One to Love Read online

  “Damn straight.” She placed a kiss on his mouth after each word.

  “Same time next week.” He pulled back.

  “Uh...”

  “I’ll be busy during the week. But I’ll be back on Saturday to work.”

  “What if I don’t want to wait?”

  “You’ll wait... I want you to wait.” He delivered a kiss that curled her toes and rolled back her eyes. His tongue stroked her mouth, delivering the conditions of his contract. Her body trembled. Anticipation scrambling her senses. Hunger for him making her nuts. His fingers pressed into the flesh of her back. She arched into him, going after full body contact to quell the seductive fire raging in her. His thumb slid the strap off her shoulder and she moaned. Loud. Unladylike. Tenderly, he dropped a kiss on her skin. And she was wet.

  He pulled back and readjusted her shoulder strap.

  “What was that?” she asked, breathless and still turned-on.

  “Just letting you know that I like to share the driver’s seat.”

  “Next time, I’ll give you the darn keys.”

  * * *

  She needed a long, cold shower, and the major lack of sex had her fuming for the remaining hours in the afternoon after Jesse left.

  Belinda peeled off her clothes and headed for the shower stall. Her mood was on the gray side of the spectrum, not quite murderous, but certainly not grateful. Jesse Santiago had wound her up like a mechanical doll and let her go with the promise that he’d be back in seven days.

  When the day had started, she wasn’t looking to get laid. She wasn’t a one-night stand type of girl. And she wasn’t about hopping into bed on a first date. But she’d never met anyone like Jesse.

  Now she was left to think and fantasize about him for seven long days. He’d better be suffering as badly as she was. She punched her pillow, turned off the TV and lay in the dark, trying to make her body de-escalate from the raging craving for Jesse to do more than deliver panty-moistening kisses.

  Not since Lionel Waters had any man seen her bedroom. That was a sort of good, safe friendship that had gone diagonally off the rails of sanity. Still, Lionel couldn’t take no for an answer. At least his tries to get her back, as he always started his monologues, had dwindled over the past several months. She’d love for him to move on. But he seemed stuck in a groove.

  Nothing in her had any intention of placing herself in a relationship to be reminded how much better off she would be with him or that her life would be nothing without him, Lionel’s oft-repeated argument. At the time that they’d met several years ago, she had been hurting over her best friend’s condition and their broken friendship.

  Her father’s criminal acts always cast a long shadow, which fed into her feeling very low about life. The emotional aftermath of the car accident didn’t help her outlook. No doubt Lionel did provide a lifeline for her to emerge and take a second chance at living with purpose. Their years together shifted what she thought was a balance between them to his emotional manipulation and attempts to stifle and control her.

  Once a supportive friend-turned-lover, he grew more obsessed with fixing her. His advice took on an edge of insistent demands. However, slow suffocation of her identity wasn’t acceptable as payment. Finally, she’d had enough when he criticized her ties to the family. Even her cousins didn’t escape his judgment. Grace evoked his greatest irritation with his condemnation that she ruled the business and the family like a tyrant.

  It didn’t help that, at their first meeting, Grace didn’t connect with Lionel. Her shrewd intuition had picked up on his darker side. Her grandmother’s warnings had gone unheeded. In Lionel’s estimation, the family and the business should have no place in Belinda’s life. She’d tie herself in knots trying to keep any meet-ups a secret. When he found out that she had a meeting with Grace about working at Meadows, he’d hit the roof that she not only attended the meeting without him, but didn’t ask his opinion. The ensuing argument turned on the faucet to her emotions and frustrations. He’d committed his biggest mistake. No matter how damaged they all were or what dramas occurred, the family stayed together. With his overbearing manner, he’d sucked what little joy he’d brought to their relationship.

  Now that she’d moved on, almost a year later, it wasn’t that she had a no-entry sign on her bedroom for the next man. The situation never occurred because her free time to socialize and connect to anyone was severely shortened. With Jesse in the mix, she certainly could dedicate a few hours to her own self-interests.

  Finally, Belinda, with a dreamy smile, drifted to sleep.

  * * *

  Jesse arrived on the work site every day and did his best to avoid Belinda. Work came first. It had to. He couldn’t let his libido set the tone or his reputation. In seven days, there would be a repeat performance and he couldn’t promise that he could take the high road and walk away.

  His phone buzzed. A short text from Belinda.

  Hope all is well.

  Everything’s cool.

  See you later?

  His fingers paused over the keyboard. Is it about the job?

  Not really.

  Then, Saturday. He added a smiley face to soften the message.

  She responded with a frown emoticon. He chuckled and set down the phone. Time to get his head back on the job.

  A familiar black SUV pulled up in front of the barn. Jesse remained where he was. Having a disagreement with Diego on his turf was one thing, but he wasn’t going to allow him to bring their issues on the site. He waited.

  “Hey, got a minute?” Diego took up a position opposite him.

  Jesse nodded. His shoulders tensed.

  “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said. About what I feel. And...”

  “Look, I get where you were coming from. Maybe I did walk from the family. The glitz and glamour can go to the head. Ain’t gonna lie.”

