When It Rains... (22 page)

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Authors: Angie Daniels

BOOK: When It Rains...
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He reached for a beer from the refrigerator, then removedhis dinner from the microwave: fried chicken and mashed potatoes, courtesy of Banquet Dinners. He strolled into the living room and set his food on the coffeetable. Easing down in his favorite chair, he reached for the remote control. Time for football. Just as the Rams scored their first touchdown, the phone rang.
“Jay, this is Jocelyn Price.”
“Good evening.”
“I spoke to Chad earlier, and he told me about the symposium in K.C.” She stopped briefly, and Jay could tell that she was also eating. “I thought that was strange, but what I found when I went down to Vital Statistics today was even weirder. The receptionist is the mother of a little boy I saw in the emergency room a couple of weeks ago. She told me that American Family Insurance requested a copy of James's death certificate last week.”
“Last week?” The man had been dead for almost a year. “Did he have any life insurance?”
“Yes, two policies. I was the beneficiary on one, his mother on the other. However, neither was with AmericanFamily.”
“Maybe he had another policy you knew nothing about?”
“Maybe.” She sounded unconvinced. “I've looked through all his things, and so far I've found nothing.”
“If you don't mind, I'd like to have one of my operativescome by and look through Dr. Price's files tomorrow.”
“That would be fine.”
“Dory will call you tomorrow to schedule a good time. Meanwhile, see what you can get from the insurancecompany.”
“All right. I'll let you know what I find out.”
After he hung up, Jay reached for the remote and increasedthe volume. Before biting into a chicken leg he mumbled, “This case is getting more interesting by the moment.”
Ten
E
ven though it was Valentine's Day, Honey didn't close the salon until after seven. Rita came in religiously every other Thursday at five o'clock for a wash and set, and Candy made sure she was always the last appointmentof the day. The middle-aged woman was a talker; Honey knew the names of her children, her children's children, all her neighbors, and even the damn postman.
By the time she finally hustled Rita out the door, the other stylists were long gone, preparing for their own dates. Honey had brought her clothes along so she could change before Darrius arrived to pick her up for dinner. As she was turning out the lights, she heard a faint knock and moved to the front of the shop. She gasped when she found Jay standing outside the door.
Three days had passed. Other than a few brief phone conversations, she hadn't seen him. She had expected him to show up uninvited at the salon, or worse yet, her home. When he'd done neither, she had felt a mixture of relief and disappointment. Just this morning, she'd found herself wondering which of his female companionswould have the pleasure of being in his company this evening. So what the hell was he doing here on Valentine's Day?
“Are you gonna invite me in?” he called through the door, pulling the collar of his heavy coat up around his ears.
Feeling her breath catch on her dry lips, Honey realizedshe'd been standing there gawking, probably like a lovesick puppy.
“Just give me a minute,” she answered before reachingdown to turn the lock. After several fumbled attempts,she opened it and stared at the handsome man in front of her.
Beneath a long tweed coat, she spied a black wool suit. His cologne filled the air. Oh, did he smell good! Jealousy raced through her chest. He was spending the evening with someone else. “You look nice,” she forced herself to admit.
“And so do you. May I come in?”
She blinked hard. “Oh, yes, of course,” she mumbled, almost tripping over her own feet as she moved aside.
Stepping into the room, he gave her a dazzling smile, then produced a small white box from behind his back and held it out to her.
Honey frowned down at it. “What's that for?”
“If you didn't know, today
is
Valentine's Day,” he teased.
“I know what today is,” she snapped, infuriated by what she was feeling. She forced her eyes away from his succulent lips.
Oh God, I want him to kiss me again.
“But why did you buy me a gift?”
Jay noticed something different in her eyes, but wasn't quite sure what it was. Fear, and maybe somethingelse. “I didn't,” he mumbled, then shrugged. “My date for the evening canceled, and I remembered you like chocolate.”
Honey looked at him, contemplating if what he said was true before taking the box from his hands. “Sounds like you're losing your touch,” she said, feeling some of her control return. She removed the lid to find a dozen chocolate-covered strawberries. “Mmm,” she moaned before she bit into one. “This is delicious.”
Jay stood to the side with his lips parted, watching her. She licked her lips, and he had to resist the urge to retrace the path.
Honey started to take a third bite, but stopped halfway to her mouth to look at him. “You want some?”
His eyes twinkled. “I would love some.” Before she had a chance to reach into the box, he leaned forward. Grasping her wrist, he raised her hand to his mouth and swallowed the half-eaten strawberry.
Honey's fingers quivered, and a warm feeling traveleddeliciously from her fingers down to between her thighs. Jay took his time and drew each finger into his mouth, licking the chocolate from her knuckle all the way to her fingernail with his tongue, using slow, sensualmoves. Her eyes traveled down to his lips, and she swallowed. Honey found herself unable to move, and the feeling of arousal consumed her as she envisioned his tongue traveling to the private parts of her body.
Damn if he wasn't fucking her fingers! She jerked her hand away, walked over to the reception desk, and set the box on the counter.
“Thanks for the chocolate,” she mumbled.
“No problem.” He watched her out of the side of his eye, hoping to see something to indicate what she was feeling. He hadn't intended to lick her fingers, but the melted chocolate had looked so inviting. “Do you have plans for tonight? Maybe another date I can rescueyou from?” he said, smirking.
She waited until her quickened pulse quieted beforeanswering. “I already told you I had plans.” She moved across the room to her workstation and began putting her supplies away, trying to do everything in her power not to look at him.
