Finding Love Again

by Natasha Marquis

  Hunter knew that he could not stay on top of her forever. He pulled out of her and rolled over to his back.

  "That was great." He turned to look at Chantelle she was looking at the ceiling. He reached for her and pulled her closer to him. "Hey babe is something wrong."

  Chantelle looked at him and there were tears in her eyes.

  "Babe what is it?" Hunter was getting scared.

  "Do you really love me?"

  Hunter looked at her for a few seconds before he started smiling. He bent down to kiss her. "Yes I love you Chantelle Brown."

  "You know that was not suppose to happen?"

  "Maybe you were trying not to, but I knew the first time I saw you that I was going to have a relationship with you. By the second date, I knew that there was no one else for me. I know that you have feelings for me. You may already love me, but I also know that you are stubborn."

  That was when he pulled her on top of him. "You are mine Chantelle, and I have every intention of making you my wife."

  "Hunter I…"

  She did not have a chance to say anything he started kissing her. Chantelle gave in and kissed him back. He stopped kissing her, and looked at her she put her head on his chest.

  "So what does this mean Hunter?"

  "Well first I would like an answer to my question."

  Chantelle looked at Hunter strange she had no idea what question he was referring too. "What question?"

  "Tsk tsk how soon they forget. Remember I asked you to be my date for the fund raiser."

  "Oh that question."

  "Yes that question."

  "I suppose if I said no then your mother would try to set you up with one of her friend's daughters."

  "Does this mean that you will be my date?"

  "I guess so. Now answer my question where does this leave us."

  "It leaves us as a couple. You are my girlfriend, and I am your boyfriend. We are also not going to care what people say about us. I love you Chantelle, and that is not going to change."

  For the first time she believed Hunter. There was something different about their lovemaking this time. Neither one held back this time. For the first time in five years, Chantelle felt as if she could love someone and not get hurt. She was never going to take a chance at love again. She was just going to raise her son, and work on her career. Then here comes along this hunk of hunks that pursues her, and falls in loves with her. How could she not fall in love with Hunter? She knew that she had fallen in love with him some time ago. She just did not want to admit it. She was just going to bide her time before Hunter dumped her, but now she believed that he was not going anywhere.

  "Hunter I have something to tell you."

  If she was going to say that they did not belong together, he was going to tie her to the bed until she admitted that she has very strong feelings for him. "I swear Chantelle if you tell me your same mantra we do not belong together and that me being younger than you…."

  Chantelle did not give him a chance to finish. She had placed her finger over his mouth. "You are going to let me finish. Now when my husband died I did not want to get involved with anyone. I just wanted to raise my son, and further my career. Then this arrogant hot-blooded Italian came into my life, and would not take no for an answer. What do I do? I get involved with him, but then it becomes serious. That was the last thing that I wanted to happen. I realize that there is only one thing that I can do about this situation."

  Hunter did not know where this conversation was going, but he held on to Chantelle tighter. There was no way she was going to leave him. They were staring at one another. Then Chantelle put her hands in his hair and started playing in it. He loved when she did that. It helped him to relax especially if he had a hard day at work. He had to know where he stood with her.

  "What are you trying to say Chantelle?"

  "Silly boy as I said before there is only one solution to this."

  "I know, and what is this solution."

  Chantelle started shaking her head, and gave Hunter a look as if he should know what the answer should be. Hunter wanted to know, and he wanted to know now.

  "Chantelle I am not playing tell me what you mean."

  She bent down and gave him a light kiss on the lips. She liked having this kind of control. Sometimes his arrogance could be annoying. This was her way of getting back at him.

  "Chantelle I am warning you I will tie you to the bed if you do not stop this."

  "I love you Hunter."

  Finally, she had said the words that he had been waiting to hear. "I have been waiting forever for you to say those words to me."

  "I knew that I could not try and pretend that I did not anymore. I want to take a chance at love again."

  "Well I am your man babe."

  She laid her head on his chest. "Hunter."

  "Yes babe."

  "Were you serious about tying me to the bed?"

  Hunter chuckled. "Well babe I have been meaning to try new things with you."

  Chantelle rose up and looked at him. "Are you serious?"

  "I am always willing to broaden your horizons."

  "We can discuss this later."

  "As long as you keep an open mind, and not say no before we discuss it."

  "Fine I can do that."

  Hunter felt good he had his woman, and they could move forward.

  "Babe I wanted to ask you something are you on any form of birth control?"

  "Yes why?"

  "I forgot to put on a condom."

  "Please tell me that you are clean?"

