Rivals desire, p.22
Rival's Desire, page 22
Caesar’s light brown eyes narrowed as he unhooked her bra and tossed it aside. The matching panties followed. “I don’t know about you, but I plan to feast,” he promised, swinging her into his arms and carrying her up the long white-carpeted stairway.
Caesar’s bedroom was the complete opposite of the rest of the house. The suite was dark and understated with a decidedly soothing, almost serene feel. Viv’s soft cries were the only sounds in the magnificent room. Caesar’s gorgeous face was buried in the crook of her neck. His lips teased the sensitive skin below her ear with electrifying intensity. Gently, he lowered her to center of the grand king-size bed. Viv snuggled into the thick, silky mocha comforter and reached out to trail her fingers along his strong thighs. Meanwhile, Caesar removed his clothes. In minutes the three piece lay in a heap on the carpet. He came to bed wearing nothing but a pair of cream-colored linen boxers.
Vivian arched into his hard, chiseled frame, gasping when her nipples grazed his chest. Her nails seared his back and she smiled when he groaned in response. Caesar lowered his head to drop whisper-soft kisses along her shoulders. He turned her onto her stomach and bestowed the same attention to her shoulder blades and back. Vivian turned her face into the pillow and sighed his name.
The wet kisses moved lower, until Caesar was nipping at the swell of her buttocks with his perfect teeth. His large hands curved around her hips to tease and fondle her intimately. Viv arched herself back against him, shifting her legs in silent invitation. Caesar covered her with his powerful form, his strong fingers pleasuring her to orgasm. He began to trace the line of her spine with his tongue. His fingers were slippery with her need and he knew he wouldn’t be able to deny the demands of his body much longer. When Vivian began to rub her bottom against his throbbing length, he lost control. Discarding the boxers, he set protection in place, took hold of her hips and thrust his knee between her legs.
Vivian’s soft, breathless cries turned into a low moan when she felt Caesar entering her from behind. His pulsing desire filled her completely, causing her to shiver from the exquisite sensation. He stroked the inner walls of her body in the gentlest manner. Gradually, the thrusts became more rapid. Viv was crying out Caesar’s name each time he stroked her. She screamed, confessing her love for him as another orgasm overwhelmed her.
Caesar was too affected, too aroused, to respond. He held her breasts in his palms as his large body hovered over her. A shuddery groan passed his lips when his seed erupted in a wave of sensation.
They remained in the awkward yet satisfying position for the longest time. Then Caesar pulled Viv into a spooning embrace and they fell asleep.
Hours later Caesar awoke to find himself alone in bed. He wasn’t surprised to find Viv gone. Pulling on a pair of black pajama pants, he headed downstairs. He found her in the living room looking at all the family photos lining the limestone fireplace mantel.
“If you love me, why won’t you marry me?”
Viv’s fingers froze on one of the brass frames. She closed her eyes when Caesar’s deep voice pierced the silence. She knew he would ask that after her emotional outburst a few hours earlier. She rested her head against the mantel and remained silent.
“Uh-uh,” Caesar decided, storming across the living room. He grabbed Viv’s arm and made her face him. “Not this time. Start talkin’.”
“I can’t,” she whispered. She shivered, though a heavy afghan covered her body.
“That won’t work tonight, Viv. You can’t run from giving me an explanation.”
“Caesar—”
“I want to know why you get that sad, lost look in your eyes whenever we talk about love.”
Viv shook her head. Her dark eyes were filled with tears and her cheeks were wet. “I can’t tell you.”
“Why!” he snapped, his eyes practically spewing daggers through her.
“Caesar, please, I just can’t go into this.”
“Dammit, Viv! What the hell is this? You’ve known me all your life and you’re acting like I’m a damn stranger!”
“I just don’t want to talk about it,” she whispered through shuddery breaths. Losing strength in her legs, she dropped to the sofa.
“Why not?” Caesar demanded, his back still turned. “Why do you keep pushing me away? What? Are you already married? Do you still hate me? Were you lying when you said you loved me?”
