Temperatures Rising (10 page)

“Hey, folks, this is the Holy Terror with a weather update. Those of you hoping Ana would turn west and spare us a devastating blow may not get your wish. Don’t defy the evacuation order that’s been put in effect any longer. According to the authorities, anyone refusing to leave—” he looked directly at Sherri “—is on their own.”

He looked back at the monitor. “Now for an evacuation tip. Don’t forget to get those important papers and special photographs in order and secure them in plastic. Hey, you guys, I wouldn’t leave
behind those divorce papers if I were you, and please don’t forget those hidden pics of old girlfriends. Oh, yeah, you might want to go ahead and destroy that picture of your mother-in-law that you’ve been using for target practice.”

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sherri get out of her chair and come into his line of vision, furiously waving her hands. “Folks, we’re going to have a commercial break and then I’ll be back to take some calls. I see the board has lit up,” he said into the mike. “Hold on. I definitely want to hear what you have to say.”

As soon as he turned off the mike and removed his headset, she lit into him. “You can’t say stuff like that!”

He lifted a brow. “And why can’t I?”

“Because this is a serious matter,” she snapped.

He checked the monitor to see how many minutes he had before pushing his chair back and standing. A hint of a smile touched his lips although he was trying to keep his temper in check. His woman was determined to drive him to drink.

His woman
.

He liked the sound of that. He came to a stop in front of her and instead of stepping back she tilted her head back and glared up at him. “I think,” he said
slowly, “that I know when and how to take a hurricane seriously. I’ve been through a lot more of them than you have. And furthermore, those people out there are stressed, some are nervous, a lot of them are afraid. They need the humor. They appreciate it. So loosen up. You’re wound up too tight.”

“If I lose my job you will—”

“Jeez, you won’t lose your job. Come here, you need me to help you relax.” And before she could protest, he pulled her into his arms and captured the gasp that flowed from her mouth.

The moment their lips touched, she moaned. But so did he. It was like before. Like each and every time they kissed. She pulled something out of him. Something tangible. Deep. Passionate. He wondered at what point she would figure out that her mouth, lips and tongue belonged to him. So did every other part of her. Just like every part of him belonged to her.

He pulled his mouth away because he knew his time was up and he needed to go back to the monitor and take a few calls. “I want more,” he murmured against her moist lips.

“You won’t be getting it,” she countered with a frown.

He lifted his head and smiled. The challenge was on.

Returning to the seat she had vacated earlier, Sherri watched how, with a smooth transition, Terrence went back on the air.

“Thanks for returning, folks. This is the Holy Terror filling in for the Mighty Hercules at WLCK, and I’m ready to take a call. Caller, what’s on your mind?”

“Holy Terror, this is Fred. I agree with what you said about those pictures. I still have every flick I’ve taken of my old girlfriends.”

Terrence chuckled. “Thanks for telling us, Fred. Have you evacuated yet?”

“Me and the old lady, we’re moving to higher ground now.”

“That’s good to hear,” Terrence said. “Stay safe.”

He then went to the next call. “This is Holy Terror, what’s on your mind?”

“Hey, Holy Terror, this is Agnes. Something else people need to grab before they evacuate is deeds to their property. Mine got washed away with the last hurricane, and I had the hardest time with my ex. He tried claiming my house was his.”

“I hope you got things straightened out,” Terrence said and took a sip out of his water bottle.

“I did. He’s dead now.”

Terrence choked when the water nearly went
down the wrong way. He cleared his throat. “He’s dead?”

“But I didn’t kill him. He died in bed with his young girlfriend.”

Too much information
. “Uh, sorry about that. Thanks for calling.”

He disconnected the call. “Okay, folks, here’s more music for your pleasure. The next weather update will be in about twenty minutes, along with another evacuation tip.”

Sherri watched as he turned off the mike, removed his headset and glanced over at her before standing up and moving toward her.

