A Walk in the Park Read online

  That thought made her lean forward to lick the tip of his engorged shaft while she continued to move her hand up and down, pumping it. She swirled her tongue all around it, as if taking its measure, and when he groaned her name at the same time she tasted his salty-sweet release spilling out, she opened wide to slide him into her mouth.

  Using her lips, she locked him in and began working her tongue, deliberately rippling across nerve endings, tunneling across veins and stretching her mouth wide while she felt his stomach muscles quiver.

  His response aroused her more and her mouth increased its pressure and nearly gobbled him down her throat.

  “Raquel!”

  She looked up and the penetrating look in his eyes was filled with a degree of lust that almost singed her lips. “No more, baby,” he said reaching down to use both hands to pull himself from her mouth. “I can’t take any more.” He quickly reached for his jeans and pulled out a condom packet. She watched as he ripped it with his teeth and hurriedly put it on.

  And before she could finish licking her lips to savor his taste, he reached out and pulled her halfway off the bed to where her legs extended over the side. He then moved between them.

  “I need you. I need this,” he said in a guttural groan just seconds before thrusting inside of her. Automatically she arched to him, feeling his erection thicken even more inside of her. A whimpering moan tore from her throat when he began moving in and out of her with rapid precision. She was pinned between him and the mattress and he was giving her one hell of a workout as he plowed her body with deep, powerful thrusts. They were so forceful, the bedsprings protested and the sound echoed throughout the room.

  None of what they’d ever shared over the hot wire had prepared her for this. He was taking her with such hunger and need that her bed was rocking. She kept up with his rhythm and closed her eyes as sensations began taking over and her stomach began convulsing.

  “Look at me.”

  At his command, she opened her eyes and looked right into his as he tilted her hips and drove harder, touching what had to be her g-spot, because that’s when her body exploded in an orgasm that ripped all through her and made her holler. She discovered at that moment there was a big difference between a scream and a holler.

  This was a holler, and her lungs could barely take the pressure. She clenched down on her jaw to keep from hollering again when another forceful orgasm tore through her. Never had she felt so vulnerable and sexy all at the same time. She could actually feel her toes curl.

  And then the sound of him shouting her name filled her with satisfaction in knowing she had given him the same degree of pleasure that she was feeling.

  Moments later he collapsed on her and then pulled them both up to the middle of the bed. With their limbs entwined, their bodies sweaty, he pulled the covers over them while they both fought to get their breathing under control. No words were spoken. None were needed.

  He leaned down and brushed a kiss across her lips before pulling her deeper into his arms. “Sleep now.”

  Raquel sighed contentedly and smiled as she settled into him and closed her eyes to peaceful slumber.

  * * *

  HOURS LATER, right before the crack of dawn, Quest tilted Raquel’s chin up so that her gaze could meet his. “How did you know I was Ren?”

  She smiled up at him, reached out to caress his unshaven jaw. “My business partner discovered your identity and told me, less than an hour before I saw you today at the park.”

  “Yet you didn’t say anything.”

  She shrugged. “No. I recalled the last time you were here and you expressed an interest in talking to me. I didn’t take you seriously and figured you just wanted to see if I could really act. After finding out who you were, I didn’t think you were trying to take advantage of me or anything. After all, you were a paying customer so I couldn’t complain.”

  Her gaze dropped for a second and then she glanced back up at him and asked in a quiet tone, “I was right, wasn’t I? You weren’t trying to take advantage of me.”

  His hand shifted from her chin as he gently reached out and stroked her cheek. “Yes, you were right. I wasn’t trying to take advantage of you.”

  He shifted their positions in bed, bringing her closer into his arms, and said, “That day I was here and I mentioned talking to you on the hot wire, I was letting you know I was interested in a relationship with you beyond Smookie and Bandit. I couldn’t resist calling you, but figured my chances of getting you on that 900 line were pretty damn slim. So I hired my brother to get your personal hot-wire number.”

