Season of Love

Season of Love

Lena Matthews

This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or
existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or
dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Published by
Loose Id LLC
1802 N Carson Street, Suite 212-2924
Carson City NV 89701-1215
www.loose-id.com

All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of
this e-book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including, but not limited to printing,
photocopying, faxing, or emailing without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC.

ISBN 978-1-59632-599-9
Available in Adobe PDF, HTML, MobiPocket, and MS Reader

Printed in the United States of America

Editor: Maryam Salim
Cover Artist: April Martinez

Chapter One

“What the hell happened to the tree?” Roselyn Bellamy stared in dismay at the empty

space where just this morning her Christmas tree had stood. She had painstakingly hung

every single ornament and checked every light twice in her attempt to have the perfect tree.

And now in the nine hours she’d been away from home, her work had been demolished,

thanks to the guilty-looking dirty blond with the lopsided grin standing in front of her

newly decorated fireplace.

“Roz, honey, you’re home early,” he said accusingly, as if it was an excuse for the

travesty taking place in her living room.

“No, I’m not.” She carelessly dropped her purse onto the cranberry-tinged love seat as

she made her way over to her live-in lover, Clayton Phelps.

Despite the fact the six feet two, muscular high school football coach towered over her

by several inches, she wasn’t the least bit intimidated by him. He might look like a

linebacker, but the way she was feeling right now, she could tackle him into next week.

“I can explain.”

“Somehow I seriously doubt it.” For the first time since she’d met him three years ago

in her chiropractic office, she wasn’t swayed by his California surfer boy good looks. His

Lena Matthews

rakish charm wasn’t going to save him this time. This was their first Christmas as a live-in

couple and she wanted everything to be perfect.

“Hear me out before you wig out on me.”

“I’m not going to

wig

out because you’re going to put it all back.” She jabbed her finger

into his stonelike chest, much to his obvious amusement.

With a devilish grin, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tight against

his body. His earthy scent mingled with the Hugo Boss cologne she’d given him as a

Christmas present just yesterday.

Damn, he smelled good

. But that wasn’t the point. Of course, with her standing this

close to him, pressed into him, she was having a hard time staying on track. Then the bare

corner caught her eyes again and her irritation overruled her lust. “You ruined everything.”

“Honey.” He spoke slowly, as if it was she who was somehow the dim one. “Christmas

is over. You’re supposed to take down the tree.”

“But not the next day.” It was only the twenty-sixth of December. She was allowed six

more days at the bare minimum to enjoy her holiday decorations.

“I had to take them down.”

“Had to? Why?”

“Because…” Clayton threw his arms wide in a grand gesture beseeching her to notice

what he had done. Their dining room table was an artfully decorated display. A black cloth

covered the top of her cherry wood table and in the center was a familiar mat and

candleholder. “Ta da! Happy Kwanzaa.”

“Kwan --” Shocked, she stared speechlessly at the colorful presentation.

He took her silence the wrong way. “I didn’t set it up right, did I? Damn it.” Clayton

wandered from the room muttering under his breath, leaving her staring after him in his

wake.

What in the world had gotten into him?

Season of Love

When he returned he was reading aloud from a creased blue book. “Three red candles

on the left. The green candles on the right. And the black candle in the middle.” He brought

the book down from his line of sight and did a quick check of the table. “That’s right. Oh,

wait. Duh. I’ll be right back.”

Before she could utter a word of protest he disappeared into the kitchen, quickly

returning with a bowl of fruit and vegetables and set them on the table. He removed a single

ear of corn from the bowl and laid it on the mat. “For the children in the community. Since

we don’t have any of our own. Yet.” He added with a wink.

“Clayton…I’m speechless.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet. Check your boy out.” Like a grand host, he waved his

hand out and introduced everything on the table.

“The

mishumaa saba

,” he said, gesturing to the candles, “are red, green, and black, the

colors of the Pan-African flag. The candleholder is known as a

kina a

and the mat is a

mkeka

.”

He was phonically trying to pronounce the words. His attempt was laughable but

endearing all the same. “That’s wonderful.”

“See, you

can

teach an old dog a new trick.”

“Babe.” Christmas tree forgotten, Roz made her way over to him and wrapped her arms

around his waist. “This is so sweet.”

“I have my moments.”

“But…” It wasn’t that she was ungrateful he was trying to be culturally sensitive, she

just didn’t feel it was necessary. “I don’t celebrate Kwanzaa. I recognize it and respect it, but I

don’t do this big celebration or anything.”

“I know, but your family does, and they drop by all the time.”

“So?”

“I want them to, you know, feel welcomed and whatnot.”

Lena Matthews

“Them or him?” Now everything made sense. Despite her constant declaration that her

father’s lack of support for their relationship meant jack crap to her, Clayton was still trying

his best to win him over. It was a futile mission at best, but he was just as stubborn as her

father was.

“Your mom and sister celebrate it as well.”

“That’s them.”

“Just because your father celebrates Kwanzaa doesn’t mean you have to boycott it to

prove a point.”

“I’m not the one trying to prove a point.” Before he could argue, she kissed him softly

on the lips. “But I thank you anyway. It’s lovely.”

“Your sister helped.”

“Remind me to thank her later.” Oh, yeah, she was going to thank Banning, all right.

Thank her upside her head.

“Shall we continue with the celebration?”

There were a million things Roz would rather do than to celebrate Kwanzaa, but she

couldn’t say no. He had gone to so much trouble, for her. As always.

He was the kindest, most caring, giving man she’d ever met in her life. He loved her.

He made her feel as if she could do anything, but her father couldn’t see that. He was blinded

by the color of Clayton’s skin. The pale flesh blocked his view to the man inside. Thankfully

it was a condition he and he alone possessed. Everyone else in her family welcomed her man

with arms wide, and it was because of things like this that they did.

If he wanted to celebrate Kwanzaa, then she would. He was her family now, and they

had traditions of their own to start.

“Yes. I’m ready.”

Season of Love

Clayton felt like a fool. The information he knew about Kwanzaa could fill a pen cap.

He was more than sure he would make a mistake before the week was up and make an ass of

himself, but Roz was worth it. She was even worth the curious stares he’d received last week

in the Afrocentric stores he visited.

For her, he was willing to do anything, even put up with her closed-minded father. He

didn’t need Bishop to like him; he just wanted the man to learn to tolerate him, because

Clayton didn’t plan on going away.

Roz was the one. As cheesy as it sounded, it was true. All of those chick flick movie

moments were surprisingly accurate. He didn’t hear a symphony playing in the background,

of course, but he distinctly remembered the very first time he saw her. He had come to her

office on a recommendation from a friend and was waiting for his name to be called when

Roz walked into the reception area.

To say he’d been blown away would be the understatement of the year. It took one

session to convert him to the Church of Chiropractic, and one smile from her to steal his

heart. He had never seen any woman, black or otherwise, as lovely as Roz. She was slender

and feminine, with dark brown skin that appeared as smooth as the finest silk, and hazel

green eyes. The contrast was almost as intriguing as the woman herself. He was so taken with

her, he refused to leave the room until she agreed to go out with him, and lucky for him, she

didn’t call the cops and try to have him arrested.

Clayton knew, without a doubt, he had to be on his game for their first date. He wasn’t

just taking out a woman, he was taking out a black woman, and where others might not see

the difference, he did. He didn’t treat her any differently than he would have any other lady

he went out with; he just worked extra hard to not do or say anything stupid.

Lucky for him, it paid off. Not only did they have a good time, she'd agreed to go out

with him again. Then again. On their seventh date they'd made homemade pizza, then

amidst greasy fingers and laughter, they'd made love.

Lena Matthews

After dating for two years, he’d finally convinced her they should buy a condo

together. Despite the three years they’d been together, her father had never wavered from

his position regarding their relationship. Bishop Bellamy only saw things in black and white.

Roz was black. He was white. As far as her father was concerned, that was the beginning and

the end of the conversation.

Thankfully, the rest of Roz’s family had welcomed him warmly into their family. Like

his parents, her mother and sister didn’t give a good goddamn about anything other than the

fact that they were in love. It was with all of their blessings that he happily began to make

arrangements to take their relationship to the next level.

This Kwanzaa celebration was important to him, not just because it was their first, but

because it was the first of many to come.

“Come on, have a seat, and I’ll get you a glass of wine.” He pulled out the chair and she

raised her eyebrows in wonder, but instead of questioning him she sat.

“A glass of wine sounds good.”

Clayton realized she looked tired and stood behind her, massaging her shoulders for a

moment.

“Hmm, that feels great.”

He leaned down to kiss her on that soft spot where her neck blended into her shoulder,

licking at the warm skin. “You should have taken some time off from work.”

“Probably, but I didn’t know so many people would want to get adjusted this week.”

He headed toward the kitchen to pour the wine. “Everyone else is preparing to party

on New Year’s Eve. They need their backs in working order.”

“I suppose.”

He returned to hand her the glass of wine and pulled out a chair for himself. “Dinner

will be ready in a minute.”

“You cooked?”