Terrence’s cell phone rang before be could pull Sherri into his arms. Muttering a curse, he pulled the phone out of his pocket, checking caller ID. “What’s up, Stephen?”

“Just calling to let you know I think you’re doing a great job at the station. I like your first tip.”

Terrence smiled as his eyes remained on Sherri. “I thought you would. What’s it like out there?”

Instead of getting a response, Terrence heard the screeching of brakes and then the sound of Stephen saying a few choice words before he came back on the phone. “You still there?” he asked Terrence.

“Yeah, I’m still here. What happened? Do you need me to send help your way?” Terrence asked, concerned. “I was just about to call in to police dispatch.”

“No, I’m fine,” Stephen said. After pausing a few minutes, he tacked on in a frustrated voice, “Do me a favor and reiterate that part about staying off the roads. Apparently your audience didn’t hear it the first few times you mentioned it.”

“What happened?”

“It’s what didn’t happen. A head-on collision.”

“Come again?”

“I just had a near miss with some crazy lady speeding to get to an appointment in town,” Stephen said angrily.

“But everything in town is closed,” Terrence said.

“Yeah, I tried to tell her that,” Stephen said, and Terrence could just see him shaking his head in disgust. “Listen, thanks for spreading the word about staying off the streets. Keep repeating it. I better check in and see about the bridge situation.”

“All right, be safe out there. If you need anything else, call me. I’ll be on the air for the duration. Do you need anything now?”

When Stephen didn’t respond, Terrence got worried again. “Hey, you sure you’re okay out there? I can send someone to you,” Terrence said.

When Stephen still didn’t respond, Terrence frowned and breathed in deeply. “Stephen, you there?” Terrence called out, his voice getting louder.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m here. Just checking something out, that’s all,” Stephen finally returned to the phone to say. “I thought I saw something. I’m not sure.”

“Man, you just got out of the hospital a few days ago. You need to take it easy out there. This isn’t the kind of weather you need to play with.”

“I hear you. I’m fine for real. So how’s your lady doing?”

Sherri had been listening to his half of the conversation and had picked up the panic in his voice. He could tell by her expression that she was concerned, as well. He had yet to introduce her to his two best friends, but he would soon.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Terrence said.

At that moment Sherri’s own cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her jeans pocket and then stepped outside the room to answer it.

“Sounds serious.”

Stephen’s words reclaimed Terrence’s attention. “It was serious within two minutes after I met her.”

“In that case it sounds like the Holy Terror has
finally been tamed. I wish you and your lady the best. Let me know when to get my tux pressed.”

Terrence smiled. “Will do. Be safe.”

“Back at ya.”

“Y
es, Uncle Warrick, everything is fine. Terrence is at the station with me doing weather updates. How are the negotiations going?”

With her uncle’s response, a huge smile covered her face. “Uncle Warrick, that’s wonderful. We will celebrate when you get back.”

Sherri knew the moment Terrence had stepped outside the room, and swung around to face him. Every single nerve in her body became energized. She wished she could put that kiss they’d shared moments ago to the back of her mind, but couldn’t.

Her uncle’s words pulled her attention back to
their phone conversation. “Terrence? Yes, he’s right here. Just a moment.”

She handed the phone to Terrence. “Uncle Warrick wants to talk to you.” She then went back inside the room to check the monitors.

Terrence watched her walk away before speaking into the phone. “Warrick, this is Terrence.”

“Hey, man, I got that station in Memphis. We’re going to have to celebrate when I get back.”

Terrence chuckled. “Sure thing. I’ll spring for the champagne.”

“And I want you to watch out for Sherri. Her parents have been calling, freaking out about the hurricane and knowing she’s down there in the thick of things. Will you do that for me? Will you make sure she’s taken care of?”

A smile touched Terrence’s lips. “Don’t worry about a thing, Warrick. I can guarantee you that Sherri is in good hands.”

“How’s your friend?” Sherri asked the moment Terrence walked back into the studio.

