by Shane Morgan
Slipping away into the room, I closed the door and hid my emotions from Branden. I needed a moment to myself, a moment to shake off my jealousy.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
Branden
Moya stayed in the room the rest of the evening. I knew she was upset after seeing Samantha’s text, so I wanted to assure her again that it meant nothing.
I knocked twice on the door then let myself in when she didn’t respond. She sat down on the loveseat by the window, appearing deep in thought as she picked at her jeans. I sat down next to her.
“Moya, there’s really nothing to be jealous about.”
Slowly, I placed my hand at her back. “Come on, babe don’t let that ruin our weekend.”
“I’m not jealous. I’m fine.”
“Really?”
She rose to her feet, walking over to the window. “Yes. Really.”
I got up as well. “You should talk to me when you’re upset, and don’t walk away like you did earlier.”
Her expression relaxed as I took her hand. Turning slightly to meet my gaze, she said, “I’m not used to…being like this. I don’t like it. It makes me feel…”
“Vulnerable,” I finished for her. “I understand, babe.”
She faced me fully, her chocolate brown eyes craving for me. “I hate that another girl loved you that much, before me.” She laughed at herself. “It makes me seem possessive, but I want to love you more…so much more than she did.”
“That’s intense,” I teased.
Scoffing, Moya rolled her eyes and spun away from me, staring out the window again. I edged closer and cloaked my arms around her. “I like how passionate you are, because I’m the same. I want to be your first and your last. I want every part of you, Moya.”
Seconds later, I was peering into her mesmerizing eyes again. My heart started to race just as her breathing strengthened. There was something rising between us. Heat circulated in the air, making it difficult to control my thoughts.
Unexpectedly, Moya pushed into my chest, biting on my bottom lip as she kissed me hard.
We continued for a while, burning up in desire, until Moya yanked on my shirt and guided me over to the bed. When our legs backed up against the edge, she unzipped her jeans and slid them down to her ankles, showing off slender, sexy thighs toned by a natural athleticism.
Then she lowered on the bed and crawled up to the pillows. My eyes trailed her legs up to her burgundy, satin panties. I felt heat increasing in my stomach as she hauled her sweater over her head, unveiling to my captivated eyes a matching satin bra that hid perfect, rounded breasts from sight.
I immediately got undressed, scurrying out of my pants and shirt. But as I came down to my boxers and took in the enticing creature undressed before my eyes, waiting for me to devour her, I couldn’t help but ask, “Are you sure about this?”
She eased up slowly and reached her hand out for mine. “I’m sure,” she whispered.
I took her hand and slid down on top of her smooth body, running my hands gently along her flawless curves—something I’d wanted to do for so long.
Moya rocked beneath me as I positioned myself in between her thighs. Bringing my nose to her neck, I inhaled the sweet and arousing scent of her skin, whispering, “I love you.”
She brushed a hand alongside my cheek, replying softly, “I love you, too.” Then she brought my chin up to her face and gifted my lips with another intoxicating kiss.
My body blazed on fire when Moya started to caress my skin. She lowered her fingers down to my boxers and pushed them off unabashedly. I did the same, reaching under her back to unsnap her bra, and then slowly taking off her panties.
I eased up momentarily so I could admire Moya’s amazing body as she laid naked, panting in heat, gazing up at me with longing in her beautiful eyes.
“Damn, you’re so sexy.”
I started to kiss her tenderly on the stomach, then worked my lips all over her chest. Moya moaned as I pressed against her moistness, and with an invitation, I entered her body with care, mindful of the fact that it was her first time.
She tightened her grip around me as I thrust back and forth. She winced, and I slowed to a stop, but then she gazed into my eyes and willed me to go on. The pain didn’t last long, after a while it was replaced by absolute pleasure and she let me in deeper.
The sounds of our lovemaking echoed in the air; each breath and gasp engulfed in raw passion until we knew that this night would be one we’d hold onto for the rest of our lives.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
Moya
My eyes flickered awake. Butterflies swarmed my stomach when I gazed at him, watching me with delight on his face. Feeling relieved, I smiled. It wasn’t a dream. We’d made love last night. And as I remembered our intimacy, every touch, and every kiss, my heart started to race. It was my first time, and one I’d never forget.
He whispered, “Morning, beautiful.”
“Morning,” I replied shyly.
Branden stroked my cheek. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“It only lasted a few minutes, but then it was…” I paused for a beat. “Great.”
His soft lips curled into a broad grin as he lowered his head and kissed me softly. When he pulled away, his gaze lingered on my face. Then he pushed the covers off and rolled out of bed, so carefree and comfortable in his nakedness.
I gaped at his chiseled body, letting out a gasp as his mouthwatering physique lit fire under my skin.
“I’m gonna take a shower. Coming?”
“Yeah….” I snapped out of the trance and slid the blanket off my body. He admired me as I got out of bed, hauling me into his chest the moment I did.
With our naked bodies pressed together, Branden smoothed his fingers over my skin and brushed his lips across mine.
“Mmm…” he groaned. “I don’t mind spending my days like this. Do you?”
