Passion by the Book (Kimani Hotties) Page 8

  Simone paused. Did I just read that right? Going to Samson’s Gym for the sole purpose of seducing Marcus was brazen, reckless, like something a character in an erotic movie would do. But the thought of doing it excited Simone. And pouncing on her husband in the middle of his workday was sure to get his attention.

  Simone checked her watch. She wanted to go home and change, but if she drove back across town she’d get stuck in midday traffic. Besides, it wasn’t about her look; it was about how she was feeling inside. And reading chapter five had put her in a sexy state of mind. Simone couldn’t wait to see the look on Marcus’s face when she sashayed into his office, threw her arms around him and kissed him passionately. She didn’t know if she could do something that bold, but when doubt seeped in, she reread the last paragraph of the chapter and allowed Dr. RaShondra’s words to imbue her with confidence.

  A Seductress doesn’t waste time fretting and stressing. She pours her time and energy into being the most fabulous woman she can be. And if you’re the shy, timid, Mary Poppins type just fake it. Hey, if Beyoncé can have an alter ego, so can you! Hold your head up, tilt your chin and throw your shoulders back because you’re one bad mama jama. That man you desire is yours for the taking, so unleash your inner seductress on him and don’t hold back. And after you’ve rocked his world—take a moment to catch your breath—and do it all over again!

  Giggling, Simone reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. She wanted to do a “drive-by” on Marcus, but first she had to reschedule her lunch plans. Hoping Angela was still at the station, she punched in her number. “Hey, girl,” she greeted, pleasantly surprised when her best friend answered on the first ring. “How’s it going?”

  “Could be better.”

  “What’s wrong? You sound bummed.”

  Angela paused, then after a long moment, cleared her throat. “Eye on Chicago finished last in the ratings again this week.”

  “Try not to worry. The numbers will pick up.”

  “I hope so, because I’d rather be a store greeter than return to my old job. I need to be around people, not stuck in a cubicle researching useless facts.”

  “You’ve only been on the air for a month. Once viewers find you, they’ll watch,” Simone said, confident they would. “You’re doing a great job, girl, and your segment last night on child beauty pageants was a real eye-opener.”

  “Thanks, Simone. Talking to you always makes me feel better.”

  “I am pretty great, aren’t I?”

  A laugh blasted out of Angela’s mouth. “Can we go to that Cajun restaurant downtown for lunch? I’m in the mood for seafood, and they make the best oyster stew in the city.”

  “About that,” Simone began, biting the inside of her cheek. “I can’t meet today.”

  “Why not? I thought you wanted me to help you rewrite your cover letter.”

  Simone wanted to tell Angela that she had already applied for several caseworker positions online, but didn’t. Her best friend got a kick out of sprucing up résumés, and Simone didn’t want to disappoint her. “I’m bringing Marcus lunch, and by the time I leave his office it’ll be—”

  Angela broke in. “When did you start bringing Marcus lunch?”

  “When I started reading A Sista’s Guide to Seduction!”

  “Oh, brother, not you, too,” she groaned, her tone filled with angst. “I’m sick of hearing about that stupid pink book. My colleagues have been yakking about it nonstop.”

  “You should read it, Angela. It’s a great book, and who knows, maybe following Dr. RaShondra’s rules will lead you straight into the arms of Mr. Right.”

  “Girl, please, I have a better chance of being struck by lightning!”

  The friends laughed.

  “Besides, I’m not the one with the problem,” Angela insisted. “These Chicago men have some serious issues, and I don’t have the time or the energy to deal with their mess.”

  “That’s why you need A Sista’s Guide to Seduction. You’ll learn more about men, gain sexual confidence and view relationships in a whole new light.”

  “I doubt it.”

  “I was a skeptical about the book, too,” Simone confessed. “But Dr. RaShondra really knows her stuff. I’m only halfway through the book, but I’ve already noticed subtle changes in Marcus. He still works insane hours, but now he calls to check in and is more affectionate in public.”

