Praline Dreams

Praline Dreams by

Reana Malori

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright© 2010 Reana Malori Cover Artist: Shara Azod Editor: Lacynda Hill

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. This is a work of fiction. All references to real places, people, or events are coincidental, and if not coincidental, are used fictitiously. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only.

Chapter One

“Come on Dana. Give it over. It’s not funny anymore.” Eighteen-year-old Reese Michaels, with his golden boy, Hollywood leading man looks, peered down at seventeen-year-old Dana St. John with a stern look on his face. His lips closed tight in frustration, he leaned down closer as he again made his demand through clenched teeth. “Dana, if you don’t give me back the damn phone I’m gonna put you over my knee.” Dana, who was as feisty as they came, had never backed down from a fight. This was one of those times when she was bound and determined that Reese would not get the best of her. Despite the butterflies in her stomach at his close proximity to her, she was going to stand her ground. With a silent groan and internal reprimand to pull it together, she tried to ignore the need to press her lips against his and force a response— any response—from him. If only she were brave enough to take that leap of faith. To say what was in her heart and finally let Reese know how she felt, that she was hopelessly, shamelessly, irrevocably in love with him. Hands on her hips, she gave it right back to him. “No, Reese! I won’t do it. Socorro is no good for you and since you won’t listen to me, you’re not getting the phone so that you can call her. She’s just a stupid hoochie trying to get in good with the captain of the football team.” When Reese became angry, his eyes turned a deep blue, almost sapphire. As she stared at him, her hands itching to cup his face and pull him in for their first kiss, she noticed his eyes began to transition and she knew he was at his limit with her. Dana slowly backed away from him, prepared to run to his parents if she needed to. She would hide behind his dad and giggle like she did when they were younger, with full knowledge that Reese would just stomp upstairs in a huff. His father always indulged

Dana and spoiled her something fierce. Dana wasn’t ashamed to admit that she was always willing to use that to her advantage. A smirk on her lips, she couldn’t resist baiting him just a bit more. “She wouldn’t want you if you were just an average guy. All she wants is to be popular.” Exhaling heavily, she rolled her eyes. “I swear, Reese, boys are so dumb. If you weren’t thinking with your other head, you would realize what she’s doing. Just for being so mean to me, you can’t have any more of my Pralines & Cream ice cream!” Why couldn’t he understand? There was no way he could be that blind. Here she was, standing right in front of him, and he still didn’t see her. Maybe he never would. Being a brat wasn’t much fun—well, sometimes it was—and she knew it drove Reese crazy when she behaved this way. However, right now, she simply didn’t care. Baiting him until he couldn’t see straight was one of the best parts of their friendship. The two of them had met when her family had moved into the neighborhood after relocating from New Orleans. She had been in the second grade and Reese had been in the third, so they had known one another for most of their lives. When her family had moved to Virginia, she had been so upset at leaving all of her friends behind. Meeting Reese had changed all that and, although he had pulled her hair and thrown her dolls in mud puddles, their friendship had blossomed over the years. The move had been the result of her mother’s new job and, at the time, Dana wasn’t old enough to understand why she couldn’t stay in New Orleans by herself. Her mother, Louise St. John, had been offered the position of Chief of Pediatrics at Georgetown University Hospital. According to her mother, Dana’s father, Rufus St. John, didn’t bat an eye when she told him about the offer. Sitting at their dining room table, he had calmly told her mother, “Then I guess we’d better start packing.” Her father had wasted no time in resigning his position from the law firm he had been with for almost ten years and began his search for a new role in Washington, DC. Within a relatively short time, he had accepted a partnership at a large firm where he could not only maintain his corporate law expertise, but also would have the opportunity to work on pro bono issues. After moving into their new home in

Arlington, they met their next-door neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Stuart and Joanne Michaels. If there were any four people in the world who were a perfect match, it was their parents. The four of them were inseparable from that moment on and, as such, so were their children. After almost a lifetime together as best friends and neighbors, she knew that changing the way Reese viewed her would not be easy. When you have known someone for most of your life, sat next to them in church every Sunday, pushed them off swings at the playground, watched them get scolded by their parents, and basically became a member of each other’s family—it was hard to change those feelings of familial bonds into one of love. Some might say she was too young to really know what love is. At seventeen years old, she may not have experienced all that life had to offer, but she knew what love looked like. And to her, it looked, smelled, and spoke like Reese Michaels. From the age of thirteen, she had realized he was the one. Her mother had also recognized the first tale-tell signs of Dana’s crush on Reese and had called it puppy love. She could still remember that talk. It was one of the most embarrassing things she had ever experienced. In her no nonsense way, her mother had tried to be helpful and explain that as a young girl on the verge of becoming a woman, it was natural for Dana to think she was in love with Reese. They spent so much time together and their lives intersected so often, her affections would naturally transfer to him. It was the simplest explanation— or so it seemed—especially since he was the only boy she really knew or spent any significant amount of time with in her young life. However, Dana never doubted her feelings for Reese and they didn’t change. If anything, her feelings for him grew stronger over the years. What she felt for Reese was more than just hero worship for the boy next door or a young girl’s first experience with puppy love. Okay, so maybe he did come to her rescue on more than one occasion when she really needed him—but that was because he knew both of their Dad’s would

