Forever Yours (3 page)

Deftly, Charles teased the tight buds of her breasts already straining against the confines of her sweatshirt, yearning to be kissed. She could feel her blood coursing through her body. His gentle touch was painful pleasure bordering on torture. As he unzipped her sweatshirt to free the captives, Jade opened his shirt and threaded her fingers through his down-covered chest. Charles lowered his head and tantalized a swollen dusky nipple with his tongue while he fanned the other with his forefinger. This sent a new wave of pleasure shooting through Jade and she moaned.

His lips traced a sensuous path as he slowly kissed his way down her quivering body. He slipped her sweatpants down and off her long, slender legs, stopping afterward to kiss the insides of her thighs. She gasped in sweet agony as he ran his tongue the length of her calf and kissed her through her panties. Excited to the point of detonation, Jade feared she’d drown in her own love juices, causing her impatience to grow to explosive proportions, as well.

Jade cupped the bulge of his manhood, which was straining against the confinement of his jeans. A beat later, she reached for his zipper and released it. Longing to have it deep inside her, she repositioned her body and rubbed her clitoris against it. Charles slowly slipped inside until he filled her completely. A moan of sheer delight passed through her lips. As he kissed and caressed the tender part of her neck, he drew his penis in and out of Jade ever so slowly, allowing her to savor every stroke. Like the building crescendo of a musical piece, Charles gradually increased his speed.

Passion radiated from the core of her being and soon her entire body began to vibrate with liquid fire. Though she’d wanted to delay coming as long as possible, Jade was finally forced to abandon herself to the waves of pleasure pulling her under.

Her orgasm had been so intense that she’d nearly forgotten how it had been with her ex. John had only cared about his own pleasure. If she got something out of their coupling, well, that was okay, too. Most of the time it turned out to be “wham, bam, thank-you, ma’am,” and John would turn onto his side of the bed and go to sleep, leaving her unsatisfied and miserable. But Charles had waited until she had an orgasm before he surrendered to his own. She could love the man for that alone.

Charles kissed Jade before resting his head on her breasts. Contentedly, she ran her fingers through his hair and lightly stroked his back. As her heart slowed down and returned to its normal rate, the fulfillment she felt was like a warm blanket. She wondered how something as beautiful as this could be wrong.

That night, after Charles left—he’d stayed around all day—Jade hugged herself as if she could keep the magic of his touch with her longer. She wasn’t certain where what had happened between them would lead, but she would no longer impede it. The small voice of worry and doubt in her head had grown silent—not that it mattered at this point. Had it not, she would have murdered it. The damage had been done. She was falling in love with the man. And in truth she was glad. For the first time in what seemed like ages, she felt complete.

And this time when she dreamed of a man, they were beautiful dreams and not nightmares. Charles, dressed in shining armor and carrying a lance, charged across the drawbridge of the breached defenses she’d erected to keep him out, heading directly into her castle.

Monte’s was a small, intimate, upscale restaurant a few blocks from the law office. She met Charles there for dinner on Tuesday night. They were seated at a small table in the corner, where the lighting was so minimal they had to hold the menus close to the candle on the table in order to read them.

“I’m surprised the place hasn’t already burned to the ground because a patron tried to read the menu,” Jade whispered to Charles.

“That’s why the menu is limited.”

She smiled. “Funny boy, why don’t you order for me?”

“You’re assuming my eyes are better,” he replied.

“Or you’ve memorized the menu.”

“How about the filet mignon?”

“Where do you see that?”
He pointed to it on her menu and their hands touched. A jolt of excitement passed through Jade. “Sounds good.”

The waiter appeared and took their order. He returned with their salads and the wine Charles had selected to go with the meal and poured each a glass.

Jade took a sip and smiled. “This is quite smooth. How do you know so much about wine?”

“Sometimes I have to meet with potential clients.”

“Ah, the proverbial wining and dining, I presume.”

“Yeah, sometimes we really have to suffer for the cause.”

