Heated (11 page)

Bianca was disappointed. She wanted to taste his lips before she left. “I’ll call him on his cell,” she said. “Thanks, Garcelle.”

“Your welcome.”

Bianca turned as Garcelle walked back into the house. Dante was still sitting there, but Bianca decided to ignore him and his staring. She stepped down off the porch. He nudged his horse into her path. Bianca glared up at him and shifted to the left. He nudged the horse that way as well.

Bianca felt a bit of nervousness, but she showed none of it. Instead, she glared up at him. “Are you kidding me?” she snapped, incredulous.

“Sorry,” he said finally, nudging the horse from in front of her.

Bianca glared at him as she moved to climb into her car. Even as she circled the car, she glanced in her rearview mirror and saw that he had turned to watch her retreat.

She ignored him, reaching for her cell phone to call Kahron’s. It went to voice mail. Not bothering to leave a message, she flipped the phone close and dropped it onto the passenger seat.

As she sped away from the ranch she thought of Dante’s intensity and it gave her chills.

Kahron turned his truck down the tree lined road leading to the King ranch. He headed straight from his parent’s ranch in Walterboro to Bianca. They had dinner plans, but he didn’t want to wait until then. He wanted
to see her now.

He smiled as he passed the break in the trees that led to the spot where he made love to Bianca for the first time. His penis pumped to life between his thighs at the sultry memory and he could only shake his head as his smile grew.

Who knew that Bianca would be such a sexual wildcat?

And that she was. Her ardor matched his own and she gave herself to him freely without any restraints or inhibitions. When they united it was if they merged into one being and drifted in a world all their own where pleasure was king.

Oh yeah, she got me good and f’ed up.
A fine shiver of desire raced through him as he thought of the way Bianca bit those juicy lips he loved when she was coming as he stroked deep within the sweetest walls ever.

Kahron neared the house and saw Papa Doc’s brilliant red truck sitting next to Trishon’s BMW, but Bianca’s convertible was absent from its usual spot
. Maybe it’s parked in the back
.

Kahron was just climbing out of his truck when Papa Doc walked out the front door. “What’s up, Papa Doc?” Kahron asked friendly, as he jogged up the stairs.

Papa Doc held out his hand for Kahron to shake. “I was hoping to talk to Bianca, but Trishon just told me she’s gone back to Atlanta.”

Kahron frowned in confusion. He reached in his front pocket for his cell phone, forgetting that it needed to be charged up. “Yeah, I forgot she was headed back today,” Kahron lied, not wanting to show his confusion.

Papa Doc leveled his coal black eyes on him. “I’ll be heading on home then. Enjoy your night.”

Kahron didn’t bother trying to question Trishon—the woman irked his nerves, and right now, as he struggled to fight the panic he felt that Bianca was gone for good, he wasn’t in the mood to deal with Trishon’s slick comments.

Kahron jogged down the stairs past Papa Doc, moving to get into his truck as Hershey barked at him from the rear of the truck. “See you later, Papa Doc,” Kahron called out through the open window as he reversed the truck.

Papa Doc was patting his pockets. “Think I left my dang on lighter,” he said, before turning to head back up the stairs. “’Night Kahron.”

Kahron reversed in an arc and then accelerated forward down the lane. He was anxious to get home and call Bianca and find out just what was going on.

He had to admit to himself that he was afraid she was gone for good, even though that didn’t make any since at all. Steering with one hand, he reached in his pocket for his cell phone and tried again to power it on. He flung it onto the passenger seat in frustration. It was useless to him and he didn’t have his travel charger to get some juice flowing into it in the truck.

Accelerating fast enough to get a hefty ticket if the police stopped him, Kahron made it to his house in record time. Barely shutting off the truck he raced up the few stairs, quickly inserting his key to enter.

The scent of one of Garcelle’s dishes filled the house, but he hardly noticed as he strode into the living room and snatched up his cordless. He scrolled through the caller ID. He felt flooded with relief at the sight of Bianca’s cell phone number… initially.

Maybe she was calling to tell him it was over as she cruised back to her life in Atlanta.

Quickly he dialed her cell phone number, actually pacing as it rang. His heart thudded against his chest
like the constant slamming of a heavy wooden door.

