The Second Time Around (19 page)

“I'm going to come, baby,” he said on a harsh breath.

“Yes, Jabarie. Now!”

She rubbed her hard nipples against his chest while his hands slid around and cupped her buttocks. With their eyes locked, he pushed himself into her and she felt his body shake and convulse from his powerful orgasm.

Seconds later, she cried out his name and sucked in a breath while one wave of ecstasy after another rocked her body. She squeezed her inner muscles tightly around him, wanting desperately to prolong the tremors for as long as possible. She was breathless. Her heart was thundering in her chest and she felt a shiver rock her insides as her muscles continued to contract around him. The moment the tremors stopped and her breathing returned to normal, Brenna rolled over and curled up beside him.

As Brenna drifted off to sleep, Jabarie held her snugly in his arms and listened to her steady breathing that feathered against his chest. Holding her felt warm and comforting, just the way it had always been. Only this time it was different. Tonight he held her almost afraid to go to sleep. Afraid that when he woke up he'd discover the last two weeks had been nothing more than a dream.

Leaning forward he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. When Brenna stirred in his arms and his name slipped from between her lips, he knew for a fact he wasn't dreaming. Brenna was really here in his bed.

He pulled her closer. “Shh, I'm right here baby, and I'm not going anywhere.”

B
renna woke to the smell of coffee and bacon. Sitting up straight in the bed, she sniffed again just in case her brain was playing tricks on her, and sure enough someone was in the kitchen cooking breakfast. One thing she knew for sure, that person wasn't Jabarie. That man didn't know a pot from a frying pan.

She stretched luxuriously and rolled over in the bed, opening her eyes. Sunlight poured in through the windows, bathing everything in the room. Outside, the ocean was blue and the day bright and clear. She sighed as her mind quickly recounted what had gone on the night before. They'd made love till dawn. Each time they thought themselves spent, they began to explore each other some more and ended up making love again.

Hearing a timer going off in the kitchen, curiosity got the better of her and she sat up on the bed. There was no way Jabarie was making breakfast.

“This I've gotta see.”

She climbed out of the bed and pulled on one of his T-shirts which was thrown over a chair in the corner. After sliding her feet into a pair of his slippers, she opened the door to the room and headed toward the kitchen. As she walked down the hall, she felt a wave of nerves hit her. Last night they held nothing back sexually, but now they had to face each other, as if it was no big deal, and prepare themselves to let each other go their own separate way.

Brenna stepped into the kitchen. When she finally glanced up, she stopped dead in her tracks.

Jabarie was standing in front of the stove. He was completely naked, apart from a cook's apron. The apron cord hung around his neck and high on his waist, leaving his muscular back and his gorgeous butt on full display. With a hand at her hip, she focused on his nice chocolate behind. She always wondered what all the hype was about a man's butt. Now she understood. Tight. Muscular. Perfect to fit both palms of her hands. The view was so spectacular and amusing that she wished she had a camera handy. She didn't know a woman around who wouldn't be delighted to find a sight like that standing in her kitchen.

“This is a surprise.”

Jabarie swung around and the irresistible smile on his face made her heart skip a beat. “Good morning, sleepyhead.” He carried eggs over to the table and lowered them onto a plate. “I was getting ready to come up and wake you.”

She didn't hear a word he said. Her eyes were focused on the table he had beautifully decorated with a lace tablecloth, napkins, and another beautiful rose bouquet. “The table is beautiful,” she began while moving farther into the room. “I…” Her voice began to trail off since she didn't have the foggiest idea what she had been planning to ask him. All she knew was that she was completely touched by his kindness. Tears burned the backs of her eyes that she refused to let go of. Why did she have to love this man so much?

“What's wrong?” he asked and before she could answer, he pulled her into his arms for a slow lingering kiss. The pulse point in the pit of her belly leapt into life. She would have to try to stay focused on rational behaviors at least for some of the time, or she'd start acting like a lovesick teenager every time he touched her. She slipped out of his arms and pretended to be more interested in what he was cooking. She was hungry and her stomach was growling, but still she had to drag her gaze away from him to look at the food.