Season of Love

“I ordered.” He grinned sheepishly. Clayton had many talents; cooking wasn’t one of

them. “It’s heating up now. It’s going to take a few minutes, but while we wait, we can

discuss the principle for the day.”

“You’re really going all out with this.”

“Yes,” he said seriously. “I want this to become a part of our holiday tradition. The best

of both worlds.”

“How many worlds are there?”

“The number is astronomical, but tonight, I’m only concerned with one -- ours.”

“

Habari gani.

” She spoke softly, but her words carried weight. She was acknowledging

Kwanzaa and everything he was trying to accomplish with his act with those two Swahili

words for “what’s the news?” It was the official Kwanzaa greeting given each night with its

particular response.

“

Habari gan , Umoja

.” He wasn’t a linguist, but he was trying his best, and from the

smile she flashed him, his attempts weren’t in vain.

Clayton stood and pulled out his lighter. He leaned forward and lit the black candle,

and poured wine into the

Umoja

-- unity -- cup, before sitting once again.

The meaning of tonight’s principle had weighed heavily on his mind all day. He’d

thought long and hard about what he was going to say, but now the time was upon him, he

wondered about his phrasing.

He wanted to sound heartfelt, but that wasn’t his usual mode of speech. He was more

of the "rah rah, you can do it" kind of guy. This wasn’t the football field; this was tradition,

family, and he wanted it to be just right.

“I had this really long speech planned out on how Umoja meant unity and how we

should strive to maintain it with our family and community, but to be honest, the only way

we can maintain it with every member of our family is to do different things. In order for

Lena Matthews

you and your father to have peace, we’d have to break up, and that’s just not going to

happen.”

“Amen.”

He smiled at her retort, but continued, “Also not everyone in our community, in our

different races, in the world around us, wants us to be together. So what’s a couple to do?”

“Tell the world to fuck off.”

“True, there’s always that.” He laughed softly. He might not have a way with words but

Roz had no problem getting to the heart of any matter. “Since we have no control over our

community or our families as a whole, I’m going to work on maintaining unity between the

two of us, because I love you. And I want you to be happy with me. Always.”

“I feel the same way.”

Clayton stood up and walked around the table until he was standing next to her chair.

He held his hand out, grasped hers in his, and pulled her to her feet. “I know you think I’m

doing this to get your father’s blessing, when in truth it’s not even close. This is for us. For

you and me alone. A way for us to combine our pasts, present, and future into one.”

He let go of her hand, picked up the unity cup, and took a small drink before holding it

toward her. “To the family we’ll have one day. To the community we’ll enlighten with the

beauty of our union, and to us.”

“To us.” Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears as she took a sip from the cup he held in

his hands. “To us.”

Season of Love

Chapter Two

“I don’t know whether I should kill you or kiss you.” Roz lowered her voice as she

spoke into the phone. Last night had thrown her for a loop, but this morning she was

clearheaded and ready to get down to the nitty-gritty and find out what was really going on.

“Whatever do you mean, sister dear?”

Despite Banning’s words, Roz knew her younger sister was the evil henchwoman

behind Clayton’s holiday plans. Some days she didn’t know what was worse, having a father

who hated the man she loved, or having a mother and sister who adored him. In their eyes,

Clayton could do no wrong. Well, in her eyes too, but that was different; she was fucking

him.

“You know what I mean, heifer. Did you put him up to it?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The amusement in her tone said differently.

“Liar.” Roz settled back against the headboard and pulled the sheet up to cover her

breasts, tucking the remaining yellow fabric under her arms.

“And where is my brother-in-law, anyway?”

Roz smiled at the nickname Banning insisted on calling him. “He’s in the shower.”

Which only gave her a few minutes to interrogate her sister.

Lena Matthews

“Yum.”

“Excuse me. You don’t see me drooling over

your

man.”

“That’s because my man is pink and requires batteries,” Banning said dryly.

That was not an image she wanted in her mind. “See, that’s just more information than

I needed to know.”

“Why are you calling me? Isn’t it bad enough I’m going to see you in two hours at

work?”

“I’m calling because I want you to admit you’re the reason my house is pimped out in

red, black, and green.”

“Pretty, isn’t it?”

“Aha.” She pounced. “Like the annoying fly you are, you buzzed around him, filling his

head with all your silly meddling ideas and made him decorate the house, didn’t you?”

“I don’t know if you’ve seen your muscle-bound linebacker of a man or not, but there’s

no way anyone can make him do anything. Besides, he came to me, not the other way

around.”

“Sure he did.”

“Girl, please. I’m too busy trying to raise my own little men to be messing around with

yours.”

Damn

. Try as she may, Roz couldn’t find any hint of deceit in her sister’s voice, which

disappointed the shit out of her. If this whole Kwanzaa thing had been Banning’s idea, then

she could find a way of getting out of it, but since it was apparently Clayton’s, she was stuck

celebrating a holiday which remindered her daily of her father and his stubborn ways.

Double damn

. “Speaking of your little men, how are my nephews?”

“Bad.” Banning’s standard answer had Roz grinning. Banning’s twin six-year-old sons

were like all little boys should be, mischievous and adventurous. They were quickly driving

Season of Love

her sister just as crazy as she’d driven Roz growing up. It was poetic justice, to say the least.

“And on my last nerve. Do you know what they did to my vacuum cleaner?”

“No, and I’m not sure I want to.”

“They fixed it.”

“Fix…I didn’t know it was broken.”

“It wasn’t,” she fumed. “They added some little gadget to it, now I need roller skates to

freaking vacuum because they turborized it. It has a speedometer, for goodness sake.”

“Where did they get a speedometer from?”

“I don’t know and I don’t want to know. Christmas was just two days ago. Why can’t

they just play with their toys like normal kids?”

“Because they’re your sons and in no way normal.”

“Tell me something I don’t know. Last ni --” There was a loud banging noise in the

background that cut Banning off in mid-sentence as a deafening cry of combined voices

screamed out “Mom!”

“Lord Jesus. Girl, I have to go. I’ll see you at work.”

“Don’t you kill my babies.”

“I’m not going to make any promises,” she said before hanging up.

“Who’s killing who?” Clayton asked as he walked into the bedroom.

The steam from his shower powered out from the bathroom doorway, creating a sexy

backdrop for the nude man who was toweling his blond hair dry and wearing nothing but a

smile. No matter how many times she saw him naked, it never grew old or less enticing.

He was so strong, so muscular it was hard to believe he was made out of mere flesh and

bones. His body was like a precious piece of art. One she was happily intimate with.

“Banning’s threatening to kill my babies again.”

Lena Matthews

Clayton’s brow cocked and he stopped drying for a moment. “I didn’t hear the phone

ring.”

Shit

. “You were in the shower. Of course you didn’t.”

“Did the phone really ring or did you call Banning?”

“Okay, so I called her.”

“Why is it so hard to believe I wanted to do this for you?”

“It’s not --”

“Right,” he interrupted. “You wouldn’t have called her to bawl her out for dragging me

into this if you truly believed that.”

“I’m sorry.” Damn, he knew her so well. Her hands pleated the fabric of the sheets as

she tried to think of a way to get him unmad at her, and in a hurry. Clayton wasn’t exactly

the teddy bear he appeared to be to her mom and sister. There was a devilish alpha side to

him he showed only to her. One that made her shiver just from anticipation alone. “I guess I

do find it hard to believe you’d

want

to celebrate Kwanzaa when I could care less about it.”

He came over and sat on the bed, picking up her hand. “I think you’ve pretended not to

care for so many years you've started to believe your own lies. But this is a tradition from

your family, and I’d like to incorporate it into our own family traditions.”

“You think you know me so well.”

“I

know you. Just like you know me and because of that, you should have realized I

would never allow anyone to lead me to do something I didn't want to do.”

“It must be nice to know yourself so well.”

“Blame it on the day,” he teased with a wink.

“What do you mean?”

“Isn’t

Kujichagulia

all about speaking for ourselves and defining ourselves?”

“Yes.”

Season of Love

“Well, this is me speaking out: leave Banning alone. She didn’t do anything but help

me when I asked for it. She loves you. Almost as much as I do.”

How Roz ever found such a guy she’d never know. He could be loving and thoughtful

while at the same time looking hot as hell. “How is it you can be oh-so-logical?”

“Just one of my many wonderful traits.”

Slipping her hand from his, she laid it on his thigh. He looked at her with a sexy little

smile on his lips.

“You have a lot of wonderful traits. Want to show me some of them?”

“Don’t you have that backward? I’m showing you everything while you’re all covered

up.”

He grasped the sheet and slowly pulled it down, exposing her breasts to the cool air.

Her nipples immediately peaked.

“I was talking about your traits, not your physical assets.” Her voice was husky as she

responded. She could feel her body flush as he stared at her.

“Then let’s talk about your physical assets for awhile.” His sea blue eyes darkened with

passion as he climbed onto the bed. He straddled her as he leaned toward her, not once

taking his gaze away from hers.

“I’m going to be late for work.” She groaned as he lightly kissed down her neck.

The touch of his lips was so slight it felt surreal, almost like the man himself.

