Geren traced her footsteps and slid his index finger up and down her spine. The gentle breeze carried her pear-scented body spray to his nostrils, making him yearn to make love to her.
“Then don’t search for any words, sweetheart.” He massaged her arms and kissed her shoulder, left exposed by the pastel pink sundress she was wearing. “Displays of affection are just as appreciated.”
Tempest reached for the back of his neck over her shoulder and turned toward him, engaging in a deep, passionate kiss. Less than a year before, she’d given up on finding a decent and loving man. How did she get so damn lucky?
Two children in the yard next door started pointing and giggling at the public display, so Geren stopped the kiss, darting his eyes toward their audience of two. “We better quit. We don’t want to corrupt the neighborhood before we even move in.”
Tempest gave him one last peck on his sensual lips and then looked back at the house. “Can we go inside?”
“It’s our house. We can go wherever we want and do whatever we choose.”
“Except make out in the front yard,” Tempest added, glancing at the kids and laughing.
Geren shared in the laugh. “Yeah, except that!” He took her hand and led her up the four steps onto the front porch. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a single brass key on a chain that had a picture of a house and the words The Kincaids engraved onto it. “Here’s the key. Why don’t you do the honors?”
Tempest’s entire face lit up as she removed the key from Geren’s hand and fiddled nervously with the lock. “I haven’t been in this house since I was about thirteen years old. This is so amazing.”
Geren was tempted to help her get the door unlocked, but she finally managed, and they stepped past the huge mahogany door together. The foyer had gray ceramic tiles, and the living room, dining room, and stairs were covered in lush burgundy carpet.
“It’s changed so much!” Tempest exclaimed, taken aback by the renovations the previous owner had made. She eyed the paisley wallpaper in the hallway, speckled with shades of gray and burgundy. “The color scheme, the wallpaper, the carpet. It’s all different.”
Geren couldn’t tell if Tempest was upset or just anxious about the changes. He clamped his hands around her waist, simply because he wanted to feel her warmth. “We can change it all back if you like. Restore it to the way it was when your grandparents lived here.”
Tempest freed herself from his grasp and pulled him by the arm toward the kitchen in the rear of the house. “No, I want to create new memories. With you!”
“Then we’ll decorate it together,” Geren said, bobbing his head and watching Tempest run her fingertips across the new Maytag stove. “Whatever your heart desires, I will fulfill.”
Tempest looked at Geren seductively and then leaped into his arms, straddling her legs around his back. He leaned her against the wall and explored her mouth with his thick tongue, letting the mixture of her shampoo and body spray envelop his senses with pure delight.
“I love you so much, Geren,” Tempest proclaimed when they finally emerged for air. “You make me so happy.”
“This is only the beginning, sweetheart.” He let her back down on the floor gently. “You have no idea how badly I want to be your husband.”
“You will be,” Tempest said with a sanguine smile. “I can’t hardly wait.”
“Then let’s set a date.”
“Right now?”
“Right this second, before we look at the rest of the house,” Geren demanded.
Tempest chewed her bottom lip, immersed in deep thought. Finally, she said, “What about New Year’s Eve? The beginning of a new year; the beginning of a new life.”
Geren kneaded her brow. “I think it’s perfect. Just like you.”
They became entangled in another long, passionate kiss. Tempest reluctantly pulled away from him, heading toward the door in the rear of the kitchen leading to the basement.
“If we keep necking like this, we’ll never get to see the rest of the house.”
“The house is not going anywhere,” Geren protested, following her down the steps. “Besides, we need to christen it properly.”
Tempest pretended to ignore his attempt at seduction, even though it was a task. She’d been craving him also, but she wanted to look at the rest of the house. So many memories flooded back to her when she surveyed the basement apartment. Unlike the entry level, it hadn’t changed at all, except for new fixtures in the bathroom. “I used to love this old basement. I would play down here for hours. I used to keep a rabbit in that back bedroom,” she said, pointing in that direction. “My parents never knew I had him. His name was Floppy, and my grandparents were in collusion with me so I could keep him. My daddy was completely against pets. I never knew why.”
“I was blown away with this place when I first had the realtor meet me here,” Geren said, checking out the way the sunlight streaming in through the small basement windows was hitting Tempest’s thin dress so he could see the outline of her shapely thighs underneath it. “I told him we just had to have this house, no matter what. There were three other couples interested, so I had to move quickly. I hope you are pleased.”
“Are you kidding?” Tempest asked him, a look of astonishment on her face. “I am so shocked. I never expected this, but it has made my decade. No scratch that. It has made my entire life. I can’t wait to call my folks down in Florida and tell them this house is back in the family.”
“Yes, and this time it’s for good.”
“Geren, what are we going to do with all this space?” Tempest was suddenly overwhelmed by the fact they would be occupying such a huge home.
“Fill it with happiness and a whole lot of sex.”
Tempest giggled and winked at him. “Sounds like a master plan. I was just wondering if you wanted to rent out the basement to cover part of the mortgage?”
Geren looked like he’d been slapped silly. “Tempest, please! I am hardly a man of meager means.”
Tempest moved tentatively toward him, noticing his expression had turned cynical. “I didn’t mean it that way.”
