Chapter One
“Dante,
what are you doing here?”
Odette
Dubois peered through the cracked door of her apartment, the chains
still drawn across the door so that it was locked. It was a
Saturday morning and her day to spend at home without any stress. Stress had just walked up and
knocked on the door.
“I came to see my godson,
Odette.”
“I told you, you’re not obligated
to help with him anymore.”
“I don’t ever forget my responsibilities, O, and you
know that. Come on. Let me
see him.”
“Dante, why can’t
you just go and leave us alone?”
“You know the reasons for that. You just refuse to see them as
valid.”
There
was a tug on her sundress, and she looked down to find the culprit.
It was her six-year-old,
Jamison, or Jamie, as she was prone to call him.
“Momma, is that Mr. Dantee? Can I see him?” Her son had learned well to not call
adults by their first name without calling them mister or misses.
He really was a sweet boy. He was often shy and didn’t trust
easily. His trust had to be gained, and it often took quite some
time. Jace had been disappointed when he’d found out that Jamison
had Asperger Syndrome. He’d blamed her for it, amongst other
things.
Jamison
looked up at her with his beautiful hazel eyes, and she melted.
With a heavy sigh she undid
the lock and opened the door wide for Dante Roberson to enter. The
handsome black man seemed to fill the room he was so big. She
watched as he knelt before Jamison and pulled the pajama-clad
little boy with curly, brownish blond hair into his arms. God, why
did that tear at her heartstrings? Because you should have married him instead of that asshole
Jace Rothbart. He was a better man all the way around.
“Come on, you two, out of the hallway. I was just about
to cook Jamie some eggs and
bacon for a late brunch. Would you like to join
us?”
He
was already there, so she
might as well invite him to eat with them. Her son would love it.
She’d tolerate it and talk to Dante later about just showing up
unannounced. She’d asked him to stop coming around because it was
hard for her to see him and not be able to act on her
feelings.
Dante
looked up at her and gave her his million-watt smile and once again
she could feel herself melting. He could make her want him with
just that expression, and he damn well knew it.
“Sounds like a plan, I didn’t eat this
morning.”
She smirked. “Mhmm, ‘cause you knew I’d be cooking
for Jamie.”
“Guilty as charged. You know I love your cooking.”
Dante
laughed and picked up Jamie, tossing him over his shoulder and
carrying him through the
small apartment towards the small kitchenette. He walked through
the place as if he owned it. With a deep breath she followed after
them. It was going to be a long morning.
He’d sat
at the kitchen table and put Jamison in his lap and the both of
them were so animated that
some of the tension she’d been feeling melted away. She returned to
where she’d been cracking eggs in a bowl by the stove, listening to
their chatter.
Dante
was actually good for her son, so she didn’t worry about him with
Jamison. He needed a father
figure. The problem was that he wasn’t good for her. He brought a
need in her that was indescribable and hard to escape. It had been
a need right from the very beginning.
Her
awareness of him was at an all-time high. He didn’t even
have to say anything for her
to know he was looking at her from time to time while dealing with
Jamie. She could feel him. In every cell of her body, she could
sense him.
Done
with her prep, she got out her cast iron skillet and griddle and
then began to scramble the
eggs and fry the bacon. She looked over her shoulder and gasped at
the close proximity of Dante. She hadn’t realized that her son had
gotten up to watch the small television that was in the adjoining
living area and that Dante had come in to stand behind
her.
“Shit! You scared me,” she hissed softly so that her son wouldn’t
hear.
“I called your name; you must have
been engrossed in deep thought. Why so jumpy, babe?”
“Stop calling me babe and please
just back up.”
“O, don’t be like that. I haven’t been this close to you in weeks. What’s the
problem?”
With a
soft huff, she turned around and turned off the fire under the
food. She could tell getting
him to just stop without burning the food wasn’t going to be an
easy task. He still hadn’t moved, and she gasped suddenly as he
once again invaded her space.