  "Of course I would never do that to a woman. Besides you are the first woman I have ever made love to without protection."

  "Seriously."

  "Scouts honor."

  "Were you even ever a scout?"

  "Actually I was."

  "Oh okay I believe you."

  "You know what this means?"

  "What does it mean?"

  "I am not going to wear a condom when we make love."

  "Hunter I do not know if that is such a good idea."

  "Why not I do not plan on being with anyone else, and neither are you. I know that you do not expect me to wear a condom after I had the pleasure of riding you bareback?"

  "Hunter suppose I forget to take my birth control?"

  "Then we deal with it if it happens." It was then that he lifted her up on onto his waiting cock. "Doesn't that feel good?"

  "Who am I to argue?"

  "That's it babe now ride me."

  Chapter 15

  ♣

  "This color looks nice in your hair. What made you decided to add the highlights to your hair."

  Chantelle had went to her hairdresser earlier and decided it was time for a change.

  "I thought that since this is such a big occasion I would do something different. Do you think that Hunter will like it?"

  "Honey I think if you were bald the man would think that you were the sexiest woman in the world."

  "I think that is taking it a bit too far."

  "I don't that man is so in love with you it is not funny. Look, I know that I was the one to encourage you to have fun with him. Anyone can see that your relationship has progress to something more serious."

  "We have admitted that we have feelings for one another."

  "What kind of feelings? Did the word love ever come up?"

  Chantelle had not told Aaliyah that she had told Hunter had admitted that they were in love."

  "Actually yes it did."

  "Oh girl did he say it first or did you?"

  "What makes you think I said anything?"

  "Please you are talking to your girl. I knew that there was something different with you to. I was waiting for you to say something."

  "Sorry I just wanted to keep it a secret for a little while longer. I know that I have accepted Hunter being in my life, but I still get nervous about what people will say."

  "Well it does not matter because tonight you are going to go on t
he red carpet with this man, and everyone is going to know that you to are together."

  "I know and I am ready or just as ready as I can be."

  "Well I will be looking at you on the red carpet. Now enough with that how did he tell you that he loved you?"

  Chantelle was a little embarrassed to let her friend know how or where Hunter declared his love for her.

  "Well it does not matter just know that he told me that he loved me, and I said the same. We have been good ever since."

  "When you say that everything is good, you mean no more running away?"

  "No Aaliyah no more running away. There is no reason to fight him or my feelings anymore."

  Aaliyah gave her friend a hug.

  "I am so glad to hear this because that man is good for you."

  "I do not know how this is going to work out."

  "I tell you how it is going to work out the man is going to ask you to marry him."

  Chantelle was not as sure as Aaliyah. Chantelle knew that Hunter loved her. A part of her was afraid of losing him.

  "I do not know if marriage is in the cards for us."

  "I do and I would not be surprised if the man asked you."

  "I do not know if I want to get married again." Chantelle was lying. The idea of being married to Hunter would be nice, but she was afraid of getting hurt.

  "Just remember I told you so."

  "Well I think that I need to finish getting ready. Do you think that these earrings will look good with my dress?"

  Chantelle picked out a pair of drop emerald earrings. There was also a matching necklace. It was a simple necklace just a silver chain with a heart shape emerald on it. Chantelle was never big about jewelry. The Army did not allowed soldiers to wear a lot of jewelry. When Chantelle was on her two-week leave from her second tour of Iraq, she went to Spain and saw this combination. This would be the first time she wore them, and she could not think of a better reason to wear them.

  "Those are the emeralds that you bought in Spain?"

  "Yes, do you think that they will work with this dress?"

  "I think that it will go perfect with your dress. Here let me help you put the necklace on while you put the earrings on."

  Chantelle looked at herself in the mirror, and she loved the combination on her. Now she needed to put her dress on. Chantelle was very proud of herself. She had saved her money, in order to buy her first Vera Wang dress. No one needed to know that it was on sale.

  "Can you hand me my dress?"

  The dress was laying on her bed. It was a black sleeveless dress, but the back was not open so it covered up her tattoo. The last thing she wanted to do is embarrass Hunter's mother. The one on her leg she would cover that one up with make-up. She could have cover the one up on her shoulder but she did not want to get makeup on her dress. It was a short evening gown because Chantelle hated wearing long gowns because she always had to get them taken up because of her height. She was going to wear her black satin shoes with the sequins they were slip on and they had a three-inch heel but they were easy to take off if she needed to. After getting dressed, she looked in the mirror.

  "Do you think Hunter will like it?"

  "As I said before you could be bald and wear a sack the man would still only have eyes for you."

