“A what? When did you become a Mississippi farm hand?” she teased.
“That’s one of my granddad’s favorite expressions. He came up to Chicago to work, but he was a Mississippi man through and through, and never forgot where he came from. But don’t change the focus here, Alana. You’ve been through hell, and I can see why you’ve been holding back. But, honey, nothing like that can happen with us. You can’t let that tragedy, or tragedies, dictate the rest of your life.”
“You’re right,” she said quietly.
“I’m what?”
Alana was idly stroking Domino’s big butterfly-shaped ears, running her fingers through the long silky hair. If she had looked at him, she would have seen the relief and happiness on his face, but she was concentrating on the little dog.
“You’re right, Roland. I was living a half-life of regrets and bad dreams and fear and loss. I’m not going to do that anymore. I want to have a whole life, I want it all. You’re the first man I’ve allowed to get near me since I lost Sam and I don’t want to lose whatever it is that we’ve got going on.”
She stopped talking because Roland covered her mouth with his. His tongue teased her lips apart until he gained full access to all the sweetness that was waiting for him. Alana didn’t try to resist, she joined in with enthusiasm, returning every stroke of his tongue with hers.
Heat started coursing through her body, piercing every sensitive spot. Roland moved his hand to begin an intimate exploration of her breasts, but his arm wouldn’t move, primarily because Domino had his sleeve in her mouth. She stood up in Alana’s lap and looked at the two of them sternly.
“You’re not going to be a problem, are you?” Roland retrieved his sleeve from the little dog and gave Alana an affectionate wink. “Have you been letting her sleep with you?”
Alana looked sheepish and admitted that she had.
“Well, that explains it. We’re going to break her of that habit tonight.”
“Good luck with that. Speaking of habits that need to be broken, did it bother you seeing the portrait of Sam over my bed?” She watched him carefully, waiting for his answer.
“Yes, it did,” he admitted.
“It’s not there anymore.”
Roland’s face brightened into a broad smile. “I’d like to see that. Let’s get Miss Lady situated and take a tour.”
He stood up and whipped off his sweater, revealing a ribbed undershirt that fit nice and snug. Her eyes opened wide and her mouth formed a juicy O of awe-struck admiration. She was already hot from his kiss and the heat grew in intensity until she was pretty sure that Miss Alana was on fire. It was the first time she’d seen a half-naked man since Sam’s death and Roland was more than worth the wait. His body was just beautiful; there was no other word for it. His arms were smooth as copper silk and the muscles were perfect. His chest was broad and muscled and as hard as his arms. He smelled fantastic, too; like balsam and cedar and pure male.
Her hand went out to him and before she could stop herself, she was stroking one of his biceps in admiration.
“Wow,” she breathed softly.
He smiled rakishly and flexed his muscles to elicit another sigh from Alana. “You like that? How about this,” he said, before whipping off the thin undershirt to reveal pecs that were works of art.
Alana was transfixed by what she was seeing. She had to touch him again, just had to. Her small hand stroked his chest and she was amazed to find the skin as warm and supple as satin. He popped his pecs and they moved, making her jump in surprise and giggle, just like Julia Roberts in the iconic scene from Pretty Woman with Richard Gere and the jewelry box. They both laughed until he said, “Is that thing washable? Your top thing, I mean.”
“Sure it is. Why?”
“Take it off, honey—we’re going to need it.”
Puzzled but emboldened by his moves, Alana did as he asked. She crossed her arms and took the hem of the slim-fitting top in her trembling fingers. She slowly pulled it up until the garment was off.
Holding it out to Roland, she was embarrassed but was gratified by his sharp intake of breath. Her perfect breasts were on full display in a coral demi-bra that fastened with a tiny rosebud between the lace cups. It was his turn to reach for her treasures and he did so reverently, stroking the silky exposed skin with a dazed look on his face.
“This is like opening the best gift I ever received,” he said. “Come on, let’s get her highness situated.”
Minutes later, Domino was happily snuggled in her bed with her favorite toy, a soft fuzzy bunny. Roland had put the bed in the guest room across the hall from the master suite and lined it with Alana’s green top and his undershirt, using his expensive J. Peterman jersey as a coverlet.
