My Stallion Heart (The Stallions Book 7) (8 page)

“Only when I have someone to play with,” she responded nonchalantly.

“Well, I’m not interested in your games.”

Natalie smiled, her gaze teasing. “Yes, you are,” she said as she took a step toward him, brushing her palms across the front of his shirt.

Tinjin grinned back, his own stare sweeping across her face. “Yes, I am.”

The two stood eyeing each other, the heat between them rising with a vengeance. Natalie gasped when Tinjin suddenly reached his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. She settled against the rising hardness of his taut muscles, her soft curves caving nicely against him. Their gazes were still locked one to the other, eyes dancing back and forth. Natalie’s mouth was parted slightly and when she snaked her tongue past her lips, licking them lightly, Tinjin tightened the hold he had around her torso.

He pulled her even closer and with no hesitation dropped his mouth to hers. His lips skated against her lips easily, the plush pillows gliding like silk against silk. They both tasted sweet, like the dessert they’d just consumed, and there was the faintest hint of mocha cappuccino on her breath. He inhaled the scent of her, a deep influx of air that filled his lungs and nourished his spirit. He kissed her and it felt like the first kiss he’d ever had, every nerve ending in his body surging with delight. The pleasure was intoxicating and he suddenly felt addicted, unable to fathom ever having enough of her.

Natalie kissed him back. She kissed him with every fiber of her body, every sinew melting against him. She felt safe and secure in his arms and the delightful sensations sweeping through her were intense. Nothing compared to the brilliance of the moment, everything seeming to fall into place when she’d least expected it. His hands tapped gently down her spine, his fingertips igniting a wave of combustion that emanated from her feminine spirit. She felt as if she’d been dropped straight into heaven and nothing could pull her from the moment.

* * *

Saying goodbye was proving to be more problematic than Tinjin would ever have imagined. Natalie had driven him to the airport and now they stood together in the American Airlines ticket area, wrapped around each other. Their kisses were even sweeter than the night before and Tinjin realized just how much he was going to miss having her around.

“Call me when you land in Dallas,” Natalie said, pressing her cheek to his.

“I will.” Tinjin dropped his eyes down to stare at her. “And you owe me dinner when we get back to London.”

Natalie laughed. “You lost your chance at any free meal I cook,” she said.

He shrugged his shoulders. “Then get someone else to cook it, but it better be as good as you claim your cooking is.” His smile was haughty as he kissed her one last time. He winked, then turned and headed off toward the security line.

Natalie watched him walk away, staring until he waved one last time and disappeared from view. She suddenly felt empty and anxious for time to pass so that she could see him again. The new emotion was awkward and disconcerting, something she’d never felt before. She took a deep breath and then a second, once again fighting back tears.

Her cell phone suddenly rang, a new text message registering on the device. Depressing the buttons, she read the greeting once and then a second time.
I miss you already
. Her smile was miles wide. Her new friend TJ had just made her entire day.

Chapter 8

P
ulling into the driveway of his grandmother’s home lifted Tinjin’s spirits until he felt as though he might actually burst with sheer joy. Coming home always had that effect on him. The small cottage was a welcome sight, with its bright arrangements of flora that decorated the landscape. His grandmother’s gardens were the pride of the neighborhood and the saltbox architecture gleamed with light and warmth.

As Tinjin sat in the driveway, his rental car idling in Park, everything about the homestead reminded him of all that was good about growing up beneath the watchful eye of Deloriann Braddy. He and his sister had both been blessed to have the matriarch to depend on. After both of his parents had disappeared from his life he had never taken his grandmother’s love for granted, and he and Tierra both were mindful to show their appreciation every chance they could.

Mama Dee was standing at the kitchen sink when he entered the home using the key he’d had possession of since he was a young boy. She was a robust woman dressed in her usual inside attire, a cotton housecoat and satin bedroom slippers. From her large eyes and full cheeks down to her thick legs and wide ankles, everything about her was round in a pleasant, soft-dough kind of way.

