A Summer Rain Read online

  Shana wrapped her arms tight around Robert's neck, pushing her clothed bosom to his waiting and hungry mouth.

  She ran her fingers through his wet hair, and her legs locked themselves like a vise around his lower back.

  Robert settled his arms beneath both her legs and lifted her up off the counter. She squealed in response, but their bodies remained connected. She held on tight as he continued to fill her, his shaft sliding in and out of her with incredible strength as he held her up against his waist. Shana pumped her hips, feeling him impossibly deep inside her. As she felt her climax begin to rip through her, she quivered at first, then spasmed and gripped Robert even tighter around the neck.

  She stiffened and came hard. What little breath hadn't yet escaped her was used to scream her cries of pleasure as she rocketed to the stars.

  Shana's orgasm sparked his, and he came with her. He backed up against the refrigerator for support. She felt his knees weakening beneath them, but this only made him hold her tighter, giving no indication he would ever let her go. His arms wrapped around her so tightly he nearly squeezed the last breath from her as his seed flooded her inner walls. She felt him shudder with each spurt until he had emptied himself inside her and had no more left to give.

  The sighs and moans subsided, and Robert slipped himself from between her folds. He set her down to the floor. The tips of her toes reached first before she settled back to the heels of her feet. She stumbled, her legs still too weak to hold her up on their own. She leaned against him for support, but also for warmth. The removal of his body from hers made her feel cold and empty inside. Robert pulled her close and planted a soft kiss on her damp forehead.

  Once she had a chance to compose herself, she readjusted her dress and brushed her hair back from her face. She focused her attention on Robert for a moment, still feeling his wetness seeping from between her thighs.

  "Is that what you came here for?" she asked, all of a sudden finding herself biting back anger. She was angry at him and herself. She was angry at him for being there, and she was angry at herself for allowing him to be. She realized she had enough fury welling inside of her for the both of them.

  "No," he said simply. He adjusted his clothing and tucked himself back inside his pants.

  "Then why are you here?" she asked again, this time through clenched teeth.

  Confronted once again with silence, Shana was sure he was toying with her. She turned to walk away, but was startled when he captured her firmly by the arm and drew her into his chest. She tried to pull away, but he wouldn't allow it.

  He held her there until her struggles quieted. He held her tight for a moment, maybe two, until her resolve finally weakened, and she wept in his arms.

  Chapter Three

  A half-hour had passed, maybe more. Shana couldn't be sure. All she knew was that the two of them had not spoken another word the whole time. They stood in silence in the kitchen. She was still wrapped in Robert's arms as he rocked them both into a quiet trance. Hypnotized by the rhythmic beating of his heart, she felt she could drift off to sleep in the peaceful bliss they inhabited.

  The sudden cry of the dryer ending its cycle brought them back into the moment. Both Shana and Robert jumped, startled. She pushed herself from his arms and headed toward the source of the noise. She was dizzy from the sudden movement, yet somehow relaxed, more so than she had been in quite a while.

  Walking away from him and feeling a sudden flush of goose pimples, Shana shuddered. She looked down and realized the front of her dress had been dampened by his wet clothes. She had forgotten that Robert had been drenched when he walked in the door. She tugged momentarily at the front of her dress, then abandoned the thought as she walked on.

  Robert's mind raced with what he thought Shana might be thinking. He had no ill intentions when he'd walked through that door. He did miss her, he knew that, but he'd had no idea how much until he saw her again. The thought that he would be standing in her kitchen buried deep inside her had never even occurred to him. He had no legitimate reason to believe she would let him back in her life. It was just that seeing her once more, being in her presence and inhaling her scent, stirred a hunger in him he hadn't felt in a very long time. It wasn't manipulation. It was pure desire in its rawest form. She always had this effect on him and, somehow, he had forgotten that.

  The irony was that now that his mind was unburdened—

  now that he wasn't as consumed with lust as he had been when he'd first walked into her house—he found he had little to say. He'd had everything rehearsed when he left his house.

  He'd practiced it on the walk to Shana's. Even in the pouring rain, he'd been certain how things were going to go down. He would talk with her, tell her how much he missed her, and he wasn't above begging. He'd calculated it as an inevitability.

  He wanted the words to burst forth like water from a crumbling dam when he saw her and he hadn't planned to let her get a word in edgewise. But, things hadn't worked out quite like he planned. Robert had no idea how much his body had missed her, needed her. He'd forgotten that in her presence, he had no self-control. All of his emotions came out in deeds instead of words and, now, his mind was blank. He couldn't remember what it was he wanted to say.

  All he could think about was the sight of those tears that had welled in her eyes. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. He just wanted to be close to her—have her need him as much as he needed her. Now that her warmth was gone again, he found himself missing it more than ever.

  She was pulling the hot pillows from the dryer when she felt one of them being tugged from her arms, then the other.

  Robert walked over and placed them on the nook beneath the bay window where they belonged. She was amazed that he remembered where they went. Shana always left her bay windows open, and it was far from the first time those pillows had seen the inside of the dryer—especially during the spring months. Robert was familiar with the routine, and she gathered he did it automatically. She smiled to herself before brushing the thought from her mind and closing the dryer door.

