4 comments/ 18050 views/ 1 favorites Morning Song By: sunflower Michael was a creature of habit. His life consisted of a series of daily events vital to his sense of well being. The formula for a good day began with his boyfriend Amid waking him up with an early morning blowjob. Amid was always up, cock included, long before the usual nine to fivers, tracking down the latest world events for his news magazine. The Arab language publication was his way of bridging the worlds that he loved equally. It was his vehicle for ringing a new consciousness to the world and through tolerance and understanding to make it all a better place. By the time that his dark head slipped between Michael's legs seeking milk, he had already downed two cups of strong black coffee. Michael loved their morning rituals, the gentle kisses and slow, wet cock sucking. Fucking was much too harsh for the gentleness of early morning. A new morning always brought with it a basket full of new possibilities. The New York air somehow seemed fresher. The radio always played your favorite songs and singing along in the shower was pure heaven. The workday began with the morning paper from Sal who had been operating the same newsstand for forty years. He pursued the headlines over coffee and bagels at Mario's. Unless he was having a business lunch Michael always bought a hot dog from the same stand that he had as a kid. He was a stickler for tradition and the values of life, liberty and the pursuit of anything that made him happy. However, it was not a good morning for Amid. It had begun with an e-mail report from a correspondent of another bombing in Afghanistan. Killed in the attack was a three-year-old girl that Amid had nick named Phoenix because she had been at deaths door with cholera too many times and had lived to tell about it. Now her little voice was silenced forever by Al Qaeda in a senseless act of violence. Few would remember her short life but her optimistic spirit had been one of few in a country that had seen more than its share of pain. He had mourned for her in the only way that he knew how, by numbing his pain with Michael's stiff cock and strong arms. Their easy love sessions always soothed him and it was much easier to shed his tears through his cock. He rode his Harley to work except when the weather forced him into the seemingly impossible task of finding a cab at morning rush hour. Still he loved the city with its unpredictable splendor. He loved that his job not only gave him access to the city's Muslim population but also a welcome mat into an exciting exodus of nations all bonded in the commonality of the American dream. It was that dream that had forced his family out of Afghanistan when he was four years old. They had done well for themselves in America even putting aside their strict moral code to embrace him as a gay man. Nevertheless, a part of Amid had never left Afghanistan. It kept pulling him back every year in trips that broke his heart but reinforced his commitment to fight for its survival. It was exactly 8: 45 when Michael sat down at his desk to begin the day. A few minutes later, a loud bang reverberated and the entire building shook so badly it made his teeth rattle. His first reaction was that an earthquake had hit. But when smoke began spiraling into every corner, he knew that it was much worse. People began panicking and running for the suddenly stalled elevators. The events that led him out of the building would forever be blurry to Michael. He remembered the fire, the sickening twist of softened metal. He remembered calling 911 and debris falling from the ceiling all around him. He remembered pulling a screaming woman towards the stairwell and both of them praying to God to take them safely out of their sudden nightmare. It seemed like days before he felt the wind on his face, charred and reeking of fear, yet sweet because at least he was still breathing. Amid was on the phone when his research editor burst in. "Turn on CNN," his voice quivered so horribly that it took a few seconds before Amid had understood what he was saying. He flipped on the TV while trying to end his call and trying to find what was wrong at the same time. When his confused brain finally made sense of the report words failed him. The phone slipped unnoticed from his numb fingers. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. He left his chair and forced his legs outside. The extent of his fear for the life of his beloved weighed him down. It made him sick to his stomach. He carried that fear in his heart as he rushed to the scene. A block away from the bombing he watched in stupefied amazement as Tower One collapsed. Amid the confusion, he had no way of knowing if Michael was still trapped inside. Then he got a call from Michael saying that he was at the hospital. "I've got nothing more than scrapes and bruises," he assured Amid. "But Jack is in real bad shape," he added referring to the happy- go- lucky soul who had introduced them at a Christmas party three years earlier. Amid and Jack were childhood friends who had been brought even closer as they got older by Jack's unrepentant flamboyant personality. He had been Michael's lifeline when he had first joined the stressful world of high stakes investments. His voiced cracked as he relayed their friends' bad news. "He's burned over eighty-percent of his body. I think that you should get to mount Sinai real quick." As he drove like the devil was on his tail Amid recalled how Jack's upbeat personality had gotten them through many hardships. He mantra was that things would always work out. But right then it was hard to believe that anything would ever be all right again. Could he be optimistic when he felt dead inside? He would have to muster up some courage for Jack's sake. It would take all of their strength to get him through the rough times ahead. The emergency room was in chaos. Amid found Michael sitting on the floor with his head in his hands. Bryan, Jack's boyfriend was crying silently in a corner. Amid gave him a long hug and encouraging words. Then he sank down beside his lover and took Michael in his arms. It was hours before they moved, hours before they heard any news about Jack. The prognosis was not good. "If you are at all spiritual this is the time to pray," the doctor told them. They thanked him but both men felt that their faiths were now buried under countless mangled bodies. When they finally got home, they were met by family and friends who needed assurances that they were okay. By the time that the last person left Amid was beside himself with frustration. He attacked Michael before the door was closed. He grabbed his cock from behind and squeezed it roughly through the material of his sweatpants. Michael felt Amid stiff cock pressing into his ass. Michael sighed and sank further into Amid's hard body as he rubbed his cock against him. It felt so good to hold each other close after all that had happened. How could life change so much in just one day? Michael wondered. He turned in his lover's arms and their mouths impacted in a hungry kiss. They tried frantically to remove their clothes and touch and taste every inch of exposed flesh. Michael pulled Amid's jeans down to his knees then knelt in front of him and buried his face in the soft cotton boxer-briefs restraining his monster cock. He rubbed his face against it and inhaled its overheated aroma. Then he began to suck him in big, wet gulps that saturated the front of his boxers. To Amid the feel of the wet cloth against his cock was heaven. He bent his knees and pushed his hips forward. Michael bit him through the safety of the briefs. Then slowly he began to slide it down Amid slim hips. When his cock finally popped out Amid screamed in relief. Greedily Michael took most of his ten inches into his mouth and began sucking like there was no tomorrow. His mouth moved to Amid heavy balls. He gave them a few wide licks with his tongue before devouring them. After only a few minutes of this sweet torture, Amid pleaded with him to stop. It was too soon for sweet release. He dropped to his knees and buried his tongue in Michael's mouth. He grabbed the sides of Michael's head and tried to convey the myriad of emotions running through his soul in a way that mere words never could. The events of the day exploded in Michael's head. His entire body shook as he recalled how the mighty towers had crumbled, taking with it the hopes and dreams of so many lives. Suddenly he burst into tears. He cried for the lives lost and the ones who had lost them. He cried for Jack and Bryan his lifetime partner who was probably still at his bedside begging God to give them at least a lifetime together. Amid tried to comfort his lover with tender kisses. He could not allow himself to revisit those terrifying hours. He had to be strong for Michael. Instead, he chose to drown his fears around the hard candy between Michael's legs. His frantic sucking caused Michael's eyes to roll back into his head. He grabbed Amid's hair as a tornado of release swept through his entire body. His body shook violently propelling his cock further into Amid mouth. He cried and cursed as he came long and hard. Amid opened his mouth wide as hot cum gushed out. There was little time for Michael to catch his breath before he was down on all fours with Amid fingers in his ass. It did not take long for his hole to crave more than fingers. Amid impaled him with his hard cock. They were soon lost in a frenzied fuck that rendered them speechless. Amid dug his fingers into Michael's shoulders and bulldozed into his ass without mercy. All too quickly, he was exploding, letting