by Jada Pearl
“Of course every person deserves to be happy. But being with a person doesn’t define happiness. That should come from within.”
“I agree. How about this? Let me enhance your happiness. I will give you my word I will never hurt you intentionally.” He pulled her into her embrace, wrapping his arms around her while they continued walking.
“I hear you talking…I hear you talking,” she told him, enjoying the feel of him next to her. Shontell looked up and saw a gazebo that was surrounded by candles inside and out. She looked up at him, and her eyes welled up.
“Wow,” she whispered. The waiter ushered them in.
“Do you like it?” Nico asked her, as he held the chair out for her.
“I love it. So, is this my surprise?” she asked him as she sat down, and took her napkin and placed it in her lap. The waiter poured them a glasses of champagne.
“Part of it. The evening is only at its beginning, and I am returning the favor.” Nico tasted the liquid and nodded his approval to the waiter. The waiter told them that dinner would be served in three courses.
“So, Nico, are you sure you can handle a relationship?” Shontell asked him as she sipped the cold champagne. The bubbles tickled her throat as she swallowed.
“It will be hard with my schedule, but if you’re willing, then I am willing. I will take the steps to make this work for us,” he told her, taking her hand across the small table.
“You make me feel so many emotions. I feel like I’ve known you my whole life, and it’s only been a short time.”
“I know exactly what you mean.” They made a toast and began their dinner.
Shontell
Shontell watched Nico as they were served dinner. She was very surprised to see the waiter place a plate of her favorite food in front of her. There was salmon, asparagus, and baked sweet potato. She watched as he ate. She loved that he always seemed to enjoy his food. Shontell closed her eyes as a breeze hit their table and she could smell his cologne. She meant what she told him, and she felt like he was making her wildest dreams come true. He was making her feel things that Jesse never did, and she had been engaged to marry him. She shivered a little as she took a bite of her food.
“Are you cold?” Nico asked. He reached for his jacket, but she shook her head.
“Just a little, but I will be okay.” She finished off her glass, and the waiter immediately poured a refill. She smiled.
“Okay, you can have my jacket if you need it,” Nico replied, as he finished off his plate. Shontell looked at the ocean. The waves hitting the beach made a beautiful sound. She always loved it.
“So how did the rest of your week go?” Nico sat back as the waiter cleared their plates.
Shontell chuckled some before replying, because she didn’t even want to rethink all that drama.
“The night is not long enough for me to recount my week. All I can say is that this break came at the right time. My business partner, Ebony, has been acting very weird lately. I found out something about her that not only shocked me, but also hurt me. I will be looking to dissolve the partnership when we get back. I don’t want to spend the night rehashing all that. It’s my problem, not yours.” Shontell wasn’t ready to tell him about Jesse’s visits…not yet anyway.
“Shontell, you can talk to me about anything. Please know that; if it’s important to you, then it is important to me.” He took her hand and squeezed it. His words meant a lot to her. She smiled, and they continued dinner. In the middle of their dessert, music came on from out of nowhere. It made her smile, because it was all her favorite music.
“How did you know?” she asked Nico, as he smiled back at her.
Nico
Nico didn’t answer her right away, but he had done some research on Shontell from an interview she did. He made sure he knew what her favorite artists, scents, and food were. He wanted to make this time about her as much as he could. He needed her to understand that this was for real. Right before the waiter cleared their dessert, he slightly motioned to the waiter to indicate that the time was right for Shontell’s next surprise. Soon music began to play louder than the original music, and he stood and bowed.
“Would you give me the honor of this dance?” Shontell blushed and took his hand. He loved the way she felt in his arms.
“I love this song,” she said, as she hummed the intro to Tamia’s You Put a Move on My Heart.
“She is one of my favorite female artists, but I guess you knew that.”
“Yes, I did.” As he was answering her, Shontell heard a female voice singing even louder, and her eyes got wide. She turned around and saw Tamia, walking on the beach towards them and bellowing the song out. She stood to the left of them as they continued to dance.