  Shana joined him in the den, where they both stood staring out the window at the continued downpour flooding the outdoors.

  "How have you been?" Robert finally asked. Shana cut her eyes sharply in his direction, but was too angry to look him in the face. Robert looked down at his feet and groaned. "I mean—" He rubbed the back of his neck before continuing.

  "You know what I mean. How are you, Shana?"

  Her gaze returned to the window, and she let out a pained sigh before answering. "I thought I was doing just fine until now." She plopped herself down on the pillow on the nook's far right, feeling the heat permeate her dress and reach her skin with a stinging sensation. It passed as soon as it came.

  Robert shifted on his feet, making the hardwood floor beneath him creak with the sudden movement. He stepped

  closer to her, then sat down opposite her in the nook. Shana never took her eyes from the window.

  "I'm sorry."

  She looked at him this time. Her expression was stern, but less so than just a second ago. She was glad to hear the words, but she wasn't sure for which infraction he was apologizing—his sudden abandonment a year ago after she had proclaimed her love for him, for showing up at her house with no warning, or for blatantly seducing her on the kitchen counter. She thought about asking, but realized it didn't really matter. She wasn't prepared to forgive him for any of it. At least that's what she told herself. Again, her gaze stole to the window beside her. "You still never answered my question."

  "I'm here for you, Shana. Isn't that obvious by now?" He chuckled at this, but her expression didn't change. "Shana, honestly, you have to believe me when I say that you're all I've thought about for the past year." He reached out to grab her hand, but she wouldn't give it to him. "I came here hoping we could pick up where we left off." He reached for her hand again and, this time, ignored her protests. He ran his fingers across the back of her hand and continued. "I
meant what I said earlier. I do miss you, more than you can imagine. I came here hoping that the feeling was mutual." He kissed her hand. "And now I know it is."

  Shana abruptly turned toward him again. How dare he make such an assumption? But she knew he was right just as much as he did. It would be stupid to protest the statement after what had just transpired between the two of them. She had spent so many nights wishing he was lying beside her.

  She thought she had gotten over him, but as soon as she'd heard his signature ring, she knew it was all a lie.

  "Why did you leave?" she asked suddenly.

  "Does it matter now?"

  "Of course it matters, Robert!" Her voice trembled behind her words. "How could you just walk away like that?"

  "Would it sound too cliche if I said it was partly because I was scared?"

  Shana's hurt expression turned cold, and she peered out the window once more. Robert turned her chin toward him again.

  "It's the truth." His eyes bored into hers as he scooted even closer. "That night...I had the same thought going through my mind as you did. You were just brave enough to say it first."

  Shana's eyes widened, and her brows furrowed. "Well, why did you—"

  "I couldn't handle it," he said, cutting her off. "I felt the same way. I just didn't want to. And then there was Stephen..." Robert paused and cleared his throat.

  Although she didn't know why, Shana knew Stephen had more than a minor problem with his little brother dating, let alone getting serious about "the black girl," as he called her.

  She knew the term he used to describe her was meant to demean her. She'd brushed it off, though, and had always assumed Robert had too. She was surprised to hear that Stephen had gotten to him with his vile contempt. A soft gasp escaped her lips as Robert continued.

  "...So when you finally said it, it made it more real. It was as if somehow it didn't exist until it was said. As long as it was just a thought in my mind, it could be ignored. It wasn't palpable before then. I just don't know how long it would have taken me to say it."

  "But you were leaving before I said I lo—what I said. Why would you do that with no explanation?"

  Robert sighed. "It's a long and complicated story. We'll save it for another day, all right?"

  No. It wasn't all right. All Shana could think about now was his older brother. It suddenly bothered her that Stephen was able to get to Robert like that. What could he have possibly said to make him second-guess himself? He had always seemed so confident and in control of his life. To let someone influence him in such a way felt foreign to her.

  "Robert, what did Stephen say that—?"

  "I don't want to talk about Stephen," he said, cutting her off again. The muscles in his jaw clenched, and his eyes grew darker. Something had happened between the two of them.

  Shana was sure of it now. As his grip on her hand tightened, she wondered whether or not the brothers were even still on speaking terms. Whatever it was, it intrigued her more than ever.

  "I don't want to talk at all anymore." That was the last thing Shana heard him whisper before she felt his lips on hers again. His strong hands grasped her waist and slid her and her pillow toward him while his tongue teased at her lips.

  She leaned into his kiss, letting the exotic sensations take over her senses. Everything was heightened now. She could feel every bud on his tongue as it touched her skin. His fingers felt like fire as they raked her arms and shoulders.

  Robert stood up and dropped his pillow to the floor. He took Shana by the hand and laid her down there, making sure her head rested on the warm, soft surface.

  In an instant, his hands roamed over her breasts, molding them beneath his palms like dough, as though he were trying to create some exotic new cuisine. He pulled at the front of her dress so that the straps peeled down her shoulders and exposed the black strapless bra underneath. He pushed her dress down to her hips and ran his lips along the outline of her bosom. Shana gasped and dragged her fingers through his still-damp hair as she pulled him closer to her breasts.

