The Sweetest Thing Read online

  Harper’s hands brushed across his broad chest, over his shoulders and around his neck, the embrace moving her to tears as she settled comfortably against his lap. His excitement was pressed firm and hard against her bottom and she felt her pelvic muscles begin to clench and tighten with anticipation.

  Standing, Quentin swept her up into his arms like a new bride. He lifted her easily and carried her to the bed. As he eased her down against the mattress she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, fighting to stall the sensations sweeping through her. Quentin’s touch had ignited every one of her nerve endings, her body on fire. He brushed his fingers along the profile of her face and when she reopened her eyes he was staring at her intently, his own tears misting his gaze.

  Quentin took her lower lip between his, suckling it gently before he eased his tongue into her mouth. Harper felt her body responding and she wrapped her arms even tighter around his torso. He gently sucked at her lips and then her tongue, drawing it into his mouth and she felt his lips close around it, suckling it tenderly. The kiss was perfection and she lingered in the sheer beauty of it.

  Quentin moved his mouth to her throat, gently licking and kissing at her flesh, eliciting the softest gasps and moans of pleasure from her. His hands moved to her breasts, teasing one nipple and then the other until both had hardened like candy between his fingers. Where his hands led, his mouth followed and he moaned his own pleasure against her skin.

  Harper’s small hands danced with ease across his body, kneading and teasing every square inch of his flesh. He jumped ever so slightly when she suddenly reached between his body and hers to wrap her palm around the hard lines of his erection. She gasped, sucking in air as she felt the fullness of him. Her heart skipped a beat and then a second. She bit down against her bottom lip and lifted her eyes to his. Quentin was rock hard, his length and width at magnificent proportions. She slowly stroked his engorged member, pumping him slowly beneath her palm.

  Quentin paused, his forehead pressed against her shoulder as he relished the sensation of heat her hands were producing. Lifting her body ever so slightly, Harper pushed against him, moving him to roll onto his back as she crawled above him, sliding down between his outstretched legs. She continued to explore him with her hands and then she leaned forward, blowing warm breath against the throbbing head of his member. He felt himself holding his own breath in anticipation. When he felt her soft lips press a kiss against the throbbing head, he moaned loudly, a guttural sound blowing into the air.

  He placed a hand on the back of her head as she parted her lips and took him into her mouth. It was almost too much for him to take as her lips and tongue bathed him with pleasure. He could feel the intensity building as she ran one hand across his body, grasping his backside, while the other teased and massaged his testicles. Harper loved the feel and taste of him in her mouth and when she looked up to see the look of sheer pleasure on his face, she whispered a promise to herself that she would pleasure him this way as often as he desired.

  Quentin suddenly pulled away from her. He reached forward and swept her back into his arms, kissing her hard. The intensity of it was aggressive and she responded in kind, drinking him in as his tongue reached for the back of her throat. Sliding back into each other’s arms, they lost themselves in the shared kisses and the touch of the other’s hands. Up and down their respective bodies they roamed and explored, searching for secrets that could be found and revealed.

  As he flipped her over, dropping his body down against hers, Harper moaned his name over and over again. The sound of fabric ripping intensified the moment as Quentin tore her thong from her body. As she bore his weight he grabbed the cheeks of her ass with both hands and squeezed, bringing a gasping moan to her lips as he ground her pelvis against his own.

  Harper let out a loud breath as Quentin’s hand ventured between her legs, coming to rest on her bare, wet mound. His touch sent an erotic surge ripping through her body as he gently teased the curls of her pubic hair and stroked the wet folds, even slipping a finger through the door of her treasure spot to caress her sensitive places. At one point he withdrew two fingers covered in her sweet nectar and eagerly brought them to his mouth. He sucked them enthusiastically then immediately slipped both digits back into her, adding a third and then a fourth. His movements were slow and easy and Harper quivered beneath the delightful caresses.