go of everything until he was walking on sunshine. For those brief moments, the entire world was right again. His cum exploded out of him, taking with it his fears and frustrations. He lay peacefully for a few moments, his body completely relaxed, his mind was six years old again at his grandparents summer cottage with the smell of apple pie leading him home from his daily adventures. Life had been so simple then, innocent and idealistic. He wanted to feel that childhood joy forever but a walk down memory lane is always fleeting. He cried out as he felt it pulling away from him. Like a heroin addict, they needed that fix again. They stumbled to the bedroom. Michael pulled a giant mahogany dildo from under the bed and handed it to Amid. "Fuck me so hard that I forget my own name," he pleaded. Amid rolled a condom on the "woodie" then opened a tube of their favorite lube and made sure that Michael's ass and the dildo were ready for the whipping that was to come. Carefully he smeared it into Michael's hole. Michael buried his face in the pillow. He held his breath as the warm toy kissed his ass cheeks. Slowly and gently, Amid slipped it inside his hole. Michael groaned like a caged animal as his ass opened up and said ahh! Tenderly Amid worked the cock to Michael's instructions. When his threshold climbed above the gentle motions Michael encouraged Amid to push harder. The wooden dick turned his insides into jell-o. The strokes became desperate and longer, pushing further and further until it pushed Michael over the edge. This time his body tensed as his release shattered inside of him. He collapsed onto the bed. His ass was lucid and open, ready for the only thing that could satisfy his desires. Their slippery bodies slipped into a sixty-nine. They played with each other's cocks until their bodies were once again trembling with desire. Michael reached into a drawer and pulled out two latex gloves. They each slipped one on then carefully lubed them. Then one at a time, they inserted their fingers into each other's relaxed hole. Slowly they pushed further until each was wrist deep in each other's asses. With closed fists, they plowed into each other. A warm odor surrounded them in a cocoon of love. Michael's manly juices oozed from between his ass and slipped into Amid open mouth. They barely felt the tension in their straining bodies as their souls transcended the physical into a world that made them cry with pleasure. The intensity of their release made them rigid; every fiber of their bodies was stretched to its limits. They came back to earth with screeching cries that shattered the night. Michael fell on top of Amid battered body. When they could finally move Amid took Michael in his arms. Michael felt so comforted in having Amid so close to him that he soon fell into a deep sleep. Then with nothing more than an airbrushed retelling of that horrific day the two men tried to move on with their lives. Their daily vigil at their sick friend's bedside was more than enough misery without them rehashing their own pain. But life had always found a way of unveiling the things that you seclude most whether it was being gay or being racists. There was a lot of racism- by- fear after the attack. Certain friends who knew about Amid criticisms of the U S government policies in the Middle East readily deemed him suspect. His magazine had to tuck its tail between its legs after they received death threats for anything that could even be remotely construed as anti- American. But when Bush declared war in Afghanistan Amid refused to be silenced. It angered him that he'd been reduced to a second class citizen in his own country, stripped of the first amendment rights that every other ethnic group was taking advantage of. But it was the lack of support that he received from Michael that hurt the most. His pain forced him out of his comfort zone and into a confrontation with Michael. "How could you not see that this war is a bad idea?" he asked Michael over dinner. Michael put down his knife and fork before answering. He could see fire in Amid dark eyes and he didn't want to add fuel to it. "Amid this war will hopefully bring some little measure of justice to all of us. I'm sure that you want that." "Yes I want justice," Amid, stated passionately. " I want those bastards to pay for what they did, but we're going to war and we don't even know who those bastards really are. This is so much bigger than Bin Laden. I think that we have a lot more work to do before we slap on the war paint." "Well obviously the President feels that we do have enough evidence to move," Michael said. "But there are better ways to handle this. The Taliban would hand over Bin Laden if the United States provides proof of his involvement. How can we say that war is our only solution if we haven't tried anything else?" Amid asked. "Because we will fight fire with fire, we cannot show these people that we are unsure of ourselves. They have to pay for what they did to us. Your problem is that you don't know whether you're American or Afghanistan." As soon as he said it, Michael regretted it. The hurt in Amid eyes pained him but still he knew that he had spoken the truth. Amid had always been more loyal to Afghanistan than to the place that had given him everything. Long before the terrorists attack, he was somewhat anti-American. To Michael he was like the immigrants who came to this country and refused to learn English and expected everything to become bilingual. Amid was tired of hearing him bash everything that he believed especially his love for Afghanistan. He threw his napkin down and stood up. "It's nice to know what you really think about me," he said and walked away. Michael refused to go after him. They needed to talk like this. If their relationship couldn't survive disagreement then maybe they were not as strong as he'd thought they were. But the silence between them stretched into days, and then weeks while Amid pored over reports of bombs dropped on innocent lives, leaving children dead or disabled and orphaned. Michael was saddened by the violence but he still supported the war. There were no easy answers and he wished that he could just tell Amid that their different views did not have to tear them apart. But he seemed so unapproachable. Then life with her mysterious ways shook them out of their stupor once again. Michael got a call from Bryan urging them to get to the hospital quick. When they got there, it was obvious that Jack was in his final moments. Still he had a smile on his face. "He said that he's not afraid to die," Bryan related through his tears. "Our love was more than he had ever hoped for. He has had a full life. Love is all that matters." Jack began to cry and his eyes said so much of what he couldn't anymore. Amid took Michael's hand in his. The arguments that had divided them were valid and deeply personal. But at the end of the day, they still wanted each other and even after the war, they would hunger for each other. The most horrific war would be life without each other. As long as they were together, they could handle whatever bomb life dropped on them. "I love you Michael," he said with tears in his eyes. " I love you Amid," Michael said. Jack smiled at them. Then he closed his eyes and slipped into an endless peaceful sleep. Jack's funeral was a rather festive affair. No one had felt much like celebrating but anyone who knew Jack at all knew that he would want to die just as he had lived. There were lots of smiles and funny memories among the tears. It was well past midnight when Amid and Michael finally made their way home. They held each other close and quickly slipped into an exhausted sleep. Early the next morning Michael awoke to the feel of Amid's gentle tongue on his cock. The sun streaming through his window resembled strained peaches. The fresh air sang the promises of a new, hopeful beginning. This was his morning song, sweet music to his soul. Morning Song Jasmine had always held to the belief that it was the sweet, innocent songs of blue birds that awakened the sun every morning and coaxed it into its lazy crawl along the sky. Their sharp cries had been her alarm clocks all of her life. It was only on Sunday mornings that she could afford to linger in bed. She stretched languidly, her sculpted legs trying to grasp the bottom of her bed as her graceful arms danced in the air. Her jet-black waist length silky hair glided across the white pillows with her movements. How she loved the sound of birds singing. Even as a child she had relished this simple pleasure so much that grandparents had nicknamed her "morning song." But in the last few years her mornings had taken on more adult pleasures. It was her time to be good to herself, to remember that she was still a woman before the demands of motherhood and her land consumed all of her energy. She sank low in the bed as desire made her swoon. Her pussy tingled at the memory of her husband's expert tongue. She moaned his name softly. How she wished that he were there with her. She could see him with his dark head buried between her legs, eating her with all the zeal of a last supper. "Oh baby, I wish that you could see how much I miss you," she said softly. "I just wish that we could always be the way we were in the good times." She reached over to her radio and put on some soft music that was just loud enough to drown out any sounds that escaped her lips. Living with children had made it necessary to learn the art of secret seduction. She had practiced tantric meditation and sex with Mark and had continued to do so on her own. She got of bed and sat down on the floor in the lotus position. