Opening the door, he had to smile. Standing in his identical outfit of a black tee-shirt, grey sweatpants, sneakers and a big smile was Leah.
“I know I’m early,” she began, “but I brought lobster tails,” she held up a cooler in one hand, “and cobbler.” She held up a flat container in the other hand. “I couldn’t wait to see you again.”
The most adorable uncertain look he had ever seen was in her eyes. Without question or hesitation, Matt put his hands around her waist, pulled her body against his, then did what he had been dreaming of since lunch.
The kiss was explosive, alluring, intoxicating and relentless in its effect on his body. Every blood vessel was pumping, vigorously. His heart was beating so fast he was sure it was vibrating through her chest. When she rubbed against him, he knew the other part of him was expressing exactly what he needed. The heat had become so intense it felt as if the sun was melting them together. Without breaking the connection, he pulled her inside, kicking the door close behind them.
Reaching down he took the one container from her hand, then placed it on the stand near the door. He switched the hand that held her waist, then took the other container and did the same. As each hand was freed, she wrapped them around his waist. It was the moan that brought his hand to her face, brushing her hair back as he continued to devour her with his lips. Slowly, reluctantly, Matt ended the kiss, then looked down into her eyes.
“Tell me you don’t have a husband or man waiting at home for you.”
She covered his hand that was touching her face with her hand. “You should have asked me that question before you kissed me senseless.”
“It would not have mattered,” Matt said as his lips breathlessly brushed against hers. “There is no power on earth strong enough to stop this moment from happening.”
His tongue plunged between her lips again. Twirling with hers, touching every corner as if his very next breath depended on it. Her legs wrapped around his thighs as her hands roamed down his back, under his sweatpants to capture his buttocks so the steel rod of his could fit between the ‘V’ of her thighs.
Matt’s hand lifted her higher, using the one around her waist to lift her to fit perfectly between her thighs. Her arms moved to circle his neck. She gasped, at the snugness of them, then began rolling her body over his hardness.
Things were quickly getting out of control. If he did not end this kiss now, there was no going back. He braced his hand against the door. Took one long, deep plunge in the warmth of her mouth, then pulled his lips away. With his chest heaving, he rested his forehead against hers, then tried to catch his breath.
“We’re going to slow this down,” he said as he braced her body against the door. Her legs still wrapped around his waist, arms still around his neck, he brought his hands to cup her face. The natural curls were like cotton to his finger as he pushed them aside to look into her eyes.
“There are endless possibilities for us and I’m not looking for just tonight with you. I want to explore all there is to Leah Saxton which will take time. I don’t want to speed my way through. I want to turn every page there is until I reach the point where you end, and we begin.”
She put one foot back on the floor at a time. Matt took a step back to give her a little room. She brushed her hair away from her face.
“Whew. I’m glad you slowed that train down. I sure did not have the will to stop it.” She shook her head, then looked up at him. “I’m really not a ho that just comes to a strange man’s house and loses control.”
Matt tilted his head to the side then smiled. “I’m happy to hear that.”
“But I gotta say…” She stepped around him looking at his place. “That was a hell of a greeting.”
Matt laughed as he took her hand. “Let me show you around while I try to get my libido under control.” They laughed as he pointed. “This is my version of an open concept living room.”
“It’s beautiful.” She looked around. “Someone did a wonderful job decorating. I see quite a few female touches all around.”
Matt nodded. “That comes with six sisters and a few sisters-in-law.”
“Wow.” She walked over to the fireplace still holding his hand. The wall above the mantel was filled with framed pictures. “Is this your family?”
“Every one of them.” Matt beamed. “They are my strength.”
She glanced around at him. “You have to watch the rhythm when you speak to me. It’s very seductive.”
Matt held her stare for a moment. She inhaled as if getting her thoughts away from where they were headed. He was certain he was wrong on that assumption, for his mind was reeling back to the greeting at the door.
“Some of them look very familiar,” she said as her gaze moved from picture to picture.
