Learning To Love Again (Book #1 In The Learning To Love Again Series

by Jessica Danielle

  Definitely not awake, I shouldn’t have called him.

  Willow was about to hang up when the ringing stopped, and he picked up the phone.

  “Hello?” Willow heard on the other line and could hear the tiredness in his voice.

  “Hello Micheal, it’s me Willow” she replies, hearing him clear his throat on the other end of the line.

  “Hey Willow, what’s up?” he asked, hearing the change in his voice like he was happy that it was her calling to talk to him.

  “I’m sorry, did I wake you? Because if I did–” she said as Micheal interrupted her with a chuckle on the other end of the line, making Willow lose her train of thought and almost miss his response.

  “Kind of. I was nodding off when you called. I was working on a piece in my studio and completely forgot the time. So, I was trying to force myself to go to sleep because I was still so amped. But that’s not why you called is it, Willow?” Micheal asked, waiting for her response.

  “It’s stupid,” she said, her voice dipping as her confidence in trying to explain to him what happened faded.

  “Hey whatever it is, you can tell me. I told you that before.”

  “I had a nightmare, I dreamt Andrew came to the apartment and tried to break in. He had a knife.” Willow explained, waiting for the response she had been used to getting.

  Willow, what are you talking about? That’s stupid. It’s just a nightmare. Why did you wake me up just for that? Deal with it yourself.

  That had been how Andrew always responded to situations like that, in a cold, pissed-off tone when he would stay over at her apartment.

  But the response that Willow heard over the phone surprised her.

  “Willow, that’s awful. I completely understand. Is Amanda home? Or do you want me to come over?” Micheal asked Willow, feeling the tears come at the thought of this man dropping everything to come back to her apartment in the middle of the night.

  “That’s why I called you. Normally I would have woken up Amanda, but she’s working late tonight, and I don’t want to bother her. And I have also bothered you as well, I’m sorry that I woke you up,” Willow said, feeling awful.

  “I’m coming over,” Micheal said

  “No, Micheal, I’m fine. I’m sorry that I woke you up,” She said trying to brush it off.

  “Regardless, do you feel safe at the apartment by yourself?” he asked, his voice serious, waiting for a response from her.

  With her thinking back to the nightmare and how real it felt, biting her lip in thought about whether it would be a good thing about having him coming back to her apartment after how he left the last time in such a rush.

  “I’ll be there in 20 minutes,” he said before Willow could say anything.

  Willow was back in bed, thinking that he would not show up after all with it being so late, looking at the clock that read that it was now midnight. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she took a calming breath.

  And jumped at the sound of the buzzer going off, signaling that someone wanted to be let into the building.

  Willow got up from the bed, just as the buzzer sounded again, and hit the buzzer on the panel next to the door.

  “Willow, it’s me, Micheal,” he said over the buzzer, as Willow hit the button to open up the front door to let him in.

  Waiting for him to come up the 3 flights of stairs to get to the apartment, she felt the butterflies in her stomach at the thought of him being back in this apartment again so soon.

  Get your nerves under control. Yes, the last time he was here literally the day before he left in a rush because of awkwardly waking up next to him in your bed.

  Willow walked around the house, flicking on the lights, as she went, trying to calm her nerves down. Grimacing at each light that came on when there was a knock at the door.

  All her mind could go back to the thought of the nightmare, the butterflies completely disappearing and a cold sinking feeling being replaced in her stomach as she walked to the door and peered out of the peephole. Just waiting for it to be Andrew on the other side of the door.

  But Micheal was on the other side of the door, waiting patiently, with a bag slung over his shoulder.

  After unlocking the locks, she opened the door, letting him inside.

  “Hey,” she said, as she looked into his eyes and saw the tiredness in them.

  “Hey, how are you doing? You look a little uneasy?” he questioned, setting the bag by the couch.

  “Yeah, thought you were Andrew for a second, that’s all,” she replied, closing the door and locking the locks again.