“Stephen’s fine. The roads are crazy out there, and he wants me to reiterate to everyone to stay inside.”

She nodded. “You have less than seven seconds to airtime.”

“Thanks.” He immediately went to the monitor and sat down. He checked the weather update reel from the Hurricane Center before putting on his headset and turning on the mike. He glanced over at her and smiled before going on the air.

“Hey, folks, this is the Holy Terror. It’s time for a weather update. Before I go into the weather, though, I want to again remind everyone to please stay off the roads. Don’t go out unless you really have to, and then stick to the evacuation routes. This is not the time to decide you’ve just got to have a Mr. Goodbar or a Bud Lite. Chances are all the stores in your area are closed anyway.”

He leaned back in his chair. “Now for that update on the weather. There has been no change since the last time. It seems Ana doesn’t know which way she wants to go and has decided to stall for a while. So, in the meantime, here’s another evacuation tip. Think ahead and take video or photos of your property before you leave. This will assist you later with any claims for damages you might need to file. And for heaven’s sake, don’t forget to take the video or photos with you, and later if you have to turn them in with your claim, make sure you submit the right ones and not the ones taken of you and your old lady skinny-dipping or something else equally intimate.”

He glanced over at Sherri, saw her jaw drop and winked at her. “I’m ready to take another call and then you’ll be treated to more music after a commercial break.”

He clicked a caller on the line. “This is Holy Terror.”

Sherri couldn’t do anything but shake her head. However, from the callers’ comments to Terrence’s outlandish take on the evacuation tips, she could see the listeners were actually enjoying it. Go figure.

She stood to stretch her body, knowing his gaze was on her when she went to the window—the portion that wasn’t boarded up—and glanced out. Although he had control of the call and was conversing as if the caller’s comments had his complete attention, she knew that was not the case.

She had Terrence’s complete attention.

She felt it in every part of her body. In every breath she took. When she heard the music start playing again, she knew he would act on all that attention. She wanted to turn around and face him but didn’t, not even when she felt the heat of him at her back. He was standing just that close and she almost gasped when he reached out and closed the storm shutters.

She still didn’t turn around.

“Sherri.”

He spoke her name on a sensual breath that caressed the back of her neck, thrummed warmth through her pores. She didn’t want to respond, didn’t want her body to react to him, but it was doing so anyway.

“You’re an ache inside of me that won’t go away unless I’m inside of you. When I’m there, buried deep between your thighs, I’m complete in a way only a woman can make possible for a man. But no other woman will do for me. Only you.”

His words were breaking down her control, sweeping her resistance away. They were destroying the last vestige of her sanity. She couldn’t fight him any longer because she couldn’t stop loving him. Even now, when he could agitate her like nobody’s business, she loved him and there was nothing she could do about it.

She slowly turned around. Meeting his dark gaze, she reached out and cupped his face in her hands. He smiled and she lost herself in it. Without any further ado, she leaned up and covered his lips with her own.

Kissing him always did this to her, she thought. Unleashed the feminine desire she’d held closely tethered. When he pulled her closer to the fit of him and she felt his aroused body, that desire broke loose,
untamed and undeniable. How could a man make a woman feel this way? So easily, so intensely. From the way his erection was pressed to the apex of her thighs in perfect position, he wanted her, too.

His hand went to her waist, to the snap at her jeans, when the monitor sounded. Muttering a curse, he inhaled deeply and met her gaze. “Don’t move,” he said before stepping away.

Terrence eased back into his chair and read the blinking monitor. He glanced up at Sherri when she came beside him to read the updated weather alert.

Hurricane Ana was no longer stalling. She was headed straight for the Keys.

“T
his is Holy Terror, and I am providing you with the most current weather update that just came in. Hurricane Ana has made her decision and will be making an unwelcome visit to the Keys. Buckle down, folks. It seems we’re about to encounter a very wild ride for the next forty-eight hours or so.”

