Redemption (Iris Series) (50 page)

She nodded in understanding.  She knew exactly what he was saying because she had felt the same thing.  “I know, champ,” she said choking back a sob.

“You’re gonna mess up your makeup,” he said with a dry smile.  “And it looks amazing, by the way.  You,” he swallowed.  “You look amazing.  I mean,” he swallowed again.  “I can’t really put it into words.  All I know is I feel like the luckiest man in the world tonight.  Honestly, Yan. You take my breath away,” he finished on a whisper.

She sniffed inelegantly and blinked furiously so her makeup wouldn’t run, then fanned her eyes to dry them.

He chuckled, then spoke again but stayed routed to where he was.

“There is one part of your makeup that’s gonna get messed up, though.”

She looked at him and his baby blues darkened with heat.  Arousal hit her.  She loved it when he got that look.

“Yeah?  What part is that?”

He stalked slowly toward her and without speaking any further, he gently took her face in his hands, leaned down and kissed her.

Slowly he melded their lips, kissing her the way she had wanted him to for the past two days.  Sandwiching her lower lip between his own and sucking it into his mouth.

She purred with satisfaction as he dipped his tongue in and tasted her.  He continued worshipping her mouth for another moment, then stepped back.

“If I don’t stop right now, we may not make it to the showing,” he murmured.

“I’ll only let you stop if you promise to ravish me afterwards.”  She leaned up and licked at his lip.

“How are you feeling?” he asked with concern.

“Like I want to be ravished by the man I love,” she said nipping at his chin.

“Then you can count on it, baby.”  His eyes gleamed with promise. 

“Before we head out, I want to give you something,” Ayanna began.  “Sit on the sofa for a sec.  I’ll be right back.”

He looked at her with a question in his eye then sat.  She ran to the bedroom to get the gift Ryann had picked up for her earlier.  She walked back into the living room and handed it to him.

“When on earth did you have time to get me something?”

“Hey, just like you have your ways...I learn from the best.”  Ayanna
smiled and nodded at the gift so he would open it.

He did.  And pulled out a king size sheet set.  In navy blue silk.

He started chuckling and then looked up at her with sweetness. 

“Ah,” he said happily.  “Perfect.  I cannot
wait
to break these in with a beautiful sari draped sex goddess.”

“I absolutely couldn’t agree more.  In fact, we can do that tonight.”  She gave him a pointed look.  “They’ve already been washed for us.”  Thank God for BFFs, Ayanna thought.

“Ryann?”

Ayanna nodded and smiled.

“I love that woman.”  He stood up and cupped her face.  “I love
you.
”

“I love you, JBG.”  She took a moment to snuggle into his hand.  Then, “Now, let’s get outta here.  The sooner we leave the sooner we come back.”

“You betcha.”  He grabbed his jacket from the sofa and reached out to take her hand.

“Baby?”

“Yeah?” he asked, cupping her face again.

“There’s one thing you need to do before we go.”  Ayanna was smirking and looking at his lips.

“What’s that?”

“You may want to wash off the lipstick.  I don’t think Cover Girl #310
Smitten
is your color.”

.....

The Manhattan Institute for Art and Design, also known simply as the Institute, was decked out in all of its splendor and glory.  Located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the Institute was architecturally the Greek revival style and was built in the 1850’s.  With a Brownstone facade, it had double columns flanking the elaborate entrance.

When Ayanna and Jonathan arrived, they were met by a valet and got out of the car.  Jonathan looked up at the structure in front of him.

“Mark would love this.”

“I know, right?  It’s beautiful.  Is this the first time you’ve ever been here?”

“Yeah.”

“Me, too.  Come on.”

They were swept up the front steps into the enormous lobby where the majority of the art was displayed.  From oils to watercolors, sculptures to blown glass, abstract pieces along with object art, the lobby was a feast for the eyes.

