I'm Yours (Bold As Love)

by Lindsay Paige

  Her brown eyes lustfully looked over my body. “Sorry, I just got out. Come on in and I’ll finish getting dressed,” I say.

  A blush creeps onto her cheeks as her eyes meet mine. “Okay,” she says stepping inside.

  “I’ll be just a minute,” I call over my shoulder as I return to the bathroom. I quickly get dressed, run a brush through my hair, and brush my teeth. I return to see her sitting at the round table by the window.

  She looks up from her hands when I open the door. My heart bursts when I see her smile. I walk over and sit in the seat across from her. I lose myself in her eyes and resist the urge to take her in my arms and kiss her. Emily takes a deep breath and starts to talk.

  “I’m so happy to see you again.”

  I say, “I’m so glad to see you as well. I finally just couldn’t take it anymore and I came back. I was torn. I hoped you had moved on and were happy, but at the same time, I was hoping that you hadn’t fallen in love with someone else.”

  “That’s the thing Conrad. I have fallen in love with Jake. I would like to spend some time with you, while you are here, but nothing is going to happen between us.”

  “Would you like to have lunch then?”

  “That sounds great.”

  “Awesome! Let me just grab my keys and wallet, and we can go.” I walk over to the nightstand by the bed and pick up my things. I slip on my shoes and open the door for her. She walks out and over to my truck. Like old times, she waits for me to open her door. I would always make a fuss if she did it herself.

  I close the door behind her and walk over to my side. I climb in and off we go. I take her to Clinton, which is about a forty-five minute drive away to Ruby Tuesdays. After the waitress takes our order, Emily asks about my son. “He’ll be two next month. Logan looks just like me too.”

  “He’ll break a lot of hearts, then,” Emily cuts in with a smile before she realizing what she said. “Sorry,” she mumbles.

  “It’s fine Emily. Logan is a handful too. He loves to get into things and see what he can get away with. He’ll climb into my lap and we can watch Spongebob or Elmo all day long.”

  Emily laughs and says, “If he grows up to be like you, he’ll probably get into a lot of things. Your mom used to say that you were always causing trouble and for every gray hair was something you did.”

  I smiled and chuckled. “I can only hope that he will behave better than I did. My mom always told me whenever I got into big trouble that I would regret it one day because the saying is that your kids will behave just like you or worst.” Our food arrives and while we eat, Emily questions me about college. I fill her in on my classes and what I’m majoring in.

  I tell her more about when I see Logan and about Melanie. She listens intently and occasionally will ask another question. Emily fills me in about her classes and her relationship with her dad, Jake, and Drake, which is Jake’s little brother. She’s closer to her dad than she was before and I can see the love in her eyes when she talks about him.

  I can also see the love in her eyes and voice when she talks about Jake and Drake. “He sounds like a great guy,” I say to her.

  “He’s amazing. He’s really good to me and helped me with my mom.”

  I steer the conversation away from Jake and talk about what colleges she is looking into. But no matter what we talk about, Emily always ends up talking about Jake. Back at the hotel, I thank her for lunch and kiss her on the cheek. She waves goodbye and I watch her drive away. I lay on my bed and turn on the TV, hoping it will distract me.

  Emily no longer loved me.

  Emily

  After my lunch with Conrad, I try to call Jake but he doesn’t answer. I hang up without leaving a message as I remember he is with friends. I blast the music and decide that I want to get away for a bit. I drive and drive until I reach the bridge and take a left at the road before the light. I travel down until I see Tiffany’s hotel. On the right not too far from where the hotel was, is a public access with a parking lot. I park, lock the doors, and go to the beach, leaving my phone in the car.

  I let the cool sand under my feet calm me. I walk a little ways and then sit down. I bring my knees to my chest and rest my arms on them. I place my chin on my arms and stare out at the ocean.

