Someday.
His doorbell rang, and he welcomed the sound to the deafening silence in the room. He looked at the monitor—it was Hunter. “Come on in,” he said into the intercom, then went downstairs to meet his friend. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“Your lady called for me to come see her,” Hunter said casually, as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed a beer out of the fridge.
Brett’s jaw tightened. He knew he was being silly, but he did feel a tinge of jealousy. He knew Mia, he trusted her, and there was no reason to feel otherwise. “What did she—?” Then it hit him. “Oh.”
Hunter turned to him. “She figured she could get to you through me. I think it’s safe to say she was a bit surprised and disappointed.”
Brett chuckled. “What, she thought she could beat a submission out of you?
“Close.” Hunter laughed.
“I’m doing this for her own good and my piece of mind. She’ll come around.”
“Wanna bet? You still have a lot to learn about women, my man. She’s got her teeth into this. What she’ll try next, however, is a mystery.”
Brett nodded his head. Yeah, he’d already figured he was going to have a fight on his hands. Mia was as bullheaded and stubborn as he was. “I’ll think of something. Don’t worry.”
“Good, I won’t. When do you want me to get your things together?”
Brett walked backed into the living room. “Let’s see…I would say in about three weeks. It’ll take that much time to get through the government red tape, and that’s being conservative.”
“Gotcha. Okay, my friend. Call me if you need me.” Hunter patted Brett on the shoulder and left.
Brett sat on the arm of the sofa and began to think.
How was he going to keep Mia preoccupied and get her mind off this trip?
This was a tall order, even for himself, but he would figure something out. He had to. He didn’t want to lose the woman he loved.
***
Tracy sat in the middle of the floor sipping her tea while she watched Mia clean the entertainment center for the tenth time. “Sit down, Mia. You’re making me tired.”
She turned, and gave her a sheepish smile. “Sorry. I’m just so…so….”
“I know. But perhaps Brett has the right idea. Have you seen those places? This is not a trip to the French Riviera.”
“Whose side are you on?”
“His, at the moment, unless you can give me a better argument for wanting to go. Look, it’s not like he’s not coming back. He has school, remember?”
“But I want to feel like I’m a part of his life.”
“You are.”
“I just don’t feel it’s enough. I mean look at Latisha, Derek’s wife. She practically lives there with him.”
“And more than likely used to every situation that can happen there. You’re a city, hot-water, air-conditioning, dishwasher kind of gal.”
Mia stood there with her hands on her hips. “Are you saying I can’t get my hands dirty?”
“No. What I’m saying is that you haven’t had the proper training or exposure to such conditions. I admit, with Mr. Tingle and the others going, you might be saying why not me? I think Brett is being overprotective of you. Yes, you can get shots and get a physical like the rest, but you have to see this through Brett’s eyes. He’s probably scared of losing you.” Tracy got up and placed her cup in Mia’s hand.
“But isn’t that a bit selfish? Doesn’t he have the same fears for the others?” Mia asked.
“Look, this is love. I didn’t say it made sense. Your relationship with Brett looks like the real deal. He’ll still be doing this way into his sixties, probably. I’m sure by then, you will have seen Africa, India, and any other desolate place on this planet.” Tracy checked her cell. “Look, I have a client to see, and I’m already late.” She gave Mia a hug and a peck on the cheek. “You guys will work this out.” She grabbed her things and left.
Mia stood in the middle of the room. She refused to let her tears fall. She was being silly. Maybe Brett and Tracy were right. Maybe she should sit this one out. There would be other trips. Still, it nagged her. Sure, she’d helped with the proposal, but she felt like a silent partner.
She had one more ace up her sleeve. She would try it, just to make sure she wasn’t being childish in her quest to be with Brett every waking moment—even in the depths of Ghana.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Brett was happy when he got a call from Mia inviting him over. More than joyful, he was damn near delirious with joy! After nine days of getting her voice mail and leaving messages with her secretary, she finally called him. And she actually sounded cheerful. Maybe she had thought about what he told her and realized he was right. He stopped at a boutique and picked up a necklace and earring set, then he went to a chocolatier and bought the biggest box of imported chocolates they sold. He almost ran three red lights to get to her house.
He pulled into her driveway and shut off the engine, then retrieved all the goodies from the passenger seat. Pausing, he reached into the glove compartment. There was one more item he wanted to give her.
He sprinted to her door, rang the bell, and waited for what seemed like hours. When the door opened, he couldn’t help staring at the love of his life. “Mia.” He exhaled. He walked in and hugged her, gifts in hand. “Oh God, Mia, you scared me when you wouldn’t return my calls.”
“I needed time to think and to talk to other people.”
He gently pulled away from her and held out the box of chocolates and the gift bag from the boutique.
“Oh, Brett! You didn’t have to.” Mia reached for them and sat the bag on the Queen Anne table in her foyer. “Chocolates!”
Brett came up behind her and put his arms around her. “I’ve waited too long to do this. Let’s go upstairs, I want to make love to you—now!”
“Well, well. Give the woman a chance to catch her breath, dear boy.”
