“You right Ali. I’m going to try real hard not to let my insecurities get in the way.”
“Good girl! Now get your ass out of the bed and get ready for work. I, on the other hand, will join my husband back in bed.”
***
Chapter 18
A month had passed since the altercation with Randle McHale. Thanks to the 911 recording, he was charged with Lacey Hamilton's murder and a slew of other charges. Her job was going well, nothing as intriguing as the EPA case, but she loved her job, and she still had her side gig. Darkonian Quest was in production and expected to be on sale just in time for Christmas. She was happy.
Clarissa spent a lot of time with Julian and Micah the last couple of weeks. She enjoyed every minute of it from the picnics, museums, concerts, baseball games; sometimes it felt as if they were a real family. Julian was everything and more that she wanted in a man, and just being in his presence makes her feel loved and cherished. He did get upset with her a couple of times because she refused to spend the night at his house. She didn’t want to be like some cheap trick sneaking out of his house before his son woke up in the morning.
Julian respected her decision, but that didn’t keep him from challenging her from time to time. "Julian, I want you and Micah to come with me to Orlando for Father's Day. She decided to let his think about the trip as she walks pass him on her way to the kitchen to start dinner. Julian pulled her back into the den and locked the door. “What are you doing and you haven’t answered my question?”
“This is a monumental moment in our relationship, so give me a kiss. Since you don’t want me displaying lust in front of my son, I thought we would be safe in here.” Julian bends her over the arm of the chair and raised her skirt the sight of the barely there panties hugging her ass. He gets on his knees behind her, pushing her panties aside, and let his tongue do the exploring.
“Julian! Oh my god that feels good!”
He smacked her on the ass before responding. “It’s time to take it up a notch!” He dropped his pants and pulled a condom on his rapidly expanding cock. He gently pried open her chocolate lips seeking out her wet core with his fingers; she's always wet for him.
“Quit playing around Julian I want to come!”
“Since you begged so nicely.” Julian spread her cheeks and pressed his thumbs against her rosebud while pounding his cock deep inside her. When they were like this together, he realized it's more than just sex. This isn't a feeling he's experienced with Donna or any other woman. Clarissa muffled her screams of ecstasy just in case Micah could hear them. Julian comes shortly afterward, pulling out of her slowly, smoothing his hands over her firm cheeks wishing he could take her up to bed for the night
Clarissa grabs a couple of tissues from the end table and dabbed her face and neck. These romps with Julian always left her hot, sweaty, and wanting more. “You didn’t answer my question. Will you and Micah come celebrate Father’s Day with me and my family in Orlando?”
“Baby I chartered a plane for us as soon as you told me that you were visiting your parents for Father’s Day weekend.”
“Why you little sneak, you were enjoying my uncertainty when I asked you to come with me?”
Julian pulled her into his arms and kissed her pouty lips. “No baby, I received a present like no other when you invited me to come meet your family and celebrate an intimate family holiday. Whether you’re ready to admit it or not it shows that you care for me, and my son, soon I expect that commitment to lead to marriage.”
“I trust you Julian. I haven’t trusted a man outside my family in a long time.” Clarissa put her head on Julian’s shoulder, luxuriating in his strength.
***
Clarissa opened her eyes when she heard the pilot announce that the plane would be landing in Orlando in fifteen minutes. She normally didn’t enjoy flying in smaller planes, but sitting next to Julian makes it all worthwhile. Julian's eyes were closed, but she doubted that he was asleep. Micah is happily sitting across the aisle working on a puzzle. He looked up at Clarissa and smiled, but he didn't seem a little worried. "What's wrong Micah?"
"I'm glad you invited Dad and me to Orlando with you to celebrate Father’s Day with your family, but what if they don't like us."
"Micah, how could anyone not like you? Everyone I know would love to have a son like you.
Besides, my parents don't have any grandchildren, and I can just see them trying to monopolize all of you time."
"Does your daddy like to fish?"
"Yes. Dad goes fishing quite often. I don't think we would have any problem trying to convince him to take us."