give him a stern talking to if he didn’t. However, even without that threat, he still came through when she least expected it. One such incident stuck out in her mind that she believed changed everything. Back in middle school, the eighth-grade dance had been deemed a Sadie Hawkins event. This was one of those backwards events where the girls had to ask the guys, decide the clothing, and pick up their date. She had thought it was the neatest thing ever because everything that would typically be done by the guy, had to be done by the girl. However, being slightly overweight, taller than most girls in her school, and a bit of a nerd all rolled into one, Dana had been petrified of asking anyone to the dance for fear of total embarrassment when he refused. About one week before the dance, she had been on the phone with one of her friends from school talking about why she wasn’t going to the dance. Her friend Keisha was the only person who knew about her concerns, so she didn’t have to hide the true reason for staying at home when all of her friends would be there. Hearing a noise, she looked up from her magazine and noticed Reese standing in the doorway of her family room. Seeing him standing there had not been a shock since they often showed up at each other’s houses unannounced. However, on that day, at that moment, the look on his face had been very odd. Almost angry. Without saying a word, he suddenly turned away and walked into the kitchen with their parents. Not really thinking much about his behavior, she continued her phone call. Fifteen minutes later, she hung up the phone after talking about things other than what had become known to her as “that stupid dance.” As they all settled down later that evening after dinner, both sets of parents moved to the family room for a game involving loud buzzers and lots of laughter. At the same time, she and Reese moved to the game room to watch a movie and snack on some air-popped popcorn. Her parents had rented Sleepless in Seattle, knowing how much she loved watching sappy romance movies. Since Reese just happened to be at her house when she wanted to watch it, he had no choice but to sit there calmly and

enjoy it with her. Plus, being the troublemaker she was, she hadn’t told him—yet—that her parents had also rented True Lies for him to watch. Halfway through the movie, just as she was becoming caught up in the story, Reese had started talking. Without looking over at her, he reached into the bowl of popcorn, put a few kernels in his mouth, and calmly said, “Why thank you for asking Dana. I would be happy to go the Sadie Hawkins dance with you.” Chew—chew— chew. “It just so happens that I’d like to visit my old stomping ground to see what’s changed since I left.” Her mouth fell open and her eyes widened as she had realized exactly what he had said. “What are you talking about Reese? I didn’t ask you to the dance. Who even says I want to go, Mr. Know It All?” Embarrassment that he had overheard her conversation with Keisha caused her stomach to tighten in response. If there had been a hole next to her, she would have gladly jumped inside. She did not want to face the possibility that he had made his outrageous comment about going to the dance because he pitied her. “You don’t want to go with me to the dance Dana? You would rather stay at home? Well, I guess if that’s what you want to do. Then I guess we’ll just hang out and watch a movie that night.” He smiled at her and she was almost convinced he would be sad if they didn’t go—almost. Nope, she wasn’t buying it. Not that time. She would have known that fake, I’m innocent, tone of his from anywhere. He was going to push her until he got his way. And Reese always got his way. Even still, she could never outright lie to him and after so many years, he knew it. She had tried her best to keep the wobble from her voice, but as she spoke, she heard it come out anyway. “That’s not it. Reese, I don’t want you to take me just because you feel bad for me.” She had felt like crying. The two of them had been in school together for so long and when he was no longer there, it had been lonely without him by her side. Sure she had friends, but it was much harder without Reese. Things just weren’t the same.

Never in a million years would she have thought that being with Reese, around him, or simply knowing he was somewhere in the vicinity, had the power to make her so happy. Or that being without him could make her so sad. Even back then, he was a ladies' man with a charming smile and a personality that made a person want to stay close by his side. Eventually, he had convinced her that going to the dance with him was the best decision for everyone. Actually, he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Maybe because he knew she wasn’t being totally honest about not wanting to go. Once she stopped feeling sorry for herself, she came to the realization that maybe that was the real reason behind why she had so much trouble asking another boy to go with her. No one else would do. Only Reese. That was the moment she knew her feelings for Reese had changed and her life had never been the same. Dana broke from her internal musings and lifted her gaze. Tilting her head to the side, she looked at the boy—erm, young man—standing in front of her—really looked at him and thought about the changes in him over the years. Since that day so long ago, he had been the star attraction in her dreams of happily ever after. He knew everything about her and it had become routine for him to take care of her needs before his. It was just how things were between them. If Reese realized what he was doing, he never said anything and she was fine letting him continue in oblivion. If their parents made a food item she didn’t like, he would slyly move her portion off her plate onto his so that she wouldn’t have to eat it. When out in public, even though they weren’t dating, she was also tucked in close to him. Her father had lovingly nicknamed him “Dana’s Secret Service.” It had become a running joke with the parents, because whenever Dana was out with him, he acted like a bodyguard protecting his client. She never walked into a place first, he would always enter the car after her, and she never—and she literally meant never—walked on the side of him that was closest to the street. He also knew that even though she loved watching scary movies, she would inevitably have nightmares. When they watched a scary movie that would have her up

all night staring at the dark corners in her room waiting for the monsters to jump out, he would not leave her side, allowing her to cling to him throughout the entire movie. Once he returned home for the night, just as she would pull up her covers, her telephone would ring and he would be on the other line. He would always brush off her thanks to say that he was awake anyway and since he had nothing better to do, he called her. Although she knew he wasn’t telling the entire truth, she would let it go. He would spend the rest of the night entertaining her with silly stories about what they did as children or the antics of his friends. No matter how long it took, he would stay on the phone with her until she dozed off to sleep—the last voice in her ear belonging to Reese. Reese’s voice cut into her silent thoughts and she struggled to catch up to the conversation. As her mind caught up with what he was saying, it sounded as if he were about to say something he would regret and she wanted to make sure she caught every single word. “Dana, why do you always have to be such a brat? God, I’ve known you for most of my life and all you do is bother me about this thing or that thing. So what if a hot girl wants to put out to the captain of the football team. That’s what hot girls do. It’s a regular part of life for any normal teenage girl. They go after the hot guys, and the hot guys—like me—want a sexy girl on their arms. Hell, why am I even explaining this to you? You’ll never understand. You don’t even know what I’m talking about.” Watching his face as the words tumbled out of his mouth, she saw a change come over him at the very moment he realized what he had just said. His body tensed up like a steel rod and his eyes went wide. Normally, his skin was a beautiful golden tan that highlighted his baby blue eyes. However, at this moment, his face resembled the color of candy apple red. His embarrassment was so acute, she could almost feel it. In shock and extremely hurt by his callous words, she saw his lips move as he began to walk stiffly in her direction. “Dana? You know that didn’t come out the way I meant it. I would never—”