  After an hour or so, I leaned back on my elbows and moved my feet up and down on the sand of the almost empty beach. I watch the sun set and the moon rise. I sat alone on the beach and stared out at the ocean for hours, thinking. The night sky took over and the stars twinkled at me over the ocean. Finally, I stood, wiped the sand from my hands and jeans and walked out to my car.

  Checking the clock in my car revealed that it was after midnight. Wow, I didn’t realized I had been out there that long. I check my phone and find numerable missed calls from my father and three from Jake. I called my dad. “Thank goodness. Honey, where have you been? I came home and you weren’t here. I called Jake at eight when I still hadn’t heard from you and he didn’t know where you were,” relief filled his voice.

  “Sorry, Daddy. I just needed to get away for awhile so I drove down to the beach to sit and think.”

  “By yourself? It’s well after the midnight and you’ve been sitting at the beach?”

  “Yes. I’m about to leave right now. You can go ahead and go to bed. I’ll be home shortly.”

  “Alright. Next time, don’t go away for hours on end without someone knowing where you are.”

  I didn’t feel like pointing out that I was eighteen now and shouldn’t have to report every minute. I just said okay and hung up. I dialed Jake‘s number. I ached to hear his voice, but he didn’t answer. I turn the radio off and drive the two hours home in complete silence.

  At home, I went to my room and changed into my pajamas. I ignored my growling stomach and climbed into bed. I tossed and turned but couldn’t fall asleep. It didn’t help that I was hungry. I finally fell asleep around six in the morning.

  Jake

  I spent my day at the rink with the boys. We played the entire day away and our scores were pretty much neck and neck. In the locker room, the boys were hackling me. “Still dating Emily, huh?” Todd asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “It’s about time she let you off the leash,” John added.

  I shook my head. “I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. I just rather spend my time with someone I can make out with and who smells good.”

  The guys chuckle and doubt my words. I went home and spent the afternoon with Drake. It was around midnight when I fell asleep. I woke up and saw that I had a missed call from Emily. Around lunch Tommy’s mother called about wanting to take Drake to Chucky Cheese with them and I let him go. I grab my keys and wallet and head to Emily’s. I park my Mustang in the driveway and walked up to the door.

  I knocked and waited five minutes, but I got no answer. Surely, she was home. Maybe I should have called first. I reach into my jean pocket and take out my phone. I dial Emily’s number and it rings and rings. Right when I think it’s going to send me to voicemail, she answers. “Hello,” she says in that sleepy voice I love so much.

  “Hey sweetness,” I say in a gentle voice.

  “Jake?”

  “Yeah. Can you let me in?”

  She quiet for a minute before she asks, “You’re here?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Give me a second.” She hangs up and a few seconds later she opens the door. Her hair is messy from where she just woke up and she runs a hand through it. She’s wearing one of my t-shirts and pajama shorts. Emily steps aside to let me come in. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you,” she says as she walks back to her room. I follow her.

  “I didn’t fall asleep until like six,” she continues.

  “It’s fine,” I comment as she walks into her bathroom, runs a brush through her hair and brushes her teeth. I sit on the edge of her bed and watch her. Everything about this girl activates my senses. I have no idea what I would do without her. She walks back into her room and sits beside me. “S
o,” she asks.

  I take her hand and intertwine it with mind. I lift my other and hook my finger under her chin for her to look at me. I lean into her and press my lips to hers. I run my tongue along her bottom lip and she opens up to me. I deepen the kiss and run my hand through her hair, down to the nape of her neck. I gently bite her lower lip and she sighs into my mouth.

  I trail my tongue down her jaw and leave kiss after kiss on her neck when she tilts her head back. Her free hand runs along my bicep to my shoulder and then to my neck. She brings me back to her lips and I devour her. Minutes later, I pull back with a quick breath. Her lips are slightly swollen and red from kissing.

  I pull her into my arms and she buries her face into my neck. “Want to just spend the day here?”

  With her arms wrapped around my waist, she looks up at me. “Of course I do.”

  “Are you hungry?” She nods. “Let me fix you lunch.”