Alana was surprised and pleased when the little dog turned around a few times and settled down with a satisfied sigh and a doggie smile. Her eyes were closed before they left the room. Alana was both touched and impressed by the sight.
“That was so clever,” she praised. “I never would’ve thought of that.”
All of Roland’s attention was focused on Alana. She moved into the bedroom and was soon sitting in the center of the bed with her legs crossed, looking extremely tempting in her leggings and bra. He glanced around the bedroom and noticed that the pictures on the pale green walls had indeed changed. Sam was no longer glowering at him from above the bed; a large watercolor of the backyard had taken his place. He sat down on the bed and lay back on the pillows with a satisfied smile.
“How did you ever think of putting our clothes in the bed with her? It certainly did the trick.”
“If you come over here, I’ll tell you,” Roland answered.
She promptly scooted over so that he could put his arms around her as she relaxed into his body. He was so warm that she felt like she was in a cocoon. Her hands couldn’t stop moving over the smooth planes of his chest. It was an amazing sensation; his body was so hard yet his skin was as soft as the petals of her favorite flower. She was so engrossed in learning the feel of him that she forgot that she’d asked him a question.
“If she smells us, it gives her comfort,” he said. “That’s what you do with puppies to get them to sleep when they leave their mother, you put something of yours in the crate and it helps them nod off.”
“It helps who do what? What are you talking about, Roland?”
His chest moved as a deep laugh rose and escaped through his throat. “I was telling you how I got Miss Domino to go to sleep, but your mind seems to be on something else.”
Alana rose up on one elbow so that she was looking down at him, her free hand continuing to move up and down, her palm tracing his hardened nipples in a slow circular motion. “My mind is totally on you, I’m afraid. I can’t seem to think about anything else at the moment. Is that okay with you?”
He moaned from the pleasure she was giving him before answering. “I’m absolutely fine with it.” His hands started moving over her, exploring the soft skin of her taut body. When his fingers reached the waistband of her leggings, he paused.
“Take them off,” she said in a husky whisper.
Once her shapely legs were bare, Roland looked at them with a potent hunger in his eyes. “I’ve been meaning to tell you how beautiful your legs are,” he said, scorching a heated path down her thighs with his palms. “And I’ve been wanting to see them just like this, with nothing between us.”
“If that’s the case, one of us has too many clothes on,” Alana replied. “What are you going to do about that?”
Instead of answering, Roland stood up and removed his jeans and briefs. He literally took Alana’s breath away. He stood before her totally naked, revealing every inch of his body and he was like nothing she’d ever seen before. Without the covering of his stylish clothes, he was even more beautiful, if such a thing was possible. His broad shoulders and arms were the perfect proportion to his narrow waist and he really did have a six-pack; his abdominal muscles were so defined it was like looking at him through a Hi-Def camera lens.
She made herself take in his muscular thighs and calves before concentrating on his manhood because it took all her attention. Now she understood why heroines in the romance novels Alexis and Adrienne loved were always worried about whether it would fit; Roland was huge and hard and for a fleeting moment she was positive it wasn’t going to work. But by golly, she was going to give it her best shot.
“Is everything okay? This is all I have to work with so if you don’t like it, we’re in trouble,” Roland said.
Alana brought herself up to a kneeling position, facing Roland as she reached to unfasten her bra. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she murmured. “If I didn’t want to make love with you so badly I’d be trying to sculpt you. I’m going to tell you something that you can’t use against me in any way,” she warned him. “You are the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s a good thing you’re a good man or you’d be really, really dangerous.”
His eyes widened and he laughed heartily, but not so hard that he forgot the task at hand. He moved her hands so that he could undo her bra and watch her plump, round breasts come into his view for the first time. They weren’t huge; they were just perfect for her size and his desire. Now she was wearing only the tiny thong that matched the bra and she looked better than all the Victoria’s Secret Angels put together, as far as Roland was concerned.
She was slender, but her proportions were absolutely perfect. Her dark skin gleamed in the dim light of the room and her scent was intoxicating. She smelled like flowers in a spring rain, with a hint of pure woman that was all her. He tugged at the delicate garment until she was free of it and they were both entirely bare. They went into each other’s arms and held on tight, joining their mouths as their naked flesh touched for the first time.
