Proposal for Love

by Sharon C. Cooper

  “I’m glad Nate’s taking this situation serious, especially since this woman has seen you with him. Did you take him up on his offer to move in with him?”

  “Nope, I still have my place.”

  “Sis, what are you waiting for? You’re there most of the time anyway, and his house is much safer than your apartment.”

  Liberty loved Nate’s home and felt comfortable in it, but they weren’t married. Until or if that happened, she planned to keep her apartment, and that’s what she explained to her sister. Besides, she loved her new independence. Gone were the days of just speaking positive affirmations about being a strong, confident, successful woman. She was finally feeling like that woman. Yes, she would marry Nate in a heartbeat, but in the meantime, she would continue building her life and pursuing her goals.

  “Alright, Demi. I need to get off this phone so I can finish up dinner before my honey gets home.” They said their goodbyes just as Liberty heard the garage door opening.

  *

  Nate pulled into his driveway glad to see Liberty’s car. He had given her a house key a couple of weeks ago, but today was the first time she had actually used it.

  Why didn’t she park in the garage? Normally, he parked his SUV and BMW in there, but whenever she stayed over, he pulled the SUV out and left it in the driveway.

  He went ahead and parked inside. He’d move the cars around after dinner.

  “Hey, baby. Something smells good,” Nate called out when he walked into the house, leaving his briefcase near the garage door. He strolled into the kitchen and found Liberty bent over checking on something in the oven. He had the perfect view of her fine ass encased in the short skirt. Actually, the whole ensemble, including the fitted red sweater and her bare feet, had his shaft twitching. Everything about the woman turned him on.

  “Hey there,” she said smiling up at him and setting a pan of something that smelled amazing on the stove top.

  “I love coming home to you and a home cooked meal.” He palmed her butt, giving it a gentle squeeze as he nibbled on her neck. No doubt she felt his excitement pressed against her back.

  “I love being here.”

  She turned in his arms and lifted up on tip-toe to place a kiss on his lips. When she went to pull away, he maintained his hold and gave her a long, heated kiss.

  “Mmm, and I love when you greet me like this,” she mumbled when the kiss ended.

  “You could get that every night if you moved in with me.” Not only did Nate love having her in his space, but he also wanted her out of that apartment. The neighborhood wasn’t safe enough as far as he was concerned.

  She pushed against his chest and went back to the stove. “How was your day?”

  He let her change the subject, not as irritated as usual that she kept shooting down the idea. Her excuse was that she needed to put all of her focus on passing the bar. Though he agreed, and wanted to do anything to help her pass, he hoped that was all that was keeping her from accepting his offer.

  “Can you grab the glasses and the bottle of sparkling grape juice on the counter near the refrigerator?” she asked and headed to the dining room.

  “Wow, it looks great in here.” Nate stood at the entrance and took in the fancy place settings and the tall, tapered candles illuminating the space. Normally, when at his place, they had their meals at the breakfast bar or in front of the television. This was a nice change. “What’s the occasion?”

  “I just wanted to do something nice for you.”

  “You always do nice things for me.” She went out of her way with thoughtful deeds, like having lunch delivered to him at work occasionally. Or whenever he stopped by her apartment after work, she would have a cold beer waiting for him. Those small gestures meant a lot to him.

  “I hope you like the veggie enchilada casserole. It’s a new recipe.”

  He pulled her to his side and kissed the top of her head. “I love everything you cook, but you know I pretty much eat anything.”

  “Well, if you ever get tired of having vegetarian dishes, tell me.”

  He agreed even though he probably wouldn’t ever tell her.

  They sat at the table, eating and talking like an old married couple. The conversation ranged in topics from politics to a new app he wanted her to check out. The more time they spent together, the more time Nate wanted to spend with her. There were times he forgot that they’d been apart for so many years considering how well they got along. He was ready to make her a permanent fixture in his life and his home but wanted to make sure she was ready.

