The Perfect Deception Read online

  “Jessica will join me at the Christmas party. After that we’ll be heading to the blue skies and white beaches of the Bahamas. Is your family doing anything special for the holidays?”

  “My son and his wife just bought a home in Texas. They’ve invited the family there.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Not as good as the Bahamas. But when you’re with family, and the love of your life, it really doesn’t matter where you are.”

  Nathan checked his watch and stood. “I couldn’t have said it better, Broderick. My mom and whole family will be there.”

  “Sounds like a merry Christmas indeed.” He stood. They shook hands.

  “Absolutely, man. I think this will be one of the best holidays I’ve had in a while.”

  CHAPTER 9

  The company party was on December 23rd. The next day, Nathan and Jessica settled into their business-class seats for the flight to Nassau, the Bahamas.

  Jessica gratefully accepted the mimosa offered by the flight attendant while waiting for others to board. “I’m glad my passport came in time. Vincent showed me how to get one quickly. It cost more to expedite, but to be on this plane right now makes it all worth it.”

  “Who’s Vincent, one of the attorneys you work with?”

  “Yes. He works in corporate law.”

  “With all those successful sharks swimming around, waiting for a chance to bite, I’d better keep my game up.”

  Jessica laid her head on his shoulder. “You have nothing to worry about.”

  “That’s good to know. Buckle up, baby. This week is going to be one helluva ride.”

  It was early evening when they arrived at Château Sherri, located in a secluded, private section of the island. From the moment they came through the wrought-iron gates until the driver unloaded their luggage and started toward the house, Jessica didn’t say a word.

  Nathan reached for his laptop and noticed her staring. “Babe, are you all right?”

  “This looks like a fairy tale.” Her voice was a near whisper. “Your sister owns this house?”

  “Yes, and I must admit that Randall outdid himself with this one.” At her probing gaze, he continued. “This was his gift to her on their fifteenth anniversary.”

  “Wow. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “Wait till you see inside.” He placed a hand at the small of her back and gently urged her up the walk.

  While he paid the driver, Nathan’s niece and nephew ran outside. “Uncle Nate!”

  “Hey!” He picked his niece, Albany, up in his arms and twirled her around. “Girl, you’re getting too tall for me to pick up!” He set her down and hugged his nephew. “What’s up, Aaron? You’re taller, too. What are they feeding you in Virginia?”

  “Healthy food, something you probably don’t know about!” All heads turned to see Sherri coming through the front door to greet them. “Welcome back to the château, Brother.” They hugged. She turned to Jessica, her arms open to hug. “Welcome to my humble island abode, Jessica.” After stepping back, she continued. “I hope you’ll enjoy your stay.”

  “Thank you, Sherri. I’m sure I will. It’s beautiful here.”

  “We absolutely love it. Come on in and let me show you to your room. You’re just in time for dinner, which will be served within the hour.”

  After reaching their room, where Jessica continued to marvel at not only the décor but the red and silver holiday theme prevalent throughout, they showered, changed, and joined Nathan’s mom, Elaine, in the dining room.

  “There’s my favorite lady!” Nate walked over and gave his mom a huge hug, slightly lifting her from the chair.

  “Boy, put me down!” Eyes twinkling, she swatted his arm. “I didn’t know y’all had made it down.”

  “We just got here.”

  “I must have been changing after taking my nap. The breeze coming through my windows is so wonderful.” She looked behind Nathan. “I see you brought company. Hello, sweetie.”

  Jessica stepped forward. “Hello, Mrs. Carver. It’s good to see you again.”

  “Likewise. I’m sorry, honey, but I’ve got a case of old age and don’t remember your name.”

  “It’s Jessica,” Nate interjected. “And you’re not old.”

  “What am I, middle-aged?”

  “I never understood that phrase. One can’t know they’re middle-aged until the day they die. By then, who cares?”

  “Not me. I’m old and glad to claim it.”

  “You’re as young as you feel. That’s why I’m going to get you started on a cardio routine. We’ll take a run in the morning.”

