Eternally Yours - Brenda Jackson [71]
When Syneda stopped writing a few minutes later, she arched her back, working out the kinks that had settled there. Then she looked up and saw Clayton watching her.
She released a deep sigh that was from the satisfaction of him being there with her as much as from finally piecing together a new argument for the Jamison appeal. Putting down the book and legal pad, she stood and slowly walked over to him, placing her arms around his neck. She knew the desire in her eyes revealed what she needed and what she wanted. No words had to be spoken. He gathered her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom.
Sometime later, they lay together in the dark silence of the room, their bodies still joined in the torrid, sweet aftermath of their lovemaking.
“I can’t seem to get enough of you,” Clayton said, his voice thick and dazed. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest. The emotional force of their lovemaking was beyond anything he had ever experienced.
“I feel the same way,” Syneda said drowsily. “You’re special, Clayton. You’re my friend, as well as my lover.”
Clayton kissed her tenderly. “I know it might be a little early to ask, but are you planning to come to the big Madaris Thanksgiving bash?” he asked a few minutes later.
Syneda smiled up at him. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. In fact, your mom called last week just to make sure I was coming. She invited me to stay with them again this year.”
“You turned her down, of course.”
A bemused frown covered Syneda’s features. “Why would I do that?”
Clayton reached down and gently pinched her nose. “Because, sweetheart, when you come to Houston, I want you sleeping in my bed, and not some bed at my mom’s house.”
Syneda’s eyes widened in surprise. “Clayton, you know I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because your family doesn’t know about us.”
“Then it’s time they found out.”
“No.”
“Yes,” Clayton countered, rolling to his side, disengaging their bodies but still cradling Syneda in his arms. Over the past few weeks, he had given serious thought to finally telling his family about them. He felt he and Syneda were ready to take that next step. However, by the look on her face, it was obvious she felt otherwise.
“I don’t want to treat what we’re doing like some cheap backroom affair when it’s not. It really makes no sense for us to continue sneaking around like being together is wrong.”
“Don’t do this to us, Clayton,” Syneda said softly, caressing his arm. “You know how I feel about your family finding out about us. You said you understood.”
Clayton tilted Syneda’s chin up so that their eyes could meet. “Somehow you have this notion that me understanding certain things is the same thing as me endorsing them. You were wrong in believing that about Cassie Drayton and Larry Morgan, and you’re wrong in believing that about us. I do understand your fears, but after spending the past months together, I would have hoped I’d helped put some of them to rest. Especially your misconceived notions about my family. They love you. Don’t you know that nothing could tarnish that?”
Syneda’s chin trembled. “I can’t take any chances. Other than Lorren and Mama Nora, your family is the closest thing to a real family that I’ve ever had.” She gazed into the depths of his dark eyes. “I can’t risk losing that. Not even for you.”
Clayton frowned. “I still don’t understand why you think you would. My parents weren’t born in the Stone Age, Syneda. They stopped being shocked about anything when they thought they would surprise Kattie at college in New Orleans, and showed up unexpectedly to find that she and Raymond were living together. They would understand us wanting to be together at my place.”
“In other words, you want to openly flaunt our affair in front of them,” Syneda said coolly.
“No, but I want them to know there’s something special between us.”
“Don’t you understand what that will do? What happens next Thanksgiving when things have ended between us and you’re dating someone else, perhaps seriously?