Who's That Lady? (16 page)

Crystal persisted, even though the memory of the fight soured her stomach with mortification. “I don’t know what came over me. I never should have used physical violence against you.”

After a minute, Shonté nodded stiffly. “I’m sorry I hit you, too,” she mumbled.

Relaxing a little, Crystal perched on the other end of the couch. “Now it’s time we talk about all the conflict between us the last few weeks. My only desire was to keep you from getting hurt, but I apologize if you feel that I’ve overstepped my bounds. Is that the problem?”

“Yes,” Shonté ground out between her clenched teeth. “I know you’re smarter than me, Crystal. I know I’ve done some stupid things in my life. But it’s my damn life.”

She nodded reluctantly. “I know. And if you don’t want my help anymore—”

“Why would you think that?” Shonté said with a bitter grunt. “You’re always looking out for me, keeping me on the straight and narrow, making sure I don’t screw up.”

The bitterness of her voice pained Crystal. It seemed that Shonté
wanted her to step back, to stay out of her life. Secrets…there had never been any between them before. With a touch of guilt, she realized that she was keeping her own secrets concerning Key.

She didn’t know whether to confide in Shonté anymore. She had to find out, but with all the animosity now, maybe Shonté would withdraw further.

“Are you coming home?” she asked tentatively.

Shonté gave a curt nod. “I’ll be there later,” she muttered.

Crystal got to her feet. “Okay. I’ll—just go talk to Key a minute.”

As she crossed to the bedroom door, Shonté unfolded herself, rose and walked toward the bathroom. Crystal went inside Key’s bedroom and shut the door.

Key sat on the side of his bed, whitening a pair of athletic shoes. He looked up with a quizzical smile when she walked in. She gazed at him, loving the sexy, street cool look of him in a do-rag, a sleeveless tee shirt, and basketball shorts.

“You guys okay?” he asked.

Frowning, she gave her head an impatient shake. “She said she’s coming home. But I don’t know, Key. Things just aren’t the same between us anymore.”

Key placed his shoes on the newspaper spread on the floor, rose and took her in his arms. She savored the feel of his hands on her hair, his cheek against her temple. Her need for this man overwhelmed her. She wrenched her head up to capture his lips with hers. In moments their breathing came in irregular panting.

Crystal groaned and pulled away from him. “No, Key. I’ll be all right. I just have to get through this.”

He ran his fingers through her hair again. “I know you can, Shortcake. I just—”

Instead of finishing the statement, Key stroked her face, staring into her eyes with a wistful question. “It’ll be okay, sweetheart. Don’t worry. Let me help you.”

Mesmerized, she let him close his arms around her once more with infinite tenderness. His breath wafted across her face as he sat on the edge of the bed, drawing her into his lap.

Crystal nestled her face into the soft cotton fabric on his chest, inhaling his satisfying, clean scent, absorbing his strength into her body from his warm hands stroking her back and arms. Her hand clenched on a fistful of shirt as the familiar sensation of drowning in her pleasure of him overcame her. How could she be so hooked on him that it felt as if her soul were entangled in his every breath? She could not imagine anything else in life giving her this sense of satisfaction and completion.

Reluctantly she drew back and looked at him. His eyes were closed and his face wore a look of intensity. She let her fingers slide down his jaw, smiling at him as his lids fluttered open. He turned his head to kiss her palm and then released her from his embrace.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

She stood up from his lap and he leaned back, bracing on his hands.

With one last look back, she slipped from the room, then went home.

Shonté arrived later in the afternoon. The tension between them gave Crystal a tight knot in the pit of her stomach. They each retreated to their own bedroom. Crystal wondered if things would ever get back the way they had been.

* * *

Shonté called Key a couple of times to talk. He tried to be comforting but he was having a difficult time maintaining his neutrality. He wanted to tell her about him and Crystal, but he knew that Crystal was still too concerned about her uneasy relationship with Shonté. He didn’t completely understand why Crystal was so concerned. Maybe because she’d always been over-protective of Shonté, he thought.

He arranged to have lunch with Crystal on Tuesday. He intended to talk about coming out into the open, but once he had her in his car, his intentions changed.