“I promise to make sure you won’t regret it.” His words were spoken in almost a

whisper as he lowered his mouth over one of her nipples. His breath stole across her flesh

before his lips did, warning her senses of the pleasure to come.

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Lena Matthews

Clayton loved Roz’s responsiveness. It made him feel ten feet high knowing his touch

could make his responsible, sensible baby forget reason. He liked being her own personal,

less deadly version of kryptonite.

“You know what?” he teased as he laved her turgid peak with his tongue. “You should

be afraid.”

“I should?”

“Yes. Doubting me. Questioning me, as if I lied.” He eased up between her splayed legs

and moved backward on his knees, until there was space between the two of them. Reaching

down, he grasped her hips and pulled quickly, until she was lying flat on her back beneath

him, with him lording over her, just the way he liked.

It was chauvinistic and he knew it, but it just simply worked for him, having her

surrender to him in bed. To everyone else, Roz might appear to be a ball-busting, take-no-

prisoners type of woman, but that was just the act she showed the world. In bed, he made

the rules and she more than happily obeyed them.

Never one to stay passive for long, Roz pressed her hands to his chest and began to

stroke him ever so slowly. Her fingers brushed lightly across his nipples, causing him to

catch his breath. She knew what he liked, and she was trying to use it to her advantage. The

little minx. “You know, sweetie, I never technically said you lied.”

“You implied.” He refused to be swayed by her seductive ways, no matter how

tempting they were. “Maybe I should apply my hand to the back of your sexy ass to make

amends for your less than stellar support.”

He took hold of her hips and pretended to try and turn her. Her squeal of mock terror

was almost as amusing as the way she grabbed onto the fitted sheet for dear life.

“You have my support.”

“Ha. You’re just trying to save your hide.”

“Is it working?”

Season of Love

“No.” Clayton gripped her firmly in his grasp and rolled over, taking her with him,

until she was now the one on top and he was beneath her. She laughed in delight at the swift

change of position. “But I’m sure you can think of some way to make it up to me.”

“From where I’m sitting” -- Roz rocked her hips a bit, brushing her pussy against his

erect cock -- “it’s already up.”

“That it is.”

“Whatever shall we do about it?” She was like Lady Godiva riding her proud steed. Her

full brown breasts swayed with every motion of her hips, enticing him to take them in his

hands once more. The dusky tips grew to pebbled peaks beneath his roaming fingers. She

moaned as her body arched toward him, asking without words for more.

“Would you like me to draw you a picture or will a hint or two do?”

“Would you do that for little ol’ me?”

“For you darling, anything.” He slowly moved his hands down her body, taking his

time to explore her willowy frame with his fingertips. He loved the way she felt beneath his

hands almost more than he loved the way she looked. At least when he touched her, he

knew she was real, and not just a celluloid fantasy he’d created.

“Aww. You always think of me.”

“Yes,” he said in all seriousness. Looking into the abyss of her eyes, he lost himself to

the feel of her like he always did. “I do. I love you, you know.”

“I know.” Roz rose to her knees with the help of his hands on her waist. “I love you

too.”

“Then make love to me.”

“My pleasure.” With a felinelike grin, she grasped his straining cock in her hand and

pulled it away from his stomach. He pressed his hips up as she slowly lowered herself onto

his cock, engulfing him in her warm sheath.

Lena Matthews

Her flesh stretched to accommodate his large shaft, but from the small, silky smile on

her full lips, she enjoyed every second of her descent. A soft, guttural moan slipped out as she

fully seated herself on him. Her eyes were closed, her lips were parted slightly, and her head

was tilted back. She looked like a woman lost in the throes of rapture.

In a word, she was beautiful. Simply beautiful.

With a shaky breath, she lowered her head and met his heated gaze with one of her

own. “I’m going to be so late for work.”

“You already mentioned that.” He gripped her tightly. His nails bit into her skin,

adding the hint of pain he knew she adored. “And I’ll thank you not to mention it again. I’ll

fuck you, as hard and as long as I want.”

“As lovely as that sounds, I don’t have all day.”

“No.” He raised her then pulled her back down firmly, driving his cock deep inside her.

She cried out with pleasure, sinking her nails into his chest. “You would leave this, me,

behind for work?”

“Never. I would…leave you…never.”

“That’s not what you said” -- he hefted her back up once more, before dragging her

down, this time slowly so she could feel every inch of him -- “a second ago.”

“It was madness talking.”

“You haven’t even touched the edge of madness yet,” he promised as he began to work

her up and down. “But you will.”

It was a promise he planned on fulfilling. His fiery urgency was matched by her own

unfettered need. Joining the fray, she picked up the pace he started. Her hips rocked faster,

taking him deeper into her body as it adjusted to his thick shaft. “Clay…umm…”

“Take me. Take all of me.”

Season of Love

“Yes. Yes. Yes,” she chanted as she rose and sank in a rhythm all her own, moaning her

pleasure as she rode him. All the while she maintained eye contact, tying him to her in a way

that made it impossible to pull away from the moment, not that he would ever want to.

He was right there with her. Her pleasure was his own, as his was hers. Making love

with her wasn’t just a slam-bam kind of thing. It was a soul-altering experience that stole his

breath.

Each time he entered her, it was as if he was coming home. No one before her had

been as sweet, as good, and because of Roz and the way she made him feel, there would be

no one after her. She was his beginning and his end. Clayton knew without a doubt that his

heart beat because of her, and it would cease to beat if anything ever happened to her.

Roz whimpered as she rode him. Her face was creased with frustration, and even

though he could tell she was close, he sensed she was nowhere near where she needed to be

in order to come. “I can’t.”

“Can’t what, baby?”

“I can’t…it’s…I need you.”

He knew what she needed without being asked. “You need me to fuck you, don’t you,

baby?”

“Yes, please. Fuck me. Fuck me.” On wobbly arms she pushed off him, and dropped

down on the bed beside him. “Please fuck me.”

“Your wish is my command.” Clayton rose over her, settling himself between her legs

at her moist opening all in one swift move. There was no time or need for preliminaries. She

was as ready for him as he was for her.

He took his cock in his hand and centered it on her wet pussy. He pushed inside his

own personal heaven, moaning with pleasure at the intense heat awaiting him.

“God…yes.”

Lena Matthews

“This is what you need, baby.” He punctuated his words with a thrust. “You need me in

control.”

“Ye --” Her words were cut off by her ragged breathing. Flush and damp with desire,

she encircled his waist with her legs, pulling him into her as she met him thrust for thrust.

Time for playing was over.

Bearing down, he pounded into her moist flesh, sinking every inch of his cock deep

within her. He pressed into the mattress beneath her for leverage, going further and faster

with every plunge. He could feel the walls of her pussy contracting around his cock as she

neared her release.

“That’s it, baby. Come for me.”

“Clayton. Clayton. Clay --” She raked his back with her nails, screaming his name as

she came.

His release was seconds after hers. Holding tightly to the sheet, he ground his hips into

her and came, spilling his seed inside her tight sheath.

“Fuck, baby,” he groaned, as he pulled out of her. This morning thing was something

he could seriously get used to.

Although he wanted to immediately collapse onto her soft body and hold her beneath

him for as long as possible, he knew she had other responsibilities. Her work was important

to her and he wouldn’t allow her to be any later than she already was, despite how tempting

it was to pull the covers over the both of them and pass out.

After waiting a few minutes for them both to collect themselves, he stood and pulled

her to her feet and led her into the bathroom. Starting the shower, he adjusted the

temperature to the level she liked. “Come, baby, get in.”

“You do take care of me.”

“Damned right I do. Don’t you forget it.” He punctuated his words with a swat to her

ass before urging her into the steamy shower.

Season of Love

“Join me?” She held tightly to his arm.

“Didn’t I just fuck you silly in the bedroom?”

“Yep.”

“And you don’t want to be late for work.”

Roz smiled seductively and pulled him into the shower with her. “I’m declaring who I

am and what I want. And I want you in here with me.”

Who was he to argue with her when he wanted it too? “A little late never hurt

anyone.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

Lena Matthews

Chapter Three

“You’re late.” Startled, Roz looked up from the door she had been in the process of

unlocking and stared into her sister’s smirking face. “For the second day in a row, I might

add.”

“Feel free not to add it.” Roz jerked the key out, closed the door behind her, and locked

it. The office didn’t open for another thirty minutes but that had never stopped patients from

coming in and making themselves at home no matter what the sign in the window said.

Turning back around, she faced not only her sister, but the two other ladies who

worked there. From the way they all watched her you'd think she’d kicked a cat clear across

the room instead of just showing up half an hour late. “What?”

Banning glanced from the receptionist to the masseur then back to Roz. “The girls and

I were just talking --”

“I’m sure you were.”

“And we were just wondering if we can hope to expect this type of behavior to

continue next week as well. Because we’d love to sleep in.” Smartass comments like these

were one of the many reasons working with family was never a good idea.

“No.”

Season of Love

“Damn.”

