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  “Mitch, the door,” she reminded, looking at his hand.

  “Thanks again for tonight,” he said in a low whisper, searching for the right words to say.

  “You’ve said that about one hundred times. You are welcome.” She smiled. It was becoming hard to even be short with him.

  He opened the door slightly, then closed it and leaned against the entry so that she could not pass.

  “If I attempt to kiss you, will you kick my ass?” he asked with a playful grin. His accent was thick now.

  “Probably,” she said sighing. “These baskets are sort of heavy. Just let me go home, Mitch. I’m tired. I told you what you’re feeling is just the rebound...”

  “Oh, shut up with that woman,” he said quickly.

  Leaning into her, he grabbed her arms quickly before she could protest and pulled her into him. Firmly, he held her warm body close to his and met her lips with a curious kiss, searching her warm, sweet, full mouth with his own. She tasted delicious, like a sweet, expensive delicacy. She tried to fight, tried to pry away, but she finally gave in. His cologne, his lips, his touch, it all released into her. She went limp, dropping the baskets on the floor beside them.

  Mitch thought that she might try to hit him, but instead, she wrapped her strong hands around him. He could feel her nails trailing in his curly hair. She moaned. It was a frail cry of sensual pleasure that spoke to the deepest of his sexual desires.

  The small recognition of her touch made him hard. He pressed against her, kissing her deeper, tasting more of her. Feeling her thick, full bosom against him, he lost himself in her mouth, in the fleshy feel of her minty tongue.

  Sucking it, savoring it, he kissed her until he had made his point. When he released her, her beautiful eyes were still closed shut, covered by long lashes that curled over each other.

  He swallowed hard and prepared to be slapped. However, when her eyes finally flitted opened, she only licked her lips and took a deep breath.

  LaToya thought of that great book, Waiting to Exhale. She thought of Terry McMillan when she opened her eyes. She felt like she was floating, like the sun had re-emerged in the middle of the night. His lips were still wet, still ready. She licked her own and felt a silky warmness between her hot thighs that caused her knees to shake.

  “I’m certain that this is not a rebound thing. I...I just had to make that point clear. Now, can I carry your things to your car for you since they are heavier tonight than usual?” he asked, realizing there was little more than he could say decently. He visibly panted, fought not to pursue her.

  “Sure,” she whispered, opening the door for herself.

  She was still in a daze, trying to wrap her mind around what had just happened. Plus, there was a child here. She had to go. Even though she wanted to stay and see what else Mitch could do well, she simply had to leave.

  Chapter Five

  It was a rainy Sunday morning and Elaine was due back at any moment. Relaxing in front of the television, Mitch and Zach watched a soccer game while eating leftovers from LaToya’s huge meal on Friday.

  Buckets of water splashed against the window and wind beat against the shutters. But the tranquil calmness inside made both of them forget about the weather. Today, they were happy.

  It had been a long time since the house had been spotless for his visitation with his son. Mitch appreciated the fact that they could dwell in the large space without falling over boxes and papers. He watched his son relaxed and enjoying their time together and felt a sense of ease that he had not felt since Elaine left.

  Resting his head back on the couch, he closed his eyes and thought involuntarily of LaToya’s warm mouth again. He could feel her hot breath on his skin and the taste of her marvelous, velvety tongue. The hair began to rise on his arm and goose bumps formed. He had kissed LaToya. The thought made him lick his lips, trying to recall every sensation again, but nothing would do. He needed the real thing.

  Glancing over at his cell phone, he grabbed it up and went into the other room. The phone dialed and rang for only a minute, then LaToya answered. Her voice was sweet and calming.

  “Hello,” she said smiling.

  “LaToya,” Mitch swallowed hard. “What are you doing?”

  “Sitting in my library reading.”

  “You have a library?” He looked in the media room at the large television mounted on the wall and suddenly felt inferior.

  “I guess you could call it that. It’s mine. So, that’s what I call it.”

  “Do you have some huge mansion on a hill?” he joked.