“I can’t believe you did this. You are simply amazing.” She was trying to hide her tears. They danced to another song, as Tamia continued to serenade them. When she finished, they stopped dancing and applauded. Tamia came over to them, giving a hug first to Shontell and then to Nico.
“You must be one special woman,” Tamia told Shontell, as she winked at her. Nico laughed, and then he whispered something into Tamia’s ear. She laughed back at him.
“I love it!” Tamia said to Nico. Tamia took pictures with them and then said her goodbyes.
“Are you ready to go back to the hotel?” he asked her as he hugged her hard. She loved the feeling he gave her. She wrapped her arms around his neck tighter, kissing him full on the lips.
“No, I am too excited. Do you mind if we walk the beach?” she finally asked him.
“Not at all. Let me finish up with the waiter, and we can go,” he told her as he addressed the man who had served them all evening. Shontell rubbed her arms, easing her goose bumps.
Shontell
Shontell turned around as Nico placed his jacket on her shoulders. The moon was so bright. They started walking, and she slowly exhaled. For the longest time, Shontell always felt that all she needed was her work. It helped with the pain. After the betrayal by Jesse, that is what she thought she needed. She purposely didn’t date because she didn’t want the heartache. As Sandy had tried to drill it into her, she knew that she couldn’t fault the next man for Jesse’s cheating. But it did make her feel inadequate…like she wasn’t enough for him or any other man. Now she would find that out. She heard Nico’s voice, and it cut into her thoughts.
“You okay? You’re very quiet.” She turned towards him and nodded her head to say “yes.”
“What’s that?” Shontell asked, as she pointed to the basket he was holding.
“Oh, this is a little end-of-the-night surprise,” he said, holding it open and moving it back as Shontell tried to see inside. She wrinkled her nose.
“Seriously, haven’t you surprised me enough today?” she said, getting off her tippy toes.
“If I have my way, every day with you would be filled with surprises. I want to find different ways to make you smile.” She blushed and said nothing. What could she say? Is this what it felt like to be literally swept off your feet? They were holding hands as they walked past a group of partiers. They were both glad that for once, Nico wasn’t recognized. They came across a small cove and stopped. He opened the basket, taking a blanket out and spreading it. He set the basket down and helped her sit. She held onto her knees as Nico emptied out the rest of the contents onto the blanket. He had a small radio, candles, wine, and fruit. She was impressed. She could not believe she was being courted. Nico laid back, and Shontell cuddled next to him. They watched the waves hitting the rocks as the music played softly. Nico dipped a strawberry in the chocolate and fed it to her. They spent the next couple of hours talking and laughing, as they finished off the bottle of wine. It was nearly 3 a.m. when they finally decided to head back to the hotel.
Nico
Nico held the door open to the hotel, as he and Shontell shared a laugh about the people they saw as they walked back to the hotel. Miami was in full swing. When they stepped on the elevator, he
looked at Shontell. She was yawning slightly as she covered her mouth. She saw him watching her and smiled.
“I’m sorry. I guess that I am a little more tired than I thought. It seems that all this excitement now has me spent.”
“Yes, I can definitely relate. Do you mind staying with me tonight?” he asked her, silently holding his breath.
“Sure, if you don’t mind me going into my room first and changing.” That seemed to have become a normal ritual with them. Nico figured that she wasn’t ready yet to shower and dress with him, and he was fine with that. He wanted her to be comfortable.
“Not at all,” he said as he handed her the extra room key. They got off the elevator and headed in opposite directions. He quickly showered and got into bed, waiting for her to return. Within a few minutes, he heard the door. Shontell walked into the suite and then entered the bedroom area. She was wearing a peach nightie with a robe to match, and her hair was still pinned up. She turned around in model fashion.
“You like?”
He cleared his throat and looked at her with desire in his eyes. He quickly thought he had made a mistake by asking her to stay the night. She looked so sensual and sexy. He was reminded of how thick she was when he saw her in the nightgown. He made a sound that was only audible to himself and hoped that she didn’t pull the covers back. He would be exposed. He was completely turned on. He finally spoke.