Roz rolled her eyes but held her tongue. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she

knew she had a tendency to be a tad bit Nazi-like when it came to people showing up to

work on time. She had very high standards and she expected everyone to put forth the same

effort. Unfortunately, since Clayton had been on winter break she’d begun to forgo her own

rules, and Banning, being Banning, wasn’t going to let her live it down.

“I was just asking.”

“Sure you were.” Roz brushed by Banning and headed past the receptionist desk toward

the rear of the clinic to her office. Regrettably, she didn’t head that way alone. Banning was

fast on her tail.

“Just so you know, we’d be okay with setting a new later schedule for the holidays.”

“Gee, thanks.” Trying her best to ignore her sister, Roz took off her coat and hung it up

on the coatrack in her office. This room was her sanctuary, her home away from home, and

Banning was ruining it with her wiseass comments. Didn’t she know it was too early in the

morning to be this annoying? “Was there something else you wanted?”

“Yes.”

“Of course there was.” She loved her sister more than she loved cheesecake, but

Banning was working her nerves. And if she kept it up she was going to spoil Roz’s good

mood. A good mood Clayton had worked extra hard to put her in this morning.

Just thinking of being slowly lulled out of sleep by the faint hint of his tongue against

her clit had her nipples tightening all over again. The man had talent. Lucky for her, he

refused to sleep his holiday break away.

“Can I ask one more question?” Banning's amused voice broke the very naughty track

Roz’s mind was going down.

“Can I stop you?”

Lena Matthews

“No. Not really.” Banning closed the office door and walked over to Roz’s desk and

perched on the edge. Her short black skirt, although professional, wasn’t really to Roz’s taste,

especially combined with the sleeveless red Asian print-inspired shirt. Although only two

years apart chronologically, they were light-years apart in taste. While Roz favored natural

tones like browns and greens, Banning dressed in the flamboyant colors of a much younger

crowd. The bright colors suited her sister’s mocha-tinged skin, but still, it was a bit much for

Roz. “There’s still more I want to know.”

“Then ask.”

“Whatever were you doing this morning that kept you from showing up to work on

time? Again.”

“None of your business.”

Leaning forward, she braced her hand on her thigh and asked softly, “And how many

times did he

none of your business

?”

“Banning!” Roz burst out laughing. “Do you kiss our mother with that mouth?”

“Yes, but not on the lips. Come on, tell. How many times can he

none of your business

in one night? Speaking of business, how big is his? You know, we never did have this

conversation.”

“And we’re not having it now.” Roz shook her head at her sister’s audacity. Between

the two of them, there was no question about it; Banning was the more outgoing. There were

some things Roz just didn’t talk about with others and her love life was one of them. Not that

she had anything to hide. She just felt that by putting it all out there, it was somehow

sullying the specialness that existed between Clayton and herself.

“Come on, big sis. Share some naughty details.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want to.”

Season of Love

“But you have to.”

“I don’t have to do anything but stay black and die.”

“You do,” she whined, sitting up. With a sad little pout, she brushed her ebony hair

behind her multipierced ear. “I’ve never slept with a white man; how do they measure up? Is

the stereotype true?”

“Are they ever?” Amused, Roz made her way behind her cherry wood desk and sat

down.

“So you’re saying he’s pretty bi --”

“What I’m saying is,” Roz interrupted before her sister could finish her lewd sentence,

“I’m very satisfied.”

“Very?”

“Very. And that’s all I’ll ever say on this subject.”

“You suck.”

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t.”

“Yeah, right.” Banning laughed. “I know you at least do that. Clayton doesn’t walk

around here like a man who isn’t getting his top blown off every now and then.”

“When did you become so obsessed with sex?”

“The second I stopped getting it regularly. I think along with alimony I should have

asked for sex from Shakes every third Thursday. He might not have been the one, but

brother knew how to throw down.”

“And yet surprisingly it didn’t last.” Roz hoped her sarcasm came over loud and clear.

Banning’s shotgun wedding, as archaic as it was, was a wake-up call for both women. It was

the first time Roz saw her father as a flawed being and the last time Banning did something

just for the sake of pleasing their parents.

“Please, there was no surprise. We were too young and too dumb to get married.”

Lena Matthews

“Well, boo, you were pregnant at the time.”

“I said young and dumb, didn’t I?” Banning stood and smoothed out the crease in her

skirt. “Since you’re not in the mood to share, I might as well get to work. I’m sure one of

those hos out there is sleeping with someone and is dying to share the dirty details.”

That sounded like a fine idea to Roz. “Yes, why don’t you go do that?”

“Selfish. That’s what you are. Selfish.” Banning opened the door, shaking her head

sadly as she exited.

Roz watched her sister leave with amused wonder. Banning was too much for one

person to handle, and if she didn’t get laid soon she was going to combust.

* * * * *

Now

this

was the life

. Clayton kicked his feet up on the coffee table and slouched down

in the couch, with the remote control in one hand and a cold can of beer in the other. A

prerecorded football game was playing on the big screen as he used the picture in picture

feature to channel surf. Thanks to Sports Center he already knew the outcome of the game,

so he didn’t feel the need to pay too close attention to the action. It was just a habit, like

watching a rerun he’d seen a hundred times before.

With a contented sigh, he glanced down at the clock on the DVD player and grinned.

Roz would be off in a half hour or so and he couldn’t wait for her to open the present he’d

bought for her.

Every night after they lit the appropriate candle for the day, he gave her a gift. As part

of the Kwanzaa tradition, presents such as books were normally given to children either each

night or at the end of the week. Since they didn’t have any children yet, he was putting his

own little special kinky twist on the tradition. He still gave her books, but they had nothing

to do with the holiday whatsoever and more to do with sexual positions and naughty games.

Season of Love

So far, she’d seemed very pleased with each gift, and when she was happy he was

happy, and in more ways than one. Clayton could only hope she’d continue to be pleased

with his small tokens, because on the last day of Kwanzaa he was planning to give her

something a bit more expensive and a hell of a lot shinier than the previous gifts she’d

received.

A sharp rap at the door pulled him from his silent plotting and forced him to rise and

respond to the summons. When he opened the door he spotted Bishop standing in the

entryway.

Damn

. He should have just pretended not to be home. “Hey.” Clayton stepped

back and gestured for the man to enter. “Come in.”

“Hello.” Bishop didn’t budge. His face was set in the sullen scowl Clayton was all too

familiar with. “Is Roselyn home?”

“No, but she should be soon.” Not soon enough though. “You can come in and wait if

you like.”

With a heavy sigh, Bishop walked in. His demeanor was as stiff as usual, making

Clayton wonder, and not for the first time, how in the world he could be related to Roz and

Banning. Physically they resembled each other, with Bishop being a lighter, masculine

version of Roz. They also shared the same greenish hazel eyes, which sometimes made it

difficult for Clayton to look at the other man. It was hard for him to see the pieces of the

woman he loved inside a man who so obviously detested him, and for no good reason to

boot.

After closing the door, Clayton made his way back over to the couch and sat down. He

immediately turned the game off in lieu of the news channel he knew Bishop watched. The

other man considered sports for children. Just one other of the many differences between the

two of them.

Lena Matthews

Of course Bishop didn’t acknowledge Clayton’s gesture. That would have been too

much like right. Bishop casually set his briefcase on the floor and unbuttoned his suit jacket

before sitting down himself. From the looks of things he’d just come from his office.

“I see Roselyn has set up her Kwanzaa decorations.”

“Roz didn’t, I did.”

“You?” The aghast look on the other man’s face was priceless. “Why?”

“Because it’s part of your family tradition.”

“But not yours.”

“Roz is my family now. Anything she’s a part of, I want to be included in as well. That’s

what people do who are in

love

.” Clayton stressed the word love, hoping to finally drive

some sense into the other man, but from the sour look on Bishop’s face, his actions were in

vain.

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Clayton turned the television down and

turned to face the other man. “How’s the law treating you?”

“Fine.”

Fine…okay, that didn’t exactly open up the channels of communication. “Working on

a big case or anything?”

“All my cases are big to me. I treat every client as if they’re the only one. It makes for

good practice.”

“You know, it’s funny, even after all the years of school doctors and lawyers go

through, when they get out in the work place, it’s considered practice.”

“Almost as funny as someone paying you to yell at a bunch of inner city kids and call it

work. Tell me Clayton, do they throw in the whip as well, or do you just bring that along for

fun?”

He should have just left the television on. “I don’t need a whip to inspire my boys.

They work hard on the field for the love of the game.”

Season of Love

“Your boys.”

“Yes, my boys.” His players were more than students to him. They were a part of his

family. He knew each boy by name and more about their home lives than some of the social

workers assigned to their cases. Working in the inner city wasn’t a fluke for Clayton. He had

chosen his district hoping to put his talent with children to the best use possible. In the seven

years he’d been teaching, he hadn’t regretted his decision once.

“Do you require your boys to call you master?”

Upset, Clayton rose. “Taking it a little far aren’t you, Bishop?”

Not one to be intimidated easily, Bishop stood as well. “Shouldn’t I be asking you the

same thing?”

“What are you talking about?”

