Tropical Storm (16 page)

He slid open the glass enclosure and stepped into the marble bath. He turned the water to full blast and let the spray beat down on his head and body. For five minutes he stood under the water. Nothing was working. The feel of Storm in his arms, the way she begged hungrily for him was making him hungry for her. He wanted her so badly that his mind was thinking of ways to compromise his principles just enough so that he could make love to her and still feel good about himself in the morning. In frustration, Cairo turned the cold water tap up to full blast. The icy water sent a mind-numbing chill down his spine and goose bumps shooting up on his skin, but it did not significantly cool his ardor. He wanted her and he wanted her bad. Cairo closed his eyes and tried to think of something besides making passionate love to Jessica Storm.

The minute she stepped through the door, good sense and good manners dictated that she turn around and leave. Instead, Storm crept stealthily into the room. Following the sound of the running water, she boldly pushed open the bathroom door. The sight in front of her stopped her dead
in her tracks.

She wasn’t prepared to see the naked form of the man she loved; she hadn’t realized the full effect he had over her. He was magnificent. The perfect embodiment of what a man should look like. In him, she saw everything she wanted, everything she needed and everything she craved. Perfectly sculpted muscles with sinewy strength wrapped in a smooth golden package as perfect as polished amber. Storm could almost taste him in her mouth and on her tongue. Watching him made her remember how she felt wrapped in his arms. As she watched him
he
shivered in the stall before proceeding to run large hands down his wet torso. Storm made a quick decision. She shrugged off the thin cotton nightshirt she wore and let it pool at her feet. Stepping over it
she walked silently to the stall. She then placed her palms on the glass and watched him, enjoying the voyeuristic aspect of it. Her actions were indecent, lewd and licentious but she’d never felt such abandon. When she saw Cairo lean against the marble wall and close his eyes, she slid open the door, turned up the hot water and stepped inside just as Cairo noticed the temper change. He opened his eyes.

He stood perfectly still as he watched her. He didn’t twitch, didn’t blink. He seemed carved from stone.
He stared at her nakedness, at the water running in rivulets down her breasts to the valley between her thighs. He stood watching her without saying a word. Storm grew nervous under his assessment and self-consciously lowered her hands to cover her body.

The hand that shot out to catch her wrist moved as fast as lightning. “No, no,” he said shaking his head. “Don’t do that.” He said finally, the sound of his voice harsh and rough to her ears,
his chest heaving as though he’d just run a race. “Don’t cover anything. Now that you’re here after I warned you to stay away, you have to suffer the cost.” The words were said pleasantly although his expression belied his calm.

Feeling suddenly out of her depth, Storm started to back away from him. “Maybe this was a bad idea.” She said nervously, her hand fumbling to open the shower door.

Cairo trapped her hand beneath his. “It’s too late now. Where’s your courage?” He mocked closing the short distance that separated them. “It took courage to come in here uninvited. Now that you’re here, don’t disappoint me and lose your nerve.” He gripped her fingers tighter and pressed his wet naked chest against her exposed back
fitting his body around her curves. Storm shivered as he placed his lips near her ear. His words were whisper soft.

“There are consequences for troubling things that are better left undisturbed.” He taunted. “Now that you have disturbed the lion in his den, what should the lion do with you?”

“Eat me?” Storm suggested seductively while savoring
the sensuous feel of his body pressed against hers.
Forcing her body to stop shaking, she turned in his grasp and pressed the full length of her voluptuous body against him.
Looking up at Cairo from under wet spiky lashes, she lifted her chin in challenge. “You can do anything you want to me, absolutely anything.” She said slipping her arms around his neck.

“That’s my girl.” Cairo said with a mix of admiration and menace. “I love it when you think you’re in charge. I want you to know; however, that you made a mistake coming in here tonight. You can’t seduce me unless I want to be seduced. But since you’re here I might as well teach you a lesson about pushing men beyond their limits.” He held up a finger. “Lesson one.”

