by Kaci Rose
“What do you mean? I’m here to do as Brian asked.”
He shakes his head and smiles, like I’m completely clueless. I do feel clueless about what he means.
“No, I mean right now. Why are you having dinner here with me, when your girl lives several blocks away from you, and you haven’t seen her in almost two months?”
“I wanted to have everything in order, before I went back to her.”
My answer is the one I give everyone, including myself when asked. It’s a canned response I’ve repeated more times than I can count.
“I think you’re well on your way to that. Go to her. I bet she surprises you.”
Before I can overthink it, I pull out my phone and call her. Of course, it goes to right to voicemail.
“I’m in town, Mia. Please, call me back.”
Now, I wait.
Chapter 24
Mia
“I have a few more things to take care of, before I see you again. But I’m coming for you very soon.”
I listen to that message again. Teddy left it three weeks ago. When I heard it, I thought he meant days, not weeks. Maybe, he changed his mind? But if he had, then why has he still been calling.
Almost like I conjured him up, my phone rings, and his name flashes across my screen. I should pick it up and ask what he meant. Ask when I’ll see him or tell him to just fuck off.
I should tell him something.
I should do something.
Instead, like a coward, I let it go to voicemail yet again. When my phone beeps, letting me know there’s a new message, I take a deep breath and play it.
“I’m in town, Mia. Please, call me back.”
He’s in town? We haven’t talked, since that day that I walked out of Oakside, not directly anyway. We have exchanged voicemails or a few voice texts, but we have not talked directly. I need backup for this one.
Me: SOS
Ellie: Be there in a minute.
I have kept Ellie updated on all things Teddy, including the sexy voicemails, though I didn’t let her listen to those. They are for my ears only.
When she gets here, I let her listen to his message, and she rolls her eyes at me.
“Just call him and see what he wants. He probably wants to meet. Then, go see him and find out in person what he wants. You won’t know either way, until you see him. It will either be another chance or closure.” She shrugs her shoulders.
She knows I know all this and just needed her to voice it. Someone else to agree with me.
“The second one is the one I’m afraid of.”
I take a deep breath and call him back. He must have had the phone in his hand, because he answers almost right away.
“Mia.” His deep voice fills my ear.
“Teddy.” I smile, as I say his name.
He chuckles, “It’s damn good to hear your voice talking to me, and not just on a recording.”
“I agree. So, you’re in Knoxville?” I ask, trying to get to the point.
“Yeah, I am. I’d like to take you to dinner any night you’re free.”
I look at Ellie and mouth, ‘Tomorrow?’ I want to make sure she doesn’t need me or already has plans. She nods back at me.
“I’m free tomorrow night,” I tell him.
“Perfect, I’ll pick you up at…”
“No, tell me where to meet you.”
“Mia, I want to do this right.”
“Teddy, I haven’t seen you in two months. I want to have my car, so I can easily leave, if needed.”
He pauses and thinks about it.
“Okay, fine. I’ll text you the address.”
“Some place public,” I tell him. I don’t tell him it’s because I don’t trust myself.
“As you wish. See you tomorrow night, Mia.”
As soon as we hang up, he texts me a restaurant name and address. I look it up, and I’ve never been there, and I ask Ellie, and neither has she.
There’s no way I’m going to be able to sleep tonight, so I go into full outfit planning mode.
* * *
I walk into the restaurant, where I’m supposed to meet Teddy, and I already love the vibe. It fits the mountain area perfectly with all the wood and stones. The lighting is interesting with huge uncovered light bulbs.
I stop at the hostess stand to see if he’s here already, but before I can even ask my question, I see him sitting towards the back.
“I’m meeting someone, and I see him back there.” I smile at the hostess and head towards him.
He doesn’t notice me right away, so I get to check him out in his suit, and he looks damn good, since the last time I saw him.
When he looks up and sees me making my way to his table, his face lights up in a smile, and he stands to pull me into a hug.
“You look stunning.” He doesn’t hide that he’s letting his eyes rake down my body.
I’m in a simple black cocktail dress with heels, nothing too fancy, but enough to show I tried. I can feel every move his eyes make over me, as if it’s his fingers touching me.
Once seated, I take a minute to soak him in and to record all the changes. Since the last time I saw him, he looks happier, more relaxed, and much better in general.
“You look good,” I say, while still letting my eyes roam. “Much improved, since the last time I saw you.”
“I feel much better. Even better now with you here.” He winks at me.
Who is this? Was he always this much of a flirt? We order drinks, and then I decide to get down to business.
“So, what have you been up, too?” I ask.
“That morning you left, I went after you, but I was too late. You were already gone. It was a wakeup call. I pushed and finally started talking and was discharged from Oakside a few weeks ago. I moved up here, and I’ve been working with the company Brian left me, getting to know how it works, and sitting in on board meetings, that sort of thing.”
“Wow, that’s amazing, Teddy. How does it feel?”
