Rituals for Love (9781476761893) Read online

  Cain tapped my bottom. “I’d do pretty much anything to see that smile on your face. Let’s just hope you’ll still be smiling once we get to work on launching this place.”

  “Genesis.” I stood up and returned to my chair.

  “Right. Genesis. Are you sure that’s the name you want to go with?”

  “I thought we decided that already.”

  “Actually, you selected that name.”

  “You don’t like it?”

  “I didn’t say that. I was just asking if you’re positive that’s the name you want for the spa.”

  “Yes, I’m sure. It’s perfect. After spending a day in our spa, people will feel like they have a new beginning, a fresh start. The stress will be left behind and they’ll be refreshed, renewed and ready to tackle anything.”

  “All right.” Cain chuckled. “We’ll have to work on our value proposition, but I get the picture.”

  “I’m so excited.”

  “We have a lot of work ahead.”

  “I know we do.”

  “And we’re going to be fifty-fifty partners. That means we both have to commit the same amount of time and energy to this business.”

  “Cain, I know. This is not my first time starting a business.”

  “No, but it is our first time going into business together. We need to establish parameters for our partnership.”

  “I agree wholeheartedly except I don’t want to do that right now. All I want to do is bask in the wonder of these gifts that I received this morning.” I smiled and then sipped my coffee.

  “Well, we should at least seal the deal on our new partnership.”

  I peered over the edge of my mug. “What did you have in mind?”

  “Come over here.”

  I placed my cup on the table and went to him. He put his right hand out to shake. I delicately placed mine within his. “This is what you had in mind?”

  He kissed the back of my hand and then released it. “Happy Birthday, Jade,” he said, reaching for the buttons on my pajama top. Slowly he undid each one, spreading the shirt to reveal my nakedness underneath. Placing his hands on my hips, he drew me close enough to nuzzle my breasts. “All week I wanted to be here,” he mumbled.

  The rumble of his deep bass against my skin triggered a reaction inside. My body instinctively responded with the timbre of my moan indicating I was glad he was back from his trip. I touched the back of his head and pulled him even closer. The feel of him, his hardness and strength, was a natural aphrodisiac. I eased down onto his lap and regarded the man inches away from me. Raw energy and tautness filled the slight space between us. I moved forward and licked his bottom lip. Cain responded in kind. I planted a soft kiss on his full lips. He audibly inhaled and then hungrily kissed me back, exhaling as our lips met. His fingers slid through my damp hair and cradled my crown. He held me where he wanted me as his tongue connected with mine. I tumbled into his kiss, feeling his urgency and desire.

  He slid my shirt down exposing my shoulders, giving him unencumbered access to my breasts. I untied the belt on his robe and parted it enough to reveal his pectorals. They were well-built but not bulky. Cain leaned down and lightly brushed his lips across my nipple before drawing it into his mouth. The warmth combined with the flicking of his tongue made my nipples harden. I purred. He moaned. I could feel him growing against my backside. “Well, hello,” I said.

  Cain peered up at me. “You know what you do to me.”

  “Show me.”

  He coaxed me from his lap, standing up in front of me. His robe fell open putting his rising manhood on display. I closed the gap between us and reached inside his robe, wrapping my arms around his waist. His penis pulsed against me. I craned my neck to meet his approaching lips. The doorbell rang. Cain stopped his advance. “Who the hell is ringing my bell?”

  We stared at each other, waiting. It rang again. Cain pulled his robe closed and retied the belt. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.” He left me standing there as he went to the front door.

  I waited half naked in the middle of the kitchen wondering who could’ve been ringing the bell that early. Cain started talking to someone at the door. I thought I heard him call my name. I yanked my pajama top up over my shoulders and listened.

  He reentered the kitchen. “It’s Pop.”

  “Your dad is here?”

  “He wanted to drop off my golf bag. I left it in his truck last weekend. He said he’s only staying a few minutes. Come say hello.”

  “I’m not dressed.”

  “So what. Neither am I.”

  “I’m not wearing any underwear!”

  “All right. I’ll tell him that’s why you can’t speak.”

  “You better not.” I swatted Cain’s arm. “Please tell him I said hello and I’ll see him next time.”

  “You know he wants to see his favorite girl.”

  “I can’t. Just tell him what I said.”

  “Nope.” He left the kitchen laughing.

  I clutched my pajama top together and quickly ran by the living room to the staircase. I called out as I passed by. “Hi, Pop. How are you?”

  Pop turned, barely catching a glimpse of me. “I’m hanging in there.”

  “Hope to see you soon,” I shouted back as I skittered up the steps.

  I returned to Cain’s bedroom, tossed my pajama top on the bed, and crawled back under the blanket. I hoped Pop didn’t think I was being rude. I’d make it my business to invite him to have dinner with Cain and me. He must have figured out that I wasn’t decent. Hopefully his son stopped playing around and told him why I didn’t come into the living room to chat.