He tangled her hands in his, imprisoned them high over her head and pressed her back against the shower door. Storm’s naked body created a lush imprint on the steam-covered glass. Clasping both of her hands in his, he used his free hand to run his fingers through her hair. Gripping the riotous tangle
of curls, he gave her hair a slight tug that forced her head back and her lips up to his. He stopped tugging only when her mouth was an inch away from his. He smiled harshly before he ground his mouth down on hers. He kissed her deeply, hungrily, ravenously until she thought she’d pass out from lack of air. He then pressed her body hard against his until she again
gasped for air, but still, he kissed her like a man starved. He released her hair and slipped his hands behind her to grab her bottom and squeeze it. He then lifted her until she fit perfectly against him.

Still unsatisfied, he rubbed and squeezed every part of her until she moaned and begged for relief. Cairo was deaf to her pleas. Releasing her, he dropped down
to his knees and placed his tongue in her navel and then he roughly parted her legs and slid his hungry tongue between her thighs licking her until she moaned and shook with pleasure. Throwing her head back in rapture, Storm gasped and opened her eyes wide as Cairo took her to the brink of ecstasy.

Storm’s body was throbbing, the pleasure building between her thighs making her head spin and her knees weak. If Cairo hadn’t been holding her she’d surely have fallen. Then in
a fluid motion, Cairo rose to his feet, wrapped his arms around her, lifted her high and used his body to keep her pressed against the bathroom wall. Storm wrapped her legs around him for balance and waited for the feel of him inside her.
Eyes tightly closed, she waited, and waited and waited. Slowly, reluctantly, she opened her eyes to find Cairo staring at her seemingly unaffected except for the rapid rise and fall of his chest.

“You can’t have me.” He said his voice a husky baritone. “I want you, I need you and I will have you again, but not like this. Divorce your husband, Jessica. I won’t let you break my control but I
will
break yours. I will bring you to the brink of ecstasy and then deny us both what we want until you end our torture. The power is in your hands. Give in. Give us what we both want. I’m tired of asking.” Finished speaking, he gently placed her feet on the ground.

Jerking open the stall door with a shaking hand that belied his control, Cairo stepped out and wrapped a towel around his hips. Grabbing a larger towel, he turned around and abruptly stopped. Storm stood propped up against the marble tiled wall, her body naked and wet and her eyes liquid with longing and something close to resentment. Cairo ran a shaky hand down his face resenting his own resolve. He took a deep breath and enveloped Storm in the towel, turned off the water, lifted her up and walked into the bedroom with her. He placed her gently down on the bed. He then slipped the towel from his hips and used it to gently
dry her hair.

At her breaking point, Storm struggled out of his grasp. Without a word she got up, wrapped the towel more securely around her body and stalked out.

Chapter Nine

The next morning there wasn’t much conversation between them. Oblivious to this, Shane held a steady stream of conversation all the way back to the hotel. To Storm and Cairo, the return
trip was excruciating and excessively long. The distance they’d traveled in companionable chatter on the way there was now a stony silence. When the hotel came into view, the jeep barely drew to a stop before Storm leaped out. She blew past Tyrone who had come to greet them without
a word.

“Whoa. What was that all about?” Tyrone asked as Cairo helped Shane from the jeep.

“Nothing really,” Cairo answered. “I just gave Jessica something to think about. I imagine she’s in her room considering her options.”

Cairo looked down at Shane. “Hey, how would you feel about hanging out with cousin Tyrone today?”

Tyrone’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “What! Has it finally come to this?” He protested. “No longer playboy extraordinaire and no longer your right-hand-man? Now I’m simply a babysitter. What will the ladies say about my tragic fall from grace?” He hung his head.

Cairo shook his head at Tyrone’s antics. “Can we do without the theatrics today? I’m sorry I didn’t ask you first. But I’m asking you now. Can you do this for me, Ty? It’s important.”

Tyrone tapped a finger against his jaw in mock
contemplation. “Of course I’ll help out, but what can a grown man and a young boy do for fun?” Looking down at Shane, he raised a sardonic brow. “Strip club?” He suggested.

“Yes!” Shane agreed readily.

“No!” Cairo yelled putting an end to the possibility. “No strip club.” He said to Tyrone with a scowl. “And what does a six-year-old know about strip clubs anyway?” Cairo demanded throwing a stern look his son’s way.

