Admission of Love (6 page)

Chloe felt the urge to kiss his grizzly cheek, but didn’t. “I would appreciate that, Mr. Dobbs.”

She climbed back into the car and started the engine, her wooden angel clutched in her palm. “I’ll be seeing you soon.”

“Yup you sure will, and welcome home, angel.”

She waved and shifted into drive, steering the car back onto the main road. Chloe was glad she decided to come into town on a Sunday to see the land and the beginning structure of the house alone. Her eyes took in everything around her as she drove, and she felt an infinite connection to her mother, to the grandparents she didn’t know and to the generations of Bolton who had once lived in this small town.

Holtsville was everything her mother had spoken of. As she drove, she enjoyed the long stretches of uninhabited woodsy land with wildflowers and grasses tall as she. Children played noisily and freely on uncluttered spaces next to their homes. Old men sat under the shade of a willow tree playing cards on a makeshift table. Women set on screen porches in cotton house dresses and casual wear, fanning themselves while drinking lemonade. The faint sounds of the organs and a joyful choir could be heard from the small brick church. The air was filled with the tantalizing smell of roasted meats and baked desserts.

Peace, quiet, family, love… Holtsville.

She waved back as many of the people she passed on the country roads greeted her, even though they didn’t know her. She loved it!

A sign on her right said “Jamison Contractors straight ahead one mile on left.” She was tempted to stop and introduce herself to the contractors, but she didn’t because she didn’t favor dropping by people’s home, especially on a Sunday, unexpectedly.  Besides, she wanted to see the house alone.  Tomorrow she’d call from the hotel and tell them she was in town.

She’d looked over as she eventually passed their house, a white, three-story affair with a large barn yards away with the sign, JAMISON CONTRACTORS INC., on the front. As she sped past she noticed a shirtless man with a well-defined, muscled body bending over washing a truck.

Just as Cyrus Dobbs had said, one half mile down from the Jamison’s was her land. The car slowed under her direction as she turned left onto the grassy lands. She squealed in pleasure when she first laid eyes upon the sprawling frame structure of her soon-to-be home. With her eyes closed, she could visualize the finished product. The land surrounding the cleared area, where the house stood, was green as emeralds.

Chloe reached into the car and pulled the small notepad from her Fendi tote, along with a pen. She jotted notes on the lined paper as she walked every inch of the land surrounding the house. Her plans for a colorful garden were clear in her visions, although she planned to hire a professional landscaper. She removed her sandals and relished the feel of the warm blades of grass between her scarlet-lacquered toes.

Tucking the notepad in her back pocket, Chloe climbed the steps onto the wraparound porch. Although just the frame of the house stood now, she walked through the one-level structure. She studied the size and shape of each of the rooms, pulling on her notepad again to jot down notes on possible decorations and furnishings. Soon the lined pad was filled with ideas, and Chloe felt she could now walk around the structure blind. The house would be beautiful and she knew her mother would’ve loved it. She didn’t stop the tears that filled her eyes as she thought of her.

As soon as she had been financially able, she had moved her mother from the small, two-bedroom apartment where they lived into a home in an upper middle-class neighborhood on Staten Island. They had traveled around the world together as Chloe worked. Their relationship had been a rare mix of friendship and a solid mother-daughter relationship. Now that she was gone, Chloe truly wished she had built the home here a long time ago so that Adell could have enjoyed it with her.

She sighed and wiped the tears from her cheeks. Sweat traveled down the valley of her full breasts as she left the frame structure to sit on the porch. She could easily have moved anywhere in the world, but this small town her mother loved was the right choice. Freedom from New York, freedom from traveling and working, freedom from the glamorous lifestyle she left behind. For once she was moving through life at a slower pace and enjoying herself. The small amount of apprehension she felt over relocating to a new place, where she didn’t know a soul, was outweighed by her growing closeness to this land and the meaning it held for her.