  LaToya laughed. “My house is smaller than one part of your downstairs.”

  “But I bet it’s beautiful.”

  LaToya looked around the room and shook her head. “I think so.”

  Mitch took a deep breath and lowered his voice. “I’d like to see it.”

  There was silence on the line.

  “Your library, I mean,” he said, running his hand through is hair.

  “I know what you meant,” she said softly. “I’m trying to decide if that’s a good idea or not.”

  “You’ve seen my place. Why shouldn’t I see yours?”

  “Because it’s unprofessional, and I’m attempting really hard to keep your business, Mitch O’Keefe.”

  Mitch smiled. So, it was hard for her too. “I want to see you again, and I don’t want to wait. Can I come over to see your library and talk to you?”

  “Aren’t you babysitting?”

  “Well, it’s not really babysitting. He’s my kid.” He scratched his head again and looked in the room at his son still watching the game. “Plus, he’ll be gone in just a bit. Then, I’ll be here alone, and I don’t have anything to do today. And even if I did...”

  “Mitch, you’re rambling.”

  “I know. Can you help me out? Say yes.”

  There was silence on the phone.

  “Yes.” She finally gave in to his pleas. “I’ll text you my address. What time?”

  “As soon as Elaine arrives.”

  “About what time will that be?”

  “Three.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you at four,” she answered

  “3:30,” he replied. “And not a minute later.”

  She giggled. “Fine. 3:30 it is.”

  ***

  Usually when Elaine arrived to Mitch’s house, there was always a heated argument laced with hurtful words, pleas and confusion. She braced herself for the torture of a broken marriage as she rang the doorbell. What would he have to say today?she thought.

  Nervously, she looked back at her fiancé, who was sitting in the car looking out the window at her, awaiting the drama and ready to attack. His car sat idly with the lights on her while the windshield wipers made swift evolutions back and forth on the glass as she stood in under her large pink umbrella in the downpour of rain.

  Annoyed, she rang the doorbell again, taking out her frustration on the small, glowing button. After a large crack of thunder behind her made her nearly jump out of her shoes, the door quickly swung open and smells of food, bleach and cinnamon potpourri met her. She was speechless. For the first time since the disaster, she caught a glimpse of the Mitch she knew many years ago.

  Behind him, was a glow of candles and dim lights. Around him was a glow of happiness. With a bright, telling smile on his perfectly shaped lips, Mitch called for Zach to get his bags because his mother, not Elaine, had arrived to pick him up. Hands out of his pockets and his wedding ring off, he invited her in.

  “Hi Elaine,” he said warmly. “How was your trip? Please come in. It’s raining.”

  Elaine was speechless. Clutching her purse, she looked back at Felix and then stepped very carefully inside out of the rain into the foyer.

  This time she looked around the house and noticed that it was immaculate. She had missed that fact a few days before, so taken by the dark, black woman, who claimed to be his cleaning friend.

  “Is he already ready for us?” Elaine asked,
surprised that Mitch had gotten him dressed and packed on time for once.

  “Yes,” he said, looking down the foyer. “Zach, hurry, man.”

  Elaine stood stupefied. “Are you alright?” she asked. “You look different.”

  Mitch turned to her and shook his head. “I’m fine...perfect.” His Irish accent was thick and sexy. His baritone was only made sexier by the low, growl of his voice and the taut muscles that ran up his neck as he spoke.

  Oh my God, he’s sexy again, she thought as she noticed also that he had started to work out again. Swallowing hard at his sudden appeal, the smell of his cologne, his overall confidence, she stumbled over her words. “Good. I mean, I’m glad that you’re well,” she said baffled. She wiped her wet bangs from her face.

  He blinked. His face was unreadable.

  “LaToya was very nice by the way.” Her woman’s intuition kicked in as she searched her mind for possibilities of his transformation. The only thing different in his life was that woman.

  Mitch nodded by didn’t reply. Instead, he bent down to one knee as his son came down the corridor and grabbed him.

