Authors: Adrianne Byrd
“Oh, so you’re finally admitting it?”
She nodded and tightened her grip around his neck as he continued to carry her. When he laid her down, she recognized the velvet against her skin as her bedspread. She smiled and stretched her arms out to him in invitation. “Lie down with me.”
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” He folded the comforter over her.
With a deep sigh of contentment, she curled into a fetal position. “Well, can you at least sit with me for a while?” She waited through his loud exhalation, and then smiled again when the bed dipped beneath his weight.
“Just for a little while,” he agreed.
Gazing lazily through the mesh of her eyelashes, Miles looked more angelic than human. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she admitted.
His smile was like Jesus to a child as he brushed a few strands of her hair from her face. “Actually, there’s no place I’d rather be.”
Chapter 22
D
estiny stretched in her bed and half expected to bump into Miles. When she didn’t, her eyes fluttered open to the empty space beside her. What a wonderful dream she’d had; she’d been sick and Miles had come to take care of her. Of course, she’d always enjoyed her fantasies of him, but she’d rather die than to admit such a thing to Lu Jin.
She smiled and adjusted her head against the pillow. What would it be like to actually wake up next to Miles, she wondered. The thought caused her smile to broaden. She’d never thought it possible when she’d first met him, but she truly believed now that Miles would make some lucky woman a great husband.
In the years that they’d become friends, he’d shown her such kindness and tenderness.
She sat up in bed, peeled back the bedspread and was surprised at how cool the room was. Scooting to the edge, she swung her legs over the bed and stood up.
When the room tilted, she quickly remembered the bottles of wine and Jack Daniels she’d guzzled down. “Bad idea to mix liquor,” she mumbled and plopped back onto the bed.
She drew in a deep breath and struggled to control the spinning in her head. With her eyes closed, a wicked shiver coursed through her as visions of her and Miles in a bathtub came to mind.
Deciding against another attempt to get out of bed, she reached for the bedspread and huddled again beneath its warmth all the while keeping her thoughts focused on Miles.
For every reason she had for pursuing a relationship with him, there was another preventing it. For example, if things didn’t work out between them, it could cost them their partnership. Their partnership! She bolted upright.
“The meeting!” Her gaze darted over to the clock and she moaned miserably at seeing it was three a.m. “I don’t believe it.” She scrambled out of bed. As she rushed to find her robe, she paid no attention to the baby-blue bath towel that fell to her feet.
Her robe wasn’t in the adjoining bathroom and she thought to check the laundry room. Naked, she sprinted out of her bedroom, but stopped dead when she reached the living room and came within inches of smacking into Miles.
His eyes twinkled as he smiled and said, “Well, I guess you’re up.”
Her mouth fell open and a shriek of horror burst form her lungs as she made an about-face and dashed to her bedroom—which she reached in a time that would have been the envy of any Olympic sprinter.
She slammed the door and fell back against it as she heaved in big gulps of air.
What the hell is Miles doing here?
“Desi?” Miles questioned through the door.
Her heart plunged to her knees while her mind raced with questions with no answers.
“Destiny, are you all right?” he probed, and she felt the doorknob turn against the small of her back.
“I—I’m fine,” she answered. Her eyes darted around for something to put on.
He tried the door again. “Then let me in,” he ordered with concern edging his voice.
Images of her wanton behavior in the bathroom flashed from her memory and shame burned her face as she closed her eyes and moaned, “I thought you were a dream.”
The knob stopped twisting, but she wasn’t fooled into believing that he’d moved away from the door.
“I take it you’ve sobered up, then?” Miles asked.
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. Had there been a hint of laughter in his voice? “This is not funny, Miles,” she snapped, her embarrassment dissolving into anger.
“On the contrary. I think this is very funny. By the way, nice backside you got there.”
At the sound of his rumbling laughter, Destiny kicked the door with the back of her heel. “Stop being an ass!” She bolted away from the door and over to the chest of drawers and found a long flannel nightgown to put on.
