Owner of a Broken Heart Page 20
He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “So am I.”
“Are you hungry? I can order takeout for you.” She grinned.
He pulled Nina against his body, “Actually, I do want something to eat.” Rubbing his lips against her neck, he said, “And what I want isn’t on any menu at any restaurant.”
Turning her head, Nina brought her lips on top of Clinton’s. He slipped his hands underneath her blouse, touching her as if he were doing it for the first time. “You feel so good,” he said when their lips parted.
Nina ran her tongue over her lips, capturing Clinton’s lingering taste. “You feel even better.”
“My conference doesn’t start until tomorrow. So, you got me all night and I plan to make the most of it.” Slowly he unbuttoned her top and slid it from her shoulders. Each inch of flesh he exposed, he kissed. When he unsnapped her bra and her breasts spilled forward, Clinton took each one in his mouth, circling her nipples with his tongue until her knees began to quiver. With one hand, Clinton unsnapped her pants and pushed them down. With the other, he slipped between her thighs, feeling the wetness that had pooled there.
“Missed me?” he whispered.
“Yes,” she moaned breathlessly as his finger entered her heated core.
Pressing against her, Clinton made sure she felt how much he’d missed her. “I’ve been thinking about this all day. And this sofa is too small for me to do everything I want to do to you.”
“Well, there is a big bed upstairs waiting for us.”
Clinton lifted her from the sofa and they headed up to her room. Laying her on the bed, he leaned in to her and kissed her on the forehead.
“You’re beautiful,” he said as he stepped out of his pants.
Nina nearly ripped her clothes off, anticipating the pleasure that he was about to deliver. “I love you,” she said, unabashedly and without worry that he would cut and run.
“I love you, too,” Clinton replied as he joined her on the bed. For a moment, they lay in each other’s arms, just touching and exploring the other’s body as if it were the first time they were about to make love. He traveled her curves with his finger, making every nerve in her body tingle. Love and desire rippled through her body.
Nina sought out Clinton’s lips, reveling in the sweetness of his mouth as he kissed her with deliberate precision. Nina melted against him as he pressed his flesh against hers. It felt as if they were melding their bodies together. She wrapped her legs around his waist and rolled over so that she was on top of him. Clinton palmed her breasts, teasing her nipples with his thumbs as she slid her hands down the center of his chest heading for his throbbing member, stroking him softly and slowly until he moaned with pleasure.
“I need you, inside me.” Her wanton need was on full display.
Clinton was happy to oblige her request as she spread her thighs apart and he felt the warmness from her core. He was harder than a stone as she mounted his erection and enveloped him in her wetness. Gripping her hips as she rocked back and forth, Clinton murmured her name with his lips pressed against her ear. “You feel so good.”
With her eyes closed and head thrown back, Nina replied, “You feel better.”
Sliding his hands up and down the small of her back as she rode him deep and fast, Clinton was brought nearly to climax when she sped up her rhythm and tightened herself around him. He fell in sync with her, matching her passion thrust for thrust. Nina gripped his shoulders and he took her breasts into his mouth, sucking and kissing her hardened nipples until Nina cried out fervently.
Clinton flipped Nina over, pinning her against the bed, and rained kisses across her neck and down her chest and they ground their bodies against each other. Sweat covered their bodies and their animalistic cries filled the air as they reached their sexual peak at the same time. Nina never felt so connected to another person, so wanted, needed, and loved. She clung to Clinton and decided at that moment that she never wanted to let him go.
He kissed her cheek and when he looked at her, Nina could see the love in his eyes and nearly burst into tears. Was she really getting her happy ending?
Clinton wiped a stray tear from her eye with the pad of his thumb. “What’s with the waterworks?”
“I’m just so happy,” she said as she took his hand and kissed it. “Can this all be real?”
“If that didn’t feel real, then I really must be doing something wrong,” Clinton joked.