Already she was reluctant to leave it, even with the sweltering heat. Instead of heading back to the comforts of the hotel in Charleston, Chloe leaned back against the porch railing and closed her eyes. With a faint smile she envisioned days of swinging on the very same porch or planting perennials in her garden. She was at peace.

Chapter Three

Devon was washing his midnight blue Ford F-150 pickup truck on the side of the house when he saw the flash of red fly by on the road. He could only make out that it was a woman as the car rounded the bend and disappeared from sight. He didn’t recognize her or the flashy vehicle.

He heard the sound of the screen door open with a long and loud squeak. “Who’s that, Vonnie?”

Devon pushed back the irritation he felt at his grandmother’s still addressing him with her childhood pet name for him. He continued to watch the hood with wide, circular motions and answered her the best he could. “I don’t know, Nana Lil.”

He smiled when she sucked her teeth, and then he heard the familiar long squeak again, just before the slam signaling that the door had closed. Devon assumed that she had gone back inside the house.

He was wrong.

“That was a fancy car, wasn’t it?”

“Yup.” He moved around the truck, bending over to watch the side, his bare back to the house. His grandmother was nosier than a detective and he silently hoped she would let it drop, but he knew damn well she would not. She was quiet for a while, only the steady “bump-bump” of her favorite Maple rocking chair hitting against the solid granite porch, made a noise. Devon knew that any second now she would say some—

“Ain’t nothing else down that way but the house y’all building on Tessa and Odis’s land for their grandbaby.”

He said nothing as he sprayed water from the hose onto the truck with the nozzle. He enjoyed the feel of the cold water bouncing off the truck and on to his chest. It offered slight relief from the sizzling summer heat.

Lillian Jamison leaned back in her rocking chair. As she rocked, she wished that Deshawn was home, although church was a good place to be. Like her, he was talkative and curious, something the more reserved Devon called nosy. Now he was like his daddy. Devon kept everything inside and could sit for an hour straight and not say one solitary word. They were twins and the splitting image of one another but as different as night and day. She loved them both just the same. Her boys… well, okay, they were grown men who owned their own business and home, but it felt good to call them her boys, so she did…to herself anyway.

She continued to rock in her chair, watching Devon as he waxed his truck, but keeping an eye on the road as well. Soon he finished up and came to sit on the porch, wiping the water and sweat from his chest with a towel. In the direction of the Bolton land the road eventually became a dead end, so whoever it was in the red car would have to turn around eventually and drive back. She hadn’t. Lil’ knew that it had to be Tessa’s grandbaby, finally come home.

“Vonnie, maybe you could drive down and check things out.”

Devon had to agree with his grandmother now. It had been close to a half hour since the red BMW had flown by. He pulled on his Calvin Klein white tank. “I’ll drive down.”

“Thank you, baby,” she said, sweet as sugar now.

He pulled his keys out of the pocket of his damp jeans and walked over to his truck to hop up onto the plush gray leather seat of the extended cab. Turning the key in the ignition, he started the vehicle and put the gear into reverse, backing out of the spacious yard onto the paved driveway. The blaring of a horn and the screech of tires caused Devon to jerk down on his brakes. “What the hell?”

He looked to his right, outside his passenger window and was nearly blinded by the crimson red of the car, precariously close to his rear bumper. Angry because he knew she had been speeding, Devon jerked the emergency break up, threw the truck into park and slammed out of the cab. As he stalked around the length of the truck, she unfolded her tall, curvaceous frame from the car. Devon came to a sudden halt in his tracks.

Electricity whipped between them like a bolt of lightning. The attraction was instantaneous. Their eyes traveled each other’s bodies, taking in everything. Desire coursed through their veins like fire!

∞

Chloe was mesmerized by his magnificence. This caramel-toned brother, with a strong, muscular physique, was more attractive than many of the male supermodels she worked with. He was fine, reminiscent of Taimak from
The Last Dragon.
She wanted to touch the soft waves of his freshly cut fade; she longed to look deeply into his deep-set ebony eyes and see into his soul; she could visualize him inhaling of her perfume with his long, wide-bridged nose; she wanted to feel the smoothness of his square jawline against her cheek; and oh Lord, she wanted to be kissed with those soft, supple lips.