One ring. Two. Three.

He thought she wasn’t going to answer.

“Hey you,” she said simply with that same soft tone that comforted him. As if she hadn’t scared the devil out of him.

Kahron released a heavy breath and mouthed a quick, “Thank God,” before he spoke. “Hey, you,” he said in return, calm as ever.

“I’ve been trying to call you. I’m in Atlanta.”

Yes, I know
. “My phone’s dead,” he said, flopping down onto his sofa, dirty clothes and all, as he wiped his mouth with his lean and strong hands.

“Oh, okay so you didn’t get my messages then.”

“No.” Kahron positioned his phone between his ear and shoulder as he pulled of his boots. “Was there an emergency at the clinic?”

“No.”

The question of
why
hung in the void of their silence.

Bianca pulled her bare feet beneath her in the middle of her bed. She was home. Her domicile. Her haven. Still, she missed and craved Kahron as soon as she walked through the door. As his voice caressed the phone lines the craving increased to an intensity that left her breathless. “I can’t think straight around you,” she began, lightly biting the tip of her thumb nail. “I need to be able to think because I have some huge decisions to make.”

She could count the seconds—or maybe even minutes—that Kahron remained silent.

“The robbery today wiped me out—” “What robbery?”

“Someone stole all of the equipment and supplies I ordered for the ranch. All of it.”

“Were you there when it happened?” he asked, concern evident in his voice.

Bianca shook her head, and then realized he couldn’t see her. “No, it must have happened last night when I was at your place.”

“You think I’m involved and that’s why you went flying back to Atlanta?” he said, his voice cold.

“No, Kahron.”

“Then why did you leave? When are you coming back? Hell…
are
you coming back?”

“It’s just for the weekend, Kahron, and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before I left.” She turned her troubled eyes to the open balcony doors. “A lot had happened in the last two weeks and straight up, I just needed to step away from it all for a minute and regroup.”

“Even me?”

“Yes, even you,” she admitted

“I want you to run to me, not from me, B.”

“For so long it’s just been me, myself, and I, you know?”

“I told you by the stream that we weren’t ready for sex,” he reminded her.

Bianca rolled out of bed, the phone clutched to her ear. “It’s not the sex.”

“Then what is it?”

“It’s my heart,” she whispered, moving to stand on the balcony. “Trusting a man with your heart is way deeper than trusting him with your body.”

“You can trust me with all of you, B.”

Bianca felt warmed by his words and for a few precious moments she let herself be surrounded and comforted by them. “I would have to trust you with
Garcelle the gorgeous roaming around your house all day,” she told, lightening the mood.

“Oh, you met Garcelle, huh?” he asked, his voice hesitant.

Bianca stuck her tongue in her cheek. “Oh, yes.”

“She’s a really sweet girl.”

“Just make sure you don’t
taste
how sweet she is. You feel me, cowboy?”

Kahron laughter filled the line, rich and full. “B, you crazy. I have all the woman I need in you.”

Bianca let her hand trail down the deep vee of her nightgown. “Oh trust, I’m very secure in my abilities to satisfy you. That’s
my
dick and I know it is,” she boasted, shifting her hands to lightly tease her own nipples as they tightened into chocolate buds. “I try to drain it.”

Kahron laughed huskily into the phone. “And that’s my stuff, right?”

“Yup.” Bianca pressed her back against the door frame as she rubbed her hand down her leg, her fingers searching and finding the slick folds of her core. “I’m playing in your stuff right now.”

“Damn,” Kahron swore softly.

Bianca drew air between her teeth as she drew light circles around the pulsing rose colored bud. Her lower body jerked a little from the pressure she put on the sensitive flesh and she moaned lightly.

“If I pack now and hit the road I an be in ATL by midnight, B,” he told her in the deepest voice she ever heard emitted from him.

Bianca thought of his fingers replacing her own. Damn, why couldn’t she resist this man? “Come on,” she told him.

1
1

Bianca left the comfort of Kahron’s arms as he slept, reaching to the floor for her bathrobe to cover her naked frame. She moved to his side of the bed and pulled the sheet up to his waist, but not without a leisurely perusal of every bit of his chiseled frame—including his penis, which was thick and impressive even at rest as it lay curled against his navel.