Bending at the waist, she slowly placed the telephone on the coffee table next to her. That move allowed her a few seconds to get her breathing under control, but the thoughts were racing through her head like a freight train. He thinks I’m ugly. Oh God, after all these years of being in love with him, he actually would say those horrible words to me. What do I do now? How do I just turn off my feelings for him? I have to leave. Now! Go home, Dana! Turn around and walk away from him! After she was standing up straight, she calmly folded her hands in front of her, her fingertips pressing into the backs of her hands. “Don’t worry, Reese. I know exactly what you meant.” Her eyes scanned the entire room, but she refused to look directly at him. As soon as her eyes met his, he would know that he had just broken her heart into a million pieces. Her eyes passed over the bowl of Pralines & Cream ice cream that was slowly melting as her childhood dreams turned to dust. If only she could go back in time about fifteen minutes and stop this entire conversation. If only she had not gone down this path. Oh well, she made her bed and now she had to lie in it. She could never let him know that he had the power to hurt her this way. It was time for her to put away her childish dreams. “Actually, I’ve stayed too long anyway. I’m going to head home now. Homework to do and tests to study for. You know how that is.” Rambling? Yes, but she needed something to fill the void. If she didn’t keep the conversation going, she would tell her best friend in the whole wide world that he was a stupid, thoughtless jerk. “Dana—wait. I didn’t mean it that way. I’m sorry.” Voice full of regret, he tried to halt her departure with words that she had no desire to hear. Without acknowledging his apology or saying goodbye, she turned to the door, gathered her backpack, and walked out. Even as she left, she knew she would never give up her friendship with Reese, but things would definitely change. No longer would she be the lovesick girl who hung on his every word. His words just proved that

she never had a chance with him anyway, so why bother. It was time for her to begin having some fun and living for Dana. Reese Michaels could just stuff it.

Ten Years Later Chapter Two

Reese watched the woman he loved as she gathered up her belongings and prepared to leave her classroom for the summer break. He still couldn’t believe this beautiful woman was his—well, almost his. Sadly, no matter how much he had tried to regain their closeness after that horrible day when his teenage hormones had taken control of his mouth, things had changed. They had never spoken about that incident in his family room again, even though he knew they should have. At the time, he figured if Dana had been really bothered by what he said, she would have said something. Boy had he been wrong. They had still hung out quite a bit during his senior and her junior year of high school, but the frequency of her freely given smiles and hugs had diminished. When he had left for college in the summer, their calls and visits became more sporadic over time. The college had only been two hours away, but as a young college jock with a football scholarship, there were too many new things for him to try and too many girls to date. He knew it was the experience of being on his own that had truly made his first year unforgettable. For nine straight months, he had been a single college student having the time of his life. However, during that first year he was away at college, the relationship between him and Dana had changed even more. Just before she came to the same university that next fall, there was a span of time when they had not seen each other for almost six months. Well, there was the one day in between when she graduated high school, but that was it. That much time apart was definitely not normal for them, but he didn’t think it was odd because there was always a legitimate reason for her to be away when he came home. A weekend trip to the summer home of a friend, spending the night at a girl’s night out, or simply other plans that would take her out of his presence for the entire day. On those occasions, she would usually come home too late to justify a polite

social visit and leave before he had a chance to make it over to her house the next morning. It wasn’t until much later that he realized things had gone horribly wrong. He had called his parents one Friday night and told them he was coming down for the weekend. His only mission was to see Dana and spend time with his best friend. Sure, they talked on the phone weekly, even if it was for only ten minutes. Since he had left for school, their time spent together had been so few and far between. Then, he suddenly realized that he missed her. Not in the “she’s a family friend, but more of an annoying sister” way. No, this was in an “ache in his heart, gutwrenching, and breath-halting missing her” way and he was tired of spending time apart. When he thought about how long it had truly been since they had actually hung out, he didn’t like it one bit. Asking his parents to keep his visit a secret from Dana, he told them he had wanted to surprise her. Talking on the phone with Dana the night before, he had told her that he would be staying on campus that weekend because he had too much homework to do and needed to study. With a memory like an elephant, he vividly recalled her saying that she was going to be home that weekend because of a test on Monday. However, what he didn’t count on was his parents talking with the St. John’s that evening, and Dana overhearing the conversation. When he showed up at Dana’s door the next day, Mrs. St. John had a look on her face that told him that the news would not be good. Apparently, Dana had come downstairs earlier that morning with an overnight bag slung over one shoulder. She had begged her father to let her spend the night at Keisha’s house so they could study for a test on Monday. Her father had eventually said yes and so off she went. His face must have reflected his shock and disappointment. He felt her hand on his shoulder and her whispered words reached him, “Reese, I know you wanted to see her. I’m not sure what happened. It’s been so long since the two of you have spent time together. It’s such a pity she ran out of here so fast this morning. Baby, is everything okay with the two of you?”

Although he might not remember much, he knew that he had responded to her. He loved her like a favorite aunt and although words like, “Sure. No problem. I’m certain I’ll see her before I leave again,” fell from his lips, he wasn’t sure she believed him. In all honesty, he wasn’t sure he believed the words either. As he made the slow trek back to his childhood home, he finally realized something was terribly wrong. When he had explained to his mother that she had left for the weekend, he figured that maybe she had just moved on because he was certain she was going to be home. He told her that they had spoken the night before and he had kept his arrival a secret so that he could surprise her. Positive that she didn’t even know he was coming down from school, he commented that it couldn’t be about him or something he had done. Looking over to his mother when he stopped talking, her face was frozen and her eyes looked sad. “Sweetie, I’m sorry. I think this is our fault,” her words were a little shaky as she looked over at his father who was standing at the open doorway between the kitchen and the game room. “Mom, why would it be your fault?” Hands wringing together on a drying towel, he knew that whatever she had to say was not something he wanted to hear. “We were at Rufus and Louise’s house last night and we told them you were coming home today specifically to see Dana. They were very excited about it and we talked about how you were doing in college for a few minutes more. Well, my drink had gotten low, so I went towards the bar for a refill. I happened to look out into the hallway and saw Dana at the bottom of the stairs. At the time, I didn’t think she heard anything because she kept walking, as if she had just come to the stair landing. But now, I’m just not sure. I’m sorry honey, but I think she knew you were coming home after all.” Reese stood up slowly. He needed to get away and just think. Never, in all the years he had known Dana, did he ever think it would come to this. How could she just throw away years of friendship as if it had never meant anything? What could he have done that was so bad that she would run away every time he came home? Then it hit

