"Hey, I was wondering when you were coming," he told Bryon, giving him a hug.
"Sorry, got held up. Thank you again for doing this."
"No problem, especially since you shelled out a hefty sum for tonight," he replied, chuckling.
Bryon smirked.
"Asia, this is Harold. He's a friend of the family and can make a mean crawfish effouttee. His restaurant specializes in Creole food."
"Wow, my favorite."
"Exactly."
I smiled at Harold when he looked at me.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Asia," He told me. "Bryon has told me a lot about you."
"Really?" I asked, glancing at Bryon.
"They were all good things, sweetheart. In fact, I think Mr. Gibson is smitten, and I think it's about damn time. I told his dad before he passed that I would watch over him and Jason and see to it that they both have great lives, including finding the perfect woman. Of course, Jason found Maxine, but I was wondering when this knucklehead would meet someone."
"Stop it, Harold," Bryon said, clearly embarrassed.
"Even though his mom has that area down pat, I still want to include my thoughts as well."
"It's nice meeting you, Harold."
He smiled and led us through the restaurant. We walked outside, and I saw one of the most romantic settings I'd ever witnessed. A candlelight dinner was in the center of beautiful white orchards. The breathtaking view of the beach completed the set-up.
I looked at Bryon who smiled. "This is beautiful."
"I'm glad you like it."
Harold cleared his throat, and we turned to him.
"Now, I have everything set up for you two, including music near the patio entrance. All you have to do is enjoy your evening."
"We definitely will do that, Harold. Thank you," Bryon told him.
"You're welcome. Here are the keys; just lock up when you leave," He said as he handed Bryon a set of keys.
"It was nice meeting you, Asia."
"Likewise, Harold."
He smiled then left us alone, which kind of made me nervous. "It was really nice of him to do this."
"Harold's a nice guy. He was my dad's partner and best friend. Those two always had each other's back. When my dad passed, Harold quit the force and opened up his own restaurant. He hasn't looked back since."
"That's why he said he'd watch over you and Jason."
"Yeah; he's been a member of the family for years. He's like a second father to us."
I looked around, taking in the beautiful view, and Bryon went to the stereo. He turned it on, and jazz music filled the air. He motioned for me to come to the table, and we both sat down.
"Now, I have to say, I hope the etouffee is good. My mom was the only one who could get it right," I said, lifting up the tray's top.
"Oh, you'll will definitely love Harold's. It's his most popular dish."
I took a bite of the meal and closed my eyes. I had to admit; it was good.
"See, you like it."
"It's good."
Bryon and I continued eating and talking about various topics, from current events to our futures. It was great to have a conversation that didn't center around negative thoughts or issues. It was different for me, and it was pretty nice.
After we finished our meal, we talked some more until Bryon changed the music. When I heard a Raheem DeVaughn song playing, a smile spread across my lips as he came over to me. He knew this was one of my favorite songs after telling him during our one of our many conversations. I wasn't big on dancing, but I didn't mind right now.
He carefully placed his hands around my waist, and I wrapped my arms around him. We moved to the beat of the song as I placed my head on his shoulder, taking in how beautiful this night had been. He'd done so much, and I didn't want it to end.
I looked up into his eyes, and he swept some hair from my face. I leaned into him and kissed him, which always felt good. I knew I'd only known Bryon a short time, but at that moment, I knew I was ready to be with him. Something told me that he wouldn't hurt me. I trusted him, and that was rare because I usually didn't trust anyone. But he was different. It wasn't the fact that he'd done a lot for me; it was just the fact that he was a genuine person.
I held him tighter. "I don't want to be in separate rooms tonight."
"A..."
"Bryon, I don't want the night to end. I want to be with you."
I guess he didn't know what to say because he just looked at me. "Asia, I didn't do all of this so you would sleep with me."
"I know that; I've been feeling this way for a while now, but I needed to know for sure that it's what I wanted. My marriage is pretty much over, and I want to move on with my life. I plan on divorcing Dwight."
"Wow, are you sure you want to do that?"
"I have never been so sure about anything in my life. Dwight and I have been needing to move on, and his recent stunt confirmed that. I just want to pick up the pieces of my life and move forward; I'm hoping you'll will be a part of that."
He slowly caressed my back then kissed me passionately. He pulled away and took my hands into his.
"You sure, Asia?"
"I'm sure, Bryon."
"Just know that I don't want to hurt you in anyway. You're so special to me."
I smiled. "I know you won't hurt me."
He kissed me again, then he started cleaning up. I helped him clear everything so Harold wouldn't have to do too much the next day. Once we were done, we walked through the restaurant and out of the door. While I waited for Bryon to lock up, I started getting nervous. Bryon would only be the second man I'd ever slept with, and that had me on edge. I didn't know why I was feeling so nervous all of a sudden, but when he pulled me into his arms again and kissed me, I knew I didn't have anything to fear. I was in good hands.