They had made love from the moment he entered her home. With fierceness on the floor of the foyer. With tenderness on the balcony of her bedroom. Almost frantically in the shower. Playfully in the kitchen with the coolness of the refrigerator against her back and buttocks.

All night. Over and over until finally at dawn Bianca gave one final spin of her hips to send them both spiraling into ecstasy.

That had been just a few precious hours ago and even though her body was drained, Bianca decided to make breakfast for her man. Her man. That sounded so good.

Casting him one final glance as he snored lightly with his mouth ajar, Bianca left her bedroom suite. She descended the stairs, walking to the left of the staircase to enter her kitchen. The first thing she did was start a
pot of coffee. She needed her “kick ass” iced coffee to replace the energy they depleted last night.

With Kahron’s presence in her home, Bianca’s plans of getting her mind straight without him was gone to pot. It felt good to have him here on her turf, but decisions still had to be made.

Bianca was chopping ingredients to go into the shredded potatoes she was frying. Ham. Green peppers. Onions. Cheese. Huddle House style.

She was singing Etta James’ “At Last” as she stirred eggs in a copper bowl when she noticed Mimi walking up the drive, dressed to the nines in a lemon suit with a matching clutch purse like she had somewhere to be—Bianca knew better.

Glad to see her quirky friend, Bianca met her at the door, pulling it open wide. “Well, good morning, Ms. Mimi.”

Mimi kissed the air next to each of Bianca’s cheeks. “Hairdresser on strike, sweetie?” was the first thing out of Mimi’s mouth.

“Missed you too,” Bianca drawled dryly, closing the door as Mimi strolled into the kitchen like
she
paid the mortgage.

“If I didn’t know any better I would say you had a sweat out, boo.”

Bianca said nothing, moving to pour the eggs into the warmed frying pan.

Mimi froze. She took in Bianca’s mussed hair and the slinky and sexy robe, to the large breakfast she was preparing. Her face transformed as she smiled. “Somebody’s been naughty,” she said in a little sing-song fashion.

Bianca dropped her head and bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling.

“Oooh, somebody’s been very, huh, what… naughty, that’s right, sweetie.
Nasty
even,” she teased, sitting her
purse on the island as she eyed Bianca.

With Bianca’s light complexion her blushing was clear.

Mimi moved over to the entrance of the kitchen, her eyes devilish. “And may I presume this is your little cowboy you told me about that knocked your feet, huh?”

“Don’t you mean boots, Mimi?”

“Boots, feet, ass… whatever it was I’m sure they were pointed at the ceiling, sweetie.”

Bianca finished scrambling her eggs and turned the fire off from under the hash browns. When she turned from the stove, Mimi was gone. Bianca frowned and then her eyes rounded. She took off out the kitchen, nearly slipping on the tiled floor as she turned the corner to enter the foyer and dash up the stairs two at a time.

She rolled her eyes at her bedroom door opened wide.

“So you’re Kahron. Well, I just love that silver hair on you,” she heard Mimi say.

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you, ma’am,” Kahron answered.

She entered to find Mimi sitting on the edge of the bed and Kahron looking like a deer caught in headlights as he held the sheet up to his chin. He leaned to the right a little to give Bianca a meaningful stare that said, “Help.”

“So are there any older versions of you back in HunkyTonk?” she asked in that nasal voice with a smile that was purely delighted as she winked at him and wiggled her shoulders comically.

“That’s enough, Oprah Winfrey,” Bianca said, moving to guide Mimi off the bed.

“You know you remind me of my husband,” Mimi said over her shoulder as Bianca steered her to the door. “Now was it Darwin, James, or Pedro. No, no… it was definitely, Gary… I think.”

Bianca glanced over her shoulder. Kahron was shaking his head and smiling. “Breakfast is ready,” she told him.

“No, I’m positive it was Ricky.”

Bianca closed the door behind them.

Once he was sure Mimi wouldn’t burst back through the door, Kahron flung the sheet back and rose from the bed nude. His member hung lifelessly between his legs, nearly drained from his night with Bianca, swinging between his thighs like third arm as he made his way to her adjoining bath to relieve himself.