She clambered into the car, pushing her hair out of her face and smiling at him. Something indefinable in the swing of her head or the shape of her lips or her soft scent struck him straight through the heart, immobilizing him with raw need. When she leaned over to kiss him hello, he grabbed the back of her neck and tried to merge his lips with hers. Crystal ignited just as quickly, urging him on with caressing hands. He broke away with a gasp, holding her jaw in one hand.

“My place?” he rumbled.

Crystal nodded, licking her lips.

In record time, Key made it to his parking lot. They got inside the apartment and as far as the couch. They didn’t even take off their clothes. He pulled up her dress and devoured her while he held her knees pressed back against the cushions so that she was completely open to his hunger. When she screamed in frenzied orgasm, he stood, ripped open his pants, paused long enough to find a condom packet in his wallet, rolled it on, then slammed himself into her, barely in time for a consuming eruption that nearly made his heart stop. No finesse, no foreplay, not even a fond embrace. Afterwards, they wheezed with laughter while they staggered around trying to get themselves presentable to go back to work.

Sitting in his office on Tuesday afternoon, Key smiled to himself in reminiscence. He couldn’t keep his mind on the pile of papers he was trying to grade. Even a quickie with Crystal was something to savor.

Key chuckled. This was crazy. He was crazy for
her
. He didn’t think he’d ever get enough of his woman. He hadn’t craved like this since Monica, his first love. No, he realized with piercing clarity, he’d never felt this way about anyone. The thought of Monica was like the echo of a story he’d once heard.

He tipped back in his chair and swiveled around to stare unseeing out the narrow window of his office. Crystal. The thought of losing her sparkle made him hurt. So far, he’d been letting her set the pace of their relationship. Well, dammit, he wanted some kind of commitment now. If nothing else, this secret creeping around was getting old.

He was ready to tell the world that she belonged to him. He wasn’t going to let her give him any crap about how they weren’t compatible either. He didn’t care what her psycho-babble said; he knew that no other woman was going to do it for him. He wanted her to move in with him.

He had a feeling that he needed to organize his arguments, however, to make her recognize that they were a dynamic physical match, as well as convince her that their friendship was an asset in their relationship. If he had to, he’d use her love for his family. As a college professor and coach, he’d never be wealthy but money wouldn’t impress Crystal Taylor. Still, he could point out to her what his support would mean when she went back to school for an advanced degree. He’d support her emotionally too. Who knew her better than he did?

True, he wanted to make love to her. But he planned to have much more than that. He wanted someone to belong to him, someone who would care about him for all of his life. He was so close to having it now that he couldn’t blow it. Crystal had come to care for him; he was sure of that.

Yes, all he had to do was get his arguments in line and wait for the perfect opportunity to blow her away.

He reached for the telephone on his desk.

“Hello, beautiful.”

As usual, her blood rushed to her womb at the sound of his voice. Today was his long day of classes at the university so she wouldn’t be seeing him. Crystal welcomed this call on her office phone.

He continued. “I want you to find something fancy to wear tomorrow night, because I’ve made reservations to take you to a nice restaurant in Durham.”

“Wow. It sounds special.”

“It will be.”

“What about Shonté
?”

“You know, Crystal, we can’t keep sneaking around like this.”

She sighed. “I know, Key.”

“I’d like to talk about this tomorrow night.”

She agreed and hung up her office phone. Her smile faded as she thought about what he’d said.

He was right, of course, about sneaking around. There was no good reason to keep their affair secret. But reason didn’t calm her anxiety about what Shonté would say. Would she be glad for them? Would she be angry? She decided she wouldn’t say anything until she talked to Key tomorrow night.

* * *

Crystal chose her black sequined pantsuit that had served her well for many dressy functions. The satin lapels of the jacket sparkled with the glitter of sequins. In the past she’d worn it with a silk blouse or camisole underneath. But tonight she decided to leave her skin bare behind the deep vee of the jacket. Glitter lotion gave her chest a subdued sparkle.

When she came out of her bedroom, she ran into Shonté on her way upstairs. Crystal waited nervously. Although they had both apologized for the fight over Trevor, the tension remained and they hadn’t been speaking much.

When she reached the top, Shonté looked her up and down. Her eyebrows crawled upward.

“Going somewhere?”