Shane shrugged carelessly. “VH1 and BET.” He said in explanation.

“A boy after my own heart.” Tyrone laughed. He threw a companionable arm around Shane. “But since your father is such an old stick in the mud, we’ll have to settle for watching a movie.”

“Thanks, Ty.” Cairo ruffled his son’s hair before turning to leave. “Be good, Shane. I’ll see you later. I’m off to find your mother; she and I have some unfinished business to attend to.”

Cairo knocked on Storm’s door for a full five minutes without any response. He knew Storm was inside so stubbornly
continued pounding on the door. Just as his knocking became more insistent, she wrenched open the door.

“What!” She shouted obviously not happy to see him.

“You’re not ready, I see.” Cairo surmised taking in her robe and slippers.

“Ready for what?” She demanded clearly still angry about last night.

“For our date, of course.” He chided pleasantly. “Please don’t tell me you’ve forgotten.”

Storm gave him a hateful look and stepped
back into the room. “Sorry but I have no other plans for today except to curl up under the covers and read a good book, so if you’ll excuse me.” She started to close the door.

Cairo
stuck his foot in the door.
“Our date slipped your mind, no problem. I understand that these things happen.” He said pushing into her room and sitting down on the couch. “I’ll just wait here until you’re ready.”

“How dare you!” Storm huffed slamming the door behind her and planting her hands on her hips. “I said I’m not going anywhere and I meant it.”

Cairo stood up his patience at an end. “Don’t be obstinate, Jessica. We said we were going to try and make this relationship work so we’re trying. Don’t be childish.” He chastised. “Just because you didn’t get your way yesterday doesn’t mean we can’t forget the incident and move on. You knew how I felt about us sleeping together before you snuck into my room. Now get dressed or I’ll be forced to dress you myself.”

In a huff Storm stomped across the room and pulled a dress from the closet.

Seeing her with the dress, Cairo gave her a smug smile. Seeing his satisfied grin,
Storm walked over to him and dropped the dress in his lap. “I guess you
will
be forced to dress me.” She challenged and stood in front of him waiting.

When he made no move to get up, Storm smirked, turned away and walked over to the bed where she started to draw back the covers.

“Not so fast.” Cairo said snatching up the dress and walking over to her.
“Now, we can do this two ways.” He said. “The hard way or the easy way; which one do you prefer?” He asked.

“Why the hard way, of course.” Storm answered, her smile never reaching her eyes.

“Fine.” Cairo said grimly. He didn’t relish touching her in any way after what they had gone through the night before. But he was determined. He dropped the dress on the bed and untied the sash on her silk robe. He then took a deep breath and slid it from her shoulders.

Storm’s sharp intake of breath was her only response as
she stared up at him defiantly.

Cairo swallowed hard. It seemed Storm always did her best to test his control. Under the robe was a set of matching silk underwear. Cairo wanted desperately to caress her breasts in the silky cups and slip his hands around her waist and pull her to him, as she stood there practically naked, daring him to continue. Cairo took another deep breath and pushed away all the lustful thoughts that threatened his concentration. Looking away from her tempting form, he picked up the dress. “Turn around.” He said gruffly, knowing that he didn’t dare touch her.

He was surprised when
for once Storm did what she was told. She turned slowly and presented her backside for his view. Cairo took in the impossibly small width of her waist, the two dimples that resided low on her back and shaped with his eyes her perfectly formed rear. He ran a shaky hand across his brow and wondered if he would be able to get her dressed with all the sinful things he had on his mind. In the end, he thought of Shane and the precariousness of their future if Storm failed to get a divorce, then he took the dress and slipped it over her head and down her hips. With the barest of touches, he zipped up the back. With a sigh of relief he turned her around and said with as much calm as he could muster, “Shall we go?”

Storm put her hand in his without protest. They walked silently together each of them mentally conceiving and discarding battle strategies. If they were waging a romantic war for supremacy then there could only be one winner. Neither of them spoke until they reached the lobby and caught sight of Shane with Tyrone at the front desk. Their son waved at them wildly.