  From the first time I met Pop, I liked him. He was an older version of Cain. Handsome. Kind. Open. He asked me to call him Pop on our first meeting. He shared stories with me about his dearly departed wife. He adored her. Unfortunately, because of cancer, she left her husband and three sons too soon. Pop never remarried but, according to him, he has a few girlfriends. I hadn’t met any of them yet. Maybe it was time to invite one to join us for dinner. I’d have to run it by Cain to get his opinion. He wanted his dad to be happy, whether he wanted to actually see him with a woman that wasn’t his mother could be a different story altogether.

  I thought about my own parents and their marriage. What would they do without one another? They had been married for thirty-five years and together for thirty-seven. I couldn’t fathom what it would be like to not have someone around that had been in your life for so many years. Your partner and soul mate, your everything. Love was an investment. An investment in your future, happiness and fate. It was an investment that you hoped would pay off over the years.

  I was in love with Cain and was looking forward to what the future may bring for us. We decided we’d take our time and let love happen. If it was meant to be, our lives would unfold accordingly. There was no need to hurry or force our situation. I wanted to be happy in the moment. It was easy to miss the immediate blessings when you’re focused on what should happen in the future. I vowed that I wouldn’t do that this time.

  In my last relationship, I thought I was going to marry my ex-boyfriend Bryce. I was so fixated on the thought of being his wife, I ignored the fact that he should not have been my husband. I embraced the ideal of our relationship, rather than the reality. It ended badly for all involved—hurt feelings, friendships jeopardized and futures threatened. Thankfully, I came out of the situation a little smarter, a little stronger and with a new outlook on relationships.

  I rolled onto my stomach, tucking a pillow underneath my head. I was in the moment, comfortable and cozy in Cain’s bed. In the dark of the room, I started to drift off.

  The rustling of the blankets being tossed aside and movement on the bed stirred me from my light sleep. Cain’s body weight pressed down on my back as he lay on top of me. “I missed you,” he said. He pulled my hair to the side and planted delicate kisses on my ear, down my jaw and along my neck. He nibbled my shoulder before proceed
ing downward, kissing the side of my breast, my ribs, and then biting my hip bone. I squirmed beneath him from the tickling sensation of his teeth nipping me. He held me steady as he kissed the roundness of my ass, the backs of my thighs, knees and calves. My toes wiggled as he kissed the soles of my feet.

  Cain inched back up my body, lips touching my skin here and there, enticing me along the way. He spread my legs and repositioned his body atop mine. He stroked the head of his penis back and forth on my nani. Long, repetitive hums full of yearning emanated from deep within him. My clit throbbed in anticipatory excitement. He thrust and I gasped as he entered, burrowing inside until he filled me up. He rocked slowly from behind, trying to push deeper into me. He moved the pillow from beneath me and flung it to the side. I lay completely flat, arms raised above my head. Chest pressed against my back, he grasped my hands, linking his fingers with mine. He clenched my fingers as he withdrew his length to the tip and thrust again. “You feel so good,” he whispered. “You’re dripping all over me.”

  “Make it rain, baby.”

  He grunted and pushed harder. With each thrust he filled me a bit more. My nani pulsed, clutching him as he dipped in and out of my wetness. I raised my ass and he called out my name. Cain let go of my hands as he pushed back to his knees. He gripped my hips, pulling me into him. The sound of skin slapping skin pervaded the bedroom. Pressure was building between my legs and with each thrust a high-pitched cry escaped me. I was suspended between the sound of my shrieks and the force of his thrusts, edging closer to my orgasm. It took a second for it to register that Cain had pulled out of me. His tongue lapped at my nani and it sent a wave of tingles through me. He plunged his tongue inside of me and my breath caught in my throat. Winding and sucking, his tongue caused my hips to move in time with his flow. He held me steady. “Lie down on your back.”

  I turned over and Cain left the bed. “Where are you going?”

  I squinted as sunlight flooded the room.

  Cain had opened the drapes. “I want to see you.” He approached the bed, his erection leading the way. He stared down at my body.

  I smiled. “Do you like what you see?”

  “I love it.” He climbed on the bed and started where he left off, with his head between my legs. He licked my clit and tasted my nectar as I writhed across the California King. Where I went, he persistently followed. My breathing was quick and shallow. He wouldn’t give me a second to get control over it.

  I reached down and captured him by the chin. I lured him away from my nani and pulled him up toward me. I kissed him, sucking his tongue into my mouth, while wrapping my legs around his waist. Cain smoothly glided inside, his hardness creating sweet friction within my walls. Our faces were inches apart. We watched each other as we made love. I’d moan and then he’d moan, our alternating sounds of passion demanding I focus on nothing more than that exact moment. Natural tones of unaffected vulnerability heightened the intensity of physical sensation. He bit his bottom lip as he increased the tempo. I tightened my legs and matched his momentum. The cadence of our lovemaking conveyed an understanding of body and soul. I knew Cain and he knew me. Our intimacy was an inexplicable progression of familiarity and newness, commingled.

  Moans became words as I could no longer contain the fire that was building inside of me. “Right there,” I whispered.

  “Right here?” he asked, his voice husky with lust.

  “Yes, right there,” I affirmed, as he stroked my spot. “Don’t stop.”

  “I won’t stop until you tell me when.”

  Cain hit my spot over and over again. I started to whimper with pleasure. “Oh, yes. Oh, yes.”