Alana’s hips began to move as she sought more of the hot passion that was surging between them. Her hands tightened on his arms as he began to kiss her neck and the sensitive place between her breasts before taking her hardened nipple in his mouth. She gasped and trembled all over at the sensations he created, feelings that were new and wonderful and so much more than she expected. He slowed his movements and pulled away from her, causing her eyes to fill with confusion.
“We only have one first time, baby, and I want it to be right. Come here and let me show you what I mean.”
Chapter 8
I
t only took a couple of minutes for the covers to be turned back and Roland began to show Alana exactly what he meant about making their first time special.
She was on her back with her knees bent. He was next to her, resting on his elbow so that he could look down at her with an expression she’d never seen on a man’s face before, not even Sam’s.
Roland leaned down to kiss her again while his hand freely explored the source of the moisture between her legs. His mouth moved down her neck as he tasted her for the first time. He lingered over her breasts, sucking her nipples until she moaned his name, over and over. Her toes were curling and flexing and she could feel the wet heat on his fingers increase as her inner walls pulsed harder. He didn’t relent, though. He continued to stroke her, using his moistened thumb to massage her tender spot, the most sensitive and responsive part of her womanhood. He knew the moment her first orgasm began, not just because of the warm flow that gushed from her delicate flesh, but the wild movement of her hips and the contented look of surrender on her face.
Alana’s heart was still beating rapidly and she was breathless. Roland turned so that he was on his back, bringing Alana with him. She lay on his chest and they were so close that he could feel their hearts beating as one. If he expected moments of quiet repose he was mistaken and surprised as Alana kissed him deep and fierce. At the same time she positioned herself on his manhood, sliding onto the crown and moving back and forth until their bodies were joined.
He pushed, gently at first, but the feel of her, warm and slick, created an urgency that couldn’t be ignored. The kiss was broken as her mouth opened to let out a sound of pure passion. She gripped his shoulders, holding on tight as her hips assumed the rhythm and she rode Roland, giving him as good as she was getting.
He couldn’t remember ever being this aroused. The sheen of her dark skin against his, the love-swollen nipples and the unbridled ecstasy on her face were almost too much for him. His hands tightened on her hips as the ride continued but when she pulled him in, deeper than he could have believed possible, the sensations they made together began pushing him to the brink. His hands tightened on her slender hips, holding on as he tried to force himself to resist the lure of her tight, taut body.
She drove him harder, her walls squeezing him until the suction was too much and he exploded deep inside her. His voice was raw and hoarse as he ground out her name but the sound of it excited her even more and she continued to slide up and down until she joined him in an incredible climax. Their bodies were trembling and soaked with sweat as she finally collapsed on top of him.
When she could finally speak again, which took several minutes, Alana took a deep breath and murmured, “Wow.”
It took Roland a moment longer to answer. “Very wow. Are you okay?”
He could feel the ripples of happiness rise in her body as she giggled softly. “I think that’s a slight understatement, but I can assure you that I’m much better than okay. I’m wonderful,” she assured him.
She rested her head on his shoulder and looked at their fingers, which were locked together. “That was way better than my dreams, Roland.”
It was her turn to feel his chest rumbling as he laughed softly. “Are you saying that you’ve been dreaming about me? What kind of dreams were you having?”
Alana shifted so that she was supporting her head with her hand and looked at him with a bewitching smile. “Sexy ones. Erotic, romantic, hot and nasty ones. I’ve dreaming about you ever since Sherri and Lucas’s wedding. Are you shocked?”
“Not shocked,” he said with his special smile. “I’m surprised, though. I’m surprised that you’re telling me about it because most women wouldn’t admit it. But I’m not shocked because I’ve been dreaming about you for months. You’ve been slipping into my dreams since the day I met you.”
She returned his smile and accompanied it with a kiss. “Were they good dreams?”
“They were great, but not as good as this,” he said. “I used to wake up hard as a damned rock every morning and then I’d be disappointed because you weren’t in the bed with me.”
“I’m here now. So which dream do you want to come true?”
