A Heart's Forgiveness

by Joanne Schwehm

  “I can see the gears churning. What are you thinking about?” he asked.

  “How this is only our first real date, and I don’t want you to think I’m that kind of girl.” Okay, I had been that type of girl in the past, but those had been one-night stands. I knew once Brett was inside me, I’d need him again. If holding off ensured me more time with him, then I’d wait.

  “Julie, ever since I met you, I’ve wanted you. I want to give you the most intense pleasure you’ve ever felt.”

  Heat rose in my cheeks as I felt a wave of embarrassment laced with a hint of guilt.

  “Stop overthinking this. I know this isn’t your first time, nor is it mine, but right now it’s us—our first time.” His index finger stroked my cheekbone. “But if you’d rather not, I’ll understand. I don’t want this to be a one-night deal.”

  I nodded and rolled up onto my toes before placing my arms around his neck. “I don’t want this to be one time either.”

  Our lips met, and his strong arms came under mine as he lifted me. My legs wrapped around his waist, which tightened as he moved us across the room to his bed. He laid me down on my back and took off his T-shirt. Every muscle on his torso flexed with each movement. He was impeccable, from each curve of his abs to the two beautiful lines that vanished into the waistband of his jeans. I couldn’t help but notice his hardened length straining against the zipper.

  He bent over, unfastened my pants, and pulled them off, taking my thong with them. I lay there completely exposed from the waist down.

  His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. “Stunning.”

  I smiled, reached for the hem of my shirt, and pulled it off. Before I knew it, my bra was on the floor, and I was completely bare. Brett didn’t move. He stared at me, and if I hadn’t known I was in great shape, I would have been self-conscious.

  “Fuck me.” The drawn out and seductive tone in his voice matched his dilated eyes.

  “I’d like to, but you have your jeans on.” I smiled and coyly bit my upper lip, wanting to see him as naked as I was.

  He unbuttoned his jeans and glided the zipper down so gradually it was as if he was going tooth by tooth—it was pure torture. He hooked his thumbs in his waistband and shoved the denim down his long legs. My eyes went wide as I admired his hardened length as it sprung free from the confines of his black boxer briefs. I could feel my core throb in anticipation of Brett filling me like no other man had done. To feel him pulse inside me as he reached his climax while buried deep inside me.

  I sat up and splayed my hands on his lower abs, feeling every curve and indentation. I ran my fingers along the edge of the wonderful V that was no longer hidden. My lips found the tip of his erection, which I gently kissed. I swirled my tongue around the ridge at the top and was ready to take him in my mouth until he stopped me.

  His eyes darkened. “As much as I’d love to feel the heat of your tongue stroke me and to fill your mouth, I need to be inside you. I’ve been thinking about it since my lips first tasted yours.”

  All I could do was nod. Brett’s words had me on the edge, and I knew it wouldn’t take much more for me to have an orgasm. He hovered over me and caressed my breasts one at a time. I moaned, and my back arched off the bed. His hand trailed down my flat belly until he was between my legs. “You’re so ready for me.” He brought his thumb to his mouth and licked it. “Exactly as I thought… delicious.”

  His fingers rubbed me before he put two inside me, making me gasp as I could feel my insides tighten. “Yes, impeccable.” He moved them in and out, and I raised my hips to mirror his movements. “I want to feel you come on my hand, Julie.”

  His palm pressed on my most sensitive spot, and my legs stiffened as I saw white sparks behind my eyelids. He moved faster and pressed down harder. I was on the verge of another orgasm.

  “Oh God! I need you inside me. Please.” I came down from the most euphoric high, and I knew I was on the precipice of another. I wanted to share it with him—I needed to share it with him.

  He sheathed himself in a condom he’d taken out of his nightstand and brought the tip of his dick to my entrance. His hands were gentle as he held my head and lowered his mouth to mine with a fervor I’d never experienced before. A loud moan escaped me when his hardened length slid inside my wet core. His hips rolled while I wrapped my legs around his waist. Every nerve in my body sparked to life. My hands had minds of their own as they ran up and down his sculpted back before they tangled in his wavy hair.