He glanced up at Sherri and a wry smile touched his lips as he continued talking into the mike. “If staying with relatives isn’t an option, you might want to consider a hotel. Take my advice and book the room. Who wants to stay with relatives at a time like this anyway? Can you imagine trying to get some
private time with your old lady with a bunch of relatives around? Go ahead and get the room so you and that special person can bring the hurricane to town right. With all the bumping sounds going on anyway, who will know that the majority of it won’t be coming from the outside but from your room? And be smart. Don’t tell your relatives what hotel you’re going to. They just might show up.”

He chuckled when Sherri poked him on the shoulder. Turning off the mike and removing his headset, he unceremoniously pulled her down in his lap and covered her mouth with his. Her resistance lasted all of two seconds and then she was returning his kiss, tangling her tongue with his and blowing away what little control he had.

Breathing heavily, he broke the kiss and stood and then backed her up against the wall. “I need you now.”

He pulled her shirt over her head, tossed it aside. And then his hands were on her, kneading her breasts through her lace bra, undoing the front clasp with a flick of the wrist, freeing her breasts for his hands.

Sherri closed her eyes when a responsive shudder shook her body the moment Terrence took a nipple into his mouth, curled his tongue around it and began sucking.

She pulled in a tight breath, felt the stirrings in the
pit of her stomach intensify. Heat flared within her and she felt the moment her panties got wet. She groaned when his mouth went to the other nipple, giving it the same attention and nearly driving her insane in the process.

She was aware of the exact moment his hand reached down to unsnap her jeans. Knew the instant he eased his hand eased inside, finding its way to her hot and ready center.

“I need to taste you first,” he murmured while easing down on his knees.

Reaching up, he slid her jeans down past her hips and then down her legs. He helped her out of her shoes and then removed the jeans completely and tossed them aside, and proceeded to do likewise with her panties. When she was totally naked he leaned forward for a moment and buried his face in the juncture of her thighs, as if he needed to consume her scent, feel her heat.

“Terrence.”

She breathed his name from her lips when a quiver passed through her.

He slowly raised his head to look at her, and she felt the intensity of his gaze. He seemed to be searching her face, studying every single detail. A seriousness she had never seen before lined his lips.

“Do you have any idea what you do to me?” he asked in a deep, husky voice that was rough and sexy simultaneously. “What you’re doing to me now?”

She shook her head. “No. I only know what you did to me. What you’re doing to me now.”

“And what did I do to you?” he asked, breathing the words hotly against her feminine mound.

She had to tell him. “You gave me pleasure. For the first time in my life, I discovered how things should be with a man and woman in the bedroom. You made me come.” There, she figured it couldn’t get any clearer than that. He had to understand.

From the smile that suddenly touched his face, the same one that simultaneously touched her heart, she knew that he
had
understood. She’d told him something that he really hadn’t needed to know, especially at the risk of escalating his ego, stroking his arrogance. But she had wanted him to know, so he could comprehend what all of this meant to her.

“And I’m going to make you come again. A lot more times. Starting now.”

And then he cupped her mound with his hand, opened her up, leaned forward and sank his mouth into her. He licked here, nibbled there, and when she cried out his name he intensified the kiss. She was
at a loss to do anything other than let slip her grip on reality, and she groaned in response to the shudders that racked her body.

He didn’t let up, nor did he let go. While boneless pleasure ripped through her, his mouth remained latched to her, absorbing everything she had to give, causing her to whimper in pleasure. And when the last shudder shook her body, she opened her eyes and saw he had gotten to his feet and was unzipping his pants.

Time restraints wouldn’t allow him to remove them completely, but he was able to push them down past his hips to display his engorged member. He was quick about putting on a condom. Then he gently lifted her off the floor, wrapped her legs around his waist and, meeting her gaze, he rocked his hips against hers, found his target then thrust inside.

She felt him push deep, all the way to the hilt, and she adjusted her body to take him all in. She felt full, and every pore in her body was sensitized to the feelings he had evoked. His body began moving, thrusting in and out of her with whipcord speed, bracing her back against the wall each time he did so.

