Just One Look (Women of Substance) (17 page)

“Shana?”

Oh hell. I’d never been able to deny Jasmin anything for very long. So even though the thought of delivering a Dear John letter to a man I’d never met but couldn’t stop fantasizing about held little appeal, I sighed and finally agreed. “I’ll go—under duress and girl are you going to owe me big time.”

Jasmin sighed in relief and reached across the desk to grip my hand. “Thanks, Shana. I know this is a bit of a pain, but once you meet Taylor, I think you’ll understand why it was so difficult to say no to him in person.”

I cast my gaze ceiling–ward. “If you’ve seen one man you’ve seen them all,” I said.

“Tell me that after you’ve met him. He’s the complete package: tall, handsome, and sexy as hell. Better still, he has a big, hard pussy-pleasing cock,” she said, licking her lips.

I stared at her and then laughed. “Girl, you are too damn old to be so easily sidetracked by a man just because he’s well-hung.”

“Hey, get a grip, Shana. A straight woman is never too old to get excited by a big cock. Besides, there’s well-hung and then there’s Taylor Raymond’s delicious cock,” she said, grinning. “I swear, if he were a few years older and black, I’d have branded his ass and his cock as my exclusive property the moment I felt that big dick of his sliding so deep in me.”

“Oh stop or you’ll make me jump his bones the moment we meet,” I said, still laughing but only half–jokingly.

She shrugged. “If you get a chance, go for it, girl,” she said.

“Oh please, Jas. Like I’m going to hop into bed with a male only nine years older than my son.”

“We’re talking about a romp in bed, not a lifetime commitment. If you get the chance to bed him, you’d better take it or trust me, you’ll always regret it.”

“Will you stop already?”

“Listen, girl. We’ve both had relationships with well-hung men. There are quite a few of them around. Unfortunately, not all of them know how to use their best asset effectively. He does. We’re talking cockasaurus-rex coupled with a level of skill that’s off the charts, girl. We’re talking Pointer Sisters’ Slow Hand here. The man is not selfish when it comes to pleasing a woman.”

“Jas!” Even as I protested, I couldn’t dismiss a mental picture of a handsome, naked Native American male with a huge, hard shaft he knew how to use. After so many months of celibacy, such thoughts left me longing for a hard, raunchy fuck.

“No. Believe me, Shana, spend one night with him and all bets about not dating younger men will be off—just as all bets about not dating non-black men more than once were off for me.”

I held up a hand. “Enough talk of sex. I don’t have time to take a cold shower. I’ll go to Philadelphia, but you’re going to owe me big time.”

She nodded. “Deal, now I’ll get out of your hair.” She rose, kissed my cheek, and left quickly—probably afraid I’d come to my senses and change my mind.

Alone in my office, I got up and went into the attached bathroom.

Standing in front of the full-length mirror on my wall, I studied myself.

I was tall and thick. Hell, maybe full-figured. I had big legs and what my ex had called a bootylicious butt. The features I was most proud of were my large, natural breasts and the long, dark hair that ended well past my shoulders—all mine. I had dark, smooth skin and a face most men found attractive.

Back in my office, I sat with my head against the back of the chair with my eyes closed. You are a piece of work. One of these days you’re going to have to learn to say no to Jas and mean it. Recalling the last minutes of our conversation, my panties flooded. Oh God, to feel a big, hard cock inside me again would rock my world. But you are not going to hop into bed with a man who’s already bedded your best friend. So get a damned grip, Shana.

I opened my eyes and forced my thoughts back to work. Three hours later, as I was about to leave the office for the day, Jasmin called.

“I’ve made all the arrangements for your trip to Philadelphia,” she said. “All expenses are paid for a week. Do you need money for food now or can you wait until I return?”

“I’m going to give him the bad news and then head back to the airport. I only need one night at the hotel.”

“You can’t fly across the country and only stay a few hours. I booked you in for a week. Trust me, once you meet him, you’ll be glad you’re not stuck with just an over– nighter.

“If I know you, you’re not going to hop into bed with him the first night. So you’ll need more than one night.”

“Will you give it a rest?” I snapped.

“Excuse me for breathing,” she said.

I rolled my eyes. “One day or six, I can pay for my own meals.”