him. The conversation about that damn cheerleader from more than a year ago! Callous remarks he made as a seventeen year-old had ruined the best friendship he had. His loose lips had caused her to change towards him and he’d had no idea how to fix it. When Dana had started at the university later that fall, he thought things would be fine. They would be around each other again and things would get back to normal. However, watching his friends fall over themselves to get a date with Dana was almost sickening. Seeing her beautiful smile bestowed on guys who wanted nothing more than to add her to their list of conquests was the hardest thing he ever had to deal with. Even his enemies were going after Dana and that was even worse. During those first few months, he had quite a few confrontations to make sure the guys knew Dana was not going to be their plaything. Back then, he’d thought she was naïve and needed constant protection. It was actually Reese who was the naïve one—not recognizing why he was feeling such frustration at the thought of Dana going out with someone else. The very thought of Dana being intimate with anyone made him want to punch something. Therefore, he refused to even consider the possibility. His frustration and anger would get so bad at times that they would have major rows about her knowledge—or lack thereof—of men in general. It had gotten to the point where he stopped going out and partying as much as he used to. There was no way in hell he was going to be out with another girl while Dana was alone, vulnerable, and at the mercy of the men on his campus. His entire pattern changed and from that point on, where Dana was, so was he. Shaking his head, he thought of how many times Dana had called him clueless. Yeah, he had definitely been clueless. Reese shook off those unproductive thoughts. His trip down memory lane was cut short as he watched Dana squat down and start picking up toys from the floor. With her being a first grade teacher, he had always seen her in comfortable clothes with a fresh-scrubbed face. Dana simply wasn’t one of those women that felt the need to walk around with a face full of make-up. She was tall, standing five feet ten inches in

her bare feet and for him that was perfect, since he stood six feet three inches. Although she had been chunky as a teenager, her form had changed to womanly curves that called to his baser instincts. Watching her walk had always been a secret pleasure of his and he would purposely allow her to walk in front of him when they were together, just so he could enjoy the view. Her natural beauty could stop a man in his tracks. He’d seen it happen quite a few times. Made him mad as hell and there had been plenty of times when he had made his presence known just in case the guy had any ideas. Because she was oblivious to the full impact of her beauty, he didn’t think Dana even realized all these things were happening in her presence. Thank goodness for small miracles, because he would have been hard pressed to explain why he would suddenly go all caveman. Deciding he had watched and waited long enough, his long stride carried him over to Dana’s side in a matter of seconds. Just before he reached her, she stood up, walked over to the back of the room, and started placing the toys and other play-n-learn items in their proper places. He knew she had heard him walk across the floor, but he also knew she wasn’t going to acknowledge his presence until he gave her their special greeting. Standing behind her, no more than six inches of space in between his front and her back, he spoke in her ear. “Are you still being a brat?” After a moment of hesitation, she responded in that voice he loved to hear so much, “Are you still being a toad?” His hands went to her shoulders and he turned her around to face him. He had been traveling for over a month working on a case with her father, and that had been entirely too long without her near him. Pulling her in close, he wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her body up close to him. Breathing in deeply as he felt her arms wrap around his shoulders, her unique scent of coconut, sugar, and butter cream seeped into his senses. He had tried to get over her, he really did. She had dated as well, but no one had ever been serious. At least, no one had ever come home to meet her parents, which in

his book meant she hadn’t gotten serious with anyone. After all these years, he was the only male friend of Dana’s that had an open invitation to sit at the dining table with her family. Even if it took everything he had, he would make sure that never changed. More than ten years spent repenting for one stupid remark was about all he could take. No man deserved to be denied his soul mate for so long, while still having her so close. This had to end and there was no time like the present. His father had decided to retire from corporate America and take on a handful of consulting assignments. He wanted to spend more time with Reese’s mother and travel the world. After her breast cancer scare about five years ago, neither of them was willing to take the risk that their time together would be cut short. Tomorrow was his father’s retirement party, and he and Dana had to drive out to the resort this evening for the weekend festivities. Thinking about his parents, he knew that he was no longer going to fight his need to be with her. Enough time had passed and it was time he claimed his woman, for once, and for all. Loosening his hold, he bent his head and captured her lips. His kiss was short, but there could be no mistaking his intent or his desire for the woman in his arms. As he broke the kiss, the look of shock on her face made him want to smile even more, but he knew this was not the time. As his lips formed their own smile, he couldn’t resist the words that came out of his mouth. “I missed you, baby.”

