Johnson Family 2: Perfect (22 page)
Read Johnson Family 2: Perfect Online
Authors: Delaney Diamond
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #United States, #African American, #Contemporary, #Multicultural, #Multicultural & Interracial, #African-American romance, #Contemporary Romance, #multicultural romance, #Romance, #Fiction
By reconnecting with her father, she’d learned a few things about his relationship with her mother she hadn’t known before. He had, in fact, tried to reestablish a relationship with Daniella after he divorced her mother, but her mother had been opposed to it. He’d overnighted a box of mementos—cards and letters he’d sent her for the first five years after the divorce that had been returned unopened. Afterward, he’d given up.
When she demanded to know why he didn’t try harder, he’d said, “
After what I’d done, I felt she needed you more than I did.
”
Her mother’s role in her painful past had been difficult to digest, but Daniella had accepted it and forgiven her. People made poor decisions when they loved deeply. She knew all about that.
“I think it’s a good idea to go see them,” Cyrus said. “I’m sure he’s looking forward to seeing his grandson in the flesh.”
“He is, so you’ll have to let someone else hold Michael for a change.”
He chuckled. “I’ll consider it.”
She kissed his forehead. “You need to go to sleep,” she said, pushing away his hands, even though she enjoyed his touch. “You have a big day tomorrow and you’ve had a crazy weekend.”
“I’m still awake,” he pointed out, looking down at the rise in his pants.
“Behave.” She slapped his roving hand, but he pulled her down on top of him.
“At least turn off the lights,” she whispered.
“No way. I want to look at you. I never get tired of looking at you.”
Daniella smiled contentedly and rewarded her husband with a deep kiss. She appreciated him so much, and how could she not love him when he constantly reassured her she was still as beautiful and sexy as ever?
She was self-conscious about the weight she hadn’t taken off since the baby’s arrival, but Cyrus didn’t seem to mind at all. It bothered her, though. Maybe because she’d always been thin, but she wanted to get as close to her former weight as possible. She’d recently hired a personal trainer to help her lose those last pounds, and since he was a sadistic drill sergeant, she expected to be back to her old self in no time.
Their lovemaking was an unhurried exploration where his hands brushed across her nipples and moved slowly along the contours of her waist and hips. His mouth trailed over her nakedness in the same leisurely fashion and, as if to reassure her, he kissed her rounded belly and the stretch marks on her hips, which he affectionately called her “tiger stripes.”
She welcomed him between her legs with a contented sigh. His hips rocked back and forth—slowly, gently. Moaning and matching his movements, she wrapped her arms around his strong neck as tension tightened in her belly. Gradually, their breathing became sporadic and their words came out like broken beats of heated air. When she climaxed, her entire body gripped his—arms, legs, even teeth, which she sank into his shoulder.
Afterward, he turned out the lights and she lay her head on his shoulder, an arm thrown across his firm stomach. They lay quietly, with him lightly rubbing her bare back, from her shoulder blades down to the curve in her lower spine.
“Michael’s getting so big,” Cyrus said after a few minutes.
“Babies grow fast,” she agreed. She fell silent, but she couldn’t sleep. “Are you still awake?” she asked, when he had stopped caressing her back.
“Mhmm.”
“Can we get our own place in Costa del Sol? I love it there. Nothing big. Maybe one of those little white houses on the hillside near Mijas, with a rooftop terrace and a little yard. Or even a place on the beach. Something with a few bedrooms. One for us, Michael, and our next one.” They’d discussed having at least one more child.
“Sure. I’ll get Shaun to do some research and you can decide what you want.”
“I want you to choose with me,” she said, watching his profile in the darkness.
“Okay, whatever you want.” He was slipping fast. She could hear it in his speech.
She pressed her nose to his neck. She loved to smell him. “Thank you. You’re such a sweetheart.”
He growled. “Stop calling me that. You make it sound like I’m a big softie.”
“You are,” she teased. “You’re
my
big softie. My teddy bear.”
“I’m a grizzly bear.”
“No matter what you say, you’re my teddy bear.”
“Grizzly,” he countered. Of course he’d have to have the last word.
Daniella kissed his cheek, and within a few minutes he started snoring. To have fallen asleep so fast, he was definitely tired.
She nudged him. “You’re snoring,” she said.
“Sorry, sweetheart,” he mumbled. He shifted in the bed so he lay on his side and pulled her against him so they were spooning. “Better?”
“Mhmm.” She snuggled deeper into his arms.
Her life was much better than it had ever been and surpassed her expectations. She’d mended the relationship with her father. She had a husband who loved and supported her. Her business was doing well and her son was healthy and happy. Life couldn’t be better.
In a word, it was…perfect.
The End
Excerpt from Just Friends
(unedited)
Trenton and Alannah’s story…
When Alannah swung open the door, Trenton couldn’t suppress the grin that spread across his face. He was always filled with such pleasure whenever he saw her.
“Hey, stranger,” she said. “What’s that?” She grabbed for the bag.
“Is that all I’m good for?” he asked, holding it just out of reach. “Come here, girl. I missed you.”