  Being connected with Brett felt so right it scared me. Not in a way that would send me running for the hills, but I knew this could be so much more, and I didn’t know if that was what he wanted or even if I did. I’d been ruined for any other man. No one could compare to how Brett made me feel.

  We moved in unison and picked up speed at the same time.

  “Damn, babe, I’m so ready for you. Give me everything, Julie.” I ran my tongue along her jawline, took her earlobe between my teeth, and gently nibbled it.

  “Brett.” My name was a plea accompanied by lust-shadowed eyes that made me feel like a king—her king.

  Her hands ran up my back, caressing each groove between my muscles. She lifted her hips to meet my final thrust, making me come with such fury I saw stars.

  I lay down beside her and sprinkled kisses on her forehead, the tip of her nose, each cheek, and down to her tender lips. “That was… I don’t know what that was. Perfect?” I smoothed back her dampened hair and stared into her emerald eyes.

  She quirked a single brow. “Are you asking me or telling me it was perfect?”

  “Telling.” My thumbs stroked her forehead, and she pushed a few stray strands of hair off her beautiful face. Our eyes locked. “Absolutely perfect.”

  “I think so too.” She smiled and laid her head on my chest. She traced my pecs with her nails as she let out a gentle breath. “Good night, Brett.”

  I kissed the top of her head. “Sweet dreams, Julie.”

  Waking up with Julie in my arms felt natural and surreal. I didn’t do sleepovers, and from what I knew of her, she didn’t either. This was an anomaly, and it oddly felt right. We had a chemical connection, and time would tell if it fed into our hearts. I wasn’t looking for true love, but a lover who made me feel alive, as Julie had, would be more than welcome.

  I looked at her golden hair splayed across the pillow and the swell of her breasts peeking over the sheets—she was exquisite. Her phone beeped, and after she groaned, she stretched toward the nightstand to turn off her alarm. The sheet fell, and her flawless tits were exposed.

  “I hate mornings.” Her voice was raspy and sexy as hell. She rolled toward me. “Hi.” She shyly smiled. “I need to get going.”

  As she swung her legs over the side of the bed before she could stand, I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her back to me. She laughed as she fell toward me.

  “When can I see you again?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. Work has been busy. One of our copy editors is leaving, so I’ve been handling some of his workload.” She kissed my cheek, and before I knew it, she was out of my arms. I watched her lean, toned body pick up her clothes, which were strewn around various areas in my room and she quickly got dressed.

  “I’m working tonight, but if you want to get together afterward, we can do that.”

  She grabbed her phone. “I think I have an early meeting tomorrow, but I’ll text you later.” I moved to get out of bed, and she up put her hand. “I’ll grab a cab and can see myself out. Thanks for a great night.” She smiled, and just like that, she was gone, leaving me with rumpled sheets and the smell of her perfume.

  There was no way I would be able to go back to sleep, so I got up and went to the gym. I always warmed up with a jog on the treadmill, but my jog turned into a full-blown run. Before I knew it, I’d run five miles.

  I grabbed a towel and laid it on the bench before grabbing some free weights. My arms stretched to the sides then came together abov
e my chest, working my arm and pectoral muscles. I couldn’t stop thinking about the golden-haired beauty who’d invaded my brain—thoughts of how different she was from Samantha were refreshing. Eating a chili dog from a food truck rather than going to a traditional restaurant wasn’t something my ex would have done.

  My back rolled up, and I walked over to the racks to put the weights away. I wiped my forehead and neck with a small towel and grabbed my water bottle for a generous swig.

  “I love when you’re all sweaty.”

  Nails on a chalkboard.

  “Hi, handsome.”

  I glanced over. Leah stood next to me. “Leah.” I acknowledged her presence but was ready to leave.

  “So, Julie Michaels…” She let out a catty laugh. “Really, Brett, you could do so much better.”

  I shook my head as I tossed the towel over my shoulder. “Why don’t you worry about yourself, Leah? You’re good at that.”