“Not at all,” I answered in a sensual tone, following behind as he towed me along to the bathroom.
I marveled at the earth-toned marble floor as we walked in, and was impressed with the chic wooden vanity and granite finish around the large bathtub below the bay window. I envisioned taking bubble baths with Branden, relaxing in his arms and surrounded by candlelight and soothing music.
He went over to the shower and turned it on to let the water heat up, while I peered around for towels, spotting a few stacked up on a wooden shelf by the sink.
“Come on,” he said, once the water was warm enough. I stepped inside the rustic shower with him. Closing the glass door, I moved underneath the water. It spewed down on us like a waterfall, soaking my curls. I felt a tad thrilled.
Branden reached for a bottle of shower gel in the corner. Pouring some into the palm of his hands, he began to massage it onto my skin, rubbing the gel all over. I returned the favor, slowly running my hands across his washboard abs and his muscular chest.
“I never thought I’d be this comfortable,” I muttered.
He laughed and reached his strong arms around me, dropping them to my butt. “To be honest, I didn’t think you would be either. But you’ve been bolder with me lately, and you did tell me confidently that you’re ready prior to us coming here, so I’m not that surprised.”
We splashed water on each other until there were no more suds left to rinse off our bodies. Then Branden slipped out of the shower and allowed me to wash my hair.
When I went back to the bedroom, the smell of eggs and sausage filled my nostrils. My man was cooking me breakfast. There was no word to describe how appreciative I felt by the way he treated me. He was without a doubt one of a kind.
I quickly got dressed in a sweater and jeans, then dried my hair with the towel and brushed it into a bun, heading down the passage towards the living room after putting on my boots. Branden appeared busy in the open kitchen.
“Look at you,” I chirped, sitting down at the island.
He shrugged, saying, “I try.” Then he set down a plate before
me. “Here you go, my dear. Enjoy.”
“Thank you.”
Sitting on the cushioned stool next to me, Branden poured us some coffee and orange juice before biting into his toast.
“What’s the plan for today?” I asked, drinking some coffee.
He gazed out the screened porch outside of the kitchen. “It’s not so cold out today, so I was thinking we could go for a walk down by the water, do a little sight-seeing, and then get lunch at this popular diner up the road.”
“Sounds good to me.”
I heard my cell phone vibrate on the coffee table over by the sofa.
“Shit,” I stopped eating and got off the stool. “I forgot to call Momma.”
“Answer it. Tell her it’s my fault,” he winked, getting up as well and going over to the counter for more sausage. “Tell her I distracted you,” he added in a cocky tone.
“Stop,” I giggled and hurried to get my phone before whoever was calling hung up.
I answered without looking at the screen. “Hello.”
“Girl,” Vanessa squealed. “Been texting you since last night. No biggie though. I take it you were, amen, unavailable.”
“Huh,” I scoffed, rolling my eyes. I dropped my free hand on my hip and asked, “Don’t you have anything better to than check up on me?”
“Let me think…um…no. There’s nothing better than snooping into my best friend’s biz. So,” she smacked her mouth on whatever she was eating. “Having fun with Mr. Romantic?”
I gazed over my shoulder at Branden, smiling as I answered, “Yeah. The place is really nice too. Oh, how was dinner with Warren and his family last night?”
“It was great; very cultural. His parents are cool. They shared stories about their lives in the Dominican Republic before coming here. They’ve done so much to make sure Warren has a lot of opportunities. I have mad respect for them.”
“Sounds like our parents,” I chimed.
“Hmm…” she paused in thought, made the sound as if she was licking her finger, then said, “Well, I’m not gonna keep you from your boo any longer so have fun. See you when you get back from your couple’s retreat.”
“Thanks girl. See ya.”
After Vanessa hung up, I sent Momma a text letting her know I arrived all right. She was at work so I couldn’t call.
Branden walked over when I finished on the phone.
“Ready for that walk?” he asked, appearing cheerful as he handed me a pair of brown gloves and my wool jacket.
I took them from him, beaming as I said, “Aren’t you energetic.”
He shrugged, then took my hand and led me towards the door. When I stepped outside on the porch and waited for him to close up, I tilted my head and pressed my eyes shut, taking in the warmth of this sunny day. It was one to enjoy as much as possible before the freezing temperature returned.
When we started down the steps, the railing was icy as to the touch. We had to be careful so as not to slide. Once we reached the stony path, Branden guided me around the side of the cabin, and we began to stride along the creek.
***
Later that day when we came back to the cabin after having lunch at the diner up the road, Branden and I lounged on the leather sofa and spoke about anything and everything we hadn’t shared before. And somehow, hockey came up in the conversation.
His body became more animated, gesturing along to every explanation about the play of the game. A flicker of excitement flashed across his face when he mentioned the one he’d recently seen with Warren. I continued to observe him, how genuinely happy he appeared to be. Hockey meant a lot more to Branden than I’d thought.
Steering his eyes away from me for a moment, he gazed out at the screened porch as he said, “You know if Coach Evans let me start then my first game is only three weeks away.”
I rubbed his knee. “I’m definitely going; wouldn’t miss the chance to see you in action.”
