Love Song Lyrics; the New Yorker Book 7 Read online

  Now Chris didn’t know what bothered him more, the fact that his secret was out or that he would have to return to New York sooner than he wanted. It was different being in Southold. He was Luke Evans, the only man with his face, he had his reputation as well. He didn’t interact with more than ten people, but to them he was singular. He should blame himself, Chris had been using funds from his private account. But Kit would never- Duke. It was Duke who found him and Kit tracked him down. He should have known his big brother wouldn’t move on until he was sure that Chris was dead. It annoyed him a little that it had taken them that long to seek him out more than the fact that they found him.

  He had enjoyed a kind of a simple life away from the weight of his family name and expectation. He had a cottage by the water, he read books in the morning and went out for drinks at the bar. Then around midnight he sat at the beach and took it all in, wondering why he couldn’t have everything he ever desired.

  What did it mean to have everything though?

  Laughter ripped through the night air, followed by sob like sounds. He felt a zing of awareness zip through his body as the sounds she was making rippled through him like a caress. He didn’t like how it stirred his desires to life.

  She was sitting not too far away from him, Chris wondered why he hadn’t noticed her sit down. Or was she here before him? This was his spot, and he had never seen her before, he would have remembered. Her chocolate brown skin shone under the moonlight, her hair curled out of a scarf that she had wrapped around her head. Her smile was beautiful even when she frowned when she began to sob. She pouted, her lips forming a beautiful little rosebud. That is if roses took the color of dark rich burnt sienna. He couldn’t see her eyes but he guessed that they were as beautiful as the rest of her.

  “Can you keep it down, or at least share the not so funny joke,” he said. That earned him a yelled that was later followed by an ufff sound.

  They were beautiful, her eyes. Extraordinary. It wasn’t a color he had seen before, so much like staring into the galaxy. She scrambled to her feet unfolding the length of her like a gift that Chris itched to unwrap. From the top of her curly head down to the toes that sank in the sand, Chris appreciated her beautiful curves. Involuntarily, he licked his lips and swallowed hard.

  She had a white knitted crop top and skirt on. Underneath was a pair of white shorts and a bralette. Yes, he most definitely would like to unwrap her. Nubian Goddess, a cliché term to describe a black woman, but what other was there. She was so perfect that his fingers itched to touch. Chris buried his hands in the sand in an attempt to gain back self-control, but that didn’t stop his eyes from looking and his mouth from speaking.

  “Your waist is-,” he swallowed the rest of his statement and exhaled. What he would do to wrap his arms around that hourglass figure.

  “What about my waist?” she asked.

  The question surprised Chris. He expected something else. Chris was waiting for her to kick sand in his eyes or at least slap him for undressing her with his eyes. Instead, she stood in front of him perfectly still, her eyes filled with expectations. Confused, he studied her face for a moment. She did expect him to finish his statement.

  Let’s see where this will take us.

  “It’s beautiful, like the rest of you.”

  “Oh!” She seemed disappointed. What exactly was she expecting him to say?

  There were a lot of words he could have used to describe her but this was the politest one he could master. There was absolutely no reason to let a stranger, one that looked like a pretty dear, to know the deepest, lustful and debauched crevices of his mind. He would stick with beautiful and if they had a chance to spend the rest of the night together, she would find out exactly what he thought of her body, of her lips, her hair and her eyes.

  But right now he would stick with polite words.

  “Would you sleep with me?”

  That made him choke on his drool.

  ***

  His smoky eyes widened, his mouth fell open then closed again. Her head leaned to the left as it automatically did when he wondered about something. She teased the bottom of her lip between her teeth. He had turned from an Adonis to a fish just because of what she asked.

  This was the first brave, yet the admittedly stupid thing that she had said since her birth. But one of the excuses that Darrell had given her when he ditched her for her sister was that he wasn’t sexually attracted to her.

  Okay, fine that was his opinion.

  Jada was going for an unbiased and uninfluenced position.

  Jada had always felt inferior to her sister Nina when it came to her sexual attraction. Having her ex-fiancé use that as a reason to be with Nina instead of her, did make her doubt her physical attractiveness even more.

  Her self-appointed judge wasn’t saying anything. He combed his fingers through his sandy blonde hair and Jada wondered how that would feel like. Jada locked her gaze to his and when he stood her head lifted following. Her head tipped back as far as it could go before she felt a muscle twitch at the back of her head. Jada wasn’t short by female standards, five foot six, but this man in front of her had to be well over six feet. The man carried an indefinable aura of wealth and power.

  A tourist, she thought. Good, then she wouldn’t have to see him ever again after their night's encounter. Whatever that would be.

  “Would you sleep with me?” She asked again.

  “Yeah…sure,” the rough tumble of his voice sounded nervous and unsure.

  He was being polite. Jada swallowed the bile burning at the back of her throat and tried to ignore the disappointment that sat heavy at the pit of her stomach. Maybe she was matronly, even dressed like this. It wasn’t her sexiest outfit, but it was her favorite. It brought out all the curves she wanted to show and hinted at the ones she covered up. She thought it as the perfect combination of voila and mystery.

