Crown's Chance at Love

by Mayra Statham

  Her eyes go wide in surprise and her face is clearly telling me she wasn’t expecting me to say that. A couple of seconds fly by, which feel like hours, and we are in bed in silence. She bites her lip. Her eyes are still bright, but now a little worry has crept into them.

  “Mike… you know I don’t expect…I mean, you don’t have to rush this. Say things you might not be feeling, just because you think thats what I want to hear,” she stutters. She’s trying to give me an out. I love her. Her strong nature, always looking out for me, never asking me for more than what I want to give.

  “Sabrina. I. Love. You.” I say smiling, kissing her face between words. I look at her and she smiles.

  “Really?” she asks hesitantly. Her voice is only slightly above a whisper. As if she can’t believe the words that have come out of my mouth. I know I have a lot of work to do so that she will let me completely back in. But I know I will do whatever it takes to gain back the trust I have broken by saying all that shit to her. Sabrina and the kids are my forever.

  “Yes,” I say and I kiss her softly and slowly, and she kisses me back.

  I pull away and smile at her. I noticed she didn’t say it back, but I know she does. I won’t push her to say it back, even though now that I have laid my cards on the table, my heart wants to hear her say the words back.

  “What do you want to do today?” I ask and she sighs happily leaning her head back on my chest.

  “A day in bed sounds good,” she says smiling wickedly.

  “Mike,” she whispers as her body starts to move over mine.

  “Yeah baby?” I croak out like I am a damn teenager.

  “Love me please,” her voice says in a raspy tone that makes my morning wood almost hurt as I stiffen even more. We kiss hard and deep, our tongues mimicking the motions our bodies will soon be doing.

  “Fuck baby,” I growl feeling her right on top of me. Her bare soft mound wet and ready for me, she slides down. Her body gripping me like a vice, I feel her heat and wetness, loving the way her body reacts to mine. Being inside of her is like heaven on earth, but I don’t know how long I can last. I tilt my head back trying to think of baseball statistics, or anything that can distract my mind away from what she feels like riding my dick.

  “Mike…” she purrs softly, her small hands on my chest as she rides me. I feel her tighten around me. I look at her, her full breasts bouncing as she rides me and I groan. Fuck she is so hot.

  “Cum baby… I’m right there, I’m right here with you…” I hear her moans and my name on her lips, her voice raspy and heavy, my balls tighten, and I push up just as she goes down. She’s gripping me tightly. Drenching me with how wet she is. She slides in and out taking me balls deep, and thats when it happens. I feel her grip me tighter. I feel tiny contractions around me and I erupt into her. My lrelease flooding her warmth as I dig my fingers into her hips, groaning her name loudly. She falls forward onto my chest breathing heavy. I hold her tight.

  “Mike that was…”

  “I know baby… every time, every damn time… it’s fucking great.” She leans her head to the side and I can feel her smiling against my chest. Everything feels so great.

  “I love you baby. God I love you so much,” I say as I stroke her hair.“Thank you for forgiving me. For giving me another chance. I promise you baby, I won’t let you regret this.”

  ***

  She comes out of my bathroom wearing one of my t-shirts after her shower. Her hair wet and her creamy skin slightly flushed from the hot shower she has taken, and damn if that isn’t one of the sexiest sights I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. Her legs toned and smooth, knowing she is completely bare except for my shirt, makes my heart race.

  After our morning delight we had lied in bed holding one another. Then we had gone at it again, touching her slowly not rushing. We had come together almost at the same time. There was something exquisite about being in her without any barriers. Something so much more intimate than I’ve ever experienced. Now that I have told her how much I love her, it’s like I can’t stop. I need her to know how deep under my skin she is. How much of my heart she already owns.

  “Hey you hungry?” I ask, as she climbs into my lap onto the couch. I put the book down I had been pretending to read while she showered, and am so glad that I haven’t put on a shirt yet, as her fingertips graze my shoulders.

