“If you need any help with any legal work, I’m available. Our firm works with lots of charities and foundations. Maybe next weekend I could take you to dinner and we could discuss it,” Stephen said. Reye smiled at his attempt to book a date with her.
After breakfast, Stephen thanked Reye’s folks and said goodbye to them. He and Reye walked out the front door. He was heading back to Dallas and she was going to church. Reye followed him to his car and stood nearby as he opened the door but didn’t get in. He turned to her. “So, your parents have been having breakfast every Sunday morning before you and I met?”
“Yes.”
“Did you miss most of them when we were together?”
“Not all of them, but the bulk of them, yes.”
“You never asked me to go.”
“Honestly, I didn’t think you were interested, and I didn’t want to push for fear of scaring you off,” she said and gave a fake, half-hearted laugh. She turned to look off down the street.
“I’m sorry,” he said, bringing her eyes back to his.
“No worries, mate,” she said and smiled at him, a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes nor camouflage the hurt he saw in them.
He leaned in and touched his lips softly to hers, letting them settle there for a moment. He’d surprised her with his kiss. He heard it in her intake of air, the tensing of her body. He pulled back slowly and smiled. “Thanks for letting me hang out with you this weekend. Can I call you this week?”
“Sure,” she said, more than a little flustered. “Give me your phone,” she said, holding out her hand to him. He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Just like old times,” she said, remembering their first meeting at the airport. She programmed her number into the phone and handed it back to him.
He leaned in and kissed her again.
“I’ll call you this week, and see you next weekend.”
“Okay,” she said as she watched him get into his car and drive away.
* * *
The following weeks took on a routine for Stephen. He would put in long hours at the firm during the week in compensation for his time spent in Austin on the weekends. In Austin he would help Reye with soccer practice and her games. He’d had gotten to know the kids on her team and their parents, who teased him, calling him the coach’s boyfriend. He took heart from the knowledge that Reye never corrected them. He spent most Friday nights and some Saturdays working with Reye’s dad over at the new house.
She was slowly coming around to having him in her life again. So far, though, she’d mostly watched him, but she was beginning to smile and act more spontaneously around him, be less guarded. But it was clearly going to be on him for a while. How long, he had no clue. She had been surprised to find him staying at her parents home. They treated him like their long-lost son, putting him up in Reye’s brother Frank’s old room, giving him a key for when he was late getting into Austin, and neither of them had told Reye of his living arrangements.
She found out, though. It happened on his fourth weekend in Austin, at the end of a month of trips. As usual, he’d helped her earlier that Saturday afternoon with her team’s game. And, as usual, she continued to refuse dinners, lunches, or any other outings with him. She thanked him as always for helping with the game and sent him on his way. He’d spent some time in the city with some of his friends from law school for a couple of hours and then drove over to her parents’ home.
Saturday nights were movie nights at the Jackson household. They would rent several movies for the three of them to watch together. Mrs. Jackson would make popcorn and margaritas, a combination he wouldn’t have put together but that actually worked. The Jacksons sat in their recliners that were reserved for TV watching and he’d taken the floor. They agreed to watch a thriller, and, about halfway into the movie, Reye entered, needing to pick up something from her dad. She’d found the three of them engrossed in their movie. He’d seen her enter, remaining quiet as he watched his presence register on her face. He watched her taking in the scene; her eyes moved to look at him, laying on his back, head propped and resting on a pillow, popcorn bowl sitting on his stomach, margarita in hand, watching the movie.
“Oh, Reye, we didn’t hear you come in,” Mr. Jackson said, pausing the movie and acting like having him here was an everyday occurrence. They all looked up at her. “I don’t know if I told you, but Stephen is staying with us on the weekends now. There’s no use in him wasting all his money on a hotel. I thought this way he could get to know us and we could get to know him.” Stephen watched her drop down into a chair, looking over at him again, speechless. He gave her a large smile, tears in his eyes as he fought against laughter.
Her family had somehow become co-conspirators in his quest to win her back. He had met all of her older brothers and their families. Most of her brothers had made their way to Austin to check him out. It was subtle at first, but that usually gave way to full interrogations by first one brother and then another. He understood their need to meet and assure themselves of his commitment to Reye. He had gotten to know and like her family very much. He wanted her to get to know his.
He was starting into his third month of making the trek to Austin to see Reye. He pushed aside any worries that she might not ever forgive him, or risk herself for him again. He didn’t want to contemplate a life without her in it, wasn’t anywhere near ready to give up on them.
He was sitting in his apartment, looking out the win dows at the cityscape, contemplating the upcoming weekend. Tomorrow was Friday and he would be leaving later than usual for Austin. He had a meeting in Dallas that he had to attend in the late afternoon, so he wouldn’t be getting on the road until after eight, at best. He pulled out his cell to call Reye and let her know. She answered on the first ring.
“Hey.”