  “Alright, buddy, see you next weekend.” He kissed Zach’s cheek. “I love you so very, very much.”

  “Love you too, Dad. I had fun with you. Tell LaToya I said bye.” He kissed his father and pulled his luggage out in the rain to the Mercedes waiting for him. On cue, Felix jumped out of the car and popped the trunk open to load the boy.

  Mitch watched for a minute and then snapped out of his daze.

  “Is she still here?” Elaine asked.

  “Is whostill here,” Mitch asked, looking at his watch. 2:53.

  “LaToya, your cleaning lady. He said to tell her goodbye. Is she still here? I’d like to tell her thank you also.” She looked back into the house, wanting badly to break free of his invisible barriers to see who lurked upstairs in his bedroom. Jealousy began to pinch at her heart. Suddenly, she could remember how skilled her husband use to be in bed and it killed her to think another woman might know the same pleasure.

  Mitch narrowed his mossy green eyes on his ex-wife and pulled his keys out of his pocket. “Let me help you to the car,” he said, escorting her out of the door. He closed the door behind him and checked it. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting so long in the rain. You’re drenched.”

  His simple acknowledgement of her made her heart skip a beat. She walked right beside him, instep with his every moment for the first time in many years. Suddenly, it felt good to be beside him, good to know him. She took in a deep breath of his cologne and clenched her jaw. Damn you, Mitch O’Keefe, she thought as heat started to boil from her core.

  As he walked her out, Mitch nodded at Felix for the first time ever. Elaine looked over again dumbfounded.

  “Thanks for bringing my son over,” he said, looking down at her as the rainwater hit his lips and the dimple in his chin. His eyes gleamed with a happiness that she could not understand.

  “You’re welcome,” she whispered.

  Mitch stopped midway between their car and his front door, refusing to go any further with her. As she walked hesitantly back to the man that she had left him for, she looked back at her ex-husband. The water seemed to hit him just right. It made him more beautiful, and painfully, it washed away the hold she had on him for so many years. Flashes of their life together passed through her mind. Their wedding. Her son’s christening. Their many happy days. It seemed to all wash away.

  He stood bulging with rippling muscles under a wet, gray t-shirt clinging to his body around his taut biceps lined with veins, his thick neck, and his carved abs. The rain soaked his pants, and made them stick to his wide, muscular legs chiseled like stone from many years of playing soccer. His curly, tousled hair stuck around his tanned face and brought out his mossy green eyes and his sexy freckles sprinkled over his perfect nose and rose-dusted lips. He was a picture of perfection. Suddenly, she could see that and it was painful to watch.

  She got in the passenger seat and looked out at him, standing in the rain watching his family leave him. Only this time, he didn’t seem to want her to stay. And this time, she didn’t want to go.

  Nearly in slow motion, she watched him. Hitting the button on his key chain, the garage door opened to Mitch’s Toyota Tundra, and he quickly ran inside to it away from her and probably toLaToya.

  She wiped the tear away and tried to smile at Felix, but he watched her as closely as she watched Mitch. Without saying a word, he backed up out of the driveway.

  Before they could get down the street from his home, Mitch had already passed them in the splashing water, headed towards Phoenix in his truck. And he never looked back.

  ***

  LaToya rushed about the house quickly, spraying sprays and scents on her body and on the furniture. The house was cleaned with not even a speckle of dirt, but she still had to arrange and rearrange considering a man had never been to her home before for the purpose of seeing her library or whatever.

  Changing clothes in her bathroom, she slipped on a pair of jeans, thinking the restriction of such a garment would surely make her safer from his touch. She also piled on a tank-top, then a v-neck t-shirt just to make sure enough layers were there to remind her before she was naked of what she was doing.

  Pulling her braids up in a wispy ponytail, she checked her makeup in the mirror and caught a glimpse of the weight scale in its reflection. She paused and looked over at it. It eyed her, and she eyed it back. There was a mental war going on between them, wondering if the numbers that little scale revealed would be the thing to keep her from the man who would be ringing her doorbell at any moment.

