Before I Let You Go (3 page)

Turning, Diamere smiled at her as he pushed the up button. “The only attention I want tonight is yours,” he said in a low, sexy voice that made her heart skip a beat.

“Stop flirting with me,” Kellis managed to say around a smile of her own.

His hand came up to her face and tenderly stroked her cheek. “I merely said what was on my mind.”

Her pulse drummed as she breathlessly whispered, “Well, at least you’re honest.”

“I try to be.”

They stepped inside the elevator and Diamere punched numbers on a keypad, sending the car up to the second floor. Leaning his hand on the wall beside Kelly, he gazed down at her and said, “You’ve known me long enough to know I’m going to tell it like it is. It’s best that way. No misunderstandings.” He was too close, his mouth too tempting, and with as much as she’d had to drink, Kelly knew she wasn’t thinking clearly. Maybe drinking all that alcohol wasn’t such a good idea. She was getting in way over her head. Becoming involved with Diamere would be a bad move. Luckily, the elevator doors opened, and she quickly stepped off, savoring the distance. Taking her hand again, Diamere led her down a hallway past a number of offices.

He took her through a suite of plush rooms. As he talked about his business, Kelly realized that Ja’net was more than just a club, it was an investment. Diamere had a full-time marketing coordinator who was responsible for promoting the club, a general manager, a dozen staff members and an efficient twenty-something assistant who brought the staff fresh-baked cookies every Friday. He showed Kelly two large rooms that were used for private parties, both equipped with their own bar and dance floor. As he showed her a large conference room where he met with his staff every Monday, she tried to clear her head. The conversation had shifted to something other than him trying to flirt with her, yet she was having a hard time taking her mind off anything but the sexy man walking beside her. Kelly realized she was only half listening. Her thoughts had wandered into treacherous territories. With Diamere so close, she was too aware of his presence. Tall. Rugged. Broad. She couldn’t stop from imagining that body lying across her
bed. Just thinking about what was hidden beneath his expensive pants and crisp shirt had her palms sweating.
Snap out of it!
she told herself.

Needing some distance, she moved to a floor-to-ceiling window in the conference room. Outside was a breathtaking view of central Philadelphia.

“You’re so beautiful, Kelly.”

Upon hearing that, she swung around to find Diamere staring down at her with an intensity that caused her to shiver. His compliment had caught her off guard. Swallowing, she tried to regain her composure. “Thank you,” she replied as she watched his gaze lower to her mouth.

Hands in his pants pockets, Diamere moved closer, invading her space, shortening the distance between them. “I should be thanking you.”

She felt the pit of her stomach go hot. “Why is that?”

“For allowing me to be in your presence.”

Kelly stared up at him for a long, uncomfortable second, then exploded with laughter.

Diamere gave her a sheepish grin. “I guess that did sound a little corny.”

“A little?” she said, still giggling. “How about a lot?”

He couldn’t help but laugh at his own expense before signaling for her to follow. “Come on. Let me finish showing you around.”

At the end of the hall was a pair of double doors. He punched in a code, then turned the lock, and they stepped in. Her eyes traveled around the massive office. It definitely belonged to a man. Dark wood. Heavy
burgundy drapes. LCD sixty-inch television in the corner. She chuckled.
Men
.

“I don’t spend a lot of time in here, but when I do I need an atmosphere where I can relax and think.”

Kelly arched an eyebrow. “I’m sure you do a lot of thinking with that flat-screen in the room.”

Diamere tossed his head back and laughed, and Kelly couldn’t help but join in.

“Seriously, this place is way more than I expected. You really outdid yourself.”

He smiled. “Thanks. I guess we’ve reached the end of my tour.” Diamere slid his hands in his pockets again and rocked on the balls of his feet.

She nibbled her lips nervously. “Yes, I guess we have.” Neither made any attempt to move toward the door. Their eyes met.

“Are you seeing anyone?” Diamere asked, breaking the silence.

The air in the room suddenly felt charged. “No, and I prefer to keep it that way.”

“Kelly, I’m not looking for commitment. I’m trying to run a business and I don’t need the emotional attachment that comes with relationships.”

