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Imani

Imani and Mason had oral sex occasionally. It was "what people did to make their partners feel better." But over time, it had stopped becoming part of their routine. She had last gone down on him for his birthday last April, just months before he died.

She had a difficult time putting into words why she didn't like the act. It was perhaps more personal to her than sex. And if she engaged in oral sex, she valued giving it more than receiving it.

Imani forgot how thrilling it was to seduce Garrett and turn him on like this. Both needed to make up for lost time because they had not had oral sex like this in eight years together. Her confession and his response made this moment more pure than she expected. Enjoying the man she had always loved and never wanted to lose caused her soul to tremble heavily.

Garrett's eyes were as dark as midnight, and they regarded her closely as she slowly got to her feet. Her chest throbbed, and she licked her lips, savoring his taste.

He cupped her cheeks and asked, "Where did you learn that trick? Come here." His voice resonated deeply inside her. A surge of intense heat rushed through her veins, accompanied by a tingling sensation that spread in unpredictable patterns.

She drew nearer, panting heavily, and moaned as his lips touched the side of her neck. He lowered his mouth to the point where her heart was beating and growled, "You are so damn beautiful."

As his lips drew her in, Imani flung her head back, wrapping her leg around his upper thigh. An intense, heart-pounding desire swept through her. Whatever sound she made─a whimper, a grunt, or something else entirely─caused him to instinctively take a step back. He looked savage. Primal. He was so masculine that she shuddered.

She quickly stripped off Garrett's top, shoes, and bottoms, leaving only his socks on as they both maneuvered toward the kitchen counter.

Garrett grabbed her hips, lifted her, and placed her butt on the cool surface. "Now it's my turn, baby."

She inhaled for a moment to take him in. He was phenomenal. Tall, muscular, with long legs and broad shoulders. His tattoos made him appear dangerous, but she loved this man unconditionally. He stared at her, and she threw both of her legs over his shoulders, waiting for his next move. Imani smiled to herself when she heard him groan.

"Is this what you wanted?" Her eyebrows rose as his hands gripped her hips tightly, causing her to gasp. She held her breath as his skilled fingers tantalized and teased her body. Slowly. Methodically. Passionately.

He couldn't be...

She closed her eyes as the warmth of his breath neared her opening, interrupting her thoughts. He widened her legs...

Is he?

Imani surrendered, arching her toes with a groan. She gasped when his thumb circled her clit. Once. Twice. Again and again.

His fingers explored her other opening as she writhed, her hips finding rhythm. She let out a deep moan and turned her head.

"Gray, I'm..."

"What else do you want me to do?"

Garrett sighed and said, "Speak up," when she wasn't saying anything. "Let me hear you say it."

"Make love to me."

He growled. "With pleasure."

Imani opened her eyes, watching him roll on a condom, and calmly ease into her. His thick length filled her up, making her wiggle.

She rocked against him, swollen and wet with desire. Their heavy breathing was all she could hear. Her stomach muscles tightened as their bodies moved simultaneously, causing her to tremble and moan. That sensation intensified, and her hips moved along with his breaths. Faster and faster until she nearly climaxed.

"Your walls are tightening around me," Garrett uttered in a deep, husky voice. "It's the best feeling in the world."

She pleaded, "Keep going."

"Mani, baby, I have one minute left before I'm about to burst."

"Please." She clenched her lips and squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for her climax. Then she exclaimed, "I'm coming!" while her heart pounded.

* * *

Sometime later, they ended up in her bedroom. It happened after Dylan called to ask if he could spend the night with Uncle Isaiah and before Garrett fucked her against the wall.

She rolled over and blushed. It was a miracle that her body had not given out, given the amount of sex she had been having. Because it had happened a lot. There had to be some kind of record.

"Here. Eat."

Imani turned over once more, but this time she carried the blanket. Garrett walked into her room, and she swiftly brought it around her body. He wore only his black boxers. They hung low on his hips, leaving little to the imagination. She raised an eyebrow at his satisfied expression.

She shifted and asked, "Why are you staring at me?" When he sat beside her with a platter, the bed dipped. 

He offered her a cherry and said, "Because you possess the key to the universe. In my world, anyway."

"That is as cheesy as it gets," she replied while eating the fruit.

"But you like me when I'm corny."

"I love you in every way." Imani's stomach growled, and she grabbed a piece of cheese and laughed. "Your food choices look good. I was in the mood for a long, thick sausage. I just can't get enough of them." The platter had chips, fruit, cheese, ham, and other food groups. She shouted, "Hey!" grabbing a shiny silver gem. "I'm saving these for Halloween."

"I see you still enjoy Hershey Kisses."

"Yes, I do, but your kisses are the absolute best."

