Capri had never experienced such intense pleasure, and she was in a state of exquisite delight. Unconsciously, she arched her back, pushing herself closer to the sensuous tugs of Tiberius’s lips. Capri was so enthralled by what was happening she instinctively stroked the bulge in front of Tiberius’s trousers.
Tiberius circled his tongue around the nipple that rose to a hard nub beneath his merciless tugging. A knowing smile crossed his lips when he heard Capri cry out. Having wanted her for so long, he couldn’t keep his satisfaction quiet, either.
“I want you in my bed so much I can’t think,” he whispered raggedly against her ear.
The words, though alluring and passionate, doused Capri’s passion. The full scope of what was happening—what was at stake—brought her out of her dream state.
Tiberius tuned into the tension of her body, and he looked down at her. A curious frown darkened his handsome face as he put his weight on his elbows. “What is it? Is everything all right?”
“Could you just let me up?” Capri whispered, nudging her hips against his.
Confusion and unease continued to mar Tiberius’s light eyes as he did as she’d asked.
Capri took a deep breath and kept her cool. “I guess it’s my turn to apologize.” She laughed uneasily as the thought settled.
Tiberius pushed one hand though his hair. “What happened? What is it?”
Capri rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, not wanting to look at him. “Look, Tiberius, I have lived with this decision for a long time. I’ve ruined what could’ve been several nice relationships because I couldn’t change my mind and go back on it.”
Tiberius was frustrated but tried to articulate his feelings as best as he could. “And you don’t think I understand that?”
“Many men can’t.”
“All right then. Since you’re being honest I guess I can as well. For a long time I’ve looked at sex as…just sex. Not love, and certainly not a path to marriage.” His words were fueled by sheer frustration and anger toward his own jaded psyche.
Capri could understand how he must feel. All she wanted was to make love to him, but she knew getting carried away in sensations and pleasure could be dangerous. “I guess Clarissa was right,” she breathed and waited for her words to click.
Tiberius blinked and dipped his head closer to Capri. “What are you talking about?”
Capri eased off the sofa and brought her hands to her sides. “I met her coming from your house one day a while back. The two of you had been arguing.”
“And?”
Massaging the tight muscles in her neck, Capri sighed and walked away. “It’s nothing…I…She tried to warn me about you.”
Tiberius’s laugh was short and relayed his intense disgust. “And you believed her?”
Capri kept her back turned and didn’t answer. “Not at first, but if what you just told me is your way of thinking when you’re involved with a woman, then it’s no wonder she…”
Tiberius pushed himself off the sofa. Shoving his hands into his trouser pockets, he asked, “Yeah, it’s no wonder she what?”
Capri turned around to face him, her large dark eyes sparkling with understanding. “Can you really say that you don’t think that way anymore? You’ve got to be true to yourself, Tibe. If you can’t, then it’s just like you once said—there are gonna be a lot of misunderstandings and drama and ugly consequences. We’ve been pretty good friends.” She smiled. “We’ve been
damn
good friends, and that’s something I never thought would be possible. Giving in to this, we just may lose that friendship and I don’t want that to happen. Do you?”
A look of pure surprise flashed in the beautiful depths of Tiberius’s eyes. He blinked and looked as though he were torn. Yes, he treasured the friendship they were crafting. Unfortunately, his steadily building romantic desire for her would not be quelled. He nodded anyway and let his gaze travel down the length of her body. “No, I don’t want to lose that, either,” he said right before he turned and left the house.
Later that evening, Capri was still mulling over her conversation with Tiberius. In spite of all she’d said about the importance of a healthy friendship, alone, she admitted it was all a load of bunk. She was telling him to be true to himself when she couldn’t even do the same. Only to herself could she confess that he was what she really wanted. Pushing the coffee mug she held back into the cabinet, Capri groaned and leaned back wearily against the countertop. She was frustrated, confused, and growing increasingly frightened by the disintegration of her most cherished personal decision. Glaring at the wall phone, she chose to share her concerns with those who’d always given her the sagest advice.
“If we could get back to the subject at hand?” Capri urged through the laughter still claiming her. She’d managed to get her three older sisters on the line for a conference call. It had taken a bit of persistence since Cassandra lived in Phoenix, Cannon out in Oregon, and Carla in Atlanta, but thankfully the sisters never passed on the chance for a venting session.
“Cap, you’re gonna have to forgive us for acting so silly. I guess we’re just trying to soften you up.”
Capri shook her head. “Thanks, Carla, but I’m afraid you’ve got your work cut out for you there.”
“Honey, I think Carla means that you’re not gonna like what we’re about to tell you,” Cassandra explained.
“What?” Capri’s ease was starting to dwindle.
Cannon sighed over the line. “Sweetie, I’m actually the only one who
saved
herself for marriage.”
Silence filled all four lines for a while until Cassandra spoke up.
