Authors: Niobia Bryant
Deshawn stood up from the table, the sound of his chair scraping against the floor, bringing the revealing moment to a sudden halt. “That was good Nana,” he sighed as he patted his rock-hard abdomen.
“Don’t forget to thank Alicia. She mixed the potato salad up for me and baked the cornbread.” Nana Lil smiled warmly at her.
The men complimented her, but spitefully Chloe thought the cornbread was dry and the potato salad bitter. She
knew
she could do a lot better.
Deshawn walked over to the sink, letting his plate slip into the hot depths of the sudsy water, before moving back across the kitchen to lean down and kiss her wrinkled cheek.
“Shawnie, you eat too fast. Your stomach’s gonna hurt again,” she said, as she swatted him away playfully.
“I know Nana Lil.” He smiled and winked at her. “But I have to see a man about a dog.” He used the popular phrase in the South for when a person didn’t want to exactly tell someone where he really was going.
Nana Lil laughed. “More like a woman about a pussycat,” she said with her usual bluntness before taking a bite of food.
Devon nearly choked on the limeade he was drinking. Alicia reached over to clap on his back, as she also laughed. Chloe’s mouth hung upon, not quite sure she would ever get used to Nana Lil’s bluntness, before she also joined in the laughter around the table.
Deshawn held up his hands. “Ha ... ha ... ha. Real funny,” he said dryly. “I’m going to play cards.”
Devon stretched his lean, muscled frame in the chair, his movements only hinting at the strength he held. Two set of eyes watched him and both women could only force themselves to look away. “Going to Charlie’s?”
Charlie’s was a small wooden shack at the end of a dead end road where mostly the men of the small town gambled, playing pitty-pat, poker or bid whist. Charlie would hold tournaments for money and always sold steamed sausage dogs, potato chips, sodas and bootleg liquor.
Deshawn grabbed his keys from the hook by the back door. “Yeah, you wanna ride with me?”
“Naw, I’ll come by after I follow Alicia home.”
Chloe didn’t miss the way Alicia looked like a cat who just swallowed a fat rat. She wondered if they had a rendezvous planned. It was only a little after eight; why did he have to follow her home? Would they make love at her house before he went to Charlie’s? Or would he spend the night?
The thought of it made her seethe with jealousy because she was honest in admitting that she wished Devon and she would climb the stairs together, to sleep in the same room and make love in one bed.
But she knew that there was a better chance for a snowball in hell!
∞
Nana Lil complained of a splitting headache and retired to bed early, leaving Devon, Chloe and Alicia to clean up the kitchen. It was a simple task that turned out to be very tiring for Chloe. Alicia made sure of that.
First she tried to talk her out of helping.
Chloe had just scraped the food out of all the plates and was about to start washing them in the sink when the other woman shook her head. “Don’t worry about those. I’m sure Devon and I can handle it,” she said as she came over to stand next to Chloe by the sink.
For a few moments their eyes locked. “I don’t mind helping. I usually help Nana Lil after dinner anyway,” Chloe insisted, turning her attention back to the sink.
Alicia reached for the dishcloth in Chloe’s hand. “I said don’t worry about it,” she said peevishly.
Chloe forced a tight smile and snatched the cloth back. “And
I
said I don’t mind, but thank you for the offer . . . Alicia.”
She knew the woman wanted to be alone with Devon, who was watching them with a confused look on his face.
He probably thinks we're crazy,
she thought.
Round one went to Chloe as she washed the dishes, but the other woman was determined.
“Devon, remember when we were nine and we washed that stray dog?” she asked from over where she was wiping the table off with a damp cloth.
Devon grinned and shook his head as he dried the dishes Chloe handed him. “Yeah, we all ended up wetter than the dog and poor Shawn . . .”
“. . . fell in the tub,” they said in unison, before laughing.
And so it went for the remainder of the ten minutes it took to finish straightening the kitchen back to Nana Lil’s usual neatness. They reminisced over their lives growing up in Holtsville so much that someone would have thought they hadn’t seen each other in years. Needless to say, Chloe felt left out, just as she suspected Alicia wanted her to.
Chloe finished scrubbing the casserole dish and then dipped it in the half of the double sink filled with rinse water before handing it to Devon. “That’s all the dishes. I’m gonna read on the porch awhile.”
She left the kitchen quickly and dashed up the stairs to retrieve the book she had been reading earlier. When she came back downstairs, the lights were off in the kitchen. She assumed correctly that they were gone.
Before she went outside she looked in on Nana Lil and saw that she was sleeping comfortably. The nighttime southern air was alive with the sounds of creatures and the scent of blooming flowers. Chloe settled into the rocking chair, folding her feet under her as she began to read. She was resolved not to let herself think of the embarrassing bathroom incident, or how good he had looked naked, or about what he and Alicia were doing at her house.
Easier said than done.
