Chapter Seventeen
Chanel
“Are you sure this is what you want to do?”
I spun around, not from the question, but from the underlying threat I’d heard in Robert’s tone as he asked.
“And what is that supposed to mean, Robert?” We’d just come out of a deposition for Michele and Jacob Wyatt. It’d taken place at Robert’s office, which meant I was at my father’s law firm. I wanted nothing more than to get out of there. But some revealing facts had come to light regarding Jacob and the way he treated his family. I highly doubted he or Robert wanted any of that made public, which I was sure was why Robert was trying to corner me now.
“It means this was a private deposition and if any of what was just revealed in that office is made public, there will be a penalty.” The look of hostility on his face alarmed me.
“Robert, as you know, I received the same education in law school that you did. I am aware of attorney-client privilege and the need for discretion. I’m not interested in losing my license over making anything public. However, as you well know, these records will be made public eventually, so I suggest you prepare your client for the fallout when they are.”
“And secondly, I suggest you don’t ever threaten me like that again. I don’t give a shit who you work for,” I whispered, glancing behind me as a woman walked past, giving us a curious eye. We were standing outside the conference room we’d just exited, and I wasn’t looking to make a scene. “You don’t get to threaten my client or me because your client is an abusive piece of shit, but loves to pretend he’s a devoted family man to the public.”
“Ha, abusive,” Robert retorted in a whisper, but filled with venom. “A few pushes or a slap here and there doesn’t make him a cold-hearted abuser. Maybe you just have some vendetta against strong men.”
I pulled my head back, peering at him in absolute disgust. “A few pushes or slaps? You know what, this is ridiculous. I suggest you prepare your client to finish this divorce process quickly. Michele has been very generous with her demands. She only wants the house to raise their children, a reasonable alimony, and child support. He owes her at least that much. Either convince him to agree, or we’ll see you in court.”
With that, I turned and walked away, not bothering to look back, but I could feel Robert’s heated gaze on me. I was more than ready to get out of there. I hadn’t bothered to stop by my brother or father’s offices.
I headed straight back to my office to finish up some work before I left a little early for the day. As I was searching for a pen in my desk, I felt the letter that I’d shoved in my drawer than two weeks ago. I’d opened it and reread it a few times since receiving it. I didn’t know what it was, but something was compelling me to hold on to it.
I took it out, opening the letter once again and reading the same words I’d read over before. And instead of refolding the letter and placing it back in the envelope, this time I turned to the computer on my desk, opened up my email and typed in the address that was on the card that had come with the letter.
Ethan,
I received your letter. If you still want to meet, I am available this Wednesday at lunchtime from 12 to 1 to talk. There’s a small deli not too far from my office.
My hand hovered above the keyboard, reading the words over until finally I hit send. For a long while, I simply stared at the screen, wondering if I’d just done the right thing.
“Chanel,” my phone’s intercom buzzed, startling me.
“Yes, Liza?”
“There’s an Anne Marie on the line for you.”
“Oh, put her through.”
“Right away.”
A few seconds later, Anne Marie’s voice came through on the other end of my phone.
“Chanel,” she sounded hesitant.
“Anne Marie, how are you?” I greeted.
“Um, well, not good. I—I wanted to know if you’d still be willing to take me on. I got scared before, and Michael promised to change, but he hasn’t. And seeing you a couple of weeks ago, I just think—”
“Anne Marie, you don’t have to explain. Of course, I’ll take you back on. When can you come in to meet with me?”
I spent the next forty minutes talking with Anne Marie about how we could proceed with her divorce in a way that would keep her and Noah safe. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that this case worried me. Anne Marie seemed to be even more scared than she’d been a couple of months ago. Michael had gotten laid off and was taking his anger out on his family. His violence was escalating, according to his wife. She didn’t want to go back to the women’s shelter, so we had to come up with an alternative place for her to stay when she finally did leave.
After hanging up with Anne Marie, I did a little research to find out what housing alternatives I could look into for her. I also had a memo I needed to get done for another client, and a phone conference with another. Before I knew it, it was close to four-thirty, well after the time I’d wanted to leave.
I sighed, and decided to shut down my computer, gathered a couple of files I wanted to look over, and notified Liza to send any calls to my voice
mail for the rest of the day. Soon after, I was on my phone, ordering from my favorite Indian restaurant. Xavier had tried to convince me to allow him to pick up dinner from one of his places, but I declined, not wanting him to do anything. I’m sure he’d been running all weekend, and I didn’t want him to have to do much besides getting a car from the airport to my place.
