His Loving Caress Read online

  Taking a sip of his martini, he finished chewing and dabbed his mouth with a napkin. “It went well. The place needs some renovations, of course, for the vision I have, but my team and I feel that it could definitely work for what I want. It’s in a great location. I think it will do well. Plus, it has a small loft apartment above it so I’d have somewhere to stay when I’m in New York.”

  Well, that’s one question answered. Her heartbeat sped up. “So did you put in an offer?”

  “My business manager is crunching some numbers and whatnot. Like I said, the place needs some updating, and I’m not paying the asking price unless they plan on doing so. We’ll see. I’m excited about it, though.”

  “What about Memphis?”

  “Um...not sure at the moment. Memphis is different. You almost have to be invited if you want a business on Beale Street and there are some stipulations that come with that. I want to own my jazz clubs outright. Like the one in Atlanta. No lease. I own the building, including the four little shops attached on the other side. The business owners pay me.”

  “Well I’m sure it will work out,” she stated in an encouraging tone.

  He nodded. “I hope everything I want works out the way I want it to.”

  She noted his smoldering gaze, and she knew he wasn’t talking about the club anymore, thus, possibly answering her other questions. “Would you oversee all the renovations or do you have people for that?”

  “I’ll probably use Megan’s crew again if they’re available, but you know I’m a perfectionist so I’d fly back and forth until it’s done and help with the hiring along with Chef Jackson. He’s one of the investors if we do this thing.”

  “Oh, that’s wonderful. He’s quite popular around New York especially after he won the Master Chef Cook-Off last summer. He’s been very sought after, doing private parties and such. You two would be a great combination...well, you live in Atlanta, but I guess you’ll have to come perform sometimes and check on your investment. After all, it will be called Braxton Chase’s Jazz and Dinner Club.”

  “Mmm-hmm... I’m contemplating about what I’m going to do about that. I can’t clone myself or be a hologram so...I have some ideas in mind.”

  “Two of you? I think one is plenty.”

  “You can’t handle two of me?” he raised a mischievous eyebrow and rubbed his goatee.

  Heat flushed her face as she realized the hidden message behind his question. “Um... I’ll just stick with the one. And if you were able to clone yourself I’d want the real one, not the clone. You can leave him in Atlanta with the groupies.”

  “Ahh...so you’re admitting you want me, and preferably in New York?”

  “That’s not what I meant, Brax.”

  He tightened his grip on her feet wrapped with his, and she managed to swallow down a gulp of her drink. Her mind drifted to being completely intertwined with him. Body. Heart. Soul. Her breathing became stifled for a moment, and she was relieved when Chef Jackson emerged with cheesecake and coffee.

  Elle retreated to the couch with her dessert while Braxton went inside momentarily to speak with the chef. His assistants cleaned up the table, leaving the candles lit. Elle glanced through the window and noticed the kitchen was pretty much clean again and the gentlemen were shaking hands.

  A vibration from her cell phone in her pocket grabbed her attention. It was a text from Ciara. They’d didn’t have a chance to chat much earlier after their marketing meeting because Elle had to catch the Hampton Jitney.

  Are you being good?

  Elle chuckled at her friend’s message and decided to tease her.

  No.

  Her phone began to ring, which she wasn’t surprised by. “Yes, C?”

  “What do you mean, no?” Ciara asked in a mother-hen tone.

  “Calm down. I was joking.”

  “Girl, you play too much. You answered, so I guess that means you’re fully clothed. However, did you pack everything necessary just in case?”

  “Meaning?”

  “Don’t be funny. Sexy lingerie, condoms and some lubricant. You know it’s been a long time since you had sex. I just want you prepared.”

  “Trust me. With Braxton I don’t need lube. Just looking at him makes me w...” she halted abruptly as he slid on the couch next to her with a curious expression and a half-cocked smile. He hurled something on the table and crossed his leg over his knee. Then he turned to her with his hand resting under his chin and a curious grin as if he were waiting to hear the rest. Not that it mattered. He’d heard way too much already.

  “Um...I...have to go.” She managed to stutter out.

  Ciara shrieked. “Girl, he heard you?”

  “Yeahhhhhhh. See you tomorrow.” Elle pressed End with a shaky hand and tossed the phone on the cushion between them. Grabbing her cheesecake from the table, she cut off a big piece with her fork, stuffed it in her mouth and chewed slowly.

  “You know you’ll have to talk sometime.” He began eating his cheesecake, too. “Even though I have to say I’m flattered.” His cocky, confident expression emerged as he continued to stare her down.

  “Mmm-hmm.” She avoided eye contact with him, instead focusing on the lit candles in the fireplace before her.

  “I was in my room earlier and found a pack of cards. You wanna play?”

  “Mmm-hmm.” She sipped her coffee and moved to the floor by the fireplace. Anything to get her mind off seducing him, all thanks to Ciara’s meddling. Even though Elle had packed all the items in her suitcase.

  “It’s Truth or Dare cards.”

  She nearly choked on the last swallow of her cheesecake. “Okay, maybe not.” She could only imagine where that would lead.

  “Ahh, she speaks. Too late. You already agreed.”