Minutes later Alana was in the last place she planned on being; she was standing on her tiptoes in her free-standing glass shower with her arms locked around Roland’s waist. They were kissing madly, which was part of many of her dreams, but he was shampooing her hair, which wasn’t. Since her hair had been wrecked in the name of love, Roland insisted on shampooing it for her. He’d finger-combed it and when she was wet from head to toe, he’d applied her fragrant Carol’s Daughter shampoo and began to distribute it gently but sensually. It felt odd at first, but it was both soothing and arousing.
“Roland, this feels wonderful,” she said as she pressed closer to his body. “I think you’ve done this before.”
He laughed as he began to rinse her hair with the handheld shower. “I have, honey. Remember I had an overworked mother and a slew of sisters. There was no money for the hairdresser so I had to pitch in and wash a lot of heads. Only I’d put them on the kitchen counter and wash them in the sink. I didn’t use expensive shampoo, either. I used washing powder. Tide works the best,” he added.
Alana’s eyes flew open. “No, you didn’t put detergent in their hair! I don’t believe you,” she said.
“You’re right, I’m lying. But I did do their hair. I learned how to braid and blow-dry and I even learned how to give relaxers. I had a girlfriend who went to beauty school and she hooked me up.”
A totally unexpected pang of an unfamiliar emotion snaked through Alana; it was jealousy, pure and simple. It was ridiculous to feel anything remotely like jealousy about some woman that he probably hadn’t laid eyes on in years, but there it was. And there she was being possessive, how crazy was that?
“Well, you learned a lot from her. How can I repay you?”
“You can do mine next time,” he said with a grin. They both laughed.
“Since you’re bald I’ll skip the shampoo, but I give a great massage. Ooh!” she gasped as he finished rinsing her hair and started guiding the handheld shower spray all over her body. He let the water cascade over her breasts before changing the pressure to a pulsing massage. The hard pulsing brought her already sensitive nipples to huge points for Roland to feast on while he plied the spray between her legs. The twin sensations made her knees go weak and he had to abandon the hose in order to hold on to her hips.
“Okay, that’s enough for now. I don’t want you to fall,” Roland said. He reached over and turned the water off with one hand before wrapping her in a towel off the warming rack. She returned the favor.
“I thought that was an extravagant gift when Aunt BeBe sent it to me for my housewarming, but I love it.” She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and shook her head. Her relaxed hair stood out in wild spirals, a marked contrast to her previous sleek look.
“I have no more secrets, Roland. You’ve seen it all now,” she said ruefully.
He cupped her face with both hands and kissed her deeply. He pulled her lower lip into his mouth and gently sucked it before teasing her mouth open with his tongue. After a long, satisfying exchange, Roland looked down at Alana and assured her that she was beautiful.
“There’s nothing I’d change about you. Nothing,” he told her. “Everything about you is just perfect. Your skin, your smile, those dimples, your body and your beautiful hair,” he said, running his hands over it.
“You’re very sweet, but I dare you to run your fingers through it,” Alana said with a sigh. “You’ll cut your fingers on this stuff.”
Roland picked her up, carried her to the bedroom and dropped her on the bed, making her laugh aloud. “Don’t be disparaging the woman of my dreams,” he said in a mock-fierce tone. “You forget that I already knew every inch of you before I touched you. When I saw you the first time at Alexis’s crazy party that Jared and I drove all night to get to, I knew. You were sitting on the floor playing with the puppies he brought her and I knew. And I started having dreams about you and I saw you exactly as you are and I knew I was right. Everything about you is just the way I knew it would be, so talk what you know,” he said, removing his towel.
“You’re more than I expected,” she said demurely. “My dreams were very detailed and specific, but there are some things for which your subconscious can’t prepare you. But those things are very nice surprises—stupendous, huge surprises, as a matter of fact.” She lowered her eyes to his most potent attribute and smiled. “Get comfortable so I can make another dream come true. Lie on your stomach,” she said, turning to the dresser for a spray bottle of Moroccan oil.
She removed her towel and straddled his long body, spraying the lightly scented oil over his magnificent back and shoulders. While stroking and kneading until he moaned with pleasure, she talked to him in a soft, dreamy voice that drove Roland crazy.
“I’ve done this to you before,” she murmured. “Lots of times. We’ve made love so many times in so many places, at least in my dreams.”
