Love Me Forever Read online

  They’d left her apartment and he’d hung out with her at Heavens on Saturday. It was then that he realized the club was truly a special place for her. She was sultry, bold and sure of herself when she was singing.

  He’d left Nevea’s place early Sunday morning. She’d had to prepare for a series of meetings on Monday. He hadn’t wanted to keep her from her work, so he’d gone home. He’d spent yesterday watching movies and thinking about Nevea. He’d made himself unavailable to everyone but her. He’d spoken to her several times, but it wasn’t the same as seeing her.

  “Jarred, are you listening to anything we’ve said?” he heard Langston asking.

  “What?”

  “He’s in his own little world, apparently,” Brice said drily.

  “I guess so,” Langston agreed. “What’s wrong with you lately, bro? You haven’t heard from crazy Lainey, have you?”

  “What are you going on about, Langston? And why would Lainey be contacting me? I haven’t seen her since she left,” Jarred barked.

  “Don’t bite my head off. You’ve been acting strange. Missing work. Not answering your phone. What was I supposed to think?”

  “Anything but Lainey. I wouldn’t give her the time of day,” Jarred snapped.

  “So you’re finally over her?” Brice asked quietly.

  “Yes, I am. I have no interest in Lainey Gaines. No interest at all.”

  “Well, that’s good to hear,” Langston said. “So where have you been?”

  “Out.”

  “Come on, Jarred. I know it’s a woman, so you may as well confess. You’ve been preoccupied and smiling a lot. I know you can’t be smiling about anything going on here lately, so the only other logical conclusion would be a woman. So who is she?”

  “Why are you so interested in my personal life?”

  “Because I’m your brother.” He shrugged.

  Jarred burst out laughing. “Being my brother gives you the right to know my every move?”

  “Yes. It’s written somewhere.”

  “Where?” both Jarred and Brice asked at the same time.

  “I don’t know. It just is.”

  “You may as well tell him that you’ve been spending your days and nights with Nev,” Brice stated.

  “No-o-o,” Langston said, his head bouncing back and forth between the two of them. Then he stared at Jarred in surprise.

  Jarred was glaring at Brice. His little brother talked too much.

  “Just how do you know this, Brice?”

  “I knew you were really interested in her at the club. Your reaction to her was strong. Also, the day you got that call I knew it was Nev. You’d been trying to reach her and she wasn’t returning your calls.” He shrugged. “Simple deduction.”

  “For real, you have a thing going on with Nev?” Langston asked.

  “Yes,” Jarred admitted. “We’ve been seeing each other. It’s hard because of our jobs. She travels all over the world for hers. I just don’t know how it’s going to work, with her out of town so much.” He sighed.

  “What exactly is it that she does?” Langston asked.

  “She’s a consultant for the government, and she’s working on designing a video game. It’s an educational game. Nevea has so many jobs I can’t keep up with them. Hell, I can barely keep up with the one I have.”

  “I thought Heavens was her job,” Langston said, sounding confused.

  “No, she owns Heavens along with her silent partner, our brother over there,” Jarred said matter-of-factly.

  “Brice, you’re part owner in Heavens?” Langston questioned, looking confused.

  “Boy, you two seem to have covered a lot of ground in a very little time,” Brice said sarcastically.

  “It’s been three weeks,” Jarred answered.

  “It sounds serious,” Langston said.

  Jarred shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. It’s too early to tell.”

  “I call bullshit,” Brice snickered. “Who do you think you’re fooling, Jarred? You’ve been with her every chance you can get. Since we’ve been sitting here you’ve looked down at your watch three times. You’re waiting on her call. Nah, bro, it’s serious. You’re just too afraid to admit it.”

  “Not on my part, Brice. Hers. I don’t know if she’s looking for or is ready for anything serious. She has some real issues with her father, ones that in my opinion border on the unhealthy side. Josiah, from what I’ve heard, controlled everything her mother did. Nevea resents that and him.”