Brett snatched his hands away from Mia and turned toward an all-too-familiar voice.
“Tish!”
The woman he considered his mother issued a throaty laugh and gave him a warm hug, then drew back from him. Her eyes darted from him to Mia.
He never talked about any of his relationships with Derek and Latisha. He planned to tell them about Mia, but he wanted to wait until the timing was right.
“Don’t look so surprised, my dear.”
But he was surprised, and he knew he was in for the battle of his life.
***
Latisha Richardson looked at Brett and then Mia Bradford. Brett could tell she was thinking. That was dangerous.
He remembered mentioning long ago about Mia and how she became principal after the passing of Frank Sampson. He was trying to remember if he told them the crush he had on her. From the look on her face, he believed he did.
“I’m glad to finally meet your Mia.” She winked at him.
Yeah, she remembered all right.
“When Mia first called me, she was trying desperately to put on a brave façade, but I could tell she was hurting. She told me what was going on between you two. She gave me her side of the story, but I want to hear yours.” She took both Brett and Mia by the arm and walked into the living room.
“My side is perfectly logical,” Brett said, digging in his heels.
“So is Mia’s. It wasn’t until she started crying that I knew there was more.”
“I hate that you flew all the way here to solve a problem between us.”
“I was more than happy to fly back to the States to help. I needed to come back for family business anyway. To be perfectly honest, I was downright curious. Who is this Mia Bradford? Who’s this woman with these deep feelings for my young man? And who is my young man being so overprotective about? I wasn’t surprised to see she’s beautiful. I remembered her yearbook picture that you showed me and Derek years ago.”
“Okay,” Brett said, getting embarrassed a bit. He didn’t need Latisha teasi
ng him about his boyhood crush in front of Mia.
“Okay, dear.”
They all sat on the couch. Brett began to fidget a bit. He took Mia’s hand and kissed it. He loved this woman and couldn’t bear losing her.
“Now, when I first heard Mia’s tale of woe, I didn’t think she should go to Ghana either—at this time. But seeing you two together, I’m beginning to change my mind.”
“Tish.” He let go of Mia’s hand and stood up. “She’s never been in that kind of environment. If you’re here to try to talk me into allowing Mia to come with me, forget it. It’s too dangerous, and besides, she’s not the hot-jungle type.”
“Oh, and I am?” Latisha asked with her hands on her ample hips. “I admit I haven’t been to the spa lately….”
Brett shook his head. “That’s not what I meant, Tish. You, Derek, and I have been doing this for years. We’ve been through the gamut of diseases and illnesses. Mia doesn’t do well with the common cold.”
Latisha crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. “How do you know this?”
Brett began shuffling his feet and looking down at the floor. He had to admit, Tish had him.
“Look, Brett,” Latisha said in her sweetest voice, lifting his chin up. “I realize that Mia means a lot to you. I wasn’t sure how much until I came here and spoke with her myself. She was in tears. She wants to share this part of your life with you. You leaving her out doesn’t show that you want her fully.”
“But I do—”
“Then take that chance. Do you think the Fates are that cruel, that they would allow you to find the woman of your dreams, only to snatch her away due to some crazy disease? You’re a good man, and you’ve been through a lot in your life. I think you deserve a break for once. Besides, knowing you, you’ll have her miles away at one of the tourist hotels, being waited on hand and foot.”
Brett sighed, then looked at her with guarded optimism. “Are you kidding? She’ll want to be right in the middle of all the action, but you’re right. I’m being too protective.” Brett gave Tish a well-deserved bear hug before he went into the next room to Mia. He should have been thoroughly pissed at her for calling Tish and having her fly all the way to Ohio. When Tish told him that she was coming to the States anyway for her sister’s baby shower, he let it slide.
He and Hunter knew that Mia had had another ace up her sleeve. They hadn’t counted on this. She probably speculated that Brett wouldn’t fight Tish. She was right. He could never win an argument with her.
He found himself standing over Mia, looking down at her. Her eyes were pleading. Tish was right. He needed to take a chance and put his trust in a higher power.
“Mia, I’m sorry I made you feel like an outsider. You know that wasn’t my intention.”
Mia smiled and stood up. “I know. I’m sorry for calling Latisha. I just needed to know if you were truly shutting me out, or if it was something else.”
“It was something else. My silly—no, well-founded—fears. But I have faith that everything will be fine.” He took her by the hand. “Look, you need to go get your shots before we leave. You can go tomorrow. There are several different ones, and it takes several weeks to get them all. I think we’ll just make it.”
“Okay,” Mia said, almost jumping into his arms.
“But for now, we need to make up for lost time. I’ve missed you something terrible.”
“Me, too. It was killing me not to speak to you or see you.”
Brett kissed her, not caring about who else was in the room. It wasn’t until he heard Tish clear her throat that he broke the kiss, much to Mia’s disapproval.
“Get a room,” Tish joked.
“Sorry,” Brett said sheepishly. “You know, she’s right.” He led Mia to her bedroom “Go get a bag, and I’ll warm up the car.”
“Okay.” Mia kissed Brett on the cheek and went upstairs.