He put
his hands on her waist and tugged her close. She could feel the
hard contours of his body through her thin sundress, and the
electric heat of his touch sizzled right down to her clit. His
erection pressed into her
stomach through his clothing. Damn, I don’t need this, can’t handle his touch.
She
pressed her hands to his chest to ward him off. It was too bad for
her that his chest was hard as steel and just as hard to budge. She
looked up into his handsome
face and was mesmerized for a split second until he leaned in to
kiss her. She gasped and turned her face away so that his full lips
just grazed her cheek.
“The problem is that you’re Jace’s
best friend and I’m his…”
She knew
she was stretching it. Dante
had stopped being friends with Jace a long time ago. She was
grasping at straws to keep him safe.
“His ex-wife and he’s my ex-friend. Period. You want
this as much as I do.” He grasped her hand in his and placed it on
his cock between them, and both of them groaned in unison. “I could take you right here, so
hard and so fast our heads would spin. Just think about how good my
cock would feel inside you as I thrust so deep. Deep enough that as
I kiss you I could fucking taste myself.”
The
pressure of his body kept her
hand locked against him, and he rocked into her grip. The touch of
his lips to her shoulder as he licked and nipped made her heart
speed up, and she whimpered. “Tell me you don’t feel our
connection. That you don’t desire to be fucked within an inch of
your life.”
“Dante…”
“No, just enjoy
this…us.”
Odette
allowed herself to be lulled into the sexual atmosphere between her
and Dante. It had been way too long since someone made her body
sing like this. Truth of the matter was that Dante had
a way of making her forget herself
and need things that only he could provide. He was right they had a
connection. She’d never denied that. What she shied away from was
deepening her relationship with him. She was all wrong for him even
if he was all right for her.
“You have me so hard I’m close to
shattering into a million
pieces.”
That was
a big revelation coming from a man who was in control at all times.
His dominant side was naturally nurturing, and he cared for those
in his life before himself. It was empowering for her to know she brought him to the
edge.
Leaning up, she whispered in his ear, “You’d come in
my hand if I let you, wouldn’t you?”
“Fuck yes, I’m that ready and in
that much of a need for you.”
Always
one to improvise she grabbed a few wipes from the container off the counter they were next to
and then tucked them between her breasts. They would be used to
clean him once he came. His words spurred her on, and she brought
her other hand between him as he moved a little away from her and
she undid the zipper of his jeans. Glancing down she took her hand
and slipped it inside his boxers and freed his cock. He was
pierced, and she licked her lips. She stroked the tips of her
fingers over the titanium ring. Once she had him fully within her
grasp she glanced over her shoulder to check on Jamie. Her son was
so engrossed in the television she had every confidence that she
could do this quickly.
“You’re leaking…” she whispered
softly. He was long and thick, and she loved to look at his
cock.
“Yes, I’m leaking
for you and because of you. Jerk me off.”
It was a
command. What a thrill she received from his commands. She started
slowly at first and then sped up, wanting to get him off. His
breathing became harsh the closer he got to coming. Faster and
faster she stroked, loving
that he moved with her rhythm. It didn’t take long from that point,
and he was groaning deeply as he shot off.
Odette
stroked through his orgasm, milking him of his cum
and only stopping when his hands
flexed against her waist. It was his way of telling her enough. She
released him, took the wipes, and then she cleaned him up and
zipped him up. She tossed the wipes into the small trash bin. She
was going to move away, but he stopped her. Turning her away from
him he slid his hand up her left leg and under her dress. Dante
used his long fingers to slip into the side of her bikini panties
and rub her clit, not giving her time to react other than to fall
back against his chest.
“Wet as always for me. I know you need it.
Come for me,
baby.”
Dante’s
expert fingers caused electric tension to spread through her entire body.
“Oh…oh…”
“Yes, that’s it, baby,
release…come hard for me, wet my fingers and your
panties.”
His
naughty words combined with the wickedness of his fingers hooked
against her g-spot sent her
spiraling into an orgasm so powerful she had to bite her lip to
keep from screaming.
“Oh fuck, Dante,” she said softly.