  “Yeah, a little,” she says quietly. I can tell something is on her mind and for a second I am worried that she’s changed her mind about us.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask trying not to frown or show any panic that is stirring inside of me.

  “Nothing, well sort of. I was thinking maybe we could grab lunch on the way to my house,” she says as her lips touch my collarbone, making my dick start to harden. Shit she makes me feel sixteen instead of forty.

  “You want to go home?” I ask slowly as I pull a bit away from her, so that I can see her, and she sighs.

  “I still need to pack and my flight leaves pretty early tomorrow,” she says softly her eyes not meeting mine, and I know now that’s what is bothering her. She is still going to her interview.

  I stay quiet. My mind still reeling taking in the fact that she’s still going to the interview. Part of me is telling me not to panic, to breathe. So she hasn’t said she loves me back and she’s probably only going because it was already planned. I shouldn’t stress out or let it get to me.

  But the other part of me wants to shut down. Shit, she is going to leave me. Everything I thought I had this morning could be lost. If she takes this job, I won’t wake up next to her anymore. At least not every day, and thats what I want damn it. No, I fucking need to wake up next to her. I crave it and need it more than my next breath. I need to know she isn’t running away. That she believes that what we have could work out.

  “I think I should still go and see what they want to talk about. Mike it sounds like such a great opportunity honey. I think I should…”

  “Should what Sabrina?” My anger is getting the best of me. I know I need to calm down and be rational, but I have had a taste of what life could be like, and shit last night we had made promises to one another, hadn’t we? Or had she just been caught up in a moment and now regrets it?

  “I need to hear them out. I already promised them. Baby, if what they hinted at is true, it’s seriously a once in a lifetime job opportunity. I mean don’t get me wrong, I love working with Laney. I just keep getting more responsibility and honestly it’s been overwhelming. With her, it will be that way. She isn’t looking for a partner, not that I am sure that’s what I would want anyways. This job could mean less hours, more time with the kids, better pay. I would get to pick and choose the events I wanted to handle. I could take a break from the weddings.” Her voice is calm and sincere, and I lean my head back on the couch, my hand stroking lazy circles on her back.

  We sit there, quietly, the big question looming over us. I man up by lifting her chin so that I have her eyes on mine.

  “What about us?” I ask my voice full of emotion.

  Her hands go to my face and caress me the way she knows I love.

  “Baby… this job has nothing to do with us. I know it’s in Seattle. I just need to go see what they are offering. Plus its all been set up, and paid for. It would be completely unprofessional if I didn’t go,” she says, and I know she is right.

  “Plus I have always wanted to see Seattle.” Her lips twitch into a smile.

  “Then I’ll take you,” I say grumpily and she laughs.

  “You could go with me,” she says softly and I look at her. “I mean on my trip. I won’t be busy the entire time. You could relax, sleep in. Then when I get back from my interview we could go sightseeing.”

  I want to so bad, but I know what my work load looks like this week and I know it won’t be feasible.

  “It’s a busy week honey. We are closing up that deal with Maxwell Financial this week.” She frowns.

  “Maxwell? Is it something big?”
She asks, frowning.

  “Yeah, one of the biggest deals Edwards Automotives’ done actually. Don’t worry though, it’s basically almost done.”

  “Oh well thats good,” she says, and I wonder if she is still nervous about how I will handle this job opportunity and what it means for us.

  I sigh. I have done this. If I hadn’t been an idiot and pushed her away, maybe when this new company called, she might not have taken them up on this interview.

  “I’m behind you a hundred percent baby, regardless of what you decide,” I say, my lips kissing hers. I can feel her smile and whisper a thank you. “No matter what we will figure it out. Together, right?” I ask and she nods smiling brightly at me.

  ***

  Sabrina

  While Mike showered and dressed, I fixed my hair and put on a pair of Mike’s track pants that thankfully had a drawstring. On our way to my house we stopped at a little deli, where Mike had got out to get some food to go. Now at my house, he sat on my bed and watched me intently as I packed my suitcase, almost as if he was afraid I would somehow disappear on him.

