crook of his neck, kissing him lightly there, making little wet pecks.

“Emmmm, nice…so what are you telling me?” He moaned, then whispered the question softly.

She pulled back and looked up at him. He lowered his mouth and kissed her gently, lightly, rising again to look down at her.

“I want you,” she said it this time, not him.

His brows shot up surprised. “What did you say?”

She stared at him a moment and knew that it was true…she was done trying to fight it. Come what may, she wanted this man…and she was willing to do whatever it took to get him and keep him.

“I…want…you…Shawn Everett McPherson. I want you,” slowly, then again for emphasis, she said the words he wanted to hear.

“Wow. So what are you saying?”

“Let’s get a room.”

“All night?”

“All night.”

“What’s
mama
gonna say?” he mocked.

“I’m grown. We won't be under her roof, mama gonna have to understand, and if she don’t, then I’m gonna have to explain it to her.”

He threw his head back and let out a laugh so deep and sexy, she laughed too, and was turned on even more. Coming down from his laughter, he looked at her shaking his head.

“A room, you say? All night? Well, I think I’m gonna have to accommodate you, lady…on one condition,” he informed her.

A perfectly arched brow rose. “Oh, yeah, and that is?”

“Tell me you love me,” he said on baited breath. Of all the things he would say, that was not what she expected.

“Now why would I do that, when you, sir, haven’t said that you love me.” She smiled.

He grew serious. “I…love…you. Like I have never loved a woman ever in my life…I love you.”

Sylvia’s eyes grew wide as her heart leapt into her throat. His declaration was shaking her to the core; fear once again sprang to life. She had resigned herself to being with him, but not with the thought in mind that it could mean so much as this, what he was saying, so soon. What if he was saying it just to get her in bed? But that didn’t make sense; she’d already opened the invitation for him to take her to bed, so there was no need for him to say it.

“Well, either I’ve shocked you into sheer disbelief, or you’re trying to think of a way to let me down gently.”

Stunned, she shook her head as unbidden tears came to her eyes.

“No…I’m not letting you down…easily.” She gulped.

“No?” He grinned.

Again she shook her head. “No.”

Now he was chuckling. “So then I’ve shocked you?”

She nodded vigorously. “Yes.”

He reached up and caught a tear. “Hmmm, soooo, can I assume that this possibly means…you love me?” he coaxed. She swallowed, taking a deep breath, then nodded again vigorously.

“Say it…say you love me.”

“I-I do.”

“No…no, no, no. That’s good, I like that. Keep that one in mind, especially for later, when we get married. But right now,
‘I love you’
would be perfect.”

“Married?”

“Well, yeah…not tonight, but…I’m thinking, not too far into the future - I did after all, tell your mother that I had the best of intentions for you.”

“Oh my god,” she cried.

He laughed. “No, I love you.”

“Yes!”

“Yes, what?”

“I love you!”

“You sure about that?"

“Yes, I’m sure!”

“I don’t know…seems to me, I was pulling teeth to—”

Cutting him off was her hands gripping his face, bringing his lips down to her, kissing him with all the love she was feeling. “Emmmm.” He moaned, enfolding her into his arms, leaning over her as he deepened the kiss. After a moment thus, he slowly lifted, she repeated, “I love you…I love you.” He smiled softly down at her, going down for a peck on her lips, once, twice, three times.

“Now can we get a room?” she asked.

He roared into laughter. “You got it, lady, you got it.” He turned away from her and leaned forward, calling out to the driver of the carriage, telling him that they were ready to be taken back to the jazz club.

Climbing into his SUV Sylvia settled back in comfort. Before closing her door, Shawn leaned in kissing her again. When he pulled away, there was nothing but excitement and anticipation in his eyes…oh, yeah, and love. He soundly closed her door and made it around his car in record speed, just as Sylvia hit the auto unlock. He jumped in, started his vehicle, and turned to her asking, “You’re sure, you’re sure?”

She laughed out. “Yes, I’m sure!”

He shivered, rubbing his hands together, shaking his head. “Ooooh, Otis, don’t fail me tonight,” he mumbled in a singsong that cracked Sylvia up. “You are one crazy white man…do you know that?” she asked.

“What! What’s crazy about a little prayer? Buckle up.”
Shaking her head, she did so as he pulled out into traffic heading for State Street to the Embassy Suites Hotel downtown. He’d stayed there before on business when he’d come to Chicago and loved their accommodations.

“Please tell me why a man like you would need a prayer?” she asked as he drove.

“Sweetheart, I need you to prepare yourself, because this is going to be hard for even you to believe…but…I’m…well, I’m normal.” Again Sylvia was lost in shocked laughter. “Human, yes, I know as incredible as that is, it’s true. And lady, I want you bad. Overexcitement can sometimes lead to disappointment. Tonight’s not the night for that. Know what I mean?” His frank honesty impressed her, even though it was shrouded in arrogant humor.

“So are you saying that…” she snickered, “
Otis
has let you down before?”

“Otis has never let me down! But never has there been a time when I’ve wanted so much to do this so…so…hmmmm…”

“Right?” she offered the answer.

He glanced at her briefly, giving a gentle smile. “Yeah…I don’t want to disappoint you. I want to please you, completely. Before, I never gave it a thought. I was always confidant. With you, it’s different.”

“How so?” she asked softly.

“With you, I wouldn’t put it past you to say something like,
what was that…you got to be kidding me
?” he mimicked her black dialect with the shake of his head, sending Sylvia into uncontrollable laughter.

“I know you, lady…I don’t think you’re the kind to fake it,” he added, grinning. Sylvia laughed even harder, tears coming to her eyes. “I’m right, aren’t I? See, that’s the thing that scares white men away sometimes, black women won’t fake it! At least white women feel bad for you and try to spare your feelings; they’ll fake it, just to get it over with. But black women…no way, I know, and I've heard!”

“You know? You've heard? I see, and who told you that mess?” she asked, coming down from her laughter.

“True or false? Right or wrong?” he asked grinning.

She smiled. “Hmph, I guess you ‘bout to find out, silly white man.” Again he gave show of a shivering shake.

“You scared?” she taunted.

With a lift of his brow, he cut her a look out the side of his eyes. “I guess you ‘bout to find out, sexy black woman.”

She crinkled her nose and shifted in her seat, wondering what other black women he'd been with? Considering it was in his past, and this night was their's, she wasn't going to worry about digging there.

He went immediately to the Embassy, stopping out front for the valet to take his vehicle to the underground parking. Stepping out of the vehicle, Shawn handed the young man his keys, and made his way around to Sylvia’s door opening it for her. Taking her hand, both felt an instant surge through their bodies in anticipation for what was to come.