“Good, and yet, weird at the same time.”
Then, he changes the subject, catching me off guard.
“Mia, I was hoping you’d be willing to come back to my place for dessert.”
I start to protest, but he holds his hands up “Nothing dirty. I’m staying at Brian’s parents’ place, and they left his room untouched. I want to… I don’t know. Introduce you to him? I guess is the best way to say it.”
Wow, that’s a bit deep and a big step for him. Talking about Brian like that. Plus, I want to see his place, so there really isn’t a chance I’m turning him down.
“I’d like that.” I smile at him.
I doubt I’d have turned him down, even if he was asking me for sex, because after those sexy voicemails he left, there’s nothing I want more than him. In order to distract myself, I force myself to quit shifting around in my seat and think about the food coming to us, because thinking of him, is making me tingle in places that I don’t need to be tingling in. Not in public, anyway.
After dinner, he walks me to my car, and I follow him back to his place. As I stare up at the huge mansion in front of us, I don’t even notice him opening my car door for me. The mansion is older, but well kept up, and it has perfect landscaping with lighting accenting just the right spots.
“I think this place rivals the size of Ellie and Owen’s,” I say.
He takes my hand and leads me inside.
“It’s a little too big for me personally, but I decided to give it a year, before doing any big changes, selling, or downsizing.”
We get to the front porch, and he stops and turns to look at me. The tender look on his face melts my heart.
Then, before I know it, he’s leaning in and kissing me. It’s a sweet, soft kiss that says so much more than words ever will. Both his hands cup my face before he pulls away.
He tucks a piece of hair behind my ear, and I finally open my eyes and look at him.
“I love you, Mia. I wanted to tell you in person, and
I didn’t want to wait anymore to tell you.”
“Oh, Teddy. I love you, too. I have for a while, and that hasn’t changed,” I sigh.
At my words, a smile, as large as the one he gave me when he saw me for the first time tonight, crosses his face. Then, he opens the door and drags me through the house so fast, that I barely get to look at anything, until we land in a living room.
He sits on the couch and pulls me onto his lap.
“I have to leave in two days for a week long work trip with one of the other guys. Will you stay here with me, until I leave? We don’t have to do anything…” I stop him with a kiss.
“There better be sex involved tonight,” I say, and that damn sexy smile is back. “Let me check with Ellie and see if she needs me. If not, then I’d be happy to stay, but I’ll have to go home and get some stuff.”
“So, text her.” He holds me tighter and kisses me, which distracts me for a minute or two.
Me: Long story short, Teddy is doing really well. In two days, he’s leaving for a work trip and wants me to stay here with him. Do you need me?
Ellie: No, we’ve got this. Have fun, but I’m going to want all the details, when you get back.
Me: Deal. We’re going to swing by tonight, so I can pack a bag.
Ellie: See you soon.
“Everything’s fine, so let’s go…” I think about suggesting going to pack a bag now, but really, who am I kidding? All I want to do is strip him from that suit with my teeth. Before I can finish my thought, Teddy is smiling.
“I know that look, and that look says we won’t be leaving the house the rest of the night,” he says.
“Why don’t you show me your bedroom?” I say in a sweet as sin voice, as I shift in his lap.
The feeling of his erection against my hip is hard to miss, and the more I move, the harder it gets.
He trails his hand up my leg and under my dress.
“Mm, let’s go. You’re already soaked, and I need to take care of that.” He runs his fingers over my panty covered slit.
We leave a trail of clothes to the bedroom, before he picks me up and tosses me on the bed, making me squeal in surprise.
“I’ve missed that laugh so much.” He says as he climbs on to the bed with me.
“I haven’t really laughed, since I was with you back at Oakside,” I tell him.
“I plan to make you laugh all the time now.” He says, trailing kisses down my neck to my breasts.
He lightly nips at each nipple, before sucking them into his mouth, and then kissing down my belly. He traces his tongue around my belly button, before spreading my legs wide and running his tongue over my clit.
I close my eyes and just enjoy the sensations of his mouth on me, as he thrusts his tongue into me and sucks on my clit. Reaching down, I run my fingers through his thick hair and hold him close, which seems to spur him on. One nip at my clit, and I’m cumming so hard, that I want to scream his name, but no sound comes out.
I barely come down from my climax, before he’s thrusting into me, and we both groan.
“Fuck, you feel amazing.” He moans and then starts a slow, leisurely pace of making love to me and claiming me.
His mouth runs over every inch of skin that it can find. Being connected like this again, is what we needed. More than the dinner and the talking. We needed this connection.
“I love you,” I whisper into his ear, and his whole body shutters, and his hand moves between us and starts rubbing my clit.
“Those three words are going to make me cum long before I want, too,” he groans.
Another orgasm is building quickly.
“I love you. I love you. I love you.” I repeat to him, like a mantra, and it’s enough to send him over the edge, groaning my name.
I feel his warmth coat me, as I clamp down on him, and my own orgasm takes over.