“No!”
“Then what is it?”
“I can’t give you children!” she finally snapped before dropping her face to her hands. “I can’t give you any children.”
Stunned, Caesar could only stare at Viv. Then, slowly, he walked across the room and joined her on the sofa. “You can’t have kids?” he asked.
Viv wouldn’t look at him. “No.”
“How long have you known this?”
“I’ve always known it.”
“And this is why you didn’t want things to get serious between us? Why you won’t marry me?”
Viv nodded, picking at a loose thread on the afghan. “When we started getting…close, I knew it couldn’t work. I knew how much you’d want kids. You should be with a woman who can give them to you.”
Caesar raked his hand through his hair and squeezed his eyes shut. “I can’t believe you’ve been stressing all this time over this,” he said, as though he were speaking to himself. “Baby, how could you think I wouldn’t want to be with you because you can’t give me kids?”
Viv rubbed the back of her hand across her eyes. “Are you saying it doesn’t matter to you?”
“Hell yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.”
The look on Viv’s lovely dark face was blatantly doubtful. “You don’t know what you’re saying,” she assured him.
Caesar’s expression grew hard. “I don’t say things I don’t mean, Viv.”
“Oh I believe you meant it.”
“Then what—”
“It’s easy for you to say that now. That’s what my father told my mother after they had me.”
Caesar moved to the opposite side of the oversize, overstuffed white sofa. “What the hell are you talkin’ about, Plum?”
Viv drew her knees to her chest and wrapped the afghan more tightly around her trembling body. “After my mother had me, they told her she’d never conceive again. She and Daddy were crushed, but he told her it would be fine, he told her he was perfectly happy with his little Vivi.”
“Viv—”
“Wait,” she said, raising her hand toward him. “That lasted for a few years and then my father seemed to forget what he said. He wanted a son and he began to resent my mother for not being able to give him one. I guess the reality of it all finally hit him and it turned him cruel. Cruel and thoughtless.” Viv paused to slap a tear from her cheek. “Somehow, Mommy survived and when I found out I couldn’t…I told myself I would never put myself through what she went through for anybody. Anybody, Caesar.”
Although Caesar could sympathize with what Viv had gone through, he was boiling mad inside. He massaged the bridge of his nose for a moment, praying for the ability to keep his emotions controlled. “Let me get this straight,” he finally said. “You’re pushing me away for something I haven’t even done? Because your father treated your mother poorly, you’re gonna shut the door on anything between us?”
Vivian sent him a weary smile. “You’ll thank me one day.”
The look in the exquisite light depths of Caesar’s eyes was a mix of hurt and disgust. “And all this time, I thought you knew me.”
Viv reached across the sofa to touch him. “Caesar—”
“Get dressed,” he ordered, bolting from the sofa before she could reach him. “I’ll have you back in New York by morning,” he called over his shoulder as he left the room.
“So what do we do now?” Viv asked when Caesar pulled to a halt before her building. He hadn’t said a word to her since they’d left Chicago a few hours earlier. Still, she had to know where things stood.
Caesar put his truck in park and propped his elbow along the driver’s side armrest. “What do we do about what?” he asked.
“Do we keep seeing each other?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Caesar pinned her with a look of surprise. “Why? What the hell for, Viv?” he snapped, turning away when he saw tears fill her eyes.
“Are we back to being enemies?”
“You seem to like it that way.”
“Caeser, please—”
“Goodbye, Viv.”
Viv could barely see the door handle, her vision was so blurred by tears. Eventually, she made it out of the SUV and ran all the way to her apartment.
“Man, snap out of it. I’m givin’ you some good news here and your responses sound like death!”
Caesar managed a small smile as Raymond Caswell’s voice penetrated the line. His business lawyer had just confirmed the sale of the building he’d wanted for the new restaurant.
“Sorry, Raymond. Man, this is real good news. Honest. So, what’s the next step?”
