“Carlton—”
“I need you to tell me you want this, Tonya. Do you want me?”
“My, God, Carlton—”
When he inched away slightly, her eyes went wide.
“Okay, Carlton. Yes, I want this. I want you. Damn you!”
Moving forward, his erection teased her. He entered her then, fully, completely. She purred and his lips closed in on hers. With each thrust forward his tongue purged into her mouth, deeper and deeper each time.
Wrapping her legs around his waist, she arched her back, meeting his passion with her own. She circled her arms around him and held on for dear life. They continued without words until they both found release.
Carlton continued to plant soft kisses down her neck and behind her earlobes. He nibbled on her ear a bit before rolling over on his back. Pulling her close, he ran his fingers through her sweat-soaked hair. She felt him gently kiss the bridge of her nose just before she closed her eyes and snuggled into his embrace.
Staring at his wife while she slept peacefully in his arms, Carlton silently chastised himself. He’d done it again, moved too fast, made love to her before getting to a space where they were certain about each other. He’d promised himself that this time he would take greater care, practice restraint.
He’d come in the room because he hadn’t wanted their evening to end. He figured they could talk or watch television or something that would have kept her in his presence just a little while longer. But seeing her wearing nothing made him remember all too fully what it had been like to touch her. He swore he felt a piece of heaven each time she was in his arms. He’d just wanted to hold her again and he ended up making love to her instead. He mentally kicked himself for not having the proper patience.
He didn’t want to mess things up like he did before, by moving too fast. He’d wanted to woo her the way she deserved to be wooed. He needed her more than he needed air and was determined to do it right this time. Needing time to clear his head, he left the bed before she awoke and returned to the office.
Chapter 28
When Latonya woke up alone in the bed, she didn’t know what to think. She’d thought for sure that Carlton would have at least woken her and given her a kiss goodbye before he left for work, the way he used to. Letting out a shuddering breath, she reminded herself that they were far from those days. He had left her in the bed alone just like he’d done the entire week before he kicked her out.
Having no idea where they stood at that moment, she figured she’d have to be a fool to think that just because they’d had sex, they were somehow back on track. Sex alone could not accomplish that.
The sex between them had always been glorious, but she knew that if great sex was all it took to keep a marriage together, they wouldn’t have had problems in the first place. By allowing her body its desire, she had foolishly put her heart in peril again.
She loved Carlton, but he did not love her. She had to face that fact, as sobering as it was.
The phone on the nightstand started to ring and she leaped for it, thinking it was Carlton calling to say that he was sorry for leaving without waking her. They needed to talk. She dreaded where the conversation would lead, but she knew it had to happen. Answering the phone hesitantly, she found Gran on the other end of the line.
“Hey, Peanut. How are you?”
“Hi, Gran. I’m doing okay. How are you?”
“I’m fine, baby. I’m more than fine.” Excitement pulsed from Gran’s voice through the line. “Cicely is taking me on a Caribbean cruise. At first I was a little leery, because I’ve never been on a boat. But then I spoke to Jillian and she told me I wasn’t getting any younger and I’d better start trying some new things. So, I said why not. I called Cicely and told her I’d go. We’ll be gone for two weeks. We leave today.”
Latonya had forgotten that Cicely had mentioned she wanted to surprise Gran with a cruise. Torn, she didn’t know how to respond. On the one hand she felt happy that her sister was treating their grandmother to a much-needed vacation. On the other hand, she wanted to be leaving for the Caribbean with them. She wished she could just take the boys and head off on the cruise. Struck by the urgent need to get as far away from Carlton as she could, she knew that if she stayed she would end up heartbroken again.
But it wasn’t her vacation and she didn’t want to ruin her sister’s and Gran’s great time by taking all her problems and baggage on their trip.
She forced pleasantness in her voice and responded, “That’s wonderful, Gran. I bet you and Cicely will have a fabulous time.”
“Oh, we plan to. We plan to. I tried to call you and tell you the other day, but you must have been out and about with the boys. And Jillian told me that you had a hot date last night with Carlton. So, I didn’t even bother to call then.”
Not wanting to think about the hot date that ended up with her waking up to an empty bed, Latonya changed the subject. “So what time are you and Cicely leaving? I’d love to bring the boys down so that they could see. They’d get a kick out of seeing the boat leave the dock. Plus, I’d get a chance to say goodbye.”
Latonya didn’t think her grandmother’s voice could become more gleeful, but it did.
“Oh, that’s a wonderful idea. Then I can see my precious baby boys before I leave. The cruise docks off at three-thirty this afternoon.”
“We’ll be there.”
“Oh, and one more thing, baby. Would you mind checking up on the house a couple of times while I’m gone? I know it’s not much of a house, but it’s my home.”
“Of course, Gran. Don’t worry. I’ll be glad to check on the house for you.” A light bulb went off in her head. “Maybe I’ll even house-sit until you get back.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that. You stay at Carlton’s home. No need for you to have to live in my little hovel when you can lay your head in his big home.”
“No, Gran. It’s my pleasure. You’d be doing me a favor. I need some time and a space to clear my head and think some things through, anyway. If I can’t do it on a Caribbean cruise with the two of you, then I might as well do it in the place where I was raised.” She smiled ruefully. Two weeks at Gran’s house would be perfect.
“Are you and Carlton having problems? You could always come with us on the cruise, Peanut. Do you want us to call the trip off to help you?”
Troubled by the sudden worry in Gran’s voice, Latonya forced an upbeat tone into her own. “I know, Gran, and thanks. I just need some time to think things through, and I wouldn’t want to put a damper on your vacation.”
“Okay, Peanut. Just know you’ve got family, and we care.” Gran sounded hesitant.
Making her own voice more chipper than she felt, she said, “I know, Gran. Listen, let me go get myself and the boys ready so we can meet you at the dock.”
“All right, baby. I’ll see you then.”
Latonya hung up the phone feeling more on edge than she thought she would. She knew that her stay at Gran’s house was just the beginning of her separating from Carlton. She would spend two weeks at Gran’s, sleeping there at night and visiting with the boys when Carlton left for work, and she would find a place of her own.
Clearly, things weren’t going to change between her and Carlton. The sooner she realized that and moved on, the better.
Chapter 29