Garrett grinned as he bit into a peach. They both ate quickly, exhausted after a few hours. Not a crumble was left behind.

"Oh my. We ate like savages," she said, staring at the empty tray.

But Garrett shot back, "We fucked like savages, too."

She corrected him, "We made love, which is completely different than regular sex."

"Hmm, if you keep it up, we might..."

She stopped him mid-sentence with a finger over his lips. "I already know what you're thinking, but my pussy needs a vacation. Hell, my entire damn body needs one."

Garrett chuckled as Imani took the plate and slid off the bed. He stared at her as she deftly lowered the sheet and appeared to set the tray on a nearby chair. She went above and beyond to reach that spot.

He cut her off before she could say anything and quickly pulled her into his arms.

He whispered, "You aren't playing fair," and pulled her closer. "I'm not teasing you, am I?"

"You're in the same room with me. That's teasing me." She bit her lip and smiled. "There is no way in hell that you will make me..."

Garrett's eyes danced with joy as he quickly picked her up and spun her around. The sight of him reaching for the tray almost took her breath away. For a moment, the past seemed unfathomable, and they appeared to have achieved the life she had envisioned during their teenage years.

She shook off that thought, and as they drew closer, her lips pressed tightly against his. Their moments together will never fade.

Garrett held her while he brought them into the bathroom, and he turned on the hot water. Both of them enjoyed a heated session under the stream. He made many moves to get her attention and skillfully showcased his value to her.

A strong desire for each other drove their passionate moment. Their lovemaking became more intense as it infused their spirits with a potent and genuine force.

Once the water felt cold, they both sank into her bed, exhaling a breath. She said in a low voice, "Remember, Dylan will be back home in the morning, and I don't want him to see us like this. Not until I talk to him about us."

"I understand. I just need a few moments to recharge."

"Okay." Imani cuddled his waist and said, "I was thinking about something. What made you choose to join the FBI?"

Garrett inhaled and kept his eyes on her. "Well, there are a lot of reasons. The main reason was to protect civilians from criminals. They are everywhere, so we must always be on the lookout for any threats."

"Oh."

"Were you expecting a different answer?"

"Not really. I guess I was curious about how you got in and the story behind it. You know?"

He nodded, adjusting his back. "I never considered a career in law enforcement until I witnessed a burglary in a shop across from a bank. Both businesses were closed, and it happened right after I arrived in Seattle. I called the police immediately. After I identified the criminal, a police officer connected me with someone who helped me find work as a mall security guard. After taking defense courses, I started studying criminal justice and later obtained a bachelor's degree. Now I'm here─an agent of the law."

She looked up and grinned. "I guess everything happens for a reason, Gray."

"I think so, too. What about you, Mani? What made you move to New York and become a fashion model?"

"Ellie and Ramón." Garrett frowned, so she continued. "After you moved away, Ellie begged him to take me to a city I had always wanted to visit. So, Ramón suggested visiting gay parties in New York."

Imani lay still for a moment, savoring the touching memory. She and Garrett had never talked about why the other chose a certain career path before, and she was glad to do so now.

He ran a finger along her cheek, and she looked back up and licked her lips. "Keep going," he insisted.

She took a deep breath while keeping her eyes on him. "When Ramón and I arrived at the airport, we came across an advertisement for an open call for fashion models. After telling him I was still healing from a broken heart, we walked to the car rental company and bumped into a talent agent named Phyllis. She became my manager for eight years."

"What did she do for you?" he asked, squeezing her against him.

"Phyllis looked at me and said I would be a successful model, so I joined her modeling agency. She then introduced me to Mason, her photographer." Imani wiped a tear. "Since they prohibited the staff from dating the models, he and I married so that we can continue being together. Our marriage took a positive turn six weeks later when I found out I was pregnant on Halloween. Mason wanted us to wait until our wedding night to have sex. His faith in God was essential to him." She paused to think. "Anyway, we can move on to another topic."

"No." Garrett gently lifted her chin, catching her gaze. "Mason was part of your life. He was important to Dylan's life, so don't think you cannot talk about him with me. Ever. Okay?"

She nodded and yawned in Garrett's face before pulling the covers over her head. "Ignore that."

"Never," he said, crawling beneath them with her, and Imani smiled wickedly at him.

"You can be so annoying."

"Only when you provoke me."

Her mouth opened, and she smashed a pillow against his chest. They had a five-minute pillow fight before she gave up and put her arm around his torso. Garrett's laugh shook the bed.

"Your submission is starting to turn me on. I have handcuffs in my truck if you... want to try them out."

She pursed her lips and shook her head. "While that sounds kinky and all, let's plan on doing it next time. Bondage has always been my favorite sexual act."