∞
Devon’s thoughts were filled with Chloe as he drove the dark, winding country roads. Just this one time he let his mind wander, not forcibly pushing the thoughts away. Tonight at dinner he had felt that piercing stare of hers on him several times, even though he didn’t acknowledge her. He wondered for the hundredth time what she had been thinking.
Then when he handed her the fork and their eyes had met, he swore he saw desire in the honey-brown depths. He hated to admit the pleasure he felt at even believing she could want him. Her expression made him believe she was as attracted to him as he was unwillingly attracted to her.
Yes, on a purely physical level he wanted her. But women like Chloe would never accept that. Before he met and lived under the same roof as she for three weeks, he had thought her lacking in morals, believing the rumors. But she wasn’t a drug addict or an airhead. Everyday living with her had reshaped his opinions concerning her until he didn’t know what to think, because he still saw many similarities between her and Elissa.
It was lust! He lusted for her like a horny teenager, until he could smell her when she wasn’t even in his presence. He wanted to bury himself between her thighs and hear her moan his name with that husky voice of hers. He wanted to see those honey-colored eyes blaze with desire for him. Those eyes seemed to haunt him in his dreams with their intensity.
His desire for her was evident from the bulge straining against his jeans. Thoughts of her naked body inflamed him, and there was only one way to douse the flame. But he didn’t want to get burned.
When he pulled into the driveway, having decided not to go to Charlie’s, he saw her lone figure huddled in the rocking chair on the porch. Devon assumed she was still reading.
He parked in the back, but walked around the trail leading to the front of the house. When he stepped onto the porch, he had expected her to look up from the book, but instead her head stayed down.
He felt nervous in her presence. He wanted to apologize for what happened between them today, although it wasn’t entirely his fault. With shame, he realized he hadn’t ever been gentlemanly enough to apologize to her.
He
had been the one to walk in on
her
regardless. “Chloe.”
As he got closer he saw that her eyes were closed and her breathing was slow and easy. She was asleep. “Chloe,” he called her name again, louder this time.
She would have a nasty crick in her neck from the way her head was nodding down toward her chest. He smiled when her perfectly heart-shaped mouth opened and she snored lightly. Unbelievable. The glamorous supermodel snored in her sleep.
She
was
beautiful. Long, curled lashes rested against her healthy bronzed complexion, her mouth slightly ajar as she breathed. Her auburn hair was loosened from the braid she wore earlier, and her hair spilled over her shoulders. A loose strand lightly touched her cheek as the night air floated past. The temptation to stroke the hair from her face surprised him.
Innocence and beauty, intelligence and curiosity, were all personified with her. Devon knew that the anger he had toward the beauty was really meant for himself for falling under her spell, exactly what he didn’t want to do. He knew he was wrong for that.
No, he didn’t love her, but he did want her so badly that it was driving him over the edge. Did she want him too, or did he imagine the desire he saw in her eyes tonight?
He called her name again but she did not stir. He couldn’t let her sleep on the porch even if it was a warm summer night, and she looked as content as a babe in her sleep. He bent down and gathered her easily into his muscled arms, expecting her to be jarred awake, but instead she snuggled close to his chest with another short snort.
As she breathed deeply in her sleep, her breath fanned against his neck, her breasts pushed softly into his chest, her buttocks curved against his hand as he carried her into the house and up the two flights of stairs. The simple gentlemanly act was pure torture for him.
He stopped in front of the attic door, twisting the doorknob and pushing the door open with his foot. A scent, her scent, filled the space, assailing his senses. It was a delightful mix of perfume and this woman in his arms.
Reluctantly he laid her gently on the bed, upon which she immediately curled her body into a ball. He chanced only removing her sandals, and he covered her with a thin blue coverlet that matched the lavender and blue decor of the spacious attic room, which was same length as his entire suite.
She sighed in her sleep and then snored again. Devon smiled and gazed down at her serenely sleeping figure framed by the bright moonlight streaming through the open window. He left the room, closing the door softly behind him.
In his bedroom he stripped in the dark. Having her in his arms tonight was more pleasurable than he liked. He knew the hunger he had for her was occupying too much of his time, and the changing opinion he had about her wasn’t helping him any.
“Damn,” he swore into the silence of the room as he climbed beneath the covers of the bed. He knew tonight would be the worst night of sleep he ever had. He knew he would be haunted with visions of cat-shaped, honey-colored eyes and a heart-shaped beauty mark.
The next morning Chloe woke up drenched in sweat and fully dressed. The last thing she remembered was sitting in the rocking chair last night, reading. She leaned her head back against the pillows and looked around, still slightly groggy with sleep. How in the devil did she get up two flight of stairs, kick off her sandals, get the coverlet from the window seat and climb into bed without remembering it?
Had she been
that
tired?
Did she sleepwalk?
Had someone carried her to bed, and if so, who?