  When they were done eating, Nate asked, “Did you study already?”

  “As a matter of fact, I did. I had a short day and went to the library after work. So tonight I’m all yours.”

  She wiggled her eyebrows and Nate grinned. He could think of a number of things he’d like to do with her, or to her, but refrained from suggesting his first idea. Considering he usually ravished her whenever she was in his home, he didn’t want her to think he had a one-track mind.

  “How about we pop some popcorn, curl up in front of the TV, and watch a movie?” he suggested.

  Liberty stood, lifted her sweater over her head, and dramatically tossed it over her shoulder. Arousal crawled through Nate’s body and a smile spread slowly across his mouth.

  To hell with a movie. If she wanted to strip for him instead, who was he to deprive her of that pleasure?

  Liberty moved slowly, taking the long way around the table and doing a good job at making his body yearn for her. Over the last few months, Nate had watched this sweetheart of a woman come into her own. Those traces of defeat that had caused her to doubt herself, as well as her abilities, were gone. In their place was a determined, independent woman who had suffered through life’s hard knocks, but survived, coming out stronger because of them.

  His woman.

  She was all his.

  Moving toward him, the gentle sway of her hips kept him transfixed as his pulse inched up.

  She hiked up her skirt giving him just enough of a peek at her lace panties to make his shaft leap to attention. He had a feeling that was intentional as she straddled him. And while he enjoyed this little seduction performance, Nate was so ready to get her naked.

  He placed his hand on her bare thighs, knowing if he touched any other part of her, he was going to lose it.

  “I actually had something else in mind for tonight,” she mumbled against his mouth, nibbling on his top lip and then his lower one. She undid his tie, letting it glide to the floor, and then went to work on the buttons of his shirt.

  Blood shot from Nate’s brain straight to his groin within a heartbeat when she started grinding against him.

  He groaned, his pulse amped up. He tightened his grip on her thighs struggling to maintain his control. “This is way better than the movie that I had in mind,” he said, getting harder with every swirl of her hip. No way could he sit there and let her torture him with this little game she had going.

  Liberty fumbled with the buttons on his dress shirt, moaning and squirming as Nate kissed, then sucked on her neck. Grinding her hips against the bulge in his pants was supposed to get a rise out of him. But now that his large hands had moved from her thighs, slipped under the skirt and grabbed hold of her butt, her control was shot.

  Nate’s fingers kneaded her bottom, pulling her tighter against his groin. So much for trying to seduce him. He damn near had her panting.

  Moaning, Liberty pulled back and unsnapped the front of her bra, tossing it to the floor. His mouth continued its delicious assault on her heated skin, but then she placed her hands on the side of his face. The move immediately stopped the sweet torture as she zoned in on the fierce hunger in his eyes.

  “I want you…now,” she said.

  “Good, because I’m about to explode.”

  She squeaked and threw her arms around his neck when he stood suddenly, carrying her quickly out of the room. She almost laughed at his eagerness, loving how easy it w
as to get him all hot and bothered. When he didn’t head for the stairs that led to the bedroom, she started to protest, but he cut her off.

  “No time for stairs. I need to be inside you now.”

  “What about the candles?”

  “I’ll take care of them later.” He practically dropped her on the leather sofa in the family room and shook roughly out of his shirt, only to get hung up on the cufflinks.

  “Dammit!” he growled.

  Liberty giggled while he fumbled with his attire. She hurried and unfastened her skirt, pushing it and her panties down her legs before kicking the garments off.

  “You make me crazy,” Nate said on a husky groan, still clothed from the waist down when he covered her naked body. “And you smell so damn good.”

  There he went, torturing her again with sizzling kisses against her neck. His hand slid down the side of her body and stopped at one of her breasts. Tweaking, his fingers taunted her taut nipple before he teased it with the pad of his thumb. He moved lower down her body, and his mouth soon replaced his fingers. Pushing her breasts together, he kneaded them as he sucked and then swirled his tongue around each nipple.

