Waiting For Him (8 page)

“I didn’t want Steve to overhear, but Keisha, honey, you can’t kiss me like that and expect me to keep it together.”

Perplexed, she stared at him. “Keep it together?”

The way she looked at him wasn’t helping. “I told you, around you I’m like a damn jack-in-the-box.”

“Oh.” Her eyes widened. “
Oh
.”

“Staring definitely won’t help.” Her curiosity was so cute, he kissed her again. This time hard and quick. “Don’t ogle Steve’s chest either, all right? I don’t like it.”

“I wasn’t…well, maybe at first. It was just out of surprise.” She pursed her lips. “And because…well, he does look good.”

“Keisha,” he warned.

“Not as good as you.” She patted his left pec and the pat turned into a stroke. Before her hot little palm could move over his nipple, he caught her wrist. “Keisha.”

Chapter Seven

Stone let out an eternal groan. His rod was about to rip through his jeans.

Keisha slowly pulled her hand away. “If I can’t touch then quit flaunting yourself, okay?” She shooed him away. “Now go on while I compose myself.”

“Compose yourself?” She said the funniest things. Things he supposed a virgin might say.

She turned him around and gave him a small push. “And put on a shirt, for heaven’s sake. Alexis will have a heart attack when she sees you.”

With a grin, Stone went back into the kitchen and he not only put on his shirt, but he also insisted Steve do the same.

“It’s hot as hell and the dog has made a bed of my shirt.”

“Tough. If I have to wear mine, you definitely have to wear yours, too.”

Steve gave him a look. “You realize how you’re acting, right?”

Unfortunately, it wasn’t an act. Not even close. “Screw you.”

Bonnie grumbled a little when Steve retrieved his shirt, shook the dog hairs off it, and pulled it back on.

An hour later, with a new door installed, the old door stored in Alexis’s basement and warm pizza divided up between them, they sat in Keisha’s small kitchen, eating, talking and laughing.

It was nice, comfortable and it made him nuts.

He loved the way she laughed, how she alternated her attention between playing hostess and coddling the animals and how she occasionally slanted a coy look of interest his way.

She stood to refill glasses of tea and Stone noticed that’s she’d left her sandals under the table. Even her feet were sexy to him and it had nothing to do with the pink polish on her toes.

His mind drifted to how easy it’d be to reach up under that dress, touch her warms thighs, and move up to her heat.

Alexis laughed at something Steve said, drawing Stone back from the brink of no return. He blew out a breath.

Time to think about something else. He glanced across the table at Alexis. Slim-fitting jeans and a worn tee replaced her sexy business suit. She’d left her mouth naked of lipstick, her fair hair hanging loose and she looked nothing less than amazing. Steve couldn’t keep his gaze off of her.

Where Alexis was tall and sleek, Keisha was petite and stacked. Alexis had straight, pale blonde hair and blue eyes, and Keisha had big brown eyes and thick curly hair.

Physically the women were as dissimilar as could be, Alexis’s fair skin and Keisha’s brown sugar glow, but both were hot. Add in Keisha’s sweet personality, her innocence and curiosity, and Stone knew he was a goner.

The dogs didn’t beg for food but circled the table begging for attention. Keisha moved around attending to them.

“Sorry,” she said taking her seat again. “I love them so they don’t bother me. I can put them out it it’s an issue.”

“They’re fine.” Stone liked her pets, and he especially liked seeing Keisha with them. He’d never thought about it much before, but a woman who loved animals was somehow more trustworthy and far more likeable than a woman who didn’t.

Why had he never realized that before?

The pets didn’t bother anyone else, either. Alexis ended up with Sam on her lap and Steve took turns tossing toys into the living room for the dogs to fetch.

Stone drank the rest of his Coke, then sat back to look at Alexis. “I was thinking about that privacy fence you have out back.”

“If you can still call it that.” Alexis finished off her third slice of pizza and dabbed a napkin to her mouth. “It’s falling down and if it weren’t for my hot tub, I’d remove it.”

“You have a hot tub?” Steve perked up.

“I don’t get a lot of downtime, and I like to relax when I do. The hot tub is new but the fence is pretty old.” She smiled in Keisha’s direction. “I’m sure Keisha would enjoy it, too, but she has even less free time than I do. Usually when I’m in there, Sam sits on the ledge and keeps me company.

“Really?” Steve glanced from Keisha to Alexis and back again.

Knowing exactly what his friend was thinking, Stone scowled. Maybe if it were any woman other than Keisha, he’d be thinking it as well.

Two good looking women.

In a hot tub together.

Yeah, there were probably a good dozen male fantasies that sprouted from that exact scenario. But not with Keisha.

Stone leaned forward. “We could put up a new fence for you.” One that would ensure Keisha’s privacy as much as Alexis’s. “Wouldn’t take us long.”

Alexis looked taken aback. “Thank you, but I can’t afford that just yet.”

“It’d be less than you think,” Steve told her.

“No it won’t, not for what I’d like.” She wrinkled her nose. “I have expensive tastes. I know because I already checked out the pricing.” She stood with her plate and glass and headed to the kitchen. “Hopefully next year, though.”

“You don’t need to do that. I can take care of it after everyone is gone,” Keisha said.

Steve pushed back his own chair. He gathered up the other plates and glasses and plunked them into the sink. “Why don’t you show me the fence and let me offer some suggestions? I get supplies wholesale, and better than that, I have a lot of overrun stuff on hand. Can’t hurt to just get a price for the supplies, right?”

Alexis cast Keisha a look and shrugged. “All right. The dogs can come out with us.”

Bonnie and Clyde jumped up with excitement and rushed the door.

“Take your time.” Stone called behind them, earning him a grin back from his friend.