  Rising onto his knees, Quentin stared down at her. Neither had spoken, both lost in the intensity of the moment. He smiled, a mischievous gleam shimmering in his light eyes. Harper’s breath caught deep in her chest as Quentin grabbed both her legs and spread her open. She tried to push herself farther back against the mattress as he dropped down low between the vee of her opening. Lowering his head Quentin extended his tongue and trailed it up and down the length of her feminine center, gently probing her outer walls with the tip. Harper let out a long loud sigh in response as she savored the moment.

  Quentin rolled his tongue up to her belly button, then back down to just below her mound. Along the way he teased her flesh with promises of more to come. He suddenly slipped his arms beneath each of her thighs and lifted the woman enough to bring her intoxicating sex within easy reach of his mouth. His touch was soft at first, allowing her to enjoy every second of the experience. He pressed his tongue past the folds, working his way along the passage his fingers had already traveled. His thrusts increased in depth and frequency as he licked her in earnest.

  With her head tossed back against a pillow, Harper closed her eyes and let the intense waves of passion wash over her. She felt her body quake with desire and she clutched the bedspread beneath her, bunching it between the palms of her hands. The intensity raging over her body reached a feverish peak, the magnitude of it barely containable. Sweat covered her flesh as she tried, unsuccessfully, to hold back the rising crescendo. And then suddenly the sweetest surrender consumed her.

  Quentin could feel her orgasm pulsing in his mouth. He held her tight as she climaxed, savoring the sweet nectar that gushed from her body. His tongue lapped every last drop as Harper drowned him in a sea of pure joy. She quivered unabashedly, her body shaking as her muscles imploded. Before she could recover she opened herself to him, spreading her coltish legs wide as he crawled back up her body and settled himself easily between her thighs.

  Her breath stalled when he rubbed the head of his manhood between her lower lips, gently smacking it against her clit. The pleasure button continued to throb with wanting as her juices flowed in abundance. When he suddenly pulled himself from her, the connection lost, she gasped for air, her breath coming in heavy waves.

  Quentin reached for a condom he’d rested on the nightstand earlier and sheathed himself quickly. Harper could feel the moisture puddle between her legs and she cried out softly when he began pushing himself inside of her. Her back arched as he slowed his penetration, her inner lining stretching open to welcome him home.

  Harper whimpered with ecstasy, the murmur soft and low as he disappeared deep inside her folds. Her eyes rolled back in her head as her body moved in sync with his, her hips lifting to meet each of his thrusts.

  Quentin slid in and out of her, slowly to begin with, then steadily building in speed. “Oh, baby, sweet baby,” he gasped, murmuring her name over and over again as if he were in prayer. He kissed her as he pounded himself harder and harder into her, every ounce of his being clinging to hers. Harper gasped as a second wave of pleasure began building from her core. Her toes curled and she moaned. “Quentin! Oh, God . . . I . . . I’m coming . . . I . . .” she squealed, her desire ringing through the room.

  Quentin growled as he continued to kiss her greedily, running his tongue to the back of her throat and back again. He began moaning even louder as her explosion triggered his own. His entire body broke into a spasm that tore through him like a tornado. He felt her body convulsing around his and as he pulsed with her they both exploded again, the combustion spiraling them off the edge of bliss.

  As they la
y together, Quentin sprawled above her, both knew that never again would they ever experience such a depth of satisfaction with anyone else. The carnal paradise they were wallowing in was all encompassing. Wave after wave of pleasure swept between them as they leapt from one peak to another, bypassing any valleys that might have lain in the way and then, exhausted, both passed out in blessed contentment.

  Harper didn’t want to even begin to consider what the hotel’s housekeeping staff had to be thinking about them. So lost in their desire for each other they hadn’t left the hotel room since that first night together. Quentin had ordered room service, they’d put out the DO NOT DISTURB sign, drawn the shades, and hadn’t stopped making love. Harper chuckled softly to herself as she fathomed whether or not she was going to be able to walk whenever they did check out. Quentin was less concerned, vowing to carry her if the need arose.