  “Just be careful,” Angela warned, her tone stern. “Relationships are about honesty, not game playing and manipulation. No one can tell you how to live your life or how to have a successful relationship, either. The answer is, and always will be, in you.”

  “Thanks, Oprah Junior.”

  Angela cracked up. She laughed so loud, Simone had to hold the phone away from her ear.

  “Since you’re too busy seducing your husband to meet me for lunch, I’m going to work on my next segment,” she explained, her voice perking up. “I’m doing a piece on professional athletes who’ve had run-ins with the law, and my producer wants my notes by the end of the day.”

  “Let’s have breakfast tomorrow. You can tell me all about the story then.”

  “I can’t. I have a blind date.”

  Simone frowned. “In the morning?”

  “Yup, breakfast dates are the newest dating craze. I’ve been on a couple, and although I didn’t make any love connections, I had a decent time. The dates are short, and if the dude turns out to be dud, I’ve only wasted an hour of my time, as opposed to three.”

  “What do you know about your date?”

  “He’s an L.A. sports agent in town on business.”

  Simone heard papers rustle, a door slam and then the chug of a photocopier. “Is he helping you with your segment?”

  “You could say that,” she replied casually. “I plan to pick his brain about the sports world while we sip our lattes. I like to think of it as killing two birds with one stone.”

  Simone shook her head. Her best friend was never going to change. Love would always take a backseat to Angela’s career, and although she joked about wanting to settle down, Simone knew she wasn’t ready. Angela treasured her independence and didn’t want a man or love cramping her style.

  “Have fun seducing your husband!” Angela quipped, her tone thick with sarcasm. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

  Girl, I’m going to do things you would never dream of! Simone thought, indulging in a wide, saucy smirk. By the time I’m finished with Marcus he won’t remember his name!

  Chapter 8

  The Samson Gym parking lot resembled the Lincoln Park Zoo. As soon as a car exited the complex, five more turned in. Finding a vacant space was an exercise in patience, and at twelve-thirty on a wickedly cold afternoon, Simone was in no mood to wait. Cutting in front of the minivan double-parked in the handicap zone, she squeezed into the empty spot beside the garbage bin and turned off the car. Grabbing the bag of takeout, she took Jayden and Jordan by the hand and led them across the icy parking lot.

  “Hey, boys, what’s shaking?” said a student trainer as they strode toward the front entrance. “Want to come into the gym and kick around the soccer ball?”

  Delight sparked in Jordan’s eyes. “Can we, Mom? We promise to be good.”

  Simone nodded. “Okay. I’ll pick you up when I’m finished talking to Daddy.”

  “Take your time,” Jayden said, grabbing the trainer’s hand. “See you later, Mommy!”

  Off the boys went, laughing and joking with their lanky, blue-eyed friend.

  Simone made her way through the cardio room. Fits of grunts and groans and the sound of clanging weights competed with the rock music blaring from the speakers. Aerobic classes were in full swing, and seniors clad in colorful workout gear chatted beside the water fountain.

  To
limit distractions, Marcus had set up shop in the office at the rear of the gym. It was a small space, with only one window, but he loved the quiet, secluded location. And I do, too, she thought. His office is plain, but it’s the perfect location for a secret rendezvous.

  Simone spotted Danica Lewis perusing the snacks in the vending machine. For the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why the front-desk clerk would dye her hair black or pierce her tongue, but Danica was Simone’s favorite staff member and they got along great. The business major doted on Jayden and Jordan but never let them get out of line. “Hi, Danica,” Simone greeted her. “How’s school? Maintaining that 4.0 GPA, I hope.”

  “You know it!”

  The women laughed.

  “Is Marcus here?” Simone held up the plastic bag. “I brought him lunch.”

  Danica hustled around the circular desk. “I’ll just buzz you in. I’m leaving to run some errands, but I should be back in an hour.”

  “Great, maybe I’ll stick around and join that Boxercise class you’ve been raving about.”

