Chapter Four
The night was perfect. While pouring their glasses of wine, Redford realized he’d never had a moonlight picnic before and he rather liked it. There was something about being alone with Carmen on this lake at night, sharing a blanket and wine, that had sexual energy hitting him low in the gut.
So far everything about it spelled seduction in big bold letters and being here with her aroused him in a way he hadn’t expected. Anticipation for what he hoped would take place later had his pulse beating way too fast to be normal. On top of that, his brain was filled with salacious ideas for making love to her.
In an attempt to get his mind and body under control, he forced his thoughts from Carmen to his surroundings. Gemma Lake, which sat smack in the middle of Westmoreland Country, was beautiful and even more so at night. The lighted, colorful water fountains in the middle of the lake were a spectacular sight.
There was a full moon in the sky and the stars dotted around it like a majestic court. The night’s temperature was perfect, and as far as he was concerned, so was the woman with him. He rarely thought of any woman as perfect. What he wanted from all women was the same. There could never be any exceptions.
He doubted she’d known what he’d been thinking when she’d mentioned them not going to bed hungry tonight. There was a totally different type of hunger invading his body. One that had nothing to do with food.
“I thought I was full after eating that dinner at the reception, but there’s nothing like wine and cheese. And I can’t wait to get into the cake since I passed on it earlier,” she said.
He took a sip of his wine. “Why did you pass on it?”
“I was full from eating and didn’t have room for dessert. Now I do.”
He grinned. “I had room for dessert then and I do so again now. I love cake.”
She nodded. “What’s your favorite?”
Redford chuckled. “Cake.”
She threw her head back and laughed. He liked the sound of it.
He chuckled too. “I’ve never encountered a cake I didn’t like. I inherited a love for cooking from my mom. But not for baking. Mom made the best cakes. For a while she ran a bakery out of our home since Dad preferred she didn’t work outside the home until I was in junior high school.”
Redford wondered why he’d told her that. Usually, he didn’t share any personal information about himself or his family with any woman. His only excuse for doing so now was that he was trying to make sure Carmen felt relaxed with him.
“I rarely cook. Leslie says I need to buy stock in every fast-food place in the city. However, I do enjoy baking cakes and even took a cake-baking class in college. My specialty is carrot cake.”
“That’s one my mom never made.”
“Well, one day I intend to bake a carrot cake just for you.”
He didn’t say anything. Instead, he took another sip of his wine. This was the second time tonight that she’d hinted at them seeing each other again. Of course, that wouldn’t be happening unless their paths crossed because of their friendships with Sloan and Leslie.
Wanting to change the subject, he asked, “Have you lived in DC long?”
“Close to fifteen years now. I moved there for college from Atlanta.”
“That’s where you’re from? Atlanta?”
“Yes, born and raised. My father attended Morehouse and my mom attended Spelman College. They liked Atlanta and thought it would be a great place to live, marry and raise a family.”
Redford took another sip of his wine and began eating some of the various cheeses. He was easing Carmen into a steady stream of conversation to get her relaxed. Experience had shown him that a relaxed woman, especially one who was trying to fight an intense attraction, was more open to seduction. He had it down to an art form. His approach was so smooth, usually the woman didn’t know what was happening until she was captivated to the point of no return.
“Do you ever star watch?” he asked her, easing to lie flat on his back on the blanket to stare up into the sky.
His question made her switch her gaze from the lake to the sky. “All the time. I’ve got a good view from my bedroom window. I enjoy ending my days by lying in bed and staring at them before drifting off to sleep. However, I don’t claim to have my own personal star up there like Canyon.”
Canyon Westmoreland was one of Dillon’s brothers. Canyon said he recognized one particular star from childhood that he still claimed as his. “I guess you heard about Flash,” Redford said.
He liked the sound of her chuckle. “Yes, I heard about Flash. I understand Canyon and Keisha had a nighttime wedding just so Flash could attend, and that Canyon wouldn’t let the wedding begin until he saw it in the sky,” she said.
“I heard that as well.” When things got silent between them, he said, “Make a wish upon one of those stars up there, Carmen.”
“A wish?” she asked, looking down at him.
Redford felt heated lust the moment their gazes connected. “Yes, a wish. I heard whenever you make a wish upon a star there’s a chance it might come true.”
She glanced back into the sky and closed her eyes. When she reopened them she looked at him. “Now it’s your turn.”
He nodded and did the same thing. He wished she would be an easy conquest tonight. And more than anything, he wished for a night of intense pleasure in her bed.
Glancing back at her, he said, “I hope both of our wishes come true, Carmen.”
She stared at him. “So, what did you wish for?”
He could say their wishes could not be shared. But then he thought, what the hell, why not tell her? In doing so, she would know just what he wanted.
