Taken (Dark Desires 1)

“I want you to be happy. Another time and place, we might’ve been able to make it work, but that’s not going to happen. I found one that I want to pursue. You and that damn motorcycle will always hold a special spot in my heart. It’s a relic of a time long ago and maybe it’s time that you finally put her to rest. It’s time for you to get that clean slate.” I was only telling him what I felt. It was going to be up to him to make that commitment to clean up his act.

“If it’s all the same to you, I’m going to keep black beauty, but maybe it is time to put her away in storage. Family has always meant a lot to me. I never knew how much until my father died. I have to find a way to carry on the family name.” That was the closure that the both of us needed. It didn’t have to come from us twisting in the sheets together. It would’ve been satisfying and a memory that I would have loved to repeat, but that would have been only asking for more trouble than it was worth.

The door closed and I had my hand on top of it with a silent goodbye in my heart. It was fitting to see him drive off into the sunset alone. I had no doubt that he would find somebody to fill that void that his father left behind.

“That was very touching, but I think that you have forgotten one thing.” I turned to look at Gemini and she was tapping her wrist and making me look with my eyes wide open at the clock and the seconds ticking by. “You’re never going to make it. It’s too bad that you sent him away. You might have had a chance with that motorcycle.” I slapped my forehead, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me.

I tried to send a text message, but the service was down for maintenance. I was cursing myself. We had left things in good terms and Jones would’ve been able to get me to the Airport. I heard the motorcycle and it wasn’t like it was in the distance.

I sprang into action, throwing the one bag that consisted of all of my worldly belongings over my shoulder. It was a green army bag that had been passed down from my grandfather. It had a sentimental connection that made me look like a hobo ready to ride the rails. I didn’t care.

I opened the door. He reached out and I thought that he was going to kiss me again, but this time he grabbed his gloves that he had left behind.

“I wonder if I could ask you for a favor. It’s a bit of an imposition, but I think that we can remain friends.” I told him that I needed a ride to the airport and he was happy to help.

He handed me the helmet and I managed to keep the green army bag in front of me. I told Gemini that she could stay for as long as it took for them to sell the property. She most likely was going to take me up on my offer and disappear once more when the sale was completed.

The vibration between my legs was the painful reminder that having my arms wrapped around his waist was like that same blast from the past.

“I hate to admit this, but I think that I’m going to have to invest in buying one of these. I don’t think that I have to tell you the reason why. You already know better than others what riding on one of these things does to me.” I was rubbing incessantly and it was a good thing that I was wearing jeans and not a skirt. I probably would have collapsed altogether and become a roadside hazard.

“I know and that’s the reason why I came to see you on it. I’m glad that it still has that effect on you. It’s nice that I can put that smile on your face. Unfortunately, I’m going to send you hot and bothered into another man’s arms. I do have one regret that we didn’t find a way to get that closure by the cries of ecstasy that I could have made you scream in the dark of the night.” I was such a dirty girl for thinking the same thing.

“It seems kind of fitting that you would be the one to come to my rescue. I know that this is not how you wanted to end our story, but our flame could only burn for so long. I think you know that deep down. We’re not right for one another. What we had was not healthy. We both have very strong opinions.” Any more of this and I was going to slide from first base all the way to home.

“There is one girl that I have been reluctant to speak about. I wanted more, but I got caught up in the old habit of sneaking out after the deed was done. I think that I might look her up and see if I can’t convince her to give me a second chance. She’s the only one excluding you that I ever thought that I could have more than a physical relationship with.” This was my time to give him some advice that would hopefully help him in his love life.

The wind was blowing through the hair that was sticking out from underneath the helmet. The vibration was keeping me occupied and making me wonder about how I was going to be able to stand steady when I finally arrived at my final destination.

“You need to learn to be yourself and not what you think that you need to be. Women like a man that is honest and will show some vulnerability. Don’t be so quick to think that you are right all the time. A girl wants to feel protected, but they also need to know that you are willing to listen to reason. That romance that you have fought against is something that you should really think about. Gestures like flowers and candy might seem juvenile, but there are those little things that count the most. Drying a dish or putting away the laundry will leave her wondering what she ever did without you.” He was breezing through traffic and I thought for sure by the way that we were leaning that we were going to come to a fiery end.