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply imagining the breath entering through her root chakra, the energy vortex located between her anus and vulva. She visualized the breath traveling through her body until it reached her third eye. Warmth flowed through her body in the opposite direction pooling in her pussy. It was then that she began to chant the sounds of the sex chakra. She could feel the moisture flowing out of her body onto the sheet. She continued to breathe deeply as she moved through the routine she now knew by heart. Soon her soul transcended her room. She lay down on her back and opened her legs. Her fingers slipped between her legs. Her clit was rock hard. She rubbed it gently, allowing her passion to build slowly. When she could stand it no longer she lifted her legs and lower body in the air then brought them down over her face. The contortion brought her pussy in almost perfect alignment with her mouth. She lifted her head and stuck her tongue into her own heated flesh. She groaned at the exquisite taste of her own desire. Her fifteen years of gymnastic training hadn't gone to waste. Her mother would be horrified but this was giving her more pleasure than winning medals ever could. She grabbed her behind and pushed her pussy further into her face. Heat scorched through her body. All of her charkas were erupting in volcanic urgency. She had to slow down, she had to make the moment last as long as possible. She unfolded her body and moved to the bed. When she was laying down Jasmine slipped back into her fantasy. The music seeped into her bones, turning them liquid. She reached into a drawer and retrieved a bottle of Karma Sutra love oil. Slowly she massaged it into her entire body. She paid special attention to her breasts. As she held each breast in one hand, she massaged a liberal amount of oil into her firm flesh. She flicked her tongue over each nipple before taking it into her mouth and sucking greedily. She tasted of love oil and desire. She never seemed to get enough of her own passion on her fingers. She rubbed her clit. She could feel her moisture seeping through onto her fingers. She brought her hand to her lips. Making love to herself was so delicious. She moved her fingers in small circles around her hard clit before inserting two into her vagina. She massaged the opening for a few minutes before slipping her fingers further onto her g-spot. Jasmine moved her fingers in small circles. She alternated applying pressure with soft strokes. Her pussy juices ran down her hands and into her soft, brown pubic hair. Just as she was about to climax, she pulled her fingers out of her aching body. She lay on her back. She licked her fingers. Then she reached under her pillow and pulled out her favorite toy: a big double dildo. It was always clean and ready to go whenever she was. She always kept a bottle of water-based lube on the night table just in case she wanted to get freaky during the night. She slid the dildo down the length of her body then placed it in her pussy. She rubbed the large head over her clit. When it was marinated in her juices, she took it into her mouth. She slid it deep into her throat, the flexible rubber conforming to her mouth. Slowly she pulled it up until only the bulbous head remained. She locked her full lips around it. While she sucked on it, she used the other cock to play with her nipples. She propped herself up on the big floor pillows. She placed a smaller one under her hips. She lathered both ends of the dildo with the lube then carefully inserted one into her pussy and the other into her ass. She almost came when her ass popped open and accepted the big cock. With both hands, she manipulated the dildos. She pressed it into her g-spot then slid it further into her t-zone. Her eyes rolled back into her head as she massaged the most sensitive area of her body. Her hips bolted off the pillow as a chorus of orgasms ripped through her body. She screamed Mark's name in an endless chant as she spiraled out of control. She wanted to linger with her feelings, to keep the weight of her past and future off her shoulders. She got back into bed and allowed the music to seem into her soul. Sometimes it would be easier if she had someone by her side but she loved the struggle of trying to make it on her own. But there was no way to relieve her pain except through solo sex and lots of work. But nothing seemed to permanently ease those painful times. One of those times had been when her husband Mark had died in a car accident on Christmas Eve. He had been rushing home on a rainy night because she had complained that morning about how much time he was taking away from his family to climb the corporate ladder of success. In the two years since his death, Jasmine had been consumed with so much guilt that she'd blocked off entire sections of her heart to help ease the pain. It had been her decision to raise their twin boys in the country, two hours away from Mark's offices. She had wanted them to embrace the land and the Cherokee traditions that had been in her family for hundreds of years. Jasmine loved being close to nature, growing her own food and raising cattle just as her ancestors had. It was the gentle peace of her country land that was slowly bringing Jasmine back to life. She had finally realized that it wouldn't have mattered if she had moved her boys to the moon when their father would rather spend Christmas buried in paperwork instead of presents. While climbing through the murky depths of guilt and depression, Jasmine had finally admitted to herself that she had made a mistake with Mark. He had been so charming that her heart had failed to see how power hungry he was. They'd met at a birthday party while in college. He had been studying law and Jasmine was a business major. He'd always known how she felt about her parents' farm and he liked the idea of having his own law practice in a little town where he could truly make a difference. But soon after they were married, he had taken a job out of town. That job had led to another at a prestigious law firm in the heart of the city. Jasmine felt torn between her loyalty to him and to her parents. They had put her through business school in hopes that she could revive their dwindling business. Besides, they were getting on in years. Jade chose to stay with her ailing parents and the life that she loved. They became a weekend family. Most of the time, she felt like a single parent. She felt betrayed by the man of her dreams and her resentment grew each time he pulled out of the driveway and headed back to a life that was so different from hers. Eventually he felt like a stranger. How could her heart have failed her when she had been told all her life that if she followed her heart she would find true happiness? She had felt betrayed by everything that she had believed in. In her time of sorrow, she had found solace in something tangible, her land. Getting down on her hands and knees and feeling the earth between her fingers had been therapeutic. All of her life her family had taken pride in growing organic produce and animals. But one by one, their buyers had opted for the faster and cheaper chemically induced way of doing business. Her family had refused to change. Trying to make a living doing things her way was scary and frustrating at times but it gave Jasmine a purpose. With her three-year-old boys, she was now living the peaceful life that had always brought her joy. But she was a long way from trusting her heart with romance again. The sudden sound of a bulldozer jolted her out of her musings. She sat up in bed as the reality of her life came flooding back to her. Right next to her oasis on land that had once held a family's dreams, a sleek modern hotel was slowly coming to life. She couldn't even mourn in peace. Her pale blue eyes, a memorial to a love affair between an ancestral grandmother and a white man, turned a stormy gray as her mind wondered to William Davis. William was in the business of luxury condos and high-rise apartment complexes. With the recent addition of a casino strip that would soon rival Las Vegas, Meadows Creek was fast becoming prime real estate. With his charming good looks and keen business sense William had bought most of the land close to her four acres. For her neighbors it was more money that they would see in make lifetimes on their own. But William had come up against a five-foot, one hundred pound wall of opposition when he got around to Jasmine. She had made a promise to her father on his deathbed that she would keep the land in the family. Her boys had inherited her love for it. She saw it as their future and legacy. William soon realized that she was immune to his charms and his money. But he was a very persistent man. All around her Jasmine could see the ravages of time and progress. Several old families had sold their land and moved to the big city. She realized all too well, how tough it was to keep a small farm going amongst bigger operations where machines and pesticides triumphed over Mother Nature. In the last year alone, she'd had to lay off workers who had been on the farm since she was a girl. Each month it became more difficult to pay the bills. The threat of selling out loomed larger with each day. There was a knock outside her bedroom door. Jasmine plastered a smile on her face as Nicholas stuck his blond head in the door. "You wake mommy?" he asked. Jasmine held out her arms. "Come in baby," she told him. Nicholas ran to her bed. He was in her arms before she noticed the mud on his bare feet and pjs. "Have you been playing in the mud