No Other Lover Will Do (16 page)

Kandace mulled over his offer. But she knew he wouldn't be there with her if she took him up on it, and that meant no more late night kisses, early morning lovemaking sessions, and everything else they'd been doing before Carmen showed up. Kandace enjoyed her time with Solomon and wasn't ready to give it up quite yet. Looking into Solomon's emerald eyes, she knew she couldn't leave. Instead of responding to him verbally, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him ever so gently. “On top of everything that you have going on, I don't think I could leave you with a clear conscience,” she said after breaking the kiss.

Solomon palmed her backside and smiled. “Just tell the truth. You'd miss me too much if you left.”

“Whatever. You'd miss me so much that you would show up at my next vacation spot and start stalking me again.”

“You're damned right,” he said.

“I'm not going anywhere,” she said. “But you owe me big time, Mr. Crawford.”

“And how do you plan on collecting this debt?” he asked, bringing his lips inches from hers.

Before Kandace could reply, the housekeeping and maintenance staff entered the suite and started working to repair the damage. Solomon packed an overnight bag and then thanked the workers for coming so quickly to fix the suite.

One of the housekeepers stopped Solomon before he walked out the door. “Mr. Crawford, forgive me if I'm out of line, but there is evil afoot in this place,” she said. “First Anita and now this. Something ain't right here, sir.”

“I thought Anita's death was a result of domestic violence.”

The older woman shook her head furiously. “Her ex-husband was already in jail when they found her. He'd been in the county lockup for two weeks because he'd been passing bad checks at the Piggly Wiggly.”

“Is that so?” Solomon said. Though his mind wandered to whether or not Carmen had anything to do with Anita's murder, he quickly shook that thought out of his head. Why would she kill the housekeeper? Carmen couldn't be that violent, though she was the only connection to the deaths of Anita and Danny. But why would she kill them?

“Solomon?” Kandace said from the doorway. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. Let's get out of here,” he said as they headed for the elevator.

Carmen walked up to the Wonderland Suite door and placed the master key card in the electronic lock. She'd seen the cleaning crew leave the suite and now she was going to lie in wait until Kandace returned. She knew that Solomon would probably keep her with him tonight, but she was going to have to come back at some point. And Carmen would be ready for her.

The faint smell of smoke hung in the air, but it wasn't unbearable. Still, if she had been smart, Kandace would've left town, because this was only the beginning. However, if she wanted to stay and fight, then she was going to have to suffer the consequences. Carmen pulled the gun from her waistband and cocked it as she stood in the middle of the suite. Closing her eyes, she felt the door open and saw Kandace walk in. Her lips were swollen from kissing Solomon and her neck had a bright passion mark on it. Carmen pointed the gun and shot her between the eyes before the tramp even saw it coming.

“Solomon is my man!” Carmen said as she opened her eyes, half expecting to see Kandace's dying body on the floor. “How am I going to make him see that he should be with me and no one else?”

She stood up and stalked back and forth in front of the fireplace. The only way she could make Solomon understand that he should be with her would be to get rid of Kandace. There was no other way around it. The bitch had to die.

 

Kandace smiled as Solomon led her to the lower level of the hotel. “What is this, the dungeon?” she asked as he opened the door to a basic room with a king-size bed and wall-mounted plasma TV.

“Yes,” he said. “This is where unruly guests go.”

“Then you should've been here a long time ago,” she joked as she plopped down on the bed. “But really what is this room?”

“This is just an extra room where we put a guest that's waiting for a suite or is only going to be here for one night,” Solomon said. “But notice how soft the bed is.” He crossed over to her and jumped in the bed with her.

“I see,” she said as he pulled her into his arms. “This place is just like you, full of surprises.”

“And that's a good thing, right?” he asked as he brushed his lips across her collarbone.

Kandace took his face in her hands. “Let's say some surprises have been better than others.”

“Good, because I have one that I'm sure you're going to like,” he said as he slipped his hands underneath her shirt and stroked her stomach with his thumbs. Kandace closed her eyes, falling into the pleasure of Solomon's touch. He lifted her shirt above her head and replaced his fingers with his lips as he kissed her smooth belly, moving down to the center of her desire. Solomon pulled her pants and lacy panties down just enough to expose her wetness. Slowly, he slipped one finger between her wet folds of flesh, making her moan with delight and pleasure. Kandace arched her back as Solomon lowered his head and replaced his finger with his hungry mouth, licking and kissing her throbbing bud until her body shook like a trembling leaf in a windstorm. She gripped the back of his neck as her orgasm crashed down on her. “Solomon,” she called out breathlessly while he showed no mercy, continuing to lap the sweetness of her juices. Kandace's body went limp by the time Solomon had gotten his fill of her. He inched up her sensitive body, stroking her and kissing her nipples until she cried out for him to stop.