She ignored the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach and pretended his intense gaze didn’t affect her.
Liar
. “A man after my own heart. It seems like we still have a lot in common. The last thing I’m looking for is a relationship.”

“Good. So there’s nothing standing in the way of the two of us getting reacquainted,” he said, crossing the room to where she was standing.

Before she could respond, Diamere grasped her hands, pulling her closer. She gasped when she saw where his
thoughts were headed. In a panic, Kelly pushed gently against his chest. “Dia—”

“Hush,” he whispered, and tugged her flush against his body, then leaned down to cover her mouth with his.

H
er heart thudded as Diamere’s mouth touched hers. And when he parted her lips with his tongue, she knew she had been anticipating this very moment from the second she first spotted him walking toward her in the club. Kelly willingly opened her mouth to him, practically melting when he pulled her closer. Heat danced inside her and her senses whirred dizzily. As their tongues mated, she was only aware of Diamere’s mouth against hers, his solid body molded with her own. His tongue flirted with hers, tasting and teasing, until a moan sprang from her throat. Frustrated, she twisted her head away.

“Diamere, please, this is a mistake.”

“No, it isn’t,” he countered, before his thumb grazed her nipple, causing her to cry out. “I’ve waited a long time to do this.”

He lowered her tube top, freeing her heavy breasts,
then dipped down and captured a nipple between his lips. Kelly tossed her head back and moaned. His tongue was warm, wet and tantalizing. He suckled while she unconsciously arched her body and leaned into his mouth. Desire raced through her veins and moisture pooled between her thighs. She knew that if he pushed hard enough they would be making love right here on his dark leather couch. Realizing what she was allowing him to do, she tried again to push away. This time she got this attention.

Diamere looked confused. “What’s wrong?”

Embarrassed, Kelly pulled her top back in place. “This
is
a mistake.”

“Why?” he asked as he pulled her comfortably into his arms again. “I knew the moment we saw each other this was going to happen. You can’t tell me you weren’t thinking the same thing.”

You don’t even know the half of it
. The sexual tension was as thick as it could get. And that was the problem. She tried to bury her face against his chest, but Diamere cupped her chin with his hand and raised her head. “Kelly, look at me. I’ve never forgotten about us,” he began as his fingers caressed her cheek. “Things should have been different.”

“But they weren’t,” she said without malice, and pushed against his chest. Diamere released her. Quickly, Kelly moved away and slid her purse back over her shoulder. There was a long, awkward moment of silence. “Thank you for the tour. You have a beautiful club.”

“You’re welcome.” He didn’t say anything else, just continued to stare at her with his hands in his pockets, his feet braced apart, making her conscious of how handsome he was.

Nervously, Kelly licked her lips. “Well, I better get going. Essence is probably looking for me.”

A satisfied smile curved his mouth. “No, she isn’t. She knows you’re with me.”

And at the moment that was one dangerous place to be.

All Kelly could do was stare up at him wordlessly, not sure what else to say. His expression was intense and she could tell by his eyes what he was thinking.

Reaching out, he captured her hand with his. “I want to continue where we left off,” he finally admitted.

His comment caught her off guard and her heart skipped a beat. Kelly pursed her lips and took a deep breath before saying, “I don’t think so.”

When he didn’t bother to comment further, she gave an impatient sigh and made a move to pass him. It was then that she noticed he had not removed his hand from hers. She looked down at it, then back up at his face. A throbbing had started at her temple and she was certain it was a combination of too much alcohol and being around Diamere. The sooner she got away from the club the better off she would be.

“I think it would be a good idea if I went back to my table.”

“Why is that?”

She pulled in a rather shaky breath. “Because being around you…alone…I…” She was at a loss for words and getting more frustrated by the moment. “I just think I need to return to my seat.”

It frustrated her even more as she watched those thick, sexy lips of his curl upward. “Why? You scared of me?”

Desire twisted inside her as she eyed his mouth.
Remembering how it had tasted, she felt a familiar yearning ripple through her body. Nervously, she gave a strangled laugh. “No, not at all. I just came out tonight to have a good time.”

“Are you saying you’re not having a good time?”

Her eyes fluttered briefly and she shook her head. “No. I’m having a wonderful time.”
More than you’ll ever know
. “But it’s getting late and I’m ready to head home.”

