Chapter 14 #2
When Phylicia’s gaze met his, the sheen of unshed tears in her eyes caused his throat to painfully constrict. The vulnerability radiating from her was such a contradiction to her usually tough exterior.
“I think I’m in love with you too, Jamal,” she finally said, then shook her head. “No, I don’t think it. I know it.”
His chest expanded with the deep breath he heaved, the swell of emotion threatening to overwhelm him. Jamal leaned forward and pressed a soft, gentle kiss to her lips. He wanted nothing more than to stand in this one spot, kissing her forever.
“Will Mother have another wedding to plan soon?”
A smile crept up the sides of Jamal’s mouth as he turned to his sister, who stood a few feet behind them.
“You’re such a brat,” he teased. Still holding on to Phylicia with one hand, he brought his sister in for a hug, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Did I tell you how amazing you look today? I’m so happy for you, Lauryn.”
Tears glistened in her eyes. “Thank you for coming,” she said. “My day would not have been complete without you.”
Swallowing past the lump of emotion lodged in his throat, Jamal smiled and said, “Thank Phylicia. Somehow she managed to convince me.”
“Really?” Lauryn asked, a curious hike to her brow. “There’s actually a woman on earth who can get through your thick skull? Who knew?”
“Hey,” Jamal protested as Phylicia and Lauryn both laughed.
With one last kiss to his cheek, his sister left the two of them so she could greet other guests.
Lacing her fingers behind his neck, Phylicia smiled into his eyes. “Your sister is a character.”
“She was the bane of my existence growing up.”
“Stop it. Your family is great, so warm and down-to-earth. I won’t lie; they are the complete opposite of what I expected.”
“What did you expect?”
“Uppity rich people,” she said with a frankness that was all Phylicia.
Jamal chuckled. “We’re pretty grounded,” he said, settling his hands on her waist and guiding her in a gentle sway to the soft ballad coming from the band.
“They are lovely. Including your dad,” she added after a pause. “I talked to him earlier, when you went to the car to get your sister’s gift.”
“Don’t,” he said.
“He hates this estrangement.”
“Don’t get in the middle of this.”
“What’s the point of keeping up this dispute if the two of you are both miserable?”
“Who says I’m miserable?”
Her gorgeous lips thinned in annoyance. “Why don’t you just hear him out? Don’t lose any more time fighting. You never know how much you’re going to have left.”
God, she was stubborn.
“Leave it alone,” Jamal beseeched her. “I’m begging you, Phylicia. Just leave it alone.”
“But—”
He shut her up the only way he knew how, capturing the back of her head and crushing his mouth to hers.
She fought his kiss for only a moment before Jamal felt her body relax against him and her lips slowly open.
He would give anything to engage in a full-on, open-mouth kiss with her, but he knew it would leave him aroused and aching.
And since they had a two-hour drive before they would get to a bed, he had to stop before things went too far.
Phylicia tore her mouth from his. The censure in her frown was ruined by the desire smoldering in her eyes. “You do not play fair.”
“I never claimed I would.”
“This conversation isn’t over, Jamal.”
Instead of arguing with her, he gave her another swift kiss and guided her back to their table. The day had been too perfect; he would not spoil it with talk of his father.
Moments later, Lauryn and Michael bade their guests farewell, but the party was far from over. The ten-piece band was replaced by a popular local DJ, and the mood switched from sedate wedding reception to nightclub-style party.
As he and Phylicia danced the rest of the night away, Jamal knew there was no way they would make it back to Sedona tonight.
Not only had he indulged in one too many drinks from the free-flowing bar, but after feeling her body brush up against his all night, he knew he would not be able to sustain a two-hour drive without having her.
They would end up parked on the side of Interstate 17, stripping each other out of their clothes.
“I think it’s time to get out of here,” he whispered in her ear as they swayed back and forth to Maxwell’s “Lifetime.”
“I think you’re right,” she replied. “I’m not sure I can go much longer before I pass out from exhaustion.”
“Oh, you’re not going to sleep,” Jamal warned her.
The smile that tipped up the corners of her mouth was carnal, and set his blood to high boil.
Jamal took her by the hand and headed straight for the front desk, booking a night’s stay at the Biltmore.
As soon as they entered their room, he took her lips in a kiss that resonated throughout his entire body. Within moments of closing the door to the suite, he had her naked and spread out over the bed. With one goal in mind, Jamal proceeded to turn her body inside out.
