Wednesday, March 15
9:45 p.m.
Savannah, Georgia
Destiny could tell Rashida was distracted. Their time together was limited to a few hours each night. Tonight, Rashida was filling way too many of those hours with talk about work.
While Rashida obsessed over an offer she had received to become the new CEO of Low Country Savings, Destiny wondered how well her own plans were progressing. How long would it take for the elevator motor to overheat? A few minutes, a few hours, or a few days? Techno had said it would take about twelve to fourteen hours for the oil to reach the optimal temperature, but Destiny half-expected Rashida’s cell phone to ring any moment with news that the fire alarm had gone off downtown. She needed the smoke to billow during business hours, not after.
When Destiny finally dragged herself out of her own head, Rashida was still going on and on about the job offer she’d received and all the secret meetings she’d been having both at work and after hours. Destiny didn’t want to hear about buyouts or corporate maneuvering. She wanted to feel Rashida’s body moving against hers before it was too late. In two more days, she might not experience a night like this again.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” she said, trying to stop Rashida from stressing out over something that was probably part of the shell game Harry was running. Destiny thought Rashida had the goods to run the bank, but was the carrot being dangled in front of her real or imaginary? She didn’t want to see the look on Rashida’s face if the gig turned out to be as phony as Destiny’s work history. “No matter what you decide in this instance, you’ll make a great CEO one day.”
Rashida’s eyes searched hers, seeking confirmation for something that was obvious to everyone except her. “How do you know?”
“Because your heart’s in the right place.”
Rashida placed her hand over Destiny’s heart, which had begun to fill with love for the woman whose fate she held in her hands. “This is crazy.” Rashida moved away. “How can I feel so close to you when I barely know anything about you?”
Destiny’s heart hammered as a conversation she had dreaded began to take shape. “What don’t you know?”
Rashida posed a series of questions. Destiny wanted to stay up all night honestly answering them and any others Rashida might have, but she couldn’t share herself. Not yet. She needed to hold herself back for a few more days or everything could blow up in her face. Unfortunately, Rashida stubbornly refused to wait.
“Come for me.”
Destiny felt herself grow wet, but she couldn’t give Rashida what she wanted. She couldn’t let Rashida make love to her under false pretenses. If Rashida wanted to be with her in that way after the truth was revealed, fine. Until then, she would continue to take Rashida over the edge but wouldn’t follow her over the precipice.
“I don’t need to.”
“Are you sure?” Rashida parted Destiny’s folds with two fingers. Her touch was electric. Destiny stiffened, jolted by the shock. “You’re so wet I ought to put up flood warnings.”
When Rashida pinched her swollen clit, Destiny nearly popped her cork.
“Are you sure you don’t need to come?” Rashida asked with a teasing smile.
Destiny thought she’d die if she didn’t. “Okay,” she said, giving in. “Prove me wrong.”
Rashida’s fingers resumed their explorations. “Do you want fast or slow?”
Destiny should have said, “Neither,” but need and desire overwhelmed reason. “I want you.” She pulled Rashida closer. Their bodies met as Rashida thrust her fingers inside. Destiny’s hips matched their rhythm. “God, that feels good. You feel good.”
Rashida’s mouth met hers. Destiny felt like she was being kissed for the first time. She let her façade fall.
“Who are you?” Rashida asked as Destiny’s body convulsed in blessed release.
“I am the woman who loves you.”
For Destiny, truer words had never been spoken. As a result, the next two days were going to be the hardest of her life.