We came to the Airport and I was 15 minutes late to the party. I got off, but I had to hold myself against the bike to stop my legs from shaking. One more minute on that thing and I would’ve been done for. I was already breathing heavy and I closed my eyes to try to get back whatever dignity I had left.

“I want you to take a few deep breaths. I do find it funny that you still get that extra jolt every time that you get on black beauty. Both of us have missed you, but I think that I’m going to take your advice to heart and see what I can’t do about finding my own happiness.” My knees were knocking and I did breathe deeply until I finally was able to stand shakily on my own.

“I would really like to find out how things work out for you, Jones. You have my contact information. Let’s keep in touch and be the friends that we should be. Don’t be a stranger. At least now, I can say that I don’t feel terrified of you coming around anymore. Don’t worry, I’m still attracted to you and that’s never going to change. It’s just not enough anymore.” I was wasting time and I watched him wave to me. I ran with moments of having to stop and hold myself up against anything that I could find.

I got to the gate with my lungs burning, but it was too late. “I’m sorry, but the plane has already taken off. I can put you on the next available one. It’s not until tomorrow morning at 5:00 AM. I have two available seats, but I’m afraid that they are in first class.” I didn’t have the kind of money to fork out for that kind of extravagance.

"I can afford that.” I felt my heart fall and I hated myself for making him think that I wasn’t going to be there with him for this new and exciting chapter. “We’ll take both seats in first class.” I heard his voice, but I had to see it for myself to believe it. I turned and I didn’t know what to say. “I was on the plane, but I couldn’t leave without you. There will always be other planes, but there will be nobody quite like you.” His face was like seeing the clouds part with the sun shining through.

?

??I’m sorry…I’m sorry for being late. I had some unfinished business to do. I think that you’ll be glad to know that Jones will not be bothering me anymore. We are going to keep in touch, but only as friends and nothing more.” He took my hand and brought it up to his lips. It was that extra spark that I needed to clench my legs closed.

“I’m not that insecure that I’m going to worry about a friendship with a past love. That would be petty and I’m through giving you the impression that I feel threatened. The next flight is not for 12 hours. I would like to take that time to learn more about you. I think that I have enough in our budget to splurge on a dinner and maybe two rooms with connecting doors. I would never want to assume anything.” I took his hand and placed it against my chest so that he could feel the thumping presence of my heart giving him the only answer that he would ever need.

“I do want to be close to you, but after everything we’ve both been through, it would be better to start at the beginning. I don’t think that we’re going to need the adjoining room unless of course, you think that you can’t handle being close to me. I would think that we have reached the phase in our relationship that we can trust one another.” I could say that, but I wasn’t sure that I could live up to that promise. The motorcycle, his lips on my hand and being close to him in the same bed was a recipe for disaster.

“I think I can handle that.” I had to stretch on my toes to reach his lips. I showed him that there was a promise for more. The orient was a land of mysteries, but the one mystery that I didn’t have was how I felt about him. It was a lot in the last few days. My mind was still going a million miles an hour. I was going to use the anticipation to keep me on the edge. I was looking forward to the Chinese hospitality. I felt that we needed something that was just for us. I wanted this to be the start of something that would last forever. This trip was meant to give us that freedom to be more intimate. One thing was for certain and there were no past loves or present ones that were going to stand in the way.

I was going to have to trust in the both of us that we could keep it in our pants. I wasn’t sure that being in the same room together was a good idea. I couldn’t say anything or that would have led him to believe that I was lost to my own passion. I was hoping to show him in due time. It was going to be interesting when we finally took off the training wheels. We had waited this long, so what was a little while longer. I was just going to have to keep one eye open and contain that passion with cold showers. China was waiting for us with open arms.

BOOK 3: STEAL ME (PART 4)

Blueprints of Love

Amanda never thought that it was possible to have anything close to love at first sight, but there she was about to embark on a journey that had been ripe with sexual tension from the moment that they met. August Rivers was not an easy man to get to know, but underneath the suave and sophisticated ladies man was a kind and gentle soul waiting for somebody to come around to open him up to real love. They have been through their own form of trials and tribulations to get to where they are today. They thought that it was going to be easier away from any distractions including ex-girlfriends and boyfriends that seem to show up at the most awkward time. They were wrong and what they face now is something that will shock the both of them. Will they be able to keep the spark alive?