his last card, a King of Diamondsâhe was out of trump. Kendrick threw out a low piece of diamonds. Caress couldnât do a thing with the piece of club in her handâface card or not.
Trumps were all played and everyone threw off the suit Tamara led with. Her piece of heart was nasty.
Kendrick and Tamara stood up and started their obnoxious high fives across the table. Caress was confident they wouldâve bumped chests if the table wasnât blocking them.
Caress stood up and started to gather their wine and highball glasses. âOh, man, please yâall act like you ran a Boston or something.â
âAinât it,â Julius agreed, rising to stretch.
âWhateverrrrrr,â Tamara said, glancing at her watch. âCome on, baby, letâs go home and celebrate by spankinâ dat ass.â
âYou two really need more victories to celebrate,â Julius drawled as he started picking up their plates and empty Chinese food containers.
Kendrick retrieved their coats from the foyer closet. He helped his wife into hers before he shrugged his own on. âCongrats again, Caress,â he said, as she walked into the foyer with her hands full. He bent down quickly to kiss her cheek and give her a one-armed hug.
âThank you.â
âYes, congrats, girl,â Tamara said, rubbing Caressâs belly before she leaned in close to whisper in her ear. âI had a good time. It was a nice couplesâ night.â
Caress started to protest but Tamara just laughed a little and walked out the door behind her husband.
Julius strolled out of the living room with his hands filled as well. âI wash. You dry,â he offered with a charming smile.
Caress started to tell him that he was the one to insist on using regular plates instead of paper ones, but she just turned and headed for the kitchen. Julius followed behind her. While she filled the deep sink with water and detergent, Julius scraped the plates before placing them next to the glasses already on the counter. Caress shifted over, giving him the sink while she grabbed a dish towel.
They worked together in a comfortable silence, the soft strains of Juliusâs constantly playing jazz music floated in the air.
At times their arms or legs would brush from being in such close proximity. Each innocent touch was building a slow burn between them. The air surrounding them was charged with electricity.
Caressâs entire body was alive from his nearness. His closeness.
Their hands accidentally touched, and they both jumped like theyâd been shocked with high voltage.
Caress swallowed over a sudden lump as she grasped the edge of the sink tightly.
âCaress, we need to talk about this,â Julius said.
She closed her eyes as she waited for her heart to resume its regular pacing. âAbout what?â she asked, proud of herself for sounding like the man wasnât turning her into jelly with nothing⦠nothing but his presence.
âWe want each other. We still want each other.â
Caress chanced a look up at him. He was leaning against the sink looking down at her with his arms folded across his defined chest. She licked her lips nervously and Julius threw his hands up in exasperation.
âDonât do that,â he said.
Caress was confused and looked it. âWhat?â
âLick your lips,â he said in a deep voice. âYouâre not helping.â
âOh be serious, Julius. I am not trying to seduce you. Iâm pregnant for Godâs sake,â she said, whirling to poke her stomach out at him.
Julius shoved his hands into the pocket of the loose fittingâbut still stylishâsweatpants he wore with a wifebeater. âPregnancy hasnât made you any less sexy Caress.â
Or less horny , she thought as she started to lick her lips again at the husky tones of his voice, but when his eyes darted down to her mouth she quickly tucked her lips inward. âOkay,
Tia Louise
Charlotte Hubbard
Sheena Binkley
Donna Jo Napoli
Carole Mortimer
Carmine Gallo
Joyce Carol Oates
Rob Spillman
Carolyn Hart
Bruce Wagner