He cleared his throat as he pointed them all out to her. “Yes, some of them would be considered celebrities. Beginning at the top are Joe and Sally Lassiter, my parents. Samuel, an ex-navy seal, who is now on the private protection detail for the President, his wife Cynthia and their two children, Samantha and Franklin. They have another on the way.” He laughed. “They are a very loving couple.”
“Your parents had twelve children, right?”
He nodded.
“Then suffice it to say, they all are loving couples.”
“I would agree with that,” Matt laughed. “Next to them is my brother Joshua. He works for the government in a capacity we cannot discuss. His wife, Rochelle and their son Joseph.”
“Who is the little girl?”
“Hmm.” He hesitated. He did not want to lie to her, but he knew he could not tell her the entire truth. “That is Joshua’s daughter, Teddi.”
“Ah, not with Rochelle, I presume.”
“You would be right. Moving on. My oldest sister Ruby, Director of Aaron’s House, an agency that houses and trains homeless families, her husband Devin and their twins, Amethyst and Aaron. My next to the oldest sister, Pearl, is one of the most recognized women in the country if not the world, in her role as Press Secretary for the President, her husband Theodore and their son Gabriel and she is also expecting again.”
“That’s where I’ve seen her before, on television.”
“Yes, a lot.” He continued, “Of course, that’s me.”
“Looking handsome and lonely.” She frowned as she glanced at him.
“Not anymore.” He smiled, then turned back to the wall. “Next is my brother Luke, who happens to be one of the fastest running backs in the NFL.”
She gasped. “He was just traded to the Skins.”
Matt nodded, “Yes, he was.” He continued, “My sister Diamond and her husband Zack and their son King Arthur, daughter Zoey, and yes, she is expecting. She is the Customer Relations Director of Davenport Industries. My sister Opal and her husband Grant. She is not expecting, but she did just get married, so the possibility is strong. She and her twin Timothy are the owners of…
“OT Financial Services,” Leah provided. “They handle our books.”
Matt smiled. “Small world. Timothy and his wife Denise. No children yet, but I’m sure they are coming soon. My sister Jade.”
“She’s a dancer. I saw her encore performance before she left for New York. She is good.”
“Yes, she is. I only hope she knows it,” Matt said then pointed, “this is my brother Adam. He is a freakin’ genius. He works for the government as an inventor. You will probably never see him on television, but out of all of us, he is the shining star. That’s his wife Amber; no children unless you want to count the robots they put together.”
Leah laughed.
“And that’s my baby sister, Sapphire.”
“Hmm, the Mayor’s young woman.”
Matt cleared his throat, “Yes, she just turned twenty and is going to be a hell raiser for sure.”
“A lot of rumors are going around about those two.” Leah raised an eyebrow.
“And they are probably all true,” Matt laughed.
“You come from a rather impressive family.” She took his other hand. “It must be amazing to be you.”
The statement took him off guard. “Why do you say that?”
“You get to be you. Some of your siblings have made your parents proud, so the pressure is off. You get to do what you love. By your siblings being in the spotlight, you can go incognito in all that you do. As a high school coach, you have the freedom to touch lives with the knowledge of all the possibilities and examples to prove it.” She beamed. “You, Matthew Lassiter, are a hidden gem.”
This woman was turning out to be his lifeline. It was as if she looked down into his soul to find the words he needed to hear. God, what a blessing to have her enter his life at a moment when he felt as if he was drowning.
Matt pulled her into his arms, raised her chin up with the crook of this finger, then gently kissed her on the lips.
“Leah Saxton, you are my lost treasure.”
Her stomach growled. “One that hasn’t eaten all day. I gave my lunch to you, remember.”
Matt chuckled. “Then I say, let’s put this chef’s kitchen to the test.”
“Let’s do that.”
Matt watched as Leah walked to where the two containers had been placed. The vision of his house filled with laughter and children ran through his mind as she placed the containers on the island.
“Are you going to be a participant in this dinner prep or no.”
“I’m in every step of the way.”