He grabbed her up in his arms and lifted her off the floor. She giggled softly and wound her arms around his neck. “Glad to see I was missed.”
He set her back on the floor and closed the door. Taking her in, he said, “You know you were missed.”
She stood before him in a pair of gray gym shorts and a white tank top with her hair hidden under a burgundy satin bonnet. “Why you looking like you’re ready for bed?”
“Two reasons. I didn’t know if you’d be staying late with one of your hos.”
“I don’t mess with hos, thank you very much.”
She ignored him. “So I figured I’d better get ready for bed. The other reason is, I have a surprise for you. But before I tell you my surprise…” She sniffed the air and eyed the bag in his hand. “I smell Thai.” She snatched it from him and he chuckled.
He trailed behind her to the kitchen. “How was Arizona?” he asked.
“Nothing special,” she replied. “My parents were happy to see us. My sisters flew in for a few days while I was there, so the whole family spent time together. It was nice.”
He leaned against the counter and watched her remove the contents of the bag. She pulled plates and utensils from drawers and started scooping out food.
“So, what’s my surprise?” he asked.
Alannah turned to face him. She seemed to think about what she wanted to say first, her eyes meeting his hesitantly. “I’ve been doing some thinking,” she said. “I’m not getting any younger.”
“None of us are.”
“And…well, I want to make some changes in my life. So…you know what, it’s better for me to show you than to tell you.” She removed the bonnet from her head and released her hair. She ran her fingers through the strands, sifting them loose until they tumbled past her shoulders. “What do you think?”
He took a good look at her. “You colored your hair.”
“Yes.” She bit her lip. “What do you think?”
“I like it,” he said slowly. What was this all about?
“I had it cut in layers, too.” She turned around so he could see the back. She pushed her fingers through the shiny auburn strands and shook her head so the thick mass rippled back and forth across her back. Turning to face him again, she said, “I know it’s pretty drastic. Well, for me it’s drastic, but I only had a few inches cut off. The craziest thing is the color. Auburn. Can you believe it? After having dull brown hair all my life, I went with
auburn
.”
“It’s an attention getter,” Trenton said. “Where are your glasses?” She seldom went without her glasses because she was near-sighted. Every time she took them off, she walked around squinting.
“Oh, that’s the other thing.” She pointed at her eyes. “Contacts.”
“Contacts?”
“Yes. I have the long-wearing ones that you can sleep in. It took me a while to get used to them. Sometimes I absentmindedly reach for my glasses and then realize they aren’t there. It’s crazy, but yep, I’m wearing contacts now. I’ve had them for a week already.”
Trenton scratched the back of his head. “I don’t understand. What’s going on with you? What’s with all the changes?”
Alannah shrugged and started spooning food onto the plates again. “Like I said, I’m not getting any younger. It’s time for me to act and look like a woman.”
“I liked the way you looked.”
She smiled briefly at him over her shoulder. “That’s sweet, but you’re just saying that cause you’re my friend. I want to know what a man thinks.”
“
I’m a
man
.”
What the hell
?
She giggled on her way to the refrigerator. “You know what I mean. You’re more like a girlfriend than a man.”
Since when
?
He was slightly offended by the comment, but he chose to ignore it because there were more pressing matters to address. As Alannah poured lemonade—hers was good and tart because she made it with fresh lemons and none of that powdered stuff—into two glasses, he paid close attention to her. She didn’t just look different, she was acting different. He hadn’t noticed it before, but she was more confident. It must be the new hair and the contacts. And the shorts. They were the shortest pair of shorts he’d ever seen her wear. They put her legs on display in a way that made him take notice. Had her legs always been that long?
She was small up top but thick on the bottom, and the contrast was never more noticeable than today. Her butt looked round and full, and her hips looked like they’d widened since he’d seen her last.
Dayum
.
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More Stories by Delaney Diamond
Hot Latin Men series
The Arrangement
Fight for Love
Private Acts
Second Chances
Hot Latin Men: Vol. I (print anthology)
Hot Latin Men: Vol. II (print anthology)
Hawthorne Family series
The Temptation of a Good Man
A Hard Man to Love
Here Comes Trouble
For Better or Worse
Hawthorne Family Series: Vol. I (print anthology)
Hawthorne Family Series: Vol. II (print anthology)
Love Unexpected series
The Blind Date
The Wrong Man
Johnson Family series
Unforgettable
Perfect
Just Friends (spring 2015)
Bailar series
(sweet/clean romance)
Worth Waiting For
Short Stories
Subordinate Position
The Ultimate Merger
Free Stories
About the Author
Delaney Diamond is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sweet, sensual, passionate romance novels. Originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, she now lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She reads romance novels, mysteries, thrillers, and a fair amount of nonfiction. When she’s not busy reading or writing, she’s in the kitchen trying out new recipes, dining at one of her favorite restaurants, or traveling to an interesting locale. She speaks fluent conversational French and can get by in Spanish.
Enjoy free reads and the first chapter of all her novels on her website. Join her e-mail mailing list to get sneak peeks, notices of sale prices, and find out about new releases.