  “Your brother?”

  “Yes, Brett. The one I told you was a private investigator living in Atlanta.”

  “And he investigated me?”

  “I only wanted the number to your private line. But Brett, being Brett, took things further. He probably knew I was interested in you and decided to make sure you were okay.”

  She raised a brow. “He’s a little overprotective, don’t you think?”

  Quest nodded. “Yes, but he’s still on a guilt trip since he’s the one who introduced me to the last woman I was serious about.”

  Raquel nodded, knowing who that woman had been. “The woman who betrayed you?” she asked, deciding to let him know she knew the story.

  “Yes, that one.”

  “Well, after going to all that trouble, I hope your brother likes me.”

  He chuckled. “Doesn’t matter. I like you. After our phone talk the first night, when you came apart while I was talking to you, I knew then that you had to be one of the most sensuous women I’ve ever met.”

  She grinned. “How do you know I wasn’t faking it? I am an actress, you know.”

  “Yeah, I thought about that possibility, but dismissed the idea after replaying everything in my mind. And then, after that second time, I knew without a doubt you were for real. You weren’t acting. And that kiss today in the park cinched it.”

  No, she hadn’t been playacting. She had gotten into their phone talks so much that she’d actually thought she could feel him in the room with her, touching her, tasting her. And when he had kissed her today at the park, she had gotten an erotic glimpse of just how it would be between them if they ever took things further. Now she knew and couldn’t help wondering if this was one and done, a one-night stand.

  As if he’d read her mind, he reached out, touched her chin and lifted it for their gazes to meet. “We’re still on for this weekend, right?”

  She nodded. “If you want.”

  He smiled. “Yes, I want. And you know what else I want?”

  “No.”

  “I want more dates with you. We’re practically family anyway.”

  She lifted a brow. “We are?”

  “Yes. Your Smookie is having my Bandit’s babies.”

  She chuckled. “Yes, we can’t forget that. After all, that’s how we officially met.”

  He pulled her closer into his arms and kissed her hard and, at that moment, their pooches became the last things on her mind. Raquel had a feeling that tonight would be the start of something very special.

  EPILOGUE

  “ARE YOU SURE she’s okay, Quest?”

  Raquel continued to stroke Smookie as she glanced up at Quest when he knelt beside her. It was time and Smookie would be delivering her puppies any minute. Dad Bandit was across the room, stretched out on the floor as if he preferred not being a part of the excitement. Typical male. Poor Smookie was doing all the work. At least Quest had gotten Bandit neutered, so he wouldn’t be responsible for any other female dog going through this.

  A couple of days ago, they had made Smookie a delivery nest in an empty closet in one of the guest bedrooms, with plenty of towels and blankets. Her temperature had dropped to 98 degrees that morning, which according to the vet meant she would deliver within twenty-four hours.

  Raquel was trying to make Smookie as comfortable as possible. Due to the amount of weight Smookie had gained, the vet had warned t
hem to expect a full litter of four puppies.

  “She’s fine, sweetheart. Things are progressing just as the vet said they would,” Quest said.

  Raquel nodded. She was glad Quest was here with her. But then, over the past four weeks he hadn’t been too far away. After the night they’d spent together it had become a foregone conclusion they were dating exclusively. He no longer called the hot wire; he received special treatment whenever he showed up at her place.

  She had met his family at a Fourth of July barbecue at his parents’ home and thought everyone was extremely kind. They had made her feel right at home. His twin brother was a riot, and she thought his wife Kandi was superfriendly. She and Kandi had formed a friendship and gone shopping together a number of times. And his brother Brett, who had come in from Atlanta, was definitely a hottie. She admired the close relationship among Quest, his brothers and parents.

  “Have you taken her temperature lately?” Quest asked her, reclaiming her attention. He was shirtless, in his bare feet and wearing jeans riding low on his hips. He looked sexy and so much at home. It was no surprise he was now spending more time over at her place than his own. But then, she had stayed over at his place a number of nights as well.