Chloe was overwhelmed by him. She actually felt breathless.

He was an African warrior. He was divine. She had never felt such an intense instantaneous attraction to someone before. Not even her initial awareness of Calvin had been that strong. Even in anger his sexuality was electrifying, his eyes blazing, and his stride like that of a sleek cougar. She let her eyes roam over him again and all she could say was, “Damn!”

∞

The calendar did her no justice. This woman was exquisite. Her cat-shaped eyes captivated him, and her full, luscious lips enticed him. The deep bronze of her skin glowed healthy and appealing, begging to be kissed, massaged and licked. Her breasts were full and heavy, straining against the cotton tank she wore. Even though she was thinner than his usual taste, her body was still that of a seductive and alluring woman. His heart hammered hard against his ribs as a vision of their bodies, naked and sweating, entwined on the sloped hood of her car, flashed in his head and he became aroused. This woman spelled trouble with a capital “T,” and Devon knew he had to keep his distance from her. She was hot and everyone knew that when you played with fire, you got burned!

∞

“This isn’t New York or the Indy 500. You could’ve killed yourself or—”

“Or what,” she said sarcastically, as her desire for this man quickly fizzled. “Dent your precious truck?”

Devon forced himself to silently count to ten, calming himself. Now was not the time for anger. This woman, with her blazing angry eyes, was his client, and it would not be good business to curse her little butt out. And he meant “little butt” literally. What size was she anyway, a four? “Or,” he said, only slightly sarcastic, his deep voice appealing with a southern drawl. “You might hurt one of the kids that live on this bend.”

Chloe detected the change in him, the dissipation of his anger, and so she let the imaginary chip on her shoulder fall. “I apologize and you’re right, I was driving too fast.”

They were only six inches apart and the sexual tension was still there between them, thick and heavy. Chloe had to remind herself, with some difficulty as she looked at his handsome face and sculpted body, about her last fumble in the game of love with Calvin. No matter how fine he was, she didn’t need to complicate her life with an “involvement.”

“Look, it’s too hot to be angry.” Chloe outstretched her hand. “I’m Chloe Bolton and you’re?”

“Devon Jamison,” he drawled as he eyed her smooth hand warily, before finally clasping it into his large, callused grasp. “If I had known you were arriving in town today, we could have scheduled an appointment to go to the site together.”

Chloe looked down at their entwined hands, two shades of brown mingled like a mosaic. His index and middle finger rested lightly on the tender inside of her wrist. She shivered with a rush of desire. Funny, she hadn’t even known that was one of her hot erogenous zones. She removed her hand as though it had been near fire, afraid she would get burned.

“It was at the last moment. I was supposed to travel for another month but I just couldn’t wait to see how the house was coming along. I hope that isn’t a problem.”

“No, of course not. How long are you in town for? You’re probably anxious to get back to your traveling.”

Chloe looked at him with a curious expression. “I’ve booked a suite at the Grand Royale in Charleston until the construction of my house is complete. I guess you can say I’m here to stay.”

He was shocked to say the least. She really
was
moving to Holtsville! But why? His eyes took in the flashy car, her scarlet manicured hands, the two-hundred-dollar DKNY shades, and the two-carat diamond stud earrings. She was wealthy and famous, and he could tell she only enjoyed the finer things in life. Like staying at the most expensive hotel in Charleston for two months. A big-city girl all the way. What could she possibly want in a small town? A brief image of Elissa flashed in his mind. He saw the two women as one and the same, although this was the first time he met the beauty face to face.

“Will the house be finished by the end of next month?”

“Yes, we haven’t suffered any major setbacks. We’re right on schedule —”

“Vonnie! Bring that girl in the house and offer her something to drink. You
were
raised!”