“I was hopin' maybe you had changed your mind.” His gaze traveled over her attire. He liked the way she looked in the brown leather skirt with high splits.
“What are you gonna do now that your date has canceled?” She couldn't help wondering who was stupidenough to call off a date with him.
“Sit in front of my television with a bowl of Edy's ice cream and a new video game.” Jay crossed his arms. “I bought
Halo
yesterday for my X-Box.”
She swung around, eyes wide. “X-Box! You have an X-Box?” He nodded. “I've been wantin' one of my own, but the price of those things is ridiculous.” With a sigh, she moved to lock the cash drawer.
“Why don't you come over and help me break it in this evening?” he suggested, drawing nearer.
She shook her head. “I don't think so. I already made plans to have dinner with Darrius.”
He studied her face. “You really don't want to go out with Mr. Stockbroker, do you?”
She shrugged, not trusting herself to speak.
“Come on, Honey. It's Valentine's Day. Why don't we spend the evening hangin' out like ole' times? I'm sure Darrius would understand.”
Honey was tempted. She'd wanted to hold the joystick to that game for weeks. But the thought of being alone with Jay scared her.
“I even have cold Busch beer in my refrigerator.”
She was almost swayed by his warm brown eyes, but dutifully declined. “Tempting, but not tonight. Maybe some other time.”
Jay took a step forward. “You promised me a date.”
Honey tried to move away, but damn if her body wasn't listening. For some unknown reason, her feet felt cemented to the floor. Desire was apparent in Jay's eyes as he moved in even closer.
He took another step, closing the distance between them, and backed her into a corner until she was trapped against the wall with his hands planted on either side of her. After gazing into her gray eyes, he let his eyes travel from her mane of brown hair down to the orange cashmeresweater hugging her itty-bitty breasts.
Honey drew in a swift breath mixed with fear and anticipation as she saw his gaze wander back to her mouth. He was so near and his lips so close she wanted him to kiss her. Even though she knew it would be a big mistake, she wanted it anyway. Rather than pulling away, she found herself swaying toward him.
Eyes roaming over her delicate face, Jay reached out and stroked her soft curls with the back of his hand. He could see the battle she fought within, but still leaned forward until she could feel his breath against her skin.
“Quit fightin' it, Honey. No one will ever be able to make you as happy as I can.” He spoke in a low, husky rasp that caused her to shiver.
“Why do you keep doing this?” she gasped.
“You shouldn't be so damn fine,” he said, his cinnamonbreath hot against her throat.
Honey knew she should run, but couldn't. Even as his face moved closer, she couldn't. Even when his lips parted, she couldn't. For several seconds, she focused on his lips and she shuddered remembering how they felt. Her mouth went dry, making it impossible to speak. She felt caught beneath his brown gaze. Jay ran a thumb across her lips and she trembled, powerless to do anythingbut stand there frozen to the wall. His arm went around her waist, pulling her against his solid form.
Under dark lashes, Honey stared up at him with wide eyes, looking young and fragile. Her mass of curly hair was clipped away from her face, exposing a sensuous neck that was begging to be kissed. She dropped her eyes, and Jay rested his chin on her head. Taking a deep breath, he inhaled the scent of freshly washed hair and the herbal conditioner she liked so much. With her nipplespressed against his chest, he felt the throb of her heart. He allowed his lips to travel down the side of her face, then down the length of her neck, where he nibbledat the smooth honey flesh. Thinking of her with someone else made him furious with wanting to claim what was his. He'd sworn to take things slow. He'd made a pledge to allow her to initiate the relationship. But he was powerless against his desire.
With their faces only inches apart, he cupped her chin in his palm and drew it near. He dropped his head and claimed her mouth, her lips parted in shock. Then, cradling her waist, Jay pulled her closer to him.
“It could be so good between us,” he whispered as he felt her heart flutter against his chest.
She took a deep breath, caught in a tidal wave of sensation as he showered her with kisses that made her shudder. She wanted his tongue in her mouth. There were no words for what she was feeling. She knew she should pull away, scream, even slap the shit out of him, but she could do none of that. Instead, dropping her head back, she leaned into him, allowing his tongue access,and he tasted, then explored as the fine hairs of his beard teased her. She tried to resist but found herselfreaching out; she placed her hands on his shouldersand moaned.
“Let me love you,” he whispered against her lips.
The kiss became so powerful Honey thought her knees would give way beneath her. Brushing her mouth back and forth in a coaxing movement, he plunged his tongue deep into her mouth, tasting lips softer than he remembered. Her hips pressed against the narrow heat of him and her thighs were nestled between his legs. He gyrated his hips against her, causing her to weaken.
The knock on the door ended it. Jay took his lips away. Still standing close, taunting her before backing away, he locked his eyes on hers. “We wouldn't want you to keep your date waiting.” With that, he walked to the door and opened it, and found himself once again face-to-face with Darrius. The two looked at each other for a brief moment before Jay finally nodded, then brushed past him.
Leaving Darrius standing there, Honey escaped to her office, where she sagged against the office door. She raised trembling fingers to her throbbing lips. The passion-filled kiss had rocked her to the core, and had been every bit as explosive as the last time. Like before,Jay had left her nipples erect and her panties wet. If only he knew how damn close the phrase “I love you” had been ready to erupt from her smothered lips.
This had to end. She was weak around Jay, and if she wanted to keep him from finding out her secret, she needed to stay away from him at all costs. Regardless of how much she loved him.
She just wished it were that easy.
 
