Slow Release (Ebony and Ivory Book 1) (12 page)

Skye

I let my mind wander as the heated water washed over my body. Day by day, my lover was pulling me deeper into his web. Much of it was due to the fact that the man was the most intense creature I had ever had the pleasure of meeting. To say the least, it was sexy as hell.

I found it ironic that all the drama and stress in our relationship came from outside influences, whereas with most relationships, it came from within. Of course, the only example I really had of relationship drama was watching what my father put my mother through.

Damon was a good man, though, and I had no intentions of allowing outside forces tear down what we were building together. I didn’t know who was doing this, but I did know one thing for sure. If I found out a model or a past girlfriend was responsible, Damon would have to pry my hands from her skinny throat before he even got the chance to exact his own revenge. The sound of the shower door opening pulled me from my thoughts, and I watched as Damon got in to join me.

I admired him as he closed his eyes and let the water run over his massive build.

“Do you like what you see, Skye?”

“How did you know I was looking at you? Your eyes were closed.” He spit water to the side, shook the water from his face, and ran his hands over his eyes before opening them. “I could feel it.”

Why did he have to be so damn sexy? “I was just thinking maybe I should workout with you.”

“Isn’t that what we just did?” he asked with the intensity only he seemed capable of for such a simple question.

“I’m serious. If I’m going to be modeling, and the public is going to see my body…” I stopped talking when I noted the cold look on his face. “You know what I mean,” I continued.

“No nudes, Skye!”

“I’m not planning on it. Now, answer me.”

“You’re more than welcome to work out with me if I get to do the training. I’m not going to have some oversized goon salivating all over my woman.”

I splashed him with water. “You’re nuts, Damon D’Angelo.”

He reached over, pulled me close, and covered my mouth with his. His tongue moved in my mouth and explored like it was the first time he’d ever kissed me. I knew, in that moment, Damon D’Angelo would never get bored with me. I had no regrets that he was the man I chose to give my virginity.

Damon

I’d waited to tell her about the surprise I had for her. I quickly found out she wasn’t a huge fan of surprises, and I chuckled at the thought as I sat at my desk and waited for her. She still didn’t know what I was up to.

A knock at the door grabbed my attention, and I answered, “Come in.”

I looked up to see Marcus walking in with a folder in hand. “I hope you have good news for me,” I stated.

He sat, ignoring my statement, and spoke as he opened the folder, “You look swanky.”

I chuckled as I eyed his attire. He wore the same thing today that he wore every day to work. “You do know if you weren’t holed up doing computer work all day in that basement apartment I set up for you, I would demand that you dress a little swankier than jeans and a t-shirt.”

“Ha, ha, it ain’t me boss. I’m just a geek hacker from the college scene. I don’t have the swagger you got goin’ on. On another note, Skye’s dad is off the grid. Either the man has changed his name, is living on the streets, or he’s dead.”

“Then he’s changed his name. If he were dead, there would be a record of it. I’m well aware your hacking skills far exceed any international boundaries.” I teased him because Marcus was a genius when it came to computers. He could get into anyone’s system. The only thing that stopped his mad skills was if someone worked for the military, and the security was so tight that no one could get in. He was so good that when I met him, the FBI was pursuing him for his skills—after they caught him trying to hack into their system. I came in, offered him a better deal and a place to live, and he’s been with me ever since. Modeling wasn’t just about beauty. I did business with people who had no problem trying to undermine me. Covering my ass, and now Skye’s, was of paramount importance. The game I played was just as much mental as it was physical and, more than once, my street smarts have gotten me out of precarious situations. 

“That’s what has me concerned. Why would a drunk who abandoned his family change his name? Where would he get access to the resources to do so if he has no connections? To do something like that, he’d need backing. It’s a mystery to me where he would meet someone who could help him do those things. Mind you, these are all speculations.”

“Maybe he did what a lot of men do and cut all ties because of a new family. It wouldn’t be the first time a man fell in love and abandoned his old family to start a new life.”

I watched as Marcus shook his head in confusion. “I just don’t get it, boss. Even if I accept that he wanted the divorce, how could the man just abandon his kids with no support? You know her mother had to work her ass off to feed those kids.”

