Tropical Storm by Stefanie Graham Page A

decision out of his hands.
    “Here taste this.” She popped a piece of fried plantaininto his mouth.
    Cairo had no choice but to chew and when he did, he was lost. He could never refuse a delicious meal. Storm knew this. She plied him with tempting morsels until he was full. When he was replete from food, she then proceeded to make a tempting meal out of herself.
    Leaning over him, she rested his head against her heart. “I can see why you love it here Cairo.” She said softly. “There isn’t a more beautiful island in the world.”
    Nuzzled up against her body, all Cairo could do was nod.
    “New York City can hardly compare to this island paradise, can it, Cairo?”
    He forced his head away from the valley between her breasts.
    “There is nothing left in New York that I want, Jessica. Jamaica has it all. I need nothing else.”
    “I beg to differ,” Storm said jumping up from his lap. “In New York you left behindsomething very special.”
    “What?” Cairo asked perplexed. “I took everything of value with me.”
    Storm pulled him from his chair and held him in her arms. “You didn’t take me.”
    Cairo started to pull away but Storm wouldn’t let him go.
    “Dance with me.” She said looking up into his eyes.
    Cairo wanted to refuse; good sense said that he should. But his body was a traitor to him. Before he could halt the memory, he was reminded ofhow good she had once felt and how good she had once tasted. In that moment, heforgot why he should be fighting his attraction to Storm. He forgot everything.
    “One dance,” He heard himself saying. “And then I have to go.”
    They swayed to the music and danced with each other to melodious sounds floating on the night air. Their bodies melded together like long lost lovers. Storm held him tight.
    “I have to go.” Cairo said abruptly disentangling himself as he felt his body warming to her touch.
    Storm started to argue but he interrupted her. “This was nice but wasted on me. I know what you’re doing Jessica and it won’t work, not this time. If I was easy to manipulate in the past, I ’ m certainly not now. It was a well-planned, professionally executed and brilliantly thought out seduction. But there is something you’ve forgotten: I don’t want to get involved with you. If you were bad for me then, you’re even worse now. I like my life the way it is, Jessica. Please stay out of it.”
    He didn’t wait to see how she would take his news. He turned and walked away, while he was still able.
     
    Later that night, Cairo kicked the covers off his body and twisted in his bed. Sweat dotted his forehead, formed beads of perspiration on his muscled chest and dripped from his body in rivulets to soak the sheets. Restless, he flopped onto his stomach but the movement didn’t rouse him from the dream that still held him in its grip.
    He burst into his apartment and headed straight for his room. He immediately started breaking things. He ripped down, shattered and destroyed every picture, memento and gift Storm had ever given him. He destroyed every sign of her until nothing of their short-lived romance remained.
    Papa Joseph sat in his chair in their tiny apartment and watched his outburst with sorrow and sympathy in his eyes. The look went straight through him and cut through all his defenses. Cairo walked over to his grandfather and fell to his knees in front of him. Laying his head on his lap, he cried. Cried like when he heard that his parents were dead, cried like his life was at an end, for in every way that counted, it was. She was gone. It was over.
    “There, there child,” Papa Joseph said gently stroking his head. “Tell your granddad what is wrong, you hear.” The command was soft with the musical lilt of the Caribbean singing through his words.
    Cairo cried so hard that his body shook; he released the tears that he’d been holding in from the minute Storm’s parents had walked into the motel room and ruined his life. After what