When she came down, she was walking side-by-side with Tish and talking in whispered tones. Brett waited until Tish was safely in her car and on the way to her sister’s house. “I have something very special for you waiting back home.”
“Oh?” Mia took Brett’s hand and laid her head on his shoulder.
“Yep. I think you’ll appreciate it, too. Something different from what we’ve been doing.”
Mia lifted her head and looked quizzically at him.
He chuckled. “I know, what else could we possibly do? But you’ll see. This will be very special.”
***
Mia was so happy, she could barely sit still. Their argument was over at last, and she was looking forward to whatever Brett had cooked up. He said it was something different than what they’d been doing. What could be more different than bondage? She wasn’t worried. She trusted him completely, and whatever he had planned, she was sure they would both enjoy.
Once in the house, Brett took her overnight bag and laid it on the couch. “Want something to drink or a bite to eat?” he asked, heading for the kitchen.
“I could go for a soda.”
“Cool. Me, too.”
He handed her a glass with ice and then her soda. “So, are you curious?” He flashed her the infamous Wyndam smile.
“A little. No, a lot.”
“Here.” He took her glass and held out his hand. “Let’s not keep you waiting.”
They went into the basement, the dungeon. Mia stood there looking around, wondering what was different, if anything.
“It’s not in here,” Brett said.
“Oh?”
He pointed to the door on the other side of the room. “You always wondered what was on the other side of that door. I remember the first day you ran to it like a scared rabbit. You assumed it was an exit.”
“It’s not?”
“No, it’s another room.” He walked toward the door with her in tow. “Go ahead and open it.”
Mia looked up at Brett. She didn’t see the mischievous glint in his eyes. His expression was unreadable. She reached for the doorknob then turned it slowly. She looked one more time at Brett and walked in.
The room was absolutely out of this world, the polar opposite of the dungeon. This room was romantic! Gilded mirrors and door handles gleamed. Tapestries of gold and cream depicted themes of hunting, love, and exotic animals. A cream-colored flokati rug tickled her ankles. A massive fireplace with ornate carvings and cherubs clinging to the edges of the mantle took up one short wall.
But the real star of the room was the bed. It looked fit for royalty of the Golden Age. It was bigger than a king size; it must have been custom-made. Antique silk linen in golds, pale greens, and silver covered the bed, along with a pile of ornate, decorative pillows. The canopy was draped in thick, gold velvet curtains. It was absolutely gorgeous.
Mia turned to Brett, who still stood in the doorway. “This is beautiful.”
Brett went to her. “I wanted a place away from this.” He pointed behind him. “You know, people in the BDSM lifestyle don’t torture each other all the time.” He chuckled.
“So this is a space for conventional lovemaking, for lack of a better word,” Mia said, walking further into the room.
Brett took Mia by the waist and turned her to face him. “This is what I wanted to share with you since the beginning.”
Mia cocked her head in confusion.
“The bondage is only part of it.” He took her hand and pressed his lips against it. “I want this area to symbolize the true and everlasting love we have for each other.”
He reached in his pocket and pulled out a red velvet box.
“Brett!” Mia gasped.
He got down on his knees. “You were saying earlier how you wanted to be a part of my life. Well, if you accept me as your husband, you’ll have that and more.” He took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger.
“Brett…I….”
“Please, say yes. I didn’t know how empty my life was until you agreed to share my world.”
“Yes! Yes!”
Brett jumped up, lifted Mia, and swung her around. “You mean it? No regrets?”
“None.”
He carefully put her back on the floor. “Look over there in the armoire,” Brett said, pointing to the corner of the room.
Mia walked over to it. Before she opened the double doors, she turned to Brett, who nodded. She opened the cabinet. “Oh, Brett!”
She was standing before her own Victoria’s Secret store.
“I figure since this is a different room, it required different attire,” he whispered in her ear. “Why don’t you put this one on?”
He chose a tan satin and silk one-piece with a long train. With a plunging back and trimmed in cream lace, it looked like something from an old movie.
“You can change over there.” Brett pointed to another door.
Mia quickly scurried off. Once inside the bathroom, she glanced at her engagement ring. It sparkled brightly, reminding her that she was truly his.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Brett felt lighter and lighter as the weight of the world lifted from his shoulders. He had worried about Mia tolerance of his lifestyle and their age difference, but she’d said yes—she’d accepted his proposal, accepted him. There wasn’t anything else more he could ask for.
Never in a million years would he have thought he would be Mia Bradford’s husband. Life was full of wondrous surprises.
He quickly changed into his black silk pajama bottoms. When he looked up from tying his pants Mia stood in the middle of the room. Brett admired the garment clinging to her luscious figure. She had never looked more beautiful.
God, he was one lucky man!
“I like,” he said as he strolled over to her. He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “We make a good-looking couple, don’t we?” He kissed her neck and looked at their reflection in the mirror.
“I think so.” Mia smiled up at him.
“You have to be the most beautiful woman I have ever met—then, now, and forever.” Brett kissed her softly, slipping the straps of her gown down her arms.
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