Just Can't Get Enough (8 page)

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Authors: Cheris Hodges

BOOK: Just Can't Get Enough
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CHAPTER 8
Celina walked away from Darius, wishing she could take back everything she had said to him. She'd given him too much information and now she knew he wasn't going to walk away, but Tiffany was a reality. She knew there was something going on with the two of them and she wasn't going to let him make a fool of her. Darius would deny that he and Tiffany were still intimate; that's what men did when they were caught.
How many times had her father denied there was something going on with the other women he had been with?
“Talk to me.” Darius said.
“Why are you still here?” she asked, her eyes flashing anger.
He sighed as he reached out and grabbed her shoulder.
Celina placed her hand on top of his and moved it from her shoulder. “Please, just go.”
“No, not until we work this out. Celina, I want and need you in my life,” he said, nearly pleading with her.
“And her, too?” she spat out. “What does Tiffany mean to you?”
Darius threw his hands up. “I told you—nothing. She was a mistake. I was messed up when I got involved with her, but I'm not that person anymore.”
“How do I know that?” Celina asked. “Am I just supposed to take your word for it? Darius, you're full of it and I'm not going to let you hurt me. I came home early tonight because I wanted to . . .” Her voice trailed off and she turned her back to him.
“You wanted to what?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she said, knowing that she couldn't open up to him now. Her mother might call it running, but Celina was being smart and getting away from Darius would be the wisest thing for her to do. She didn't want to admit it, but she was falling for him. Celina stood in front of the leather recliner, holding on to the arm of the chair, hoping it would prop her up and give her the strength to push Darius out of her life.
“This is just wrong,” Celina said.
Darius walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. She pressed her hand against his chest, but he wouldn't let go.
“No it isn't, Celina. If this is about Tiffany—”
She shook her head furiously. “I watched my father hurt my mother with a parade of women and I would never stand for that. You're not going to do that to me.”
“I wouldn't want to,” he said. “You're the woman I want. Nothing is going to change that. I don't need a harem.”
She inhaled sharply as he leaned in closer to her, his lips nearly touching hers as he said, “Why can't you let me inside that wall?”
“I'm afraid,” she said as Darius twirled a strand of her hair around his finger.
“Don't be,” he said, then brought his lips down on top of hers.
Celina surrendered to his kiss, but was she going to be able to surrender to his love? She abruptly broke off the kiss, fresh tears shining in her eyes. “Darius,” she said. “I-I can't do this.”
“Can't or won't?” he asked. “You can't let fear keep you from experiencing life.”
Celina turned around and looked at him, wanting so badly to be able to trust him. But how could she ignore what she'd seen? How could she ignore her heart?
I'm here for my father, not for him and not to fall in love with him.
“Darius, right now is not a good time for this. We can't . . .”
“Can't what? You won't let anything happen, Celina. We're here, right now. You want me just as much as I want you. After what we've shared, I can't get enough of you. Fighting it isn't going to change how you feel.” He walked over to her and stroked her back.
“Promise me that you won't hurt me,” she said, finally giving into what she felt.
“That's one promise I will keep,” he said as his lips brushed against hers.
Celina took a step back. “But we have to take things slowly,” she said. “I don't want us to make mistakes by rushing into this. If we're going to build something real together, it can't just be based on physical attraction.”
Darius nodded in agreement but he didn't say a word. The last thing he wanted to do was give her an opportunity to change her mind.
Celina closed her eyes and inhaled sharply. Darius's scent was intoxicating and she felt dizzy. But it was time, she told herself. It was time to allow herself to love.
“Why don't we have a quiet dinner tonight?” Darius asked. “We could drive up to Myrtle Beach and have some seafood and talk.”
“I need to stay close to home in case the center calls me about my father,” she replied. “But I would love to have dinner with you tonight.”
Darius smiled. “All right, I'll break out the grill and some wine.”
“That sounds good,” she said.
Darius stepped back and headed for the door. Celina followed him, trying to quiet her doubts about him and the journey they were about to embark on. He turned around and kissed her gently on the forehead.
“You won't regret this,” he said.
I hope not,
she thought as she smiled at him.
 