She fought to hold back the sensations, resist the emotions that took control, but it was no use. Pleasure began overtaking her, shredding her hold on reality
and pushing her toward an enormous tide of ecstasy. One more thrust pushed her over, drowning her in sensations.

In response, Terrence screamed her name and held their bodies tight, locked together as quake after quake shook through them, blasting them off the Richter scale. He then leaned forward and kissed her, taking the rest of her trembles in his mouth.

She would no longer deny how she felt, but she couldn’t share her feelings with him yet, knowing he didn’t feel the same way. For now, this part of their relationship would have to be enough.

“Caller, you’re on the line. This is Holy Terror, and this is WLCK. What’s going on?”

“Holy Terror, this is Josh. You forgot to take calls after that last weather update and evacuation tip.”

Terrence smiled. He hadn’t forgotten. He’d gotten into doing something a lot more satisfying. He glanced across the room at Sherri. She met his gaze and a blush tinted her features at the caller’s statement. She was pulling back on her jeans. He didn’t know why she bothered, since he would be pulling them off her again soon.

“Sorry about that,” he said to the caller. “I got sidetracked, but I’m here now. What’s on your mind, Josh?”

“Do you think we’re going to lose power?”

“I would say count on it, Josh.”

“For how long?”

“Hard to say. Could be a couple of days. Remember that no electricity means that the ATMs won’t be working, so you need to have some hard cash on hand for any emergencies that might come your way.”

“Thanks, I hadn’t thought of that. We appreciate the updates out here. You might want to warn your listeners about Domino,” Josh said.

Terrence raised a brow. “Domino?”

“Yes, he’s a stray dog that roams the streets whenever a bad storm rolls in. You’ll be surprised how many female dogs Domino gets pregnant during a storm. So your listeners need to keep any female dogs that aren’t fixed behind lock and key or they’ll be sorry after Hurricane Ana passes through.”

Terrence wondered if the man was serious. “Thanks, Josh, for that advice. Okay, folks, you heard it from Josh, so take heed to his warning. Beware of Domino. And keep in mind that it’s unlikely your pet will have a place in a motel or hotel if you decide to check into one. You’ll want to find some other place that will keep Fido or Cujo. If you do find a pet-friendly hotel, make sure your cat is blindfolded. If you and your lady decide to get into
any action, there’s nothing worse than a Peeping Tom.” Terrence chuckled, and Sherri rolled her eyes.

“Okay, folks, here’s more music. A little bit of Jill Scott will start things off this hour. I’ll be back at you in twenty.”

After turning off the mike and removing his headset, he looked at Sherri and smiled. “Let’s go rob the snack machine. I’ve gotten hungry.”

“So, does your brother have a girlfriend?”

Terrence took a sip of his coffee and then smiled. The employees’ lounge didn’t have a window and he appreciated not having to see the rain and wind he heard pounding the building. “Why? You’re already taken.”

Sherri chuckled. “I was thinking of Kim. She needs to meet a real nice guy.”

He lifted a brow. “Playing matchmaker?”

“Hey, you aren’t so bad, so I figure it might run in the family.”

“It does, since I have to admit Duan is a nice person.”

Terrence’s expression then turned serious. “Duan is also a person who has been burned. That’s hard for some men to get over.”

“Yes, I would imagine,” she said, sipping her own coffee.

“And I understand it’s the same way for some women,” he decided to throw out there.

Sherri wondered what he was hinting at. How much about her had her uncle shared with him? She sighed. Since she’d already told him that he was the first to give her an orgasm, she figured he deserved the rest of the story, all the boring details.

“Ben was a likable guy. A sweep-you-off-your-feet kind of person. And he definitely swept me off mine. We dated for a year, got engaged and then we moved in together. That’s when the problems started. He became needy, wanting all my time, jealous of my work. Then one day over breakfast he told me he didn’t want to get married anymore. He accused me of not knowing how to balance my work life and my love life. Unbeknownst to me, he had already packed, and he left, walked out the door a few hours later.”