“I wish we could fuck, but this
quickie will have to do until next time.”
Shit. He
was back at that. She pulled away from him, and going over to the sink she grabbed the
hand soap and washed her hands.
“Dante, we’re grown adults. Adults
have sex all the time without any strings.”
“We’re more than just a passing
fuck, Odette.”
Done
washing her hands, she grabbed a paper towel and dried them then put her attention back to the
food she’d been cooking. She had to get it going again for
Jamie.
“Dante, we can’t
happen.”
“Odette, we did
happen.”
She
sighed in frustration and turned back to the eggs, growling in
defeat. She said the first
thing that came to mind.
“You’re making me
burn the damn food,” she said.
“That’s kind of hard when you
turned off the stove. We both know that’s your way to avoid the
subject.”
“I don’t have time for this right now, please. Just go
play with Jamie. You said
that’s what you wanted earlier, so go do that. Breakfast is almost
done.”
“Jamie isn’t the only one I want
in my life, O, and you know it. We…you and I are what’s good for
Jamie. You just refuse to see it.”
She
looked back to retort, but he’d already walked out of the small kitchenette and into
the living room to settle with Jamison on the floor. She knew by
his words that this wasn’t even remotely over with. Squaring her
shoulders she turned back to the stove and gave herself a pep talk.
She had to remember the risks. Dante Roberson wasn’t good for her
heart in the long run. Was
the sex with him dynamite? Fucking right it was, but she didn’t need another man who’d
just go in and out of her life as Jamison’s father had.
Finally
the food was done and she
took out three plates, filling them with food. She carried two of
the plates to the small table, returning to place the third and the
silverware for everyone.
“Guys, it’s time to eat. What
would you like to drink?”
“I’ll take some juice if you have some and J-man said he wants the same. But let
me get that, you take a seat with Jamie.”
She was
about to protest, but Dante went to the cabinet, getting the
glasses out and a sippy cup for Jamie as if he lived there. He’d
been there a few times before
he knew where everything was.
“I’ll take juice
too, thanks.”
She
settled in her chair after making sure Jamie got in his booster and
at the table. Dante returned with the filled glasses of orange
juice. Jamie had already started eating though he
preferred to use his hands
and not the child-proof fork she gave him. She didn’t mind. At
least he was eating.
“I wanted to talk to you about the club,” Dante said as
he got settled in his chair. He was so big his leg was touching
hers under the table. She was just about to eat a bite of eggs when he spoke, and she
paused with the fork up to her mouth.
“What’s there to talk about?” She
put the eggs in her mouth and chewed slowly, gazing into his
chocolate-colored eyes. Damn, he was one fine man.
“I don’t want you to continue to dance there.”
“This isn’t about what you want, Dante. I need to make a living for Jamie and
myself. Dancing pays the rent, food, bills and for Jamie’s
preschool and babysitter.”
“Have you ever stopped to think you wouldn’t need a
sitter if you didn’t dance? I
could pay for everything if you’d let me.”
“Have you ever stopped to think that this is my life
and my body? I don’t need a man to be okay. I can take care of
Jamison and all my bills,” she countered, putting her fork down and sitting back in
her chair.
Odette
watched his lips set into a
grim line, his eyes stormy. It was amazing how calm they could
sound as they argued. Jamie was oblivious and kept eating his
food.
“You belong to me, Odette; you just refuse to see that.
Every inch of your body is
mine and has been for a long time.”
“Dante, please,
don’t start that again. This is why I told you …” She stopped
talking as Jamison was staring right into her mouth. “This isn’t
the time or place for this.”
“You’re right. It
isn’t. Let’s eat.” He turned to look at Jamie and started talking
to the little boy. She had to get him out of there. Soon as she
could, she’d ask him to leave. This wasn’t good for them. They
couldn’t have a relationship. She’d make him see that, and then
she’d have to learn to get him out of her heart. The rest of their
brunch went smoothly with Jamison entertaining them with his
chatter.
End of sample
chapter