The fire pit was not built, but Matt did not care. His future was becoming clearer by the hour as he and Leah cooked, laughed and talked while preparing their dinner. The lobster tails were amazing, and it only took her minutes to prepare them. The steak with her skills was so tender you did not need a knife to cut it and the flavoring was just right. Matt did help with the potatoes, he washed them, buttered and seasoned the aluminum foil then placed them in the oven. He also prepared the salad, although, Leah pulled down just about every spice he had in the cabinets to make it delicious. All in all, it took them less than an hour to cook.
Leah set the kitchen table, refusing to disturb the dining room setting his mother had decorated. It only made the dinner more intimate. Matt could see them doing that nightly. He was in heaven.
Matt picked up the bottle of wine, and their glasses. “Let’s sit out on the patio.” He took her hand then led her to the furniture he and his father had just put out the day before. They sat with their feet propped up on the ottoman. He pulled her into his arms, placing her head on his shoulder.
“Matthew Lassiter, you are trying to sweep me off my feet.”
“It’s only fair, since you knocked me to my knees earlier today.”
They laughed. “I have never felt so at ease around a man in my life. The only person who gets to see me let loose is Terry. Speaking of which, how did you end up at Marshall High with her?”
Matt took a sip of his wine. “I taught at the college level for a few years, coached basketball there, but it wasn’t as fulfilling as I thought. By the time kids get to college, their life is pretty well planned out.”
“So are their egos.” She smiled.
He returned the smile, pleased that she understood where he was heading. He pulled her a little closer as he continued. “I decided I needed to reach them a little sooner.” He shrugged. “Came home, applied for a teaching/coaching position at the local high school and the rest is history.” He looked at her. “What about you? Did you always want to work at the family business?”
“Always.” She smiled. “Never thought of doing anything different. Well…” She shrugged. “My vision was to one day run Saxton Charters. I have so many dreams for the business and the employees.”
“You don’t sound too thrilled about it.”
“My father is of the mindset that only a man can head up a business. The little lady should be home cooking, cleaning and having babies.” She shook her head at the thought. “Until today, I thought his way of thinking was antiquated. Then you walked through the conference room door and all I saw was a big house filled with kids, us sitting in front of a fireplace watching them playing outside. Does that freak you out?”
“No.” Matt looked into her eyes. “I couldn’t figure out why I purchased and renovated a house with six bedrooms until I walked out of that room. That’s why I had to come back in. There was no way I could have left without knowing I was going to see you again.”
She smiled at him and in that moment, Matt knew his world was changing. “The self proclaimed forever playa ended when I laid eyes on you.”
“Good lord, you are going to make me jump your bones before I leave here tonight.”
Matt kissed her forehead. “Tell me about your brother.”
“Carter.”
He could see her eyes light up.
“He is the best big brother a girl could have.” She shook her head. “I don’t know if I would have survived my parents’ divorce without him.”
“How old were you when they separated?”
“Actually separated, or moved out separated? You see there were two. There was middle school separation when my dad moved into the guest room. Now, that was an interesting time. Carter was in high school and understood what was happening a lot better than I could. It was during that time when my mother refused to cook or clean for my dad.” She sighed. “I loved my dad, so I would go into his room and clean it up. Make sure the bathroom was tidy and began cooking his meals.” She took a deep breath. “That pissed my mom off, because she did not want me to feel like I had to be a slave,” Leah put air quotes to emphasize the word, “to any man. She would tell me, it’s one thing if the man showed you love and affection and in return you do the same by making sure whenever he walked through that door, he knew he was loved. You see, she would say, it’s a hard, cold world out there for our Black men. The last thing you want is to make him feel less than loved when he comes home. Then would come, however, if he is not respecting you as a woman, or giving you the same love in return, he doesn’t deserve the benefits of a good wife. Love is a two-way street. Don’t ever catch yourself in a loveless marriage. It is miserable for everyone involved.” She took a minute to clear her throat. “It wasn’t until I was in high school that I understood what my mother was trying to tell me. Carter was away at college, and I was still cooking and cleaning for my father. I decided I wanted to go out for cheerleading.”