Kahron was impressed by Bianca’s home. It was beautiful and stylish but comfortable—it suited her perfectly. He planned to ask her to take her by the clinic. It was a huge part of her life and he wanted to see that as well. He would use this weekend to explore and learn more about this woman who was fast becoming an integral part of his life.

He moved back into the bedroom to retrieve his leather duffel bag from by the door. He retrieved his monogrammed grooming bag and his cell phone. As he walked into the bathroom, he dialed his brother Kade’s cell phone.

“Kade Strong.”

“Hey, man, this Kahron. I need a favor.” Kahron set his bag on the pedestal sink.

“Name it.”

“I’m in Atlanta for the weekend—”

“Well damn, when you leave?”

Kahron leaned in to peer at his reflection in the ornate mirror over the sink. He wondered if he should shave. “About eight last night.”

“You shoulda told me you were headed to ATL I
woulda rode with you.”

“Uh… no.”

“Oh. You with Bianca?”

“Uh… yeah.”

“What she say about the break-in?”

“Damn word travels fast.” Kahron reached into his bag for his toothbrush.

“That’s Holtsville for you. How’s she doing?”

“She’s pissed, and rightly so,” Kahron said. “She’s taken some tough knocks with her Dad, the car, and now the break-in. That’s why she needed a break and came home.”

“Maybe she’ll give up on Holtsville all together. With Hank back in charge it won’t be long before he f ’s up again and has to sell the land.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Kahron turned on the faucet, running warm water over the bristles of his toothbrush before putting toothpaste on it.

“I just know King will sell that land to you one of these days.”

Kahron thought about that for a moment. “Bianca really wants her father’s business to survive. It’s important to her.”

“So what you saying, you don’t want the land now?”

“Not if it means hoping and wishing Bianca fails. Hell no.” Kahron leaned down to brush the reside from his teeth, mouth, and tongue.

“Good. Now what’s the favor?”

Kahron rinsed his mouth. “Just keep an eye on my ranch for me.”

“Got you covered, little bro.”

Kahron grabbed a washcloth from Bianca’s bathroom closet. “No worries ’bout that. I’ll holla at you when I get back.”

He quickly washed his face and then his privates at the sink. Feeling somewhat refreshed he strode out of the bathroom and grabbed plaid pajama pants and a black tank from his bag. Soon he was jogging down the stairs, the scent of Bianca’s breakfast leading him all the way.

“Sweetie, you really like him, don’t you?”

Kahron paused on the steps at Mimi’s question.

“Yes. Yes, I do. I really… really do.”

Kahron’s smile broadened and he continued down.

“But?”

He paused again.

“But nothing, Mimi.”

“Lie to me, but sweetie, but don’t lie to yourself, say what say who.”

Kahron continued down the stairs and entered the kitchen before he could overhear any more. Anything Bianca had to say about him he wanted her to say to him directly and not eavesdrop on it like a punk. “Breakfast smells good,” he said, wanting to announce his presence.

Bianca set a plate on a clear placemat at the end of the island. “Here you go, baby.”

Kahron sat down before the plate, but his mind was heavy on just what doubts Mimi saw in Bianca about their relationship. Of course, he thought of her initial accusation that he was trying to run her father out of business.
Does she think I stole her equipment
?

Bianca sat down with her own plate as Mimi and she discussed some of the gossip of their subdivision. At one point she reached over and caressed his hand, smiling over at him like he was the bread for her butter. The rainbow after her rain.

That was all well and good, but what kind of relationship did they have if she didn’t trust him… and trust was important to him. He thought of all the drama with Shauna: finding her driving to his house at three in the
morning just to make sure he was home like he said; her overreacting to finding him talking to a woman at his family cookout—a woman that she didn’t bother to let him explain was his cousin. So many stupid incidents that made them the talk of Holtsville.

Kahron shifted his eyes to Bianca.

Would trust be the end of them as well?

“Dinner party tonight at my house,” Mimi announced, taking a dainty sip of her tomato juice as her food remained untouched. “I’m gone introduce my new favorite couple to Atlanta.”