She sighed, remembering that day. “I honestly thought he would be back once he got over it, since he would get pouty at times like a kid. A few days later I discovered he had gotten his own apartment. I got the address and went there and discovered he’d been having an affair. The two of them had already moved in together. I confronted him, and instead of admitting he was the one who had betrayed me, he
refused to take accountability and accused me of not giving him the time and attention he deserved.”

Terrence reached across the table and lifted her chin up to meet his gaze. “Seems to me that he was the one not giving you the time and attention that
you
deserved.”

“I guess we were both wrong for each other. I just didn’t see it until too late.” She shrugged. “I don’t care if I never marry. Sometimes building relationships is too much trouble.”

Terrence removed his hand and took another sip of his coffee. “I used to think that very thing, especially seeing how deeply my mother hurt my father when she up and left, committing adultery by running off with another man—a married one at that. You wouldn’t believe how many people in our neighborhood knew the story, and their kids had overheard it. I got teased by a good number of them about how no-good my mom was. It made me bitter. I grew up feeling basically like you, not caring if I ever married. Not ever wanting to. But now I believe that not every woman is like my mother. There are women out there who are born to be true mothers, lovers of their man. Trustworthy. Their mate’s best friend.”

Sherri considered asking when he had figured that
out, but didn’t. Instead, while he was in a talkative mood, she said, “Tell me about Stephen. I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with him.”

A smile touched his lips, and, as always, it affected her, arousing sensations in her stomach. He had mentioned his two close friends before, Stephen Morales and Lucas McCoy, but he’d never actually said much about them other than they’d gone to college together and were still close. “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for Stephen, or Lucas for that matter. Both of my buddies are single, although Lucas is engaged.”

He paused for a moment and then added, “And that concerns me.”

Sherri raised a brow. “What concerns you? The fact that he’s engaged?”

“No, the fact that I believe he’s putting more into this engagement than Emma, his fiancée. It’s a long-distance romance, and she seldom comes here. He always has to fly to New York to see her, and when she does say she’s coming, she never shows up. Like now. He’s expecting her in a few days, once this storm lets up. He wants her to see the house he’s building for her. Personally, I doubt she’ll come. I told Lucas my feelings on the matter.”

“You did?”

“Yes, but it’s his decision. I just don’t want to see him get taken advantage of.”

She nodded. “What about Stephen?”

“His real name is Esteban, but he goes by Stephen and he’s single and carefree. He had a few family issues in the past with his father, but now he’s doing fine. I’d like for you to meet Stephen and Lucas one day.”

“And I would like to meet them,” she replied. The fact that he wanted her to meet his best friends meant something, didn’t it? Did she want it to mean anything? “And I’d like you to meet Kim.”

“I would love to.”

She checked her watch. “It’s time for another update. And about those evacuation tips…”

He leaned back in his chair and met her gaze. “Yes, what about them?”

She smiled. “I’m beginning to like them.”

“Holy Terror, this is Maggie, and what Josh said about Domino is true. The only time I see that mutt is when there’s a storm. He got my Mitzy pregnant twice, but they were beautiful puppies. He also got my friend Nancy’s dog, Bella, pregnant. He is definitely a rolling stone.”

Terrence smiled. “Thanks for sharing that, Maggie. Okay, folks, you heard her. Anyone want to
call and describe this famous Casanova on four legs? If you’ve seen Domino, know how he looks and/or his whereabouts, please call in and let us know.”

He clicked on the next call. “This is Holy Terror. What’s on your mind?”

“This is Monica. I went to your club, and you didn’t show up.”

So what does that tell you?
he refrained from saying and glanced over at Sherri. She was sitting on the edge of the desk, facing him and listening attentively. “I couldn’t make it. I had other things to do. Did you enjoy Club Hurricane?”