  A ferocious flare of yearning seized Liberty.

  “Okay, okay, I give. I’m ready,” she gasped for air, practically whining while her hands scrambled around for Nate’s belt buckle. She didn’t need foreplay. All she wanted was to feel him buried deep inside of her. If only she could undo his pants. “Nate.”

  “I know, baby.”

  Nate sat up, dug out his wallet and a condom while she undid his belt and zipper. He sucked in a breath when she cupped him. Enjoying the power she had over him, her hand glided up and down his length with an intermittent squeeze.

  “Babe,” he growled, drawing out the word.

  Not bothering to remove his pants completely, he quickly sheathed himself. Before she could take her next breath, he was buried inside of her.

  Liberty gasped and arched her back as he slid in and out of her slick entrance like a man possessed.

  Harder. Faster. Nate pumped, going deeper each time he pushed into her. She thrust her hips upward. A surge of pleasure roared through her body as they rocked in perfect harmony, their moves growing jerky with each stroke.

  Liberty moaned. Her hold on Nate’s shoulders tighten as an orgasm mounted within her, and like a strike of a match, a flame ignited, and she climaxed. Everything in her exploded in a downpour of fiery sensations.

  Seconds later, Nate’s release hit him hard. “Liberty!” he growled as his body stiffened before he collapsed on top of her.

  They lay panting, Nate’s face in the crook of her neck, his hot breath heating her skin. Sex with him was quickly becoming her favorite activity, but the quickies were downright addictive.

  “Yep, this idea was definitely better than any damn movie,” he said still breathing hard. “Now, let’s finish this upstairs.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Nate, I’m getting ready to leave!” Liberty yelled up the stairs. He’d been in the shower when she left the master bedroom twenty minutes ago. She wasn’t sure if he could hear her, but she was too lazy to walk all the way back up the stairs.

  Liberty glanced at her cell phone, noting she had forty-five minutes to get to work. Hopefully, there wouldn’t be much traffic.

  “Nate!”

  “I can stop by the site on my way to work. Are you going to be there?” Nate said into the cell phone plastered to his ear. He buttoned his beige dress shirt as he lumbered down the stairs. “Okay, well hold on a second. Better yet, let me call you right back after I walk Liberty out.”

  “I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t realize you were on the phone,” she said when he ended the call, but giggled when he wrapped her in a bear hug, littering her face with feathery kisses.

  God, she loved this man.

  “I’m glad you didn’t leave without saying bye.” He planted a real kiss on her lips and a shiver ran through her body. This man…this sweet, sexy, attentive man delivered the most intoxicating kisses Liberty had ever experienced. She never imagined that a romantic relationship would be in her future, but each day with Nate was like a fantasy come true.

  He lifted his head slightly and cupped her face between his large hands to stare into her eyes. “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

  Liberty grinned at hearing her three favorite words. “Um, maybe a little, but I love you more.” They played kissy-face for a bit longer before he released her. “Am I going to see you tonight?” she asked while slipping into her coat. The temperature had dropped significantly over the last couple of weeks. She grabbed her bag as they strolled to the door.

  “Yeah, but it’ll be pretty late. Me and Uncle Ben have a meeting tonight near the airport. I’ll call you before I come by.”

  They walked outside. “You don’t have to call. I’ll be up studying. So come by whenever… Oh my God! My car!” she shrieked and raced toward the vehicle, but Nate stopped her by wrapping his arm around her waist.

  He cursed under his breath. Her car looked as if it had been caught in a war zone. Every window was bashed in and the tires slashed.

  A wave of fear swept through her body and she glanced around frantically. She saw no one, but her anxiety amped up.

  “Let’s get back inside.” Nate pushed her behind him as he backed them to the front door. The moment they were safely inside, he locked the door and called 911.