Her largesse filled the room with personality. The warmth she exuded was almost contrary to the stainless-steel appliances and rich ebony color of the granite countertops. Mama Dee was more like the exterior of her home, with its brightly painted shutters, sweeping porches and massive floral beds, each conflicting with its redecorated interior. As he stood in the entranceway staring, Tinjin almost regretted his and Tierra’s decision to gut the home’s insides to give their grandmother new bathrooms and a chef’s kitchen.

The older woman’s gregarious voice boomed warmly. “How you gone just come into my house and not speak!”

Tinjin grinned. “Hey, Mama Dee! I just got a little sentimental. It feels good to be home.”

Her own bright smile warmed Tinjin’s heart as Mama Dee extended her arms in her grandson’s direction. “Come give me some suga’, boy!”

Stepping into her outstretched arms, Tinjin hugged and kissed the matriarch, reminded of those moments he’d felt safe and secure in her embrace. Wrapped in his grandmother’s love, Tinjin let a tear drip from his eyes, swiping it away before she noticed.

“So how long you plan on being home?” she asked, gesturing for him to take a seat at her kitchen table.

“For a few days if you’ll have me.”

Mama Dee nodded. “Son, you know this will always be your home. You don’t need to ask to stay. I’ll be glad for the company. Was just about to work the gardens and I could use the help. My knees aren’t as good as they use to be.”

Tinjin chuckled. “Why don’t I change my clothes and then we’ll see what I can help you with.”

“I was just about to get my midday coffee and a chicken salad sandwich first. Are you hungry?”

“Is that your famous chicken salad?”

“You know I don’t eat nobody else’s so I don’t know why you asking that foolishness!”

He nodded. “I would love something to eat. I’ve missed your cooking.”

Mama Dee winked as she moved to the refrigerator, pulling a Tupperware container from inside. Just as Tinjin started to take a seat at the kitchen table his grandmother admonished him to go wash his hands. He felt like he was ten years old again and it made him smile. By the time he returned to the kitchen the table was set with two sandwiches on her favorite porcelain plates, a side salad and two steaming cups of rich, black coffee. When he was settled in his seat, Mama Dee blessed the food, offering up a prayer of thanksgiving.

“How was your flight?” Mama Dee asked as they both took their first bites of the afternoon meal.

Tinjin swiped at the crumbs that dusted his lips with a paper napkin before answering. “It was good. I got stuck in New York coming from London. They had some major snow that slowed us down.”

Mama Dee’s head bobbed against her thick neck. “I spoke to your sister. She tells me you met a woman while you were stuck there at that airport.”

Tinjin laughed. “I’m sure Tierra had a lot to say.”

“She did.”

“Well, it’s nothing for you or Tierra to concern yourselves with. Natalie and I are just friends.”

Tinjin could feel his grandmother’s intense stare boring into him. He focused on his sandwich, refusing to meet the look he knew she was giving him.

“Just friends?”

Tinjin nodded as he drew a forkful of salad into his mouth.

“You don’t need to be rushing into any relationship with that girl, Tinjin. That baby just lost her mother. She needs some time to work through that. She don’t need to be starting no new relationships right now.”

Tinjin gave his grandmother a quick look. “We’re not rushing into anything.”

The old woman’s gaze narrowed.

“Really, Mama Dee! We’re not!”

“Mind what I tell you,” she said. “I’ve lived longer and I know more.”

Tinjin laughed. “Yes, ma’am.”

Both finished their meal. The conversation was casual as they caught up with each other. Then his grandmother made plans for his time.

“You should change your clothes now so you can come help me out in the gardens. Tomorrow I expect you to come to bible study with me at the church. Congregation ain’t seen you in a good while. Be nice for you to catch up with everyone since you won’t be here for Sunday service.”

“Yes, Mama Dee.”