  He buried his face in the crook of my neck and continued to thrust without altering his stroke. A true testament to his stamina. My repetitious cries were in sync with his flow.

  “Let it out, baby,” he murmured.

  I grabbed his ass and pulled him deeper inside. He took that as his cue to switch it up. Cain gripped one of my legs by the ankle and held it up high. I watched him as he worked my nani. A mischievous smile flitted across his lips. He loved it when I watched. He bit my inner thigh and then soothed it with a flick of his tongue. I wrenched my leg from his hand and squeezed him tightly between my thighs, halting his motion. I popped my nani relentlessly as he swelled inside of me. His eyes closed, fluttering back open upon my insistence. He clutched my knees, parted my thighs and made me feel just how good we fit together. I clenched the sheets in my fists. The throbbing overtook me and my sweetness engulfed him. I exhaled a melodic song of ecstasy. He responded with a refrain that foretold of an explosion he could no longer hold back.

  The force of his orgasm racked his body. He rode each wave, plunging to my deepest depths. As Cain slowed his flow, he drew me to him and held me in his arms. We lay there in silence, hearts beating against one another. He snuggled closer, pinning his pelvis to mine.

  “You know you’re gonna have to come out of there eventually, right?”

  He chuckled. “I will when I’m ready.”

  “I understand. It’s just too good,” I teased.

  “You are the cockiest person I know.”

  “You love it.”

  He kissed my forehead. “I love you. I don’t know about your cocky sidekick.”

  “We’re a package deal.”

  “At least you’re admitting that you’re cocky. You used to say that you were just confident.”

  “I can admit to a little bit of cockiness.”

  “That’s all I can ask.” Cain gradually withdrew his penis and stretched out on his side next to me. “You came hard.”

  I looked down at his glistening pride and joy. “That’s not all me.”

  “It’s both of us, but you were raining on me like a tropical storm. More than usual.”

  “I guess you better go away more often.”

  “It keeps getting better between us, doesn’t it?”

  “You definitely know how to make me sing.”

  “Are you saying I’m the best you ever had?”

  “Always fishing for compliments…”

  “Is that a yes?”

  “Yes, Cain, you are the best I’ve ever had.”

  “Now you’re just saying that.”

  “I’m not. The way we are with one another is like nothing I have ever experienced.”

  “That’s because my body craves you; I crave you.”

  “We crave each other. When we come together, we satisfy our hunger.”

  Since I had been with Cain I’d been learning to share my feelings. I wasn’t always good at expressing myself, but with him I had no choice. He was open with what he felt and expected the same from me. Not being open and honest with him in the beginning of our relationship nearly caused me to lose him. I had gotten much better, but was still a work in progress. There were those rare occasions when I’d clam up and he’d have to pry things out of me.

  “When it comes to you I’m more than satisfied.” He caressed the side of my face. “I only want to make you happy, Jade.”

  “You do. All the time.”

  Cain sprang up and seized me by the arm. “C’mon, let’s shower. It’s your birthday weekend and we have more celebrating to do.”

  I let Cain haul me off to the bathroom curious about what else he had in store.

  CHAPTER SIX

  JADE

  I was behind my desk in the office, staring at the computer screen. I was supposed to be placing orders, but my mind kept wandering to my incredible birthday weekend. Cain made me brunch, and then took me shopping on Saturday afternoon. I came home with a pair of strappy red bottoms and a little black dress for the evening. That night, we dined beneath the stars at a new rooftop restaurant in the city. As restaurateurs, it wasn’t easy to impress either of us, but we both agreed that the dinner was remarkable. The highlight of my meal was grilled oysters that were to die for—smoky, sweet, plump—the perfect mixture of heat and spice. The service was impeccable and the chocolate sou
fflé, decadent. On Sunday, we spent our morning relaxing in bed watching old black and white movies. Cain fired up the grill in the afternoon while I lounged poolside with martinis in my bikini. His backyard was the ultimate relaxation destination. Acres of lush, green grass, an in-ground pool with a waterfall, and irresistible hidden grottoes ideal for discreet rendezvous. As the sun set, I shed the bathing suit and went skinny dipping as he watched from a recliner on the patio. After my swim, we bathed together and he loved me down again. I woke up this morning with my man in my arms and a smile on my face. Best. Birthday. Ever.

  I was still in a state of disbelief that Genesis was on its way to becoming a reality. Leave it to Cain to completely take me by surprise and present me with keys to our eatery and spa. Regardless of my excitement, this was a business venture. Cain was now my partner in more ways than one. It would be important to keep our relationship and business endeavors separate. There was much to be done. We had legal documents to file, contractors to hire, and suppliers to find. Together we would chart the path to a successful New York City venture. I wanted Genesis to be the hottest spa in the city.

  The door opened and I jumped. I touched a hand to my chest.

  Bria paused in the doorway. “Hey, I didn’t know you were in already.”

  “I’ve been here for a couple of hours working on the orders.”

  “It looked like you were daydreaming to me.”

  “I can always count on you to call me out.”

  “It’s my duty.”

  “Girl, hush.”

  She sat in the chair on the other side of the desk. “Did you have a good time Friday night?”