again Nicky? How many times do I have to tell you not to?" "But we 'ave a prezent for you," Nicholas said. He looked at her with his big brown eyes and Jasmine's irritation melted. He looks so much like Mark, she thought. He could've made her believe anything with his big brown eyes and easy smile. "Oh I love presents," she said. She threw on her robe and slippers and followed Nicholas into the kitchen where his identical twin brother Justin was standing in a pool of muddy water and holding on to the dirtiest dog that Jasmine had ever seen. Her hands flew to her throat at the sight before her. "Oh my God where did he come from?" she asked her children. "We found him'n the back yard and we gave him a bath. Can we keep him mommy? Pleease." Three pairs of pleading brown eyes looked up at her. Jasmine noticed that the boys had used her clean white kitchen towels to dry the filthy animal. The entire situation was so sweet and hilarious that Jasmine burst into laughter. The two little boys looked at each other and smiled. "We named him buddy, can keep him?" Nicholas asked eagerly. Jasmine quickly composed herself. She knew that she had to break her children's hearts but the dog had to be returned to its rightful owner. She inspected the expensive looking collar around the animal's neck and her blood ran cold when she saw the name of William Davis. That scoundrel's dog had wandered onto her property and her children had fallen in love with it. She dreaded having to see that man again. She quickly wrote down his number. Then she knelt down in front of her children and told them that they couldn't keep Butch. Her heart ached as tears clouded their eyes. "But maybe they threw him away," Nicholas said. "And we found him." "Honey this is not a case of finders keepers," she told them. "You guys take buddy outside and I will call his owner okay." The boys hung their heads and walked outside. Butch whined and followed them. Jasmine dialed her neighbor's number and a groggy voice answered on the fourth ring. For a moment she admonished herself for not checking the time first but then her anger surfaced and she was glad that she had woken the mighty William Davis. "Hello Mr. Davis," she began in a too cheerful tone, "this is Jasmine Sander. I think your dog wandered onto my property and I need you to come pick him up." There was silence on the other end and Jade feared that he had fallen asleep but then he answered. "I'll be over in about half an hour," William said. Jasmine pulled on the jeans and plaid shirt that she had worn the day before. She ran a quick brush through her thick hair while she gave herself a quick once over. She hadn't worn make-up since her return from the city. She much preferred the glow of the sun on her flawless dark skin. She applied a liberal layer of sun protection and a clear lip gloss to her full, sensual lips. She pulled her waist length hair into a sloppy ponytail and she was ready to take on the day, completely unaware of the striking picture she presented. The pride and determination of her people was evident in her four-eleven body. Her stride was confident, her back held straight. William Davis would soon get the message that she was a force to be reckoned with. The ring of the doorbell sounded loud to Jasmine's ears. She wiped her palms on her jeans before opening the huge oak door. William Davis Jr., whom everyone referred to as Billy, stared down at the pint-sized vision of perfection before him. She definitely didn't fit the image of a dragon lady, which is how his father had described her. He had been anxious to meet her ever since he had taken over the hotel project from his father. It was hard to believe that a mouth so sensuous held a razor sharp tongue, he thought. Those full, red lips seemed to be made only for a lover's kisses. His father had probably used his own particular brand of charm, which at times could be as abrasive as sandpaper on her baby smooth skin. But she had stood up to him and he knew firsthand how good that felt. That shared triumph made him feel a connection to her. Jasmine stared at the towering man on her front step. He was so beautiful he took her breath away. She recognized him immediately as William's son. They shared the same piercing blue eyes, dimpled chin and strong nose. She was completely at a lost as to how to deal with him until Billy gave her a warm smile and introduced himself. That smile made Jade's knees weak and her heart began a series of somersaults. Still she managed a smile and an introduction. Billy inhaled her sweet perfume. It entangled his senses. He watched in fascination as her tongue traveled across her lower lip. As their gazes reconnected, they both felt a lightening bolt of sexual awareness. The moment stretched between them, intense and tangible until the dog's loud barking shattered it. The dog came bounding around the corner with the boys close behind him. He threw himself at Billy who didn't seem to mind the dirt in the least. "Hey boy! You got tired of my company uh?" he patted the dog's matted hair. "Can we keep him mister?" Nicholas asked Billy. "Now we've talked about that remember," Jasmine admonished them. Billy smiled at the beautiful little boys. "Sorry guys but I am sort of attached to old Mr. Jingles here. But tell you what, you can play with him a little longer if your mom would offer me a cup of coffee." Instantly all eyes were on her. Her first instinct was to refuse. He was after all William's son. But Nicholas and Justin would be crushed if she said no. "Would you like a cup of coffee, Mr. Davis right?" she asked with a smile. He smiled. "It's Billy and I'd love a cup." The boys screamed with excitement. In a second, they and the dog were out the back door and into the mud that would stamp to their clothes and take forever to get out. As the adults made their way to the back of the house at a more dignified pace Billy took not of the various Indian artifacts displayed in the living room. In the large sunny kitchen Indian pottery and cookware was prominently displayed. Large sculptures decorated corners and walls. All around him was a sense of historic pride and culture that he'd always longed for in his own life. He had no idea of where his ancestors had come from. To listen to his father their lineage had started in America. His legacy was his money and it left him feeling cold. He watched Jasmine closely as she measured coffee and place it into the coffee maker. Her small shoulders were tight with tension. He could only imagine how she must feel having him in her house. He had to find a way to make her see that he was not his father. "Where did you buy your sculptures?" he asked conversationally. "I don't. I make them myself." He gave a low whistle. "You did all this? It's very good. Have you tried selling any of it?" She gave him a cold look. "Not everything is about making money." "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to suggest it was. It's just that they are so beautiful." He stared at a sculpture of a beautiful young woman with long black hair carrying an arrow. "That's Pocahontas," Jasmine explained. "I admire her because she was willing to fight for what she believed in." Billy took a seat at her big wooden table and crossed his legs in an effort to calm the tension he now felt. "You know Pocahontas was very instrumental in forging peace between the Indians and settlers. She understood the concept of everyone working together for the good of all." Jasmine's blood turned almost as hot as the coffee she was about to place into two large cups. She replaced the pot and turned to face Billy. "Yes, she did believe that we could all trust each other didn't she? But look at what really happened. The white man did kill them and steal their land. The few of us that were left alive were put on reservations like cattle out to pasture and made second class citizens in our own country." She clamped down to keep the tremors from spilling out of her mouth. Her hands shook so badly she had to ball them into fists to keep them still. "I can't do this. Could you just leave, please." Billy stood up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I'll get my dog." Jasmine closed her eyes after he left the room. A few tears slid down her high cheekbones. She swiped at the furiously. By the time he returned with his dog and her boys she had composed herself. "Can Butch come over to play with us tomorrow?" Nicholas asked her. Morning Song "I don't think that's such a good idea honey. Mr. Davis is a very busy man." She could feel two protests coming her way but she stifled them. "This weekend we'll go to the pound and get you guys a puppy okay." She was rewarded with shouts of glee. They had been bugging her for a dog for months but she had refused knowing that she would end up doing most of the care taking herself. But if getting a dog meant getting rid of Billy Davis then she was willing to do just that. Billy ruffled their blond curls then gave her a tight smile. "It was nice meeting you all." The boys gave Butch one last hug and then they were gone. Jasmine immediately placed them to the back of her mind. She had enough to think about already. Early Monday morning Moses, her father's right hand man, found her pouring over her family's books. Moses had been with the family for as long as Jasmine could remember. Over the years, he'd been an affectionate uncle but over the last few years, he'd become the only family she had left. "Doesn't matter how many times you look at it, those numbers will not get any better." He gave her a soft kiss on her furrowed brow. Jasmine sighed. "I just don't know how things could've