  “If he was smart he would have brought her on board. Maybe his company wouldn’t be in so much trouble,” Langston said.

  Brice spoke up then. “Nev has every right to feel the way she does about her father. He used her.”

  Jarred’s eyes swung to him. The lines on his brother’s face were taut, like he was trying to control his anger.

  “Used her how?” Jarred asked.

  “This doesn’t leave this room. Jarred, you have to assure me that you won’t let Nev know I told you,” Brice said.

  Jarred didn’t say anything. Depending on what it was, he wasn’t sure he could make a promise like that.

  “Jarred, Nev will tell you herself soon enough. I just want you to understand why she feels the way she does. I can tell you have strong feelings for her. Just give her space to let her open up about it. That’s all I ask,” Brice said, throwing up his hands.

  “Okay,” Jarred agreed reluctantly.

  “Nev designed the software and hardware on Tempest’s computers. Josiah had her design and install a special spyware and computer program with the promise of bringing her on board in an upper-management position. She did what he asked and he reneged on the deal. Nev still hasn’t forgiven him. He paid for her brothers’ schooling but not hers. Fortunately for her, she’s so intelligent she didn’t have to pay out of pocket for anything. What her scholarships didn’t cover her brothers did. As wealthy as her father is, he wouldn’t bring her into the company, nor would he help finance her business.”

  “That’s why she calls him a master manipulator,” Jarred whispered. “Damn, if he wasn’t older than our father, I’d kick his chauvinistic behind myself. What a douche.”

  “Why would Dad want to get involved with a man like Josiah Tempest?” Langston mused, a scowl on his face.

  “He had his reasons. Dad’s not stupid. He knows what he’s doing. I just wish he’d fill us in on it,” Brice said.

  “I hope so. It’s taking everything in me not to call the egomaniac out,” Jarred snarled. “Nevea’s his daughter, but he basically made her fend for herself because she wouldn’t bend to his will. Who the hell does that to their child? Do you know how many crazy people there are out there waiting to take advantage of a young, vulnerable girl? Not to mention she’s simply beautiful.”

  “She is. Inside and out,” Brice said.

  “Do you know she doesn’t know how to cook?” Jarred said.

  “So?” both brothers said.

  “Hire a cook for her,” Langston snapped.

  “That’s not what I mean, you two. I mean her mother didn’t teach her, because she didn’t want her to be a slave to any man. Also, Nevea doesn’t take care of herself. She goes days without eating and lives on energy drinks. She has a fridge full of those drinks and no food worth eating. I’ve been texting her to remind her to eat. I also cook for her when she’s with me. I make sure she has at least three meals a day,” he said fervently.

  “Sounds like a man in love to me. What do you think, Brice?” Langston’s smile was wide.

  “For sure,” Brice said, giving Langston a high five.

  “I am not,” Jarred grumbled, glancing again at his watch.

  “Why don’t you just call her?” Langston said. “It’s the only way you’re going to stop look
ing down at your wristwatch and get some work done.”

  “How’s Emerson working out in his new position?” Jarred asked, trying his best to ignore that last statement.

  “He loves it. Since he’s practically doing the same thing he was before, I can’t see why he wouldn’t like it,” Langston said.

  “Good,” Jarred replied. “It’s not the same job, really. Now he’s in charge. Has he gotten anywhere with the security team?”

  “Not yet. I’ve been working with him mostly,” Brice said.

  “I say we continue to work on this thing with Tempest, but at the same time continue on with our other work. We can’t get so involved with Tempest that we neglect Manning Enterprises,” Jarred said.

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Brice said. “You and Langston concentrate on Manning’s, and I’ll work on figuring out the problem with Tempest. Emerson and I have everything under control. But, Jarred, we may need Nev. We’ll use her as a last resort.”

  “That’s if she agrees. I have a feeling she won’t,” Jarred said.

  “Maybe not, but we’ll have to try if it comes to that.” Brice shrugged.