Keisha smacked his shoulder. “You’re both incorrigible.” She stood and walked to the sink.

“I’ve never actually heard anyone use that word before.” He watched her backside as she rinsed the dishes. The sundress was so soft that it draped her every curve.

She had an amazing ass.

Already his heart beat too hard and fast. It was insane.

And he loved it.

He stood and walked over to her and wrapped his hands around her waist. He leaned down and nuzzled behind her ear. “Damn, but you smell good.” He pressed in against that perfect backside, pinning her against the sink. It was torture but worth it. “You’re awfully hard to resist.”

For several heartbeats, she held perfectly still. In rapid order she dried her hands, turned in his narrow hold and held on to his shoulders. “Then don’t. Resist, I mean. I’m ready.” Her fingers contracted on his shoulders, and she whispered, “Now.”

Chapter Eight

She could see him wavering, so Keisha pressed her advantage. “If you leave me again, Stone, I won’t be able to sleep. I’m already tired from last night. It’d be much better if you…” Her words trailed as laugher filtered back in the door and in walked Alexis and Steve.

Rotten timing. They hadn’t been gone very long at all.

Keisha sidled out of Stone’s embrace. “So what’s the verdict? New fence or not?”

“It might be possible,” Alexis said, looking uncomfortable at having interrupted. “Maybe Steve and I should go talk about it a little more?”

“No.” Stone remained facing the sink, too quiet, almost as if in pain. “It’s fine.”

Keisha frowned at him. It was far from fine, at least from her point of view.

“Why don’t you guys go play with the animals in the living room? Keisha and I will clean up the kitchen.”

She was starting to feel like a spectacle. “There’s not that much to do.” Four plates, four glasses and some napkins to throw away. It hardly required two of them.

Looking at her over his shoulder, his eyes narrow and direct, Stone disagreed. “Oh, there’s plenty for us to do, Keisha. I promise you.”

“The living room it is,” Steve said on a whistle. He called the dogs and they all filed into the other room.

The second they were gone, Stone gave up his pretense of doing dishes.

He turned and stared at her. The heat in his gaze left her squirming.

“Come here.”

The way he said that left her flustered. It almost sounded like he planned to start something right now.

“Keisha,” he said in his deep, compelling voice.

She rushed up to him. “I want you. Tonight. Right now.” She sucked in a needed breath. “But it has to be exclusive for as long as it lasts.”

“Come again?” he said confused.

“You keep…I don’t know. Sort of flirting with Alexis.”

His face went blank. “No way. Not even.”

“You offered to help her with the fence for her hot tub,” her tone went flat.

He searched her face again and grinned. “You thought that was so I could spend time with her?”

Uncertain, she bit her lip. “I don’t know.”

His grin turned endearing. “Do you know what I did last night, Keisha?”

She shook her head. “What?”

He laughed. “I thought about you. All night. I considered all the different ways I want to kiss you, where I want to touch, how you’re going to feel and taste and how awesome it’s going to be.”

That sounded amazing. “So you think it’ll be awesome?”

“Given your expectations, I promise to give it my best shot.”

Expectations? Oh, wow. She did make it sound like she had great expectations, and of course she did, but she didn’t mean to stress him about it. “I’m sorry if I’m making you feel pressured to perform.”

He laughed again, and hugged her right off her feet. When he lowered her to the floor again, he said, “I have a healthy ego, honey. I don’t feel pressured. I feel challenged.” He drew her up and kissed her softly and deeply. He pressed against her mouth. “I offered to help with the fence to give Steve a leg up.”

“A leg up?”

“Yeah.” He turned back to the sink and started on the dishes again. “Your landlord is hot.”

She deflated.

“But I think you’re hotter.”

Keisha went still, then stepped up beside him at the sink, trying to see his face. “No, you don’t.” Man, she sounded desperate for praise, but really, she only wanted the truth.

“Do, too.” He hesitated, then with a quick shake of his head he caught her hand, dragged it around in front of him and pressed.

Right over his straining erection.

“That’s for you, Keisha.”

Talk about truth! She curled her fingers around him as much as the stiff denim allowed. Wow. Unsure of what to say, she said, “Um…thank you?”

His jaw tensed around a rough laugh. “Woman you breathe and I feel it like a stroke.”

On cue she brought her fingers up, measuring his length.

Stone braced his hands on the sink counter and dropped his head forward. “Alexis doesn’t hold a candle to you.”

Keisha knew that was nonsense, but it pleased her to hear him say it all the same.

It pleased her more to explore him. She lowered her hand, cupping him where he was softer, and he caught her wrist.

For a suspended moment, he held her hand pressed against him, his eyes closed, heat pouring off him.

Finally eased her hand away. “Let’s save that for later? Much more and I really will blow this.”

Fascinating. “Blow it how?”

He gave up on the dishes and dried his hands. “I don’t want you gossiping with the other waitresses, claiming I’m a lousy lay,” he teased.

“I would never do that.” This all felt so special to her, she had no intention on telling anyone. This was hers, and hers alone.

“Yeah, you won’t. Because I’m not going to be lousy.” He tipped up her chin and planted a kiss to her lips. “Back to Alexis.”

Ugh.

“I figured Steve would appreciate an intro. That’s all. How could you even think I’d look at her with you in the room?

Well, he had looked enough to say Alexis was hot. He claimed she was hotter though. Keisha shook her head. “Because I’m just me. “

Before we’re through. Because whatever they shared wouldn’t last long. He’d been very clear about that. An awful thought occurred to her.

“What is it now?” Stone asked.

It unsettled her how easily he read her moods. While smoothing a hand over his chest, covered by the soft cotton of his dark shirt, she said, “When we’re through, given that you think Alexis’s hot.”