“You look beautiful,” he told her, hoping she could see the desire in his eyes.
“Why, thank you,” she told him. She stepped out of her shoes and started walking towards the bed. Nico pulled the covers back slightly.
Taking off her robe, she crawled into the bed with him. Nico pulled her closer to him and kissed her deeply, and he heard her moan as he ran his hands up her sides. The gown felt smooth in his hands, and it made his member grow. He wanted to touch her skin, but he reminded himself that they were taking baby steps.
He rolled her onto her side and broke their kiss. Her eyes were glazed with desire, and her body was slightly begging him to touch her. She touched his bare chest and ran her fingernails up and down his chest and stomach. She never broke eye contact with him, as she read his quiet turmoil of thoughts. She kissed him on the cheek, and he shifted so she could lay her head on his chest. He was glad she could read his thoughts. He wasn’t sure he could voice what he was thinking. Having her this close was pure intoxication. Nico closed his eyes and once again told himself that he was doing the right thing. They both fell asleep.
Shontell
Shontell watched Nico sleep. She touched his face and smiled. Nico smiled and grabbed her hand that was still on his cheek and kissed it.
“How long have you been awake?”
“Not long. My internal clock never lets me sleep past 6 a.m., even on vacation. He pulled her into his arms and they spooned in silence for the next hour. Shontell had never experienced such mental lovemaking and intimacy in her entire life. Her cell phone beeped, and she knew it was probably Sandy.
“I guess it’s time for me to go back to my room. I know Sandy wants to shop before we board.”
“Okay, we have a breakfast meeting and I need to do something for my parents. They will be here around 5 p.m. (don’t see anything wrong with five this evening). Actually, all of our parents are coming.” Shontell looked at him a little terrified. Was he going to ask her to meet his parents? She was sure she would eventually have to, because the cruise was five days long.
“Shontell, don’t worry. They will love you. If it makes you feel better, I can introduce you as a friend so you won’t feel pressured.”
“Okay. I guess when we decided on trying this friendship, meeting your parents never crossed my mind,” she told him, as she propped herself up on her elbows.
“It’s going to be okay, I promise. Come give me a kiss, so I can let you out this room before your best friend comes after me,” he said as they both heard her phone beep for the third time. They shared a hug and a brief kiss before he walked her to the door.
Test Of Love
Nico
Nico wondered if he should have mentioned his parents. He saw how her demeanor changed. He knew it was more than likely too soon. But, didn’t he already meet her father? He was tough. He smiled and reassured himself that it would be fine. Then Nico’s cell phone rang. He smiled as he answered.
“Good Morning, Mom. No, you didn’t wake me. How are you? Dad? Are you at the airport?”
“We are good. Yes, we got here. Your father and Nate just went and got some coffee. So we should be getting into Miami on time. Nate said the driver’s coming.”
“Yes, Mom, he will be there. I will see you all when you get on the boat. Don’t forget about the early dinner on the ship,” he told her, as he pulled his clothes out of his suitcase. Nico talked to his mom for a few more minutes and then went to get dressed. He was getting excited about the cruise. He reached the meeting area. The breakfast food smell hit him, and his stomach growled. He headed towards the food line with the others. David walked up to him and spoke.
“So, how did Shontell like your surprise?”
“She loved it. Thanks for hooking me up with the gazebo idea.”
“No problem. If she makes you happy, then you know I got your back. You know I am still tripping out on last night. I felt like he did that crap all over again to me last night. But at the end of the day, he is my blood,” David told him, looking like he felt on the inside. He finished fixing his plate and then waited on David.
Nico looked at his brother, and he knew that what he said was right. Although Dennis wasn’t his blood, he was still his brother. He didn’t want to think about this anymore. David, on the other hand, had been such a strong influence and guidance for him lately. His love with Felecia encouraged him to pursue Shontell. They walked towards a table a couple of seats away from everyone else. Sitting down, they said grace and started to eat.
