by Edwina Fort
Up until I met Journey I had thought that was the only way that restless energy could be quieted. I exhaled as I brought my car to a stop in front of her door. This was not the place to think of any of that, not war and for damn sure not politics. I had already decided that I would leave all things political at her gate and not bring it in. I’ve come to look at my time with her as something sacred. And I refuse to let it be contaminated with the filth of politics.
After removing my bag from my trunk, I used my key to let myself in and I came up short at the sight that greeted me. A feeling of home flooded every one of my senses. At first, I stood there dumbfounded. I had never felt this feeling before. I didn’t even know what to do with it. This caused the restlessness in me to not only be calm, but for the first time in my life it vanished. I didn’t feel it there simmering just beneath the surface of my skin.
Walking into her home gave me the same feeling I got the first time I saw her. Everything about the décor screamed Journey. She had chosen to go light and breezy with it. A beautiful cream plush sofa that looked as if it would be heaven to sit on sat against the far wall. In front of the big bay windows was a matching love seat. On both sides of the love seat was a tall plant with huge vibrantly bright green leaves.
There was a big flat screen television mounted to the wall over the fireplace. I frowned. That didn’t seem like her. Chuckling I shook my head. That had Albert written all over it.
The house was filled with a pleasant bouquet of fresh scents, fresh linen, citrus, and there was even a hint of chocolate. It made me feel as if I were walking into a country home full of fresh flowers instead of a little bungalow that’s minutes from D.C. She had managed to create an oasis in the mist of chaos.
As I made my way upstairs I thought about my cold, lonely penthouse that was triple the size of this house. I don’t ever remember feeling anything upon entering it.
When I got to my daughter’s room all thought fled as I quietly walked in. She slept so peacefully in her crib sucking her little fingers. Gently I touched her head. She was so tiny lying here in this bed. I can’t believe she came from me. She is the only perfect thing I’d ever done.
I now knew what true love felt like. I had just met her, but already I will be willing to lay down my life for her. Ayana, the perfect. I wanted to kiss her little cheek, but I didn’t want to wake her, so I eased back out of the room. When I got to Journey’s bedroom, I stood in the center of the room and looked around it. The fury that had just seconds ago been calmed to the point that I thought maybe I had been healed, began to simmer to life.
She had not brought any furniture for this room. The only thing here was the bed I’d gotten her. Her suitcase and bags still sat against the wall.
A big part of my training for the Bureau had been in the studying of human behavior, her action spoke volumes of her true intentions. She bought furniture for the rest of the house because I told her to. By not buying furniture for her bedroom she was trying not to get too comfortable, to make walking away as painless as possible.
My little elusive butterfly had it in her heart to flutter away from me again.
I took the stairs up to her greenhouse two at a time. The emotions she caused in me were all first. This was the first time I wanted to claim a woman, to put my seal on her and somehow mark her so all the world knew she was mine. She had become my peace, my quiet and she wanted to take that away from me.
“Wow!”
This had to be what paradise looked 1ike. I glanced around amazed that she was able to do so much in seven days.
“Wow!”
The earthy smell in here made me feel…I don’t know. It made me feel alive. There was a small metal garden table with two matching chairs that sat in the center of the room. Next to the table was a baby swing. On the table was an empty tea cup with an old tea bag in it. I could tell that my girl spent a lot of time here, more time than she spent in the rest of the house, especially her bedroom.
I chuckled dryly. We were going to change that.
“Journey.” I called, careful to keep my voice low enough not to wake the baby. When I didn’t get an answer, I took my phone off my hip and clicked on my security footage app. A few minutes later I was walking through the sliding doors to the back deck.
My little butterfly was fast asleep in the center of the backyard. When I approached her I just stood for a moment and took her in. She was so beautiful. The petals from the flowers had fallen to blanket her. Carefully I lifted my phone and snapped a picture. Too late realizing I didn’t have it on silent.
Journey
The sound of a picture snapping woke me. Jo stood above me with his phone in his hand.
“Dang it, Jo! Did you just take a picture of me sleeping?” He chuckled nodding his head.
“Yep.”
I frowned. “Why? Was I snoring or something?” He shook his head.
“You’re covered with flower petals.”
I lifted my head looking down at my body and was amazed to see that I was. Slowly I sat up and the petals rained down from my hair. I chuckled, shaking my head causing more to fall to the ground around me.
He took another picture. I covered my face.
“Jo, stop taking pictures, I must look—”
“Beautiful. Simply and utterly beautiful.” His deep voice cut me off. Blushing I looked up at him and started to return the compliment. This man’s chocolate good looks was a sight for sore eyes. He stood over me looking so very powerful in an expensive white linen suit that was made just for him. Its startling whiteness contrasted beautifully with his dark skin.
Right then the wind blew, causing the jacket to open a bit, revealing just how well his white shirt with the top three buttons undone fit against his muscled chest and stomach.
He squatted down in the grass next to me and his spicy cologne tempted my senses.
“I missed you.” He said quietly as he gently picked a petal off my lap. “I brought something for you.” He reached in his jacket and came out with a thin box.