  "Robert?" she asked, briefly breaking her glorious erotic daze.

  "Hmm?" he groaned as he nibbled on her neck.

  "What did Stephen say to you?"

  Robert went weak beneath her arms and let out a pained sigh.

  "Let's not do this right now, Shana. What does it matter?"

  "It matters to me." She pulled him from her neck and looked him in the eyes. He was clearly uninterested. "I want to know. Please, Robert. Just tell me."

  Chapter Four

  Robert sighed again and sat up on his knees in front of her. He struggled with the idea of telling her the whole sordid story or just giving her the Cliff's Notes version. Neither option was ideal, but he knew if he didn't tell her, she'd never let it go. He thought for a moment about what had happened and how he wanted to explain it to her...

  "Do it, Robert!" Stephen yelled at him from across their parents' living room

  Robert's hand balled into a fist, and he clenched it tight.

  He and his brother were always at odds, but this was too much. He had no right to ask what he was asking. "I am not breaking up with Shana! Who the hell do you think you are?"

  "I'm the law, Robert. It would be ill-advised to tangle with me."

  Robert looked at Stephen in his uniform and struggled to control his laughter.

  "Something funny, little bro?"

  Robert regarded the seriousness on his older brother's face and a twinge of discomfort shot through his body. The realization that he wasn't kidding was chilling.

  "Do whatever the hell you want to me, Stephen. You can't threaten me, and you certainly can't tell me who I can and can't date."

  "You shouldn't be worried about you , but more about the black girl." The words jolted Robert, and he looked at his brother in amazement.

  "Oh, that got your attention, didn't it?" Stephen said, standing up straighter and smiling

  "What are you talking about?"

  "Chicago P.D.," Stephen said, pointing to the metal badge pinned to his blue uniform. Robert understood what his brother was referring to. The anger on Robert's face made Stephen chuckle. "That's right, little bro. I can make her life a living hell. And you know I'll do it."

  Robert's blood boiled in an instant. He rushed his brother up against the wall, pinning his forearm underneath his chin.

  Stephen's face went bright red and an ominous smile formed across his lips again. While he choked for air, a twenty-year-old portrait of the two of them fell from the wall and crashed to the floor.

  "You lay one fucking finger on Shana and I swear to God , Stephen..."

  "What? What are you going to do to me, huh?" Stephen rested his hand on the police-issued firearm still in the holster strapped around his waist. Robert looked down at it and backed off.

  Through it all, Stephen was still smiling. He knew he had the upper hand, and it was understood that things were to go his way. He let go of the gun in its holster and let down his guard.

  The sudden blow to his jaw seemed to startle him at first, then he doubled over in pain as blood trickled from his lips.

  Stephen spit it out a pink, bubbly wad on the floor. "Oh, good one, Bobby. Just like I taught you. You've got to have the element of surprise."

  "How the hell did you get like this, Stephen?" Robert asked, nursing the knuckles on his right hand.

  Stephen just laughed and spit on the floor again.

  "Thank good ol' Dad, Bobby. I'm just looking out for you, is all."

  "Well, I can take care of myself."

  Stephen was finally able to stand up straight against the wall again. He rubbed at his aching jaw and stared back at Robert. The look in his eyes suggested there was no debate here. "The choice is yours, my friend. You do whatever you feel is best—and I'll do the same. If that's the way Dad wants it, that's the way it will be. Besides, how do you think it looks for the family with you going around town with that black girl, huh? We're the fucking laughingsto
ck of the neighborhood!"

  "What are you talking about? What era do you live in? You and Dad are the only ones who have a problem with it, and I suggest you get over it. You're not going to touch her, and neither will anyone else," he said, walking toward the front door.

  "You sure about that?"

  Robert turned to face him. Their eyes met with all the determination of gunslingers at a standoff. Robert wasn't sure about his brother anymore. Over the past two years, he had turned into someone he didn't recognize. Something had happened to Stephen since he'd joined the force, and Robert was suddenly afraid for Shana.

  But even with all the hate and ignorance spewing from Stephen, Robert understood his dilemma and, in all honesty, it wasn't fair of Robert to ask of Stephen what he was asking.

  Both of their requests were unreasonable, and there seemed to be no middle ground. It was a slippery slope, and the fact that the two of them never got along in the first place just made things messier than they needed to be.

  Robert finally turned away and walked out the door. He didn't know what, if anything, Stephen was capable of, but he couldn't take any chances with Shana's life. He would see her tonight, and it might be the last time he would for a while.

  Chapter Five

  Shana lay there with her hand covering her mouth. She knew Stephen had had it in for her, but she'd never known how far he was willing to go.

  "That's why I didn't want to tell you. You didn't need to know that."

  She knew that Robert could see the fear in her eyes as he reached for her hand and grasped it tightly. His soft, reassuring kiss on her cheek did little to comfort her.

  "Let's just say we won't have to worry about Stephen again."

  "But it doesn't make sense. What did Stephen have against me so much that he was willing to hurt his own brother?"