“Well now you can get on with the stuff like construction work, remodeling, picking out a name, et cetera…”
Caesar nodded as he made notes on his laptop. “I’ll call Lisi. She’s been waiting on the go-ahead for that,” he said.
“Sounds good,” Raymond said.
“Thanks, man.”
“I’ll be in touch with the paperwork.”
The connection broke, but Caesar didn’t hang up. Instead, he decided to call his executive assistant while his mind was still on business.
“Lisi Velez.”
“It’s me.”
“Hey, Caesar. What’s up?”
“I just talked to Ray. We got the building.”
Lisi screamed her delight. She had been filled with ideas for Caesar’s restaurant since he mentioned the idea. Lisi and Caesar had known each other since college through her boyfriend—now husband. Lisi was a CPA who entered the workforce with a reputable accounting firm. When Caesar announced that he was on the lookout for someone to handle his business affairs aside from his lawyer and agent, Lisi told him she had to have it.
“I’ve been working on names,” she was saying, “and I’ve already been in touch with a great construction company.”
“Sounds good.”
“Caesar?” Lisi’s melodic voice dropped an octave. “Baby, you don’t sound too excited over this.”
“I am. Really.”
“Who is she?”
Caesar chuckled and shook her head. “Excuse me?”
“It’s gotta be a woman,” Lisi decided. “Come to think of it, I heard some pretty interesting rumors about you and Vivian Desmond.”
“Goodbye, Lisi.”
“Mmm-hmm. Listen, you get your butt back to Chicago and concentrate on this business venture of yours. Maybe it’ll help take your mind off your troubles.”
Caesar massaged his temples and leaned back on his living room sofa. “I should be leaving New York in a week.”
“Well, I’ll see you when you get back.”
“Thanks. Talk to you soon.” Caesar clicked off the small cordless and tossed it to the armchair that flanked the sofa. Although he appreciated Lisi’s words of encouragement, he knew nothing would take his mind off Viv.
“Hey, Grammy.”
Carlotta smiled at Viv’s bright greeting. “How are you, honey?” she asked, patting her granddaughter’s cheek.
“I’m good,” Viv replied as she closed the front door.
“I’d say you’re more than good.” Carlotta turned to watch Viv enter the room. “Things must be going very well between you and Caesar.”
Viv crossed her arms over the white T-shirt she’d been lounging in since early that morning. She fixed her grandmother with a puzzled look. “Why would you think that?”
Carlotta pushed her hands into the pockets of her stylish, airy, peach sundress. “You’re absolutely glowing, child.”
Viv’s laughter was hushed. “I have no idea why. I’m not seeing him anymore.”
“What? Why?” Carlotta whispered.
“I told him everything. My big secret.”
“And?”
“He tried to tell me that it didn’t matter to him, but I knew better.”
Carlotta took a seat on the sofa and patted the space next to her. “What did he say?” she asked when Viv sat down.
“Just what I knew he’d say. He tried to convince me that, all of a sudden, kids weren’t that important to him.”
“But you didn’t believe him?”
“Of course I didn’t.”
“Baby, why?”
“How can you ask me that?” Viv cried, turning to her grandmother with teary eyes. “After everything I’ve been through, everything I saw Mommy go through—”
“Vivian, are you telling me that you turned that boy down because of that?”
“That’s exactly what I’m telling you.”
“Baby, Caesar Morrison is not your father.”
“I know that!”
“Obviously, you don’t.”
“Grammy—”
“Shut up, Viv,” Carlotta ordered, taking a moment to settle her emotions. “Honey, your father—the great, wonderful Maxwell Croix—was a jerk. He had fantastic looks. He was gorgeous, but he had no heart, no personality. Caesar Morrison has substance. But I don’t have to tell you that, do I?”
Viv covered her face with her hands and groaned. Carlotta decided to change the subject and reached for her purse. “I have something in here that just might cheer you up.”
“Candy?” Viv teased, peering into her grandmother’s open purse.
“Better,” Carlotta promised, handing Viv a long envelope.