  He had told me he loved me. I wanted o believe him so badly and tell him that I loved him, but I couldn’t help being cautious. He had hurt me and I just needed a little bit of time.. My feelings for him hadn’t changed, if anything they’d gotten stronger, but something was holding me back. I just needed his actions to speak for themselves a little longer.

  As I packed I stole glances of him in her bed.I couldn’t help smiling at myself. I liked him being here in my space, in my room. I loved that he was going to make an effort to really let me in all while he was being patient with me. When he had told her that no matter what I chose when it came to Seattle, he would support me, I had almost broke down into tears. I wasn’t sure how that would work, if I took the job. I just knew that his job and life was in california.. Leaving for him to join us in Washington would be near to impossible.

  I talked to the kids on the phone and they wished me a safe flight. While Mike cooked us dinner. I spoke to Emmi and Nick, telling them that Mike and I were back on. I had told them mostly what had happened, and what Mike had said to me, and Nick had even sounded genuinely happy for me.

  After dinner, we slept in my bed, a lot like the first night that they had shared together. We whispered to one another into the darkness, even though there was no reason to whisper. He kissed me softly,gently in a way that made me feel protected and cared for. I knew he was sorry for having said what he’d said to me, for having hurt me. He’d freaked out, not about us being an ‘us’, but about what him being in my life would mean for me. It was sweet in a twisted sort of way. He had pushed me away, to protect not only me but the kids against Reese, even though Reese didn’t have anything on me. Not really anyway.

  I remembered the night of our first fight and how ready I’d been to push him away, but he had stopped me from saying anything I might regret.

  Now his eyes and words told me how much he regretted having said all the things he’d needed to say to push me away. A petty part of me wanted to try to stay a little angry at him, to make him work his way back, but I just didn’t have it in me to do that. I wasnt the type to do that.

  Not surprisingly we both fell asleep by nine. We had both had sleepless nights these last two weeks apart. I drifted into a deep satisfying sleep with a smile on my face as he held me close in his arms.

  ***

  Mike

  I slowly wake up and look around me.

  I’m in Sabrina’s room, lying on my back with my girl in my arms and damn if this doesn’t feel amazing. She’s cuddles into my side tightly, and I sigh in contentment. I look at her beautiful face and kiss her forehead.

  “Mmm,” she sighs stirring slightly, her eyes partially open. “Are you okay? Am I squishing you, should I move?” she asks, and I just tighten my hold on her, feeling a little bad that I have awaken her.

  “No baby, just go back to sleep,” I tell her and I see a small sweet smile fall onto her lips. “I love you Sabrina,” I whisper as I kiss her forehead again, and when I look at her, she is already back to sleep. I want this for the rest of my life. This is when it hits me. I know exactly what I have to do. With a plan in mind I drift off to sleep with a smile on my face and my beautiful girl in my arms.

  Sabrina

  It’s raining when I arrive in Seattle. I love the rain. It is nature’s way of cleaning the slate and starting over, and isn’t that what I am doing with Mike? He wants a future… with me. I can’t help but smile at the thought.

  I think about how he had insisted in taking me to the airport, saying there was no way his girl would take a cab. He had looked like he hadn’t wanted to let me go when we had reached security, but he did, and when he did, he took out an envelope from his suit jacket, telling me to read it once I got to my hotel. I stared at him from the escalator. He looked so damn good in his black suit, bright blue dress shirt and black tie, all dressed up for his work day. He waved and I blew him a kiss goodbye.

  So many questions flying through my mind. Why was I leaving? Would I be able to take this job, not only leaving my family but Mike as well? Business wise he is pretty settled in California; would we have a long distance relationship until what? One of us got tired and gave up. Or until one of us gave something up and moved to the other? I take a deep breath as I hail a cab and have it take me to my hotel.

