A Taste of Temptation(28)
“No, but he had them, and he was live last night, girlfriend.”
“Really? Did he throw down on you?”
“He was an absolute gentleman. He bought me candy, took me to the…”
“Can all that! Did you tongue dance with him or what?”
“Tiff! Well, yeah. What woman with common sense wouldn’t have kissed him? We made out in the movie theater. And that’s all you get.”
“Well, goodnight, Irene! Check you out, making it with the white Superfly of the entire city. He is jammin’, girl. You sure you didn’t do more than kiss him? I would have slammed him down on that car seat, and…”
“I get it! I know what you would have done to him and I don’t think he would have survived. For us, though, It was sweet and innocent.”
“Darn right! See, you don’t know how to take advantage of an opportunity.”
“With him I do. I want it to last, Tiffany. It was so magical last night; he looked so different, not like a professor, but like a regular guy.”
“Timothy Polaris ain’t no regular dude, girl! Sorry to burst your bubble.”
“I don’t mean that. It was like he was—Jacob Anthony Wells.”
“Who?”
“The name he gave me the first night I met him.”
“Yeah, I remember. Girl, you got a lot in store for yourself. Do everything this man tells you to do. If you don’t, I will. Get me?”
“He and I are going to my cousin Verdeen’s wedding next weekend, so eat your heart out.”
“Right, rub it in, why don’t you.”
“Shut up and get dressed. Aren’t we still going to the mall?”
“Yeah, catch you in a half-hour, and be ready, Brandi. My dad only lets me have the Hummer for two hours. He probably thinks I’ll sell it.”
“You’ve done worse.”
Both she and Tim were tired from dancing at Verdeen’s reception. They were quiet on the way back. Tim stared straight ahead. He looked so good in his tuxedo; his after-shave was so husky and manly, making her want him more and more. They had decided to put that part of life on hold until they both ready to go deeper into their physical relationship again. She pulled at his sleeve. “Did you have a good time at the wedding?”
“It was a lot of fun.”
“You sure? At times you looked bored.”
“Who could be bored with you around? I just didn’t know anyone there. You know how it is. Besides, weddings make me nervous.”
“Why?”
“My mother remarried, and that relationship was a disaster for my brother and me. The guy treated us exactly like what we were to him, stepchildren. There was no love between us at all. Then there was my marriage to Charlotte, another disaster.”
“I’m really sorry. Had I known, I wouldn’t have suggested the wedding. We could have done something else tomorrow.”
“No way. I wanted to be with you. It was your cousin’s wedding, and you couldn’t miss that.” He parked and faced her. “I’ll do anything to be with you.”
“We have worked pretty darn hard to be together, haven’t we?”
“Yeah, I’m in the game now; no sitting on the bench for me.”
“If this is any consolation, Verdeen told me that you were ‘hot-t-t.’ She said it just like that.”
“No one cared that I was the only white guy there?”
“Everyone thought you were great. Were you uncomfortable?”
“I had you there to keep my mind active, too active. You look, well, that dress you’re wearing is enough to make me lose it.”
“That’s why I wore it, and I caught the bridal bouquet, too. What do you think about that?”
“Good catch. One day you’ll be tossing it.”
“At our wedding?”
“Stranger things have happened.”
“I hope Tiffany catches it. She’ll need to be off the market, if she doesn’t marry before I do. Actually, she needs to be in an asylum for the sexually insane. You know, I had to peel her off me at the mall last weekend. She wanted every detail of our date. She’s got it bad for you.”
“Do you have it bad for me?”
She leaned over and kissed him. Her tongue danced with his briefly before pulling away. “Does that answer your question?”
“Yes, but I have more questions.”
“Walk me inside and you’ll get your answers. Mom and Dad haven’t left the reception yet.”
“What about Brian?”
“Staying the night with a friend.” She winked at him. “Let’s go.”
Once inside, he helped her out of her coat and then embraced her. “We’d better get in some really good kissing before your parents return.”
“My thoughts exactly.” Her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders, caressing his silk shirt, feeling his muscles flex as though they were rods of lightening—hot, wild, and dangerous. She ruled his every move, edging him on, feeling him pressing hard against her stomach.