  “Well, now that I know you’re okay, I’ll go back to my office and get some work done,” Langston said, tongue in cheek.

  “I’m out of here, too,” Brice said, standing up and walking to the door. Langston was right on his heels.

  “I’ll talk to you two before I leave for the night,” Jarred said.

  Langston and Brice walked out of his office, shutting the door behind them.

  Jarred decided to put a call in to Human Resources. He needed a secretary, since his seemed to have gone missing. At least a temp for now. He’d go with a temp to see how the person worked out before hiring anyone.

  Jarred picked up his desk phone and dialed.

  “Hi, Mr. Manning.”

  “Hi, Martha. Can you see about getting me a temp for a couple of weeks?”

  “Sure, Mr. Manning. I’ll get right on it.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Bye, Mr. Manning.”

  Jarred put his receiver down, picked up a folder on his desk and got to work.

  Chapter 12

  Exhausted and aching, Nevealise could barely concentrate on what she was doing. She and Jarred had had a sex-a-thon of sorts over the weekend. She was sore in places she’d never known existed. After Jarred had left her yesterday morning, she’d again soaked in a hot tub. Her weekend with Jarred had been a great one. They’d had fun together. She loved watching him cook and he loved cooking for her. They had laughed, talked, made love and done it all again, especially the making love part.

  Nevealise had to admit that for the first time in a long while, she was happy, and it wasn’t work related.

  “It looks like you have to read some more books, Nev, if you’re going to keep up with Jarred,” she whispered to herself. “Or at least be in the same league.” She felt inadequate in a way. As if he were doing all the work. She wanted to learn how to give him the pleasure he’d given her. He kept telling her she was doing fine, and she believed him. However, she wanted to be secure enough to take charge herself. To start their lovemaking rather than wait for him to start. To lead the way.

  But she couldn’t do her research right now. It was time to get back to work. She had a meeting in a few minutes. The second of a scheduled three. Suddenly, she didn’t feel like being here. For the first time she had a life, and she wanted to enjoy every minute of it.

  The shrill sound of her cell phone ringing brought Nevealise out of her reverie. After reaching for it and looking at the caller ID, she quickly answered.

  “Jarred, hello! This is a surprise,” she said cheerfully.

  “Wow, someone is chipper this morning. I wonder why that is?” Nevealise could hear his laughter through the receiver. “Could it be that someone got some good lovin’ put on her?”

  Nevealise blushed from the crown of her head to the soles of her feet.

  “What? Nothing to say, my sexy songstress?”

  Oh my word. He was never going to let her forget that song she’d sung for him, nor their makeout session afterward.

  “How are you feeling this morning?” she heard Jarred say in his jubilant voice, not giving her time to answer his first question.

  “I’m so sore I can barely walk,” she blurted out.

  There was a pause on the other end of the phone. Nevealise wondered if she had spoken too soon. She didn’t want him to think that she hadn’t enjoyed their romp—that was far from the truth. She had enjoyed it a little too much.

  “Sore in a good way,” she quickly added.

  She heard a sigh of what sounded like relief from the other end, and then Jarred’s boisterous laughter. “Good as in I did the damn thing?” His concern was now replaced with cockiness.

  Nevealise covered her face with her hand and whimpered. It was good he wasn’t sitting in front of her to see her reddened skin. She was sure she was flushed from top to bottom.

  “You are so conceited it’s ridiculous,” she grumbled. “Not only can’t I walk properly, I can’t concentrate on what I’m doing. My face has been so flushed, and from the permanent smile on it, everyone knows what I was doing over the weekend.”

  Nevealise knew that was the case, because in her first meeting she’d been teasingly called out on it by one of her team members. “Nev’s got a man!” her coworker had said. Nevealise didn’t have to respond; the blush on her face said it all.

  Jarred chuckled harder. “Stop laughing!” Nevealise exclaimed and then started to chuckle herself.