Micah's face lit up with excitement. "That would be great!"
Julian heard Clarissa and Micah's whole conversation. Clarissa admitted that she would love to become Micah's mother; however, she never said that she wanted to be his wife. Julian always felt that Clarissa was holding back. She admitted to loving him one time and had yet to repeat those precious words. He had to show her that love is more than just a four letter word.
They had been spending a lot of time together since the party for Dom Howard, but their sex life was killing him. He had to find ways to get Clarissa alone; she refused to spend the night over his house, stating that it wasn’t a proper thing to do because it gave the wrong impression to Micah.
He thought it was ridiculous for grown people to sneak around trying to catch some alone time here and there. He loved his son dearly, but what he once considered an ace-in-the-hole was turning into a chastity belt. Just last week he invented a reason to meet with Clarissa at work. He had his secretary set up a meeting and as soon as Clarissa came into his office, he locked his door and immediately went to work on removing her clothes. She tried to resist at first, but she was just as hungry for him as he was for her.
Julian had been trying to ease her into the idea of becoming his wife, but Clarissa was acting like an ostrich sticking her head in the sand. Tough, she was going to have to deal with the reality of them being married because he won't be satisfied until he claimed her as his wife.
***
Clarissa could see someone waiting on the front porch of her parents' house as Julian pulled the rental car into her parents' driveway. She opens the car door before Julian shut off the engine. Clarissa ran across the yard, took the stairs two at a time, and landed in her father's arms. "Oh Daddy it's so good to see you. Where is mother hiding?"
Tears filled Raymond's eyes as while hugging his oldest child. "Junior and your mother are at the store. They been at the store for two hours and should have been back by now. I miss you girl, you have to visit more often; I don't think I could take another ten month drought."
Clarissa wiped the tears from her father's face. "Daddy I just visited you and Mother for Easter, certainly not ten months ago."
“Well it seemed like ten months instead of two.”
Clarissa screamed in delight as her Aunt Helen approached her. "Aunt Helen, how have you been?" Clarissa hugged and kissed her aunt as her father looked on.
Micah and Julian followed Clarissa to the house just in time to see her cheerful reunion with her family. "Daddy and Aunt Helen I would like to introduce you to the two most prominent men in my life, present company excluded Daddy. This darling little guy is Micah, and the tall handsome fellow is his father Julian Ross."
Raymond shook Julian's hand and welcomed him to his home, but he gave particular attention to Micah. "Well how are you doing young man? I put in a specific order for grandchildren years ago, are you the one I've been waiting for."
“Daddy!”
“Raymond!”
“What! I asked a legitimate question. Clarissa’s obviously serious about Julian or she wouldn’t have brought him home to meet us.
Micah thought about the question while shaking Raymond's hand. "I think so, is it true that you like to fish."
"I sure do, would you like to go fishing with me."
"That would be cool, sir."
"Now i
f you're going to be my fishing buddy, I can't have you calling me sir."
"Dad doesn't allow me to call older folks by their first name."
Raymond winked at Clarissa before turning his attention back to Micah. He rubbed his chin for a couple of minutes, and then he snapped his fingers. "Why don't you call me pops, that's what the children in the neighborhood call me?"
"Okay Pops, you have a deal."
Clarissa watched the developing relationship between Micah and her father. At that moment, she realized how badly her father wanted grandchildren. She holds the door open as everyone moved into the house. Her father helped Julian with the bags and showed them to their rooms. Aunt Helen walked into the house, and she pinched Clarissa on her arm.
"I think Julian's a keeper."
"He definitely is Aunt Helen."
***
Clarissa's mother walks in as she's getting settled in her old bedroom. "I've missed you Clarissa."
"I missed you too Mother." Clarissa is still shocked by her mother's attitude. She has to get used to this, her mother never openly showed much affection towards her.
Henrietta shuts the door and sits on the bed. "Julian and your father seem to be hitting off; he's just the sort of man I would have picked for you and his adorable son. When you marry him, you're going to become a wife and momma with one ceremony."
Clarissa sits on the bed next to her mother. "What makes you think I'm going to marry Julian?"