We lay in each other’s arms, catching our breath. And then, he proceeds to spend the night making love to me over and over again. We never do make it back to my place to get my stuff.
Chapter 25
Teddy
I really love learning about the company and how it works, being part of the deals being made. The one downside? Being away from Mia. The last six days without her have been horrible. We have been texting all day, calling each other several times a day, and even video chatting at night.
Now that she’s mine again, I want to be near her all the time. I want her in my arms and beside me every night. It’s been impossible to sleep without her.
She’s great to bounce ideas off of. Over the last few days, we have been talking about donating to Oakside and providing for a music therapy program. I had met with Landon and Dallas from the band Highway 55, and they are now focused on their own label, but loved the idea and are willing to volunteer their time once a month or so.
Their wives are even willing to consult on the specifications for the building, and the best way to set it up. The night Mia suggested I name the building after Brian, I cried for the first time in a long time. I wanted nothing more than to take Mia in my arms and hold her, and I know she wanted to hold me, too.
Even if she won’t admit it, I can hear it in her voice how the distance is taking a toll on her, too.
Then, I get a call today from the lawyer that has been handling Brian’s estate, saying he has something for me. He will be meeting me at the house when I get back, and thankfully, Mia agreed to be there with me, too.
This plane flight back to Knoxville seems to be dragging by. I know we’re moving, but I feel like I’m in a traffic jam and not moving an inch. My nerves are all in knots. I want to know what the lawyer wants. I want to get home to my girl and just hold her. I want to get home to my girl and make love to her all night again, and then convince her to move in with me.
The best part of flying in a private jet is bypassing the long walk through the airport to your car. When I step out on the tarmac to the waiting car, and the driver opens the door, the last thing I expect is Mia, waiting for me.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as I pull her into my arms.
The world seems right again, when my lips land on hers, and she melts into me.
“I couldn’t wait to see you again,” she says, when she pulls back. “And I wanted a little more time together, before the lawyer showed up.”
We cuddle and kiss the entire way home, and as much as I want more, I know that once I start, I won’t be stopping at all, so I don’t let myself go there just yet. But that doesn’t mean I can’t get her primed and ready for me and drive her as crazy as she’s driving me.
Brian’s lawyer is waiting in the driveway when we get there, and it’s like a slap of cold water in my face.
“Mr. Stevens.” I greet him, as we step out of the car. “Would you like to come in?”
“Oh, no. I just have this for you. I know you just got back from a long trip, so I’ll let you rest.” He hands me an envelope and gets back into his car.
Instantly, anxiety hits me, and my hand shakes.
Mia covers my hand with hers, which helps me to calm down.
“Hey, you got this. I’m right here.” Mia takes my hand and leads me inside to the couch.
I give her a quick kiss, before opening the letter.
Teddy,
If you’re reading this, it’s because you finally stepped into your role at the company.
I want to say thank you. I know it wasn’t easy, and I have a pretty good idea of what you had to overcome to be able to do that.
You have probably blamed yourself for my death, but I want you to know, I don’t blame you.
There’s no one better I could think of to take over this company. I’m hoping that, if you have accepted your role, that means you’re coming to terms with what happened overseas.
I want you to know that, when we got home, I was going to ask you to join me at the company. I also know you were coming up on renewing your contract, and were going to, because you didn’t have another option
.
Because I couldn’t imagine working without you, I was hoping you’d join me and work with me at the company. Now though, you have to do it without me, but know you aren’t without me.
Right now, as I write this, you’re telling me to hurry up, so we can go get pizza. You think I’m writing some secret girlfriend. There’s no girl, and like many of us, I didn’t want to put a girl through deployment.
Just know, sitting here today, there’s no one I would trust more with the company than you. If I know you, then you have won over Davis in HR, who hates everyone.
I also bet you’re wondering why I chose you to give everything, too. I chose you, because you’re the best person I know. You’re the first friend I had that saw me. Not my family, not my money, and not what I could do for them, but me as a person.
I’ll never forget that. You showed me what real friendship is, and you made me promise myself that I’d never settle for less.
So now, I’m telling you to not settle for less.
I want you to be happy. Find a woman who you can’t live without and spoil her like crazy. Don’t be afraid to love and love hard.
Remember, I’m always with you and always watching.
Thank you for everything,
Brian
I put the letter down and wipe away the tears that are falling down my face, and then reach for Mia. When I pull her into my lap, she wraps her arms around me. Letting the emotions wash over me, I bury my head in her neck, and I don’t try to hide them or push them away.
We sit like that for a while, just her and me. I think about his letter and the last part more than anything.
Find a woman who you can’t live without.
I remember a guy I was stationed with, during my first deployment, say that. It’s how he knew his wife was the one, because he couldn’t live without her.
If this trip taught me anything this last week, it’s that Mia is that for me. Not because I need her to heal or be okay. I learned at Oakside I could do all that myself.