Probably Deshawn after he came in from Charlie’s, Lord knows Devon would have probably let her sleep outside during a rainstorm. It was way too thoughtful an act for
him.
Besides, he probably spent the night at Alicia’s,
she thought nastily, as she climbed out of bed.
Chloe walked over to the window. Already the heat was stifling and she knew it was going to be a scorcher. In all haste she peeled the sweat-drenched clothes from her body, letting them fall into a heap on the floor. She pulled on her robe and left the room. This time when she entered Devon’s bathroom, Chloe made sure to lock both doors, although she was sure Devon would probably hesitate before walking into his bathroom again. She took a leisurely bath, trying to force herself to stay focused on neutral thoughts.
But she couldn’t help but be reminded of the embarrassing incident yesterday, especially being back at the scene. During her modeling career she had found herself scantily clad in front of a roomful of people, male and female, but under Devon’s hard gaze she was filled with embarrassment. But she was resolved to try and put it behind her. It happened, it was over and there wasn’t anything either Devon or she could do about it
but
get over it. Accidents happen all the time. The naked body was a beautiful and natural thing, not something to be ashamed of, right?
Although the way Devon’s shaft had hardened in front of her seemed unnatural. His . . . uh, maleness was certainly the most . . . uh . . . impressive she’d seen . . . ever. He had nothing to be ashamed of, that’s for sure!
This time when she stepped behind the curtain into the tub, her vision of Devon lathered in soap was much more realistic with oddly remembered details. A scar on his left shoulder blade, a light birthmark on his left muscled thigh.
Yes, yesterday had been very revealing. Surely, now Devon knew details of her body intimately, more so than any man had in a long time. Chloe literally shook her head to remove the short-lived event from her thoughts.
After a long hot bath, she dashed back upstairs wrapped in a towel. Because of the heat, Chloe decided to forgo a bra, and she pulled on a pair of Calvin Klein thong bikinis. She dressed in a white cotton tank and a white tennis skirt with a fresh pair of white and silver Air Nikes. She pulled her hair into a tight ponytail with a gray scrunchee.
She glanced down at the new platinum and diamond watch she’d bought. It was seven A.M. Too early for any stores to be opened in Charleston to shop. There was
nothing
to do.
With a sigh she grabbed her car keys, just in case she decided to go for a ride, saving herself the need to climb the three flights of stairs. When she got downstairs Nana Lil was sitting in one of the recliner chairs watching a local morning news program on the television.
“Morning Nana Lil. How’s your headache?”
She looked up at Chloe with a smile. “Good morning. My head’s feeling much better after I rested last night,” she lied. “Would you like some breakfast?”
Chloe shook her head. “No thanks. I’m not hungry.”
Lil started to fuss but stopped herself. Chloe was a grown woman and if she wasn’t hungry then so be it. Besides she
did
have another headache and just didn’t feel like nagging. “Shawnie said to tell you to come down the road as soon as you were ready.”
She smiled in pleasure, her eyes bright. “Then I’ll go now. I’ll see you later, Nana Lil,” she yelled over her shoulder before dashing out of the house.
The older woman waved her off and turned back to the television. Chloe decided to drive the short distance because of the heat. She lowered the top of the convertible, hopped in and put the key in the ignition before backing out of the driveway. Moments later she turned onto her land and parked next to Devon’s truck. She didn’t see Deshawn’s truck and thought maybe he parked in the back of the growing structure.
Once again most of the men turned and waved as soon as they noticed her. She waved back and smiled as she looked around the many heads busy at work. She didn’t notice Deshawn anywhere, or even Devon for that matter.
Two jeans-clad men strode past her. “Morning,” they both spoke.
“Good morning, fellas, have either of you seen Deshawn?” She flashed them her famous brilliant smile.
The slender one with freckles and slender build blushed beet red, nodding his head toward the house. “He’s in the master suite at the end of the hall.”
She didn’t bother to remind him that it was her house, built to her wishes, thus she knew very well where the master suite was located. Instead she thanked him and walked toward the house. She found him hammering in the walk-in closet, squatting with his back to her. “Hey Deshawn. I’m here for my tour,” she said as she entered the room.
His body stiffened noticeably before he stood and turned to face her. “Sorry to disappoint you, but Deshawn had to go and pick up Alicia. She’s having car trouble again.”
Her heart hammered in her chest when she realized it was
him,
and she knew it was him before he even spoke. No one, not even his identical twin, moved like Devon, with barely contained strength. So he hadn’t spent the night at Alicia’s, or else Deshawn wouldn’t have had to pick her up. She would have driven in with Devon.
His eyes were intense as they watched her, and Chloe became nervous under the scrutiny. “I’ll just come back when Deshawn gets back. Tell him to call down to the house.”
She turned to leave, ready to flee from his powerful presence, but his deep-timbred voice stopped her. “Is there something I can help you with, Chloe?”