Jade chuckled. “All those clients better be males.” The minute she said that, she was sorry. She had no claim on him and absolutely no right to make demands. “I’m sorry. That was out of line.”

He put his hand over hers and smiled warmly. “Don’t be. Something happened between us on Sunday, and I’m not taking it casually.”

That reply chased away whatever discomfort she’d felt, leaving relief in its wake. Charles changed the subject and began to tell her about a new case, one he was trying to get settled out of court. “It’s a ridiculous suit between a newly divorced couple.”

“Did one of them hide something belonging to the other?”

“Perhaps the wife should have.”

Jade gave him a sideways glance. “Why would you say such a thing?”

“You see, the wife had gotten the house and dog. However, when the husband went to retrieve some of his things, the dog bit him. Now he’s suing his ex-wife for punitive damages.”

“Ah, now I understand what you meant,” Jade said.

“And people wonder why the wheels of justice turn so slowly. If the courts weren’t clogged with such frivolous cases as this one, the important ones might be handled in a timelier manner,” Charles said, topping off their glasses.

The waiter returned with their main course. Charles watched as Jade tasted the filet.

“Was it a wise choice?” he asked.

“A perfect one.”

“Phew,” he said, wiping his brow in exaggeration. “I was worried.”

Jade arched an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Nah. I knew the food had to be good if half the law firm came here.”

She rolled her eyes and finished the second glass of wine. By that time, she was feeling no pain. All the sharp angles of her world had been smoothed to the point where she felt warm and fuzzy. And underneath those innocuous feelings, a tad wanton. She kicked off a shoe and slowly began to work her toes up the inside of Charles’s thigh. Even in the dim light, she saw his eyes widen as she reached his penis. Then an impish smile replaced the shock on his handsome face. She felt the bulge of his erection grow as it strained against his slacks.

Jade removed her foot and moved her chair closer to Charles. Unzipping his pants, she slipped her hand inside. She glanced sideways at him as she stroked him. It was nearly comical how he tried to keep his expression neutral. She grabbed the napkin from her lap a split second before he emitted a soft groan and ejaculated into the napkin.

A smile now covered his handsome face. Jade imagined all was well in his world. Just then the waiter appeared. “Are you folks going to have dessert?”

They both laughed, and the poor waiter, having no idea why, left the check and rushed off, mumbling something about leaving the money in the folder.

They left the restaurant and headed directly to Jade’s apartment. He kicked the door closed behind him as he took her in his arms and kissed her waiting lips. Mouths joined, they did an impromptu slow dance into her bedroom, undressing each other as they collided with walls, leaving a trail of discarded clothing behind them.

Jade, feeling horny as hell, wanted Charles. She no longer recognized herself. With little more than a glance or a touch, he could turn her into a sex-starved, crazy woman. And she loved it. His kisses seared her lips, yet she craved more. Jade now had this incontrollable desire—no, aching need—for more. She had become diseased with a rare form of love that only he could cure.

Lips locked, bodies still entwined, they fell onto the bed. Seconds later, they rolled and switched positions with her on top. Then they rotated again, as if they were struggling for dominance. Finally, his member found its mark and slipped inside. Jade wrapped her legs around his waist and they rocked together in rhythm as her senses whirled and skidded in a kaleidoscope of feeling. Lips mashed together feverishly as hands roamed everywhere. Moments later Jade felt the onrush of her first orgasm, followed quickly by his.

Collapsing in a tangled heap of limbs, they caught their breath and allowed their vitals to return to normal. Then they began to make love again, slower this time, so they could savor every kiss and every touch. Charles kissed the sweet, soft hollow of her throat as he lightly fanned her breast, its nipple hardening at his touch. She moaned softly as he replaced his hand with his mouth and his tongue tantalized the tight bud.

Slowly, Charles worked his way down Jade’s body, planting tender kisses, awakening every cell within her. He paid close attention to the velvety skin of her inner thighs, nearly causing her to jump from the bed. And he heightened this exquisite torture by turning his focus on her swollen clit, licking and sucking until her insides had become molten. Her orgasm came quickly as one spasm after another gripped her, more intense than her first one.