  “You go ahead and run. I’ll be watching from the rocking chair on the porch, cheering you on.”

  They laughed as Nathan and Jessica sat down.

  Sherri and her family entered the room. “What’s funny?”

  “Your brother, that’s what; thinking I’m going to live until I’m over a hundred.”

  “You’re not?”

  Sherri’s husband, Randall, greeted Nathan and Jessica before taking his seat. Soon after, the young, dreadlocked chef brought out bowls of conch chowder: their first course.

  After a bit of small talk about Sherri’s lovely home and the beauty of the island, Sherri turned to Jessica. “You used to live in Oakland, correct?”

  “Yes.” She picked up her spoon.

  “Were you born there?”

  She shook her head in answer, pointing to her full mouth.

  Nathan shot Sherri a look, but she either didn’t see it or chose to ignore it.

  “Oh, really? Where’d you grow up?”

  Jessica glanced at Nathan, who used humor to intervene. “Come on now, Sis. Don’t grill my girl before she’s even eaten her first meal!”

  “Just trying to get to know your friend, Nate.” Sherri smiled politely. “The only way I can find out what I don’t know is to ask.”

  Randall reached for a warm roll. “How’s business, Nate?”

  And with that, the conversation blessedly turned away from Sherri’s probing to everything from the economic climate to sports; and from the delicious entrée—baked fish served with peas, rice, and vegetables—that the adults ate, to the everyday hamburgers that the kids preferred.

  Later, however, when Jessica went looking for Nathan, she found Sherri instead.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I thought Nathan was back here.”

  “No, he and Randall went for a walk. But come on in and join me. At the end of the day, this porch is one of my favorite places to unwind.” She lifted her glass. “Would you like some wine?”

  “No, thank you.”

  Sherri chuckled. “Girl, I’m not going to bite you. Have a seat. I know it can be uncomfortable meeting your guy’s family, wanting to make a good impression, not knowing what to expect. With us, there’s nothing to worry about. The château aside, we’re pretty average folk who do regular things. Family is very important to us and my brother is my life, has been since he was born five years after me and followed me around like a puppy dog.”

  Jessica smiled.

  “Do you have siblings?”

  “I have a sister, but we didn’t grow up together.”

  “Oh. Why not, if you don’t mind my asking?”

  Jessica looked out on the serene ocean view, listened as the waves crashed against the shore. “It’s not that I mind. Of course you want to know about the person your brother is dating. My childhood was . . . difficult. I don’t like to remember it, let alone talk about it.

  “When very young, I was taken from my family, and for a very short time lived with an older lady. Later, I was placed in the foster care system where I remained until I was seventeen, when I met the man who became my husband. He was controlling and abusive, but after almost eight years he met someone to take my place. She probably thinks I hate her. But she was the distraction that made my leaving easier. I could have thrown her a welcome party.” She leaned against the back of the chair. “I think I’l
l take that wine now.”

  Sherri reached for the bottle of pinot noir and poured.

  “Thank you.” Jessica took a long sip. Retelling these events had obviously drained her.

  Sherri refilled her own glass as well. “That had to have been difficult, though I’d have no idea. I think those of us who grow up with our biological families take it for granted. Like I’ve said, Nathan is my heart. I can’t imagine life without him. So the fact that you have a sister out there that you don’t know has to be painful, or frustrating at the very least.”

  Jessica answered with a shrug. “It is what it is.”

  “Well, I can tell you there’s very little about Nate that I don’t know, so if you stick with me, you’ll learn all of his secrets.”

  Jessica relaxed for the first time since that first spoon of soup. “I respect people’s privacy, but”—she leaned forward in a conspiratorial whisper—“maybe you can share a few.”

  “Ha! Where to start? There was the time I caught him in the bathroom with the girl who lived down the street. They both had their pants down.”

  “How old was he?”

  “He had to be all of seven or eight. Told me they were playing doctor.”

  “Wow.”

  “Jessica, my brother is a player from way back!”