Before the night was over, this woman would know that she belonged to him in every single way.
“I still cannot believe how beautiful this place is,” Phil said, gazing out the passenger window of the rental car. “Makes me sad to think about leaving.”
“Just say the word and I’ll change our flights. We can tack on a couple of days.”
“No, we can’t,” she said. “We need to get Belle Maison finished before Thursday, because I am not spending my Thanksgiving working.”
“Let me guess, you want to spend it watching all the football games.”
“Shut up.” She swatted his arm. “The furniture is arriving tomorrow, and your first guests will check in next week. Oh!” She twisted in her seat to face him.
“I completely forgot to tell you this. Mya left a voice mail last night while we were at the wedding. She said that Gulfscapes Magazine has agreed to feature Gauthier, and they’re going to come down for the Christmas in Gauthier celebration to take photos. ”
“Whoa, that’s pretty huge. I’m surprised news like that didn’t send her into labor,” Jamal said with a chuckle.
“Maybe if we can convince them to stay at Belle Maison, they’ll throw a little extra advertising our way,” she said.
A warm smile traveled across his lips. “I like the way you include yourself when you talk about the bed-and-breakfast.”
She hesitated a moment. “I guess it’s because we’ve been working so closely together on it.”
“Is that the only reason?” he asked. He reached across the center console and captured her hand. “I was hoping it was because you were starting to see yourself as a part of it, and not just someone I hired to help. Because you mean a lot more to Belle Maison, Phylicia. And to me.”
His words caused a maelstrom of giddiness, excitement, and downright panic to swirl in the pit of her stomach. He caressed the back of her hand with his thumb, rubbing it back and forth.
“I meant what I said last night,” he continued. “I’m in love with you. And it’s not going to go away once we’re done working on the house. I’m in this. Completely.”
Her throat tightened with emotion. “What are you saying?”
“What do you think I’m saying? I’m asking if you’re in this too. Do you see the two of us running Belle Maison together? Living our lives together? Maybe even getting married, having children?”
Oh, God, she could absolutely see it. All of it.
Phil’s free hand shook as she brought it up to her trembling lips. After everything she had been through over these past few years, a part of her was afraid to acknowledge what appeared to be true happiness within her reach.
“I can see it,” she said. “And I do want all of it. With you.”
Jamal let out a deep breath she had no idea he had been holding. An enormous smile broke out over his face. He leaned over and kissed her for so long that Phil was sure he would veer off the road. He drove one-handed for the remainder of the drive, his other hand never letting go of hers.
Phil had been afraid to even imagine that she could ever feel this kind of contentment again.
Even though the burdens were still there—the pressure from the bank, dealing with her mother’s illness and the rising cost of her care—the peace that settled over her made them all seem inconsequential.
With Jamal at her side, giving her his love and support, she knew she would get through it all.
They turned off the highway and onto the road leading to the Creekside Bed-and-Breakfast. As the house came into view, Jamal’s grip loosened on her hand.
“What the hell?” he asked.
Phil spotted what had caught his attention. A shiny black Bentley was parked in front of the inn’s entrance.
He slammed on the brakes and threw the car into park. “How in the hell did he know we were here?”
Her heart pounding, Phil sucked in a deep breath. “I told him,” she admitted.
His head whipped around, his usually soft eyes shooting daggers at her.
“I told you that we spoke at the reception yesterday,” she explained. “All he could talk about was how much he regrets what happened between the two of you.”
“Dammit, Phylicia.” A muscle jumped in his jaw. “I told you to stay out of it.”
The Bentley’s driver’s-side door opened, and Lawrence Johnson stepped out, dressed in a tailored suit.
Jamal’s nostrils flared, and his grip on the steering wheel tightened. “You had no right to bring him here,” he bit out.
He opened the door and stalked right past his father.
Phil got out of the car and ran after him. She gave Mr. Johnson a hasty greeting but didn’t stop. When she got to the room, she found Jamal pacing back and forth in front of the bed.
“I was only trying to help. I know firsthand what happens when you allow something to come between you and your family. It can eat you alive. I don’t want you to suffer the same regrets I’ve dealt with these past three years.”
He pointed toward the door. “You don’t know anything about what happened between me and that man.”