“Clinton, what I’m talking about is what I feel inside. I didn’t think I could love you as much as I do and to know that you love me, too.”
He silenced her with a soul-searing kiss that sent a shiver down her spine. When they broke off the kiss, Clinton stared longingly into Nina’s eyes. “A wise man told me that when you find a love like this, you don’t let it go,” he said. “And I don’t plan on letting you go, ever. Marry me.”
She pressed her hand against Clinton’s chest and propped up on her elbow. “What?”
“If I had a hundred more years on this planet, I’d never find a woman who thrills me like you do, who sends chills down my spine just by saying my name.” He kissed her again. “Say yes.”
“I-I don’t know,” she whispered, pushing out of his embrace. “This is all happening so fast and—”
“What’s stopping us?”
“Me,” she said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. “I just don’t know if I’m ready for marriage and I don’t want to disappoint you.”
“Disappoint me? There’s no way you could do that. We love each other and this seems like that next logical step. I’m not going to let you out of my life.”
Nina stood up and looked at him. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
Clinton reached into his discarded pants and pulled out his mother’s engagement ring. “What do you think?”
Nina wiped the tears from her eyes and took note of the marquise cut diamond and ruby ring. “This is too much.”
He took her hand in his and slipped the ring on her finger. To their surprise, it fit perfectly.
“This is fate. This was mother’s ring and she was the most important woman in my life. Now, you are. So, are you going to marry me or what?”
Tears of happiness streamed down her face. “Yes,” she cried. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Clinton grabbed Nina around the waist and lifted her into the air. “I love you,” he said as he captured her lips and planted a passionate kiss on her. They fell back on the bed and celebrated their engagement all over again.
* * *
The next morning, Nina woke up thinking the night before had been a dream. But the sparkling ring on her finger told her otherwise. Clinton was in the shower getting ready for the conference and she dipped into the kitchen, finding her sister standing at the coffee maker.
“All I want to know is what was that man doing to you all night long?” Yolanda asked.
“When did you get in? Where did you go?” Nina asked as she pulled two coffee mugs from the cabinet.
“I just explored the city. But it seems as if you were otherwise occupied anyway. I’ve never heard such noise. I thought for sure someone would call the police.” Yolanda filled the two mugs. “I had no idea you were such a freak.”
“Shut up.” Nina popped her sister on the arm.
Yolanda grabbed Nina’s left hand. “What in the—Is this an engagement ring?” Yolanda shrieked so loudly that Clinton burst into the kitchen shirtless and his face full of shaving cream.
“What happened?” he asked, looking from Nina to Yolanda.
Yolanda rushed over to Clinton and hugged him tightly. “Welcome to the crazy Richardson family. I guess that’s what all the noise was for last night,” she said.
Clinton blushed as he let her go. “Well, I’m sorry if we kept you up last night.” Glancing over at the stove, Clinton furrowed his brows. “Who’s cooking?”
“Not Nina,” Yolanda said as she returned to the stove. “But she did get the coffee mugs.”
“See,” Yolanda whispered, “aren’t you glad you got that asshole Lamar out of your life?”
Looking down at her ring, Nina couldn’t have been happier with that decision. “Yes, I am. But we still need to talk about what’s going on with you.”
“After we eat, okay?”
Nina nodded as she sipped her coffee. Moments later, the trio was sitting down to a breakfast of grits, eggs, toast, and turkey bacon. Yolanda, unlike her little sister, was handy in the kitchen.
“So,” Yolanda began in between bites. “Are you guys going to live in Charleston? You know Alex isn’t going to let you go again. When’s the wedding going to be? And you know what, I’m picking the gown.”
“Slow down, Yo-Yo,” Nina said. “We just made it official last night. We’re going to need time to talk about all of that.”
Clinton nodded in agreement.
“Well,” Yolanda said. “You don’t have to worry about selling this place if you decide to move to Charleston.”
Nina dropped her fork on the side of her plate. “You’re really moving, aren’t you?”