  She smiles and says, “That sounds delectable. I’m starved from where I didn’t eat last night.” We walk hand in hand into the kitchen and Emily assists me in preparing ourselves lunch. We fix cheeseburgers and fries. We sit at the table and eat together. I help her wash the dishes and she keeps stealing sideway glances at me.

  “What,” I ask her, curious.

  “Seeing you wash dishes is really turning me on.”

  I laugh. That wasn’t what I was expecting her to say. I shake my head at her and continue to wash dishes. Emily and I haven’t ventured to anything more than kissing and her stomach. I wanted to, of course. Sometimes, it took a lot to restrain myself and pull away before I got carried away. I don’t know why we haven’t.

  We haven’t really talked about it. I planned on waiting until Emily was ready. I figure she’s a virgin since she always hesitates and pulls away. Part of me hopes she’s a virgin because that means no other guy, especially Conrad, has been there with her. I glance over and take in her beauty. Maybe she isn’t a virgin. She definitely has the looks to drive guys crazy if they would take the time to appreciate them.

  I shove that thought out of my mind as I hand her the last dish and drain the sink. I rinse my hands and turn to lean against the counter. “So, what do you want to do today?” I ask her. Desire flashes across her brown eyes as she looks as me.

  “Let’s go to the park. I feel like swinging today.” A twinge of disappointment passes me. I was wanting to lay down with her in my arms and kiss her all day.

  “Well let’s go,” I say pushing off the counter. She runs to her room to put on her shoes and grab her keys and phone. I open the front door and step out with her behind me. I walk ahead to the car while she locks the door. I hold open her door until she climbs in. I close it behind her and walked around to my side. Minutes later I parked at the town park. It was still empty from where parents thought it was too cold for their kids to be outside playing. Emily sits down on one of the swings and I walk behind her.

  I push her every time she comes back to me. “Jake, I want to feel like I’m flying.” I push her harder so she will go higher. She moved her body with the swing to add to her speed.

  She laughs and says, “I feel like a little kid again.”

  I chuckle and tell her, “You should always feel like a little kid. Sometimes you get more excited than Drake about stuff.”

  “I do not! Name something.” she orders.

  “Cold Stone’s. Phineas and Ferb. Swinging. Would you like me to go on?”

  “No thank you,” she laughs. This time when she comes backwards to me, I grab the chains to bring her to a halt. I’m pulled forward a bit and she asks, “Why’d you stop me?”

  I chuckle, “Are you going to pout now?” I walk in front of her and she glares at me.

  “Maybe.”

  I laugh and pull her to stand up. “I don’t want you to have all the fun.” I take her seat in the swing and bring her to sit in my lap. She grabs the chains and I push off the ground. After a minute or so, we are really going. She leans back into me each time I lean back. This time when she leans back with me, I stay back. She giggles and asks, “How strong do you think you are?”

  “Pretty strong,” I reply not knowing where she’s going with this. She lets go of the chains and leans fully on me. I have no trouble holding on. Her head sits beside mine and I turn to her and kiss her cheek. “Maybe I’m not that strong,” I say letting the hand on the right where she rests her head ‘slip’. She squeals and sits up to grab hold of the swing. I bust out laughing and sit up with her.

  We’ve slowed down and she hops off. “Where are you going Sweetness?” I laugh. She turns around and faces me, crossing her arms.

  “That wasn’t funny Jake.”

  I see her struggle to keep a smile off her lips. I play along. I get up and walk over to her, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her to me. “I’m sorry. How could you ever forgive me?”

  She wraps her arms around my neck and stands on her tip toes, brushing her breasts against me as she does. I bend my head and meet her lips. This kiss is long and sensual. Emily breaks away and says, “That’ll work.”

  I chuckle. “What will I ever do with you?”

  She raise an eyebrow and gives me an evil grin. “I don’t know. What will you do with me?”