“You’re asking the wrong guy because it isn’t in my nature to ever let blood go. I can assure you that when I have kids, they’ll be mine for eternity.”

“Well, if you have them with Skye, they’re going to be beautiful babies. Not hittin’ on your woman, boss, but she is captivating.”

I chuckled, “Why do you think I don’t let her out of my sight.”

“Does she have a sister?”

“One that’s too young for you,” I chuckled. “I want you to keep working on this. If I find out that son of a bitch is harassing my woman, I’ll kill him with my bare hands. He already broke her heart once, and I’m not going to let him get close enough to do it again.”

Skye

I stood and stared at my reflection in the long, ornate mirror as I slipped the pale lavender dress over my head. It melted over my physique like butter and was absolutely the simplest, most beautiful piece I’d ever seen, much less worn. I could feel the tight coiling in my lower abdomen, a sensation I’d grown accustomed to feeling since meeting Damon. I loved that he handpicked each piece of my wardrobe for me. I initially assumed he had paid someone to shop for me, but he recently informed me that he had the woman come here so he could personally choose everything I’d be wearing. It warmed my heart that he took the time and put so much thought into picking out each piece himself. As busy as Damon’s schedule was, I’m sure there’s a whole list of things he could’ve been doing that were more important than shopping for me.

I could picture his huge frame casually sitting in a chair, looking at pieces she held up while he ran his thumb over that full bottom lip I found so enticing. Damon had to be the sexiest man walking the face of the earth, and he was mine.

I raised my eyes to see he was right behind me, looking at my reflection in the mirror. Once again, he managed to stealthily invade my space unnoticed. How could a man so large be so agile? He slid up behind me and leaned in so he could whisper in my ear. “When we get home later, I’m going to strip this beautiful dress from that beautiful body of yours. Then, I’m going to peel back every layer of reserve you have, smother all your inhibitions, and take you. By the time I’m done, there will be no doubt in your mind that you are mine, Skye Acaau.”

He wrapped his hand around my waist so it rested on the lower part of my abdomen. I placed my hand on his and said, “I love you, baby. Please don’t break my heart.”

“I love you too, girl, and I wouldn’t even consider it.”

“Are you okay?” I cocked my head as I studied him. He definitely looked like something was bothering him.

“Just hoping I don’t get my ass kicked if you don’t like my surprise.”

I turned to face him and took his smooth, clean-shaven face in my hands. “I may have said I don’t like surprises, but I highly doubt that you could come up with something that wouldn’t wow me.”

“Oh, you’ll be wowed alright.”

The cocky look on his face only made him look even sexier than he already was.

“Yeah, or…” I teased, “you may just end up getting that ass kicking you referred to earlier.”

Damon

I wanted to talk to her about her father, but I didn’t want to do anything to ruin the surprise I had for her. I ushered her out to where Jerome waited with the car. My hand rested on the small of her back, right where that sexy curve met with the top of the voluptuous ass I could never get enough of. With the way the low back cascaded down, the dress fit her form perfectly, and the color complimented her beautiful dark skin. It was fun shopping for her and imagining how she would look dressed in each piece. Looking at her now, though, I realized the clothing didn’t make her; she made the clothing.

While I worked on my phone, she looked out the window, obviously enamored with New York’s big city bright lights. I felt privileged to be the man showing her so many of life’s luxuries, so many of her firsts. Of course, no matter how many new experiences I introduced into her life, the fact that I was her first sexually was something I would always treasure because you always remember your first. I had no intentions of ever letting her go, but I took comfort in knowing, no matter where she journeyed in life, I would always hold a piece of her heart and soul no other man would be privy to. That meant a lot to me, and I wasn’t a man who was given to sentimentality. That is, I wasn’t that type of man until I met her. I just wasn’t the warm and fuzzy kind of guy. I took what I wanted, when I wanted, how I wanted, and romance never entered the equation. She was bringing out a side of my personality I never knew existed. I may be introducing her to a lot of firsts, but she was doing the same with me. This was the first time I’d ever been so consumed by thoughts of a woman; this was the first time I’d ever been in love.