"Oh mothers have a way of knowing these things. I think that Roberta has finally grown up."
"Mother I hope you’re right, but soon as she puts this cancer scare behind her I’m sure she’ll be up to her old tricks again. Roberta is never going to grow up."
"Rissa, I think having cancer has turned out to be a blessing for Roberta. When people face life threatening events, they usually change for the better. Roberta has changed in ways I couldn’t believe. She’s more mature and responsible.”
“Mother I hope you're right.”
***
Roberta put in an appearance the day before Father’s Day. Clarissa and Micah went fishing with her father. Clarissa was putting the fishing equipment away in the mudroom when she heard voices from the kitchen. Clarissa eased up the stairs and stood outside the kitchen door listening to Roberta and Julian's conversation.
"Julian I don't know what Clarissa told you about me. I'm the reason she ended her engagement to Lawrence Tate. I lost love and respect of my sister. There is nothing I won't do to protect her. Mom and Aunt Helen seem to think that you're serious about Clarissa. I'm only going to say this once if you marry my sister, you better make her happy."”
"Next to my son, Clarissa is the most influential person in my life. I don't need you or anyone else to tell me how to treat my woman."
Clarissa decided that she'd heard enough. She had to interrupt Julian and Roberta's little discussion before it turned into a fully fledged argument. "Okay, your voices are beginning to get a little heated."
Roberta has only spoken with Clarissa twice since Easter. "How much did you hear of the conversation?"
Clarissa hugged Roberta; maybe her mother was right about Roberta's change in attitude. "I heard it all, and I want to thank you for loving me enough to look out for my interests."
Roberta smiled at the happy couple, before making a face at Julian. "I guess I'll leave you two alone. See you be at church tomorrow."
"We wouldn't miss it for the world."
Julian pulled Clarissa into his arms. "This is the first time we have been alone since we arrive in Orlando. I think that your family is trying to keep us apart. I promise you, the next time we come to Orlando we're staying at a hotel."
Clarissa rested her head on Julian's chest." Are you trying to proposition me in my parents’ house?"
Julian tightened his hold, pulling her closer to his body. "Do you feel what you're doing to me? If we were anywhere else, I would strip you naked and be inside you already. Just my luck your mother or sister would choose to make an appearance. I honestly don't like the idea of not sharing a room together."
Clarissa couldn't restrain the giggle that escaped from her. "I imagine that my mother and father would have a lot to say about that. We only have to wait one more day, then we'll be back in Chicago and you can have your wicked way with me."
"Do you promise?"
"I promise."
***
Antioch Baptist church is filled to capacity on Father’s Day. Reverend Coleman pulled out the same sermon he gives every Father’s Day for the last twenty-five years. However, in Clarissa's mind, everything is perfect. Her family accepted Julian and Micah into the family fold.
There's nothing better than Easter Sunday dinner at her parents' house. Clarissa couldn't think of anything that could make the day more memorable, but to her surprise Julian found a way.
After dinner, Julian asked for everyone's attention. "Excuse me, I don't mean to interrupt, but I want to give Clarissa a gift." Julian pulled a small black box out of his pocket.
Clarissa is rooted to her chair; she couldn't believe that Julian is going to ask her to marry him in front of her whole family. "Julian maybe we should go out on the porch."
"No way, if I take you outside you might say no." Julian opened the box. Inside the box was a platinum 5-carat Princess Cut diamond ring. "Clarissa I love you and I know that you love me and my son. I would be eternally blessed if you would be my wife."
Clarissa could feel the tears on her cheeks. When Lawrence asked her to marry him, she just took it as a natural progression of their relationship. The day she met Julian she considered him a dangerous man. Now she knows that he was best man, the only man she will ever marry.
"Oh Julian, I waited a long time to hear you say that. Yes, yes, yes I'll marry you." Julian grabbed Clarissa's left hand and slid the ring on the appropriate finger. Julian kissed her like a hungry man who hasn't eaten food in two weeks.
