The Sweet Road Back Read online

  She checked the tuck of the towel before sitting next to him. Not only were her thighs exposed, her bare butt was inches away from the man who still held her heart. If he made half of a sexual attempt tonight, she didn’t have the willpower to fend him off. She wanted him to touch her, wake up her body, and take it for a ride. “Please make yourself comfortable,” She tried to sound sarcastic.

  “I just did.” He crossed his ankles. Even though he was fully dressed, her imagination started thinking about all the things they had done in their bed. Tonight would be perfect if they could have just one iota of that happiness again.

  The fear of trying to act like a normal couple made it hard to breathe. The two of them sitting and talking should have been easy. But so much disappointment had passed between them, too much to be taken back. She wasn’t sure where they’d begin.

  She inched closer to him. “So, what do you want to talk about?” she asked while pretending to examine her pedicure.

  “Nothing specific. We haven’t really chatted in a long time.” He crossed his arms. “The night is still young and so are you. I’d thought I’d enjoy both.”

  “What a cheesy line. Let’s hope you write better lyrics.”

  “You know I do.” He dropped his leg over hers. Even through his slacks, she could feel the heat from his limb.

  “I know no such thing.” She chuckled.

  He placed her in a bear hug, which only made her laugh harder. The delicious feel of being in his arms sent all her trepidations scurrying. She held him tight. The heft of his body pressing her into the mattress was as familiar as his touch and smell.

  His hand slipped behind her neck and pulled her closer. She brushed her lips across his. The moment they connected, her heart started knocking in her chest. When his tongue darted into her mouth, for an instant, she wanted to protest, but the emptiness in her heart overpowered her reasoning. Like butter, her body melted, submitting to the desire to have him. She crushed her mouth hard against his.

  This was wrong and she knew it. One signature away from filing for divorce and the two of them were embracing like lovers on a honeymoon. Even though her brain was trying to sort out what was happening, her body surged ahead of her reasoning and she ran her hand under his T-shirt. Her fingers greeted every tight muscle along his back, like welcoming an old friend she hadn’t seen in a while.

  The towel bunched around her waist, leaving her breasts exposed. He rubbed his palm over one nipple, then the next. The small circles made them stand at attention, demanding to be touched.

  For the first time in months, she felt alive. His touch stroked her to awareness, filling her with anticipation. The love she held for him made the moment right. Any hesitation she harbored about giving her body to him vanished as his breath brushed over her neck and shoulders. For once, she didn’t want to be reasonable or prudent, she only wanted to be loved by the man who occupied her heart. She parted her legs as he pushed between her thighs. The fabric from his slacks roughed her skin.

  “Are you going to undress?” Her voice rushed out thick and husky.

  He kissed her while slipping out of his shirt. He pulled the sleeve free without releasing her mouth. She unbuckled his belt and guided his pants over his solid thighs. The moment he was completely undressed, he freed the knot in the towel exposing her damp flesh.

  For several moments, his eyes swept over her body, as if he were preparing to devour her. The gleam on his face said the Darius she married wanted her. She allowed her hand to drift down his body, relishing every muscle along the way. When she reached his swollen member, she tightened her fingers around it and massaged him slowly.

  “Oh, baby,” he whispered.

  “Yes.”

  “Nobody can do what you do to my body,” he responded between gasps.

  “You taught me everything I know.” She flashed to the first time she gave her body to Darius. His tender touch had made her first experience one worth cherishing, unlike her girlfriends who’d complained about the fumbling, bumbling, and pain of losing their virginity. She continued to fondle his shaft. With his eyes closed he inserted his finger between her moist folds. The sensation forced her back off the bed, against his flat stomach and chest.

  Swallowed up in the ecstasy, she dangled from a string she couldn’t cut. For several moments, she luxuriated between consciousness and unconsciousness. There wasn’t any room for sadness in the rhapsody enveloping her. When her body was pressed to the limits, she surrendered to the explosion ricocheting through her loins.

