Every day, she found herself wanting to be totally and completely dominated by his gentleness and protection.
“Yes.” He allowed his gaze to burn her again before he scooted forward. His fingers traced a lazy pattern on top of her hand. “There’s something you need to know.”
“What’s that?”
“There’s no turning back.”
Her fingers grazed the edge of his. She nearly gasped when his finger slid and slowly traced a lazy pattern up and down her arm. She shuddered and her nipples strained against her top. Her mouth went dry and she licked her lips in reflex. Her heart pounded wildly with anticipation. “That’s good because I don’t want to go back”
That’s what he’d longed to hear all these weeks. Finally, she trusted him. Now he was on to phase two: getting her to fall in love with him. And he knew he was close. The way she had responded to his touch had almost sent him over the edge. He returned his gaze slowly to her face, studying the movement in her throat. Her lush mouth parted and her nostrils flared, just at the edges. Those slanted, brown eyes were nearly shut. He moved in for the kill. “Heads up. I’ve been courting you until now. But every chance I get from now on, I plan to seduce you. If it’s too soon, tell me now.”
His gray-green eyes were almost closed and his breathing labored. She indulged in a slow glance down his body and watched his stomach tense when her gaze swept below his waist. As his palm moved leisurely across hers, the thick muscles in his arm bulged and her desire for him produced sheer delirium.
She uttered her answer as a hoarse whisper. “Permission granted.”
Chapter 8
In addition to his commitment to fund the co-op program, Marcel offered to help Caitlyn out on Saturdays as a volunteer. Since it was his first time meeting the group, he wasn’t quite sure what to expect and decided to follow her lead.
“Everyone, I’d like to introduce Mr. Marcel Baptiste.” Caitlyn walked into the room, her gaze scanning the group of teenagers assembled. “He’s agreed to help us out.”
The youth ranged from fourteen to seventeen and gave Marcel the once-over from head to toe.
“Uh, yo there, Mr. B, that there your lady?” The question was from a boy named Jamal who nodded at Caitlyn.
You’re damn straight she’s my lady, Marcel thought. “Ms. Thompson and I are business associates, and she said you guys could use—”
“Yeah, yeah, we done heard that before.” The curt outburst was from a girl who sat on the back row.
During the rounds of high-fives and sarcastic laughter, Caitlyn walked between the chairs and looked directly at the one who’d made the comment.
“What’s your name?”
The slim girl looked around mockingly as if she didn’t understand the question.
Caitlyn stared at the light-skinned youth who’d challenged her. “Answer the question.”
“Chanta,” she replied flippantly. She was new to the center, and it was her first meeting.
“You got a job?” Caitlyn folded her arms across her chest.
Chanta stood with her hands on her hips and rolled her head. “What’s it to you?”
Caitlyn released a half chuckle. “Oh, that means you don’t have a job, huh?”
The others giggled, and Chanta was at a loss for words. Before she could reply, the boy who spoke first blurted the answer. “Naw, she ain’t got no job.”
“Jamal, be quiet.” Caitlyn looked again at Chanta. “You depend on your man?”
Chanta snorted. “Don’t need no man to take care of me. That’s what the system’s for.”
Caitlyn moved to a nearby table. “I’m going show you how to stop depending on the system.”
“Listen up—” Chanta waved her arm around to indicate that she spoke on everyone’s behalf. “Give us a break with the sweet talk.”
Caitlyn gazed intently at the entire group. “The system has pimped all of you.” The group stared back with astonished expressions. “The system exploits your trifling behinds because you
“Yes.” He allowed his gaze to burn her again before he scooted forward. His fingers traced a lazy pattern on top of her hand. “There’s something you need to know.”
“What’s that?”
“There’s no turning back.”
Her fingers grazed the edge of his. She nearly gasped when his finger slid and slowly traced a lazy pattern up and down her arm. She shuddered and her nipples strained against her top. Her mouth went dry and she licked her lips in reflex. Her heart pounded wildly with anticipation. “That’s good because I don’t want to go back”
That’s what he’d longed to hear all these weeks. Finally, she trusted him. Now he was on to phase two: getting her to fall in love with him. And he knew he was close. The way she had responded to his touch had almost sent him over the edge. He returned his gaze slowly to her face, studying the movement in her throat. Her lush mouth parted and her nostrils flared, just at the edges. Those slanted, brown eyes were nearly shut. He moved in for the kill. “Heads up. I’ve been courting you until now. But every chance I get from now on, I plan to seduce you. If it’s too soon, tell me now.”
His gray-green eyes were almost closed and his breathing labored. She indulged in a slow glance down his body and watched his stomach tense when her gaze swept below his waist. As his palm moved leisurely across hers, the thick muscles in his arm bulged and her desire for him produced sheer delirium.
She uttered her answer as a hoarse whisper. “Permission granted.”
Chapter 8
In addition to his commitment to fund the co-op program, Marcel offered to help Caitlyn out on Saturdays as a volunteer. Since it was his first time meeting the group, he wasn’t quite sure what to expect and decided to follow her lead.
“Everyone, I’d like to introduce Mr. Marcel Baptiste.” Caitlyn walked into the room, her gaze scanning the group of teenagers assembled. “He’s agreed to help us out.”
The youth ranged from fourteen to seventeen and gave Marcel the once-over from head to toe.
“Uh, yo there, Mr. B, that there your lady?” The question was from a boy named Jamal who nodded at Caitlyn.
You’re damn straight she’s my lady, Marcel thought. “Ms. Thompson and I are business associates, and she said you guys could use—”
“Yeah, yeah, we done heard that before.” The curt outburst was from a girl who sat on the back row.
During the rounds of high-fives and sarcastic laughter, Caitlyn walked between the chairs and looked directly at the one who’d made the comment.
“What’s your name?”
The slim girl looked around mockingly as if she didn’t understand the question.
Caitlyn stared at the light-skinned youth who’d challenged her. “Answer the question.”
“Chanta,” she replied flippantly. She was new to the center, and it was her first meeting.
“You got a job?” Caitlyn folded her arms across her chest.
Chanta stood with her hands on her hips and rolled her head. “What’s it to you?”
Caitlyn released a half chuckle. “Oh, that means you don’t have a job, huh?”
The others giggled, and Chanta was at a loss for words. Before she could reply, the boy who spoke first blurted the answer. “Naw, she ain’t got no job.”
“Jamal, be quiet.” Caitlyn looked again at Chanta. “You depend on your man?”
Chanta snorted. “Don’t need no man to take care of me. That’s what the system’s for.”
Caitlyn moved to a nearby table. “I’m going show you how to stop depending on the system.”
“Listen up—” Chanta waved her arm around to indicate that she spoke on everyone’s behalf. “Give us a break with the sweet talk.”
Caitlyn gazed intently at the entire group. “The system has pimped all of you.” The group stared back with astonished expressions. “The system exploits your trifling behinds because you
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