  “But...”

  “Scared?” He challenged.

  “Never,” she answered boldly. “Bring it.”

  Striding over to the dinner table, he grabbed the two long stem candles. He then set them on the coffee table. “We need more light.”

  “You could turn on the ceiling fan light.”

  “Where’s the romance in that? Besides, you’ve always looked radiant with candlelight shining on you.”

  Her thoughts drifted back to one of the times she’d visited him on a short holiday break. She’d entered his apartment off campus to a ton of white scented candles. They’d made love right there at the front door before he carried her to the bedroom. The entire time he complimented her on how beautiful she was with the candles shining against her naked flesh. Ever since then, he’d always have candles lit around her and she suddenly wondered if that was the reason for the white candles in the fireplace. Did he remember? Over the years she’d always wondered if he thought about her in the way she did about him. But she decided he probably didn’t because as a woman, she was way more sentimental.

  Leaning over the coffee table, he grabbed the deck of cards and began to shuffle them. “So there’s thirty cards in the deck. Fifteen truth cards and fifteen dare cards. We pull and ask a question accordingly.”

  “I know how to play. I had a life after you.”

  “Touché. Maybe you’ll share some of that information with me. I’ll be a gentleman and let you go first.”

  She scooted up to the table and set her plate down. Reaching over to the middle, she pulled a card and flipped it over. “Dare.” Dang it.

  He rubbed his hands together and gave a wicked laugh. “This is going to be good.”

  “I am not showing my ta tas,” she said sternly.

  “Ah, shucks,” he teased, tapping his chin. “Let me think of something else.”

  She laughed nervously. Perhaps this was a bad idea.

  “Okay. I dare you to tell me the last time you made love.”

  Elle wrinkled h
er nose at his question. She’d rather flash her boobies than to answer that. Of course she could lie, but she didn’t know how to lie to him and if she tried, he’d know in an instant.

  She was silent for a moment and then whispered. “You.”

  His face crunched into a frown. “I’m somewhat relieved by that answer because the thought of another man even looking at you, let alone touching and exploring your heavenly body, burns my insides. But, um...you haven’t had sex in over a decade?”

  “That wasn’t the question. I’ve only ever made love with you. There’s a difference. We never had sex.”

  “Uh-huh. True. So what about sex? I’ve seen pictures of you on the red carpet with that investment banker cat. Connor something,” He paused as a devilish dark twinkle appeared in his eyes and he lowered his voice. “But I know he didn’t satisfy you like I did. I know he didn’t have you panting for more like you used to with me. He looked like a complete dorky geek. Like his favorite sport is chess or some shit like that.”

  You are so right, but I will never admit that to you.

  “Your turn is up. I answered the dare. Pull a card.”

  He eyed her for a moment before drawing a card and slamming it on the table as if he had the joker in a Spades tournament. “Truth.” He leaned back on the couch. “I’m ready.”

  “Why haven’t you settled down and married yet? I’ve seen you on the blogs with drop dead gorgeous women, or are you scared of marriage?”

  “Mmm...good question. I could ask you the same thing. Well, some of them were just flings. Kinda hard to have a meaningful relationship when you’re always in the studio or touring. The first few years of my career, I stayed on the road. I only saw Atlanta if I was performing there. Plus, a lot of those women wanted to be with Braxton Chase the jazz pianist not me. Besides, I’ve only been in love once. Haven’t found anyone quite like you, Sunshine.”

  “And you never will,” she answered matter-of-factly with a cunning smize. “You made your bed.”

  “I know. And I’ve been lying in it ever since with no sleep.”

  She drew a card and turned it over for him to see. “Truth.”

  “Damn, I wanted a dare.” He grabbed the cards and reshuffled the deck.

  “If you thought playing this game would get me naked, you’re sadly mistaken.”

  “Baby, I can get you naked without playing this game. What were you telling your friend on the phone? You just look at me and what?” He raised an arrogant eyebrow. “And you need...?”

  Heat rushed to her face as she tried to suppress exactly what he was referring to. “Whatever. Ask the question.”

  “All right. I got a good one, too. At one of my shows a few years back at Carnegie Hall, I swore I saw you in the audience. I wasn’t sure if I was losing my mind or not. The lady had on a short dark blond wig and reading glasses. When the show was over, I searched but I couldn’t find her, just the program booklet in the seat. It smelled like expensive perfume...similar to the one you wore at the brunch. Anyway, I’ve always wondered if that was you since you were in New York at that time. Plus, I know your eyes like I know how to play the piano. There’s just some things you never forget.”

  Elle went silent for a moment as she thought back to that moment in time. She was on an email list for local events around town. Since she’d recently moved to the New Jersey/New York area, she’d wanted to stay abreast of the happenings in the Big Apple. When she’d received the announcement that the Braxton Chase Quartet would be at Carnegie, her heart stopped. Before then, she hadn’t thought of him too much. The pain had subsided, and she was happy with her life and her career as a designer for DaVinci Fashions. However, when she’d seen Braxton’s picture and the fact that he would be in the city, so close, her heartache had returned. She bought a ticket, regretted it and then contemplated for two weeks whether or not she would attend. She’d thought about confiding in Ciara but decided against it and went with her heart, which had always been her decision maker when it came to him.

