him, giving in to her need this one last time. Her heart thundered as the rain pounded against the windows.
Raymond lifted her off her feet and walked with her to her bed.
It was all so familiar yet different every time that he touched her, made her body come alive in new ways. Her skin sang beneath his fingertips and her insides vibrated with desire. His mouth was hot and wet and everywhere that it touched it set her ablaze.
When he entered her, the world came apart in a million little pieces. And with each thrust, every kiss, touch and moan the pieces came together and exploded again and again.
The sky lit up beyond them and her body swirled around him like the wicked wind and his love poured into her like the falling rain.
Jacqueline fought back her tears and held him to her, listening to the familiar beat of his heart, knowing that this was the last time.
Chapter 4
Raymond slung his carry-on over his shoulder as he stepped out of Jacqueline’s midnight blue Mercedes sports coup. She popped the trunk and he came around to the back of the car and took out his bag and laptop. Jacqueline met him on the curb. Frenzied travelers swirled around them. Traffic cops and security personnel waved cars along the busy drop off lane and warned the drivers of parked vehicles to move it along. She looked up at him, hooking her thumbs into the loops of his jeans.
“Try to stay out of trouble while I’m gone,” he said with a catch in his throat. He gave her a lopsided grin.
“What fun would that be?” she teased.
He slowly lowered his head, and brushed his lips against hers.
Jacqueline’s heart thundered and guilt welled up in her throat. She longed to tell him but she couldn’t do that to him. It was best this way. Her eyes burned. She blinked away the threat of tears.
Raymond stepped back and tenderly stroked her cheek. “See you in a week. What should I bring you from Indonesia?”
“Surprise me,” she managed over the knot in her throat. She wiped away the gloss of her lipstick from his lips with the pad of her thumb. “You’re going to miss your flight.”
He kissed her one last time before grabbing the bag. He turned toward the revolving doors.
“Ray…”
He turned. Tell him, her conscience whispered. The words stuck in her throat. “Have a safe trip,” she uttered instead.
His smile made his eyes crinkle in the corners. “I will.” And then he was gone, swallowed up in the mass of humanity.
Jacqueline stood there until a security officer told her to move or get her car towed. With a heavy heart she rounded the front of her car, slid behind the wheel and pulled off.
* * *
Jacqueline took a sip of her apple martini. The bar was crowded, but that was to be expected on a Thursday night. The live band had begun their first set when Traci walked in. She stood and waved above heads and shoulders to get Traci’s attention.
Traci Desmond was an independent documentary filmmaker. They’d met more than fifteen years ago when they were students at New York University. They had the same media arts class and they hit it off from day one. They’d been friends ever since. Traci was the sister she never had and the only person she trusted enough with her darkest secrets. Traci had been there for Jacqueline through it all, as Jacqueline was for her.
“Hey, girl.” Traci kissed Jacqueline’s cheek and slid onto the seat opposite her. “Busy night, I see.” She placed her purse on her lap. “Ray get off okay?”
Jacqueline nodded and took a sip from her drink.
“You still didn’t tell him you were going to your niece’s wedding, I take it? Or anything else of importance.”
“No.”
Traci blew out a breath of frustration. “J, I love you. You know that, but I swear I do not understand why you won’t tell him.”
Jacqueline stared at her friend over the rim of her glass. “Yes, you do,” she said in a monotone.
Traci pursed her full lips. “But I don’t have to like it.”
“It’s better this way.”
“Secrets, lies? You call that better?”
“I don’t need a lecture, Traci. Seriously.”
“Fine,” she said in a feigned huff. “What time is your flight to Louisiana?”
“Tomorrow afternoon at two.”
A waitress stopped at the table and took Traci’s drink order.
“How do you think it will go?”
She shrugged her right shoulder. “I don’t know,” she said on a breath. “I haven’t spoken to my brother in ten years. I haven’t seen my nieces and nephews in almost as long. I missed Lee Ann’s wedding.” She slowly turned her glass around on the table. “I was in the Sudan or somewhere. I don’t even remember. But I don’t want to miss Desi’s. Who knows when…if I’ll get to see any of them again.”
Traci studied her for a moment. “Are you going to tell Branford what’s going on?”
She shook her head. “No.”
Traci clasped her hands together on top of the table. “He’s your brother, J. Your flesh and blood. And I’m going to be honest with you, because I’m your friend and I know you. You talk a good talk about not needing anyone, not needing your family and wanting to make your own way. But you do care and if you gave them half a chance I know that they care about you, too.” She tipped her head to the side and looked at Jacqueline through lowered lids. “If you really didn’t want to see them—and maybe even talk to your brother—you could have simply sent a gift.” She cocked an eyebrow to emphasize her point.
Jacqueline’s eyes flashed for a moment. She lowered her gaze and stared down into her glass.
“You’re going to have to stop traveling soon. You may not be able to work. What are you going to do then if you shut everyone out—especially Raymond?”
Jacqueline tossed back the rest of her drink. “Let’s order. I’m starved.” She set down her glass and then snapped open the menu.
Traci knew that look. The walls were up and there wasn’t anything that she would be able to do to get Jacqueline to talk short of bamboo shoots under her nails. Every fiber of her being wanted to shake some sense into Jacqueline, but knowing Jacquie, she’d cuss her out and make her pay for dinner. She may not be able to fix things between Jacquie and her family or her and Raymond. What she could do was be her friend.
“I think I’ll have the steak,” Traci said. “With sweet potato fries. They are the best this side of anywhere.”
Jacqueline smiled. “Yeah, that sounds good.”
Traci