“Then let me take you home,” he offered.

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. “Take me home? I live all the way out in Wilmington. Don’t you and your staff people have a club to run?”

“It’s one of the advantages of being the boss and having competent employees working for you. Besides, Wilmington is only a thirty-minute drive.”

She hesitated and briefly lowered her eyelids. There was no way she was letting him drive her home. Kelly swallowed. “No, really. I can ride back with Essence and my brother.”

Diamere looked prepared to counter her response, but instead he nodded and said, “Okay.”

Grasping her hand once more, he led her into the hall. This time, instead of taking the elevator, they traveled down a back staircase that took them straight into the club. Music vibrated through Kelly’s body, and as she moved across the floor, she wondered if anyone could tell what the two of them had been doing. Self-consciously, she combed her fingers through her hair as she walked beside Diamere. Once they moved up the spiral staircase onto the balcony, she found their table empty, and glanced around for Essence and Mark.

Diamere’s eyes traveled over her shoulder. “I don’t think they’re planning to leave anytime soon.”

Kelly swung around and followed the direction of his gaze to the couple on the dance floor, locked in each other’s arms with eyes for no one else.

“It looks like you might be here all night.”

Seeing the tenderness in Mark’s eyes as he lowered his mouth to his wife’s parted lips, Kelly swung around and sighed with defeat. “I guess you’re right.” She brought a hand to her temple. She wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol, the music or Diamere, but her head was now pounding worse than before.

He took a step forward, planting himself right in front of her. “After this song, let them know I’m driving you home. Have a seat. I’ll be right back. I need to let my manager know I’m rolling out.”

Kelly watched him leave and couldn’t believe she had essentially agreed to let Diamere take her home. If he offered to do so it was probably because he believed her to be drunk. What in the world was she thinking? She had never been a heavy drinker. Tonight, however, she had been willing to make an exception in an attempt to calm her nerves. Instead, she was going to wake up in the morning with a terrible hangover. “Okay,” she said to no one in particular, and took a deep breath. Everything was going to be all right. There was no way Mark and Essence would agree to her leaving with Diamere.

Oh, how wrong she was.

“Oh, sweetie, I hope you feel better in the morning.” Essence gave her a big hug.

“Yeah. You’re in good hands. I’ll check on you tomorrow,” Mark added as he bent and kissed her forehead. Then, before Kelly could even voice a protest, he reached
for his wife’s hand and dragged her back out onto the dance floor.

So much for my big brother looking out for me
. With a heavy sigh, she scowled and shook her head. Mark was a fabulous brother. If he thought she was in bad company he would have never allowed her to leave with Diamere. Friend or not.

Kelly slid her purse strap up farther on her shoulder and moved toward the door, where she spotted Diamere shaking hands with a tall man in a dark brown suit. He must be the club manager, she thought. But she didn’t have much time to contemplate anything else when Diamere looked up and their eyes locked.
What in the world have I gotten myself into?

He walked toward her and she felt her body come alive and tingle, starting from her chest and traveling down to more private regions before arriving at her toes. By the time he reached her, her lips were dry and it took everything she had to force herself to swallow.

“You ready?”

Nervously, she dropped her gaze, then realized she was staring at his mouth.
Goodness! What’s wrong with me?
She truly wasn’t sure, so simply nodded.

Diamere reached down for her hand and escorted her out the door. As soon as they stepped out, a valet handed him the keys to a black Lincoln Navigator SUV. He helped her in, then moved around to the driver’s side and pulled away.

They drove for blocks in silence as Kelly stared out the passenger-side window, grateful for the soft R & B music coming through the speakers, because she didn’t have a clue what to say to someone she was so desperately trying to fight her attraction for. And
after all those drinks, she didn’t trust herself to speak. But she watched him out of the corner of her eye. Tall. Handsome. Male. He was staring straight ahead, bobbing his head to the soft beat of the music. She couldn’t help wondering what was running through his mind right at that moment. Even though she was sitting on the passenger side, Diamere seemed to be too close, invading her personal space in a way that kept her pulse racing and her mouth dry.

“What’s on your mind?”