Geren’s mood lightened once he glanced into her bedroom eyes up close. “I know you didn’t, baby.” He placed his arm around her shoulders and drew her close. “Besides, I already paid the asking price in cash.”
“Cash!” Tempest exclaimed.
“Yes, that’s how I got rid of the other three couples who wanted this place. They got tied up in credit checks for mortgage loans. We have no mortgage. I walked right in and snatched this place up. I just want you to know that I paid for this house, our house, with my own money. Not my daddy’s. I worked hard for every penny of it.”
Tempest was still tongue-tied. “I guess I still have to get used to your money. Old habits die hard. I’m so used to worrying about money matters.”
“Well, those days are over.” Geren kissed her on the forehead. “I’m full of surprises, and the best are yet to come.”
“I bet,” Tempest concluded, wondering what other startling discoveries lay in her future.
“I do have a suggestion about the basement.”
“What’s that, Geren?”
“The upper two floors are more than substantial for the two of us, and it would be a shame to let a perfectly good apartment go to waste.”
Tempest was lost. “But you just said you didn’t want to rent it out.”
“I don’t want to rent it,” Geren clarified.
“Then what do you have in mind?”
“Janessa,” Geren blurted out. “Janessa and the baby.”
Tempest took two steps back from him so she could take a good look at his face. Was he for real? “You would let them live here?”
“In a heartbeat,” Geren answered without hesitation. “I’ve seen where Janessa lives and the way her parents treat her. That’s not a healthy environment for a child.”
Tempest totally agreed with him. The fact that Janessa would have to raise her baby u
nder such circumstances had caused Tempest numerous hours of lost sleep. “You don’t think she’ll get in our way?”
“You don’t want her here?”
“Are you crazy? Of course I do.” Tempest was really just trying to give him an easy out in case his offer had been an involuntary slip of the tongue. “I’m just trying to be considerate of your needs. You come first in my life; as a husband well should.”
“Husband! I just love the way that word rolls off your sexy-ass lips.” Geren reached around Tempest from behind and palmed both of her breasts, caressing her nipples. “To answer your question, no. I don’t think Janessa or the baby will interfere with our lives. After all, the apartment does have a separate entrance.”
“You are so wonderful,” Tempest whispered, becoming short of breath. The nipple stimulation was making her weak in the knees. “I can’t understand how you can be so compassionate and Dvontè is such a—He’s such a—”
“Asshole? Imbecile?” Geren said, trying to help her out with a fitting word for him. He hadn’t spoken to Dvontè in a couple of months and didn’t intend to until Dvontè came to his senses and did the right thing by Janessa.
“All of the above,” Tempest concurred.
Geren let go of one of Tempest’s breasts and used his free hand to pull the material of her dress up so he could caress her thigh with his fingertips. “Well, if he won’t take care of his responsibilities, then I will.”
“So when can we move in?” Tempest inquired, trying not to lose herself in ecstasy as Geren darted the tip of his tongue in and out of her ear.
“How about tomorrow?” Geren’s voice became raspy as he moved Tempest’s panties aside and his fingers found what they’d been roaming for. Once he dipped them inside her wetness, he added, “Hell, we can move in tonight if you want. Just say the word.”
“Tomorrow’s great!” Tempest succumbed to his fingers, letting her pussy take on a life of its own and maneuver itself around on his inviting hand. “What about Janessa?”
“What about her?” Geren was ready to get all the conversation out of the way so he could make love to his woman in their new home. “Just call her up and ask if she would like a rent-free two-bedroom apartment and all the chocolate macadamia nut cookies she can handle. I plan to do some serious baking, but don’t get any clever ideas. You will definitely have to take turns standing over the hot stove. I still expect Chez Tempest to be open twenty-four/seven, too.”
They both giggled. “I think I can handle that,” Tempest said, welcoming the challenge. “I can handle anything as long as I have you.”
Geren moved Tempest toward the steps, never removing his hands from her breasts and from between her legs. “Let’s go upstairs and check out the most important room in the house.”
“Which room is that?” Tempest chided, already knowing the answer.
“Our bedroom,” Geren answered, seductively nibbling the back of her neck.
“Great idea.” Tempest startled Geren by pulling his hands off her. She sat down on the steps and pulled him to her, positioning herself so her head was at dick level. She started unzipping his jeans. “But first, I want to create a lasting memory right here on these steps. We might not have a chance to christen the basement once Janessa and the baby move in.”
“Good point.” Geren chuckled, looking down at her as she drew his dick into her mouth and started milking him. “Damn good point!”
CHAPTER 29
chillin’ in the new crib
“how about this one?” Janessa asked, holding up a bridal magazine and pointing to a form-fitting red taffeta dress with white flowers on the sleeves and a split all the way up the side.
Tempest glanced at the picture with disdain and picked up another magazine off the sofa to finger through. “You’re pulling my leg, right?”
“Dang, that’s an ugly dress!” Kensington exclaimed, wondering more and more about Janessa’s taste in fashions.
“Forget both of ya’ll then,” Janessa hissed, rolling her eyes at each of them in turn.