She nodded. “Clinton, you can take her to Charleston and everything will be fine.”
Nina eyed her sister suspiciously. “What are you running from?”
Clinton took his plate to the sink. “I’ll see you all later,” he said as he kissed Nina on the cheek and headed for the door.
Once Clinton was gone, Nina grabbed Yolanda’s hand. “What’s really going on?” she asked.
Yolanda smiled weakly. “I need to get away from Richmond because I’m in over my head.”
“With your business?”
She shook her head and walked over to the coffee maker. “A few weeks ago, I witnessed something outside of my store.”
“What?” Nina asked.
“A murder. I didn’t want to tell anyone about it because I didn’t want to put you all in danger. I want a fresh start without all the drama. I came to Charlotte instead of going home because I figured these people who committed this crime could find me.” Yolanda’s hands shook and sloshed coffee over the counter and floor.
Nina walked over to Yolanda and wrapped her arms around her. “You can’t cut and run. You have to go to the police and tell them what you saw.”
Yolanda faced her sister and shook her head. “These people are dangerous and I’m not getting involved. The store’s been closed and I’ve given up the space in Richmond. Some movers have boxed my merchandise up and they’re shipping it here. The scary thing is, a bullet whizzed right by me and hit the picture I had of all of us on the wall. That bastard who did the shooting said if I talked to anyone, he’d make sure he killed me and everyone that I loved.”
“Yo-Yo, why didn’t you tell me?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “What could you do? Tell Daddy? Tell Alex? No, I’m not getting you all involved in this. It’s all over now.”
Nina kissed her sister’s cheek. “I hope you’re right.” Nina thought about her sister being threatened by some thug, which put a cold chill on what should’ve been a happy day.
Chapter 23
Twisting in his seat, Clinton struggled to focus on the speaker at the marketing conference. His mind was back in Nina’s town house, right where his future wife was waiting. He’d heard of whirlwind romances, but never did he believe he’d be a part of one. But if this was how it felt, then he was all for it.
Following the morning session, Clinton decided to take a walk around uptown taking advantage of the unseasonably warm fall day. Strolling through the streets of uptown, he decided that there was way too much action going on for his tastes. He couldn’t count the number of bankers he’d passed who’d been screaming into cell phones, bicycle messengers who dashed in and out of traffic not caring if they knocked someone over, and the out-of-town visitors who held up traffic as they drove down the congested streets at a snail’s pace. All of it made Clinton long to whisk Nina away to his Summerville home and lock the door. Charlotte, he surmised, was a great place to visit, but he hoped that Nina still had a longing for the quiet life of the South Carolina countryside.
“Hey,” a voice said, breaking into his thoughts.
Clinton looked up and saw Lamar standing in front of him.
“You’re Nina’s friend, right? Thought I recognized you.”
“I’m her fiancé.”
The smug smile on Lamar’s face quickly curled into a scowl. “Fiancé? Damn, that girl moves quick. I was just by her place.”
Clinton hid his disappointment. “What?”
“Guess that’s why she stood me up for dinner. She’s settling?”
He’s lying, Clinton thought.
“Oh well.” Lamar shrugged. “I wish you nothing but happiness with your new fiancée. With you being in Charleston and Nina here, that’s going to mean a lot of lonely nights, but don’t worry, I’ll keep your side of the bed nice and warm. ’Cause you know our girl has needs.”
Anger bubbled in Clinton like an exploding volcano. Without warning, he coldcocked Lamar, nearly knocking him off his feet.
“You had your chance with Nina and like a fool you gave her up!” Clinton bellowed, not giving a damn about the people stopping to look at them. He wanted to hit him again, but restrained himself. “Stay away from her.”
Lamar leapt to his feet and lunged at Clinton, who dodged his punch. “Don’t get mad at me because you can’t control your bitch,” he huffed.