“I’ve got a date.” Crystal’s voice came out breathless. She sounded guilty to her own ears.
I need to tell Shonté
about me and Key and get it over with
. But the words wouldn’t come out.

“Anyone I know?” Shonté asked in a snide tone.

Crystal’s spine stiffened. “None of your exes,” she said in a cold voice.

“Then tell me who.”

“I don’t have to tell you.”

“Really?” This time Shonté managed to make the word sound like an accusation. Which was really unfair, Crystal thought, since she had agreed to stay out of Shonté’s business.

“It’s just kind of complicated. But I’ll tell you soon.” She moved to the top stair. “I’ll see you when I get back.”

Shonté didn’t answer. Crystal bounced down the stairs and out the front door to drive to Key’s apartment.

CHAPTER 15

Crystal got a pleasant charge when Key opened his door dressed in a dark blue wool jacket over an ice blue shirt and slacks. His hair had been freshly braided in a slightly different pattern, which looked as sophisticated and sexy as always.

She put her hands on his chest. “Um, baby, you look good enough to eat. Are you sure you want to waste half the night driving to Durham?”

He pulled away, taking her hands in his to caress. “You tempt me, woman. But I want to make this night special. I’ve never taken you on a really romantic date. I have to correct that.”

She let him lead her to the car, anticipation sparkling through her. An hour later, they arrived at the French restaurant in Durham. It was located in a small house on a quiet street of store-front businesses. A valet took the car and they stepped inside, where Crystal succumbed to the atmosphere of intimate luxury. A fire crackled in the massive stone fireplace in the center of the room. A smiling
maitre d’
led them to a table next to a window that overlooked the patio where bronze pole lanterns cast pools of light on the flagstones. Above the hedge rimming the property, stars sparkled in the midnight blue blanket of sky.

A sommelier arrived almost instantly to ask what wine they’d like. After a short consultation, he departed and Crystal closed her eyes to enjoy the ambience created by soft piano music, the tinkling of crystal glassware, muted voices and the heavenly smells of excellent food.

“You certainly know the way to my heart,” Crystal quipped. “Food.” She inhaled with deep enjoyment.

Key laughed. “My plan is to feed you so well that you’ll melt in my hands.”

Crystal’s heartbeat thudded. She looked away and began to chatter about insignificant things.

They began their meal with an appetizer of tender spiced escargot, a plate of soft cheeses and a mixed salad of fresh greens and tomatoes with a flawless vinaigrette. A different wine accompanied her dinner of lemon sole sautéed in an almond crust. The sole’s tender meat melted on her tongue. Key had ordered the roast rack of lamb served with garlic mashed potatoes, roasted red peppers and vegetables. The smell was so tantalizing that she couldn’t resist begging for a taste. He fed her a bit on his fork and she saw the way his eyes followed the movement of her tongue. Heat flooded her womanly core and she sighed in delicious pleasure. Not just the food but his blazing focus on her made her feel alive.

“Want to taste mine?” she asked in a low voice. Without waiting for a reply, she forked up a piece of her sole. She watched his tongue flick out and capture the flaky tender meat, sliding it into his mouth, swallowing….

Her eyes met his and for a moment she couldn’t move, watching as fire leapt up in the dark depths. He took her hand with a light hold, pulling it closer so that he could run his lips along the side of her fingers holding the fork. Gently he placed her limp hand on the table.

“I like that, baby,” he murmured.

“Me, too.” Her breathing was shallow and rapid, making her slightly dizzy. They both knew they weren’t talking about the food.

They were beginning a dance of seduction. Here, in the dim restaurant exposed to casual strangers, immersed in one another, they were forced to hold back for the sake of propriety.

They talked about the food, their personal tastes and other small details of life. They laughed now and then as they gazed into one another’s eyes with silent promises.

And all the while, they found ways to secretively arouse one another. Under the table she let her leg slide against his. His hand rubbed her thigh slowly through the silky fabric.

By the time they got to the dessert, she was flushed with wine and arousal. The food, the drinks, the secretive bumping of their legs under the table and their hands touching in fleeting caresses had her dizzy with romantic anticipation. She felt herself drowning in a pool and surrendered willingly.

