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| The Best Man |
February, 2003 St. Martin's Press ISBN: 0-312-98218-6 |
 Four sensuous novellas that will leave you begging for more . . .
In Kayla Perrin's "Kidnapped", Nia Copeland's wedding in Fort Lauderdale is just perfect until her gorgeous, hardbody ex-boyfriend Jamal Simpson races in on his motorcycle and carries her off to prove he's the better lover. Now they're on the way to Key West, headed toward the most irresistible passion . . . |
CHAPTER ONE
KIDNAPPED!
Better lover than him, his ass!
Jamal Simpson dropped his cigarette butt to the concrete beside the outdoor table where he sat, then ground it out with the heel of his Doc Martin. He didn’t often smoke, just did so to calm his nerves from time to time, but not even a fix of nicotine was doing him any good today. Neither had the two draft beers he’d downed on an empty stomach, he realized, looking at the second empty mug. If he were smart, he would have eaten something as she drank, but he was too on edge to keep anything heavy down. Instead of feeling a buzz or even the beginnings of numbness as he’d hoped, he felt even more queasy than when he’d first arrived. He had to admit, none of his vices had made the situation any better. How could anything make things better right now, when his mind kept replaying the conversation he’d had with Nia last night?
The sound of female laughter made Jamal look up. Three beautiful women in bikinis with hip wraps strolled past his table. It was a sight that would normally lift his spirits, but today the sight only made his gut twist–every beautiful woman made him think of Nia. The sun was shining brightly this June day, and the sky was clear for as far as the eye could see. Tourists crowded the beach strip, enjoying the perfect weather.
And here he was, sitting with a frown.
Nia. Damn her, the cause for his foul mood. Their relationship was over–had been over for a good year–and he would have done well to remember that yesterday. He shouldn’t have gone to see her before what was supposed to be the most important day of her life. He should have left well enough alone and let her walk down the aisle without any question from him. Which is exactly what he’d planned on doing . . . But when had he ever stuck to anyone’s plans, much less his own?
The problem was, no matter how many times he’d told himself to leave well enough alone in the last couple weeks before Nia’s wedding, something had nagged at him, making him restless at nights. After days of little sleep, he’d finally realized what was wrong; he needed to know that Nia was really going to be happy. Sure, their relationship was over, and they certainly didn’t have a future, but he still cared about her and always would. So for his own peace of mind, he had to know she was happy before she walked down any aisle. He didn’t want her to make a mistake about something as important as marriage, especially on account of him.
Nia said he had too much of an ego, and maybe she was right, but considering she had been in love with him for so long, Jamal couldn’t help thinking that perhaps her engagement to this John guy was a rebound thing. Right up until the day Nia had hooked up with John, she’d been asking Jamal to give their relationship another chance. So yeah, he had his doubts about whether her feelings for John-boy were true. If Jamal was wrong, fine, but he'd just wanted to know for sure.
So, despite not having spoken in months, it was that very thought that had him showing up on Nia’s doorstep the previous evening. Forget the fact that the last time they’d spoken, she’d told him she was tired of his games and to stay out of her life forever.
“Hey, Nia,” Jamal had casually said when she opened the door last night. To his credit he didn’t flinch, not even as her mouth dropped open in shock.
“What are you doing here?” she’d asked, the note of horror in her voice not escaping him.
“I wanted to see you.” He'd heard from a friend that she was staying at her parents’ house until the wedding, and he’d waited around until he saw them drive off. He certainly didn’t need the aggravation that would come from dealing with them. “To see how you’re doing.”
Nia stared at him good and hard for several seconds. “To see how I’m doing?”
“Yeah, you know.”
“No, I don’t know.”
“You’re about to get married, and–”
“And what?”
“And . . .” Jamal shrugged. “And I wanted to make sure you’re okay. Happy.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
“Well, isn’t that special? Call me crazy, but I don’t see how my marriage is of any concern to you.”
“C’mon, Nia,” Jamal responded, a hint of playfulness in his voice, as though they were the best of buddies. “Why wouldn’t I be concerned? We’re friends, aren’t we?”
“Friends?” The word spilled from her lips like spoiled milk. She paused to stare at him incredulously, then continued. “What a surprise. And here I was, under the impression that we were nothing to each other anymore.”
Ouch. Nia’s words stung–words he’d once said to her. But she was wrong. He’d only told her that to make it easier for her to move on with her life. As long as she thought they had a chance, she continued to cling to him, and Jamal knew a future wasn't in the cards for them. But he still cared about her and always would. Just because they didn’t have that forever kind of love didn’t mean he wanted anything less than complete happiness for her.