  Like a zombie waking after a hundred years, Liberty lowered her bag to the floor, shocked by what she’d just seen. She ran her hands up and down her arms, trying to stop trembling as she paced back and forth. Had Angel done this? If so, why now? They hadn’t heard anything from her in weeks. At least as far as Liberty knew.

  “I don’t give a damn what has to be done!” Nate yelled into the phone. “I want her ass arrested!”

  Liberty rubbed her neck, scared that this woman was after her now. Her car was old and probably ready for the junkyard, but it still got her from point A to point B. She couldn’t afford new windows and tires, and she definitely couldn’t afford a new car.

  That last thought brought a whole new round of fear. What if the woman had done something else to the car? For all Liberty knew, there could be a bomb attached to it.

  She looked up when Nate ended his call.

  “What type of sick person does something like this?” she spat. The fear she’d felt moments ago had quickly turned to anger. “The car might not look like much, but it’s all I have.”

  Nate released a frustrated breath. “I’ll buy you another car.”

  “That’s not the point, Nate!”

  “Baby, I know you’re upset.” He moved toward her. Liberty wasn’t sure what he saw on her face, but he stopped abruptly.

  “Upset?” she said through gritted teeth. “I’m not upset. I’m mad as hell! I have worked my ass off for everything I have! Now some lunatic comes along and destroys my means of transportation. All because I have someone she wants! Who does that? What type of satisfaction comes from doing that to me? Does she think you’ll want her now?”

  Liberty turned her back on Nate and wanted to scream or pound on something. She whipped back around.

  “Every damn time I take a few steps forward, shit like this happens! And I’m sick of it!” she screamed. She swiped her arm across the top of a nearby shelf, sending a vase and picture frames flying across the room. Glass littered the floor as her body trembled with pent up frustration. “I can’t handle any more. I’m tired of one thing after another ruining my progress.”

  Nate said nothing. He didn’t move, and she could barely tell if he was breathing. But the love shining in his eyes was unmistakable.

  “Are you done?” he finally asked.

  Liberty’s shoulders sagged like a balloon that had just been popped with a needle. “Yes.”

  Without another word, Nate pulled her roughly against his body and held her tightly. Being in his arms always brought a peace that transcend
ed all understanding. She felt safe, protected, and most importantly, she felt loved.

  “When you took those steps forward, that you mentioned a few minutes ago, you took them alone. The difference now—you have me. So when shit like this happens, I’ll be right there with you. I’m not going anywhere.”

  *

  Later that night, Nate stood in the doorway of his bedroom. He brought his beer bottle to his lips and took a swig as he stared at Liberty’s sleeping form.

  Considering the day had started with some good lovemaking, it had soon gone downhill. All day he had tried to make sense of Angel’s actions. According to the detectives that had been assigned to the case, maliciously destroying someone’s vehicle was considered a felony. They had spent over an hour questioning him and Liberty about Angel and asking if they had any other enemies. But tonight, they called to inform…

  “Nooo.”

  Nate’s gaze snapped to the bed. Liberty’s head thrashed back and forth against the pillow as she mumbled in her sleep.

  Nate hurried across the room and set his beer on the nightstand. The moment he sat on the bed next to Liberty, she bolted upright. Breathing hard with perspiration lacing her hairline, she placed her hand on her chest trying to catch her breath.

  “Hey,” Nate said, rubbing her back to let her know he was there and to offer some comfort. Once she settled down, he pulled her against him and leaned against the headboard. “Bad dream?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Want to talk about it?”

  Liberty shook her head. “No. What time is it?”

  “Almost nine o’clock.”

  She had been asleep for the last two hours. Once the detectives left that morning, Liberty had insisted on going to work. She claimed that taking the day off would give Angel power over her. Nate didn’t agree but had lost the battle of getting her to stay home with him. He had taken her to work and then went into the office. He hadn’t stayed long since he couldn’t concentrate.