“Are you sure? You’re only going as a favor to me.”

“I know that but I can pay for my own meals.”

“Okay. Well…do me proud and let him down gently. Then fuck me right out of his mind during the week.”

Wouldn’t I love to do just that? I outlined my top lip with my tongue. “I have no interest in staying more than one night.”

“Use the time to sightsee. The Liberty Bell and the Constitution Center are within walking distance of your hotel. The Reading Terminal Market has to be seen to be believed. It’s historic and filled with all kinds of restaurants. Taylor and I enjoyed going on horse-driven carriage rides too. We visited the Betty Rose and the Poe House. There’s a lot of history you’ll enjoy exploring with or without.”

“With or without what?”

“Taylor. He’s a bit of a workaholic but with the right incentive, maybe you can convince him to take some time off.”

“Did you?”

“No,” she admitted. “All our sightseeing took place after work or on the weekends.”

“I doubt he’ll want to spend any quality time with me after I’ve delivered the bad news.”

“Maybe not but if he wants to bed you, go for it. Just do me a favor and make sure you don’t fall for him.”

“Why not?”

“Because I might decide I want him back and I don’t want any problems between us if that happens. Fuck him but do not fall for him because I might want him back.”

I frowned. Sometimes Jasmin had a habit of treating her lovers like possessions rather than equal partners. “There’s not much chance of that happening,” I assured her. “Anyway, have a great shoot and a wonderful time, Jas.”

“You too, Shana. I’ll see you when I return.”

“I’ll be here, girl,” I said and hung up.

I went home to have dinner, pack, and call my son and daughter to tell them I’d be heading out of town for a while. My twenty-year-old twins, Jassy and Jimmy, would start their senior year of college in the fall.

Jassy urged me to have a wild time. “Let your hair down, Mom and live a little.”

I knew what she meant by live a little. Like Jasmin, she thought I was taking too long to get over Tremain. “We’ll see,” I said. “I’ll call you when I get back. Now I need to call your brother. Love you.”

“I love you too, Mom,” she said.

Smiling, I dialed her brother’s number.

Jimmy listened in silence before he spoke. “Despite the advice I know Jassy gave you, please be careful, Mom. There’s no rush to start a new relationship. You can take your time and get it right.”

Oh but I was more than ready to take another lover. “Don’t worry about me, sweetie.”

“I do worry,” he said. “It’s part of my job.”

Since my divorce, ten years earlier, despite my assurances, Jimmy had felt he had to look after me. “Don’t worry,” I said again.

“Promise me you’ll call me if you need anything.”

Hell would freeze over before I burdened either of my kids with my problems. “Of course, sweetie. I’ll see you soon.”

“Call or text me to let me know you arrived safely.”

“I will. Love you, sweetie.”

“Love you, Mom.”

Later that night I fell asleep and had a series of erotic dreams where a faceless man with a big shaft cocked me all night long until I nearly screamed the place down. My heart thumped and my panties were wet when I woke because I knew the faceless man of my dreams had been Taylor Raymond.

Get a grip, girl. You cannot start thinking with your pussy.

Groaning with frustration, I rolled onto my stomach and drifted to sleep again—and dreamed of Taylor Raymond again.

A day later, I arrived in Philadelphia after a six-hour flight from San Francisco. At the last moment, I’d decided to take Jasmin’s advice and packed enough clothes for a week’s vacation. After I saw Taylor Raymond in the morning, I’d get down to some serious sightseeing. And just maybe I might even let my hair down enough to get my freak on in a one-night stand. Or two. Hell, maybe three. But not with Taylor Raymond, girl. Not with him. That would create too many problems.

Hoping I’d wrestled my emotions and fantasies under sufficient control that Taylor Raymond would not know I’d been spending far too much time daydreaming about him; I collected my bags and boarded the airport shuttle to my Center City hotel.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Jas had booked me a small suite. Placing my bags near the closet, I sat down to send a quick email to Jimmy and Jassy to let them know I’d arrived safely and would see them in a week.

Then I went down to the hotel restaurant. While having a salad and a beer, I noticed a lone handsome man with dark skin and eyes seated at a table facing mine giving me a fair amount of attention.