  At the very last second, Elle had thrown on the wig from a masquerade party she’d attended, grabbed some glasses and bolted to the subway. She’d barely made it to her seat as the show was beginning. But as soon as she had sat, her eyes caught Braxton’s as he slightly tilted his head and squinted. Luckily, the house lights had gone off and she was relieved he could no longer see her, even though she had noticed him staring in her direction. As soon as the show ended, she got lost in the crowd of people and skedaddled out of Carnegie and back to the subway. She didn’t exhale until she had made it home. The next day, the first of many potted orchids with no note had arrived at her office.

  Elle had hoped he wouldn’t mention it but now that he had, she might as well be honest. After all it was a “truth” question.

  “Yes. It was me.”

  “I figured it was. Why did you leave? No, run out.”

  “I wanted to see you play at Carnegie. That had been on your bucket list since we were in middle school and you had attended a show there while at music camp in Boston one summer. I wasn’t there for a confrontation. I... I just needed to see you with my own eyes. That’s all.”

  He slid down to the floor where she sat and clutched her hands warmly. “I wish you would’ve stayed.”

  “It was your big night, and I didn’t want to interrupt it. I just wanted to be there.”

  “I appreciate that. I was so nervous. My family was in the front row and I was terrified I’d miss a key but then I saw you and I felt better.”

  “You played well. I was very happy for you. Now pick a card.”

  Resting his back against the bottom of the couch, he slid a card off the top and placed it on the table. “Dare. And there’s nothing I won’t do.” Winking, he licked his bottom lip as a shiver of electricity jolted through her veins.

  “Yes, I remember. I dare you to tell me something you don’t want me to know.”

  “Where’s the fun in that?”

  “Just answer the dare.”

  Braxton pondered for a moment before sitting all the way up on the couch, resting his arms on his thighs and leaning in toward her. “I was at your very first fashion show.”

  Shrugging, she took the last bite of her cheesecake. “I know.”

  “Oh, you saw me?” he asked with a wrinkled brow. “I was trying to be incognito.”

  “As I was doing my walk down the runway at the end, I spotted a guy with shades and a cap. I was trying to look away from the flashing lights in my face and caught you leaning on the wall next to the exit door before slipping out of it.”

  “I just wanted to return the favor. I remember when we were little, you had lined up your stuffed animals and you and my sisters had Barbie dolls walk down the runway while I was forced to play the piano as background music. But seriously, you’ve wanted this for a long time. I just wanted to be there for your first show.”

  “Thank you and I didn’t force you. You needed to practice anyway. You had a recital coming up.”

  “I wanted to go outside and play basketball with Preston, not play backup for a Barbie doll fashion show.”

  “You know you enjoyed it. “She reached over and pulled a card from the stack. “Dare.”

  “All right. I dare you to let me kiss you on your hot spot.”

  She rubbed the back of her neck that had missed his lips and tantalizing tongue. The mere thought of him kissing her there would lead to other things. It always did. With him she never had any control over rational thinking. If she did, she wouldn’t even be with him now. Heck, she wouldn’t have even spoken to him at the brunch, danced with him at the auction or had dinner at his restaurant, which was all before they had the talk. He’d always been her weakness. Her addiction. But hey, it was a dare. Right?

  She slid over to where he sat on the floor and rested her body betwee
n his legs with her back cozy against his chest. “Okay, but it’s not going to turn me on or anything,” she stated nonchalantly, and hoped he couldn’t hear her heart pound against her chest at one hundred miles per hour.

  “Isn’t it too late for that?”

  Chapter 8

  Once again all logic and common sense flew out the window when it came to Braxton, but this time Elle had a good reason or at least that’s what she kept telling herself as she sat between his legs waiting impatiently. With the few boyfriends she’d been intimate with she had of course relayed to them her turn-on spots. Her nipples, her thighs, her clitoris and a few points on her neck including where her tattoo resided. However, it was pointless, as none of those areas worked with any of them. She chalked it up to them needing to find their own turn-on spots. But she was wrong as none had succeeded.

  Since Braxton had offered or rather dared her to let him kiss the back of her neck, she figured why not. Plus, it would answer a nagging question that had been in her head. Years ago, Ciara had said that the reason no one had figured out how to turn Elle on was because Braxton had programmed every inch on her body as his. She’d laughed it off until she noticed a pattern, and briefly considered that perhaps her best friend was right.

  Well, now she was about to find out.

  Braxton’s arm encircled her waist and pulled her even closer. She didn’t think that was possible as she was already pretty snug against him. However, now she could feel his manhood pressed against her bottom through the thin material of her shirtdress.

  He ran a finger across the back of her neck that sent her head back against his.

  “I take it you like that,” he whispered in her ear as the warmth of his tongue brushed against it sending a warm current through her.

  “Mmm-hmm.” That’s all she could muster out as he travelled his tongue along the path to her neck and then it happened. His lips met her skin in the place she’d yearned over the years for him to kiss and savor once more. It was indeed his spot and she had an inkling so was every place else.