A Heart Not Easily Broken

by M.J. Kane

  Chapter 27

  “I’m okay.”

  Then why did it sound like a lie?

  From the moment Ebony arrived, she’d been crying. I suspected something was wrong for months. But what?

  Ebony never gave me the impression of being needy or clingy. She was strong and independent with a good head on her shoulders. Why the sudden change?

  It still irritated me that she had refused my help before I left. Some of the women in my past would have jumped at the opportunity. I didn’t get it. Why would she think my helping her would be an inconvenience? Didn’t she know how much I loved her? How much I wanted to take care of her? I made my intentions clear.

  We’d been together for nearly five months. We’d just scratched the surface of each other’s lives. A typical relationship would mean we would know more about each other than we did right now; but our relationship wasn’t typical.

  While I was away, a part of me worried she would one day refuse my calls. Nothing, not even how good the sex was, required her to wait for me.

  I risked everything we’d built when I accepted the job. I never asked how she felt about me leaving her behind. I assumed everything would work out, because it’s what I wanted.

  The opportunity of a lifetime.

  But love, true love, only happened once.

  Did my decision to leave cause the change?

  What I felt was real, and she seemed to feel the same way. We’d talked every day I was gone. I’d faithfully deposited money in her account every week, even when she said she didn’t need it.

  I looked over at the love of my life as she slept. Ebony had no idea how beautiful she was. This was the image I took to bed with me every night while away. This is what I thought of when woman followed me around at the after parties or hung around backstage offering sex in order to get closer to the artist we played for.

  Two weeks into the tour, I stopped counting how many women sneaked into my bedroom with offers I ordinarily wouldn’t refuse. Nobody could take Ebony’s place. Losing her because of some stupid one-night-stand would not be worth it.

  Now we were together again.

  Why the hell was I paranoid?

  For the last couple of months, I’d been asking her to tell me what bothered her. It always seemed to be work, school, or that damn orangutan. I wasn’t buying it. If Ebony had a problem with me leaving and told me, we could deal with it in the open. Holding it in only built pent up anger.

  But now that I was home and could see her in the flesh, there was no way for her to avoid telling me how she really felt. I learned to read her body language during our first few dates. There would be no way for her to continue to hide what bothered her.

  I was ready and willing to work through any problem she threw at me. All she needed to do was tell me the truth. We had two days to spend in our own world, thanks to Yasmine. There would be plenty of time to catch up. When we went home, I would know the truth.

  Ebony shifted in the bed, deep in sleep. During the course of the evening, she’d fallen into a deep slumber, as I’d never seen. For the longest time, she’d held me as if she was afraid I’d leave and never return. I replaced my body with the pillow my head had been resting on to go to the bathroom. She looked peaceful when I returned. I pulled on a pair of jeans and walked down the hall to retrieve more ice to keep the champagne chilled.

  When I returned she hadn’t moved an inch. Her naked body lay exposed for my viewing pleasure. So I stepped back to appreciate every curvy inch. Her caramel skin was as soft and smooth as I’d remembered, though she’d seemed a little slimmer. The sexy fragrance she wore mixed with her own natural scent, called to my primal urge to claim her. Not just as my lover, but as my woman, my wife.

  But Ebony was not mine to own. She gave herself willingly; I appreciated that more than I could ever explain.

  I loved her mind and spirit the most. Ebony’s desire to work hard to achieve her goals was a quality to admire. Her selfless support was a trait not easily found in goal-oriented women.

  No woman from my past would ever compare. I honestly didn’t think another one ever could.

  Almond shaped brown eyes peered up from the pillow she clung to. “Mmm…I didn’t mean to sleep.” She yawned and rolled over on her back. Her chocolate covered nipples had my mouth watering. Damn she was distracting.

  “You look tired.” I slipped out of my jeans and back into bed, bringing the sheet up to cover our bodies.

  She maneuvered herself in my arms again. Her arm wrapped around my waist possessively.

  Unable to resist, I ran my hand down her arm, across smooth, soft skin.

  “It’s been a busy week. School, work, and watching Nala. Nothing I can’t handle.”

  I studied her eyes; she looked away.

  Then it hit me. I was an ass. Three months had gone by since the last time we’d been together.

  How could I have forgotten? Being on the road, moving from city to city, practicing, and playing day after day…The only time I thought about that night had been to distract me from temptation knocking on my door.

  “Ebony, what’s on your mind?” I angled my head to watch her.

  A flicker of fear passed in her eyes. “What do you mean?” She shifted slightly, pulling the sheet tighter across her chest.

  I tried to remember the moment she’d taken off her clothes. My focus had been getting inside her; I didn’t pay attention to her stomach. Had it been flat? Had it changed to a slightly rounder form?

  She’d been on top when we made love, I didn’t explore her body the way I wanted to. Ebony kept me lying on the bed unable to give her what I know she liked.

  Was it possible I would hurt the baby?

  “Are you pregnant?” I took a deep breath and waited for her reply.

  Her eyes widened. “What?” She sat up.

  I did the same. “Did you find out? If you’re pregnant just tell me. We can work through it.”

  “I’m not pregnant, Brian. I’ve been having my period.”

  “Are you sure? I’ve heard my sisters say they still had a period at least a month before realizing─”

  “I took a test last week.” Her grip on the sheet loosened as the corners of her mouth tilted. “Wait a minute. You paid attention to your sisters’ talk about being pregnant?” She laughed, a genuine sound that eased the moment of tension. “My brother practically ran away the moment me or Shana mentioned the words bra, tampons, pads, or periods.”

  “Hey, I was the only boy in a house with four older sisters. There was nowhere to go.” I returned her smile. “Besides, I figured the information would come in handy one day.”

  Ebony continued to laugh as she slid out of bed.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To take a closer look at this enormous tub in the bathroom. I wonder if it can fit two?” She threw an alluring glance over her shoulder.

  I watched her perfect body’s seductive glide into the candle lit bathroom. Wicked thoughts came to mind as she leaned over the tub and ran water.

  Unable to resist an open invitation to try something new, I grabbed the ice bucket, wine, both glasses, the chocolate, and a roll of condoms. I didn’t plan on leaving the tub until the water turned to ice or our bodies shriveled beyond recognition.

  Tonight we would catch up on everything physical. After that, I’d find out what really bothered her.