Other People's Business Page 18

  Autumn’s mind was suddenly too full for conversation. She was all talked out, and just trying to keep up with him was sapping the little energy she had left. L.J. probably wouldn’t go for it, the timing was way off, but she wanted to make love. The heat of his lips, his strong, manly hands stroking and caressing her body and the pure pleasure of him inside her was just what the doctor ordered. The desire to make love was crushing. Fuelled by sheer passion, she kissed him long and hard. It rocked them both to the core. She beckoned him to follow her lead.

  L.J. didn’t want to end the spellbinding lip-lock, but he had to. He’d finally built up the nerve to come clean and he had to maintain his focus. “What was that for?” he asked after breaking away.

  Autumn set her lips in a mischievous smile. In a tone of voice that made L.J. want to lob her over his shoulder, and sprint down the hall to the bedroom, she whispered, “For being understanding.” She kissed him softly on the lips this time. “And compassionate.” Tracing her tongue along the curve of his ear, she purred, “And devilishly handsome.”

  L.J. felt the heat rise up his neck. Making love was tempting, too damn tempting in fact, but he couldn’t. He clamped down on his desire. “What I’m about to tell you could change things between us. And I don’t…”

  Autumn never knew L.J. could chatter this much. And she wished he’d stop. He was killing the mood. Eyes alight with expectation, she kissed him ferociously, steering his hands from her shoulders to her aching breasts. She straddled him, flicking her tongue across his mouth, his ear and down the slope of his neck. That was just enough to get his attention. But she didn’t stop there. Rubbing her hands on the growing bulge in his pants, she stroked him until he was good and hard. Autumn helped him out of his jeans, then his boxers, all the while stroking his manhood. She gripped the tip of his erection, twisting it gently as if she was unscrewing a bottle cap, and in a matter of seconds she had a body-tingling rhythm going. Taking the helm and initiating sex was as foreign to Autumn as speaking Japanese, but she wanted to properly apologize for the way she’d mistreated him. And this seemed as good a way as any.

  L.J. basked in the feel of her delicate hands. When she dropped to her knees and took all of him in her mouth, his head lolled back, his tongue stopped working, his eyes closed. This is too good to be true!

  Thoughts of Rachelle, their short-lived marriage and the anguish of the last year faded into the background, images of a half-naked Autumn teasing him with her tongue materialized. Somewhere in the miasma of carnal pleasure, L.J. was reminded of his confession. I’m going to tell her, he vowed. Just not right now. He wasn’t about to pass up this generous offer. After all, he was no fool. Telling Autumn now, in the heat of the moment, would be more than just a mood killer. It would be the end of his life, as he knew it. It had taken a month of intense phone conversations, romantic dinners and three miserable hours at the theater to tear down the walls around Autumn’s heart. They were closer now than he could have ever imagined, and he didn’t want to destroy what they’d worked so hard to build. He had the woman of his dreams instigating sex and unless he wanted to be hurled out into the street buck-naked, he’d better keep his trap shut.

  Autumn sat back down on L.J.’s lap. She had a wild-eyed look about her. Her shoulder-length braids were tousled and her full lips slightly swollen.

  “Well, aren’t we brazen tonight?”

  “You haven’t seen nothin’ yet,” she promised, brushing her breasts against his chest. His breath caught when she ran her fingertips up and down his back. L.J. had never had a lap dance before, but he knew it couldn’t be any better than what Autumn was doing with her hips. She was swiveling and swirling and grinding in such an erotic motion, he almost climaxed. And by the time Autumn shed her thong panties and eased down onto his manhood, his entire body was throbbing. Face-to-face, chest-to-chest, they began rocking back and forth. Her short, fast, up-and-down movements and the naughty language she was speaking were turning him inside out. When Autumn rubbed her hands over his head, L.J. smiled widely. He loved when she did that. It was playful and arousing and cute all at the same time.

  L.J. could hardly believe this was the same skittish woman he’d invited into his uncle’s house a few weeks back. Autumn was as good as a girl could be, except behind closed doors. She changed colors faster than a chameleon in the jungle and never seemed to astonish him with her sexual prowess.