Tinjin’s cell phone suddenly vibrated. As he read the text message on the screen his smile widened into a full grin. He and Natalie had been communicating back and forth since he’d left Salt Lake City. Her humor was contagious, each of her messages moving him to laughter.

His grandmother eyed him curiously as his thumbs danced over the screen, texting back. The reply made him smile even wider. The back-and-forth went on for a good five minutes before Tinjin realized he’d gotten distracted. “Sorry,” he said, a sheepish expression washing over his face.

Mama Dee shook her head. “Lord, have mercy!” she exclaimed as she moved onto her feet, beginning to clear away the dirty dishes.

“What, Mama Dee?”

“You not only rushed into it, but you so far gone I wouldn’t be surprised if you two already planning the wedding.”

Tinjin’s laugh was gut deep. “No one’s planning any wedding, Mama Dee.”

“Uh-huh!”

“You worry too much.”

His grandmother laughed. “I’m not worried about a thing. But don’t think I don’t know you, Tinjin. I raised you and I can see it all over your face. That girl has your nose wide open! So you better make sure I meet this girl soon.”

Tinjin grinned, his head moving from side to side. “Yes, ma’am!”

* * *

“You’re glowing! You’re not pregnant, are you?”

Natalie laughed as her best friend and partner in crime, Frenchie Adams, eyed her suspiciously. Frenchie had been the first person Natalie had met when she’d first arrived in London. Just a few years older, the expat had been working as a graphic designer for a small clothing firm, creating the designs for the fashion house’s seasonal look books. The two women had bumped into each other as Natalie had stood outside a corner bakery, counting the last of her change in hopes she’d be able to buy herself a croissant. Recognizing the hunger in her eyes, Frenchie had taken Natalie under her wing, giving her a blanket and her living-room couch to rest her head on and enough food to squash the pangs of hunger that rippled through her abdomen. Frenchie had been her first connection to the fashion industry, pointing her in all the right directions. The rest was history and both knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they would remain friends forever.

“I’m serious. Something’s changed,” Frenchie persisted.

“Well, I’m definitely not pregnant,” Natalie said.

The two women sat in a corner booth at one of their favorite eateries, Seven Park Place at the St. James’s hotel. Frenchie’s dark eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“Then it has to be a man!” she suddenly exclaimed, excitement billowing with her words. “A rich man!”

“Why does he have to be rich?”

Frenchie tossed her a look. “He doesn’t have to be,” she said, her facial expression contradicting her comment. “But it would be nice.”

Natalie laughed, shaking her head.

“I’m just saying,” Frenchie quipped. “You disappear for two weeks for your mama’s funeral and come back like you just won the lottery. Something’s amiss, my friend.”

Natalie’s eyes rolled a second time. She took a deep breath. “My brother Noah says the mourning will probably hit me in a few weeks.” She shrugged. “Right now, though, I just feel...I don’t know...relieved? It’s like going home took a heavy burden off my shoulders.”

“You reconnected with your family. And family that you didn’t even know you had. That was a nice reminder that you’re not alone.”

Natalie nodded.

“But that still doesn’t explain that gleam in your eyes,” Frenchie said.

“I did meet someone and I think he’s a really nice guy,” Natalie said.

Frenchie snapped her fingers. She bounced up and down in her seat. “I knew it! Girl, a good man will do it to you every time!”

“He’s a designer and he currently lives in London, but is moving to Paris.”

“You could live in Paris. I could see that.”

Natalie took a deep breath. “Our two families are actually connected in the United States. His sister is married to my cousin.”

“So he comes with trustworthy references. When do I get to meet him?”

“He’s flying back tonight. Hopefully I’ll be able to see him tomorrow, or maybe the day after. I don’t know when you’ll meet him!”

“Girl, you better meet that man at the airport! We can go together. Welcome him home proper!”

“I can’t just show up at the airport.”

“Why not?”

“I’d look desperate and I don’t want to seem overly eager,” she stated.