Clarissa and Julian were so caught up in each other they seemed to forget that her family is present until everyone begins to congratulate them. Clarissa's mother, sister, and aunt were shedding happy tears. Clarissa could have sworn that her father's eyes looked a little misty too.
Micah threw himself into Clarissa's arms. "Rissa, after you marry Dad will it be okay if I call you Mom?"
"Nothing would please me more." If Clarissa lived to be one hundred, she would always treasure the memory of this Father’s Day.
***
Chapter 19
Two weeks after their trip to Orlando, Julian pushed and pushed until he finally got Clarissa to set a date for their wedding. He wanted to marry Clarissa immediately and saw no reason to wait. The wedding was scheduled for the first Saturday in August. They put their wedding announcement in the Chicago newspapers, picked out rings and sent out wedding invitations.
Now all Clarissa had to do was find a wedding dress for herself, a bridesmaid's dress for Roberta, and a matron of honor dress for Alison. The wedding will be held at Julian's house, with the reception immediately following in the garden. They would be married in front of a small gathering of friends and family. Clarissa sighed to herself, in less than a month she would become Mrs. Clarissa Ross.
A sense of déjà vu became present in Clarissa's mind; she remembered that same euphoria she felt about becoming Mrs. Lawrence Tate. Then disaster struck and ruined all her wedding plans. This time things would be different, for she knew without any doubt that Julian loved her and this time nothing would stand in her way.
***
Clarissa finished her morning jog and in the process of picking up her mail when she notices the new security guard sitting at the front desk. She grabs her mail out of the mailbox and heads over to the front desk. "Excuse me, my name is Clarissa Marks, and I live on the fifth floor. Are you new to this job or are you covering for Eddie?"
"My name is Norman. Eddie has been injured in an accident, and I've been called in to take over for him until he recovers."
&nb
sp; "Is Eddie going to be okay?" Clarissa liked Eddie, the first time she met him, he seemed to be aloof and rude. As she learned more about him, she realized that Eddie's bark is worse than his bite.
"I really don't know what his condition is; I'm just here to cover for him until he recovers."
"Thank you." Clarissa couldn't be sure, but Norman the security guard reminded her of someone. Oh well, Clarissa didn't have time to dwell on it, her wedding is in two weeks, and she still has to finalize some arrangements. Clarissa flips through her mail as she walks towards the elevator. Most of her mail is bills or advertising; however, there is one envelope with no return address on it. Clarissa couldn't wait until she reached her condominium before opening the envelope. The envelope contained a letter and some newspaper clippings.
The letter is particularly nasty and abrupt. It said, “Every woman in Julian Morgan's life has died a horrible death." Clarissa is so intent on reading the letter that she barely remembered getting on the elevator. She takes out the newspaper clippings and read them. The first one was about Tanya Dresser, a teenage girl who died in a car wreck. The second newspaper clipping really gets Clarissa's attention. Woman murdered in her home. Her husband Julian Ross was taken into police custody for questioning. Their child was found unharmed in his crib.
Clarissa unlocked her door, walked into her condominium and finished reading the clipping about Julian's wife. Julian was taken in for questioning, but he was released after the police verified his story. Clarissa was thunderstruck as she sat on her sofa and re-read both clippings. She still didn't understand the significance of the first clipping. Who's Tanya Dresser? What was she to Julian?
Clarissa is going to get to the bottom of this; someone wanted break up her and Julian. After taking a quick shower, Clarissa dressed hurriedly without taking the time to put on any makeup. Julian is working at the office today, so she would drop by and ask him about Tanya Dresser, the teenage girl killed in a car wreck over sixteen years ago.
***
When Clarissa reached the office, Julian's office light is on, but there'd no sign of Julian. Clarissa decided to catch him later when she hears voices coming from the break room. To Clarissa chagrin, Julian is sitting at one of the tables drinking coffee talking to Karen Nash. Karen looked beautiful as usual, and Julian seemed to be enthralled by her stimulating conversation. What in the hell is she doing here, especially on a Saturday? Julian didn’t mention meeting Karen this weekend and why were they sitting in the break room of all places.
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