  Autumn slowed a fraction, then started the wickedly delicious pattern all over again. They moved in a rhythmic movement, each thrust taking them closer to the threshold of passion. The air was damp and warm, perfumed with the heat of their lovemaking.

  L.J. captured her face in his hands. He kissed her deeply, enfolding her in his arms. Autumn Nicholson was the most incredible woman he had ever met. Outspoken but warm, intelligent but not presumptuous. But it was what she did next that sealed her place in his heart. She kissed his eyelids. It was highly unusual, very intimate and no woman had ever done that to him before. She replaced her lips with her fingertips, then ran her tongue over his eyelids. L.J. unraveled faster than a roll of carpet. He felt an overpowering sense of love for her in that moment.

  Autumn didn’t know which one of them was groaning, but it was an ear-shattering sound. It was an animalistic moan and it got louder and louder with each thrust. She tried to hold on to her orgasm, but was completely and utterly powerless. L.J. followed right behind her, drawing her to his chest and succumbing to the intense pull of his body. With one last thrust, he exploded inside her.

  Afterwards, they lay in the security of each other’s arms, whispering words of love. The calm of the night engulfed them, the light of the moon washing over their damp bodies. Thirty minutes would pass before L.J. would pick Autumn up and carry her to the bedroom. He had set the water for a bubble bath, lit the cherry-scented candles surrounding the tub and had taken a few extra seconds to select her favorite Maxwell CD. The balladeer’s melodious voice encircled the room in a sensual love jam as L.J. lowered Autumn into the tub and bathed her with all the gentleness and delicacy a man could possess. Autumn shut her eyes. She reveled in the sweet-sounding music and the feel of L.J.’s hands, praying this real-life dream she was living would never come to an end.

  Chapter 16

  The beautiful weather the next evening was perfect for an evening swim. The cloudless sky and soothing breeze greeted Autumn as she flung open the back door of her apartment and strolled across the lawn. When she reached the pool, she tossed a beach towel on one of the chaise lounges, adjusted her bikini top and dove into the water with the ease and grace of a mermaid. The cool water flowed around Autumn as she swam the length of the pool.

  She thought about the next four days as her backstroke cut powerfully into the water. This was the last night she would be alone with L.J. The rest of the week would be filled with fittings, rehearsals, family dinners and the infamous bachelor and bachelorette parties. The wedding was finally here and although Autumn was overjoyed for Melissa and Peter, its arrival meant her time with L.J. was coming to a close.

  Autumn completed her sixth lap and then swam over to a red floating lounger. She couldn’t help wondering where her ebony valentine was. L.J. had never been this late before. While she was out doing some errands, he had left a throaty message on her answering machine explaining that he was running late, but promising to be at her place by eight o’clock. It was now eight-forty. After giving herself a manicure and watching two entire episodes of Friends, Autumn had changed out of her flowered sundress, slipped into her favorite bikini and grabbed a beach towel. A dip in the pool was just the antidote for the boredom that had set in, and after a few laps her nerves would dissipate.

  Autumn loved the feel of the sun on her face; it was fresh and bright, just like her relationship with L.J. She sighed in contentment. She was in love. Hopelessly and desperately in love. Life couldn’t be any better. She had a fine, chivalrous man who adored her and their relationship was drama-free. No arguing. No fussi
ng. No blow-ups. Just love. She had experienced many highs in her twenty-nine years, but nothing compared to the all-encompassing feelings of love. Not a promotion. Not a new car. Not even a thousand-dollar shopping spree.

  Autumn’s smile slipped a notch. Tonight was the night she and L.J. would have their “talk.” She wanted to tell him she loved him, but she still wasn’t convinced sharing her heart was a good idea. What if he laughed at her? It was unlikely, but a possibility all the same. What if he didn’t return her feelings? Autumn stretched back on the lounger. It was times like this she wished she had a crystal ball. She needed some direction. Should I or shouldn’t I? The words rattled around in her head, until she forced her eyes shut. Autumn took one consoling breath after another. The faint sound of country music blended with the cooing of nearby pigeons as she felt herself let go of the stress she had been carrying around for the last few weeks. Her body loosened, her breathing slowed and she envisioned herself with L.J., strolling along on an island beach, entangled in his arms. Autumn was giving in to the sleep pulling at her body when at the last possible second the sound of footsteps reached her ears.