gotten so out of hand." Moses poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down beside her. He took her small hands in his big callused ones. "There is no money darling. Your pa spent most of it on your mother's medical bills." "Yet no doctor white of Indian could cure her cancer," Jasmine remarked sadly. Moses squeezed her hands. "Let's not dwell on the past. What's done is done. We gotta think now about how to keep what we have left." Jasmine thought about it as she worked with her boys cleaning out the stables and feeding the animals. They had taken to farm life as easily as she had. She smiled as she watched them chase chickens around the coop. Lots of times they were no help at all to her but she preferred to have them close to her rather than cooped up in daycare. Besides, she couldn't afford it anyway. She threw a bag of wild oats over her shoulders and went to feed the horses. "Hey Capricorn," she greeted her beloved horse. She ran her hands down the horse's midnight coat. She had been a wedding present from her parents. Mark had been afraid of her but Jasmine had connected with her gentle nature. Anxiously she ran her hands down Capricorn's expanding midsection. Any day now, she would give birth to her first colt. The veterinarian was an hour away. She'd seen dozens of healthy babies delivered by Moses and her father over the years but Capricorn was special to her. She couldn't help but worry. The horse was past her due date. "I'm sure you'll be fine, Jasmine cooed softly. But she wasn't sure. Unable to sleep that night she made her way to the stables. She heard Capricorn's desperate cries before she even opened the door. The heart wrenching sound chilled her to the bone. Capricorn lay on one side in her stall. She lifted her head as Jasmine entered her big brown eyes full of distress. She quickly dropped to her knees and began examining her beloved pet. The dampness of the hay and the amniotic sac visible at the mare's vulva told her that Capricorn had been in labor for some time. As the animal thrashed about Jasmine tried to soothe her frazzled nerves. But after a few minutes without change, she knew that she had to literally take matters into her own hands in order to save them both. There was no time to call the vet and Moses was an hour and a half away tying up some loose ends so that he could move in with Jasmine for moments exactly like this one. As she rushed back to the house, she tried to recall everything she'd learned about birthing animals over the years. She grabbed a jar of surgical soap and vigorously washed her hands in scalding water. She was too concerned with Capricorn's pain to notice her raw fingers. Quickly she found latex gloves, lubricating gel and a new washbasin. Filling it with hot water, she hurried back to the barn. She dropped to her knees beside the animal and started scrubbing her hindquarters. She slipped on a pair of gloves then prayed for strength and wisdom as she pushed her hand inside the animal. It terrified her that she had no real idea of what to do. She could only hope that she would feel whatever was wrong and try her best to correct it. Tears streamed down her face as the seconds quickly ticked by. If she did not act fast, she would more than likely have two dead horses on her hands. A strong hand on her shoulder startled her. She screamed and pulled away from Capricorn causing the animal to cry out in fear and pain. She looked up and saw Billy looking down at her. Billy took only a second to study Jasmine's tear stained face. In the next, he was down on his knees beside her. "I saw your light on. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay," he explained as he quickly slipped on a pair of gloves. Now completely overwhelmed Jasmine burst into tears. "I don't know how to help her. I can't loose her Billy." "You won't. I know what to do and I will not let either of them die." His strong voice comforted her. Instinctively she trusted him. Billy lathered his hands with gel before sliding them in. in a second he made his assessment. "The foal is trying to come out head first. Do you have a strap?" Jasmine nodded and quickly found one for him. She watched in amazement as he worked. She wanted to know everything he was doing but she knew that there was no time to explain. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears as she sent prayers to every god Christian and Indian, that she could think of. Someone was listening and answered. She cried joyfully as she watched her new baby come into the world with the help of the man she had once despised. She buried her face in Capricorn's sweaty coat as her body was wracked by grateful sobs. "They should both do fine," Billy said in a voice that crackled with emotional relief. Jasmine looked up at him. The raw joy and admiration on her beautiful face took her breath away. She scooted over to him and threw her arms around his neck. She held on to his strength as suddenly the air was ripped from her lungs. It was in that moment that she realized that she hadn't hugged a man in two years. It had been even longer since she was cocooned in masculine warmth or felt her skin come alive by the tingle of day old stubble. She gazed up into Billy's strong face. For the first time she noticed the soft lines around his eyes. He looked like he laughed a lot, she thought. She couldn't remember the last time she'd shared a good laugh with someone other than her kids or Moses. She missed what his eyes promised. She longed to melt into him, to forget about everything except the sound of their heavy breathing as they stared deeply into each other's eyes. Never before had she felt such a connection with another soul. Somewhere in the depths of his eyes, she saw the same kind of loneliness she'd endured even during her brief marriage. She couldn't look away from those eyes. She felt herself drowning deeper and deeper into an abyss that left her feeling open and raw. Billy pulled off his gloves then reached out and wiped a few damp tendrils away from her cheek. His fingers lingered, drawn to the softness of her skin. Jade closed her eyes. She did not notice his head lowering towards hers as he fought an inner battle not to kiss her. But their mouths never connected. The soft sounds of the weak mother and her new baby drew them out of their trance. After the animals were cleaned and resting comfortably Jasmine was finally able to reflect on all that had happened. "How did you know what to do?" she asked Billy. He smiled. "Believe it or not I grew up on my grandparents farm. My mom died when I was six and well, my dad didn't seem to have much use for a kid so my grandparents basically raised me. I didn't spend much time with my dad until college." "I imagine that William Davis would be a hard man to love," she said bluntly. Billy laughed but Jade recognized the tinge of sadness behind it. "He is. For most of his life, he was power hungry. That's why I could never work for him. I started my own development company right out of college and I was pretty good at it. I have to admit that it felt good to show my father that you could have a successful business and a conscience." He sighed. "I know that my dad has been giving you a hard time and because of that you're afraid to trust me." His eyes turned serious as he looked deeply into hers. "But you can trust me Jade. I may have my father's looks and name but that is about all we have in common. I am in charge of this project now and I run a different sort of business." "What happened to Mr. Davis?" Jasmine asked. Billy swallowed. "He had a heart attack a few weeks ago." Jasmine's hands flew to her mouth. "Oh my God! I am so sorry. How is he?" "He is fine. I agreed to take over because I couldn't bear to see him loose something he's worked so hard for. The important thing is that he has slowed down. For years he smoked three packs a day and lived on fried foods and drove himself like a horse. Now I think that he is beginning to realize that life is more than money." "I wished that my husband had learned that," Jasmine confessed. "I'll have to tell you about him sometime." "So there will be a next time for us?" he asked. They joy in his voice brought a big smile to her face. "Yes, I'll forever be in your debt for what you did tonight Billy. I don't even know how to thank you." He shrugged but Jade could see that her words had touched him. "It was nothing. I'm just glad that I was here to help." She stood up. "Well it's late and I'm about ready to pass out from exhaustion." She walked him out to the driveway. "Thanks again Billy." She stood on the tips of her toes and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. Then feeling suddenly shy, she turned and walked back to the house without even looking back at him. Billy waited until she'd disappeared around the back before getting into his truck. Even after he drove away into the cool night air a faint trace of her aroma lingered on his skin. To Jasmine it felt like her boys were knocking on her door a second after her head hit the pillow. Dragging herself out of bed, she noticed from the bedside clock that it was well past eight. Her first thought was Capricorn and the baby that was yet to be named. She opened the door to her rambunctious boys. They fell into her arms joyfully with shouts of "Mornin' mommy!" Jasmine buried her face in each blond head. They needed haircuts. "I've got s surprise for you!" she told them excitedly. "Is it a puppy?" Nicholas asked. "No we're going to pick one out this weekend remember." "Is it new toys?" Justin asked hopefully. Jasmine shook her head. "I know, I know!" Nicholas cried. "It's Butch