“This

relationship

with my daughter.” The older man spat the word “relationship” as if

it tasted foul.

“What about it?”

“Aren’t you taking it a bit far to prove your white is right mentality?”

“I don’t have that mentality, Bishop. You’d know that if you took the time to get to

know me.” This was a constant argument between the two of them. Before they had even

met, Bishop had assumed he was the epitome of every bad, white stereotype out there, all

without ever knowing more than the color of his skin.

“Why in the world would I want to do that?”

“Because I’m going to marry your daughter, that’s why?” He couldn’t believe he’d let

that slip out. Sure it was the truth, but he wasn’t to pleased too know that the first person he

told was the one man who would fight the hardest against them.

“Over my dead body.”

“Then you better get to dying, because I’m not leaving her. Ever.”

Lena Matthews

“Then hopefully she’ll wake up and realize what a sorry excuse for a man you are and

leave you.” The older man crossed his arms over his chest in the universal sign of someone

who wasn’t open to hearing anything they didn’t want to hear. Unfortunately, Clayton didn’t

need any external signals to tell him what he already knew. The man wasn’t going to budge

one inch.

“The only person around here who needs to wake up is you, Bishop. We’re in love and

nothing you say is ever going to change that.”

“What the hell do you think you know about love?”

“Better question, Daddy, what do

you

know?”

Startled, both men turned toward the doorway and stared guiltily at Roz, who was

standing there with her hands on her hips. Her face was filled with fury, but unfortunately

for Bishop, her cutting glare was directed straight at him.

Season of Love

Chapter Four

Roz took in a deep breath, trying with everything inside her not to forget her

upbringing and disrespect her father. She closed the door firmly behind her, holding back

her anger as best as she could. It was imperative she be in control when she confronted the

two of them.

When she turned back around and faced the two stoic men, her heart nearly broke.

She loved them both. Equally, but not in the same ways. She loved and idolized her father,

and in picking a man for herself she’d unconsciously found one who was much more like

him than she’d ever realized.

Neither would admit it, but they both had so many similar qualities. They both chose

professions in fields were they could help people. They both were stubborn and

domineering, yet kind. And they both loved her. Of this she was sure, but only one was

willing to love her as she was; the other seemed to love her only when she did as she was

told. And lord knew she hadn’t done what she’d been told in a long while.

It all started when she was eighteen and decided to go away to college instead of live at

home and attend a local school. His disappointments had continued to mount when she’d

Lena Matthews

become a chiropractor instead of a

real

doctor. But dating Clayton was the ultimate betrayal

as far as he was concerned.

He argued there were plenty of fine, black men for her to choose from and Clayton was

beneath her. She had tried to explain you don’t fall in love with the color of a man’s skin, but

the man. Unfortunately, her father was deaf to her explanations. She’d basically given up

long ago trying to please a man who couldn’t trust her to make her own decisions.

“Is someone going to tell me what’s going on here?” Roz turned her attention to her

father, who looked as if he was seconds away from exploding. His posture was stiff and he

was practically vibrating with fury. Oh yeah, the shit had hit the fan. “Or should I guess?”

“This…this…man --”

Well at least he was kind enough to admit he was a man, but still… “His name is

Clayton, Daddy.”

“Has insulted me for the last time.” Bishop barreled on as if he hadn’t heard a word she

said.

“When exactly was the first time?” Clayton asked dryly.

Bishop’s gaze cut to Clayton. “You know exactly what I’m referring to.”

“No, Bishop, I don’t.”

“It’s Mr. Bellamy to you.”

“Daddy.” Roz sighed, her frustration mounting ever higher. “This whole thing is just

ridiculous. When are you going to accept the fact Clayton and I are in love?”

“When? Never. That’s when. Why can’t you see he’s only using you?”

“Using her!” Clayton’s voice hardened. “What the hell would I possibly be using her

for?”

“Clayton…”

Season of Love

“No. Forget it.” He held his hand up to halt her words. His blues eyes were stony with

anger. “You two talk. I’m going to bed.”

Clayton stormed out of the room before she had a chance to call him back. His exit

only served to fuel her anger. Her lover wasn’t one to run from a fight. She knew it had

taken everything in him to leave the room and not pursue the argument further. He was

giving up, something she’d never thought he’d do, and it scared her.

Angrily, Roz turned back to her father and struggled to maintain an even detached

tone. “This is our house. You can’t just come in here and insult him.”

“He insults me.”

“What did he say?”

“His presence in your life is an insult, Roselyn. Your mother and I raised you better

than this.”

“Than what?”

“Than to live with a man, a white man, I might add, without the benefit of a wedding

ring.”

“It’s 2007, Dad.”

“I’m well aware of the year, young lady. Dates change, not morals. What you’re doing

is wrong.”

“You have a right to your opinion, but you have no right to be rude to Clayton in his

home. Whether you like it or not, we are in love, we do live together, and we’re going to be

together forever. You need to learn to get used to him, because he’s not going away.”

“Is that why he’s doing this?” Bishop snorted and looked around the room. “Trying to

get into our good graces?”

“He just wanted to do something for me. Is it so terrible he picked Kwanzaa?”

“You’re making a mockery out of this holiday.”

Lena Matthews

“How do you figure?”

“This holiday is about family, community, and heritage. He can never know or

understand our heritage, and as far as family…that’s a joke.”

“He’s my family, Daddy.”

Bishop pounded his hand against his chest. “

We’re

your family.”

“I love him.” As far as she was concerned it was as simple and as complicated as that. “I

just love him and there’s nothing you or anyone else can do to change that.”

“I refuse to accept that.”

“No, what you refuse to accept is me.” Roselyn gripped the back of the couch hands as

tightly as she wanted to clutch his shoulders and shake some common sense into him. “You

look around this room and see mockery, and I see a man who is willing to learn about my

family, who lives in our community and is proud of, not only his own heritage, but mine as

well.

“Clayton isn’t black. He’s not trying to

black, and nothing he can say or do will ever

make me less black. He’s not the man, but he’s my man, and I wouldn’t change anything

about him, not his skin color, not his ethnicity, for anything in the world.”

“I can see there’s no talking sense into you.” Bishop grabbed his briefcase off the floor

and calmly walked around the couch until he was standing in front of her. “I’m going to

make this simple for you, because the choice is yours. You can either give up your family or

give up this man. I will no longer stomach knowing my daughter is living like this.”

In this she would not be moved. She lifted her chin and boldly met his gaze. “No, Dad,

the choice is yours. You can either lose a daughter or gain a son.”

Bishop’s mouth thinned with displeasure, but he said nothing more. With an

unwavering dignity Roz knew all too well, her father walked past her and out of the condo.

The sound of the door slamming shut echoed through her soul.

Season of Love

“Bye, Daddy.” He had given her an ultimatum, but in the end they’d both lost. She’d

picked Clayton over her family; now she needed to discover if he was still willing to fight for

her.

Clayton held back slamming the bedroom door, but was unable to keep the expletive

from exploded forth. “Fuck!”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck

, he parroted over and over in his head as he dropped onto the bed in

frustration. He was less upset with Bishop than he was with himself. Despite his best

intentions he’d let the other man get to him. Common sense would dictate that after three

years he’d be used to the other man’s views, but damned if he wasn’t.

He wasn’t naïve enough to believe everyone in his family had blinders on where he

and Roz were concerned. There would be certain people in his family who wouldn’t be

invited to the wedding, but the people who counted would be there.

His parents and siblings adored Roz, and if they ever had reservations, he knew

nothing about it, which was the way he preferred it. It was better than all the crap going on

in the living room; that was for sure.

Irritated, he rose from the bed and made his way into the bathroom. As tense as he was

he knew he would be no good to anyone. Turning on the shower, he adjusted the

temperature a step below scalding and began to undress.

“Wonderful. I’m just in time for the show.”

A ghost of a smile flickered across his lips before he sent it scurrying along on its way.

“Your dad gone?”

“Yes.”

He resisted the childlike urge to say “good,” and simply nodded his head instead.

Gathering up his clothes, he moved past her silently and dumped them into the laundry

basket.

Lena Matthews

“So are you done hiding?”

Is that what she thought?

“Wasn’t hiding. I just needed a break.”

“From me?”

Clayton turned to face her. “Never.”

“I feel the need to apologize for --”

“Hey,” he interrupted. “You don’t ever have to apologize to me for your dad.”

“But he’s my father.”

And that was the only reason Clayton hadn’t pummeled him yet. “I know, Roz. He just

needs more time.”

“I’m done giving him time.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean” -- she smiled weakly and stepped up to him -- “from now on, it’s just you and

me, babe.”

“It was never just you and me,” he reminded her gently. “We have a slew of love and

support.”

“Just not his.”

“In time --”

“No. You don’t understand. I’m tired of waiting.” Her pain was clear in her eyes, and

she quickly dropped her lashes to hide the evidence. She was unhappy, and the cause of her

heartache was the one man she’d relied on for most of her life. But Roz being Roz, she didn’t

let it hold her back for long. Smiling falsely, she started to unbutton her blouse. “Let’s not

talk about him any more. Come wash my back.”