  “It looked like it was fun.” Diego relaxed his stance and Jesse followed suit. “I was kinda jealous of my big brother. Didn’t think you remembered me.”

  “Remembered you? Heck, everyone around me knew about you. I was proud of you. Still am. Yale-educated. Studied abroad in England. Author of some boring crap.” They shared a laugh.

  Diego’s face grew solemn. “You didn’t come home, though. I wanted you here when I was in the hospital.”

  “Your asthma attack? I told Pop to keep me informed. I would have booked a flight immediately.”

  Diego looked down at his feet. “It was more than asthma. I wondered why you didn’t come.” He looked up, keeping his gaze away from Jesse’s scrutiny.

  “What happened?” Jesse remembered his father calling him the day before the championship game. He’d barely peeled off his training gear when the call came. His father had reassured him that it wasn’t serious. Just one of those episodes that would knock Diego down for a day or two. He had thanked his dad, told him to keep him updated and then he went off to shower and study the game strategies for the next day.

  Diego’s various respiratory illnesses, especially asthma, weakened him and it meant that their lives always had to accommodate a health crisis or threat of one. Planned family vacations had to be cancelled. Pets had to be given away. Living on alert was a way of life.

  Soccer came along when Jesse’s adolescent frustrations got the better of him. Their father used soccer as an incentive and punishment to keep him in line. It worked. Jesse could plunge in and stay submerged and avoid a lot of the family goings-on. At the time, he’d counted himself lucky. And he hugged that sense of freedom hard. But now, with a sense of dread, he was about to find out how steep the price had been.

  “What happened?” Jesse repeated. He closed the gap between his brother and him and gently touched his arm. “Tell me everything.”

  “It doesn’t matter, right?” The sm
ile on Diego’s face looked forced. “I came over to say that I think we should call a truce and become friends again.”

  Jesse pushed aside his brother’s hand and pulled him into a bear hug. “Deal.” His throat squeezed with emotion. He pulled back and cupped his brother’s face in his hands. “I want to know what happened.”

  “I had a collapsed lung.”

  “What? Why didn’t they tell me?”

  Diego shrugged. “I think we both know the answer.”

  Jesse kicked at the dirt. Regret flooded through him. Though his father kept the information from him, he understood how difficult it was to pretend that everything was okay. He knew that feeling quite well. “I promise that I’ll make it up to you, bro.” Jesse pulled his brother into another tight embrace.

  “You can start by letting me breathe.”

  Jesse immediately let go. They laughed over his open affection. The air between them had changed. A swift current had pushed aside the toxic mash-up of guilt and misunderstanding. Now there was a spark of what they once had as brothers.

  “Thanks for giving me another chance, Diego.”

  His brother nodded. “Dinner later?”

  “Sure thing.”

  Jesse watched Diego drive off the property. The revelation still resonated. But he was thankful for Diego’s reaction. Otherwise, the truth would have remained buried, fostering deeper bad feelings. He turned to resume his work. Maybe the reason for his return home wasn’t as random as he’d felt. Something had been broken in his life. The fibers that once bound him to his family had unraveled. For the first time since his decision to retire, his mind and heart were on the same plane.

  “Jesse?”

  He spun around to see Belinda approaching him. “How did you...? Why are you here? Sorry.”

  “I came in from the back to surprise you. I didn’t want to interrupt. But I also didn’t want to sneak off like I’d done something wrong.”

  “You heard everything,” he accused.

  She nodded.

  He couldn’t bear to look into her eyes, to see the indictment there. “Well, go ahead. You think that I’m a horrible brother. Hell, I know it.”

  She reached out for him, but he ignored her touch. Holding her in his arms was a reward. The way he felt didn’t deserve the warmth and soothing pleasures of her touch.

  “I can’t have a do-over.”

  “Unfortunately, we can’t. But you don’t have to do anything over. Your brother has opened the door for both of you to heal and move on. Don’t squander it. That’s the lesson to be learned.”

  He nodded.

  “I envy you.”

  “Why?”

  “Your family operates like a unit. A team. Yes, your father put you first, but really he was making the best decision for everyone. Like a father, he tried to please both sons in the way he knew how.” This time she didn’t wait for him to hold her. Instead, she hugged him, resting her head against his chest. Her hands clasped behind his back. He pressed his cheek against the top of her head in the silky softness of her hair. “My parents operate as a team, a two-person team. I’m the third wheel that’s not quite attached, but is there. No drama. No fights. It’s a relationship of logic and responsibility. For the warmth and family love, I’ve learned to rely on my cousins and even my scary grandmother.” Her laugh rumbled against his chest. “I don’t want to ever get to the point where I’m just living. Where life is reduced to cold calculations and plus and minus columns.” She removed herself from his arms.

  His body immediately craved the imprint of her body. He wanted much more.

  “I want to feel alive.” She stared up into his eyes.

  “Me, too.” He kissed her, thanking her for tossing him a lifeline.

  Chapter 8

  “I have wine. Lasagna. French toast with garlic butter.” Jesse waited for Belinda to give in and accept his invitation. He’d raced home and cooked everything necessary for a perfect date night. In between stirring pots, he managed to perform light housekeeping. There was not much prettying up to do with the houseboat, but it did smell much better.