Frenchie laughed. “But you are desperate.”

Natalie laughed with her. “Maybe I am but he doesn’t need to know that.”

“What have I told you about playing games with men?”

“I’m not playing games

“Keep telling yourself that.”

“I’m not playing games, but I do intend to keep him on his toes.”

“So what’s his name?”

“Tinjin. Tinjin Braddy.”

Frenchie’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Interesting.”

Natalie smiled. “It’s different.”

“So what about Jean-Paul?” Frenchie suddenly questioned. Curiosity furrowed her brow.

Natalie met her friend’s deep stare. She hadn’t given the notorious Jean-Paul Vivier a single thought in weeks. The billionaire playboy was someone she’d dated briefly, his interest in her far more serious than hers had ever been. He’d wined and dined her, had lavished her with gifts and had been overwhelmingly annoying.

That, and there was something about his lack of personal hygiene that was repulsive. His mouth was a disaster area, teeth twisted, one or two missing, and the coloration, a garish shade of yellow, was off-putting to the point of distraction.

His referring to her as his fiancée at the last social event they’d attended together had been the final straw. Marrying Jean-Paul was not on her personal radar, the man coming nowhere close to being a man she could see herself doing forever with. She’d begun to push him away, refusing to take his calls and ignoring him publicly. Her efforts had only served to further fuel his interest.

She shrugged dismissively. “What about him?”

Her friend’s expression was teasing as she crossed her arms over her chest. “So, it’s like that now?”

“It’s been like that for a while and you know it. I am not interested in Jean-Paul.”

“I don’t think Jean-Paul is ready to be dismissed like that.”

Natalie shrugged again, her eyes rolling. “That’s his problem. Not mine. Besides, I know for a fact he attended the Met Gala in New York with some new hip-hop artist. Jean-Paul has moved on just like he should have.”

“He didn’t go with her. They were just photographed together.”

“Whatever. It’s not my concern.”

Frenchie sat staring at her for a brief moment.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“I didn’t think so,” Natalie quipped and the two women laughed heartily.

They continued to catch up with each other, their conversation peppered with one-liners and laughter. The discourse was comfortable and Natalie felt at ease with her best friend. She was excited to catch her up on the details of her meeting Tinjin and as she shared the experience, she found herself grinning from ear to ear, the memories like the sweetest balm across her spirit.

* * *

Hours later Natalie was still riding the clouds of a very happy high. She stole a quick glance toward her clock radio as she slipped between her bedsheets. She reached for her cell phone and dialed Tinjin, his number programmed on her speed dial. The phone rang twice and then a third time before Tinjin answered, breathing heavily into the receiver.

“So what were you doing?” Natalie questioned. She pulled her knees to her chest as she settled her back against the bed pillows.

“I was cutting grass,” Tinjin said. “With a push mower and it is exceptionally hot here in Texas.”

Natalie smiled. “Awww! How sweet you are, helping out your grandmother.”

“I don’t know about all that. I know I wasn’t expecting to work quite this hard on vacation,” he said with a wry laugh.

“Well, I like your grandmother and I enjoyed talking to her on the phone the other day. I can’t wait to meet her.”

“Mama Dee can’t wait to meet you, too. So, what are you doing?”

“Headed to bed. I have a long day tomorrow.”

“That sounds interesting.”

“It really isn’t. I’ll be running errands in the morning and then I have a photo shoot in the afternoon.”

Tinjin nodded. “My plane leaves at seven tonight. Barring any bad weather in New York, my international connection should leave just before midnight and put me in London sometime before nine o’clock in the morning.”

“Well, let’s hope you don’t get snowed in.”

“I’m keeping my fingers crossed,” Tinjin said. There was a moment’s hesitation as he listened to her breathing on the other end. Her breath was a soft inhale and exhalation, her calm energy wafting through the receiver. “So, you’re cooking dinner for me tomorrow night, right?” Tinjin asked.