and Billy." "Would you like to see Billy again?" Jasmine asked. "Yes!" they cried in unison. "He's really nice," Justin added. With a child on either side, Jasmine led them to the stable and the new addition to the family. She was elated to see the foal walking around on strong legs. "Wow!" the boys cried. They ran up to the animals. Capricorn felt completely at home with them but it took a few urgings for her baby to accept them. Jasmine watched as they cooed over the horse. They looked so much like their father but inside they were Indians with a love of the land their mother cherished so much. While they carefully brushed the baby Jasmine told them how Billy had brought it into the world. "We should name it Billy," Justin decided. Nicholas nodded in agreement. "But it's a girl," Jasmine informed them. "Then we'll call her Billy Girl," they said together. "Okay, Billy Girl it is." "Did I hear someone call my name?" They all looked around as Billy's large frame filled the doorway. "Billy!" The boys ran to him each embracing a muscular leg clad in old denim. "Where's Butch?" Nicholas asked. "Outside in the truck. I didn't want him to frighten the new baby. Let him out and keep him busy okay guys." "Okay!" Their blond heads bobble outside. His eyes were soft as he gazed down at Jasmine. Her skin looked radiant in the soft sunlight. She was wearing sweats and a thin white cotton tank, which fully outlined her full breasts. His body responded to the sight of her. He wanted so badly to feel her in his arms again. He couldn't stop thinking about her. Since Noreen had divorced him, he'd kept himself busy with work. He hadn't had time to miss a woman. But Jasmine had stopped him dead in his tracks. He should be at work but he couldn't get her off his mind. This proud and elusive woman was the epitome of everything he'd always wanted. But how could he get close to someone who seemed hell bent on keeping him away? He could only hope that they'd made some strides in the right direction after last night. "How's the baby?" He got down on his knees beside her. "She's perfect," Jasmine said. "The boys named her after you, Billy Girl." Billy threw back his head and laughed in delight. "I'm touched." "She wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you so it is appropriate." His tone turned serious. "How are you Jasmine?" She shrugged. "I'm okay. Moses my helper will be moving into the guesthouse today. I hire a few extra hands on a part-time basis. It's not easy but we make do." "It just seems a lot for you to deal with." "Is this another vain attempt at getting me to sell?" she asked angrily. "Jasmine God no! I was only trying to help. I don't want to destroy your land Jasmine. In fact, I want to help preserve it. My vision is to create a place where people can get back to nature and what is really important. I want to use as much local produce as I can. That will keep a lot of the small farms in business." Jasmine wanted to believe him but she'd seen other people get swindled by big business before. Billy read her mind. I will put everything in writing," he said. "But I want you to know that you can trust me." "I tried that once with a man, " she said. "You cannot change the past Jasmine but you can ruin the future by living in it. Your heart teaches you what you need to know." By the look in his eyes she knew that he wasn't just talking about business and for the first time in a long time she wanted to trust again, and to love again. She decided to take that first tentative step. "So your father will just agree to change his plans because you say so?" she asked. "No, this was always the vision for this new project. My father was just greedy enough to want to bring in his own farmers instead of helping the owners make a living. But thanks to people like you, he'll have no choice. You don't know how much I admire you for that." Jasmine smiled as an incredible warmth spread throughout her body. "I would love to show you my land after breakfast," she told Billy. He stood up then held out his hand to her. After he pulled her up, he continued to hold her hand as they walked out of the stable. Loving the feel of him, Jasmine didn't try to pull away. They found the boys in the back yard playing catch with Butch. "I think he really missed them," Billy said. "They missed him too. I have to admit it just doesn't feel like a real farm without a dog. I always had one growing up. It's just that these two have more energy than the energizer bunny. Add a dog into the mix and I've got more than I can handle." They both laughed as the boys bumped into each other then fell on their behinds in a fit of giggles. "Do you like chocolate chip pancakes?" Jasmine asked Billy. "They're my favorite," he answered. "They're our fav'rite too!" the boys said in unison. Over a bowl of pancake batter she got to know Billy better. She soon found that he had a wicked sense of humor that she found refreshing. His eyes were so gentle, so different from his father's. "So, tell me about your husband," Billy said. Jasmine was amazed at how easily the words flowed. Usually she was a very private person. But she found herself tell Billy things she'd told to no one else. Billy took her hands and something in his eyes caused the dams that protected her heart to break. "I understand that kind of betrayal," he said. "After I married Noreen, I found out that we were complete opposite. She loved my money and the lifestyle I could afford her but she had no interest in children even though she'd said so before the wedding. I guess she found my simple way of living boring. We barely made it two years before she filed for divorce. Last I heard she was married to some old oil tycoon. I guess by now she's living what she sees as the good life." "It's amazing how you could be so completely wrong about a person," Jasmine observed. "Makes you wonder who you can ever really trust." "You can't let one mistake rule your life honey. If you did you could end up missing out on the best thing that ever happened to you." He leaned over and softly kissed her cheek. His lips lingered as if asking her permission for him to proceed further. She turned her mouth towards his. He breathed her name just before their lips connected. He sank into her softness. She opened her lips, inviting him inside. His tongue, tentative yet sensual, slipped into her warmth. Jasmine groaned as she sank into his hard flesh. It was so long since she'd been kissed. Still she'd never been kissed like this. His only goal seemed to be to please her. His tongue touched hers, tasting and quickly learning how to drive her out of her mind. Every sensation was heightened. She felt his kiss in the deepest part of her. The part of her that Mark had stopped touching towards the end of their marriage. He cupped her face then tangled his fingers in her hair. Her entire body sank for joy when his lips traveled down her neck. She swung her head back, offering herself to him. In that moment, she was ready for him. As his tongue glided over her skin Jasmine prayed that he would carry her to the old table and have her for breakfast. She wanted to shut out the world and remember what it felt like to be a woman. Instead, he buried his head in her chest. For a while, she just held him close to her body. She realized that it had been a long time for him too. He missed the most intimate human contact. In the long run, it was worth more than all the sex in the world. She buried her face in his hair. She wanted to memorize his smell, the feel of his hair on her skin. She still clung to the aromas of the people she'd lost, her mother's rose perfume, her father's shaving cream, Mark after they'd made love. She fought hard each day to remember the feel of her mother's hair when it was rich and full. She wanted to make him a part of her, just in case. She felt him pulling away from her. "The boys could walk in any minute," he reminded her. "Oh, yes of course." For a few delicious moments, she'd totally forgotten that she even had kids. When she called the boys in for breakfast she watched him being just as goofy as they were. In a matter of days, they had accepted him just as easily as they had accepted his dog. As they toured the land she loved, Billy played with the boys. It was obvious that he loved being outdoors in the fresh air. When they got a little ahead of her Jasmine stopped for a moment to enjoy the silence. From an overhead dogwood tree a little blue bird began to sing a song so sweet, a melody so enchanting it filled her heart with joy. She closed her eyes as a gentle wind caressed her face. It's going to be okay it whispered in her ear. Smiling she ran to catch her boys and Billy her heart singing sweetly once again. Despite her newfound joy, Jasmine still had a restless night. She still needed to come up with new ideas to save her business. She was happy for the plans that Billy had told her about but she still wanted something that did not involve him. She knew that she didn't have to be but she was independent to a fault. A few days later while in town stocking up on supplies, Jade ran into an old college friend. Morning Song "Caroline Evans, is that you?" she asked the attractive red head who was staring at her too. "Jasmine? Gosh it's been a long time!" They embraced affectionately. "What are you doing in Meadow Creek?" Jasmine asked. "Well I married a local boy about six months ago. We moved back here to open a health themed restaurant. Lord I never thought it would be so expensive. The cost of shipping our organic supplies out here alone may very well kill us." Jasmine saw an opportunity and jumped on it. "Why ship from