His voice startled Kelly out of her thoughts. “Why does something have to be on my mind?”

“Because you’re so quiet.”

She turned to him and smiled. “You are, too, you know.”

Diamere hesitated, then briefly looked over at her and laughed. “I guess you’re right.” He gave another chuckle. “So talk to me. How does it feel being back in Delaware?”

“Good. Really good. What about you?”

“I don’t want to be anywhere else,” he replied.

She instructed him to take the next exit. Diamere pulled off Highway 95 and came to a stop at a red light.

“Why did you offer to take me home tonight?” she asked.

Diamere turned his head and caught her gaze. Even before he spoke, she could see the answer in his eyes and in the grin on his face. He wanted her! So that’s what this drive back to her condo after midnight was all about—a booty call. She fumed. If that was the case, Diamere was in for a rude awakening.

“I wanted to spend a little more time together. Is that
a crime?” He placed his hand over hers and she almost jumped out of her skin at his warm touch.

She shook her head. “Not at all. I truly enjoyed seeing you tonight.” Not trusting herself, she turned and looked out the window again. For the rest of the ride, the only time they spoke was when she gave him directions. It didn’t take a scientist to know he was thinking the same thing about her as she was about him.

When he pulled in front of her building, she reached for her purse and swung it on her arm. “Thank you so much for the ride.”

“No problem.”

Diamere climbed out of the car and came around to her side to open her door. Kelly placed her hand in his and allowed him to escort her up the stairs and to her door. After one evening, holding his hand had already begun to feel so natural. But no matter how good it felt, there was no way she was letting him in.

As soon as she turned the key in the lock, she swung around and faced him. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she leaned in and pressed her mouth to his in what was supposed to be a simple peck. However, the second her lips touched his, something exploded between them, causing her to pull back as if she had been burned. “Uh…thanks again,” she said, anxious to put the door between them. Otherwise she was liable to do something crazy and invite him inside.

“The pleasure is all mine,” Diamere said. Kelly waited for him to release her arm, but instead his grip tightened and he leaned in and whispered, “Before I let you go, I need to give you something.”

Kelly knew he was going to kiss her. Her heart started thumping faster.

The first thought that came to Kelly’s mind was that she had to resist him. But a second thought quickly followed. Why not go ahead and get him out of her system once and for all? She had to do something. The attraction she felt for him was stronger than any she’d ever felt for a man, and that included Devin Black, the man she had once planned to marry.

As soon as he dipped his head, the thought that whipped through Kelly’s mind was that Diamere Redmond was a damn fine kisser. In fact, his kisses had the same impact as those cosmopolitans she’d been drinking all night. Seductive. Intoxicating. She opened her mouth to him and the touch of his tongue to hers sent a jolt through her so intense her midsection suddenly felt like a flaming torch. Overwhelming emotions shot through her and she felt a strange urge to open up to him completely—something she had never felt with a man before, not even her ex-fiancé. Diamere kissed her as if it was his primary purpose in life. He deepened the kiss with skillful strokes of his tongue, staking a possessive claim on her mouth. A claim she didn’t want him to make, but one he was making anyway.

Lowering his hands, Diamere cupped her bottom and pressed her so close she had complete contact with his straining arousal. When she wrapped her arms around his neck, he pulled her up, lifting her off the floor and against his body. He tasted like peppermint. It went right to her head and a dizzy feeling of need sent blood rushing through her. When he finally released her mouth and placed her back down on solid ground, they were both breathless. But he didn’t let go of her. He continued to hold her tightly in his arms, nibbling at her neck and
chin before recapturing her mouth with his for another feverous kiss.

Diamere licked and toyed with her tongue. He sucked and teased passionately, as though he had all the time in the world. He was driving her mad, because the pleasure he aroused was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Potent desire and stimulating sensation radiated from his hands, his tongue and his hard body pressed against hers. When he finally broke off the kiss, she slumped weakly against his chest, thinking that in all her thirty years, she had never been kissed like that.

Kelly slowly regained her senses. She slid her hands from his shoulders and took a step back before tilting her head and meeting his luminous eyes. Without saying a word, Diamere turned and walked away. When he stepped onto the curb, she sighed deeply, still feeling the heat from his kiss.