  ****

  Darius waited for her breathing to return to normal before shifting his weight. With his arms wrapped tightly around her, he pulled her closer. Filling his nostrils with her scent. The longing waned enough to allow him to take a deep breath.

  “We belong together.” He spoke into the soft curve of her neck. “You should know how important you are to me.”

  “I want to. But we need more than one peaceful night.”

  “I took you for granted. I know better now.” He pressed his lips into the flesh of her neck.

  “I think we’re both guilty of the same crime. In the beginning, I was so busy enjoying the good life, the cars, the nice house, the designer clothes. I didn’t even know how lonely I was. But seeing the joy my sisters have with their partners makes me feel isolated, like I sold my soul. I think we deserve more.”

  “What do you really want? I’d give you the world if it would make you happy.”

  Her hand slipped over his arm. “I just want us to be happy. Sit down to dinner at night. Watch movies on television. Hold hands while walking down the street. I want to know I can count on you and you’ll be there. Not just some of the time, but all the time.” She climbed on top of him and planted kisses along his chest, down his abdomen.

  “You got it, babe.” He managed to say as she took his swollen shaft in her mouth. “You got it.” His voice was barely audible as she pushed reality away with her skillful tongue.

  He clutched the sheets in his palms to keep from pulling her hair. Sex with Melissa was always over the moon, but tonight there was desperation. He needed her to fill him up, put him back together again. But he couldn’t show that kind of vulnerability. If she didn’t believe in him, he had nothing.

  He conceded his failings and focused on the pleasure she offered. Being a success would be worthless if Melissa wasn’t in his life. He’d find a way to secure her by his side.

  With his hands under her arms, he pulled her up. In a swift move, he climbed on top of her and pushed inside. “This is what I need. He buried his stiff rod inside of her.

  Melissa locked her legs around his back, drawing him deeper. The warmth of her body, inside and out, drove his temperature up. Her hips ground against his with an urgency that demanded a matching rhythm. The slow, steady motion welded them into the single soul they used to be.

  For the last few years, he had been so focused on the music; he’d sat Melissa on a shelf and expected her not to expire until he returned to collect her from her pedestal. A foolish notion believing so little would satisfy her.

  He tucked his head to kiss her forehead, her cheeks, and her mouth. This time instead of just saying the words, he needed to give her more. Show her she was the priority.

  She pulled her legs tighter, signaling she was close to the brink again.

  “Now, baby,” he spoke in her ear.

  All of his blood seemed to pool in his loins, the throbbing mounted with each thrust. He burrowed deep as his body shuddered, each one bigger and more intense than the last, until an explosion claimed him, ripping him away from the real world and into ecstasy.

  His body rocked with pleasure for several moments before the tide released him.

  “You don’t have any idea how much I missed you.” He continued to hold her.

  “Maybe just as much as I’ve been missing you.” She stared into his eyes. She sighed like a weight rested on her chest. “How did we end up here?”

  �
��By not paying attention and taking each other for granted.” He rolled away and folded her into the crease of his arm. “I don’t leave for New York for a while. Let’s get away. Just you and me.”

  “But what about school?” Even though she protested, her tone indicated she was willing.

  “You never take any time off work. Tell them it’s an emergency. Tell them you need some time to finish your book. Tell them anything. Say you’ll come away with me.”

  She pushed up on her elbow and looked down on him. “Don’t tease me, Darius, or I just might take you up on your offer.”

  He grabbed her arm. “Melissa, I’m dead serious. I’ve never wanted to take you away so badly.”

  “Where will we go on such short notice?”

  “Hawaii. Let’s go to Maui. I’ll have all the arrangements made tomorrow morning. We can leave in a day or two. What do you say?” He spoke fast while she was still contemplating the idea.

  She nodded slowly.

  “This can be the honeymoon we never had. Are you game?”