A waiter placing dessert in front of them pulled them back from the brink. She inhaled the caramel scent wafting from the
crème brûlée
before digging in
.
A platter of French cheeses with fruit was left for them, along with the black leather case containing the bill.

Smiling, Crystal traced a series of figure eights on the tablecloth with one fingertip.

“I must say, Mr. Emerson, you do know how to romance a girl,” she murmured.

He captured her hand in his, squeezing so that she looked up with an inviting smile.

“My sweet Crystal,” he said, and the blood in her veins rushed to her groin with urgent demand.

The smile faded from her lips as her love for this man rushed through her. This one man had become the center of her desires, of her life. Her heart hammered in her throat and, momentarily afraid of the strength of her own feeling, she looked down in confusion.

“Crystal,” he said again, stroking her cheek to make her look at him. “I have to admit I had an ulterior motive for this dinner tonight.”

“What?” she asked, a thread of concern making her voice quaver slightly.

He lowered his gaze to her hand, stroking his thumb on the back of it in a gentle massage. “You’ve made me incredibly happy the last few weeks. I hope you feel the same.”

She flashed a quick smile. “I do, Key,” she said, struggling to hold back insane words.

“Are you happy enough to move in with me?” he asked in a serious voice, looking directly at her again.

“Oh, Key!” she breathed. Gently, slowly, she detached her hand to finger the medallion necklace she wore. “Key, I didn’t expect—”

“You don’t have to answer me now. But I want to move our relationship to the next level. I’m tired of sneaking around. I want to tell the whole world that you’re my lady. I want to come home to you every night.”

Crystal gazed in awe at the magnetic, kind, sensitive man sitting before her making this declaration while violins played in the background and her stomach rumbled pleasantly with the delightfully sensual meal she’d just finished. “You aren’t making it easy to say no.”

“I didn’t intend to,” he said with a crooked smile. Picking up his wine glass, he drained it.

Setting the glass down, he cleared his throat. “How do you feel about me?”

She hugged her elbows, hesitating, words suddenly elusive. “I care about you so much, Key. Sometimes it scares me,” she admitted in a small voice.

She saw a brief flash of triumph in his eyes, clouded almost immediately with concern. “Scares you? Why?”

“I’m not very good with men, Key,” she admitted ruefully.

Now he looked incredulous. “Sweetheart, you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever known!”

She laughed self-consciously. “How can you say that?” she asked. “You’ve been with—”

“Not like you,” he broke in, shaking his head. “Not like you, Crystal.”

The look in his eyes made her skin sizzle. There was no doubt that he found her desirable and wanted to do all kinds of things to her that would make her sing with pleasure. God help her, she wanted him to make love to her and let her love him as well.

“That’s why I want you to move in with me.”

She eased her body slightly away from his, just now realizing how close their faces were. “This is a big step, Key. There are so many things to consider.”

He grinned. “I knew you’d say that.” He picked up the leather portfolio and slid a credit card into it. “Come on, let’s go somewhere else to talk. I’m warning you, though, I’ve thought this out and there isn’t one argument you can bring up that I can’t knock down.”

Crystal silently waited with him for the receipt and followed when he took her hand to lead her outside. He sneaked a light kiss on the side of her neck at the door.

Despite the romantic evening, his declarations and his big question, he hadn’t spoken of love.

She watched him as he tipped the valet. Was that why she felt a sense of emptiness just beneath the surface? Three months ago, an evening like this would have been a dream come true. She could totally appreciate the romance of his words. But somehow something was missing. What more could she want?

Didn’t all this mean he loved her? She knew she had fallen very much in love with him somewhere along the way.

As the car sped back toward home they talked about where and when and how. When he asked her to come to his apartment, she agreed. Key was right; he had a practical answer for all her reservations. She could continue paying her half of the condo rent until Shonté found a new roommate. She and Key could work out a financial agreement in which they would both contribute to the household while retaining control over their personal financial decisions.

When he asked what she would like to drink, she chose water. In silence they both sipped ice water.

Finally Crystal asked, “Why do you want to do this, Key?”

He wrapped his arms around her. She closed her eyes, fighting the sense of completion. “Because you are a torment, woman. You drive me wild. You make me want to do crazy, insane things. I want to be with you.”