“Janessa, don’t cop an attitude. I just want my wedding day to be special.” Tempest reached over and teasingly rubbed Janessa on the top of her head. “I’m definitely only doing this once.”
“True,” Kensington quickly agreed. “Everything should be just the way Geren and Tempest want it.”
“Tempest, you know I want you to have a perfect wedding, but I should have a little say-so about the bridesmaid dresses.” Janessa turned the page and looked at the ones featured. They were much too conservative for her liking. “After all, I do have to wear one of those bad boys.”
“Janessa, if you and I could manage to make it through Marquita’s wedding in those hoochie dresses, you can make it through mine in any dress,” Tempest said jokingly.
Kensington threw in her two cents. “I have to wear one, too, and I don’t like that one, Janessa.”
“Like I said, forget ya’ll.”
“Give me the book, Janessa.” Tempest snatched the magazine out of her hands and turned back to the previous page to look at the dress more closely. “You couldn’t get your balloon shape in this dress anyway. You’re already showing. In two months, we’ll be lucky if you can even waddle down the aisle.”
“Whatever, trick!”
Tempest closed up the magazine and threw the entire pile on the floor of the living room. “We’ll decide on a dress later. It’s almost time for Raoul’s game show.”
“Oh, word?” Janessa squealed. “Let me go throw some popcorn in the microwave.”
“Who is Raoul, and what kind of game show does he have?” Kensington asked, completely lost.
Tempest and Janessa gave each other high fives and shouted in unison, “You’ll see!”
Kensington was taken aback. She’d never seen two people so excited about a television show. Then again, her mother would probably have a freakin’ seizure if she ever missed a day of All My Children.
“Aiight, dang! It must be all that! Ya’ll being all secretive and thangs.” Kensington got up off the sofa and headed for the stairs. “Let me go check on Sydney before it starts.”
“I’m off to get the popcorn,” Janessa said, getting up off the sofa, which took a lot of energy. Tempest was right. She was really beginning to look like Shamu.
“Make some Kool-Aid while you’re in there,” Tempest suggested. “With no fake nails mixed in mine, please. You have to drink one hundred percent juice though, and don’t even think about trying to guzzle down some Kool-Aid on the sly. The red tongue will give you away.”
“Gurl, sometimes I think you’re the one who is pregnant. The way you keep breaking bad with a sistah.” Janessa immediately regretted the words the moment they left her lips, but it was too late to take them back.
Tempest glared at her angrily and then realized it was just an honest mistake. Janessa would never intentionally throw her sterility up in her face. They’d moved way beyond that. “I’m just playing with you about the nails, dufus. Stop being so sensitive.”
Kensington stopped on the bottom step of the landing and leaned over the banister. “Tempest will probably get pregnant right after the wedding, maybe even on their honeymoon, and then all three of our kids can grow up together.”
Janessa and Tempest just stared at each other, both at a loss for words.
“Wouldn’t that be cool?” Kensington asked with glee. When she received no response, she added, “I’ll be right back. How much time before the show starts?”
“About ten minutes,” Janessa replied, still staring at Tempest.
“Okay.” Kensington went on up the stairs to check on the baby, leaving Janessa and Tempest alone.
“You alright?” Janessa took Tempest’s hand and intertwined their fingers.
“I’m fine.” Tempest pulled her hand away, not wanting to be mothered.
“You’ve never told Kensington, huh?”
“Janessa, it’s not exactly something I go around town announcing on a mega
phone.”
“I know, I know. I just assumed you would have told Kensington by now. You two have become so close.”
Tempest walked over to the fireplace and leaned against the mantel. “Yes, we have, but Kensington is just a child. Wise beyond her years and being forced to face up to her mistakes, but still just a child.”
Janessa looked at Tempest disapprovingly. “Don’t you think you should tell her? She’s expecting you to start pushing out babies any second now.”
“I’ll tell her eventually.”
“I’m going in the kitchen.” Janessa walked toward the hallway leading to the other side of the house. She glanced back and took one more quick survey of Tempest’s facial expression. “You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m straight.” Once Janessa was out of view, Tempest picked up a photograph of herself and Geren they’d had professionally taken. She had so much to be thankful for. A great man, her dream home, a career that brought her focus and fulfillment, and loved ones who appreciated her efforts. Yes, there was much to be thankful for. “I’m straight,” she repeated to herself in a whisper.
• • •
“How’s the baby?” Tempest asked, startling Kensington in the upstairs guest bedroom.
“Sleeping peacefully.” Kensington was leaning over the bassinet, covering up Sydney with a receiving blanket. “I was just looking at her.”
Tempest came closer and looked over Kensington’s shoulder at the baby. Even at four months, she had a head full of hair. “She’s beautiful. Looks just like you.”
“You really think so?”
“Without question.” Tempest placed her hand on Kensington’s right arm and noticed she was trembling slightly. It was obvious she was still learning to deal with the fact that she was a mother at the age of fifteen. “Watch, as she grows older, you’ll swear you’re looking in a mirror.”
“I just hope I can do right by her.” Kensington picked up the half-empty bottle of formula out of the bassinet so she could refrigerate it when she went back downstairs. “I’m so scared.”