  “You know you didn’t have to do this. Come over here so late at night,” Willow said, not really looking for a response.

  “I know. But I wanted to come by to let you know I care. After all, I know I wouldn’t have been able to sleep knowing how my son’s favorite substitute teacher was fairing,” Micheal said, flashing a smile at her, as Willow realized he wasn’t wearing his usual black shirt and black jeans. But what looked to be soft pajama pants that were black and a blue shirt that seemed loose on his form and sandals on his feet. That gave the impression that he rushed out the door and grabbed whatever footwear was close enough to put on.

  “Interesting, no black on black like usual?” she questioned, catching his eyes roam over her form.

  Since the temperature rose with the warmer weather outside, Willow had been cranking the air conditioning. And opted to wear a sleeping set consisting of a matching pink tank top and sleeping shorts. Willow’s eyes stopped at his face as he was smirking at her, but quickly turned to the backpack. Opening it up.

  “I thought I would bring a couple of things,” Micheal said, trailing off as he started putting things on the coffee table. Willow’s eyes went to the items that were being put on the coffee table.

  Most of it was candy, which Willow couldn’t be happier about.

  “You are a man after my heart, you know that right?” She questioned rhetorically, grabbing for one of the cookies and cream bars, feeling the coldness of the wrapper in her hand.

  “You got them from the freezer?” she questioned, excitedly smiling like an idiot over the thought of chocolate.

  “Well yeah, I had to come prepared,” Micheal replied, turning to smile at Willow. Taking a chocolate bar for himself and putting the rest in the freezer. Taking off his sandals before sitting down on the couch and patting the spot next to him for Willow to sit at.

  Willow sat down and looked at the coffee table and saw that he had put more than the candy on the table.

  “You brought movies!?” she shouted, quickly covering her mouth and waiting for any signs that she woke her neighbors up. And then looking over at Micheal, who was chuckling away at her reaction.

  That same damn chuckle that made Willow weak in the knees over the phone earlier. Feeling her face heat, and not from embarrassment, but at how close the two of them were sitting on the couch.

  “Yeah, I did. Thanks for the interjection of excitement on my behalf,” Micheal replied, brushing some of Willow’s fiery red hair away from her shoulder. But he didn’t move his hand away from her shoulder, instead of resting it on her shoulder, brushing his thumb against her skin in circular motions. Both hold eye contact with each other.

  “I know I shouldn’t, but I really want to kiss you Willow,” he said as he smiled, as Willow smiled reflexively at his honest admission.

  “What’s stopping you?” she asked in and surprised herself at the husky tone that came from her. She leaned into him, kissing him softly at first. Feeling him hesitate before she pulled away.

  He threw the candy bar that had been in his hands onto the coffee table. Then his hands were on Willow’s shoulders, pressing his lips firmly against hers, moving her closer to him on the couch.

  Both pulled away for air as he chuckled.

  “You are full of surprises, aren’t you Willow?” he asked rhetorically as Willow looked up at him shyly as he dipped down to kiss her again. His hands brushing
against her arms, moving lower, his thumbs brushing up against her nipples that were poking out from underneath her tank top.

  The moan that came from Willow surprised her as they both shifted on the couch, Willow pulling away from him.

  “I completely forgot that I wasn’t wearing a bra, sorry,” Willow said, moving to get up, but Micheal pulled her back onto his lap. Bringing them eye to eye with one another.

  “Now why would I want you to do that?” he asked, as he tilted his head at her, smirking at her. Moving his hands from her shoulders and down to her breasts, rubbing circles with his thumbs.

  Willow’s hands stopped at his waist, bunching up his shirt in her hands.

  “This needs to go,” she murmured softly, pulling him to her and moaning into the kiss, feeling Micheal’s hands moving to the back of her head. Breaking away from the kiss.

  “I think we need to take this into your bedroom. We really don’t want Amanda to walk in on this,” he said against her, his hands squeezing her ass, and only feeling her hot skin underneath the shorts.