  The direction of the conversation created a delicate camaraderie between the women. Sherri did most of the talking. They finished the bottle of wine. By the time Nathan and Randall returned from their walk the atmosphere was tranquil while sounds of a reggae mix tape filled the air.

  “You hear this, Ran? Our women have gone reggae.” Nathan walked over and placed a kiss on Jessica’s forehead.

  “As long as they’re not smoking ganja,” Randall joked. “The only plants I mess with are in my lab.” He sat next to Sherri, who was lounging on a chaise.

  Jessie looked at Nathan. “You want to sit here, babe?”

  “No. I’ve been up since five this morning.” He stretched, his look conveying words not said. “I think I’m ready to call it a night.”

  “Me too.” Jessica stood. “Thanks for the wine, Sherri.”

  “Thanks for the company. Breakfast is to order tomorrow so feel free to sleep in.”

  They said their good-nights, and after Nathan checked in on his mother, he joined Jessica in their beautifully appointed, spacious room. The various shades of blue blended perfectly with the tan and coral accent colors, conveying a beachlike atmosphere without being too obvious. As in all other rooms theirs held a Christmas tree, with blue, coral, and silver-colored bulbs to match the décor. The fresh pine smell mixed with a cinnamon-scented candle and created the perfect ambiance.

  Jessica sidled up behind Nathan, who’d removed his shorts and sandals and was looking out the window. “Thanks for inviting me here.”

  When he turned around, he was surprised to see her eyes shining with tears. “Why are you crying?”

  “I’ve never had this before. Everyone is so nice. And to think I might lose it . . .”

  He stepped back, grasped her by the shoulders, and looked deeply into her eyes. “Baby, I’m not like the men you’ve had in the past, who’ve used and abused you without a second thought. You’re the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time. I’m not going anywhere.”

  Jessica could only nod and hug him tightly. His assurance that he’d be there, and her knowledge that he wouldn’t, is what made her sad.

  CHAPTER 10

  Jessica was dreaming; she had to be. Resting on a cloud in the middle of the ocean, the breeze ruffled her hair and brushed her skin. Music played, and she swayed to the rhythm. Happy sounds—laughter, bells, barking dogs—punctuated the air. She lay back and closed her eyes, imagining the one thing that would make this scene complete. And then he was there.

  His touch was featherlight, like the wind. Large, strong hands softly caressed her body, becoming familiar with every delectable inch of her. He took his time. Kisses, light yet probing, began near a ticklish side of her neck. She squirmed and turned over, which only gave him access to her other side. The pressure of his lips intensified when they met hers. A stiff tongue demanded she part her lips. A strong finger demanded she part those lips, too. He drew her tongue into his mouth. She flicked it against his teeth, twirled it with his, moaned with raw pleasure when his finger found the door to her paradise and accepted her spread-legged invitation to go inside.

  More kisses then, on her collarbone, breasts, nipples, tongue tracing the natural line that led to her navel. He shifted. Eyes fluttered. Jessica gained full consciousness just as Nathan eased his head between her legs, and his tongue between her folds. The cloud was a feather-top mattress, the ocean was the sound of waves crashing below them, the happy sounds those she’d heard earlier on the beach.

  This was reality, but felt like a dream.

  He pushed her legs apart. “Wider,” he commanded in a voice hoarse with need. She felt wicked, holy, powerful, defenseless, and there was no contradiction. The wind caressed her exposed feminine flower, which bloomed in response. He liked that. His mouth liked it more. His lips, soft; tongue, strong; finger, deep. Her senses roiled, crashed against themselves like the water beating the shore below, creating a storm in the core of her being that started out as an innocent funnel but quickly grew to an orgasmic hurricane, Category 5. She gripped the sheets. He lapped and kissed and nipped and sucked. Soft mewling became low guttural sighs. Grabbing the pillow, she shoved the pliable down fabric into her mouth. It met her scream, and pushed it back inside. Her legs trembled and body bucked with the force of her release. There was no time to catch her breath. He picked her up, wet and naked, and went outside to the private patio just off from their suite. She leaned against the balcony, her backside as vivid as the midnight moon. He gripped her hips, placed his hard yin into her soft yang, and settled into a steady groove. Soon another storm erupted. This time they both rode the wave.