“Hey, yourself,” she responded, her voice low and sexy. Listening to her on the phone was one of the highlights of his life, and yet also one of the hardest experiences for him. Staying with her family hadn’t allowed for much of anything physical happening between them, and he hadn’t pushed it. He wanted her to know that although he loved her body and the physical part of their relationship, he loved other aspects of her as well. But he paid a price for it. He needed lots of cold showers and long runs to reduce his longing for her body. Hearing her on the telephone left him constantly hard. He forced his mind back to their conversation. “How was your day?”
“Fine, and yours?”
“Long, as usual,” he sighed.
“Poor baby,” she said, and he heard a smile and teasing in her voice.
He chuckled. “Listen, I’ve got a meeting tomorrow in the afternoon at the office that I have to make, so I won’t be leaving until late. In all likelihood, I won’t see you until Saturday morning at the game. I made reservations at a hotel instead of staying with your parents. I didn’t want to disturb them again. What time is the game?”
“Twelve, but I was thinking that you could stay here with me this weekend instead of at my parents.” He sat up, snapping to complete attention. “Stephen, did you hear me?”
“Yeah, I did. Are you sure? Be sure, Reye, because if I get anywhere near you, alone . . . I’m not sure of the consequences. Is this what you want?”
“Come and stay with me, Stephen. I know what I’m asking you to do. The last few weeks have been murder on me, too. But I needed to be sure.”
“And are you?”
“Yes, I am.” He was quiet for a long time. “Stephen? Are you there?”
“Yes, I’m here, and yes, there is a God.” He heard her laugh on the other end. “It’s been so long.”
“I know, for me, too. Call me when you get on the road?”
“I will,” he said. “And get some rest. You are going to need it.”
“I hope so. Love you.”
His breath caught. “Reye,” he said and paused. “Did you just tell me you loved me?”
“Yeah, I did. I never stopped, really.”
&
nbsp; “I didn’t think you would ever say that to me again.”
“I didn’t think so, either.”
“I love you, too.” Both were quiet on the phone as their declarations sank in.
“See you tomorrow?”
“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”
Stephen hung up the phone and sat in silence taking in Reye’s words.
* * *
Reye sat on the couch Friday shuffling through the TV channels, waiting for Stephen to arrive. It was about midnight now. He’d called about nine to say that he was on the way, so he should be there any minute. There went her plans for a romantic evening. She’d driven herself crazy throughout the day. What to wear? Did she want candles? What about dinner? So here she sat in old shorts and a t-shirt, curled up on the couch waiting for him.
He’d surprised her with his tenacity. Sure, she knew he had that quality. He wouldn’t have gotten to where he was today without it, but she’d never thought to have Stephen’s exclusive focus turned on her. He loved her and she believed him, finally. It was evident in his commitment to coming to see her, to getting to know her parents, and to helping her with her kids and her work. So, after his last visit, she decided to commit to him again. She loved him. She’d just needed proof that he returned her feelings this time. Getting to know his parents was the one last hurdle they needed to clear, but at this point she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Plus she needed to touch him, to feel him, in her. These last few weeks had felt like the longest in her life. She’d probably self destruct if he so much as kissed her.
She heard a car outside and went to look out the window. It was Stephen, in that shiny BMW of his. She went to the door and opened it, watching as he walked towards her. He looked tired, a GQ model in rumpled business wear, tall, lean, and golden. All hers. His pretty blue eyes were level with hers as he walked to stand in front of her. His hand moved to the back of her neck, pulling her into him for a soft, easy kiss. She opened at his touch and his tongue moved in to reacquaint itself with hers. She moaned, breaking the kiss.
“I have thought of you and nothing else all day, woman. Move over, let me in.” She moved to allow him entrance and locked the door behind them. He dropped his bag and lifted his arms above his head in a stretch.
“Tired?” she asked as she watched him.
“A little,” he said, lowering his arms and turning towards her.
“Hungry? Thirsty?”
“Nope,” he answered, sliding his hands into his pants pockets.
“I was just watching TV, waiting for you to get here,” she said as she walked back to the couch. She sat down and picked up the remote. “There’s nothing on TV.”
He followed her, taking the remote from her hand and turning off the TV. He kicked off his shoes, pulled his shirt from the waistband of his pants, and walked to stand directly in front of her, bending until he was at eye-level. Cradling her face in his hands, he kissed her hard. He was hot and hungry and she responded immediately, her need equal to his. He continued the onslaught in her mouth and those wonderful, long fingers moved lower until they found her breasts through her t-shirt. He took one in each hand, re-introducing himself to their shape and feel. She wasn’t wearing a bra, which made him ache more. He moved his hands under her shirt to touch skin. He circled her nipples and she moaned and squirmed, her body lifting to his. Stopping, he stood up and pulled her to stand with him. He turned, grabbed her hand, and led the way to her bedroom, discarding clothes along the way. He pushed her to lie on the bed, moving over on top of her. Once again his mouth settled over hers in a kiss so hot, it was a surprise the sheets didn’t instantaneously go up in flames.
“I’m going to apologize in advance at how short this will be. It’s been a long time, babe,” he said.