  He nipped at her neck, before speaking again in his own husky tone.

  “More and more surprises Willow,”

  Reminding Willow that she had opted to not wear underwear alone with the bra because of the heat.

  Micheal got up from the couch, as Willow wrapped her legs around his waist. Walking toward her bedroom, kissing and sucking at her neck.

  He only stopped when his legs hit the edge of Willow’s bed, setting her down gently, watching as he was moving to loom over her in the bed.

  Then the horrid sound of the front door slamming against the locks made Willow and Micheal jump. With him turning in the sound's direction and hopping off the bed.

  “Hey Willow, can you unlock the inside lock for me?” Amanda asked from the other side of the door. Willow sighed in relief and got up, moving past Micheal. Opening up a dresser drawer, she grabbed for a bra and crewneck t-shirt.

  “Hold on, one second,” Willow shouted as she headed for the bathroom and changed quickly into the bra and shirt, opening up the door to a confused Micheal.

  “Why did you change?”

  “Why shouldn’t I? If she saw my red chest, she would know we were up to no good. I’ve already been through her assumptions and I don’t want to go through that again,” Willow explained, as she took his hand in hers and they walked out of her bedroom. And she pushed him towards the couch.

  Willow unlocked the last lock, opening the door for Amanda. Taking the bag that was in her hands, Amanda walked in and stopped dead in her tracks at seeing Micheal sitting on the couch.

  And a smile crept upon her face as she looked from Willow to Micheal.

  “I interrupted something, didn’t I?” She questioned with a smirk on her face.

  Oh, she knows something happened.

  “I ended up having a nightmare tonight. And I didn’t want to call you at work because I knew you were busy. So I called Micheal. And he came over to make sure I was okay. And he brought movies and chocolates. There is more in the freezer if you want any,” Willow explained honestly, even though she was holding back what her best friend would buy it because it was the truth.

  That was until Willow had to kiss Micheal that is.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Amanda took one look at the DVD that was in Willow’s hand and then from Willow to Micheal, with a knowing smile.

  “Ok, you can put the DVD in. I’ll just be a second. I’ll take a shower and be right back out,” she said as she picked up her bag and walked into her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

  Micheal opened his mouth to talk, and Willow jumped into his lap, her hand landing on his mouth.

  “Just wait,” she said as she waited for the sound of the shower to come on.

  “See, I wouldn’t complain about your hand being on me at all, except well your friend is back in the apartment so it’s going to have to be pg-rated,” he said with a wiggle of his eyebrows at Willow.

  “We have to think up a plan to avoid the DVD. The more time that I sit with her the more she’s going to want to know what happened between us because she knows something happened already,” Willow said, moving to get off his lap, feeling his arm go around her waist holding her there.

  “From how tired she looked, she cannot stay awake past the opening credits of the movie. But in the meantime,” he said trailing off leaning closer to Willow, as she shoved him away as he pouted.

  “Micheal, we can’t. She’s going to be coming out of the shower in a few minutes and I certainly don’t want her finding out about us this way,” she said, moving off his lap and going to sit next to him on the couch.

  A moment later, Amanda opened the door to her bedroom, now wearing pajamas and her hair wrapped up in a towel. Looking more tired and drained from work than she did when she entered the apartment minutes ago.

  “On second thought, count me out on the movie. I’m going to go to sleep, good night you two,” she said, as she walked into the kitchen, opened up a cabinet and walked back into her bedroom, and closed the door behind her.

  “You know, I’m actually tired as well. I didn’t think I could go to sleep after everything. But I guess you are a pleasant distraction,” Willow said as she yawned.

  “And here with all this talk of watching a movie, I really wanted to watch it,” Micheal joked, as Willow rolled her eyes getting up from the couch.

  “I can get you extra blankets and pillows to set up the couch again,” she said, walking to her room and grabbing the same pile that she had neatly folded the other day after he left the apartment.