  “Looking good, babe,” a familiar voice said. “Lookin’ real good.”

  Autumn cringed. Leave it to Tyrell to ruin a perfectly good day. Her eyes flew open when he called her name for the third time. Shielding her eyes from the sun with her hands, she pulled herself up to a sitting position, crossed her arms over her chest and stared back at her ex-boyfriend. “What the hell do you want?”

  Tyrell licked his lips as his eyes traveled the length of Autumn’s body. Thoughts of her naked, draped across his bed, made the walls of his throat constrict. He had always known she had an A-plus body, but he had never seen anything but arms and legs. Her mint-green bikini fit like a second skin and highlighted her shapely hips, taut stomach and full breasts. Licking his lips again, he smoothed a hand over his white ribbed T-shirt.

  He was staring openly, transfixed by her beauty, but had the presence of mind to speak. “It’s nice seeing you again, Autumn. How’ve you been?” He didn’t know what she had been doing with herself these last few weeks, but whatever she was doing was working. Her skin was radiant and she looked youthful. Despite her narrowed eyes and pinched lips, she looked sexy.

  Tyrell had been dating three very different, but equally attractive women when he’d met Autumn at a house party last March. After a handful of dates, it was clear that the senior accountant was head and shoulders above the rest. With her immaculate manners, sharp wit and eclectic fashion sense, she’d easily won over his hard-to-please mother and had secured a place in his life.

  A wide-toothed grin filled Tyrell’s face. Autumn had no idea, but he was there for one reason and one reason only, to win her back. He wasn’t interested in marriage—not to her or anyone else—but the thought of her in the arms of that bodybuilding brother made Tyrell want to dive into the Potomac. She was still his woman and it wasn’t over until he said it was over.

  Deciding she had had enough of the water and her ex, Autumn slid off the lounger, swam over to the shallow end of the pool and trudged up the steps. When she was just a few feet away from Tyrell, the stomach-churning scents of cologne, whiskey and nicotine barred her from coming any closer. She wanted to ask him if he’d taken up smoking again, but didn’t. What Tyrell did with his time and to his body were no longer her concern.

  He held out her towel. “I hope you’re not still mad at me.”

  “Why are you here?” Autumn asked in a clipped tone, ripping it from his hands. “Aren’t there public pools in your area?”

  “Yeah, but I wanted to see you.”

  She wiped her face, then swathed the cloth around her waist. She was in no mood for Tyrell. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever. But it was better she hear him out so he could be on his way. The last thing she needed was him trailing her upstairs to her apartment where L.J. could show up at any time. “We have nothing to say to each other, Tyrell.”

  “How about, ‘I’m sorry,’” he offered, his voice stripped of pride. “I lost my head at the Grisbey party and I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to embarrass you, Autumn. That’s the honest-to-God truth. I just wanted to make that clear, so there weren’t any hard feelings between us.”

  Autumn needed to hear that. She had no intention of taking him back, but it didn’t mean she had to be unreasonable. Deep down Tyrell was one of the good guys and she knew when he met the right woman he would do right by her.

  “Apology accepted.”

  Tyrell knew he was pressing his luck, but he said what was on his mind anyway. “We should get together again.” When her forehead creased, he added, “Nothing fancy, just two old friends having dinner somewhere.”

  I guess it’s true what they say after all, Autumn thought. You don’t know what you have ’til it’s gone. She couldn’t resist reminding him of the past. “We’ll have to see about that. I know what a demanding schedule you have with your friends and what not. I’d hate to take you away from a grand opening of a nightclub, or a rap concert or your cherished, high-tech computer or one of your female friends.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Autumn. You know there’s no one in my life more important than you. And I might know a lot of women, but none of them are as captivating or as interesting as you are.”

  Autumn howled. Tossed her head back and laughed until she got it all out. Tyrell was laying the compliments on thick. And when he told her he hadn’t been able to eat or sleep since their break-up, she doubled over in laughter.