Lonely and ready for a little male companionship, I would have been receptive if he approached me. He didn’t but I left the restaurant confident that there was always tomorrow. Hopefully, his stay would extend long enough for us to meet before I went home. And maybe the next time we met, I’d make a move if he didn’t.

Back in my suite, I undressed and took a long soak. Lying in the warm, soothing water, I closed my eyes and imagined myself wrapped in the arms of Mr. Dark, handsome and sexy. I allowed my imagination to weave a super sensual dream around the man from the restaurant before the cooling water spurred me to get out of the bath and go to bed.

Relaxed by the soak, I fell asleep almost immediately but woke in the middle of the night longing to feel a big, hard body pressed against mine. Despite my efforts to corral my thoughts, I couldn’t stop thinking about Taylor Raymond. His was the body I wanted to feel crushing mine to the bed. I wanted to explore the mystique of the Native American lover with him.

If you’re going to develop a thing for a Native male, it can’t be Jasmin’s. Despite her encouraging me to sleep with him, neither of us had ever crossed that line. We were too damned close to risk our relationship over a man. I sighed and rolled onto my side and tried to clear my thoughts of hot sex with Taylor Raymond until I finally fell asleep again.

Shana Mine is available from Marilyn Lee Unleashed

Marilyn’s booklist:

Marilyn Lee Unleashed

Women of Substance: Just One Look

Shana Mine

Dream Lover

A Cheating Situation

Any Time Any Place

Beauty Is Alisha Hoover?

Blue Desert Heat 1

Blue Desert Heat 2

Blue Desert Tales: Courtesan Seduction

Daughters of Takira: One Night In Vegas

Daughters of Takira 2: Kyla's Awakening

Daughters of Takira 3: Revelations

Falling Hard

Fantasy Knights

Fantasy Knights 2: Endless Love

In Blood 2-Lost Without

Large, Shy & Beautiful

Loving Large—Yours, Only And Always

Loving Large 2—Yours, Now And Forever

Marilyn Lee Omnibus I

Marilyn Lee Sampler

Marilyn Lee Sampler 2

My Mother's Man

No Commitment Required: Naughty Girls

Primal Lusts

Secondhand Lover

Secret Lover

Some Like It Male

Soul Mates

Taking Chances: Falling For Sharde

Taking Chances 2: Nice Girls Do

The Dare

The Quest 1: Hunter's Passion

Torn By Love

Where You Find It

Yesterday's Secret Sins

Red Rose Publishing

Sweet Surrender

Sister’s Keeper

Finding Love Again

Betrayed By Love

Song of Desire

It Had To Be You

One Sweet Night

Tempting Neal

In Blood And Worth Loving

Eye of the Beholder

Night Heat

A Thing Called Love

Summer Storm

Skin Deep

Ellora's Cave

Night of Sin

Bloodlust series:

Conquering Mikhel Dumont

The Talisman

The Taming Serge Dumont

Forbidden Desires

Nocturnal Heat

Midnight Shadows

All In The Family

Moonlight series:

Moonlight Desire

Moonlight Whispers

Long Line of Love series:

Night of Desires

Love Out Loud

Only One Love

Teacher's Pet

Trina's Afternoon Delight

Branded

Road To Rapture

The Fall of Troy

Full Bodied Charmer

Breathless In Black

Playing With Fire

White Christmas

Quest II—Divided Loyalties

Quest III—Return to Volter

Changeling Press

Moonlight Madness

Bloodlust—Nighttime Magic

Marilyn’s homepage:
http://www.marilynlee.org

Email:
[email protected]

Marilyn’s Bio:

Marilyn Lee lives, works, and writes on the East Coast. In addition to thoroughly enjoying writing erotic romances, she enjoys roller-skating, spending time with her large, extended family, and rooting for all her hometown sports teams. Her other interests include collecting Doc Savage pulp novels from the thirties and forties and collecting Marvel comics from the seventies and eighties (particularly Thor and The Avengers). Her favorite TV shows are forensic shows, westerns (Gunsmoke and Have Gun, Will Travel are particular favorites), mysteries (loves the old Charlie Chan mysteries. Her all time favorite mystery movie is probably Dead, Again), and nearly every vampire movie or television show ever made (Forever Knight and Count Yorga, Vampire are favorites).