He was killing her with the best lovemaking any man could possibly bestow on a woman. And she knew he wasn’t finished with her. When the last spasm finally left her body, he pulled back and gazed down at her.
He smiled and traced his hand all over her body. She felt his touch— tender and loving—and drew in a deep breath filled with emotions for him that she hadn’t felt in over twelve years. At that moment, she knew she loved him. Not as an impressionable young teenaged girl, but as a full-grown woman.
Jamison levered himself over her and leaned down and kissed her again, stroking his tongue with hers, loving her taste. Moments later, he pulled back and stared down at her. There was no need to ask if she was on any kind of birth control, because he’d seen the Pill pack more than once on the bathroom vanity. But he didn’t have the right to assume that meant she wouldn’t want him to put on a condom.
“Do you want me to put on a condom, Kendal?”
She shook her head. “No, not unless you want to.”
He didn’t want to because he wanted to feel her. Skin to skin. “No, I don’t want to.”
She smiled. “Good, because I don’t want you to either.”
Jamison drew in a deep breath as emotions swept through him. At that moment, he couldn’t help but appreciate his good fortune at having Kendal a part of his and Kia’s lives. She was everything a man could possibly want in a woman, and there was a reason she was here with him. He was convinced of it. Filled with a deep desire to mate with her, he leaned down and kissed her again.
Kendal was consumed by Jamison’s kiss as he devoured her. But still, she knew the exact moment he parted her thighs and instinctively her hips arched to meet him. His body pressed close to hers, and she could feel his hard and hot erection sliding into place between her legs, and she almost lost it when the tip of it touched her opening.
He broke the kiss, and she knew why. He wanted to be looking at her when he eased inside of her. She held his gaze, and taking a deep breath, she drew air filled with his scent into her lungs.
And then she felt him moving forward, pushing his way inside of her. She arched her back and lifted her hips to take him in. And he slid in, deep and deeper, pulling out a little and then returning, going deeper until she knew there wasn’t any way he could go farther. And just when she was convinced of that, he moved at an angle to prove her wrong.
He smiled down at her. “You okay?”
“Yes. You?”
His smile stretched from one corner or his mouth to the other when he said in a deep husky voice, “I’m about to show you just how okay I am.” And then he flexed his hips and began thrusting inside of her.
She looked up into his eyes, stunned by the magnitude of how he was making her feel. Everything was perfect. His rhythm, his timing, and his strokes. He wasn’t missing a beat as he thrust in and out of her, while moving up and down her as well. Reaching out, she grabbed hold of his shoulders, and their mating became a dance where only they knew the steps.
He leaned in and whispered, “You are one beautiful and sexy woman. Don’t ever think that you’re not,” he said with a forceful growl.
And then he was kissing her, taking control of her mouth in a way that made her tremble all over. Moments later, she jerked back her mouth and moaned deep to keep from crying out when her world went spiraling out of control…making her last orgasm seem mild in comparison.
And then his body began shaking to the extent that it sent another torrid orgasm rippling through her. She watched his features, saw the intensity lined in his face, heard the possessive growl that escaped his throat, and she knew they were on one accord, flying high and reaching the same goal.
She couldn’t recall how long pleasure tore through her or how long their bodies continued quaking from the effects. But she did recall the moment Jamison gathered her close in his arms, pushed her hair back from her face, and kissed the sides of her neck and shoulders before cuddling her closer. Their limbs entangled as their heartbeats began to slow.
At that moment, it was so easy to forget why they’d married and that all they’d shared was animal lust. It might have been that way for him, but she knew her true feelings and accepted them. Loving him was her secret, and she would hold it close to her heart and make the most of their situation. And during it all, she intended to be the best wife she could be, because that’s what he deserved.
“Kendal?”
She tilted her head to look up at him. His hand was rubbing up and down her back, and it felt good. “Yes?”
He leaned downed and brushed a kiss across her lips and said, “Tonight is the last night these beds are going to be apart.”
A smile touched her lips. The thought that he wanted to share a bed with her every night sent sparks of pleasure through her. “That’s fine with me.”
He then shifted to tuck her head underneath his chin and whispered, “We’ll get some sleep…for now.
Kendal snatched her eyes open when she heard the girls laughing downstairs. Glancing over at the clock, she saw it was a little past seven and bolted up in bed. They needed to be at daycare at eight. Why hadn’t someone awakened her?
Throwing back the covers, she gasped upon noticing that she was stark naked. She quickly glanced around and saw her robe thrown on the recliner. She also noted that the beds were together. Her brows furrowed. When had Jamison done that?
Stepping into her slippers, she hurried into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. She tightened her robe around her when she saw the passion marks on the side of her face and her neck. With her medium brown coloring, they looked like bruises. Lordy, she hoped the girls didn’t ask her about them.
Kendal figured she would soon find out when moments later she left the bedroom and headed down the stairs. She burst into the kitchen and stopped in her tracks. Everyone was sitting at the kitchen table. Eating. She had expected to see chaos and confusion. Instead she saw Jamison with his daughter and her niece sitting at the table, enjoying breakfast and conversation. He was listening attentively while Carr told him what was supposed to happen at daycare today. She glanced at their plates. Grits? Eggs? And bacon that wasn’t burned? She smiled and shook her head. Jamison Savoy was a man of many talents.
She cleared her throat. “Good morning. Mind if I join you guys?”
“Aunt K!”
“Good morning, Aunt K!” Both girls said gaily.
Then Kia said, “Dad fixed breakfast. He said you needed to sleep.”
Kendal nodded as she went to each girl and placed a kiss on their cheeks. “I see that he did, and he was right, I needed to sleep a little longer this morning.”