“Look, Nia,” Jamal continued, his tone now softer. “I’ll be straight and tell you why I’m here. We meant a lot to each other once, and no matter what I may have said in anger in the past, I’ll always want the best for you.” He paused. “But John? I don’t know. He doesn’t exactly seem like he’s the man to make all your dreams come true.”
Nia planted a hand firmly on her hip and scowled at him. “Is that so?”
“No offence, Nia, but let’s face it–John is old enough to be your father. He might have lots of money and be able to buy you everything your heart desires . . .” His eyes ventured to the huge rock on her finger. “But what about your other needs?”
Nia’s eyes instantly bulged. “Excuse me?”
Jamal’s voice deepened as he said, “Nia, I know you.”
“I know you didn’t just go there . . .”
“He’s older. There’s no way he can be in the kind of shape a younger guy–”
“How dare you?” Nia was so livid, Jamal almost expected to see steam coming from her ears. “How dare you come to my place on the eve of my wedding and talk to me about this?”
Jamal knew he was venturing into territory that was none of his business, but he couldn’t stop himself. One thing about Nia, she was always passionate, and that was something he’d loved about her. Even her anger had turned him on. Because after their crazy fights, they’d always had the best sex. His groin tightened with the memory of how he and Nia had been in bed. Was she as excited with John? Jamal couldn’t picture it. And he certainly couldn’t imagine another man satisfying Nia sexually the way he had.
“Answer the question, Nia,” Jamal pressed on. “Tell me he takes care of you in every way, and I’ll wish you all the best, then leave.”
Nia merely stared at him, her ragged breaths causing her full breasts to rise and fall enticingly, but she didn’t answer the question.
“That’s what I thought,” Jamal said, feeling a bit smug. He knew there was no way John-boy could ever please Nia the way he had.
“Not so fast.” Nia’s tone was like a pin-prick in Jamal’s ego. She blew out a weary breath that said he’d asked for it. “Since you must know.”
Jamal’s throat went dry.
Looking him squarely in the eyes, Nia had replied as coolly as a cucumber, “John is an amazing lover. Much better than anyone I’ve ever had. You know what they say about older men being more experienced.” Her lips curled in a sly smile. “Well, it’s true. Sorry if that disappoints you.”
Sorry if that disappoints me? Jamal had repeated mentally, but had been unable to find a voice for the words. And before he could, Nia had closed the door and left him standing on her doorstep, stunned.
Jamal shuddered from a sudden chill that the memory brought. He reached for his pack of cigarettes on the table, but dropped his hand inches short of retrieving it. Another cigarette wasn’t going to make him forget her words. Words that burned him–burned him because she may as well have come right out and said that John was a better lover than he was. Nia had been a virgin when they’d gotten involved during her junior year of college, and after their breakup two years later, he knew she hadn't been with anyone else. Hell, for the past year she’d tried and tried to win him back, right up until the day that John the choirboy had walked into the restaurant her father owned and she’d seated him at a table for dinner.
At least that was what Jamal had heard.
At first, he had missed her calls, missed her appearances at the auto shop where he worked, but when he had learned that she was seeing someone else, he had been determined to forget about her once and for all. They couldn’t be together. He’d known that even as he’d lusted after her and tried to pretend it was something else. Ultimately, when she’d started talking about her dreams of getting married and having children, Jamal had known that he’d had to end the relationship. Him as father material? Not in this lifetime.
The final straw had been when she’d told him that she’d talked her father into hiring him on as a manager at the restaurant–complete with on-the-job training, and her father’s blessing. Well, Jamal didn’t believe that. He wasn’t going to fit into that prim and proper world, and he sure as hell knew was never going to earn her father’s approval. For a while, he’d convinced himself that Nia could accept him for who he was–a mechanic with only a high school education, but her going behind his back and getting him a job had proven to him that Nia, the good girl he’d fallen for, could never have a life with a guy who’d been considered a bad boy his whole life. It was a fantasy, and he’d put an end to it. So, he’d pushed her away and moved on. It was best that way.
But even though he’d forced her out of his life, he still thought about her all the time. It was the sex, he was sure. There was something about the way Nia gave herself to him that made the act much more pleasurable with her than it had been with anyone else. Still, he did his best to forget her, because they didn’t have a future–and as much as any healthy guy might wish it, you certainly couldn’t build a relationship on sex alone. And Jamal wasn’t dumb enough to believe a happily-ever-after was in the cards for them.
So when he’d heard that she was engaged, though he’d been surprised at how quickly it had happened, he had accepted that it was for the best. He couldn't give her what she needed nor deserved, and her family sure as hell would be happier with him permanently out of the picture.
So, he’d stayed away from her–until last night. Last night, he’d finally given in to the urge to see for himself that she was happy.
He hadn't expected her to diss his performance in bed!