He felt her smile against his lips. She put her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her. Her hands moved over his body, finding what she’d missed and tracing the shape and hardness of him. He moaned into her mouth. Pushing her legs apart, he positioned his body between them. His single-mindedness had returned. She lifted her hips to allow him entrance. Both were lost in the feel and sensation of each other. He lifted his head and looked at her, waiting until her eyes opened. He pushed into her. Holding on to her hips, he pushed once, twice, and he was close; three times, and he couldn’t hold back any longer. He came immediately and he gave over to the sensation of it, finally arriving home. He realized, as her body clutched him tightly, that she’d come, too. When he could breathe, he lifted his head and looked into her eyes. She was smiling. He smiled softly. “That was quick, huh?” He watched her smile turn into laughter. When their laughter died down, he captured her face between his hands again. “I love you,” he said and took her lips in a soft and tender kiss. “Marry me?”
He could tell he’d surprised her. The catch in her breath gave it away, so he pulled back and looked into her eyes. “Marry me, Reye,” he said again.
“Are you sure?”
“Never been surer,” he whispered to her.
“Then yes.”
He kissed her again and again, soft kisses on her lips, her cheeks, her eyelids. He was still inside her, still connected to her when he felt her hips lift, communicating her need again. His body answered, growing hard. He would go slowly this time. She was so warm, wet, wonderful, and his. Their hands sought and found each other, and with his eyes open he watched her react to him as he moved slowly in and out of her, fighting against his desire in order to prolong hers.
He continued as he felt her tighten around him. Her head moved slowly from side to side and she moaned as her second orgasm hit her. He could feel it; gritting his teeth, he fought against the need to follow. Not yet. After letting that orgasm run through her, he started again, moving slowly in and out, again, slowly in and out, again, relentless in his desire to pleasure her. Once more, he felt her moving toward another climax. He picked up his pace, letting go of the rein he’d placed on his desire, pumping into her faster and faster. His arms tightened around her, holding her in place, and once more she came, tightening around him. He was lost as he came, too, his body shaking in pleasure.
His breathing slowed and he loosened his arms, turning to lie on his back, pulling her to drape over him. She lay limply across his body, worn out as he reached to cover them. He moved his hand to run over her short dreads and took in her face with its smooth brown skin, shapely nose, and sexy full lips. He released a big breath and watched her eyes close and her breathing slow. God, he loved her, and he closed his eyes, thankful for another chance to be here with her.
* * *
Reye lay curled next to Stephen in the early hours of the morning. She slept most of the night; she had been busy with the kids this week, and that, coupled with making love to Stephen, had knocked her out. She watched him sleep. One of his eyes opened and he gave her a slow smile, pulling her closer to him. “What are you looking at?” he said, his voice low and gravelly from sleep.
She shrugged her shoulders, a silly smile on her face. He waited for her to look at him, running her hand over his face. “I need you to do one favor for me.”
“What?”
“I need you to come to Dallas and meet my parents. I know you met my mom here, and my dad at the gala, but I would like for you to spend some time with them and get to know them. I don’t have to have their approval, but they do approve, Reye. They want me to be happy. I need you to see that they do. I don’t want anything in the future to come between us, ever again.”
“Your mom is okay? With us?”
“Yes, she is, but even if she wasn’t, I am, and you need to be sure of that.”
“I am. I’ve watched you since Dallas, and I know how much I mean to you. But yes, I will meet them. But it only matters that you want to marry me.”
“I love you,” he said, reaching for her again.
Chapter 18
Spring break was the first available time Reye had to venture to Dallas with Stephen. He still had
to work, but he’d planned to leave early some evenings to show her around Dallas. Reye was used to fending for herself, and brought along a stash of books, reading she could always do, anywhere. He’d come down to Austin Saturday afternoon, returning Sunday with her in tow.
“This is home,” he said, opening the door to his apartment and standing aside, waiting for her to enter first. She stepped in, taking a moment to look around, to soak it all in. It was a beautiful place, similar to his old place in Austin. Wood flooring led into a spacious, and beautifully decorated, main living area. A large fireplace anchored the room, taking up almost one wall, surrounded by a large, expensive, and inviting leather sofa. She walked across the floor to stand in front of the tall ceiling windows that looked over downtown Dallas.
“What is with you and windows?” She admired the beautiful view, her face and hands pressed against the glass.
He walked over to stand behind her, his hands covering hers. “You should see it at night. It’s great. One of the main reasons I purchased this place. Come on, let me give you the guided tour,” he said reaching for her hand. “As you can see, this is the living room, and that is the famous couch filled with misery, where I spent many nights sitting thinking of you, missing you,” he said, pulling her to him, capturing her face between his hands, kissing her. They stayed there for a moment, lost in each other. Reye pulled back first.
“Tour, remember,” she said, laughing.
He pulled her along behind him, moving toward the kitchen and breakfast area. “Here is an area you should pay particular attention to. It could be a great place for you to practice your culinary talents, to the delight of your future husband.” he said, laughing at the expression on her face. “Just kidding.” He turned and pointed to a closed door off from the kitchen. “And through that door is the area that holds the washer and dryer, where if you wanted to put your domestic talents to use, you could wash clothes for a person who will be living with you in the future. But I don’t suppose you’ll wash for me, either, huh?”
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