Chapter Three

Dana had known the moment Reese had walked into her classroom. Her body’s reaction to his presence was instantaneous. No matter how much she tried to ignore her feelings for her friend, she was more in love with him today than ever before. Her father had left her a voicemail earlier letting her know that he and Reese had made it home safely from their trip. Because of the retirement party that weekend, her parents were going to head over to the resort early so that they could talk. This was code word for locking themselves in their room and doing stuff that parents had no business even thinking about at their age. After hearing his message, she knew Reese would be making an appearance. There was no way in hell he would allow her to drive to the resort all by herself. Forget the fact that she was a grown ass woman who had been living on her own for several years. After all this time, Reese was still a very stubborn man. Make no mistake, he would force the issue and, as usual, she would give in. When he spoke behind her, his voice had caused ripples of desire to course through her body. Unable to stop the reaction caused by his mere presence, she tried to take calming breaths to calm her racing heart. Nothing worked and she closed her eyes as her desire for him spiked. Her nipples became hard within the confines of her lace bra, the material rubbing up against the sensitive peaks. She was so focused on controlling her body’s response that her usual response to his barb didn’t hold any of its usual snarky tone. As he turned her around and pulled her close, she willed her body not to sink deeper into him. His captivating scent—soap, sandalwood, and Reese—was all she could smell and she suddenly felt at peace. Strong muscles from a combination of hard work and good genetics were hard and thick beneath her hands as she wrapped her arms around him in greeting. Just one night in his bed would probably hold her over for the rest of her life. Being greedy just wasn’t in her nature, but with this man in front of her, all bets were

off. She had loved him for so long, she didn’t know if she would be able to love anyone else. She compared every man she met to Reese and each one always came up short. Lost in her thoughts about the man holding her in his arms, when his lips touched hers in a kiss so sweet, sultry, and full of naughty promises, her mind went into a tailspin. Followed quickly by her body. Her core began to clench in anticipation and need. Thoughts raced through her mind. What does this mean? Why is he kissing me? Why do I care about why? Damn girl, kiss his ass back! You’re wasting time! Right when she was prepared to knock his socks off with her oral skills, he pulled back and said those four words. Now, what the hell was she to do? “Reese, I missed you too. But you know I’m not your baby.” Leaning back even further, she lifted one brow and gave him a questioning look. And why did you kiss me?” “Because I’ve been thinking about your lips against mine for too damn long and I got tired of wondering. Plus, I wanted to know what my future wife tasted like.” “Future wife? Reese, what the hell are you talking about? Have you been drinking?” Oh God, please don’t let him do this to her. She wasn’t strong enough to refuse him and didn’t really want to. “Dana, don’t you think it’s time for us to really talk. I’ve tried to be patient and wait for you to live your life. All these years of being so close to you, but not able to have you the way I want has been slowly killing me.” One day her mouth was going to get her in trouble, and even though she knew this, she routinely opened her pie-hole to spew out craziness. “But you think I’m ugly!” She saw him take a deep breath as if trying to calm down before he answered. “Dana! What are you talking about? Baby, you are beautiful. You always have been. Don’t you realize how sexy and desirable you are to not only me, but to half the men in this city?” Attempting to pull out of his arms, Dana struggled against him. This was too much to deal with all at once. Holding on to her righteous anger was the only way she

had been able to be around him all this time. That conversation from so many years ago, while still able to cause a sting in her chest region, was what kept her grounded when the dreams of her and Reese riding off into the sunset started to crop up again. “This isn’t funny Reese. We’ve been friends too long for you to play this game with me. Why would you do this now of all days? We’re supposed to spend the entire weekend together at a resort with our parents. If I thought you were a jerk before, now I have proof that you are truly cruel.” She couldn’t help it, her eyes started to well with tears as she fought to control her emotions. It wasn’t fair that the one man she loved continued to have the ability to hurt her, and never failed to do so. Over the years, she had seen him with woman after woman on his arm and it had cut her deep every single time. Not once had she said a word about her heartache, and he hadn’t seemed to care anyway. It was as if he ignored her. There was no way she was going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how his actions had caused her to cry herself to sleep at night from the images in her head of him and those women. “Dana? Are you even paying attention to me? Woman, what are you thinking about now? This is not the time to be woolgathering.” His large, calloused hands gripped her face as he forced her to look directly at him. As his mouth quirked up to the side, her body unconsciously leaned in towards him. She just needed to get a little bit closer to him so that she could feel the heat of his body next to hers. Falling deeper in love the longer he held her, Dana knew that if he asked her to run screaming down the hallway singing the theme song to Pollyanna, she would. “Dana. This is me, the man who has been by your side for most of your life. Even when you didn’t want me to be. Please, baby, look at me standing right here in front of you. I know what you think I meant all those years ago, but I was seventeen! My brain hadn’t caught up with my mouth yet. What I said that day was never, ever, meant as a disparagement against you. I just never had the chance to explain. You were so smart and your entire focus was books, school, and getting into a good college.

Dating boys and playing the games other girls played just wasn’t your style. Our life growing up together, our parents and our secluded world, was perfect and I was happy. Happy with you by my side and I never wanted you to change. Even though I didn’t recognize it at the time, I loved you just the way you were.” Bottom lip trembling, her hands grasped his wrists tight. Not sure if she was trying to pull him away or stop him from leaving, she continued to hold on tight, not trusting herself to let go. As soon as he started talking, a prayer began playing on repeat loop in her mind, pleading with whatever Divine Being was listening to “please, let this be real.” Within seconds, her heart was beating so fast with hope and fear, she was certain he could feel it through their clothing. When he stopped talking, she started to respond and his lips stopped her. Capturing her mouth with his, his kiss was so much more passionate that before, as if he knew that she was starting to believe and understand exactly what he was attempting to convey with words. Large hands still cradling her face, his thumbs began making slow circular motions on her skin. His touch feather light, making her skin heat and sizzle in response. As she fell deeper into his kiss, she felt the slickness from her sex begin to coat her panties in response to his touch. Oh, yes, how she wanted him inside her. Nothing else would do—no one else would do. She wanted to believe him. Wanted to truly believe that he felt she was beautiful and wanted her the same way she wanted him. It was just taking her mind a while to catch up with her body, which had already raised the white flag in surrender. “Are you almost done in here?” It took a moment for her to realize that the kiss had stopped and that he was talking to her. “Am I done? Um, yeah. I’m done.” “Okay, sweetness, it’s time to grab your purse. We’re leaving now. Do you have your bags packed for the weekend? Are they in your car?” His arms now rested on her waist with his hands cupping her ass in his firm grip.

