“We’re not going to my family’s house,” he said. “Remember, the first part of this trip is for research. I booked us a room at a bed-and-breakfast in Sedona. It is one of the most beautiful areas in all of Arizona.”
“How far is Sedona?”
“About another hour and a half,” he said.
She shot him an incredulous frown. “So we’re staying two hours away from where the wedding will take place?”
“It’s worth the drive,” Jamal said. “I promise.”
“But—”
He leaned over and kissed the question right out of her mouth. He knew she’d bring up the issue between him and his dad, and Jamal wasn’t up to dealing with it. He’d orchestrated a relaxing, romantic getaway, and he wasn’t about to let Phylicia spoil it with her peacemaking attempts. He would be the one to decide whether he made peace with his father.
Phylicia spent the remainder of the drive into Verde Valley peppering him with questions about each and every mountain and stretch of desert they passed. As they approached the idyllic mountain ranges of the northeast region, Jamal was pretty sure she would stroke out from her excitement.
“This is absolutely gorgeous,” she gasped.
“They call this Red Rock Country,” Jamal explained. “I’m going to take you on a tour of it tomorrow and show you two of the most famous formations, Cathedral Rock and Thunder Mountain. I can promise you’ve never seen anything more beautiful.”
Siri indicated that they should exit the highway, and a few minutes later, the sign for the Creekside Bed-and-Breakfast came into view. They were greeted by the husband and wife who owned and operated the B&B. After checking in, they were treated to a tour of the public areas.
“As you can see, the house is all Arizona on the outside, but inside, we have traditional Victorian furnishings and décor,” the woman said.
“That’s the reason I picked this B&B,” Jamal said. “We’re in the process of renovating an 1870s Victorian in Louisiana. I’m hoping to pick your brains a bit on what has worked and what hasn’t with Creekside.”
“Congratulations,” she said. “You will love it.” She wagged a finger in their direction. “And don’t let anyone tell you that you shouldn’t work together as husband and wife. We’ve done it for several years, and it has only added to our marriage.”
Jamal glanced at Phylicia to see if she would correct the woman’s erroneous assumption. His chest tightened with unbearable hope when she didn’t. The thought of being mistaken for her husband didn’t scare him nearly as much as he thought it would. In fact, the thought of the two of them operating Belle Maison together sent a deliciously intoxicating spike of pleasure coursing through his bloodstream.
“The two of you will be lodging in the Sovereign Suite, one of our most ornate…and romantic,” the woman tacked on.
Standing along the bank of gurgling Oak Creek that ran right through the property, Jamal couldn’t help but grin at Phylicia’s animated rambling.
“I honestly do not believe I have seen anything this beautiful in my entire life. Look at it,” she said. “And listen. How soothing is that? It sounds like one of those calming YouTube videos.” She turned to him. “Why didn’t you tell me to bring my paints? How peaceful would it be to stand here with my easel?”
The water rushing over and around the smooth rocks was calming, but the mention of painting supplies reminded Jamal of the last time she’d painted outside, surrounded by nature. Making love to her there would be a lifelong memory. He was suddenly anxious to get her inside the house.
“Why don’t we check out the room?” he asked.
Phylicia frowned, but when Jamal lifted his brows in a knowing look, a delicate pink hue blossomed high on her cheeks. She knew exactly what he was suggesting.
The owners informed them of dinnertime, but Jamal wasn’t thinking about food. The only thing he needed right now was Phylicia, good and naked.
When they finally arrived in their room, he didn’t register anything about their surroundings except for the bed. Tumbling onto the mass of frilly bedding, he stripped Phylicia out of her clothes and spent the next half-hour exploring the terrains of her body. He licked up and down the peaks of her firm breasts and trailed kisses along the smooth hollow of her gently concave stomach. He gripped her faintly rounded hips and used his tongue to explore the delicious world between her legs.
When they were done, they both collapsed onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling, puffing out exhausted and contented breaths.
“I would love to see what the rest of the room looks like,” Phylicia said. “But I’m too tired to move.”
“We’re here for two nights,” Jamal said. “There’s time to see the room.”
She scooted closer to him and snuggled with her back against his chest, pulling his arm across her torso.
Jamal snaked a hand up to cup her breast, relishing in the softness.
“I can spend the next two days and nights right here, just like this,” she said.
“You’d get no complaints from me,” he told her. “We don’t have to go anywhere. We can see the wineries another time.”