“I'm starved.”

“Good. I've cooked plenty,” he answered.

Smiling, she looked down at the delicious meal he'd managed to create. Belgian waffles. Crispy bacon. Fluffy cheese eggs. Fresh fruit. Coffee and orange juice. “Wow!” was all she could say.

“All that hot sex works up quite an appetite,” he added with a wink.

She blushed, sat down, and he put a plate down in front of her. She took a mouthful of the omelet and it melted in her mouth.

“When did you learn how to cook like this?” she asked when he put a plate of toast and a coffee pot on the table and then joined her, settling into the chair opposite her.

He chewed on a piece of bacon while he spoke. “A couple of years ago I discovered that I either learn how to cook or spend the rest of my life eating take-out. I started spending time at the manor in the kitchen learning how to make several simple dishes, including breakfast.”

“I would have loved to have seen that,” she teased.

Chuckling, Jabarie filled each of their mugs with coffee. “You should have seen my mother's face. I thought she was going to pass out.”

“Why? She doesn't believe a man should be in the kitchen?”

“No, when I asked her to come and watch me whip up breakfast I think it was the first time she'd stepped foot in a kitchen in over thirty years,” he said with a laugh. Brenna tossed her head back and joined in.

“Next time I'll have to make breakfast for you,” she said, and as soon as the words slipped from her lips, she realized she was talking about a future that would never be.

Jabarie looked stunned then pleased by the offer. “Sounds great,” he responded. “Speaking of the future…”

“Let's not,” Brenna interrupted. She didn't want to ruin what they had now. “Surely we can find something better to do than talk.”

For a moment she thought he was going to begin a discussion anyway, but then he seemed to reconsider.

“What else do you have in mind?” he asked, pushing the plate aside.

His intense stare made her feel restless, and she wiggled on her seat, and then set down her knife and fork. She picked up her coffee cup to distract herself then glanced out the window, away from his sexy expression. Leaving him was becoming harder by the second, but talking about them was only going to make matters worse.

“So what else can you cook?” she finally asked, finding food a safe subject.

While they finished eating, Jabarie told her how he had invited his family to his condo Memorial Day weekend for an afternoon barbecue. He wowed the family with his slow-smoked ribs and homemade potato salad.

Brenna brought her orange juice to her lips. “Maybe you should have been a chef?”

“Shh, don't say that too loud. My father might be listening,” he chuckled.

After breakfast, Jabarie refused to let her help with the dishes and sent her back to the room to shower and get dressed. He waited until she was down the hall before the smile slipped from his lips.

Brenna was the most stubborn woman he knew. Why couldn't she just admit that she loved him and come back to him?

He reached for their plates and while he rinsed them under the water, he glanced around the room and concluded he was tired of living alone. He had been for a long time but never found a woman he wanted to share his life with except Brenna. He missed spending time quietly on the couch or making love in his bed.

He put another plate in the dishwasher and reminisced over breakfast. The meal had turned out nice, if he said so himself, but the conversation had been uncomfortable and a little stifled for his taste. Brenna didn't want to talk anymore about them, but whether she liked it or not, they needed to talk. He needed to find a way to get her to stay not just as his lover but as his wife.

As soon as he had the dishwasher loaded, he returned to the bedroom. Not finding her, he stepped into the bathroom and she slowly rose from the tub. His mouth went dry. The strands of her hair curled around her breasts, making the chocolate circles of her nipples even more pronounced and beautiful. Water droplets rolled down her skin that he longed to taste. He wanted to lick her dry, then caress her until she was dripping wet again.

She smiled as if she could read his mind. “Want to join me?”

He didn't say a word, just removed his apron as fast as he could then stepped into the water.

As soon as he was seated, Brenna rose on her knees. “I'll wash you,” she offered then reached for a towel and straddled his body. As she rubbed the terry cloth across his chin, he reached out and caressed her breasts.

“You're being a bad boy,” she groaned. “Let me finish washing you.”