Garrett's lips rose as he pulled her in. Imani snuggled on his side, wondering if he had become too accustomed to being with her there. His breathing slowed, and he fell asleep, surprising her. What they had done together this past week went beyond simply having sex.

There was much more to it than that. The unexpected idea of them being together and potentially getting married stayed with her until she eventually drifted off to sleep.

A strange silence filled the air when she woke up the next morning. The sun shone, and there was no chance of thunderstorms. She sighed softly and grimaced as the aches and pains brought back memories of the night before. She turned in her bed, watching the fallen leaves outside the window, and noticed that Garrett had disappeared. He must have left before sunrise.

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw that it was past nine. Holy crap!  While off from both jobs, Imani promised to take Dylan to the library after his basketball game today.

She slipped on a pair of worn-out exercise pants and a loose-fitting sweatshirt while she softly hummed. Imani stuffed her toes into her slippers, curled her lip while brushing her teeth, and tried to tame her stray curls. She growled and rolled the mess onto her head.

Voices interrupted her as she walked downstairs. One sound belonged to Dylan. On the third step, she sensed Garrett's presence.

She stayed still for a few seconds as if she were a teenage girl. Then she trembled while walking down the hall. She didn't know what to say to her son about Garrett. What will Dylan think about her having a sleepover? Garrett had always left before he woke up.

Imani exhaled and turned toward the kitchen, her heart racing. Dylan and Garrett continued to chat while preparing breakfast.

Her son smiled and arranged the onions in the pan, while Garrett chopped and added potatoes. Meanwhile, sausage and scrambled eggs simmered in another skillet.

Dylan vividly described Evan, a large opposing team member who made everyone nervous during the game.

"Is the kid any good?" Garrett asked, holding a potato.

"He's a good point guard," Dylan replied.

"Can you beat him?"

"I don't think so. I'm shorter and less skilled than him."

"Well, whenever possible, avoid Evan. He may throw you off, so plan your next move. The larger person falls harder. If you grant him a clean passage, you can move right past him. Make use of the crowd's energy and win for them."

All right. Imani needed to act now. "Dylan is too young to hear that," she said as she entered the kitchen. "I don't want him to be too rough with the other boys."

She tried to suppress the flutter in her stomach as her son turned toward her. How should she act now that Dylan has found her lover in the house? She wished for a way to salvage this discovery.

"Mom! I invited Mr. Beaumont to breakfast after I came home. He said yes, mentioning that he was hungry from his morning work. Something about trimming the hedges around back."

Her eyebrows rose. "He told you that?"

Garrett's smile shook her.

"I didn't think it would be a problem since he helped out with the house." Dylan looked at both adults. "Was I wrong to invite him?"

"Not at all." Imani headed for the coffeemaker. "Our guest is welcome to eat with us."

Her words sounded strained. She took deep breaths, hoping neither she nor Garrett would complicate things going forward.

Dylan looked at her and asked, "Mom, are you sure? Garrett was very clear that he didn't want to get in the way of our quality time together. I asked him to join us because you two get along."

"It's no problem, baby." She hid behind the counter to avoid Garrett's attention. "Thank you for inviting him on our behalf."

"He's going to see me play today, too."

This caused Imani's head to spin. "Garrett doesn't..." Her son's genuine expression faded, so she continued her sentence. "I mean, Mr. Beaumont is probably visiting with Eugene today."

Garrett said, "I will find out what the doctor says," as he grabbed a mug from the cabinet and approached her. The firm press of his thigh against her hip sent electric sparks through her body. "I can make time for Dylan's game," he added, looking at her while he poured himself some orange juice. "I'd love to be there for him. For you."

"Sure." Imani gave both of them a friendly smile as she sipped her usual black coffee.

"This works great, Mom." Dylan smiled as he prepared the food. "Garrett enjoys basketball as much as I do. And he likes us. That's even better."

Imani understood her son's perspective just then. Dylan compared Garrett to Mason, who always made time for him. His father frequently changed his schedule to attend Dylan's activities. He made time for his family, whether he was the hired photographer at a fashion event in New York or traveling abroad. Mason made a vow to Imani after they married and before Dylan was born. He promised to cherish every moment of their lives, and he was always a reliable person.

She missed that aspect of her late husband. He successfully balanced work and family.

Garrett, however, had a difficult childhood and didn't prioritize anyone. Imani didn't know what to expect from his presence at the game. She didn't want Dylan to become any more idealistic about the family unit than he already was, because she and Garrett still needed to discuss that.

The boys' enthusiasm for the Lakers confirmed her earlier fears. Garrett's presence in the kitchen was unusual. Attending Dylan's game? Outside of their routine. Their relationship had deepened.

Imani now found herself at a turning point, considering her next move with Garrett.

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