Tim loosened his tie, then lifted her dress to finger the band of her panties. His fingers tickled her stomach as she responded to his advances. His hand slid inside the silk panties, stroking her skin, inching towards her core. “Keep doing that. Your hands are so strong.” She was moist for him, and he took advantage, dipping inside, feeling her throb against his fingers, slow, rhythmic movements in and out of her body.
He moaned, “I want you, Brandi. I know what we agreed on but…”
“I know, but not here.” The ringing phone startled them. He whispered in her ear. “Let it ring.”
Brandi pressed against him, not wanting him to stop. She ached for him as they kissed. Her body soon shuddered against his, holding on to him, clawing at his back as a rush filled her mind and body, I love you, Tim. She slowly broke from him, staring at him in awe. “You really are incredible.”
He kissed her shaking hands. “No, but you are. That was a heck of a good-night kiss, darling.”
“Sure was.” She re-buttoned his first two buttons, looking into his eyes. “I really think I’m falling hard for you, Timothy Edward. You’re the only man my eyes can see.”
Minutes later, they heard keys turning the lock on the front door. Mr. and Mrs. Miles stepped inside. Her mother smiled at the couple still standing in the middle of the floor. “I see you two beat us back.”
An embarrassed smile crossed Brandi’s face. “By seconds only.” It was definitely time for Tim to go before their faces gave them away. “Here’s your coat, Tim. Call me tonight. I’ve got practice early tomorrow for the championship game between Madison and East Pointe U.”
“You’ll do well. I’ll be there, too.”
She smiled and lowered her voice; her father was still standing within earshot. “Good, I can see you after the game.”
All he could do was smile. “Walk me to the door.” He looked at Mr. Miles, who was pretending to fix a crooked picture—with his coat still on. “It’s getting late, and we both have to get up early.”
Mr. Miles watched Brandi kiss Tim good night and waited until the door was closed before confronting her. “Brandi, about this Timothy guy. There are things about him that you should…”
“Yeah, isn’t he great? I’m crazy about him.” She started to run up the steps but her father stopped her again.
“Brandi. You and I need to talk about Timothy Polaris.”
“What is there to say about him other than he is all I’ve ever wanted?”
“You don’t know this guy the way you should.”
Brandi slowly walked back down the steps and looked her father square in the eyes. “Dad, I know you don’t want me dating white men, but this isn’t your decision. Tim and I are a couple now, and that’s all there is to it.”
“He has a past, honey, and…”
“He told me about his being arrested as a teen. We all have problems, and apparently he has worked through his. I don’t want to discuss this anymore, Dad.”
Mrs. Miles entered the room again as Brandi left. She stared at her husband with an I can’t believe you approached her about him kind of look. “You don’t need to talk to Brandi about Tim, Jeff.”
“She needs to know about him.”
“He will tell her, not you. If you keep hounding her, you will drive a wedge between you and your daughter. Don’t you know I would have left my parents’ house in a heartbeat had they said anything negative about you? She will, too. You don’t want your daughter to leave, do you?”
“No, that I don’t want. But she just doesn’t understand about him.”
“You need to drop this, Jeff. You run old issues into the ground. You always have.”
“Fine, it’s dropped. I just don’t want her hurt.”
“He won’t hurt her.”
He shoved his hands into his pockets and shrugged his shoulders. “Can you make me some coffee? Add some scotch to it; I think I’ll need it.”
After the loss to East Pointe U, Brandi took an unusually long shower after everyone else left the locker room. Her Aunt Theresa drove her to the game and was waiting for her in the stands. Brandi needed to think about things. Everything seemed to be on her mind that night; the game, her life with Tim, even Eric’s juvenile actions were still on her mind. Eric had denied responsibility for the tire tracks across Tim’s lawn. But she wondered if he was behind that. He was always wrongfully accused—in his mind. He never faced things. But Tim was first and foremost on her mind that night, and every night. He was the reason she wanted everyone gone so she could walk from the dressing rooms with him and steal a juicy kiss. Theresa would just have to wait an extra five minutes to take her home.