Her Man: An Interracial Romance (The Bentini Brothers Book 2) (19 page)

     “Will, what are you saying?”

     “I’m saying that I’m going to call off my
engagement with Alison.”  Kathy puts her hands over her mouth as tears spring
to her eyes.

     “Do you mean it Will?!”

     “Yes.  After we made love, I knew that I
couldn’t go through with marrying another woman.  I don’t want any other woman
but you Kat.”

     “Oh my gawd, Will…”

     “It’s always been you Kat.  Say you’ll have
me.”

     “Oh my Gawd, Will…   Of course I’ll have
you...I love you William Bentini!”  She says laughing through her tears.

Chapter 25

     “Antonio wake up, there’s people in the
house!”  I yell as I dive on the bed shaking his big shoulders, the puppies on
the floor, yapping excitedly.

     “What the hell!  What’s going on!”  He sits up
groggy and still half asleep.  “There are people in the house!”  I repeat at
the top of my voice.  “Tiressa stop yelling at me.  What do you mean,
people…what people?”  He doesn’t seem alarmed and he should be, there are
strangers in his house!

     “The puppies and I went downstairs to make you
breakfast and I saw a lady and a man down stairs.”

     “Are they wearing uniforms?”  He ask, now more
awake.

     After thinking about it for half a minute, I
reply.  “Well, yes… now that you mention it, they were wearing uniforms. 
Antonio why are you laughing?”  I ask suspiciously. 

     “I’m sorry Baby, I forgot to tell you about my
household staff.”

     “What household staff?”  I demand to know. 
“I’ve never seen any staff around here.”

     “That’s because when you finally agreed to
come over, I gave them all an unexpected vacation so that we could be alone
together.  Then you left town and I brought you back, and again, I wanted some
time alone with you, so I called before leaving your Aunt’s and told them to
take a couple of days off.”

     “Oh.”  Wow, now that the scare is over, I feel
stupid…of course, he would have help living in a house this size.

     “Come on, let’s get dressed and go meet your
staff…by the way, they’re crazy about the puppies.  We’re going to have to hire
someone to train them properly, you have them spoiled rotten.”  He chuckles
looking down at Candi and Snow whining and barking trying desperately to climb
onto of the bed.  When I sit on the bed looking blankly at him he asks, “What’s
the matter?”

     “Antonio you’re used to being rich and having
people work for you.  This is a bit much.  Do I have to meet them now?”

     “Yes.  Do you think you’re going to hide away,
here upstairs like a secret lover?”  He gives me a look that dares me to say
yes
that’s exactly what I want to do.  I stick my tongue out at him and head to the
dressing room…I need to find something to wear.  After going through every
outfit I brought with me, I finally decide on a simple pair of navy blue slacks
and a baby blue blouse.  “Come on, Ti, what’s taking so long.”  Apparently,
Antonio is tired of waiting for me.  “I’m coming, I just need to find my
earrings.” 

     “They’re probably out here, depending on which
earrings you’re looking for.  Do you know you have the world’s most
ill-mannered puppies?”  I take exception to that comment…how dare he call my
babies ill-mannered.  As I’m walking out of the dressing room I’m fully
prepared to defend my babies.  “How dare you call my babies ill— Antonio, what
are they wearing?  Don’t tell me that you’re one of those people who dress
their do—”  My voice stops abruptly when I get to the bed and see that Antonio
hasn’t actually dressed the pups in clothes.  They are both romping and yapping
happily, but I can easily see that Candi has this little pillow tied around her
that reads –
Marry,
and Snow has a pillow that reads –
Me
.  I’m
shocked.  I know I probably shouldn’t be, after all, Antonio has been saying
that we belong together since the moment I met him…but still…this makes
everything
very real.  I guess I must be taking too long to answer because Antonio stands
up with his hands on his hips, lips pursed and brows slanted.  “Well?”  Looking
at his belligerent face, I can’t help teasing him a little.  “Well what,
Antonio?”  Suddenly, his expression changes, becomes softer, more boyish.  Not
breaking eye contact with me, he drops down to one knee in front of me.  “Oh,
Antonio, you don’t have to get on bended knee.”