  L.J. watched the lover’s reunion from between two ficus trees at the corner of the lawn. He felt like a Peeping Tom, but made no attempts to move. He was too far away to hear what Tyrell was saying, but the look on Autumn’s face said he was saying all the right things. Her eyes were aglow and she was laughing like he was Eddie Murphy on stage at Constitutional Hall.

  His hands clenched into tight balls. Sweat dripped down his face and his heart was racing as though he had just run the hundred-yard dash. Swabbing his forehead with the back of his hand, he took a deep breath. And then another. He wished Autumn’s swimsuit had some more material—a lot more. It looked like a dust rag. Her breasts were totally on display and she was giving the whole complex a view of what was supposed to be for his eyes only. And the covetous expression on Tyrell’s face made him grit his teeth in silent rage. In a small way, L.J. felt proud. She resembled a Sports Illustrated cover model in that bikini. Her brown skin shimmered under the sun and her hair hung over her shoulders. But L.J. couldn’t stand watching Tyrell undress her with his eyes. And every few seconds he would touch her arm or reach for her hand or pull her to him. L.J. shut his eyes. He let the calming rays of the sun quiet his very real fears. He had nothing to worry about. Autumn was with him now, and they were happy.

  The corners of his lips curved upwards. Last night had been one of the best nights of his life. Autumn had rocked his world. It wasn’t Tyrell’s name she had cried out loud enough to wake the entire fourth floor. It had been his. His confidence returned. He trusted Autumn. She would never do anything to hurt him. But when Tyrell whispered something in her ear and she giggled, L.J. almost blew a gasket. He hated Tyrell being here, let alone having his slimy paws all over her. L.J. had seen all he could stand. He turned, but his feet didn’t move. This is Autumn, dummy, not Rachelle. Autumn would never cheat on you. She loves you too much to do something like that.

  L.J. didn’t know about that last part, but he knew the former to be true. He and Autumn were great together. They were a perfect fit. Time escaped him whenever she was around and she found a way to make every day that they were together special. They cared for and about each other and there was nothing anyone could do to change that, including Tyrell. He dragged his hand over the length of his face and channeled positive thoughts.

  Jumping into his truck and speeding off wasn’t an option, but he couldn’t stomach hearing her hee-haw with Tyrell, either. Should he hang back and wait until the clown l
eft or confront them now? L.J. had no time to mull it over. The decision was taken out of his hands when Tyrell’s lips swooped down on her. Discounting the hazard lights flashing in his head, he charged over to them with as much restraint as a raging bull.

  Autumn didn’t see L.J. until it was too late. She untangled Tyrell’s arms from around her waist, and stepped back. She coughed to clear the shame lodged in her throat, and avoided L.J.’s menacing gaze as he stalked towards her. She felt like such an idiot. For half a second, she’d forgotten how slick Tyrell could be and had dropped her guard.

  She forced herself to meet L.J.’s eyes. What she saw scared her. He looked like a man one tick away from a stroke. His eyes were wild and intense and his normally fluid walk was unbelievably clumsy. And when Autumn smiled over at him, his eyebrows knitted even closer together. She scoured her brain for a plausible reason for Tyrell being with her. Autumn didn’t want L.J. to think she had invited him over, but at the same time she couldn’t go ahead and tell him the real reason Tyrell had stopped by, either.

  L.J. closed in on them in four short strides. His mouth flew open to tell Mr. Touchy-Feely to get his hands off his woman, but Autumn’s voice drowned him out.

  “Hey, L.J. What’s up?” Her voice sounded even as she maintained her too-bright smile and continued. “I got restless and decided to come down for a swim.” She swept a quivering hand toward the pool like she was a model on The Price Is Right and he’d just won the showcase. “Tyrell was in the area visiting some friends and stopped by to say hello. He was just leaving.”

  “I was?” Tyrell didn’t want to leave. Five more minutes alone with her and he would be back in her good graces. If he left now, all of his hard work would be in vain. Tyrell didn’t care if Mr. Bodybuilder popped an eye vessel. He wasn’t going anywhere.

  Autumn shot her ex a peevish look. “Didn’t you say you had a party to go to?”

  “No.”