“Sir, can I get you anything else?”
The waitress’s voice shocked Jamal back to the present, and he looked around, almost surprised to find that he was at a crowded outdoor bar on the Fort Lauderdale beach strip.
“No,” Jamal said. Standing, he reached into his back pocket and withdrew his wallet. “How much for the beer?”
“Only three dollars. It’s two for the price of one during happy hour.”
Happy hour his ass. Jamal handed the waitress a five, then headed toward the road and his parked motorcycle.
Any minute, Nia would be tying the knot. The church was on Sunrise Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, not too far from where he was now. He had a mind to drive by and see her before the ceremony, tell her that he knew she was lying about John being a better lover. He knew what she’d say–she’d tell him to get over his ego, but this wasn’t about ego. This was something he knew.
Jamal climbed onto his motorcycle and revved the engine. A second later, he was merging into the busy Saturday afternoon beach traffic.
He should have made a left at the first street he came to, then doubled back to Los Olas Boulevard to head for I-95, which would take him south to his North Miami home. But something made him continue north, then turn left onto Sunrise Boulevard, heading west.
Toward the church where Nia was getting married.
* * *
Nia Copeland stepped out of the limousine and halted on the sidewalk. She blew out a long, weary breath as she looked up at the beautiful, old church. Though her family lived in North Miami and attended church there, her father had grown up in Fort Lauderdale, and it was his dream for her to be married at the church where he and her mother had married thirty-one years earlier. Indeed, her parents had taken care of most of the wedding plans, so much so that all she really had to do today was show up.
Nia’s eyes lingered on the church’s tall steeple as another slow breath oozed out of her. I’m really going to do this, she thought.
“Nia?”
Nia abruptly turned at the sound of her older sister’s voice. Seeing the concern in Christine’s eyes, Nia gave her a bright smile.
“Is that the best you can do?” Christine asked. “This is your wedding day, Nia. You’re supposed to be happy.”
“I am happy,” Nia protested, knowing full well that her weird mood didn’t match her words. “Why wouldn’t I be happy?”
“I don’t know,” Christine replied. “You seem . . .”
At the sound of a motorcycle, Nia’s head flew in that direction. Her stomach actually did a little nosedive when she saw that it wasn’t Jamal. Silently, she chastised herself for the feeling. Of course she was glad it wasn’t Jamal. She never wanted to see him again.
Nia faced her sister. “I am happy. Just a little nervous, that’s all.”
Christine approached Nia and started to fuss with her veil. “Of course you’re nervous. You want everything to be perfect–and it will be. The day couldn’t be more beautiful. Nice and sunny, with just the hint of a breeze. Look around you. Everything is so lush, so vibrant. And the scent of hibiscus is heavenly.”
“Yes, I guess.”
“Oh, sweetie. Don’t you worry your pretty little head about a thing. Mom and Dad hired the best wedding planner in South Florida, so I highly doubt anything will go wrong. I know it didn’t help that that jerk Jamal showed up last night, but don’t let him get to you. I don’t know what his problem is, anyway.” Christine folded her arms over her chest and gave a satisfied smile. “Perfect. You look so beautiful, hon.” She wrapped an arm around Nia’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Forget about Jamal and think about John. Today, you become Mrs. John Whalen, sis. Till death do you part.”
Don’t remind me, Nia almost said, then was horrified. Good Lord, where had that thought come from? What was wrong with her? John was a good man, and she was minutes away from becoming his wife.
As if in answer to her unspoken question, Christine said, “You feel a little tense, but hey, it’s perfectly natural for people to get cold feet before they say ‘I do.’ I had cold feet when I married Howard.”
“You?”
“You’d never know it, huh? But when I was walking down the aisle, I suddenly wanted to turn around and run from the church.”
“I never knew.”
“For a moment, I was deathly afraid that I was making a mistake.” Christine gave her shoulder another squeeze. “I’m telling you this so you realize that what you’re feeling right now is common.”
Nia held her head high and squared her shoulders. Her sister’s words gave her comfort. If Christine had had second thoughts about marrying Howard, the poster child dream man, then she could relax.
“The bridesmaids are here?” Nia asked.
“Of course. Everyone is in the church. They’re just waiting for today’s star.” Christine paused, then asked, “Are you ready to shine?”
“Ready.” Nia spoke confidently.
Christine went behind Nia and began gathering up her dress. Nia clutched her bouquet to her chest and tried to imagine John in the church, standing at the front, anticipating her appearance. She knew he loved her. He would do everything in his power to make her happy.
Nia started for the steps. The loud sound of a motorcycle engine made her stop and turn. It was a Harley, and this one didn’t whiz by. It pulled up behind the limo.
The next instant, her heart went berserk.
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