“An ass—me?” Miles continued to carry on the conversation from the other side of the door. “A few hours ago you said I was sweet and caring.”
She jerked open the door and glared up at him. “Yeah, well, a few hours ago I was drunk.”
“And horny,” he added with a smirk, then noticed her outfit. “What—no Victoria’s Secret?”
Her mouth dropped open, but her larynx choked off any hopes of a snappy comeback line.
“That’s okay. You know how I feel about flannel.” Miles pushed her chin up to close her mouth. “I don’t believe it. Something has finally rendered you speechless.”
“Oooh!” She smacked him on the chest and stormed past him. “I want you to leave.”
He followed her. “Why, because you’re embarrassed? Give me a break. Nothing happened.”
“That’s not the point,” she said, still storming toward the front door. “Something
could
have happened because I was intoxicated and believed that you were just a dream.”
He rushed in front of her, just before she reached the door, and blocked her path. “Which means you must have erotic fantasies about me pretty often, huh?” He crossed his arms and stared down at her.
“It was the alcohol,” she insisted.
He smirked and looked as if he wasn’t buying it. “Then I guess it was lucky for you that I didn’t take you up on your offer, isn’t it?”
“Leave!”
He tossed up his hands, but still appeared to be amused about the situation. “Fine, fine. Lord knows I don’t want to be anywhere I’m not wanted. Our clothes are in the dryer, you can just give mine to me in the morning,” he said, turning toward the door.
Fear clutched her heart. She grabbed his arm to prevent him from turning way. “I thought you said nothing happened?”
He laughed. “It didn’t, unless you want to count your transformation into Regan from the Exorcist.” At her deepening look of horror, he relented in his teasing and pulled her stiff body into his arms. “Look, Destiny. I was worried about you when you didn’t show up for our meeting with Mr. Michaels, so I came to check on you. You were sick and I took care of you. I swear that’s all that happened.”
She relaxed and shook her head against his chest. “I’m sorry. I know you’d never take advantage of me like that. I’m more embarrassed than angry.”
Miles kissed the top of her head. “I know that, too. Would you like for me to make you some coffee?”
Sighing, she allowed herself to be grateful for his presence. “That would be nice.”
He gave her a tight hug, and then headed toward the kitchen. “Black, right?”
“You know me so well,” she said, smiling. She watched as he disappeared into the kitchen before she drew in a breath and exhaled it in a long weary sigh.
A few minutes later, the apartment was enriched by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Destiny collected herself and joined her good friend in the kitchen. But the wonderful sight of Miles rustling around with his muscled chest exposed had a heady effect on her.
She eased onto a stool at the breakfast bar with a subtle smile hugging her lips.
Miles caught a glimpse of her smile as he poured her coffee. He set the cup in front of her, and then braced his weight with his hands as he leaned toward her. “I’m glad to see you’re in a better mood.”
“Well, a girl could easily be spoiled by such good service.”
He lifted an inquisitive brow. “Any girl or just you?”
Blushing, Destiny thought it was safe to give an honest answer. “Probably just me.”
The smile he gave her made his eyes twinkle. “That’s good enough for me.”
She laughed and took a sip of her coffee. “Mmm. This is good. Thanks.”
“You’re more than welcome,” he said, and then watched as she sipped at the hot liquid. “Mind if I ask you a question?”
“You just did,” she teased, lowering her cup. “But you can ask me another if you’d like.”
His beautiful eyes settled on her with an intensity she’d only witnessed with him in courtrooms. “What’s going on with you?”
She shifted uneasily in her seat and pretended to misunderstand his meaning. “My head is spinning and my stomach hurts, other than that—nothing.”
His gaze refused to leave her. “You know that’s not what I meant.”
“I know.” She lowered her gaze as she took another sip.
“I saw some newspaper clippings in the living room while you were sleeping,” he went on.
Destiny closed her eyes and felt her emotions tremble with fear of exposure.
Miles continued, “Your brother’s suicide still haunts you, doesn’t it?”