Nervously she turned but did not look at him, instead looking at an invisible spot on the floor. “Deshawn was going to give me a tour of the house.”
“Checking for shoddy workmanship?” he asked dryly, reminding her of her sarcastic crack at him yesterday.
Chloe jerked her head up to look at him, thinking that
he
was spoiling for a fight this time. She was surprised to see the hint of humor in his obsidian eyes. “Look, I’m sorry for that. I was in a bad mood yesterday.”
He waved off her apology. “Forget it. I’ve had a few days of perpetual bad moods myself.” Devon took a deep breath as he watched her, finding it funny that she couldn’t look him in the eye for long. “Uhm, look, Chloe we need to talk.”
She crossed her slender arms across her ample chest, the diamonds of her watch glistening in the sunlight. “About?” she asked, her voice trailing off.
“Yesterday.”
She squeezed herself with her arms. “I already apologized for jumping at you.”
He shook his head. She wasn’t going to make this easy. “You
know
what I’m talking about, Chloe.”
And of course, yes she did know exactly what he was talking about, but she remained silent and instead gathered the courage to look him in the face.
Mistake ... big time.
His eyes were intense and direct. She could not look away. He let his eyes lock with hers and felt surrounded by shades of hazel. He wanted to see those eyes blaze with desire. “Chloe, I should have apologized then for barging in on you. I thought the bathroom was empty or I wouldn’t have ever walked in on you like that.”
His voice was deep and sincere. She hadn’t once believed he had barged in on her on purpose to cop a free look. Why would she? The man detested her. But she was moved by his apology and knew it was heartfelt.
“It was an honest mistake, just an accident. I should’ve locked both doors and I’m sorry for that. It really was no big deal—”
“No . . . big . . . deal,” he scoffed, his voice incredulous. “Thanks for the blow to my ego.”
Her cheeks felt hot when she realized he thought she was referring to his male member. Her mouth dropped open, her eyes were round. “That’s not what I meant . . .”
Devon threw his head back, laughing.
Chloe liked the sound of it, rich and throaty. It was also the first time she could remember him laughing in her presence. Humor made his face even more open and handsome.
“I
know
you didn’t mean it that way. I was just kidding, Chloe.”
She raised one finely arched brow, “Don’t be so sure I didn’t mean it that way.”
It was her turn to laugh when he abruptly stopped laughing to look at her. She held up both of her hands. “Just kidding.”
“Look, I’ll show you around, at least until Shawn gets back. Just let me finish this up first.”
He turned back to his squatting position and began hammering the nails he retrieved from his leather tool belt into the beam running along the interior of the closet.
A vision of Devon naked and lean, squatting in the same position, with only his tool belt and construction boots on, flashed briefly in her mind. Laughter bubbled out, filling the empty room with reverberations of it.
Devon stopped hammering and turned on his haunches to cast her a piercing stare. When she ducked her head, avoiding his eyes and covering her grin with her hand, his instincts told him that she was laughing at him.
Did he have a hole in his pants, a foreign object hanging out of his nose? What the hell was so funny?
Chloe chanced another look in his direction. With him still squatting, but now facing her, the vision changed to his male anatomy swinging between his thighs, his tool belt and boots still in place. Her lips sputtered with laughter again, resembling the tinkling of bells.
Devon stood up, his hands on his narrow hips, causing Chloe to double over in laughter, tears filling her eyes. “Okay, Chloe, what’s so funny?” he demanded, his expression impatient.
Chloe tried to swallow her laughter but failed to keep a straight face. “Nothing. I’m sorry Devon,” she sputtered, bursting into laughter again.
“I fail to see anything humorous,” he drawled.
She laughed so hard she snorted and her head began to pound. “If you saw . . . what I saw . . . you’d laugh too,” she said, as she tried to catch her breath.
So she
was
laughing at him. “What did you see?”
She took deep calming breaths through her mouth. “I just imagined you naked and hammering with nothing on but your tool belt and your big old construction boots!”
Chloe howled with laughter when he looked down at himself and then back up at her. He didn’t find the notion of himself naked to be comical at all. He raised a brow at her, his handsome face serious. She sure hadn’t been laughing yesterday in the bathroom when her eyes had gotten wide as saucers at seeing his “endowments.”
He started to tell her a few things, like:
Why was she thinking of him naked anyway?
or
Why hadn't she laughed yesterday?
or
Would she like for him to show her just how serious the sight of him naked could get?
But instead he gave her a stem look with his piercing black eyes. “Anyway, let’s start in the living room.”
Devon walked past her out of the master suite, slipping his hammer into a leather rung on his tool belt. When he heard her cough back another round of laughter behind him, he actually smiled. Okay, the thought of someone naked in boots with a tool belt
was
hilarious.
An unspoken truce developed between them.