Dana responded to his questions with a few of her own, “How long does it take to get to the resort? Don’t you have to unpack and grab new clothes?” She didn’t really want to go to her home right now, but a neutral response that didn’t take anything for granted seemed like the safest path. By the look on his face, it seemed that he had caught on to her diversionary tactic. “It takes two hours from my house, which is where we’re going first. I need to grab my clothes, you need to eat, and I would rather have you with me while we’re doing those things. I don’t want to let you get away again. I messed up all those years ago and while I think my penance has been sufficiently paid, I’m not taking any chances.” “Okay, I’ll drive my car over to your place and park it in your garage while we’re away.” Staying calm and having a halfway coherent conversation was taking every bit of self-control she had. If this was a dream, she hoped like hell her alarm clock not set. There was no way in hell she wanted to wake up anytime soon. This was just getting good. He kissed the side of her mouth and then continued to speak, “You have five minutes to be out the door and walking to your car. If you’re not done by then, I’m going to throw you over my shoulder and carry you out. Got it?” “Reese, you can’t be serious!” “Baby, I’ve been waiting for ten years to have you all to myself. I’m serious as a heart attack.” Looking at his face and his clenched jaw, which only happened when his stubborn streak had been engaged, Dana knew he meant every word he just said. Her classroom secured and locked, Dana was halfway down the hallway, and Reese only steps behind her, in three minutes flat.

Chapter Four

Even though Dana had been in Reese’s house before, this time was unlike any other. The house itself was the same, but the people standing inside were about to take a step that would forever change things. More scared than she had ever been before, Dana knew that her moment of truth had come and gone. She could admit that there had never been any other choice. She wanted this—wanted him—and there was no way in hell she was letting this chance escape through her finger. After she parked her car in its usual spot inside the garage, Reese had grabbed her overnight bag out of the backseat and carried it into the house. That didn’t make sense to her since they would be leaving in a couple of hours anyway, but she felt it best not to even go there with him right now. As she toed off her sandals and shoved them to the side of the couch, she looked up and saw Reese with his arms crossed at the foot of the stairs. An involuntary sigh escaped as she admired the man in front of her. With his suit jacket removed and his shirtsleeves rolled up, the man gazing at her with desire and lust in his eyes resembled her long-time friend, but he seemed so different. Unsure of what had changed that made him verbalize his love for her, Dana was hesitant to pry too much. It might break the spell and she simply wasn’t willing to risk it. She was here with him at this moment, and he wanted her. For her, that was all that mattered. As Reese strolled over to her, she couldn’t help but appreciate his physique. Lean thigh muscles rippled underneath his slacks. Not an ounce of fat covered his body and she knew his sculpted, washboard flat stomach was only inches away. A light dusting of golden tinted hairs was visible on his arms. But this didn’t detract from his good looks in any way. If anything, it made him even more attractive and called out to her feminine side. A living, breathing embodiment of Adonis was standing in front of her. Damn! Couldn’t he have one flaw to go along with her dozen or so? “Dana, you think too much. It’s time you just feel, baby. I need you to be able to look at me and know that I love you. That I have always loved you.”

Instead of walking up to her front, he circled her body and pressed up against her backside. Once he situated his body behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her ass flush against him. She noticed that her lower back was pressing against something hard. Dana almost lost her breath when she realized that it was his erection. Although she had seen him in swim trunks almost every summer since the age of seven, she had never seen him with an erection. At this point, she was glad she had never experienced that sight, because all she could think about was how she had missed out on what could be considered the eighth wonder of the world. Another moan escaped as she took that long awaited leap of faith, “Reese, I need you. Please, love me.” Her head fell back on his shoulder and he pressed against her even harder, almost as if his body had a mind of its own. His hands grasped her breasts in his palms and squeezed tight, wrenching a gasp from her throat. Rotating his hands in a circular motion, his strong fingers gently manipulated, pulled, and squeezed her mounds, driving her to distraction. All the while, his hips continued to rotate and press against her, giving her only a glimpse of what he truly wanted to do with her. Leaning her head to the side, she exposed her neck to him and shivered when he began to trail kisses from her shoulder up to her ear. His teeth began taking little nips at her earlobe as he overwhelmed her senses with sensation after delirious sensation. One hand moved away from her breast and grabbed onto her skirt. Slowly bunching the material in his hand as he lifted it, he exposed the bare skin of her leg to his questing fingers. As he rubbed along her skin, he made his way over to the juncture of her thighs, rubbing his fingers on the outside of her underwear. Legs slightly parted, he used this to his advantage and moved his hand to feel along her slit, the wetness that had seeped out her body and soaked into her underwear making his fingers slick. His dual motions continued, one hand kneading her breast, the other bringing her such delight while rubbing up against the hardened nubbin between her legs. Her inhibitions and fears faded away under the manipulation of her body by expert hands.

Through the sexual haze overtaking her, she could hear their breathing become more erratic as the intensity of their passions increased. “Baby, I won’t do this standing in the living room. I want to take my time with you. Our first time should be savored and enjoyed, not rushed.” Sexual need forced a change in his voice. It was thicker, gruffer, almost as if he were forcing himself to slow down. “Come upstairs with me.” Dana didn’t really care where he took her, as long as he made love to her soon. “Yes, okay.” *** Standing in his room in only her underwear, Dana watched as Reese sat down on the edge of the bed in all his glory. He had quickly removed his clothing once they made it to his bedroom. Thick and hard, he was bared to her gaze and his sex was pointing straight up, as if reaching out to her. His slit was leaking pre-cum as he sat quietly and gazed at her form. Arms outstretched, he beckoned her closer to him. He widened his legs for her to stand in between, his warm hands meeting her cold skin was like a jolt of electricity. But, oh goodness, it felt so good. Finally feeling his flesh against hers was like nothing she could describe. He bent his head down to rest on her breasts while his arms wrapped around her and his strong hands rubbed her back, butt, and upper thighs. Resting her cheek on top of his silky hair, she reveled in the moment. This was what she had been waiting for so long. So much time had been wasted between them over a misunderstanding and hurt feelings. Decision made, she knew Reese deserved her full trust and love from this moment on. “I love you, Reese.” She felt his body twitch and his arms tighten as her words sunk in. “I have loved you since I was thirteen and you demanded I take you to the Sadie Hawkins dance.” She felt his body shake in what she could only imagine was mirth as he recalled that incident. “Even though you broke my heart all those years ago, I have never stopped loving you. No one has ever been able to take your place”