Chloe turned to look at the owner of the strong, feminine voice. A petite, older woman dressed in a white cotton dress stood on the wraparound porch, her hands on her narrow hips. Her salt-and-pepper hair was pulled into a French roll, with a pretty, makeup-free face, even with the prominent wrinkles. She waved “hello” at Chloe with a smile.

“That’s my grandmother. Just call her Nana Lil; everyone around here does.” As she waved back, he studied the woman. He wasn’t quite sure what to make of her. “Pull your car in behind my truck.”

He crossed back around the truck and hopped up into the cab. After she pulled her car in behind him, onto the driveway, he walked over to her car door to meet her. “Since you’re around today, why don’t we meet in office and I can answer any questions you have.”

“My intent had been to call tomorrow and set up a time to come to the site. But if you’re sure that I’m not inconveniencing you, we can meet today.”

“Not at all.” Actually, he would’ve preferred to foist the task off on his brother. Being around her made him nervous.

As they walked toward the house, he hoped she didn’t turn up her nose at their home. He knew it was no comparison to her apartment in New York, or the luxury hotels she stayed in during her travels. If she showed any outward signs of disrespect to the house his loving grandmother had taken over caring for ever since she moved back into the house where she raised her own family, then he swore to toss the model out on her skinny but. House or no house.

Chloe was charmed by the exterior of their sprawling three-level home, reminiscent of the old plantation homes of the eighteenth century. The large porch had a huge wooden swing and a rocking chair, the whitewash was fresh and bright like it had been recently painted. The dark trim was the perfect contrast for the shutters, especially with the brightly colored flowers in the small boxes at each glass-paned window. She immediately felt comfortable; it was the epitome of a country home.

“Hello Nana Lil, it’s nice to meet you.”

Lillian figured that in her eighty-seven years on this earth, she had become a good judge of character on her strong instincts alone. This beautiful and tall woman, who resembled her best friend Tessa so much, stood before her almost shyly. She was pretty but not conceited, confident and not arrogant, and she didn’t take any stuff. She saw that from the way she had stood up to a formidable Devon. The eyes were the mirror of the soul, and Lil liked what she saw in the girl’s cat-shaped depths. Kindhearted, friendly and drug-free. The eyes of a drug abuser was sickly yellow.  Hers were bright white and clever. That dispelled all the negative thoughts Vonnie had of her being an airhead and a drug addict. Lil liked her on the spot. This was Tessa’s grandchild.

“Nana Lil, this is Chloe Bolton.” Devon spoke from behind her and Chloe felt his warm breath on her neck as he spoke. She stepped up away from his closeness.
This brother could get to be irresistible
, she thought as she shivered with
awareness.

“Nice to meet you, Chloe. I remember when you were just an arm baby, but now you’ve grown up to be so pretty, just like Tessa.” Lil step forward and hugged Chloe, the top of her head only reaching the model’s shoulders.

Chloe hugged her back, only slightly surprised. “You knew my grandmother?”

“Knew her?” Lil scoffed as she released her. “Tessa and I were the best of friends, since childhood and right up until her and Odis’s passing.”

Sadly, Chloe thought of her own friendship with Anika and could only imagine the grief she would feel if she ever lost her. “I wished I could have known them.”

Lil sighed, “I know they are proud of you and smiling from heaven. Well, come on in.”

Chloe stepped into the house behind the older woman. The smell of lemon and pine assailed her nostrils pleasantly. It was a home filled with love of family. The walls were crowded with photographs of the twins as children and with their parents. Their degrees from North Carolina State hung prominently and with pride.

Devon leaned in close to her ear, again from behind her. “I know it’s not what you’re used to, but we love it. It’s our home.” 

Confused and startled, Chloe turned to set him straight, but Nana Lil called for her to come into the kitchen. She looked at the sardonic expression on his handsome face with a frown before following her down the narrow hallway into the brightly lit kitchen. Large and airy, it was well-used and probably a family meeting ground.