“Listen, David, I just wanted to say thank you for helping me with all this. I feel like a clueless teenager around Shontell.”
“Sounds like someone is in love,” he said, as he patted him on his arm.
“Wow, love?” he hadn’t thought he would associate that word with himself again.
“Yeah, wow. That’s what I was thinking too.” They were laughing, talking, and joking around when Dennis walked over. David looked between the men and then nodded for him to have a seat. Neither man spoke.
“I owe you both an apology. I...I never thought any of this would happen,” he started, but Nico interrupted him.
“What the hell did you think would happen when you play with fire, Dennis??? You get burned.” Nico pushed his plate away. He had lost his appetite. He was about to get up and leave when David grabbed his wrist.
“Nico, sit down…please,” David said softly. Nico sat back down, folding his arms and not looking at Dennis or David.
“Dennis, this time an apology won’t solve this. You may have caused a marriage to end with your selfishness. You also could have caused Nico to lose Shontell, like you almost caused me to lose Felecia. Don’t you understand that, no matter what, we are a unit? All four of us are brothers. Our being in love won’t take that away!” David told him, as he looked him straight in the face.
“I understand that now. Nico, I am not expecting you or Shontell to forgive me. But I am genuinely sorry,” he told him, as he got up and walked away. Nico looked at David and knew they would not mention this again. It was done with.
“So where are Shontell and Sandy?” David asked as Felecia came over and joined them. She kissed her husband and took a bite of his sausage. David smiled at her while he started wiping her mouth with his napkin. Nico watched them in amusement.
“Shontell said something about Sandy wanting to go shopping before boarding. So, I assume they are getting ready for that.”
Felecia pulled out her cell phone. “Nico, can you give me her number? I didn’t save it in my phone yet. I’m going to see if I can join them.” D
avid groaned and slumped his shoulders. Nico gave her Shontell’s number. She held her hand out for his credit card and kissed him again, telling them both goodbye. Nico could hear her talking to Shontell about meeting them in the lobby in fifteen minutes.
She looked back over her shoulder and she spoke to her husband. “Kiss your mother for me.” She waved, and then she was gone. Both men looked at each other and then burst out laughing. Felecia loved to shop, but she spent his money and hers equally. Her design business was taking off, and her label was now becoming a household name on the east coast.
Shontell
Shontell and the ladies spent the last three hours shopping. Now they were headed towards the cruise ship, laughing and talking. They had a ball shopping. Their instincts about Felecia were right, because she fit right in with Shontell and Sandy’s quirkiness. Her excitement seemed to be boiling over. It was short lived, as she looked over the passengers and thought she saw a familiar face in the crowd. She had to be seeing things. Ebony couldn’t be on this ship. She looked in the same direction again and didn’t see her. Maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her. They say everyone has a twin. The ladies must have noticed her silence and asked her was she okay.
“Yeah, I am okay. I thought I saw someone I knew.”
“Girl, on this cruise you probably will know someone. It seems to be packed.”
“True, but the one person I wouldn’t expect to see is Ebony,” she told her as she continued to look at the passengers.
“Ebony!” Sandy shouted. Felecia looked at her friends in confusion and asked, “Who is Ebony?”
“Ebony is my business partner. She should be back in Detroit. Maybe I didn’t see what I thought I did. When I looked again, I didn’t see her in the same area.”
“Well let’s not worry about something we can’t prove at the moment,” Sandy told her. She saw her best friend visibly relax. She looked around again and hoped that she was right. It was probably someone who looked like Ebony. That woman was up to something, and she would end up in jail before she let another person hurt her friend. The steward gave them their room assignments, and the women headed in that direction. They were talking a mile a minute about the celebrities they had already spotted. Felecia hugged the ladies and agreed to meet them in a few hours for dinner. They were escorted to their room. The bellman opened the suite door, and the two women followed him in. They stood in awe at how it looked. After tipping the bellman, they walked around the huge room.