“You were a cheerleader?”
She sat up then glanced back at him. “One of the best in the school,” she gloated with a smile, then eased back into his arms. “Anyway, it seemed that cheerleading practice and games got in the way of my dad’s meals being on the table when he got home. He told me I had to quit the team and my mom went off. That was when the public persona of our happy family ended.” She chuckled. “It’s funny now, but it wasn’t funny then.”
“What happened?” Matt asked.
“The most embarrassing day of my life is what happened.” Leah shook her head as she remembered.
Matt felt the change in her body, tension was immediate. He began caressing her shoulders. Something inside him wanted to reach inside her and pull out all the hurt that was radiating from her body.
“I was cheerleading at a Friday night game, when I saw my father running up the sideline towards me. I could tell he was mad when he started yelling my name, telling me to get my little nasty behind off the field doing those gyrations.” She shook her head. “One of the coaches must have heard the confusion, or saw how angry he was, so he tried to stop him by jumping between us. My father pushed him out of the way, yelling ‘are you the one sleeping with my daughter.’ The coach had no idea what he was talking about and neither did I. But everyone heard what was being said, I mean they even stopped the football game because of the commotion. Security jumped into the midst of things still trying to calm my father down. My captain told me to go with my father. So I did. The moment I was in his reach he slapped me across my face. Yelling, ‘you’re out here screwing around instead of putting my dinner on the table.’ Around that time, my mom appeared and jumped in front of my father. The two were in the middle of the football game arguing. He was calling her a whore and accusing her of training me to be the same way. The girls on the squad rallied around me pulling me from my father. Somewhere in the confusion of things my mom got a hold of one of the officer’s gun, pulled it out and shot him. It’s a good thing she never took lessons, for my father would have been dead where he stood.”
“Your mother shot your father?”
“In front of everyone at the game.”
Matt took the glass from her hand then sat in on the ottoman. “That’s enough for now.”
“I should really finish it. You should know what you are getting involved with.”
Matt pulled her onto his lap and held her.
“The incident, as my parents called it, led to several investigations. One into the coach who did nothing more than try to protect me from my father. Because of my father’s accusation, the man lost his job. Another into my family, Social Services tore us apart. Then of course, my mother, who ended up with a suspended sentence and losing custody of her children. Needless to say, they divorced after that. My mom moved to San Francisco, remarried and is really happy with her life. I got to finish high school with snickers behind my back every day until graduation. Terry was the only person who would have anything to do with me after that. Carter became my guardian until I turned eighteen, which meant he had to leave school to come home to take care of me. That’s how he ended up in the maintenance department. My father feels he was the only one injured that night. But Carter’s and my lives were changed forever.”
Matt sat there listening, taking it all in. Their family argued, but never would it go as far as one injuring another.
“Your mother was right about one thing. There is nothing better than being in a marriage with a person who loves and respects you. For almost thirty years I’ve been a witness to how my parents love each other. That in turn taught all of us how to recognize real love.” He held her close.
“No, your family is too busy making babies to argue with each other.”
Matt laughed, understanding she was using humor to mask her hurt. “True. The pictures on our walls show how much love flows through our family.” He turned her face up to his. He could see the tears on the brim of her eyes.
“I never talked about that night with anyone. It was the night I lost everything.”
“Thank you for sharing it with me.”
“Now, you have something to use against me when we have our first argument.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “We will not argue, we will have heated debates. There will be times when I will win and times when you will win. But I promise I will never use something that hurtful against you.” He stared into her eyes. “Do you trust what I’m saying?”
She stared at him for a long time. Matt wasn’t sure if she was going to respond.
“You have trusting eyes.” She smiled. “Loving eyes.” She palmed his face with her hand. “I don’t see any malice in there.”
“You see in my eyes what is reflecting from you.” He wiped the tear that dropped down her cheek with his thumb, then proceeded to kiss all the hurt he could away.