out of town when I have the best organic farms in the country right here?" she asked proudly. Caroline gasped. "You do! But I thought you gave all that up for that cute young lawyer who you thought was the love of your life. By that glow on your face I can assume that he was." Jasmine's smile faltered a little. "My it has been a long time. Why don't we play catch up over lunch?" Over burgers and fries, Jasmine updated her friend on her life and showed her pictures of her boys. "I still say you're keeping a few secrets," Caroline said. "Little boys don't put that kind of glow on a woman's face. Big boys do. I don't think I've ever seen you this happy." "There is someone," she admitted. "But he seems too good to be true, just like Mark was." "Honey, life has a way of giving us exactly what we expect from it. You can't live your life anticipating your next heartbreak. After all you've been don't you think you're long overdue for some happiness?" "Yes, I guess I am." She sang like a bird all the way home. Finally, all the pieces of her life were starting to fall back into place. Jasmine felt as if she was sixteen again. It certainly felt like twenty years since she'd been on a real date with a man. In only a matter of weeks Billy had easily worked his way into her heart with his soft baby blue eyes and callused hands. The easy manner in which he had accepted her boys meant the world to the single mom whose package deal status had often cooled even the most heated suitors. Still it was nice to have their first evening without the boys. Billy's devilish wit kept her smiling and blushing all through their romantic Italian dinner. She blushed a pretty shade of pink when he caressed her knee under the table while she ordered a sinfully rich desert. She tried to manage a reproving look but couldn't keep the pleasure from blazing in her sparkling blue eyes. When Billy asked her to dance, she was more than ready to be close to him. His arms embraced her beautiful, generous curves lovingly. "Mmm... you smell like heaven," he whispered around the soft jazz. Jasmine smiled. It had been heaven to take a relaxing bubble bath without having her kids banging on the door every two minutes. She had been free to think about Billy while she caressed her voluptuous soapy breasts. She'd caught him once admiring them and he had given her an anything but embarrassed smile. There had been no reason for embarrassment. They had both been single and hungry for a very long time. "Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight my darling?" he asked. His warm breath caressed her skin with a hint of cognac. She smiled up into his unforgettable face. "Yes, but compliments are never redundant." "Then let me tell you again how much I want to make love to you." She threaded her fingers into his boyishly long brown hair and pushed his head down as she gracefully inclined her neck. She held her breath. She was too enraptured by the sensation of soft lips against even softer skin to concern herself with something as mundane as taking air into her lungs. Billy's lips slid further. They grazed the top of the little black dress that was fighting like mad to contain her excited bosom. Jasmine felt her knees go weak and as she began to swoon in Billy's arms, she laughed out loud. God she felt so alive! She was a woman again, not just a mother. She wanted to be daring and decadent. She wanted to get so close to his masculine body that she didn't know where she ended and he began. "Let's get out of here before Antonio has us arrested for public indecency," she said. The ride home seemed to take forever. Going to Billy's place while Moses babysat made her feel like she was a million miles away from her normal life. Billy embraced her as soon as the door closed behind them. She wanted to sink into his kisses but she made herself pull away. She had a little surprise for him. "I'll just slip into something more comfortable," she explained when he protested. "Meet me upstairs in a few minutes." She sashayed up the steps knowing full well that his eyes were riveted to her behind. In his bedroom she selected soft music and mood lighting before changing into the black sheer, open bust baby doll with matching g-string that had called her name from the Victoria's Secret catalog. She'd felt ridiculous buying it but now she realized that it was perfect for the naughty little vixen that she was under the mommy sweats. She released her hair from the confines of a French twist. Freed, it cascaded down to her waist in waves of silky black curls. She applied a generous amount of perfumed hair oil then placed sprigs of fresh flowers throughout. She'd learned about the sensual beauty of hair from the Karma Sutra, which she'd read like a second bible in a vain attempt to bring Mark back home. Her failed efforts left her feeling undesirable. But the way Billy looked at her gave her hope that just maybe she could keep him coming back for more. She heard him and her heart and breathing accelerated with each step. She said a silent prayer and tried to relax with some quick yoga breathing. When he entered, he had stripped down to his boxers. He took in the sight of her standing by his four-poster bed his mouth hung open and his eyes turned cobalt with desire. She ran a pair of black silk scarves between her fingers. "God you're beautiful," he said as she walked over to him. She placed a hand over his mouth. "Don't talk. Don't do anything unless I tell you to." She replaced her finger with her mouth. She opened her mouth over his. She listened to his breath then matched it. Slowly they breathe the same air. Billy was convinced that his soul was floating out of his body and into her mouth. Never before had he felt such an intimate connection from just a little warm air. He ran the tip of his tongue over her lips. Jasmine tilted her head and captured it between them. She pulled on it slightly before letting go. "I didn't tell you to do that," she reprimanded. "But you liked it didn't you?" She took his arm and pulled him towards the bed. She pushed him back onto it. His eyes sparkled in anticipation as she tied his hands to the bed rails he playfully nipped a nipple with his teeth. "I never would've guessed this side of your personality but I like it," he said. "Let's see how much you like it when your begging for mercy," she whispered in his ear. His eyes sparkled. "I do love a good game." It felt wonderful having him under her control. He didn't seem like such a powerful businessman with his worshipful eyes following her across the room. Jasmine began the slow, sensual dance that she'd learned from a video she'd also bought online. At first she had debated if she was bold enough to dance for a man who had never even seen her naked before. But at this point, she was too hungry for him to care. Billy couldn't take his eyes of her exposed breasts. The adjustable shoulder straps made them extra perky. Jasmine closed her eyes as the music lulled her. Turning away from Billy, she slowly pulled the g-string down her slim, shapely legs. She bent low, giving him a nice view of her behind and pussy. He liked her dark pubic hair surrounding a shock of smooth, glistening baby pink. She stepped out of her underwear, walked back to the bed and waved the scrap of cloth under his nose. Billy devoured her unique aroma. He tried to taste her but she quickly waved it away from him. Laughing softly, Jasmine turned her back to him again. She played peek-a-boo with her firm ass. It drove Billy crazy that she was so close to him and yet he couldn't even touch her. He held his breath as she slipped her top off. Her body moved fluidly as Billy watched her attractive posterior. Every so often, she did a half turn, enticing him with a side view of her breasts. She ignored his pleas until he was reduced to moans and grunts. Then she turned around rewarded him with the objects of his desires. She was more beautiful than he could have imagined. Her large breasts were accentuated with saucer- sized dusky areolas and hard nipples. Her waist though still small, held a little pouch of softness and flared out to generous hips, which had brought two healthy babies into the world at the same time. She looked warm and soft and he longed to sink into her. The admiration in Billy's eyes boosted Jasmine's confidence. She ran her hand over the bulge in his shorts. "Are you ready for me baby?" she asked. "Yes. More than I've ever been in my life. Untie me baby." Jasmine squeezed his cock. "I don't think you're quite ready yet my darling." She began rubbing his through his shorts. Billy had to admit that the friction felt good against his sensitive skin. "I like that," he said. Jasmine smiled. "Then I'm sure you'll like this even more." She opened her mouth wide and started sucking him, saturating his underwear with her saliva. With the protective cotton barrier jade was able to be more aggressive playfully nipping him with her teeth. Finally, her hunger for his flesh prompted her to slowly pull off his shorts. His cock sprang free. The sight of him released a floodgate of moisture and emotions inside her. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed the hard strength of a man until that moment. His cock pulsed in response to her touch, something her dildo could never do. She ran her tongue up his long length. She took the bulbous mushroom head into her mouth. She ran her tongue in tiny circles then grazed him with her teeth. His entire body twitched and he released a string of expletives as his cock squirted a little milk into her mouth. Jasmine rolled it around on her tongue, savoring the salty taste. Not ready to end her fun with him just yet, she released his penis. With a devilish gleam in her eyes, Jasmine stood up in the bed, placing her black heels on either side of Billy's head. He stared up at her pussy, his mouth opened in hunger and shock. Never had a woman been so blatant, so sure of her power over him. She squatted, bending low enough to give him a heady whiff of her earthy aroma. With her fingers, she opened her lips to him. Billy stared at the little nubbin of distended flesh. He tried to taste it but she stood, denying him the pleasure. Again, she teased him, over and over again before finally sitting on his face. He wasted no time being gentle. Like a starving man, he ate her ravenously. Her juices covered his face as she writhed above him. He drew circles with his tongue on her clit; he nipped her as she had him. Just as she had, he began to tease her, moving his face into her thigh when she needed to feel him most. He played with her until she was whimpering with frustration. "Untie me!" he shouted. She obeyed immediately. As soon as he was free Billy had her on her back as his hands and mouth roamed her body, touching and tasting everything he'd been denied before. Patiently he licked the inside of her thighs before moving to her clit. He licked the sides and top, gently teasing her until she forced his mouth onto her most sensitive spot. Sitting between her spread thighs, he inserted two fingers into her pussy and placed his thumb against her anus. He pressed the area gently while he moved his fingers inside her. When he was finally satisfied that he'd explored enough of her heated flesh, he threw her legs over his shoulders. In one smooth plunge, he was buried deep inside her. Her body embraced him tightly. The feel of him moving inside her was so wonderful it brought tears to her eyes. They strained to contain their passions, wanting the moment to last forever. This moment was a culmination of years of heartache, of asking God why and now they were crying out to him in joyous choruses of "Oh God yes" as everything exploded in and around them. They made love well into the early hours of the morning. Then she curled herself into Billy's body as they drifted off to sleep. She kissed him softly before tiptoeing out of the house. She would've to laze the morning away in his arms but she had work to do and children to tend to. The boys were outside as soon as her old truck pulled into the driveway. She embraced them in a big hug. "How're my little men uh? Did you have a good time with Moses?" she asked. They nodded. "Did you have a good time on your date with Billy?" Nicholas asked. "Are you two gonna get married?" Justin asked. Jasmine laughed, the pure joy of her voice filling the early morning air. "Enough with the questions. Let's get breakfast." She found Moses presiding over an assembly line of scrambling eggs, crisping bacon and browning toast. He gave her a mischievous smile. "Looks like somebody had a very good time." Jasmine tried to be coy but she couldn't keep a mile wide grin from spreading across her face. "I think I love him Moses," she said softly. His eyes turned serious. "You deserve him baby. He is a good man and I know he'll do right by you and those boys." "But what if he doesn't? What if he turns into another Mark? I don't know if I can risk being hurt like that again." Moses walked over to her and took her in his arms. Jasmine rested her head on his comfortable shoulder. "I don't ever want to hear you talk like that again." He kissed the top of her head then pushed her away. "Sit down. Breakfast is ready." Later that day as Jasmine drove to a neighbor's house to deliver her homemade bread, she found herself singing along with the sappy love songs on the radio. Every second thought in her mind related to Billy. She couldn't wait to see him again. Mosses and the boys were enjoying the sun on the back of the truck. She laughed out loud at the perfection of her life at that moment. A little bit of her joy dissipated when she noticed a moving van as soon as she pulled into the Viho's driveway. Not another one, she prayed silently. With a heavy heart, she got out of the truck and walked up to the porch. The elderly woman she'd knew only as grandma Love was sitting in her rocking chair. She didn't give Jasmine her usual warm smile. Jade smiled, said hello and handed her the breadbasket. "I also bought some of that strawberry jam you like so much," Jasmine said. The old woman gave her a sad smile. "Thank you dear. I will miss your cooking and you and the boys." Jasmine glanced uneasily at the van. "What's going on?" "I'll tell you what's going on," grandma Love stated angrily. "That Williams man stole my land right out from under me. He made some kind of shady deal with my good for nothing son and now I'm homeless." Jasmine watched as big, fat tears rolled down her wrinkled, hollow cheeks. She and her family had been on their land for generations. It was the only home she'd ever known. The pain reflected in every line of her body was almost unbearable to watch. "William Davis did this to you?" Jasmine asked her own anger rising. "No, it was that no good son of his. I hear you're sweet on him but trust me he'll leave a bad taste in your mouth. He's just after your land. He doesn't deserve a good woman like you." Jasmine's anger deflated like a pricked balloon. It was replaced with so much pain it took her breath away. How could Billy hurt people like this? she wondered. How could he do something like this when he had promised her that he wouldn't? How could he make love to her, get her and her boys to fall in love with him just to get his hands on a few acres of earth that her ancestors had to fight to keep his ancestors from stealing. Never trust a white man, her grandmother had often warned her. Not only had she trusted them, she'd twice fallen in love with them. Well she was tired of being their fool. She jumped into her truck, ignoring Moses and his questions. In minutes, she pulled up in front of Billy's temporary office at the construction sight. "Jasmine what is wrong?" Moses asked as she jumped out. "Just stay with the boys," she hollered over her shoulders. She didn't even glance at his secretary. She barged into his office and interrupted a meeting between Billy and four other men. "How could you, you lying bastard," she screamed at him. She stood there trembling in her rage while he asked the other men to please wait in the next room. As soon as the door closed behind them, he attacked her. "What the hell is going on here?" he asked in a tight, angry voice. "What is going on here is you stealing land from the Viho's? I can't believe that I was stupid enough to believe that you were any better than your father was. Billy sank into a chair, his anger suddenly gone. "Who have you been talking to Jasmine? Don't you think that after everything we've shared I at least deserve the benefit of the doubt?" "You don't deserve anything but me walking through that door and out of your life forever," she said. "You know what Jasmine, maybe it'll be for the best if you did walk out. You seem to care more about land than you do people anyway." Jasmine was unable to speak. Mark had once said those exact words to her. Now they brought back all of the guilt she'd felt over his death. He would still be alive today if she hadn't insisted he come home for Christmas. No matter what Mark had done wrong, he didn't deserve to die. As much as she'd tried, she couldn't get past that pain. In her desperate attempt at some relief, she flung herself at Billy, her arms flailing wildly as she lashed out at him. She wasn't aware of Moses trying to pull her off. She was blinded to everything but her pain. It was only an agonized cry from Moses that finally pierced through her consciousness. She turned around and saw him clutching his chest. Everything after that happened in slow motion. She heard Billy's voice on the phone placing a 911 call. She heard him screaming to his secretary to take the boys away. She heard his measured counting as he performed CPR. Her own screams sounded loud in her ears. She must've passed out because when she opened her eyes she found herself cradled in Billy's arms in a hospital waiting room. She jumped up. "Where's Moses, is he all right?" Billy stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders. "He's fine Jasmine. He had a heart attack but he's okay thank God." "You probably saved his life." She placed her hands over her mouth to try to stop the sobs from escaping. But they were stronger than she was. As the sobs racked her body Billy took her into his arms. She clung to him, feeding on his solid strength. "Mrs. Sander?" She turned to face an elderly man with a kind face and sparkling blue eyes. "I'm Dr. Harris. Mr. Payne is resting comfortably now. You can see him for a few minutes and then I'll like to go over his prognosis with you." "Thank you doctor," Jasmine murmured. She followed him into Moses' room. She was overwhelmed with love and gratitude as she gazed into his bright eyes. Her own filled with tears. She couldn't believe how close she'd come to letting her own foolishness cut short the life of someone she loved more than life itself. "I'm so sorry for everything Moses," she told him. She took his hand in hers. He gave it a good tight squeeze. "Billy is the one you should be apologizing to," he said. "Yes, I know he saved your life." "Mine is not the only one he saved. I figured out in the truck that you must've heard some nonsense from that old woman. But if you'd bothered to tell me what was going on before you stormed into Billy's office I would told you the truth."