Branden glanced back at me, sounding fearful as he said, “Yeah, well, that’s if I start.”
“Of course you will. You’re an incredible player from what I’ve seen.”
“I’m rusty,” he countered. “I haven’t been on blades much less held a hockey stick in nearly three years.”
“Branden, relax. You’ve been so excited about this, don’t start having doubts now. Besides,” I rose from the sofa and sauntered over to the kitchen. “I’m sure once you’re back in the rink, it’ll all come back to you.”
He shrugged. “Hope so.”
“Okay, enough about hockey. What would you like for dinner?”
Coming over to me, he ran his hand through his tousled hair and leaned against the island, an eyebrow raised in contemplation. “Hmm…I don’t know. What do you feel like eating?”
“Well, first let’s see what you got for us.” I turned and opened the fridge to scan our options, instantly spotting a frozen pepperoni pizza. Taking out the box, I held it up and asked, “How about this?’
Branden nodded, walked around the island to the stove and turned the oven on. “Let’s have wine with it,” he suggested.
“Ooh.” I perked up.
He went into the pinewood cupboard and took out two elegant looking wine glasses with floral artwork on them. Then he opened the bottle of Merlot he brought and poured us some wine.
“A toast to us,” he said, clicking his glass with mine.
We drank a little then placed our glasses on the island, staring intently at each other with great desire. I wasn’t sure how long we stood there quiet, but all of a sudden the oven beeped, and we both winced as if our minds had drifted off and intertwined into an intimate place.
“Let’s get the pizza in,” he breathed, collecting himself.
I took it out of the box and placed it inside the oven.
Later on after we finished eating, we went into the bedroom and sat down on the comfy loveseat by the window, sipping the rest of our wine.
Branden seemed in deep thought. He fidgeted, shaking his legs slowly and peering around the room at every single thing in sight. I was curious by how mysterious he was now being.
“You okay?” I asked. “Looks like you have a lot on your mind.”
He regarded me with anxious eyes. “Moya, I’ve been wondering about Christmas Eve.”
“What about Christmas Eve?”
“That night, you seemed unsatisfied with the bracelet, almost like you were hoping for something else.”
“Oh,” I dropped my eyes to the carpet. He was right. My heart wanted something else, but my mind, and the practical side of me, thought it was too soon.
Guiding my chin back up to him, Branden muttered, “I know what you want.”
I crinkled my forehead. “You do?”
He smiled, getting up and walking to the window. Looking back at me, he said, “Because I want it too. Moya, I love you so much. It’s the kind of love I’ve never felt before.”
I got up and wandered over to him with a quizzical expression on my face. “I love you too, babe. Is there something you want to tell me?”
He half smiled, kissed me blithely on the lips and strolled over to his bag on the floor in front of the bed. Opening the zipper, he took something out then walked back to me. I was bewildered as he bent down on one knee and opened the small box that was in his hand.
My heart felt as if it was rushing up to my throat. I clasped a hand over my mouth, speechless, peering wide-eyed at a beautiful, white gold ring with a glistening diamond in the center and six smaller ones accentuating the sides. The artwork was exquisite, tastefully done, as if Branden himself had customized it for me.
Tears flooded my eyes. My lips trembled. Steadying my breathing, I managed to ask, “What is this?”
He released a nervous laugh with a light of love blaring within his eyes. Then he began, “Moya,” his voice rasped as his emotions threatened to overcome him. “I knew the moment I laid my eyes on you that you were the one for me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Marry me
.”
A whimper escaped my lips, but he cut me off before I could mutter a word. “I know you think it’s crazy, that I’m being crazy…I guess I am crazy about you,” he laughed. “But baby, I love you more than anything in this entire world and I want to be with you forever. Please say you want the same.”
“But we’re still in college…” I managed to say, nearly breathless. “You want us to get married now and live in dorms—”
“I’ve thought everything through,” he reached for my hand. “We’ll get an apartment together this summer. Everything will work out. I promise you won’t ever have to worry. So what do you say? Will you marry me?”
I glanced at the shiny ring, then back at him. Everything inside me screamed for joy. This was what I wanted since realizing how much I loved him. We were perfect for each other. And even I, who never believed in such things, could honestly say now that we were like soulmates.
Swallowing the tightness in my throat, I pulled Branden off the floor and finally gave him my answer, “Yes.”
He laughed louder than I’d ever heard him before. Hastily putting the ring on my finger, he picked me up into his strong arms and kissed me hungrily as he carried me over to the bed.
We made love once again, our passion deeper than the night before. In this moment, we had more than our love to celebrate; we had forever to look forward to.
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
Branden
I enjoyed being away with Moya that when it was time to drive back to reality on Monday, I couldn’t help feel sad. It started to snow as I turned onto the main road after leaving Meredith Creek. Secretly, I hoped it would turn into a blizzard so she’d ask me to go back. But then it stopped snowing just as fast as it began, and any hope I had flew out the window.
I watched her from the corner of my eye, twisting the ring around her finger, glowing brighter than ever with happiness.
“Guess you like it.”
She chirped, “I really do. It’s beautiful, Branden. Thank you.”