She drew in a deep breath and struggled to respond. “I—
I really don’t want to talk about this right now.” She opened her eyes and looked pleadingly at him.
Miles nodded, but looked disappointed in her answer.
“It’s just painful for me,” she added.
“It’s painful for me to see you do this to yourself,” he said. His eyes again locked on her. “I’ve never seen you like that before and to be honest with you, it scared me.”
Destiny read nothing but concern in Miles’s expression and in his voice, and she was more than touched by it. She weighed her reasoning for not sharing this particular part of her life with him and concluded that it was time she did.
“Come on. Let’s go sit in the living room. This may take a while to explain,” she said, picking up her cup.
Miles poured himself a cup and followed her to the living room where her precious newspaper clippings still lay on the table.
Destiny settled on the sofa and Miles sat next to her.
“Adam and I had always been close. I’ve read studies of how some people suspect that twins share a certain bond. Their emotions are somehow connected.” She braided her fingers for emphasis. “You know what I mean?”
Miles nodded.
“Well, I’ve always thought it was true—especially when it came to Adam and I. In fact, we used to tease each other about it all the time. Like, he would call me just when I was reaching for the phone to call him—that sort of thing.” She exhaled from nearly saying all of that in one breath. “Which is why I can’t understand how I didn’t know about the strain he was feeling at his new job—or the fact that he was feeling depressed about anything.” She shook her head and looked over at Miles.
“I should have picked up on it. But no matter how many times I replay those final days in my mind, I still come up empty. Every time I saw him, he was smiling and seemed more concerned about things that were going on in my life than in his own. I don’t know—maybe that should have been my clue. He never talked about himself.” She sipped at her coffee, her mind still wandering in yesteryear.
When Miles spoke, his clear baritone voice pulled her back to the present. “You’ve got to let the past go, Desi.”
She smiled and closed her eyes. “My brother used to call me that.”
Miles leaned over and set his coffee down on the table. “Did he now?”
She nodded. “There’s a lot you do that reminds me of him.” She set her coffee down, as well, and continued to shake her head. “I just can’t get over how much I miss him.”
Miles opened his arms and she slid comfortably into their folds. He held her while her tears trickled on his chest. He kissed the top of her head and murmured softly against her ears of how everything was going to be all right.
Destiny tilted up her head and stared into his eyes. “Thanks for being here for me tonight. I really appreciate it.”
He didn’t respond, instead his gaze lowered to her lips.
She didn’t bother to question the feelings she was experiencing, but gave in to the magnetic force that pulled her forward.
Their lips sealed in a tender passion that caused Destiny’s heart to beat in double-time as she melted against him. A moan escaped her at the gentle invasion of his tongue. Soon, she was consumed with the taste of him and she eagerly participated in the ancient dance their tongues performed.
Miles leaned forward to lay her flat on her back against the cushiony sofa. And even through the thick material of her flannel nightgown, the fire of his touch branded her.
His lips withdrew, but it took her a moment to desert the lofty clouds inside her head and open her eyes.
His lucid hazel eyes were focused on her. “I want to make one thing perfectly clear,” he said. “I’m not Adam. I’m the man who’s in love with you.”
Chapter 23
D
estiny stared into Miles’s eyes while “The Man in Love With You” floated inside her head. It occurred to her a few heartbeats later that she should respond, but she didn’t trust herself to speak.
Miles’s head dipped and his lips once again pressed against hers. During the midst of their deep sensuous kiss, the word “love” resonated in her heart. He loved her. He’d said so himself—or had he?
Destiny was suddenly suspicious of this whole night. Was she in the middle of a dream? Maybe it was one where she kept waking, but never truly did.
Miles’s strong hands inched up her body, and her breath thinned with anticipation. He ended the kiss long enough to pull the gown over her head. And when she lay naked beneath him, a desire to please him engulfed her.
When he leaned over her, his bare chest brushed against her taut nipples and pleasure swept all the way to her toes. Her eyes drifted to half moons while the thrill of his soft moans throbbed in her ears.