  “Geez, Brett, you don’t need to be an asshole.” She unzipped her jacket, revealing a purple sports bra with her boobs spilling out of it. “I’m late for my step class. Catch you later.” She strutted away, garnering stares from the muscleheads she passed.

  I walked into the locker room and showered. Thoughts of Julie continued to flood my mind, including how she’d never flaunt herself the way some women did. One more thing to like about her.

  Work was incredibly busy. We were short-staffed, and my boss’s assistant, Mark, and myself were doing the jobs of three people. On top of that, we were about to lose another copy editor. There was no way I’d be able to handle all the work. I was tasked with reviewing the job posting prior to it going to HR, and as I read it, I told Brian, my boss, that we didn’t need to post it. I knew the right person for the position.

  I grabbed my phone and called Aubrey. I told her our copy editor was leaving the company, and we needed to replace him. “If you’re interested, Brian would like you to come into the office tomorrow afternoon at four o’clock for an interview.”

  “No way, that’s awesome! Thank you so much! I’m definitely interested. I can’t tell you how much this means to me. But I guess I won’t be joining you tonight at the club. The last thing I need is to go into the interview hungover and dragging.”

  “Yeah, I don’t know if I’m going out either. I’m exhausted. How about if we go tomorrow night to celebrate? It’s ladies’ night, and the drinks will be cheaper, not that Brett or Alex would let us buy our drinks.”

  “Sounds great,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll have a reason to celebrate. See you tomorrow. I have to go make sure I have something to wear to the interview and get my writing samples in order. Thanks again. I love you.”

  “I love you too. Bye.”

  The rest of my day went by in a flurry. Mark and I had a working lunch, which added to my exhaustion. I couldn’t take anymore, so I packed up my things and went home for a much needed rest.

  Aubrey nailed her interview. The three of us—Aubrey, Mark, and I—spent the next few weeks reviewing projects and upcoming pitches we needed to make. Brett and I also became closer as the days passed. We exchanged texts that ranged from a simple “hi” to “I can’t wait to touch you again”—those were my favorites. We took occasional lunch breaks, grabbing a quick bite at various food trucks.

  But today, we were finally having lunch at Fao’s, the Greek restaurant where Brett had been itching to take me. The décor was old-fashioned, classic, and tasteful. I was engulfed by delicious aromas. I couldn’t wait to enjoy our lunch.

  A handsome dark-haired Mediterranean man greeted us. He gave me a wink and a sexy smile. “Brett, it’s good to see you.” They shook hands, then he looked at me. “Who is this beautiful woman?” He extended his hand, and when I put mine in his, he brought it to his lips and kissed the back of it.

  Brett put his arm around me, so there was no question we weren’t there as friends—he’d staked his claim on me. “Julie, this is my friend Pirro.”

  “Welcome to Fao’s.” Pirro grabbed two menus and led us to a quiet table in the back of the restaurant.

  Once he left, Brett held my hand across the table. “Thank you for being with me today.”

  “It’s my pleasure, Mr. Chambers.”

  Our waitress brought water to our table. When she noticed Brett, she smiled. “Hi, Brett.” Her fake eyelashes fluttered as she turned her back to me and faced Brett.

  Was I invisible, or did this woman not care that he wasn’t alone?

  “Hi, Daria.” He smiled, and my eyes rolled.

  “Can I get you your usual, or are you in the mood for something different today?”

  An innocent question, but there was an underlying message. I suddenly felt like the third wheel and was instantly reminded why I didn’t do relationships or jealousy. Aubrey had had a similar experience when she went out with Alex. I remembered her telling me how she’d felt, and I could relate. Daria’s behavior shouldn’t have bothered me though so I wouldn’t let it. Instead, I let Brett take the lead.

  “Daria, this is my girlfriend, Julie.”

  Wait. Did he introduce me as his girlfriend?

  She turned and gave me a half smirk “Do you know what you’d like?”

  His eyes never left mine, and he smiled.