  Chantelle turned around and gave her friend who has been through everything with her. There were times she did not think that she would make it if it had not been for Aaliyah.

  "Thank-you I do not know what I would do without you."

  "Wow mom you look beautiful."

  Michael walked into her room eating an ice cream cone.

  "Thank-you young man. Did you ask permission for that ice cream?"

  Michael had a habit of looking down when he knew he was going to get in trouble.

  "No ma'am."

  Chantelle looked at her son, and he looked pitiful.

  "Okay just this once you can have the ice cream, but next time ask."

  "Yes ma'am. Mom you do look beautiful. You are going to be the prettiest woman there."

  "Thank-you sweetheart."

  "If your son thinks that, just image what your boyfriend is going to think. Now you need to finish getting ready he is going to be here any minute."

  They both heard the doorbell, and they knew that it was Hunter.

  "Oh my I still need to change purses."

  "Look you make sure that you have everything while I go and get the door."

  "Thanks girl I do not know what I would do without you."

  Aaliyah headed downstairs and opened the door not only was Hunter there, but so was Miles.

  "Miles I did not expect you."

  "Did you think that I would not see Chantelle all dressed up for her red carpet debut."

  "Hunter how are you please come in both of you."

  "Where is the lady of the hour should I go up there to help her?"

  "No Miles she is okay and she will be down in a few minutes. Hunter you are looking handsome in your tux."

  "Yes I was telling him when we were outside that he has impressive taste in clothes. If you swung my way, and of course not be in a relationship I would go after you."

  "I do not know what to say. Really I don't I can't say that I have ever been proposition by another man."

  "You do not have to worry you are involved with Chantelle, and I know that you are as straight as an arrow."

  Just then, Chantelle came down the stairs.

  "Did I hear my name mentioned?"

  Everyone turned to look at Chantelle coming down the stairs. She took Hunter's breath away he started walking towards her and took her hand.

  "You look beautiful every woman is going to be jealous of you tonight. Here this is for you."

  Hunter handed Chantelle a single red rose.

  "Thank-you it is beautiful, and I must say that you look handsome."

  Aaliyah came and took the rose from Chantelle.

  "I will put this in water."

  "Thanks Aaliyah."

  Before she could say anything else, Hunter picked her up and kissed her.

  "Okay you to break it up you are going to mess my girl's makeup up and by the way you look beautiful tonight, but you are always beautiful."

  "Thank-you Miles."

  "I want to get a picture of the two of you."

  Hunter and Chantelle turned for Miles to take some pictures. Just then, Michael walked into the room.

  "Michael I am glad you are here Hunter and I are getting ready to leave and I wanted to tell you goodnight. Come and give me a hug."

  "Goodnight mom I hope that you and Hunter have a good time tonight."

  "We will, and you be good okay."

  "Yes mom."

  "Goodnight little man remember you and my niece and nephew are going to the beach this weekend."

  "Yes I cannot wait."

  "Chantelle are you ready?"

  "Yes I am as ready as I am going to be."

  Hunter held out his arm for Chantelle and she took it."

  "You carriage awaits you."

  When they went outside, Chantelle was surprised to see a limo parked in front of her place. There was a man standing by the limo with the door open. Chantelle was inside followed by Hunter.

  "I was not expecting a limo."

  "Only the best for my baby. You ready for this?"

  "I think so as long as you are by my side."

  "Always it will be fine."

  Π

  Hunter could tell that Chantelle still had her doubts about tonight. Not that she would admit it to him. Since there coming to an agreement about their relationship, things have been going great between them. They had come a long way, and there was not going to be any going back to the way it was Hunter would not allow that.

  "Nervous about tonight?"

  "No why would you ask that?"

  Hunter gave Chantelle that look that he knew she was lying.

  "Fine I am a little nervous. I have never been to a red carpet event b
efore. In addition, the media will be there, and that makes me even nervous. Please do not be mad at me."

  "Babe I am not mad at you. I understand that you will be somewhat nervous. However, you have to remember that I will be right beside you. Everything will be alright."

  Hunter gave Chantelle a kiss. Even thought it was suppose to be a light kiss. The kiss ended up turning into a passionate kiss. Chantelle was the one who pulled away.

  "You need to stop that. Now I have to fix my lips."

  "You know that I can't help myself when it comes to you."

  "Well you are going to have to tonight, or as long as we are at this fundraiser. The last thing I want to do is give off the impression I am your sex toy."

  "You know how I feel about you, and when everyone see's us together they are going to realize that I am serious about you."