Clinton grabbed Lamar by his collar and pushed him against the side of a building. “You bastard. You’re not even worth my time.” Clinton pushed him in the chest and turned to walk away.
Lamar smiled sardonically. “You sure Nina feels the same way?”
Lamar’s cold laughter sent waves of anger down Clinton’s spine. Was Lamar telling the truth and did he need to worry?
Turning around and glaring at him, Clinton resisted the urge to punch Lamar in his smug face again. Beating Lamar down wouldn’t get him the answers he needed.
Taking off down the street, Clinton had to find out if anything Lamar said had any truth to it. He headed for his car, which was parked in a garage on College Street.
As he drove to Nina’s, all he could think about was why would she accept his marriage proposal if she was still seeing a clown who had no respect for her?
Clinton screeched into the parking lot of Nina’s building, catching her as she was walking toward her car. He threw the car in park, hopped out, and ran over to her.
“Clinton, hey,” she said with a smile on her lips.
He grabbed her arm. “We need to talk.”
She furrowed her brows as she stared incredulously at him. “You’re hurting my arm. What the hell is wrong with you?”
Clinton released her arm and shook his head. “Why, Nina?”
“Why what?”
Running his hand over his face, he groaned. “Are you still seeing him? Lamar made sure I knew he was at your house.”
Her face blanched. “It’s not like that. He came over, but—”
Clinton shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut. “What do you need to do to get over him? Sleep with him? Have some more time with him to make sure I’m the right man for you? Were you going to keep my engagement ring on or take it off before you hopped into bed with him?”
Nina struck his cheek as hard as she could. “How dare you? If you have such a low opinion of me, then why do you want to marry me?” She twisted the ring off her finger.
“Maybe I made a mistake,” he snapped.
Nina pressed the ring in his hand. “Then here’s your chance to correct it.”
Clinton closed his fingers around the ring and without another word, he got into his car. He didn’t even turn around to see the tears falling from Nina’s eyes.
* * *
Nina wasn’t sure how long she’d been sitting in her car until her cell phone rang.
&nbs
p; Wiping fat tears from her eyes, she answered it. “Hello?”
“Nina, are you going to Independence? The coach is waiting for you, but he said he won’t wait much longer,” her editor said.
“I’m sorry, I’m on my way.”
Since Independence High School had won another state championship despite losing in the regular season, she was scheduled to have a sit-down interview with the coach about his program, but her mind wasn’t on football. She was devastated by Clinton’s rejection. All because of something Lamar had said. He wouldn’t even listen to her explanation.
If he questions how I feel about him, then this is for the best, she thought as she started her car and tore out of the parking lot. Nina desperately tried not to cry as she headed for the interstate, but her tears won out and blurred her vision as she turned onto I-277. A blaring horn was the last thing she heard before everything went black.
Red lights and sirens swirled around Nina’s mangled car. The eighteen-wheeler she’d pulled out in front of never had a chance to stop as her car swerved in front of him. The Charlotte Fire Department called in the Jaws of Life to cut Nina from the car.
“She’s not breathing,” a fireman said as he pulled her from the car and placed her on a stabilizing board.
Emergency medical technicians took over the scene trying to stabilize Nina. Her vital signs were low and her heart rate was dropping by the second. A police officer pulled Nina’s purse from the car, searching for her identity and next of kin. Everyone on the scene or anyone who saw the crumpled red Mustang felt as if she wasn’t going to make it.
“Her name’s Nina Richardson,” the officer told the EMT.
The young blond nodded and turned to her. “Nina, Nina, can you hear me?”
What happened? Nina said silently. What’s going on? Clinton, I’m so sorry. You have to know I don’t love Lamar, I love you. Only you.
A tear spilled from her eye and rolled down her cheek.
The EMT turned to his partner. “We’re losing her, fast.”
They loaded Nina into the rescue squad and sped to Atrium Health Center.
* * *
Yolanda shook hands with the Realtor as she took the keys to her new retail space.