“Carla and I…indulged,” she shared, and uttered a quiet laugh. “Carla at least comes in second with marrying the man she gave her virginity to, while I…”
“Why didn’t you guys tell me?”
“Mama,” they all spoke at once.
“As far as she was concerned, Cannon’s shining example was the
only
example and she dared us to tell you any different,” Carla said.
“With you being so much younger than us, talks about our sex lives weren’t typical conversation,” Cannon said. “There was never a real reason or opportunity for you to be told any different.”
“Capri? Is this about you trying to live up to something you don’t even believe in or want?” Cassandra asked.
“Hmm, well I didn’t realize that I didn’t believe in it or want it until recently.”
Carla chuckled. “Sounds like someone’s being tempted.”
Capri closed her eyes. “Guilty. And I’ve been criticizing myself all over the place, calling myself a fool for falling for some tall, caramel-toned doctor with curly hair and deep eyes.” Capri grimaced when she heard the sighs of appreciation follow her description. “There’s more to him y’all, lots more.”
“Mmm,” Carla’s laughter was just below the surface, “and you want
lots more
from him, too, don’t you?”
Silence.
“Oh, Cap, there’s nothin’ wrong with that,” Cassandra cried. “You
are
free to change your mind, you know?”
“That’s right, Capri,” Cannon chimed in. “Just because this decision was right for me doesn’t mean it’s right for you. There are no rules here, no
proper
ways of doing things, and there’s absolutely no one waiting to brand you with a scarlet letter because of it.”
“So what’s stopping you, girl?”
Capri laughed over Carla’s question. “Me, of course.” She sighed.
The phone rang the next morning, just as Tiberius set a plate filled with fluffy scrambled eggs on the table. Wiping his hands on the dish towel hanging on the refrigerator, he picked up on the third ring.
“Yeah?”
“Tibe? Did I catch you on your way out?”
“Kiva? No I was just getting ready to eat breakfast. What’s going on?”
Kiva took a moment to answer. “Well, um, I wanted to know if I could stop by and talk to you today?”
Tibe pulled at the hem of the orange Florida Gators T-shirt that fit snugly across his wide chest. “Sure, Kiva, any time. It’ll have to be at the hospital though ’cause I have a full load today. If you want to stop by around two, I should be there.”
“That’s perfect. I’ll be there.”
Tiberius turned and leaned against the brick kitchen island. “So, you wanna tell me what’s going on or what?”
“Well, Tibe, if you don’t mind, I’ll just wait ’til I see you.”
Tiberius shrugged. “Fine with me. See you later.” He stared at the phone for a moment once the connection had been broken. Then, he replaced it on the base connected to the side of the island. Picking up the tall glass of orange juice he had sitting on the counter, Tiberius walked over to the window and enjoyed the view of his backyard.
The serene expression on his handsome face slowly changed to a murderous frown. Taking a closer look out the window, his temper went though the roof. “Capri Timmons!” he yelled in a thunderous tone that nearly rattled the windows.
“L
ewey! Lewey, come on now. I’m starting to get worried!” Capri was standing on her front porch with her hands on her hips. She hadn’t seen her dog since the prior afternoon.
Sighing, Capri smoothed her hands over her shorts and was about to head back inside the house. Just then, Lewey ambled around the side of the house, his soft whining catching Capri’s attention.
“Oh, where have you been, you bad boy,” she chastised, kneeling to hug the mammoth animal.
Lewey propped his heavy head on Capri’s shoulder and nipped at the flimsy tie of her yellow halter top. He rested there for only a moment, making a mad dash to the back when he heard a roaring voice coming closer to the house.
“Capri!”
Frowning, Capri pushed a curly tendril of hair behind her ear and stood. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw Tiberius storm around the corner. “Tibe, what—” She tilted her head, noticing the fury on his face. “What happened?”
In response, Tiberius motioned for Capri to follow him back to his house. He ignored her questions and led her through the gate and alongside the wooden fence.
“Tibe? What’s going on?” Capri asked as she noticed they were walking straight toward the backyard. “Where are we going?”
Tiberius made no attempt to answer and simply continued his trek along the fence. When he finally reached his destination, he pointed to what appeared to be a huge tunnel dug beneath the fence.
“Well?” he roared.
Capri shrugged. “What?”
“Do you see what your dog did to my fence?”
Capri wasn’t intimidated by the expression on Tiberius’s face. If anything, she became just as furious. “You’re accusing Lewey of this? How do you know it was him?”
Tiberius rolled his eyes toward the sky. “Please, girl, from the time he smelled Droopey he planned a way to get over here!”
“Oh, please! Why couldn’t it be Droopey trying to get in my yard to Lewey?”
A devious, humorless smirk added a sinister gleam to Tiberius’s handsome face. “Well, according to you, it’s us males that have sex on the brain all the time, not the other way around.”