  The W Seattle Hotel is beautiful and in downtown Seattle. Perk Events have put me up in a suite, and it is gorgeous. Floor to ceiling windows looking out to the city, comfortable furniture, it is all beautiful. I text my mom and Mike and let them know I have got in fine. Sitting on one of the most comfortable couches I took out the envelope Mike had given me.

  Sabrina,

  I love you. I want you to know that as you read this, you can bet money I am thinking about you. Thank you for giving me another chance.

  All yours,

  Mike

  I smiled at his sweet note tucking it into my bag, I heard my phone chime.

  I MISS YOU,

  Mike instantly replies and I smile.

  I MISS YOU TOO,

  I reply and start to unpack. My first interview is in a couple of hours and I want to make sure my dress isn’t wrinkled. My phone rings and I pick it up smiling at the fact that the screen says “Mike Calling.”

  “Shouldn’t you be working?” I ask when I pick up.

  “I should be, but this beautiful woman keeps texting me,” he says chuckling.

  “I only texted you once, in response to your text,” I say smiling. I love when Mike is playful.

  “I needed to hear your voice,” he says seriously.

  “Good, because I needed to hear yours. I just didn’t want to bother you when you are in the middle of such a big deal.” I look at myself in the mirror. I really look at myself. My hair slightly frizzing, my skin flushed and even then I think: I look happy. More importanly I feel happy.

  “You never bother me. So I have a question for you.”

  “I got an answer,” I say smiling.

  “Why didn’t you tell me your brother Jake, is the same Jake that is the CEO to Maxwell Financial?” I frown. Ugh. My brother.

  “I don’t know. Like I said, we aren’t close.”

  “Baby…” he starts to say and I know he is going to end up dragging it out of me.

  “Okay condensed version, we used to be really close. He was my best friend. He was a baseball player at USC, he hurt his shoulder, got really depressed and shut all of us out. He graduated from school, then from business school. Then one day to another he just left to London. Didn’t tell any of us, Hell he didn’t even invite us to his graduation from grad school, not even my parents. When Sean died, he didn’t even come to the funeral and I know Cara told him. I have tried to reach out to him, but honestly as you know I don’t have tons of spare time. When Cara mentioned he had moved back to Los Angeles, I tried to reach him at the beginning of the year, but he didn’t even return my call. H
e hardly even calls my mom to say hi,” I say quickly, trying not to let it get to me.

  My brother has made decisions on how he wants to live his life and I have to respect them.

  “Wow,” he says almost like he is holding back a little bit.

  “So my turn for a question, how did you know he was my brother?” I ask slightly worried at what Jake has done.

  “This morning when he walked in here, his panties were in a ruffle asking me just what the hell I thought I was doing with his sister.” I groan at the image of my brother doing that.

  “Mike I am so sorry! I should have told you yesterday. I just thought there was no way he even knew there was a connection between us.”

  “Well he knows quite a bit actually… I guess he was at the Gala this weekend” he mumbles, completely taking me by surprise.

  “Are you serious?” We had attended the same event, but he couldn’t be bothered to talk to me?

  “Yeah. He brought up what happened with my mom and then my little shouting match with Garibaldi.”

  “I’m so sorry Mike. Is this going to be a problem, like I mean for the deal you guys are working on?” I ask. I want to ask if it is going to be a problem for him and I, and what he had told Jake, but I don’t.

  “No honey don’t worry about that. I was just caught off guard. Do you want to know what I told him?” He asks me, his voice sounding playful almost as if he is smiling.

  “If you want to tell me.”

  “Well when he walked in here all worked up about me dating his sister, and after clearing up who his sister was to begin with. Which babe, I don’t think he was too happy knowing I didn’t know he was your brother. I told him I’m completely in love with his sister, and in not so many words, that I intend to make his sister utterly happy for as long as I’m breathing,” he says and I smile big.