“I can't help myself when I'm around you.” While her hands continued to move, spending time caressing his nipples, then moving down his stomach, he ran his hand along her back, loving every sensual curve. “I don't think there is one thing about your body I don't love.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” she purred then adjusted her position and began to stroke her fingers along his legs. He stiffened when her fingers closed around his length.

“Now you're being a bad girl,” he said with effort.

“Haven't you heard? Naughty is my middle name,” she replied as she reached her hand outside the tub and returned with a foil package in her hand.

Jabarie chuckled. “You planned this, didn't you?”

Amusement flickered in the eyes that met his. “Of course. I was just waiting to see how long it took for you to join me.” She ripped open the package and with their eyes locked, she slid the condom over his length.

“If I had known you were planning this I could have cleaned the kitchen later.”

She rose up and slowly lowered over his length. Jabarie longed to surge all the way inside but held back. She flexed her inner muscles around him, squeezing him until she elicited a frustrated groan from between his teeth.

“You okay?” she asked.

“Hell, yes!” he ground out as she let him slip into her another few, precious inches.

She paused and closed her eyes. Needing to be inside her, Jabarie tilted his hips, sliding even farther inside. Her gasp was a reward, as was the way she latched her legs around his waist.

“You're cheating,” she said, voice trembling.

“Haven't you heard…all's fair in love and war,” he said then reached around and cupped her rear end. The motion slid her forward and he filled her completely.

“Oh!” Brenna gasped.

He groaned then dipped his head to lap her nipple. Arching her back, she ground against him. Jabarie responded by thrusting upward. The water allowed him leverage and a range of motion he didn't normally have. With his hands firmly at her hips, he guided her up and down as he pressed his mouth to hers.

Brenna controlled the rhythm while he plunged his tongue inside her mouth. He began with slow gentle strokes, but as the excitement grew, his tongue's movements became more erratic. As their desire increased and her breath became labored, he pulled back from the kiss and took her fast and hard, causing the water to slosh around them.

With each stroke, he watched her, loving every whimper, every moan. Loved that she was bringing everything she had to the table in order to bring him pleasure, as well.

He cradled her chin with one hand and tilted her face. Brenna opened her eyes and looked into his. Searching her face, he slowed his rhythm, gentled his pace. Her eyes clouded with tears, but he knew they weren't tears of pain. As much as Brenna wanted to deny it, he had reached her in that most emotional place, the center of her heart.

With a smile Jabarie slid a hand between their wet bodies and found her nub. With a sweep of his finger and thumb, he drove her over the edge. Her legs latched around his waist like a vice and her back arched, lifting her up and against him as she cried out her pleasure and her release.

Jabarie tried to hold back, wanting more than anything to maintain control until she came again and again, but the look of pure pleasure and the joyful tears that cascaded down her cheeks did him in. He held on firmly to her hips and poured himself into her.

As they sat there, locked together for what seemed like a blissful eternity, she looked down into his eyes. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to her forehead, cheek and lips.

“That was amazing,” she whispered as her arms came around his waist and she rested her head against his chest.

Jabarie looked down at her, so comfortable leaning against him, and slowly let his arms come around her waist. It was amazing. And so was this woman.

“I love you,” he said as naturally as saying good morning. He loved this woman and he wasn't ashamed to admit it.

Brenna was so quiet, he wondered if she had heard him when she suddenly raised her head to look at him. Tears and rage burned from her eyes. “Why didn't you just ask me?”

He gave her a puzzled look. “Baby, what are you talking about?”

Answering a question with a question appeared to piss her off. “Why didn't you come after me?” she asked, nostrils flaring.

Jabarie gently stroked her arm as he remembered his mother telling him how Brenna had come to the house asking for money, gloating about finally having access to the Beaumont fortune. It had angered him, although, even then he should have known that something wasn't right about what she said. He should have believed in their love.

“Why didn't you come after me?” she repeated.

He had asked himself that same question over and over, time and time again. “I don't know,” he finally admitted.

Pushing away from his chest, Brenna rose from the tub and stepped out onto the mosaic tiled floor. “You know what hurts the most, is that you believed your mother over me. That you didn't love me enough to know I would never squeeze her for money.”