I took the box with hands that shook slightly. “You didn’t have to get me anything. You’ve already done so much.” I gave a nervous chuckle.
“Naw, I wanted to, open it.”
I opened it and gasped. “Oh my God! It’s beautiful!”
It was a rose gold necklace with a ruby pendent that sat in the center of a rose gold flower. There were small little specks of diamonds on the flower petal that looked like drops of water. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful. I looked up at Jo at a loss for words. This necklace had to be very expensive.
“Here, let me help you put it on.” He took the necklace out of the box and squatted down behind me. I was so nervous as his strong hands came around my neck to gently lay the ruby against my chest. When he was done clamping it I waited for him to come back in front of me, but he didn’t. When I felt his warm lips touch the back of my neck I gasped as a shiver raced through me.
“Your skin is so pretty.” He sniffed. “And it smells like chocolate.” I bit my lip, so glad I decided to give myself that moisturizing treatment, he was smelling cocoa butter.
“Thank y—” I began, but he used his hand to gently turn my head and then he was kissing me. And I’m not talking about a hi, nice to see you again kiss. I’m talking about a having to squeeze your thighs together, toe curling kind of kiss.
I cried out when he suddenly put one arm under my knees and the other behind my back and swooped me up from the ground.
“Jo, you’re going to drop me!” I laughed as he spun me around holding me high in the air. I wrapped my arms around his neck clinging to him. I’m not the smallest girl in the world, especially after having Ayana.
“I got you, baby. I’ll never drop you.” He whispered close to my ear. I moaned, ‘cause when he was done he took my ear lobe in his mouth. That was one thing I remembered about my night with Jo. He did some nasty things with that mouth of his.
He carried me across the yard, up the de
ck and into the house. Without making a sound he carried me up the stairs past Ayana’s room and into my room. Holding me up with one arm, he took his other hand and gently shut the door as not to wake up the baby.
As he carried me across the floor to the bed he looked down at me with his hungry gaze, a gaze that didn’t waver as he gently laid me on the bed. My heart was pounding with fear and anticipation. The time had come.
“I’ve waited so long to taste you.” He said so low I barely heard him. I balled my hands into fists to stop myself from doing something like pulling the covers over me. His gaze was so intense as he stood and took off his jacket letting it fall to the floor. Shortly after, his shirt followed.
I bit my lip. His muscled chest and stomach looked so good. The dog tags lay against his chest showing that Albert was right and at heart, Jo was more warrior than politician. After sliding out his shoes he put one knee on the bed and fisted the bottom of my dress. When he began to pull I panicked and put my hand on my chest stopping him.
“It’s so much light—”
“I just want to see you, J. Please…let me see you.” The look in his eye was that of pure want. I have never had a man look at me that way. Slowly I removed my hand and he began to pull at my dress. Because the top of it was elastic it had to stretch to pass my breasts causing them to spring free.
“Oh sh*t…” He whispered, hungrily eyeing my breasts. When I saw his head lowering toward them my first feeling was fear. I was afraid he was going to cause my milk to come down and ruin everything, but he didn’t. He kissed my tips very gently, opening his mouth to taste them without causing my milk to release.
I moaned closing my eyes. I couldn’t help but arch my back, offering more of myself to him. His warm mouth felt so good. However, my breasts were the only place Jo showed restraint. What seemed like minutes later, he had me screaming my release all without even removing his pants.
But my goodness, when he removed his pants…
Emm… Emm… Emm…
He reminded me of his ability to turn me into a savage, to have me begging for mercy while screaming out his name. He had the ability to cause me to lose feeling in my face and cause my legs to spasm uncontrollably. This purely primal feeling was out of this world. I bit down on my lip till it hurt, trying not to lose myself completely, but it did no good.
I was lost, panting and clawing, feeling as if I could not take anymore, yet begging for more. There were tears coming from my eyes and I didn’t know why. Maybe I was dying of the pleasure he was causing me to feel.
When he finally held me tightly against him and released his warm seed in me, I thought for sure after that performance, he would be tired. I sure was.
But I was wrong.
Jo rested for only a minute with his arm around me, spooning me. I’d even began to drift off, still very tired from the lack of sleep I’ve gotten. Even my nap earlier had been short lived. I couldn’t have been asleep that long before Jo showed up.
However, a moan escaped my lips when I felt him begin to gently kiss me on the back of my neck. I smiled sleepily, thinking that was very sweet. But then his tongue turned wicked and that sweet little gestured turned into me biting down on my pillow as not to wake Ayana as he took me from behind.
When my world shattered for the third time, so did my ability to remain awake. In fact, I think I may have passed out. I don’t know if it was the orgasm that depleted me of my last remaining strength, but when I tell ya’ll I slept…
I slept.
I didn’t even hear Ayana cry. I remember at some point Jo bringing her to me and putting her to my breast. I helped her latch on, but that was the last thing I remembered doing. At some point I opened my eyes a bit and half sleepily watched Jo lay the baby on the bed in front of me and change her diaper. At least that’s what he was attempting to do. He was talking his way through it like a military drill. I smiled sleepily at him. That was cute.