“Baby,” he growled in between licks, “I'm just getting started.”

“I don't know how much more of this I can take,” she said. Solomon slipped his hand between her thighs and stroked her until she was even wetter than before.

“You can take a lot more, I'm sure of it,” he said as he brought his finger to his lips and sucked the wetness from it. “I know you're ready.”

He captured her lips in a searing kiss that would've knocked her down had she been standing. Kandace wrapped her legs around Solomon's waist, pulling him closer to her. She could feel his hardness through the zipper of his jeans. She reached for his zipper, but Solomon held her wrists as he licked her neck, easing down to her collarbone and settling on her breasts. Kandace's body felt as if a thousand candles were burning underneath her skin as his tongue danced across her taut nipples. “Yes, yes, Solomon,” she cried as he slipped his hand between her thighs and continued sucking her nipples.

Pulling back, Solomon looked into her eyes. “Are you ready for me?”

“No,” she said. “Because I want to taste you now.” Kandace pushed him on his back, then in a quick motion, lifted his shirt up and rained kisses down on his chest. She straddled his body and unbuckled his jeans, then stroked his erection up and down.

Solomon lifted his hips to help Kandace remove his jeans and boxers. When he was naked, she slid down the length of his body, allowing her tongue to blaze the path to his pulsating erection. He shivered when he felt the heat of her breath against the tip of his aching muscle. When she took the length of him into her mouth, his knees shook and his teeth chattered.

“Oh, Kandace,” he groaned as she bobbed up and down. Solomon closed his eyes and threw his head back in sweet ecstasy. “Yes, baby, yes,” he moaned as she brought him closer and closer to his release. Kandace pulled back, running her tongue up the length of his penis, sending chills up and down his spine. “I need to be inside you,” he said as he gripped her hips.

She placed her hand on his chest. “Protection,” Kandace whispered. She rolled to one side of him as he grabbed his discarded jeans and pulled a condom from his pocket. Solomon rolled the sheath in place in quick order, then returned to Kandace, easing behind her and pulling her against his chest. He slipped between her thighs, taking her from the back while nibbling on the side of her neck as she pressed against him. Her moans made him harder and he ground against her, eliciting the melodic tones of her pleasure that he yearned to hear. “Oh yes,” he cried as he palmed her breasts, and Kandace threw her head back, expelling breathlessly, “So-Solomon.”

He covered her mouth with his and kissed her, sucking on her full bottom lip as he released his desire.

Kandace turned around and faced him, resting against his chest and closing her eyes. “This has been a crazy day,” she said.

“But a wonderful night,” he replied as he kissed her on the cheek.

“So what happens next?” Kandace asked as she ran her hand across his chest.

“I've never gotten to this part before,” Solomon admitted. “I've never wanted to know what came next with a woman. Never wanted to see another day with a woman that I'd gone to bed with. You've changed me and that's new to me.”

“What makes me so special, Solomon?” Kandace asked, struck by his honesty. “How am I any different from those other women?”

He shrugged. “I don't know if it's one thing that I can pinpoint about you. Or if it is everything that makes you who you are, but you're a woman I want to know more about. I want to know what makes you smile, what makes you cry, and what turns you on—even though I have a good idea of what that is.” Solomon took her hand and placed it on his flaccid penis.

“Whatever,” she said with a sly smile. “It's not much of a turn-on right now.”

“Let me catch my breath,” he said. “And I know that it will be a huge turn-on for you again.”

Kandace stroked his chest with her other hand. “Still, Solomon, I know your history and I'm not going to fool myself into thinking that we could possibly have a future here.”

“Why not?” he asked. “I hope you know that I can do anything that I want. And since I want to be with you, I'm going to make it happen.”

“And if I don't want it to happen?” she asked, then shifted in his arms.

“Since we both know that's not the case, I'm not even going to entertain that question,” Solomon said as he pulled her closer to him. “Why don't you just live in this moment and we'll think about tomorrow in the morning.”

“All right,” she said as she reached to her left and picked the TV remote from the nightstand near the bed. Kandace turned the television on and flipped to The Weather Channel.

“If you're in the North Carolina mountains, get comfortable,” Paul Goodloe said. “A cold front is pushing through and there will be ten to twelve inches of snow falling. People at the ski resorts should rejoice for the wonderful skiing conditions.”

“Ugh, there's that word,” Kandace said as she hit the mute button.

“What word would that be?” Solomon asked with a laugh.