That was exactly what she wanted. Wasn’t it? He was willing to commit to her. Wasn’t he? All the theories of human behavior she had been taught said that this need was normal, perhaps inevitable. But wasn’t there something more? What was it she missed?

Hesitantly she asked, “But are you ready to make a commitment like this?”

“Yes. With you. I’ll tell you something else. I’ve even been thinking about the big M.”

Crystal felt dizzy. He was
proposing
? Her shock must have shown on her face because he chuckled at her look.

“Yeah, I know it’s way too soon to talk about that. But I do want you to know that I’m ready to settle down. And I want to do it with my best friend.”

“How do you know I’m the one who’s right for you? We’re so different, Key. You’re athletic. I’m…not. You’re good with people. I don’t socialize well. I tend to be a workaholic. You like to kick back.”

He moved closer to her, his expression earnest and entreating. “None of us can know for sure, Crystal. I can’t give you any guarantees. All I know is that I’m going to do my best to make you happy.”

Key’s arms slid around her. With one hand grasping her breast and the other wrapped around her waist, he started kissing and nibbling the back of her neck. Even though she was still riddled with uncertainty, her body couldn’t help responding to his touch. He led her into the bedroom and undressed her as she did him. He kissed and stroked her skin as they eased to the bed. She could feel her nipples hardening as he gently tweaked them. He parted her legs to fondle her with gentle deliberation and finesse.

Then she was moaning “
Yes
” over and over again, stroking his throbbing shaft. Hot and ready for him, she opened herself to welcome him. Instead, he slid down her body until he tasted her wetness, bringing her hips up off the bed in quivering pleasure.

When she thought she would explode he abruptly lifted up, entering her with violent demand that instantly turned to tender possession. She wrapped her legs around his hips to claim her own refuge. For what seemed like an eternity their bodies rocked together in a storm of passion.

Up and down, over and around, licking and suckling. Over and over, she came to the edge of exploding but their lovemaking took her higher still. She held his head and stared into his eyes, seeking answers to the questions in her heart. Finally unable to hold on any longer, she climaxed in a series of strong spasms that shook her whole being. Key threw back his head with a roar of satisfaction.

He came to rest with his head lying on her chest just below her breasts. For minutes they lay panting, both of them slick with sweat. Crystal stroked his braided hair with one finger, her hand moving in a slow, lazy movement.

As her breathing slowed, one certainty filled her. She had loved him as a friend, as a crush, as an erotic lover. But now her roller coaster ride was coming to its end. Now she loved Keyandré Emerson with a power that filled her soul. There was more at stake than ever.

His talk tonight told her that he recognized on some level that they were ready for a change. But there were no guarantees, just as Key had said.

Finally Key lifted himself on straightened arms and kissed her face tenderly.

She stroked his damp face. “I’ve got to go, Key,” she whispered.

“Can’t you stay, sweetheart?” he pleaded.

She was so tempted that it was almost a physical ache to say no. “No, I have to get up and go to work tomorrow. Besides, I don’t want Shonté to be worried.”

With a sigh, he moved off her. “Okay, I’ll drive you.”

“No, sweetie, I can drive.”

“I want to see you home safely.”

They shared a quick shower where he used his hands on her wet body to coax her again to stay.

“No,” she moaned softly against his mouth, laughing and frustrated at the same time.

“Okay, okay,” he relented. “But this is another point for my argument. If we live together, we don’t have to go through this.”

Instead of answering, she grabbed his head and pulled him to her for a long deep kiss as the warm shower spray streamed down their bodies. It was a desperate hold, full of regret and longing.

When she pulled back she stepped quickly out of the shower without speaking. He followed a minute or two later and in a short while they were both dressed. He picked up his keys and they went out into the chilly night air to his car.

Key insisted on taking her home in his car. The drive to her condo was short but it took a couple of minutes to heat the interior of the vehicle. Winter had finally reached North Carolina, reminding her that they were nearing the end of another year. So many changes in her life this year.

Key’s voice startled her out of her drifting reverie.

“You’re not going to move in with me, are you?” he said in a quiet voice.

Crystal glanced uncertainly at his profile. He looked resigned, his mouth a little tight, one hand draped over the top of the steering wheel, eyes straight ahead.