Clayton wished she would share her feeling about this thing with her father. Although

she was open in every other aspect of their relationship, this was one area Roz was

closemouthed about. Instead she held everything deeply inside her when it came to the

Season of Love

other man. He knew she alternately idolized him while holding in disdain his disregard for

others unlike himself. He just wished she would open up and talk about it with him rather

than pretend Bishop’s attitude didn’t hurt. Unfortunately, until she was ready there was

nothing he could do to force her to talk. He would just have to be there for her and love her

unconditionally, two things which were as easy as breathing to him.

“Your wish is my command.” Clayton waited until she undressed, then followed her

into the shower. Their home was modest by all accounts, with the exception of the shower.

The previous condo owners had put in a custom job, with Italian tile, dual showerheads, and

plenty of room to move around. It was built for a Greek orgy, or one very horny man

determined to make his woman smile again.

Without saying a word, Clayton reached above her and adjusted one of the nozzles so

the spray could hit Roz directly. She sighed contently as the hot water bombard her dark

flesh, setting her skin aglow. Like him, she loved the water to be as hot as she could handle.

“Mmmm. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you started this for me.” She closed her eyes

and tilted her head back, allowing the water to cascade down the valley of her full breasts.

“Everything I do is for you.” Clayton pressed the front of his body against the back of

hers. Standing directly behind her, he got the eagle eye view of tempting flesh, and his cock

liked what he saw. Unable to resist touching her, he retrieved her vanilla-scented body wash

from the ledge and poured it directly into his hands. This was a job for his fingers, not for a

sponge.

Stepping back, he lathered his hands, getting them as soapy as humanly possible, and

he began his sensual assault on her sleek body. Despite his nefarious plans to take sweet

advantage of her, Clayton took his time lovingly caressing her body. With their busy

schedules he didn’t often get to shower with her. Not like this, at least, when he could spend

the time touching every nook and cranny of her sexy brown skin.

Lena Matthews

Even after three years together, he was still bewitched by the contrast between their

skins. He was fascinated with the way his fingers looked against her back as he washed her.

And by the way his cock, so pale against the dark valley of her pussy, highlighted their

startling distinctions. Everything different about them was what made everything special

about them.

Moaning, Roz tilted her head to the side, allowing his massaging fingers access to her

neck. “You know, if you ever decide to give up coaching, I can use you in my office,

massaging my patients.”

“I’d rather save all my massages for you.”

“I have absolutely no problem with that.”

“I didn’t think you would.”

Although he couldn’t completely call the shower nonerotic, up until this point he’d

been able to keep his hands on the business of relaxing her. His good intentions weren’t

going to last for long, however. As she continued to lean back against him his cock was

unconsciously responding to all the stimulation around him.

He slid his soapy hands around her waist and up toward her plump breasts. They were

each a little more than a handful and he squeezed gently as he covered the mounds. She

stepped back into the embrace, pressing his pulsing cock between her ass cheeks.

“Hmm, that’s nice.”

It was more than nice. From his angle he could see his pale hands cupping her breasts

and the water running over the two of them. With one hand he traced the flow slowly down

her stomach until he found her opening. Her lips were swollen and warm to his touch.

“What are you doing?”

The teasing lilt of her voice brought a small smile to his face. “Just making sure you’re

finger-licking-good clean.”

He dipped his hand between her nether lips and caressed her swollen nub.

Season of Love

“You’re very…thorough.”

“I take pride in my work. But you do know there’s only one way for me to assure I did

an excellent job.”

“And what’s that?”

“I’ll have to let my mouth taste what my fingers touch.”

“I think that could be arranged.”

“Oh, I know it can.” Clayton moved his hands from between her legs and stepped back

and away from her. “Let’s trade spots.”

“If I have to,” she said with a sigh.

“You most definitely have to.” As she moved behind him, Clayton adjusted the water

nozzle so the spray flowed directly down and not on his back. He turned back to face Roz

with anticipation he couldn’t deny.

She was such a sexy little thing, and all his. Life just didn’t get better than that. He

lowered himself to his knees in front of her, and pressed his lips to the flat of her stomach. It

wasn’t a kiss per se, he just wanted to taste her in any and every way he could. Slowly, he

swiped his tongue down past her navel to the hairless mound of her pussy, taking his time to

savor every bit of her flavor. He paused to inhale her musky aroma and moaned in

appreciation.

“Don’t stop there.”

Clayton looked up and grinned. His little wanton. “Don’t worry. I wasn’t.”

“Good because for a moment there I was worried. You --”

Clayton silenced her with his tongue, pressing it against her clit. He lapped lovingly at

her aroused bud, tonguing her essence with every stroke. Her sweet taste mixed with the

vanilla flavor of her soap, overloading his senses.

“Damn, that feels good.”

Lena Matthews

And it tasted even better, but he was too busy slipping his fingers inside her warm

depths to comment. He was a man of many talents, and fingering her pussy while he licked

her clit was just one of the things he was able to boast about. He was able to multitask, and

from the way Roz writhed against him it was a skill well appreciated.

She entangled her fingers in his hair, and used it as leverage to pull him even closer to

her. Her guttural moans spurred him on, encouraging him to lick harder and to thrust deeper

into her tight channel.

“Ohh…” She sucked her teeth and groaned, gripping his hair tighter in her hand.

“Right there. Feels so good.”

Clayton pulled his mouth away from her and pressed his fingers further inside her,

teasing the sweet spot deep within that turned his headstrong beauty into a pile of quivering,

sated flesh. “Right here, baby?”

“Yes. God, yes.”

“Are you sure?” he teased.

“Yes, damn you.”

“Here and not…” He massaged the small ball of nerves that had taken them a few love

making sessions to discover. “…here?”

“Fuck. Clayton!”

Her answering screams were words enough. “That’s what I thought.”

Roz came alive under his touch, bucking her pussy and begging for more. She was wild,

needy, and sexier than any woman he’d ever seen. From the way her muscles tightened

around his exploring fingers, he could tell her release was only moments away but Clayton

couldn’t stop from torturing her just a bit more.

He wanted -- no,

needed

to remind her who she was with and why. “I wish you could

see the way your greedy pussy is devouring my fingers. You’re so hungry for more I might

need to add a third, possible a fourth to your hot little box just to get you off.”

Season of Love

“No. Too much.”

“I’ll tell you when it’s too much. Besides, I need to prepare you for my cock. I want to

sink deep inside you today. Fuck you hard and fast.” His actions almost mirrored his words as

he sped up his thrusting inside of her. “Deeper and deeper until you’re not sure whether

you’re coming or going.”

“Coming. I’ll definitely be coming.”

“But not until I tell you to,” he reminded her firmly. “This is my pussy and I’ll let you

know when you can come.”

“Please, Clayton. Let me come.”

“When I say so.”

“Mmm…”

Clayton slipped his other hand between her legs, took her engorged clit between his

fingers, and squeezed the bundle of nerves. His actions garnered her attention in a way

words never would have. “I said not until I say so.”

“Yes. You. Say. So.”

He could tell she was mad with desire now. Her breathing was as erratic as her

quivering body, but she wasn’t quite where he wanted her to be.

“Tell me you belong to me.”

“I belong to you.”

“Tell me you love me.” He punctuated his words with licks to her overheated nub.

“I love you, only you.”

“Then.” He drove his fingers in. “You.” He pulled them nearly all the way out. “Can.”

He laved her clit with his tongue and thrust deep inside her once more. “Come.” Finally

sucking her fully into his mouth, he twisted his fingers as his actions and words pushed her

over the edge. Screaming out his name, Roz came in a torrent, her body vibrating with the

Season of Love

Chapter Five

How they made it from the shower to the bedroom, Roz hadn’t a clue, nor did she care.

She was chilled and damp and in desperate need of her man. Thankfully, he was right there

with her. His tongue danced across hers as he carried her to the bed in a grand, sweeping

manner. Romance wasn’t a dying art; neither was how he kissed her. Even from the start,

she’d loved the way he kissed. That hadn’t changed in the last three years and she was

willing to bet it never would.

Clayton broke their kiss seconds before he laid her gently back on the bed. “I’ll be

back.”

“You better.” Sitting up, Roz made quick work of turning back the bedding, before

moving to the middle of the bed to await his return.

One would think after the very intense and powerful orgasms she’d experienced in the

shower, she’d be ready to pass out, but that was far from the case. She felt wired. Alive.

Ready for more.

Clayton walked back into the room with a present in tow. From the wicked grin on his

face, she knew it wasn’t a simple box of chocolate. Thanks to his devious mind, she would

never think of Kwanzaa gifts the same way again.

Lena Matthews

“We haven’t lit the candles yet.”

“We’re rebels. We make our own rules.”

“Well, that explains the gifts I’ve been getting.”

“Complaining?” he questioned, brow raised.

Before she spoke he’d been in the process of handing her the gaily wrapped box.

Stupid

big mouth

. “Commenting. Only.”

“That’s what I thought.”

When he finally handed over the package she attacked the paper in gleeful abandon.