     “Shh, this is my proposal.”  Ignoring the
puppies, who have finally managed to get down from the bed, Antonio takes my left
hand in his.  “People like you and me, don’t fall in love willy-nilly, but when
we love, we love hard and we commit fully.  I love you with all my heart,
spirit and soul.  Tiressa Hawkins will you do me the honor of being my wife.”

     “Yes.  I love you.  Yes, Antonio, I’ll marry
you.”  With a mischievously sexy smile, Antonio slides a cherry Ring Pop candy ring
on my finger.  “Don’t panic Baby, the proposal is real, but I know better than
to choose your engagement ring without you.  If I had gotten one too small, you
would have been disappointed.  If I had gotten one too big, you would have thought
it was too flashy. Therefore, we’ll go to the jewelers and choose your ring
together. Is that okay with you?”  Grinning with absolute happiness, I agree. 
“Yes, that’s perfect.”  Oh gawd, I want to jump his bones…I wander if all newly
engaged women feel this way.  I plant butterfly kisses along his collarbone,
licking and kissing my way from one side to the other.  As usual, our embrace
leads to more heated kissing and tonguing.  I’m rubbing myself against the
bulge of his hard shaft, when he growls, “I want to take you back to bed.”  I
instantly say yes, pulling him more on top of me as I wrap my legs around his
hips. 

     “But, I’m not going to.”  He says, easing my
legs from around him and getting up from the bed.  “Antonio?  Why not?” 
Smiling at me with determination, he replies.  “Because I want to introduce you
to our staff.”  I lay on the bed looking up at him trying to figure out if he’s
actually serious.  Although his excuse of wanting me to meet his staff makes
sense, there’s a sparkle in his eyes that’s quite suspicious.  I can meet the
staff anytime.  I think Antonio enjoys my sexual aggression.  I think he likes
seeing me hot and panting for him…and he wants to keep me
in heat
.
 The question is –for how long?  

     I slide my foot up his rock hard thigh until I
reach his crotch.  He’s still bulging and I’m even more turned on running my
toes across his thick rod.  “No, Ti.”  He grunts, taking hold of my foot and
placing it back on the bed.  “You’re not getting out of this. Come on they’re
waiting…up you go.”  He says as he easily lifts me up off the bed.  “Fine. 
Fine, Antonio…have it your way.”  I huff, bending down to put on my sandals.

     When we get downstairs, Antonio proudly introduces
me to his staff.  “Everyone, I’ve asked you here to introduce this beautiful
lady, my fiancée, Tiressa Hawkins.  I ask that you serve her as well as you
serve me.”  Looking around the room, he makes eye contact with each person.  “I’m
sure I don’t have to tell you how important Tiressa’s happiness is to me.” 
Antonio is not known for his subtleness and judging by the expressions on their
faces, I’m sure they all understand exactly what he’s saying.  Although Antonio
has more employees, I meet Ms. Graye, the housekeeper; Drake, his personal
assistant; Garrett, the cook—well, actually he’s a trained chef; and Carlos, the
chauffer and mechanic.  I shake hands and smile and try to make small talk by
asking the right questions and saying the right things.  They seem like okay
people and I think I’m making a good impression on them.  Time will tell.

     After we do our meet-and-greet, with the staff,
Antonio decides that he wants to have lunch out by the pool.  I change into a pink
bikini swimsuit, but wear a pair of shorts and a t-shirt over it.  I have no
intentions of getting my hair wet, but maybe I can be talked into getting into
the water at the shallow end of the pool.

    “Antonio, are you going into the office
tomorrow?  You can’t keep staying home babysitting me.”

     “I’m not babysitting you; I’m spending quality
time with my fiancée.  But now that you mention it, I have been away from the
office for a while.” 

     I’m enjoying watching Antonio on the floating
lounge chair in the pool.  Although he asked me to get in with him, I declined
and said that I’d rather sit on the lounge and watch him swim.  I’m still hot
for him and he has to know it…the way he keeps teasing me in his low riding swimbriefs.
 I vividly recall the tingling sensation in my core at the feel of his tongue sliding
across my ass when we made love in the dressing room two days ago.  He hasn’t
touched me since, and I just bet that’s been deliberate.  He was right when he
said that I would learn to crave his lovemaking.  If we didn’t have a house
full of curious eyes, I would slip out of these shorts and open my legs wide
and see if that doesn’t bring him running.