 
Darius walked home with extra pep in his step. He had made inroads with Celina. Now he had to prove to her that all men weren't out to hurt her, though he knew it was going to be a hard sell. However, he was up for the challenge because he wasn't going to be satisfied until her heart was his completely.
The last woman who'd moved him this way was Renita, even though she proved not to be worthy of his love. Besides, Celina and Renita were like night and day. Celina had a vulnerability that made him want to protect her. She was strong and at the same time fragile, like the petals of a rose.
The night had to be special. As Darius prepared for dinner, he ignored the blinking light on his answering machine. The outside world would have to take a backseat as he readied himself to prepare his famous grilled eggplant, stuffed mushrooms, and a green salad for Celina. The phone rang as he chopped bell peppers and leaf spinach and he ignored that as well. He had too much to do to be distracted by whomever was on the other line.
After washing and drying the vegetables, Darius walked up to his bathroom and took a long shower. As the water beat down on him, he thought about the rain and making love to Celina while the water cascaded around them. He closed his eyes, imagining her curly hair pressed against her face as the rain fell. He could feel her soft lips tickling his neck and her tongue dancing on his earlobe. Darius was so engrossed in his fantasy, that the water got cold as his body heated up, anticipating making love to Celina. He shut the spray off, dashed out of the shower, and wrapped a towel around his waist. He headed for the bedroom and took a pair of black slacks and a white golf shirt from his closet, but he wasn't satisfied with the outfit.
We're not going to a business meeting,
he thought as he reached for a pair of linen shorts and a goldenrod oxford shirt. He dressed quickly, because he still needed to get the candles ready for the dinner table, since he and Celina would eat inside tonight and, if he were lucky, she'd be his tasty dessert.
After putting the candles and the place settings on the table, Darius headed for the kitchen to finish cooking the meal. He pulled a salmon steak from the freezer for himself, squeezing lemon juice on the frozen fish, then dropped it in a glass pan with some parsley and chives. Darius slid the pan in the oven. While the food cooked, he dimmed the lights in the dining room and throughout the house. Next, he opened the curtains so that when the sun set and the moon and stars began to dot the sky, they would provide the perfect backdrop for their dinner.
He walked into the kitchen and grabbed the salad to set in the center of the table. He looked at his watch. It was almost time for Celina to come over.
Celina stood at the front door with her sweaty hand on the doorknob, her heart beating like an African drum. With her other hand, which was just as sweaty, she smoothed her knee-length black halter dress with red Chinese embroidery around the neckline. Luckily, she didn't stain it. Convinced that her dress was fine, she started tinkering with her hair, which she'd pulled up into a bushy ponytail, and not a hair was out of place.
All right, you can do this. Besides, the man has seen you naked,
she thought.
Swallowing her fears, she opened the door and stepped onto the porch. Casting her eyes upward, she took in the natural beauty of the setting sun, which gave her the urge to grab her sketch pad and colored pencils. Celina made the short trek across to Darius's house. She took a deep breath before she knocked on the door.
When Darius opened the door, he took Celina's breath away. He radiated. The golden shirt he had on made his dark skin glow.
“Hello,” he said. “You look beautiful.”
Celina blushed. “Thank you.”
“Come in, dinner is almost ready,” he said, stepping aside to allow Celina to walk in. She couldn't deny how beautiful everything looked and how great it smelled. The candles flickered on the table and filled the room with a golden glow and the scent of jasmine and honeysuckle.
“You went all out, didn't you?” Celina said as Darius led her into the dining room. One thing that impressed her about Darius was his style and the fact that his house didn't look like a typical bachelor pad. Everything was in its place. And he had a love of music, and fine food—those were major pluses in her book. She never expected to find someone like Darius in Elmore and she never expected to find herself falling in love, either.
“Please, sit down,” he said, pulling out a chair for her.
“Thank you,” she said. “You're such a gentleman.”
Darius sat down beside her. “I'm glad you're here,” he said as he reached over and grasped her hand gently. “Celina, you're the most intriguing woman I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.”
He smiled and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. As his lips touched her skin, shivers of delight ran down her spine. The feeling excited her and surprised her all at the same time.
Change the subject, quick, or we won't be eating dinner at all
, she thought. “Darius, what's for dinner?”
He stood up. “I think you will approve. I have grilled eggplant and sun-dried tomatoes, stuffed mushrooms, and a salad.”
“Sounds divine,” she replied. Darius walked into the kitchen and Celina took a full breath for the first time since she walked into the house. Being close to Darius frazzled her senses. She had to stay in control of herself, but he made her feel things and want to do things that she'd only fantasized about.
Celina surmised that it was time to give in to what she was feeling as she watched Darius walk into the dining room with the trays of food. Rising to her feet, she took one of the trays from his hands. “Looks like you were struggling there,” she said, placing the tray on the table.
Darius set the other tray on the table and stroked Celina's cheek. “I know we said we were going to wait, but I want you so much, I'm about to explode,” he said.
Before Celina could say a word, Darius had pulled her into his arms and captured her lips hungrily. She moaned softly as he slipped his sweet tongue into her mouth and probed the crevices as if he were on an expedition. Her body responded naturally to his touch, his kiss, and she didn't fight it when he untied her dress and barely noticed when it pooled around her feet. But when she felt his hands against her breasts, Celina pulled back.
“We-we can't do this,” she whispered. “Not now.”
Darius leaned in closer to her. “Celina, you want me just as much as I want you. Don't fight what's in your heart.”
“How do you know what's in my heart? You're more interested in what's between my legs,” she snapped.
Darius placed his hand over Celina's heart, which was beating rapidly like an engine in overdrive. “This is how I know,” he said. “Your heart is talking to me and it is saying the same thing mine is saying. When are you going to start listening to it?”

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