  She sat straight up in the bed now. From the glint in her eye, he could tell the idea was taking hold of her. “Okay. Let’s do it.” She jumped off the bed. “But I’m not sure I have everything I need. What about a bathing suit? I can’t get everything squared away so fast.”

  He pulled her back into bed. The sparkle in her eyes resembled diamonds in sunlight. The only thing important was the two of them. “We’ll buy whatever we need when we get there. Now, how about giving me some more loving?”

  She crawled on top of him, straddling his hips with her thighs. His body jerked to attention. “I’m going to wear you out.”

  “God, I hope so.” He pulled her down on top of his erect shaft.

  Chapter Nine

  Last night was perfect. Getting out of bed might break the spell. Melissa turned toward Darius. Even though his eyes were closed, she knew he wasn’t asleep. Maybe he had the same reluctance of changing the current flawless tableau.

  “I know you’re awake, so stop pretending.” She pushed her finger into his chest.

  His hand slid down and gripped her butt. “You’re right, but I haven’t been this relaxed in weeks. This is better than a sedative.” He paused. “I love you, Melissa.”

  “Keep telling me. Don’t miss a day.” She trailed her finger up and down his chest.

  “What will I get in return?” He nuzzled closer to her.

  “We’ll get to be happily married for the rest of our lives. We can grow old together. I’ll even push your wheelchair on stage when you accept your Lifetime Achievement Award.” She laughed.

  “Why do I have to be in a wheelchair?”

  “I’m just saying.” Her laughter turned into full out giggles as he tickled her neck. She rolled out of bed onto the floor to get away from him. The dog started to bark from the ruckus.

  “Shhh, Turbo, it’s okay.” Darius patted the dog’s head.

  “I’m going to shower.” Melissa grabbed the towel from the night before off the floor.

  “You showered last night.”

  “A lot has happened since then. This morning, I smell like your cologne and sex.” She flicked the towel in his direction.

  “Come here and let me see.” He held his arms out for her.

  “No way. If we’re going away, I’ve got a lot to do. The last one in the kitchen cooks breakfast.” She smiled and closed the bathroom door.

  By the time she dressed and made her way downstairs, he was already at the stove. “I would have cooked for you. I always pay my debts and keep my promises.” She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

  “I’m glad you remember your comment. Because you promised to come with me to Maui and I have my assistant making the arrangements. We’re leaving first thing tomorrow morning.”

  She squeezed him tighter. He folded over the fluffy eggs, enclosing the melting cheese into a perfect omelet. “So you were serious. I thought that was just your sexual appetite talking.”

  He turned to face her. The way his eyes roamed over her body made her blush. The blaze of his pupils sparked a burn in the base of her soul. She wanted to pull him into the pulse of her heart so he’d know just how much she loved him.

  “My love for you was talking. I meant every word. This is a fresh start for us and this time will be different. After this mini tour, I’m talking to my publicist to find opportunities to get us on every front page of every rag paper and news show she can think of. Maybe I’ll even go on my favorite morning gossip show too.” He nodded to the television just as Sunny Kincaid took the seat in front of the studio audience.

  “Are you serious? You’re sure you’re ready to expose our private life?”

  He slipped his hand around her waist and pulled her so close she could feel him inhale. “I’m sure.” He held her gaze. “I should have done this from the beginning.”

  He bent just enough to plant a kiss on her lips before tilting the frying pan and allowing the omelet to slide onto the plate. Then, he repeated the process for the second egg.

  “You don’t mind if your name is mentioned on gossip shows across the world?”

  “Not at all.” He smiled.

  After sitting, they discussed the logistics of their trip. Going to Maui in the middle of the semester would be the most decadent thing she’d done in years.

  He shoved a mouthful of eggs into his mouth. After swallowing, he put his fork down. “The two of us is all that matters. At least, until we start our family.”