“Why?” Carr asked. “Are you sick? I slept late that day when my tummy was hurting.”
She smiled over at Carr. “No, I’m not sick. Just tired. But I’m fine now.”
“Then how about bringing your fine self over this way and give me a kiss as well,” Jamison said with a sexy smile on his face.
When she was within arm’s reach, he pulled her the rest of the way to him and lowered his head for a deep kiss. She quickly broke off the kiss, remembering their audience.
“Why didn’t you wake me up?” she asked him, walking over to the counter to fix herself a plate.
“Like I told the girls. You needed to sleep,” he said, sitting back down.
She looked over her shoulder. “But I don’t want you late for work on my account.”
“I won’t be. And I can drop the girls off at daycare on my way in. My first appointment isn’t until ten.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“And the girls and I have been talking.”
She lifted a brow as she pulled out a chair. “About what?”
“About going out to eat tonight. They want—”
“McDonald’s, I know,” she said rolling her eyes.
“Yes,” he said grinning. “But I convinced them we should move it up a notch and go someplace really special, like Dave and Buster’s.”
The girls’ cheers told Kendal they wholeheartedly went along with that. She couldn’t help but smile. “Okay, I’m in. Sounds like fun.”
“It is, and we’re going to have a lot to celebrate,” he said, reaching across the table to place his hand over hers. “We’re officially a family and are going to stay that way.”
Kendal’s heart began beating rapidly. Was he hinting that he no longer wanted a time limit placed on their marriage? She drew in a deep breath, knowing she shouldn’t get her hopes up about it. They had slept together last night, and he’d told her they would continue to sleep together. That didn’t mean forever. It meant he enjoyed their time together now. Things could change, and she more than anyone knew that men could change.
“Aunt K, did something bite you? You have a mark on your neck.”
Kendal’s hand flew to her neck, and she tightened her robe around her as both girls stared at her. She heard Jamison’s soft chuckle but refused to look over at him. Instead, with a straight face, she smiled at the girls and said, “Yes, something bit me, but don’t worry. I got him.”
“And it seems, Kendal Savoy,” Jamison said, picking up his glass of orange juice, “That he certainly got you.”
***
Kendal checked her watch. Tonya had called last week asking that they do lunch today at Rovelli’s. That had been fine with her because she loved Italian food. Kendal’s mother had offered to look after the girls, and she appreciated that. It had been a long time since she and Tonya had gotten together for some girl time. Besides, she needed to thank her friend for steering her in the right direction regarding Jamison. It was hard to believe they’d been married for almost a month already. And things were going so well that at times, she was tempted to pinch herself. She was getting to know him better and better, and the more she knew about him, the more she liked and the more she fell in love.
She had a routine going with the girls that worked out great, and then with Jamison, she had a routine as well. If anyone had told her that a marriage of convenience would be as enjoyable as hers, she would have tried it long ago. But she knew she was only fooling herself if she believed that’s all it was. She was madly in love with her husband, although he didn’t love her. But she could handle it. In essence, she had no choice. But she would make these the best two years of their lives, and they were off to a blazing start.
Kendal looked at herself in the revolving glass door before entering the restaurant. She had decided to wear a zebra print sundress with black earrings and a matching necklace. She had gotten her hair cut that morning into a style she hoped Jamison liked.
One thing was certain—Jamison was definitely good for a girl’s ego. He constantly told her how good she looked, no matter whether she was wearing clothes or nothing at all. He said things that made her feel beautiful, and thanks to him, she actually felt beautiful. Knowing she was going to have to get used to her new hair style, she brushed a portion of her bangs back as she glanced around the restaurant. She frowned when she didn’t see Tonya, who’d sworn she was going to be on time.
“Yes? May I help you?” a waitress asked, smiling.
“I’m to meet a friend named Tonya Manning here,” Kendal said. “I don’t think she’s arrived.”
The woman nodded. “Oh. She’s here but asked for a table in the back.”
“Oh,” Kendal said, wondering why Tonya would do that when tables in the front had a beautiful view of a lake.
“If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to her.”
Kendal followed the woman and glanced around the restaurant. It was a beautiful place with a hungry lunch-time crowd. The lady stopped at a door and said, “If you don’t mind, we need to walk through here to get to Ms. Manning’s table. That floor is being repaired on the other side of the restaurant.”
“All right.”
The woman opened the door and motioned for Kendal to go ahead of her. Once Kendal entered the room, she heard loud voices that screamed out, “Surprise!”
Kendal threw her hand to her chest to calm her heart as she glanced around the decorated room. There were balloons and a huge banner that said: Kendal’s Bridal Shower.
She couldn’t believe the number of people here. All the female Savoys and several members of her own family, including her mother. Everyone came and showered her with hugs and words of congratulations. “But, Mom, you’re supposed to be babysitting the girls,” she said to her mother.
Leona Fischer smiled and said, “That’s what we wanted you to think. Jamison took half a day off and came and got the girls within minutes of you leaving them with me.”
“Jamison?”
“Yes, his cousin Lavender said, grinning. “He was in on it, too.”
“We decided not to tell the girls,” Thelma Savoy said as she came up to claim her hug. “They wouldn’t have kept the secret.”
Tonya was the last one to come give her a hug and had a huge grin on her face as she chanted, “I fooled you. I fooled you.”
Kendal couldn’t help but return the grin. “And don’t think I’m going to forget it. I can’t believe this,” she said, glancing around. “This makes me feel like a real bride.”
“You are.” And then Tonya leaned in and whispered. “And according to Kia, that day I picked her and Carr up from daycare for you, her daddy just loves kissing her Aunt K.” Tonya gave her an all-knowing look. “Umm, now I find that interesting.”