“Skiing. I still, for the life of me, don't get what people see in sliding down a mountain with little control to stop yourself from falling,” she said.

Solomon laughed and kissed her on the forehead. “With a little practice, you could shine on the mountain.”

“Well, I'm not going to be here long enough to get that practice and I must say that my instructor sucked,” she said, then pinched him on the arm.

Solomon rolled on top of Kandace and ran his tongue across her lips. “And you love it that your instructor sucks, licks, and kisses,” he said as he ground his body against hers. Kandace responded by thrusting her hips into his and instantly felt that he was ready for more of her.

“Teach me something then,” she moaned.

Solomon reached for another condom and proceeded to teach Kandace a sensual lesson in lovemaking for the rest of the night.

 

Carmen woke up from a restless slumber. Tonight she'd figured that she'd fall asleep in Solomon's arms, with his lips pressed against her cheek. Just like it had been so many years ago. The night that she'd fallen in love with him, Solomon had been so sexy as he slept, and despite how she tried to wake him up, he couldn't and wouldn't open his eyes. But that hadn't stopped her from roaming his body with her eyes, hands and lips. The feel of his skin, the smell of him, and the softness of his lips never left her mind. Carmen knew at that moment she had to re-create who she was to make Solomon care for her.

She sat up in the bed just as the phone began to ring. She picked it up and said, “Hello.”

“You know, I'm so mad at you right now,” the female voice on the other end said.

“Huh?”

“Kandace, are you in such la-la land that you couldn't call me? By the way, this is the friend you forgot to tell about Solomon Crawford—Alicia—just in case you have totally forgotten about me,” she said with a laugh. “I think this was fate that you met him, and I know you're probably going to tell me no, but I need you to ask him if he will speak at the business conference I'm putting together. Of course James is going to speak, but we could get national coverage if Solomon Crawford would be our keynote speaker.”

Carmen seethed as she listened to this woman rattle on. She should've known that bitch and her friends would seek to use Solomon. No, he wasn't going to speak at that conference and she wasn't going to allow these women to draw Solomon away from her.

“I'm sorry, Alicia. Kandace checked out and I don't think she's ever coming back,” Carmen said in an eerily calm voice that belied the anger brewing in her very being.

“Who is this?” Alicia asked. “Where is Kandace?”

Carmen slammed the phone down and walked over to the window. She watched the steady snowfall and wished Solomon was standing beside her as she was sure he'd stood beside Kandace and witnessed the beauty of nature. Then she knew he'd turn to her and see her with new eyes. Eyes that saw how she had been the only woman there for him during his darkest day and that she was the woman he should be loving. Not all of those models, actresses, and definitely not Kandace Davis.

She's no better than anyone else and Solomon will see that I'm the only woman who has ever had his back. I'm the only woman who has ever given a damn about him, even when he was at his worst. The only thing I've ever wanted from you is your love, Solomon. And I don't care what else I have to do, I'm going to make you love me,
she thought as she pounded her fist against the windowsill. “I'm going to make him love me,” she muttered as her hand throbbed.

 

Morning came in with a foot of snow and Kandace crept out of Solomon's arms hoping to catch a glimpse of the falling snow, but the window in the room didn't look outside, just into the boiler room. She shivered as she glanced at the equipment, seeing how the metal and blinking lights of the monitors were a direct contrast to the plush luxury of the rest of the hotel.
This is a dungeon, I don't care what Solomon says.
She returned to the bed and crawled back in beside Solomon.

“I was wondering where you disappeared to,” he whispered as she nestled against him.

“I'm surprised you even knew I was gone with all that snoring you had going on over there,” she quipped as she kissed his cheek. “I was hoping I could see the snow this morning, but this room has no view.”

“I told you, this is a temporary room where people just stay for a few hours or one night. Our suites should be ready today, but I have a better idea than you moving back into your Wonderland Suite.”

“And what would that be?” she asked.

“Spend the rest of your vacation on the eighth floor with me. I have everything you want—a fireplace, excellent service, and me. You're here through Saturday, right?”

“Yes, but what about…”

“What about nothing,” Solomon said. “When you leave here, I want you to be totally relaxed and completely satisfied. Let's just say it's the unofficial Crawford Hotels motto.”

“Oh, so you make sure all of your guests take a ride on Solomon?”

He laughed and tweaked her nose. “Just the ones who fill out a lime green bathing suit like you did and are named Kandace Davis.”

“Good answer,” she said.

“And,” Solomon said, “we might as well give another guest a chance to experience this place.”

“So, this is a business move, huh? And here I was thinking that you liked me.”