  “Sounds good. See you later, Mrs. Young!”

  I couldn’t have planned this better myself, Simone thought, heading down the long, narrow corridor. With Danica gone, I don’t have to worry about any untimely interruptions.

  Simone found Marcus behind his desk, on the phone, flipping through a manila file folder. His office, though filled with awards, plaques and sports memorabilia, was a stark contrast to his spacious home office. A bookshelf, two chairs and a closet—which housed everything from suits to jeans and runners—were the only furniture in the room.

  Simone knocked gently on the door.

  Marcus glanced up from his desk. His entire face came alive, brightened with surprise. His smile grabbed her, made her feel light-headed and dizzy. Keeping her hands behind her back, she leaned nonchalantly against the door frame and struck her best come-and-get-me pose.

  “Come in,” he mouthed, waving her inside. Rolling his eyes wildly, he cupped the mouthpiece and lowered it to his chest. “This fitness equipment rep could talk until the Second Coming of Christ,” he joked, shaking his head. “Just hang tight. I’ll be off in a minute.”

  But a minute turned into two, then five, and when Marcus started talking about his upcoming interview with the Chicago Bears, Simone wondered if he remembered she was even there. To remind him, she cleared her throat.

  “I’ll be in touch.” He paused, then said, “Yes. Okay. Bye.”

  “Finally,” she teased, concealing a smile. “I thought you’d never get off the phone.”

  Marcus dropped the receiver in the cradle. “I didn’t know you were stopping by.”

  “Do I need a reason to come see my gorgeous husband?”

  “Of course not, baby. You’re always welcome here. Where are Jayden and Jordan?”

  “Playing in the kid’s gym.” Simone stepped inside the office, careful to conceal the plastic bag. “I promised you’d come see them before we leave.”

  “How has your day been?”

  “Okay. I applied for a few part-time jobs, and the boys helped me bake cookies.”

  Marcus nodded absently, shuffled the papers around on his desk. “How was practice?”

  “Don’t ask.”

  “That bad, huh? Let me guess, Jayden cried the whole time and Jordan shot wildly at the net every five seconds—” Marcus paused and sniffed the air. “Ummm, I smell mozzarella cheese.”

  “I brought you a steak sandwich, sweet potato fries and a slice of cherry cheesecake.” Simone took her hands from behind her back and swung the plastic bag in front of his face. “Tell me where we’re going for our romantic weekend getaway and I’ll give you all this food.”

  “That’s blackmail!”

  “Fess up, or prepare to watch me eat in front of you!”

  Chuckling, he pushed back his chair and strode around his desk. “Baby, that’s cold. I can’t believe you’d stoop so low. What happened to the sweet, loving woman I married?”

  “She started watching Mob Wives and got a backbone!” Simone tossed her head back and had a good laugh. She was enjoying every minute of their playful banter, and she could tell by the grin on her husband’s face that he liked it, too. “Be a good sport, baby. This is all in good fun.”

  “I never knew you played dirty.”

  “There’s a lot about me you don’t know.”

  Marcus took the bag from her, rested it on his desk and circled his arms around her waist. The scent of her perfume fell over him, stirring his sexual hunger. “I’m glad you stopped by. Seeing you is the best part of my day—”

  “Quit trying to sweet-talk me,” she sassed, cutting him off midsentence. “I’m not relinquishing the food until you tell me what I need to know, so start talking, Mr. Young.”

  “Fine, I’ll tell you where we’re going.” Pausing expectantly, he leaned against the desk and crossed his legs at his ankles. “We’re going to spend four nights and five days at the world-renowned Chateau LeBlanc in Manchester, Vermont.”

  Simone blinked hard. She must have misheard Marcus, because it sounded like he said they were going to—she coughed, stumbled over the word—Vermont.

  “I know you had your heart set on going to the Dominican Republic again, but I thought it would be cool to go somewhere nearby, somewhere we’ve never been before.”