She felt soft kisses on her breasts and bare stomach. Reese was giving her his response without saying a word. Moving her hands, she grasped his face and lifted his gaze to hers. The wetness she saw shimmering in his eyes almost broke her. “Make love to me. I’ve never shared my body with any other man before tonight. I want you to show me how it feels to be loved, body and soul.” “Oh, Dana, you have no idea what your words do to me. I’ll never be able to let you go. You’re mine.” “Yes, Reese, I’m yours. I’ve always been yours.” Moving quicker than she expected, Reese quickly lifted her body, placed her on his bed, and lay down on top of her. His pulsating erection heating her core as her body called out to his for the one thing it needed most. “I promise to go slow.” Kissing her softly, his tongue reached out to lick her lips. Her mouth opened on a gasp and his tongue entered. Their tongues engaged in their own mating dance. All Dana could think about was how good this felt. His unique taste was overloading her senses and she wanted so much more. Her hips began to rotate slowly, trying to get closer to him. As Reese broke the kiss, he started to move slowly down her body, paying equal attention to each breast. His tongue laved the taut nipples, leaving them wet with moisture, and he nipped and suckled as her body squirmed even more under the attention. He slowly glided his way down her body, moving away from her breasts and following a trail only he could see. Warm kisses caused her skin to burn from the intensity, but he never let up. Not even as she made mewling sounds as her breathing became choppy. While moving his body further down to her heated core, his hands were sliding her barely-there underwear down her hips and off her body. As he threw the slip of material over his shoulder, she vaguely registered that she would probably not find them later. Turning his attention back to her, he twisted his body in a way that forced her legs to spread even wider, which allowed his body to nestle in between them, his face inches from her bare mound.

Looking down her body to gaze at Reese, she watched as his blue eyes caught her staring at him and he smiled. He then raised her legs up to rest over his shoulders and dipped his head to her weeping sex. Inhaling deeply, the look of pure delight on his face made her shiver. How could one man desire her so much and with such intensity? Reese’s tongue began to lap at her slit, nudging the lips open so that he could reach her clit hidden inside. He buried his tongue where no man had gone before, tasting the juices that had never been shared with anyone else. The sensations were unbelievably strong and Dana was unable to hold back the scream that released from the depths of her soul. Her body arched off the bed in an instinctive need to get away from the feelings coursing through her body as it responded to his warm, wet mouth. She felt as if she was losing control and she tried to pull back from him and force him to stop. “I can’t…I can’t…Oh, Reese!” Nothing should feel this good. There was no way a woman could survive these feelings and not emerge as a changed person from the experience. Reese wrapped his hands tighter around her thighs and laid both of his hands over her stomach to keep her in place. His tongue did not pause in its assault of her slick folds and hardened clit. He gave her no choice but to accept that the pleasure Reese was heaping on her would not be denied. “Reese,” her voice croaked as she forced the word out of her mouth. She could feel the change, could feel the build up within her body, and she was helpless to stop it. “Reese! Don’t stop! Please! Yes! Oh, yes!” The grip on her thighs almost painful, his hands tightened on her as she began to pump her body up and down, adding to the friction of his mouth against her sex. Her orgasm rushed through her, tearing a scream from her throat as her body seized up and her juices flowed freely onto Reese’s tongue. Weak from her release, she felt Reese slide up and cover her body with his. Soft kisses landed on her shoulder, neck, and face as her body took time to calm down. The only words she seemed capable of saying were, “Reese. Amazing. So good.”

Dana turned her head to initiate a kiss. When Reese’s tongue entered her mouth, she tasted her essence and moaned low in her throat. Her desire spiked and she needed to feel him inside her again. Reese’s cock rubbed against her drenched hole and he growled low, as if holding himself back. Oh, no, she thought smugly, that wasn’t going to work at all. She heard the plea in her voice as she encouraged him to give his passion free reign. “I want to feel you, Reese. I need you inside me.” Reese groaned and lifted his head for just a second to look into her eyes. He must have recognized the need coursing through her veins and responded to her words with swift action. He reached over to his nightstand, pulled out a condom, and quickly sheathed his bulging cock. He situated his body back into a comfortable position between her thighs and after lifting one leg over the bend in his arm, he positioned his cock at her slick entrance. “Baby, this may hurt a bit, but the pain will pass.” Not waiting a second longer, he entered her body slowly, but with steady pressure. Dropping his head to kiss her, her mind was distracted and focused on the feel of his lips and tongue while her body was enjoying the pleasure he was giving her as he claimed her as his own. When she felt him pause after entering her about halfway, she started to say something, but stopped short when he plunged fully into her body. Unable to hold it back, a gasp broke free as she felt her body give way. Her barrier broken, she now belonged fully to Reese and she couldn’t be happier. Sure, there had been some pain, but she knew that would be the case and had not been surprised. “I’m sorry, baby. I tried to make it easier for you.” “It’s okay. It’s already passed,” which was true. “Please, I need you to move.” Grasping his firm butt in her hands, she moved her hips up to him, sending a message that she was ready for more. She squeezed her inner muscles, tightening around his hard length. He moaned low, almost a growl, and began to move his hips.