  “Yes and it’s still holding at ninety-eight.”

  Raquel’s gaze dropped back to the little dog that meant so much to her, and she nervously bit on her bottom lip. She glanced back over at Quest. “What if she can’t do this on her own? What if something goes wrong? What if—”

  Quest reached out and placed a finger to trembling lips. “Shh, she’ll be fine, babe. And if there is trouble, Dr. Martin is just a phone call away. We’ve made Smookie comfortable and it’s up to her to do the rest…with our help if needed.”

  He chuckled and glanced over at Bandit. Calling out to his dog, he said, “You better get a good look at this, Bandit, because this will be the only time you’ll have any offspring, now that you’ve been fixed.”

  Bandit lifted his ears as if he was listening and then, deciding he didn’t want to hear what Quest had to say any longer, he lowered his ears and yawned before looking away.

  Raquel had to press her lips together to keep from laughing. “I think he’s still upset with you about it.”

  Quest grinned back at her. “Trust me, I felt his pain.”

  When Smookie let out a doggy moan, they looked at her and Raquel threw her hand to her mouth. “Oh, Quest, the babies are coming. Look!”

  “I see.”

  It took less than fifteen minutes for Smookie to deliver all four puppies. Quest and Raquel helped by using a nasal aspirator to eliminate secretions in the puppies’ mouths and noses so it would be easier for them to breathe on their own.

  “They’re so tiny and beautiful,” Raquel said in awe, placing the puppies next to Smookie’s belly and watching as they grabbed their mother’s nipples.

  “Yes, they are, and they are ours,” he said, hugging her close.

  Raquel nodded and smiled. “Yes, they are.” They had decided to keep one and give the other three away. One would go to Quest’s twin brother, another to Whitney and another to the family of four who lived downstairs. Only good homes for Smookie’s babies.

  Quest stood and reached out to help Raquel to her feet. “I think it’s time to leave Mom and babies alone. It’s bonding time.”

  Bandit had the decency to move from his spot to stroll over to see Smookie and the puppies. Then he went back to his spot on the other side of the room.

  Taking Raquel’s hand, Quest led her toward the living room and to the sofa. He sat down and pulled her down into his lap. “We’ve been dating seriously for a while, and with our growing family, I think we should make some decisions.”

  Wrapping her arms around his neck, she asked, “Decisions about what?”

  “Us.”

  Raquel’s heart nearly stopped. Yes, they had been dating exclusively longer than a month, and yes, their time together had been wonderful, fantastic, totally unbelievable. But she’d never allowed herself to hope that maybe, quite possibly, they were an “us”. And now…

  She swallowed. “Us?”

  He chuckled. “Yes, us. Me, you, Smookie, Bandit and the puppy yet to be named.”

  She nervously licked her lips. “So what do you have in mind?”

  “An engagement that I hope will lead to marriage before the end of the year. So, Raquel Capers, will you marry me?”

  She felt the tears flowing down her cheeks. There was no way she had known, when she had decided to go over to Quest’s place to confront him about Bandit that day, that things would lead to this. He was everything Derrick hadn’t been. He was sweet, kind, giving, attentive and a fabulous lover. Everything she could want in a man.

  “Yes, I’ll marry you. Does that mean you won’t be calling the hot wire anymore?” she asked, leaning down and placing kisses around his mouth.

  “I’ll have my own personal hot wire.”

  She smiled. “Good. And I’ve been thinking about giving up my career as a phone actress to finish up the hours I need for my MBA. What do you think of that?”

  He smiled. “I think that’s a wonderful idea.” A serious expression touched his lips. “I love you.”

  She returned his smile. “And I love you, too.”

  She leaned down to his mouth and he crushed hers in a kiss that had her moaning upon impact. And she knew without any doubt that their love affair was one dreams and fantasies were made of, and had come about because of Smookie and the Bandit.