  She came back into the living room, throwing the pillow at Micheal’s face as he laughed deeply.

  “Really, Willow? The couch after everything?” he asked mockingly as he put the pillow on the couch.

  “Trust me, it’s taking everything in me to not start back up where we were. You know, before we were interrupted. But she’s here now. And I am telling you the truth when I said that I am tired,” she said, as she yawned again, more deeply this time.

  Walking around the apartment and clicking off the lights, one after another until she stopped by her bedroom, clicking off the last light. Leaving them both shrouded in darkness. Willow stumbled into Micheal’s arms, jumping back from the sudden contact.

  “Are you ok? Sorry if I startled you,” he said as Willow started laughing at the concern in his voice.

  “No, no, it’s just that as soon as the lights turn off, I become as blind as a bat,” Willow commented, as she took a hold of his hand and had him follow her into her bedroom, closing the door as soon as Micheal walked into the room.

  “So, I’ve given it some thought, even if it was only for a second. But we could do start off right before we were so rudely interrupted. We just have to be quiet,” Willow said, smiling at Micheal, as she pushed him into her bed.

  “Oh, does that mean that cute little tank top gets put back on?” Micheal questioned, as Willow laid next to him on the bed.

  “Thought the whole point would be for us both to not have our clothes on at one point but if you want the tank top back on,” she said as she went to get up, Micheal grabbed her wrist, stopping her from getting up.

  “While I usually wouldn’t turn down sex. I’m getting the impression that you are trying to distract yourself from the nightmare that you had. Would you rather talk about it? Plus, I wouldn’t try anything with you now that I think about it. Not until we go on a date first,” Micheal said, moving to lie on his side facing her.

  “You want me to talk about the nightmare, but now all I can think about is the possibility of a date. Again, another distraction. I see what you are doing there,” she said with a smile on her face, as she went to boop his nose playfully.

  “What do you mean by possibility? Hell, the moment I left the apartment yesterday I had the idea to take you out this weekend,”

  “What is it? Where are we going?” she asked excitedly the possibilities that were ru
nning through her head.

  “I will not ruin it for you. It’s a surprise. Kind of two-parter, really. Just be ready Saturday. And wear a T-shirt and jeans and comfortable shoes. You’ll need it where we are going,” he mentioned.

  Willow shifted on the bed, bringing her closer to him.

  “Just because we haven’t gone on a date yet, doesn’t mean we can’t do a little cuddling though,” he said, as he moved his arm over her hips, pulling her closer to him. With sleep, taking over her within minutes in his warm embrace.

  Waking up the next morning, snuggled up in blankets, Willow didn’t remember putting on herself the night before. She turned on her side, coming face to face with Micheal. The events of the previous night coming back to her. Micheal moved in his sleep, laying his arm across her waist, tightening his hold around her.

  “Micheal” Willow said softly, hoping that would wake him up. But by the looks of his eyes remaining closed, she tried again.

  “Micheal, please wake up,” she said again, trying to shake him gently, as he moved his head against the pillow. His long hair moving in front of his face.

  “Willow,” he murmured in his sleep, as Willow covered her mouth, trying to hold in her laughter at the realization that he talks in his sleep. Which was the move that woke him up. He groaned and opened his brown eyes and looked directly at her.

  “Good morning Willow” he said, his voice still husky from sleep.

  “Good morning” Willow replied, as she laughed, hopping out of bed.

  “What’s so funny?” he asked, as Willow looked back at him.

  “Oh, nothing, nothing at all,” she said as she walked out of her room with a big smile on her face as she closed the door behind her and started laughing again. Willow walked into the kitchen; mind set on making coffee.

  “I knew it!” Amanda shouted behind her, causing Willow to jump, just as she was opening up the container of coffee grinds. The brown grainy substance all over her arms. She turned around to face Amanda, who was holding onto the counter to keep herself upright as she laughed at her friend.