And I must have thought it was good enough ‘cause I drifted on back to sleep. When finally my body had enough rest to function again, it was some time in the middle of the night, early morning. I sat straight up in the bed at first panicked that I’d slept so long. And I knew I’d slept long because I actually felt rested.
Confused, I touched the ruby that lay between my breasts as I turned to look around the room and spotted Jo dressed in a pair of black silk pajama bottoms sitting in the little nook window with Ayana lying on the cushion in front of him. He was playing with her toes. Now I realized what woke me. It was Ayana laughing, her daddy was tickling her.
He looked up at me with a huge amazed smile on his face.
“She’s laughing!” He said as if he could not believe it.
I slid out of bed looking for my dress, when I couldn’t find it I just wrapped the sheet around me and approached them. Sure enough, she was looking up at her daddy, starstruck and laughing as he kissed her little toes. His beard and moustache were tickling her feet.
His beard and moustache left its mark on my body as well, but not in the same way.
I put my hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for looking after her while I slept.” I laughed shakily. “I was so tired.” He took my hand and gently kissed it.
“Don’t thank me, baby. It’s my duty to be here for you guys. I hate to see you so tired. I’m sorry I haven’t been here till now.” I shook my head.
“Naw, it’s not your fault.” I wanted to tell him it’s his witch of a mother’s fault, but he and I was not at that place. That was not my job. I was just his mistress in a one-year contract. It wasn’t my place to get involved in his family drama. After my contract was over, I would go back to my own family.
“Can you look after her while I jump in the shower?”
He looked up at me with the, what did I just say face. I chuckled throwing up my hand that was not holding the sheet. “Okay, okay.”
But no sooner had I gotten into the shower did Ayana start to fuss. Minutes later, Jo came in rocking a now screaming baby.
“I think she must have known her mommy was there and left. As soon as you walked away the smile disappeared and this look replaced it.”
I looked at him through the shower glass and held my head back and laughed at the face he was making. I’ll be doggone, that’s the exact look she makes when she’s irritated.
I pointed at him. “Now I know which parent she gets it from.”
I made quick work in the shower. However, I was barely able to dry off because Ayana was raising the roof. When I came out the bathroom with a towel wrapped around me, it was to see poor Jo with a look of extreme distress as he paced the floor trying to calm her.
“I’ve fought in wars less stressful than this.” He muttered as I took her out of his arms. Chuckling I sat on the bed opening my towel and as soon as she latched on, Jo fell back in the bed behind us exhausted.
“Wow! How in the world can something so tiny be so loud?” He muttered. Moments later, he was out.
After I finished feeding Ayana, I laughed out loud when I went to change her diaper. Poor Jo, he did the best he could. He got an A for effort. When I slid back into bed after getting the baby down, Jo wrapped his strong arm around me pulling me back so that I was tucked into the front of his big body. And surprisingly, I had no problem falling right back to sleep.
However, hours later I came awake with a gasp and a shutter…my body was racked with pleasure so intense it was almost painful. Clutching the covers in my palm I squeezed my eyes shut. I was seconds from coming apart. Jo was using his mouth on me in a way that was driving me wild.
“Jo!” I screamed as my world shattered, making me feel detached from my body. Before I could even come back to earth he was filling me and I was lost. He made love to me in a way that branded me. It was as if his touch was imprinting my body and it would forever be his. No man would ever be able to crack his code.
When finally he and I made our way out of bed, I was a bit uncertain of what our next step would be. What defined
our relationship? Was it just sex? Was he something like a boyfriend? I pondered this as I showered and went through my morning routine. I guess the best thing to do would be to let him lead the way.
I stood in front of the bathroom mirror with a towel wrapped around me putting on my cocoa butter when he knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
“Can I jump in the shower?” He asked peeking around the door.
I smiled at him. “Sure.” And although he and I had just made love, I still blushed when he dropped his drawers and stepped in the shower. I watched him out the corner of my eye as I rubbed the little stick of cocoa butter over my arms.
Jo is a fine specimen of a man. His muscles flexed beautifully as he lifted his arms and washed his—
“I hope you don’t mind I brought few items with me to leave here so that when I’m over here and I have to go to work, I don’t have to run all the way home.” I grinned shaking my head slightly.
“Of course I don’t mind. Technically, this is your house.” He stopped washing himself and looked at me through the glass door.
“Is that why you haven’t bought any bedroom furniture? Because you see this as my house?”
“Umm—” I was at a loss as to how to answer his question. He’s right; I hadn’t bought any bedroom furniture. I tilted my head staring at him. Now that he mentioned it, I guess I had subconsciously not bought furniture for a room I didn’t really consider mine.
He chuckled. “Good thing for you, I’ve done something I haven’t done in over twenty years.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?”
He began to rinse the soap off himself. “Take a vacation. Today you and I are going shopping for bedroom furniture, my love. This is your home, the sooner you begin to see it that way, the better.”
I frowned slightly as I went back to rubbing the little stick in my palm so that I could rub my legs with cocoa butter.