  “Thanks anyway,” she said as she dragged her feet past him.

  Jada barely walked past him when he grabbed her arm and spun her towards him. Jada crushed into his body hardened by well-toned muscles. Her hands lay flat on his chest, it took everything in her not to let them wander around, not to succumb to the warmth that welled up inside her belly and pooled between her thighs.

  Jada pushed back, but his hands that had fallen on her waist held her in place. She stared at his chest as she tried to control the rapid beat of her heat that tattooed her throat.

  “What’s your name?” his voice was deep velvet as it seduced something out of her. Like a snake charmer with his flute.

  “Jada,” her voice was nothing more than an astonished whisper.

  His fingers caressed her cheek, slid down her jaw and settled at her chin. He pushed her face up to face him and what Jada saw made her already fleeting breath hitch in her throat.

  Sparks flew in his eyes as lust burnt bright behind what was once cool blue-grey eyes. Quiet settled as quiet does as they stared into each other’s eyes. The current of her blood `burned beneath her skin as her need left her nearly breathless. Was it normal to feel such a strong desire towards a stranger?

  “Does Jada have a last name?”

  “Williams.”

  “Jada Williams, would you like to have a drink with me? Some questions are better answered once you get well acquainted.”

  She nodded.

  “I’m Luke Evans, by the way.”

  Jada nodded.

  He-Luke Evans took her hand and weaved his fingers through her own. He dropped his gaze and slid it over her in a quick lick of heat that ended with her toes curling. She, in turn, raked her eyes over him from top to toe and held his gaze with an intent look. Jada didn’t know what she had got herself into but she refused to let him see her as timid. She had started this and she was determined to hold her own and finish it.

  The burning trail of his eyes still touched her like warm flesh and when he smiled at her, Jada realized that she was out of her league.

  “You are beauti
ful.” The embers that were now at a simmer flared to rage at the softness of his voice.

  Jada shook her head, reason finally coming back to her. He was more than she could handle.

  “You asked, all I want to do is give you an answer that won’t disappoint you again,” he smiled.

  Luke Evans started walking pulling her along with him. Jada studied his back, his shoulders, and his butt. She didn’t care if she had just joined hands with the devil, or a Charles Manson reborn. She was determined to see this night through. Hopefully, by morning she would have lost two things that Darrell despised, her virginity and her timidity.

  ***

  He was playing a character for so long why not tonight. He was going to be Luke Evans the mild-mannered stranger whose secret was an insatiable sexual hunger. She would be Jada Williams a woman so unsure of her own charms she needed a stranger to validate it for her.

  First things first, a walk on the beach under the moonlight. Wasn’t that something all girls dreamed of doing? He looked over his shoulder and she was watching him with a steady gaze that bore no suspicion, no fear or thought. It was like she was a rag doll he was dragging along with him.

  He stopped and she stopped.

  “A walk together means you walking in step with me,” he said. She leaned her head to the left bit on her lower lip before taking a few steps forward. He wished he could ready her mind, just to know what thoughts were making laps in there.

  They remained silent for a few more minutes and honestly, he enjoyed it. The warmth of her hand in his and the presence of her body by his side was companionship he never knew he craved until this moment. It was such a simple act that seemed to satisfy all the desires he had. He never felt like this with Danny, other than the need to have her, he realized he didn’t feel much for his brother’s wife.

  “Where are we going?”

  The sound of her voice pulled him out of his fog, “There is a small bar at the end of this stretch. I thought we could have a few drinks first.”

  “Then what?”

  Was she starting to think things through?

  “How about we take this moment by moment. First, let’s get to know each other a little then we’ll see how things develop.”

  “You want to chat?” the surprise in her tone was hard to miss. Did he disappoint her again?

  “Something like that,” he responded.

  “Okay.”

  Okay.

  Chris wasn’t sure what Jada needed from this night, it might be selfish of him but he knew exactly what he wanted and what he intended to get. Being selfish was the core of Chris’ nature. It had been said to him a couple of times and he knew it to be true. He was always there for numero uno.

  To be honest the rush of the flow of blood through his body increased. He was excited at what this night would bring. He just hoped that Jada didn’t expect more than what he could offer and give at this moment. Did he care though?

  About her expectations of the night and her attitude tomorrow morning, honestly, he did, just a little though. Other than the physical contact that she wanted from him, he hoped that there were no emotional expectations.

  Would you sleep with me?

  She had asked that.

  It wasn’t rhetorical and it sure as hell didn’t need any physical proof. But somewhere in between that innocent question-probably asked to boost her self-confidence- and him leading her to the bar on the beach, there had been an unspoken understanding that they would have sex that night.

  It was obvious that she was less experienced than any of the women he had slept with here in Southold and New York, actually anywhere on this God’s earth. If the innocent thing was just an act to attract men, it got him hooked. That was something he would find out later though.

  His night conquests were usually forward with what they expected and wanted. He saw it as a transaction, he would buy them a trinket the next morning with a promise of future liaisons and he would have a booty call list on standby.