  “You worry too much,” he said as he shifted against the bed’s pillows and headboard.

  “You don’t worry enough,” she responded, her head and back resting against his chest. She sat between his legs drawing a warm palm over his knee as she caressed him lightly.

  He pressed his pelvis up and forward, rubbing himself against her back. Harper smiled as he ran his fingers over her breasts, having professed that the succulent tissue was his new favorite toy.

  “That might be true,” he said, “but I’m not going to start worrying right now. Maybe when we get back to Memphis but right now I can think of a few other things I’d like to be doing.”

  He pressed his lips to her neck and kissed her, his tongue tracing the line of her ear. Harper tilted her head to allow him easier access as she stroked the line of his thighs with both of her hands.

  She giggled as he tickled her. “So what’s on your mind now?” she said.

  He started humming and when Harper recognized the old 50 Cent tune she laughed. “‘Candy Shop’! Really!” she chimed as he sang the lyrics into her ear.

  “Let you lick my lollypop!” he said as he pressed his crotch against her.

  “I thought you only listened to jazz and blues.”

  “Girl, I’m a musician. I listen to everything!”

  “Can you play ‘Candy Shop’ on your sax?”

  “Never tried, but I know I can play it on my sex,” he said, laughing at his own joke.

  Harper shook her head. “That was so not funny!”

  He laughed. “Yes, it was!”

  She twisted her naked body around to look him in the eye. “Serious question?”

  “Yes, ma’am?” he said as he continued to fondle her breasts. “Ask your serious question so we can move on to something more entertaining.” He hummed.

  “What’s your first love? Music or baking?”

  Quentin’s head bobbed in time to the beat in his head. “My first love is you,” he said matter-of-factly. “Music and baking come next. They run neck and neck on my love list.”

  Harper hesitated as she thought about his comment, meeting the stare he was giving her. “Quentin!”

  He nodded. “You talk too much,” he said, a deep chuckle rising from his midsection. He leaned to lick her nipple, the protrusion hardening between his lips.

  Harper laughed and shook her head as she wrapped her arms around his head, her fingers dancing in his thick waves as he continued to suckle the fleshy tissue. Humming his song she lifted her body, turning until she was straddling him and then she sang, “. . . got the magic stick . . .”

  Quentin was already hard and she lowered her body down against his. He entered her easily, holding her by the hips as he guided her against him.

  Harper sang, her body grinding with the beat.

  Quentin grinned. “Ride like you in a rodeo, girl!”

  15

  Dwayne Porter had arranged for his vice president of sales and marketing to take Quentin and Harper on a tour of the Home Grown Foods corporate facility. He’d been slightly taken aback when Rachel had told him Harper had insisted on Quentin’s joining her on her visit. For that very reason he’d decided that it was better someone else make that sales pitch. Had it just been Harper he would have definitely done the tour himself.

  He rose from his desk, pacing the carpeted floor as he contemplated what his next move would be. He was determined, at any cost, to acquire Just Desserts and the Beale Street storefront. And if he was intent on nothing else, it was making sure Quentin Elliott didn’t get the business. Taking everything he could from his old friend was high on his priority list. Most especially those things Quentin loved.

  He’d initially thought Harper’s having sole ownership would have made it easier for him. Rachel had sworn that Harper had no interest in Memphis or the business. Rachel had been certain that a generous enough offer would have had the woman signing on the dotted line. Once again Rachel had gotten it wrong, making him question why he was still wasting his time with her. Because Harper, with her affinity for the Elliott family, their business, and Quentin in particular, was proving to be a royal pain in his ass.

  Quentin. Back in the day the two had been inseparable. Best friends. Quentin had been his boy and there had been nothing he wouldn’t have done for him. Personally, Dwayne thought, he had done Quentin a favor showing him the kind of woman Rachel truly was.

  He thought about Rachel. The two of them had been connected years before he and Quentin had become friends. Rachel had taken his virginity and had given him hers. He’d honestly believed that he and Rachel would have grown old together, tied to the hip no matter what either of them would ever do.