They began walking around and bumped into Ryann, Jeremy and Luke first.  Ayanna and Ryann hugged long and hard.  Ryann was stunning in a fitted terracotta colored floor length number with spaghetti straps and metallic heels.  With her auburn hair and hazel eyes, the dress was perfect and made her look like a sexy flame.  The guys had an extra moment of male bonding while Ayanna and Ryann talked.

“You look
gorgeous
.  Shit,” Ryann gushed.  “Where did you get this sari?  This isn’t Ammie’s, is it?”  Ryann was touching the fabric in awe.

Ya gotta love best friends who stroked the ego
, Ayanna thought to herself and smiled.  She looked over at Jonathan then back at Ryann.

“Jon got it for me in Boston.” 

“Jonathan!” Ryann squealed.  He looked over, thinking something was wrong.

“What?”

“Where did you find this?  It’s like it was made just for her!  Exquisite!”

He smiled with pride, but raised an eyebrow.  “Did you expect anything less?”

Both Jeremy and Luke sent her appreciative looks, and Luke said, “You
do
look beautiful.  But then again, you could make anything look beautiful,” he said, his eyes smiling.

Jonathan gave him
back off
look.

“What?” he asked innocently.  “I’m just sayin’.” 

“Where’s Janie?” Ayanna asked just as innocently.

Luke seemed a little taken back by the question.  “Home, I would imagine.  We talked at the hospital and I think she thought it best to stay home and rest tonight.”

Ayanna tried not to snort.  “Oh, really? 
She
thought it best, or everyone
else
thought it best?”

“Well, she didn’t necessarily agree, per se, but she was still coughing a little, so…”

“Actually, I think she was feeling pretty good,” Ayanna said, watching for Luke’s reaction with the next words she was about to speak.   “Tonight was the night she was supposed to bring Detective Fernandez with her.  It was supposed to be their big hot date.”

Luke schooled his expression.  “Well, it looks like the detective is going to be disappointed,” he shrugged.  “Poor sucker.”  Luke didn’t look like he felt sorry for the detective at all.

It looked like Luke wouldn’t have to feel sorry for anyone, because over by the entrance she saw Janie walk in wearing a short sexy emerald green mini dress, making her boobs look spectacular as always.  The color made her strawberry blonde hair shine in its swept up messy topknot.  Quite simply, she sparkled.

And on her arm was Detective Fernandez.  Her mile high heels brought the top of her head to a coup
le of inches below her escort’s chin.

Ayanna couldn’t wait to see the drama unfold.  “Oh!  Speak of the devil.  There they are right now.”

Luke turned to look.  His jaw looked like it was made of steel, given how clenched it was.

He turned back to the group and gave them all a poised smile.  “Excuse me for a moment.  I’m going to go say hi.”

Ayanna smirked then cleared her throat.  Oh to be a fly on the wall...

“The poor guy is sunk,” Ryann said, shaking her head.

Ayanna hadn’t yet told anyone of her theory, but it looked like she and Ryann were on the same page again.  They gave each other knowing smiles.

“Huh?” This confused response came from Jeremy.

“Are we the only two who realize that Luke has feelings for Janie?” Ayanna asked.

“
What?!
”  Jeremy sputtered.  “Luke and Janie?!”  He looked over to them just as Luke reached them and shook the detective’s hand.  Janie had a fake smile plastered on her face, however Luke looked calm and cool as he stroked his hand down Janie’s back and spoke to her.  The detective cocked an eyebrow and Janie’s eyes took on an angry glint.  She said something back to Luke then touched his arm as if to calm him while she was speaking.

“Luke and Janie?”  Jeremy was still having a hard time grasping the concept.  “No way.  Trust me, he thinks of her like a sister.”

Ayanna chuckled and Ryann rolled her eyes. 

“Have you ever asked him?” Ryann asked.

“Well, no, but it’s
Janie
,” he said, as if that explained everything.

“Yup, it’s Janie alright. 
Svelte, voluptuous, all grown up Janie.  I can’t imagine what he would see in her,” Ayanna said dryly.

Jonathan chuckled and put his arm around her, playing with her hair.