     “I was going to talk to you about that and
some other things.” 

     “What other things?”

     “I want to schedule a meeting for you with my
business man.  He can help you map out what you want to do with your curriculum
ideas.”

     Thoughts of seducing Antonio are forgotten for
a minute. “Are you serious…just like that?”

     “Yes, unless you would rather wait until after
we’re married and have a kid or two.”

     “No, I don’t want to wait; I think it’s a
great idea.”  I’m damn near on my tippy-toes with the thought of becoming my
own boss. 
Damn, now I want him even more
.

     “The other thing I wanted to talk to you about
is a celebration. My family knows you’re back and they want to throw a party
for us.”

     “No.”  I say emphatically.

     Sliding into the water and swimming to the
edge, he levers himself up out of the pool, grabs his towel and sits down in
the lounge next to mine.  “Why not?  Ti, they were worried about you and they’re
just as glad that you’re back as I am.”

     “Maybe some of them were worried and are glad
I’m back, but I’m just not ready to see your family…it’s too soon.”  I have an
immediate reaction to the big warm hand he places on my thigh. “Ti, don’t get
upset…it’ll just be my sisters and brothers and Katherine of course…and if you
want to invite some of your family and friends that would be great.” 

     “So
o
…” I can barely concentrate with his hand caressing my thigh,
causing my core to hum in anticipation.  “Do they know that we…that we’re
engaged?”

     “Yes. I called when I went to change clothes. 
Do you mind?”

     “No, I called my sister when I went to
change.  I’m going to tell my parents later today.”  We lean towards each other
at the same time, all lips and tongue and breathless moans.  “So, can I tell my
sister Gabby, to make plans for our engagement party?”  He asks between
kisses. 

     “No, but you can tell her that she can
collaborate with my sister Mya on our engagement party.”  I say between
kisses. 

     “Fair enough.”

     Leaning away from his tempting lips, I ask the
question that has been on my mind for days now.  “What are we going to do about
your mother?”

     “Nothing.  We are only going to have people in
our lives who love and support us.”

     “Antonio, you know your mother loves you.”

     “Yes, she does. But not enough.  Come on, no
more dreary thoughts; let’s take your ill-mannered pups to the park.”

***

     “Why do you keep letting go of my hand?  Are
you embarrassed to be seen with me?”  When I look up at Antonio, I can’t tell
if he’s teasing me or annoyed with me.  “I’m not embarrassed to be with you.”

     “Then why do you keep letting go…you mad at me
or something.”

     “Of course not, I love you.”

     “Then what is it?”

     “I’m just…the stares…the looks are making me uncomfortable.
The way people keep eyeing us...”

     “Some people will always look at us like that. 
And some people will look at us and smile because they can see how much in love
we are.”  Forgetting about
anybody
who may or may not be staring at us,
I melt into my guy’s kiss.  “You’re such a romantic.”

     “Only with you.  Are you ready to go?  I think
the pups have had a good visit, we’ve been here for over an hour.”

     “Alright, but before we go to your place, we
need to stop by my apartment, I need to check on things.”

     “I’m going to ignore that Tiressa.”

     “Ignore what?”

     “That crack about going back to
my place
.”

     “It’s not my home, Antonio.”

     “I told you, we’ll buy one that feels like
home to you.  Now call the pups.”  Smiling up at him, I grab his hand and we
walk over to the area of the dog park sectioned off for puppies.  I stand at
the little fence calling Candi and Snow, but they both ignore me romping
happily with the other puppies.  “Looks like we’re going to need to send them
to puppy obedience school.”  Antonio laughs so hard he’s barely able to get the
words out.  “Antonio, stop laughing and go in and get them for me… please.”  He
eventually agrees to get the pups and it takes him only a few minutes.  We’re
soon on our way to my place for a quick stop to pick up more clothes, personal
items, and other stuff that I need, since I’ll be spending a lot more time at
Antonio’s place.  When we get
home
, we get the pups settled in for the
night, shower, and eat the best meal I’ve ever had, prepared by his personal
chef.