“Oh, my God,” Viv breathed when she opened the envelope and pulled out a check. Her eyes scanned the enormous figure several times.
“It’s your portion of the sale,” Carlotta explained.
Viv blew a heavy curl from her brow. “Not bad for the amount of work we did.”
Carlotta pulled Viv into a tight hug. “You did very well, Sweetie.”
“I’m sorry the plan didn’t work.” Viv sighed.
Carlotta moved back and pressed her hand against Viv’s cheek. “Honey, as far as I’m concerned, the plan did work. You and Caesar fell in love. You’re both just too dumb to take advantage of it.”
“Grammy—”
“Sorry, honey, it’s time for me to head out,” Carlotta interjected before Viv could defend herself.
Darien Howell’s bachelor party was growing more crowded by the minute. The Total Experience gentleman’s club was alive with conversation and laughter. Darien had tons of friends and they were all eager to enjoy the evening.
“No need to thank me, I told you you’d have a ball.”
Caesar grinned and clicked glasses with Jay Wells, who stood behind the bar. They were both good friends with the club’s owner, Gerald Ham.
“You were right, man. I really needed this,” Caesar admitted, tossing back the rest of his bourbon.
“And it ain’t over yet. Here, lemme freshen that for ya,” Jay offered, pouring more of the liquor into Caesar’s glass.
“Is that Number Twenty-eight I see at the bar chillin’!”
A roar of laughter rose when Caesar turned and saw Darien Howell approaching. The two men embraced, before Darien shook hands with Jay.
“This fool told me you were comin’, but I didn’t believe him,” Darien told Caesar, referring to Jay.
“I didn’t want to miss this, man,” Caesar replied.
Darien took a seat on the stool at the end of the bar. “So, how’s it goin’? Y’all ’bout ready to start preseason training?”
“In a few short weeks, my man.”
“A lot of talk about the startin’ lineup.”
Caesar nodded, taking a swig of his drink. “It’s flattering, but we try not to let it go to the head. Press’ll turn on you in a minute if you ain’t on your game.”
“I heard that,” Darien said, as Jay nodded.
“Well, enough about me, man,” Caesar said, grinning broadly. “Congratulations are in order.”
“Yep.” Darien nodded, unsuccessful at hiding his broad smile.
“So when’s the big day?”
Darien stretched, and then ran one hand over his shaved head. “Girl wants a fall wedding, but I’m having the party now because I couldn’t wait.”
Male laughter roared amid the trio once again. Suddenly, a serious expression fell over Darien’s handsome dark face.
“I hear things are pretty serious between you and Vivi.”
Caesar exchanged glances with Jay and sighed. “So they say.”
Darien picked a speck of lint off the gray knit top he wore. “You gonna make an honest lady out of her?” he probed.
“If she’d let me.”
Jay and Darien exchanged looks that time. It was obvious their friend was going through a rough patch and they didn’t want him down that night.
Fortunately, the evening’s next entertainers were about to be announced. The lights went out in the club and the overhead music stopped.
“Gentlemen, the Total Experience is proud to present for your listening and viewing pleasure especially…Intrigue!”
Caesar’s eyes narrowed and he turned to face the stage. No, he hadn’t been hearing things. There was Viv standing on stage, smiling and looking radiant.
All five members of Intrigue wore the most enticing, figure-flattering dresses and the male crowd couldn’t have been more pleased. The spaghetti-strapped dresses were red and barely reached mid-thigh. The bodices scooped very low in front and dipped equally low in back. The five stunning young women pranced around the stage in chic pumps and performed their most sultry jams. The crowd grew louder with each new selection. The sensual and classy show ended when the ladies called Darien to the stage and sang a special song for him.
“You five don’t know what you’ve done for my business tonight!”
Viv and her partners laughed at Gerald Ham’s excitement. The club owner had been raving over their performance since they’d stepped backstage.
“Come on, Gerald, don’t lie. You know you have all the brothas up in here every night,” Dacia teased.