Capri’s full lips pushed into a pout and she stood shaking her head at Tiberius. “This is really unfair. All the other dogs out here and you pick on mine.”
“I’ve never had problems with the other dogs out here. They’re from top breeders and are well-behaved.”
Capri’s arched brows drew together and she took a step closer to Tiberius. “What are you trying to say?”
Tiberius stepped closer as well. “I’m saying that if that mutt has gotten Droopey pregnant—”
“Mutt?”
“Damn right. I don’t want her having a bunch of half-breeds.”
“You are ridiculous!”
“Yeah, well you’ll see how ridiculous I am when I dump all the runts on your front step.”
The two of them stood there arguing like children for a few more moments. Soon Capri was so furious she couldn’t see straight. Raising her hand, she brought a halt to the conversation.
“Listen, Tibe, why don’t you go somewhere and find Droopey? Tell her I said I hope she had fun.”
Tiberius kicked his fence and then watched Capri switch away. His eyes were trained on the white shorts that revealed just a hint
of her bottom. Not wanting her to arouse any more emotions in him, he squeezed his eyes shut. It didn’t work. After a moment, a smile crossed his lips and he shook his head.
Although he’d sworn it would never happen, he’d let a woman get inside his head. Capri Timmons, with her baby-doll looks, had captivated him both physically and mentally and there was no doubt about it.
Pushing his hands into the deep pockets of his saggy blue jeans, Tiberius walked back to the house. For a moment, he wondered how it had happened. How had he allowed this woman to slip past the wall he’d painstakingly built around his emotions? True, she was vibrant, beautiful and voluptuous, but so were many of the women he knew. No, it was Capri’s sometimes seductive, sometimes innocent, always alluring persona that had done it. For the first time in his life, he found himself wanting a woman as more than a lover. Tiberius finally realized that he actually wanted a woman to talk to and be with platonically as well as sexually. Sadly though, it was that unsatisfied sexual aspect that was causing him to act like such a jerk at the moment.
Laughing at himself now, Tiberius told himself to forget it. Capri already had a negative view of him, and it was obvious that she wanted to keep it.
“Damn,” he cursed his luck. The time when it mattered most that a woman find him irresistible and she wanted nothing to do with him.
Capri decided to spend the day at home, even though she had several things to finish at the studio. Unfortunately, between the engagement party, the fight with Tiberius that morning and their bittersweet conversation the night before, and the revealing talk with her sisters, she felt completely worn down.
Although she could still kick Tiberius for being such a jerk about the incident with the fence, Capri knew what had happened after
the party was her fault. Well, maybe
fault
wasn’t quite the right word to use there. However, she was the one who had begun the conversation. She’d pushed Tiberius away and said what she did knowing he’d be discouraged…and put off. What was happening between the two of them had felt so sweet, so perfect.
She replayed the conversation with her sisters for the umpteenth time and knew that, if anything, the talk had convinced her that there was no right or wrong decision. Regardless of the choice, Capri was certain that sex was something to be shared between two people who cared and knew enough about one another to cherish the act when it happened.
Of course, their conversation had given her some pretty keen insights to Tiberius. Clearly his perceptions of love and commitment had been set at a pretty early age. It had to have been tough watching every important relationship surrounding him fail. The love affair between his grandparents was probably viewed by him as unrealistic, unattainable, a fluke. It was sad really, and until Tiberius was ready to risk his heart, he’d never know what kind of relationship he was capable of handling. Moreover, neither would she, she mused.
As if on cue, Lewey came sniffing around. He seemed somewhat uneasy and probably suspected Capri was angry. He kept his distance, staring at her with huge sad eyes.
“Come ’ere,” Capri called, tugging on the big leather collar around his neck. “Do you have any ideas on the subject?” she asked Lewey. A sad expression clouded her lovely face as she thought about how nice things could be with Tiberius. He was smart, successful, considerate and undeniably handsome. It could’ve been so nice.
The phone began to ring and Capri moved away from Lewey. She buried her face in her hands and took a deep breath before answering.
“Hello?”
“Hello, what’s got you sounding so sad?”
Capri smiled and leaned back in the armchair. “Hey, Avery.”
“So what’s wrong?” he persisted.
“Nothing, I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”
“Well, it sounds like you need to get out.”
“Avery—”
“Now wait a minute. I know you probably weren’t planning on calling me. Even though I went as far as giving you one of the cards I reserve for the best people—”
Capri interrupted with a chuckle.
“But,” Avery continued, “I decided to give it one last try.”
“Well, I admire your determination.”
“Does that mean you’ll go out with me?”
Why not?
Capri thought to herself. Avery seemed like a nice guy. Besides, the shoot was done and they no longer had a working relationship. Plus, she had to do something to get Tiberius off her mind. “I suppose I won’t be breaking any rules by saying yes, would I?”