  The weight of her disappointment was crushing, heavier than hundred-pound weights. Grappling for her words, Simone swallowed the bitter, rancid taste in her mouth. Who ever heard of trading one wickedly cold place for another? she wondered, trying to figure out why Marcus would have planned a trip to Vermont. Unless... Her mouth fell open, hit her chest with a thud. I should have known this trip was too good to be true! This wasn’t a romantic weekend getaway; it was a business trip. Had to be. Why else would he want to go there? “You have a meeting in Manchester, don’t you?”

  His smile dimmed. “I have a couple appointments lined up the morning we arrive, but after that I’m all yours.”

  “Can I get that in writing?”

  Marcus chuckled. “You don’t need to. There’s nothing more important to me than spending the weekend with you, and I plan to give you my undivided attention.”

  Simone brightened at the news. Sure, she was disappointed that they weren’t going to an exotic, postcard-perfect island, but a few days alone with her husband sounded like paradise. The truth was, Simone didn’t care where they went as long as they were together—and Marcus’s cell phone was turned off. “Tell me more about the trip.”

  “No way,” he replied with an adamant shake of his head. “I’ve already told you too much. Just trust me. We’re going to have a blast.”

  “We are?” Simone frowned. “As far as I know, there isn’t a whole lot to do in Manchester besides winter sports, and when it comes to skiing I have two left feet!”

  Marcus brushed his nose against her cheek, used his fingertips to draw circles on her back. “I have a ton of activities planned and a romantic evening at the Chateau’s spa that you’ll never, ever forget.”

  His enthusiasm was contagious, and soon Simone was wearing a smile as wide as his. “I can’t wait to leave,” she confessed. “I just hope it isn’t freezing cold there.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll be there to warm you up.”

  “I look forward to it.”

  His eyes danced over her face, then crawled down her chest.

  “All those extra training sessions with that reality star are really paying off,” she purred, squeezing his biceps. “You’ve beefed up a lot these past few months.”

  His chest inflated with pride. “I love when you stroke my ego.”

  “And I love when you stroke me.”

  Marcus crushed his lips to her moist, lush mouth. His kiss scorched her, set every
nerve ending in her body on fire. Snaking her hands around his neck, she stroked the back of his fine, smooth hair. Simone felt a hint of his tongue and used hers to coax his out of his mouth. Their tongues touched and lapped, played and teased.

  Nothing compared to kissing him, to being in his arms. Marcus ravished her with his mouth, kindled her hunger with his lips and lavished words of praise on her. “You’re so gorgeous, so ridiculously beautiful,” he rasped, brushing his lips across her cheeks. “How in the world did I end up married to a woman as incredible as you?”

  Each kiss grew more intense, desperate.

  The air became thick, so charged with sexual tension that Simone couldn’t breathe. She felt an insane rush of pleasure that pulsed from her nipples to her core. Panting, she clung desperately to him. Marcus lifted her up off her feet, backed her up against the far wall. The room spun, whirled out of control. Her body trembled, hummed, shook like she’d been shocked by a defibrillator. The phone rang, and the loud, incessant noise concealed her moans of passion.

  Off went her sweater, his hoodie, their shoes.

  Shoving down the straps of her bra, he used his tongue to tickle her cleavage. He cupped her breasts, mashed them together. Marcus blew in her ear, stroked the most sensitive areas of her flesh with his hands and mouth. Grinding himself into her, he rocked and thrust his hips until she was whimpering his name.

  Adrenaline kicked in, sent a million tremors shooting through her body. It had never been like this, never, ever been this intense. Simone felt alive, energized, like she’d just polished off a whole case of energy drinks.

  Caught up in the moment and the pure thrill of doing something so forbidden and reckless, Simone couldn’t bring herself to stop. She’d overstayed her welcome, completely disregarded the advice given in chapter five of A Sista’s Guide to Seduction, but Simone didn’t want to leave. Not when Marcus was doing and saying all the right things.