When I glanced at myself in my rearview mirror, I knew Gabby’s words from that weekend were true. I didn’t think I’d ever felt this giddy about anyone, especially not this early on in the relationship. I decided to suppress the fear that began to rise in my belly at that thought. That night, I didn’t want to think about fear or anything else. I just wanted to see the man I’d been missing something serious over the last three days.
****
“You look tired,” I told Xavier as he sat on my low-sitting, brown leather couch. He looked good in his dark blue tailored pants that matched the suit jacket he’d swung over the edge of the couch. The sleeves of the crisp, white button-up shirt were rolled up to his elbows, and his tie hung around his neck. His lids lowered, legs splayed apart comfortably, looking like my dream. But he seemed tired from working all weekend.
“I’m good. Come here.” Goddamn, the sexy rumble of his voice bowled me over and my feet started moving in his direction. As soon as I was within arm’s reach, he pulled me down onto his lap, pressing me to him to nuzzle his face in my neck. I giggled at the contact of the short whiskers on his chin and cheeks tickling me.
“Are you hungry?” I genuinely meant that question, but with his head on my neck and hands squeezing my hips and ass, it came out as more of a moan.
“Yes,” he answered before licking the side of my neck.
My entire body shivered around a sigh; I couldn’t hold back.
“I picked up Indian food. Chicken tandoori, naan, yellow rice and ice cream for dessert, of course.”
“Hmm,” he mumbled as he pressed kisses down my neck and toward my collar bone. “Feed me,” he directed, pulling back with his mouth, but sliding his hand up the cream-
colored pleated skirt I’d changed into after work, cupping my pussy with his hand. “From here first.” Wrapping his hand around the lace panties I wore, he tugged, ripping them off me and moved so quickly I didn’t know what was happening until I was flat on my back with him hovering above me.
“Mmmm,” I moaned when his thumb began making circles against my swollen clit. “Xavier,” I panted.
“Mm, sounds like you missed me,” he teased, kissing my lips, then my neck, down to my collarbone.
I went to grab the back of his head to pull him to me, but he wasn’t there. He’d slid down the length of my body, pushed up my skirt and had his mouth on me before I could blink.
“Ohh, shit!” I screamed when his tongue circled my clit, teasing it. I moaned even louder when he slid one finger, then two into me at the same time. My hips rose to meet his greedy mouth, and I dug my heels into his upper back. That only seemed to encourage him. He angled his fingers inside me to make contact with my G-spot while he continued to tongue my clit and I completely came apart. My legs trembled and tightened up around his head, my head fell back over the arm of the couch, hips rising uncontrollably as my orgasm washed over me. I sucked in air as I caught my breath, but there was little time for a reprieve as Xavier sat up, bringing me with him to straddle his hips.
I saw the wetness on his lips and wanted nothing more than to taste myself on him. Leaning down, I licked the perimeter of his delicious lips. God, I loved those lips, so soft, and such a contrast to the rest of his body. He groaned into my mouth, and I heard the wrestling of a belt buckle and zipper beneath me. I raised my hips to make room for him to release himself, my mouth still devouring his. Seconds later, his strong hands were around my hips, angling me and then pulling me down onto his stiff shaft.
“Mmmm, you feel so good,” I moaned as I sank onto him, feeling every ridge and vein on his dick. Fuck, this was what I’d been craving for three days.
“You missed this dick?” he questioned, grabbing my hair to pull my head back.
I whimpered when his hips rose, slamming into me.
“I ain’t hear you! You missed this dick?” Our hips met again and again as he fucked me, although I was the one straddling him.
“Yes!” I hissed.
“Say it! Say you missed this dick!”
I dug my nails into his shirt-covered shoulders and tried to lower my head back to his lips, only to be halted by his hand on the back of my head.
“Say it!” he growled.
“I missed this dick,” I drawled out. The sounds of flesh smacking against flesh turned me on even more. It must’ve done the same for Xavier because he ripped off the sleeveless chiffon top I was wearing, pulling it down along with my strapless bra, sucking one of my breasts into his warm mouth. I threw my head back in ecstasy, moaning loudly as wave after wave of pleasure overtook me. He released one nipple from his mouth and moved to the other one. I bit my lower lip so hard, straining against all the sensations running through me, I thought I might draw blood. But even that little bit of pain was no match for how good Xavier was making me feel.