“Luke and Janie?” Jeremy asked again, and then looked back in the direction where Janie had been standing.

At this point, Luke, Janie, and Fernandez were
walking over to the group.  Luke was pulling a very disgruntled looking Janie by the hand leading her through the crowd, with the detective following behind like an annoyed puppy dog.

“Look who I found,” Luke said to the group when he arrived.  “It looks like Janie felt well enough to join us after all.”

Janie hugged Ayanna and Ryann, and while the guys made small talk, Janie gave them both a look like
What the hell am I supposed to do?

“How ya doin’?” Ayanna asked with a smile.

“He totally just came over and just,” she was searching for words, “took over!” she whispered.  “Like hello?  I’m on a
date
here.  First he tells me I’m not
well
enough to be here which I quickly corrected him on, then he says he wants to keep an eye on me tonight to make sure I’m feeling okay,
then
he just grabs my hand and drags me away from Danny.  I mean, what the
hell
?  If he wants to turn all big brother one me, then he can just get the hell over it and stay out of my way.”  She was still whispering, but her voice was getting a little louder, causing the guys to walk over.

“So Danny here was just telling me he’s on call tonight, and I told him if he had to leave I would take care of getting you home,” Luke said to Janie.

Janie bristled, but plastered on another smile and apparently decided to put Luke in his place.  “No worries,
Lucasito
.  You don’t need to pull big brother duty.  We have it all worked it out if he gets a call tonight.”

Luke looked determined.  “Oh?  Okay.  Just as long as that doesn’t mean you’re taking a cab or the subway.”

“Actually, we took a car service tonight,” Danny interjected.  “We’re covered, so you don’t need to worry about it.”  He turned to Janie with a smirk and a slightly exasperated look.  “Let’s go check out the art.  Isn’t that why we’re here?”

“Absolutely,” she beamed and reached out to take Danny’s hand.  “We’ll see you guys a little later, ‘kay?”  Janie
gave a saucy wave and she and the detective were off. 

Jeremy was staring at Luke, who in turn was staring at the very enticing and retreating form of Janie. 

“Really, dude?  I mean seriously?”  Jeremy was asking him.

“Really, what?”  Luke asked, his eyes warning Jeremy not to push him.

Jeremy just shook his head.  It was truly comical watching him process the possibilities.

“When was the last time you took a woman out?” he asked Luke.

“Excuse me?”

Jeremy spoke as if speaking to a child.  “When was the last time you,” Jeremy was searching for the right word, “released any pent up
energy
?”

Ryann let her forehead drop into her hand and shook her head. “Jeremy,” she muttered in exasperation.

Luke shot an eyebrow up.  “Since when are you concerned about my bedroom activities, Jem?”

“Since you’ve been all over Janie.”

“What do you mean, ‘all over Janie’?  I wanted to make sure she had a ride home tonight,
Jem
.”  Luke looked like he was going to punch him in the face, but was holding it together.  He lowered his voice.  “And is everyone forgetting that two nights ago she almost died, for godssake?”  Luke went to run his fingers through his hair, but stopped the action trying to compose himself.  “I don’t think she should be gallivanting around when she might have a coughing fit or something.” 

The group got quiet and just looked at Luke.

“Holy shit,” Jeremy said softly, the dawning of realization on his face.  Then he got a poignant tender look in his eye and put his hand on Luke’s shoulder.  “You’re right, man.  I wasn’t thinking.  Stay on her tonight, would ya?  We all want to make sure she’s feeling okay.”

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” he murmured, while cracking his neck from side to side.  Luke’s gaze was already searching the direction in which they had gone.  “And for your information, Jem, you don’t need to worry if my gear is still functioning.  I assure you, everything’s in working order,” he said drolly.  He had a predatory glint in his eye and began to look around the room, his gaze finally latching onto an attractive redhead in a slinky dress.  “In fact, I think I’m going to take a spin around the room,” he said, giving the group a forced smile.  He turned and walked away.