  “I’m sorry, sweetheart. Admit it. Facts are facts. You were singing in the church choir a few times. And that soprano note you hit was enough to drive me wild. I can’t wait to do it again.”

  “I don’t have time to play with you. I have a meeting in less than five minutes,” she murmured.

  “Confess. I gave it to you good. I want to hear you say it,” he teased. Nevealise could hear the smile in his voice. The arrogant so-and-so. He was just too sure of himself. If truth be told, Jarred had touched parts of her body that she hadn’t known could bring her pleasure, as well as release. She’d had too many orgasms to count. She’d gone from not having sex at all to not being able to go without it. Still, she wouldn’t admit it.

  “I will not,” she said snootily.

  “All kidding aside,” he said. “I missed having you in my arms last night.”

  Nevealise smiled inwardly. She didn’t think she could ever be this happy, but she was. “I missed being in your arms, too. I can’t wait to see you this weekend, Jarred.”

  “Nor I you. No shop talk from either of us. Not one mention of bits, bytes, bugs and all that other computer jargon from you, and I won’t harp about my constant headache of a job. It’ll just be you, me and the sounds of some good lovemaking. You need to do whatever it takes to relieve your soreness, sexy girl, because I plan on keeping you on your back this weekend, as well,” he mock threatened.

  Nevealise was shocked. Her mouth hung open. “Oh, really?” she gulped.

  “Yes. Count on it. I love the way you scream my name. ‘Jarred... Jarred!’” he mimicked.

  Nevealise didn’t think her face could get any redder. She did remember calling his name a few times. “You know a gentleman wouldn’t repeat that.”

  “A gentleman wouldn’t. Who says I’m a gentleman? Not in the bedroom, baby. Not in the bedroom. Besides, I like it when you scream my name. All of your inhibitions are left behind and the wanton goddess is released,” he said with a chuckle.

  Oh, goodness, Jarred was killing her. Her thighs clenched together tightly. In a move totally unlike her, Nevealise responded, “Humph, don’t be surprised if you’re the one screaming my name.”

  “Oh, hur
t me, baby. Hurt me.”

  Nevealise was spared from responding by a knock at her door. She quickly looked down at her watch and grimaced. She was late.

  “Listen, Jarred, someone’s at my door. I’m late for my meeting. I’ll talk to you later tonight,” she said quickly.

  “I’ll talk to you this evening, love.”

  “Gotta go. Bye,” she said, disconnecting.

  “Come in,” she called out. Nevealise watched as one of the techs, Melissa, pushed the door open and walked into Nevealise’s temporary office with a huge smile on her face.

  “Hey, Nev,” Melissa chirped. “I know you’re on cloud nine from your ‘secret’ rendezvous, but you’re late for our meeting.”

  “I know. I was just coming. I had an emergency call,” Nevealise lied, and lowered her head so that Melissa wouldn’t see her flushed face.

  “Yeah, I get those emergency calls sometimes, too.” She giggled.

  Nevealise felt her cheeks heat even more. “On my way. Can you let them know? Give me a minute,” she breathed.

  “Sure thing. Wow, Nev’s got a man. This is totally awesome!” Melissa said, and turned on her heels.

  Quickly pulling herself together, Nevealise left her office. An hour later she was still in meetings. It looked as if she would be back and forth the rest of the week from Norfolk to Washington, and then on to Los Angeles. She heaved a disappointed sigh. And there goes my week.

  Chapter 13

  After Nevea called to let him know she wouldn’t be available for the rest of the week, Jarred had been disappointed, but understood. Well, almost. She was working too hard. Flying from one place to another. When he’d finally gotten the chance to speak to her again, she’d been so tired he hadn’t kept her on the phone long. Instead he told her to rest up and he’d see her over the weekend. But they’d missed their weekend because Nevea had been stuck in Los Angeles, and wouldn’t be back in town until the following Wednesday. That’s when Jarred had come up with a plan. His lady was tired and he was going to do something about it.