“Shit!’ he grunted, and I felt him straining against me.
I knew he was close.
“Come with me,” he ordered, rubbing his thumb against my slit.
I bent lower, capturing his lips with mine and we both released, giving and taking every ounce of pleasure our bodies could wring out from one another. Our screams and grunts were in unison as we came.
When I finally came down, I was still straddling his hips, leaning down, cradled to his chest that rose up and down as he struggled to catch his breath. I closed my eyes against the warm feeling of peace and security that wrapped itself around me, just as his arms were. I wriggled, trying to move out of his embrace, but he held onto me tighter.
“Don’t. Don’t run.”
How the hell did he know? I hated that either I was that obvious or he knew me that well in such a short period of time.
“I’m not running, but we just made a mess all over my couch.” I tried to lighten the moment.
“I’ll buy you another couch.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t need you to buy me another couch.” I tried again to pull back, but he held tight until I finally acquiesced and let him hold me to him. I closed my eyes and inhaled his scent, a mix of his sweat, cologne and his usual manly smell, with a whiff of our sex in the mix. It was perfect, and my nipples began to harden against his chest. I don’t know how long we lay there, him holding me, and me enjoying his smell and reluctantly surrendering to the safety of his arms.
Eventually, his stomach growled.
I laughed. “I bet you want some real food now.”
He grunted.
“Come on, let me feed you.”
He finally let me push back and stand, slowly releasing himself from me around a loud pop. I went to the bathroom to clean up, realizing we’d just had sex without a condom.
“Shit,” I cursed myself. We always used protection. I didn’t know what the hell happened. I made a mental note to pick up some Plan B pills the following day. I headed to my bedroom and changed my now-stained and ripped clothing to a pair of light pink silk pajama shorts and sleeveless top. By the time Xavier came out of the bathroom, he was down to his T-shirt and sweatpants he’d brought with him. I pulled his plate from the microwave and sat it at the counter in the center of my kitchen. Sitting in there was more intimate than the dining room. When I sat on the stool next to his, he pulled me closer, wrapping one hand around my waist and using the other to eat.
“She didn’t get enough recognition for this album. It was so good,” I commented on Tamia’s Love Life album that played in the background. I’d been feeling the hell out of that album lately.
“What’s your favorite song on the album?”
“Mm, that’s tough, but ‘Stuck With Me’ is probably the winner.”
“Sing it to me.”
I stared at him.
“I’m serious. Sing it to me. I already know you can sing.”
“I cannot sing. I might be able to hold a note or two, but I’m not a singer.”
“So what? Sing for me.” His gaze penetrated mine. This man actually wanted me to sing.
“Xavier, I—”
“Don’t think; just sing.”
I hated the way his words warmed me all over. I took one last look at him and picked up my phone to change it to “Stuck With Me”.
“You asked for it,” I lamented as the opening chords began.
“I did,” he answered smugly.
I looked him in the eye, took a deep breath, and began to sing. My voice started off low to match the melody of the music. I closed my eyes and started snapping my fingers to the rhythm. When I felt Xavier’s hand tighten on my thigh, I opened my eyes, to stare at him. I continued to sing, completely entranced in Xavier’s gaze. His eyes never left mine and that only emboldened me. I sang the song with complete abandon, letting the words and feelings flow. I got into it when my favorite part of the song came up. “Baby, you're stuck with me…” I felt like I was revealing a piece of me that I’d never shown anyone. I loved singing, but never did it for anyone besides myself these days. I stopped performing as a child and had vowed I’d never sing for anyone again. Now, here I was singing my heart out to a man I was pretty sure I was doing the unthinkable with. I was falling for him.
By the time the last lyric spilled from my lips, my vision blurred from the tears that I refused to let spill over. But, I found myself in Xavier’s arms, chest to chest, as he pulled my legs up and around his waist and stood, walking both of us to my bedroom.
“Take the day off tomorrow,” he told me as he laid us both down on my queen-size bed.
I swallowed, still choked up from the emotions of singing for him.
“Call in. Spend the day with me,” he said again.
I nodded, silently agreeing, and his lips were on mine.