His Stand In (11 page)

He placed a knee between her legs and motioned them apart. In the next breath Christian was entering her and all thoughts except the pleasure moving over her was gone. They finished the evening with one of their better love making sessions.

Hours later Egypt lay with her head resting on Christian's hairless chest. They’d just finished another round and she was drained. She didn’t want to think about what time it was. Tomorrow morning would come too soon, bringing with it another full day of... Slowly the smile she wore faded. It would usher in days of being without him.

Chapter Twelve

Christian rubbed his fingers through his hair. This week had been a hectic one. He had a new hotel opening up in a few days and a final meeting in New York to close another. The last time he had to be away from Egypt he’d nearly lost his mind trying to sleep without her touch. Now as soon as they get finished with the opening he’d be on the road again.

He smiled at the vision of her lying in bed that morning, thankful she hadn’t gone back to the spare room. Each day he woke up with her was a blessing. His world was now complete. Well, unless they decided to have a child. What would a mixture of the both of them look like? If it were a girl would her hair be curly like her mother’s? The thought popped into his mind just after the first time they had sex, and he’d forgotten all about a condom.

His nerves were settled when he found out Egypt received a shot every three months for birth control. One thing for sure he enjoyed the feel of her with no barrier and the process of making love. His mind drifted to that morning.

Egypt gave him a seductive smile and tossed the covers off her, showing her soft curves to him. She walked across the room and joined him as soon as he walked out the bathroom.
She undid his slacks and pushed them down his legs. He sent up a silent prayer for control as she stroked his hardened dick through the material of his boxers. She took special care in pushing them down to meet his slacks. Her hot breath next to his dick had him crowding against the bathroom door with his eyes squeezed tight.

“
Darling you know I have to head in to work early.”

She mumbled her response of, “Mm hm.” Her hands didn’t move from their target.

“
If you keep touching me I won’t last.” Embarrassment washed over him, as he knew he was about to explode and she’d just barely touched him.

“
Look at me
,” she whispered.

He opened his eyes and looked at Egypt as she’d requested. The soft expression she wore was almost his undoing.

“
Just lean back, relax and remember to breathe.” Her hand continued stroking up and down the length of him.

She moved down his body until he felt her warm breath against his dick. At the first lick of her hot tongue he wanted to bang his head against the door. Prayers went up to every saint he’d ever heard his mother mention from his childhood. When her hot mouth wrapped around the head of his dick, his fists clenched at his sides and pleasure shot through him.

“
Egypt,” he breathed.

Up and down along the length of him she moved. She took her time loving him with slow, gentle strokes. No hands just her mouth moving from base to tip. Just as he thought he was about to lose it and succumb to the pleasure moving through him, the ache in his dick began to ease bit by bit. He still felt the need to release in the tightening in his lower belly but he no longer felt the out of control pounding he had earlier. Finally able to enjoy the love she lavished upon him, he buried his fingers in her hair.

“
How’d you do that?” he asked looking down at the top of her head.

Egypt raised her gaze to meet his, her mouth still full of his wide shaft. She winked at him and tightened her grip. Faster she began to move and her hand joined in the motion. His body tightened once again in preparation for his orgasm.

“
Oh God I can’t hold on.”

Both hands gripped the back of her head to keep her in place. The head of his dick slid down the back of her throat and it was too much for him to hold on any longer. First instinct told him to pull back only he couldn’t. The firm hand she held at the base of his dick wouldn’t allow it. He leaned back, eyes closed, braced against the door and allowed wave after wave of pleasure to wash over him.

Egypt gave the head of his dick one final swipe of her tongue before rising up the length of his body.

“
Better?” she asked with a sexy grin on her face.

Christian pushed himself away from the door and stepped out of his boxers and pants. He tugged his t-shirt over his head and threw it to the floor before pulling her into his arms.

“
Not quite,” he said leaning down, his mouth close to hers.

She raised an eyebrow.

“
I’m suddenly very hungry for the taste of your pussy.”

His body crowded against hers, moving her backwards until her heels met the bottom of the recliner. He motioned for her to have a seat and helped her down with a gentle push. He nudged her knees apart as he kneeled down between them.

“
This has got to be the best meal in town,” he said before losing himself between her legs.

Another half hour passed before he found himself back in the shower and on his way to work. Even now he found it hard to focus. What in the world was this woman doing to him? Whatever it was he needed to get it together and finish reviewing the business plan.

He glanced at the file, paying special attention to the projected revenue for the first ninety days of opening. There was no need to think the hotel wouldn’t fair as well as his others, but he was cautious nonetheless.

The ringing of his office phone pulled him from the 3D chart he updated for the third time.

His lips curled upright at Egypt’s name on the display.

“
Good afternoon,” he answered.

“
Hey there handsome.”

“
You better watch out. I’m married and my wife is extremely jealous,” he joked.