Once free of paper she carefully lifted the lid, revealing brightly colored silky fabric. The

colors were vibrant and the material smooth against her hand as she stroked the scarf.

“It’s beautiful.”

“It’ll look even more stunning wrapped around your wrists when I tie you to the

headboard.”

She raised her head, eyes wide in anticipation. They’d experimented with a lot over

their three years together, but bondage was one area they’d never explored, although they

had discussed the possibility. Licking her lips, she smiled seductively.

“Why, Mr. Phelps, are you trying to take advantage of me?” Her coquettish tone and

batting eyelashes had him cracking up in laughter.

“Damn right I am.”

He snatched the box from her hands before she could blink and removed the silk scarf.

He trailed the glossy ends over her skin, barely making contact, but it was enough to

heighten her senses to the subtle shifts. She closed her eyes, letting herself feel every

movement.

When his hand closed around her wrists she opened her eyes to watch him skillfully

bind them together before securing her to the headboard.

Season of Love

“I think someone’s been practicing.”

“I was a Boy Scout. Always need to be prepared.”

Roz tugged lightly on the bindings. Although the silk was smooth against her skin, the

bonds held tightly. She wasn’t going to be free anytime soon.

“Trying to run away already?”

“Never.” And truer words were never spoken. She’d been adamant about what she’d

announced earlier. As far as she was concerned, it was just the two of them.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he groaned, as he straddled her supine body. “Remind me

again why we never did this.”

“Stupidity.”

“Oh, yeah. I knew there was a good reason.” Clayton leaned over and began to kiss his

way down the valley of her breasts, pausing to pay homage to her dark berry peaks with his

tongue.

When he laved her tight tip, Roz let out a little groan of her own. Closing her eyes, she

arched her back, giving herself over to the pleasure consuming her. Her skin tingled where

he touched her, setting her blood ablaze.

Clayton was a very orally talented man. He worshipped her breasts with the same

dedication he paid to her pussy only moments ago. Tonguing her, teasing her nipple with

nibbles and kisses. Like the determined man he was, he had her going with the simple breast

play until she was weak, wanton, and wet from desire.

“I could play with your breasts all day.”

And she could let him, but still… “I hope that’s not all you’re planning on playing

with.”

Clayton sucked her nipple into his mouth and tugged on it, evoking a moan from

between her parched lips. Chuckling, he released her and raised his head so they could see

eye to eye. “Why, is there something else you think I should be playing with?”

Lena Matthews

“Yes.”

“Like” -- he licked her abandoned nipple -- “what?”

Evil bastard

. Roz growled low in her throat and tugged on the binds that tied her. “One

day, you too shall be trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey. I’d tread lightly if I were you.”

“I’m shaking in my boots.”

“Oh, you will be.”

“Will I?” His mouth covered hers hungrily, silencing any answer she might have made.

Not that she had one. It was hard to think when he kissed her so skillfully.

His lips were hard and ravenous, driving all rambling thoughts from her mind as he

kissed her senseless. She succumbed to the domineering power of his embrace, giving herself

freely to him. She was his. He was hers. Nothing else mattered.

Just as she began to get drunk off his kiss, Clayton pulled away. He entwined his fingers

in her hair and pulled her head back until she was staring straight into his passion filled eyes.

Bound as she was, she was completely at his mercy.

“Still think I’ll be shaking?” With his free hand, he grasped his cock and centered it at

her wet opening.

She could feel his crown brushing against her aching core. Although she’d started the

bantering, she was more than willing to abandon the talk for some action. “Who can think at

a time like this?”

“Good answer.” And as her reward for pleasing him, he pleased her, by surging forth.

His cock pierced her, but before she could enjoy the sensation, he pulled back just to thrust

in again, this time seating himself fully in her. “Baby…mmm…fuck, baby.”

She couldn’t agree more. Eyes closed, she gripped the silk scarf as tightly as she could

and held on with all her might. She was stretched full and she loved every inch of it. No man

had ever filled her the way he did. “Fuck me. Please. Fuck me.”

Season of Love

“I plan to, baby,” Clayton promised as he grabbed her thigh in one hand and angled it

up on his hip so he could thrust down deeper inside her, much to her delight. He knew

exactly what to do to drive her crazy.

“Yes. Yes. Yes,” she chanted, holding onto the scarf like a lifeline. Never would she

have thought the silk cloth would be her anchor, but she used it as such as he pumped faster.

Tilting her up, he rode her harder, fucked her deeper, urging her on with every stroke

of his hard cock. He was relentless in his passion and he didn’t stop until she was riding the

precipice of her release.

“Clayton…ohh…”

“Come for me, baby. Come.”

Crying out his name, Roz did just that, but she fought it every inch of the way. She

held back, trying to keep her passion under wraps until she just couldn’t fight it any longer.

Then the levee broke. She came screaming, pulling with all her might on the scarf. Her

orgasm ripped through her, stealing her strength, her breath, and her ability to move with its

powerful grasp.

Clayton was moments behind, powering into her over and over until he too came,

gripping her thigh tightly in his hand. His body shook above hers as his release washed over

him.

“God!” Eyes closed tightly, he shuddered and pumped twice more before groaning and

dropping his head onto her chest.

His body trembled in the aftermath, and for the first time since he tied her, Roz

regretted her hands being bound together. She wanted to caress him and comfort him. So she

did it the only way she could. With her words. “I love you.”

* * * * *

Lena Matthews

The chair was comfortable, the overhead music unobtrusive, and the waitress at the

country club café had made his cup of coffee perfectly. Nevertheless he was ill at ease. While

he waited for Bishop to finish his last hole on the golf course, Clayton wondered for the

hundredth time if he was doing the right thing.

It was the day before

Kuumba

, the second to last day of Kwanzaa, and he was no closer

to winning Bishop’s approval than he had been the year before, or the year before that. In

fact, their relationship was ten times worse, thanks to the debacle from two days ago.

The Bellamy family had been at odds since the night Roz confronted Bishop. It was no

surprise Banning automatically took Roz’s side in the feud. Surprisingly though, from what

Banning had told Roz, their mother did as well, which Clayton was sure didn’t win him any

points with Bishop. Tomorrow the entire family was supposed to gather together for the

karamu

, the Kwanzaa feast, but at the moment it didn’t look as if Bishop or Roz would show

up. In fact, if he didn’t get things ironed out and fast, what he’d hoped would be their first

Kwanzaa together might be the last.

Despite what Roz had said to him over and over, Clayton knew beyond a reasonable

doubt that her father’s opinion of her mattered. She might not want to admit it, but she

sought his approval, and secretly he wondered if she could ever be completely happy with

him if it meant causing a rift in her family. He’d like to believe she would, but being right

wasn’t worth it if he ended up losing her in the process.

Roz was everything to him. If he had to swallow a little pride to ensure her happiness,

so be it.

As he raised his coffee cup to take another drink, he spotted Bishop strolling through

the café, flanked by two older gentlemen. Clayton sat his cup down and rose from his seat,

his gesture gaining the other man’s attention. The easy going smile that had just seconds ago

graced his face fell away instantly.

Season of Love

Not a good sign. Clayton moved around the table and walked over to Bishop, who was

glaring at him with disdain. “Mr. Bellamy, I’d like a word with you.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you.”

“For?”

“I’d want to speak with --”

“No.”

Arrogant bastard

. “Five minutes of your time is all I ask.” When the other man didn’t

budge, Clayton tried again, this time hitting below the belt. “For Roz. Surely she’s worth five

minutes of your time.”

“Five minutes. Outside.” Bishop turned on his heel and strode from the room, his

countenance shaking with what Clayton could only describe as fury. Once outside the older

man turned all that vehemence toward him.

“Did you come here to gloat?”

“Do you really think it makes me happy to know she’s estranged from her family

because of this argument with you?”

“I’m the estranged one. My own wife won’t talk to me. My daughters are mad at me, all

because I’m doing what’s right for my family. Protecting them like any man would.”

“Roz doesn’t need protection from me. I would never hurt her.”

“I doubt that very seriously.”

“Why?” He had to know. “In the three years we’ve been together has she ever come to

you or your wife to complain that I’ve mistreated her in any way?”

“Just because you haven’t hurt her doesn’t mean you won’t.”

“There’s no guarantee if she was dating a black man she would never be hurt either.”

“Not by society.”

Lena Matthews

“My actions should be what’s in question, not those of others.”

“Fine, let’s talk about your actions. You’re shacking up with my daughter.”

His turn of phrase soured Clayton’s stomach. “What’s the big deal about us living

together?”

“You know what that tells the world?”

“No, what?” Bishop sneered at Clayton’s words, as if he’d been expecting the question.

“That the black girl is good enough to warm your bed, service your needs like a whore,

but not good enough to marry. You disrespect her with your actions, with your lack of

actions.”

Clayton ran his hand through his hair and began pacing. He should have known. It

wasn’t just a race thing; it was a generational one as well.

“I love your daughter. I want to marry her.”

“Am I supposed to believe that?”