  “And...?”

  “Soft music. Candlelight, if you want. Dessert.”

  She cleared her throat. “I have that at home. And my pajamas.”

  “You won’t need it. And I have a romantic movie.”

  “So far, not really feeling the need to jump in my car.”

  Jesse tried again. “Would a back massage get you there?”

  “Keys in hand. What else?”

  “A scalp massage.”

  “Hmm. Keep talking.”

  “The rest is a surprise.” Jesse had a few ideas. Mostly he wanted to improvise the moment.

  “Near the office door. You’re making me leave early. Better be worth it.”

  “Have you as the dessert. Whipped cream. Cherry. Warm caramel sauce.” Jesse paused for her response.

  The chime of a car door opening was the only sound coming through the phone.

  “Then I’m going to lick it off you. A little at a time.”

  “You need to give me your address.”

  Jesse gladly provided the information to the marina. Now that he knew she was on her way, he wanted to make sure everything was in place. “See you in fifteen minutes.”

  “Bye.”

  Jesse used every minute of the fifteen minutes that it would take Belinda to arrive to prepare. By the time she called him that she was on the dock, he was breathing heavily, but showered, dressed and ready. He popped up out of the boat and beckoned to her. After he helped her on board, he opened the door and, with a grand gesture and slight bow, invited Belinda in.

  She walked past him, but it was more like a strut in a little black dress. The short style exposed the length of her legs, which were crowned with red shoes with skyscraper heels.

  “All this for little ole me?”

  “Are you complaining?”

  “Not at all.” He pressed his mouth closed and mimicked turning the lock.

  “Wine, please?” She took a seat and crossed her legs.

  Jesse almost popped.

  “I’ll help myself. You seem to be...overwhelmed. You don’t mind, do you?”

  “From casual to hellafied sexy, I like all your styles.”

  “That’s good to know. I do have a few more...maybe they’ll come out to play later on.” She poured wine into two glasses and slid one toward him.

  Jesse studied the glass. He didn’t want wine. He didn’t want lasagna. His gaze lifted to Belinda’s mouth, watching her swallow the wine. Afterward, her lips remained moist. He softly brushed his thumb across her lips, wiping them dry.

  The tip of her tongue swept the pad of his thumb.

  He hissed out a breath.

  Her mouth opened and sucked in his thumb. Her tongue swirled and caressed. The dark gaze pinned him with a bold invitation, a proposition he was only too happy to respond to by scooping her against his chest. He headed down the hallway to his room, nudging it open with a foot.

  His legs were willing to give way under the heated kisses against his neck. Not before he laid her gently in the middle of his bed. The little black dress shielding her body made her look like a gift to be unwrapped.

  “I hope you weren’t too hungry.” Jesse unbuttoned his shirt, peeled it off and tossed it to the nearby chair. It missed. He didn’t care.

  “Figured that I’d get full on something else.” She eased herself out of the dress. Every move, sensual and alluring, pulled him to join her. “I found that the bra and panties didn’t add anything to the outfit.” She lay back on the bed in a glorious state of nakedness. Her tiny smirk let him know that she wasn’t going to play fair.

  Jesse quickly unzipped his pants and was out of the cloth
ing within a few seconds. Socks included.

  His mini strip show drew her applause. His erection strained against his underwear. A greedy and happy performer. But he wanted to take it slow and enjoy everything about this moment. He admired it all from her heart-shaped face down to her breasts, topped with puckered nipples that looked like drops of chocolate. Her body was toned with the right amount of thickness to fill his hands. His admiration continued down her abs that pulled in, as if he’d touched them with more than his gaze, down to the triangular patch where he couldn’t wait for his tongue to meet her acquaintance and bury itself in her cave to feast on her.

  Once his eyes took their fill, he followed up with his hand to continue the exploration. Lightly, he traced the outlines of her muscles, along her neck, down over her shoulders and arms. He picked up her hand and sucked each finger. She squirmed under his examination. Her giggles were muffled in the pillow. Her feet flutter-kicked with the sudden change of his trail down the center of her to her breasts, along her abs, over her belly button to the tip of her mound. He branded her.

  In a quick scoop, his hand slid under her, cupping her behind. He flipped her without effort. “I want to admire all sides and angles of you,” he whispered in her ear. “Your ass is sexy as hell.” He stroked the fleshy mound and curves of each globe. Smooth, brown and gloriously replete. He didn’t want to let go. His groin hitched, begging for its own action. Not yet. Instead, he traced his tongue along the middle, down between her thighs.

  Her butt hitched up in the air and eased back down.

  “I feel like I’m going to faint,” her voice squeezed out. She hitched her butt higher. Poised. “I’m so wet.”

  “Let me check.” His fingers beat a rapid two-fingered rhythm against the sensitive flesh.

  She moaned.

  Slowly, his fingers brushed over her clit. She pushed back.

  “Don’t move,” he ordered.

  She reached for his hand.

  “I said, don’t move.”

  “I’m going to scream.”