 
As he steered in the direction of home, his cell phone vibrated.
“Jay, this is Kendra. I just hate to bother you on Valentine's Day, but I'm not feelin' too good.”
He heard something unsettling in her voice. “What's wrong?”
“I—I'm not sure. I've been having lower abdominal pains all day. Ow! There it goes again.”
“Hang tight, Kendra. I'll be right over.”
 
 
Natalia arrived at Houlihan's to find Jacob already there, seated at a small table in the back, and her heart soared. She was dressed in the navy blue blazer and slacks she had planned to wear to his mother's birthday party before he declined her attendance.
“Sorry I'm late,” she said as soon as he was in range. Moving to him, she planted a kiss on his cheek, loving the smell of her man, before taking the seat next to him. “I had a busy day at the office. You wouldn't believeall the last-minute problems I'm having with the designers. The spring season begins in four weeks, and I don't know if our new line is gonna be ready in time.” She paused at seeing the distracted expression on his handsome mocha face, and smiled. “Listen to me, rattlingon like a broken record. Happy Valentine's Day, baby. Ms. Kitty and I have a gift waiting for you at home. I hope Mandingo is up for the challenge.”
Turning away from the suggestive look in her eyes, Jacob cleared his throat. “I have something for you.”
Natalia bubbled over inside when she saw him removea small black box from under the table.
Oh my goodness
, she thought,
this is it
. She took the gift and opened it.
Suddenly the joy left her face.
What the hell is this shit?
She lowered her lashes to disguise her displeasure, then reached down to remove the two-carat diamond brooch. “It's beautiful.” When she lifted her eyes, disappointment still flickered there. “Thank you.” She opened the clasp and pinned it onto the lapel of her jacket.

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