“Believe this.” Clayton sank his hand into his pocket and removed the jeweler’s box. “I

came here today to ask for your blessing. I plan to ask for Roz’s hand in marriage, but I want

you to approve. She needs to know her father won’t hate her forever if she decides to say

yes.”

Bishop looked stunned. Clayton wasn’t sure if it was due to the fact he had made the

man’s arguments a moot point or because he’d had the gall to ask for his permission.

“So I’m supposed to just say yes and make your life easy, is that it?”

Of course not, what was I thinking?

“That would be nice, but somehow I doubt you’d

do anything to make my life easy.”

“You’ve got that right.”

“Fine, then tell me what you need from me and I’ll do it. I’d do anything to make Roz

happy, including making sure she reconciles with you.”

Season of Love

“You can’t turn back time. The two of you are already living in sin.”

“I plan to rectify that as soon as possible. It was never my intention to make her look

less than worthy in your eyes or in anyone else’s. We moved in together because we couldn’t

stand to be apart. I always planned on making it a permanent thing and with your blessing I

can do that. I can’t change the past; I can only promise you the future will be different.”

“Pretty words and empty promises.”

“I’m going to marry your daughter, sir.”

“With or without my approval, I suppose.”

“No, that’s where you’re wrong.” Clayton slipped the ring box back into his pants

pockets. “I won’t ask her to marry me until we have your blessing. I love her. I’d do anything

for her, even kiss your ass for the next twenty years to prove to you I’m for real.”

“I don’t want you to kiss my ass.”

“No, what you want is for me to go away, and that’s just not going to happen. Think

about this: you pressured Banning into marrying the father of her children. Did it make her

happy? No. Did the fact he was black ensure they would have a long-lasting marriage? No.

You interfered once and your youngest daughter paid for it. She did what you wanted.

Married who you picked out and still it didn’t work. I want to make Roz happy.” He fingered

the box, seeing all his plans falling to the wayside. “But if you really think I’m not the man

for her, then I won’t propose, but know this Bishop, you and you alone are the reason for

that. It’s not because I don’t love her. It’s because I love her too much.”

“I will not compromise my beliefs for my daughter.”

“Of course not,” he fired back, annoyed.

“Do you really think you’d do things differently if this was your daughter we were

talking about?”

The question stopped him cold. Without a doubt he knew he’d do anything to protect

their child, including running off someone who he thought was unworthy of her, even if she

Lena Matthews

was in love with him. It was a revelation that made him rethink a lot of what he believed. It

also made him understand and respect the man a little bit more.

“There’s no way I can change your mind, is there?”

Bishop didn’t answer. Tired and knowing he’d done everything in his power to alter

the other man’s perception of him, Clayton threw caution to the wind. He pulled the ring

from his pocket and handed it over to the surprised man. “When you’re ready, I’ll ask her.

There’s no doubt in my mind you love her and want what’s best for her, so when you’re

ready, you give this back to me and I’ll propose.”

Clayton turned to walk away, but was stopped by Bishop’s hand on his arm. “Is this

some kind of joke?”

Turning back, he faced the man who held the key to his entire happiness in his hand.

“Not at all. I know you’re wrong about me, I just hope I’m right about you.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Think about it.” Clayton pulled his arm from his grasp and walked away.

Season of Love

Chapter Six

“You passed on a quiet evening at home in front of the fireplace for this?”

Clayton chuckled as he steadied the vase on the table that Roz’s nephew, in his haste to

answer the door, sent spinning. “And miss this? Never.”

“Then you’re crazier than I thought,” she teased, as she took a sip from her glass of

wine. This wasn’t exactly the way she would have preferred to spend her New Year’s Eve,

dodging twins and wolfing down her sister’s collard greens, but Clayton had been adamant

about them attending Banning’s Kwanzaa feast. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to fake

being sick?”

“No.”

“I’m not wearing any panties.”

He whipped his head around so fast to look at the hem of her short black dress he

damn near broke his neck. When his heated gaze met hers she could tell her ploy had

worked. He cleared his throat and brought his closed fist to his mouth and coughed softly.

“You know…hmm…I do feel a bit of a tickle in my throat.”

“Imagine that.” She grinned.

Men. They’re so easy

Lena Matthews

“Grandma. Grandpa.” The cry from her nephew brought Roz’s attention away from

fake-coughing boyfriend and toward the front door, where her mother and father were

standing.

Banning walked over to them and slipped her arm through hers. Roz squeezed her

sister’s arm, thankful for all the support she could get.

To say she was amazed her father had shown up was putting it lightly. “Up jumped the

devil,” she said in awe.

“Ummm…” Clayton leaned down and spoke in a softer tone. “Black to white

translation, please.”

“She means” -- Banning, in all her nosy glory, butted right in -- “will wonders never

cease. Is that white enough for you?”

“Yes. Thank you,” he said dryly.

“No problem. Now go on you two. Go say hi.”

With unwanted help from Banning’s propelling arms, Clayton and Roz walked over to

her parents. Roz felt as if she were walking to the firing squad. Although her father had

shown up, it was no guarantee he’d be pleasant, or even civil for that matter.

Clayton took the initiative to speak when it looked as if no one else would. “Welcome

to the celebration.”

He held his hand out to her father, and much to her surprise, for the first time ever, her

father accepted it without hesitation. Shocked, she glanced at Clayton, who was staring

wordlessly at her father, much in the way she was looking at him.

“Sir.” Clayton took his hand from her father’s and stuck it in his pocket. “We’re glad

you two could make it.”

“Yes, Daddy. Very glad.” If he could make a timid first step, she could bridge the rest of

the distance. With tears in her eyes, she reached out to her father and hugged him to her.

Season of Love

When his strong arms clasped around her she was transported back to her childhood, where

her father could do no wrong and was the center of her existence.

“Well…” Bishop, not one to be overly affectionate, clumsily patted her back. “Thank

your mother; this was her idea.”

“Right,” Marilyn Bellamy said, rolling her eyes. “All my idea.”

“It doesn’t matter whose idea it was. I’m just happy you made it.” Banning joined the

group at the entryway. “Now that we’re all here we can get this party started.”

With Banning’s prodding, the entire family headed toward the dining room where

they proceeded to light the candles.

Bishop remained standing as everyone sat. He picked up his wine glass and cleared his

throat. ”Kwanzaa to me is more than a holiday about family traditions and culture. It’s about

what binds a family together. Every year I read the

tamshi la tutaonana

, but this year I

thought I would change things a bit. In the last day or so, I’ve been thinking a lot about

family and what that means to me. Basically, I’ve come to the conclusion that family means

love. Unconditional love and support. Being able to love someone despite what they say or

do.”

Disappointed, Roz looked away, sure her father’s comment was directed at her. “I’m

truly blessed because despite the things I’ve said or done, my family continues to love me.

Even when I’m sure it’s not easy.”

“You can say that again,” Banning murmured under her breath. Roz looked back up at

her father, barely able to contain her joy. He was offering the olive branch. He was being the

man she always knew he was.

“I’m not too old or set in my ways to say I’m sorry and admit I’m wrong. Tomorrow is

the New Year and I would like to start it on a new foot.” Bishop turned his attention to

Clayton. “Clayton, you asked me for my blessing and I’ll give in on one condition.”

Blessing?

Roz turned her questioning gaze to Clayton. “What’s he talking about?”

Lena Matthews

“Shut up, girl.” Banning kicked her under the table. “Let the boy talk.”

“And that is?” Clayton asked.

“You accept my apology.”

“I can do that.”

“Good.” Bishop gave a nervous laugh. “Then I’ll sit down and you can have the floor.”

“Okay.” Clayton stood, taking her hand in his. “I didn’t exactly plan to do this like this,

but here goes. Roz, I love you and I too would like to start 2008 anew, with you as my soon-

to-be bride.”

Roz felt a buzzing in her head and realized she was hearing her heart thundering inside

her chest. Her sister and mother were bawling but she was clear-eyed as she watched with

awe when he pulled a small box from his pocket and flipped open the lid. Brilliant light

stabbed her eyes as she caught sight of the diamond nestled within.

“Roselyn Bellamy, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

As if there were ever any doubt. With a grin she couldn’t erase no matter how hard she

tried, Roz stood up and threw herself into his arms.

“Well…”

“Yes, yes, yes, I’ll marry you.”

Teary-eyed she glanced over at her father, who was watching them with a wide smile

of his own. “I love you,” she mouthed to him. A sentiment he returned just as silently.

Her father’s acceptance of the man she loved was the best Kwanzaa gift she could have

ever been given, and she was going to treasure it for the rest of her days. Because he was

right, family meant love, and she had that in abundance.

Lena Matthews

Lena Matthews spends her days dreaming about handsome heroes and her nights with

her own personal hero. Married to her college sweetheart, she is the proud mother of an

extremely smart toddler, three evil dogs, and a mess of ants that she can't seem to get rid of.

When not writing she can be found reading, watching movies, lifting up the cushions

on the couch to look for batteries for the remote control, and plotting different ways to bring

Buffy back on the air.

Visit Lena on the Web at www.lenamatthews.com.