Charles continued revving up the heat until Jade let loose a scream probably loud enough to be heard by her next-door neighbor. If that hadn’t caused the elderly woman to go into cardiac arrest, she was most likely making a 911 call to report a murder. As Charles climaxed, Jade imagined the police knocking down her door to save her.

He lay his head facing hers on the other pillow. Jade gently traced his face with her fingertips. In the semidarkness, she could tell he was smiling and felt her heart flutter. She had no idea what it was about this man that caused her to lose all sense of logic. It was as if all her senses short-circuited. When she was with him, he was her reality. He simply filled up her senses to the point where she lived and breathed Charles, as if he were a part of her.

From the very first time they’d made love on that Sunday when Charles stopped by with bagels, they both willingly accepted the boundaries. Jade knew they’d always have the fact of his marriage wedged between them. Charles had mentioned his fears concerning his son, Stephen, if he left Caroline. And Jade would never ask him to. There were no strings attached to their relationship. This freedom helped increase the sheer enjoyment of being together during the stolen moments they shared. Every time they met was special, keeping their relationship fresh and vibrant. Not that Jade could ever tire of his kisses or touch.

No one knew of their affair—not even Shawna. This was a mutual decision. Aside from not wanting to hurt his career, Jade disliked gossip and certainly didn't want to become its focal point. She never asked Charles about Caroline. However, if he mentioned her in passing, which was hardly ever, she tried to listen with an open mind. Personally, aside from needing an attitude adjustment, Caroline was definitely chucking out a wonderful man.

Perhaps this was why Jade found the conversation they had several months later, as they lay cuddled together in the afterglow of their lovemaking, strange.

“Jade, if I were free, would you marry me?” Charles asked as he traced circles around the aureole of her breast with his finger.

“Why ask? It’s not a possibility and I’m not going to threaten to leave you.”

“I know that. I’m just asking hypothetically.”

“It’s silly to even talk about it.”

“Why? Wouldn’t you want to?”

“What’s the point of discussing it when you know it’s not going to happen?”

“It will one day. Stephen won’t need me forever.”

“Ask me when you are free.”

Hearing that, Charles’s face crumpled. Jade had regretted hurting him. Since she loved him with all her heart, it hadn’t been her intention. However, dwelling on or even discussing the fantastic possibility of him leaving his wife for her was painful.

“I love you, Charles, and always will. I will never love another man the way I do you.”

Hoping that what she’d said had soothed Charles, Jade kissed his forehead and then his mouth. Tears formed behind her eyelids. They always did when she thought about him going home to Caroline and not being able to stay. She glanced over at the time and knew he’d be leaving soon. There was a family gathering he had to attend.

A feeling of longing and despair dragged Jade down especially when Charles was involved in long, time-consuming cases. The most she could expect from him was a phone call. Those were the loneliest times of all, second only to major holidays spent with his family. Speaking of family, hers lived in Trenton, New Jersey. She was the only unwed child of four, well, the only divorced child, and her mother always tried to be a matchmaker, despite Jade’s protests.

One particular time, she wanted to set Jade up with the son of a friend, who supposedly was very handsome and rich. What transpired will never be forgotten by either of them. Jade hated blind dates. Usually they only worked out if the couple being set up were indeed blind. Logically, if the guy was as handsome and rich as he was supposed to be, he’d have dozens of women fighting for his attention. He’d be his own reality show.

Despite her attempts to defend herself from her mother’s guilt techniques, Jade said yes and agreed to meet the guy at her mother’s house. Her mother was the lucky one who got to open the door since Jade was in the kitchen talking to her dad. Malcolm Waters walked into the room followed by her mother, who, for the first time Jade could remember, was speechless.

Malcolm Waters was a barrel of a man, nearly as wide as he was tall, who reached only as high as Jade’s chest and she was five-six. She glared at her mother over his head and noticed the older woman was wearing her best apologetic look. If her mother ever tried to fix her up on a blind date again, she intended to remind her of this moment.