Bianca eyed that glass knowing somewhere along the line Mimi had spiked the drink. What appeared to be an innocent glass of tomato juice was in fact her own little Bloody Mary. The woman was a sponge. Who else could soak up the amount of liquor she did and not show one hint of its effect? Should she demand from her friend the same sobriety she demanded for her father? Was she a hypocrite?

“Mimi, you don’t have to do that,” Bianca said, shifting her eyes to Kahron. She let them rest there momentarily when she noticed the pensive look on his face as he pushed his food around on his plate with his fork.

“Too late, sweetie. It’s a done deal,” Mimi said. “Besides my cook needs something to do and a little last minute soiree is just the thing to snap her back to attention.”

Bianca knew it was useless to debate the matter further. Dinner at Mimi’s it is. “Something wrong, baby?” she asked, reaching over to massage Kahron’s arm.

Kahron leaned forward and covered her hand with his own… warmly, securely. “I’m fine… just tired
that’s all.”

Mimi took a sip of her drink and went, “Humph, I bet, sweetie.”

Bianca bit her bottom lip, her eyes bright as she turned and presented her shoulder to Kahron. “Come on. Give me my due. You know how we do,” she told him, as she looked over her shoulder at him.

Kahron lifted his hand to pat her on the back twice, pretending to act begrudgingly.

It was a little game they played. After sex, if one had truly excelled over the other at pleasing each other, then a pat on the back was given.

Bianca laughed triumphantly and did the cabbage patch.

“Ah, my husbands and I were like that once,” Mimi sighed in pleasure.

Bianca and Kahron shared an amused look.

With one hand Mimi reached across the island for one of Kahron’s strong hands and reached across with the other for Bianca’s. “Love is, huh, what… wonderful, that’s right, Sweeties. That’s right.”

Bianca and Kahron shared a long look.

Love? Do I love Kahron? I want him. Desire him. Lust him. Enjoy him. Crave him. And at times, I need him. But do I love him
?

Mimi rose. “I got a lot to do.”

“Don’t strain too much ordering the cook around,
dah
-ling,” Bianca teased.

Mimi pushed her purse under her arm. “Good help is so hard to find,” she said with the utmost seriousness.

The watched as Mimi strutted to the door. She turned suddenly, walked back to the island, and drained her glass with a tilt of her head. Without another word she
turned and strode out the door.

“She’s… different,” Kahron said.

“Definitely.” Bianca moved to stand behind Kahron and massage his shoulders.

“So I get to meet all your friends tonight, huh?”

“Definitely.” She slipped her hands down under his shirt to tease his nipples to hardness with ease.

“Will you show me your clinic today?”

“Definitely.” She withdrew her hands to wrap them around his waist and slide them in his pants to gather his limp chocolate penis into one hand snugly.

“And I want you to show me your Atlanta?”

“Definitely.” She stroked him slowly to hardness, her lips lightly grazing his nape.

Kahron let his head fall back on her shoulder. “But first were gonna see who gets the pat on the back,” he groaned in drawn out pleasure.

“
Definitely
.”

Trishon stretched her limbs like she was making snow angels in the middle of the bed. It felt good to have it to herself. After having to sleep with three sisters nearly all her life, she relished having such a big and comfortable bed all to herself. In truth she suggested to Hank ages ago that they sleep in separate rooms, but he was having none of that. Didn’t matter. Most times he stumbled in drunk and she left him where he dropped: on the floor in the foyer, on the stairs, in the bathroom. It didn’t matter.

She rose from the bed naked and left the room, enjoying the freedom of being in this house—
her
house—all alone.

Naked and feeling free, she wandered throughout the entire house. Each room. Both upstairs and down. She was counting her blessings. Every piece of furniture. The abundance of food in the refrigerator and pantry. All of her clothes. Shoes. Perfume bottles. Even down to the washcloths and towels. Everything she touched lightly with a smile.

Now Hank was getting sober. She had to admit to a bit of fear. Every year of their marriage she had been married to this man under the influence of alcohol. Would sobriety change him? Would their marriage be the same?

No doubt her free reign over his money would end. Bianca was already watching every penny until Trishon had yet to shop in two weeks unless it was for necessities.