“
Since when?” She laughed. “How’s it going?”

“
I’m working through it. How’s it going with you?” He rested his eyes by closing them while leaning back in the chair.

A sigh came across the line. “I’m almost there.”

“
I think it’s great you are spending time with your family. I hope to one day meet them.” Christian wondered on the rushing of their marriage. He’d only cared about his own needs and wants and not those of Egypt’s when he put the offer out there. Now, he realized he’d put her in an awkward situation. She didn’t have time to prepare them and was now playing catch up.

Egypt had been tight lipped on her cousin but he respected her wishes. He understood that not everyone came from a stable household.

“
Be careful what you wish for.” She laughed but he sensed a serious undertone. “I just wanted to hear your voice before I walked the plank.”

“
Wow, that’s a bit much.” Maybe he’d pushed the family thing too far. Was she really that nervous? He started to tell her it was okay and not to go through with it.

“
You just don’t understand the ghetto-fabulous mentality. I’ll be just fine. I’m just preparing myself for a bunch of foolery.”

No, he didn’t understand in the least and would leave her to it. He trusted her judgment. “Okay. I’ll see you tonight. I need to finish this up. After New York then no more traveling for a while unless it’s the both of us.”

“
Promise.”

He felt her smile through the phone.

“
Yes.”

Christian ended the call and dove back into his work. He’d finish if it took him all night.

*****

Egypt pulled up to the valet parking of Lenox Mall. At Christian’s insistence she’d taken to driving the Range Rover. Her Honda found itself in a permanent parking spot in their five car garage. Blowing out a breath, she stepped out the car and handed the smiling man in a red vest her keys. Going shopping ranked just as high as going to the dentist in her book.

She crossed the small stone path and pushed against the door.

Tasha stood on the other side of the entrance with a frown on her face. “Why are you wearing flats?” She glanced down.

Egypt looked from her shoes to Tasha’s four-inch Red Bottoms and shrugged. “Because I want to be comfortable while you drag me from store to store. It’s not like they’re tennis shoes. Plus I’m not the Fashion Queen, that’s you.”

Her frown faded a little. “I guess. But this trip is for you not me.”

“
No it’s because you have been driving me crazy since you found out I married a white man.” Egypt gave her cousin a half hug.

“
True. So what’s life like on the other side? Are you just standing in because some white woman dumped him?”

Though she’d expected an interrogation of sorts she didn’t plan on this. Egypt sighed as Tasha continued.

“
Girl what scam are you running? You know you had just left my house without a pot to piss in now you’re all on TMZ with some white man. I have to admit he is fine though, but what’s up on the real?”

They headed away from the entrance. Labels didn’t call out to her as they did her cousin. If an item looked nice, she didn’t care who made it. Unfortunately, being married to a producer and now a billionaire hotel owner she was constantly in the limelight. Heaven forbid the paparazzi got a shot of her in a pair of sweats. Even the flats she had on were Michael Kors.

It took money to make money, and Egypt came to realize potential clients were more receptive when she donned designer tags. Atlanta considered itself one of the fashion capitals, and she needed to fall in line, especially within the black community. Her clothing was a sign of her own financial status as well as her husband’s.

“
My husband has a name and it’s Christian. Yes, to those on the outside looking in everything may have been rushed but have no doubt I’m not standing in for anyone.” The comment got to her more than she expected. That’s exactly what she was…a stand in. Christian’s plan for her was to stop the other women from trying to get at him. But, now it had all changed—right? She pushed the illicit thoughts to the background. He told her he loved her and that’s all that mattered.

“
Is this event formal or little black dress?” Tasha switched gears as they entered Belk.

“
I’m thinking little black dress. The hotel crowd is a fun bunch.” At least all the ones in the corporate office. Some of the others were a bit stuffy. She had the displeasure of sitting through long meetings with them on a monthly basis.

They weren’t in the store a full minute before Egypt’s mind started processing the price tags. Christian made and provided her a substantial income, but there was a time when she flat out didn’t have it. One outfit in there could pay for a few months of her staying in the Extended Stay.

Tasha held up a black dress with the price tag of seven hundred and fifty dollars.

Car note plus insurance.
Egypt shook her head.

She shoved the dress back on the rack. “Do you even want to go to this thing? This man is rich! Quit acting like you’re broke.”

“
Of course I do.”

“
Then act like it and help me look for
your
dress!”

They left the store. Her long legs out matched Egypt’s as they made their way to the next location. She winced as they stepped inside another high end retailer.

“
Tasha!” a male sales associate called out. His eyebrows were arched to perfection, and he walked better than Egypt in the heels he wore. “Girl, where have you been?”

They hugged and blew each other fake kisses.

Egypt wondered when in the world had Tasha ever been able to afford anything in the store. The girl’s money was better spent moving from out the low income home she resided in.