“I love you, Destiny,” he whispered, and then reclaimed her lips.
His fingers slid downward, grazing her flat stomach, her firm thighs, and then dipped into the warm, moist passage between her legs.
Destiny gasped, while Miles’s kiss became urgent and hungry.
Miles wanted to pace himself, but his hands and body acted as if they held their own agenda. His lips moved from her glorious mouth to nibble on the lobe of her ear.
Blood roared in his head as fire raged wildly in his veins. He hardened at the feel of the erotic rhythm she’d adopted in response to his probing fingers.
Destiny trembled as jolt after jolt of wild orgasmic pleasure rocketed through her while Miles’s mouth continued to burn a hot trail between her breasts. With each peak, his tongue teased and flicked before drawing the nipple hard into his mouth.
Slowly, Destiny managed to pull herself from the whirlpool of sweet oblivion to look into the face of the man who’d claimed to be in love with her and she wondered weakly what was preventing her from repeating the same to him.
As if sensing her withdrawal, Miles deserted her breasts to hover over her. “Do you want me to stop?” he asked, in a thick, hoarse whisper that sounded nothing like his usual cool baritone.
No matter what she was feeling, she wasn’t about to tell him to stop—she was nowhere near
that
crazy.
“N-no,” she whispered, and reached to unbutton his trousers.
He laughed softly. “Here, let me help you with that,” he said. In no time, he was relieved of his clothing.
Destiny was fascinated by his size. Her fantasies had paid him a disservice.
Finally, she dragged her gaze away to look up into his twinkling eyes.
“If you tell me to stop now, you’ll definitely be off my Christmas card list,” he said, producing a condom and putting it on.
She laughed and wrapped her arms around him as his mouth once again devoured hers. His hands returned to their sweet assault across her breasts, and she moaned softly when his mouth retraced the path his hands had taken.
She twisted breathlessly beneath his gentle caresses, and then gasped with exquisite pleasure as he plunged full length into her welcoming softness.
Lost in an incoherent passion, Destiny was consumed by the fullness of him. And when Miles moved inside of her, she ceased to think at all—she just responded to his every touch and movement.
Their breathing came hard and fast as something glorious unfolded within her and spread like a warm fire that grew with each stroke until it was racing in roaring fury.
She twisted fitfully on the cushions and arched greedily to meet his plunging thrusts.
Miles held her hips, while his mind teetered precariously over blissful insanity. Everything about her was new to him—from the way her warm body massaged him to this growing need to possess her. Never had he felt this way about another woman.
A cry of ecstasy tore from Destiny’s lips as a volcano erupted inside of her. Miles thwarted the cry with his mouth and held her until her tremors subsided.
It took Destiny a while, but she slowly regained control of her breathing and half expected the alarm clock to jar her awake. However, after a few minutes, the only sound she heard was their labored breathing.
“You could kill a man,” Miles whispered against her ear, then shifted to slide next to her.
“Any man or just you?”
He laughed warmly. “Probably just me.”
Smiling, she turned in the curve of his arm. “I guess that’s good enough for me.”
He kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose and then the soft petals of her lips. “God, you taste so good,” he whispered before capturing another long kiss.
Destiny welcomed the kiss, mainly because it was a wonderful substitute for the inevitable talk about this drastic change in their relationship.
With an impressive maneuver, Miles shifted, gathered Destiny and stood from the sofa.
She broke the kiss and looked around.
“Cramped quarters,” he answered the unspoken question. “It’s a shame to let the bed in your room go to waste, don’t you think?”
“Good point.” Laughing, she slid her arms around his neck as he carried her to the bedroom.
* * *
Later that morning, Violet and Adele arrived separately at their children’s building, and then bumped into each other at the elevator bay on the first floor. They laughed when they spotted one another, and then hugged in greeting.
“Here to see Miles?” Adele asked, withdrawing from her dear friend.
