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“Knowing how you taste…”
Tielle could’ve melted back into the wall when his lips, teeth and tongue performed a triple assault on her earlobe. “Why’d you let me walk away if…” The rest moaned into silence.
“This,” he whispered amid his devastating feasting on her lobe, “was never our problem. But you’re right, I let you walk away—that’s all on me.” His thumb outlined a slow circle around her nipple.
“Grae—”
“Let me take the blame for this, Tel. Let me remind myself what I have to do to fix this…” He slid his hand inside her bodice then, scooping out the breast and continuing the molestation of its nipple.
“Just understand that you’re going to have to tell me not to touch you—not to taste you. Otherwise you’ll damn well find yourself having sex with me while almost my entire family is in some part of this house.”
He ceased the suckling at her lobe and fondling the breast he let remain outside the confines of her dress. Opening the door, he retreated a few steps and left her alone in the closet.
Tielle waited until she heard the room door close behind him. She made it as far as the chair in the center of the closet. Collapsing there, she waited for her emotions and everything else to settle.
* * *
Tielle finally accepted the fact that nothing she would choose for that evening’s welcome dinner would keep her ex-husband’s uncles on their best behavior. In truth, her concern wasn’t for the gregarious group. Her concern was actually for her ex-husband. Grae had all but told her she’d be wise not to let herself be caught alone with him. That piece of advice, however, didn’t pertain to the show of support Grae had requested she give in the presence of his family.
At that moment, Tielle was caught up in a…philosophical conversation with an older set of gentlemen. The discussion revolved around the logic of May-December romances.
“Younger cats are just too stupid to appreciate good things like you when they’re bouncin’ around right before their eyes.”
Tielle laughed at Russell Clegg’s point of view. “Mr. Russ, why is it that I don’t get mad at you the way I did at Grae when he said I bounce around?”
“Well, Ti—” Russell shrugged, scratching at the top of his curly salt-and-pepper Afro “—you see, us older guys also have more style in our delivery.”
The small crowd burst into hearty laughter that quieted when Grae joined the group. His hands went immediately to Tielle’s hips. Smoothly, he cupped them, drawing her back until she was secure against him. Tielle caught the approving looks passing between the “older guys,” but masked the sigh that begged for release.
“Grae?” She gave a pat to one of the cupping hands. “Could I talk to you for a second?”
The group had gathered in the living room, so Tielle led him into a parlor just off from the main den. Inside the small room, elegantly styled with an Oriental flavor that was depicted in the furnishings, throw rugs and art, she put a bit of distance between them.
“Grae, you can’t do that,” she said when he shut the door.
“Elaborate.” He followed the movement of her hands across her hips accentuated by the pearl-gray material of the quarter-sleeved dress she’d chosen for the evening.
“I agreed to stand by you when the time comes for you to handle whatever you need to with your family, but all the rest—acting like we’re still a couple—it’s confusing…for everyone.” Especially me, she tacked on silently, blinking rapidly to quell the sudden pressure behind her eyes. Privately, it was all confusing enough. In public, it was way too much.
Grae acknowledged her point with a slow nod and took a seat on the arm of a sofa. When he sighed and commenced massaging his neck, concern clouded Tielle’s stare. She approached him at the sofa.
This was more than sibling upset, she realized. There was more wrong here than usual.
“You want to talk about it?”
Grae took her hand when she was within reach. “Remember the other day when I told you I wished I had your ability to see the best in people? I meant that, but I think my abilities run more along the lines of sniffing out the crap that people tend to pull.” He toyed with her fingers. “I told you Faro wants you here because he wants to fix things wrong in the family and considers you part of the group.” His hand flexed on hers. “May I tell you why I think he wants you here?”