“We’ll make love so many times you won’t be able to remember them all,” he vowed. “And it’ll all be real.” His words stopped because she’d reached his butt and the feel of her hands on his ass was driving him crazy. Sounds of pleasure were the only sound in the room while she treated his thighs and calves in the same way, all the way down to his feet. When he felt her supple fingers on his feet, he turned over quickly.
“I’m sorry, Alana, but my feet are extremely ticklish,” he confessed. “It’s my one weakness.”
“Everybody’s entitled to one,” she said. “But as long as you’ve turned over, let’s do this side.”
She began working her magic again but it was much more intense because she used more than her hands on his nipples. She was once again astride him as her hands smoothed the delicate oil up and down his chest and stomach. He shuddered as her mouth surrounded the hypersensitive skin of his flat nipple, heating his flesh as she breathed on it, and then licked it like it was her favorite candy. She teased it gently with her teeth and sucked hard, creating a sensation like heat lightning flashing all over his body.
She treated the other side to the same delight before licking him down to his navel. When her tongue plundered the little cavern he felt like he was levitating off the bed. It was a shock to find out how responsive that part of his body was, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it because she continued her exploration.
By now Roland was totally mesmerized. He watched her through half-closed eyes and the sight was arousing, amazing and humbling. The way her cocoa skin looked in the dim light, the wild curls floating around her face and the pure sensuality she exuded combined in an explosion of passion that could have been another of his nightly visions. When she cupped him and put her soft, luscious lips around the crown of his manhood it snapped him back to reality.
This was as real as it could get.
She licked him up and down, swirling her tongue around the tip before treating every inch of his heavy length to the same delight until he reached the point of no return. A low growl came from deep inside as he swiftly changed positions so that she was in the receiving position and he was the giver.
He buried his face between her thighs and began to devour the sweet nectar that gushed from her, exploring every bit of her secret treasure until his tongue found the source of her magic. He licked and sucked until he could feel every throbbing pulse that let him know she was exploding from the pleasure he was giving her. She was trembling and her hips were moving to get more of what he was giving her, and he continued on his quest to satisfy her like no man ever had.
When he knew she’d come again, he kept on until her cries of passion filled the bedroom. He finally relented, reluctantly slowing his pace and kissing his way up her shaking body until their mouths met and locked and they could taste their elixir on each other’s tongues.
If there was anything else more profoundly sensual that could happen between a man and woman, he had no idea what it could be. After a series of long, amazing kisses, they finally fell asleep and he held her all night long.
* * *
Alana was blissfully asleep, basking in the warm bed and enjoying a restful slumber without a single dream. A wet kiss on her cheek dragged her back to consciousness, but she didn’t open her eyes, she couldn’t; it just felt too good to be where she was.
Another lick followed, which made her stifle a laugh. Then something small, cold and wet touched her neck and her eyes flew open. Domino was next to her on the pillow wearing her most winsome smile. Actually, she looked like she was laughing.
“How did you get in here, little girl? What have you been up to while I was sleeping?” Alana yawned and put her hand up to smooth her hair away from her face, cringing as she felt the tangled mess that now crowned her head.
“I let her in here because she was wondering where you were. We’ve been up for a long time, honey. I had a shower and got dressed, then took her for a walk. After that, I made you breakfast. We’ve been very productive while you were sleeping.” Roland sounded both amused and affectionate and he looked way too good. He was indeed dressed, but in different clothes.
Alana sat up, pulling the sheet up with her. “You’re way too handsome, I hope you realize that. You make me feel like a true hag and it’s so unfair. Did you go home and change clothes or something?”
Roland shook his head and tried not to let his smile show. She had no idea how adorably sexy she was with no makeup, her wild mass of curls and no clothes. Especially the no clothes part.
He walked over to the bed and sat next to her, which gave Domino a thrill, as she ran to jump in his lap. From her wary expression, Alana was less thrilled. She pulled the sheet up over her mouth while he answered her question.
“No, I didn’t go anywhere. I always have some clean clothes in the car because in the restaurant business you never know what could happen. You might have to work a double or triple shift. You might wreck a shirt or whatever. I’m always prepared for any disaster because I’m kind of particular about my appearance.”