***
We went back to the hotel and walked into Bryon's room; I was anxious to see how the rest of the evening would go. While Bryon set the mood, I took in the amazing view of the night through the window. As the music filled the room, I suddenly felt tingles all over my body as his lips moved along the back of my neck, tenderly kissing my skin. I softly moaned, and his lips continued to seduce me, sliding to my back. He slowly unzipped my dress, leaving a trail of kisses down my back while unhooking my bra. I placed my hands on the window, and his hands moved over my body, touching me, while his lips continued pleasuring me.
He turned me around, looking at me while sliding my dress down. He stood there, taking in my body and shaking his head.
"You're so beautiful."
I unbuttoned his shirt while staring at him. My gaze moved to his chest; I couldn't believe this
was actually happening. A part of me wanted to skip the foreplay and just get right into it, but I
knew we both wanted to take it slow. Besides, we had all night.
We moved to the bed, and he lay me down. I reached out to him to finish taking off his
clothes. My eyes took in his entire body. Before, I'd only been able to see bits and pieces of him, but
now that I had the entire package in front of me, I couldn't help but grin.
"Like what you see?"
"Definitely."
My hands slid down his stomach as he pulled me to him. I was on my knees, facing him. He
kissed my neck, then his fingers moved to my clit. I leaned my head back as he touched me.
The look on his face confirmed that he was ready, just like I was. I wanted us to take our time
the second round; but right now, I needed to feel him.
"Make love to me, Bryon. Now."
He lay me down and went to the night stand. Before we came back to the hotel, we stopped for
condoms. Even though I was on the pill, since this was our first time together, I wanted to be
extra cautious, which he didn't have a problem with.
I waited as he slid the condom on, my heart racing. I was so used to Dwight that I kind of forgot
&n
bsp; that men could be so well-endowed. Now, I was getting nervous again.
Bryon leaned down, looked into me then wrapped his arms around me. He could tell I was
nervous from my expression.
"I promise, I won't hurt you," he assured me.
I nodded as he kissed me. He began kissing every part of my body, from my chest, to my
thighs, before facing me. I spread myself as I anticipated him inside of me.
Once he was in, I drew in a breath, gripping his back as he kissed me some more. He didn't take
his eyes off of me, and we held each other, slowly matching our movements with one another's.
My hands moved further down his back as his lifted one of my legs. The intensity in his eyes
made my entire body quiver. This man was sexy in everything he did.
I was holding onto him as I whispered his name. He whispered mine, letting me know how good
I felt, which sent trembles through me. I loved hearing his voice and his comment made my
walls tighten around him. My body had a mind of its own, and I yelled out his name, feeling the
first wave flow through me. Bryon kept going, trying to see if he could get another one out of
me. I didn't have a problem supplying it.
He stopped midway and turn me so my back was facing him. He pulled my leg around him and
began stroking me. My eyes rolled into the back of my head as he kissed my back.
"You are so fucking sexy," he whispered in my ear, moving a hand to my breasts while he still pleasured me.
"Bryon," I whispered.
He was doubling my pleasure, rubbing my clit. I pushed my ass against him. I didn't know if my
body could handle this. A sexy growl came from him, and I knew I done for.
Another wave moved through me, and I gripped the sheets. I could tell he was cumming too as he moaned against my ear. He sounded so good, which had every inch of me throbbing for more.
He fell back on the bed, and I rolled over to face him. He pulled me into his arms then kissed my forehead.
"That was exactly how I imagined it would be."
I glanced at him. "Really?"
"Yeah. Asia, I really do care about you, and I'm glad that our relationship has progressed."
I smiled. "I'm glad, too."
He kissed me, sending butterflies through my body. Now, I knew what it felt like to be loved. Even though Dwight and I had that for a short while, with all of our issues, the love faded away. Bryon showed me how life should be. And that was something I always wanted to experience.
Bryon
I looked up at the ceiling, still thinking about what had happened between Asia and me. My dick jumped at the thought of being inside of her, her walls tightening against me as she sighed in pleasure. I could wake her for another round, but I'd let her sleep. She needed the rest.
I held her tighter, and she moaned softly. She looked up at me with a smile.
"Hey."
"Hey. I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's fine. I don't even know how I can be asleep when you're lying beside me. You're too sexy for words," she said then she kissed me.
"How do you feel? You don't regret what happened, do you?"
"Why would I? I wanted it as much as you did."
"That's definitely true. I just thought that since you're still married, you would feel guilty about being with me."
She shook her head. "Not at all. Dwight and I have been growing apart for a while now and what happened with him and his co-worker was the final straw. We both tried holding onto something that wasn't there. No matter how much we tried, the feelings just weren't there anymore."
"So why did you stay with him if you knew all this?"
She shrugged. "I think it was convenience," she replied with a shrug. "Before, I thought things would change, but eventually, I just gave up. I knew that wasn't the way to live, but I just didn't care anymore; that's why writing is such a huge part of my life. Writing about someone else's life is an escape. I wanted to write about the happily ever afters, even if I wouldn't have one."