Easing into a sitting position, he reached out and took her hand in his. Trying to ignore the intense sexual hunger stirring inside him, he said, “My wish was for you, Carmen.”
He watched her blink before asking in a soft voice, “For me?”
Redford nodded, holding her gaze steadily. “Yes. My wish is for you to be mine.”
Carmen forced back a gasp of surprise at such an admission from Redford. Her heart swelled with love for him. Were his words his way of letting her know she had somehow eased her way into his heart? The mere thought of such a thing had joy flowing all through her.
“What did you wish for, Carmen?”
She had wished for a couple of things. For him to accept that he was her soulmate, like she’d accepted that he was hers. For them to live a long and happy life together. Instead of breaking down every single detail, she summed it up by saying, “My wish was for you to be mine, too, Redford.”
From the smile that spread across his lips, he obviously liked her answer. “Then let me grant your wish.” He reached out and pulled her into his arms.
Carmen was convinced her body went into a pleasurable shock the minute Redford took possession of her mouth. She hadn’t been given time to think and already her tongue surrendered to his. She’d been kissed before by men who thought they were experts. She’d thought so, too.
Until now.
Redford’s mouth mated with hers in a way she’d never experienced before. She’d always enjoyed the art of kissing as long as it didn’t go any further. She could handle even the most passionate of kisses. However, when Redford deepened the kiss, she moaned. No man’s kiss had ever made her moan before.
Then he wrapped his arms around her and his fingers stroked the length of her spine. She felt them through the material of her dress. It took everything in her to retain control of her senses. When she heard herself moan again, she knew she was about to lose them.
When her mouth could barely take any more bold strokes of his tongue, she eased her hands up to his shoulders. Instead of pushing him away, though, like she should do, her fingers traced his upper arms, loving how powerfully male they felt. Then her breasts pressed firmly to his chest. She could actually feel the hardened tips of her nipples poking into him.
Suddenly, he released her mouth, but just long enough for them to inhale and exhale. Then his mouth reclaimed hers again, deepening the pressure. He was giving her something she’d never had before—full contact, wet tongue, unapologetic, raw. This was the kind of kiss she’d read about. She always thought she could tell fantasy from reality. Now she wasn’t sure.
Presently, she wasn’t certain of anything other than how his kiss was making her feel. Redford was not holding himself in check. He was going at her mouth with toe-curling determination and hot abandonment.
Needing to breathe, she was the one who ended the kiss this time. Heat stirred in her stomach, and before she could say they were moving too fast, he began feathering kisses around her mouth, corner to corner. His hands were no longer at her back. Now his fingers tunneled into her hair, and she loved the feel of it. His fingers’ magic touch steadily broke down her defenses and zapped her control.
“Redford...”
He captured her mouth again, with even more intensity. He was creating a physical need within her that she hadn’t known could exist. One she hadn’t known she could feel.
Breaking off the kiss, he cupped her face in his hands. Carmen noted he was breathing just as hard as she was. Staring into her eyes, his gaze seemed to melt into hers. Then he claimed her mouth yet again, his tongue taking hers in long, hard, and devouring strokes.
When she felt herself ease down on the blanket, she relished the feel of his strong thighs when he placed his body over hers. He had slid his hand beneath her dress—and then suddenly, he broke off the kiss and sat up. Droplets of rain sprinkled down her face.
“Come on, let’s go before it starts raining harder,” he said, standing.
When he extended his hand to her, she took it and stood to her feet, trying to ignore the sensations still rushing through her. They quickly gathered the blanket and put the wine bottle and glasses in the basket. With her hand held firmly in his, they quickly moved toward the guest cottages.
Carmen knew she should appreciate the rain coming down when it had. She didn’t want to imagine what they would be doing if it hadn’t. His hand had been under her dress just inches from the waistband of her panties. How had she allowed him to get that far? To take liberties she hadn’t ever given any other man?
“Which one of these cottages is yours?” he asked.
“That one.” They moved in that direction. Moments later they stood in front of the door.
“Sorry our picnic got interrupted, Redford.” With that, she knew she should thank him for a nice picnic and go inside.
“Carmen?”
Redford saying her name held her still. “Yes?”
“May I come in so we can finish off the wine?”
For some reason she couldn’t discard from her mind what he’d told her about looking into the stars and wishing for her. Whether he knew it or not, that meant everything to her. His wish had been for her to be his.
Her mouth still reeled from the effects of his kisses. She still felt the intensity of them through her entire body. Even now, while they stood facing each other, the sparks were still flying between them. It was raining harder now. She couldn’t send him away to get totally drenched, could she?
If he came inside, would the storm brewing between them, turbulent and tempestuous, get out of control? No. She would admit his kisses had almost done her in while on that blanket, but now she was in full control of her faculties.
“Carmen?”
She drew in a deep breath and said, “Yes. Come in so we can finish off the wine.”