  Danny had destabilized that. She was the first woman to not only reject him but pick his brother, Kit. The fact that she preferred the Boy Scout over the rakish playboy had left him stunned and in denial. So he enticed her with her former vices and lured her demons back into the light. He gave her everything everyone else was denying her and that was how he was able to be with her. Their short-lived relationship was more like a love triangle, Kit not included.

  It was Chris, Danny and her addiction of choice.

  Then she turned out to be like all the other girls, one who was with him because he had something to give.

  Would Jada be like that too?

  Why not?

  Chris’ gaze dropped to where their fingers were laced to each other. Such an intimate way of holding hands for two strangers who just met.

  As if in slow motion, a movie reel played in his head as if it were a memory and not something that was happening before his eyes at that exact moment. Jada’s eyes were locked to the shuffle of her feet, her hand came up to her neck and played with the stray hairs that peeked out of her scarf at the back of her head and then ever so slowly her head lifted, her gaze rose and met his. Her lips pulled into a faint smile and her tongue peeked out the corner of her mouth before retreating inside. She looked ahead and they continued walking in silence.

  ***

  Let’s fall in love for the night and forget in the morning….

  Would it even be possible?

  There were so many songs about falling in love but this was the one that came to mind. Maybe because it had an ending, the morning.

  She sighed.

  Her eyes were stuck on where their hands joined and she wondered when he would let it go.

  Did she care?

  Unfortunately, yes.

  Jada stared at the side of Luke’s head and noticed the stubble of his chin. She wondered what that would feel like against her skin. It wasn’t the only sexual thing that had come to her mind since he took her hand and pulled her alongside him.

  His hands, his lips, his back muscles, his thighs, his…

  Jada wondered about all of them. For some inexplicable reason, she had gone from wanting a few minutes to clear her mind, to prepare herself for the day to come to wondering how a stranger would feel between her silky thighs. She had wild thoughts about how his lips would pleasure her, how his hands would caress her and how his large member would thrust inside her.

  Obviously, it would hurt at first, but she was looking forward to the pleasure she expected to come after.

  Jada was staring at the thick veins that were so pronounced in his muscled arms and that added fuel to her arousal. She quickly drew in a gasping breath and swallowed her drool. Darrell had always bugged her about sex but she had always wanted it to be something special that they shared on their wedding night. He didn’t think so. The giving of one’s body to the person you love was something that she had romanticized as well as idolized. The meaning of it, the giving, the vulnerability and the trust you placed into a man’s hands to take care of your body, heart, and soul.

  But that was just her.

  Jada wondered what Luke thought about sex. She also wondered how someone as plain as she had managed to pick up this rugged, physically adept Adonis and convince him to be her lover-even if it was just for the night.

  The night before her wedding.

  This wasn’t how she had planned to lose her virginity but at least it was on her terms.

  Jada was drawn out of her clouded mind by voices and a jazz melody. They were here, the beach bar he was talking about. This was just the first stop, she wondered how many more there were before they got to their final destination.

  Luke led her to an outside table, opting for the night air over the cloud of smoke that filled the dimly lit place. It was a cute matchbox of a place with vinyl covering the wall as décor. Fairy lights ran from one side of the room to the other as the only source of light besides the moon and the stars. It wasn’t a romantic atmospher
e, but instead gave off an air of secrecy. As if all its patrons had come to hide from the world outside those bamboo doors and twinkle lights.

  “Do you like the place?” Luke’s voice called to her attention.

  Jada shrugged, “Not particularly. It’s a beach bar.”

  Luke chuckled, the sound of it rolling through her and sitting atop her building desire.

  “You’re cute,” he said.

  In response, she cupped her cheeks in her palms and fluttered her eyes. That earned her a laugh and a chance to see a side to him that she hadn’t seen that night. His hooded, guarded eyes were now bright and wide.

  Luke looked at her, really looked at her. His gaze swept over her face for what felt like an eternity. Her cheeks burned as she became so shy. She had never seen so much admiration in anyone’s eyes as they looked at her. Suddenly conscious of everything that was wrong with her and anything his diligent studying would discover, Jada lowered her head and tried to retreat into her shell. Luke didn’t let her. He lifted her chin with his finger, his head leaning to the left as if to question her.

  She didn’t have any answers, so instead, she asked for a drink.

  It was an hour to sunrise. The patrons were staggering out of the bar as the little fairy lights were turned off. Jada had both her hands cradling her unfinished beer. The alcohol was supposed to settle the swarm of bees making themselves busy in her belly. But instead, it made her feel more aware of what was about to happen. Luke took her hand and she looked up from the bottle into his eyes. He signaled for her to stand up and follow and she did. They walked a few feet away from the bar towards the row of villas along the beach.

  They got to a secluded spot somewhere between the villas and the bar. The oceans crashing waves rolled now. Luke led her towards some rocks, and in between two of them was a little spot. Hidden from the prying eyes of others but still in full view of the moon and soon the sunrise.