  Melissa gagged on the coffee, spewing it across the table. She swallowed the liquid left in her mouth and wiped her lips. “Did I just hear you say the F word? Are you really my husband or has his avatar moved into his body and taken over?”

  He picked up their empty plates and placed them in the sink. “Oh, you think I’m joking, huh? Well, just wait and see. When I get you in Maui, I plan to get so busy, you might not get to see the black sand beach.”

  A large hoot escaped from her throat. This was so much fun, the way it used to be, the way she remembered. If this was just a phase he was passing through, killing time until he took off for his next music tour, she didn’t know how she would come out on the other side. The thought was too depressing to entertain for more than a few seconds. Darius was the man she loved. He couldn’t hurt her again. Together they had made it over the burning sands. Rehashing the past would be a bad idea.

  Darius held out his hand to help her up. He wrapped his arms around her. He rocked her slowly, nuzzling his chin in the center of her head. While humming a melody, his hand snaked into her shirt and cupped her right breast. She closed her eyes and allowed her body to sway with enjoyment. In the short space of twenty-four hours, she’d stepped into a fairy tale, where her every wish came true. Now, all she had to do was lock the door and refuse to ever leave.

  As his hand moved to caress her other breast, she twisted just enough to kiss him. His soft, warm lips felt smooth and tasted like honey. While he concentrated on her nipples, she deepened the kiss, wanting to have all of him.

  The steady rise of heat between her legs made it impossible to stay still.

  “It’s been a long time since we made love in the kitchen.” His voice was husky.

  She unsnapped his pants and reached for his hard shaft. “There’s no time like the present.”

  “Floor or counter?” he asked.

  “Floor.” Without releasing him, she wiggled out of her shorts and panties. He pulled the shirt over her head and caught a breast in his mouth. His index finger stroked her with such tenderness she melted in his hand. She undressed him and ran her hand along his sleek body.

  “God, I’ve missed you so much. Thank you for giving us another chance.” He pulled her down on the heated floor, parted her legs and eased inside. The warmth of him as he entered her shattered the remaining doubt.

  Chapter Ten

  As the driver maneuvered the car away from the curb at the Kahului Airport, she appeared rel
axed and happy. Convincing Melissa to make the trip was easy. Helping her get everything ready to leave was the challenge. Somehow, she’d managed it all.

  He placed his hand on her thigh. “The scenery will get prettier once we get away from this area.”

  “I already think it’s fantastic. And I love the idea that we’ll have our own villa.”

  “We’ll have more privacy. I think we deserve to be treated like royalty, so I hired a cook and a housekeeper too.”

  She leaned closer and kissed him. “Thank you. I always thought we’d be middle-aged before we found the time to come to Maui. This is a real treat. I just wish we could be here longer than a week.”

  “I promise to bring you back.” He rubbed her knee.

  “You’ve been making a lot of promises lately.” She gave him an earnest glare.

  “And I intend to keep every one of them. You’re more than just special to me, you’re everything to me and for the rest of my life, I intend to prove just how special you are.”

  Tears gathered in her eyes. She tried to hold them back by biting her lip.

  “Don’t cry. This is supposed to be fun, a new beginning for us. So while we’re here, everything else stays behind. No more dredging up what used to be. Do we have a deal?”

  She nodded. He wiped away the tears clinging to her lashes and rolling down her cheek. “If you don’t stop crying, you’re going to miss the beautiful scenery along Route 30.” He pointed out the window. “Look, there’s the ocean.”

  “It so hard to believe we’ve come so far. I didn’t think it was possible.” She glanced out the window. “Is that a public beach?”

  “Yes, want to stop?”

  For several moments, she stared without saying a word. Her eyes grew larger. “I’ve seen special places before, so why does this feel so superior to anything else? The water is so blue, the weather is perfect.” She took a deep breath and pressed her hands to her chest. “Okay…okay, I need to slow down and just enjoy our time here. Let’s go to the villa, I’m sure the view from there will be just as remarkable.”