  “Did that just really happen?”

  Nathan wore a look of satisfied confidence. “What do you think?”

  Thirty minutes after their last round of lovemaking and long, hot shower, Nathan and Jessica sat against plush pillows with a bowl of fruit between them. A cutting board with various crackers and cheeses sat on a tray. Errant crumbs dotted the pristine white sheets. Neither culprit noticed. They were too busy assuaging the appetites all that dreaming had created.

  Jessica popped a grape into her mouth, trying to recall how the spectacular sex got started. “I was dreaming, babe! And in the dream, I thought I was dreaming.” She looked at him with curious eyes. He shrugged.

  “I know it sounds crazy, but I swear it’s true. I was dreaming and in the dream you came to me and started kissing my neck. Then you moved down and were kissing my body—”

  “Baby, that wasn’t a dream.”

  “It was, until you licked me. And then it wasn’t.”

  “Oh, that woke you up for real, huh?”

  “I guess. That was weird . . . but wonderful. Did you try these strawberries? They are so good. She held one up to his mouth.

  He bit into it, then licked the juice from Jessica’s fingers. “Mmm. That tastes very good.”

  By the time they settled down to sleep it was almost four a.m. Jessica snuggled next to Nathan, enjoying the contrast of their warm down bedding and the cool dawn breeze.

  “Baby?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Can we stay here forever?”

  “I wish.”

  “I want the way I feel right now to last a long time, like a vacation that never ends.”

  “I can’t help with the vacation part, but that feeling I think I can get again.”

  “Hmm.” Jessica’s eyes fluttered closed. Her face held a smile. For these next few days she’d relish this dream. Soon enough, the nightmare would began.

  CHAPTER 11

  It was Christmas. Everyone had slept in, even the children, who’d enjoyed late-night fun with the chef’s kids and their co
usins.When Nathan and Jessica emerged from their love lair at around ten in the morning, the family was at the table.

  “Good morning, everybody! How late are we?” Nate squeezed his mother’s shoulders as he passed her before sitting down.

  “We just got here,” Sherri answered around a yawn. “But Mama got up with the roosters.”

  “It’s too beautiful down here to sleep for long!”

  After the greetings, Sherri tapped her fork against a crystal goblet. “Okay, guys. We’ve made plans to spend the day on the beach, so let’s make quick work of breakfast—or brunch at this point—open gifts and then head to the seashore. How does that sound?”

  Everyone voiced their approval and then set about ordering breakfast from the chef. Afterwards, they gathered in the living room and exchanged gifts. Jessica was stunned to receive presents from not only Nathan but also a spa certificate from his sister and brother-in-law and a hand-knitted throw from his mother.

  She looked at what had been given her and her face fell. “I feel bad for not buying everyone gifts. I’m not used to being treated like this.”

  Miss Elaine quickly shushed her. “Don’t worry about that. We just wanted you to feel included.”

  “And what woman can’t use a massage, facial, and wrap,” Sherri added. “The certificate is good for a year, so after one of those can’t-stand-it weeks, go to the salon and enjoy.”

  When she received Nathan’s gift, her heart sank the teeniest bit. Unless he’d concealed it, she knew by the size and shape of the box that it wasn’t an engagement ring, which, considering the whole situation, was stupid to hope for anyway. As she opened the lid, revealing a heart-shaped diamond necklace with matching earrings, it was hard to keep real sadness at bay. After the New Year, everything would change.

  “These are beautiful!” she gushed, leaning over to brush Nathan’s lips with her own. “This is my best Christmas ever, babe. Thank you.”

  Nathan smiled when he saw that Jessica had gotten him the Movado stainless steel watch he’d admired while glancing through a magazine at her house. The matching business card case was a nice touch, but the card she’d placed inside it was the best gift of all.