  * * * * *

  New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author BRENDA JACKSON lives in the city where she was born—Jacksonville, Florida. She has a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Jacksonville University.

  Brenda is a retiree who worked for thirty-seven years in management at a major insurance company. She divides her time between family, writing and traveling. She loves writing connecting stories and happily admits that she is a die “heart” romantic who married her childhood sweetheart, and still wears the ring he gave her when she was fifteen. Brenda and Gerald have been married forty years and are the proud parents of two sons, Gerald Jr. and Brandon.

  Brenda has more than ninety novels in print. You can visit her at www.brendajackson.net. And look for her newest novel, Bachelor Unclaimed, available now from Harlequin Kimani!

  Don’t miss New York Times bestselling author

  Brenda Jackson’s new book, Finding Home Again,

  the next heart-stirring novel in the Catalina Cove series…

  CHAPTER ONE

  Bryce Witherspoon moved around the party intent on enjoying herself, although the host was the last person she wanted to be around. However, she knew Kaegan Chambray felt the same way about her. Yet, as always whenever he hosted one of his acclaimed cookouts, he included her on the guest list. They both knew the reason why.

  Since moving back to town, their childhood friend, Vashti Alcindor-Grisham, forever the peacemaker, had let them know she was best friend to them both and wouldn’t take sides. Nor would she allow herself to be pitted one against the other. So, whenever Vashti was invited to one of Kaegan’s cookouts, to keep peace, he sent Bryce an invitation as well. Vashti’s motto was there are things that happen in the past that are best left there.

  Bryce figured she could make things easier on Kaegan by not coming, but then why should she? He certainly didn’t try making things easier for her by coming into her parents’ café regularly. Kaegan would arrive every morning at the Witherspoon Cafe for blueberry muffins and coffee, knowing she would be there and more likely than not, would be the one to wait on him.

  It wouldn’t be so bad if she could forget what he once meant to her. It had been ten years since their breakup. She wasn’t twenty-two anymore. Since then she’d dated, but what she’d shared with Kaegan had been special. At least she’d thought it had been. He was her first in a number of things and on so many levels. That’s why the pain of their breakup still managed to lin
ger even after all this time.

  And it hadn’t helped matters when he’d returned to the cove four years ago with a chip on his shoulder, still believing he’d the one who’d been wronged. She’d decided to show him that he wasn’t the only one who could carry around a chip, and at this stage of the game he could believe whatever he wanted about her. All those years ago she’d tried proving her innocence and he hadn’t wanted to listen to what she had to say, so what he thought now didn’t matter.

  Coming to his parties let him know she could be in the same room with him and feel absolutely nothing. She figured he was determined to prove the same thing to her, which was probably why he frequented the café every day.

  Okay, she knew there was another reason why he patronized the cafe. He might not like her, but he loved her parents and they loved him. He also was good friends with her two older brothers. But they didn’t know the whole story. She never told anyone what had happened between them to end things. In fact, she’d only just told Vashti last year.

  One night when Vashti’s husband Sawyer was out of town, Bryce had stopped by her best friend’s home and once Vashti had put her newborn son, Cutter, to bed, over a glass of wine and a sappy movie, she’d told Vashti everything.

  She could recall her conversation that night over wine with Vashti like it had been yesterday…

  “Kaegan and I decided we wanted to be more than friends while you were gone to that unwed home to have your baby, Vash. That’s when we became girlfriend and boyfriend. We just didn’t publicize it to anyone at school. My parents knew though. They liked K-Gee so it didn’t matter to them.”

  Vashti nodded. “But he left here two years before we finished school and rarely came back. How did the two of you keep the relationship going?”

  Bryce took a sip of her wine. “You recall my mom’s youngest sister Jancee?”

  “The one who moved from Canada to live in DC?”

  “Yes. I would make the excuse of going to see her. But I was really catching the bus to see Kaegan when he was stationed in Maryland.”