Avery chuckled. “You won’t break a one.”
Capri chewed her bottom lip for a second and then smiled. “All right, when and where?”
“So, I’ll see you and John next week?”
Christina Wilkes sighed and nodded at her doctor. “He’ll be here even if I have to bring his office with me.”
Tiberius laughed and led Christina to the elevators. “Well do your best, but don’t forget he’s working hard to support these twins.”
“Oh, I’ll keep that in mind when I feel like breaking his arms because he works too much.”
“Thanks,” Tiberius said through his laughter.
The elevator finally arrived and Christina stepped inside just as Kiva stepped out. Tiberius waved his patient off, and then turned to Kiva.
“Hey, you,” Tiberius greeted, kissing his best friend’s fiancée on the cheek.
“What’s going on with you and Capri?” Kiva asked, immediately after they hugged.
Tiberius sighed and took Kiva’s hand. “Let’s talk in my office.”
“I’m sorry, Tibe, I just want to know,” Kiva said when the office door shut behind them.
Tiberius pulled off his jacket and threw it on the suede sofa near the bookshelf in a far corner. “No offense, Kiva, but why are you so interested?”
Kiva fiddled with one of her braids, but kept her brown eyes on Tiberius. “I just don’t want to see her hurt.”
“Why the hell are you and Rod so protective of her? She’s a grown woman, you know?”
“We both think of her like a little sister.”
Tiberius rolled his eyes and walked behind his desk. “Well, I think you should let it go,” he mumbled.
“Not a chance,” Kiva replied hotly. “Just in case you forgot, Tibe, I know how successful you are at getting women into bed.”
“Excuse me?”
Kiva didn’t let Tiberius’s voice intimidate her. “Do you recall any of my girlfriends that you’ve dated in the past?”
Tiberius prayed he wouldn’t lose his temper. “So?”
“The ones that you’ve been intimate with and the ones that you’ve dumped?”
Tiberius raised his hand and stood. “All right, Kiva, hold it, because what you’re talking about has nothing to do with you.”
Kiva raised her hands as well. “Okay, I’m sorry. You’re right and I’m sorry. I just don’t want to see Capri hurt.”
“My God, you and Rod are really terrified that she could actually become involved with me,” Tiberius said, his intense brown eyes narrowed in enlightenment.
Kiva lowered her gaze to the floor. “It’s not like that.”
Tiberius shook his head and turned to stare out the windows of his corner office. “It doesn’t matter anyway. She’s figured me out.”
The weary chord in Tiberius’s deep voice caught Kiva’s. “What do you mean?”
Tiberius turned and leaned against the window. He decided to confide in Kiva. “After the party we went back to her place. Things got intense. She was into it as much as I was.”
Kiva took a seat in one of the chairs facing Tiberius’s desk. “What happened?”
Tiberius shrugged one shoulder and ran his hand through his hair. “At first I wasn’t too sure, but suffice it to say that she doesn’t believe I’m ready to accept the kind of relationship she wants. She does however love our
friendship
. She doesn’t want us to lose that.” He grew serious. “Funny thing is, I don’t want to lose it either. Bottom line is she thinks I’m as shallow as a bathtub and she’s probably right.”
“Did she say that?”
“She should have. The crazy thing is that it was probably the one time that it wasn’t completely true.”
“Really?” Kiva asked with intrigue.
“Really. I mean Kiva, I’m not gonna lie to you. I know what kind of man I am when it comes to women and I want Capri. I
want
her so much that half the time I can’t even think straight. Last night though, I think I realized that I wanted more than the obvious.”
“I can’t believe it,” Kiva whispered.
“Yeah, well, I’m getting a lot of that lately,” Tiberius grumbled, hurt by Kiva’s comment.
“Sweetie, are you serious about this? Because it sounds like you want a relationship with her and…well…it’s just not you.”
“Don’t get excited. I’m not a completely changed man.”
Kiva shook her head. “Tibe, you’ve had a lot of women in your
life and they’ve gone as quickly as they’ve come. Now, Capri is in the picture and suddenly you’re at least considering a real relationship with a woman? It’s quite a change. Are you sure it’s not just physical attraction talking?”
“No. No I’m not sure, but I know that’s not all of it,” he said, before throwing his hands up in defeat. “Hell, what difference does it make? I might as well forget it. I don’t think Capri trusts me as far as she can throw me.”
Kiva pushed herself from the chair in front of the desk and walked over to Tiberius. “Listen, um…Lord, I don’t believe I’m saying this…Look, just don’t give up on her yet.”
Tiberius frowned and looked down at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Kiva hesitated a moment before speaking. “Don’t give up on her. Don’t give up on yourself.”
Later that afternoon, Tiberius was out in his backyard. A black scowl was on his face as he looked down at the hole tunneled beneath the fence. He’d been debating since he’d gotten home on whether to fill it.