  And just then, the doorbell rang.

  She walked passed it, avoiding stepping too close, and darted to the front door.

  The rain had just released another downpour. The winds had picked up, and Mitch was drenched, but he stood smiling as if the sun was shining directly on him. As soon as his foot hit the threshold of her home, he grabbed her in his embrace. Unable to wait, driven mad by the drive over from his place, he wrapped his wet arms around her and held her close. She held him back like she had not seen him in years. Their eyes met only seconds before their lips intertwined in a hot, mesmerizing kiss. Her knees became weak at the taste of his minty tongue swirling through her needy mouth. With each kiss, he drove himself deeper down into her heart, reaching finally to the core of her. The rain continued to rip through the door and drench them both, but they ignored it and continued to kiss.

  LaToya managed in her divine insanity to flick her wrist hard enough to close the door while he consumed her, but she nearly lost consciousness after it shut. Kissing him back with the same heated passion that he provided, they found their way to the couch in her living room where he hovered over her, fists planted firmly into her leather sofa and muscles tense with wanton desire. He disappeared in the softness of her lips again, tasting the fleshy sweetness that caused his burn to boil.

  She could feel all nine inches of him as he rocked his hips forward. Her skin instantly lit on fire with sensations that had been so long forgotten she didn’t know that they were still real. Widening her legs, she felt him lower himself in between her. Hot blood rushed up into his tense legs and through his throbbing penis. He planted himself just atop her aching sex, grinding against the softness of her body.

  His thighs trembled as he thought about what he wanted, but instead, he continued to kiss her. Leaning over with one elbow beside her, he let his right hand relax to run over her larger breasts. Unable to help himself, he pinched her pebbled nipple.

  LaToya let out a gasp of both pain and pleasure. Every nerve ending in her body was firing all at once. Her eyes opened and she gazed up into the green abyss of his eyes. I have to stop this now or I’ll never stop it, she thought to herself.

  Reluctantly, LaToya finally hampered her raw emotion and tapped at his rock-solid chest for him to pull back. He did so obediently panting at her feet like a good canine. She ran her hand thr
ough his tousled hair and leaned down to place her forehead on his. I can’t believe you’re here, she thought to herself.

  “Your library is fabulous, by the way,” he said smiling.

  She wiped the rainwater from his freckled nose.

  “Thank you,” she replied, “but this is my living room. My library is down the hall.” Coming out of her heated state, she realized that they were now soaking wet.

  Mitch looked around the room and nodded. “Well, this room is nice too.”

  ***

  The rain beat down on the rooftop while Mitch and LaToya sat in her second bedroom, turned into a library, and drank mimosas while she showed him her record collection. They had been holed up for hours eating, laughing and kissing.

  Mitch thumbed through to her records, given to her by her mother and ate his seventh finger sandwich.

  “So, your mother gave you all these records?” he asked, sucking his teeth.

  “Yep,” LaToya said proudly, looking at her collection of over 500 records. “There in perfect condition, too. I listen to them on her record player when I read. Plus, it’s better than the music they play on the radio these days. It’s relaxing. ”

  “This entire place is relaxing. I could stay in here forever. It’s so warm and cozy like a home should be,” he said, lying back on the pillow. “You must like living alone. It’s so tranquil.” He tapped his bare feet on the carpet, wiggling his toes happily.

  “It has its perks.” She put down her glass. “And it has its draw backs. Everyone wants someone. I’m no different in that I suppose.”

  He turned to look at her. “No, you’re not different in that. I want the same thing. I’m at the age where I need someone to love and someone to love me. That’s where I messed up the first time with Elaine. I gave her the world, but I never noticed that she didn’t give anything in return.”

  She quickly changed the subject, seeing that just the thought still pained him. “So, you’ve been in the states for twenty years. You were married for eleven. You have one kid. And you’re close to making partner.” She smiled. “You’ve accomplished a lot in a short period of time, but how old are you?”