I held her closer, and she exhaled. "Well, you don't have to worry about that any more."
"I know I don't, because I'm with you now. I'm just glad that you've supported me and are honest with me. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't."
"How do you know I am? We've only known each other for six months."
She glanced at me while I caressed her hair. "Because of your demeanor. From the moment we met, you've been truthful about everything. You never held anything back; that's what made me trust you."
My heart dropped. I had been honest about everything except for my job as a detective. I was so caught up in her that I'd completely forgotten that I was still investigating Dwight, Warren, and Tyrone. Maybe Jason was right; I should have taken myself off of this case.
"I think I'm ready to get my things," she said, interrupting my thoughts. "I need to face him and let him know it's over. I don't want to keep being in something when I know there's no future."
I nodded. "I can understand that."
"Besides, you're the one I want to be with. I'm not going to deny it any more. I want to see where our relationship can take us. If you're willing to try."
I laughed. "Baby, I've been wanting to do that since the first week we met."
She smiled. "I know, I just wanted to hear you say it."
"Are you still going to stay with Isha or your dad?"
"I'm not sure yet; more than likely, it'll be with Isha since she offered. I really don't want to face my dad right now, even though his birthday is coming up."
"I'm assuming he's having a party."
She looked at me and laughed. "If you can call it that. My stepmom will have this elaborate celebration to show off to family and friends. Sometimes, it's annoying."
"Do you mind if I come?"
She shrugged. "It would be nice, but I don't know if our first outing should be at my dad's. A lot of people will be asking questions, wondering who you are and where Dwight is."
"Let them ask. I'm not doing it for them; I'm going to support you."
"Thank you."
"But the offer still stands with Jason's old place. You can move in if you want a place of your own. I figured you would probably want to after staying with Dwight and then moving in with his aunt."
"I don't know."
"Asia, Jason already said it was cool, so all you have to do is agree."
She nodded. "Fine, I'll do it. Satisfied?"
I pulled her up to me and kissed her. "Definitely, since I can come any time of the night and pleasure you."
"Is that the only reason you wanted me to move in?"
"No, it's because I know you want your independence. That's why you didn't want to stay with me, and I'm cool with that."
"Technically, I'm still not being independent."
"No, but it's a start."
She leaned against me, while I caressed her hair.
"But back to your dad, I know you and he don't have the best relationship."
She kissed my chest then lay her cheek on me. "It's okay, but we just don't talk like we should. When we do talk, it's just short conversations."
"Have you two always been like this, or did it happen when your mom passed?"
She looked down, and I could tell she was crying. I caressed her back and kissed the top of her head.
"You don't have to talk about it, okay?"
"It's okay. My parents were in love with each other, and when she passed away, my dad became a different person. He sort of blamed himself for not doing more to help her when she was sick. I think he sees a lot of me in her when he talks to me, and that's why he sort of stays away."
"I'm really sorry. I know that's tough."
"It is sometimes, but I can understand how he feels."
We lay silent until she spoke again. "I think I want to go get my things tomorrow."
I nodd
ed. "Did you want me to go?"
"You can, but you can just wait in the car. I don't want Dwight to get suspicious, even though he already is.
"I'll do my best to stay in the car, but if he comes at you wrong, I'll be in his face in a heartbeat."
"I know you will, but try not to. I really don't want to have an altercation. I just want to get my things and move on."
"I understand."
She closed her eyes and went back to sleep, giving me a few minutes to gather my thoughts. I needed to talk to Commissioner Franklin to see if I could get out of my case, because I didn't want to keep lying to Asia.
Asia
It was the next day, and I didn't want my time with Bryon to end. The night we'd shared was beautiful. Now, it was time to go back to reality and face my issues with Dwight. Although I was going to tell him it was over, it still hurt to know that our marriage didn't last. I was the type of woman who wanted to be with one man my entire life. I didn't want relationships with multiple men nor have countless marriages. But sometimes, life doesn't happen the way you plan. Instead, it gives a lot of unexpected twists and turns, which I guess makes it more interesting.
Once we returned to town, I told Bryon I was going to meet up with Isha for lunch. He had some business to take care of, so he dropped me off at his place so I could get my car. Within minutes, I was standing outside of a popular bistro, waiting on Isha to arrive. A few minutes later, she walked up, looking gorgeous in a pink and blue printed sundress. Her hair flowed around her petite face as she took off her sunglasses, revealing her brown eyes.
"Hey, girlie. Wow, it feels like it's been years since I've seen you," she greeted as she gave me a hug.
"I know, but we're here now, so that's all that matters. Where's Cecilia? I wanted to see her."
"She's with Raymond. He figured I needed some time away, and he definitely wasn't lying. I love my little girl, but I don't mind an hour or two of me time when I can get it." she replied, and we headed inside.
We walked in and were immediately seated near the center of the restaurant. I looked over and saw Maxine picking up a to-go order. She looked my way and I waved. She came over and gave me a quick hug.
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