“Baby, you’re so tight around me. You feel so good. It was always meant to be this way,” the words raw as his strokes continued to wring moan after moan from her. The overwhelming sense of coming home brought tears to her eyes. The motion of his body entering hers became stronger with each thrust until they were overcome by the pleasure of their joining. His hand gripped her hips, his mouth ravaging hers as Reese took them both to heaven and back. As her body floated back down to earth, she heard Reese speak to her, “Sweetheart, look at me.” It took her a moment to lift her gaze to his and focus on his face, “Are you okay?” “Yes, I’m absolutely fine. Wonderful as a matter of fact,” her smile wide and open, the happiness she felt had to be evident in her expression. She noticed his face was covered in moisture from their exertions, but his smile made her believe that he would rather be here with her than anywhere else. “I love you, Dana. Be with me always. Say you’ll never leave.” “What are you saying, Reese?” “There is no way I’m going to let you out of this bed without getting a yes out of you. Marry me. Take me out of my misery. My life isn’t whole without you and I need you with me. You’re my best friend. The other half of my soul. Nothing makes sense when you’re not there.” He looked as if he wanted to say more, but Dana took that opportunity to stop him. “Shut up, Reese.” “What? Why? What’s wrong?” “Nothing. You just talk too much. Always have.” Lifting up slightly to kiss him briefly on the lips, she gave him the answer he’d been waiting for. “Yes. I’ll marry you. Just try to stop me.” “Thank you, baby. You have no idea how happy you’ve made me. Now, I think it’s time we got back to some serious business.” It took him a few minutes to remove the condom from his erection and grab a new one. Apparently, even after his climax, his cock had not softened much and he was

still hard and willing to play again. Her body was still slick and wet, so he drove his cock deep within her in one long thrust, the air rushing from his lungs. His eyes closed in pure bliss as her channel clenched around him. Fast and furious, he claimed her again, showing her by his actions, that he craved her. Needed her. He kissed her, long and hard, and she couldn’t get enough of him. She pleaded with him, “Harder. Faster. More.” Her nails scored across his back and her body began its spiral into pleasure as she screamed out her demands, “Yes! Oh, Reese! More!” He pumped in and out of her at a furious pace as she tried to match his thrusts. Licking her breasts, he sucked her nipples into his mouth, nipping slightly at the sensitive peak as his cock wrung pleasure from her in waves. Her vision began to blur and she could swear stars were shining overhead as her orgasm slammed down upon, causing her to shatter and scream his name at the top of her lungs. Nothing else mattered but the incredible pleasure coursing through her body. However, Reese never slowed down. Not once. If anything, he became even more intent on wringing out more from her. Placing his hands under her butt, he lifted her hips higher, tilting her body in a way that provided him even better access. Her toes curled and her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Her nails dug into him even deeper as she tried to hang on for the wildest ride of her life. Within a few more seconds, Reese’s body arched as he came inside the condom. They both took a few minutes to catch their breath. Their loud, erratic breathing was the only sound in the room for a few minutes. And, damn, it was erotic as hell. “You’re absolutely amazing,” he whispered against her mouth. Taking a few minutes to take care of the condom, he wet a warm towel and cleaned her body. This extra step caused her heart to swell inside her chest. “Thank you.” “I’m here to take care of you. I don’t know any other way.”

She couldn’t speak anymore. Her brain wasn’t fully functional yet, but she managed to have at least one coherent thought as she glanced at the clock. Noting the time, she wondered how the hell they were going to explain themselves. “Reese, what are we going to tell our parents? It’s too late to get on the road tonight and make it to the resort.” “They know not to expect us until tomorrow. By the way, I spoke with your dad while we were away and he gives his blessing.” “You spoke with my dad?” “Of course I did, baby. There was no way I could plan an engagement party for tomorrow without both our parents being aware.” He looked at her with a shit-eating grin and she couldn’t help but laugh. “So, this whole retirement party is a ruse?” She grabbed a pillow of his bed and threw it at Reese, “You are unbelievable.” Amazing, sexy, and irresistible as hell. But definitely unbelievable. Dodging to the left as the pillow sailed over his shoulder, “No. Not really. Dad really is retiring and there’s a party for him this weekend. On Sunday.” Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her body in close as she laughed at his high-handed tactics. “Are you upset?” Thinking about it, she knew there was no reason to be upset and had no need to try to fake it. “No. I’m actually hungry.” “Well, it just so happens that I have your favorite treats down in the kitchen.” “No! Do you really? You mean, you have—“ “Yep, Pralines & Cream ice cream. I actually arranged for a weekly shipment because I know you just can’t resist it. And, your mother told me how much you loved Praline treats from Louisiana. So, I have some of those waiting as well. I want to make sure your sweet tooth is taken care of. I know how cranky you get when you don’t have your treats.” She looked over her shoulder at him and could see that he was proud of himself. “Reese, you really are the man of my dreams.”

She kissed him quickly and then hopped out of bed. Without bothering to put on any clothes, she left his room and set off down the hallway. She heard him hop out of bed as he started to come after her. Giggling like she did when they were kids, she ran quickly down the stairs with him hot on her heels. Looking back, she saw that he was almost on her. Yelling over her shoulder, she goaded him just a bit, “If you can catch me, I’m sure we can find some interesting things to do with that ice cream.” Laughing wildly when Reese grabbed her from behind and turned her to him for a sensuous kiss, Dana knew her dreams had finally come true.

About the Author Reana Malori is a pseudonym for a chick with dreams of world domination. However, if that’s not possible, I’m willing to settle for being one of the best interracial romance erotica writers on the market. I’ve been reading romance novels since the age of fourteen and know what appeals to me as reader. My goal is to provide that same experience for the people who read my prose. I’m a former Marine who served for eight years and was stationed at various places across the US. As a result, strong military men will always be a favorite topic of mine and many of my stories will continue to have a military theme. I’m a fan of Highlanders, Alpha males, and strong women who love with everything they have. Going forward, I will continue to write books, and short stories, that will help people escape for bit and relax. I currently live in Northern Virginia with my husband and two children. Please send me an email at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you!

Reana Web site: www.reanamalori.webs.com Blog: www.reanamalori.blogspot.com Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/reana_malori/