  I groan and pull her towards the car. I open her door and she gets in. I follow suit and fly to her house. She fumbles with her keys as she opens the door. As soon as we are inside, I close the door and push her up against it.

  I lean the length of me against her and kiss her hard. Her fingers burn a trail up to my neck and wound through my hair. That would be the undoing of me one of these days. I ran one hand down her side as I found her neck with the other. Her hands slide across my broad shoulders and she moans. They slowly slide down my back. I slip my fingers under her shirt and feel the hot skin there.

  I make my way back to her lips and my hand inch by inch climbs up her side. Emily’s phone rings loudly just as the tips of my fingers touch the edge of her bra. She pushes me back and reaches into her pocket. She answers it and I attack her neck again. “Hey,” she says trying to push me away without laughing.

  Next she goes, “Um. I can’t today. Maybe tomorrow?” She listens for a few seconds and then says, “Okay. See you then.” She hangs up and slips her phone back into her pocket.

  “See who tomorrow,” I breathe onto her neck in between a kiss.

  When she hesitates, I stop and look at her. “Conrad.”

  I back away from her and shake my head. She steps towards me and places her hand on my arm while I run my own in my hair. “Jake, we talked about this.”

  “I know Emily, but I didn’t expect you to go on a date with him.”

  Fire ignites in her eyes and she lets her hand drop from my arm. “It isn’t a date Jake! It’s dinner and conversation. If you can’t accept that and be there for me, maybe you should just leave.” She opens the door and stands beside it.

  I hold my hands up in surrender. “I’m sorry. I just have a hard time knowing that you are spending time with an ex-boyfriend who you still love. I just don’t want to lose you. I love you Sweetness.” She closes the door and walks over to me. She wraps her arms around me and looks up at me.

  “I love you too. You don’t have to worry. I’ve already told Conrad that I’m with you. That’s not going to change. ” She stands on her tip toes and gives me a soft kiss. “We are just talking and catching up. It’s no big deal, trust me. I was out with him yesterday.”

  I step out of her embrace again. “Emily, it’s two people who love each other spending time together. One of those people is you. The other one is not me. How is that not a big deal for you? It’s a big deal!”

  She shrinks away from me and I feel a touch of shame. “I’m sorry Sweetness. It just blows my mind to think of you out with him.” My phone rings and I answer, “What?”

  “Jake? It’s Tommy’s mom.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry Ms. Smith.”

  “It’s okay. I was just
going to let you know that we were back. Drake can stay here tonight, if you don’t mind. Tommy has been asking me about it all day.”

  “Sure, that’s fine. I’ll run some clothes by later.”

  “Alright. See you then.”

  I slip my phone in my pocket and pull Emily into my arms. “I love you Sweetness.”

  “I love you too,” she whispers into my chest.

  I leave Emily’s and go home to get Drake’s clothes. I don’t waste time and go ahead and take them over. Back home, I pop a pizza into the oven for supper. Todd calls and wants to me to meet him at the rink. I eat my pizza and leave to meet him.

  Todd and I have been friends for a long time. Emily spending time with Conrad is really bugging me. After missing a clear shot, Todd fusses at me. “What’s up with you man?”

  I rest my chin on the end of my stick. “Would you let your girlfriend hang out with an ex, one she loved?”

  Todd raises his eyebrows and whistles. “Emily had a boyfriend before you?”

  “Todd, of course she has. Answer my question.”

  “Do you love her?” The question coming from Todd caught me off guard.

  “Yeah.”

  “Do you trust her?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then what do you have to worry about?”

  Emily

  Thursday morning I wake up with puffy eyes. I cried during my dream, but I couldn’t remember what it was about. I climb out of bed and brush my teeth and hair. I wasn’t even going to change. I felt horrible and I just wanted to be comforted.

  I called Jake and was relieved when he answered. “Can you come over?”

  “Sure thing Sweetness. What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I think I’m coming down with something though.”

  “Okay. I’ll be there in a few to make you feel better.”