“Of course.” Violet gently pulled at the fur collar of her jacket. “He’s supposed to be helping me shop for a new car. The Lincoln keeps having computer glitches—I swear, these modern cars are more trouble than they’re worth.” She waved a jeweled hand at her friend. “I just want something that faithfully turns over when you twist the key in the ignition. Is that too much to ask?”
“I hear you, Vi.” Adele laughed as they stepped into the elevator. “Destiny and I are going to catch up with Lu Jin and do a little more house shopping.”
“Sounds like fun,” Violet chirped.
Adele nodded. “It was in the beginning, but we’ve been looking for four months and now it’s about as much fun as watching paint dry.”
The elevator bell sounded and the ladies arrived on the fourteenth floor.
* * *
Destiny’s head reared back as she assumed the top position and rocked hard against Miles, all the while relishing the way he completely filled her.
With his hands firmly on her sides, Miles pumped his hips, wanting desperately to reach the rapturous explosion that lay just beyond his reach.
When the doorbell rang, neither of them paid it any attention because both were on a mission that refused to be compromised.
However, when Adele’s voice floated into the apartment, all bets were off.
“Destiny, are you home?”
“My mother!” Destiny’s eyes grew wide as she leaped off Miles, snatching the top sheet with amazing speed and agility.
“Destiny?” Adele questioned again.
“I swear, I’m taking back everyone’s key to my apartment. This is getting ridiculous.”
Miles chuckled. “If you’d done that, last night would never have happened.”
She flashed him a warm smile and said, “Good point.”
* * *
Adele frowned, worried that she’d got the time wrong. She walked back to the front door with the sudden thought that maybe Destiny had slipped over to Miles’s apartment for something.
She opened the door and was surprised to see Violet still standing across the hall.
“Can you believe this?” Violet exclaimed. “He’s not home.”
“Apparently, neither is Destiny,” Adele said. “Do you have a key to his apartment?”
“Are you kidding? That boy guards his privacy like the CIA.”
“Well, come on over here. I’m sure wherever they’ve run off to they’ll be back soon.”
Violet shrugged and crossed the hall to join her friend. “Thanks, I really appreciate this.”
* * *
Miles propped up on the jumbo pillows against the bed’s headboard and watched in amusement as Destiny scrambled for something to put on. “Where is that damn robe?”
“In the dryer,” Miles answered still smiling.
Her gaze cut to him. “I’m so happy you find this amusing. Maybe I should let her come back and find you in here.”
Miles’s brows wiggled at her as his hands slid behind his head. “Fine with me. I have nothing to hide.”
Her eyes lowered to slide over his naked form and couldn’t believe that she was actually considering jumping back in bed with him.
“See anything you like?” he asked, laughing.
She rolled her eyes heavenward and turned back to the task at hand. “Maybe it’s slipped your mind that our mothers are good friends and if my mom finds out about this, so will yours.”
Still indifferent, he shrugged; but his eyes narrowed on Destiny and it occurred to him for the first time that while he had confessed words of love last night, he’d yet to hear the same endearments from her. He stiffened at the realization.
“Then Lu Jin and Wes would be next on the list,” she went on to say, finally pulling out a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt.
“I see,” he said, as he looked around for his clothes, feeling the full force of his stupidity. How on earth had he allowed this to happen? He moved to sit on the edge of the bed, with a sudden need for air—but there was one thing preventing him from leaving.
* * *
Violet and Adele chatted away as they moved into Destiny’s living room when Adele’s attention was drawn to a discarded gown. She picked it up at the same time Violet discovered a pair of pants.
Simultaneously, their gazes flew to one another.
“Maybe, this isn’t a good time to be visiting,” Adele said, coloring with instant embarrassment.
“I wouldn’t say that.” Violet smiled.
Adele frowned, the meaning lost on her.
Violet held up the pants, and then retrieved a nearby pair of boxers.
“Violet, put those back,” Adele snapped, appalled.
Instead, Violet laughed after further inspection of the boxers. “I think we just stumbled over a big secret.”
Adele was beginning to suspect her friend had gone mad, when Violet spoke again.
“These belong to my son.”