  “I’ll have whatever Brett’s having.” I grinned.

  He placed our order, and she walked away.

  Brett took my hands. “So, will you?”

  I coyly replied, “Will I what?”

  He shook his head. “Be mine.”

  “Brett Chambers, are you asking me to be your girlfriend?” I felt my lips curl up, and my cheeks rise.

  “Yes. Julie Michaels, I’d be honored if you would be my girlfriend.”

  “I’d love to.” I leaned across the table and brought my lips to his.

  We enjoyed the most delicious Greek food I’d ever tasted. Daria remained professional and even told me to come back. Something told me she’d said it so Brett would come back, but I didn’t make a big deal about it. I gave her my best smile and left. Once we were outside, Brett pulled me into his arms and held me tight.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “Hugging my girl. Is that okay?”

  “Completely.”

  The warm sun beat down on us as we made our way back to my office. Brett had to work that night, and I was beat, so I told him I’d see him tomorrow. He tried to talk me into coming to see him at the club, but I did one better.

  “How about I go home and rest, and you come over after work?” I asked.

  “It’ll be late. I won’t get to your place until three in the morning. I don’t want you to wait up for me.” He placed his hands on the small of my back.

  “Call me when you’re done. If I don’t answer, I’ll see you tomorrow.” I rolled onto the balls of my feet and placed a quick kiss on his lips. “Have a good night, and thank you for lunch.”

  “You’re welcome. Now go to work before I take you home and make love to you until you forget your own name.”

  I felt a twinge of excitement between my legs. “Well, that’s not a great incentive for me to go into the office.” I snickered. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  Thank God my office was air-conditioned because I felt as though I would melt into the sidewalk—and not because it was hot. I had a boyfriend. Holy shit. Me, Julie Michaels, actually had a boyfriend.

  The club was extremely busy, which was great because time went by quickly. I wanted to get to Julie. It was funny how I’d never noticed how many phone numbers I received on cocktail napkins until I didn’t want them anymore. Tonight I’d received six, and it was the middle of the week. It should have been a slow night, but there was a bachelorette party, so several of the bride-to-be’s friends wanted a man for themselves. Turning down their advances was new for me, but at the same time, I didn’t hate it.

  Alex and Tyler left after last call, but I stayed to reconcile the till and make sure everything was ready for tomorrow. By t
he time I finished, it was a slightly after 3:30. I didn’t want to wake Julie, so I didn’t call.

  But at home, I was wired and couldn’t sleep. I lay in bed, wide awake, and thought about how different Julie was. She could have lost her shit today at the restaurant or asked me a thousand questions about Daria, but she didn’t. I knew if the tables were turned, my blood would boil at the thought of her with another man. I sent her a text to let her know I was thinking about her.

  Me: I got home too late and didn’t want to call. I hope you’re dreaming of me.

  I didn’t expect a text back, but it didn’t take long for my phone to ding.

  Julie: I was until my phone woke me. It’s a shame too because I was having a really good dream.

  Me: Want to tell me what it was about?

  Julie: Nope, I’d rather make it come true. Good night, Brett.

  That woman would be the death of me.

  Me: Sweet dreams.

  Julie: You have no idea.

  Me: OK, you can’t leave me like this.

  Julie: Like what?

  I needed to hear her voice. She was obviously awake, so I called her.

  “Hey.” Her voice was sleepy and sexy as hell.

  “Tell me.”

  “I don’t know what you’re referring to.” She giggled, and my dick stiffened.

  “Jules, cut a guy some slack.”

  She sighed and let out a breath that I swore I could feel on my cheek. “Fine, if you must know, we were having hot sex.”

  My body came alive. “Where?”

  “In an airplane hangar.” She was so nonchalant about it, which made her words sexier than they already were.

  Note to self: rent an airplane hangar.

  “So you want to have sex in an airplane hangar?”

  “I didn’t say that. I said we were having sex in an airplane hangar.”

  “So you don’t want to have sex in an airplane hangar?” I strained not to laugh. I just wanted to keep her on the phone.