  Then Rachel had fallen for Quentin. She had turned her back on him, betraying every emotion he’d had for her. It had fractured his spirit. When the dust had settled he’d realized that Rachel Harris wasn’t anything special; just another female thinking of her own interests before either one of theirs. Her infidelity should have been proof enough that he’d had Quentin’s back. But no, Quentin had gone all sentimental on him, refusing to see Rachel for the cheap trick she was. Quentin had made that entire scenario about Dwayne’s flaws, insisting that he had taken advantage of her weaknesses.

  Quentin had called him out, and then had turned his back on him, throwing away a lifetime of friendship. Payback for that kind of betrayal would be cold and hard, without mercy as far as Dwayne was concerned. And just when he thought he had his finger on the pulse of it all, Harper Donovan was now in his way.

  Dwayne blew a deep sigh. As he moved back to his desk his secretary rang him on the intercom.

  “Mr. Porter, they’re ready for you, sir!”

  He hit the talk button. “Thank you,” he said. “I’m on my way.”

  When he entered the conference room, Harper was sitting comfortably in one of the cushioned chairs. Quentin was leaning against the paneled wall, his hands pushed deep into the pockets of his black denim jeans. Leon Troy, his vice president of sales and marketing, was still extolling what made the company a front-runner in the food industry. Dwayne smiled brightly as he dismissed the man, expressing his gratitude.

  “Harper, hello! It’s good to see you again,” he said as he moved directly to her side. He leaned to kiss her cheek, allowing his lips to linger a second longer than necessary.

  The gesture was unexpected, catching the woman by surprise. It showed on her face as her eyes widened, her brows lifted, and the hint of a blush rose to her cheeks. “Dwayne, hey,” she said softly.

  He turned and gave Quentin a nod of his head. “Quentin, I’m glad you could make it,” he said.

  Quentin nodded back, eyeing him warily. “Dwayne.”

  Dwayne turned his attention back to Harper. “How have you been since I last saw you?”

  “I’m very well, thank you for asking.”

  “Have you been able to get back home to Louisiana yet?”

  “I haven’t. Not yet.”

  Dwayne shook his head. “I’m sorry to hear that. I know how much you’re missing your home and your family. It hurts when you’re not with the people yo
u love.” Dwayne tossed Quentin a quick look and Harper didn’t miss the expression that flushed Quentin’s face.

  “So what did you think about the tour?” he asked, turning his attention back to Harper.

  “It was very impressive.”

  “Impressive enough for you to bring Just Desserts on board, I hope?”

  “Definitely impressive enough to make the decision much harder for me,” she said.

  Dwayne nodded and his grin was even wider. He turned his attention back to Quentin. “I’m sure this isn’t easy for you, Quentin, but I know Pop would have loved to see the business be as big as it can be. I would appreciate the opportunity to honor his memory by making that happen. And I hope you and I have a chance to mend some fences and maybe work together to do just that.”

  The two men stood staring at each other. Quentin tossed him a quick nod but said nothing. His gaze shifted to Harper who was looking from one to the other. She took a deep breath as she came to her feet.

  “Thank you, Dwayne. I appreciate all you’ve done and I plan to have an answer for you very soon,” she said.

  Dwayne nodded. “Harper, I would really appreciate the opportunity to address any reservations that you might have.” He looked down to the Breitling watch on his wrist. “I know you two need to get back to the bakery and I have a meeting I have to run to.” He tossed Quentin a quick look. “Maybe we can all do dinner again later tonight or perhaps tomorrow? I’d appreciate your being there as well, Quentin.”

  Quentin rolled his eyes skyward.

  “I really don’t think that’s necessary,” Harper interjected. “But I appreciate your making the offer.”

  Quentin took a breath. He walked to Harper’s side and slid his arm around her waist. He leaned to kiss her cheek. Turning his body so that his back was to Dwayne, he whispered in her ear, “I think you should do it,” he said.